When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. I was skeptical of this $19 laptop cooling pad. A cheap USB cooling pad solved my laptop overheating problem. Its adjustable stand and phone holder are nice bonuses, too. It wasn't so long ago that I could predict exactly when my laptop would give up the ghost on hot days.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. The Dell 14S isn't a very exciting laptop, and it leaves a lot of performance on the table by opting for Intel Graphics in most configurations, but it's a well-built machine with a quality display and exceptional battery life. The Dell 14S is a new, understated productivity laptop from the manufacturer. It skips the ostentation of the XPS line and has a bit more in common with older Inspiron models, but it's still built with premium materials and a clean aesthetic. It also aims for a more modest price point while still providing the hardware specs necessary for general office use, though the current market doesn't quite allow the price to get very low.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 isn't the most attractive ChromeOS machine, but it offers good performance and lots of storage for the price. The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 isn't the most attractive ChromeOS machine, but it offers good performance and lots of storage for the price. Buying a Chromebook in 2026 can feel like a bit of a gamble. Many models are available, but pricing seems to vary wildly, and a lot of retail sites list new and ancient models side-by-side. The Acer Chromebook Plus 514 enters this confusing market as a sensible choice with decent specs and a mid-range price of $399.99.

Gear Amazon just dropped prices on UGREEN's excellent-but-underrated chargers, docks, and power bricks UGREEN's gear deserves more credit than it gets. More information Adding us as a Preferred Source in Google by using this link indicates that you would like to see more of our content in Google News results. Don't get caught without power. We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. By signing up, you confirm you are 16+, will receive newsletters and promotional content and agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy .

PCWorld suggests that older, discounted laptops often provide better value than new models, as processor improvements have become incremental rather than revolutionary. The AI boom has driven up memory and storage costs for new laptops, while previous-generation models with 16GB RAM and 512GB storage remain highly capable. This approach matters because newer laptops frequently don't justify their higher prices with significant real-world performance improvements over well-specced older alternatives. The smartest laptop to buy in 2026 may not be a 2026 laptop. That's why PCWorld's laptop deals roundup has become one of the most useful things we publish. Now, more than ever, I'm convinced that the latest laptops -- and, heck, even the latest tech products -- simply don't offer enough real-world improvement to justify their higher prices. Indeed, cheaper laptops from previous years often deliver better alignment between performance and pricing. Some of this, you already know. Do the vast majority of PC users need the latest and greatest keyboard?

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. The Xbox is sitting in a similar spot now, and Microsoft has big decisions to make. For a year or two in my childhood, the Sega Dreamcast was the future. It had 3D graphics better than anything on the market. It had an internet connection for online gaming.

"You can make a living, you can have a life, and leave 55,000 emails unread with a big fuck off." Pete Holmes has Crashing "Silly Silly Fun Boy" I love this phone so much. The first thing I love about it is that it did not do well. And when I saw it, I couldn't wait to get it. People often think it's an Android. People often don't know what it is. I like having a phone nobody else has.

Apple is charging you an AI tax. There are many things you can buy for $10,000: A nose job. With luck, a used car. Or you could purchase a MacBook Pro. That's how much the highest-end, fully loaded version of Apple's laptop now costs--$3,000 more than it did last week. Maybe you don't need the most powerful MacBook Pro.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. With plenty of RAM and storage, this older touchscreen laptop has better specs than almost anything you'll find in this price range today. If you've been desperate for an affordable laptop lately, I'm sorry. Even the much-celebrated MacBook Neo has fallen victim to the price hikes seen across the industry. There's hardly anything left out there but if you're open to a refurbished model, you might just find a diamond in the rough.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. The HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is a luxurious portable laptop that provides solid portability alongside surprisingly excellent performance. The HP Omnibook Ultra 14 is a luxurious portable laptop that provides solid portability alongside surprisingly excellent performance. For a time, it seemed as though the Windows world was going to have to admit defeat at the hands of Apple's almighty silicon. Apple M-series chips are shockingly efficient, which tends to give MacBooks an edge in portability and performance in thin, light laptops.