Hardware
Claim a full MS Office suite license with no subscription before this 30 deal ends
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. With a sale ending today, May 31 at 11:59pm Pacific, you can own a Windows lifetime license to Microsoft Office for $29.97, with no subscription required. Tired of paying monthly just to access your everyday work tools? Microsoft Office Professional 2021 gives you the core apps -- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more -- in a one-time purchase for $29.97 through May 31. This version is a solid choice for freelancers, business owners, students, and anyone who wants to create polished documents, presentations, and spreadsheets without juggling subscriptions or relying on cloud-only tools.
Nvidia's N1X could be the jolt Windows laptops need -- with one big catch
PCWorld reports that Nvidia's rumored N1X chip could revolutionize Windows laptops with a 20-core CPU, Blackwell GPU, and impressive AI performance potentially rivaling Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite. The N1X represents Nvidia's entry into laptop processors, promising better battery life and AI capabilities as laptop costs soar and consumers seek affordable alternatives. However, gaming performance may suffer due to x86 emulation challenges that plague all Arm-based processors, limiting the chip's appeal for gamers. Nvidia is evidently not content to be the world's most valuable company, as the AI and GPU giant now appears primed to dive headfirst into the choppy waters of the laptop processor market. Whether that will help or hurt its fortunes remains to be seen, as the Internet has been aflame this month with rumors that Nvidia will unveil a new "N1X" chip this week at Computex alongside a weaker N1 chip - and the word is both will be SoC (system-on-chip) silicon aimed at Windows laptops. That could be a big deal for anyone who wants to buy a laptop in the next few years, because everything I've heard about the N1X suggests it's optimized for AI performance, battery life, and perhaps even gaming. If Nvidia's efforts to partner with companies like MediaTek and Intel has produced a capable CPU married to a svelte Nvidia GPU on a single chip, utilizing Nvidia's expertise in building high-performance systems for AI and enterprise use, that's potentially a game-changer for the laptop market - and a big challenge to AMD, Apple, and Qualcomm's flagship laptop chips.
Through May 31--Get Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro for life for 35
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Get a lifetime license for Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro for $35 until May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT. Microsoft 365 costs $99.99 per year at minimum, and Windows 10 stopped getting security updates last October. If you want to deal with both at once, then take a look at this bundle. This is a two-part deal that covers your OS and your productivity suite in one go.
Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 is on sale for 35 through May 31
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 is available for a one-time payment of $34.97 (regularly $499.99) Visual Studio has earned its place as one of the go-to development environments in the industry, and the 2026 version makes a strong case for upgrading -- A lifetime license is currently $34.97 (regularly $499.99) The IDE is fully 64-bit, optimized for larger codebases and more demanding workloads, without the performance drag experienced by older versions. Together, these tools cover most of what a modern development team needs in a single environment, without piecing together separate plugins or subscriptions to fill the gaps.
This floating Bluetooth speaker is all you need this summer (49% off)
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. The Wonderboom 4 floats, survives submersion up to 1 meter, and lasts 14 hours on a full charge. It's now $52 (was $100) at Amazon. Specially designed to float, you can take it with you to the pool/beach and actually bring it into the water with you. The sound quality is fine, and fine is good enough because you aren't buying a speaker like this for top-notch sound.
Acer's 10 dual-USB card reader works with everything you own
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Acer's $10 dual-USB card reader works with everything you own Acer's card reader has both USB-C and USB-A ends, plus SD and microSD slots. If you're occasionally pulling footage--whether from DSLRs, security cams, dash cams, drone cams--and you hate the fact that your laptop doesn't have card slots, what you need is a tiny little accessory like this one: Acer's dual-USB SD/microSD card reader . It's on sale for just $10 at Amazon right now and it does something most card readers don't. Just look at it once and you'll see why it's special: it's double-sided with one end having a USB-C connector and the other end USB-A. That makes it super versatile, able to be used with pretty much any device you have, new or old--tablets, MacBooks, phones, whatever.
Acer's new handheld is basically a PlayStation Portal for PC
PCWorld reports Acer's Nitro Blaze Link is a streaming-only handheld that connects to gaming PCs via Wi-Fi 6, similar to PlayStation Portal's approach. The lightweight 464-gram device features a 7-inch 1920 1200 touchscreen, targeting gamers who want PC gaming without expensive local processing hardware. Success depends on competitive pricing and software capabilities, though crucial details like supported streaming services and cost remain undisclosed. Yesterday Acer announced the Predator Atlas 8, one of the very first handheld gaming PCs with Intel's new Arc G3 chip at its heart . At the time I noted that the previous Acer handhelds were released under the Nitro sub-brand but budget handhelds aren't really a thing in 2026. There is, in fact, a new Nitro handheld coming.
Horror video game gets its creepiness from a quantum computer
Quantum Backrooms is a horror game in which the player explores eerie rooms. A quantum computer has been used to create a horror video game called - and it's available to play online. Peculiarities of quantum objects have long inspired philosophers and artists, and now game developers are getting the bug too. James Wootton at Moth Quantum and his colleagues developed, a horror game with labyrinthine levels generated by a real quantum computer . The game draws inspiration from "the Backrooms," a horror legend developed on internet forums that consists of moving through a series of endless rooms.
This 2.2-pound Acer laptop somehow promises 30 hours of battery life
PCWorld highlights the Acer TravelMate P6 14 AI, a remarkably lightweight laptop at 2.2 pounds that promises up to 30 hours of battery life through advanced engineering. The device features Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Panther Lake processors, carbon fiber and magnesium-aluminum construction, plus multiple display options including 3K OLED touchscreen. Set for August launch, this laptop targets business travelers seeking exceptional portability without sacrificing performance or battery endurance. Historically, a travel laptop with long battery life meant more weight and thickness. That's not the case with Acer's TravelMate P6 14 AI, which somehow squeezes up to 30 hours of battery life inside a laptop weighing less than 2.2 pounds.
Nvidia's N1X could show us the future of PCs--and the bill that comes with it
PCWorld anticipates Nvidia's N1X launch at Computex, featuring an Arm-based APU with 20 CPU cores and Blackwell graphics that could match RTX 5060 laptop performance. The article highlights growing concerns about PC hardware affordability, with examples like Steam Deck price increases suggesting higher costs may become the norm. This trend matters for consumers as powerful new hardware from Nvidia, AMD, and Intel may deliver impressive performance but potentially at premium prices that limit accessibility. The PC industry is once again on the brink of a pivotal moment in history--or so appears to be the case, given the rumors about Computex next week. In particular, the internet anticipates the launch of Nvidia's N1X, an Arm-based APU expected to marry ferocious CPU performance with equally knockout GPU chops.