Technology
OpenAI rolls out Canvas, its newest ChatGPT interface
OpenAI is beta testing a new workspace interface for ChatGPT called Canvas. The AI giant unveiled its new ChatGPT workspace on and it’s currently available for ChatGPT Plus and Team users. Enterprise and Edu users will be able to access Canvas sometime next week.
Canvas is a virtual interface space for writing and coding projects that allow users to consult with ChatGPT on certain portions of a project. A separate window opens besides the main chat space and users can put writing or code on this new “canvas” and highlight sections to have the model focus on and edit “like a copy editor or code reviewer,” according to the blog.
Canvas can either be opened manually by typing “use canvas” in your prompt. Canvas can also automatically open when it “detects a scenario in which it could be helpful,” according to the blog post.
There are also several shortcuts that can be used for writing and coding projects. Users can ask ChatGPT for suggested edits, length adjustments, reading level changes and emojis on writing projects. Coders can have ChatGPT review certain lines of code, add logs and comments for further clarity, fix bugs and port coding to a different language such as JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java, C++ or PHP in Canvas mode.
OpenAI’s Canvas feature brings ChatGPT in line with other AI assistants that have separate workspaces to focus on certain areas of a project like and the coding focused AI model .
Science & Environment
Iran oil tankers disappear from local port amid Israel attack fears, satellite images show
A general view of the Port of Kharg Island Oil Terminal in Iran on March 12, 2017.
Fatemeh Bahrami | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images
Satellite imagery revealed a number of oil tankers vacating the waters around Iran’s key Kharg Island oil loading terminal, amid fears of an Israeli counterattack on Tehran’s energy infrastructure.
“The National Iranian Tanker Company (NITC) appears to be fearing an imminent attack by Israel. Their empty VLCC supertankers vacated the country’s largest oil terminal, Kharg Island, yesterday,” tracking firm Tanker Trackers wrote in a post on the X social media platform on Thursday evening.
Markets have been on edge over the possibility of an Israeli retaliation, after Iran launched a missile attack against the Jewish state earlier this week.
Satellite imagery captured by the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission on Sept. 25 shows a number of VLCC (very large crude carrier) supertankers in the waters around Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export terminal. VLCC tankers are specifically designed to transport large volumes of crude oil.
Satellite imagery captured by the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission on Sept. 25 shows a number of VLCC supertankers in the waters around Kharg Island, Iran’s principal oil export terminal.
Sentinel Hub | Planet Labs | European Space Agency
Imagery of the same location on Oct. 3 — two days after Iran launched a volley of around 180 missiles at Israel for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah — shows an empty sea around Kharg Island, with no ships in sight.
Satellite imagery captured by the European Space Agency’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 mission on Oct. 3 shows an empty sea around Kharg Island, with no visible ships.
Sentinel Hub | Planet Labs | European Space Agency
CNBC could not independently verify the footage.
Iranian tankers are known for frequently switching off their transponders and manipulating their automatic identification system (AIS) in order to conceal their movements to skirt U.S. sanctions on the country’s oil exports. This is a different kind of development, says Samir Madani, co-founder of TankerTrackers.com
His analysis of the satellite imagery located the Iranian tankers as currently being “in the middle of the Persian Gulf, west of the island,” he told CNBC.
Kharg Island: Iran’s largest oil terminal
Located fifteen miles off Iran’s northwestern coast, the Kharg Island terminal handles more than 90% of the country’s crude exports. Its loading capacity has increased to 7 million barrels per day, according to Vesseltracker.com, although Iran does not currently export such levels.
Several energy analysts predict that oil prices could see an immediate-term spike of as much as 5% in the event of an Israeli attack on the terminal. Around 4% of global oil supply is at risk in the event of strikes on energy infrastructure in Iran, which is one of OPEC’s largest crude producers.
“There are plenty of facilities on [the] Iranian side and also [on the] Israeli side that could all be targeted in terms of critical infrastructure,” Sara Vakhshouri, founder and president at SVB Energy, told CNBC’s Capital Connection on Wednesday.
“That infrastructure is all connected,” she said, stressing that the sheer size of Iran means “it is impossible to somehow secure all of it.”
Crude futures are on track for gains of around 8% week-to-date, as markets await what Israel’s government has promised to be a “severe response” to the Iranian offensive.
Oil prices jumped 5% on Thursday and are headed for their best week in over a year following comments by U.S. President Joe Biden. Asked whether the White House would support retaliatory Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities, Biden on Thursday told reporters, “We’re discussing that. I think that would be a little… anyway,” breaking off mid-sentence.
The December delivery contract of global benchmark Brent was trading at $78.49 per barrel on Friday at 9:30 a.m. in London, up 1.1% from the Thursday close. The front-month November U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were trading at $74.49 per barrel, higher by 1% from the previous day’s settlement.
Technology
Silent Hill 2 review: faithful remake understands the assignment
Silent Hill 2
MSRP $70.00
Pros
- Detailed characters and world
- Fantastic sound design
- Strong puzzles
- Redesigned boss fights
- Original story is still impactful
Cons
- Padded with backtracking
- Combat gets old
After hours spent hiding from twisted nurses, I’m finally ready to escape Silent Hill 2’s Brookhaven Hospital. I frantically search for a front door key in the lobby, but I find one final doctor’s note first. The journal entry ruminates on an illness that’s taken over the small town, one that’s left its victims lost beyond the borders of reality. The medical world is on the hunt for a cure, but this doctor questions if it’s really a sickness at all. Sure, their patients are lost in a world within their head, but they seem at peace there — happy, even.
“So why, I ask myself, why in the name of healing him must we drag him painfully into the world of our own reality?” the writer wonders.
That’s always been the key to Silent Hill 2’s horror, and it’s carefully preserved in Bloober Team’s faithful remake. The PlayStation 2 classic is filled with creepy monsters that will stalk anyone unwise enough to enter the town of Silent Hill, but that’s not the source of its fear. The real scary part is what lies outside of the city limits: a harsh world where monsters roam free on two legs instead of hiding in the shadows. Maybe it’s safer in the fog.
While it may be an unnecessary project, Silent Hill 2’s remake keeps the original’s haunting essence intact by staying true to its unsettling atmosphere, off-kilter tone, and uncomfortable moments. It’s a respectful revisit that only veers off course when it tries a little too hard to add pounds onto a sleek horror game. Even with some extra weight, the tortured story told here is every bit as harrowing as it was in 2001.
New look, same feel
Remaking Silent Hill 2 is no easy task. Though many games over the past two decades have been inspired by the PS2 classic, very few have quite nailed its feel. It shares DNA with genre peers like Resident Evil, but it’s a horror game that feels as otherworldly as its own alternate universes. It’s eerie, antagonistic, and always just enough off-center to keep players off balance at all times. I was skeptical that anyone could pull it off, let alone Bloober Team; psychological projects like The Medium have always felt indebted to Silent Hill, but they’ve never quite hit the mark. Perhaps sensing its own shortcomings, Bloober dials in on the original game to truly understand what makes it special and deliver a remake worthy of its legacy.
Bloober finds a new eeriness in its uncanny approach.
The core is still the same. It’s a survival horror game about James Sunderland’s trip to a foggy, monster-infested town in search of his “missing” wife. All of the set pieces, disturbing bosses, haunting music, and iconic cinematics appear as I remember them, but with a modern sheen. That begins with a visual overhaul that trades in PS2 dreariness for Unreal Engine 5 realism. Though the original release derives its power from its filthy textures, Bloober finds a new eeriness in its uncanny approach.
Characters are more painstakingly detailed, capturing more physical nuances from its top-notch cast. Characters like Angela benefit most from that change; she’s more manic when she’s wildly swinging around a knife, more detached as she ascends a flaming staircase. Eddie is especially haunting, with a rougher face and dead eyes that contrast with his total mental collapse. Then there’s James, brought to life by a well-cast Luke Roberts, whose unsettling nature is only emphasized by upgraded animations. He sleepwalks through some of the story’s most disturbing moments, seemingly unphased by it all, but he turns into an aggressive killer the moment he starts wailing on a monster with a lead pipe. You can feel that something’s off about him well before the truth of his quest is revealed.
The town of Silent Hill is more realized here too, with more explorable spaces around town. A ratty American flag hanging from a porch gives me a better sense of who might inhabit its homes. When I run into a laundromat, I’m met with dingy washing machines that look like they haven’t been cleaned in a decade. Despite having a modern sheen, Bloober works more grit into every corner of the deteriorating town. It feels like a true ghost town, but one that’s still just left of reality.
More technical updates double down on horror. While the original release is plenty scary, it’s more on a psychological level. The remake brings more horror to the fray through darker lighting that hides monsters in shadow. The sound design especially stands out, creating a wall of unnatural sound that persists throughout. When an enemy is nearby, radio static erupts from my DualSense speaker. At first, I think that it too clearly telegraphs approaching enemies. By the end, it becomes a source of madness. When it begins to crackle, it triggers a Pavlovian reaction in me. I’m suddenly activated, sent into a blind rage as I try to smash every enemy I can find just to make it stop.
Of course, the most crucial part of Silent Hill 2 is its fog. That’s so important that its previous remaster was heavily criticized largely because of its changes to its density. Bloober opts for a white wisp haze over the ashen haze of the original. It may be contentious with nitpickers, but it works here. It’s less apocalyptic, but it’s still a thick wall that’s hard to see through. When I hear an enemy creeping nearby, I’m sent into a panic as I struggle to find it through the noise. It’s still an oppressive mystical force that lords over me, only showing me what it wants me to see and when it chooses to. I’m powerless to its almost holy presence.
Gameplay overhaul
The changes here aren’t just technical ones; Bloober gives the original a major gameplay rework too that brings it more in line with Capcom’s Resident Evil remakes. There are pros and cons to that approach that create a clear contrast into how the scope of big-budget games has shifted between 2001 and 2024. It feels like publisher Konami’s directive here was to make Silent Hill 2 feel like a modern game. Beyond the makeover, it’s a bigger game with expanded combat, more puzzles, and much larger explorable spaces. While there’s nothing about those changes that’s actively bad, they don’t always feel additive.
For instance, locations like Toluca Prison are expanded into sprawling mazes that take a few hours to complete. Bloober often justifies that growth with deeper puzzles that feel in line with the original release, even when they’re entirely new additions. One has me finding weights throughout the prison and correctly placing them on a scale to unlock different doors. Another has me matching snippets of poems about execution victims to make sense of their crimes. Each one very much feels in the spirit of Silent Hill 2, reimagining it as a more robust series of puzzle boxes.
What’s less effective is all the backtracking that adds to the experience. The remake takes around 14 hours to complete, which is a few hours more than the original, but most of that extra time is spent running back and forth between corridors to solve puzzles. Brookhaven Hospital is especially exhausting at times, as I spend a lot of time trying to remember how to get from point A to point B again as I walk a far off item back to where it’s needed.
Combat has a similar dynamic. On paper, it’s a great upgrade. It’s a tense third-person shooter that effectively creates tension through resource scarcity. Enemies like Mannequins can be unpredictable, skirting away from my bullets. If I don’t want to waste my shots on a monster that skitters into the shadows the moment my flashlight hits it, I have to take my chances with close-range melee combat. That can be dangerous, as a short evasive dodge is only so effective against piles of limbs that erratically lash out.
That system does wear thin eventually, as the remake forces players into battle a lot more because of its tighter spaces. In the original, I could largely choose to leave monsters alone if I so desired. I could let a nurse keep roaming Brookhaven’s halls, leaving a creepy obstacle in my path. It’s more imperative to clear them out here, which reveals how few monster types the original game actually has. I’m largely fighting variations of the same three monsters who become easy to deal with once I know their patterns.
What does killing 30 more Nurses or backtracking Brookhaven for an extra hour or two actually add to the story?
It’s moments like that which bring the folly of remakes like this into light. The original Silent Hill 2 works as well as it does because of its dated design decisions, not in spite of them. Its smaller spaces and concise runtime keep the story moving while offering just enough to do between cutscenes. The remake, on the other hand, stuffs padding into that sleek sequence. The solution to making the PS2 game feel modern often translates to adding more “content,” but what does killing 30 more Nurses or backtracking Brookhaven for an extra hour or two actually add to the story? Some decisions feel more about justifying a price tag to new today’s audiences than supporting the story.
There are plenty of moments, though, where the remake does add meaningful changes. The biggest example comes in its reimagined boss fights, which make some of gaming’s most uncomfortable moments even more visceral. In the original release’s most upsetting moment, James fights a boss dubbed “Abstract Daddy” — a sentient bed that visualizes Angela’s sexual trauma at the hands of her father. That moment falls a bit flat in the original, as James simply guns it down in a bland square room. The fight here is enormous by comparison. The beast chases James through a labyrinthian apartment, smashing through walls like a rampaging bull. Angela’s pain feels more tangible in that moment, her father getting better represented as the dangerous, destructive force he is. Interpretive changes like that are where game remakes can offer value, continuing a conversation with the source material instead of talking over it.
Through the fog
While Bloober Team’s remake takes a lot of liberties with gameplay and upgraded visuals, it stays true to the original where it counts. Silent Hill 2’s story goes largely untouched in the remake aside from some additional dialogue and collectible memos naturally weaved into the PS2 game’s script. Only a few new additions feel out of place and a scene or two loses its edge with cleaner visuals (the iconic prison chat with Maria doesn’t quite feel as haunting here), but it otherwise lets Konami’s original vision play out in all its glory. That’s a bolder decision than it sounds like.
The remake barely filters the original’s most grotesque moments.
On revisiting Silent Hill 2 for the first time in years, I’m struck by just how unflinching it is compared to today’s big budget games. It’s never out to please players, like the B-movie romp of Capcom’s Resident Evil games. It’s an actively uncomfortable game that skirts the boundaries of sensitivity, something that may shock modern players. But that’s not done without purpose: A story about the ugliness of humanity needs to be ugly.
Silent Hill 2 deals with deep-rooted trauma by meeting its characters at their lowest points. James is a guilt-ridden antihero who practically begs to be punished by the menacing Pyramid Head. We meet Angela in the midst of a breakdown as she struggles to process grief in tandem with grotesque abuse. Eddie, who is sure to uphold the title of the story’s most controversial character, finds himself pushed onto a psychopathic path after years of bullying. Each character is screaming out in pain, even when it’s through their disassociated eyes. And we’re trapped in the fog with them.
The remake barely filters the original’s most grotesque moments. A dog’s murder is described in brutal detail. James remains a loathsome worm of a hero. One puzzle has him wrapping a noose around his neck as it almost looks like he’s praying he’s actually receiving his final judgment. Creepy Mannequins are great for a jump scare, but these are the moments of lasting horror that will stay with me forever. The real fear is that there’s no hope for redemption in a world of unimaginable pain, a horror that feels just as suffocating as the fog of Silent Hill. Who would want to survive in that place?
“There is no healing of thy bruise,” one note scratched into a wall threatens. “Thy wound is grievous.”
Silent Hill 2 was tested on PS5.
Servers computers
Blade Server Power is Getting Crazy!
In this interview from the Supermicro booth, join Jordan as he dives into the latest advancements in blade servers with James from Supermicro. Jordan’s excitement is palpable as he visits his favorite table, showcasing the incredible versatility and innovation of the SuperBlade systems.
James unveils the newest entries, including the CXL memory expander and the ability to expand up to 120TB of storage in a single blade. Learn about the Gen5 PCI expansion, dual Xeon CPUs, and the remarkable 288-core density in the Xeon 6 platforms.
Jordan also highlights the Supermicro MicroCloud, a blade-type solution with unique features, and the Hyper Series with its dual-socket capabilities. Delve into the Simply Double for storage purposes, the GrandTwin for four-node flexibility, and the high-compute potential of the SuperTwin and MegaDC with Ampere-based CPUs.
Connect with us on Discord!
[Join our Discord Community](https://discord.com/invite/storagereview)
SuperBlade X13 Review –
Supermicro X13 SuperBlade Review: The Do-it-All AI Appliance
Supermicro SuperBlade –
https://www.supermicro.com/en/products/superblade
#supermicro #blade #server .
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Technology
Ulefone Armor Pad 4 Ultra is now available, at a discount
The Ulefone Armor Pad 4 Ultra series launched rather recently, and it’s now finally available to purchase. Do note that Ulefone is offering a discounted price tag to celebrate the launch of the devices.
Speaking of which, the Ulefone Armor Pad 4 Ultra and Armor Pad 4 Ultra Thermal Version are the devices in question. They’re the same aside from the thermal imaging tech, which is available only on the latter model.
The Ulefone Armor Pad 4 Ultra series tablets are now available to purchase
The Ulefone Armor Pad 4 Ultra can be yours for as little as $279.99. The Armor Pad 4 Ultra Thermal Version, on the other hand, is priced at $329.99. Do note that both of them are available via AliExpress as we speak. You can also add various accessories with your purchase if you want.
Another thing to note is that these price tags will be valid until October 7. So, if you’d like to grab either device, now would be the perfect time to do it, as their prices will soon jump up.
Both of these are rugged tablets, by the way. They definitely look the part. You don’t really have to baby either of them, as they really are tough cookies. They are both IP68/IP69K and MIL-STD-810H certified. They can be used in extreme conditions, handle some drops, and are water and dust resistant too.
They’re equipped with the ‘Camping Light’ too
Both tablets are also equipped with the so-called ‘Campling Light’, which is a truly powerful light on the back. The MediaTek Dimensity 6300 SoC fuels both devices. They come with 8GB of RAM, but you can expand that via virtual RAM to 16GB. 256GB of storage is also included in the package.
You’ll find a 10.36-inch 2K display on the front of both devices and an 11,800mAh battery on the inside. Android 14 comes pre-installed on both of these tablets.
If you’d like to know more about either tablet or purchase one, the links are available below. You’ll also spot an official introduction video that Ulefone shared recently.
Buy the Ulefone Armor Pad 4 Ultra (AliExpress)
Buy the Ulefone Armor Pad 4 Ultra Thermal Version (AliExpress)
Servers computers
Dell EMC PowerEdge VRTX , M630 Blades , 80 Cores , 160 Threads , 512GB DDR4 Memory ,48TB SAS Storage
https://www.dell.com/en-uk/work/shop/productdetailstxn/poweredge-vrtx
One of our Configured to Order Solutions. Configured to our customers specifications ! For all your bespoke IT Hardware solutions at great prices , please contact : sales@ctoservers.co.uk
HPC Solutions for :
Computational science , mathematical and computational modelling and simulation , numerical analysis , quantum physics , Weather forecasting , weather simulation , Climatology , oil and gas exploration , Computational chemistry , Machine Learning , Deep Learning , medical imaging , structural mechanics , bioinformatics , Hyper-converged infrastructures , BIG DATA , Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence ( AI ) , Engineering Simulation , Cloud Computing , Cluster HPC. ISCI , SAN , DATA Storage Solutions , Servers , Enterprise Hardware ,
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise , HPE , HP , DELL EMC , DELL , IBM , Fujitsu , ASUS Supermicro #DELL #VRTX #M630 .
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Technology
The best Windows laptops for 2024
Choosing the best Windows laptop can be overwhelming with the wealth of options available. And with Microsoft’s recent announcements at Microsoft Build, we can expect lots of exciting things coming out in the next few months as more Copilot PCs become available. Whether you need a premium ultraportable, a powerful gaming rig, or a versatile mobile workstation, our current list of the best Windows laptops highlights our favorites that have been rigorously tested by our team. You may even find a Windows laptop that suits you better than an Apple MacBook if you’re looking to make the switch. For those on a budget, check out our list of the best cheap Windows laptops to find great options that won’t break the bank.
What to look for in a Windows laptop
Performance
The challenge when thinking about performance is figuring out your sweet spot. That’s because while a Microsoft Windows laptop with blazing speed is nice, you may be paying for more oomph than you need. But if you skimp and get a weak processor, even simple tasks can become a chore and you might end up in a situation where you need to upgrade again sooner than you’d like. Thankfully, many laptops come in multiple configurations at the point of purchase. You can opt for a model with more processing power or discrete graphics, for example, if you want to do more than just web browsing. Good performance is more than just clockspeeds too, so we also consider things like fast wake times, storage speeds, multitasking and more advanced features like support for ray tracing, especially when a high-end graphics card is involved.
Display and webcams
Regardless of whether a notebook has a touchscreen or a more traditional panel, we look for bright displays (300+ nits or more) that are easy use outdoors or in sunny rooms, accurate colors and wide viewing angles. Screens with high refresh rates are great for competitive gamers, while those with wider color gamuts are important for content creation and video editing. And even if you don’t plan on spending a ton of time on video calls, every laptop needs a decent webcam (1080p or higher).
Ports and connectivity
Even with advancements in cellular modems and WiFi, dedicated ports for transferring data or connecting peripherals can make or break a laptop. Ideally, all but the thinnest and lightest systems come with three USB ports, while things like built-in SD card readers can be extremely handy when trying to import media from a camera. And if a notebook is saddled with a slow or outdated WiFi modem (we’re looking for Wi-Fi 6 or later), that’s basically an immediate disqualification.
Battery life
It doesn’t matter how powerful a laptop is if it conks out when you need it the most. Typically we look for runtimes of at least eight hours on a charge, but when it comes to good battery life, longer is always better. That said, on gaming machines with thirsty graphics cards, you may have to settle for a bit less. And on bigger machines, it’s also important to consider if the system can charge via USB-C or if it needs a larger, proprietary power brick.
Best Windows laptops for 2024
Screen size: 13-inch | Touchscreen: Can be configured | Processor: Intel Ultra 7 Processor 155H or Snapgradon X Elite | Installed memory: Up to 64GB | Storage: Up to 2TB | Weight: 2.6 pounds | Battery life: Up to 18 hours
Read our full Dell XPS 13 review
It’s no surprise that we love the Dell XPS 13. It’s thin, lightweight and it has one of the best screens you can find on a 13-inch ultraportable. The latest XPS 13 model is the slimmest yet, though it loses the headphone jack in the process. But it also includes either Intel’s Ultra 7 Processor 155H or the new Snapgradon X Elite CPU, so you’re getting the most up-to-date processor options available. Aside from a somewhat tricky to use “invisible” trackpad, we have few gripes with the lates XPS 13. It has a stellar, svelte design, a gorgeous display, a fantastic keyboard and solid performance to match. Just be prepared to pay a premium for all of the new features and upgraded specs.
- Attractive and modern design
- Solid performance for an ultraportable
- Excellent keyboard
- Gorgeous display
- Invisible trackpad leads to usability issues
- Function keys disappear in sunlight
- Trackpad feels sluggish at 60Hz
- Could use more ports
- Expensive
Screen size: 15-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: 11th-gen Intel Core i3 | Installed memory: 8GB | Storage: 128GB | Weight: 3.64 pounds | Battery life: Up to 10 hours
There’s a reason we selected the Acer Aspire 5 as our top choice in our best budget Windows laptop guide: It’s sturdy, fast enough and offers good battery life. It also comes with a Windows 11 Home (S Mode) operating system with advanced security features. We typically don’t expect much with laptops under $500, but the Aspire 5 has consistently been a solid performer. It’s an ideal laptop for students or kids, or for anyone who isn’t particularly demanding. We’re also surprised by the port selection it offers, including HDMI and Ethernet. While we normally don’t recommend laptops with just 8GB of RAM and tiny 128GB SSDs, those specs are more excusable in the Aspire 5 since it’s so darn cheap. Just think of it as a slightly more capable Chromebook, but one that can launch multiple apps and do a bit more than just web browsing.
- Includes HDMI and Ethernet ports
- Sturdy design
- Decent performance for the price
Screen size: 14-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: AMD Ryzen 7/9 | Installed memory: Up to 16GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 3.53 pounds | Battery life: Up to 10 hours
Read our full ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 review
One of our favorite gaming PCs for years, the ROG Zephyrus G14 remains our choice as the best gaming laptop for most users. It weighs just 3.5 pounds, it sports AMD’s powerful new Ryzen chips and it also has the company’s fastest Radeon RX 6000-series mobile graphics. The ROG Zephyrus G14 has a sleek retro-future aesthetic, a comfortable keyboard and a smooth 144Hz, 14-inch screen. While you’d be more immersed in a 15-inch notebook, those typically cost more and are far heavier than the Zephyrus G14. If you’re looking for a balance between good performance, style and value, the G14 is an excellent option.
- Powerful performance
- Sleek design
- Great 14-inch, 144Hz screen
- A little on the heavy side
Screen size: 13-inch | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: Snapdragon X Plus/X Elite | Installed memory: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 1.97 pounds | Battery life: Up to 14 hours
Read our full Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot+ review
The Surface Pro is everything we’ve wanted the Surface tablet line to be for years. It’s incredibly fast and efficient, thanks to Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips. Its neural processing unit (NPU) also enables potentially powerful AI features, though the current crop won’t be useful to everyone. We’re also still waiting to see Microsoft’s controversial Recall feature in action, which has been delayed to address its many security concerns.
The new OLED screen option looks wonderful: It makes colors pop off the screen and also ensures inky dark black levels. Coupled together with surprisingly powerful speakers, the Surface Pro is a solid option for watching video on the go.
When it’s paired together with the new Surface Pro Flex keyboard ($350), you can type and mouse around the Surface completely wirelessly, which opens up entirely new ways of using it. As long as there’s a small table nearby, or somewhere to prop up the tablet, you can work with just a thin and light keyboard on your lap. It’s also nice to see Microsoft pack in 16GB of RAM with the base Surface Pro model.
While we’d still like to see the company bundle in a keyboard and refine its kickstand, the Surface Pro remains one of the most innovative PCs available today.
- Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips are wonderfully fast
- Solid battery life
- Excellent OLED screen option
- NPU allows for powerful AI features
- Flex keyboard makes it more versatile
- Solid AI features
- All keyboards sold separately
- Still hard to use in your lap
- Gets expensive quickly
Screen size: 14-inch | Touchscreen: Yes | Processor: 13th-gen Intel Core i7 | Installed memory: 16GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 3.09 pounds | Battery life: Up to 14 hours
Read our full Lenovo Yoga 9i review
Adaptability is the biggest strength of a 2-in-1, with devices like the Yoga 9i capable of transforming into a number of different modes at a moment’s notice. And even though it’s got a relatively portable 14-inch OLED display, Lenovo still found room on the Yoga 9i for three USB-C ports, a fingerprint scanner and a clever rotating soundbar to ensure audio sounds good in any position. Lenovo also includes a free stylus in the box though, sadly, unlike previous models there isn’t a dedicated storage slot for it on the machine anymore. And while its general design hasn’t changed much, Lenovo has improved the Yoga 9i’s performance with updated 13th-gen Intel processors. There are also various configurations to choose from, including the choice between a Windows 11 Home or Pro operating system.
- Gorgeous OLED display
- Powerful speakers
- Strong battery life
- Four USB-C ports
- Physical webcam shutter
- Included stylus and travel sleeve
- Whiny fans
- Shallow keyboard
- No built-in stylus storage
Screen size: 14-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: 12th-gen Intel Core i5/i7 | Installed memory: Up to 16GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 3.75 pounds | Battery life: Up to 5.5 hours
Read our full MSI Stealth 14 Studio review
Regardless of if you’re editing videos or playing games, MSI’s Stealth 14 Studio packs a lot of processing power in a very portable package. The base model comes with a 1080p screen, but if you have the money, you’ll want to consider the optional 2,560 x 1,600 display, which boasts a faster 240Hz refresh rate and wider color gamut (100% of DCI-P3). At just 3.75 pounds, the Stealth 14 Studio weighs half a pound less than similarly sized rivals while still supporting up to an NVIDIA RTX 4070 GPU. And the redesigned model has a stunning magnesium and aluminum chassis that’s also available in a larger 16-inch model.
- Striking design
- Lightweight and portable
- Solid performance
- Bright 240Hz display
- Up-firing stereo speakers
- Runs hot
- No SD card slot
- Lower-res 720p webcam
Screen size: 18-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: 13th-gen Intel Core i9 | Installed memory: Up to 64GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 6.75 pounds | Battery life: Up to 3 hours
Read our full Razer Blade 18 review
Razer’s revamped Blade 18 is a monster. It packs full-fat versions of the most powerful components you can put in a laptop including up to an Intel Core i9 13-980HX CPU and an NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU that runs at up to 175 watts. You also get a massive 18-inch QHD+ display with a 240Hz refresh, tons of ports (including an SD card reader) and gorgeous per key RGB lighting. Holding everything together is Razer’s unibody aluminum chassis, which offers some of the best build quality on any Windows laptop. The one big downside is price: Starting at $2,900 (or closer to $5,000 for a fully loaded model), the Blade 18 is not for people with limited budgets.
- 240Hz display
- Premium aluminum chassis
- Supports top-notch components
- Great port selection
- Extremely expensive
- Very short battery life
- Big
- No additional display options
Screen size: 13.8- or 15-inch | Touchscreen: No | Processor: Snapdragon X Plus or Elite | Installed memory: Up to 32GB | Storage: Up to 1TB | Weight: 2.96 pounds | Battery life: Up to 17.5 hours
Read our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition review
After more than a decade of tests and trials for Arm-based Windows PCs, Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 7 feels like a breakthrough. It’s fast, it’s quiet and thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip, it delivers well above average performance and battery life. Meanwhile, on the inside, Microsoft’s Prism emulator has almost completely smashed the barrier between Arm and x86, so aside from gaming, almost all of your favorite apps just work. Tack on a bright 120Hz display and excellent build quality and you get something really close to an ideal ultraportable PC.
- Slick design
- Excellent battery life
- Good performance
- Bright display
- Powerful Prism emulator
- Responsive haptic touchpad
- Some apps and games still don’t play nicely with Arm-based chips
- No OLED display option
Windows laptop FAQs
What’s the difference between a Windows laptop and a Chromebook?
The main difference between a Windows laptop and a Chromebook lies in their operating systems. Windows laptops run on Microsoft’s Windows OS, whereas Chromebooks use Google’s Chrome OS.
Aside from using different operating systems, performance is one of the major differences between a Windows laptop and a Chromebook. Windows laptops can be equipped with powerful processors and discrete graphics, making them suitable for demanding tasks like gaming or video editing. Chromebooks, on the other hand, are generally optimized for speed and simplicity, focusing on lighter tasks like word processing and web browsing.
In terms of software, Windows laptops support a range of desktop programs, whereas Chromebooks primarily use web apps or Android apps from the Google Play Store. Because of their differences, Chromebooks tend to be more affordable since they are primarily designed for basic, everyday tasks. Windows laptops can range in price from budget to premium, with the latter suitable for gaming, professionals or creatives.
What’s the difference between macOS and Windows?
When it comes to macOS and Windows, they’re basically two different worlds in the realm of computers, each with its own personality. MacOS is sleek, minimal and feels pretty intuitive, especially if you like things that just “work” out of the box. Apple designs macOS to work in tandem with its hardware, so if you have an iOS device like an iPhone or an iPad, the whole ecosystem syncs up seamlessly.
Windows is more like the jack-of-all-trades. It’s known for being super flexible and customizable. Whether you want to tweak how things look or run a wide variety of software, Windows gives you that freedom. It’s also more widely used in business settings, mainly because it’s been around longer and is compatible with tons of different programs and hardware.
Recent updates
September 2024: Added an FAQ section.
July 2024: We updated our top picks to include the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition.
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