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ReviewsFirst LookThe TCL 10 5G UW Is the Cheapest 5G Phone on the Market, But It’s Verizon-Only
Phone makers have pushed out a wave of premium 5G phones this fall, but when it comes to more affordable handsets that support next-gen cell networks, pickings are still kind of slim. However, starting at just $400, the TCL 10 5G UW is now the cheapest 5G phone on the market. To make things even … Continued
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ReviewsFirst LookThe Xbox Series X and S Are Stackable
We discovered this week just how big the PlayStation 5 is, and, well, it looks sort of like a basketball arena with its swoopy design and towers over even the heftiest consoles, like the Xbox One and the original Xbox. But what’s most clear about the PlayStation 5 is that it is not meant to … Continued
By Alex Cranz -
ReviewsWearablesSmartwatchesThis Smartwatch Has a Baffling Price
Your average smartwatch brand usually puts out at least two types of watches: a premium flagship smartwatch, and a more cost-conscious alternative with about 75% of the flagship’s features. Samsung does it (Galaxy Watch 3 and the Galaxy Watch Active2), Fitbit does it (Fitbit Sense and Versa 3), and now with the Apple Watch SE, … Continued
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ReviewsOther GadgetsThe Freewrite Traveler Is Beautiful Distraction-Free Writing That Won’t Finish Your Novel For You
If you’re a certain type of writer, you’ll probably think you’ll use the Freewrite Traveler every day. The entire package is alluring: it’s a portable, e-ink-powered typewriter that sends your documents to an email box instantly and is completely distraction-free. Imagine how much writing you’ll get done! No Twitter, no Facebook, no endless doom-scrolling. Just … Continued
By John Biggs -
ReviewsGraphics CardsThe Nvidia RTX 3070 Has No Business Being This Good
While Nvidia’s RTX 3080 release last month didn’t quite go as planned, there’s no denying that Nvidia’s 3000 series of ray tracing graphics cards are the ones that matter. The RTX 3080 finally made 4K gaming at 60 fps possible and more affordable for the average PC gamer, and the 3000-series as a whole makes … Continued
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ReviewsFirst LookThe PS5 Is Big—Like Really Freaking Big
Up until now, the original Xbox has usually been the device people reference when talking about big-ass video game consoles. But with the arrival of the PS5, there’s a new sheriff in town. Measuring in at 15.4 x 10.2 x 4.1 inches and weighing a hair under 10 pounds flat, the PS5 easily bests the … Continued
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ReviewsPhonesAppleThe iPhone 12 Feels Like a $1,000 Phone
With four iPhone 12 options to choose from this fall, ranging in price from $700 all the way to $1,100, it feels like Apple has muddied the waters a bit. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, because the company extended flagship features across the lineup. But it does make things a bit complicated. For the … Continued
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ReviewsLaptopsHP’s MacBook Rival Has a Lot to Love, but the Thermals Are Terrifying
Sometimes the only thing differentiating a gaming laptop from a workstation laptop is the aesthetic. A lot of gaming laptops are dressed in a deep, matte black and accented with an RGB keyboard, or the air vents resemble a muscle car rear end. Mobile workstations blend into the coffee shop environment much more subtlety, only … Continued
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ReviewsHome EntertainmentSoundbarsRoku’s Streambar Is a Sandwich-Sized Soundbar Powerhouse
Most TVs these days can be improved with a soundbar—even a budget bar. But a soundbar that also doubles as a premium streaming device will check multiple boxes for people looking for both, particularly if their older sticks or boxes are no longer getting software updates that support newer streaming services. If this is you, … Continued
By Catie Keck -
ReviewsHome EntertainmentSet-top BoxesThe $50 Chromecast with Google TV Is the Best and Smartest Streaming Dongle for the Money
For the past few years, I never felt like I understood Google’s approach to streaming video. It vexed me, I was terribly vexxed. That’s because while Google was happy to provide Android TV to partners like Sony, Hisense, Nvidia, Xiaomi, and others for use in TVs and streaming video boxes, when it came to Google’s … Continued
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ReviewsOther GadgetsIf the Future of Skincare Is AI-Generated Serums, I’ll Pass
On Instagram, I am besieged with ads for personalized skincare and hair care. Curology, Skintelli, Proven, Skinsei, Prose, Function of Beauty—you name it, and I have been targeted by it. The general gist is that either via a selfie, quiz, or sometimes even a form of DNA testing, I can get a direct order beauty … Continued
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ReviewsSmart HomeThe Roomba i3+ Brilliantly Tamed My Pet Hair-Covered Home
For the entirety of the two years I’ve coexisted with my dog, Cila, my house—previously a stronghold of order and peace—morphed into a wasteland of blonde fur tumbleweeds that materialized as if by magic, even when I’d spent the entire afternoon prior cleaning the space from top to bottom. I’d assumed that short of vacuuming … Continued
By Catie Keck -
ReviewsHeadphonesBeatsThe Beats Flex Are the Best Cheap Bluetooth Earbuds You Can Buy
Cheap Bluetooth earbuds are usually very shitty. You have to make trade-offs for the lower price tag, which means that, depending on the earbuds, you end up sacrificing battery life, audio quality, or Bluetooth performance. But after nearly a week of using the $50 Beats Flex, I can’t find a single downside. These earbuds are … Continued
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ReviewsPhonesGoogleGoogle Is Bucking Trends with the Pixel 5, and It’s Awesome
Ever since Google bought a big chunk of HTC and began integrating its U.S. and Taiwan teams (the Pixel 3a was the first Pixel primarily designed in Taiwan), it’s felt like Google has been a bit confused about the Pixel’s direction. Two years ago we got a large Pixel with dual selfie cams and a … Continued
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ReviewsHome EntertainmentSpeakersThe Best Bluetooth Speaker for $100 or Less
These days, finding the perfect Bluetooth speaker can feel a bit like looking for a needle in a very large haystack—particularly in the budget category. Any big box store will have dozens of options to choose from, and attempting to find one in a sea of products on Amazon is nothing short of daunting. Plus, … Continued
By Catie Keck -
ReviewsFirst LookThe Fujifilm X-S10 Is a Fun, Beginner-Friendly Take on One of the Best Mirrorless Cameras
Fujifilm’s X-T4 is one of the best APS-C cameras on the market. However, for people just getting into photography, Fujifilm’s old-school dial layout can be a little intimidating, so on the new X-S10, Fujifilm took the X-T4’s guts and crammed them into an even lighter and more compact beginner-friendly body. I know that for a … Continued
