When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. AI subscriptions are the electric bill. You're always going to pay for cloud AI, so why not invest in yourself? The AI pendulum has swung back and forth throughout the last few years, from ChatGPT and Copilot in the cloud, then back to local AI and the PC's newfound NPU, then back to independent agents like Claude. Now it's headed the way of the PC once again, abandoning privacy arguments (which still stand strong!) for a more straightforward argument: It's better for your wallet.

Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Creator Playbook Look Up Back to School Mashable Selects Say More Trending Now Good Connection: Uplifting stories for a digital age Switch Off Mashable Voices Safety Net Versus All Series Save $45: Amazon's Fire HD 8 tablet has dropped ti its best-ever price Get a great tablet for under $85. Lois Mackenzie is a freelance reporter at Mashable. Over the years she has written for many publications, covering everything from the local news to the best pair of running shoes. You can find bylines in publications including Fit&Well, Metro, and Coach magazine, usually covering deals on everything from earbuds to TVs, or guides on how to beat your half marathon time. All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers.

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Creator Playbook Look Up Back to School Mashable's Best: E-readers, robovacs, laptops, earbuds, smart home and more Mashable Selects Say More Trending Now Good Connection: Uplifting stories for a digital age Switch Off Mashable Voices Safety Net Versus All Series This is a great deal on the best MacBook Neo alternative for Windows users. Haley Henschel is a Chicago-based Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable who reviews and finds deals on popular tech, from laptops to gaming consoles and VPNs. She has years of experience covering shopping holidays and can tell you what's actually worth buying on Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. Her work has also explored the driving forces behind digital trends within the shopping sphere, from dupes to 12-foot skeletons . All products featured here are independently selected by our editors and writers.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Laptop prices are climbing due to rising memory costs. Here's what actually matters when choosing a screen, processor, RAM, and storage. This isn't the best time to be thinking about buying a computer. High memory prices have driven up the cost of almost everything.

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PCWorld reports that Microsoft is working on performance improvements for Windows 11, targeting faster boot times and better responsiveness on machines with only 8GB of RAM. Windows Hello is also expected to see notable improvements, making everyday use smoother for budget PC owners. No specific release dates have been announced yet, but Microsoft appears committed to optimizing Windows 11 for lower-end hardware. Microsoft confirmed at IFA 2026 that upcoming updates for Windows 11 will include faster boot times. According to Mark Linton, head of Windows & Devices at Microsoft, the company has already made significant progress in both the startup times and responsiveness of Windows Hello, and further improvements are expected.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Shortages are driving prices up. Here's how to stretch your current rig until the market calms down. There's no denying that all of our next PC upgrades are likely to be more expensive than they've been in a long time. And if history is anything to go by, they won't come all the way down again.

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