Luxury probably isn't the first word that comes to mind when you think about gaming laptops, especially with some looking, shall we say extra, with flashy light bars and dot matrix displays embedded in their lids. But with its excellent performance, superb build quality, understated design and a very luxurious price, the Razer Blade 15 really feels like it's crossed the line into portable gaming opulence.

Design

Now it's true the 2022 Blade 15 looks almost identical to previous models, which has some folks feeling like it's in need of a facelift. But even after all these years, I still love the Blade 15's clean lines and sturdy aluminum chassis. That said, I do wish Razer would add full RGB support to the backlit logo on the lid. I know neon green is sort of Razer's thing, but on a premium machine like this, it just seems weird you can't set it to whatever color you want.

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Inside, the Blade has a large glass trackpad that's one of the best you can get on a Windows laptop. New for 2022 are larger keycaps along with Razer's signature per-key Chroma lighting. Another subtle design tweak is that instead of having a distinct cut-out for the laptop's up-firing speakers, this year Razer used lasers to etch the grille directly into the deck which improves rigidity while maintaining that minimalist aesthetic. There’s also a new 1080p webcam for 2022, which is a welcome upgrade from the 720p cams on older systems. And finally you get a plethora of connectivity, including two USB-C ports (including one with Thunderbolt 4), three USB-A ports, HDMI, headphone jack, and even a full-size SD card reader.

Display

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On our $3,700 review unit, there's a 15.6-inch 240Hz QHD display, which offers a great balance of size and resolution. I just wish it was a tiny bit brighter. Razer says all of the Blade's LCD displays are supposed to pump out around 300 nits of brightness. But using a lightmeter, I measured closer to 275 nits. That's fine for most situations, though if you're in a sunny room, colors may appear slightly washed out. Alternatively, Razer offers 144Hz and 360Hz panels on other models. And just this week, Razer announced a new 240Hz OLED option, so there’s a wealth of displays to choose from.

Performance and gaming

Moving onto performance, Razer offers the latest 12th-gen Intel H-series CPUs and Nvidia RTX 30-series GPUs. The downside is that these components don't come cheap, with the 2022 Blade 15 starting at $2,500 for an i7-12800H, 16GB of RAM and an RTX 3060 Ti, before topping out at a wallet-quivering $4,000 for a fully-loaded model with an i9 chip, 32GB of RAM and a 3080 Ti.

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Now, I should point out that configs top out at just 1TB of storage. But for those who want even more room, the Blade 15 features two M.2 slots, only one of which is populated out of the box. So if you're willing to remove the laptop's bottom panel and SSD cover, tossing in another drive should be pretty straightforward. Just remember to use single-sided modules, because double-sided M.2 sticks won't fit.

You get what you pay for, though, because the Blade 15 can game with the best of them. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the highest graphics settings at 1920 x 1080, our Core i7, RTX 3080 Ti unit hit 124 fps, which is just a touch lower than the $1,800 Asus Flow Z13, and that’s with its optional $1,400 mobile graphics dock. (That’s a grand total of $3,200 for those keeping count.) Results were similar in other titles too, with the Blade 15 hitting 86 fps in Metro Exodus on high settings, and 81 fps in Forza Horizon 5 on Ultra.

Battery Life

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Really, the Blade 15's biggest weakness (aside from its price) is battery life. On our local video rundown test, it lasted just 5 hours and 42 minutes. That's similar to what we got from the Asus Flow Z13 (5:38), which if you’ll recall is a PC gaming tablet. But compared to more traditional rivals, the Blade 15 lasted than three hours less than the Alienware x14 (7:57) and four hours shorter than the Asus Zephyrus G14's (9:45). And in the real world, it's not much better. The Blade 15 struggled to make it through two games of Teamfight Tactics back-to-back, which entailed about an hour and 15 minutes of relatively light-duty gaming. I should also note that when you're running off the battery, the Blade's performance takes a hit too, with framerates in Shadow of the Tomb Raider dropping down to around 45 fps.

The other annoyance is Razer's charging brick. While the proprietary connector is forgivable given its 230-watt power adapter, its right-angle design means if you plug it in wrong, you're going to block at one or possibly two of the laptop's USB-A ports. Honestly, high-wattage power delivery over USB-C can't come soon enough.

Wrap-up

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While the Blade 15 isn't quite as sleek or portable as the latest breed of 14-inch gaming machines, there's something to be said for having a big, luxury alternative. Sure, it's really expensive, and its 15.6-inch screen and 4.4-pound body mean you might not be able to throw it in your typical messenger bag. But it's got top-notch components, a strong frame that exhibits basically zero flex, and impressive performance in a slick and (comparatively) subdued design. Well, aside from that big glowing logo.

In a way, the Blade 15 is a fantastic take on a modern desktop replacement, especially for people like me who don't want to lug around a giant 17-inch rig. Unlike the ROG Flow Z13, you don't need to worry about a separate graphics dock to get peak framerates. And thanks to a wealth of ports, you can leave all of your dongles and adapters at home. So while the Blade 15 doesn't make sense for anyone on a budget, if you've got the funds, this thing is a real treat.

While Motorola might not have the same clout in the smartphone space as Apple and Samsung, the company holds an outsized influence on the US market. By the numbers, Motorola is the third most popular smartphone maker overall, the second largest maker of prepaid phones and the biggest seller of unlocked handsets.

The problem is that, as part of the company’s attempt to gobble up more of the market following the demise of LG Mobile, Motorola has been churning out too many phones too quickly while offering little in the way of long-term support. And even though the Moto G family of phones has earned a reputation for providing great value in recent years, that legacy is starting to deteriorate as things like camera quality and support for basic features like NFC have stagnated. In short, Motorola needs to slow down and shape up.

Just look at the dizzying number of Moto G handsets that have been released in the last two years. At CES 2021, Motorola launched four new phones including the second-gen Moto G Stylus, the revived Moto G Play, the Moto G Power and the Moto One 5G Ace – the latter of which is merely a rebranded version of the Moto G 5G from 2020. Then in the summer, Motorola released another Moto G Stylus (this time with 5G) followed by the Moto G Pure last fall.

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More recently in February, Moto decided to update the G family with yet another version of Moto G Stylus, and just this week Motorola returned to announce two more additions in the Moto G Stylus 5G and the Moto G 5G. And this isn’t counting stuff like the Moto G Power 2022, which was actually released in November 2021. At this point, if you’re confused by the vomit of new Moto G phones, just rest assured you’re not the only one. It’s like some twisted smartphone version of Cap'n Crunch’s Oops! All Berries, except that instead of tasty fruit-flavored treats, it's an endless string of non-descript plastic handsets.

Meanwhile, some of Motorola’s most interesting phones like the 2020 Razr have been languishing waiting for an update, only getting a half-hearted refresh that added a slightly faster chip and support for 5G. Quite often, it feels like Moto has been releasing budget phones without 5G, just so the company can push out a “new” model six months later. Even then, it’s typically just sub-6GHz 5G, which only serves to increase customer confusion regarding current cellular standards. And while Moto has been idling, Samsung has dominated the foldable phone market with devices like the Galaxy Z Flip 3, which is not only cheaper than the Razr, it has a better screen and cameras too.

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Another big issue with Motorola’s recent phones is paltry software support. Last year, Samsung announced that it would provide four years of security updates for a wide range of Galaxy devices, including older phones and tablets such as the S10 and Tab S6. Then, just a couple of months ago, Samsung bolstered its software support again by giving four generations of Android upgrades to all of its 2021 and 2022 flagship phones. And over in Pixel land, Google also stepped up its efforts by promising five years of security updates for the Pixel 6 (though you’ll still only get three years of OS upgrades). And all of this still pales in comparison to iPhones, with Apple providing at least five years of OS and security updates for its handsets.

Then we come to Motorola, which even on its most recent flagship – the 2022 Edge+ – is only offering two major OS updates and three years of bi-monthly security patches. And if you move down to its more affordable handsets, things get even worse. The newly announced Moto G Stylus 5G and Moto G 5G, for instance, will only get a single OS upgrade. This isn’t a one-off situation either, because during a briefing about those phones, a Motorola representative confirmed that the general policy for the entire G family typically only covers one major Android OS update.

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Even worse is that, during the same briefing, a Motorola exec seemed to be making an excuse for the poor update policy by recounting a conversation they had with a car service driver. The driver owned a Moto G device and lamented that their device seemed like it was constantly prompting them to install some sort of update. Now I can certainly empathize, sometimes it feels like everything you own constantly needs to be patched. But that’s not a good reason to drop support for a gadget after a year or two. If an owner doesn’t want to install an update for whatever reason, that’s their choice, but they should at least have the option.

Perhaps my biggest concern about Motorola’s direction is a general lack of innovation and support for basic features. Take for example the Moto G Stylus, which doesn’t have NFC. I mean come on, it’s 2022. Basically every place supports some sort of contactless payment nowadays, which requires NFC. But if you buy a budget Moto phone, too bad. And it’s not just the Moto G Stylus, because the Moto G 5G announced this week doesn’t have NFC either. The company also routinely fails to equip its handsets with substantial water resistance, often doing just enough to protect against splashes but falling far short of the IP67 or IP68 ratings you get on competing devices. 

Additionally, when I reviewed the Moto Edge+ back in March, I was kind of appalled with its cameras. This is a $1,000 phone that produces low-light photos that look like they come from a $500 phone at best. I even noted in my review that it seems like Motorola is going backwards, delivering a device with a lower-resolution main camera than its predecessor, while lacking a dedicated telephoto lens. 

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Motorola tells me that it puts macro cams in its phones instead because of demand from customers who like taking close-ups. And that may be true. But I also know that it costs more to put telephoto cameras on phones, and I have a sneaking suspicion that may be the bigger driving force. While Apple, Google and Samsung are making large strides when it comes to low-light performance and computational photography, what I’ve seen from Moto’s latest pseudo-flagship is second-tier at best.

The sad thing is that it doesn’t have to be like this. There are a number of things I still appreciate about Moto devices. They have near stock builds of Android and Moto Action gestures like double chopping to turn on a phone’s flashlight are often quite handy. But those small perks are easily overshadowed by the concerning trend of too many rehashes while returning too little value.

However, it’s not too late to reverse all this. Sure, it will take some strong leadership and willpower for the company to forgo short-term sales in order to focus on long-term growth and development. Improving mobile photography isn’t easy. Just ask OnePlus’ Pete Lau, who has been very vocal about his desire to bring the photography on the company’s phones up to speed. But unless Motorola wants to become the next HTC, it needs to reduce the churn and concentrate on releasing a smaller number of higher-quality devices with the software support its customers deserve.

Even for someone like me who likes working from home, the pandemic has made things a challenge – especially in my small 1,000 square-foot two-bedroom apartment. You see, when my wife and I welcomed our first child last year, dedicated working spaces became scarce. So I addressed the situation the best way I know how: with tech. In this case an ASUS ROG Strix XG17AHP portable monitor.

Before my son arrived, we actually had a pretty good setup going. I used our second bedroom as an office and very occasional guest room. And when all the office buildings closed in early 2019 due to Covid-19, we managed to find room for another desk in our bedroom. It wasn’t ideal because, even though I’m a gadget nerd, we try to keep the bedroom free of unnecessary screens and distractions. But we each had our own dedicated working space with dual monitors, and enough room between our desks that we could jump on video calls without disturbing one another. It was awkward but acceptable.

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But then our little bundle of joy threw a drool-covered wrench into those plans. Now just to be clear, I don’t begrudge him one bit. Parents often have to make sacrifices for kids, and more often than not, we’re happy to do so. But I think it’s fair to say that an office/nursery just isn’t a good combo. So after my son outgrew his bassinet and stopped sleeping in our room, I had to move my gear out (well most of it anyway) so he could have a real bedroom of his own.

What made this a bit more challenging is that my main computer at home is a desktop. I’ve always been a big PC person, and I love the speed and flexibility you get with a custom-built rig. (Side note: With work from home becoming a more permanent thing, I feel like there are a lot of people that would benefit from switching to a desktop. Assuming you have the space for it, of course). The downside of this is that I’m pretty limited in where I could put my PC. Big shock I know, but a desktop sort of necessitates having a desk. Thankfully, my wife graciously offered to let me use the one in our bedroom (which I honestly can’t appreciate enough), while she moved her workspace out to our dining table in the living room.

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At this point, you’re probably envisioning a host of issues. Since we eat dinner there, setting up dual monitors isn’t really an option. This meant my wife was completely reliant on her 13-inch MacBook Pro, which doesn’t offer a lot of screen space and messes with her posture. Looking down at a laptop screen for eight (or more) hours a day is a surefire recipe for chronic neck and back pain.

That’s where the ASUS’ ROG Strix XG17AHP portable monitor comes in. At first glance, it seems like overkill for general productivity, and it is. It has a 240Hz refresh rate and support for AMD FreeSync, which are great for gaming but don’t do much when you’re looking at spreadsheets. There’s even a built-in 7,800 mAh battery so you can use it completely untethered for four to five hours. And with a price of $600, the ROG Strix XG17AHP is two to three times more expensive than a lot of competitors, particularly the traditional business-oriented ones.

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But honestly, I feel like that money has been well spent. My personal philosophy is that for something you’re going to use a lot, it’s better to spend a little extra than pinch pennies and end up with an unsatisfactory device. Unlike most of its rivals, the ROG Strix XG17AHP comes with a stand, and I’m not talking about a simple kickstand. It’s a full-on detachable tripod, which means you can position the screen so it sits above your laptop’s display, instead of off to the side. No need to crane your neck. Important apps live up top on the portable monitor, while less critical stuff like Slack live down below.

The ROG Strix XG17AHP also measures 17.3-inches across, which makes it one of the largest portable monitors you can buy. Most enterprise-focused alternatives top out at 14 or 15 inches, and while we probably would have gone even larger if we could, there aren’t really any 19-inch or larger portable monitors that offer the same level of specs and features. Sure, the monitor’s brightness of 300 nits could be better, but its matte coating makes it easy to look at all day – even in sunny rooms with lots of reflections.

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Meanwhile, thanks to support for video and power delivery over USB-C, setting up the monitor only requires a single cable. This makes it super easy to break down and pack away when friends or family come over. And during the week when we’re too lazy to do that, the whole kit is slim enough we can just push it to the side and still have plenty of room for food.

I also want to give ASUS props for including a bunch of useful accessories. The monitor comes with a carrying bag and a foldable screen protector that doubles as a kickstand, along with a USB-C cable, a USB-C to USB-A adapter, a power brick, and even an HDMI to micro HDMI cable – in case your PC doesn’t support video over USB. My only gripe is that the locking mechanism for its height adjustment isn’t super secure. So if I press hard, even when it’s locked, the monitor still moves up and down.

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But this one demerit doesn’t really detract from all its positives. That’s because while the ROG Strix XG17AHP isn’t as good as a regular monitor, it’s way more than simply adequate. It’s flexible and it fits in my life (and on my table) in a way that a regular desktop display can’t. It even has a lot of potential as a handy companion for my Switch while traveling. Though due to the pandemic, I haven’t had a chance to test that out yet. And while my wife and I are thinking about getting a bigger place, with the housing market the way it is, moving isn’t in our immediate future. So until we upgrade to a larger home, ASUS’ portable gaming monitor is filling an important role when it comes to making a cramped work from home situation a lot more tolerable.

While established automakers try to come to grips with the electric revolution, fresh EV startups are thinking up innovative ways to cater to a new generation of drivers. And after checking out an early version of its upcoming car at the New York Auto Show, it feels like INDIEV may have created the first electric car made for gamers.

When it comes to general specs and performance, INDIEV’s Indi One seems to be using the Tesla Model Y as a template. The base model is slated to cost around $45,000 and features a 75 kWh battery, all-wheel drive and 230 miles of range. Meanwhile, the $65,000 premium version will sport a 95 kWh battery with 300 miles of range and a 0 to 60 time of 4.2 seconds. Even the shape of the Indi One is somewhat reminiscent of Tesla’s popular electric crossover, sporting a shortish hood, room for five passengers and a sloping rear end.

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However, where INDIEV is changing things up comes on the inside. That's because unlike other cars, the premium version of the Indi One features a VIC, or vehicle integrated computer designed to let occupants play games, edit photos and videos, or even live stream while on the go.

Now other car makers like Tesla have dabbled with in-car gaming, with owners enjoying support for titles like the Witcher 3, Stardew Valley, Cyberpunk 2077, and more on its vehicles. But the few dozen or so games available in Tesla’s Arcade feature are still a far cry from what you can get from PC marketplaces like Steam or the Epic Game Store. Additionally, due to NHTSA regulations, you can’t game on a Tesla’s main screen while the car is in motion, which makes a lot of sense, but is a bummer for any passengers seeking alternative entertainment.

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But on the One, INDIEV gets around that restriction by having two large screens on the car’s dashboard. There’s a main infotainment screen powered by Android Automotive, along with a second screen on the passenger’s side running Windows. Not only does this mean guests can play while moving, it also means you can install pretty much any PC app you want. The car’s gaming credentials aren’t too shabby either. At the show, INDIEV reps told me the car currently features an Intel Core i7 CPU and an Nvidia RTX 2080 GPU. But by the time the One officially goes on sale next year, the company is hoping to upgrade that to an RTX 3080 or better (assuming we’re still not in the midst of a chip crunch).

While it probably won’t be easy, INDIEV says the car’s GPU may even be user-replaceable, so you shouldn’t have to worry about buying a whole new car after a few years when it struggles to play the latest AAA games. And while I didn’t get a chance to game on it myself, I was able to pull up Twitch, get a glance at the standard Windows UI running underneath and see the One’s in-car streaming setup in action. INDIEV even lets users access one of the car’s built-in cameras to capture your face, so there’s no need for an external webcam. That said, because there isn’t a built-in mouse, keyboard or gamepad, you’ll need to figure out a control setup that works for your needs.

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INDIEV also teamed up with markers of ARK Park so guests can dive into in VR, with the game set to mimic the motion and turns of the car to reduce motion sickness. Additionally, the VIC will be open-sourced and will have an SDK for developers, so if you’re not afraid of some code, you can create custom apps and routines. And thanks to military-grade vibration reduction surrounding the VIC, the car’s gaming components shouldn’t come loose due to unforeseen bumps in the road. How’s that for geeky?

Finally, INDIEV says the One supports blockchain integration, allowing the car’s computer to function as a node for an unspecific decentralized ledger. This means the car could rake in a bit of passive income when you’re not driving it, which sounds like a nice idea in an alternate world where crypto has overtaken cash and credit, but I don’t think we’re yet. I should also point out that it’s hard to say how much juice gaming or running a node will have on the One’s range, which could render both of these features moot if you’re low on battery.

Of course, EV startups are kind of a dime a dozen these days. And for every Tesla that makes it big, there are sure to be others that crash and burn before reaching critical mass. But as someone who has always wondered why car makers don’t try to get more utility out of the computers inside them, I appreciate the ambition. And as we seen from Tesla and other EV makers have already proven, the tech inside a car matters just as much as how it looks or drives.

Now I admit that the newness of being able to game in your car makes it difficult to say if INDIEV’s endeavor will be a success or even help sell an extra car or two. But as someone who never has enough time to play games as it is, the idea of fitting in a quick round of Apex Legends while recharging or poking away in Civ 6 as a passenger during a road trip sounds fantastic. So if you’ve ever dreamed about an EV that can push pixels just as well as your rig at home, the One provides an interesting glimpse at a next-gen driving machine.

Reservations for the Indi One are available now ahead of its official release date next year in Q2 2023.

Because the pandemic has caused me to spend more time at my PC than ever before, things like carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive stress injuries have become a growing concern. And while the MX Vertical is one of the best gadgets to help avoid straining your tendons, its bulky dimensions meant it never really worked for me. But with the new Lift, Logitech finally has a great alternative for people with smaller hands.

Priced at $70 and available in three colors (graphite, rose and off-wite), Logitech says the Lift was developed by its Ergo Lab following feedback from employees and customers who, like me, were put off by the size of the MX Vertical. So after multiple rounds of user testing and approval from third-party ergonomic institutions, the company settled on a sleeker model that’s 22 percent smaller than before.

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Now that might not sound like much, but as a guy with medium-sized hands, the difference is immediately apparent. When I tested both of Logitech’s offerings side by side, the Lift felt nimbler and more natural, while the MX Vertical felt like holding a softball.

To further enhance all-day usability, the Lift features a 57-degree vertical design the company says more closely mimics a person’s natural arm and wrist posture, while a handy thumb rest and soft rubber coating help provide a firm, non-slip grip. And unlike the MX Vertical, the Lift even comes in both right and left-handed versions, so there’s something for everyone.

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Notably, while the Lift doesn’t carry the MX designation of Logitech most premium peripherals, the mouse still features a smooth magnetic SmartWheel and can be paired with up to three devices simultaneously via Bluetooth or the Logi Bolt receiver (which comes included). But one of my favorite things about the Lift is that aside from the clicky thumb buttons, the scroll wheel and the left and right mouse buttons are super quiet, which is really nice if you don’t want to disturb your family or coworkers (especially if you’re working at night).

My only two minor gripes are that I would have preferred a rechargeable design and that Logitech still doesn’t make a USB-C version of its receiver. That said, longevity probably won’t be a major issue with a claimed battery life of 24 months from a single AA battery. And if you have a PC that only has USB-C ports, there’s a good chance you already have the necessary adapter lying around.

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Overall, while I know that Lift isn’t really a groundbreaking product, I appreciate Logitech’s drive to make its ergonomic devices more accessible. With the ongoing shift to working remotely, I’ve been trying to take stock of my home office and eliminate any items that are causing undue stress. And while I’m not sure I could switch to the Lift full-time as it isn’t great for gaming, I noticed even using it for an hour or two made a big impact on how my wrist felt at the end of the day. So while it’s not quite as sophisticated as the $100 MX Vertical, from what I’ve seen so far, the Lift is a comfy and even more affordable option to upgrade your everyday work setup.

We're in the middle of an EV revolution and every day it feels like there's a new electric car, truck or SUV hitting the road. But if you want an electric van, your options are a lot more limited, which is precisely what VW is hoping to address with the upcoming ID.Buzz.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend the ID.Buzz’s official debut back at SXSW, so when I heard that it would be making another appearance at the New York International Auto Show, I made sure to stop by and check it out. Now technically, VW isn't calling the ID.Buzz a van, so I’ll let you decide where this thing fits among other EVs. But what we do know is that it’s slated to go on sale sometime in 2024, featuring a 77-kWh battery with two rows of seats for the European model (which is what version VW had on display) or a full three rows of seats and slightly longer chassis for the US market. Other specs like its range and price are still to be determined.

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But make no mistake, unlike the countless number of Microbus concepts we've seen over the past 20 years, this is a production-ready car, so it's more or less what you'll see at dealers. And I think it looks absolutely fantastic, which is actually kind of impressive. Normally, when you think about buying a van, it feels like you’re giving up on being hip or cool in favor of practicality.

Just like the original, VW has kept the Microbus' two-toned color scheme. Though if that's a bit much for your taste, there will also be less flashy single-color paint jobs. Meanwhile, to bring the Microbus' design into the 21st century, the company has gone minimalist with a lot of its details, opting for clean lines and a big VW logo in front and back, along with blacked-out pillars that makes the bus look like it's wearing a visor.

Inside, VW continues the new styling by using the same diamond pattern seen on the front grille, and a two-toned interior featuring animal-free upholstery and vegan leather. The infotainment system is similar to what's available in the VW ID.4, with a small display behind the steering wheel and a larger touchscreen in the center sporting icons that can be made to match the Buzz's paint job. There's also a thin lightstrip that runs across the base of the windshield that serves as a heads-up notification system, though I didn't get to see it in action because it's typically only active when the car is in motion.

My favorite thing about the ID.Buzz's interior are all the little usability touches. I spotted no less than four USB-C ports — one in every door — and I'm willing to bet the US version will have at least one or two more for third-row passengers. VW also made it so that you can completely remove the center console between the front seats, giving passengers more room to move about. It even threw in some fun easter eggs like a smiley face behind the front passenger's interior door handle and little ID.Buzz logos on the rear windshield and the base of the rear seats. And while VW didn't have it on hand, there's even an accessory that goes in the trunk to create a flat load shelf. That means you can throw a mattress in back and use the Buzz for stuff like camping, which was one of the best things about the old Microbus.

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Perhaps most importantly, when you step back and look at the future van market, VW is leading the way with the ID.Buzz. Sure, Ford is working on an electric version of the Transit, and Mercedes has an EV version of Sprinter. But those are designed to be commercial vehicles, not something that the average person might buy. And that's kind of sad, because hauling kids or animals short distances around town is the perfect use case for an electric vehicle.

So when the ID.Buzz finally arrives sometime in 2024, it'll be well ahead of competitors like the Chrysler Pacifica, which currently only exists as a plug-in hybrid. Not only has VW made what looks to be a great reinterpretation of a classic, the ID.Buzz is a pioneering electric van. Oh, and if you just want to haul stuff around, VW is planning to make a cargo version of the ID.Buzz too.

After announcing the company's first electric vehicle last year (not counting the weird old RAV4 EV), Toyota has finally released pricing for its upcoming bZ4X SUV before it arrives at dealers later this spring. 

For the base XLE model with front-wheel drive, the bZ4X will start at $42,000 while providing 252 miles of range on a single charge. Meanwhile, if you prefer a slightly more premium kit, you can upgrade to the Limited package (which starts at $46,700) that adds more luxurious satin and soft-touch finishes and upgraded seats, with Toyota offering FWD and X-MODE AWD drive options across both trim levels. 

Toyota

While similar in size to the Toyota's popular RAV4 (it's 3.7 inches longer but two inches shorter), the bZ4X is going for a sleeker, more futuristic design featuring an emphasis on aerodynamics and improved driver visibility thanks to a lower hood height. On the base model, Toyota is claiming 0-60 times of 7.1 seconds, or 6.5 seconds for the AWD version. That said, the AWD model's speedier acceleration does come with slightly reduced range, topping out at around 228 miles on a charge.

Inside, the car offers seating for five passengers and an infotainment system with a 12.3-inch touchscreen that supports wireless CarPlay and Android Auto. And for those who really want to stay connected, you can also pay for a Wi-Fi Connect subscription that will add hotspot functionality powered by AT&T's 4G network. You'll also get a handful of USB ports (both Type-A and Type-C), a built-in wireless charger and a three-year trial for Toyota's Remote Connect service, which allows owners to control things like the car's temperature controls, horn, window defroster and more from an app on their phone. 

Toyota

Finally, when it comes to recharging, the bZ4X will come with an included 6.6kW adapter that should be able to bring the car from low to full in about nine hours when connected to a Level 2 charger, with new owners even getting the option to purchase ChargePoint Home Flex charger direct from select dealers. And as an added bonus, for anyone who buys or leases a 2023 bZ4X, Toyota is throwing in one free year of unlimited complimentary charging at all EVgo charging stations nationwide. 

It’s hard to believe Wii Sports came out more than 15 years ago. But to me, the strangest thing is that despite being one of the most memorable Wii games of all time, Nintendo never made a proper sequel, that is until now.

I got a chance to check out Nintendo Switch Sports ahead of its official release on April 29th, and I’m so glad it’s back. Just like the original, Switch Sports is a collection of virtual sports games that rely largely on motion controls. In other words, it's a game best played standing up, ideally with a bunch of friends or family members.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Returning from the original are tennis and bowling, which are as fun as ever. And like all of the included sports, the game supports both online and local play (with up to four players on a single TV). And for kids who might not have been around during the first Wii Sports craze, they're a great way to introduce motion controls. But for me, the real stars are the four new additions: soccer, volleyball, badminton and chambara.

In volleyball, there are different gestures for things like bumping, setting and blocking, and the ability to play full 2v2 matches locally is a surefire formula for instant fun. The gestures felt surprisingly natural once I got a hang of the timing, to the point where I was having flashbacks about gym class in high school. Just don’t forget to use your Joy-Con’s wrist straps, because no one wants to see a controller-shaped crack on their big screen TV after going for a spike.

Nintendo

Soccer takes a slightly different approach because, for now, it relies on controller inputs rather than wildly flailing around, which means it plays more like Rocket League than actual soccer. There’s even a jumping headbutt command that’s tricky to land, but is extremely satisfying when you do.

That said, in the shootout mode, you can attach a Joy-Con to your preferred kicking limb using Nintendo’s leg strap. The strap comes included in the $50 physical version of the game, but is also available separately for $10 if you opt for the $40 digital edition. It’s the same strap that comes with Ring Fit Adventure, so if you already have that you don’t need to buy another.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

I found nailing the timing in shoot-out mode to be the hardest out of all the games, but even when I whiffed badly, it was still a blast. And sometime later this summer, Nintendo is going to release a free update that will add motion-kicking controls to the main soccer mode.

Meanwhile, chambara lets you live out all your sword-fighting dreams. It’s frantic, while still rewarding fast reactions on defense. You can hold your Joycon vertically, horizontally, or diagonally to block incoming strikes, and if you’re successful, you can get in a free riposte while your opponent is dazed.

Or you can just do what I did and pretend your Taz from Looney Tunes and try to overwhelm your opponent with a flurry of swings which, pro tip, doesn’t really work. The goal is to knock your opponent off the platform into the water below, which can take as little as one or two hits in later rounds. There are even charge and twin sword modes to spice up the action, but I didn’t get to try those out, which is probably a good thing because the standard mode is hectic enough.

Nintendo

Finally, there’s my absolute favorite of the bunch: badminton. It feels twice as fast as tennis, and even though I only played one match, it might have been the most fun workout I’ve had in weeks. Rallies are frenetic, and if you can make your opponent flub their timing, you’ll be rewarded with a soft lob (denoted by a wobbly birdie) that you can smash back with extra aggression. There’s even a command for doing a drop shot, which adds a nice bit of strategy.

For those thinking about becoming Switch Sports pros, there’s an online competitive mode that lets you rank up as you develop your skills. Bowling also gets a special survival mode that pits 16 players against each other simultaneously. And in the fall, Nintendo is going to push out a second free update that brings golf back to the mix.

Honestly, Switch Sports is so engaging my only question is why something like this wasn’t available at the Switch's launch in 2017. 1-2 Switch was fine, but it often felt more like a tech demo than a collection of party games. And it didn’t really have the replayability or the pickup-and-play appeal Wii Sports provided. But no matter, a proper sequel is gonna be here soon, and from what I’ve played so far, it’s going to be even better than the original.

The Surface Pro's design has been with us for almost a decade, so it's kind of a wonder that in all that time, no one has really ever tried to make a detachable 2-in-1 gaming machine. Pretty much everywhere you look, there's a hybrid version of every type of gadget — from tablets to smartphones — aside from gaming PCs. And while ASUS teased us with the ROG Mothership back in 2019, now the company has finally returned to transform that concept into an actual retail device: the ROG Flow Z13.

Design and display

For those familiar with Microsoft's detachables, if you take one look at the Flow Z13 (which starts at $1,800) you'll immediately see why I mentioned the Surface Pro line, because ASUS has basically taken that blueprint and made it all gamery. You get a bright 13.4-inch full HD screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, a handy kickstand in back, and a magnetic strip for hooking up a removable keyboard cover. That cover also feels similar to a Surface, right down to the bounciness of the keyboard and its slightly too-small touchpad. This means any hardcore RTS or FPS gamers will definitely want to keep an external keyboard around. ASUS even hid a microSD card slot and removable M.2 cover behind the kickstand, just like the Surface Pro. You’ll also find an 8-MP camera around back, though its image quality leaves a lot to be desired (the cam in front is fine though). Elsewhere, we have one USB-C port with Thunderbolt 4, a USB A port and a couple of other ports hidden beneath a protective seal. But more on those later.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

That said, while its overall design is a lot like a Surface, the Z13 gives off a very different vibe. ASUS’ over-the-top cyberpunk aesthetic combined with a splash of red and black accents might be a bit much for some. But I kinda love it, especially that window with RGB lighting in back. In fact, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say we need more see-through gadgets in general.

Specs and performance

On the inside, we got some relatively beefy components, particularly for a system this size. We're talking an Intel Core i9-12900H CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB M.2 SSD, and an RTX 3050TI. In normal use browsing the web or social media, the Z13 is rather quiet, though that changes when you launch a game. Fan noise is noticeable, but doesn’t become a real distraction. And while the back of the Z13 does get warm, ASUS’ tablet design and vapor chamber cooling system helps keep throttling to a minimum.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now normally, pairing an i9 chip with a 3050 Ti doesn’t make a lot of sense. In most games, the Z13 is going to be bottlenecked by its GPU, which makes a high-end CPU seem like overkill. In benchmarks, I saw frame rates of 37 fps in Forza Horizon 5 on ultra settings, 64 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider on highest and 40 fps in Metro Exodus on high. So decent, but not exactly mind-blowing.

That's where those hidden ports come in. Once you remove the protective seal, you can attach ASUS' optional (and expensive) $1,400 XG Mobile graphics dock, which has even more ports (HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, Ethernet, four USB 3.2 Type-A ports and an SD card reader), along with an RTX 3080 graphics card. And after I hooked everything up, gaming performance basically doubled, with frame rates in Forza Horizon 5 jumping up to 87 fps at the same settings, with similar results for other titles (134 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and 95 fps in Metro Exodus).

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

So now, we're looking at a portable gaming tablet that has the kind of performance you'd typically only get from a big 15 or 17-inch notebook. And because the dock is detachable, you have the option to leave it behind if you’re not gonna be gaming. It even has its own power cable, allowing it to send juice to the Z13 when connected. So theoretically, if you throw both of these in your bag, you can leave ASUS’ basic charging brick at home. And when you're not using the dock, beneath that seal next to ASUS' proprietary XG port, there's a USB-C 3.2 connection that supports video out with G-sync.

However, there are a number of quirks about the XG dock. First, you can’t just disconnect it at will. Before you pull the plug, you need to manually disable it from the icon in the Windows system tray, which takes more than a moment. You also can't pick what GPU goes inside, it’s either an RTX 3080 or nothing. That means if you want to upgrade in the future, you’re gonna have to buy a whole new dock, assuming ASUS even makes a second generation. And because of that proprietary port, the XG Dock is only compatible with this system and the ROG Flow X13, which is basically the laptop version of Z13.

Battery life

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

One of the biggest downsides of the Z13’s tablet design is not having a lot of room for a sizable battery. In our video rundown test, the system’s 56 Whr power pack lasted just five hours and 38 minutes. That’s four hours shorter than the Zephyrus G14 (9:45) and nearly two and half hours less than the Alienware X14. That means you will probably need to bring ASUS’ power brick whenever you leave the house, especially if you plan on actual gaming. And in the real world, even with the most casual workloads, I found the Z13 was often gasping for energy well before the end of the day. On the plus side, the Z13 uses USB-C Power Delivery, so at least the charger can top up other gadgets too.

Wrap up

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

When it comes to summing up a product, I’m usually not this conflicted. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea, I love the way it looks, and I love being able to tack on a beefy GPU when I want extra performance. I also love being able to flip it open, pair a controller and just get to gaming – no need to worry about a keyboard. There really isn't anything else like the Z13. The problem is that the whole kit isn't very practical, and it's not a great value either.

When you're using it as a laptop – like you know, on your lap – because all of its guts are stuffed inside what is essentially a tablet chassis, it's really top-heavy. Also, its battery life isn't very good, lasting at least two to three hours shorter than every other gaming laptop we've tested recently. And while it’s relatively thin, when you think about all the accessories you might want to carry around with it, the Z13 doesn’t really let you pack that much lighter when compared to a rival 14 or 15-inch laptop.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

And then there's its price. The Z13 starts at $1,800, or around $1,900 for one similar to our review unit with a 3050TI GPU, which is as high as you can spec it. And if you want the XG mobile graphics dock your all-in price climbs well above $3,000.

A similarly equipped traditional gaming laptop, like an Alienware X14 goes for about $200 less. Meanwhile, ASUS' own G14 Zephyrus can be had for as little as $1,450, and that's with a slightly more powerful RTX 3060. So if you just want to be able to game on the go, you can save a bunch of money simply by getting something less exotic. And if you need some extra performance now and then, you're probably better off getting a regular external GPU enclosure that you can upgrade yourself down the line instead of ASUS' proprietary dock.

Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now all this doesn't mean you shouldn't get one. But you should know what you're getting into first. The Flow Z13 is a wildly interesting system, and for people looking for a portable and adaptable machine with big time performance, I'm glad that ASUS finally made a gaming tablet/detachable 2-in-1 into a real device after all these years. And while its high price will make the Z13 an incredibly hard sell for most people, I still think it’s impractically cool.

With road trip season about to commence, Google Maps is getting an update that should help make vacation planning a bit easier thanks to enhanced details and a new feature that will calculate estimated toll prices. 

Previously, while Google Maps could tell you which routes had tolls or not, you didn't get much info beyond that. But now, in an update rolling out later this month that will cover more than 2,000 roads across the US, India, Japan and Indonesia, users will be able to see estimated toll pricing sourced from local authorities.

Google

This means you should have more information when trying to figure out the cheapest way to get to your destination, with Google Maps even factoring in things like different payment methods (e.g. paying with a pass versus cash/credit), the day of the week or even the specific time you're expected hit a toll. And of course, if you want to save as much money as possible, Google will still surface toll-free routes and provide an option to completely block routes with tolls from being displayed.

Google

On top of that, to help make driving through unfamiliar territory a bit less scary, Google Maps is also getting enhanced details. Soon, you'll be able to see things like traffic lights and stops signs along with additional info regarding nearby points of interest and even more precise building outlines. Google also says that in select cities, users will be able to spot details like the shape of the road, including features such as medians and islands. The update is slated to roll out to Android, iOS, Android and CarPlay throughout select countries in the coming weeks. 

Finally, for those with iOS devices, Google is adding a few extra features for use across Apple's ecosystem. On iPhones and iPads, Maps is getting a new trip widget that will let you pin your next trek to your home screen. Additionally, the standard Google Maps search widget is also getting a size reduction, so you can quickly lookup a destination without the widget taking up too much screen real estate. 

Google

Meanwhile, for those who want to travel super light, Google is adding deeper support for Google Maps to the Apple Watch. This will allow you to look up a destination and even see directions on your wrist, all without ever having to pick up your phone. Additionally, iOS Spotlight, Siri and the Shortcuts app are also getting Google Maps integration in the coming months, so you can more easily search for a place using voice commands.