Lenovo was one of the first companies to really nail 2-in-1 design, and ever since it’s been refining the formula for its top-notch convertibles. And while there are a couple small variables I'm not fully on board with for this year's edition, there's no doubt the new 14-inch Yoga 9i is continuing Lenovo's excellent track record. You get superb battery life, clever (and surprisingly) powerful speakers, good performance, plenty of ports and even an optional OLED display. In short, if you're looking for a light, long-lasting and very adaptable 360-degree hybrid, this thing belongs at the top of your list.

Design

Now I have to admit, when I first unboxed the Yoga 9i, there was something about its design that just didn’t look right to me. And after thinking about it for a couple days, I realized Lenovo's attempt to create a luxury aesthetic doesn't quite go far enough. Most of the laptop is constructed out of matte aluminum including its lid, deck and bottom, while other components like its keyboard and touchpad have been painted to match. Lenovo calls this particular color oatmeal, which isn't especially flattering, though I must say the addition of subtle brown tones looks better in person than its name suggests. Nothing really unusual so far.

The issue is that for 2022, Lenovo rounded out the Yoga 9i's sides to make the laptop more comfortable to hold, which is and it feels great. But then the company polished those edges to a mirror-like shine which, when viewed next to its satin finish, feels very mismatched. Then you add in the fact that the only other bit of shiny metal on the entire system is its combo hinge/speaker bar, and you're left with something that doesn't quite give off the same vibes as high-end jewelry, and also lacks the appeal of more minimalist competitors like a Surface or MacBook. Of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so if you think the 9i looks great, feel free to ignore me. (That said, I maintain a number of Lenovo’s older Yogas looking better than the new one.)

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Aside from its appearance, the Yoga offers great build quality with very little flex across its chassis. Other small improvements include a larger touchpad, some handy new media and video calling keys on the right, and a subtle notch around the webcam that makes the lid just a touch easier to open. I also appreciate the dedicated fingerprint reader in the bottom right. My only remaining nitpick is the feel of the keys. They don't have a lot of travel and their light actuation weight leaves the whole affair feeling a bit lifeless, which is kind of a shame. And having used countless ThinkPads over the years, I know Lenovo can do better.

On the bright side, the 9i includes a stylus that features 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. It also comes with a built-in USB-C for easy charging. And while there isn’t a place to stash the pen in the laptop like on some previous Yogas, you can throw both the stylus and the laptop in Lenovo’s bundled travel sleeve.

Display, sound and webcam

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By default, the Yoga 9i ships with a 14-inch 1,920 x 1,080 LCD display with a new and slightly taller 16:10 aspect ratio (up from 16:9 on the previous model). But our $1,500 review unit has a 2,880 x 1,800 OLED screen that's brilliantly punchy. Not only does it feature VESA DisplayHDR 500 True Black certification, it pumped out just shy of 400 nits of brightness. So you get rich, vivid colors in addition to excellent screen readability, regardless of the conditions. If you have a little wiggle room in your budget, this is a great component to upgrade.

As for audio, the Yoga 9i features Lenovo's signature speaker bar hinge. So in addition to boasting an innovative design that ensures sound is directed at you in practically any mode (you know, instead of away from you or down into a table like some laptops like to do), the Yoga pumps out great audio with some of the deepest bass I've heard from a laptop this size. Look, you're not going to rattle your neighbor's china cabinet, but this is one the few times I'm not going to complain about a notebook lacking low-end thump.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

In another small, but very welcome upgrade, the 9i comes with a new 1080p webcam that supports Windows Hello. I've said it before and I'll say it again: 1,920 x 1,080 should be the bare minimum for cameras on modern laptops. And while I admit its image quality can be a bit grainy in low light, it's still plenty sharp for all your video calling needs. And if you look close, you'll notice there's even a physical shutter you can slide closed when it's not in use. That's a nice touch for some extra peace of mind.

Performance

The Yoga 9i packs a new 12th-gen Intel Core i7-1260P CPU, up to 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, promising plenty of speed for all your standard productivity needs. Among ultraportables without discrete graphics, it posted top-tier scores in Geekbench 5, PCMark 10, and Cinebench. However, its Intel Iris integrated GPU means that even though it posted a solid time of 37 seconds in our 4K video encoding benchmark in Handbrake, you're still gonna want something a bit more substantial if you're looking to do a lot of heavy photo or video editing.

My one small complaint about the 9i’s performance is that when you’re really pushing it, you may hear a high-pitched whine from the fans. I only encountered this while gaming, and you might not find it all that distracting. But even if you do, you can change the laptop’s mode to lower the noise, though that may result in some thermal throttling.

Battery life and ports

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Moving on to battery life, even with its above average performance, the Yoga 9i still turned in an excellent time on our local video rundown test. It lasted 14 hours and 22 minutes, which is the second longest mark we've seen this year, only behind the Surface Laptop Go 2's time of 14:43. And in the real world, I had no problems making it through an entire work day on a single charge.

On top of that, because the laptop supports charging via USB-C, even if you forget your power brick at home, there's a good chance you can borrow an adapter from a friend or colleague in a pinch. Finally, I want to give credit to Lenovo for finding room for four USB ports (one Type-A and three Type-C) including two with Thunderbolt 4. A lot of laptop makers have started equipping systems with just two or three ports – even on standard clamshells – so it's nice to see that the corner cutting hasn't hit the Yoga line yet.

Wrap-up

Not counting my admittedly subjective complaints about the Yoga 9i's design, this thing is a nearly ideal 2-in-1. It offers good performance, great sound and even better battery life in a well-built and adaptable chassis. Heck, Lenovo even includes an active stylus and a laptop sleeve in the box, the latter of which you can use to stash the stylus while traveling. Its display is now 16:10, which gives you a little bit of extra screen space for productivity, and thanks to its curvy edges, this thing is noticeably nicer to hold than last year's model. You even get two different options for biometric login.

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The only real issue is its somewhat shallow and mushy keyboard. But given the rest of the 9i's strengths, that's probably not a dealbreaker unless you're a truly discerning typist. And while its starting price of around $1,250 isn't cheap, our review model with its OLED screen costs just $1,500 which kinda feels like a steal. I should also mention that at least in the US, the OLED model is a Best Buy exclusive. However, regardless of which version you go for, you're getting a quality product. Considering the pedigree of Lenovo's Yoga line, it's hardly a surprise that this year's 9i fares well by almost every metric. So if you're looking for a premier all-rounder with great longevity, there aren't a lot of systems that do it better than this.

Google Drive is an incredibly powerful tool for storing and organizing all sorts of data. And best of all, it’s available to anyone with a Google account for free (at least to start). Additionally, because Drive holds all your files in the cloud, it offers some important advantages compared to stashing everything locally on your phone or PC. Drive also works on practically any device with an internet connection, which makes it easy to use at home, at school, in the office and everywhere in between.

However, if you’re new to Drive, there are some important basics you should know before you transfer over all your data and files. So here’s a quick rundown covering the most critical things about Google’s popular cloud storage service.

Storage and pricing

Every Google Drive user gets 15GB of free storage. However, any data you have saved in Google Photos also counts towards that limit. So if you’re using that to back up your pictures , you may not have a ton of room left over for documents and files. That said, you can increase your storage in Drive via a Google One subscription, which starts as low as $1.99 a month (or $20 a year) for 100GB of storage and goes up to $9.99 for 2TB of storage (or $100 a year).

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For most people, 100GB is more than enough to stash important files, work docs, and family photos. But if you’re planning on using Drive as a way to backup all your data, you’ll probably want to go with one of the bigger plans. The nice thing is that even though the basic $20 a year plan is relatively cheap, there are a number of ways to get additional storage for free, at least temporarily. For example, anyone who buys a new Chromebook will get 100GB of space in Drive free for a year, while customers new to Google One may get offers to test the service out with a free one-month subscription.

So before you start uploading all your files, you’re going to want to figure out how much storage you need and how much that may (or may not) cost you.

Uploading, support files, and organization

Once you’ve figured out how much storage you need, you can begin uploading or transferring your files to Drive. For single files or data stored locally on your device, you can simply tap the New button and select the option for File or Folder upload. On a computer, you can also drag and drop files into your browser window when you are on the Drive website. Drive supports a wide variety of file types including most of the most popular formats like .JPGs, .PNGs, .GIFs, .MP3s, and more. For a full list of support file types, check out Google’s official Help Center here.

After you have all your files uploaded, you can manage them just like you would locally on your phone or computer. You can create nested folders and drag and drop files from one place to another. And of course, you can look for a specific file or folder by typing in the search box, though it’s important to remember that if you’re storing a lot of files in Drive, it may take a bit longer to find them (especially if your internet connection isn’t very speedy). So if you’re able to create a general directory of folders for important projects or data sets on day one, you’ll probably save yourself a lot of time and headaches later.

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It’s also important to note that while you can create new Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc. directly within Drive on PC, on mobile you need to install both Drive and the specific productivity program you want individually. That’s because while they all work together, they are considered separate apps.

Another good way to use Google Drive to organize your work is to save templates for various projects in Docs. This allows you to start writing a script or create forms without starting from scratch every time. You can also save templates for things like bibliographies, potentially saving students time when trying to cite sources for a research paper.

Alternatively, instead of using dedicated apps, you can share a Google Sheet with roommates to help figure out the cost of utilities and other shared expenses. And while it wasn’t strictly designed for this, students have discovered that when places like schools ban or put restrictions on typical messaging apps, you can still chat with friends using Google Docs. All you have to do is invite people to a blank doc and then use real-time collaboration to talk and respond to each other. And once you’re done, you can simply delete the doc, or keep it around for another day.

Collaboration

In addition to making cloud storage simple and easy to use, one of Google Drive’s most powerful features is its range of collaboration tools. Sharing a file or document with someone else is as simple as hitting the share button and entering their email. Alternatively, Drive can generate a link to send via text, social media or your messaging app of choice. Once someone has access, you’ll be able to view or edit the file with them in real-time.

That said, it’s important to know who you’re sharing your files with and how they are using them. For example, it might be really helpful to give editing permission to a teacher or mentor if you’re looking for help with an essay, but less so if you’re just sharing an ebook with a friend. In addition to the owner of the file, Drive offers three different levels of access: viewer, commenter and editor. And if something goes wrong and you ever want to see an older copy of a Google Doc, Sheet or Slide, you can open the File menu and select the option that says Version history.

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Viewers are only able to see and read the document, but don’t have the ability to change any of the content. Commenters can view and surface thoughts and questions about the content by using Google’s Comment tool, while editors can make changes just like the owner of a doc.

If you want to see files that others have sent you recently, you can click on Google Drive’s Shared with me tab. And if you have a Google Workspace account through school or work, you can also open the handy Activity Dashboard by clicking on the squiggly icon. (It’s in the top right next to the blue Share button on a desktop.) Finally, if you want a fast way to see which files you’ve shared with others, you can type “to:” into Drive’s search box.

Accessing files offline

While Google Drive is intended primarily as a way to manage docs and files stored in the cloud, it does support offline access, which can be handy when you don’t have a good internet connection. However, there are some steps you need to take before you can get the full benefit of using Drive offline.

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First, you need to make some changes to your Drive’s settings while connected to the internet before going offline. On a computer, you need to click the gear icon in the top right corner of your Google Drive browser tab, hit Settings and then check the box next to the Offline menu option. On mobile, you’ll need to open the Drive app, find a specific file and then designate for offline access by enabling the option from the More icon (it's the one that looks like three vertical dots). Once you do that, you’ll be able to access, edit and save any changes you make. And the next time your device connects to the internet, it will automatically sync any changes you made to the offline doc to the one saved in the cloud. Meanwhile on a Chromebook, all you have to do is open up your Google Drive settings, scroll down, check the box next to the Offline option and hit Done.

Alienware's 17-inch laptops have always offered strong performance. But now thanks to an update that's adding support for up to a Radeon RX 6850M XT GPU and a new 480Hz display, Alienware says the refreshed m17 R5 is the most powerful AMD Advantage laptop yet. 

Engineered to make use of features like AMD's Smart Access Memory, SmartShift Max and FreeSync Premium, the m17 R5's latest config is meant to wring out every last framerate while keeping Alienware's signature sci-fi aesthetic. Specs include either an AMD Ryzen 7 6800H CPU or a Ryzen 9 6900HX chip, up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM, 4TB of NVMe storage and a Radeon RX 6850M XT graphics card with 12GB of vRAM. That said, for people who don't care about the AMD Advantage platform or just prefer NVIDIA cards, the m17 R5 can still be configured with up to an RTX 3080 Ti GPU as well. 

Alienware

As for display options, new for 2022 is a blisteringly fast full HD 480Hz panel (that will also be available on the x17 R2), which is the highest refresh rate you can get on a laptop today. However, if you're not a hardcore competitive gamer, you may want to consider Alienware's UHD display instead, which features a much wider gamut (99 percent of DCI-P3 vs 100 percent sRGB) and significantly better brightness (500 nits for UHD vs 300 nits for FHD). 

Another bonus for AMD fans is that systems sporting a Radeon RX 6850M XT GPU will also get Alienware's Cryo-tech cooling, which includes a 3.5x larger vapor chamber compared to older m17 R4 models along with a smaller but more efficient CPU fan. And like all of its recent M-series gaming laptops, the m17 R5 comes with support for both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos and Alienware's ComfortView Plus blue-light filtering tech. 

Alienware

However, the one major downside aside from its price is that with a max weight of 7.3 pounds (depending on the exact config), the new m17 R5 definitely ain't light. So regardless of which model you get, you better make sure you have a sturdy bag for taking it on the go. 

The refreshed m17 R5 is available today for a starting price of $1,600, or around $2,800 when kitted out with a Ryzen 9 CPU and a RX 8650 M Xt GPU.

Even though there's already been one major Kirby game this year, Nintendo's lovable pink puffball is making a second appearance sometime later this summer in Kirby's Dream Buffet. 

While Nintendo's official description is a bit sparse, Kirby's next adventure is billed as a four-player party game that will see gamers "roll through a smorgasbord of food-themed stages" while bulking up on strawberries. At the end of four rounds, players will battle it out in a "fruity fight atop a floating platform" to determine which Kirby reigns supreme. 

Based on footage from Nintendo's trailer, Kirby's Dream Buffet features obstacle courses reminiscent of Fall Guys, but without the massive 60-player lobbies you get in Mediatonic's popular battle royale-style platformer. In addition to four human players, it appears you'll also have to compete against NPCs in the form of computer-controlled Waddle Dees. You can gain advantages by using various power-ups like speed boosts or Kirby's signature copying ability, while some glimpses of the final round look like an evolved version of Mario Party's classic Bumper Balls mini-game. 

So far, Nintendo has yet to provide an official release date for Kirby's Dream Buffet, only specifying that the game will be released sometime this summer on the Nintendo eShop. Pricing is also still to be determined, though based on the scope and nature of the game, I'm not expecting it to feature a full $60 price tag like you usually get with big tentpole Nintendo titles. 

Whenever I'm away from my desk and dual monitors, it feels like an out-of-body experience. I’m constantly yearning for just a little more screen space. But when you're traveling, what are you supposed to do? Sure, you can get a portable monitor, but that's kind of bulky and largely redundant when you're at home. Instead, consider the ROG Zephyrous Duo 16, because after a couple generations of refinement, it feels like Asus is starting to hit its stride with its funky dual-screened clamshells.

You get a big 16-inch main display with high refresh rates, top-notch gaming components and a 14-inch secondary screen for all your multitasking needs. And while I certainly wouldn't call it petite, the Zephyrus Duo 16 isn't that much bigger than a traditional 16-inch thin and light, despite packing desktop-level performance. Really, the main factor preventing it from being a great mobile gaming battle station is its price. That’s Because With a starting price of $2,500 (or closer to $4,000 for our loaded review unit), the Duo 16 definitely ain't cheap. 

Design

As part of ASUS' ROG family of gaming notebooks, the Duo 16 has aggressive styling, though most of the fireworks are only visible once you open the lid. ASUS’ dual-panel setup is a bold move at reducing anxiety caused by limited screen real estate. However, it does come with some drawbacks. Because the ScreenPad Plus dominates the upper half of the laptop's deck, ASUS had to shove the touchpad in the bottom right corner. And measuring barely more than two inches wide, things can definitely feel cramped. Then you factor in half-sized arrow keys, shortcuts and media controls, and there's a lot going in not a lot of space.

That said, Asus does its best to make the most of those areas, with the touchpad pulling double duty as a number pad. All you have to do is tap the shadowy icon in the top left for a second, and voila. 

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Still, there's no hiding the Duo 16's somewhat bulky chassis, which weighs over 5.5 pounds and measures 0.8-inches thick. These dimensions are right on the edge of being able to fit into a typical laptop sleeve, so anyone planning on buying a Duo 16 will want to make sure their bag of choice has plenty of room. 

On the bright side, Asus has plenty of room for a healthy amount of ports, including two USB-A, two USB-C, HDMI 2.1, a microSD card reader and even a full-size Ethernet jack. My only complaint is that because of the ScreenPad's complicated hinge, the location of the proprietary power plug on its left side can be a bit awkward. I really wish they had found room for that somewhere around back.

Display(s)

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OK, let's move on to the Duo 16's displays, which provide a really compelling one-two punch. The main 16-inch display features a speedy three-millisecond response time. On higher-end models like our $4,000 review unit, you even get a mini LED panel that puts out an impressive 700 nits of brightness. And that's coming from a screen with a matte finish, which typically lowers light output a touch. Meanwhile, thanks to a color gamut that Asus claims covers 100 percent of the DCI-P3 spectrum, the Duo 16's primary display is just as good at pumping out vivid colors in games as it is replicating accurate ones in Photoshop. 

However, the laptop's real party trick is its 14-inch ScreenPad Plus, which supports touch and offers a 1950 x 550 resolution on the base model, or 3840 x 1100 pixels on upgraded configs. Our review unit's ScreenPad registered 300 nits on our lightmeter, which isn't nearly as bright as the main screen, but it’s good enough. 

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To get the most use out of its secondary display, ASUS packed the ScreenPad Plus with a ton of nifty features including shortcuts to performance and lighting settings, customizable window layouts, and the ability to mirror your phone's screen, though that last one can be a little janky. Heck, there's even a secondary numpad tool, in case the one built into the touchpad isn't enough. And on the Duo 16, Asus upgraded the ScreenPad’s hinge so that it rests at a steeper angle when open, which improves both ergonomics and cooling. 

Now all that’s nice, but for me, the best use of the ScreenPad Plus is simply providing extra room for social media, streaming video services, or anything else you want to keep in sight, while keeping my most important apps up top. When I'm gaming, the main screen is where the action is at, while having Discord and YouTube open down below are great for chatting with friends and staying entertained during loading screens. And if I'm working, the ScreenPad is perfect for stuff like Slack that doesn’t require constant attention.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Also, because the ScreenPad Plus is configured in Windows as a generic display, that means you can use keyboard shortcuts to quickly move apps from your main display to the secondary screen or snap them to the side as needed. Is it as good as having a full second monitor? No, but it's enough to make things a lot more comfortable. 

Webcam and sound

The Duo 16 makes it easy to log in using facial recognition with its 720 webcam and Windows Hello support. Unfortunately, image quality is mediocre at best, and as I've said before, 1080p should be the baseline for all modern laptops — especially one this expensive. 

Thankfully, the Duo 16 boasts a powerful six-speaker setup with support for Dolby Atmos, so you get a performance mode in games that focuses on delivering accurate directional sound, along with a bunch of intelligent and preset EQs for movies and music. You even have the ability to create custom audio profiles, though, I wish the Duo 16 offered just a bit more low-end thump. 

Performance

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While a base Duo 16 only comes with an NVIDIA RTX 3060 GPU, our fully-loaded review unit features an AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX chip and an RTX 3080 Ti graphics card, not to mention 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD. So it probably won't be a surprise when I tell you this thing is basically the fastest laptop we've tested this year. It notched top scores in Geekbench 5's compute test, 3DMark's TimeSpy Extreme and more. 

Naturally, the Duo 16's gaming performance is also rather strong, hitting 145 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider on highest settings and 85 fps in Metro Exodus on high. And that was with both games running at 2560 x 1600. So really, the only limiting factor regarding performance is how much you're willing to shell out for high-end components. 

I also want to mention that while the Duo 16 normally keeps its thermals and fan noise in check, under full load, things can get a bit raucous. At full blast, you might hear a high-pitched whine coming from the vents that can get a little annoying. But you can always adjust that by going into ASUS' Armoury Crate app. There's even a custom fan curve setting if you want to dial things in manually. Alternatively, you could just put on some headphones and make the fan noise someone else's problem, not that I've ever done that. 

Battery Life

The obvious downside to having a laptop this big and powerful is weak battery life. With both the main display and the ScreenPad enabled, the Duo 16 lasted just three hours and 45 minutes on our local video rundown test. That's an hour and a half less than the Acer Predator Triton 500 SE and the Razer Blade 15, which themselves aren't exactly shining examples of longevity. So you better make sure you save room for the Duo 16's two-pound power brick in your bag too.

Wrap up

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Look, with a base price of $2,500 that quickly climbs above $3K when well equipped, it's going to be tough to fit the ROG Duo 16 in most people's budget. On top of that, it's big, heavy and short on battery life. But for the kind of people who constantly find themselves seeking more screen space — especially when out and about — Asus' innovative setup gives you more usable display area in less space than practically any other laptop maker. And while its keyboard and touchpad are cramped, combining big performance with a truly unique design feels like we're seeing an evolution of the desktop replacement notebook happen in front of our eyes. That means this thing will be a rather niche device, but if you're looking for something to cure your dual-screen FOMO, Asus's ROG Duo 16 does it better than anything else on the market. 

If you have fond memories of older Ubisoft games with online components from the early 2010s, you might want to check in on them soon. That's because on September 1st 2022, Ubisoft is dropping support for online services in 15 different games including Assassin's Creed Brotherhood.

In a post on Ubisoft's website, the company says it's decommissioning online services in some of its older games in order to "focus our resources on delivering great experiences for players who are playing newer or more popular titles." Depending on the title, gamers will no longer be able to access multiplayer modes or even download and install additional content (DLC). 

Affected games are spread across various platforms including the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, HTC Vive, Oculus and Wii U, with notable titles including Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, the 2012 release of Assassin's Creed 3, Anno 2070 and more. And in some cases like Space Junkies, which is a multiplayer-only title, the game will be completely unplayable. Meanwhile, for others such as Ghost Recon Future Soldier, you'll need to put your console in offline mode just to play the solo campaign. 

While most of the games enjoyed 10 to 12 years of support since their release, it's still a bit sad to see Ubisoft drop support for online services for some of its most iconic franchises — especially in titles where DLC will no longer be accessible. For a full list of games that are being decommissioned on September 1st, please visit the company's help page here for more information. 

Apple has a big update to CarPlay slated for sometime later this year, but in the meantime, the tech giant has begun working with partners to support a new feature that will let users pay for gas directly inside the company's infotainment platform. 

While the ability to purchase fuel using CarPlay was first revealed during developer sessions at WWDC earlier this month, it didn't get a ton of attention until recently when energy company HF Sinclair announced plans to implement the feature at its gas stations in the U.S. 

HF Sinclair told Reuters that more specific details will be released in the coming months, but the basic idea is that instead of needing to swipe your credit card at the pump, users will be able to buy gas via an app in CarPlay. However, there will be some initial setup, as you'll need to download the app and enter your payment info first. Once everything is set up, you'll be able to select a specific pump from your navigation screen and refuel without needing to pull out your wallet. 

Ahead of a major update to CarPlay, Apple's push to support buying gas digitally comes amidst larger efforts to integrate more third-party services as the company looks to expand the role of its automotive platform. In a statement given to Reuters, Asymco analyst Horace Dedie said given the reach of CarPlay, this strategy could have an even greater impact than Apple's long-rumored efforts to design its own EV. 

“Forget about Apple Car - Apple CarPlay is a bigger deal,” Dediu said. “It’s very likely to scale to millions and millions of cars, if not hundreds of millions.” However, with Google also eying a number of upgrades to Android Auto, it appears the competition among in-car infotainment systems is just beginning to heat up. 

I've always wondered why aside from a handful of peripherals like the Pulse 3D headset and that weird 3D display, Sony never really tried to expand the PlayStation brand outside of consoles. And while you won’t find any PS logos on its new line of headsets and monitors, with Inzone it really feels like Sony is finally bringing its wider tech expertise to gaming.

Now the reason we haven’t seen a ton of PlayStation-branded peripherals before is because the Sony most people think about is actually a conglomerate of several companies that make everything from medical diagnostic tools to camera sensors. And in the case of Inzone, its new gaming gear isn’t being made by the same Sony that produces its iconic consoles (Sony Interactive Entertainment) but instead by the Sony that makes everyday consumer gadgets (Sony Corp/Sony Electronics) like TVs and headphones including the excellent WH-1000XM5.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That’s important because, while these devices have design cues borrowed from the PS5, including their black and white color scheme and sleek sci-fi lines, much of the tech inside has trickled down from a range of Sony Electronics' devices. And after using a handful of Inzone’s new peripherals for about a week, it really feels like you’re getting a great mix of tech from two different branches of Sony.

Let’s start with Inzone’s headphones which consist of three different models: the entry-level $99 H3, the mid-range $229 H7 and the high-end $299 H9. As the cheapest of the three, the H3 are incredibly simple and straightforward. Unlike their more expensive siblings, they don’t support wireless audio and instead rely on either a 3.5mm cord or a USB cable for connecting to your console or PC. On the bright side, the thick padded headband and cloth earcups make the H3 a joy to wear, even during marathon gaming sessions.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Another bonus is that due to cooperation between two arms of Sony, all Inzone headsets, including the H3, support the PS5’s Tempest 3D audio engine just like you get on the official Pulse 3D headphones. That means you get spatial audio and customizable sound profiles that make it easier to hear things like the footsteps of someone trying to sneak up behind you. That said, with the Pulse 3D also costing just $99 for wireless headphones that are just as comfortable as the H3, I think they’re probably the better buy for anyone on a budget.

Where things get really interesting though is when you move up to the H7 and H9, which feature dual-mode wireless connectivity (Bluetooth and a dedicated 2.4GHz wireless dongle), a slightly more streamlined design and strong battery life. On top of that, the H9 also feature digital noise canceling using the same tech as Sony’s 1000X line, and it shows.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now I should mention Sony was only able to send out the H3 and H9 for testing, so I’ve been using those for my comparisons. But the H7 and H9 are fairly close in terms of specs, with the main difference being the H7’s lack of exterior RGB lighting, no support for digital noise canceling and the use of cloth earcups instead of the soft fit leather padding you get on the H9 (which is the same material Sony uses on the WH-100XM5). In return, because they don’t have built-in noise canceling, the H7 offer slightly longer battery life (around 40 hours) compared to the H9 (around 32 hours).

Regardless, my time with the H9 so far has been great, and in a lot of ways, they feel like a pair of WH-1000XM5 that have been tuned for gaming. The noise cancellation works wonders for drowning out background sounds, and the super supple leather makes wearing them feel like putting a cloud around your head.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

I also really appreciate some of the small details Sony added to the H9. On a lot of headphones that offer two modes of wireless connectivity, you can typically only use one type at a time. But with the H7 and H9s, you can connect to two different devices simultaneously. This means you can use the wireless dongle to connect to your PlayStation or PC, and then use Bluetooth to get audio from your phone. And because the PS5 doesn’t have native support for chat apps like Discord, this makes it much easier to talk to your friends regardless of what platform you’re on at the moment.

Additionally, the H7 and H9 are the only other headphones besides the Pulse 3Ds that can use the PS5’s on-screen status notifications, which means you can see stuff like volume levels, battery status, mic mute, and game/chat balance all at glance. So while they aren’t the PS5’s official headphones, they behave like they are, while also offering even more features and better audio quality. And just like the WH-1000XM5, you can even use your phone to take a picture of your ear, to tune their sound even further.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

As for Inzone’s new monitors, there’s the $529 M3 and the $899 M9. However, since the M3 won’t be available until sometime this winter, I’m going to focus on my time with the M9. Featuring a 27-inch 4K IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, the M9 isn’t the biggest or fastest gaming monitor around. But for the money, it packs a ton of features compared to similarly-priced rivals. Not only does it support VRR and NVIDIA G-Sync, it also sports a strong one millisecond gray-to-gray time, DisplayHDR 600 certification and a gamut that covers more than 95 percent of the DCI-P3 spectrum. In short, colors are bright, rich and vivid while also being largely immune from the ghosting you often see on less sophisticated displays.

However, the M9’s biggest advantage is its full-array local dimming (FALD) which is made up of 96 different lighting zones compared to just eight or 16 on competitors like the LG 27GP950 or the Samsung S28AG700. And after seeing the results side-by-side, I was kind of shocked at how much of a difference the M9’s FALD makes. A lot of gamers can spot bloom in games when something bright moves quickly across a dark background, which often produces ring of light around the object. But not only does the M9 almost completely eliminate halos, the ability to adjust lighting zones with greater precision also gives the monitor improved dynamic range. So in games like Elden Ring, I saw backgrounds that were much darker and atmospheric compared to the washed-out gray tones I saw on other monitors. This allows you to get much better contrast and black levels without needing to upgrade to more expensive QD-OLED displays like Alienware’s $1,300 AW3423DW.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

And just like its headphones, Inzone’s first monitor has a lot of really thoughtful smaller features. It has a built-in KVM switch, which is extremely useful if you have multiple PCs connected to the same display. It also has a native FPS counter so you can easily keep tabs on performance, while the monitor’s Auto Genre Picture Mode can switch between settings like Cinema Mode and Gaming Mode depending on the content coming from your PS5. And in addition to being height and tilt adjustable, Sony even designed the M9’s stand so that its feet stick out towards the back, which means PC gamers who need to place their keyboard as close as possible to their monitor like Dafran totally can.

But perhaps my favorite little touch, is the software that allows you to navigate the monitor’s on-screen display with your mouse, instead of having to fumble around with the joystick on the back of the panel. The M9 even comes with built-in stereo speakers, so you can plug in your PS5 and get straight to gaming without worrying about audio. And thanks to two HDMI 2.1 ports, one DisplayPort 1.4 jack, support for video over USB-C (DP Alt mode) and a built-in USB Hub, there’s a wealth of connectivity.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

So aside from the H3 which is somewhat basic, I’ve come away quite impressed with Inzone’s first batch of PC and console gaming peripherals. That said, looking at the pedigree of these two faces of Sony, that probably shouldn’t be a surprise. It might not say so on the box, but in a lot of ways, this feels like the marriage between PlayStation and the tech from some of Sony’s best gadgets. But what might be the most promising part is that while Inzone hasn’t shared any future plans just yet, after talking to some of its reps, it’s clear Sony has big plans for its new gaming brand going into 2023 and beyond.

Carl Pei thinks there’s something wrong with the smartphone industry. That’s not to say the handsets on sale today are bad. Across the board, modern mobiles are faster, more sophisticated and take better photos than previous generations. But like a growing number of tech enthusiasts, Pei has started feeling like new phones just aren’t as special as the devices that came out five or 10 years ago. So ahead of the launch of the Phone 1 on July 12th, I sat down with the founder and CEO of Nothing to learn how the mobile startup is trying to bring some innovation, quirkiness, and maybe even a bit of fun back to the smartphone market.

Now there’s a very logical explanation for why recent phones don’t possess the same kind of wow factor. Back when the iPhone made its debut, it felt like a revelation. “I used to watch all the launches. I was in Sweden, so I stayed up until midnight or 4AM to see what was coming out,” said Pei. But in recent years, that excitement has waned, with Pei often skipping big keynotes and relying on condensed recaps to stay informed. And it’s not just Pei that feels this way.

Nothing

“When I talk to consumers, they are also quite indifferent,” says Pei. “When doing focus groups, some consumers said they believe smartphone brands are holding features back intentionally just so they have something to launch for the next iteration, which is not the truth. But if consumers feel that way, it's a sign that they're kind of bored.”

The big issue for Pei is one of stagnation. With major players like LG and HTC having exited the market or becoming irrelevant, the smartphone industry is dominated by a handful of huge corporations like Apple, Samsung, and Google. “You have a few big companies and the way they work is more structured and systematic,” said Pei. “They have technology roadmaps from partners like Qualcomm, Sony or Samsung Display, so they know what's coming. They do a lot of consumer research, they get their feedback and they look at their competitors and the overall market landscape.”

However, Pei feels that approach leads to a lot of sameness. “So they have this information, they analyze it, and then they create a very rational product that is going to do well on paper because they used all this great data,” said Pei. “But the problem is everybody's using the same data and everybody's using the same analysis. So if the input is the same and the method is the same, the output is more or less the same as well.”

Nothing

That’s one thing Pei is trying to change with Nothing’s upcoming handset, the Phone 1. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel – or in this case, the phone – Pei wants to bring some originality back to mobile tech design. “Maybe we can turn down the brain a little bit and turn up the intuition,” said Pei, which is a mantra that has resulted in some of the Phone 1’s more unique features including its design, embedded lighting and glyph interface.

Pei says the inspiration behind the Phone 1’s design comes from a concept the team describes as “raw technology meets human warmth,” or technical warmth for short. “It's got this machine-like nature to it, but also has quirky and very human elements as well.” That’s why instead of hiding the inside of the device behind an opaque back, like you see on so many other phones, Nothing uses transparent glass that exposes components like the Phone 1’s wireless charging coil, heat pipes, and more. In a lot of ways, it feels like a modern industrialist take on the Game Boys and iMacs with see-through plastic shells we got in the 90s and early 2000s.

“I think one thing we’re trying to accomplish is to bring people back in time to when they felt more optimistic about gadgets,” said Pei. This desire to make tech fun again is actually something Nothing carried throughout its entire design process, right down to Phone 1’s codename Arceus, which is a reference to the legendary Pokemon of the same name. (For the record, Pei says his favorite ‘Mon is Squirtle.) There are other quirks too, like the heat pipe at the bottom of the phone that looks like an elephant and the red indicator light in back that lets people know when a video is being recorded.

Nothing

However, while Pei wants to bring fun back to gadgets, Nothing always falls back on the core design principle of form following function. Pei said “We don't do ornaments. We can design different things and unique things, but they always have to be functional.” The best example of this is the Phone 1’s glyph interface, which uses 900 LEDs arranged across the back of the device to create a sophisticated notification system unlike anything out right now.

By allowing owners to assign unique combinations of lights and sounds to different contacts, the idea is that people will be able to see who is calling or texting without looking at the screen. Even the Phone 1’s ringtones evoke old-school analog synths combined with the noise of a dial-up modem, it’s both fresh and retro at the same time. On top of that, the lights glow when the phone is wireless or reverse wireless charging, while the small strip of LEDs next to the charging port can show how much juice the phone has – once again, without ever seeing the screen.

That said, having big ideas about phone design and actually making them a reality are very different things. Making phones is hard, and trying to break into the market as a startup is damn near impossible. If you look at the industry today, the only company that has really broken through in the last decade is OnePlus, which was co-founded by Pei and received significant backing as part of BBK Electronics’ tech umbrella. Meanwhile, the junkheap of failed smartphone startups is littered with ambitious companies like Essential (whose branding and IP are actually now owned by Nothing) that teased similarly big ideas, but went belly up before ever making a second-gen device. Or consider more mainstream companies like Motorola, who failed to make modular phones more than a novelty with its Z-series devices. And ever since, Moto has largely played it safe by shelling out endless rehashes of its G-series line.

Nothing

“The reason why this industry is very hard is because it requires end-to-end capability,” Pei said. “If you're going to create a smartphone company, every single team has to be at least seven out of 10. And some of them have to be even better if your product is going to stand out in some way.”

“Your supply chain team has to be great. Your mechanical engineering, your software, engineering, your industrial design, your sales, your marketing, your customer support,” said Pei. And if we look back at the PH-1 which had an innovative design and a team with serious pedigree, in the end, a handful of issues like its high price and weak camera quality at launch ultimately spelled doom for Essential.

On the flipside, despite Pei claiming that Nothing has already sold more than 560,000 pairs of its Ear 1 buds, there are concerns about the Phone 1 being overhyped. Some commenters online have even compared Nothing’s community forums to a cult based on early reactions to what remains an unreleased device. But when it comes to hype, Pei feels like there’s only one road that leads to success.

“One is the path we currently are taking. We try and create the maximum interest for a product at launch. That sets really high expectations for the product to deliver. And if it does, things go really well. If it doesn’t, maybe it fizzles out.”

However, the challenge is that if a company tries to reign in the hype, the product may never take off regardless of quality. Pei said “In this path, we at least have a chance to try and deliver a great product. The second option is being a small company with no marketing budget is that no one will know about your device. So even if the product is good, the result is still that nobody cares. You don't even have a chance to prove yourself. This is actually our only logical option.”

Nothing

So while the design of the Phone 1 is quite unique and eye-catching, Pei preaches a pragmatic approach. Instead of taking a huge swing right out the gate, Pei is looking to gradually grow Nothing’s business and ecosystem, starting with its first earbuds and soon, its first phone.

“We’re a fast follower. We didn't invent smartphones. We didn't invent Android, but we have experience in this market. We see ways in which we could do it better and some gaps in the market.” But Pei knows Nothing needs to take it one step at a time. “We need to gradually build to a position of strength. Then when you’re strong, you can go and do something really, really innovative, because you’ll have a business that’s stable enough to take a lot of shots.”

However, while the success (or failure) of the Phone 1 is still to be determined, I appreciate that not only is Pei challenging billion-dollar giants with a new smartphone startup, Nothing is also trying to shake things up in the process. “I think this device is the beginning of something different, but it’s also a gift to our industry,” said Pei. “We're not saying this is a revolutionary product that's going to change the entire industry overnight. But maybe it's going to plant a germ in people's minds.” In a sea of similar-looking glass bricks, Pei hopes the Phone 1 will encourage customers to ask for more creative devices while also sparking larger companies to take more risks. “Some of it will fail. But ultimately, the smartphone market is going to be much more dynamic and we'll improve faster as an industry.”

The word basic gets a bad rap. But there's something to be said for simple devices that deliver everything you need without a bunch of costly extras. So while the new Surface Laptop Go 2 isn’t as flashy as the Surface Studio or as flexible as a Surface Pro 8, it delivers all the essentials for a very affordable price. And thanks to a refreshed CPU, upgraded storage, redesigned fans and a starting price of just $600, now you get even more for your money. 

Design

Not a lot has changed about the design, and I don't care because it's basic in the best ways. You still get that super minimalist Surface aesthetic in a light 2.5-pound body. Microsoft uses aluminum on its lid and deck, but a plastic bottom helps keep its price down. Inside, the 12.4-inch PixelSense display has slim bezels, and while the Laptop Go 2's keycaps and touchpad are a bit smaller than what you'd get on a bigger Surface, it never felt cramped. That said, I think not adding backlighting to the keyboard was a bit too frugal on Microsoft's part. It's 2022: Backlit keys should be standard, regardless of price. 

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now, I must admit that the port selection does feel a bit limited. All you get is one USB-A connection, one USB-C socket, a headphone jack and a magnetic Surface Connect slot. My ideal laptop has at least three USB ports. And unlike its bigger siblings, the Surface Laptop Go 2 doesn't have a bonus USB-A port on its power brick, which would be really handy for when you want to recharge an extra accessory. On the bright side, the Laptop Go 2 does support USB-C power delivery, so if you want, you can easily switch out Microsoft's included brick for a third-party charging adapter.

I also want to mention that while our higher-end review unit does come with a fingerprint sensor built into its power button, you won't get that on the base model. Again, I know Microsoft is trying to keep costs down, but this should really be available on every config.

Display, webcam and sound

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

As for the display, Microsoft stuck with the same 1,536 x 1,024 touchscreen it used on the old model. No, it’s not even full HD, but colors are vibrant, and while Microsoft claims a brightness of 330 nits, our review unit actually registered a much more impressive 375 nits. So kudos to Microsoft for exceeding its nominal specs. Would I prefer a slightly higher resolution? Of course. But on a 12.4-inch screen, things still look pretty crisp. From a normal viewing distance, you don't really notice the lower pixel density. 

Microsoft also says the Laptop Go 2 speakers are 24 percent louder than before, and that feels about right. You're not going to see any obvious speaker grilles because everything is hidden beneath the keyboard. But audio still comes through quite clearly, even if the soundstage comes off a bit shallow with less detail in the highs and lows that I’d like. But on a system that starts at $600, I'm satisfied. 

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The Laptop Go 2's webcam is still just 720p, but Microsoft says there's a new sensor inside that improves contrast and color saturation. And you know what, it does. I still maintain that a 1080p webcam should be the minimum. But unless you're livestreaming on Twitch or something, which is sort of outside the system's intended use case, this webcam is plenty capable.         

Performance                                                  

The most important improvements on the Surface Laptop Go 2 are to its performance. Microsoft has upgraded to an 11th-gen Intel Core i5 CPU, which isn't cutting edge, but has more than enough oomph to ensure general productivity feels snappy. Compared to a bigger machine like the HP Spectre x360 with an i5-11390H chip, the Laptop Go 2’s scores were only around 10 percent lower on general performance tests like PCMark 10 and Geekbench 5. Though its lack of discrete graphics holds it back during more demanding tests or workloads.

Sadly, Microsoft stuck with just 4GB of RAM on the base model, which is a bit skimpy, and is probably why the company sent out a higher-spec model with 8GB of RAM for review. And if you decide to pick one up, you should probably pay $100 for that upgrade. Meanwhile, the biggest change is that the Surface Laptop Go 2 now comes with a 128GB SSD standard, instead of the 64GB eMMC drive you got before. So you get faster storage and more of it, even on the base model.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

In the real world, the Surface Laptop Go 2 has no issues quickly switching between a bunch of browser tabs, multiple office apps and more – which is really all I'm asking for in a system like this. And thanks to its integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, you can even do some light video editing and casual gaming, though anything more is definitely pushing it. 

Battery life and thermals

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Battery life on the Surface Laptop Go 2 is strong, lasting 14 hours and 43 minutes on our video rundown test. That’s even longer than what you get with more expensive Surfaces, including the Surface Pro 8 (13:06) and the Surface Laptop Studio (12:24). However, if longevity is your main concern, the 15-inch Surface Laptop 4 still has a bit of an edge with a time of 15:25 on our test. 

I also appreciate that Microsoft made efforts to reduce the system's fan noise, by as much as 10 decibels at max speeds. In normal use, the Laptop Go 2 is actually rather quiet, often running completely silent if you're just browsing the web, and rarely rising above a whisper unless you're doing some serious multi-tasking. In some respects, this laptop seems like the ideal candidate for a fully fanless design. That said, Windows machines don't have access to the same kind of super-efficient chips you get from something like an M1 MacBook Air. But let's not forget, an equivalent MacBook Air also costs $200 more than the Surface Laptop Go 2. 

Wrap-up

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And in a way, that’s important context when comparing Microsoft’s most travel-friendly notebook to more expensive rivals. For someone like me who uses a desktop at home, the Surface Laptop Go 2 is a great travel companion and I'd much rather drag it around than the bigger and heavier Intel MacBook Pro 13 I got assigned for work. Sure, it’s not quite as powerful and it’s got a lower-res screen, but it has more than enough performance for working on the go. It's also a great machine for students or anyone who just wants a well-designed no-frills notebook that's easy to carry. It doesn’t have an IR webcam for facial login or a stylus like you get on more sophisticated Surfaces, but that's okay. Even if you pay for an upgraded model (which I highly recommend), the Surface Laptop Go 2 is still super portable, very affordable and even kind of stylish, while also having all the basics down pat.