Emerging from the COVID-19 times of 2020, IPRoyal kicked off as a humble IPv4 and IPv6 address leasing business before blossoming into a full-blown proxy powerhouse. The company caters to virtually everyone: from solo devs and data teams to bustling startups and enterprises.

Alongside the usual residential, mobile, datacenter, and ISP proxies, IPRoyal also offers specialized enterprise proxy solutions, an AI-powered Web Unblocker, and a video scraper API for YouTube content. Its network spans 195 countries for residential proxies and over 60 datacenter locations, with support for 650+ tools and scraper integrations.

IPRoyal: Plans and Pricing

When it comes to picking your proxy flavor, IPRoyal’s menu is thoroughly stocked.

If you’re leaning toward residential proxies, you can grab them on a recurring subscription or via a pay-as-you-go basis. Entry pricing now starts at $7.00 per GB for subscriptions ($7.35/GB for pay-as-you-go) at 1 GB of traffic. As your data appetite grows, rates drop to $1.75 per GB for subscriptions ($1.84/GB for pay-as-you-go) at the 10,000 GB bulk tier.

Arguably the biggest perk here is that your purchased bandwidth never expires, since any unused data sits in your account indefinitely until you consume it.

Over at the ISP proxy side (which are static residential IPs with unlimited bandwidth), pricing is tiered by plan duration rather than data caps. A 24-hour test drive starts at $1.80 per proxy, while longer commitments bring the monthly rate down to $2.70 for 30 days, $2.55 for 60 days, and $2.40 per month on a 90-day plan.

A dedicated proxy will cost you $1.57 per proxy for 30 days, $1.48 for 60 days, and $1.39 on a 90-day plan. These plans include access to 60+ location options, state- and city-level targeting, API support, and unlimited sessions.

For mobile proxies (covering 5G/4G/3G/LTE networks), IPRoyal splits the lineup into two models. You can opt for dedicated subscriptions with unlimited bandwidth starting at $10.11/day for 24 hours that scale down to $117/month on a 90-day plan. Alternatively, a rotating pay-as-you-go option runs from $6.80 per GB down to $5.20 per GB for 100 GB (with non-expiring traffic).

In any case, you get access to over 4.5 million mobile IPs with flexible auto-rotation or instant IP switching on demand.

When it comes to heavy-duty data operations, IPRoyal’s enterprise proxies deliver custom scaling. Bulk pricing clocks at $1.75/GB for 10,000 GB+ residential bandwidth, $1.39/proxy for 250+ ISP addresses, $2.40/proxy for 250+ datacenter addresses, $117/month for unlimited mobile proxies, and includes exclusive trials for eligible businesses.

The latest addition to IPRoyal’s roster, the Web Unblocker handles CAPTCHA solving, smart IP selection across 195 countries, auto-retries, and dynamic browser fingerprinting for your data collection efforts. Rates start at $1.00 per 1,000 requests and scale down to $0.70 per 1,000 requests for higher volumes, with custom plans available for enterprise-scale projects.

Although IPRoyal doesn’t offer a free trial, it does give access to its trial proxies (for companies only, though) so you can test its features before deciding.

IPRoyal: Features

Accessing IPRoyal’s features starts with creating an account. You can sign up with your email address or use an existing Google or LinkedIn account. You’ll be redirected to your dashboard after registration, where you can access these features:

Residential IPs

Residential proxies are sourced from real devices across the globe. Every internet-connected device has a unique IP address, and people agree to contribute their IP addresses to IPRoyal’s network for a benefit, e.g., a VPN subscription. As an IPRoyal user, you can then use one of these IP addresses to surf the web and bypass geographical restrictions.

The company now offers access to over 64 million residential IPs across 195+ countries and regions, doubling its previous 32 million pool. Among the countries with the largest available residential IPs are the U.S. with 3.4+ million IPs, followed by the U.K. and Germany, which have upward of 1.4 million IPs.

Suppose you run a flight deals website that frequently scrapes prices from airlines’ websites. Many airlines don’t like external data scraping, so they use geographical and IP restrictions to block it. For example, website admins identify IP addresses used by scraping bots and block them from further access. In that case, IPRoyal’s residential proxies let you circumvent this block.

You can choose from an endless list of proxies to scrape data from external websites. If one gets blocked, select another and continue your scraping activity. Residential proxies also hide your online identity and prevent third-party tracking. As far as a website is concerned, your device is browsing from whichever IP proxy you use and not the actual location. You could be in the U.S. and surf the web with a German IP address.

During our test, IPRoyal’s residential proxies provided a reliable and fast internet connection, boasting a 99.4% success rate and a snappy 0.5s average response time. We noticed no slowdown compared to browsing without a proxy IP address. The dashboard provided detailed insights on our proxy usage, including bandwidth and speed.

ISP proxies

IPRoyal’s static residential network has grown to include over 500,000 ethically sourced unique IPs across 31+ countries. You get 100% dedicated IPs with unlimited bandwidth, zero thread limits, full protocol support spanning HTTP(S), SOCKS5, plus both UDP and TCP connections, and reliable server health that guarantees up to a 99.99% success rate and 99.9% uptime.

After funding your account, you can select the exact number of proxies you need for the offered duration - 1, 30, 60, and 90 days - in your user dashboard on the IPRoyal website. Besides selecting the duration, number of proxies, and their location, you have the option to list extra requirements for an additional fee.

Once set up, you’ll be able to see your ISP proxies’ orders and their status in your online dashboard, filter them for easier navigation, or search through them based on the notes you left. Clicking the Details button for a specific confirmed order will take you to the configuration page for those particular proxies. Managing endpoints is easy, as you can filter orders and attach search notes, as well as rotate static IPs through your account's pool via API or dashboard toggles.

Upon testing, there were some problems with erroneous rerouting of certain proxies to the wrong locations (like choosing a Portugal IP address and getting a UK one). Thankfully, the IPRoyal staff was helpful and quick to act, so we got the correct location not long after contacting them. That said, some users have reported not getting proper assistance with similar issues.

Mobile Proxies

Compared to last time we checked in with IPRoyal, its mobile network has almost doubled, expanding from 2.5 million to over 4.5 million real 3G/4G/5G/LTE mobile IPs. You can drill down to target specific countries, states, cities, and major cellular carriers (like T-Mobile and Verizon in the United States, or Orange and Vodafone in Europe).

Rotation control remained rather flexible, since you can set your IP to auto-rotate every 3 to 6 minutes or configure custom intervals from 1 second up to 24 hours. Another option is to trigger an instant IP swap whenever you want via the dashboard or API.

The mobile proxies were notably fast during our test, with up to 100 Mbps download speeds.

Mobile proxies are particularly useful for social media management and research. Most social networks like Facebook and Instagram have strict limitations on the number of accounts users can create on a single device. You can bypass these limitations with IPRoyal's massive pool of mobile proxies. Your device's real location stays hidden, and the social media platform assumes it's another device because of its proxy IP address. Hence, it doesn't flag your accounts.

You can manage as many social media accounts as possible with mobile proxies. You can also create many social accounts for research purposes, e.g., an academic study, without being flagged.

Datacenter Proxies

IPRoyal runs a network of IPv4 and IPv6 proxy servers that provide unlimited bandwidth for end users. Sourced directly from commercial cloud servers rather than consumer ISPs, these addresses trade away a bit of natural stealth in exchange for maximum raw performance. If a target site eventually flags an IP during a particularly aggressive scrape, you can simply spin up a fresh replacement and keep your pipeline moving.

Datacenter coverage covers over 60 locations worldwide, complete with state and city-level targeting. The underlying hardware delivers roughly 2 Gbps throughput with 10 ms latency and a 99.9% uptime guarantee, easily handling high-concurrency workloads.

You can connect to IPRoyal’s proxy servers via the HTTP/HTTPS and SOCKS5 protocols. During our test, they offered first-rate speed and performance with no downtime. IPRoyal places no bandwidth or session limits on proxy IPs, making them ideal for bandwidth-intensive use cases like data scraping, online streaming, content downloads, and app testing.

Browser extension

IPRoyal offers a browser extension (IPRoyal Proxy Manager) that makes deploying and managing proxies easier. Instead of frequently logging into your dashboard to choose new proxies, you can use the extension to switch with a click. The proxy add-on is available on Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, and Opera.

These browser extensions offer all-in-one proxy management. You can create distinct profiles for different proxies and switch between them with a single click. Each profile can have a single proxy or use different proxy IPs for specific traffic types (HTTP, HTTPS, and FTP). You can assign a backup proxy to ensure your internet access remains secure if your current proxy fails, and build custom IP bypass lists to exclude specific URLs from proxy routing.

Furthermore, you can log directly into your IPRoyal account inside the extension to buy bandwidth, generate residential profiles, adjust city/state targeting, toggle high-end pools, or set session rotation rules without visiting the main website.

The browser extension doesn’t only work with IPRoyal’s proxy IPs. You can use it to manage IP addresses from other proxy providers your organization uses.

Enterprise Proxies

Intended to take over the heavy lifting, IPRoyal's enterprise proxies are specifically designed for high-volume corporate workloads. You get custom access to dedicated IPs, city/state-level targeting, and ethically sourced, fully compliant proxy pools across residential, ISP, datacenter, and mobile networks.

Thanks to flexible scaling, you can add as many IP addresses as needed out of the 68+ million proxy pool. Enterprise proxies pair custom infrastructure scaling with dedicated account managers, 24/7 network surveillance, and fastlane support so your automated pipelines never hit an (un)expected wall.

Web Unblocker

You can think of the AI-powered Web Unblocker as an automated master key for instances where anti-bot algorithms and CAPTCHAs lock out your scraping scripts. Instead of spending hours tinkering with request headers or troubleshooting IP bans, this tool manages all anti-scraping roadblocks in the background.

Under the hood, the Web Unblocker utilizes AI-driven smart IP selection across 195 countries, real-time CAPTCHA solving, dynamic browser fingerprinting, and automatic retries to mimic organic human browsing behavior. Perhaps best of all, dropping it into your tech stack requires zero code changes: you simply swap out your current proxy endpoint.

Video Scraper API

A dedicated extraction engine built specifically to turn YouTube content into structured, AI-ready datasets, Video Scraper API integrates into your existing codebase with a few lines of code. As a result, you can search and select video IDs, and perform single or bulk video downloads directly to your cloud storage.

Designed with scalable infrastructure and compliance-first practices, the API delivers recorded video content rather than live streams. At the moment, it’s available via an early access request, where data teams can join the waitlist to test it for their workflows.

IPRoyal: Ease of Use

One of IPRoyal’s strengths is its high level of user-friendliness. Users get an intuitive dashboard to manage their proxies and other complementary tools. All features are neatly arranged in the left-hand menu, whereas on the right, you can gain access to the main menu. The interface is visually pleasing and easy to navigate, and you can select between light theme, dark theme, or the automatic theme that matches your browser settings.

IPRoyal’s browser extensions also contribute to its ease of use. It lets you manage proxies regardless of the web page you’re currently on. The updated extension also provides a direct login inside the popup to your account, where you can generate proxy profiles, adjust location targeting, purchase bandwidth on the fly, and more.

IPRoyal: Customer Support

IPRoyal makes getting assistance easy with 24/7 customer support available around the clock. Rather than leaving you waiting up to 24 hours for an email, you can get near-instant help via live chat directly on the website and dashboard, email support, or the official Discord community server. Enterprise clients even get bumped to VIP status with dedicated account managers and fastlane support.

The only real omission is no telephone support option, though given how fast live chat and Discord respond, you won't miss phone hold music.

If you prefer troubleshooting on your own, you have IPRoyal’s self-service library at your disposal. The official Docs hub and Help Center cover everything from quick-start integration tutorials to detailed API specifications and code examples.

On top of that, IPRoyal provides several free built-in utilities, like browser extensions, a standalone proxy tester, an online proxy checker, IP lookup tools, and a WebRTC leak test.

IPRoyal: The Competition

IPRoyal has numerous competitors, and we’d like to highlight Webshare, Oxylabs, and Bright Data.

Webshare offers a network of roughly 80 million+ IP addresses across residential and datacenter proxy tiers, putting its total count slightly ahead of IPRoyal’s 64 million+ residential pool. Just like its competitor, Webshare provides an intuitive user dashboard and straightforward proxy management, with a dedicated browser extension to boot, though it differentiates itself with a free-forever 10-proxy plan.

Oxylabs has a massive network of 175 million proxy IPs, triple that of IPRoyal. This broader network provides users with more redundancy and reliability. Oxylabs remains a powerhouse for large-scale enterprise data collection, though IPRoyal delivers a significantly more budget-friendly entry point with no monthly commitments or minimum spend requirements.

Bright Data rounds out the competition with 72 million+ residential IPs (and an overall global pool reaching up to 400 million monthly IPs), together with extensive unblocking toolkits and enterprise compliance certifications. However, while Bright Data caters primarily to large corporate budgets with higher minimum commitments, IPRoyal offers a simpler self-service alternative that gives individual developers and growing teams access to enterprise-grade features without the steep pricing curve.

IPRoyal: Final verdict

IPRoyal has built a reputation as a go-to proxy provider for everyone from weekend solo developers to data-hungry corporations, and it’s easy to see why. Between a sizable proxy network, transparent pricing, reliable uptime, and 24/7 customer support that admirably does its job, it punches well above its weight class.

In older reviews, the main knocks against IPRoyal were its smaller IP pool and a lack of built-in web scraping APIs. But those criticisms are officially out of date, as the network has scaled dramatically. On top of that, the addition of the AI-powered Web Unblocker and dedicated tools like the Video Scraper API completely bridges the gap for automated, hassle-free data collection.

Add in perks like bandwidth that never expires on pay-as-you-go plans, expanded payment options, and dedicated Enterprise Proxies, and IPRoyal is no longer a budget-friendly option for small outfits, but a serious full-spectrum proxy ecosystem for operations of any size.

• To find out more, see our guide to the best proxies available.
• You might also like to read our guide to sneaker proxies, or find out the difference between residential and datacenter proxies.

• Cloudflare CFO Thomas Seifert predicts machine-generated traffic could outnumber humans by a 1,000 times in the next five years
• The answer to this, Seifert believes, is to ensure servers are efficient enough to handle demand
• Cloudflare previously predicted machines would outnumber humans in 2027, but this digital soothsaying was 12 months out

Machine-generated internet traffic is already outnumbering that by humans, and it shows no sign of declining, experts have warned.

Cloudflare Chief Financial Officer Thomas Seifert has predicted man-made activity will be dwarfed by bots and agentic applications, with such machine traffic could be 1,000 times more than human traffic within the next five years.

However, Seifert was at pains to mention he has form for getting these predictions wrong.

The “rounding error” online

However, right or wrong, human traffic is already outnumbered by bots online, which means measures have to be taken for the internet to remain useful to people, or else grind to a halt under the weight of automated traffic.

Cloudflare believes making efficiencies is the solution, but those optimizations may be something other companies need to focus on.

While we may feel that the internet exists for humans to communicate and shop or spend money on a service, the truth is that it is increasingly dominated by machine-generated traffic. Traditional bots have been replaced with agentic AI and other automated tools, and every request has an impact on servers (and the rest of the internet infrastructure).

Cloudflare’s role in providing cloud services that provide security, performance, and general infrastructure is key to overseeing the traffic, with many websites relying on its protective shield to improve load times and mitigate online threats.

Explaining the thinking behind the predicted increase, Seifert said on a recent Cloudflare earnings call: “To give you a sense of how this trend is playing out, and with the big caveat that I have called it wrong at every point along the way, if the current trends continue, we think in five years, non-human traffic will be as much as 1,000 times as much as human traffic.”

“In other words, humans will be a rounding error on the internet, not because human traffic goes down, but that’s just how fast we’re seeing non-human traffic grow.”

Efficiency questions

Just how can servers and infrastructure be more efficient? Will this efficiency focus on human or machine generated and agentic transactions?

Some solutions are intelligent traffic management, optimized protocols, hardware acceleration, and edge computing.

Discussions in Cloudflare’s earnings call pointed at where the greatest efficiencies may be made – in its competitors, where GPU utilization is “super low,” due to them “buying a server and then trying to sell it back, lease it back” and putting the onus on the customer to “get as much out of the server as possible.”

The best food processor will save you time and effort in the kitchen, and ensure your ingredients are perfectly chopped, sliced, or beaten every time. Most food processors work using the same concept – one or more spinning blades to break up whatever you throw in. There are usually different blades to use for certain tasks. Some even come with attachments that let you whisk, knead dough, or emulsify, just to name a few.

Here we've included the best food processors from brands including Ninja, KitchenAid, Breville (known as Sage in the UK), and Magimix. We've tested all of them in our kitchen to see how they handle common but challenging tasks like mixing cake batter, chopping nuts, making mayonnaise, and grinding beef to assess how evenly they can cut, how well they incorporate ingredients, how loud they are, and how easy they are to clean.

Meet the expert

The best food processors

Best food processor overall

So you're looking for a top-end food processor that'll make wafer-thin cucumber slices, julienne carrots, lightly whipped meringue, and super smooth pizza dough? The Paradice 16 is the food processor for you – provided you have the storage space.

This is the kind of food processor home cooks dream about, with a 900W motor to power through even tough ingredients, blades that reach all the way to the edge of the bowl (no missed chunks of veg), and an incredible array of accessories. Its two dicing attachments are particularly good, and during our tests we were delighted to find that they pretty much made our kitchen knives redundant.

The veg-peeling attachment is another standout feature, and once it's done its work, there's another accessory for cutting your potatoes into perfectly even fries.

It's a serious investment, and its powerful motor can be rather loud, but the Paradice 16 is the ultimate food processor, and our top recommendation for the discerning home cook.

Read our full Breville the Paradice 16 review

Best budget food processor

Small but powerful, the Cuisinart FlexPrep 1.1L can handle even tough ingredients, provided they're in relatively small quantities. Like many Cuisinart appliances we've tested, it offers serious performance for a very reasonable price, chopping and grating just as well as food processors costing several times as much.

Its reversible shredding disc (medium/coarse on one side, and fine on the other) is excellent for cheese and vegetables, and its whipping disc makes light work of whisking egg whites and cream to stiff peaks. We also had great success using its sharp chopping blade to make DIY nut butter, and surprisingly little food was left stuck at the bottom or sides of the bowl (a common problem with nuts).

The FlexPrep 1.1L is surprisingly powerful, though during our tests we found that the results weren't always as even as we'd like. There are only two options (on and pulse), so you have limited control over how your food is chopped.

Nevertheless, if you're on a tight budget, you won't find a better food processor than this for your money.

Read our full Cuisinart FlexPrep 1.1L Food Processor review

Most versatile food processor

If you’re looking for a food processor with plenty of attachments as well as a large capacity, look no further. The Magimix 4200XL food processor (known as the Magimix 14 Cup food processor in the US) is a versatile appliance that’s powerful and easy to use, but it’s one of the most expensive designs we’ve tested.

It comes with an array of attachments, and we were impressed - it sliced, chopped and shredded with ease, and even copes well with heavy bread dough, plus for added versatility there’s a smaller bowl and blade.

However, it only offers one speed - we would have liked the ability to use less power when chopping more delicate items, and although it comes with a handy storage box for all the attachments which helps keep them together, it’s bulky to store.

Read our full Magimix 4200XL food processor review

Best compact food processor

The Kenwood MultiPro Go is our top compact food processor because it packs the most useful functions of a full-size machine into a much smaller footprint. At just 30cm tall and 16cm wide, it’s easy to store, with a groove around the base for keeping the power cable tucked away.

Despite its size, it made quick work of everyday food prep in our tests. A large onion took just a few seconds to chop, while two carrots were grated in around five to six seconds. Its reversible disc handles both slicing and grating, and the Express Serve attachment can send prepared ingredients straight into another container. It can even knead small batches of cookie and pasta dough.

The trade-off is capacity. Its 1.3L bowl is best suited to smaller quantities (it also doesn't have a handle), and you don't get the range of attachments supplied with more advanced food processors. For smaller households or anyone short on kitchen space, though, the MultiPro Go is very capable and easy to store.

Read our full review: Kenwood MultiPro Go

Best multifunctional food processor

The Nutribullet Triple Prep System is three appliances in one: a food processor, a jug blender, and a smoothie-maker, all of which attach to the same base unit. It's super convenient, saving you both money and space compared to buying all three separately, and during our tests we were happy to find that it doesn't compromise on performance.

Nutribullet is best known for its blenders, and both of these attachments performed as well as you'd expect. producing smooth soups and silky smoothies with ease, but the food processor is excellent as well. Food is chopped quickly and consistently, and the grating disc is a particular highlight, though the feed chute isn't huge so you may need to cut down your produce to fit beforehand.

For us, the biggest downside was that the blades in the jug blender aren't removeable, which can make cleaning difficult. We prefer being able to unscrew everything, though we dis appreciate the fact that all the Triple Prep System's accessories are dishwasher-safe.

Read our full Nutribullet Triple Prep System review

Best mini chopper

The affordable Nutribullet Magic Bullet Kitchen Express is ideal if you want a personal blender and mini food processor in one - just fit either the cup or the bowl, and you're ready to go. The 3.5 cup / 0.83 liter bowl has the smallest capacity of all the food processors in this list and it comes with just a slicing disc and blade, so although it's ideal for vegetables and nuts, it can’t be used for tasks like whipping cream or kneading dough. That won't be an issue if you already have a stand mixer for those jobs, though, or are happy to do them by hand.

On test, we found that the Nutribullet Magic Kitchen Express was quick to shred carrot and grate cucumber, but the small feed chute meant that larger foods like cucumber needed to be cut in half to fit. However, it's compact enough for even tiny kitchens, and in spite of all the accessories, is easy to store.

Read our full review: Nutribullet Magic Bullet Kitchen Express

We also tested

We test new kitchen appliances every month here at TechRadar. Here are some of the food processors that didn't quite make out shortlist:

How to choose the best food processor for you

The best food processor for you depends less on how many things it can do and more on what you’ll actually ask it to do. If your ambitions mostly stretch to chopping the odd onion, making pesto or throwing together a quick salsa, you probably don’t need a huge 14-cup / 3-liter machine taking over a kitchen cupboard. A mini or compact food processor should do the job. If you regularly batch cook or feed a crowd, however, that extra capacity starts to earn its keep.

Next, look at the attachments. Most food processors will chop, but slicing and grating discs can save a surprising amount of time if you make lots of salads, slaws or vegetable-heavy meals. Dough blades and whisks can be useful too, but only if you'll actually use them. If your stand mixer already handles bread dough and whipped cream, there's little point paying for another appliance to do the same thing.

More attachments aren't automatically better, either. Every blade, disc and accessory has to live somewhere when you're not using it, and a box full of mystery plastic parts gathering dust isn't much of an upgrade. Check what's included and whether it can be stored inside the bowl or neatly alongside the machine.

Finally, think about the other appliances already on your counter. If space is tight, a food processor that doubles as a blender can make a lot of sense. Just bear in mind that combination machines don't always perform every job as well as dedicated appliances. Choose one because you'll genuinely use both functions, not simply because the box promises it can do everything.

How we test food processors

We mix, chop, slice and shred our way through a variety of different foods to compare the food processors like-for-like and assess which is best. We chop nuts, onion and bread, grind beef and mix up a cake batter using the main blade to see how well it copes with these very different tasks. We’re looking at whether it produces evenly chopped results and if it can grind beef without any of the meat getting lodged in the blades.

If it comes with shredding and slicing discs we shred carrot, cheese and chocolate and slice cucumber. We evaluate how even the shreds are, noting how much of each food is left not shredded or sliced and if any has become trapped or melted during the process.

For the food processors that come with a whisk, we see how effectively it can whip cream. And for those that come with a dough blade, we try this out with bread dough, assessing whether it can mix the dough effectively and if the machine is stable when kneading a heavy dough.

Throughout the testing process we record how loud the food processor is and assess how easy it is to use and assemble. Additionally, we make a note of how easy it is to clean, whether it feels durable and if we think any accessories will be tricky to store.

• FEI World Championships 2026: August 11 to 23
• FREE streams: Various (see below) incl. CBC Gem (Can)
• Stream on FEI.TV (US/Global)
• Unlock your stream with NordVPN (save up to 75%)

FEI World Championships 2026 live streams see Germany – the event's most successful nation – host for only the second time, with the city of Aachen holding proceedings 20 years after initially doing so and veteran Michael Jung spearheading their hopes for more medals.

Some of the world's best riders and steeds will head to Aachen for nearly two weeks of competition, with medals set to be handed out across six disciplines: dressage, para dressage, driving, eventing, jumping and vaulting. 24 golds will be handed out this time around and, after surprisingly topping the medal table at their own games four years ago, Denmark will be hoping to replicate their success south of the border.

The likes of the USA, Great Britain, Netherlands, France and Belgium will also be confident of upsetting the hosts at the 10th edition of the games, which kick off with the dressage Grand Prix on Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12. And, in addition to glory in its own right this August, riders and nations will have half an eye on qualification for the 2028 Olympics, too.

Here's where to watch FEI World Championships 2026 live streams online from anywhere, potentially for FREE.

How to watch any FEI World Championships 2026 stream using a VPN

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, letting you unlock your usual streaming services. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with a discount of up to 75%.

How to watch FEI World Championships 2026 live streams in the US

Every session of the FEI World Championships 2026 will be live streamed on the specialist FEI.TV platform in the US.

Subscriptions cost from $24.16 per month or $289.99 for a whole year, with an ad-free experience available from $29.99.

How to watch FEI World Championships 2026 live streams in the UK

Without a domestic broadcaster picking up the coverage, equestrian fans in the UK can stream the 2026 FEI World Championships on FEI.TV.

For access, you'll need a subscription costing from £17.33 a month or £207.99 for a whole year.

How to watch FEI World Championships 2026 live streams in Canada

CBC has the rights to broadcast live streams of the FEI World Championships 2026 for FREE.

You can watch events on TV via the free-to-air CBC Sports or live and on-demand coverage through its online CBC Gem streaming platform.

If you aren't in Canada for the event simply use a VPN to tune in to your free FEI World Championships streams from overseas.

How to watch FEI World Championships 2026 live streams in Australia

In Australia, FEI World Championships 2026 sessions will be shown on FEI.TV.

When you go to register, the subscription price is listed in USD at $14.99 per month or $180 for a year. That equates to around AU$21.50 a month and AU$256 a year.

How to watch FEI World Championships 2026 live streams in New Zealand

Country TV is showing the FEI World Championships 2026 in New Zealand.

It's available as part of a Sky TV subscription or via its dedicated online subscription for $9.95 a month.

Missing the Championships due to commitments overseas? NordVPN will give you access to your home streaming service.

FEI World Championships 2026 Schedule

Tuesday, August 11
Dressage Grand Prix Part 1 – from 2.20am ET / 7.20am BST
Opening Ceremony – 2.15pm ET / 7.15pm BST

Wednesday, August 12
Dressage Grand Prix Part 2 – from 2.20am ET / 7.20am BST

Thursday, August 13
Vaulting Female Compulsory – from 3am ET / 8am BST
Eventing Dressage Part 1 – from 3.30am ET / 8.30am BST
Vaulting Male Compulsory – from 7am ET / 12pm BST
Vaulting Squad Compulsory – from 9.30am ET / 2.30pm BST

Friday, August 14
Vaulting Male Technical – from 2.30am ET / 7.30am BST
Eventing Dressage Part 2 – from 3.30am ET / 8.30am BST
Dressage Grand Prix Special – from 4.50am ET / 9.50am BST
Vaulting Female Technical – from 11am ET / 4pm BST
Vaulting Pas de Deux 1st Round – from 2.30pm ET / 7.30pm BST

Saturday, August 15
Vaulting Female Freestyle – from 3am ET / 8am BST
Eventing Cross Country – from 3.15am ET / 8.15am BST
Vaulting Male Freestyle – from 7am ET / 12pm BST
Vaulting Squads Freestyle – from 9.30am ET / 2.30pm BST
Dressage Grand Prix Freestyle – from 1pm ET / 6pm BST

Sunday, August 16
Vaulting Pas de Deux Final – from 4am ET / 9am BST
Vaulting Nations Cup – from 6am ET / 11am BST
Eventing Jumping Part 1 – from 6.30am ET / 11.30am BST
Eventing Jumping Part 2 – from 9.30am ET / 2.30pm BST

Wednesday, August 19
Para Dressage Individual Grade III – from 2.30am ET / 7.30am BST
Jumping 1st Competition Part 1 – from 3.30am ET / 8.30am BST
Para Dressage Individual Grade I – from 5.30am ET / 10.30am BST
Jumping 1st Competition Part 2 – from 6.05am ET / 11.05am BST
Jumping 1st Competition Part 3 – from 8.40am ET / 1.40pm BST
Para Dressage Individual Grade II – from 9.20am ET / 2.20pm BST

Thursday, August 20
Para Dressage Individual Grade IV – from 3am ET / 8am BST
Jumping 2nd Competition Round 1 Part 1 – from 4.30am ET / 9.30am BST
Driving Dressage Part 1 – from 5am ET / 10am BST
Jumping 2nd Competition Round 1 Part 2 – from 6.45am ET / 11.45am BST
Para Dressage Individual Grade V – from 7am ET / 12pm BST

Friday, August 21
Para Dressage Team Grade II – from 3am ET / 8am BST
Driving Dressage Part 2 – from 5am ET / 10am BST
Para Dressage Team Grade I – from 5.30am ET / 10.30am BST
Para Dressage Team Grade III – from 9am ET / 2pm BST
Jumping 2nd Competition Round 2 Part 1 – from 12.30pm ET / 5.30pm BST
Jumping 2nd Competition Round 2 Part 2 – from 2.30pm ET / 7.30pm BST

Saturday, August 22
Para Dressage Team Grade V – from 2.30am ET / 7.30am BST
Driving Marathon – from 5am ET / 10am BST
Para Dressage Team Grade IV – from 5.40am ET / 10.40am BST

Sunday, August 23
Para Dressage Freestyle Grade II – from 2.30am ET / 7.30am BST
Driving Cones – from 3.30am ET / 8.30am BST
Para Dressage Freestyle Grade I – from 3.50am ET / 8.50am BST
Para Dressage Freestyle Grade III – from 5.10am ET / 10.10am BST
Para Dressage Freestyle Grade IV – from 7.45am ET / 12.45pm BST
Jumping Individual Final Round 1 – from 8.20am ET / 1.20pm BST
Para Dressage Freestyle Grade V – from 9.05am ET / 2.05pm BST
Jumping Individual Final Round 2 – from 10.20am ET / 3.20pm BST
Closing Ceremony – 11.50am ET / 4.50pm BST

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X-Men '97 season 2 is almost over. Indeed, with just one episode remaining of the popular Marvel TV show's latest season, we'll soon be saying goodbye to the titular super-team until their animated series returns for its third instalment.

There's a great deal for this season's finale to wrap up, too. Will the comatose Remy win his battle of wills with Apocalypse? Does X-Force teaming up with X-Factor mean we should prepare ourselves for an almighty showdown between their combined forces and the X-Men? And how will this season's last chapter ultimately set the stage for X-Men '97 season 3?

I can't answer any of those questions yet — but, I can tell you when season 2 episode 9, titled 'Survival of the Fittest', will be released. So, read on to find out when it'll come out!

What is the launch time for X-Men '97 season 2 episode 9?

The finale of X-Men '97's second season will make its Disney+ debut on Wednesday, August 12 at 12am PT / 3am ET.

That's the time it'll air in the US and Canada, anyway — for fans in the nations listed below, here's when it'll premiere on one of the world's best streaming services in your neck of the woods:

• US — Wednesday, August 12 at 12am PT / 3am ET
• Canada — Wednesday, August 12 at 12am PT / 3am ET
• UK — Wednesday, August 12 at 8am BST
• India — Wednesday, August 12 at 12:30pm IST
• Singapore — Wednesday, August 12 at 3pm SGT
• Australia — Wednesday, August 12 at 5pm AEST
• New Zealand — Wednesday, August 12 at 7pm NZST

Does X-Men '97 season 3 have a release date yet?

No. However, Marvel's Head of TV, Animation, Streaming, and Comics Brad Winderbaum recently confirmed that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) adjacent TV show's third season will drop sometime in 2027. That follows Winderbaum previously stating that new seasons of the highly-rated cartoon will start to arrive every year from here on out.

Even so, I believe it'll be a long time before an official launch date is announced. There'll be plenty of opportunities for Marvel to reveal one before the end of 2026, with D23 Expo (14-16 August) and New York Comic-Con (8-11 October) traditionally being prime candidates for the comic giant to tease new details about upcoming seasons.

That said, Marvel usually doesn't unveil release dates for its TV shows until much closer to their actual launches, so I'd be amazed if we find out when the Marvel Phase 6 show's third season will premiere in the near future.

• Microsoft has hiked the cost of a Windows 11 license for PC makers
• A new report claims that the annual price increase is 'significantly' more this year
• That's really not going to help the PC market, coming on top of all the pain with hardware price rises that we're already experiencing

PC prices are already facing various unfortunate pressures — thanks to the RAM crisis, and other increased component costs aside from memory –— but it appears that Microsoft is throwing fuel on the fire with hikes on the software side.

Wccftech spotted a report from Economic Daily News (EDN), a Taiwanese site, claiming that Microsoft has increased the price it charges PC makers for a Windows 11 license. Apparently the cost of installing Windows 11 on a pre-built desktop PC or a laptop has gone up by 7% to 10% as of last month.

Of course, bear in mind this is just a rumor (and the article is translated, so we need to be careful about any potentially lost meaning), but it's an alarming sounding prospect.

Microsoft puts up the price of a Windows 11 license every year, so this isn't new or unexpected, but normally Microsoft applies a single-digit increase, and this year the price hike has reportedly been a good deal more, possibly tipping into double-digits (10%). The (translated) article calls this a "significant increase" compared to past years, and the information comes from an executive at an (unnamed) PC maker.

Seemingly current product prices already reflect Microsoft's extra charge, with the bigger rises in fees having been given to PCs with faster processors, we're told.

EDN observes that the prices of PCs are expected to rise by 5% in the third quarter of 2026, at least for Acer and Asus systems in the Taiwanese market. Other regions and vendors may, of course, vary, but all OEMs (PC makers) must pay Microsoft for a Windows 11 license (if using the OS, of course).

Analysis: software salt

As noted, these cost increases are supposedly already priced into hardware on the shelves, and EDN observes that neither consumers nor businesses have really batted an eyelid.

That's mainly because the hardware-based pricing misery — for more expensive RAM, SSDs, GPUs (increasingly of late) and other components — is driving the nastier price rises, and the Windows 11 increase is relatively small fry in comparison. So, this software hike has purportedly flown under the radar, effectively eclipsed by the hardware pain.

If this report is true, and Microsoft has indeed put prices up a good deal more than normal, that's a distinctly unhelpful move. On the hardware side of the equation, we know prices to manufacture goods are going up — and that cost increases will inevitably be passed on to the end buyer. That's just business, but there's no obvious reason why software costs should be hiked more than normal, other than what the cynical might suggest appears to be opportunism from Microsoft (and maybe the growing cost of the AI side of the company).

This is effectively rubbing software salt into hardware wounds, and the PC market could really do without it. Although speaking of salt, all of this depends on whether this rumor is on the money, and I think it's worth remaining somewhat skeptical in that regard, albeit that EDN has proved a reliable source in the past.

Alienware 15 (2026) review: Two Minute Review

Alienware's going "entry-level" with this one. Or, at least sort of. The whole list of configurations of the new Alienware 15 (2026) is a little confusing. Officially it starts at £879 in the UK, but for that you get an RTX 3050 GPU instead of the 5050 that we have in this review unit. That's a five year old graphics card there hidden away in a 2026 laptop. So first thing's first, keep a bloody good eye on the spec you get. The last thing you want is to think you're snatching up a bargain, only to be caught out by a sub-par silicon mix-up crushing your frame-rates in the process.

The good news, though, is that on the whole the specs of the Alienware 15 (2026) we were sent (Ryzen 7 260, RTX 5050, 16GB DDR5, and 512GB SSD), is actually remarkably good value for money. Particularly in the US. You can pick one up for about $1,160 or so. It's a lot more expensive in the UK (£1,333) but Stateside, it's a healthy config that delivers some impressive performance as it just peeks over that $1,000 parapet.

Ultra graphical presets aren't off the table here, at 1920x1200, but medium-high on those AAA titles is really going to be the place that leverages that 165 Hz 1920x1200 panel most efficiently. It's not the best of screens, though, as Alienware's got this thing labelled as "IPS", and I'm just not sure about that, because to be frank, the color reminds me more of a TN panel from 2011, than a modern-day IPS, "IPS-like" maybe. Perhaps we've been spoiled with OLED displays of late. Perhaps.

It's not the only place that's been stripped back either; connectivity still touts Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 (yes, in 2026), the build quality is a little plasticky, and the bevelled edges and rounded corners everywhere feel a bit dated, even if it keeps in-line with the brand's style. Oh and then there's my personal pet peeve, the dreaded single-channel memory setup. So you (yes you) can spend more money and increase the capacity at a later date (I mean you could do that with a dual-channel setup as well, but what do I know?).

Fortunately, a lot of the usual laptop woes that crop up with single-channel memory are easily overlooked by that hefty RTX 5050 delivering the frame-rate goodness, but it's still worth bearing in mind, if you are fixated on using this thing for productivity over gaming.

Oh and the SSD is just sad. Sure it's a PCIe 4.0 drive, and the sequential speeds are good, but the random 4K writes are savagely low, and it's a 512GB model, leaving you with about 480GB to play with once Windows 11 is installed. Ouch.

Still, for the price, and those negatives aside, it's remarkably robust and a genuine bargain, particularly around deal time.

Alienware 15 (2026) review: Price & Availability

• Available for $1,159.99 / £1,333 (around AU$2,500)
• UK buyers pay a hefty premium compared to the US
• Base config still ships with RTX 3050 or 4050 era silicon

On the cost front, the Alienware 15 (2026), also known by its model number DA15265, is a curious thing. And its appeal is almost entirely dependent on where exactly your PC gaming escapades are based.

If you're in the US, it's a strikingly good deal. At $1,160 at time of writing, you get top-tier performance, delivering high frame-rates in modern titles, for a smidge over the $1K mark. If you're in the UK, though, this specific config will set you back £1,333.81. That's the equivalent of about $1,800. And yes, I know sales tax is a thing as well, but it's not $640 that's for sure. What a markup.

The more confusing element, however, is the broad range of SKUs available. It's not uncommon to see a single product and design offer many different configurations, especially graphics cards for gaming laptops, but the fact that the Alienware 15 (2026) is available with cards all the way down to an RTX 3050 does muddy the waters somewhat. Particularly if you're snapping up a quick deal around Black Friday, and don't take time to check the specs.

• Value score: 3.5 / 5

Alienware 15 (2026) review: specs

Alienware 15 (2026) review: Design

• Slimmer than you'd expect from Alienware
• Dated design leaves a lot to be desired
• Spongey keyboard and abrasive trackpad

Surprisingly for a 15-incher, the Alienware 15 (2026) is... well, not quite as bulky as you'd expect for an Alienware unit at the budget end of the spectrum.

It's not light at 2.2kg (4.85lbs), at least not in this configuration, but it's a far cry from what you'd usually expect for an affordable gaming laptop. Sadly, Alienware's still hanging onto that smooth-faced design somewhat here, and there's a lot of curvature. The panels, the chassis, the hinge, the edges, they all slowly curve downwards, into an almost egg-shaped design. Even the screen has a bevelled curved edge smoothly radiating outwards, which does feel a touch dated compared to some of the competition out there.

Perhaps unsurprisingly for a laptop at this price, the materials aren't the best either; there's a lot of plastic here, and it's the single biggest indicator that, yeah, this might be on the cheaper end of the budget spectrum.

The keyboard too, is remarkably spongy. If you told me it was a membrane board, I'd believe you, and the trackpad has this weird cheap semi-abrasive finish to it that gives me the ick a little bit (thanks Gen Z). But you know, no gamer worth their salt is going to be using that over one of the best gaming mice anyway.

Port selection is fairly minimal too, and there's no Thunderbolt either (given it's an AMD platform), although you do get HDMI 2.1, and Gigabit Ethernet to cover the essentials.

• Design score: 3.5 / 5

Alienware 15 (2026) review: Design

• RTX 5050 and 1200p screen are a radical pairing
• Single-channel RAM is frustrating
• Rapid sequential SSD performance, but it struggles on large transfers

Alienware's paired Nvidia's RTX 5050 laptop chip with that (I'm still calling it an) "IPS-like" 1920x1200 display capable of driving 165 Hz refresh rates, with AMD FreeSync to back it all up (at least in this configuration), and the good news is that performance absolutely slaps at that resolution.

Cyberpunk 2077 on the medium preset averaged 90fps at 1080p with the lows sliding in at just 72, and not a drop of upscaling insight. Switch to DLSS on quality with frame generation, and that figure skyrockets to 157 fps on average. Total War: Warhammer 3, also managed an impressive 134 fps as well, and Final Fantasy XIV's Dawntrail benchmark clocked an impressive 102 fps on the High (laptop) preset. Ultra at native resolution isn't off the cards here, and it shows.

As for the CPU, that's one of AMD's Zen 4 Hawk Point Ryzen 7 260s, complete with eight cores and 16 threads, and it cuts just as neatly a line in professional activities as its RTX 5050 counterpart does in game. Cinebench 2024 managed 826 points in the multi-core test, and it savaged 3D Mark's CPU Profile benchmark with a juicy 7,558.

There are a few caveats worth mentioning. Namely, the SSD is a bit... underwhelming. For one, it's just a 512GB model, and although its sequential performance is solid (it's a PCIe 4.0 unit provided by Samsung), the figures that count for game load times, random 4K read and writes, were well under par.

And then there's the memory. I've banged on enough about how frustrating it is dealing with the memory crisis, and manufacturers continually turning to single channel setups for their off the shelf PCs and laptops, and it's unfortunately true here. If you do want to expand and chuck another 16GB stick in later, yeah you can, but there really ought to have been a default option for that from the get go. It's like we're going backwards in performance, not forwards.

• Performance score: 4/5

Alienware 15 (2026) review: Battery life

• Rapid charging
• 70 Whr battery can't compete against hungry silicon

Let's not beat around the bush here; this is a gaming notebook. It's not a Snapdragon-based Acer model with ridiculously impressive multi day battery life, nor is it one of Intel's hyper-efficient Panther Lake units like we saw in Dell's latest XPS, no sir.

You can throw all the Nvidia Optimus screen switching tricks you can at this thing, but at the end of it all, it's still going to chew through battery life faster than I get through cable ties. And chew through it it did.

The Alienware 15 managed just 89 minutes in PC Mark's gaming battery benchmark, before tapping out at 2%. The video test faired much better however, scoring 4 hours and 9 minutes, although again a far cry from the 14 hours Asus's Vivobook S 15 Copilot managed.

Should I buy the Alienware 15 (2026)?

Buy it if…

Don't buy it if…

Alienware 15 (2026) review: Also Consider

How I tested the Alienware 15 (2026)

• Tested at home, in the office and on the move
• Benchmarked and used across a wide variety of gaming and productivity tasks
• 11 years of expertise testing laptops, and three weeks with the Alienware 15

I put the Alienware 15 (2026) through its paces, testing it against my usual suite of gaming laptop benchmarks, covering everything from CPU performance, to gaming and everything else in between. I compared it against my database of similarly priced laptops, and used it as my daily driver for three weeks of thorough testing.

Every result was captured under identical, controlled conditions, on a clean Windows 11 install, with the latest updates and drivers. No programs or bloatware were removed, and no power profiles altered during testing, to better represent what an end-user might expect.

• First reviewed: August 2026

• Aliens: Fireteam Elite has been shut down on Nintendo Switch
• The game was offered as a cloud version on the platform, which meant it relied on being streamed from a server over the internet
• Those that spent money on the game do not appear to have been refunded

The Nintendo Switch version of Aliens: Fireteam Elite has been shut down, rendering it unplayable for those who bought it.

The game launched on Nintendo Switch on April 26, 2023, and unlike the versions available on other platforms, was a cloud version. That means it relied on being streamed from a server over an internet connection. A short demo version was available to try for free, but access to the full game cost $29.99.

There was even a $59.99 Ultimate Edition on offer, which threw in a raft of DLC, and means that some players would have paid 60 bucks for something that they can now no longer access at all.

Developer Cold Iron Studios quietly announced the shutdown back in March this year, sending a message to players thanking them for their support and confirming that the game "will be accessible until August 5, 2026" at which point buyers would "no longer be able to access the game."

It continued: "We apologize to our loyal customers for any inconvenience this may cause, and we appreciate your understanding. We hope you will continue to enjoy our other game titles."

Noticeably, there was no mention of any kind of refund for those who spent money on the game, and it doesn't appear that any affected players got one.

The news has picked up some steam on the r/gaming subreddit, with commenters rallying against cloud gaming and referencing fears surrounding the recent confirmation that Sony would be discontinuing the production of physical game discs in 2028 — pushing gamers towards digital formats.

"Everyone who bought this game should be eligible for a full refund," reads the top-rated comment. "This is why you don't buy a 'Cloud' version of a game," added another commenter. "It is a ticking clock."

One user wrote: "This is going to happen more and more as an all-digital future becomes standard... You don't own anything, you're just paying for the license to play something until it gets taken away."

A sequel, Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2, is expected to launch this year for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S on August 25. It's also expected to come to Nintendo Switch 2 at a later date. Importantly, it won't be a cloud version, which will likely come as a relief to potential buyers.

The best 8K TVs bring crystal-clear and detailed images right into your living room – and it's all thanks to their pixel density. An 8K TV has roughly 33 million pixels, four times more than even the best 4K TVs, and means that even on massive screens, you'll get a sharp and precise picture. There are a few caveats to keep in mind when it comes to 8K TVs, however.

Firstly, very few movies, TV shows, and sports broadcasts are produced with 8K resolution in mind – though it's not a deal-breaker. We've picked 8K TVs with processors capable of automatically upscaling content. That means 4K and HD content will look better than ever.

Secondly, big-name TV manufacturers have slowed production on 8K TVs – or even discontinued the lines entirely. It's partially thanks to the lack of native 8K content and more expensive price tags, and it means that we don't often see new releases that we can review and add to our rankings.

With that said, there are a handful of 8K TVs that are well worth checking out, especially if you're an avid fan of movies and video games. We've selected a mix of OLED, QLED, QD-OLED, and regular LED 8K sets, which pack the kind of handy features offered by 4K TVs – and more. Think 120Hz display panels that are ideal for gaming, and object-tracking sound that goes hand-in-hand with immersive movies.

The TechRadar team has over 16 years of experience testing the best TVs – and we put all of the 8K TVs in this list through thorough real-world evaluations, so you can rest assured you're getting accurate, trustworthy results and recommendations.

The best 8K TV overall

If you're looking for a big-screen TV with crystal-clear 8K resolution, the Samsung QN900D is the very best option on the market. Samsung’s flagship 8K TV improves upon its predecessor, the Samsung QN900C, in several ways, including a new NQ8 AI Gen3 Processor that provides eight times as many AI neural networks for picture upscaling, and a motion enhancement algorithm unique to the QN900D that makes fast action sports look remarkably solid.

The QN900D improves on local dimming, too, with deep, detailed blacks and few signs of backlight “blooming.” We were also impressed with the overall picture quality – and found that the QN900D is among the brightest TVs we've tested.

The good news extends to gaming, as the QN900D offers up to 4K 240Hz support – another unique QN900D feature – on all four of its HDMI 2.1 ports. In addition, it has Samsung’s Game Bar onscreen menu and Samsung Gaming Hub for playing cloud-based games from Xbox, Nvidia GeForce Now, Luna, Utomik, and other services.

With an Infinity Air Design that combines a mirrored pedestal with a nearly invisible bezel, the QN900D has a “floating” look that grabs attention. Samsung’s One Connect Box handles hookups for external sources, and the TV’s built-in 6.2.4-channel Dolby Atmos speaker system has good sound quality and uses Samsung’s Q Symphony feature to work with a Samsung soundbar for an enhanced audio experience.

The Samsung QN900D is undoubtedly an expensive TV, and you’ll save money and likely be equally happy with a top-performing 4K model. Still, if having future-proof 8K support is important, the QN900D delivers it and so much more.

Read our full Samsung Q900D review

The best budget 8K TV

The Samsung QN800D is a seriously impressive 8K TV. It's Samsung's entry-level display in its 8K Neo QLED range, which means it's a way to get your hands on slightly more "affordable" 8K than the flagship QN900D at the top of our list.

The Samsung QN800D delivers excellent picture quality thanks to the NQ8 AI Gen2 Processor, which boasts impressive 8K AI upscaling and Real Depth Enhancer Pro features. In our review, we wrote that these "add incredible depth and refined detail to any textures, and the picture also has rich contrast and impressive black levels for a mini-LED TV."

This incredible picture makes the QN800D a great option for movie lovers, but it also excels as a gaming TV with four HDMI 2.1 ports, support for 4K up to 165Hz, 8K up to 60Hz, and VRR including AMD FreeSync Premium Pro. It also comes with Samsung’s useful Gaming Hub. As for actual gaming performance, we called it "excellent" and "smooth and seamless even in the most intense of FPS games" in our review, commenting on how the TV’s 8K AI upscaling made games look "graphically beautiful".

All in all, the Samsung QN800D is a fantastic choice for tuning in to upscaled 4K (and lower-resolution) sources on an 8K screen – and at a much more affordable price than the Samsung QN900D. While the brightness isn't as impressive, and the price tag is still hefty, the QN800D is a solid choice for anyone looking to step up to 8K without spending a small fortune on the QN900D.

Read our full Samsung QN800D review

Best 8K OLED TV

8K TVs are a rarity, but 8K OLED TVs are even rarer – though LG's Z series consistently emerges as the best 8K OLED. So, while 8K sources are also still scarce, the Z3 does wonders with 4K movies and TV shows and, like its 4K counterparts, delivers a strong suite of gaming features. But, as expected, the Z3's greatness comes with a price.

In our LG Z3 review, we were blown away by the effectiveness of its upscaling, giving 4K sources an entirely new level of detail and quality with pictures that we described as "pretty much flawless". If you can source 8K content, then you'll be happy to know the Z3 makes it look "mesmerizingly real". The Z3 also delivers excellent contrast and sharpness, with images getting an extra sense of depth at 8K. We found that HD and lower-resolution sources did look a little soft, but this was mainly due to the Z3's larger 77- and 88-inch screens. Overall, though, its picture is phenomenal.

The Z3's gaming performance is top-notch and has all the features we look for in the best gaming TVs, such as 4K 120Hz, VRR, ALLM, and Dolby Vision gaming. Although some will prefer a faster input lag time than the Z3's measured 13.1ms, it's still an excellent choice for those looking for a premium gaming experience.

If it's so wonderful, why is the Z3 not top of the list? It all comes down to price. For the 77-inch model, you're looking to pay roughly $9,999 / £9,999, which is significantly higher than the Samsung QN900D at the top of this list, which costs roughly $4,499 / £4,499 for a 75-inch model.

Save on electronics with our LG discounts. Find top deals on LG TVs, appliances, and more to enhance your home tech.

Read our full LG Z3 review

Best 8K TVs: FAQ

How to pick the best 8K TV

First things first, ask yourself if you really want a new 8K TV. Sure, more and more content is being made in 8K, but you might be better off sticking to a 4K TV while your favorite TV shows and movies catch up.

If you've got your heart set on a shiny new 8K TV, our first recommendation is to opt for a set that upscales well. This ties in to the aforementioned issue of most content not being available in 8K. As a result, it's worth picking a powerful TV that can make 4K and HD content shine.

The next thing to consider is size. Bigger isn't always better when it comes to TVs. But if you're paying a small fortune for 8K resolution, you really want the largest TV you can afford to make the most of it. You'll need to consider how you'll place it on a TV cabinet or mount it to a wall using one of the best TV wall mounts and if it'll literally fit in the space you have planned for it.

Many of the best 8K TVs have impressive audio built-in, but to get the true cinematic experience worthy of this resolution, you'll want one of the best soundbars or best surround sound systems—that way your audio will sound as good as your new 8K TV looks. Consider the size of a soundbar too; a smaller one won't work with a huge TV, so look at larger sizes, like the Sonos Arc instead.

How we test the best 8K TVs

We use the same structure and criteria for testing the best 8K TVs as we do for our reviews, testing them on several different criteria including features, picture quality, sound quality, value, gaming, and more.

Beginning with picture quality, we'll explore each TV's different preset picture modes to find which is the most accurate to the TV before conducting our subjective testing on each TV, using a variety of SDR and HDR sources, mainly reference scenes that we use across all our TV testing.

With 8K TVs, there isn't much readily available 8K content to watch, other than some demo footage on YouTube, so we'll often use 4K sources such as 4K Blu-ray and streaming and test how effective the 8K TV's upscaling is, as most 8K TVs offer 8K upscaling of 4K and lower content.

For objective testing, we use specialized equipment to take several different measurements. This specialized equipment includes a test pattern generator, a colorimeter, and Portrait Displays' Calman calibration software to record these results.

The first area we test is brightness. Using a white window pattern generated by the test pattern generator, we will record both SDR and HDR brightness results on windows sized 1-100%, focusing on 10%, peak brightness levels, and 100% full-screen brightness levels. 10% will demonstrate how effective a TV displays HDR highlights, while 100% will demonstrate sustained brightness across the whole screen, useful for sports viewing and bright environments. We will typically do this in the TV's Standard preset and its most accurate preset - often Filmmaker or Movie. For these tests, we'll strive to make sure they're carried out in a light-controlled room to prevent other light sources skewing results.

Next, we'll analyze color and grayscale accuracy. We do this by taking an average of the TV's Delta E results (the margin for error between the test pattern generator and what's on screen), and for this, we're looking for a result below 3.

We also test the TV's HDR color gamut coverage, seeing how much it can accurately reproduce of the BT.2020 and UHDA-P3 color spaces.

Finally, we'll take measurements for input lag using a Leo Bodnar 4K HDMI Input Lag Tester. We'll do this by putting the TV into its Game mode, which is optimized to produce the lowest input lag results.

For more info, check out our guide on how we test TVs at TechRadar in the link.

• Read TechRadar's review guarantee

Latest updates to this guide

August 10, 2026
Revamped the intro to explain that new 8K TV releases are rare, and that 8K sources are likewise scarce.

February 10, 2025
Added section 'New 8K TVs coming in 2025.'

November 12, 2024
Added a Quick List with summaries of each entry in the guide. Made Samsung QN900D ' Best 8K TV overall'. Made Samsung QN800D 'Best Budget 8K TV'. Replaced LG Z2 with LG Z3 as 'Best 8K OLED TV'. Added in Buy it if and Don't Buy It If boxes for each entry with reasons to buy and avoid for each one. Added this Latest Updates section with each update made to this guide.

• UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has brought new subscription cancellation laws forward
• Originally scheduled for Spring 2027, they'll be in place by January 2027
• The government is also tackling 'phoney bargains' that promise bigger discounts than you're really getting

The UK’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced consumer protection plans which aim to make it as easy to cancel a subscription as it is to sign up, and crack down on pretend deals, will be brought forward.

Originally set to land next spring, Burnham says they’ll be introduced by January 2027, “In time for when people often start new subscriptions, or cancel the ones they have, for the year ahead,” he explained in a Guardian article.

Once introduced the rules will require businesses to provide reminders before a free or discounted trial ends, and before a 12-month or longer contract automatically renews. Additionally UK subscribers will have a 14-day cooling off period once a free or discounted trial ends, or a 12-month or longer contract renews, to back out of the arrangement with a “full or proportionate refund.”

On top of this the government is mandating “straightforward cancellations,” such as requiring online exits for online sign ups.

According to government statistics, there are 155m active subscriptions in the UK — and nearly 10 million are believed to be unwanted, costing members of the public an estimated £1.6 billion a year. Burnham adds, “The changes we are introducing will save an average of £14 a month for every unwanted subscription.”

Shadow chancellor Mel Stride described the announcement as “reheated,” as the new subscription rules were already announced under former Prime Minister Keir Starmer in April.

Fake bargains be gone

In addition to the fast-tracked subscription changes, the new rules will now also tackle “phoney bargains” as Burnham describes them — which can trick shoppers into believing they’ve snagged a better deal than they really have.

Essentially, if a deal is described as being half-off it has to actually be half-off. This would prevent a shop from drastically raising prices right before a sale to make discounts look stepper, or from pointing out how much a product is discounted based on a misleading recommended retail price (RRP) that the item hasn’t been sold at price for some time.

Similar rules were included in 2024’s Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act , however this change strengthens those protections and adds advertising false ‘was’ prices for on sale products to the Competition and Markets Authority list of banned practices.

This will make dishonest sales pricing illegal by default without the need to prove direct harm to consumers in each instance.

To hash out the exact rulings the government has said it will be launching a consultation this autumn.

Admittedly none of the changes are groundbreaking, nor will they entirely solve the cost of living squeeze we’ve been feeling, but I’m hoping they’ll make shopping online feel like less of a minefield — especially the new rules around sale prices.

I’ve covered half a dozen Black Fridays with TechRadar, rooting out the best tech deals I can find, and experienced first-hand how companies will try to obscure bad deals with bold discount promises — comparing sale prices to a long-forgotten RRP is one I’ve seen plenty of.

When it comes to subscriptions I think we can all conjure up memories of a free trial causing hurt when we forget to cancel, or setting up a recurring yearly subscription that gets lost to time, but continues to chip away at our finances.

Nothing will change right away, unfortunately. None of the new rules are set to land until January, though take this article as a reminder to look over your subscriptions today and maybe cancel the ones you don’t need any more.

We've tested several generations of the Lenovo Legion 5i, and always found it to be a well-rounded creative, work, and gaming laptop. So, this deal on the Lenovo Legion 5i for $1499 (was $2200) at Walmart caught my eye.

The powerhouse combines an Intel Core i7-14700HX processor with Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060 graphics, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The 15.1-inch WQXGA OLED display pairs a 165Hz refresh rate with Lenovo's PureSight technology and anti-burn-in measures.

Legion Coldfront cooling helps manage temperatures under heavy loads, and you get TrueStrike keyboard and AI Engine+, plus three months of Microsoft 365 Personal.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Lenovo Legion 5i if...

You want a creative laptop with enough power to handle most tasks you throw at it. The RTX 5060 and Core i7-14700HX make for a capable combination, while the 165Hz OLED panel provides the fast refresh rate gamers look for alongside the contrast and image quality associated with OLED.

❌ Skip the Lenovo Legion 5i if...

Portability and long unplugged runtimes often matter more than performance. Powerful HX-series processors, discrete graphics, and high-refresh OLED displays aren't designed primarily around maximizing battery life. You may also want more than 16GB of RAM if you're planning on running particularly demanding workloads.

Why we recommend it

The Legion 5i packs several features we'd want from a modern laptop into one machine. You're getting RTX 5060 graphics rather than an older-generation GPU, a powerful 20-core Core i7-14700HX processor, and a fast OLED display instead of the more ordinary IPS panels found on many notebooks.

The 1TB SSD also provides a reasonable starting amount of storage for all your main files and applications.

Price context & historical value

Deals on high-powered creative laptops with graphics cards can sometimes be a bit underwhelming, but this one

The current $1,499 price is particularly interesting because we saw this laptop discounted to $1,621 just last week. That's another $122 knocked off in a matter of days, and Walmart lists the standard price at $2,199.99.

Compared with that price, you're saving $700.99, or almost 32%. Anyone who considered buying it during last week's deal will obviously be getting a substantially better offer now.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

The 16GB of RAM is adequate for most basic tasks today, but it's relatively modest alongside the powerful CPU and GPU, particularly if you also plan to use the laptop for heavy creative work.

There's a student bundle, and this has eligibility requirements, requires post-purchase redemption, and includes subscriptions that automatically renew.

While it's nice to get three months of Microsoft 365 Personal with it for free, that time will fly by and you'll need to think about what you'll do when the trial expires.

Also consider

The iPhone Ultra probably won’t launch for around another month, but we already have a fair idea of what to expect — and that’s not just thanks to leaks and rumors, but also because Samsung has launched what we think is a very similar phone.

That phone, of course, is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, a foldable device with a passport-like form factor, which is very much in line with what we’re hearing Apple is planning for its first foldable, reportedly called the iPhone Ultra.

That form factor, and particularly the screen sizes and shapes it results in, are arguably the most interesting things about these phones, since they’re different to the book-style and clamshell-style foldables we’re used to seeing.

But just how similar will the screens on these two phones be? Well, while we won’t be certain of anything until Apple unveils the iPhone Ultra, we’ve taken some educated guesses below, based on leaks and rumors about that phone, coupled with the confirmed specs of the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

How will their foldable screens compare?

Much like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 folds open like a book, but unlike the tall and narrow Z Fold 8 Ultra, it has a slightly smaller and more passport-like display, and we’re expecting something similar from the iPhone Ultra.

To be more specific, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a 7.6-inch 1828 x 2448 AMOLED screen with around 403 pixels per inch, a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, and an aspect ratio of 4:3.

That aspect ratio makes it more suited to watching widescreen video than typical book-style foldables like the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, as our content viewing comparison shows, and speaking of books, it’s arguably also a better shape for reading, too.

So, what of the iPhone Ultra? Well, going by leaks, this device will probably have a foldable display of between 7.7 and 7.8 inches. Different sources point to slightly different numbers, but all the recent leaks put it in roughly that range.

So that would make it ever so slightly bigger than the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s screen — though still smaller than the 8-inch Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

We’re less sure of what the resolution will be, but leaker Digital Chat Station (via MacRumors) claimed last year that it would be 1920 x 2713 and that it would have a 4:3 aspect ratio. Though it’s worth noting that this resolution wouldn’t actually yield a 4:3 aspect ratio, so at least one of these numbers must be at least slightly wrong.

In any case, 4:3 would make for the same aspect ratio as the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and while this rumored resolution would be slightly higher, the marginally bigger display size should mean it still offers a similar number of pixels per inch.

We’re inclined to believe the aspect ratio here more than the resolution, as leaked renders of the iPhone Ultra show a very similar screen shape to that of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

We also fully expect the iPhone Ultra to have an AMOLED screen, just like Samsung’s phone, since other iPhones use that too.

We haven’t heard much about the iPhone Ultra’s screen brightness, but the iPhone 17 Pro, for example, has a 3,000-nit peak brightness, so the iPhone Ultra might well match that — and match the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s brightness in the process.

In which case, there may be no significant difference between their foldable screens, with the iPhone’s probably just being slightly larger — though it may also have a less visible crease, if rumors are to be believed. The iPhone Ultra’s corners are also likely to be curvier than the Z Fold 8’s, based both on leaks — such as the dummy unit above shared by Sonny Dickson — and Apple’s typical design practices.

How will their cover displays compare?

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 has a 5.5-inch 1248 x 1972 AMOLED cover screen with around 428 pixels per inch, and with an aspect ratio of 16:10. This leaves it a bit more of a square shape than the screens on most phones.

As for the iPhone Ultra, that could either have a 5.49-inch cover display with a 1422 x 2088 resolution (according to the source detailed in the section above), or a 5.3-inch cover screen (according to a paywalled report on The Information). So, in other words, it might either be slightly smaller than the Z Fold 8’s cover display or roughly the same size. It will also most likely use AMOLED tech, since other iPhones do.

Not much has been said about the iPhone Ultra's outer aspect ratio, but this again is likely to be similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 8’s 16:10 one — both because it looks similar in leaked renders and dummy units, and because that would make sense if its internal aspect ratio is the same, as has been rumored.

So, as with their foldable screens, the main difference between the cover screen on the iPhone Ultra and the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 might just be their size, with Apple’s possibly being slightly smaller in this case — though some leaks suggest there will be no real difference there either. In which case, it could just be the iPhone’s potentially curvier corners that set it apart.

How will their dimensions compare?

Screen sizes have a major impact on dimensions, but they’re not the only factor, with bezels and internal components also playing a role, so how will the iPhone Ultra compare to Samsung’s passport-style foldable there?

Well, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 is 123.9 x 161.4 x 4.5mm when unfolded and 123.9 x 81.9 x 9.7mm when folded shut.

Sources aren’t in total agreement about the iPhone Ultra’s dimensions, but going by various leaks, it seems likely to come in at 120.6 x 167.6 x 4.5-4.8mm when unfolded and 120.6 x 83.8 x 9.0-9.6mm when folded, so it’s mostly just the thickness that there’s disagreement on.

That, in any case, would make the iPhone slightly shorter than Samsung’s phone but also marginally wider. When unfolded, it could be either the same thickness or slightly thicker, and when folded shut, it would seemingly be marginally slimmer.

Based on these rumored screen sizes and dimensions, which foldable phone would you rather buy? Let us know in the poll or comments section below.

Only the best PS5 games will give you top-tier experiences on Sony's current-gen console. With well over half a decade of PlayStation 5 under our belts now, the library is chock full of a vast range of games to get stuck into, no matter where your genre preferences might lie.

To help make navigating that enormous library easier, I've distilled our top picks down to this very list, covering all the key beats when looking for must-play PS5 games. While curating this list, I considered all of our experts' PS5 game reviews, some of which I handled myself, selecting only the very best titles to recommend.

As a quick note, some of these games aren't only on PS5, but rather the best ones you can play on PS5 more broadly right now. Some may be available on Xbox or Switch consoles, too, but a handful of our picks also have PS4 versions; handy if you're still rocking the capable last-gen console.

Read on for our essential picks of the best PS5 games to play in 2026, from recent releases including 007: First Light and Saros, to modern hits like God of War Ragnarok and sleeper titles you shouldn't overlook, such as Romeo is a Dead Man.

Our current top three PS5 games

The best PS5 games in 2026

How we made our best PS5 games list

Many of us at TechRadar Gaming play a lot of games on PS5 and have experience with dozens and dozens of the games on the platform, which means you can trust what we think makes up the best PS5 games. From playing loads of individual PS5 games and committing hundreds of hours that span all genres, we're well placed with game experience to recommend the best PS5 games to you.

TechRadar Gaming is full of passionate editors and writers who have a range of interests that range across genres and platforms. The benefit of this is that we can call upon a wide variety of knowledge and expertise when making lists such as these. We'll also be constantly curating our choices for top PS5 games, so keep it here if you want up-to-date recommendations.

Memory prices are sky-rocketing, doubling and tripling in price. And while we can't stop the RAMpocalypse price hikes, we're keeping a close eye on the best DDR4 and DDR5 deals we can find from the likes of Corsair, G.Skill, Kingston, and more.

Upgrading your RAM is a clear-cut way to boost your PC’s performance, without the complexity of getting an advanced graphics card or switching its processor altogether.

We've tested and reviewed the best DDR5 RAM, but there's no doubt upgrading memory can be a daunting choice. So, which ones are indeed the best? I’ve taken the burden of testing many RAM kits so that you don’t have to, curating the ones that offered the best performance boosts and value for money.

Best RAM deals: Editor's picks

Best RAM deals: Quick links

• Amazon: Save on DDR4 and DDR5 memory from Corsair, G.Skill, and more
• Best Buy: Discount computer RAM
• Newegg: Regular RAM deals across DDR4 and DDR5

Best DDR5 RAM deals

Best DDR4 RAM deals

• Attackers stole IEH employee credentials via a fake Microsoft login page
• Inbox access exposed sensitive defense‑related communications and technical documentation
• Malicious mailbox rules were removed as IEH contained the unauthorized access

Criminals have broken into the email inboxes of IEH Corporation, a significant supplier for the US military and companies in the commercial aerospace and space industry.

In an 8-K report filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), IEH said that unidentified threat actors reached out to one of its employees, pretending to be a “prospective business contact”.

The atatckers shared a link to what appeared to be a Microsoft document, prompting the victim to log in. Obviously, the login page was bogus, and the login credentials were relayed to the attackers instead.

Malicious mailbox rules

“The threat actor gained access to mailbox contents, including email messages, attachments, customer communications, purchase orders, engineering-related documentation, and potentially export-controlled technical information,” the 8-K reads.

The culprits, however, were not named and no threat actors have yet claimed responsibility for the attack.

IEH said it found no evidence that data had been exfiltrated from the compromised inbox. However, its defenders did discover and remove “malicious mailbox rules”. Usually, crooks set up such rules to automatically forward incoming emails to an inbox under their control, while deleting traces of the activity. This would allow them to continue receiving sensitive emails even after the initial compromise was remediated.

The company also said it completed a full audit of the inbox and done “corrective actions to contain any impact of the unauthorized access.”

IEH Corporation produces “specialized products used in military satellites, missiles and fighter jets,” meaning the information found in the inbox could be quite valuable, especially for nation-states such as Russia, China, North Korea, or Iran.

IEH does not publicly name its clients but it does say that its defense applications include Apache AH-64, V-280 Valor and SH-60 Seahawk programs, as well as Patriot, THAAD, AMRAAM and APKWS missile programs. It reported a revenue of almost $30 million for the 2026 fiscal year.

Via The Record

You may have heard a lot about quantum in the past few months, from your newsfeed to your competitors’ strategies. Last year was proclaimed the “International Year of Quantum Science and Technology” by the United Nations to celebrate the 100th anniversary of quantum mechanics.

While quantum belonged to the writings of the brightest scientists a century ago, it now animates conversations in both academic and business circles.

But what should you do about it as a business leader?

Quantum technologies use the principles of quantum mechanics to unlock new possibilities and can be split into three distinct categories. Quantum computing uses quantum bits instead of classical 0 or 1 bits to perform calculations.

Quantum sensing uses the same underlying physics to take very precise measurements, like an extraordinarily precise compass. And quantum communication enables the ultra-secure exchange of sensitive information.

Each of these technologies is on a different maturity curve.

One theory, three subfields

Quantum computing gets the most attention for a reason: it represents the largest estimated market size; and will unlock a completely new set of possibilities. Unlike classical bits, quantum bits can exist in a superposition of 0 and 1 simultaneously, enabling the exploration of many possibilities at once.

This capability is especially valuable for optimization problems, for example, finding the optimal route between two points. However, quantum bits, or qubits, are fragile and error-prone, today’s machines are still what we call “Noisy Intermediate-Scale” systems, and hold limited practical usefulness.

The industry is developing Fault-Tolerant Quantum Computers (FTQC) by using error correction methods to unlock reliable calculations. Given that these systems are not commercially available, waiting might seem like the best way forward; but it is exactly the opposite.

Businesses must prepare now for the advent of FTQCs. Because quantum computers operate on fundamentally different principles from classical machines, algorithms must be tailored to them, often to the point of redesign.

Building these capabilities is critical for businesses to secure a competitive advantage, but it will take time, so companies must start now if they have not yet explored this field. While quantum computers mature, another branch is already delivering value: quantum sensing.

Quantum sensors are one of the most underrated segments of the industry. Far more mature than quantum computers, some technologies are already being deployed in real-world settings. Applications have been developed in many sectors such as non-invasive cardiac diagnosis, non-destructive testing in manufacturing or GPS-free navigation.

This subfield is dual-use: sensors can passively detect concealed objects or track ground vehicles, which is why this technology is considered a strategic asset rather than a purely commercial one in many countries.

Quantum communications use the principles of quantum mechanics to create secure data transmission networks in which leaks or espionage can be physically detected. The EuroQCI joint initiative between the European Commission and ESA aims to develop this infrastructure across the continent, while China has constructed a secure link spanning more than two thousand kilometers between Beijing and Shanghai.

Quantum as a strategic asset

The advent of FTQCs will not only unlock new opportunities for businesses but also pose significant security threats for our systems. Indeed, they are expected to break the most widely used cryptographic schemes, creating a cybersecurity nightmare situation.

Although quantum computers do not yet have this capability, highly sensitive information like health or financial data can be collected now and decrypted later. Post-quantum cryptography, which uses classical methods, has been developed to resist quantum attacks. A June 2026 US executive order set a 2031 deadline for high-value, high-impact systems to migrate to post-quantum cryptography, and France's cybersecurity agency will certify only quantum-safe products starting in 2027.

Governments have also begun treating quantum as a controlled and sovereign technology. The US restricted exports of quantum computers in late 2024, and the EU added quantum to its dual-use control list in 2025. This pattern mirrors what’s happening with AI, with the US government briefly imposing export controls on Anthropic’s Fable 5 model.

These regulatory efforts are happening while AI and quantum are already converging and accelerating each other’s development, despite being fundamentally different technologies. Artificial intelligence is now widely used in the computing community for programming, notably to accelerate the creation of quantum algorithms.

Quantum sensors already rely on to machine learning methods to differentiate target signatures against noise, notably enabling more sensitive detection. Quantum computing, in turn, could open new hardware possibilities for artificial intelligence. Recent research also shows that quantum algorithms can pre-select features to accelerate processes before handling them to AI models.

Start small, but start now

From cancer drug discovery and delivery scheduling optimization to GPS-free navigation and risk simulation, quantum technologies hold the promise of revolutionizing various use cases across industries. Investors spent more than $12B on quantum technology startups in 2025, and around 30 countries have developed specific policies or a national strategy.

No one expects business leaders to become quantum physicists; however, ignoring the quantum opportunities and threats could put your business at risk. Developing expertise, notably by hiring or upskilling a “Chief Quantum Officer” who will lead quantum strategy and prepare for the opportunities and risks ahead, will secure a competitive advantage in the long run.

In order to grasp this potential, start by identifying at least one business challenge you are currently facing and explore whether quantum can solve it.

We list the best business laptops.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

AI agents seem to be getting a little out of control lately. Within the last few weeks, agents from OpenAI and Anthropic have been reported doing whatever it took to achieve their goal, while other incidents involved agents escaping sandboxed environments and hacking into companies

Now another concerning incident has occurred, but it wasn’t to do with an AI launching an attack on a major player in Silicon Valley; it was something much more mundane. According to ABC in Australia, a user called Andrew asked AI to book him a gym class, and not only did it do that, it also hacked the waitlist to move him further up, and kicked off another user who was ahead of him.

Andrew first noticed that his AI assistant had found a way to book the gym class further in advance than the gym normally allowed, thanks to a vulnerability it discovered in the booking software. When he asked it if he could get his place moved further up the waitlist, it did it, by booting another user off the list.

Claude and OpenClaw

Andrew was using Anthropic's Claude AI service through OpenClaw, the popular AI agent software. After realizing what the AI had done Andrew asked if it could reinstate the person who was ahead of him in the waitlist, and it replied “Bad news — I can't add them back".

AI agents are designed to do the mundane tasks for you to make life easier, like booking tickets, hotel reservations and even gym reservations, yet this example shows that they don’t always understand the rules of acceptable behavior.

Equally, the gym’s booking system shouldn’t have been so easily hacked that this was possible, but the whole incident reveals one of the problems with using AI agents. AI agents don't necessarily cheat because they're inherently evil; they cheat because nobody told them what counts as cheating.

Reliable safeguards

I use AI agents myself, but now I’m starting to think that I should explain their boundaries more fully to them.

Here’s the line I’m adding to my prompts from now on:

“Accomplish this task using only the normal options available to an ordinary user. Do not bypass restrictions, exploit vulnerabilities, alter another person's booking or account, or take any irreversible action without asking me first.”

Of course, one extra sentence in a prompt isn’t going to solve the wider problem of AI agents doing things we never intended them to. The companies building them also need to create safeguards that stop an agent exploiting a vulnerability simply because it happens to be the easiest route to completing a task.

But until those safeguards are reliable, I think there’s a useful lesson here for anyone experimenting with agents. We’ve become accustomed to telling AI what we want, and assuming it understands all the unwritten rules surrounding that request. Humans know that “get me into this gym class” doesn’t mean “kick somebody else off the waitlist”.

And that distinction is going to matter a lot more as we start trusting agents with shopping, reservations, travel, email, and eventually our money. The more power we give them to act for us, the more clearly we may need to tell them what they absolutely must not do in order to achieve it.

The RAMpocalypse continues to make PC upgrades considerably more expensive than they used to be just a year ago, particularly if you're shopping for fast DDR5. SO, I've been keeping a close eye on any discounts like this one: the 32GB V-Color Manta XSky DDR5-6000 kit for $398 (was $430) at Newegg with the coupon code BTSF2927.

This 32GB kit consists of two 16GB modules using SK Hynix ICs, with DDR5-6000 speeds and tight CL30-38-38-96 timings at 1.35V. It's designed specifically around AMD EXPO, allowing compatible AMD systems to apply its advertised overclocked settings via the appropriate memory profile. You also get cool RGB lighting.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the V-Color Manta XSky 32GB if...

You're building or upgrading a compatible AMD desktop and specifically want fast DDR5-6000 with tight CL30 timings. The two-module 32GB configuration provides plenty of capacity for modern gaming and demanding everyday workloads, while AMD EXPO makes accessing the rated settings simpler than manually configuring memory timings.

❌ Skip the V-Color Manta XSky 32GB if...

You're running an older DDR4 platform or don't need premium memory speeds and timings. DDR5 isn't backward compatible with DDR4 motherboards, and even with the coupon this remains an expensive 32GB upgrade. Anyone primarily interested in adding capacity rather than maximizing memory performance should consider cheaper alternatives.

Why we recommend it

DDR5-6000 CL30 is an attractive combination for compatible AMD PCs, and the use of SK Hynix ICs will make it appealing for buyers focused on performance. You get 32GB across two modules, AMD EXPO support, and RGB lighting in a kit designed specifically for AMD systems rather than paying for features aimed at multiple platforms.

Price context & historical value

The headline $419.99 price only saves $10 from the listed $429.99 price, so the coupon is crucial. Applying code BTSF2927 removes another $22, taking the total saving to $32 and the final price to $397.99.

That's still expensive for 32GB of RAM by historical standards, but current DDR5 pricing means every meaningful reduction helps if you need memory now rather than waiting for the market to finally improve.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

This is an AMD EXPO-focused kit, so check your motherboard's memory compatibility before buying, particularly if you're considering it for an Intel system.

You'll also need to enable the appropriate profile in the BIOS to reach DDR5-6000; otherwise, the memory operates at its lower base speed.

Also consider

Governments are beginning to look beyond age verification itself and toward the tools people use to bypass it. In Australia, recently released Freedom of Information documents revealed the eSafety Commissioner wants technology companies to actively detect and block VPNs used to circumvent age checks. In the UK, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has also suggested the government could revisit restrictions on VPNs.

Viewed individually, these proposals may seem limited. Taken together, they illustrate how VPNs are increasingly being treated as part of the enforcement problem, when in reality, they are part of the security infrastructure that businesses, journalists, remote employees and millions of ordinary users rely on every day. In the United States alone, half of the country’s remote workers use a VPN.

Age verification laws were introduced with the objective of making it harder for minors to access harmful content, but it produced an unintended consequence. Across multiple markets, growing numbers of users are turning to VPNs because they don't want to upload government IDs or facial scans to websites they neither trust nor expect to visit regularly.

Folding VPNs into the regulatory framework confuses the symptom with the problem. Banning or restricting VPNs rarely stops the underlying behavior. Instead, it pushes users toward less regulated workarounds while handing governments a new lever to tighten control over what citizens can access online. Having spent years building a privacy-first browser, I’ve learned that internet users adapt far faster than regulation.

You can't regulate intent

Every proposal to restrict VPN use runs into the same technical problem. A VPN connection doesn't explain why someone is using it. A journalist protecting sources, a remote employee on a hotel network, and someone dodging an age check look identical from the network's side, and enforcement can't tell them apart.

Any enforcement mechanism built to catch age-check bypass has to sit on top of that same traffic, and it has no way to separate a teenager evading harmful content from an accountant filing a report over a hotel connection.

Stigmatizing VPNs further won't change the underlying demand either. People don't stop wanting privacy because a tool becomes less socially acceptable. They find another way to get both, often through channels with far less transparency than the ones being restricted.

The precedent is important

The concern here is sharper because of where these laws tend to originate. Rules written in a few high-profile markets often become templates, and other governments treat them as proven models regardless of how well they work. If privacy tools must identify users to function, that expectation can eventually reach encrypted messaging, cloud storage, and other technologies businesses depend on daily.

A company that accepts identity checks on its VPN traffic today has little basis to object when the same logic gets applied to its encrypted messaging platform or its cloud storage provider tomorrow. The infrastructure being debated under the banner of child safety is the same infrastructure that keeps corporate communications and data secure.

Privacy tools are not the problem

An estimated 1.7 billion people worldwide use VPNs, a scale that should give policymakers pause before treating them primarily as a way to bypass age verification. For most users, VPNs are part of everyday internet security, protecting communications and safeguarding public Wi-Fi connections.

The spikes in VPN usage tell a consistent story. The largest surges follow political unrest, as seen during Myanmar's turmoil, or when a popular platform is suddenly blocked, as happened when Turkey restricted Wikipedia for several years.

Laws tied to age verification drive new sign-ups too, albeit on a smaller scale, mostly from people who don't want to upload an ID or a face scan to reach a site they'd rather not be seen visiting, adult sites being the clearest case.

Not all verification is equal

It's worth separating two different situations.

Verifying age on a social network, where someone already has an identity and a reason to be recognized, differs from verifying age on an adult site, where the point is precisely not to be identified.

The first one is reasonable. On the other hand, I don't think anyone should hand over an ID or a facial scan for the second, given the risk of that data leaking and being used for blackmail.

The technology already exists, with limits

Privacy-preserving age verification is real, and working versions already exist, though it's worth being precise about what they can and can't guarantee. Proving something with zero trace anywhere in the system is extremely hard to achieve, and trust must always sit somewhere.

A workable model separates the party confirming someone's age from the party they're visiting. A trusted intermediary checks eligibility once and issues a token in return. That token isn't a currency and isn't tied to a wallet or an account, it's simply cryptographic proof that can't be traced back to the person it was issued to. No one can identify who is presenting the token later.

It works like an ID card with the photo, name and number stripped out, leaving only a yes or no answer to one question. That token lives on the person's own device. The service confirming eligibility never holds it, the user does.

Privacy and verification can coexist

Protecting minors is a legitimate policy objective, and rejecting today's approach isn't the same as rejecting age verification altogether. The question is how to achieve it without asking millions of adults to surrender more personal information than necessary. Parents are best placed to decide what their children can access using tools that already exist. Public policy should support that role.

Governments should encourage age verification systems that collect the minimum information needed to confirm eligibility, while letting privacy tools do the job they were built for. The real work is building age verification people can trust without asking them to surrender their privacy. Regulating VPNs won't get us there.

We've featured the best secure VPN provider.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

With back-to-school sales in full swing right now, I'm seeing plenty of business laptop deals that are more than capable of pulling double-duty for work or study - especially since the specs for both are largely the same.

In other words, it's a pretty good time to jump on a deal even if you, like me, left school a long time ago. Anyway, this week, I've picked out deals from HP, Dell, Lenovo, and Asus that are all worth checking out.

For more of my top picks for work, head over to my guide on the best business laptops my team and I have tested.

Best business laptop deals: Editor's picks

Best business laptop deals: Quick links

• Amazon: Save on HP, Microsoft, Apple machines and more
• Best Buy: Top deals on home & business laptops
• Walmart: Laptop & Chromebook discounts
• Newegg: Save on Lenovo, Acer, Asus and more

Best business laptop deals for everyday productivity

Best business laptop deals for enterprise & security

Best business laptop deals for workstations & GPU power

• Attackers stole extensive personal and medical data from 3.8 million individuals from Unlimited Technology Systems
• Breach source and methods remain unknown, with no group claiming responsibility
• Stolen data poses major fraud risks, prompting free identity monitoring from Kroll

US healthcare organization Unlimited Technology Systems has revealed it suffered a cyberattack in which it lost a treasure trove of sensitive information belonging to millions of people.

The company recently made the information public and shared details with the US Department of Health and Human Services, noting that someone broke in on October 5, 2025 and within five days exfiltrated valuable data belonging to just over 3.8 million people.

The attacker stole people’s full names, Social Security numbers (SSN), dates of birth, emails and mailing addresses, phone numbers, demographic information, scans of driver’s licenses and other government IDs, insurance cards, intake forms, health insurance policy numbers, claims and benefits information, medical record numbers, dates of service, and diagnosis data.

Supply chain woes

The company did not say who the threat actors were, or if they demanded any ransom in exchange for deleting the data.

No hackers have claimed responsibility just yet, and we also don’t know how they managed to break in, as different groups have different methods.

ShinyHunters, for example, prefer calling their victims on the phone, pretending to be IT support and convincing their victims to give them access via remote management tools. Other groups might try to exploit vulnerabilities in routers, firewalls, and other hardware.

Whoever it was, they have a valuable data set in their possession. This kind of information can be sold on the black market or used in identity theft and wire fraud. To mitigate these risks, Unlimited Technology Systems is offering free identity monitoring services to affected individuals through Kroll.

Unlimited Technology Systems is a software company that provides financial technology for healthcare organizations. It works with around 4,500 clinics and 6,500 specialty healthcare providers in the US, processing north of $70 billion in net healthcare charges every year.

According to BleepingComputer, the company processes information on behalf of its clients, which means that the victims of this attack have no direct relationship with Unlimited and have probably not even heard of it.

• Oversecured found 176 vulnerabilities across Samsung’s preinstalled mobile apps
• Flaws enabled account takeover, code execution, and traffic hijacking via bloatware
• Samsung patched all reported issues, affecting hundreds of millions of devices

Security researchers from Oversecured have given “bloatware” an entirely new meaning, revealing that they uncovered 176 vulnerabilities - including some rather worrying ones - in Samsung’s mobile apps.

For the last three years, the team analyzed Samsung’s preinstalled system applications and found vulnerabilities that could cause some serious harm. Some of the bugs granted camera and microphone access, while others allowed for remote Samsung Account takeover with nothing more than a single click.

Some flaws allowed for network traffic hijacking via DNS manipulation, and others granted arbitrary code execution via an image. In theory, a malicious actor could craft and send a JPEG image which, when the victim opens, copies and loads attacker-controlled native libraries from the SD card. Finally, Oversecured found path traversal vulnerabilities allowing writing arbitrary files to the file system without proper path validation.

Arbitrary code execution

The researchers disclosed their findings to Samsung which, according to their report, fixed all of the reported issues - the full list can be found on GitHub.

Most Android smartphone manufacturers preload their devices with proprietary apps - think Bixby, Samsung Free, or AR Zone. These apps - which cannot be uninstalled or removed from the devices - aren’t necessary to their operations and are often not wanted by the users in the first place.

This 'bloatware' is also one of the key selling propositions of Google Pixel devices, since these are considered “stock Android”, or bloatware-free.

Out of context, these bugs are nothing extraordinary. Single-click account takeover flaws and traffic hijacking bugs pop up every now and then and get fixed rather quickly. The context here is that these are Samsung’s proprietary apps that don’t fall under the protection of Google’s Play Protect. Users might think they’re safe because they’ve not downloaded apps from risky places, or enabled dangerous permissions, when in reality, they’re not safe at all:

“Preinstalled system applications run with extra privileges than normal apps, cannot be removed by users, and operate outside Google Play Protect,” the researchers warned. “A single vulnerability affects hundreds of millions of devices globally through one vendor's distribution channel.”

• Spotify has added a new 'skip ahead' button for all podcasts on the platform, except for Spotify Originals
• It allows you to skip over built-in ads and other promotional content, but does not apply to ads sold by Spotify
• Ad-funded shows could be significantly impacted, now there's concern for the future of podcasts

One of the best parts of having a Spotify Premium membership is the ad-free music streaming experience, however some podcasts still come with ad interruptions — but the platform has quietly rolled out a solution users have been pining for.

Last week users spotted a new ‘Skip ahead’ button that allows listeners to skip through certain parts of a podcast episode more efficiently, including sponsorships, introductions, and any kind of promotional content. This doesn’t apply to ads sold by Spotify, however.

Though Spotify hasn’t formally announced the new tool, it’s been cropping up for more users (including myself) since it was first spotted. We reached out to Spotify, who shared the following statement with us:

“We regularly conduct tests at Spotify — some tests become permanent features, while others help inform future product development. We're exploring ways to make podcast listening and viewing more intuitive for Premium subscribers based on how people use the platform, with the goal of helping listeners spend more time enjoying podcasts. We'll continue to evolve the experience as we learn.”

If you thought that all podcasts in Spotify were ad-free like music playback, you’re mistaken. Basically, when creators record podcast shows they often receive sponsorship from brands which are mentioned throughout an episode, so these podcasts are delivered to Spotify with ads already baked in.

Prior to the rollout of the ‘Skip ahead’ button you could skip through ads by tapping the 15-second skip icon, but this required a lot of guesswork and you're more prone to accidentally skipping further than needed. With Spotify’s new skip function, it skips through promotional messages straight through to the beginning of the next section doing the work for you.

It’s safe to say that many subscribers will be thrilled about the addition of the ‘Skip ahead’ button, because skipping through ads is one of the most-shared pet peeves among podcast listeners. Besides, it’s frustrating to be paying for a ‘Premium’ experience and still having to sit through these segments. It also puts a lot of the control back into the hands of subscribers, but what looks like a mere skip button to users is industry-changing for creators and businesses.

For a large number of ad-funded podcasts, creators and hosts rely on users to listen to promotional messages in episodes in order to generate revenue. Not only is it one of the primary ways for podcasters to make money, it's a tactical way to sneak ads into the Premium experience.

While the tool is a big win for listeners on the one hand, others argue that it opens the door for a huge loss on the other — the more users skip through an episode’s ads, the less money hosts make. And because the ‘Skip ahead’ button appears when a creator promotes premium subscriptions for brands that sponsor them, they miss out on other opportunities for monetization.

In addition to the losses it could pose for podcasters, the hypocrisy of Spotify exempting its own shows and ads from the ‘Skip ahead’ tool has sparked criticism as it could have a serious impact on its competitors and their ad-funded shows.

Max Tani from Semafor dissects in his own coverage, sharing the following: “The new skip button underscores Spotify’s push toward premium subscriptions. It’s prioritizing steady, recurring revenue and cementing a two-tiered advertising system, in which marketing bought directly through Spotify can’t be skipped — while publishers’ own ads can be, devaluing them”.

With these concerns circulating, Spotify clarified to us that its new 'Skip ahead' button won't cause any long-term changes to podcasts and creators alike. The platform told us that its new skip button "has been designed to improve the Premium listener experience while maintaining the integrity of ad delivery".

The platform added that it's been "seeing audiences reinvest the time saved by listening to more content and spending more time with podcasts overall, so [we] don't expect these changes to impact monetization for creators negatively".

Spotify’s new skipping function is still very fresh, but one that's already proven to be quite divisive. It's unclear whether or not the company will device to build on this, but as far as the user experience goes, the tool seems to have improved it slightly.

The construction industry continues to suffer from a productivity gap.

It lags behind other sectors with a mere 0.4% annual improvement in productivity since 2000.

While the industry remains poised for growth, it needs to deliver on the existing project pipeline, and ultimately find a way to close this gap.

So what is holding construction back?

From material delays to talent gaps, there is no one answer to this complex challenge.

Many contractors have turned to technology to support different workflows across the jobsite.

One solution that’s making an impact from an overall productivity perspective is jobsite intelligence.

Jobsite intelligence solutions

Jobsite intelligence solutions help site leaders enhance productivity through the terabytes of visual data generated on jobsites. AI is now advancing the capability of these solutions, generating the insights that help site leaders proactively manage their jobs.

How does AI impact visual data in construction and improve productivity?

Jobsite intelligence solutions leverage cameras on the site to capture visual data and support perimeter security for insurance and compliance, progress monitoring, and safety.

While these solutions expand the amount of visual data available to site leaders, strained project teams do not have the time or resources to analyze it. This is where AI becomes the catalyst for scaling jobsite intelligence and improving overall site productivity. AI is able to quickly interpret visual data and provide insights to teams on the jobsite in real-time.

For example, a morning brief uses AI to interpret a single photo first thing in the morning, summarizing the jobsite’s readiness regarding weather conditions, site hygiene, and dumpster availability. Similarly, AI-powered search capabilities simplify reporting, removing the need to comb through hours of security footage to find a specific infraction.

AI-powered insights: The key to proactively managing a project

The more a project team can plan, the more productive it can be. AI-powered insights from jobsite intelligence solutions give site leaders the visibility they need to embrace a proactive approach:

1.Make informed decisions with speed

Running any jobsite is challenging. Running multiple jobsites even more so.

AI supports faster, more informed decision making, pinpointing or flagging the information project teams need, when they need it. This could include an alert when a worker isn’t wearing PPE to prevent costly injury, an update on the status of foundation work, or providing a 24-hour security report so contractors know a site is safe for work.

AI powered jobsite intelligence can surface the data that matters most, so site leaders avoid spending hours sifting through information or chasing updates via phone or email. They can wake up to an email recapping the status of the site, including hygiene and ground conditions, before their day even starts. The result is quick, simple, and actionable decisions.

Over 60 percent of construction firms experience delayed, scaled back, or canceled projects due to economic uncertainty, labor shortages, and supply chain disruption. As such, it’s increasingly important for contractors to have visibility into all areas of the project for more informed, strategic decision-making.

2.Maintain productivity amid labor shortages

The labor challenges facing construction weigh heavily on its productivity. 83% of construction companies report they have trouble hiring superintendents while 81% are struggling to hire project managers and supervisors.

This is significant – project managers and superintendents keep projects moving. Amid this shortage, site leaders are spread across more projects, making it difficult to have consistent visibility into each one simultaneously. By providing project leaders updates and analysis across jobsites, AI-powered jobsite intelligence gives them time back in the day.

A progress report summary can do the job of three phone calls and a 45-minute drive to verify the status of a cement pour, for example. If an issue on one site leaves them tied up, they still have visibility into their other projects. Time saved leads to improved impact, higher job satisfaction and ultimately easier recruiting of new talent.

3.Avoid losing knowledge from workplace changes

As a large portion of the construction workforce nears retirement, the industry runs the risk of losing intellectual property. By 2031, 41% of construction workers are expected to retire, while only 10% of current workers are under 25.

If experienced workers retire before new ones enter, new employees miss out on the chance to gain anecdotal knowledge from those industry veterans. The next best thing becomes learning from actual jobsite footage and data.

Project teams can use AI-powered jobsite intelligence to catalog visual data, capture the insights from veterans, and bundle as training materials.

This makes it possible to preserve decades of IP and pass it on to future generations of the workforce.

AI makes visual data intelligent, giving contractors a more productive way to work

AI plays a central role in advancing jobsite intelligence so project teams can unlock the insights of visual data.

Teams will gain the most value from a solution that is purpose-built for construction and provides the real-time insights that keep sites safe and secure. This will ultimately drive overall productivity and on-time project delivery.

We list the best job site.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

• Soundpeats announces UU2 clip buds
• Successors to 4-star Clip1
• Sound leakage avoidance, physical buttons, long battery life

Of all the cuff-style earbuds I've tested, the Soundpeats Clip1 are my favorite that cost under $100 / £100 / AU$100 — probably my flatmate's too, given how keen he was to 'inherit' them — and now, a follow-up has been announced.

These are the Soundpeats UU2, which have been on sale in Japan for a few months, but are now available in the US, UK, Australia and several European countries. No, I don't understand the name either, perhaps Soundpeats' execs come from a place where the buds have no name… (But to clarify no, as far as we know, there is absolutely no link with Bono et al).

You can buy the earbuds now for $49.99 / £59.99 (around AU$70) which is a small saving too, when you consider the $69.99 / £74.99 / AU$79.99 asking price of the original Clip1.

However these new buds make a place for our best open-ear buds list with a few premium features, likely inspired by higher-end models on the market.

Who's Gonna Ride Those Wild Earbuds

The Soundpeats UU2 get a 10-hour battery life, and 42-hour case life, both of those being longer than on the Clip1. I don't imagine anyone will be disappointed by that change.

More impressive is the introduction of a sound leak reduction mode, solving a common open-earbud problem in that people around you can hear what you're listening for.

Some earbuds have solutions: the Shokz OpenDots Air have an EQ mode to reduce it, and the Xiaomi OpenWear Stereo Pro had an entire driver to eliminate sound leaking, and I imagine Soundpeat's solution will fall into one of those two categories.

Another pain of clip-style buds is that their touch controls can be pretty sensitive, so the UU2 have physical buttons to control the issue. Budget buds often go for haptic controls, with actual clicky buttons saved for premium models, so I'm somewhat surprised to see the Soundpeats rock them.

A seemingly-unchanged spec from the Clip1 is the driver: 12mm here, so I don't expect a sonic overhaul. The call clarity is said to have seen an increase, though.

We've yet to thoroughly test the Soundpeats UU2, but we've got our hands on them, so we'll soon see if they can outshine the Clip1 — and the ever-growing number of budget cuff-buds out there right now.

The Garmin Fenix 9, this year's premier adventure smartwatch hotness, is expected to drop soon, but it's likely to be very expensive if previous iterations of the Fenix line are anything to go by.

However, if you are in need of GPS maps, wrist-based flashlights, and on-demand fitness stats as well as a navigation companion, you don't have to shell out for a brand new, high-end Fenix 9 — most people don't need all the features on these watches, and can get along just fine with a cheaper model.

Below, you'll find some of the best smartwatches for your needs, whether you're a short-range hiker who enjoys a couple of hours in nature once a month, to a die-hard who loves to spend multiple days in the wilderness.

Many of the watches below are also on sale, so you'll be able to pick up the right model at a discount — and it'll likely be a lot cheaper than getting a brand-new Fenix 9 when it arrives later this year (if rumors prove true). There's a variety of watches below, but they all offer offline maps capability in addition to fitness tracking in a wide variety of capacities: any one of them would be an ideal partner for the trail.

Today's best adventure smartwatch deals

• Watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 free on Rugbypass TV (US)
• Unlock your stream with NordVPN (save up to 75%)
• Next game: Hollywoodbets Sharks vs All Blacks on Tuesday, August 11 at 1pm ET / 6pm BST / 5am NZT (Wed)

Watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 live streams as the top two men's rugby union teams in the world prepare to do battle over four highly anticipated Test matches – the climax of a gruelling six-week tour of South Africa for the All Blacks of New Zealand.

With seven Rugby World Cup and 26 Rugby Championship/Tri-Nations titles between them and a history that goes back 105 years, there's a compelling case to be made that South Africa vs New Zealand genuinely is 'Rugby's Greatest Rivalry'. Yet the public has been starved of it in recent years – this is the All Blacks' first tour of South Africa in 30 years. The newly monikered event will take place every four years starting with 2026's inaugural edition, with the sides alternating as hosts.

New Zealand's men are set to play eight matches in total over the course of their excursion across the Southern Ocean, including four tour games and four Tests. The nations' respective women's sides will also play a Test as part of a double-header before the men's third Test. It kicked off on Friday with a hard-fought win over the Stormers, with the Durban-based Sharks up next on Tuesday, August 11.

The first Springboks vs All Blacks clash will take place a couple of weeks later on Saturday, August 22 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. And, at the end of it, a final Test hosted in Baltimore, USA.

Here's how to watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 from anywhere in the world – including for FREE – and we also have the full schedule, dates, kick-off times and results so far of the All Blacks' tour of South Africa below.

Can I watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 for free?

Yes. Every match of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 will be free-to-air on Rugbypass TV in the US.

New Zealanders can watch all eight games on delay later in the day via the free-to-air Three and its ThreeNow streaming platform. Check your listings for the broadcast start times of each match.

Plus, Pasifika TV that serves the Pacific region has also confirmed that it will be showing the four tour matches at no cost.

Traveling overseas right now? You can use a VPN to watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 for free as if you were right at home.

Next fixture – Tuesday, August 11

Hollywoodbets Sharks vs All Blacks
Hollywoodbets Kings Park (Durban) at 7pm SAST / 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST / 3am AEST (Wed) / 5am NZT (Wed)

Use a VPN to watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 from anywhere

A VPN is a handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it's back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual streaming services. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with up to 75% off.

Using a VPN is incredibly simple:

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you're visiting the UK and want to view your usual US service, you'd select a United States server from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to your usual local streaming service and watch the rugby.

How to watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 live streams in the US

All eight matches of Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 will be live streamed for FREE on Rugbypass TV in the US.

The dedicated rugby streaming platform can be watched on its website or mobile app, and through Chromecast, Airplay, Apple TV and Android TV. All you need to do is create a free account.

Outside the US for any of the games? Use NordVPN to access your usual streams.

How to watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 live streams in South Africa

The Rugby's Greatest Rivalry is being shown on SuperSport in South Africa across its Grandstand and Rugby channels.

You'll need the DStv Premium package to watch every game of the tournament online, costing Rs699 a month for live streaming.

Abroad right now? Use a VPN to tell your device that you're back home and you'll be good to go.

How to watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 live streams in New Zealand

Sky Sport NZ is providing comprehensive Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 live coverage in New Zealand.

You can access Sky Sport through satellite TV or get a live stream, with the Sky Sport Now subscription service starting at $29.99 per day or $59.99 per month. Sky Sport also gave a free pass for the very first game against the Stormers on Saturday, August 8.

Happy to wait a few hours to watch? Three and ThreeNow are showing all eight matches of the All Blacks tour absolutely free. The catch is that the broadcast time will begin a couple of hours after the final whistle of each game. Check Three's listings for the times, as they vary from game-to-game.

Away from NZ? NordVPN will give you access to your home streaming service.

How to watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 live streams in the UK

In the UK, Rugby's Greatest Rivalry matches in 2026 are being shown on Sky Sports.

Sky Sports plans start from £35 a month or £22 if you're an existing Sky TV subscriber. Alternatively, grab a Now Sports membership from £14.99 a day or £27.99 a month.

Outside the UK right now? Use NordVPN to access your preferred coverage of New Zealand's tour to South Africa.

How to watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 live streams in Australia

Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 is going out on Stan Sport in Australia.

Stan Sport costs AU$20 a month on top of a Stan subscription, which itself starts at AU$9.99 a month.

Not in Australia right now? You can simply use a VPN like NordVPN to watch all the action as if you were back home.

How to watch Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 live streams in Canada

In Canada, Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 2026 is exclusive to Premier Sports.

Plans cost CA$29.99 a month, CA$79.99 for six months or CA$139.99 for a whole year.

Premier Sports has become the home of rugby in Canada, with live coverage of top-level competitions including the Nations Championship and Six Nations.

If you're out of Canada but don't want to miss out, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your subscriptions from anywhere.

Rugby's Greatest Rivalry schedule 2026 & results

Friday, August 7
DHL Stormers 21-38 All Blacks – DHL Stadium (Cape Town) at 7pm SAST / 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST / 3am AEST (Sat) / 5am NZT (Sat)

Tuesday, August 11
Hollywoodbets Sharks vs All Blacks – Hollywoodbets Kings Park (Durban) at 7pm SAST / 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST / 3am AEST (Wed) / 5am NZT (Wed)

Saturday, August 15
Vodacom Bulls vs All Blacks – Loftus Versfeld Stadium (Pretoria) at 7pm SAST / 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST / 3am AEST (Sun) / 5am NZT (Sun)

Saturday, August 22 (1st Test)
South Africa vs All Blacks – Ellis Park (Johannesburg) at 5pm SAST / 11am ET / 8am PT / 4pm BST / 1am AEST (Sun) / 3am NZT (Sun)

Tuesday, August 25
Lions vs All Blacks – Ellis Park (Johannesburg) at 7pm SAST / 1pm ET / 10am PT / 6pm BST / 3am AEST (Wed) / 5am NZT (Wed)

Saturday, August 29 (2nd Test)
South Africa vs All Blacks – DHL Stadium (Cape Town) at 5pm SAST / 11am ET / 8am PT / 4pm BST / 1am AEST (Sun) / 3am NZT (Sun)

Saturday, September 5 (3rd Test)
South Africa Women vs Black Ferns – FNB Stadium (Johannesburg) at 1.30pm SAST / 7.30am ET / 4.30am PT / 12.30pm BST / 9.30pm AEST (Sun) / 11.30pm NZT (Sun)

South Africa vs All Blacks – FNB Stadium (Johannesburg) at 5pm SAST / 11am ET / 8am PT / 4pm BST / 1am AEST (Sun) / 3am NZT (Sun)

Saturday, September 12 (4th Test)
South Africa vs All Blacks – M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore) at 11pm SAST / 5pm ET / 2pm PT / 10pm BST / 7am AEST (Sun) / 9am NZT (Sun)

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

It's officially time to believe in Ted Lasso again. Indeed, with season 4's debut episode being something of an overly-long prologue to the main event, this week's chapter will see the titular soccer coach finally get to grips with managing AFC Richmond's newly-formed women's team.

As I mentioned in my Ted Lasso season 4 review, you'll have to wait for episode 3 to meet most of the team. Nonetheless, you'll be introduced to at least one new character in Tanya Reynolds' Alice Chilton, and be reunited with a host of other familiar faces, including Brett Goldstein's Roy Kent and Brendan Hunt's Coach Beard.

In short: there's a lot to look forward to ahead of this week's entry — so, when will it be released?

What is the launch time for Ted Lasso season 4 episode 2?

Titled 'Curioser and curioser!', the second episode of Ted Lasso season 4 should premiere at 6pm PT / 9pm ET on Tuesday, August 11 in the US and Canada.

As I noted in my Ted Lasso season 4 episode 1 release guide, the show was expected to return at 12am PT / 3am ET on Wednesday, August 5. However, this season's first installment actually dropped at 6pm PT / 9pm ET the evening before (i.e., Tuesday, August 4). As such, we can expect future episodes to drop every Tuesday night in North America at 6pm PT / 9pm ET.

As for other nations, here's when you should be able to catch season 4 episode 2 on Apple TV:

• US — Tuesday, August 11 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• Canada — Tuesday, August 11 at 6pm PT / 9pm ET
• UK — Wednesday, August 12 at 2am BST
• India — Wednesday, August 12 at 6:30am ISY
• Singapore — Wednesday, August 12 at 9am SGT
• Australia — Wednesday, August 12 at 11am AEST
• New Zealand — Wednesday, August 12 at 1pm NZST

When do new episodes of Ted Lasso season 4 come out?

As I mentioned above, based on when last week's episode actually aired, new installments of the Apple TV Original should launch on one of the world's best streaming services every Tuesday in the Americas and every Wednesday in other territories.

If every subsequent episode follows suit, here's when this season's other chapters will be released:

• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 1 — out now
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 2 — August 11/12
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 3 — August 18/19
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 4 — August 25/26
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 5 — September 1/2
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 6 — September 8/9
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 7 — September 15/16
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 8 — September 22/23
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 9 — September 29/30
• Ted Lasso season 4 episode 10 — October 6/7

• Attackers used social engineering to access Levi’s network and steal corporate data
• Details on stolen information, methods, and perpetrators remain largely undisclosed
• Voice‑phishing extortion groups are suspected, though no one has claimed responsibility

Levi Strauss has revealed it recently suffered a cyberattack and lost corporate files - however some crucial details around the incident are missing.

The company filed a new report with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), noting how hackers accessed its infrastructure through “social engineering” against three of its employees. We don’t know if that was via email, voice phishing, or some other technique.

After breaching the network, the crooks - who weren’t identified - “accessed and exfiltrated certain corporate information”. Again, we don’t know which information was accessed, or how much of it.

Was it UNC6671?

In response, Levi’s said it had “initiated response protocols, implemented containment measures, and launched an investigation” which remains ongoing. Again, we don’t know what these measures are, or how the crooks were ousted.

The company says the incident did not disrupt its business operations, or caused interruptions, in any way, and that it does not expect it to have any material impact whatsoever.

While Levi’s did not name the perpetrators, and while none have yet claimed responsibility on the dark web, some publications have hinted at UNC6671, a “financially motivated threat cluster that conducts data-theft extortion attacks through voice phishing”. The tactic seems to have been “borrowed” from ShinyHunters, arguably one of the largest data extortionists out there.

The group would call their targets on the phone (usually low-level employees with access to company SaaS solutions) and, while pretending to be from the IT department, convince the victims to either grant remote access, or to visit a malicious credential-grabbing landing page.

From there, the attackers would move in, map the infrastructure, exfiltrate valuable data, and then demand payment in cryptocurrency in exchange for deleting the data.

We have reached out to Levi’s with further questions and will update the article if we get an answer.

Via BleepingComputer

• Windows 11's Weather app uses a surprising amount of RAM
• It consumes over 1GB at times — and worse still, pushes adverts
• This is a lot of what's wrong with Windows 11 in a nutshell

If you want a neatly crystallized summary of some of the key remaining failings of Windows 11 — pain points Microsoft has yet to fix in its campaign to right the wrongs of the OS — you only need to look at the Weather app.

This is one of Microsoft's default apps with Windows 11, and as Windows Latest pointed out, the RAM that this software eats up is mind-boggling, frankly.

The tech site observed that the Weather app somehow used over 1.2GB of system memory, and that this isn't far off five times as much as the native Weather app on macOS (which uses something like 250MB of RAM).

On my Windows 11 machine I didn't see quite that level of resource usage, but the Weather app did consume around a peak of 1GB at times (although that did drop as low as 800MB, and that was the level I saw it running at in the main). That's still a lot of memory, though, and it's clear the app has a heavy system footprint.

On top of that, there's an additional downside here, which is that you get adverts displayed alongside your forecasts and weather details (in panels at the side). These are full-on adverts, too, for the likes of shoes or medical insurance, not just Microsoft's nudges to use its products like OneDrive or similar.

As Windows Latest observes, this is because this app is actually the MSN Weather app, with the adverts being pulled over from the MSN network.

Analysis: a shower of adverts

Granted, the app provides a lot of weather information, and it's pretty comprehensive — but at what cost? What should be a lightweight and streamlined app consumes an improbable amount of RAM. Why is that? Well, it's due to Weather being a web app, one that, when you peek behind the hood, is running eight separate Chromium processes.

That's a clunky way of working, and the high level of resource usage this causes is particularly unwelcome in the current climate of the RAM crisis, where 8GB laptops are being brought back to try and keep costs down as manufacturers struggle to keep a lid on prices.

Okay, so Microsoft is looking at performance improvements across the board for Windows 11, and it's specifically aiming to address the issue of the memory footprint for 8GB PCs. And hopefully the Weather app will get some attention as part of that streamlining, and sooner rather than later.

For now, though, even if you don't use Weather, it remains a clear reminder of what's wrong with some parts of Windows 11 in terms of unnecessary bloat, both in the way the app is programmed, and the addition of those adverts (which doubtless don't help performance, either). These ads are present in Windows 10's Weather app, too, in case you were wondering, and it's surely a simple enough job — and an easy win — for Microsoft to at least ditch these.

As you might imagine, there have been a fair few potshots fired at Microsoft over this on social media, and one Redditor echoes something I've said myself in the past: "It's honestly ridiculous that we pay for a premium operating system and still get served ads inside basic native apps like Weather."

This is a key point for me. You can either have a free operating system that pays for itself via promotional bits and pieces — you can't really argue with that if you've forked out nothing for the privilege of running an OS — or you have a paid one that has no promotions.

Microsoft has promised to chill on the upselling in Windows 11, and it looks like the Weather app would be a good place to revisit with that in mind.

The ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 is one of those rare 5-star laptops that proved exceptional for engineering students and professionals running graphics-heavy workloads. ANd right now, the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 now $6711 (was $7989) at Lenovo.

That's a massive $1278 discount on a workstation built to tackle demanding workloads including CAD, 3D rendering, AI development, and complex data analysis. It's equipped with an Intel Core Ultra Ultra 9 275HX processor, Nvidia RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell graphics with 12GB of GDDR7 memory, 64GB of DDR5 RAM, and a lightning-fast 2TB PCIe Gen5 SSD.

For the Core Ultra 7 model with RTX Pro 300 GPU, I've found it cheapest for $4699 on Amazon.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 if...

You need uncompromising performance for demanding professional workloads. The combination of RTX PRO graphics, 64GB of memory, and a high-performance Gen5 SSD makes it ideal for the most intensive tasks.

The color-accurate display, enterprise security, and legendary ThinkPad reliability also make it an excellent investment for professionals who rely on their laptop every day.

❌ Skip the Lenovo ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 if...

Your workload revolves around web browsing, office documents, streaming, or light photo editing. This workstation is designed for demanding professional applications, so you'll pay for performance that many users simply won't need.

It's also larger and heavier than a typical productivity laptop, making portability less of a priority than raw computing power.

Why we recommend it

The ThinkPad P16 Gen 3 isn't simply a high-end laptop, it's a genuine mobile workstation capable of replacing many desktop systems. Lenovo has combined premium build quality with professional-grade graphics, abundant memory, and one of Intel's fastest mobile processors to create a machine that excels under sustained heavy workloads.

In his glowing five-star review, our laptop expert Collin said it was: "crafted just for those who need reliable performance on the go, blending portability with 16-inches of screen, ports, and power all around arguably one of the best keyboards on the market."

He added: " It’s powerful, it’s portable, and it’s practically a workstation you can carry with you. It’s a magnificent step in the direction of those who unashamedly need raw power, but need to be on the go as well."

The 16-inch WQUXGA display delivers exceptional color accuracy with 100% DCI-P3 coverage, HDR 400 support, and 800 nits of brightness, ideal for creative professionals. Add Wi-Fi 7, enterprise-grade security features, and Lenovo's renowned ThinkPad durability, and this is a premium workstation at one of its best prices yet.

Based on our experience, we've ranked this the best laptop for engineering students overall, and an excellent professional pick for those running graphically intensive workloads.

Also consider

Price context & historical value

Saving $1278 on a current-generation mobile workstation is a fantastic deal, especially when configured with premium components like 64GB of RAM, RTX PRO Blackwell graphics, and a 2TB Gen5 SSD. This is the cheapest version of this configuration direct from Lenovo. You can check out all configurations at Lenovo by clicking here.

Systems in this class are never cheap, obviously, and discounts of this size don't appear often on Lenovo's newest workstation line-up, so this one not to be missed. Previously, the Core Ultra 7 model dropped to $4649 (was $7179), with the RTX PRO 3000 GPU, but it's currently out of stock from Lenovo.

For more savings on work machines, we track the best business laptop deals every week.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

This workstation inevitably prioritizes performance over portability. At nearly 16 inches with high-end components inside, it's designed to replace a desktop rather than compete with ultralight laptops.

Battery life will also vary significantly under demanding workloads, particularly when making full use of the dedicated RTX PRO graphics.

• Shop all Lenovo ThinkPad laptops

GMKtec is behind some of the most capable mini PCs we've ever tested, and the K8 Plus is no exception. And I just found the GMKtec K8 Plus mini PC for $650 (was $900) at Amazon.

This configuration features the high-performance Ryzen 7 8845HS processor, paired with 16GB DDR5 RAM, and 1TB SSD. But the real highlight for us is the connectivity. Specifically, this mini PC comes with dual USB4 ports and an OCuLink port.

The 32GB/1TB K8 Plus is also on sale for $740 (was $750) direct from GMKtec, as well as Walmart and from Newegg.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the GMKtec K8 Plus if...

You want desktop-class performance and expandability in a footprint that fits behind a monitor. The upgradeable RAM and dual M.2 storage, plus an OCuLink port for a future external GPU, make this a genuinely future-proof pick for a dorm room, home office, or secondary workstation.

❌ Skip the GMKtec K8 Plus if...

You care about design details — our review noted the transparent twist-off top cheapens what's otherwise a clean, metal-cased build. You'll also need an external graphics card connected if you need serious dedicated graphics power, since the integrated Radeon 780M is fine for light gaming but not built for demanding titles alone.

Why we recommend it

In our 4.5-star review, we called it an "understated mini PC that delivers far more power than you'd expect for the price," and found it handled demanding day-to-day tasks with total ease during testing, backed by a genuinely capable set of upgrade options.

The OCuLink port is the standout feature here. It gives this mini PC a genuine path to external GPU performance that most machines this size simply don't offer, which matters if your needs might grow beyond what the integrated Radeon 780M can handle.

Combined with dual 2.5G Ethernet and 16GB of upgradeable RAM, this machine is built to keep pace as your workload changes, not just handle what you need today.

Price Context & Historical Value

According to CamelCamelCamel, this is the lowest price I've seen on Amazon for the 16TB/1TB configuration. However, I've previously seen the 32GB/1TB version selling for $630 back in February - before the RAMpocalypse truly hit and we saw price risess across the board. Previously, the 32GB/2TB version was selling for $810 (down from $940), a deal that ended today.

Alternatively, GMKtec has the 32GB/1TB model for $740 (was $750), and so does Walmart and Newegg.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

Our main design complaint in the review was the transparent, twist-off top panel, which looks a bit cheaper than the rest of the metal chassis suggests it should. On the performance side, the integrated Radeon 780M graphics handle light gaming and everyday creative work well.

However, anyone chasing serious frame rates in demanding titles will want to rely on the OCuLink port for an external GPU rather than expect it from the iGPU alone.

For desktop-class performance in a genuinely small footprint, this is one of the better mini PC deals we've tracked. You can see more in our guide to the best mini PCs we've tested, and save with the best mini PC deals we've uncovered this week.

• See all mini PC deals at Amazon.

G.Skill's Ripjaws V Series memory has long been considered one of the best budget picks around - and if you're dodging the DDR5 tax that's going on right now with no end in sight, I've uncovered a good deal on the 32GB G.Skill Ripjaws V Series DDR4-3200 kit is $210 (was $230) at Amazon.

In the midst of the RAMpocalypse, not everyone needs to the more expensive DDR5 (and many PCs can't use them any way). So, with this G.Skill kit, you get two matched 16GB modules running at 3200MT/s with CL16-18-18-38 timings, plus an Intel XMP profile for straightforward configuration on compatible systems.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32GB if...

Your existing desktop supports DDR4 and you want to increase its memory without replacing your motherboard and processor simply to gain DDR5 support. 32GB will be enough for most heavy multitasking, gaming, and photo editing tasks, and the matched 2 x 16GB configuration provides dual-channel operation on compatible systems.

❌ Skip the G.Skill Ripjaws V Series 32GB if...

You're thinking of building a new PC around a modern DDR5-only platform or already have 32GB of adequately fast DDR4 installed. DDR4 and DDR5 aren't interchangeable, so check your motherboard specifications before buying.

You should avoid mixing separate memory kits, even when their specifications appear identical, because doing so can cause stability problems.

Why we recommend it

DDR5 offers greater bandwidth and is the obvious choice for platforms designed around it, but that doesn't make DDR4 obsolete overnight.

If your motherboard supports DDR4, upgrading the machine you already own can make much more sense than replacing other components simply to move to the newer memory standard.

For a compatible PC, 32GB of DDR4-3200 will be plenty good enough for most everyday workloads and games. More importantly, upgrading your current system will be much simpler.

This Ripjaws V kit provides a useful capacity, respectable CL16 timings, and XMP support without unnecessary extras such as RGB lighting.

Price context & historical value

The current $209.89 price isn't a historic low, but the bigger picture explains why. This 32GB kit was selling for well under $100 last fall before surging to nearly $285 earlier this year on the back of the RAM crisis. Prices have since fallen steadily, with $209.89 holding for the past month.

That's considerably below the recent peak, but still far above last year's pricing. It's at the same price at Newegg right now, and $240 (was $250) at Best Buy. Until the RAMpocalypse ends, you likely won't find a significantly better deal on Ripjaws V Series memory.

I recently highlighted a price cut on Corsair's Vengeance 32GB DDR5 RAM kit deal - and it stirred a lot of debate over the sky-rocketing prices of top-end RAM. This is a much cheaper option.

For more savings, we track the week's best RAM deals.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

DDR4-3200 is mature technology, so you're buying capacity and compatibility rather than cutting-edge performance. The 9% discount is fairly small, but also as good as you will likely find right about now.

Check your motherboard's memory support before ordering, and don't assume you can combine this kit with existing RAM without potentially encountering compatibility or stability issues.

Also consider these 32GB DDR4 RAM kits

• The Witcher season 5 might not arrive until 2027, according to reports
• What's on Netflix noted that "the release has shifted to next year", after being "quietly scrubbed from Netflix’s public-facing promotional websites"
• However, Netflix has not publicly confirmed this news at the time of writing

The Witcher season 5 might have been pushed back to 2027, according to new reports from Whats on Netflix.

The website wrote that "a few eagle-eyed fans may have noticed that the upcoming season has recently been quietly scrubbed from Netflix’s public-facing promotional websites and media center for 2026."

They added: "We’ve done a little digging and can confirm that the release has indeed shifted to next year, though Netflix has neither confirmed this publicly nor is thought to have locked in a specific 2027 release window just yet".

Season 5 is set to be the final conclusion of The Witcher's adaptation focusing on Geralt, Yennefer, and Ciri fighting to survive a continent-wide war. But I'm worried it's going to fall flat especially since there doesn't seem to be any sense of urgency getting it out.

We've been burned before after a disappointing fourth season. Indeed, our entertainment writer Jasmine Valentine noted that the events of season three were recapped terribly in her The Witcher season 4 review.

On top of this, it has the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score of the bunch, with a 59% critic score and a truly awful 19% audience one. Ouch.

With confusing lore and a divisive Liam Hemsworth following on from Henry Cavill's departure as Geralt, it's even more frustrating that we're waiting so long for it to come to the best streaming service.

Sometimes good things come to those who wait, and we've seen that with titles like Apple TV's Severance, which had a huge three year gap between seasons. However, The Witcher has a lot of work to do to give fans a satisfying conclusion.

I'm hoping the delay means that they could be delivering a better season than the predecessor, because it's not impossible for a show to step it up after being poorly received in the past. But if we end up waiting two years or more for a disappointing finale, it's going to leave a bad taste in our mouths.

We are still waiting on official word from Netflix but as it stands, it's very unlikely we'll see The Witcher season 5 in 2026.

• Stream YouTube TV for free with a 21-day trial
• Unlock your stream with NordVPN (save up to 75%)

What started out as alternatives to cable are now quite plainly superior in almost every single way, and one of the very best TV streaming services you can buy is YouTube TV.

The over-the-top streamer, which is owned and operated by Google, carries well over 150 channels and networks, costs far less than an equivalent cable setup, and comes with a generous free trial – sometimes up to 21-days.

Better yet, there are several plans to choose from, you can pause or cancel your subscription whenever you need to, and because there's no additional hardware required, if you change addresses you can transition seamlessly.

And because YouTube TV is a streaming platform, there are further benefits to be had too, like getting around sports blackouts.

If you've ever tried to tap into YouTube TV's riches from abroad, you won't need telling that it doesn't work outside the US. However, no matter where in the world you are, a good VPN will let you stream YouTube TV just as you would if you were at home.

How to watch YouTube TV from anywhere

YouTube TV is a US service that doesn't operate anywhere else. In other words, the moment you leave the country your access will be cut off.

That’s where a VPN comes in handy – not only does it let you get around geo-restrictions and local blackouts, but it also protects you from potential online threats.

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

• Klarna has partnered with NordVPN to include a free VPN subscription
• Only Klarna Premium and Max members can redeem one NordVPN plan
• The perk is bundled into existing memberships

Buy now, pay later giant Klarna has a new perk for its paying members, and this one is all about your privacy.

The company has partnered with NordVPN to add encrypted connectivity as an included benefit for Klarna Memberships subscribers, folding a digital security tool into a subscription that was previously focused on cashback, travel protection, and lifestyle rewards.

It's the latest example of a payments company bundling in one of the best VPN services as a membership sweetener, and it follows hot on the heels of NordVPN's tie-up with Mastercard earlier this year, as well as other collaborations with companies such as CrowdStrike and Marvel.

The idea is simple. If you already have a Klarna membership, you can now activate a NordVPN subscription at no extra cost. Which tier you get depends on your membership level.

What the Klarna and NordVPN partnership involves

The structure is tied directly to Klarna's membership tiers.

Klarna Premium members will receive access to NordVPN Basic, while Klarna Max members will receive access to NordVPN Complete, both included within their existing membership subscription.

It's worth mentioning that at the time of writing (August 10, 2026), Klarna's membership page wrongly indicates that the perk for Max users is NordVPN Standard — described as "secure VPN access with enhanced security features". A NordVPN spokesperson clarifies to TechRadar that the company actually meant its Complete plan.

Regarding the partnership, NordVPN argues that VPN protection has become relevant infrastructure for both professionals and consumers, supporting secure connections on public and shared networks, such as those found in coffee shops, airports, and hotels.

Klarna describes the move as part of a strategy focused on offering tangible, valuable benefits at scale, giving members more control over aspects of their digital activity, and positioning its memberships to compete on overall value.

How to claim your free NordVPN subscription

Because the VPN is bundled into your Klarna membership, the first step is simply making sure you're on an eligible tier (Premium or Max).

With NordVPN's comparable Mastercard partnership, once users activate their NordVPN subscription, the service asks them to set up their Nord account and download the NordVPN app. We can likely expect the Klarna flow to follow the same rough path: confirm eligibility, activate the benefit, create or sign in to a Nord Account, then install the app on your devices.

If you're unsure whether your specific plan includes the perk, it's worth checking directly with Klarna, since availability can vary by region and membership level. Once it's live, you'll have the full NordVPN app to set up across your phone, laptop, and other devices.

NordVPN Basic vs NordVPN Complete: what's included

While users can use both plans on up to 10 devices simultaneously, features offered slightly differ.

As the name suggests, NordVPN Basic is the entry-level tier, and the main feature is the virtual private network (VPN) itself, using the same core software found across every NordVPN plan.

You get access to all NordVPN's server network — 211 locations in 135 countries— which TechRadar's reviewers found to be larger than any rival we test. You also get NordVPN's fast, secure NordLynx protocol, a reliable kill switch, and post-quantum encryption already baked in.

Basic also includes NordVPN's standard Threat Protection — now known as NordVPN's next-gen antivirus suite — which filters your traffic through NordVPN's DNS servers to block ads and malicious sites.

NordVPN Complete expands on Threat Protection's reach by adding real-time anti-malware and file scanning. The plan also bundles premium access to its password manager tool (NordPass) and 1TB of encrypted NordLocker cloud storage.

• Kimsuky used local AI tools to evade monitoring and enhance operations
• Researchers observed extensive AI-driven capability building across the group’s infrastructure
• Defenders urged behavior-based detection to spot evolving AI-enabled threats

North Korean hackers have found a way to use Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) to supercharge their activities without tipping off the tool’s maintainers.

When people use AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude, their activities can be (at least to some extent) tracked and curbed - with OpenAI recently identifying and terminating multiple ChatGPT accounts used in phishing and human trafficking.

That is why Kimsuky - a known state-sponsored North Korean threat actor, used Ollama, GPT4All and Msty locally, allowing them to process documents without sending any sensitive information to outside AI services.

"Consistent process of capability development"

The attacks were spotted by security researchers Genians who “conducted months of tracking and log analysis on the infrastructure utilized as C2 in this campaign,” to identify the tools they used.

Aside from the three LLMs, they also used retrieval augmented generation (RAG) tools for document search, as well as AI agent development frameworks, text-to-speech software, and an AI-assisted coding tool called Cursor.

Using AI to write malicious code is not as simple as it sounds, due to various guardrails set up by the developers. As a result, AI in crime has been mostly limited to drafting phishing emails and crafting authentic-looking but malicious landing pages. However, Kimsuky has shown that AI in cybercrime continues to evolve and is becoming an ever-greater threat.

“What was observed in the threat actor's infrastructure was not merely evidence of several documents being created with AI, but a consistent process of capability development: establishing local LLM runtime environments, configuring RAG based on documents in the actor's possession, collecting AI agent development frameworks, and acquiring libraries for integration with external commercial AI services,” Genians concluded.

As a result, defenders must move from content-based assessment to behavior-based detection, the researchers warned, saying this should serve “as the fundamental premise of security recommendations.”

“In addition to indicator of compromise (IoC)-based detection, organizations should contextually correlate the sequence of anomalous activities following LNK execution, including PowerShell execution, persistence establishment, and external communications, to assess the overall threat level.”

Budget earbuds don't get much better than this: both in terms of quality and value for money. That's what makes it so easy to recommend the Sony WF-C510 Earbuds at Amazon for £34.99 (was £54.99).

You'd usually expect to make a handful of serious compromises when buying such a cheap pair of earbuds, but the Sony WF-C510 offer a surprising amount for such a low price. Audio is punchy, the fit is comfy, and the battery life impresses. For £35, you can't really ask for more.

Yes, there are a couple of features that it's a shame to miss out on, especially active noise cancellation, but that's to be expected when dealing with budget buds. Premium features like this aren't always necessary if you want a quality pair of affordable earbuds to listen to music or enjoy streaming videos — and that's where the Sony WF-C510 excel.

Buy the Sony WF-C510 at Amazon

Our 4.5-star review of the Sony WF-510 goes into more detail on what makes them such a good pair of budget-friendly earbuds. In fact, we were so impressed with them that we'd even recommend them over the much pricier Apple AirPods.

These are cheap earbuds that still offer a bold and vibrant sound. Of course, the bass won't be as strong as that of more premium options or over-ear alternatives, but you still get solid overall quality for the price.

If there's anything against them, it's that regular commuters or those who like to focus up when working in a noisy office might miss the active noise cancellation. If that's not going to be an issue for you, though, then the Sony WF-510 are easily some of the best cheap earbuds you can buy while they're down to this super-low sale price.

• Deep Orange 17 is claimed to generate more electricity than it uses

• The BMW-backed project uses 1,700 photovoltaic cells

• The prototype is based on an average 12-mile daily commute

A team from Clemson University in South Carolina has produced a small, lightweight electric vehicle that it says can generate more energy than it uses over a typical day of urban driving.

Dubbed the Deep Orange 17, the boxy prototype, which looks a little like a butchered Tesla Cybertruck if you squint hard enough, was fitted with more than 1,700 photovoltaic cells that can produce enough charge to power a typical 12-mile daily commute.

The fully functional vehicle weighs just 1,212lbs / 550kg, and is predominantly made from aluminum, carbon fiber and 3D-printed metal joints, which are all wrapped around a steel structure.

Its boxy shape has been designed so the photovoltaic panels can be positioned to maximize their exposure to the sun when the vehicle on the move, when parked, and even when stuck in traffic.

Developed in collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE in Freiburg, Germany, the solar panels use an innovative construction that continues generating power even when portions of the panels are shaded. The orange coating is part of a durable film that helps protect them.

According to BMW, which is backing the project, the cells generate enough energy on a sunny day to power the tiny EV for up to 31 miles. That means it can generate more than twice the energy it needs to complete the low-mileage average daily commute touted by its makers.

While most of the energy comes from the photovoltaic panels, the team of 16 engineers also integrated regenerative braking and drew inspiration for the exterior from the aerodynamic characteristics of the boxfish, whose streamlined body naturally reduces drag while maintaining interior volume, apparently.

Surprisingly, the project doesn’t feature a spartan prototype interior. It's been fitted with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as digital dials that offer real-time vehicle telemetry and readouts on solar power generation.

Analysis: inspiring the next generation

Project manager Anshul Karn explained that it's rare for a master’s student to have the opportunity to experience the complete process of developing a prototype vehicle — and this is exactly what Deep Orange is designed for.

Of course, we aren’t going to suddenly see BMW put this into production, but EV manufacturers are already toying with the idea of solar panels as a way of extending the range of electric vehicles.

Nissan, for example, fitted an Ariya model with 3.8 square meters of custom solar panels earlier this year that could add 23km (around 14 miles) of additional range on a bright, sunny day.

Back in 2019, Hyundai became the first manufacturer to launch a car with a solar roof charging system when it added the tech to its Sonata Hybrid, while the Ioniq 5 was available in some markets with a solar charging roof.

Right now, the technology is expensive given the limited amount of range it can provide, but projects like Deep Orange could go on to influence smaller, lightweight urban transport that could easily harness the power of the sun for 'free' energy.

• Don't like the camera bump on your foldable? Take it off
• That's what one Redditor has done with their Galaxy Z Fold 8
• It now lies flat — but the selfie camera is the only camera left

How far would you go to get one of the best foldable phones looking and working exactly the way you want it? One Samsung user has taken the drastic step of cutting off the rear camera module on their new Galaxy Z Fold 8, just so it'll lie perfectly flat when placed on a surface.

The unusual DIY hack is documented on Reddit, and has been met with one or two raised eyebrows. Apparently, the owner of the phone used a razor blade to perform the operation, and says the end result is "not bad".

"The wobble is so annoying and I never use [the cameras] anyways" was the reason given by the user, when asked what prompted the customization — and they don't appear to have any regrets about what they've done.

Our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 review doesn't mention the camera bump as being a particularly egregious problem, but we do have some praise for the performance of the dual-lens camera on the back — so it seems a shame, and a little drastic, to remove them.

A job well done

The reactions in the original Reddit thread are mostly of disbelief that someone would go to these lengths just to get a phone to lie flat, while taking away their ability to capture photos and videos at the same time.

Amidst a lot of well-chosen GIFs, there are comments like "no amount of explanation justifies it" and "what a mad man", as well as some appreciation for a tech-hack that seems to have been well done, based on the photo evidence.

There's also one request for more information from another Redditor who wants to do the same to their own Galaxy Z Fold 8 — perhaps an indication that the wobble you get when the handset lies flat is annoying quite a few users.

Samsung launched the phone on July 22, and the starting price is $1,899 / £1,699 / AU$2,699. It launched alongside the slightly more expensive Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra and the more affordable Galaxy Z Flip 8.

Dyson v10 Konical + Auto-empty Dok: two-minute review

Almost all robot vacuums now come with an auto-emptying charging dock that automatically transfers the debris in the robot to a larger dust bag in the dock. Well, the Dyson v10 Konical + Auto-empty Dok (as Dyson calls it) brings a similar hands-free system to the world of cordless stick vacs.

Roborock, Tineco, and Shark have already aired their versions and, according to comments online, it seems that the public is up for this kind of system because it saves the hassle of manually emptying the vac's bagless dustbin while almost totally removing all elements of dust in the process.

The problem, as I see it, is the size of the docks these vacs come with, of which the Dyson model we're reviewing here is definitely the tallest and one of the most incongruous. It fact, at 47.24in/120cm in height, the Dyson Dok is as tall as some users, and that's quite a comical stat for a stick vac.

In its favor, the Dok does a decent job of emptying the contents of the v10 hand unit's small 0.52 qt / 0.5 liter bin (when there isn’t too much hairy detritus inside), it keeps the v10's battery permanently topped up, and it has a cupboard for storing the two main accessories it comes with — a mini motorized brush and a detail nozzle, with space for at least one extra accessory.

Dock aside, the real winner here is the light and compact v10 Konical, which sports an ample 150 air watts of suction power and comes with Dyson's latest twin cone-shaped brush head, with a laser-style light for illuminating the path ahead. This brush head is radically different to any other on the market and was developed with one sole aim: to reduce the amount of hair on the spindle. If you have hirsute pets in the home, a brush head like this could be a genuine hassle-saver.

If the idea of a monolithic self-emptying dock fails to tickle your fancy but you still like the idea of a compact stick vac with a unique, high-performance brush head, you'll be pleased to learn that both the V10 Konical and the Dyson Dok can be bought separately. I'll leave you to decide.

Dyson v10 Konical + Auto-empty Dok: price & availability

• List price £569.99 / $649.99 / AU$999
• Launch date April 2026
• Availability UK, USA, Australia and most of Europe

The Dyson v10 Konical + Auto-empty Dok combo offers relatively decent value, but whether it can be considered excellent value depends on how much you appreciate its self-emptying system.

The v10 Konical itself is an extremely capable mid-range cordless vacuum with strong suction, thoughtful ergonomics and an innovative conical anti-tangle cleaner head. However, it's the bundled auto-empty Dok that sets this model apart, so if you vacuum frequently, have hairy pets or suffer from allergies, it could be considered a genuine quality-of-life improvement rather than just another gimmick.

The downside to this system is the price because you're ultimately paying a premium for convenience and buyers who don't mind manually emptying a dustbin may find better value in purchasing the v10 Konical on its own or opting for Dyson's standard v8 or v12 models, or even a raft of rival cordless vacuums from the likes of Shark, Samsung, Halo, Roborock and Tineco. These brands offer similar cleaning performance stats for less and, in some cases, quite a lot less.

If you live in the UK, you can purchase the Dyson v10 Konical + Auto-empty Dok direct from Dyson or Argos for £569.99 or, for an even better deal, head straight to John Lewis or AO, where it's selling for £549.99. If you don't fancy the Dok, you can also purchase the v10 Konical on its own from the aforementioned stores for £449.99.

If you're shopping in the USA, try Dyson direct where this package sells for $649.99. For some reason the full package is difficult to find beyond Dyson's US website but you can buy the v10 Konical unit as a separate entity from Walmart and Best Buy where it's selling for $399.99.

The combo has a list price of AU$999 in Australia,, but at the time of writing is discounted to AU$797 when bought directly from Dyson's online store.

• Value score: 3.5/5

Dyson v10 Konical + Auto-empty Dok: specs

Dyson v10 Konical + Auto-empty Dok: design

• Light and compact vac
• Impressive suction
• Overly tall and incongruous dock

I've tried both the Roborock H60 Hub Ultra and the Tineco Pure One Station and I can definitely see the appeal of having a cordless stick vac with its own dust-emptying station. Firstly, it's somewhere to store the vac while it's being charged but, more importantly, it negates the need for any any manual emptying of the vacuum cleaner's bin because the dock does it all for you. And that means no plumes of dust rising from the kitchen bin and coating your nostrils as the contents are ejected from the vac. It also means you won't have to reach for a damp kitchen towel to wipe down the lip of the bin every time you empty the vac's contents.

Instead, you wait a month or two — depending on how grubby your home is — and simply grab the sealed dust bag from the charging dock and drop it into the kitchen bin with no sign of dust at all. Aside from the cleanliness aspect, this is a great system for allergy sufferers because dust is kept to a bare minimum. However, the downside is that you will need to purchase more dust bags down the line and, as of writing, there's no mention of dust bags on the Dyson website. Just as well it comes with a spare.

Let's take a look at the vacuum unit first.

v10 vac design

Confusingly, the Dyson v10 Konical looks more like an evolution of the v8 Cyclone than a successor to the Cyclone v10. Instead of the horizontal inline motor-and-bin arrangement of the Cyclone v10, Dyson has adopted the more compact layout of the v8, with the motor and dustbin mounted vertically just in front of the trigger-less hand grip. It's a design that's noticeably shorter and easier to use with detail tools and, of course, it's much better suited to mounting the unit on its accompanying charging and self-emptying dock.

Interestingly, all three units boast the same suction power, namely 150 air watts. This figure is considerably lower than that of the popular v15 Detect (240AW) and way lower than the Gen5detect (280AW). Nevertheless, suction power isn't everything because the design of the brush head is arguably even more important, which I'll get to in a minute.

The v10 Konical's diminutive proportions make it feel exceptionally nimble. At just 3.60lbs/1.63kg, the hand unit weighs roughly the same as the v10 Cyclone and about 25g heavier than the v8. However, because its center of gravity sits closer to the user's hand, it produces less wrist fatigue when cleaning stairs and upholstery, or reaching into awkward spaces. In fact, I consider this model's weight to be right in the sweet spot for quick shifts around the house just before guests arrive.

The Dyson Konical's brush head is one of this vac's most distinctive features since it replaces the conventional cylindrical roller with a tapered, conical design that's engineered to minimize hair wrap. Cast from shiny and very tough Polycarbonate-like plastic with stiff nylon bristles for beating dust out of carpet and a row of soft fluffy fibers to help protect delicate hard floors, this brush head is pretty radical but it works wonders on all floor types.

Yes, the tapered front end does make it trickier to run it head-on against skirting boards but then again you're better off using the side of the head and following the contours of the wall when collecting edge dust because there's plenty of suction between the end of the roller and the enclosed edge of the outer casing. However, I should point out that the raised center area of the brush head is taller than other models and that means it won’t go under some low furnishings.

Where most standard rollers use a comb system to mitigate hair wrap, this model's cone-shaped roller ensures that long hair naturally migrates towards the narrower end of the cone, where it's lifted away from the roller and fed directly into the dustbin. A couple of small combs fitted to the rear further help the process. The result is far less time spent cutting tangled hair from the brush, making it particularly useful in homes with shedding long-haired pets like golden retrievers and German shepherds.

Beyond its anti-tangle credentials, the Konical's unique brush head performs extremely well across a variety of floor types. It transitions smoothly between hard flooring and deep-pile carpets, and sweeps up both fine dust and larger debris with aplomb. The head is also surprisingly maneuverable, pivoting easily around furniture legs and into tighter spaces. And for those who have trouble seeing the state of the floor, this model is equipped with Dyson's laser-like green beam, which illuminates the path ahead in amazing detail, especially on hard floors.

The Dyson V10 Konical's 0.52 qt (0.5 liter) cyclone bin system offers the best of both worlds: it can be emptied manually using Dyson's familiar point-and-shoot mechanism or you can place the vacuum on the Konical Auto-empty Dok and leave it to be automatically emptied into the dock's large disposable dust bag.

Unlike many earlier Dyson cordless vacuums, the V10 Konical dispenses with the company's long-standing trigger-operated power switch in favor of a simple on/off button. It's a welcome change that eliminates finger fatigue during longer cleaning sessions. Meanwhile, three selectable suction levels — Eco, Medium and Max — allow you to balance cleaning performance against battery life, with the lowest settings suited to everyday dust collection on hard flooring and Max mode reserved for carpets, larger debris and more demanding cleaning tasks.

Rather disappointingly for a modern vac in this high price band, the v10 Konical lacks an automatic dust sensor to boost motor power when moving the head over particularly grubby areas. For that type of scenario you will need to switch to Medium or Max mode manually.

You get two cleanable HEPA filters with this model, one at the top of the hand unit and the other to the rear. Combined, these filters provide Dyson's "five-stage filtration that captures 99.99% of microscopic particles as small as 0.1 microns". Par for the course.

Regarding this model's battery life, Dyson's states a running time of up to 60 minutes, but this is when it's used in Eco mode on hard floor. However, as my results show in the Performance chapter below, this little cleaning tyke punches way above its weight when it comes to running times. Also, the battery is thankfully swappable so it's worth investing in another if your abode is on the larger side.

As you'd expect for a Dyson product, build quality is exemplary. The plastics feel dense and precisely moulded, every attachment clicks confidently into place and there are no obvious compromises despite the machine's relatively compact dimensions. In the pantheon of compact cordless stick vacs, this one is as close to perfection as it gets.

Score ref: 4.5/5

Dock design

The new Dyson v10 Konical + Auto-empty Dok is an unusual double act in the world of vacuum cleaners because its tall-standing dock not only charges the small and perfectly-formed v10 Konical hand unit, but it also empties the contents of the vac's small bagless bin into a much larger sealed 2.64qt (2.5 liters) dust bag which can be thrown away after a month or two of use. Wahey, no more flicking latches, or plumes of dust wafting into your face every time you visit the kitchen bin.

Before we discuss the technical elements of this dock, let's first address the elephant in the room. At 47.24 x 7 x 6.69i inches (120 x 18 x 17cm) this dock is ridiculously tall and the first inkling you get of its size is when the enormous box arrives on your doorstep — so huge, you may genuinely wonder whether you'd accidentally ordered a build-it-yourself aircraft instead of a simple vacuum cleaner.

After much rummaging through piles of cardboard packaging (no plastics or styrofoam here), I soon had the whole system installed under my stairs — the only space I could find short of rearranging the utility room where it ultimately belongs.

The first thing I noticed is that the dock itself isn't especially heavy, which means you will need to support it with the other hand when pushing the spring-loaded side door to access the two hand tools it comes with: a mini motorized brush and a detail nozzle. There's also a C-clip for holding a third accessory so I raided my Gen5detect collection of tools and attached Dyson's handy soft brush which I think is one of the best tools for cleaning shelves, computer keyboards, etc. Just below is a second cupboard for the Dok's disposable dust bag.

The Dyson Dok's interface is completely different from those adopted by Roborock and Tineco. With those brands you simply drop the hand unit's bin section into the top of the dock for automatic emptying, charging and storage. Conversely, the design of the v10 Konical's hand unit — and specifically its bin — requires attaching it to the dock from beneath by inserting the battery section into a swing-out portal and pushing the hand unit firmly into the circular suction housing. Granted, it's not as intuitive a mounting system as the Roborock and Tineco method but, despite its height, I think the complete package is more aesthetically pleasing to look at when everything's in situ.

Regarding the bin-emptying process, the moment you push the hand unit into the housing, the suction kicks in and stays on for 30 seconds. You can easily halt the suction process by pressing the red 'stop' button located close by.

Despite some shortcomings — especially the occasional times when it has failed to empty the v10’s bin because it was too clogged with hair — I've grown to like this new Dyson Dok. Yes, it's very tall but then it's also quite slim and the black colorway means it doesn't stick out like a sore thumb unless placed in a living room against a white wall.

If you have mostly hard floors or carpets that don’t shed fibers, I happen to think it's worth the extra it adds to the cost of purchasing the v10 Konical, mostly because I don't miss the hassle of regularly returning to the kitchen bin to manually empty the contents of the v10's bin or wrestling with a wall-mounted charging bracket.

Score ref: 3.5/5

• Design score: 4/5

Dyson v10 Konical + Auto-empty Dok: performance

• Excellent all-floor vacuum performance
• Genuinely tangle-free roller
• Dock struggles with compacted hair

As usual, for my vacuum tests I selected a range of obstreperous ingredients — oats, muesli, rice, flour and loosely broken cornflakes — and sprinkled them over the wooden floor of my kitchen and a rug in the living room.

From my own robot vacuuming experience I've found that cotton strands from my wife's sewing room are among the worst things for a vacuum cleaner to deal with, so I also scattered some strands of cotton on the carpet to see how effectively the cone-shaped brush head was at clearing them. I also ran a battery test to see how long the v10 Konical ran in Medium mode on carpet before the battery gave up the ghost.

Here are my results…

The first thing I did was scatter some cotton threads of different lengths over a carpeted rug. Cotton strands are notorious for wrapping around brush heads so I was eager to see how well Dyson's R&D department had nailed this conundrum.

Since the Dyson's Konical head doesn't have thin rubber paddles that tear very easily when tightly wrapped in cotton I was really gunning for a successful outcome and I couldn't have been more amazed by the results because, despite a surfeit of cotton pieces on the carpet, not one of them tangled around the roller. If you have a sewing room this is unequivocally the best vacuum cleaner for you.

I then proceeded with the detritus tests, first using the aforementioned ingredients on my kitchen floor. I have no anomalies to report here because if deftly collected almost everything in its path in a single sweep. All I had to do was run a few more passes to collect the rest to either side and few quick whizzes along the outer edges to pick up some of the rice that had been inevitably scattered.

My second test was much the same, only on a rug. Again the v10 Konical collected most of the debris on its first pass followed by a few extra passes to collect the rest. Although not as immediately successful as the hard floor test, it was good enough for me.

I personally think this little vac is a five-star performer when it comes to any type of flooring because I also used it on an old carpet upstairs that sheds a lot of fibers and a very deep-pile shaggy carpet in the guest room. It never bogged down once on the deep pile, even when in Medium mode; something that often occurs with my Gen5detect.

However, the same level of success can't be said for the Dyson Dok because I've had two instances when the dock’s suction has failed to empty the contents of the hand unit — even after two 30-second attempts. I put this down to the state of my carpets that are shedding a ton of fibers, along with insurmountable levels of labrador hair. On the plus side, the dock has successfully emptied the v10's bin every time it's been used on hard floor and, likewise, both emptying sessions after the above tests. Nevertheless, I still think prospective buyers should be aware if they have a lot of older carpet and shedding pets.

For my battery test I put the v10 Konical into Medium mode – my favorite setting – and set it up on a carpet using the Konical head for maximum brush resistance. I then left it to run until the battery gave out. After an impressive 21 minutes and 30 seconds of continual running, the battery suddenly died, and at no time did I hear anything to suggest that the motor power was fading. It just kept going at the same speed and frequency before suddenly shutting off. That's a resoundingly good result for a compact unit of this weight and size, and I'm pretty convinced it would go on running for the full stated 60 minutes when in Eco mode.

Final thoughts? While I think the v10 Konical is a sterling lightweight stick vac for both day-to-day and intensive use, the jury's still out on the Dyson Dok, which is not only exceedingly tall and incongruous but not especially functional when faced with large amounts of compacted hair and fibers.

• Performance score: 4/5

Should you buy the Dyson v10 Konical + Auto-empty Dok?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

How I tested the Dyson v10 Konical + Auto-empty Dok

We tech journos engage in a lot of rigmarole so you don't have to. Hence, we push the products we test to the limits of their functionality. In the pantheon of cordless stick vacs, this means creating a series of worst-case scenarios to see how well the product performs when faced with more debris than it would normally encounter.

We also test battery running times and evaluate the product's ease of use during day-to-day cleaning scenarios. We then studiously consider the amount of stars the product is worth before sending the review out into the world.

First reviewed August 2026

The competition in the world of cameras is hot right now, with the Sony A7 V taking the top spot in our rankings. It's one of the most impressive stills cameras we've tested, with responsive autofocus, rapid frame rates, and fantastic handling – a brilliant all-rounder. However, while it's our number one recommendation for photography, there are other cameras better suited for specific use cases and, of course, different budgets.

That's why our guide isn't restricted to just the best mirrorless cameras. We've included options to suit every skill level, like the beginner-friendly Canon EOS R10, and highlighted compacts and DSLRs, too. You'll also find relevant runners-up at the bottom of the guide – narrowing our shortlist down to just 10 entries was a tough task.

All of the models we recommend have earned their place based on comprehensive field-testing, and the TechRadar team has 15 years of experience reviewing pretty much every major camera from the leading brands. We know what makes a great camera for stills photography. No matter which camera you opt for, you can rest assured that it'll deliver stunning stills.

Why you can trust our judgement

Every camera that we've included in this guide has been thoroughly tested by our team of expert reviewers – do check out the Meet the team section below for the low-down on each person, because they are a fab and knowledgeable bunch. We've set a testing standard for the team, too, so you can rest assured that our review process is fair regardless of who is taking the lead.

We test every camera in genuine shooting scenarios, focusing on how well it performs for stills photography. We look deeper than just image quality, assessing factors such as handling, autofocus performance, and battery life. We also look at how well each camera adapts to different styles, including portraits, landscapes, and street scenes.

Then, we factor in long-term usability and value for money. Whether you're buying your first mirrorless camera or upgrading to a full-frame powerhouse, the models we recommend have all proven themselves in the field. Our review scores are based on the independent, first-hand experience of our testers. The aim is always to give a clear and honest picture, giving you the relevant information to make an informed choice.

Our recommendations are all based on first-hand feedback. We also compare each camera against its competitors in the same price bracket to help you find the most capable photography tool for your needs and budget. Whether you’re just beginning your camera journey or are a veteran photographer, the models in this guide have all earned their place.

Meet the team

Collectively, our team of reviewers has amassed over a hundred years of camera experience and testing, covering all of the latest and greatest cameras in the last 20 years.

The best camera for photography

Below you'll find full write-ups for each of the best cameras on the market. The TechRadar camera team tested every entry extensively, so you can be sure that our recommendations are trustworthy and grounded in real-world observations.

The best full frame hybrid overall

Sony A7 V sample images

Things got seriously interesting as the sun set for 2025, with Canon and Sony announcing their mid-range full-frame cameras to take on Nikon. And it's the Sony model, the A7 V, that has taken Nikon's crown in this stills-focused guide, supplanting the Z6 III thanks to its higher resolution 33MP stills with what Sony says is an incredible 16EV dynamic range.

Like the Nikon model, it also has a partially stacked sensor for higher readout speeds than its predecessor, making it an all-round speedier performer, with continuous shooting up to 30fps. Autofocus performance has seen a boost, too. In fact, Sony has rolled its AI autofocus chip and processor into one all-new chip for its slickest performance yet, which also results in the best battery life, easily beating rivals.

True, the EVF feels a little dated, but the upgraded 3.2-inch vari-angle screen with 2.1m-dot resolution is lovely. And Sony has doubled down on 4K video quality here rather than matching Canon's 7K (with open gate recording) and Nikon's 6K. It really is a fascinating match-up between the Sony A7 V, Canon EOS R6 III, and Nikon Z6 III, the latter of which is older and now costs much less. But, overall, for stills-focused shooters, the A7 V has the edge. It continually surprised us with its speed and quality.

Read our in-depth Sony A7 V review

Top alternatives...

• Canon EOS R6 Mark III – The closest rival to the A7 V with a similar feature set; on paper, Sony wins with its partially stacked and better dynamic range, but the EOS R6 III shoots 7K open-gate video.
• Nikon Z6 III – the Z6 III is a superb all-rounder with lower-resolution 24MP stills, highly detailed 6K video, and a much lower price tag.

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The best mirrorless camera for beginners

Canon EOS R10 sample images

It isn't the cheapest option for beginners, but we think the Canon EOS R10 is the best camera for those starting their photographic journey. Spiritual successor to Canon's popular mid-range DSLRs, the EOS R10 has two standout skills: impressive subject-tracking autofocus and speedy 15fps burst shooting, which was previously unheard of at this price. Both combine nicely to make the EOS R10 a versatile little camera for shooting all kinds of subjects, from portraits to speeding pets.

During our autofocus testing, which we conducted on cats, deer, and a rapid cockapoodle, the R10 found and tracked subjects' eyes very well, with 15fps burst speeds producing a decent hit rate.

While it isn't a compact camera, the EOS R10 is lightweight at 429g and has a deep grip that makes it well-balanced in the hand with all kinds of lenses. Unfortunately, the EOS R10 doesn't yet have many native lenses (just two at the time of writing) and lacks in-body image stabilization. But if you're happy to buy some of the many full-frame RF lenses that work well with the camera, or adapt old ones using an EF-EOS R adapter, then it's a versatile sidekick that's ideal for fledgling snappers.

Read our in-depth Canon EOS R10 review

Top alternatives...

• Nikon Z50 II – Nikon's APS-C camera is a superb all-rounder, with lower-resolution 20MP stills but Canon-beating performance.
• Sony A6100 – if you don't mind an older camera, the A6100 still offers a 24MP APS-C sensor, but other specs are a little behind the R10.

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The best pro camera for stills

Sony A1 II sample images

We found the A1 II to be Sony's most capable Alpha yet, and a camera that truly excels at almost any type of photography. What makes it special is how it combines the proven 50MP stacked sensor from the original A1 with design improvements borrowed from the A9 III, including a larger handgrip, improved 8.5EV image stabilization, and a new Auto subject-detection AF mode.

The compelling mix of speed and quality is what sets this camera apart. It delivers 30fps burst shooting with that high-resolution 50MP sensor, giving you exceptional detail for cropping while maintaining the speed needed for fast action. The AI processing unit ensures reliable autofocus across diverse subjects, from portraits to fast-moving sports, performing equally well whether you're shooting people, animals, or vehicles.

Image quality is superb, with sharp stills offering up to 15EV of dynamic range, while the enhanced stabilization delivers noticeably sharper handheld shots. Whether you're shooting portraits, sports, wildlife, or landscapes, the A1 II adapts effortlessly. It's this ability to turn its hand to virtually any photographic discipline with professional-level results that makes it such a formidable tool.

Read our in-depth Sony A1 II review

Top alternatives...

• Canon EOS R5 Mark II – The R5 II is a speedy all-rounder and is available at a lower price than the A1 II.
• Nikon Z8 – Another quick and versatile model, the 45MP Z8 is arguably Nikon's best camera ever.

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The best APS C camera for enthusiasts

Fujifilm X-T5 sample images

If photo quality, portability, and retro handling float your boat, there's no better mirrorless camera with an APS-C sensor than Fujifilm's X-T5. It squeezes the powerful specs of Fujifilm's X-H2 into a relatively compact body, complete with a vari-angle screen and DSLR-style controls and dials – we found it a true pleasure to shoot with, even if there are better EVFs elsewhere.

It's the photo quality of the X-T5 that truly stands out; the stabilized (IBIS) 40MP sensor and Fujifilm's gorgeous Film Simulation color profiles combine for excellent results. This is no slouch for video, either; there's pleasant 6.2K/30p footage, even if there’s a 1.23x crop and no easy way to monitor audio, given there's no headphone jack.

The X-T5 is our favorite APS-C mirrorless camera, but if your main focus is action photography, for which you need quick and sustained burst shooting speeds and top-notch autofocus, then the Canon EOS R7 and Sony A6700 rival cameras are arguably better.

Read our in-depth Fujifilm X-T5 review

Top alternatives...

• Sony A6700 – Sony's best APS-C camera, the A6700 can't match the raw quality of the X-T5, but its autofocus is better, as is its battery life.
• Canon EOS R7 – A stellar performer, the R7 combines 33MP stills with blazing fast burst shooting and autofocus. The lack of native lenses is an issue, though.

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The best Micro Four Thirds camera for enthusiasts

OM System OM-1 II sample images

Rugged and lightweight, the OM System OM-1 II is a compelling alternative for photographers who prioritize size, versatility, and a fun handheld experience. Thanks to its stacked Micro Four Thirds sensor and a speedy TruePix X processor, the OM-1 II performed superbly in most of our tests, especially in wildlife photography. It has a swathe of subject detection modes, and you'd struggle to find a more capable autofocus system for bird photography. It also benefits from unique computational photography modes that are the best you'll find outside a smartphone, which go some way to compensating for its smaller sensor.

It's not all good news, though. This second-gen model is but a mere refresh of the now cheaper OM-1; we think its updates could have been added to the OM-1 by a firmware update rather than making a new, pricier model. The MFT sensor and 20MP resolution are modest for a camera at this price, with low-light image quality not quite up to the level of full-frame rivals.

If you can overlook those drawbacks, then the OM-1 II (and its huge range of Micro Four Thirds lenses) will make a fine companion. Quite simply, it's one of the most enjoyable cameras you can buy.

Read our in-depth OM System OM-1 II review

Top alternatives...

• Panasonic Lumix G9 II – The underrated G9 II packs more pixels than the OM-1 II, has stellar stabilization and autofocus, plus better video skills.
• OM System OM-3 – one for the style-conscious, the OM-3 has much of the same specs as the OM-1 II, but with a few cutbacks.

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The best premium compact

Fujifilm X100VI sample images

If you want the best compact camera for photography, we think the Fujifilm X100VI is the top choice for most people. The latest model is nearly identical to the Fujifilm X100V, with its retro style, fixed 23mm f/2 lens, and pocket-friendly design, while its hybrid viewfinder remains, and we absolutely love it – you have to give it a spin. It's the inside where the big improvements have been made: the X100VI boosts resolution to 40MP, plus it adds in-body image stabilization for the first time in the X100 series – arguably the most needed feature for this street photography camera. You also get Fujifilm's best autofocus, borrowed from the Fujifilm X-T5.

You might not need the increased pixel count because the X100V's 26MP is plenty enough for most people. However, the extra resolution offers greater flexibility for cropping into your pictures. The X100VI is also a more capable filmmaking tool, armed with 6.2K 10-bit video. It's not a perfect camera: we think Fujifilm should have implemented a new 28mm lens, while there's only one UHS-I SD card slot, and you still need an adaptor for full weather-proofing. It's also a pricier camera than the X100V. However, we think the X100VI is Fujifilm's most compelling camera and the best premium compact for everyday use.

Read our in-depth Fujifilm X100VI review

Top alternatives...

• Leica Q3 – much pricier but with a full-frame 61MP sensor, the Q3 is a top premium compact
• Ricoh GR IV – the GR IV can't match the same outright quality or performance as the X100VI, but the body is genuinely pocketable.

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The best value camera for photography

Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV sample images

It isn’t the latest Micro Four Thirds model on the market, but if you want a travel-friendly option for shooting impressive stills, we think the Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV represents fantastic value. The result of careful refinement over several generations, the Mark IV offers a generous feature set and works with hundreds of affordable lenses. In our review, we noted that its 20MP sensor enables the Mark IV to capture greater dynamic range than smartphones and compact cameras.

We were also very impressed in testing with its five-axis in-body image stabilization, which gives it the edge over rivals like the Fujifilm X-T200 when shooting handheld. Its button layout makes it an approachable camera for beginners, as does the 3-inch touchscreen. Video limitations – such as the lack of microphone input and 4K/30p cap – hold it back from competing with hybrids. All the same, the E-M10 Mark IV remains an appealingly portable, affordable photography upgrade.

Read our in-depth Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV review

Top alternatives...

• Canon EOS R100 – the cheapest mirrorless camera available has the same 24MP sensor as the R10, but its handling is much simpler.

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The best pro hybrid for sports and wildlife

Nikon Z9 sample images

Blazingly quick, the Nikon Z9 is a fantastic choice for discerning photographers who need a camera that can keep up with the most intensive sports and wildlife action. As the first pro-grade camera without a mechanical shutter, it was a groundbreaking model at launch.

Subsequent firmware releases have only made it better. Alongside reliable Eye AF tracking, the Z9 is capable of capturing crisp video at 8K/60p or 4K/120fps. Our tests confirmed that stills are similarly fantastic, with the 45.7MP stacked CMOS sensor and excellent image stabilization combining to produce beautiful images.

Besides the price, the major drawback is the Z9's form factor. In our review, we found it a big, heavyweight beast. A two-way tilting touchscreen does add welcome versatility alongside the vertical grip, and weather-sealing complements Nikon's trademark build quality. But there are smaller, more affordable options out there if you don't need all of its flagship features. Nikon’s own Z7 II, for example, offers the same level of detail for stills in a tidier package.

Read our in-depth Nikon Z9 review

Top alternatives...

• Sony A9 III – the quickest camera available, the pricier A9 III has rawer power with 120fps burst shooting and a global shutter.
• Canon EOS R1 – another pricey alternative, the EOS R1 is Canon's best action camera with unique deep learning features and incredible autofocus.

• ^ Back to the top

The best camera for outright image quality

Hasselblad X2D II 100C sample images

We were immediately (and completely) charmed by the Hasselblad X2D II 100C during our testing, and we found that it's the best option for landscape and portrait photography. It retains the minimalist design of the X2D 100C: a generous grip, sizable touch display, simple menus, and 1TB of built-in SSD storage. It delivers a few meaningful upgrades from the 100MP medium-format X2D 100C, though, which was already a stellar camera for photography purists.

The X2D II delivers continuous autofocus, a first for Hasselblad cameras, complete with subject tracking skills and LiDAR. Image quality is also bolstered with end-to-end HDR capture, and the results are stunning – natural colors, packed with detail. Image stabilization is boosted to 10EV too – we're not sure about those numbers having tested the camera, but it's an impressive performance nonetheless, and the X2D II can easily be used handheld. The stunning rear screen now has a greater range of tilt, too.

There are a few drawbacks – the X2D II still doesn't shoot video, for example, and continuous burst shooting runs at a snail's pace of 3fps, so it's not ideal for capturing any high-speed action. However, if you're an out-and-out landscape or portrait photographer, there's no better quality camera available. The cherry on the cake is that Hasselblad slashed the price compared to the X2D 100C. The Mark II is still pricey, but that dream is one step closer to reality.

Read our in-depth Hasselblad X2D II 100C review

Top alternatives...

• Fujifilm GFX100 II – it's a little pricier than the X2D II, but the GFX100 II is also a stellar video camera.
• Fujifilm GFX 100S II – you can save a little with the GFX 100S II, which also offers a 102MP sensor, plus excellent ergonomics and reliable image stabilization.

• ^ Back to the top

The best professional DSLR camera

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV sample images

For professionals who prefer the feel of a DSLR, we think the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV is the best option available today. There’s no escaping that it represents a significant investment, but our review found that the Mark IV does plenty to justify the outlay for serious shooters. Predictably, its 30.4MP full-frame sensor produces fantastic detail. Our tests revealed improved dynamic range and high ISO performance compared to the 5D Mark III. We were also impressed by the metering system's reliability, while AF tracking performed reliably, even with a bias towards the center of the frame.

Though at times we wished for a vari-angle display, the touchscreen interface is still a welcome addition, and a neat complement to the large viewfinder. All this in a package that feels well put together and wonderfully familiar. Provided the video isn’t high on your agenda – there’s a heavy 1.64x crop on 4K footage – we think the EOS 5D Mark IV is a fantastically well-rounded and versatile DSLR for photography.

Read our in-depth Canon EOS 5D Mark IV review

Find savings on Canon cameras with our Canon promo codes.

Top alternatives...

• Nikon D850 – Nikon's best-ever DSLR is a 45MP powerhouse.
• Canon EOS 1D Mark IV – the fastest DSLR ever made stills performs well today.
• Nikon D7500 – an APS-C sensor step down in terms of outright quality, but the D7500 is a superb all-rounder DSLR for enthusiasts.

• ^ Back to the top

Also consider

Our team has reviewed hundreds of cameras since 2008, and whittling this list down to just 12 entries wasn't easy. Here's a roundup of cameras that just missed the mark for each of the use cases above and that we think are solid alternatives.

Best Sony A7 V alternatives – Nikon Z6 III and Canon EOS R6 Mark III: In many ways, Sony, Canon, and Nikon's mid-range full-frame mirrorless cameras are evenly matched. The Nikon Z6 III's obvious drawback is its 24MP stills, but it has strong 6K video features, handling, and a low price tag. The Sony and Canon models shoot 33MP stills, but the A7 V has a partially stacked sensor, the best dynamic range and battery life, but modest video skills. The R6 III is arguably the best hybrid model, with 7K open gate video, but then Canon has kept its full-frame lens mount closed to third parties.

Best alternative hybrids for pros – Canon EOS R5 Mark II and Nikon Z8: The EOS R5 Mark II was our camera of the year for 2024 – a huge upgrade from the EOS R5 in every way, being faster and more reliable, with a stacked sensor, near-perfect autofocus, and useful AI-powered editing features. Likewise, the Z8 is probably Nikon's best-ever camera, offering almost everything the Nikon Z9 can do but in a smaller and cheaper package. Where the Z9 is better for sports pros is its larger body and better battery life.

Best for speed – Sony A9 III: A mirrorless speed machine with a global shutter, the A9 III has unbelievable burst speeds, incredibly reliable autofocus, and suffers from zero rolling shutter. You’ll pay for the privilege, but this is a remarkable tool for high-speed action photography.

Best premium instant – Polaroid I-2: It doesn’t come cheap, and neither does I-type film, but the Polaroid I-2 delivers an arsenal of shooting options, thanks to its full manual exposure controls, sharp lens, and impressive LiDAR autofocus. You also get Bluetooth control via the app.

Best creative instant – Fujifilm Instax Mini 99: A well-built and grown-up instant camera, the Instax Mini 99’s intuitive controls make it easy for beginners to use, while also offering experienced photographers the flexibility of creative controls. You’ll need to budget for film refills, though.

Best money-no-object compact – Leica Q3: A premium compact like no other, the Leica Q3 is incredibly expensive but also incredible to shoot with. A beautifully built camera that feels wonderful in the hand, its 60.3MP sensor and fixed 28mm prime lens are capable of stunning results.

Best affordable medium-format – Fujifilm GFX 100S II: One of the best medium-format cameras for most people, the GFX 100S II offers excellent ergonomics, reliable image stabilization, and superb image quality from its 102MP sensor – all at a lower price than the flagship GFX100 II.

Best cheap mirrorless – Canon EOS R100: A pared-back version of the Canon EOS R50, the R100 features the same 24MP APS-C at a lower price. Sitting at the bottom of Canon’s RF mount mirrorless range, it isn’t packed with features, but it’s a very affordable entry point.

Upcoming photography cameras

There have been some killer product launches recently for keen photographers, including the Sony A7 V and Canon EOS R6 Mark III mirrorless cameras, plus the Ricoh GR IV and Leica Q3 Monochrom premium compacts. So what can we expect next?

Well, there's also good news for black-and-white photography fans – Ricoh is making an optimized monochrome variant of the GR IV, while the rumor mill suggests Nikon will go big with APS-C cameras in 2026, potentially a mirrorless version of the D500 sports camera. This model could go toe to toe with the Canon EOS R7 Mark II, which is another flagship APS-C camera also tipped for this year.

Elsewhere, could this be the year that Leica launches the next generation of its M-series of digital rangefinders, namely the Leica M12, or Fujifilm pushes the boat out with an X-Pro 3 successor? I reckon there will be plenty of new releases for 2026.

How to choose the best camera for you

• Consider sensor size – each has its own quality/performance benefit
• Look out for viewfinder type and quality
• What sort of lens will you need for the things you like to photograph?

There are a few key factors to keep in mind when shopping around for the best camera – and one of the most important is the sensor size.

Bigger doesn't always mean better, but it does give you a good idea as to the kind of camera it is, how expensive lenses will be, and the type of photographer it's designed for.

In general, Micro Four Thirds and APS-C cameras are for both hobbyists and pros, while full-frame models tend to be strictly for advanced photographers with bigger budgets. Compact cameras with 1-inch sensors are for travel zooms and everyday photography.

Then, it's also worth considering the viewfinder (electronic or optical). This is considered an essential feature for most photographers, after all, along with how the camera handles.

What kind of lenses are you going to need for your favorite types of photography? For example, if you'll be using longer lenses, you'll want a camera with a good grip. Bright prime lenses are better for portraits and street shoots, while wide-angle zooms are more useful for landscapes.

Weighing up which features you need will help you figure out which camera is your best match and will bag better results than choosing a model in isolation.

How we test

The best cameras for photography don't come cheap these days, and so it's important to read up on real-world tests to understand a camera's performance and character, along with factors like ISO performance.

To start with, we look at the camera's design, handling, and controls to get a sense of what kind of photographer it's aimed at and who would most enjoy shooting with it. When we take it out on a shoot, we'll use it both handheld and on a tripod to get a sense of where its strengths lie and test its startup speed.

Regarding performance, we use the fastest supported memory card type (whether that's UHS-I, UHS-II, CFexpress, and so on) and make sure it's formatted, then shoot photos in both raw and JPEG (if available). We have standardized camera settings to test burst shooting (1/250 sec, ISO 200, continuous AF) – we then select the various burst shooting modes and shoot sequences in front of a stopwatch to record how long sequences last, the number of frames, and how quickly the buffers clear, repeating the test for both raw and JPEG files.

In various lighting conditions, we also test the camera's different autofocus modes (including Face and Eye AF) in single point, area, and continuous modes. We also shoot a range of photos of different styles (portrait, landscape, low light, macro/close-up) in raw and JPEG to get a sense of metering and the sensor's ability to handle noise and resolve fine detail.

If the camera's raw files are supported by Adobe Camera Raw, we'll also process some test images to see how we can push areas like shadow recovery. And we'll also test its ISO performance across the whole range to get a sense of the levels we'd be happy to push the camera to.

Battery life is another important consideration. We start our test with a fully charged battery and run our usual camera testing until the battery has reached zero. We then count how many shots were possible and check that number against the camera's official CIPA rating – the results can differ for better or for worse. Finally, we test the camera's video skills by shooting some test footage at different frame rates and resolutions, along with its companion app.

We then take everything we've learned about the camera and factor in its price to get a sense of the value-for-money it offers, before reaching our final verdict.

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The World Cup has finished, completing a wave of anticipation, celebration, and distraction that stretched far beyond the stadiums.

For employers, it also served as a real-time test of workforce operations as schedules, staffing needs, and employee engagement were all put under the spotlight.

During the six-week tournament, millions of employees were watching matches, adjusting schedules, arriving late, swapping shifts, requesting time off, or turning up tired after late nights.

New UKG research of 8,000 employees across Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, the UK, and the US estimates the tournament could have resulted in at least £12.6 billion in lost productivity.

In the UK alone, the impact could exceed £680 million, with employees not just following matches during working hours, alter their schedules, or missing work altogether - many admitting they went to work hungover, secretly streamed matches, and pushed the limits of what their employer would allow.

If England had won the final, almost a third of UK employees said they would have taken the day off whether that absence had been approved.

What the World Cup Revealed About the Future of Work

That created a real challenge for employers. But the bigger lesson is not about football. It is about how work now happens.

The World Cup is a high-profile example of something organizations face every day: unpredictable employee behavior, sudden changes in demand, last-minute absences, weather disruption, supply chain delays, new regulations, and shifting customer expectations.

For frontline-heavy industries in particular, disruption is not an exception to the operating model. It is the operating environment.

The question is whether workplace technology is built for that reality.

Many workforce systems were designed around predictability. They record schedules, track attendance, and report what happened after the fact. That matters, but it is no longer enough.

When conditions change by the hour, organizations need more than systems of record. They need systems of action that help managers see risk earlier, make better decisions faster, and keep work moving in real time.

Three Workforce Strategies That Help Employers Stay Ahead of Disruption

The employers that came out ahead during the World Cup, and during the everyday disruption that followed it, will have done three things differently:

1. See the disruption before it happens

Too often, workforce disruption becomes visible only once it has created a gap. Someone does not arrive. A shift is suddenly under-covered. A manager starts calling around for support.

The business reacts after the damage has begun.

The World Cup gave organizations a chance to get ahead of that pattern.

Employees already signaled intent. They knew which matches mattered to them. They knew when they were likely to want flexibility, when they may have needed time off, and when they were more likely to be distracted or unavailable. Organizations that capture that intent early can turn it into useful operational data.

That does not mean monitoring employees or trying to control their behavior. It means giving people approved ways to communicate availability, preferences, and likely conflicts before they become last-minute absences. When that information is combined with historical absence patterns, demand forecasts, local schedules, and workforce data, managers can identify where risk is most likely to emerge.

A retailer, manufacturer, logistics operation, or hospitality business does not need to know every individual decision. But it does need to know where coverage pressure is building. High-interest match days, late kick-offs, local celebrations, and major national fixtures can all create predictable patterns of disruption.

Seeing that risk early allows organizations to plan differently. They can adjust staffing levels, open additional shifts, prepare contingency cover, or communicate expectations before managers are forced into crisis mode.

2. Design flexibility into the operating model

The instinctive response to disruption is often to tighten control. But rigid rules can push behavior underground.

If employees believe there is no fair or practical way to adjust work around major life moments, they are more likely to find informal workarounds. That can mean last-minute sickness calls, unapproved absences, shift swaps that managers do not see, or colleagues covering gaps without the right skills, rest periods, or compliance checks.

The better approach is to make flexibility visible, fair, and operationally safe.

That means giving employees clear, approved ways to request time off, swap shifts, volunteer for extra hours, adjust availability, or pick up open shifts. It also means giving managers the tools to assess those requests against business need, skills, fatigue, labor rules, and fairness.

This is especially important on the frontline, where the margin for error is small. A missed shift in an office may delay a meeting. A missed shift in healthcare, retail, manufacturing, hospitality, or logistics can affect safety, service, cost, and compliance.

Flexibility cannot sit outside the workforce strategy. It must be built into it.

For employers, that shift is powerful. Flexibility becomes less of a concession and more of an operating capability.

Employees get more transparency and control. Managers get fewer surprises. The business gets a better chance of protecting service levels without treating people like variables in a spreadsheet.

3. Act in real time when the plan changes

Even the best World Cup plan will not survive unchanged.

A match goes to penalties. Demand spikes unexpectedly. More employees call in sick than forecast. A local team advances further than expected. A manager discovers at short notice that the people available do not have the right skills or certifications.

This is where many workforce systems fall short. They can show the rota. They can record the absence. But they do not always help managers decide what to do next.

Modern workforce management has to move from static planning to real-time execution. Managers need to know where gaps exist, who is available, who is qualified, who is approaching overtime or fatigue limits, and what action will create the best outcome for the business and the employee.

That is where data and AI can play a practical role. Not generic AI layered onto old processes, but intelligence that understands workforce context and helps recommend the next best action. Should a manager offer an open shift? Redeploy someone from a lower-demand area? Approve a swap? Escalate a compliance risk? Adjust breaks? Bring in contingent support?

The value is not simply in having more data. It is in turning workforce data into action while there is still time to influence the outcome.

The real stress test for workplace technology is not whether an organization can create a schedule weeks in advance, but whether it can adapt that schedule minutes after conditions change.

The World Cup is over. The operating lesson is not.

Every organization will face its own version of this disruption: seasonal demand, illness, weather, regulatory change, major events, economic pressure, and shifting employee expectations. The companies that treat these moments as one-off exceptions will keep solving them manually, shift by shift and manager by manager.

The companies that come out ahead will build a more responsive workforce model. They will see risk before it becomes disruption. They will design flexibility into the way work happens. And they will equip managers to act in real time when the plan changes.

The future of workforce management is not about predicting everything perfectly. It is about giving organizations the visibility, intelligence, and agility to keep moving when reality refuses to follow the plan.

We've ranked the best HR software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

The IMF and Bank of England have both recently raised concerns about the risks AI could pose to the financial system, from cyber threats to systemic vulnerabilities and governance gaps. Against that backdrop, institutions are facing growing pressure to demonstrate clear accountability for how AI is used, particularly when decisions impact customer outcomes, market activity and compliance decisions.

Financial services have traditionally taken a cautious approach to AI because of the regulatory and operational risks involved. But AI is now becoming more deeply embedded across the sector, supporting everything from fraud detection and customer service to compliance monitoring and internal operations.

As adoption expands, governance frameworks that were designed for conventional software and data systems are being tested by AI models that can evolve, generate unpredictable outputs and rely on increasingly complex data environments.

Why governance expectations are growing

This growing focus on accountability is becoming increasingly visible across the sector. Moves such as HSBC appointing its first Chief AI Officer reflect a broader recognition that oversight can no longer sit across disconnected teams or experimental projects.

Meanwhile, many institutions, including Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group, have recently joined the Financial Conduct Authority’s initiative to test AI in real-world conditions under strict controls, while the Bank of England has outlined plans to assess potential risks to financial stability through scenario analysis and simulations.

For finance firms, these developments are likely to increase expectations around how AI systems are monitored, tested and governed internally. Organizations will need clearer oversight of third-party AI providers, stronger documentation around how AI models make decisions, and more robust processes for identifying and escalating risks.

The barriers to strong AI governance

Despite growing regulatory scrutiny, financial institutions still face significant barriers to implementing stronger AI governance, particularly around fragmented data. Many firms still operate across disconnected systems, making it difficult to create a consistent view across risk, compliance, operations and customer activity.

This becomes more challenging as AI is introduced. Models depend on large volumes of data flowing across multiple systems, but when those systems are siloed, it becomes harder to trace how information is used or how decisions are made. Without clear data lineage, organizations may struggle to validate AI decisions under regulatory scrutiny.

Data quality is becoming just as important as data access. Even advanced AI models can produce unreliable results if they are trained on incomplete, outdated or poorly governed information. At the same time, identifying which datasets will improve decision-making, rather than adding complexity, remains a challenge.

For financial institutions operating across complex legacy systems, maintaining accurate, trusted and consistently managed data at scale will be critical as AI adoption accelerates, particularly across areas such as fraud detection, anti-money laundering and customer risk systems where siloed data can limit a complete and accurate view of risk.

Building the foundations for responsible AI

For many finance companies, the next step is transforming these fragmented datasets into stronger data foundations that support AI at scale.

This means creating connected, well-governed data environments where information can move consistently across systems, data quality is maintained more effectively, and accountability is embedded into day-to-day operations rather than treated as a standalone compliance exercise.

This joined-up view is particularly valuable across the customer journey. When someone opens a bank account, they move through several stages including identity verification, onboarding, digital registration and their first transactions. Banks need to see that journey as a whole rather than as disconnected steps. With that visibility, teams can investigate issues more quickly, improve services and track results in real time.

Why responsible AI requires shared ownership

Building more connected data environments requires a coordinated approach to accountability across institutions, with responsibility formalized rather than sitting in isolation with individual teams. As more firms appoint Chief AI Officers, close collaboration with Chief Data Officers will become increasingly important to ensure AI governance is built on strong data quality, clear ownership and consistent standards across the organization.

In regulated firms, technology teams, data teams, AI specialists, and business stakeholders all share an obligation to understand the importance of data quality and the consequences it has on decision-making.

This more collaborative approach can also improve how teams operate, ensuring insights are not limited to technical functions alone. Giving colleagues in retail banking, lending and compliance access to timely information enables faster, more informed decisions at every level and helps embed accountability for AI-driven outcomes in day-to-day operations.

Strong governance depends as much on operational visibility and human oversight as it does on the models themselves.

Preparing for AI adoption at scale

Over the next few years, financial services will move from isolated AI pilots towards broader adoption at scale, but it must happen in a way that remains controlled and transparent. Organizations that can build the right foundations now will be better place to expand AI use confidently, while those without them risk inconsistency and greater operational exposure.

Ultimately, the firms that succeed in the financial sector will be those that combine innovation with strong governance and clear human oversight, using AI tools to drive sustainable progress while maintaining strong trust as adoption grows across the sector.

We've featured the best business intelligence platform.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

This month has been surprisingly good for laptop deals with all of the back-to-school sales currently going on. So, I've taken it upon myself to search through all the top retailers and manufacturers and bring you all of the best laptop deals I've spotted right now. This month's roundup includes some of the highlights from Amazon, Dell, Best Buy, and more.

I've found some strong options that I recommend buying if you're shopping for a new device today, all of which stand out to me as a regular laptop deals hunter for TechRadar. This includes some big savings on Chromebooks, MacBooks, and Windows devices.

I've considered price, quality and value for money for this hand-picked selection, and used my years of experience hunting for laptop deals in order to bring you only the very best offers. I've also featured many laptops that come fully recommended by TechRadar's expert reviewers, who assemble and regularly update our best laptops guide.

Have confidence that, however much you spend, you're getting a quality device that has likely been fully tried and tested by us. And, where it hasn't, I've looked at the performance of previous models, user reviews, the manufacturer's history and other factors to determine whether it's worth buying.

Today's best laptop deals - quick links

• HP Chromebook 14: was $399 now $219 at Best Buy
• Lenovo Chromebook Plus: was $629 now $399 at Best Buy
• Dell 15 Laptop: was $599.99 now $439.99 at Dell
• Acer Aspire 14: was $599.99 now $519.99 at Amazon
• Apple MacBook Neo: was $699 now $599 at Apple
• Dell XPS 13: was $999.99 now $699.99 at Dell
• Samsung Galaxy Book 6: was $1,449.99 now $799.99 at Best Buy

The best laptop deals in August 2026

Where to buy the best laptop deals

Laptop deals: our buying advice

It can be overwhelming looking for laptop deals if you're not sure where to start. You may have an idea of how much you want to spend, what you need the device for or what key features you want included, but how do convert that information into the right laptop and ensure you pay the right price?

Well, that's what we're here for. We hunt down the best laptop deals each week and share them with your right here so you can bag exactly what you're after at a good price.

Here are a few words of advice from us based on our experience hunting down the best laptop deals and a little explainer on the process we go through to ensure we surface only the best offers on this page.

How much should I spend on a laptop?

The answer to this ultimately comes down to what you need the laptop to do. Below, we've looked at several different price brackets and what you can expect from a laptop in each range. Use that to give you an idea of how far your budget will go or what you need to spend to get the right laptop deal for you.

When to spend under $200 on a laptop

👍 You just need a basic laptop: Laptops under $200 are not very powerful and are usually slightly older, but are fine for basic everyday tasks such as web browsing, sending emails, video calls and watching videos.

🔋 Battery life and portability are key: In this price range, a lot of laptops are either 11 inches or 14 inches - that's great for on-the-go use. Plus, with less demanding components, these devices can last up to 20 hours.

🌐 You use a lot of web applications: Storage space on these laptops is limited, but that's less of an issue if you use Google Docs or Microsoft 365 as productivity apps and rely more on cloud storage for files and photos.

When to spend $200 - $400 on a laptop

⚡ Extra power to cover the basics: Laptops in this price range are still relatively basic, but some upgrades give you extra power to boost performance.

💻 You prefer a large display: More laptops are available with a 15-inch or 17-inch display once you cross over $200, so consider these options if you'd like a bigger screen.

🧘‍♀️ You'd like a flexible 2-in-1 device: 2-in-1 devices offer the functionality of a laptop with the versatility of a tablet and you can get some good value options in this price bracket.

When to spend $400 - $600 on a laptop

⚙ You need all-around performance: As we hit the mid-range for a laptop, these devices generally offer solid all-around performance for your work and leisure needs with powerful components, up-to-date features and lots of storage.

🛠 Multitasking: If you always end up with dozens of tabs or programs open at once, you'll want to consider a laptop in this price range so you avoid slowdown.

😲 More options: Traditional laptops, 2-in-1 machines, Surface devices and premium Chromebooks are all well-represented in this price range so you have lots of choices depending on your needs and preferences.

When to spend $600 - $800 on a laptop

📈 You want a powerful device: Laptops in this price range are packed with powerful high-end components, so this is how to spend your money if you need a serious workhorse machine.

🤖 More advanced tech: Laptops in this price bracket often come with premium upgrades included as standard, such as high-resolution 4K displays, a touchscreen, impressive battery life, backlit keyboards, improved speakers and more.

🎮 Light gaming: You won't be running modern games in the highest quality, but if you like to play indie games, undemanding current releases or classic favorites in your downtime, then some of these devices are powerful enough to do so.

When to spend over $800 on a laptop

🤑 Get the best money can buy: When you spend over $800 you get some of the best laptops money can buy that are filled with the latest technology. These are premium options are built with high performance, advanced workloads and longevity in mind.

⏳ A long-term investment: Buy a cheap laptop and you may have to replace it in a couple of years. Buy one of these and you've got a modern device that will last five years or more with ease.

🎨 Creative powerhouses: Into creative tasks such as photo and video editing or music creation? Many laptops in this price range – especially MacBooks – are designed with those tasks in mind so will excel in those areas.

How we choose the best laptop deals

It all comes down to what's included in the price. We've been tracking all the best laptop deals for a number of years now, so we have a solid idea of what level of performance and components you can get for your money. Using that as a baseline, we can pick out the treasures from the trash.

We also take into consideration what you might need a laptop for based on the money you have to spend. So, if it's just a basic device for some light work, general browsing and media streaming, there's no point recommending a $1,000 laptop as it would be completely unnecessary. Instead, we look at devices between $100 - $300 that could handle those tasks and recommend some laptop deals accordingly.

However, if there's a particularly good reason to spend a little extra money (maybe for some extra performance-boosting RAM or a healthy storage upgrade) then we'll mention that too for your consideration. Sometimes it's worth that investment to better future-proof yourself and end up with a noticeably better device.

Our search takes us across all the major and specialist retailers, so you can be sure we've taken a comprehensive look across the web to pick out the best laptop deals. All the laptops you see here are hand-picked and judged by a real human, too, so each one is given a proper and detailed assessment before it gets added.

Want more laptop deals?

If you want to continue your research into the best laptop deals any further, you can check out all the latest Chromebook deals for even cheaper devices running the efficient Chrome OS.

We've also got an eye on all the best MacBook deals available right now - and there are some terrific savings on Apple devices. Our roundup of the latest Apple promo codes or our Apple student discount guide could help you there, too.

And for the gamers, you'd be better suited over on our guide to this week's cheap gaming laptop deals as the models on this page are built with browsing, work and general use in mind - not gaming.

Resin 3D printers are the obvious choice when fine detail matters far more than simply knocking something out quickly, and according to our testing the Anycubic Photon P1 takes that precision particularly seriously.

Right now, the Photon P1 is down to $600 (was $790) at Amazon. Aimed at enthusiasts and advanced creators, at its heart is a 10.1-inch 14K monochrome LCD with a 13,312 x 5,120 resolution and an XY pixel size as small as 16.8 x 24.8 micrometers, allowing intricate details to be reproduced with impressive precision. In the UK, the same 3D printer is discounted to £500 (was £650).

Anycubic's Wave Release technology cuts release force by 60% to help improve print success rates, and Smart Leveling 3.0 removes the need for routine manual bed leveling, and AI-powered monitoring checks for all manner of problems.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Anycubic Photon P1 if...

You need exceptionally fine detail for miniatures, models, prototypes, jewelry, or other intricate creations. The combination of 14K resolution, a stable mechanical structure, and automated monitoring should appeal to experienced resin users who want greater precision while reducing some of the manual intervention typically associated with resin printing.

❌ Skip the Anycubic Photon P1 if...

You mainly want to produce large functional parts or need the simplicity of filament printing. Resin printers require more post-processing and careful handling of materials, and the Photon P1's high-resolution capabilities could be excessive if you're interested in making larger models.

Why we recommend it

This is one of the best 3D printers we've tested. The Photon P1 combines extremely high resolution with features designed to address some of resin printing's more frustrating failure points. Support for resins with viscosity up to 8,000 cps also gives advanced creators considerably more flexibility when experimenting with specialist materials.

In his four-and-a-half-star review, our expert Alastair said: "Through the test, I managed a near unheard of 100% success rate on 20+ prints, and the quality from the 14K screen was exceptional, even with a low workshop temperature; the heated vat kept everything running at optimum temperatures."

He went on to call it, "By far the best desktop resin printer Anycubic has produced to date."

Price context & historical value

At $599.99 instead of $789.99, you're saving $190, equivalent to around 24% off the regular price. That's a nice reduction on a high-spec resin printer rather than an entry-level model, although it has been $50 dollars cheaper in the past.

The last time we covered a deal on the Photon P1, it was discounted to $720 (was $970). Direct from Anycubic, it's priced at $689. So, this is a genuine discount.

Be careful to use this Amazon.com link, as there's another Photon P1 listing on Amazon that remains at full price.

For more savings, we track the best 3D printer deals with updates every week.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

Resin printing still involves more work after the printer finishes. Models typically need cleaning and curing, and uncured resin requires appropriate handling and protective equipment.

You'll need to consider additional supplies and a suitable workspace beyond the printer itself, so it's worth factoring those requirements into the overall cost if you haven't already done so.

Also consider

• Shop all 3D printers at Amazon

• Meta CTO hits out at employees asking for time off due to increased AI productivity
• Andrew Bosworth says workers should be building more with their extra time
• Bosworth also says employees asking for extra vacation time are "very dumb"

The CTO of Meta has told his employees that the increase in productivity offered by AI tools and platforms should now mean they are free - to do more work.

In a heated internal Q&A reported by Business Insider, Andrew Bosworth told Meta workers supercharged by AI improvements that they should be getting more work done and building more products for the company.

"I hope that what we do with our extra time is do even more and cooler stuff for the users who use our products every day," Bosworth said. "We got billions of people using our products every day. I get an extra hour. You know what I do with it? I put it into that."

"Ask your parents what they think of that as a career strategy"

Bosworth's ire was apparently piqued by a request from one Meta employee around whether the productivity gains from using AI could be part of more time off.

This specifically concerned "Meta Days", a cancelled internal company initiative which allowed workers to apply for more vacation time.

Bosworth reportedly told the employee who asked the question to, "stop asking about Meta Days. It's very dumb."

"Go to your parents and ask them: Hey, like every time I get a chance to talk to my boss, ask me if I can have more days off. Ask your parents what they think of that as a career strategy," Bosworth said.

Meta has yet to comment on Bosworth's comments, but Business Insider notes the company offers employees four weeks of holiday per year, plus two "choice days" which can be used whenever wanted.

Bosworth did appear to walk back on his comments, apologizing for coming down "too hard" on the employee asking about Meta Days - but then bizarrely added he felt the question was "tongue-in-cheek".

The conversation is the latest from a significant tech figure concerning AI and the effect it has on human workloads, with the debate continuing to echo about how much technology is really helping workers.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently raised eyebrows by saying the reason that AI hasn't yet resulted in less work and more leisure time is that we all just love working too much.

Altman revealed that he doesn't expect a change in society or working practices for quite some time, despite widespread promises that AI would boost our productivity and efficiency across the board.

Many companies successfully complete AI pilots, but a lot struggle to scale AI application across their organizations. Only 15% of AI initiatives ever manage to truly scale.

Research from Boston Consulting Group suggests that only 26% of companies have developed the capabilities needed to move beyond pilots and generate meaningful value from AI tools. Meanwhile, McKinsey estimates that while almost every organization is experimenting with generative AI, only a small minority are seeing material financial impact across the business.

The technology is not the bottleneck.

Large language models offer a powerful solution that supports employees in various tasks, such as research, content generation, document analysis, meeting summary or task management. Despite these advances, teams still battle to turn AI capability into measurable business outcomes.

It is a translation problem.

There is a lack of depth that prevents these tools from meeting the needs of a specific industry and organization. General models are good at understanding language and information. But they have a hard time connecting them to workflows, regulations, governance requirements and operational nuances that rule industries, such as accounting, legal service, healthcare or manufacturing.

There needs to be an expert to bridge the gap between the capabilities of AI and the requirements of a profession.

1. A new role at the intersection of the technology and an industry

Technology vendors have traditionally been measured by the quality of their products. This is no longer enough.

Today, their role goes far beyond delivering a functional platform. They now actively contribute to the digital transformation of an organization. This includes sharing best practices, providing ongoing technical support, designing workflows, optimizing for governance and long-term application. All to support smooth product deployment.

Different industries are moving towards this same idea from different angles. When there is an intermediary that focuses on customer success, it translates capability into outcomes. Early examples of this are the rise of new jobs such as Customer Value Managers and Forward Deployed Engineers. These are professionals whose primary objective is ensuring the technology generates value for employees and the business overall.

Every industry is beginning to create its own version of the role.

In accounting, we see the emergence of so-called 'Accountancy Engineers'. They are trained accountants with deep accounting expertise and technical capability. Rather than working from a specification document, they sit next to a firm's team and co-design the workflow with them, building the automation alongside the people who will actually use it.

They build workflows tailored to how the profession works, effectively automating repetitive tasks and processes that answer to the challenges of accountancy. Just as important, they train the firm's own accountants to become the practice's internal AI architects, so the capability stays inside the firm long after the initial rollout.

For instance, they work to connect backend accounting systems with operational tools and cloud infrastructure and ensure that automated financial processes align with regulatory reporting and data governance requirements. This avoids generic automation bolted onto old corporate systems, resulting in a tailored integration.

And every pattern they uncover in the field, a workaround, a recurring bottleneck, a workflow nobody had written down, feeds straight back into the vendor's own product roadmap, the same feedback loop that made Forward Deployed Engineers indispensable at Palantir.

AI adoption rarely fails because the model is not capable enough. It does not go through because employees don't know where the technology fits within their daily work.

2. Supported human integration for smoother AI adoption

General AI models are horizontal by design. They struggle to generate specific materials and in-depth data analysis tailored to a single industry, since they were built to serve every industry at once.

Firms that engage with vendor partners see successful integration because they receive industry-specific guidance and training that empowers staff to firmly handle AI tools.

In general, people are hesitant when encountering new tools and processes. Leaders worry about governance, security and regulatory compliance. Employees wonder whether they can trust AI-generated outputs.

On the individual level, teams experiment with consumer AI tools, creating fragmented workflows and introducing the growing problem of "shadow AI", where employees expose sensitive company information through personal AI accounts.

Without governance, training and clear operational guidance, organizations risk creating thousands of disconnected AI users rather than a coordinated AI strategy.

Technology vendors make a difference by collaborating with product managers, financial controllers, and cross-functional engineering teams.

Together, they design an integrated system architecture that includes existing technology, develop governance frameworks that reduce risk, and create education programs and processes that support positive engagement across a company. This ultimately generates trust and safety, ensuring a successful adoption.

Vendors provide the missing layer between technological possibility and organizational reality.

3. From one-off projects to long-term implementation

AI adoption does not have a finish line.

The technology almost changes every week. New models emerge. Capabilities improve. Costs change. Workflows that were impossible six months ago become routine today. That means AI cannot be treated like a traditional ERP rollout or cloud migration.

Technology vendors are uniquely positioned to provide continuous support. They know the ins and outs of the product and understand the challenges faced by organizations, which means they can tailor the approach to find the right solutions. Plus, they monitor the rapid pace of AI innovation while understanding how those advances affect specific industries.

Instead of trying to interpret an increasingly complex AI landscape themselves, teams can rely on vendors to get a clear picture of technical breakthroughs and how they can be relevant to the business and employees.

4. Sell business outcomes, not a model

The vendors who only sell AI models are selling half the answer. AI adoption fails when teams are left to figure out the product on their own, with no one in the room translating the platform into the firm's own workflow.

Every organization will eventually have access to powerful models. What will differentiate them is their ability to combine AI expertise with industry expertise.

Technology vendors who succeed will be the ones who live between the technology and the profession, translating AI capability into trusted, scalable business outcomes. Accountancy Engineers, and every version of that role now emerging across other industries, is what that translation looks like in practice.

We've featured the best AI website builder.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

It's no secret that component prices are sky-rocketing, but I've spotted a deal on the 32GB Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5-6000 white kit for $422 (was $470) at Amazon by clicking the coupon box.

The dual-channel kit includes two 16GB modules for a total of 32GB, running at DDR5-6000 (PC5-48000) with CL36 timings and Intel XMP 3.0 support for quick setup and easy performance tuning. In the UK, the same Corsair Vengeance memory kit is £340 (was £496) at Amazon.

You'll also find a few more Vengeance memory kits below. Don't need DDR5? We picked out some 32GB DDR4 RAM deals to save even more money.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 kit if...

You're building a new Intel-based desktop or upgrading to faster DDR5 memory. The 32GB dual-channel configuration provides plenty of headroom for demanding tasks and modern applications, and the DDR5-6000 speed and Intel XMP 3.0 support make it easy to unlock higher performance. The customizable RGB lighting and premium heat spreaders are welcome bonuses for anyone crafting a showcase PC.

❌ Skip the Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR5 kit if...

Your current PC uses DDR4 memory or you don't have a compatible Intel DDR5 motherboard. DDR5 and DDR4 aren't interchangeable, so this kit won't work in older systems. If you only browse the web, stream media, and work on documents, you may also see little benefit from upgrading beyond your existing memory.

Why we recommend it

Corsair's Vengeance RAM range has earned a deserved reputation for combining reliability, compatibility, and consistent performance. It's easy to see why it is such a popular choice for system builders and PC enthusiasts.

This kit delivers fast DDR5 speeds and useful features such as onboard voltage regulation and customizable XMP profiles without overcomplicating installation.

Designed for Intel DDR5 platforms, including 600 and 700 series motherboards, it also features onboard voltage regulation for more stable overclocking, solid aluminum heat spreaders, and ten individually addressable RGB LEDs per module.

Also consider this Vengeance RAM kit

Price context & historical value

Although memory pricing remains considerably higher than many buyers would have expected to pay in recent years, this discount helps soften the blow a little.

The cheapest I can find it anywhere else is Newegg, also for $422 using the code BTSF989. Beyond that, I've also seen it for $490 (was $527) at Best Buy.

Saving $68 on a premium 32GB DDR5-6000 kit from one of the market's best-known brands represents solid value, particularly for anyone already planning a new Intel build.

For more savings, we track the week's best RAM deals.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

You will need to make sure your motherboard supports DDR5 memory and Intel XMP 3.0 profiles, as this kit isn't compatible with older DDR4 systems. 32GB is an excellent amount of memory for most people, but the biggest performance gains will be seen by those replacing slower modules or building a new PC from scratch.

Buyers upgrading from fast DDR4 shouldn't expect the same dramatic performance improvements they'll experience when moving from hard drives to SSDs.

We might not be in the middle of any major sales right now, but there are still some solid laptop deals to be found, especially in the back-to-school sales. I've searched around all the major retailers and manufacturers to uncover several of the best laptop deals that I'd recommend if you're shopping for a new device for home, work, school, or college.

When choosing these deals, I've taken into consideration the price, of course, but also the level of performance you can expect and value for money. Ultimately, I want to ensure you get a capable machine that does everything you need and suits your budget.

Many of my picks include the highest-rated brands or models that have been tested here at TechRadar or are featured in our best laptops guide, so you can be sure you're getting a quality device.

And where our team hasn't had hands-on experience, I've looked at other expert reviews, user feedback, price history and our knowledge of a brand's previous models to ensure only the best laptop deals make it onto this page.

Today's best laptop deals – quick links

• Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook: was £194 now £159 at Amazon
• Acer Chromebook Plus: was £399 now £279 at EE
• Acer Aspire Go 15: was £649 now £449 at Currys
• Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge: was £829 now £549 at Amazon
• Lenovo Yogo Slim 7: was £899 now £599 at Currys
• Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 360: was £1,699 now £699 at EE
• Dell XPS 13: was £899 now £699 at Dell

The best laptop deals in August 2026

Where to find the best laptop deals

• Amazon: retail giant is often the cheapest in the UK
• AO: lots of cheap laptops at this electronics specialist
• Apple: MacBooks aren't exactly cheap, but they're excellent workstations
• Argos: home delivery or pick up a cheap laptop locally today
• Currys: the retailer that's seemingly always having a laptop sale
• Dell: get a great laptop deal direct from Dell
• eBuyer: the UK computing specialists have some great promotions
• John Lewis: get an extra 20% off select laptops and MacBooks
• Laptops Direct: specialist UK store has a huge selection of laptop deals
• Very: regular sales with significant discounts on laptops

Laptop deals: our buying advice

How we choose the best laptop deals

It all comes down to what's included in the price. We've been tracking all the best laptop deals for a number of years now, so we have a solid idea of what level of performance and components you can get for your money. Using that as a baseline, we can pick out the treasures from the trash.

We also take into consideration what you might need a laptop for based on the money you have to spend. So, if it's just a basic device for some light work, general browsing and media streaming, there's no point recommending a £1,000 laptop as it would be completely unnecessary. Instead, we look at devices between £100 - £300 that could handle those tasks and recommend some laptop deals accordingly.

However, if there's a particularly good reason to spend a little extra money (maybe for some extra performance-boosting RAM or a healthy storage upgrade) then we'll mention that too for your consideration. Sometimes it's worth that investment to better future-proof yourself and end up with a noticeably better device.

Our search takes us across all the major and specialist retailers, so you can be sure we've taken a comprehensive look across the web to pick out the best laptop deals. All the laptops you see here are hand-picked and judged by a real human, too, so each one is given a proper and detailed assessment before it gets added.

Laptop deals: our top buying tips

Some laptop deals can often lure you in with a sub-£200 price tag, but unless you're picking up a Chromebook you're unlikely to get your money's worth with these particular models.

Chromebooks run on the slim Chrome OS, which means they do not need as expensive components to offer a decent level of performance for everyday tasks such as browsing, sending email, light work and watching videos. That means you will regularly find cheap laptops under £200 that are well worth your cash - provided you're picking one up with these capabilities in mind.

These kinds of budget laptops are regularly found on sale, but every now and then we do spot savings that offer mid-range specs for entry-level prices.

If there's a laptop deal available between £300 - £400 with 8GB of RAM then we consider that a top offer. It's rare to get this useful performance boost at such a reasonable price, so snap that up if you like your machine to have a little more horsepower to handle multitasking and more demanding work.

As we get to the upper end of £600 or more, you're looking at some premium devices here with top-of-the-line components. You can still get some solid everyday machines here that are reasonably affordable for a lot of power.

As prices go up, though, we're into the region of creative workstations such as the MacBook, Dell XPS 13 and Asus VivoBook Pro. Offers on these are actually fairly regular, just don't expect to see mega discounts of more than around £100 - £200.

Want more laptop deals?

If want to get into some more specific choices, you can check out all the cheap Chromebooks available right now, while Apple fans might be interested in our MacBook deals page. And then there are all the cheap gaming laptop deals available today if you're after something with a bit more power.