Today at its Unpacked event, Samsung announced its latest flagship foldable – the Galaxy Z Fold 5 – which features a new hinge, an even sleeker design and a brighter main display. Samsung has also included a handful of new gestures for improved multitasking along with an updated chip. However, after multiple generations without any major design changes and a still extremely high price of $1,800, one has to ask if Samsung’s latest changes are really enough.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 is centered around what Samsung is calling a Flex Hinge, which is said to have a more streamlined design while still boasting IPX8 water resistance. And thanks to that new hinge, Samsung has managed to get rid of the gap between the screen halves while also decreasing its overall thickness to 13.5mm. That’s a nice move toward everyday usability, though it’s thicker than Pixel Fold, which is only 12.1mm.

On the inside, you get a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy for increased performance along with 12GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. However, the Z Fold’s battery is staying pat at 4,400 mAh, so Samsung is really relying on power efficiency gains to deliver longer runtimes. As for its cameras, we’re looking at essentially the same general setup as on the Z Fold 4 highlighted by a 50-MP main camera, a 12-MP ultra-wide and a 10-MP telephoto with a 3x optical zoom. Though, Samsung says it’s added some new processing tricks.

The screens are also essentially the same. You still get a skinny baton-like shape with a 6.2-inch OLED Cover screen along with that big 7.6-inch main display on the inside, both of which sport 120Hz refresh rates. That main screen’s peak brightness is now the same as what you get on an S23 Ultra at 1,750 nits, which is rather impressive for a flexible display. That said, it still has a crease, which may be an issue for some. Those who can ignore the divot though, will find a few new gestures to make multitasking on that expansive screen just a bit easier.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

When you want to quickly get into side-by-side app view, there’s a simple two-finger swipe in from the left or right. Alternatively, if you want to minimize an app into windowed mode, there’s a new diagonal swipe in from the corner of the display. You can also drag and drop files and photos from one app to another without being in multitasking mode by touching and holding on something, and then using a different finger to open a new app from the taskbar. Granted, this feels kind of clunky. Depending on where things are on the screen, sometimes it feels like you’re playing Twister with your fingers. But I like the direction Samsung is going, it reminds me of dragging a file down to the taskbar in Windows which gives you more of a taste of desktop-style productivity. And while the taskbar is largely the same as before, there are now four spots for recent apps (up from just two).

Finally, while there’s still no room for it inside the device itself, Samsung has created a new S Pen for the Galaxy Z Fold 5 that’s around 40 percent thinner than before that works with a revamped and more compact phone case so there’s somewhere to stash it when it’s not being used.

However, my issue with the Z Fold 5 is that while a lot of the changes are nice in a vacuum, for a company that has had such a head start in the foldable phone space, it seems like Samsung isn’t pushing that advantage as hard as it should. On the Pixel Fold, which is Google’s first foldable phone by the way, we got an interesting new design that’s even thinner than the Z Fold 5 while having a similarly sized screen plus a longer 5x optical zoom, not to mention Google’s superior photo processing. And other big foldables from China, like the Oppo Find N2, are doing a better job at eliminating the crease.

But perhaps more importantly, the Z Fold 5 still costs $1,800, which is ludicrously expensive. That’s kind of disappointing because after five generations, you like to see Samsung leverage its size to scale down the price of foldables. And for something like the Z Flip series, Samsung actually has done a decent job of that. The original Z Flip costs just shy of $1,500 dollars at launch, but Samsung has brought that price down to $1,000. Meanwhile, the first Z Fold started at just under $2,000, and has only come down by $200 over five generations.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Price is still by far the biggest barrier to entry when it comes to large flagship foldables. But if Samsung could bring the Z Fold line closer to $1,500 (even though that would still be very expensive), it would give Samsung a huge leg up on rivals like the Pixel Fold. So while I like the Z Fold 5’s sleeker design, brighter screen and improved multitasking, I still kind of feel like Samsung should be doing more.

The Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be available in three main colors: Icy Blue, Phantom Black and cream along with gray and blue options which will be available exclusively from Samsung.com. The Z Fold 5 will start at $1,800 with pre-orders going live today ahead of an official on-sale date of August 11th.

Being a smartphone startup is hard, particularly when you’re up against tech giants like Apple, Google and Samsung. But after selling more than 500,000Phone 1s last year, Nothing has returned with a sequel: the Phone 2. And while it looks similar to the previous model, it feels like Nothing is finally figuring out its groove. Not only does it have a significantly faster CPU, its cameras have been improved, and we’re finally seeing Nothing’s vision of a more thoughtful and deliberate UI. Even the phone’s most distinctive feature – its Glyph interface – offers enhanced customization and added functionality. But perhaps most importantly, the Phone 2 will officially be available in the US. And while this added sophistication comes at an increased cost, it’s still very affordable at $600. In a sea of Android phones that often blend together, getting an eye-catching device for a reasonable price is definitely something notable.

Design

Compared to most phones that are clad in a blank sheet of glass, the Phone 2 (which is available in white or a new gray color) is a stunner. Its transparent Gorilla Glass back reveals a monotone assortment of components, allowing you to see things like its magnetic charging coil, power cables and more. It’s not messy, though. Everything is buttoned up just enough, and there are human touches like arranging some of the components to look like an elephant. I’ve been told there are other creatures hiding as well, but I haven’t spotted them yet. It’s like having a cyberpunk art installation in your pocket.

Of course, there’s also the Glyph interface which consists of a number of LED strips that pulse, strobe and glow. For this model, Nothing more than doubled the number of lights from five to 11, while also adding support for addressable zones, which allows for gradient effects. Unfortunately, there’s still only one color to choose from: white.

As for the rest of the device, it’s very similar to the Phone 1 including a metal frame with flat boxy sides and an iPhone-like button layout for power and volume. The one big change is that Nothing used 2.5D glass with rounded edges in back which sports curves that sit more naturally in your hand without digging in.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Meanwhile, its 6.7-inch OLED display delivers excellent brightness (with peaks of well over 1,000 nits in my testing), rich colors and a speedy 120Hz refresh rate. You also get an in-screen fingerprint reader for simple and secure biometrics which is both fast and accurate.

Performance

The Phone 2 packs a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor, 8GB or 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. Sure, its chip is a year old, but it handled games and editing photos without a hint of lag. When combined with speedy UI animations and a lightweight Android skin, the Phone 2 feels incredibly responsive and snappier than some flagship phones that cost a whole lot more. Additionally, while the phone is only available as an unlocked model, it has been certified to work on both T-Mobile and AT&T’s networks (sorry Verizon folk), so it’s pretty flexible when it comes to bringing it over to your carrier.

Cameras

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Tuning a phone’s cameras and image processing can be extremely difficult when you don’t have the same level of resources as a trillion-dollar megacorp. And while the Phone 2’s 50MP main cam and 50MP ultra-wide cams are decent, they’re still a tier or two below what you get from a Pixel 7. During the day, the Phone 2 captures images with bright, rich colors and good sharpness. It’s only when you zoom to 100 percent that you notice things like color fringing and worse dynamic range. Nothing has a hard time keeping up with Google’s Night Sight mode in low light too, sometimes struggling when trying to nail white balance while also preserving detail. Still, coming from the Phone 1, it’s a big improvement and if you aren’t an avid photographer, the Phone 2 is still serviceable.

Software

Compared to the previous model, the Phone 2’s software may have the biggest number of improvements. This time instead of a barebones version of stock Android, Nothing has included its Monochrome UI which consists of new widgets, wallpapers, icon packs and more that create a distinctive experience that ties into the phone's exterior design. Not only does it look great, you can also make all the app icons grayscale and even remove the name of the app entirely. The idea is that, by making apps a touch harder to find, you’re forced to be more deliberate about how and when you use your phone. That’s a refreshing change from just reflexively doom scrolling through social media every time you have a spare minute.

Nothing also added a new tab in the settings menu for its Glyph interface so you can get more granular control over all those LEDs. Features range from simple things like using its rear lights to show battery status or volume to more sophisticated things like what Nothing calls “Essential notifications.” That allows you to set specific apps to activate LEDs on the back of the phone. This way, you can put the phone facedown on a table and really pay attention to the people you're with. This was convenient for me because since my wife and I seem to be the only people we know that use Google Chat, I set that as my essential notification so I never miss her messages.

And while it’s limited to a single app for now, Nothing is even integrating its Glyph interface with a third-party app in Uber, so you can see a real-time arrival estimate for a car just by looking at the back of the phone. It’s a neat trick that could have a ton of potential. Instead of using a special API, the LEDs are simply getting info from your notifications to update the lights. That makes it easier to develop more custom Glyph integrations without needing to partner with every single app developer. So while third-party app integration is still a work in development, it’s off to an interesting start.

Finally, while it’s not quite as long as what you get from Google or Samsung, Nothing is promising three years of OS updates along with four years of regular security patches.

Battery Life

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

I wasn’t sure what kind of endurance I was going to get from the Phone 2 between its 4,700 mAh battery and slightly older, less power-efficient chip. But on our video rundown test, Nothing crushed it with a time of 24 hours and 25 minutes. That’s the second longest time we’ve seen in recent history, only behind the Samsung’s Galaxy S23+ (25:02). On top of that you get 15-watt wireless charging, 45-watt wired charging and 5-watt reverse wireless charging.

Wrap-up

In a time when new generations of phones never seem quite as exciting as the last, Nothing has still managed to make the Phone 2 stand out. Its eye-catching design captures some of the best qualities of clear plastic gadgets from the ‘90s, like Gameboys and Nintendo 64’s, but in a much more sophisticated way. Meanwhile, Nothing’s Monochrome UI asks users to be more thoughtful about how they use their device while giving them tools like the Glyph interface that can surface info and notifications in novel ways. And even though its specs don’t jump out at you, it never felt slow and it’s well-equipped with handy features like reverse wireless charging.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That said, for $600, the Pixel 7 is still the better value. It’s got a newer chip along with a much more sophisticated software package which includes features like Call Screener and robust language detection, and its cameras are in a class of their own. But its screen is smaller and its battery life isn’t quite as long. And you know what, that’s totally fine because the Phone 2 isn’t for everyone. It’s a phone that wants you to think differently about how you use your device while giving you the tools to do so. It’s the offbeat choice, and for people who want to be excited by their phone again, it’s definitely an interesting mainstream alternative.

Handheld gaming PCs are booming. Over the last year and a half, we've seen compelling devices from Valve, Ayaneo, GPD and others, and now ASUS is entering the fray with the ROG Ally. It's sleek, it's quiet and it packs a gorgeous 1080p display. And with a new Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip from AMD, it may be the Steam Deck’s most powerful rival yet. It also runs Windows 11 instead of Steam OS, so it has even better game compatibility. However, the Ally is a touch more expensive and there’s a trade-off for all that extra performance, so is it really better than the device that reinvigorated the gaming handheld category back in early 2022?

Price

At $700, the Ally appears to be way more expensive than the Steam Deck, which goes for as little as $400 (or even less during a sale). But because the Ally comes with a 512GB SSD, it’s not really fair to compare it to Valve’s $400 base model, which only has 64GB of onboard storage. I should also mention that a cheaper version of the Ally with a non-extreme version of the Z1 chip is due out sometime later this year, but that wasn’t available for review.

For now, a better comparison is a fully loaded Deck, which features the same amount of storage along with Valve’s upgraded anti-glare etched screen, which is what I used for all my comparisons. Still, even at its most expensive, the Steam Deck costs $650, which is $50 cheaper than the Ally. For people on a budget, Valve’s machine is the better option.

Another thing to consider is that unlike the Steam Deck, the Ally doesn’t come with a case – which will run you an extra $40 from ASUS. And after lugging this thing around for a few weeks, I can definitely say you’ll want some form of protection to prevent scratching the screen or putting too much pressure on the joysticks.

Design and display

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Measuring 11 inches wide and weighing 1.34 pounds, the Ally has dimensions that appear quite similar to the Steam Deck. But those figures don’t fully encapsulate how much smaller the ROG really is, because at 0.83 inches, it’s half as thick as the Steam Deck. You also only get two rear paddles instead of four, and ASUS doesn't include little touchpads in front like Valve does, which may be a bit of a downer for anyone hoping to play traditional mouse-and-keyboard games.

That leaves you with a very familiar Xbox-style layout with two joysticks, a standard assortment of face buttons and shoulder triggers, as well as some extra shortcuts for quick settings and ASUS’ Armoury Crate app. There’s also a handy fingerprint sensor built into the power button, a volume rocker and a single USB-C port, which you can use on its own for data and charging, but also for hooking up ASUS’ XG Mobile dock. And just like the Steam Deck, the Ally has a microSD card slot for expandable storage, which is nice.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Overall, it’s a very functional setup. All the controls are easy to reach and I haven’t run into any issues with buttons getting stuck like I’ve heard about from other users. I also appreciate how the Ally’s smaller bezels make the device feel more compact, even if its 7-inch display is the same size as the Steam Deck’s. The one thing I miss though is bigger grips in the back, because while I know ASUS was going for a slimmer frame, holding the Ally just doesn’t feel quite as secure or comfortable.

As for its display, the Ally’s screen is one of its best features. Not only is it a 120Hz panel, its 1080p resolution is also sharper than the Steam Deck’s 800p. On top of that, the Ally is way more colorful and a touch brighter at around 475 nits versus closer to 400 nits on Valve’s handheld. When viewed side by side, there’s no competition — the Ally’s screen pops with rich hues and sharper details, which really helps when you’re trying to read small tooltips on a tiny screen.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Without getting into a protracted debate about how much resolution you really need on a portable PC, the Steam Deck’s lower-res and more washed-out-looking display has been one of my biggest complaints about the system since its launch so I’m really happy with the Ally’s panel, even if you can’t always take full advantage of its 120Hz refresh rate in more demanding games.

Performance

As for performance, the Ally has a significant leg up over the Steam Deck, as it sports AMD’s new Z1 Extreme APU and 16GB of RAM. Unfortunately, out of the gate, the Ally’s performance is pretty underwhelming. With both the Ally and the Steam Deck set to 15 watts, framerates were very similar. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 720p and high settings, the Ally averaged 43 fps while the Steam Deck hit 42 fps, so they were basically neck and neck. It was a nearly identical situation in Cyberpunk 2077, where both systems hit 44 fps at 720p on medium. Frankly, that’s not very impressive for fancy new silicon and really far off some of the claims ASUS made the Ally pre-launch.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But then I updated the system to install the new drivers and firmware ASUS released two weeks after launch (which took more than a couple of install and restart cycles) and that’s when the Ally started to distinguish itself. With the system fully updated, framerates jumped by 15 to 25 percent, and the Ally started to hit 54 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and 50 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at the same settings.

That’s a noticeable improvement, but it gets even better. While the Steam Deck tops out at 15 watts, the Ally has a Turbo mode that boosts total power draw to 25 watts, or 30 watts if you’re plugged in. With the 25-watt Turbo mode activated, I was able to get 60 fps in Tomb Raider and 67 fps in Cyberpunk, which is impressive for a handheld PC. So even though the Ally doesn’t even come close to offering double the performance of the Steam Deck like ASUS initially boasted, for people who want big power in a portable device, the Ally is the easy pick.

Battery life

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Of course, with all that oomph comes diminished endurance. In general, I found that the Ally typically only lasts about an hour and a half to two hours depending on the title. Meanwhile, the Steam Deck often gives you two and a half to four hours, or even longer for less demanding fare. To put that into perspective, I played Diablo IV on both machines at medium settings, starting at 100 percent and I didn’t stop until they died. The Ally conked out at one hour and 31 minutes compared to 2:07 for the Steam Deck. And let’s not forget, Diablo IV doesn’t have native Linux support, so the Steam Deck runs it in an emulation layer which uses some extra power. In short, if you really care about getting the longest-lasting handheld PC, the Steam Deck is it.

Sound

As for audio, the Ally has some rather punchy front-firing stereo speakers, which sound a lot better than what you’d typically get on a similarly priced laptop. But to me the more impressive thing is what you don’t hear: fans blaring in the background. I’m not entirely sure what kind of voodoo ASUS did, but the Ally is surprisingly quiet. It barely registers above a whisper while running benchmarks, and when compared to the whiny whir that’s almost always coming out of my Steam Deck, the Ally is definitely the more family-friendly device. I can game on it while watching TV with my wife without her needing to turn up the volume (or worse, taking the console from me) and that’s a small but important way to maintain a happy home.

Software

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The last major difference between the Ally and the Steam Deck is their software. Instead of going with something like Valve’s Linux-based OS, ASUS went with Windows 11. The idea was to ensure that the system works with all the major online game stores like Steam, Battle.net, Epic and more, which it does. On top of that, ASUS tweaked its Armoury Crate app to serve as a game launcher, while also letting you adjust various settings or RGB lighting. One tap on the dedicated button lets you see all of your installed titles at a glance, while a push of ASUS’s other shortcut key brings up a menu for quick settings like operating modes, game profiles, and more.

The issue is that when you’re not using Armoury Crate, Windows 11 still feels clunky. Microsoft’s OS simply isn’t designed for smaller devices without keyboards that often have to rely on touch controls. ASUS has included a desktop mode toggle that lets you use the right joystick to move your mouse and the right shoulder buttons to click. But that feels more like a band-aid than a real solution, which would probably be a purpose-built gaming UI.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

More importantly, even though the Ally can run basically every Windows game ever made, the experience isn’t always smooth. For example, when I tried to play Street Fighter 6, the game booted up in Windowed mode and cut off the bottom of the UI, so I couldn’t see the navigation menu. But even after I sorted that out, the game still ran poorly. At medium settings, I was getting just 20 fps which made the game run in slow-mo. I had to spend the next 10 minutes fiddling with graphics settings. Meanwhile, on the Steam Deck, I got a consistent 60 fps from the jump, which was a big surprise since I was not expecting a game that has only been out for a month to be this well-optimized on Linux.

There’s a flipside to this, though. While you can install games like Diablo IV that aren’t available on Steam and aren’t Deck Verified, it can be a real chore to get them up and running. You have to install the Battle.net launcher, manually change the Steam Deck’s compatibility mode and then add it as a non-Steam Game. Then you have to install Diablo IV itself, change its compatibility mode and manually add that to Steam’s library too. And that’s skipping a lot of the more complicated steps in between. Granted, there are a ton of how-to’s online to guide you through the process. But if this is your first time trying this on Linux, you’re looking at spending 10 to 15 minutes at least. There’s no just sitting down and hitting play. In contrast, getting D4 to run on the Ally is a breeze and even though the game runs relatively well on both systems, there are fewer hitches and stutters on ASUS’ machine.

Overall, Steam OS is generally easier to use — until you run into a game that isn’t Deck Verified or just doesn’t run on Linux, which is where the Ally has the advantage.

Wrap-up

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

After testing both devices side-by-side, I’ve got a few takeaways. The first is that I’m even more impressed with the Steam Deck now than I was at launch. Over the past year and change, Valve has put a ton of work into polishing and optimizing it. I don’t think any gadget in recent memory has gotten as many updates as this thing. And now that there are over 10,000 Steam Deck-verified games, its library ain’t shabby. We’re at the point where you can play new AAA titles like Street Fighter 6 on day one, while other games like Cyberpunk 2077 are getting custom graphics settings specifically for the Deck so you don’t need to spend a ton of time tweaking performance. But most importantly, with a starting price of $400, the Steam Deck is the easy pick if you’re on a budget.

As for the ROG Ally, simply calling it a more powerful Steam Deck doesn’t feel quite right. Thanks to its AMD Z1 Extreme chip, it definitely has an edge in performance. But for all that speed, there’s a big trade-off in battery life. Even with both systems running at 15 watts, the Steam Deck lasted longer every time, which means the Ally isn’t always the best companion on longer trips. You also don’t get built-in touchpads or as many rear paddles. And while you can run basically any game ever made on it, Windows 11 just isn’t as well-optimized for handheld systems as Steam OS. Valve has a big advantage thanks to being in charge of both software and hardware design for its device. However, while I like and appreciate the Steam Deck, the ROG Ally’s gorgeous screen and super quiet fans would always have me looking over my shoulder like the distracted boyfriend meme.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

So which one should you get? To answer that, you need to decide what kind of gamer you are. Thanks to Steam OS, the Steam Deck offers a simpler, more console-like experience, so long as your games have been verified to play nicely on Valve’s software. Meanwhile, if you like to tinker with settings and want higher framerates and a sharper display, the Ally might be the machine for you. It’s also the more portable of the two, and ASUS’ XG Mobile dock lets you plug it into a monitor and other accessories so you can use it as a desktop when you want. But with prices for those starting north of $1,000, it’ll cost you.

The biggest unknown is how well ASUS is going to support the Ally, because as we’ve seen with the Steam Deck, hardware can only take you so far without regular updates. Unfortunately, there just isn’t a one-size-fits-all handheld PC gaming console right now, so picking the right device depends on your preferences for OS, performance, battery life and more. But regardless of which one you pick, there’s a lot to like about the latest generation of handheld PCs, and I hope this is only the beginning of a long line of compelling devices.

One of the best things about the Windows PC landscape is the sheer amount of diversity. Laptops range from tiny 8-inch handhelds to huge 18-inch (or larger) gaming behemoths and beyond. And if there’s a specific feature (like a touchscreen or stylus input) that you really need, there’s a great chance you’ll be able to find it on a notebook that works for you. However, that abundance of choice can also make it difficult to know where to start when shopping. And before you even begin to search, it’s critical that you consider what you’re planning to do with your new laptop. If your main focus is on general productivity, a sleek ultraportable is all you need. But if you’re looking to edit photos and videos or play AAA games, you may want a bigger system with discrete graphics. That said, there’s a handful of general criteria we look for when selecting our top picks.

Performance

The challenge when thinking about performance is figuring out your sweet spot. That’s because while a laptop with blazing speed is nice, you may be paying for more oomph than you need. But if you skimp and get a weak processor, even simple tasks can become a chore and you might end up in a situation where you need to upgrade again sooner than you’d like. Performance is more than just clockspeeds too, so we also consider things like fast wake times, storage speeds and more advanced features like support for ray tracing.

Display and webcams

Regardless of whether a notebook has a touchscreen or a more traditional panel, we look for bright displays (300+ nits or more) that are easy use outdoors or in sunny rooms, accurate colors and wide viewing angles. Screens with high refresh rates are great for competitive gamers, while those with wider color gamuts are important for content creation. And even if you don’t plan on spending a ton of time on video calls, every laptop needs a decent webcam (1080p or higher).

Ports and connectivity

Even with advancements in cellular modems and WiFi, dedicated ports for transferring data or connecting peripherals can make or break a laptop. Ideally, all but the thinnest and lightest systems come with three USB ports, while things like built-in SD card readers can be extremely handy when trying to import media from a camera. And if a notebook is saddled with a slow or outdated WiFi modem (we’re looking for Wi-Fi 6 or later), that’s basically an immediate disqualification.

Battery life

It doesn’t matter how powerful a laptop is if it conks out when you need it the most. Typically we look for runtimes of at least eight hours on a charge, but longer is always better. That said, on gaming machines with thirsty GPUs, you may have to settle for a bit less. And on bigger machines, it’s also important to consider if the system can charge via USB-C or if it needs a larger, proprietary power brick.

The best Windows laptops

Best overall: XPS 13

It’s no surprise that we love the Dell XPS 13. It’s thin, light and it has one of the best screens you can find on a 13-inch ultraportable. And while the XPS 13 doesn’t have the fastest CPU around, a 12th-gen Intel chip is more than enough for basic productivity work. The latest XPS 13 model is the slimmest yet, though it loses the headphone jack in the process. If you need a 3.5mm port, or you’re just looking to save some money, it’s also worth considering the slightly older XPS 13 models. And if you want to future-proof your next laptop a bit more, consider the XPS 13 Plus, which comes with 13th-gen Intel processors and is currently the best Windows laptop for college students in our book.

Best budget Windows laptop: Acer Aspire 5

There’s a reason we selected the Acer Aspire 5 as our top choice in our best cheap Windows laptop guide: It’s sturdy, fast enough and offers decent battery life. We typically don’t expect much with laptops under $500, but the Aspire 5 has consistently been a solid performer. It’s an ideal laptop for students or kids, or for anyone who isn’t particularly demanding. We’re also surprised by the wide variety of ports it offers, including HDMI and Ethernet. While we normally don’t recommend laptops with just 8GB of RAM and tiny 128GB SSDs, those specs are more excusable in the Aspire 5 since it’s so darn cheap. Just think of it as a slightly more capable Chromebook.

Best gaming laptop: ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

One of our favorite gaming PCs for years, the ROG Zephyrus G14 remains our choice as the best gaming laptop for most users. It weighs just 3.5 pounds, it sports AMD’s powerful new Ryzen chips and it also has the company’s fastest Radeon RX 6000-series mobile graphics. The ROG Zephyrus G14 has a sleek retro-future aesthetic, a comfortable keyboard and a smooth 144Hz, 14-inch screen. While you’d be more immersed in a 15-inch notebook, those typically cost more and are far heavier than the Zephyrus G14. If you’re looking for a balance between power, style and value, the G14 is tough to beat.

Read our full review of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14

Best 360-degree 2-in-1: Lenovo Yoga 9i

Adaptability is the biggest strength of a 2-in-1, with devices like the Yoga 9i capable of transforming into a number of different modes at a moment’s notice. And even though it’s got a relatively portable 14-inch OLED display, Lenovo still found room on the Yoga 9i for three USB-C ports, a fingerprint scanner and a clever rotating soundbar to ensure audio sounds good in any position. Lenovo also includes a free stylus in the box though, sadly, unlike previous models there isn’t a dedicated storage slot for it on the machine anymore. And while its general design hasn’t changed much for 2023, Lenovo has improved the Yoga 9i’s performance with updated 13th-gen Intel processors.

Read our full review of the Lenovo Yoga 9i

Best tablet-style 2-in-1: Microsoft Surface Pro 9

For people who want to travel super light, it’s hard to do better than a tablet-style 2-in-1. And, having basically invented the category, Microsoft’s line of Surface Pro devices are hard to beat. With the Surface Pro 9, you get a bright touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate, along with a stylus support. Though, you’ll need to remember to buy one of Microsoft’s folding keyboards (which includes the pen) separately. You also get solid battery life and surprisingly powerful speakers. That said unless you’re deeply familiar with using Windows on ARM-based systems, we’d recommend sticking with the Intel-powered version instead of the model based on Microsoft’s SQ3 chip.

Read our full review of the Microsoft Surface Pro 9

Best powerful thin-and-light: MSI Stealth Studio

Regardless of if you’re editing videos or playing games, MSI’s Stealth 14 Studio packs a lot of power in a very portable package. The base model comes with a 1080p screen, but if you have the money, you’ll want to consider the optional 2,560 x 1,600 display, which boasts a faster 240Hz refresh rate and wider color gamut (100% of DCI-P3). At just 3.75 pounds, the Stealth 14 Studio weighs half a pound less than similarly sized rivals while still supporting up to an NVIDIA RTX 4070 GPU. And the redesigned 2023 model has a stunning magnesium and aluminum chassis that’s also available in a larger 16-inch model.

Read our full review of the MSI Stealth 14 Studio

Best super high-end pick: Razer Blade 18

Razer’s revamped Blade 18 is a monster. It packs full-fat versions of the most powerful components you can put in a laptop including up to an Intel Core i9 13-980HX CPU and an NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU that runs at up to 175 watts. You also get a massive 18-inch QHD+ display with a 240Hz refresh, tons of ports (including an SD card reader) and gorgeous per key RGB lighting. Holding everything together is Razer’s unibody aluminum chassis, which offers some of the best build quality on any Windows laptop. The one big downside is price: Starting at $2,900 (or closer to $5,000 for a fully loaded model), the Blade 18 is not for people with limited budgets.

Read our full review of the Razer Blade 18

For the past few years, Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold line has been the undisputed champion of big flexible phones. But it holds that title almost by default thanks to a lack of real contenders — especially outside of China. But with the Pixel Fold, Google has created a legitimate challenger with an innovative design that directly addresses some of the weaknesses of Samsung's heavyweight foldable. So even though its $1,799 price will prevent most people from throwing down on a front-row seat, Google's first flagship foldable phone is definitely a worthy rival.

Design and displays

Enough with all the boxing metaphors, let's look at what we're actually dealing with here. The Google Pixel Fold features a 5.8-inch exterior screen that opens up to reveal a flexible 7.6-inch interior display, both of which are 120hz OLEDs. On paper, that sounds very similar to what Samsung offers on the Z Fold 4, but Google has played around with the phone's build and dimensions to create what might be the best showcase of the company's design chops to date.

Instead of something like Samsung's skinnier baton-like form, Google chose a wider 17.4:9 aspect ratio for the Pixel Fold's 2,092 x 1,080 exterior display, resulting in a device shaped more like a passport. The benefit is you don’t need to switch to the bigger interior screen as often. And while this might seem like a minor tweak, it makes a huge difference.

The Z Fold 4’s cover display is so skinny that typing feels cramped. It’s really only usable for basic things like looking up directions or checking notifications. But on the Pixel Fold, everything just kind of works. The screen is small enough that even someone with medium-sized hands like me doesn't have trouble reaching the corners of the screen, yet big enough that apps look and behave normally. And because you don't need to open the device as often, the battery can actually last a little longer.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Perhaps more importantly, Google has done some nifty things with the Pixel Fold's hinge and chassis so there's essentially no gap between the phone’s halves while still being extremely thin. It measures less than 6mm thick and around 12.1mm when closed, so despite being a touch heavier than the Z Fold 4, it feels more balanced. Unless your jeans are painted on, you shouldn't have much trouble fitting the Pixel Fold in a pocket. And unlike so many other flexible phones, the Pixel Fold has an IPX8 rating for water resistance, so you don't need to fear an accidental splash or submersion.

One side effect of having a wider screen on the outside is that when you open the Pixel Fold, you get a landscape orientation that’s great for watching videos. After starting a clip on the outside screen, you can just unfold the phone, expand it and voila, no need to rotate. Instead of going for a completely bezel-less design like most traditional phones, Google gave the Pixel Fold slightly larger love handles. This means there's no need for a low-res under-display selfie camera like on the Z Fold 4. There’s actually room for an 8-megapixel camera in the top right corner. And that extra space around the hinge lets you hold the Pixel Fold like a paperback book, which is very satisfying when you're using it as an e-reader.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

It's about time I addressed the elephant in the room: Yes, there's a crease. You can feel it with your fingers and, depending on the angle, you can see it too. But Google has managed to minimize how distracting it is. That said, I've been using a foldable phone as my daily driver for the last three years, so I may be more used to it than most.

Durability

While foldables have been around for a few years, now that Google is getting into the game, there are some things that potential first-time flexible phone buyers should be aware of. When you first open the Pixel Fold’s box, there’s a warning that calls attention to the phone's display. Google notes that “flexible screens are softer than traditional phone screens, so avoid contact with sand, crumbs, fingernails or sharp objects.” Additionally, Google says that the owners should not “remove the pre-installed screen protector,” and that users should “avoid installing third-party screen protectors.” In short: you have to be a little more gentle with foldable phones than your standard glass-and-metal handset.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

So far, I haven’t had any issues with the Pixel Fold’s display or its pre-install screen protector. That said, I’ve owned three Galaxy Z Fold phones with similar screen protectors that bubbled up six to eight months after purchase, so it’s possible the Pixel Fold may exhibit similar issues over time. When questioned further about durability and customer support, a Google spokesperson told Engadget “We have rigorously tested the screen protector to stand up to normal wear and tear. If you do encounter an issue, it can be repaired at our service centers for a fee ($29 for preferred care customers or $129 for customers out of warranty).”

Software and apps

We can't talk about the phone’s interior display without mentioning some of the tweaks Google has made to the apps and UI. Similar to the Z Fold 4, Google created a taskbar for the Pixel Fold, except that this one is a bit more transient. On the home screen, you get your standard row of icons along the bottom. But when you're in an app, you can swipe up to see the taskbar, and from there you can drag an icon to open it in multi-window mode.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The gesture for summoning the taskbar is like a shorter version of swiping up and holding to see recently used apps. Once you select the apps you want, resizing windows is as easy as dragging the divider left or right. If you’d like your apps to switch sides you can double-tap the middle of the split-screen divider. The idea is for the taskbar to appear when you need it and get out of your way when you don't. When combined with the App Suggestion feature in Android (which are the apps that have a ring around the icon), it makes for a simple but effective way of multitasking.

You can also use the Pixel Fold's dual displays to do stuff like take selfies using the phone's high-res rear cameras or show your subjects a live preview of what they look like when you’re taking their photo. But we've seen that before on devices like the Z Fold and the new Razr+. Unfortunately, one of the Pixel Fold's coolest new features — Dual-Screen Interpreter mode — isn't available yet, as it's based on features in Android 14, which won’t be out until sometime in the fall.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Google says that over 50 first-party apps have already been optimized for use on devices like the Pixel Fold. Some of the enhancements we've gotten a taste of before, like tabletop mode in YouTube. But there are a number of refined examples, including those from third parties like WhatsApp where you can share images from Google Photos just by dragging and dropping. With this much real estate to work with, you really do feel empowered when switching from the outside to the interior display. And after playing games like Asphalt 9 that support adaptive resolutions, I'm really hoping more developers get on board.

Cameras

One of my biggest gripes with the Z Fold 4 is that Samsung wasn't able to deliver the same level of image quality that you get on the Galaxy S Ultra. But the Pixel Fold doesn’t feel as compromised. It features a 48MP main sensor, a 10.8MP ultrawide and a 10.8MP telephoto with a 5x optical zoom. Combine that with Google's excellent photo processing and the result is cameras that are just flat-out better.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

In daylight, the Pixel Fold's pics were consistently a touch sharper than Samsung’s while often delivering more detail with better shadows and highlights. Even with Samsung's food mode activated, the Pixel Fold made my taco dinner look more appetizing too. Google's Night Sight continues to reign supreme when it comes to capturing clearer and more well-exposed photos in the dark.

Performance and battery life

Powering the Pixel Fold is Google's Tensor G2 along with 12GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. It's not an overflowing well of speed, and as people have experienced on other Pixel devices, the Fold sometimes runs a little warm. But even when I was multitasking or trying to push it, the phone never felt lethargic, which is all I can really ask for.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Meanwhile, even though Google’s 4,820mAh battery is a tiny bit smaller than on the Z Fold 4, there wasn’t a big difference in overall longevity, which is to say it's pretty good. I ran our video rundown test on both their external and internal displays. On the former, the Pixel Fold outlasted Samsung's big foldable, posting a time of 22 hours and 21 minutes versus the latter's 20:45. Using their larger screens, though, the Z Fold 4 came out ahead with a time of 17:13 compared to the Pixel’s 15:42.

Wrap-up

For Google's entry into the world of fancy flexible phones, the Pixel Fold feels like a win. Its clever hinge and slim chassis make it easy to use and carry, while its wider body delivers on Google's promise of making the phone's exterior screen a lot more usable. Featuring strong water resistance, better cameras and UI tweaks to make multitasking a tiny bit simpler, the Pixel Fold more than holds its own against Samsung's Z Fold 4. And that's before considering all the great Pixel-specific features like Call Screener, Recorder and more.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

My main gripes (you know, aside from its price) are that it occasionally feels like the phone is never fully open. Sometimes I feel like I have to put more pressure on it than I'd like to make it completely flat. And while it would be nice if the Pixel Fold came with stylus support like the Z Fold 4, I’m happy to wait till Samsung, Google or whoever finds room to store a pen inside the device.

Admittedly, some folks may say that the Pixel Fold isn’t really advancing the overall capabilities of flexible phones, as many of its features like dual-window multitasking are already available on devices like the Z Fold 4. The issue is that until we get a critical mass of big foldables, developers aren’t going to consider tweaking or optimizing their apps. That’s why this phone had to come first. With the Pixel Fold, Google brought its style and rhythm to a title fight and didn't come up short. But, perhaps most importantly, Google now has a device it can use to shape the future of Android beyond typical glass bricks.

Ever since the release of the original Galaxy Fold back in 2019, Samsung has basically enjoyed a monopoly on big handsets with bendy screens. But with the imminent arrival of the Pixel Fold later this month, Google is hoping to break that stranglehold. That said, with Samsung having already released four generations of its flagship foldable, Google can't afford to simply iterate on a rival's design. In an interview ahead of the Pixel Fold's release, two of Google’s product managers (PM) — George Hwang and Andrea Zvinakis — sat down to shed some insight on why now, what the company is doing differently, and how its upcoming flexible phone will impact future devices.

The first thing I noticed during my hands-on was the Pixel Fold’s shape. Instead of having a long and skinny baton-like chassis similar to the Galaxy Z Fold 4, Google opted for a wider frame shaped more like a passport, which was an intentional decision by Google. Hwang, who is a PM on the Pixel Fold team told me that “when we talk about the Pixel Fold, we often talk about the outer display first.”

Google

Hwang says the reason for this is that more than 50 percent of interactions people have with their phones are less than two minutes long — things like texting a friend, changing a song or simply setting an alarm. “Our focus on form factor was critical and quite intentional to make sure that we offered a usable exterior display, such that you could use the phone like you want to.”

While using the Pixel Fold’s outside display like you would a regular phone might sound kind of obvious, it was also a bit of a surprise. Typically, when people discuss foldables, much of the attention is reserved for that fancy flexible screen on the inside. But more importantly, that touches on a few of Google’s overarching design goals for the Pixel Fold: Being able to use it like a regular handset even when you’re only using it closed, allowing users to open the Fold to augment their experience and then making sure that even though it's a larger device, it’s still a feasible daily driver.

Google

As for using that big interior display to enhance the device’s capabilities, it feels like much of the Pixel Fold’s potential lies in the marriage between hardware and software. As someone who works on Google’s Android platform team, Zvinakis highlighted the importance of continuity and posture for the Pixel Fold. “If we were just designing for tablets, you could just create one large screen, he said, "whereas for foldables you’re often unfolding to continue a session.”

When designing an app or UI for a foldable device, Google needs to consider things like buttons or other elements that may fall in the Pixel Fold’s crease. But it also means being able to open the device without losing your place, which often feels like an elusive goal. But when it works, it provides a sense of instant adaptability that you just can’t get from a traditional phone.

Google

Continuity also impacts posture, which is the position of the phone’s screen from open to closed and every angle in between. Due to the Pixel Fold’s flexible design, not only does Google need to track how the device is oriented, it’s important to anticipate how components like the phone’s cameras and UI adjust and move and behave depending on its posture. “We want there to be a user benefit to unfolding the device rather than just seeing an expanded phone layout,” Zvinakis said. “That's why we created things like dual shade for notification that leverages both sides of the display.”

But what’s even more exciting is how Zvinakis says posture detection can unlock entirely new use cases like dual-screen interpreter mode on the Pixel Fold. This allows users to hold the phone in a position so that two people can see a different language get translated in real-time — each with their own display — which cuts down on the typical back and forth that happens when everyone has to share a single screen. And while we’ve seen some other novel uses of foldable phones like taking high-res selfies with the rear camera while using a phone’s exterior display, there are a growing number of functions available on foldable you simply can’t get when using a traditional glass brick.

Google

There are other elements that are needed for foldables to reach their true potential. Take, for example, the Fold’s taskbar, which needs to straddle the line between enabling short mobile interactions and more complex multitasking situations. “We launched a taskbar with Android 12L in March of last year and the first version was basically a pinned taskbar that you had to long press to hide and long press to show,” Zvinakis said. “But as we did more testing, users said they found that behavior a little clunky. So instead we refined it into a more transient taskbar where you can access it with a short swipe, drag any app into split-screen and then it automatically closes when you’re not using it.”

The big challenge is combining competing design elements, like the thinness of the device, while still supporting sophisticated components such as the phone’s 5x optical zoom. So to get over that hump, Hwang issued a challenge to the team to make a device that was more than just a collection of components: "If you don't want to use it every day, then it's not a device that we want to ship."

Google

The quest for thinness is far more important for foldables than other phones. “We realized that if this thing was thick and bulky it's not something you'd really want to have in your pocket all day long," Hwang said. “I think the thing that was a key enabler was the hinge. How the hinge is architected drives everything around the foldable display. It's kind of symbiotic.”

This was a somewhat unexpected revelation because, as someone who has owned multiple generations of the Galaxy Z Fold line, I thought the hinge issues had been solved after all the issues with the original model. “What you see in most foldables is that you'll have hinge mechanisms across the full length of the hinge at three to four different spots,” Hwang said. “But the thing is that now that you have hinge components in the middle of the device, that drives the thickness of what we call the stack and then you have the display on top.”

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

So Hwang thought “if those are the limiting factors, then is there a way we can creatively move those components somewhere else?” So in the end what the Pixel Fold team did was relocate the phone’s two hinges to the very edge of the device bringing it out of plane, which had a number of important effects. She says not only does this decrease thickness, “it also helps drive the largest delta between the outer 5.8-inch display and the interior 7.6-inch flexible interior screen.” On top of that, Google’s architecture helped address what Hwang calls fold geometry, which describes how the screen actually bends inside the hinge. “The hinge allows us to furl the display inwards, which lets the fold extend into that area to further drive down thinness,” she added. And while I’ve only used the Pixel Fold briefly so far, the result is rather spectacular, with Google able to make a phone that folds completely flat while still measuring less than 6mm thick (or just 12.1mm when closed).

Steps forward like Pixel Fold’s hinge and thinness don’t come without trade-offs. But, while its bezels are somewhat larger than Samsung’s, to Hwang it’s worth it. “The bezel gave us the opportunity to have an unadulterated display without the need for an under-display camera, which we thought was really cool.” It also gave Google more leeway to improve the Pixel Fold’s general durability, which includes an IPX8 rating for water resistance. “Plus, there’s the ergonomics of it, with the larger display bezels offering a resting area for your hands,” she said

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Hwang said dealing with the inevitable crease in the Pixel Fold’s display was another balancing act, one that he still thinks about on a regular basis. “It’s unappealing, but the bigger question is how do we mitigate the crease? How do we minimize it?” Eventually, what Google decided on was a hybrid approach that produces a fold that’s more of a miniature water drop that runs the length of the screen instead of a full crease, which reduces its appearance while also preventing unsightly trenches from forming over time.

Still, as impressive as the Pixel Fold’s design is, after talking to Google product managers, I feel like it has an even more important job serving as an ambassador for future foldables and as a flagbearer for forward-thinking software features in Android alongside newly optimized apps. That’s because in addition to the device itself, the Pixel Fold is also ushering a fresh set of resources to help app makers optimize their work. Zvinakis said, “the key ways we do that are through developer guidelines, developer tooling and easy-to-use libraries.” These things dictate support for features like adaptive resolutions, landscape orientation, multitasking behavior and more. There are even separate tiers denoting how much a developer has done to support foldable-friendly features along with sample configurations available in the Android Studio emulation environment. “We're about to launch physical device streaming for these Google devices in Android studio, which basically means that developers can see how their apps run on Google-hosted Pixel Fold and Pixel Tablet devices, but right from your IDE (integrated developer environment). We just want to make it really easy for developers to test on these new products.“

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

To make sure these apps are easier for users to find, Zvinakis says Google will begin showcasing “really high-quality apps more prominently in the Play Store, including screenshots that show new foldable-specific features.” And all of this is coming with a slate of more than 50 first-party Google apps that have been optimized for foldables, something that both Hwang and Zvinakis said was no easy feat. In this way, the Pixel Fold not only serves as a testbed for future devices, but also for Google’s evolving software design.

Unfortunately, the team behind the Pixel Fold hasn’t been able to overcome every hurdle that might prevent someone from hopping on the flexible phone trend — particularly its $1,800 price). But even with the Fold serving as the company’s first go at the category, it’s clear Google is bringing a ton of new ideas to the space, both in terms of hardware and software. It’s slim, it’s sleek and, unlike the Z Fold 4, the Pixel Fold delivers the same great camera experience that you get on the Pixel 7 Pro. It remains to be seen how well it will sell but, with Samsung’s Z Fold basically treading water the past couple years, the Pixel Fold’s arrival couldn’t come at a better time.

MSI's Stealth laptops have long been one of my favorite gaming notebook lines thanks to their blend of performance and portability. But last year's model was a disappointment. After a few years of sticking with the same design, its chassis felt tired and refreshed specs didn't address the system's underlying issues. But for 2023, MSI has given the Stealth a complete makeover including a brand new design, an optional 240Hz display, more powerful components and not one but two sizes to choose from. Heck, there are so many additions MSI even changed the name of the entire series: The Stealth Studio. After using one for the past few weeks, I feel like we might be looking at the most improved gaming laptop of the year.

Design

I've been testing the 14-inch version, but there's also a larger 16-inch model, with both sizes sporting a slick magnesium aluminum exterior that's available in two colors: pure white and star blue. Admittedly, the white model isn't very stealthy, but I don't care because it looks fantastic and it’s super light. It weighs just 3.75 pounds, which is almost a full half pound less than rivals like the Alienware x14 R2.

Despite its small size you still get solid connectivity, including three USB ports (one Type-A and two Type-C) and a full-size HDMI jack. But more importantly, there are a ton of tiny features throughout the system that show MSI's attention to detail. On the vents in back, the grille spells out the name of the system, kind of like you might get on a sports car. And in front, MSI has partnered with SteelSeries to deliver gorgeous RGB lighting on its keyboard. MSI also added some small, up-firing stereo speakers in front, which provide a nice upgrade in audio quality from the previous model. You even get a physical shutter for the webcam. Sure, it's just a little plastic flap, but I'm glad it's there.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

My two small gripes are that the webcam is only 720p – come on MSI, it’s 2023 – and that the chin below the screen looks a bit ungainly. Even if you ignore how big it is, I wish MSI had gone with a hinge that cut down on the gap between the display and deck, because it can be kind of a distraction to see the rear lights shining through while working or gaming.

Display

By default, the Stealth 14 Studio comes with a 1920 x 1200 165Hz IPS display, which is a good place to start. However, our review unit has MSI's upgraded 2560 x 1600 240Hz screen and it's a real treat. In testing, I measured peak brightness just shy of 450 nits which is almost double what we got from last year's machine. That makes it great for playing all sorts of games, and thanks to a color gamut that covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 spectrum, it can pull double duty as a photo or video editing workstation too.

Performance

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Packing an Intel Core i7-13700H chip, NVIDIA RTX 4060, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, the Stealth 14 Studio has more than enough performance for pretty much any task. In games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Returnal at 1080p and max settings, the Stealth Studio hit 67 and 78 fps respectively, which is actually a touch higher than what I got from a Razer Blade 18 with the same GPU and an i9 chip.

That's pretty impressive when you consider that the MSI's smaller chassis means it has way less room inside to manage thermals. Even on synthetic tests like PCMark 10, the Stealth Studio edged out the Blade 18 with a score of 8,126 versus 7,236, despite the Razer costing over $1,000 more than the MSI. This just goes to show that bigger and more expensive isn’t always better.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Lately, I've been playing a lot of Diablo 4 which really shows off the capabilities of the Stealth 14 Studio. You can turn down the graphics to take advantage of the screen's speedy refresh rate or enable all the game's bells and whistles while still staying well above 60 fps.

The two small downsides to the Stealth 14 Studio's performance are that it runs kind of hot and it tops out with an RTX 4070, which is understandable given its size. I tried to game with it on my lap while watching TV, and trust me when I say that it gets real toasty. So unless you have a lapboard, you're better off sitting at a desk or table.

Battery Life

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Coming from last year’s model that conked out after a little more than four hours, MSI has delivered some notable gains here too. On our video rundown test, the Stealth 14 Studio lasted five hours and 19 minutes, which is up 25 percent over last year's system. But what's even better is that it also beat out larger rivals (with bigger batteries) including both the Blade 16 (5:01) and ASUS' ROG Zephyrus M16 (4:38).

Wrap-up

The Stealth 14 Studio is an almost complete about-face for MSI's thin-and-light gaming line. It's got a striking new design, updated internals and a handful of welcome quality-of-life upgrades – all in a chassis that's easy to carry around; I've already made multiple cross-country trips with it and it hasn't let me down yet. In fact, the Stealth 14 Studio has basically everything I look for in a great all-rounder – well, except for maybe an OLED screen or an SD card slot (though you do get one on the larger 16-inch model).

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But if those aren’t deal breakers for you, MSI has delivered a system offering a stunning build and solid performance for gaming or anything else you might need. And with our upgraded model currently going for $1,900, you're getting more storage and a faster CPU and GPU than a base Alienware x14 R2 for only $150 more. So, after a down year, MSI has restored the Stealth – ahem the Stealth Studio – back to its former glory as a system that can do a bit of everything while looking great too.

I can’t fully explain it, but there’s something deeply satisfying about having the right tool on hand exactly when you need it. And while you can’t anticipate every issue, having a good everyday carry kit can go a long way towards handling a huge percentage of situations. Now that said, I don’t consider myself an expert, just someone who appreciates a good tool. And with a number of notable events coming up, I wanted to share some of the things I’ve bought for myself because I think they will also make great gifts for Father’s Day, graduations or any other cause for celebration.

Quiet Carry Q3 Key Organizer

For a long time I was looking for a way to trim down my keychain while also adding utility, and with the Quiet Carry Q3, I think I found the answer. It’s capable of holding four keys (or up to eight with the included extension posts) in its extremely durable titanium housing, alongside your choice of either a small knife or multi-tool. For me, the utility blade is the perfect thing for quickly screwing down a tripod mount or opening a bottle, while the removable pocket clip makes it a cinch to snap the Q3 onto your pants or belt loop. All told, it’s a clean and compact way of storing your keys, and it helps prevent them from rattling around too, which is an extra bonus.

Leatherman Skeletool

There are an endless variety of multitools out there, but to me the Leatherman Skeletool offers the perfect balance of size, weight and functionality. In the 10 years I’ve had mine, it’s never let me down once. It’s available in a wide range of colors, while Leatherman’s strategic cutouts help keep the weight of its stainless steel frame to a minimum (just five ounces). And thanks to its needle nose pliers, combo knife, large bit driver and more, it’s got all the most important bases covered. So while it might not have as many bits and bobbles as larger rivals, its lightweight and compact size means it’s the one I grab first before I run out the door.

SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive

As we’re still in the midst of the transition from USB-A to USB-C, this simple gadget is not only the cheapest gift on this list, it’s also the one I use the most. SanDisk’s drive is available in capacities of up to 512GB and supports USB 3.1 for decent read speeds of up to 150 MB/s. But the best thing is that by simply rotating which end is sticking out, you can transfer data to basically any device with a USB port. Trying to transfer photos to an old desktop that only has USB-A? No problem. How about a tablet that only has a single USB-C connector? Easy. It can even help you offload media from a phone with OTG support so you can install that big software update (stop procrastinating, please). And with its tiny dimensions, you probably won’t even notice it dangling on your keychain, so you can always have it on you.

Distil Wally Sleeve

For people who prefer a lighter, more minimalist way of carrying their cards and cash, the $50 Wally Sleeve is a super compact and affordable option. It’s made from full-grain leather and can hold up to seven cards in its RFID-shielded main sleeve. On the outside, there’s another pocket for cash or transit cards so you can tap them on a sensor without needing to completely remove them from your wallet. But the Wally Sleeve’s best feature is its MagLock closure, which prevents your cards from spilling out. Combine that with a built-in pull tab and you get a slim sleeve that provides easy access to everything you need with zero fumbling.

Pioneer Division Billfold Wallet

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a more traditional wallet, the Division Billfold is a slick choice that blends a classic design with new-school materials. Pioneer says the polyethylene yarn that makes up its 10XD fabric (available on the black, blue, forest and onyx colors) is ten times stronger than steel, so it should look great for years. It’s also dirt- and water-resistant, and thanks to a range of pockets and sleeves, it can hold a ton of cards and bills. And for those who want a bit of extra security, the onyx and forest color options also come with RFID shielding.

Peak Design 35L Travel Duffel

I don’t know what it is, but I have a thing for bags. And out of all of the ones I own, the Peak Design 35L Travel Duffel probably gets the most use because it can do it all. It’s the perfect thing for a weekend trip, but I’ve always used it for groceries, too. More recently, it’s become a baby bag for carrying everything I need to have on hand for a fussy toddler. Not only is it durable thanks to its weatherproof 600D nylon canvas shell, it has removable handles and tons of eyelets scattered around the duffle so you can rearrange the straps however you want. It can be set up like a backpack if you want. Or if you’re lugging some gear, you can stuff three of Peak Design’s packing cubes in there (or four cubes on the 65L duffel) so all your camera equipment is nice and protected. It’s really a do-everything bag.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 / AirPods Pro

While some of the other devices on this list might get left at home on odd days, my Galaxy Buds 2 Pro never leave my side. Despite their small size, Samsung’s buds deliver great sound, active noise cancellation and between six and eight hours of battery life (depending on if you use ANC). They are also some of the most comfortable earbuds I’ve ever worn, to the point that I use them at night to help me fall asleep. And thanks to their IPX7 rating for water resistance, they were able to survive an accidental trip through the wash without issue. That said, if someone isn’t an Android user, Samsung’s buds don’t make a ton of sense. But for iOS users, there’s always the AirPods Pro 2.

Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones

When it comes to wireless over-the-ear headphones, Sony’s WH-1000XM5 are in a class of their own. After buying them for my wife six months ago and using them off and on (when she lets me), I’ve been looking for an excuse to buy a pair of my own. They look good, they’re easy to setup, and their sound quality is unmatched, while Sony’s top-notch noise cancellation helps drown out unwanted disturbances. And with a battery that lasts about 30 hours (with ANC on), I typically only have to charge them about once a week. The one little annoyance I’ve found is that you can’t use them while charging, but since they have the ability to add three hours of juice in just 30 minutes, that’s hardly a deal breaker.

Valve Steam Deck

For people who want to take their PC games on the go, Valve’s Steam Deck is a present that will keep on giving. At just $400, it’s by far the cheapest of the latest breed of handheld gaming PCs, while still having more than enough oomph to play modern titles like Elden Ring at smooth frame rates and medium settings. Even though Valve’s Linux-basedSteam OS might be unfamiliar to some, Big Picture mode is super easy to use. And thanks to tons of software updates the number of Steam Deck-verified games sits at just shy of 10,000. Really, it’s just a great gift for any PC gamer who needs some extra alone time, regardless of whether they’re on the couch or on the road.

Hoto Precision Screwdriver set

Now I will admit I don’t carry this on my every day, but when it comes time to tinker or repair some electronics, this set is the first thing I grab. The included carrying case holds 25 steel bits that work with all the most common screw heads (Torx, pentalobe, tri-wing, and more) while the magnetic screwdriver chuck makes switching bits in and out a breeze. You also get one-touch controls for automatic screwing and unscrewing, while still having the flexibility to turn things in manually in more delicate situations. Finally, thanks to its built-in USB-C port, you’ll never need to worry about finding an annoying proprietary charging brick.

Sterling and Roark Solid Fragrance

About a year ago I was looking for an alternative to traditional liquid colognes when I stumbled on these: solid fragrances from Fulton and Roark. Not only do they smell great, they come in small metal tin that makes them very travel friendly and easy to refill. My favorite scent is Calle Ocho, which is a soothing mix of rum, tobacco and sandalwood. But if you don’t know which type of fragrance your loved one prefers, you can simply get a Discovery set and let them pick a favorite. That way they get the fun of trying out new scents while still getting what they want in the end, which makes it a win-win in my book.

The Apple headset is one of the company's most anticipated products with leaks and rumors dating back to 2017. But after years of speculation, today at WWDC 2023 Apple has finally given us a real look at the device that it's now calling the Vision Pro.

Created to support both AR and VR applications, the Reality Pro is a standalone device featuring an innovative design without the need for a dedicated controller. Instead, thanks to the use of multiple external cameras, Apple is planning to rely entirely on voice inputs and hand gestures. On top of that, Apple has created a new feature called EyeSight that uses an exterior display and the headset's internal cameras so that users can see people your reactions while someone is wearing the headset. 

Additionally, you can use familiar apps like Safari and others while still being able to interact with objects or people in the real world. And while the Vision Pro has been designed for use at home, Apple says thanks to new versions of familiar apps like FaceTime, the headset it also a great collaboration tool for those on the road. 

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Follow all of the news from Apple's WWDC 2023 right here.

When Motorola rebooted the legendary Razr line as a foldable phone in 2019, it felt like such a natural evolution. Unfortunately, we haven’t gotten a ton of updates since then aside from a mildly-upgraded 5G variant in 2020 and a China-only version late last year. But that changes now because today Motorola is announcing not one but two new members of the Razr family with the Razr and Razr+. And after getting a chance to check both of them out, I feel like each one has some interesting features you don’t get on competing devices.

In terms of general design, both the Razr and Razr+ share the same chassis and internal flexible display. The main difference is that the Razr+ sports a 3.6-inch 144Hz pOLED screen on its front – which Motorola claims is the largest exterior display on any foldable available today – while the standard Razr has a much smaller 1.5-inch external panel. The Razr+ also boasts faster performance thanks to a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chip that helps the phone achieve a 165Hz refresh rate on its main screen, whereas the Razr uses a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip that can only support 144Hz. Both also feature 30-watt wired charging and wireless Qi charging, though the latter is capped to a slow 5 watts.

Both feature a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, 8GB of RAM and up to 128GB of storage (or 256GB on the Razr+). They have the same 32-megapixel hole-punch selfie cameras on the interior, with the Razr+ packing a 12-MP main rear camera and a 13-MP ultra-wide/macro setup, while the regular Razr’s sensors are 64-MP and 8-MP respectively. And as a nod towards everyday durability, both Razrs do have some form of water resistance, though their IP52 ratings aren’t good for protecting against more than a weak splash or light rain.

With that out of the way, I’m going to focus on the Razr+ because it’s the more interesting of the two. Unlike the previous foldable Razrs from 2019 and 2020, the new model doesn’t sport the line’s iconic chin, which is a bit sad. But in exchange, you get a much bigger screen that feels more usable when compared to rivals like Samsung’s Z Flip 4. And the way the display wraps around the phone’s two main cameras looks better too.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

On top of that, Motorola optimized the exterior display so you can access your most important apps, notifications and more without things feeling too cramped. Heck, there are even some simple games that have been tweaked specifically for the outside display. That means you can do stuff like look at a map, respond to texts or check your calendar without having to open the phone. This gives you some of the adaptability of a big foldable like the Z Fold 4 but in a more compact device.

Then when you open up the Razr+, you’re greeted by a beautiful 6.9-inch flexible OLED display with great brightness (up to 1,100 nits). And while there technically is a crease that you can feel if you run your fingers over the middle of the screen, visually, it’s almost undetectable. It’s a really nice acheivement and when you combine that with a chassis that folds completely flat and measures just 15.1mm when closed, you start to really appreciate the many subtle design tweaks Moto made to get here. You even get Gorilla Glass Victus in the front and back for a bit of extra toughness (except for on the Viva Magenta model which gets a vegan leather material in the rear).

In a lot of ways, the Razr+’s body feels like a more polished and functional take on the Z Flip 4’s template. The outside screen is bigger and easier to use while the flexible display on the inside doesn’t suffer from any distracting furrows or wrinkles. Moto even included a slightly larger 3,800 mAh battery, which is great because longevity has never been a strong suit of flip-style foldable phones. And thanks to a new hinge that can hold its position when half open, Moto was even able to include a number of nifty camera modes so you can hold the phone like an old-school camcorder, use the exterior screen to give your subjects a preview of your shot or trigger the new Photobooth mode by holding your hand up.

As for the standard Razr, the benefit of having a smaller exterior screen is that it leaves room for a larger sensor on its main camera in addition to a slightly bigger 4,200 mAh battery. And while you don’t get Gorilla Glass Victus on its exterior, subbing that out for vegan leather seems like a great choice both for style and durability.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

But my favorite thing about the 2023 Razr family is that by expanding the line into two devices, it feels like Motorola is making foldable phones a lot more approachable. At $1,000, the Razr+ is almost bridging the gap between modern flip phones and bigger foldable devices and could be ideal for people who want a compact device that doesn’t sacrifice much in terms of usability.

My one concern at this point is Moto’s timing. Currently, the Razr+ is slated to be available for pre-order starting on June 16th before official sales begin on June 23rd. That’s close to when Samsung typically announces new foldables in the late summer, which means the Razr+ may only be on the market for a month or two before fresh opposition (likely with faster silicon) appears.

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Meanwhile, for those curious about foldable handsets, there’s the standard Razr. Sure, it’s got a slower chip and its exterior screen isn’t meant for much more than checking notifications. The one hang-up is that at least for now, there’s no official info about an expected price or release date. But according to Motorola executives, it will also be “meaningfully cheaper” than the Razr+, which could make it a great entry-level foldable – especially if Moto can get the price down around $750 or less.

But if you’re like me and you’ve been waiting for more foldable phones to hit shelves, between Moto’s two new Razrs and Google’s upcoming Pixel Fold, this summer has gotten a lot more exciting real quick.