Technology

Labor Day is exactly one week away, and Best Buy has launched its official sale. The retailer's Labor Day appliance sale went live on Friday and has now expanded to its full sale, with up to 64% off best-selling TVs, Apple devices, laptops, headphones, and smart home gadgets.

• Shop Best Buy's full Labor Day sale

Best Buy's Labor Day sale comes at the right time, as the global RAM and component crisis has driven up prices for tech products like MacBooks, Amazon devices, and iPads. Today's discounts are not only welcome, but quite impressive, with record-low prices on 2026 releases from brands like LG, Apple, Sony, and Dell.

Best Buy isn't only offering excellent discounts on tech gadgets, but its Labor Day appliance sale is perhaps its best yet. The retailer is offering over $1,000 in savings and promising that 'we won’t be beat on appliance pricing,' backed by its price match guarantee. That means if you find an appliance that's cheaper at an online or local competitor, Best Buy will match it.

Below are links to Best Buy's most popular sale categories, followed by my pick of today's 23 top deals, including OLED TVs, iPads, cheap laptops, and more. Keep in mind these are limited-time offers, and Best Buy's Labor Day sale ends September 7 at Midnight.

Best Buy's 2026 Labor Day sale – quick links

• Apple: MacBooks, AirTags & iPads from $24
• Appliances: up to 45% off major appliances + free shipping
• Cameras: up to $1,000 off Canon & GoPro
• Gaming: PS5 & Switch games from $14.99
• Headphones: up to $160 off Bose & Sony
• Laptops: from $119
• Phones: up to $250 off Samsung, Apple & Google
• Smartwatches: up to $250 off Apple & Samsung
• Soundbars: up to $1,000 off Sonos & Samsung
• TVs: from $69.99
• Vacuums: save up to $450 on Dyson & Shark

The top 23 Best Buy Labor Day deals

Best Buy Labor Day appliance sale: save up to 45% off, plus free delivery
Best Buy's Labor Day appliance sale is very impressive this year, with up to 45% off fridges, dishwashers, ranges, and microwaves from Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, and GE. The retailer is also offering free shipping, and you can price match to ensure you're getting the best deal.View Deal

Fire TV Stick 4K Select: was $49.99 now $17.99
Amazon's newest 4K streaming stick is now $17.99 at Best Buy. Since it's only a few bucks more than the cheaper HD version, you might as well pay for the upgrade and get higher-resolution streaming—as long as you have a 4K TV. It lacks a few premium features found in the more expensive Plus and Max models, such as improved Wi-Fi and Dolby Atmos, but that is more than enough for everyday use.View Deal

WH-1000XM5: was $398 now $248
Quite simply, the best in Sony's class-leading wireless over-ear lineup. The older XM4 headphones were outstanding, the XM3 cans before it were excellent, and it'll come as little surprise to know that Sony's XM5 proposition is also incredibly hard to beat – especially with a whopping $150 off. They don't fold up like the XM4, but, as a quick glance at our Sony WH-100XM5 review proves, there's not much else to pick fault with. View Deal

The Bose QuietComfort Headphones are the manufacturer's flagship pair of headphones — and they still hold up three years later. These budget-friendly wireless headphones offer great ANC, comfort, and portability for less than most competitors.View Deal

Studio Pro Premium Wireless Over-Ear Headphones: was $349.99 now $249.99
Grab the highly-rated Beats Studio Pro for $249.99. They're gorgeous-looking, easy to use, and the sound is good (read about it in our Beats Studio Pro review), so if the lack of multipoint pairing (they do auto-switch with Apple devices, though) and wearer detection doesn't bother you, this is a very solid deal.View Deal

AirPods Max 2 (USB-C): was $549 now $529
The over-ear headphones now include Apple's H2 chip, which delivers adaptive audio, personalized volume, and improved voice isolation for superior sound. You're also getting up to 1.5x more Active Noise Cancellation and 20 hours of battery life.View Deal

AirTag 4 Pack (2nd generation): was $99 now $89
The best-selling Apple AirTag is on sale for $89 during Best Buy's Labor Day sale. A great way to track a child's backpack or luggage, the AirTag can be attached to anything you don't want to lose, and your iPhone can locate it.View Deal

iPad 11-inch (A16, 2025): was $449 now $399
Apple's latest base iPad is $50 off at Best Buy, bringing the price to $399. The biggest upgrade over the previous generation is the newer A16 chip for faster performance, and you'll also get double the standard storage (128GB instead of 64GB). Other features include a sharp 11-inch Liquid Retina display and solid 12MP front- and rear-facing cameras, making this iPad the best for casual streamers and scrollers.

Read our full 11-inch iPad A16 reviewView Deal

MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M5 chip: was $1799 now $1699
Best Buy has a $100 discount on Apple's popular 13-inch MacBook Air M5. The powerful MacBook packs Apple's M5 chip, delivering exceptional performance and speed, plus AI capabilities and 18 hours of battery life.View Deal

MacBook Pro 14.2-inch (M5): was $2499 now $2299
Apple's M5 chip (10-core CPU, 10-core GPU) is paired with 16GB of unified memory and a 1TB SSD, in a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with up to 24 hours of battery life. Today's deal from Best Buy shaves $200 off the retail price.View Deal

14 Chromebook: was $399 now $179
Processor: Intel Celeron N4500 
RAM: 4GB
Storage: 64GB

If you're looking for a machine that can just cover the basics, then this 14-inch Chromebook is easily one of the cheapest ways to do so. OK, so an Intel Celeron chipset and 4GB of RAM isn't exactly world-beating in terms of power, but you really don't need much to run a Chromebook. We've been impressed by HP's Chromebooks when we've reviewed them, so this is definitely a good low-cost option. View Deal

Processor: MediaTek Kompanio 540
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 128GB

You don't always find a laptop with 8GB of memory for under $300, so this Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook really stands out in Best Buy's latest sale. Other components are good for light use, but that bump to 8GB of RAM will really help with everyday performance and load times. It's still a fairly basic laptop, but with enough extra power to avoid dramatic slowdown when multitasking.View Deal

Chromebook Plus 516: was $479 now $399
Display - 16 inches
Processor - Intel i3
RAM - 8GB
Storage - 128GB

This version of the Acer Chromebook Plus offers a solid amount of power for the price. It includes 8GB of RAM and an Intel i3 processor, boosting performance, boot times, and load times. The 128GB storage is a bit underwhelming, but you get a large, bright IPS display and decent battery life of around 12 hours— more than enough for a full workday. 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

15.6-inch 2K Touchscreen Laptop: was $849.99 now $449.99
This 15.6-inch touchscreen laptop combines an Intel 13th Generation Core i5 1334U processor, 8GB DDR5 RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD, Full HD IPS display, Wi-Fi 6, USB-C, and Windows 11 Home.View Deal

Yoga 7i 2-in-1 2K Touchscreen Laptop: was $1199.99 now $749.99
Lenovo’s Yoga 7i 2-in-1 combines a large 16-inch 2K touchscreen, Intel Core Ultra 7 performance, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD in a sleek aluminum design. Its flexible hinge supports laptop, tent, stand, and tablet modes, while Wi-Fi 6E, Thunderbolt ports, and long battery life make it ideal for everyday productivity.View Deal

55-inch F70 Series 4K QLED Mini-LED Fire TV: was $699.99 now $299.99
Insignia's F70 Series QLED TV boasts Mini-LED and Quantum Dot technology, delivering bold, vibrant colors and lifelike images. You also get Dolby Atmos Audio, smart capabilities with the Fire operating system, and a voice remote with hands-free Alexa, so you can use your voice to control your TV.View Deal

QD50 58-inch Hi-QLED 4K TV: was $399.99 now $209.99
I can't speak too much about the overall quality of this TV given we haven't had extensive testing time, but I can't deny that it's a super low price for a TV of this size. It also sports the budget version of Hisense's QLED tech, which offers superior brightness and more vivid colors, although it's not as powerful as the premium displays. Still, this is a big and cheap TV that will be ideal for general everyday viewing and streaming for someone who isn't too bothered about getting the very best picture possible.View Deal

65-inch C6 OLED TV: was $2699.99 now $1499.99
The LG C6 is the successor to our best-rated TV, LG's C5 OLED, and it has a whopping $1,200 discount at Best Buy's Labor Day sale. The 2026 OLED TV delivers more accurate, brighter colors than the C5 with powerful contrast thanks to its new Alpha 11 AI processor. The C6 also includes impressive gaming features and LG's intuitive smart TV platform.

Read our full LG C6 reviewView Deal

65-inch Bravia XR8B Smart Google TV: was $3299.99 now $2499.99
If you're looking for a big-screen premium display, Sony's 65-inch Bravia XR8B OLED TV is now at a record-low price of $2,499.99. Sony's Bravia 8 features a sleek, slim design, a wide viewing angle, brilliant images with deep contrast, and cinematic sound across the entire screen.View Deal

75-inch C350 4K Fire TV: was $729.99 now $369.99
If you're looking for a cheap big-screen TV, Best Buy has the popular 75-inch Toshiba C350 4K Fire TV for an incredible $369.99. Toshiba's C350 is a 4K TV with HDR support, delivering solid picture quality for everyday viewing. Access streaming apps easily with the Fire TV OS, which puts Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and more at your fingertips. It's not as powerful as many premium options, but if you're on a tight budget and want a big display, this is an excellent option.View Deal

75-inch S5 4K LED Fire TV: was $649.99 now $419.99
The TCL 75-inch S5 4K LED TV supports Dolby Vision, HDR10 Plus, HDR10, and HLG, while there’s Dolby Atmos sound and a built-in subwoofer. It also has a dedicated Game Mode for lower input lag and latency, and Motion Rate 240 technology for smoother motion. It’s all wrapped up in a highly attractive price tag for a screen of this size.View Deal

77-inch G6 OLED 4K TV: was $4499.99 now $3799.99
The LG G6 is a pricey TV, but this flagship OLED delivers superb picture quality and unbeatable gaming performance. It uses a new-gen Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 OLED panel and a new Alpha 11 AI Gen 3 processor to deliver a better bright-room viewing experience than the previous model. With four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting a full suite of features, the G6 is also a fantastic gaming display.

Read our full LG G6 reviewView Deal

77-inch B5 OLED 4K Smart TV: was $2999.99 now $1499.99
The LG B5 is this year's best budget OLED TV, and Best Buy has a massive 50% discount on the 77-inch model. Released last year, the LG B5 is TechRadar's best budget OLED TV and was awarded four and a half stars in our review. The LG display delivers an exceptional picture with brilliant colors and sharp contrast. You also get excellent gaming features, thanks to the four HDMI 2.1 ports and new AI tools, including AI Search, AI Concierge, and an improved AI Chatbot.

Read our full LG B5 reviewView Deal

See more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing

Just days before the FBI issued a warning over Iranian attempts to hack critical infrastructure in the US, a UK power generation plant was taken offline for four days after a cyberattack.

The attack has been attributed to Iran, which has stepped up its offensive cyber warfare efforts since the US and Israel began conducting strikes in February 2026. These cyberattacks have been largely focused on the US and its allies.

A UK government spokesperson responded to the attack, stating, “This story refers to an incident impacting a small-scale energy generator, and at no point was there a risk to the wider energy system. The U.K. has a highly resilient energy system. We work closely with the energy sector to protect infrastructure and ensure the highest security standards,” (via CNBC).

The wider impact for critical infrastructure

While the attack may have only targeted a ‘small-scale energy generator’, it shows that state-sponsored groups are actively attempting to disrupt UK energy production in any way they can, regardless of how much power it provides.

As has been made abundantly clear in the US, much of the world’s major critical infrastructure relies on small network-enabled operation technology (OT) components.

If OT devices have passed their end-of-life and no longer receive software updates, or have simply been misconfigured, these devices can show up on the internet to a hacker looking for a way into a protected network.

(Image credit: Future)

Got an opinion for us? Here’s how you can submit your perspective

The UK has taken very careful steps to shield these devices from the internet to prevent them being used to access critical infrastructure, but it only takes a single internet-facing OT to cause issues.

Following the aftermath of the attack, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has issued new guidance on protecting OT devices from state-sponsored threats.

In its guidance, the NCSC said “the threat from state use of offensive cyber, including outside of conflict, has almost certainly increased.”

So what do the experts think the attack means for critical infrastructure, the UK, and the wider world?

Expert perspectives on UK powerplant attack

• Muhammad Yahya Patel, vCISO and cybersecurity advisor for EMEA, Huntress:

Attackers don’t care whether an energy operator is large enough to meet a reporting threshold. If it can be disrupted, it can be targeted. The significance isn’t the size of the facility, but that a cyberattack turned into four days of real-world operational disruption.

Why did recovery take four days, and are smaller operators adequately prepared to contain and recover from these incidents?

That raises an important question: why did recovery take four days, and are smaller operators adequately prepared to contain and recover from these incidents?

There is also a potential visibility gap. If smaller energy operators fall outside mandatory cyber-reporting thresholds, we risk underestimating how frequently this part of our infrastructure is being targeted or successfully compromised.

Critical infrastructure security cannot stop with the organisations considered large enough to be critical. Attackers will look for the weakest route in, so resilience, monitoring and rehearsed recovery need to extend across the wider energy ecosystem.

The real measure of cyber resilience is no longer simply whether you can prevent an intrusion. It’s whether you can contain one quickly enough that a cyber incident doesn’t become an operational crisis

• Graeme Stewart, head of public sector, Check Point:

This marks a grave escalation in the Iran conflict because a hostile state-linked cyber threat has reportedly reached into UK energy infrastructure and caused a physical shutdown lasting four days. That should concern every organisation responsible for keeping this country running. The fact that this was a relatively small generator and the wider grid was unaffected does not remove the threat. The far more serious point is what the attackers appear to have demonstrated: an ability to get inside.

The far more serious point is what the attackers appear to have demonstrated: an ability to get inside

UK energy infrastructure and stop it working. We have to ask what happens if the next target is bigger, more critical or more deeply connected to the services millions of people rely on. Britain’s Critical National Infrastructure underpins almost every part of modern life, including electricity, water, transport and communications, and those systems are increasingly digital, interconnected and dependent on one another. A serious attack on one part of that ecosystem has the potential to cause disruption far beyond the original target.

For most Brits, the Iran conflict is happening thousands of miles away and cyber warfare probably still conjures up images of stolen passwords, leaked data and companies being held to ransom. The prospect of a hostile state being able to reach into the infrastructure beneath our everyday lives changes that dramatically, because suddenly an international conflict has a potential route to our front doors through the power we use, the water we depend on and the networks that keep us connected. We also need to consider whether causing widespread disruption was ever the objective here. If this attack was intended to demonstrate that Iranian-linked hackers can penetrate UK infrastructure and cause real-world consequences, then the significance isn't measured by the size of the generator they managed to shut down, but by what they have demonstrated may be possible.

The question now has to be whether Britain is genuinely ready if something more serious follows. We cannot build our resilience around the assumption that every attacker will be stopped at the door, particularly when we have just seen reports of one getting through. Operators of essential services need to know exactly how they keep functioning when systems are compromised, how quickly an attack can be contained and how they recover without allowing disruption to spread. Cybersecurity is rapidly becoming about something much bigger than protecting information. It is about protecting the systems that allow a modern country to function and finding out how resilient those systems are during a major attack would be far too late

• Matt Caswell, Executive Director, OpenSSL Foundation and Principal Software Engineer:

An attack that can take part of the UK’s power infrastructure offline is a reminder that cyber resilience is about more than protecting the organisation at the front of the incident. We also need to understand the technology and dependencies sitting underneath critical services.

Regulation can improve security practices, but resilient infrastructure depends on understanding and sustaining the software it relies on.

Modern infrastructure contains layers of software from different suppliers and open-source projects. Organisations need enough visibility to know which dependencies really matter before an attack happens, so they can understand their exposure and respond quickly when something goes wrong.

For the UK, this is also a wider resilience question. Regulation can improve security practices, but resilient infrastructure depends on understanding and sustaining the software it relies on. That needs to be part of the conversation about how we protect essential services.

• Tim Williams, CEO, Quod Orbis:

The fact that this attack was contained to a small-scale generator and did not threaten the wider energy system should not obscure the significance of what has happened. The real warning is that a hostile actor was able to disrupt a piece of the UK’s energy infrastructure in the first place.

The fact that this attack was contained to a small-scale generator and did not threaten the wider energy system should not obscure the significance of what has happened.

Avoiding a major outage is all well and good, but it shouldn’t be seen as the success metric for true cyber resilience. The real measure of cyber resilience isn't whether an organisation has controls documented in a framework. It's whether it can continuously demonstrate that those controls are working when they matter most, identifying control weaknesses before they are exploited and become operational incidents.

As geopolitical tensions increase, organisations need to assume that cyber attacks are potential business continuity events and ones that are capable of impacting far more than the businesses themselves. Critical national infrastructure such as electricity, power and water are likely to be the targets for more attacks so resilience will really depend on knowing, in real time, whether the controls designed to protect critical operations are actually working, and having clear accountability when they are not.

Reactive incident response is important but it’s not enough. Continuous assurance needs to become part of how organisations manage operational resilience, particularly as state-linked actors increasingly look for ways to exploit the digital systems underpinning essential services

How do I submit my own perspective on emerging news?

If you have an expert perspective you would like to share on an emerging story or particular topic, please get in contact here: benedict.collins@futurenet.com

Google is setting new Android app memory requirements for February 2027 as developers face stricter Play Store thresholds and rising RAM pressure.

The post Google Sets February 2027 Deadline: Android Apps Must Meet New Memory Limits appeared first on TechRepublic.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword has blown me away after 30 hours with its engaging, emotional, and immersive narrative, filled with epic combat encounters. Capcom nailed the sword-fighting in almost all areas, further aided by some of the best boss battles I've ever played in the action-adventure genre.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PC
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
Release date: September 4, 2026

The enemy variety in Way of the Sword appears a little weak initially, but fortunately, there is surprisingly a decent number of diverse enemy types to tackle, some of which will put players' skills to the test, and enemies that tie directly to some of the darker and morbid aspects of the story — giving me every bit of motivation to defeat those responsible.

Much like previous games in the Onimusha series, upgrades and enhancements work by collecting red souls from defeating enemies or by finding other necessary resources to stay well-equipped for more difficult encounters or boss fights (because there are many of them).

Capcom has blended elements from the beloved franchise with modern elements (notably thanks to the RE Engine, used in Resident Evil Requiem), creating a sword-fighting, narrative-driven experience that successfully revitalizes the franchise for future entries — and yet again, it proves that it's in the best form it's ever been in.

What it takes to be the strongest

(Image credit: Capcom)

In Onimusha: Way of the Sword, we follow Miyamoto Musashi, a confident young samurai looking to climb to the very top to be the best swordsman there is, battling rivals and those with the same goal. When an encounter with a fierce rival, Sasaki Ganryu, goes wrong, both Musashi and Ganryu are thrust into lives and roles neither could ever expect.

Genma (demons) are seeping into Kyoto, Japan, from the depths of hell, and chaos is unfolding, with the lives of innocents taken brutally, and formidable Genma tormenting those who are vulnerable.

Musashi and Ganryu seek the same goal: master the blade and become the ultimate swordsman. However, both will eventually learn that far more important matters are at stake: humanity's attempt to repel Genma is in dire need of attention, and with Ganryu led astray, it's up to Musashi to forge the right path to heroism.

Equipped with Oni gauntlets, Musashi and Ganryu possess strengths far above the ordinary human, with plenty of abilities to challenge and defeat Genma. However, as expected, with that power comes plenty of responsibility.

Do strength and power derive from one's own efforts? Is it honorable to seek absolute power with the sacrifice of innocents? These are questions Musashi is left to answer throughout his journey, learning through victory but also through trial and error, ultimately creating an engaging rollercoaster that kept me on the edge of my seat.

Musashi is far from perfect in his use of Oni powers, but the character's development throughout the Way of the Sword and his bravado (significantly amped by the face model of the late and legendary Toshiro Mifune) are the strongest aspects of the game, keeping you coming back for more after each main story mission.

Miyamoto Musashi shines in every single cutscene, with a level of charisma that accurately represents the legendary Japanese figure, Musashi himself, and Toshiro Mifune's prowess. (Video Credit: Capcom)

As much as Onimusha: Way of the Sword maintains a strong focus on sword combat, it's very much a strong cinematic experience, with cutscenes that are absolutely phenomenal. The level of detail in every character's facial expressions and speech makes it feel like you're watching a movie at times.

Unfortunately, that makes the switch back to gameplay and dialogue sequences quite jarring. It's not that the visuals aren't great during gameplay; it just doesn't match up to those cinematic sequences, and I found myself constantly wishing gameplay looked as great as those important cutscenes — but ultimately, those beautiful visuals are designed for what's most important: the story.

Exceptional, addictive sword combat

(Image credit: Capcom)

Unsurprisingly, the combat in Onimusha: Way of the Sword is fantastic, taking fundamentals from what series veterans are accustomed to, alongside new and exciting skills, making every encounter entertaining.

As mentioned in my preview, the Issen technique makes its return, allowing players to viciously strike enemies right before being hit, and it makes for an incredible spectacle.

More importantly, parrying and deflecting are pivotal to overcoming foes in Way of the Sword. Just like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice by FromSoftware, both defence options significantly deplete enemy stamina or 'posture', leaving them open to attacks for huge damage.

Way of the Sword treats Sekiro's 'deathblows' slightly differently; instead of one central area to attack, players have several options for areas to strike against bosses.

In scenarios where Musashi runs out of Hozuki (used for quick healing), most bosses will have a limb or part of a weapon (notably with the Byakue boss) highlighted in purple that is filled with red, yellow, blue, and purple souls, but does less damage to the enemy compared to the traditional main attack.

It's an aspect of combat that creates a dynamic back-and-forth between Musashi and various bosses, especially if you need more yellow souls for health from dealing too much damage earlier on.

Patience is key when attempting to execute Issen or Chain Issen, as the timing window is very narrow, more so than those for parries and deflects. When mastered, though, you'll overcome most enemies with ease. (Video Credit: Capcom)

Capcom did promise that enemies further into the game's story would be more difficult, after players voiced concerns that the demo was too easy. While I can say that endgame enemies are certainly more formidable and aggressive, some even making me sweat when in larger numbers, most basic enemy encounters are still easy.

This is directly due to Capcom's design for Way of the Sword's combat, which is very obviously focused on replicating samurai-like fights, taking after historical samurai duels that often ended in a single strike. Enemies won't attack Musashi in groups, making clashes with enemies easy, but I can see what director Satoru Nihei was aiming for with slower, more deliberate, and steadily paced sword clashes.

Fortunately, once you beat the game, you'll unlock the hard mode, Carnage, which is encouraged for use in New Game Plus. This raises the stakes to a new level, as a single hit could result in death, similar to Sucker Punch's Ghost of Tsushima and its Lethal difficulty.

While that doesn't directly address the fundamental aspect of enemies not attacking Musashi all at once, it will keep players on their toes to remain efficient in combat.

Musashi is an absolute badass in every scenario he's put in (Image credit: Capcom)

Onimusha: Way of the Sword genuinely has some of the best animations I've ever seen in any video game, particularly when parrying. Musashi oozes so much swagger in every single fight, making his confident and cocky attitude shine through combat, not just dialogue and cutscenes.

At the same time, I was slightly disappointed to see that Musashi's katana is the only primary weapon to use throughout the game. Yes, you'll find Oni Armaments on the journey, which effectively act as secondary weapons, but they require blue souls to pull off special attacks. It's a step away from a series tradition, where characters like Samonsuke or Jean Reno had a wide arsenal of weapons to use on the fly.

The game excels at its parry and deflect animations, but is surprisingly lacking in the number of animations for enemy finishers — and I couldn't help but feel like another primary weapon besides the katana would instantly fix that.

Nonetheless, Onimusha: Way of the Sword's boss fights make up for it, as they are easily the standout in an already immersive and addictive game experience. While some of the boss encounters are repeated too often, particularly during the game's climax, they are easily among some of the most epic boss battles I've played in games.

Besides the final boss battle, Dohatsu-ten is a strong favourite of mine, putting my reflexes to parry fast attacks to the test, and its design reminds me of Capcom's very own familiar and beloved half-demon, half-human demon hunter, Dante. (Video Credit: Capcom)

Best Bit

(Image credit: Capcom)

Onimusha: Way of the Sword has several breathtaking boss encounters from start to finish, but the very final boss fight is perhaps now among the best I've ever played in gaming. Without diving into spoiler territory, it was a battle that gave me the true sword fighting back-and-forth I was yearning for throughout the game. Capcom nailed this boss encounter, as it quite literally pushes you utilize every single skill and maneuver Musashi has learned, to overcome an incredibly ferocious and fast foe — and I can only imagine how challenging it will be on the hard mode difficulty.

If difficulty is a major concern, fear not, because not only are the boss fights a fantastic spectacle, but they're also very challenging. Bosses will often launch attacks (where swords have a purple glow) that can't be dodged or blocked, so players must parry or deflect them or lose plenty of souls in the process.

Losing souls from being hit by an enemy's unblockable attack is very risky, as they'll be collected and used to make them even stronger mid-fight — and this is the last thing you'll want to happen during the final boss fight, which I won't spoil.

Players will also have to look out for bosses attempting to grab Musashi by hitting the dodge button just before it lands, as mistiming this results in serious damage and can single-handedly decide a fight. Pulling off well-timed dodges, parries, deflects, and counters to grabs makes the entire combat experience addictive, and once you unlock the Oni transformation, the game takes a new leap to greater heights.

What about performance?

(Image credit: Capcom)

I played Onimusha: Way of the Sword on my main desktop gaming PC, equipped with an RTX 4080 Super and an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D processor, and performance was the least of my concerns. Through most of my 30-hour playthrough, I played at maximum graphics settings at the 3440x1440 display resolution, with DLSS Quality enabled, and consistently stayed above the 100 fps mark.

When testing the game on my Lenovo Legion Go S Z1 Extreme handheld gaming PC, I could easily hit around 40fps with graphics settings preset to medium, with FSR set to balanced, at around 24W (power consumption).

This is another Capcom game that runs very smoothly, which was a worry considering some of its semi-open world hubs. The RE Engine seems to struggle in open-world (open-area) games like Dragon's Dogma 2 and Monster Hunter Wilds, rather than those with linear environments in Capcom's Resident Evil games.

I did experience a few odd moments of heavy frame rate dips during some cutscenes, but these were few and far between, so it didn't break the flow of important narrative development.

There is full ultrawide support in both cutscenes and gameplay, which isn't exactly common for PC ports, as the former is often restricted to the 16:9 aspect ratio.

Should you play Onimusha: Way of the Sword?Play it if...

You love games that heavily rely on parries and counters
Onimusha: Way of the Sword is a sword-fighting fan's dream, with enough combat and duels that will keep you addicted to rematching the toughest bosses, and frankly, should be enough to encourage a second playthrough.

You love the Onimusha games
Without a doubt, Onimusha: Way of the Sword is the best game in the Onimusha series, with Capcom managing to keep mechanics from the original games while adding new content for a modern audience, thanks to the help of the RE Engine.

Don't play it if...

You're looking for a soulslike challenging experience
Onimusha has never been, and seemingly never will be, the franchise that follows in the footsteps of soulslike experiences. Way of the Sword is challenging, but it doesn't punish players for mistakes in the same way something like Elden Ring or Lies of P would.

You hate repetitive boss encounters
Boss fights are the highlight of Onimusha: Way of the Sword, but it's clear to see that there are far too many boss battles that are repeated at different segments of the game.

Accessibility features

Onimusha: Way of the Sword has plenty of accessibility options, notably color blindness aids alongside visual and auditory accessibility presets. Within those presets lie options such as subtitles (toggle on or off), subtitle size, subtitle background, menu text size, and HUD size.

There are also numerous options to change the blood color, disable dismemberment, remove action prompts, and motion sickness reduction settings.

Players can also change keybinds for mouse and keyboard play, while there are several different options for sprint control (toggle or hold), deflect control, menu cursor speed, and even one to disable the Windows key's functionality.

The game ships with DLSS 4.5 and FSR 3 frame generation, CPU performance presets, and ray tracing, which doesn't seem heavy to run — at least on a high-end gaming system.

How I reviewed Onimusha: Way of the Sword

(Image credit: Capcom)

Most of my 30-hour playthrough of Onimusha: Way of the Sword was on my main gaming PC, using the LG 45GS95QE OLED ultrawide display, providing exceptional immersion thanks to its 800R curvature.

During my trip to Gamescom, I put Onimusha's performance to the test by lowering my Lenovo Legion Go S handheld's TDP as much as possible, and was quite impressed by how steady it was around 40fps. It's certainly possible to achieve 60fps, but it would require lowering graphics settings further and increasing the TDP.

First reviewed August 2026

I've always been a big fan of the ThinkPad lineup. Although that's a very clear lineup, split across the S series, the E series, and beyond.

The S series is the slimline series, and even with a 16-inch laptop, the fact that they can keep it this lightweight is pretty impressive. It begs the biggest challenge: what backpack are you going to put it in? Not necessarily if you want to carry it with you or not.

This is the kind of laptop that you want to bring with you if you need some serious power and some screen real estate, but not necessarily a high-power CPU. I wouldn't bring this with me if I'm trying to edit video or push some 3D renderings or anything like that. If I'm doing coding work, need some serious CPU on the go, and want that bigger screen without breaking my back carrying it around, then this is one I would strongly consider.

It is supposed to be a desktop replacement, after all. One thing that Lenovo loves to talk about with this laptop is its ability to run CAD at a desktop performance level, even without the BVR GPU. The RTX Pro 500 Blackwell GPU is plenty good enough for most 3D renderings and mobile work.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 4: Price and availability

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

The ThinkPad P16s Gen 4 is widely available from both Lenovo and online retailers like Amazon and B&H Photo. You can pick up the Ultra 7 with 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage for around $3,000, but it comes in a range of configurations.

That's about what we'd expect for a workstation packing this sort of power, and puts it around $2000 cheaper than the behemoth ThinkPad P16 Gen 3.

It's available with an Intel chip in the US here and UK here via Lenovo. For the AMD version, Lenovo has it in the US here and the UK here.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 4: Unboxing and First Impressions

I'm fairly certain that unboxing every single Lenovo laptop that I've ever opened has been nearly the same exact experience. So much so that I frequently have to properly label the boxes so that I don't get them mixed up when I'm reviewing several ThinkPads at one time.

With all that being said, there's nothing fancy or outrageous about the ThinkPad unboxing, and that's honestly one of the things I love about them (and one reason, beyond hardware, that I suspect they're a business favorite). The unboxing experience very matter-of-fact.

Taking it out of the box, I was impressed that the laptop is just as slim as Lenovo claims. While it's not the thinnest of my laptops, it's not even the thinnest of all the ThinkPads I have right now, it's startling how well-designed it is considering how powerful this machine is.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 4: Design & Build Quality

It's almost boring to talk about Lenovo laptops when it comes to reviews and design and build quality, because they all look almost identical: just slightly different thicknesses and minor changes, but nothing major.

In a sense, that's one of the major strengths, though. They all have phenomenal build quality. It's one of the reasons so many businesses rely on them: they are built to last and to be used and abused, not just looked at as a pretty showcase device.

As all good performance business devices should, the ThinkPad P16S Gen 4 has a MIL-STD-810H-tested build and a spill-resistant backlit keyboard.

It still feels snappy and comfortable to type on all day long. It has a large trackpad, great ports, the track point that people either love or hate, and even core features such as a privacy shutter and human presence detection.

Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 4: In use

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

I've been jumping in and out of this laptop, along with several others, for the last 100 days or more. So far, it's been able to handle even my most demanding AI business workflows. Yes, while I do write all these reviews by myself without any help from AI, there are several other clients that I have in my day-to-day jobs that I do utilize AI heavily for.

In those times, I'm running several chats at one time across ChatGPT, Claude, Notion, and even Gemini. Sometimes my computer can definitely get slowed down on some of my testing machines.

This one, however, seemed to hold up pretty well, even with multiple AI workflows at the same time, which is pretty impressive. It could be because of its RAM or just the powerful CPU, but either way, this machine gets the work done.

Of course, we are using this for day-to-day office work as well. For basic admin, this machine is overkill and will do it without any problem. The 16-inch screen is great for spreadsheets, research, email, really anything that you need to get done in a business context. But where it really shines is heavy CPU Tasks on the go.

I carry a MacBook Pro 14-inch every day, and that seems just about the largest I normally want to carry. Most 16-inch laptops that I try to carry in my normal backpack are a little bit too big, but the ThinkPad P16S Gen 4 does fit in my normal backpack size. If you are looking to get one and you're curious, that's good news for you.

Further, if you are one of the people who are lucky enough to be in a constant work-from-anywhere or remote work environment or job, and you need something that can handle every workload, this one is a phenomenal option.

Purely for research purposes only, I spent an afternoon at a coffee shop working away at this laptop, and it was very comfortable. It wasn't too big for the awkwardly small café tables and some coffee shops, nor was it awkward to pull out. I was able to get my work done.

The keyboard is comfortable enough to type on all day long. The mics are strong enough for dictation in virtual meetings, and it actually didn't even sound too bad using the built-in mics for virtual meetings in a moderately background-noise-filled coffee shop

Lenovo ThinkPad P16s Gen 4: Final verdict

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future )

If you're a developer on the go, if you work on GPU-light but CPU-heavy work, or if you just need a machine that won't slow down with your heavy workloads, then the ThinkPad P16S Gen4 may be something worth considering for you.

This slim moniker really does showcase itself here, all while keeping the same trusted and reliable ThinkPad build. This is definitely designed for mobile pros but could be utilized by just about anybody if the build and specs are right for you.

Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future Collin Probst // Future

For more powerhouse performers, we've tested the best business laptops, the best mobile workstations, and the best laptops for engineering students, which is one area I'd definitely recommend the ThinkPad P16s Gen 4.

For anyone looking to give their home office a stylish upgrade, I've selected 12 premium desk accessories that combine great design with features you'll actually use. Price wasn't the deciding factor here. I've looked for quality construction, clever engineering and genuinely useful features that can make your desk a better place to work while giving it a more premium finish.

My choices cover everything from high-end mice, keyboards and headphones to speakers, charging gear and other useful desk accessories. Each brings something special to the workspace, whether that's better ergonomics, smarter features, improved productivity or simply exceptional design.

Logitech MX Keys S Wireless Keyboard

Logitech MX Master 3S Bluetooth Wireless Mouse

Audioengine Bluetooth Desktop Speakers

Twelve South Laptop Stand

Bose Quietcomfort Wireless Bluetooth Headphones

Logitech Palm Rest MX Keys Premium

Anker Prime Charging Station

CalDigit TS4 18 Port Thunderbolt 4 Dock

Elgato Stream Deck +, Audio Mixer and Studio Controller

Asus ROG Aura Monitor Light Bar

Orbitkey Slim Leather Desk Mat -

Logitech Blue Yeti USB Microphone

Google is changing its site reputation abuse enforcement in the EEA after EU scrutiny, reducing one search penalty risk for publishers.

The post Google Changes EU Spam Policy to Avert Antitrust Fine appeared first on TechRepublic.

September is upon us, and in many countries we'll be preparing for cold weather and cozy nights in front of the TV. If you're looking for a good horror movie for a night in, there's plenty across the best streaming services this month.

Indeed, the streaming giants have added more new movies to their libraries, whether you're in the mood for big new releases, indie horror gems, or classics you haven't watched in ages.

Here's seven horror titles that caught my eye in September 2026.

Carrie (1976)

When: September 1
Where: HBO Max (US); MGM+ (UK); 7Plus (AU)

Ahead of Mike Flanagan's Carrie series on Prime Video, why not watch the original Brian De Palma movie? I love revisiting this horror classic, based on Stephen King's first novel.

Here, Sissy Spacek plays the titular role opposite Piper Laurie's terrifying performance as Carrie's overbearing mother, Margaret. After suffering bullying from her classmates and abuse from her mother, Carrie finally snaps on prom night, resulting in one of horror's most iconic scenes.

Sinister 

When: September 1
Where: Hulu (US); Lionsgate+ (UK); Stan (AU)

Before he became The Grabber in The Black Phone, Ethan Hawke was being terrorized by a demonic presence. In Sinister, he plays a true crime writer who discovers snuff films and attempts to piece together what happened to the victims.

This is a very scary watch with some great jump scares, one of which is widely regarded as one of the best jump scares in modern horror. So if you want to be sleeping with the lights on, Sinister is a great movie to stream this month.

Ready or Not

When: September 1
Where: Netflix, Hulu (US); Disney+ (UK, AU)

Sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come recently landed on Disney+, so you could have yourself a double bill and check out the first movie now it's streaming across some of the best streaming services.

In Ready or Not, Grace (Samara Weaving) marries into a wealthy family who made their fortune making puzzles and games. On her wedding night, she is invited to play hide and seek as part of a tradition, but it soon turns out to be much more deadly than she'd expected and she ends up fighting to stay alive.

Parasomnia

When: September 4
Where: Shudder (US only)

It's not a horror round up without Shudder's latest offerings, and I'm so excited about Parasomnia. The new original movie follows Riley, a young woman haunted by severe night terrors and a traumatic childhood linked to a tragic past of murder-suicides.

She is plagued by recurring visions of a dungeon maze and a malevolent entity known as 'The Seer', and this is set to be a supernatural thrill ride I'm sure.

Heretic 

When: September 8
Where: Hulu (US); rent or buy (UK); Netflix (AU)

After seeing Hugh Grant in an A24 horror movie, I seriously want to see him in more scary titles going forward. In Heretic, he plays a manipulative intellectual man named Mr Reed, who lures two Mormon women into his home under false pretenses.

Once trapped, Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) must try to survive and escape the house whilst he repeatedly "tests their faith". With some chilling monologues, this is not one to miss.

Bloody Tennis

When: September 25
Where: Shudder (worldwide)

If you thought Challengers was dramatic, wait until you see Bloody Tennis. This new Shudder exclusive movie follows a prestigious tennis academy where the brutality of competitive sports is taken to the extreme.

When newcomer Sophie arrives, the elite Southern European backdrop isn't at all what she expected and she finds herself surrounded by blood, gore, and she'll have to rely on her own survival instincts if she wants to get through the semester. Not your average school, then.

Backrooms

When: September 25
Where: HBO Max (US only)

Finally, Backrooms is making its streaming debut on HBO Max for US viewers. I've talked at length about why I love this movie in my five-star Backrooms review, but I'm happy to convince you why you should watch it once again.

Based on the Creepypasta phenomenon and Kane Parson's YouTube series, the movie follows down on his luck furniture salesman Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) after he discovers that he can clip through a wall in the basement and enter the Backrooms, a terrifying, seemingly endless labyrinth that popularized the 'liminal space' subgenre. When Clark goes missing, his therapist Mary (Renate Reinsve) ventures in to try and find him. It's so good, I've watched it three times already.

Google has agreed to a £260 million Play Store settlement in the U.K., with £160 million earmarked to compensate eligible app developers.

The post Google Agrees to Pay £260M to Settle UK App Store Monopoly Lawsuit appeared first on TechRepublic.

Meta is testing robots for data center maintenance, from swapping cables to restarting servers, raising questions about automation and IT staffing.

The post Meta Tests Robot Technicians: Inside Its Push to Automate Data Center Work appeared first on TechRepublic.

Following the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the organizers were unsurprisingly keen to capitalize on the worldwide attention the tournament secured and keep fans across the globe excited for the next big game.

To do so, FIFA partnered with Globant to redesign its global digital fan experience, using the latter's Glob.AI and AI Pods to try and create a more personalized and integrated ecosystem for football fans across all of FIFA's platforms and tournaments.

We spoke to Martín Nanni, Chief Experience Officer - EMEA, at Globant, to find out more.

• How did this partnership come about? And why is it only being released now, so soon after the World Cup?

The recent news is a continuation of a partnership that has been growing since 2022. This announcement marks the next step in their ongoing partnership and the developments that have taken place.

Recently, FIFA tested Globant’s newly launched Glob.AI model and AI Pods to improve the digital fan experience. Now that Glob.AI is public, it’s a good time to share how FIFA is using this technology.

Major tournaments like the World Cup give FIFA an opportunity to engage with fans globally, including those who may be interacting directly with FIFA for the first time. The main focus now is using AI, real-time data and individual fan identities to build on that engagement and create continuous, more direct relationships that don’t stop after a tournament.

• You talk about providing a “joined-up” experience for fans - what does that look like in reality, and why should they be excited for this?

We want a joined-up experience that means fans won’t feel like they have to start over every time they interact with FIFA. The aim is for fans to feel recognised and rewarded for long-term interaction through their single FIFA ID.

The goal is for a fan’s FIFA ID to connect all their digital experiences, whether they’re following a tournament online, using FIFA.com, using the FIFA Tournament App, watching at home, or going to a match.

For fans, this could mean having access to more relevant content, easier access to information they care about, and experiences that reflect their long-term connection to football, not just one event.

Globant has helped integrate FIFA ID across FIFA’s digital ecosystem, including experiences such as Rewards and the FIFA Tournament App, so it can act as a single user identifier across different products and engagement tools. This means that fans who engage with FIFA during the World Cup can continue that relationship beyond the tournament.

This is similar to the loyalty programmes many fans know from clubs or national teams, where ongoing support is recognised. It’s similar to the way that a local FA may have loyalty points for its long-term fans. The difference is that FIFA is doing this worldwide, across many competitions and digital platforms.

(Image credit: Getty IMandel NGAN - Pool/Getty Images)

• What role will Glob.AI play in helping create these new fan journeys? How will it use real-time data and create new experiences?

Glob.AI is the AI system FIFA is using. It uses AI Pods, which combine specialised AI agents with human guidance, to help design, build, and improve digital experiences faster.

With Glob.AI, FIFA can build digital solutions that collect data from fan interactions across its digital platforms and use those insights to build a smarter, more connected ecosystem. This helps FIFA better understand how fans engage, what they’re interested in, and how content and services can continuously evolve to improve their experience.

The key is that this system is designed to be adaptable to different tournaments. The platform does not learn or adapt on its own. Instead, FIFA’s editorial teams use the insights it provides to adapt and adjust the experience to the needs of each tournament, without having to build separate platforms for each one.

This could mean faster updates to digital products, quicker delivery of content, better personalisation on FIFA.com or the Tournament App, and more responsive engagement during match days and big tournaments.

• You talk about boosting efficiency - what does that entail when it comes to fan experiences?

The goal here is to give fans more of what they want, quickly.

For example, it could mean building a new app in days, not months or updating fan-facing digital products faster or delivering content during the live match, not three hours later.

The aim is to move from slow, disconnected digital services to a system where FIFA can react faster to fans’ needs. Early tests have shown a 20% boost in efficiency, with quality staying the same or getting better.

What improvements will FIFA see in getting more information about fans? Is the era of the “anonymous fan” ever really going to end?

Fans have autonomy here based on how they want their experience to be. Fans can still decide how much information they share and how personalised they want their experience.

This work lays the groundwork for a more direct and helpful relationship with fans who use FIFA’s platforms. By making FIFA ID stronger and connecting more of the digital journey, FIFA can better understand how fans interact with football all year, not just during one tournament.

The World Cup is a great example. The whole world is watching and that is the time to attract huge numbers of fans into its platform.

This helps FIFA see which content, players, competitions, and platforms different fans like. With this insight, FIFA can offer more relevant updates, better digital services, and more effective sponsor activities.

What plans are now in place for the next few years, particularly with the new domestic season beginning in Europe and the Women’s World Cup in 2027?

The aim is to build out an ecosystem. This means FIFA will keep linking FIFA ID with new and existing digital platforms, and will design these services based on what fans need in different competitions and situations.

The goal is to create an experience that works before, during, and after big tournaments, whether fans are there in person, watching from home, or connecting with FIFA content between events.

Looking forward, the main goal is to make the system more useful and to be able to grow across FIFA’s worldwide schedule. The World Cup served as a great platform for many new fans to engage with FIFA and our goal is to continue enhancing FIFA’s direct connection with those fans and attract even more to enjoy these digital experiences.

And what will success look like to you? How far out will you be measuring the effects of this programme?

Success can be measured in the amount of global fans that engage with it, as well as the fans who stay way beyond the World Cup. This is a multi year and multi tournament initiative.

As this is a long-term change in how FIFA connects with fans online, FIFA will measure success over several years and many tournaments.

In general, success means more fans using FIFA’s platforms and finding them helpful, relevant, and worth coming back to.

There will also be operational measures, such as how quickly FIFA can launch or improve digital experiences. For us, success is building a more direct, continuous and valuable relationship with fans around the world.

• Linus Torvalds introduced Linux in 1991 as a modest personal project
• Linux grew from roughly 10,000 lines into more than 40 million
• Linux now operates across servers, embedded devices, and cloud infrastructure worldwide

On August 25, 1991, a 21-year-old Finnish computer enthusiast introduced an operating system project online.

At that time, Linus Torvalds was experimenting with Minix, an educational operating system created for teaching operating system principles.

His announcement appeared on Usenet, where he sought reactions from people familiar with Minix and explained what he was developing.

A modest announcement becomes Linux

Torvalds described the project cautiously, making clear that he did not expect anything particularly large from his experiment.

In his original announcement, he wrote, "I'm doing a (free) operating system (just a hobby, won't be big and professional like gnu) for 386(486) AT clones. This has been brewing since april, and is starting to get ready. I'd like any feedback on things people like/dislike in minix, as my OS resembles it somewhat (same physical layout of the file-system (due to practical reasons) among other things)."

However, this operating system did not remain merely an announcement for very long, because Torvalds released the first version less than one month later.

Linux became available on September 17, 1991, establishing a project that would continue developing through contributions from programmers worldwide.

The early project therefore moved quickly from private experimentation into something available for other developers to examine and modify.

Its development model eventually became closely associated with open-source software, where publicly available code permits further examination and modification.

From personal project to computing mainstay

The scale of Linux's later adoption contrasts sharply with the modest expectations expressed in Torvalds' original announcement.

Linux also became an important foundation for technologies that millions of people encounter without necessarily knowing which operating system supports them.

What began around personal computers eventually became associated with servers, embedded systems, cloud computing infrastructure, and numerous other computing environments.

By January 2025, the Linux kernel had grown from roughly 10,000 lines in 1991 to more than 40 million lines of code.

The 6.19 kernel development cycle involved 2,141 developers and produced 14,344 non-merge changesets during its development.

Linux also runs on all 500 systems listed in the TOP500 ranking of the world's most powerful supercomputers.

The project's development now involves thousands of contributors, with Open Hub recording 6,201 contributors during its latest twelve-month period.

Its continued development has involved contributions from individuals, companies, organisations, and communities working across different parts of the tech industry.

Thirty-five years after that initial announcement, Torvalds remains closely involved with Linux development, although the project's circumstances have changed considerably.

The anniversary therefore provides a direct comparison between the project's modest beginnings and its extensive role across modern computing environments.

Torvalds' original description was understandable given his circumstances, since he was announcing a personal project rather than predicting decades of technological adoption.

Still, describing Linux as merely a hobby now appears remarkably restrained considering how extensively the operating system subsequently spread.

The original message remains available today, preserving an unusually clear record of the moment Linux first entered public discussion.

Via XDA-Developers

• Samsung's flagship now comes with Canvas's audiophile soundbars
• 1,000 to 1,500W of Class D amplification
• From $7,999 (about £5,905 / AU$11,165)

Samsung's flagship S99H OLED TV (S95H in the US) is a phenomenal TV with a divisive design: as we said in our Samsung S99H review, "A new silver frame around the TV, called the FloatLayer Design, has been added and [we] found the frame to be distracting. While meant for wall-mounting, the extra width may cause space issues for some people, and the handsome central pedestal stand of its predecessor has been replaced by two plastic feet."

The good news: Samsung has made its flagship OLED beautiful by teaming up with Danish audiophile firm Canvas to create the Samsung HiFi S99H, which looks great and gives you a hugely powerful sound system too.

The bad news: prices start at $7,999.

(Image credit: Samsung)Boom, shake the room: the HiFi S99H has a seriously powerful sound system

The Samsung HiFi S99H will debut at IFA 2026 in Berlin this week, and it'll be available in 55", 65", 77", and 83" sizes. It includes a fixed floor stand or wall mount as standard, and there's an optional rotating floor stand in aluminum or black.

As you can see, it's a good-looking thing — but there's sonic substance as well as Scandi style. You can choose between two versions of the Canvas soundbar: the standard Canvas or the larger, even louder Canvas L. With 1,000W or 1,500W of Class D amplification, both versions will make you very popular with your neighbors.

Canvas describes its soundbar as the world's first audiophile soundbar, and while other manufacturers might dispute that claim, there's no doubt that both Canvas models are serious sound systems: we were very impressed when we heard the Canvas in action. However, it's worth noting that while Canvas has just announced a full Dolby Atmos soundbar system, the two models in the HiFi S99H are stereo rather than surround systems — although they do include Baach's 3D sound processing to create a more immersive experience than standard stereo.

According to Samsung, the goal is "more than simply the combination of a TV and a sound system. The ambition is to create a new category in which true HiFi, picture quality and furniture design are developed as one integrated solution — developed for consumers who do not want to choose between performance and interior design."

The HiFi S99H will launch on September 4, 2026, at IFA Berlin and will be available in selected Canvas showrooms from October 2026. The Canvas L version will be available later this year.

Thinking of buying a new TV?

Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices.

Announced during Computex 2026, Nvidia's RTX Spark is billed as "a new beginning" for gaming laptops, productivity laptops, and small form factor PCs. Described as a "Superchip", it's an SoC that seeks to combine the company's AI technologies and its RTX graphics utility into one unified package for work and play.

The proposed RTX Spark specs are impressive on paper. 6,144 Blackwell GPU cores combined with 20 Grace CPU cores, and a maximum of 128GB of unified memory. Or, up to 1 Petaflop of AI performance, promising an all-day battery life in a slimline chassis that's purpose-built for Team Green's bespoke tech, such as DLSS, Reflex, and G-Sync.

On this side of the announcement, RTX Spark is confirmed to be coming to the Asus ProArt P16, the Dell XPS 16, the HP OmniBook X 14, the Lenovo Yoga Pro 9n, the Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra, and the MSI Prestige N16 Flip AI+. Clearly, Nvidia is targeting not only the best laptop manufacturers, but also vying for a spot against the best gaming laptops.

Can one chip really do it all, though? While these are some bold promises, I have reservations. With the way the computing landscape is now, things will change, but that's not necessarily a good thing.

Monopolization of our modern lives

Few tech companies have had the meteoric rise that Nvidia has over the last decade. While the company made its name with graphics cards for gaming, it would then innovate time and time again as GeForce matured. The GTX generations saw graphics and rendering technologies get better than ever, with playable framerates at higher and higher resolutions achievable for even entry-level components.

I'd argue that it wasn't until the launch of the RTX 20 series and the AI boom that the rest of the world really took notice of Nvidia. It's easy to forget its history now, what with it being the biggest company in the world by market cap, beating out the likes of Apple, Alphabet (Google), Microsoft, and Amazon. This (clearly) didn't happen just because people were buying graphics cards to game on. No, Team Green made its serious cash from AI, and that's also the core selling point of RTX Spark, with its gaming functionality seemingly a secondary concern.

The AI revolution was spearheaded by Nvidia, with its chips now utilized in a myriad of different ways. Nvidia was the frontrunner in how GPU architecture could be used for wider AI applications, realizing that it's far more energy efficient than using CPU for AI, which means it's able to handle far more sophisticated demands as a result. The core Nvidia ecosystem is used to scale cloud facilities with its Blackwell, Hopper, and Grace Hopper chips, and its CUDA platform and libraries remain unrivalled.

In truth, GeForce and RTX tech is just a small part of Nvidia's business now, and it's been that way for some time. You only need to look at the Nvidia Drive infrastructure, using AI for autonomous vehicles, or the Nvidia Jetson modules for edge computing and wider mainstream robotics use. Team Green is no longer concerned with being a rival to Intel, Apple, or AMD. Instead, it wants to be the sole provider of hardware for every facet of our modern lives.

How does RTX Spark perform inside of laptops for gaming?

In a video published on August 26, Nvidia claimed that RTX Spark was Game Ready. The three-minute video outlined what consumers can expect from the upcoming unified Superchip and how it compares to a traditional CPU-and-discrete-graphics (or iGPU) setup.

The language around the RTX Spark's utility states that the Superchip is designed for "creators and developers who work on large projects who also game". What we can glean from this assessment is that being "Game Ready" here appears to be a tertiary concern for Nvidia. It's backed up by the boast of "not having to choose" between the gaming laptop and the work one, because "you'll just have the one".

Exactly how good is RTX Spark for gaming, then? We know that it runs on Windows 11, so confirmed support is standard for Steam, the Epic Games Store, and Xbox Game Pass, among others. Specifically, Alexander Mejia (Senior Product Manager) claimed that "Triple-A gaming is great on RTX Spark". Bold claims indeed. This is followed by footage of Alan Wake II, Cyberpunk 2077, Pragmata, F1 25, Fortnite, Neverness to Everness, Doom: The Dark Ages, Naraka: Bladepoint, Apex Legends, Arc Raiders, Anno 117 Pax Romana, and The Finals, shown to be running on the platform.

Good game stack there, sure, but what is the expected performance actually like? Nvidia gives us a (somewhat) satisfying answer: "100 FPS 1440p Gaming" when using Ray Tracing and DLSS. Unfortunately, that's all we get in terms of performance info, with no quoted statistics or more granular information available. There's quite the disparity in running Fortnite in High/Epic settings compared to pushing Cyberpunk 2077 or Doom: The Dark Ages to the max of their sliders. It's vague, but at least a little encouraging.

How does RTX Spark rival other SoCs for gaming?

The first wave of RTX Spark laptops have been confirmed, although hardware manufacturers don't seem ready to talk about them yet (Image credit: Nvidia)

We only have 100 FPS in 1440p to go off with RTX Spark's projected gaming performance, so the next logical course of action is to weigh that up against the likes of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite, the Intel Arc G3 Extreme, and the AMD Ryzen AI Max series as a point of comparison.

We know that AI-powered upscaling (DLSS / XeSS / FSR 4) and AI-generated frame interpolation (Frame Generation / MFG) must be used to achieve playable framerates at target resolutions. In 1080p, with 2X MFG, Team Blue's chip can do 121 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 and 178 FPS in Naraka: Bladepoint. Doubling that to 4X MFG, the incoming chip can go as high as 199 FPS and 267 FPS, respectively. In 1080p, the Radeon 8060S iGPU baked onto the Ryzen AI Max 395+ APU could do 66 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 when rasterized and 45 FPS on average with ray tracing enabled.

This is about what can be expected from the native performance of the Qualcomm Adreno X2-90 iGPU baked onto the Snapdragon X2 Elite, which is able to achieve 43 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 (via Notebookcheck) on High settings in native (no AI-scaling) 1080p. Where this SoC shines, though, is in its power consumption, with an estimated 0.841 FPS per Watt, only lagging behind Apple's M5 chip, as found inside the Apple MacBook Air 13 M5 model.

Taken as an average, the RTX Spark looks to be about on point with what those devices can do, but we won't have a full remit of the performance potential until we see the full game-by-game benchmarks closer to the proposed launch date. The real deciding factor for unifying between a CPU and a GPU for both work and play comes down to the factor that can sway people away from (or towards) a dedicated gaming laptop: the price tag.

Intergrated hardware you cannot afford

Given the price hikes of laptops, phones, and games consoles in 2026, we're not expecting the first-generation RTX Spark machines to come cheap (Image credit: Nvidia)

Computing components are more expensive now than ever; there's no other way to put that. Anything that utilizes memory in particular, such as graphics cards, flash storage, and RAM, has seen its street prices rise far above the usual MSRP, and they're not coming down any time soon. It's the case for price hikes of even the best phones and the best games consoles, nothing is safe from the supply-and-demand loop here, so RTX Spark-enabled laptops aren't expected to be cheap.

Ultrabooks in particular, which are the primary demographic market for RTX Spark, have never been affordable, but 2026 has meant an entirely new definition. You only need to see how the pricing has escalated from competitors to gauge how bad it could be. The Apple MacBook M5 range MSRP increased by 20%, and something similar could be observed with the likes of the Galaxy Book6 Ultra, which also shot up by 20%, just a month after launch, too.

If the prices of components that we know have historic rates are increasing month-on-month, then what about something as unproven and unknown as the RTX Spark Superchip? Nvidia has full dominion over pricing its CPU + GPU combo however it likes. As the most profitable and in-demand company on the planet, it holds all the cards here. We're at a turning point where products can almost double in price overnight, so who is to say that the cheapest RTX Spark-enabled laptop won't carry an eye-watering MSRP?

The idea behind RTX Spark is solid: a simple, unified approach built by Nvidia that combines all you need for work and play, similar to what Apple did when it started manufacturing its own silicon in 2021, albeit with more of an AI focus. RTX Spark will sink (or swim) based on its price-to-performance offering and whether consumers want an all-in-one device. One thing's for sure: Nvidia has the cash to muscle in on the market and can afford to lose face burying its competition in the process.

TechRadar reached out to Acer, Asus, Lenovo, MSI, and Razer for their takes on how Nvidia's RTX Spark could impact the computing market. A PR representative from Acer declined to comment, and despite PR representatives from each company forwarding our questions to the relevant teams and chasing the answers, none have commented on RTX Spark at this time. Team Green's Superchip stands on the precipice of change and progress, but at what cost?

Take a look back at Apple’s first water-resistant iPhone and how we made it Jacques Cousteau for a day with our underwater tests.

• Microsoft has made a welcome change to OneDrive in Windows 11
• Prompts to use the backup service can now be permanently dismissed
• The change has been positively received by most users online

There have been complaints about this going back years, but Microsoft has finally caved in and decided to stop nagging users to back up their files to OneDrive: these alerts can now be permanently dismissed with an Opt out of backup button.

As spotted by Windows Latest, the move is going to please users who have no intention of using OneDrive to store their files, and would rather not have occasional reminders from their operating system that this is an option.

The change seems to be tied to the latest stable Windows 11 25H2 build. Previously, if you didn't want to go ahead with the OneDrive sync, you could only pick Remind me later or Remind me in 3 days — and the message would eventually loom back into view.

It's something we see across the majority of software now, and it's what Windows Latest rightly calls "dark patterns": interface choices that are designed to nudge users towards a certain option even if they're not sure about it.

Heading in the right directionWindows 11 is dropping its worst OneDrive dark pattern: after years of complaints, Microsoft will let you fully opt out from r/technology

The reaction on Reddit has been mostly positive, with the general sentiment of the comments suggesting that this change was long awaited. "I fully opted out of Windows instead," remarks one commenter in the thread.

Several contributors to the Reddit discussion say they've already bailed on Windows 11 and switched to Linux or macOS — not just over the OneDrive issue, but also for other problems like memory management and privacy concerns.

For many years now, Microsoft has been trying to foist OneDrive and its other Windows-adjacent apps on to users of its desktop operating system, but it appears that it's finally figured out that this may be doing more harm than good.

To give Microsoft some credit, it has largely been making good on its promise to address the biggest complaints users have had about Windows 11 in recent months, even if a lot of the improvements should've been made a long time ago.

For anyone working in IT and familiar with SaaS sprawl, the idea we’ll soon end up with agent sprawl may set off alarm bells. Agent sprawl refers to the rapid, uncoordinated deployment of AI agents across departments, each built on different models, governed by different rules, and often disconnected from core business workflows.

But while SaaS sprawl caught enterprises off guard, this time organizations have no excuse, and need to put measures in place now to avoid repeating the same mistakes. However, right now, most organizations are building agents in isolation and optimizing for local productivity rather than enterprise value.

Thankfully, with the right control layer funneling every agent through the same governance and security standards within an organization, the agent-powered future can be far safer, scalable and simple. 

Agent sprawl is inevitable

Just like SaaS before it, agent sprawl is already happening. Each department within organizations is experimenting with different agent technologies to address specific challenges or work more efficiently.

A sales team may deploy a CRM-based AI assistant to qualify leads, while developers build their own coding agents, and marketing adopts a separate content generation tool. Each delivers local value, but none are aligned or connected to the other, creating a familiar-looking sprawl.

This fragmentation introduces a range of challenges that will only increase over time. With no single owner responsible for how agents are deployed or monitored, there’s a lack of governance and oversight. Security risks increase as agents gain access to sensitive systems without consistent controls.

Teams may unknowingly duplicate efforts, solving the same problems in parallel with different tools. At the same time, many agents are deployed without clear links to business outcomes or understanding the wider context, making it difficult to measure return on investment and distinguish meaningful innovation from experimentation. Lots of AI tools may be exciting, but deliver far more style than substance.

Is sprawl inevitable? Yes, probably. So the question now becomes, how do we control it?

The role of orchestration

Having an orchestration layer can bring order to this complexity by creating consistency in how agents are governed, secured and deployed across the business. For SaaS applications, orchestration provides visibility into what tools already exist and gives a clear view of enterprise workflows.

With agents, it outlines what agents are already available and how they operate, while also controlling how they access data, tools and existing technology. Orchestration is the critical element that turns agents from experiments into scalable business infrastructure, for example, assigning agents to business workflows and measuring their performance against real outcomes.

Too often, we see enterprises experimenting with different agents that have no connection to the core business processes and goals, meaning they fail to deliver any ROI. For example, some portions of a business simply do not require AI technology and will unlikely see benefits in the same way as another department. Orchestration can unearth and filter out agents that are unnecessary, saving businesses money. 

Building trust in AI-driven enterprise

Rather than trusting individual agents, organizations should focus on trusting the system that governs them.

This is where orchestration becomes a trust layer, ensuring every agent operates within clearly defined boundaries with consistent oversight and accountability. Instead of individual teams managing risk in siloes, organizations can centralize control while still enabling innovation across different departments and business functions.

In the same way orchestration brought order to SaaS sprawl, it can do the same for the next wave of enterprise AI. It brings the same ease, security and integration with existing SaaS tools, while ensuring only high-value agents make it into production, supporting innovation and keeping within the business goals and purpose.

As agents become embedded across every function, orchestration will shift from a technical layer to a core enterprise capability. The winners will be those who can control, connect and trust their agents at scale.

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• Lake Ontario is now Lake America in the US via an executive order
• Google Maps has updated its maps to reflect the change
• Viewing the map from outside the US still shows the original name

Some 18 months on from the controversial renaming of the Gulf of Mexico, another edit has been made to Google Maps at the behest of US President Donald Trump: Lake Ontario, spread across the US-Canadian border, is now Lake America.

Or rather, it is if you're viewing Google Maps from inside the US (via Gizmodo) — the rest of the world will still see the Great Lake labeled as it has been since at least the 17th century. The name Ontario most likely comes from the Iroquoian word Kaniatarí:io or Oniatarí:io meaning "lake of shining waters" or "beautiful lake", as per Wikipedia.

The name change is the result of an executive order from the White House, as President Trump bickers with Canada over trade tariffs. In response, Canadian authorities have installed a large new sign at the lake (via the BBC), reading 'Lake Ontario. Now and Always'.

Reactions on Reddit are calling the switch "beyond ridiculous" and "braindead", though some commenters are pointing out that Google is obliged to follow the lead of the US Board on Geographic Names (part of the United States Geological Survey).

Google responds

New York won’t be calling it that. https://t.co/FJQonEk8tIAugust 27, 2026

For its part, Google has also chimed in to say that it has to follow "official government sources" when it comes to place names, saying that "these updates follow our long-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary from country to country, and are starting to roll out now".

"People using Maps in the US will see 'Lake America', those in Canada will continue to see 'Lake Ontario', and those outside of the US and Canada will see both names," according to the official blog post from Google Maps on the matter.

However, not everyone is towing the line on this: New York State Governor Kathy Hochul took to social media to declare that "New York won't be calling it [Lake America]", so there are going to be some pockets of resistance regarding the change.

As yet the change hasn't rolled out on Apple Maps, but presumably it'll eventually have to comply with the official government, and start renaming Lake Ontario depending on where in the world you're viewing the map from.

For years, enterprise Software as a Service (Saas) has enjoyed a comfortable position at the center of organizational processes. Users who wanted to raise a ticket, process an invoice or manage a workflow would log into their employer’s cloud application. The user interface was the gateway to the work, and the provider’s business model followed naturally: charge for seats, expand adoption, and grow revenue as more users spend more time inside the platform.

Agentic AI is beginning to change that. As users increasingly deploy AI agents, either to carry out tasks within SaaS platforms or to deliver functionality outside them, organizations require fewer seats – hitting providers’ subscription revenues.

At the same time, AI is making bespoke software faster and cheaper to build, giving organizations a credible alternative to buying another SaaS platform. Why accept subscription costs and vendor lock-in, when cheaper alternatives may achieve the same outcome?

None of this means SaaS is about to disappear, but its position at the center of enterprise software is under threat. SaaS vendors are facing three structural challenges that will reshape the economics of enterprise software.

Agents become the user

The first threat is simple: users may have AI agents carry out tasks within the SaaS platform, reducing the need for human users, or build agentic capabilities outside those platforms altogether.

That is a serious problem for any SaaS vendor whose business depends on people living in the interface. If an agent can resolve a support query, update a record or complete a routine transaction, the user never has to touch the application.

We’re already seeing this in practice. In some IT service management projects, agents now resolve such a high proportion of tickets that organizations need far fewer users interacting with the SaaS platform. As buyers begin questioning whether they still need premium software for the shrinking proportion of manual work, the economics start to shift.

Bespoke is back

The second threat is the one SaaS vendors dislike most: buyers may once again be willing to build new capabilities from scratch.

For the last decade or so, ‘build versus buy’ was often a non-debate. Custom software was too slow, too expensive and too risky, so SaaS usually won.

AI is starting to shift those calculations. As software development becomes faster, cheaper and more adaptive, some solutions that previously defaulted to SaaS start to look buildable – especially when the organization needs a narrow set of capabilities wrapped around its own processes and data. The more customization a SaaS platform requires, the weaker its cost-efficiency and automated-upgrade advantages become.

This does not mean large enterprises will abandon mature SaaS platforms overnight. Their resilience, integrations and compliance capabilities remain valuable. But once customers believe they have a credible alternative, vendors lose pricing power and the assumption that renewal is the obvious decision

Business model redundancy

The third threat is that even when the product survives, the commercial model may not.

Traditional SaaS pricing was built for a world in which value correlated reasonably well with the number of people sitting in the application. That logic gets shaky when agents perform work that would once have required more licensed users, and more operational dependency on the interface.

Vendors can see this. Many are shifting towards consumption-based pricing, exposing services directly to agents or redesigning products for an agentic world. The common thread is clear: once software starts working for people rather than being operated by them, seat-based economics begin to look outdated.

From the customer’s perspective, that could be a good thing. Paying for usage is often cheaper than buying licenses. The challenge for vendors will be proving they’re genuinely adapting to an agentic future, rather than simply repackaging existing products to protect margins.

SaaS is not dead

To be clear, this is not a “SaaS is over” argument. Many enterprise platforms will remain valuable, providing governance, resilience, compliance, and years of accumulated functionality that are difficult and expensive to recreate.

What will change is where value sits. In an agentic world, SaaS will be less the primary interface through which work gets done; more a component in a broader ecosystem of agents, orchestration and systems of record. Some platforms will adapt and become stronger; others will discover that the value they once captured has shifted elsewhere.

As for the corporate users of SaaS, the best advice we can give is not to wait for perfect conditions before acting. No business ever reaches a point where its data, processes or architecture are “finished”, and SaaS providers will continue to adapt their offers.

Meanwhile, experiment, learn and adapt in your delivery of administrative and corporate functions: in some functions you may find that agents drive down SaaS costs; in others, greenfield development may now be viable. In still other cases, adding new functionality using agents that leverage SaaS solutions but sit outside those ecosystems keep future options open.

So do something that works for you now – but keep the option of moving again in a year or two.

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Casualty fans, buckle up: two special episodes for its landmark 40th anniversary are heading to BBC and BBC iPlayer from September 5th.

If dealing with lots of ill people on a daily basis is bad enough, this new double-bill steps the drama up to levels we haven't seen in decades. Think The Pitt, if HBO Max decided to set it in South West England.

What Stars Watch

Everyone gets stuck on what to watch next — so let’s make that choice easier with the help of your favorite actors. What Stars Watch pairs the latest TV shows and movies with cinematic classics or underrated gems, based on A-List tastes. Read the full series here.

As you can tell from the below trailer our episodes are centered on a massive explosion strikes near the Clifton Suspension Bridge, plunging the city of Wyvern, and the hospital, into immediate chaos.

In the back of an ambulance, Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) and clinical lead Flynn Byron (Olly Rix) are caught in a race against time. Meanwhile, Dylan Keogh (William Beck) must lead the emergency department through its darkest hour... including facing his own personal tragedy.

Understandably, the 40th anniversary of Casualty is going to be a pretty intense watch. In fact, it could be so intense that you'll likely want to decompress by streaming something that's the polar opposite completely answer.

Luckily enough, I asked the Casualty cast for their ideas — and how they got through the on-set stress themselves — and the suggestions are genius.

'I've just finished Love Island'

"I've just finished Love Island... though I'm not sure if I want everyone knowing," Melanie Hill tells me. I hope she forgives me for including this, but it's such an unexpectedly fantastic choice that it actually makes complete sense.

Reality TV is often dubbed 'trash viewing,' treated as second-rate viewing because it's considered to be low-brow. The truth is the opposite — not only are most of the smartest women I know absolutely obsessed with it, but many shows offer fascinating insight into human social behavior and psychology. It's us at our best and worst, under glossy lights.

Frankly, Love Island is exactly the sort of show I'd choose to watch after watching people on death's door, even if it's only fictional. But if this isn't your thing, the suggestions don't stop there.

"I watched Shabaz Asks: Are Billionaires Bad? not too long ago," Neet Mohan adds. "It was a one-episode documentary by ShabazSays on TikTok. Was really funny. I also watched Pitch Perfect with my daughter... so there's that."

William Beck jokes, "I think if you want the complete opposite, go for snooker. But that's not very exciting, is it? Maybe even [children's show] Hey Duggee."

The good news is that three out of four of these TV show suggestions are readily available on BBC iPlayer, with Love Island currently on ITVX (or on Hulu in the US).

No matter what your jam is, you've got something ready to stream for free on the same platform... but come on, it's gotta be Love Island, right?