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Bloomberg reported the glassy iPhone overhaul will still be released in 2027.

• Nashville's Metro Council voted 27 to 5 to authorize acquiring the 23.49-acre site next to the Nashville Zoo by negotiation or condemnation
• This comes after a local fight escalated into a national campaign with a 500,000-signature petition
• The vote grants an option rather than a commitment: no negotiations have begun, an amendment requires an appraisal and a three-week wait, and it must still prove public need to a court

Nashville's Metro Council has voted 27 to 5 , to authorize the city to take the land where DC BLOX plans to build a data center next door to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere.

It is, to date, the most aggressive move yet by an American city against a data center project, and it arrives after a local zoning fight escalated into a national one, replete with a petition carrying more than half a million signatures and objections from celebrities including Brad Paisley, Sheryl Crow and Jack White.

It is however, strictly speaking for now, not a decision to use eminent domain at all yet.

A national story as eminent domain runs the other way

In a session that ran past midnight, the passed bill (BL2026-1489) authorizes Metro to acquire the 23.49-acre property at 648 Grassmere Park through "negotiation or condemnation." Those are two different things, and the legislation permits either.

The mayor's office has explicitly said that the vote does not commit Metro to buying the land, only that it gives the city the option, and that negotiations on a purchase price have not begun.

The bill also has other limitations in play: an amendment from Councilmember Quin Evans Segall added two more brakes: an appraisal must be presented to the council, and Metro must wait a minimum of three weeks from the vote before proceeding. Even after that, condemnation requires Metro to demonstrate to a court that it genuinely needs the property for public use. The stated uses are offices, warehouse space, and employee training.

The reason this is a national story is that eminent domain generally runs the other way; the standard version of this story is a utility or a developer using the state's condemnation power to clear land for infrastructure, over the objections of whoever happens to live on it.

Georgia Power did exactly that recently, acquiring 30 residential properties to connect a substation to a power plant, in a state where data center growth is driving load.

Rick Schwartz, the zoo's president and CEO, has made a point that tends to get flattened in coverage. DC BLOX has pledged to limit sound, and Schwartz's response is that decibel levels are not the issue. The concern is tonal noise transmitted as vibration, occurring continuously with no overnight relief, which could disturb animals near the proposed buildout site.

The clouded leopard exhibit sits closest to the proposed site, which matters because the zoo's breeding program for the species relies on a hand-rearing regimen built over three decades, designed to gradually acclimate cubs to human noise and prevent stress.

Zoo officials also point to stormwater: the zoo's waterway infrastructure is already classified as impaired for siltation and habitat alteration, and runoff from a hardened industrial site upstream would not help. Schwartz has said the zoo is unwilling to pursue a compromise, citing a lack of transparency from the developer.

DC BLOX closed on the property on July 17 2026 for $23 million. Davidson County assessed it at around $37 million last year. Under Tennessee law, Metro could owe fair market value, which puts the floor above what the developer paid three weeks before the council voted.

There are other regulations in play that could, however, completely neuter the situation. In late July, the council passed Nashville's first data center regulations, along with a moratorium on new permit approvals that runs through December 1, preventing construction from starting. Separately, two challenges to the zoning administrator's land-use designation for the property are pending with the Board of Zoning Appeals, filed by the zoo among others, and could put a proverbial spanner in the works.

Nashville is not an outlier in wanting this fight, only in the tool it has attempted to use to prevent a buildout. There are more than 70 active data center moratoriums nationwide, over 200 communities weighing restrictions, and at least 14 states considering similar measures.

What makes this case worth watching is not the vote itself, but whether a city can actually afford to follow through, both legislatively and potentially down the line, financially.

Fans can choose between Wolverine’s signature yellow and adamantium finishes, with preorders starting Aug. 19.

Apple may or may not be working on a mostly-glass 20th anniversary iPhone. This long-rumored passion project would not necessarily transform the iPhone into a fully translucent device, but would extend the front and back glass panels so that they almost meet around a far thinner metal border.

But like a rabbit hiding inside the secret compartment of a magician's hat, the device, depending on your perspective, might not exist and may only appear through the force of sheer will or alchemy.

What's not in question is that the iPhone will celebrate 20 years of existence that started on January 9, 2007, the day Apple founder and CEO Steve Jobs held it aloft at Macworld in San Francisco. That it didn't ship for another six months is unlikely to dissuade Apple from engaging in some introspection and external celebration.

That might include a glassy iPhone.

On one side, we have an analyst stating that, owing to poor manufacturing yields, Apple scrapped plans for the 20th anniversary device. On the other side, we have Apple soothsayer Bloomberg's Mark Gurman claiming the glass iPhone is on track. In the middle, though, is the reality of a device that challenges the limits of physics and promises more glass than metal.

I think it's safe to say that Apple will ultimately produce an exciting, albeit practical, 20th anniversary device that we may get off-schedule in mid-2027. If the design is particularly challenging, then it may be a limited run, priced like a museum piece, and mostly never used by the relative handful or so Apple enthusiasts who manage to score one.

Buried under the [rumor] mill

The entire saga, though, led me to a different realization. I mean, what are we even talking about here? This conversation about a 20th anniversary iPhone is raging (and has been for years) just weeks before Apple unveils not just its iPhone 18 line, but the highly anticipated folding iPhone or iPhone Ultra.

That's a big deal, even more so because the flexible device will be held up not by long-time CEO Tim Cook, but by John Ternus, who will have officially taken over the reins just days before (September 1). It's a huge moment for the company and the tech industry.

And yet we're still obsessed with "what's next?"

No doubt, most tech companies suffer from this a little bit, but nothing like the insatiable curiosity that's dogged Apple since the launch of the first iPhone. The tech rumor mill was, in some ways, developed simply to support all the leaks and guesswork surrounding much of what Apple does, especially as it pertains to the iPhone.

We're still obsessed with "what's next?"

This impulse didn't take years to develop. It was on full display in 2007. This October 9, 2007, story mused about whether or not the next iPhone would feature an Intel chip. This CNet feature obsessed somewhat presciently over a potential name change ("the 2G iPhone"). And the 2009 YouTube video went on an iPhone design deep dive, even touching on the never-delivered "iPhone Nano".

Apple, I'm certain, doesn't mind the attention, and as long as the leaks are not breaking the law or revealing clearly stolen information, they're happy to let the rumors percolate. For those working on these new devices, however, there must also be some level of frustration.

Just imagine if you're working on a big project and your customers say, "Yeah, great, but what about the next one?" Or every time you serve dinner, your family asks what you're making for tomorrow or begins speculating on what you might make and how it'll obviously be better than what you just served.

Apple can never get away from attention, turning our distractible heads toward the future.

When I attend an Apple iPhone launch event, I always laugh at how stories about the next iteration appear right after the launch of the still new iPhone — one I haven't even reviewed yet.

None of this serves consumers, who are usually still struggling to understand their current devices and maybe some of the new hardware currently on offer. Talking about a distant and sometimes improbable future only confuses and probably frustrates them.

Who is this serving?

Lately, the impulse to look past the present is creating this sonic dissonance wherein the pundits cannot even agree on the fundamentals of an uncertain future. They're free to make proclamations, even wildly different ones, because Apple will naturally never tell them (or us) otherwise. The information is so contrasting that it becomes useless (even if markets sometimes move on these rumors).

It's gotten so out of hand that we're already discussing the iPhone Ultra 2 and the Ultra 3. That's right, the unreleased folding phone has, according to rumor, been greenlit for second and third iterations. This is the only scientific proof we have that vacuums have weight and, in fact, get heavier over time. (Narrator: Pure vacuums have zero mass and weight.)

What if we stopped trying to fill these information vacuums with pure speculation and unfounded guesswork? What if we stopped fixating on the "what's next" and stuck with the "what's new," especially at least until we understand the impact of the new thing?

How, for example, will the folding iPhone, which may or may not be called Ultra, fare? It too is entering an uncertain future where it will compete with the well-established Samsung Galaxy Z8 line, especially that oddball Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8.

As you may have noticed, for as popular as Samsung is, it doesn't really suffer or enjoy a rumor mill in quite the same way. Yes, there are always rumors about the next Galaxy line, but they're usually confined to the upcoming model release and not two or more years down the line.

I'm excited about Apple's next iPhone and am honestly over speculating about anything beyond that. Perhaps you and Apple are too.

Experts say families should create plans for determining how kids use devices.

For an ultra-light laptop for the commute, the Asus Zenbook A14 is worth a look - and not just because it boasts a genuine all-day battery life that outstrips almost all its rivals (we clocked it at over 28 hours in tests).

Right now, the Asus Zenbook A14 is down to $700 (was $1000) at Best Buy. That's a big $300 price cut on one of the lightest Copilot+ laptops around, with an OLED screen and specs suitable for day-to-day tasks.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the ASUS Zenbook A14 if...

You want an ultralight laptop with strong battery life, you mainly do browsing, office work, and streaming, or a vibrant OLED display matters more to you than raw power.

❌ Skip the ASUS Zenbook A14 if...

You need a dedicated GPU for gaming or GPU-heavy creative work, you rely on x86-only software (this runs Windows on Arm), or you want RAM you can upgrade later — it's soldered.

Snapdragon X Plus | 16GB LPDDR5X | 512GB SSD

14in 2K OLED display, Qualcomm Hexagon NPU, up to 32 hours battery life, Copilot+ PC. We rated this laptop 4 stars after testing, and if you want a good back-to-school or work laptop with a long battery life, this ticks all the boxes. View Deal

Why we recommend it

One of the highlights when we reviewed the Zenbook A14 was just how thin and light it was - so for traveling across campus or commuting to work, it's absolutely ideal. We awarded it 4 stars in our review, and praised the thin design, the premium feel of the keyboard, and a capable all-round performance.

The OLED screen is ok - it's a nice bump compared to your standard displays, and we said "colors are rendered well enough to enjoy all kinds of content." However, it's not as bright as some laptops we've used.

Perhaps the best aspect of the Zenbook A14 is the all-day battery life. Thanks to the Snapdragon processor, it's rated for 32 hours. And in our own tests, it lasted over 28 hours before needing to be recharged.

Price Context & Historical Value

At $699.99, this is $300 off the $999.99 list price — a genuine 30% cut rather than retailer anchoring, since Best Buy has consistently listed this configuration around the $999 mark. That puts the price well below where most 2K OLED Copilot+ laptops currently sell. Even on Amazon, the same configuration is selling for $800.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

This configuration uses the entry-level Snapdragon X Plus 8-core chip, and independent reviews of that chip found it a passable performer for everyday tasks but not for heavier workloads. The Snapdragon X Elite configuration performs noticeably better here. RAM is soldered at 16GB with no upgrade path, and the integrated Adreno graphics aren't built for gaming.

• See all the laptop deals at Best Buy.

• Bitdefender says fake pirated downloads of The Odyssey, disguised as scene releases with .exe files carrying VLC icons, are spreading Lumma Stealer malware
• Stolen session cookies are the real danger, because they let an attacker resume an authenticated session without ever triggering a multi-factor prompt
• These builds seemingly ship without droppers or persistence, which is less sophisticated than earlier movie-themed samples but no less harmful, since credential theft does not require staying resident

With The Odyssey set to became one of the year's biggest theatrical launches, people looking for a free copy online started finding one with a few extra caveats in tow.

What they were actually downloading, according to Bitdefender, was Lumma Stealer, a prominent infostealer that operates as a Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS).

The company's researchers say its security products blocked users from downloading and running malicious files disguised as the film, circulating under names designed to look like scene releases: "the odyssey 2026 1080p webrip-lama.exe" is one of three examples published, alongside variants dressed as 2160p HD and H. 264 rips.

A regular occurrence for pirates

The threat is a well-worn playbook rather than a new one, as Bitdefender documented a near-identical campaign in 2025 built around Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, distributing the same malware family through torrent sites using files dressed as movie releases. The blockbuster changes; the delivery does not.

The most useful detail in the report is also the least dramatic, and it explains why a file extension that should be a screaming red flag frequently is not: Windows does not show file extensions by default.

Unless a user has enabled that option in Explorer settings, the ".exe" at the end of a filename is simply invisible. Attackers pair that with a custom icon, commonly one lifted from VLC Media Player or a generic video file, so what appears on screen is a VLC icon and a filename that reads like a movie rip. There is nothing visible to distinguish it from the thing the user was actually looking for.

Bitdefender's point about social engineering follows from that, and it is a sharp one: almost none is required here. Someone hunting for a leaked copy of a film still in theaters has already accepted that they will be dealing with odd filenames, unofficial sources, and compressed archives. An executable claiming to be a video player or installer is not an uncommon sight in the world of piracy, where such practices are rife.

Lumma, also tracked as LummaC2, is a Russian-developed information stealer sold as a service, with affiliates paying somewhere between $250 and $1,000 a month for access. Upon execution, it harvests browser passwords, authentication cookies, saved payment information, cryptocurrency wallet data, autofill data, and remote desktop credentials.

It has often been highlighted as one of the most prolific MaaS options out there and has had Microsoft, the DOJ, and the FBI act directly against it in the past, but has managed to stay alive since, evolving into a more stealthy entity.

Bitdefender notes that the samples in this campaign arrive without droppers and without persistence mechanisms.

Previous movie-themed Lumma builds carried more machinery, including delayed execution when security software was detected and encrypted payload delivery through AutoIt scripts. The approach here differs considerably: the attackers appear content with whatever they can collect at execution time and do not attempt to hold the machine afterward.

Prevention in this case simply involves avoiding the download of pirated films from channels that, as a rule of thumb, do not implement many, if any, security measures to keep infostealers out.

For those seeking a broader solution, enabling file extensions in Windows Explorer is the way to go. It takes seconds, it is off by default, and it removes the specific blind spot this particular campaign depends on.

The WD Red Plus HDDs have always performed well in our tests - they're not fancy, not especially expensive, and do what most NAS system users will need.

If you're populating a NAS enclosure, this is a straightforward pick, with the WD Red Plus 2TB hard drive currently $155 (was $168) at Newegg.

Built for round-the-clock use, I rarely see these HDDs get any discount at all, so while not massive, a saving is a saving in my book.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the WD Red Plus 2TB if...

You're building or expanding a NAS array, you want CMR recording for RAID reliability, or you need a drive rated for continuous operation.

❌ Skip the WD Red Plus 2TB if...

You need higher capacity per dollar (larger Red Plus drives scale better), you're using this in a standard desktop rather than a NAS, or you want faster 7200 RPM performance — look at Red Pro instead.

5400 RPM, 64MB cache, CMR, SATA 6Gb/s, 3-year limited warranty.View Deal

Why we recommend it

We've previously reviewed the 4TB WD Red Plus HDD and awarded it 4 stars in our review. Expect similar performance for this 2TB model, as beyond the capacity, it's pretty much the same.

Red Plus drives run Western Digital's NASware firmware, tuned specifically for multi-bay NAS workloads, along with rotation vibration sensors and dual-plane balance control that help performance and reliability stay steady when several drives are spinning in the same enclosure.

Unlike SMR drives, which can cause slowdowns and rebuild issues in RAID arrays, this is CMR — the safer choice for NAS duty.

Price Context & Historical Value

Generally speaking, NAS drives hold their price. So, at $12.50 off list, this isn't a deep discount — WD Red Plus drives tend to hold their price fairly steady rather than swing wildly in flash sales.

Overall, $154.99 is a solid, dependable price for a drive built specifically for NAS use rather than a one-off promotional gimmick.

If you need greater storage capacity, I'm seeing the 4TB version for $195 at Newegg which also has a combo deal offer bundling two drives and a Ugreen NAS for $570. , and an 8TB version for $355.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

2TB is on the smaller side if you're planning a larger NAS array, and 5400 RPM means it won't match the speed of WD's 7200 RPM Red Pro line. If raw performance matters more than cost per drive, that's worth weighing before you buy.

• See all internal hard drives at Newegg

Dating app Bumble is changing its policy to allow either person to message first, and is extending its response window from 24 to 72 hours.

HP's Omen range of laptops with dedicated graphic cards have always proved well-made mid-range machines for creators and gamers. And right now, the HyperX Omen 16 has dropped to $1400 (was $2000) from HP.

This laptop pairs a high-performance Ryzen 7 chip with RTX 5060 graphics and a color-accurate 165Hz 2K display. This is the base configuration, but HP does let you customize the hard, bumping up processor, memory, storage, and screen resolution.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the HP Omen 16 if...

You want a laptop that can also handle content creation and color-sensitive online work. Also worth grabbing if you're comfortable with 16GB RAM as a starting point (it's upgradeable to 32GB).

❌ Skip the HP Omen 16 if...

You want to push settings higher than the RTX 5060 comfortably handles or you need more RAM out of the box for heavier multitasking. It's not thin and light, either, as it's a dedicated creator and gaming laptop, not an ultraportable.

AMD Ryzen 7 8745HX | 16GB DDR5 | 512GB SSD

This 16-inch Windows 11 laptop boasts a dedicated RTX 5060 graphics card, and paired with a 165Hz 2K display, it's a rock-solid mid-range creator and gaming machine.View Deal

Why we recommend it

The Ryzen 7 8745HX is a strong 8-core mobile chip, and paired with the RTX 5060 it's a genuinely capable combination for creative workloads like photo editing and video editing. It might not handle a feature-length film or print-ready artwork, but it's more than enough for portfolios, YouTube channels, and other online work.

What stands out to me here is the display: a 16-inch, 2K panel running at 165Hz, with 100% sRGB coverage and 400 nits brightness — a solid screen compared to lower-brightness FHD IPS panels that usually show up on RTX 5060 laptops at this price. You can upgrade that display up to 2.5K OLED with 100% DCI-P3 if you need total color accuracy.

Add in Wi-Fi 6 and HP's Omen Tempest cooling system, and this is a well-rounded gaming laptop suitable for color-sensitive creative work.

Price Context & Historical Value

There are a host of HP Omen laptop configurations out there, and I generally find it's a case of trading off one key spec for another.

For example, there's a $1400 listing on Amazon that boasts an AMD Ryzen 9 chip, but the screen only hits 144Hz. If that's unimportant, and you'd rather have a laptop well-suited to multi-tasking, go for the Amazon model. Similarly, the Ryzen 9 model with the same 144Hz display but 32GB RAM and 1TB storage is retailing for $1800 at Amazon.

Over at HP, there's an Intel version of the Omen 16 for $1500 - but I recommend skipping it if you're a creator, as it only covers 62.5% sRGB.

What I'm saying is, for the price, it's about what I'd expect to pay. It just depends on where your priorities lie as to which model is right for you.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

16GB of RAM is on the lean side for a laptop at this price — it's upgradeable to 32GB across two slots, but that's an added cost if you go that route. The RTX 5060 is also a mid-tier GPU; it's well-matched to the 2K resolution, but don't expect to max out settings.

At 5.47 lbs, this isn't a laptop you'll want to carry around casually — it's built to stay mostly on a desk. None of that undercuts the core value here: a genuinely good OLED display paired with solid performance, at a price that undercuts most laptops with a comparable screen.

• See all laptop deals at HP

• Navy drones secretly sent signals to China for several months
• Kraken admits it lost confidence in its own drone platform
• Chinese-made camera parts were fitted without proper origin checks

The Royal Navy has stripped internet connectivity from a fleet of K3 Scout surveillance drones after cameras were found sending signals to China.

A routine cyber vulnerability assessment uncovered so-called heartbeat communications passing between the drones' cameras and an IP address located in China.

The vessels, used by the Coastal Forces Squadron and 47 Commando, form part of a £12 million fleet purchased since March 2026.

Cameras kept transmitting despite assurances

Kraken Technology Group, the British defence contractor that supplied the K3 Scout drones, sourced the cameras from a third-party manufacturer based overseas.

The company had reportedly given assurances about the security of those components before they were ever fitted onto the vessels.

“We are aware that some third-party, NDAA-compliant cameras had a small number of components originating from outside the UK,” said a Kraken Technology Group spokesman.

“After a full audit by both Kraken and the Royal Navy we are confident no sensitive information has ever been shared outside of intended channels and any potential vulnerabilities have been identified and closed.”

Despite that reassurance, Kraken later admitted that checks on the origin of the components had failed and confidence in the platform had been lost entirely.

The Ministry of Defence maintained that its own networks and systems had not been affected by the discovery in any way.

"A thorough investigation found no evidence of MoD data or systems being compromised," said a spokesman for the Ministry of Defence.

The K3 Scout, designed to carry a 600kg payload and operate continuously for 30 days, has also been bought by the US Special Operations Command.

It has also taken part in a series of Nato trials in the Baltic Sea alongside allied navies from the region.

The drones also formed part of a future defence package offered to help secure movement through the Strait of Hormuz.

Concerns grow over supply chain security

The breach has renewed scrutiny of the Government's drone procurement strategy, which is backed by a £5 billion investment pledge.

The government has promised to make defence purchasing "unashamedly pro-Britain," yet the case shows how deeply Chinese-made components remain embedded in British-labelled military hardware.

British officials argue that sovereignty itself is called into question when the origin of components inside military equipment cannot be fully guaranteed.

“If we cannot say with confidence what is inside our own military equipment, we cannot say it is ours, or that we are sovereign,” said Alicia Kearns, the shadow security minister.

“When cameras built on Chinese parts are found recording our special forces – their faces, training and operations – we should not be surprised, we should be furious that we still haven’t woken up to the realities of the threat we face.”

The episode follows years of warnings about Chinese components inside sensitive British infrastructure, including the eventual removal of Huawei equipment from the 5G network.

However, the Labour Government is trying to rebuild economic and diplomatic ties with Beijing and some ministers even visited Shanghai earlier this year.

Via The Telegraph

Getting ready to head back to school or college? No doubt you've got a shopping list of essentials you need to check off before the semester starts. A good laptop, a decent pair of headphones, or even a new iPad are all great buys.

Of course, such tech comes with a significant outlay, which is why I've been scanning through all the top retailers to find the best discounts this week. Best Buy, Walmart, and Amazon all have 'back-to-school' sales ongoing right now, but with thousands of items on sale, it can be tricky to find the true bargains.

Below, you'll find sections for laptops, headphones, appliances, and other tech. I've focused on college students here (who tend to need the most tech), but there are a few great options here for younger kids too. A Chromebook, for example, is a fantastic low-cost laptop for kids just starting out.

Alongside a selection of this week's best deals, I've also included an overview of today's sales at the relevant retailers, including links. See these below.

Back-to-school sales: quick links

• Amazon: cheap appliances, smart home, stationery, and essentials
• Adorama: education discounts on cameras, monitors, printers
• Apple: up to $150 off MacBooks and iPads
• Best Buy: discounts on laptops, headphones, TVs, and more
• BackMarket: cheap MacBooks, iPads, and tablets
• Dell: cheap laptops with exclusive student discounts
• HP: up to 65% off laptops, desktops, monitors, peripherals
• Lenovo: 10% extra off for students
• Staples: discounts on stationery, office furniture, supplies
• Walmart: essentials, backpacks, headphones, tablets

Back-to-school laptop deals

Processor: Intel Celeron N4500
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB

HP's range of cheap Chromebooks has always been a good option if you're on a small budget. As a Chromebook, you don't need much to get smooth performance, and this 14-inch model is worth checking out if you just want the basics for studying, emails, or streaming. Despite not being a high-end laptop by any means, this is a relatively portable option with plenty of battery life.View Deal

Display - 15.3 inches
Processor - Intel Core 3
RAM - 8GB
Storage - 128GB

This version of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus offers an impressive amount of power for the price. It includes 8GB of RAM and an Intel Core 3 processor, boosting performance, boot times and load times. Storage of 128GB is a bit miserly for the price, but battery life is solid at up to 10 hours on a single charge. That's more than enough to last a full working day. At a little under $400, it's a smart buy for school or college, or just as a home laptop for light use and everyday tasks.View Deal

Display - 15.6 inches
Processor - AMD Ryzen 7
RAM - 16GB
Storage - 1TB

If you want a cheap Windows laptop, then this configuration of the Dell 15 Laptop is an excellent buy and terrific value for money. You get an AMD Ryzen 7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and a large 1TB SSD to ensure good overall performance and enough essential, speedy storage for the price. It's a top buy right now if you're on a budget and need a laptop for general everyday use, admin tasks, light work, or schoolwork.View Deal

Display: 13 inches
Processor: A18 Pro
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 256GB

The MacBook Neo just got a price bump, but students can get it cheaper again thanks to Apple's education discount. The latest MacBook packs a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and up to 16 hours of battery life, all for under $600, which is fantastic value. Discounts have been better in the past, but I think these will be rarer to see over the coming months and this price likely won't be beaten over Black Friday.View Deal

Display - 13.4 inches
Processor - Intel Core 5
RAM - 8GB
Storage - 512GB

The Dell XPS 13 has regularly been one of our favorite laptops here at TechRadar, and this brand-new version continues that trend. With an Intel Core 5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, it has everything you need for solid all-around performance at work or college. Students can also save an extra $100, bringing the price down to a ridiculously low $599.99.View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5070
Processor: Intel Core 7 Series 2
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 512GB

If you're looking for a high-end gaming laptop, then one of the best options I've seen at Best Buy is this RTX 5070-equipped Acer Nitro V. You usually don't see laptops with such a powerful graphics card at this price point, although you do sacrifice a bigger storage drive and RAM to squeeze such a component in here. Still, in terms of bang for the buck, this is a very strong contender. View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5060
Processor: Intel Core 7-240H
RAM: 32GB
Storage: 1TB

It's always worth keeping an eye on the official Dell Store for deals on Alienware gaming laptops. Right now, my favorite listing is on this Alienware 15, which is the brand's new entry-level model. It's still a premium laptop, however, and this spec features an RTX 5060 graphics card, 32GB of RAM, and a decent Core 7 chipset, so it's certainly not lacking in terms of performance. View Deal

Graphics card: RTX 5060
Processor: AMD Ryzen 9 270
RAM: 16GB
Storage: 1TB

Looking for a lightweight laptop that can still provide excellent gaming performance? The Asus Zephyrus G14 is an outstanding candidate. At 14-inches, it's a little smaller than most gaming laptops, but it features a stunning high-end design and 120Hz OLED display. Even though this configuration only features an RTX 5060 graphics card and 16GB of RAM, it's a very versatile machine that's worth checking out if you want a do-it-all laptop for college.View Deal

Back-to-school headphone deals

Best Buy has Apple's AirPods 4 on sale for $99.99. The AirPods 4 feature a new design for all-day comfort and feature Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalized spatial audio and voice isolation. You also get a redesigned case with 30 hours of battery life and support for USB-C for wireless charging.View Deal

Best Buy's back-to-school sale also has the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation for $149.99, which is the best deal you can find right now. The AirPods 4 feature a new comfortable design, handy controls, and Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalized spatial audio and voice isolation.View Deal

Amazon has dropped Apple's AirPods Pro 3 to $189.99, which is the best deal I've seen on these buds in well over a month. Upgrades to the AirPods Pro 3 include improved Active Noise Cancellation and audio, a new comfortable in-ear design, and new features such as live translation and the ability to track heart rate, workouts, and calories burned.View Deal

The second-generation model has now been revealed, but the original Bose QuietComfort Headphones remain a top choice if you want quality noise-cancelling headphones at a mid-range price. I've been using a pair for a long time now and rate them highly, while our expert testers also scored them an impressive four stars in our review. You get excellent noise cancellation, top-tier audio quality, and 24 hours of battery life in a surprisingly affordable package.View Deal

The fantastic Bose QuestComfort Ultra Headphones have remained available at this price since Prime Day in June, so it's effectively the new standard price for this model. These offer a clear step up in audio compared to other premium cans, with superbly detailed and energetic sound and the best noise cancellation you can get right now, in a light and comfortable design.View Deal

Bose's affordable earbuds offer top-tier active noise cancellation, but without a massive price tag. Just be aware that I have seen them for $20 less than this before. Still, in our 4.5-star Bose QuietComfort Earbuds review, we said they were already "arguably best-in-class value" at full price, so the fact that you can get them for even less makes them hard to beat. We praised their comfort and sound quality as well as the amazing ANC.View Deal

The second-generation version of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are some of the manufacturer's best in terms of audio quality and noise cancellation — so good, in fact, that we awarded them the full five stars in our review. This latest model lasts up to 24 hours between both the buds and the case and features new CustomTune technology that adjusts the audio based on your ear shape. The Spatial Audio also makes the listening experience more immersive than ever with the option to swap between listening modes, depending on if you want to lose yourself in audio or stay alert.View Deal

Back-to-school appliance deals

We haven't tested this particular model, but we highly rate Ninja as a brand if you're looking for value for the money. This Single Serve coffee maker from the well-known brand is great for both hot and cold beverages and shouldn't take up too much space on your kitchen countertop. View Deal

The Navigator is one of Shark's cheaper vacuums, but it's great value if you just want something reliable that will yield great results. The lift-away mechanism here means you can easily detach the handle from the base for difficult-to-reach high places. Perfect for both carpets and hard floors, the Navigator also features a HEPA filter and a handy brush attachment for pet hair.View Deal

The Keurig K-Express is a cheap, convenient coffee maker that can quickly brew coffee using your favorite K-Cup Pods. It can brew 8, 10, and 12oz cups depending on your preference. The 42oz reservoir holds enough water to brew up to 5 8oz cups per refill. With $40 off, today's deal is decent - although we're still $10 off the record low from Black Friday late last year.View Deal

The Oral-B iO2 works great as a starter electric toothbrush thanks to its modest price point. It offers three brushing modes, including Super Sensitive, Gentle Clean, and Daily Clean, and a timer that lets you know when you've finished brushing your teeth for the recommended two minutes. It comes with a charger and carrying case, too. Be sure to check the "Apply $3.50 coupon" box underneath the list price to get the full discount.View Deal

Back-to-school other tech

If you're looking for a decent phone on a budget, then the Google Pixel 10a is a great place to start. Today's price cut at Amazon brings it to within $25 of the lowest price I've seen, and there's no doubt you're getting a lot of phone for the money here. The Pixel 10a features the same chipset as the higher-end Pixel 10 with all the latest AI tricks, plus an impressive 30 hours of battery life. View Deal

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 / Fold 8 / Fold 8 Ultra: up to $1,000 off with a trade-in or $200 off without
Samsung's offer on its new Flip and Fold range include trade-in rebates of up to $1,000 for the Fold 8 and up to $400 for the Flip 8 — that's $200 less than the preorder phase. Still, if you don't have a phone to hand over, you can still get a flat $200 in Samsung credit when buying the Fold 8 or $100 with the Flip 8. There are also bundle discounts of up to 15% when buying other accessories at the same time.View Deal

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 / Fold 8 / Fold 8 Ultra: up to $1,200 off with a trade-in or $200 off without
Samsung's offer on its new Flip and Fold range includes trade-in rebates of up to $1,200 for the Fold 8 and up to $600 for the Flip 8. Don't have a phone to hand over? You can get a flat $200 in Samsung credit when buying the Fold 8 or $150 with the Flip 8. There are also bundle discounts of up to 15% when buying other accessories.View Deal

Best Buy has a $30 discount on the already affordable Apple Watch SE 3, making it an excellent bargain at just $219. While the Apple Watch Series 11 currently holds the title of the best smartwatch for most people, the SE 3 is still packed with features, including activity, heart rate, and sleep tracking, plus an impressive 18 hours of battery life.View Deal

Samsung Galaxy Watch 9: included with a new cellular line at T-Mobile
The latest Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 is available to preorder at T-Mobile, and the carrier already has an excellent opening deal. Right now, you can get up to $440 off when you bundle together a device with a new Watch Plan Plus line at the carrier — a discount that's conveniently enough to cover the entire cost of the standard 40mm Samsung Galaxy Watch 9. View Deal

The Blink Mini 2K+ is the ideal camera for keeping an eye on all kinds of things around your home. With crisp 2k video resolution, 4x zoom, and a built-in LED spotlight, it's surprisingly well featured for the money. With a Blink Video Doorbell, you can also use it as a plug-in chime while at all times, you can get notifications when someone walks by, assuming you have a Blink subscription plan.View Deal

AT&T customers: save $420 when you bundle phone and internet
Moving out of home? If you're going to be looking for a great option for internet for your new place, then check out this promotion at AT&T. Existing phone customers can currently save an impressive $420 if they bundle together their phone line with one of the carrier's Fiber Home Internet packages. There are also additional discounts for new internet lines right now, including a $200 reward card when you sign up for eligible plans today. View Deal

A truly great, budget mini-LED TV, the TCL QM6K delivers vibrant picture quality along with solid gaming features for a price that won't break the bank. Upgrades here include support for 120Hz refresh rates at 4K resolution, which is perfect for gamers. This deal knocks a decent $250 off the 55-inch model, making it a truly appealing option for those who want a premium display at a mid-range price. View Deal

• Grand Theft Auto 6 fans think Rockstar Games has been revealing the game's loading screens
• They're convinced the promotional character artwork will be featured as loading screen in-game
• The game is said to have "near-instant load times" but loading screens will likely still be present

Grand Theft Auto 6 fans think Rockstar Games has been slowly revealing the game's loading screens for months.

Ever since GTA 6 was announced, Rockstar has been drip-feeding us new information, whether it's a new teaser trailer or a fancy new website filled with details on game features. The studio has also released some artwork along the way, depicting an assortment of characters, including the co-protagonists Lucia and Jason.

Now, fans reckon these promotional pieces could actually be the loading screens we'll see in the game.

"Has Rockstar Been Secretly Revealing GTA 6’s Loading Screens?" a Redditor posted on the game's subreddit along with a collection of the artwork.

Many seem to agree, since previous GTA games typically showcase moving character artwork while loading a save.

"To be fair, their loading screen were always this concept art so yeah," one user replied, "pretty much guaranteed that some of these will be used as the loading screens."

However, another fan suggested that the game may not feature loading screens because the game "leverages the PS5’s ultra-high speed SSD" according to the PlayStation Blog, "enabling you to experience the expansive world of Leonida with near-instant load times."

While load times will certainly be much faster on PS5 compared to GTA 5 on last-gen, they most likely won't be completely absent from the game, considering the game's scale.

Think Marvel's Spider-Man 2; those load times are very short on current-gen, but they're still there, and Spider-Man 2's open world is a lot smaller than GTA 6's,

GTA 6 launches on November 19 for PS5, Xbox Series X, and Series S, but fans can get a new look at the game when 'Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look' premieres on Netflix on August 27. Fingers crossed for a gameplay trailer that really showcases how big the game is.

• Marvel's Wolverine is "fully playable" on a PS5 disc
• Insomniac Games says it encourages players to download the day-one patch when it arrives
• The studio's comments come after Sony shared its plan to quit making discs

Insomniac Games has clarified that Marvel's Wolverine will be "fully playable" on disc following Sony's decision to end physical disc production.

Speaking to Eurogamer, senior project director Jess Reiner-Reed essentially confirmed that the upcoming superhero game will be among the last PS5 games to be fully playable on disc, before they're phased out in January 2028.

"Marvel's Wolverine will come out in digital and physical [versions] and the game will be fully playable on the disc when you purchase it," Reiner-Reed said, but urged players to download the day-one update.

"With that said," the developer said, "we want people or encourage people to download that day-one patch because we are right now working on - or we're continuing over the next few months before release - to work on polish and some bug fixing."

Head of technology Mike Fitzgerald added, "I would say we're perfectionists. We take every minute we can get to just tweak this little thing, make everything a little bit better - we're gonna squeeze as much out of it as we can. And so if players download that patch, they get that little bit of extra time."

Despite the backlash that followed Sony's announcement to quit making physical discs, the company recently committed to its plan. PlayStation fans are still making their feelings known, however, and even descended on the latest Wolverine trailer to share how much they care for physical games.

Eurogamer also asked Insomniac about the situation at the game's preview event, but Fitzgerald said it wanted to focus on the game.

"We have been working on this for so long," he said, "we're so excited to have everyone in the office getting to spend time with the game, and I want to make sure we spend time talking about that."

Marvel's Wolverine launches on PS5 on September 16.

• Someone has ported Word for Windows 1.1a to Windows 11
• It's a fully native port
• It's not easy to get it up and running on your system — should you wish to — but there are other alternatives to the feature-creep of Notepad

Somebody has taken a version of Word from 1990 and created a fully functional port for Windows 11 — and as you might imagine, this is a word processor with an incredibly light footprint.

Tom's Hardware noticed this feat, which was achieved by Justin Marshall, who's the developer behind the 'Microsoft Word for Windows 1.1a' project on GitHub.

As Marshall explains, this is not an emulator or some kind of fudge, rather it's a "fully working native Windows x64 port" of Word for Windows 1.1a which was codenamed 'Opus' back in the day.

This port was possible because Microsoft released the source code for the app (over 10 years ago), and Marshall took that code and ran with it. (As Tom's notes, it's available from the Computer History Museum).

Marshall explains that the project builds on that original Word source code (and complementary resources) with "modern replacements for the 16-bit assembly, segmented-memory, and Win16 platform boundaries".

The result is a very simple word processor that takes the idea of a streamlined app to new levels. Indeed, this modern take on Word for Windows 1.1a can fit in less than 1MB of RAM in Windows 11. How's that for lean? And there's not a drop of AI in sight…

Analysis: Word up

(Image credit: Elnur / Shutterstock)

Can those fed up with Microsoft's feature-creep in Notepad, or other bloat, go and pick up this spin on Word from 1990 for a breath of fresh air in terms of a lightweight word processor? No, unfortunately, as there's no installation package to simply download and fire up.

That's because, as Marshall points out, the "historical source files retain their original Microsoft and third-party copyright notices", which means that commercial use or even sharing copies on the web isn't permitted.

This is why if you want to use Word for Windows 1.1a on your modern PC, you'll need to get it up and running by following the instructions on GitHub. This isn't for the technically faint-of-heart, as you might guess, and you'll need Visual Studio 2022 with Desktop development with C++, a Windows 11 (or 10) SDK installed through Visual Studio, as well as CMake 3.25 (or newer) and PowerShell.

In short, it's unlikely that many people will go to the effort, but it's not surprising that a fair bit of interest has been stoked in this project simply because of not just the novelty — although that's obviously the driving factor — but also as it's an illustration of how far Word can be stripped back, running with such a tiny footprint and resource usage.

One Redditor commenting on this simply said: "Not all heroes wear capes."

Another observed: "For the curious, Microsoft Office 97 will install and run on Windows 11 with no hassle. I've been using it for years now just for the fun of it."

Bear in mind, of course, that should you take that approach, you'll be lagging behind considerably for supported file formats, and also in the security stakes (that's the main drawback with using apps that haven't been updated in a long time, and lack patches against exploits that have since popped up).

If you are keen on a lightweight alternative to Notepad, then take a look at TinyRetroPad, which is built very much in the same vein as the original Microsoft text editor, and is just as tiny as the name suggests.

Singapore raised its 2026 growth forecast to 4.5%–5.5% as surging AI demand boosts electronics exports and manufacturing.

The post Singapore Raises 2026 Growth Forecast as AI Exports Surge appeared first on TechRepublic.

Humanoid robot shipments surged 272% as Chinese vendors captured 97% of shipments, led by AGIBOT and Unitree amid growing workplace adoption.

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Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future)

I really wanted to like the Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless. I've had good experiences with Corsair's mice in the past – having been a big fan of both the M65 Ultra RGB and the Scimitar Elite Wireless SE – so I was hopeful that the new Nightsword would be a contender for our ranking of the best gaming mice.

For those not in the loop regarding Corsair's wide range of gaming mice, the original Nightsword launched nearly seven years ago. Needless to say, I wasn't really expecting another model, but I suppose if The Witcher 3 can get a new expansion more than a decade after its release, anything is possible.

The problem I'm having with the Nightsword V2 is that it doesn't really feel like a 'version 2' of its predecessor. For starters, the design has been changed a fair bit, with the RGB lighting scaled back and the thumb button layout slightly altered. It still maintains the ergonomic overall shape with a nice, comfortable thumb rest, but it's ditched the indent pattern that covered the original mouse.

All that wouldn't cause me to dislike this mouse, though. The problem is that the Nightsword RGB had one very cool feature: adjustable weight tuning. Six mounting points and two different sets of miniature metal weights allowed you to adjust the overall weight of the mouse, with nifty software that automatically detected the mouse’s center of gravity in real time, allowing you to fine-tune your experience to make the mouse feel perfect for you.

It was one of the key selling points of the Nightsword RGB, and Corsair focused heavily on it in its marketing. But in the Nightsword V2, it's nowhere to be found; gone, reduced to atoms.

It's a real shame, because I liked that addition a lot. Not enough gaming mice have tunable weight. It made the Nightsword feel more unique, and removing that feature makes the V2 feel... well, a bit bland, if I'm being honest.

It's certainly not a bad gaming mouse, with an ergonomic chassis that sits comfortably in the hand and a high-quality sensor for fast-paced gaming, but I'd fundamentally struggle to recommend it over some other more exciting options out there. Sorry Corsair, but this one feels like a step backward, not forward.

Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless: Price & availability

• How much does it cost? $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$189
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available globally

While you could pay more for a gaming mouse these days, the Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless certainly isn't cheap. Clocking in at $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$189, it sits towards the pricier end of the market, though the build quality and high-spec internals do at least attempt to justify the price.

Although it's a technical upgrade from the original Nightsword RGB, the removal of the tunable weight features stings even more at this price point. Considering that there are plenty of other gaming mice on the market with comparable specs, it's difficult to justify recommending the Nightsword V2 Wireless specifically over similar offerings from other manufacturers, or even Corsair itself.

The Nightsword V2 Wireless is available now in all regions, either directly from Corsair or from assorted third-party retailers.

Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless: Design

• Robust, ergonomic design
• No more tunable weight
• Thumb button grouping may be frustrating for some users

(Image credit: Future)

As I noted further up, this feels like a very different mouse from the original Nightsword – though at first glance, they appear quite alike.

Corsair has stripped back the RGB lighting a bit for the Nightsword V2, with the only RGB zones now being the scroll wheel, the Corsair logo, and an odd little strip on the raised rear underside edge of the mouse that isn't even visible most of the time. Feels like a bit of a waste of an LED to me, but it doesn't feel worth penalizing Corsair for that.

(Image credit: Future)

I'll start with the parts I liked. Removing the indent pattern from the Nightsword V2's predecessor was definitely a wise move, as those tiny grooves were just begging to be filled with grime after months of regular use. The main body of the mouse that rests beneath your palm now has a smooth matte finish, with a pattern of raised texturing (rather than the old indentation) on either side to help improve grip. The skates are standard PTFE, which offers a good amount of glide on traditional mouse mats and hard desktop surfaces.

In terms of buttons, we've got 11 in total: the two main mouse buttons, a scroll wheel with both a regular click function and left-right tilt inputs, one multifunction button behind the scroll wheel, three thumb buttons (one of which is the 'sniper button'), and two extra vertically-aligned buttons beside the left mouse button, which turn the sensitivity up and down by default. All of these are fully programmable in Corsair's iCue software or Web Hub, so there's a good degree of versatility here for users who like to tweak their mouse inputs.

You also get plenty of flexibility in terms of sensor control and connectivity. The Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless supports tri-mode connectivity, with a physical switch on the underside of the mouse letting you easily swap between Bluetooth, wired, and direct wireless connections (with a bundled USB-A dongle and adapter as well as a power cable). There's also a slot on the underside that can house the dongle, making it easy to take the Nightsword V2 Wireless on the go.

The Corsair Marksman S sensor supports up to 33,000 DPI, and this mouse also includes up to 8,000Hz polling rate support (though not in Bluetooth mode), both of which can be tweaked to your liking in iCue – though for my money, 8K polling is a bit of a gimmick that will only really benefit the absolute highest tier of skilled esports players.

(Image credit: Future)

The whole thing feels pretty durable and well-constructed, sitting comfortably in the hand for palm and claw grip styles. Fingertip grippers should be advised that mice with thumb rests are simply not designed for them, so you probably shouldn't have clicked on this review in the first place – go buy yourself the excellent Logitech G Pro X2 Superstrike instead.

The buttons are sturdy with a good degree of tactile feedback, though I wasn't overly impressed by the scroll wheel; there's no free-scroll mode, and it lacks the firm motion bump of higher-quality scrollers. The grouping of the buttons on the side of the mouse is also a little awkward, at least for users with large hands like me; while trying to use the sniper DPI button in Valorant and Marathon, I kept accidentally hitting the thumb button immediately above it, using a noisy ability when I was trying to quietly take aim at enemy players. Having scanned through the digital archives of several other reviewers, it seems that thumb button positioning was a bit of a frustration with the original Nightsword too, so it's a shame to see this issue hasn't been addressed.

Of course, I have to further discuss Corsair's baffling decision to eliminate the tunable weight feature of the Nightsword. As someone who loves the Logitech G502 Lightspeed Wireless so much I've bought two of them, due in part to its magnetic tunable weight system, I can't help but feel that Nightsword V2 Wireless could have been a serious competitor to my favorite mouse.

(Image credit: Future)

All the other features I like from the G502 Lightspeed are there: a thumb rest, a sniper button, tilt wheel inputs, and a dongle for low-latency wireless connectivity. But removing the weighting system means I can no longer find the perfect balance of heft and handling that I love about my G502, and I'm left simply confused as to why Corsair would remove it for this new iteration of the Nightsword.

At the end of the day, this is a mostly well-designed mouse with a few noticeable foibles, but I can't help but dream of what could have been. It no longer feels like the Nightsword has anything to set itself apart from the crowd, or even from Corsair's own selection of mice; the ergonomic design with a thumb rest is shared by Corsair's M65, Dark Core, and Ironclaw models, for example.

Oh, and as TechRadar's resident southpaw, I have to note that there's no left-handed model available here. I'm pretty sure they call us lefties because we're left out so often – even if I've personally managed to adapt to using my mouse right-handed.

Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless: Performance

• Comfortable even for lengthy gaming sessions
• No noticeable input latency even in 1K polling mode
• Long battery life

In practical use, the Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless is perfectly competent and comfy to use for extended periods thanks to its ergonomic shape and thumb rest. I'm a palm-type grip user, and I didn't have any issues whatsoever with hand or finger strain even after a solid six-hour run in Marathon (the new season is about to start, and I had priority contracts to finish, alright?)

I tested the Nightsword V2 in both 1K and 8K polling rate modes, and frankly didn't notice much of a difference whatsoever – but to be clear, that's not really an outright criticism, as I found the mouse to be highly responsive both in terms of movement and clicks regardless of which polling mode I was in.

(Image credit: Future)

I prefer a fairly high DPI, especially for shooters, and the sensitivity here is great. High-skill users who want a really sensitive mouse may want to look for one with a 40K+ DPI sensor (which will probably cost you more), but the 33K Marksman S sensor in the Nightsword V2 ought to be plenty for the majority of PC gamers.

Aside from the issue I mentioned further up regarding the tight grouping of the thumb buttons leading to potential misinputs, I found that the buttons generally felt great. With optical switches for minimal input latency and improved longevity, the main mouse buttons have a decent amount of travel and a firm, satisfying click. The same goes for virtually every other button on the mouse; no cheap, flimsy feeling or wobbliness here.

I actually quite liked the feel of the sniper button (when I wasn't accidentally firing off an ill-timed energy blast instead of lining up a headshot, anyway). It has a good tactile response, so I know when it's been clicked even with my headset on during a noisy firefight, but it doesn't require much force at all to actuate, meaning that it's easy to hold down for careful aiming.

(Image credit: Future)

I did have to remap some of the default button settings, because having the DPI up/down adjustment set to the two side finger buttons just didn't feel right – I opted for the typical setting of the button behind the scroll wheel to swap between DPI presets instead.

The good news about remapping is that you no longer need to install Corsair's iCue software to tweak your peripherals. It's still available, but like a few other PC hardware manufacturers (including Razer), Corsair now offers a fully functional in-browser web app.

The Corsair Web Hub, which I mentioned earlier in this review, allows you to access all the usual software-level modifications for your Corsair devices all within an super-simple browser page. As someone who has long bemoaned the plethora of proprietary software tools for PC peripherals, it's immensely refreshing to be able to do everything I want to do in a regular browser tab, with no downloads required. I arguably can't really say that this is a point in favor of the Nightsword V2 specifically, but good work on the new Web Hub, Corsair.

Lastly, the battery life on the Nightsword V2 Wireless is seriously good, with Corsair rating it for up to 170 hours of use. Across seven days of regular use (more than eight hours a day on average, since I used the Nightsword V2 both for my daily work and gaming after hours), I didn't need to charge it once after my initial testing with the wired configuration.

Should you buy the Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless?Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless: Scorecard

Value

At $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$189, the Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless isn't cheap, though the high-quality construction helps justify the price somewhat.

3/5

Design

The ergonomic design is comfortable in the hand and whole mouse feels durable, but the thumb buttons are too close together and the lack of tuneable weight is a real shame.

3/5

Performance

The Nightsword V2 is snappy and responsive with nice tactile clicks from its optical switches, and also offers a long battery life.

4.5/5

Average rating

While it's a mechanically decent mouse that will appeal to fans of ergonomic designs, the Nightsword V2 simply doesn't do enough to stand out against the competition.

3.5/5

Buy the Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless if…

You want something comfortable
The ergonomic shape and thumb rest make the Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless a comfy mouse to use for long gaming binges.View Deal

You want lots of buttons
11 programmable buttons (including scroll wheel tilt inputs) mean you can do a lot of different things at once with this mouse – great for MMO and MOBA players.View Deal

You don't want to charge your mouse often
With up to 170 hours of battery life and customizable sleep options in the Corsair Web Hub, the Nightsword V2 can go for days and days without needing to be plugged in.View Deal

Don’t buy it if…

You liked the original
Despite being a reasonably good gaming mouse, the Nightsword V2 throws away the most unique feature of the Nightsword RGB.View Deal

You're a fingertip gripper
The elevated thumb positioning of fingertip-style mouse grips is ill-suited for the ergonomic thumb rest design of the Nightsword V2 Wireless.View Deal

You’re left-handed
Granted, this applies to more than two-thirds of the gaming mice on the market, but it's still a shame for lefties.View Deal

Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless: Also consider

Logitech MX Master 3S

It's a few years old now, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The MX Master 3S is simply one of the best ergonomic mice money can buy, making it a strong alternative to the Nightsword V2 if you're specifically looking for a mouse built for comfort. Read our full Logitech MX Master 3S review.View Deal

Razer Deathadder V4 Pro

If you're a PC gamer looking for something a little more serious, the Deathadder V4 Pro from Razer packs low-latency optical switches like the Nightsword V2 but also delivers much higher maximum sensitivity thanks to its 45K DPI sensor. Read our full Razer Deathadder V4 Pro reviewView Deal

How I tested the Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless

As usual for peripheral reviews, the Corsair Nightsword V2 Wireless became my regular mouse for just over a week while I was testing it out, replacing my daily driver, the Logitech G502 Lightspeed Wireless.

I used it every weekday for my regular work at TechRadar, which in terms of how I use my mouse, is mostly just clicking stuff in my browser and sometimes highlighting text. More pertinently, I used it to play a whole bunch of games: Warframe, Marathon, Valorant, Overwatch, and Apex Legends all currently feature in my regular gaming rotation, and I also used it for Slay the Spire II – though I doubt it had my impact on the quality of my gameplay in that particular title. I'm still really bad at the Necrobinder.

First reviewed May 2026

Mubadala could back Akita’s $12.6 billion AI data center, a project that could add major Japan-based AI capacity if its power plans hold up.

The post Japan’s Akita AI Data Center Now Estimated at $12.6B appeared first on TechRepublic.

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro microLED: One minute review

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro microLED is both a fantastic always-on, lifestyle-support smartwatch, and a 51mm, titanium-bodied multisport watch bulked out with the kind of rugged design that could survive the entire Die Hard franchise. It's absolutely one of the best Garmin watches ever made, but also one of the most expensive.

Of course, the headline ‘brightest smartwatch screen ever built’ feature of this microLED edition is justifiably front and centre, but it also provides the 8 Pro microLED with best-in-class performance, screen clarity and brightness.

It’s bursting at the seams with activity, performance and health tracking features backed up by snappily accurate sensors, which enabled real-time monitoring of everything from shifts in barometric pressure outside in the hills to automatically detecting the start of another eight-metre vertical rep in the indoor climbing wall.

Once you dial the brightness up to maximum in the settings (despite all the hype, the default is befuddlingly set to 75%) the step up in brightness from AMOLED is dazzlingly obvious, and contributes to an impression of increased definition too. In fact, the watch screen is so bright that I could easily use the inbuilt mapping mode to navigate in direct overhead summer sunshine while wearing sunglasses, which is a quality of life gamechanger for outdoor adventurers. And putting it side by side against a maxed-out-brightness iPhone in these conditions really hammers home the benefits of the 4,500 NITs of light coming from those microLEDs.

This next-level brightness is maintained even when viewing the watch face from an acute angle, which can be surprisingly useful when glancing at your watch mid-run or taking quick compass bearings, for instance.

Despite the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro microLED’s 51mm, beefed up form factor (it’s 1mm thicker and 3 grams heaver than the already-thick AMOLED version) I quickly grew used to wearing it 24/7 so that I could really dig into Garmin’s lifestyle, training and health monitoring features. It’s chunky, of that there’s no doubt, but I found the combination of a supremely comfortable, flexible strap and well-designed watch body surprisingly easy to wear all-day and overnight. For the first time in a long time, possibly ever, I found that the sleep monitoring data matched my lived experience almost exactly, which gave me faith in the smartwatch to provide useful, actionable data and insights into how to improve the duration and quality of my sleep without feeling ‘nagged’ to do so.

(Image credit: Future / Matt Ray)

As befitting a true multisport smartwatch, I took the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro microLED everywhere from trail running around London to hiking national parks in sideways rain and from snowboarding at 50mph down a French Alp in -18°C windchill to scaling routes in an indoor climbing wall. I was consistently impressed with the automatic tracking and accuracy of the various activity modes once they’re activated (and there are a lot of modes, including eight running sub-modes and not just Snowboarding but Backcountry Snowboarding too).

I love data but I hate lots of pain points in the tracking experience, so the ability of this smartwatch to intelligently detect and log activity is unsurpassed, in my experience. I found that this smartwatch wasn’t flustered by extreme conditions or environments and the battery life remained consistent even as the iPhone in my pocket was spluttering and dying in sub-zero temps.

Speaking of battery life, it’s nominally less than the AMOLED version, but in practice I got at least four days life on a single charge with Always-On Display on and was pleasantly surprised by its longevity. In situations where battery life was critical, I got used to toggling off the Always-On screen, which made battery life jump to 10 days+. Unlike some smartwatches, there was no perceptible lag when turning your wrist to activate the screen so you don’t sacrifice much usability with this setting.

I also appreciated the rugged design, which shrugged off knocks and scrapes when high in the mountains. Ironically, the biggest impact was when I punched the bezel into a plastic hold when climbing indoors and made the whole wall shake. The sapphire screen remained resolutely unmarked and while I did scrape the very edge of the adonised black finish off the bezel, the titanium itself was undamaged. I look forward to the time when the form factor can be shrunk down, but until then the durability of this smartwatch will see you through despite its egregious, easily-knocked size.

On paper, the brightness upgrade of microLED over AMOLED seems like a ‘nice to have if you have the cash’. But in practice, the real-world experience of discovering unexpected performance and quality of life improvements from a brighter screen are compelling. The upgrade is worth it, and makes me hopeful for the future of microLED technology coming to other smartwatches.

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro microLED: Price and availability

(Image credit: Future / Matt Ray)

• $1,699.99 / £1,399.99 / AU$3,399.99
• A significant leap above the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED
• In a price class of its own for a multisport smartwatch

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro microLED retails for £1,399.99, $1,699.99, AU$3,399.99

That breaks out from the upper reaches of multisport smartwatches and approaches the terrain of luxury connected watches such as Tag Heuer’s Connected Caliber E5. So, you need to be convinced of the benefits of brightness, because that’s 100% what you’re paying for.

• Value score: 4/5

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro microLED: Scorecard

(Image credit: Future / Matt Ray)

Category

Comment

Score

Value

The pinnacle of performance comes at a steep price but the benefits are fully visible.

4/5

Design

Reasurringly robust, visually premium and the 51mm size is surprisingly comfortable.

5/5

Features

Garmin’s full suite of functionality.

5/5

Performance

Snappy HR, accurate sleep monitoring, tracked everything from snowboarding to rock climbing.

5/5

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro microLED: Should I buy?

(Image credit: Future / Matt Ray)Buy it if...

You want screen technology that blows the competition away

You better enjoy the living daylights out of brightness because that’s what you’re paying for, but it really is next-level and surprisingly useful.

You’re an adventurer

A brighter, sharper screen pays dividends when navigating or monitoring performance in both bad weather and the blazing glare of a midday sun alike.

You want a 24/7 smartwatch

Yes, that microLED screen adds even more to the bulk, but thanks to a comfortable strap design and high-performance sensors this is a smartwatch that delivers excellent lifestyle monitoring.

Don't buy it if...

You’re not looking for maximum screen brightness

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED has some advantages including a slightly less thick and heavy watch chassis, marginally better battery life and it’s a lot less expensive.

You don’t want to pay a premium to be a first adopter

Given the clear benefits, we have to hope that microLED technology will appear in a less ultra-premium package, eventually.

You’re looking for maximum battery life

Those 400,000 LEDs can be a significant load on battery life, making the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED the winner there.

Also consider

Garmin Fenix 8

The obvious choice to save a few hundred - almost all the features, bar satellite connectivity and those 400,000 microLEDs in practically the same chassis.

Read our full Garmin Fenix 8 review

Apple Watch Ultra 3

If you’re already within the Apple ecosystem this the natural titanium-cased choice for seamless multisport support.

Read our full Apple Watch Ultra 3 review

How I tested

I wore the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro microLED over several months, including stints wearing it 24/7 overnight and for very varied activities and workouts including trail running, indoor climbing, snowboarding, weight lifting, sailing and cycling. I was in 35°C heatwaves and -18°C blizzards, from sea level to 4,000m.

First reviewed: August 2026