Error message

  • Deprecated function: implode(): Passing glue string after array is deprecated. Swap the parameters in drupal_get_feeds() (line 394 of /home/cay45lq1/public_html/includes/common.inc).
  • Deprecated function: The each() function is deprecated. This message will be suppressed on further calls in menu_set_active_trail() (line 2405 of /home/cay45lq1/public_html/includes/menu.inc).

Technology

New forum topics

Death Stranding movie director is being given 'a lot of freedom' to tell 'standalone' story separate from Hideo Kojima video game franchise — 'I like things where it could be easy to miss the mark'

TechRadar News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 11:45

Does every existing IP need a movie adaptation? The answer is no, of course, but I'm quietly confident in the upcoming live-action version of hit Hideo Kojima franchise, Death Stranding.

Why? Well, let's start with the concept. In the game, courier Sam must reconnect a broken America after an apocalyptic event merged the worlds of the living and the dead. Add in distributor A24 and the man who directed Pig and The Death of Robin Hood — which is now in UK cinemas after its June US release — and you've surely got gold.

However, there's one immediate snag. While we don't know much, we do know that the new movie won't follow the same premise as the existing Death Stranding games.

In fact, according to director Michael Sarnoski, not only is it a standalone movie, but will be made with a lot of creative freedom — and something about the way he explains this makes me nervous.

'I need the space to find authorship and find the things that I really believe in'

"I actually like to make things difficult for myself," Sarnoski tells me. "I like to do projects where the initial instinct is 'Oof, that could be a really bad idea.' Another Robin Hood movie? A prequel to a horror franchise? I like things where it could be easy to miss the mark."

This in itself is a concerning statement. I prefer it when my movie directors don't go into an adaptation thinking that things could potentially go horribly wrong. Whatever happened to positive mental attitude?

"I like the challenge," he continues. "I like finding the humanity in things that otherwise could not work. On Death Stranding, they're giving me a lot of freedom to tell the story that I want to tell separate from the core video game stories. It's its own standalone thing. I need the space to find authorship and find the things that I really believe in... I'm really excited about it."

Playing devil's advocate here, creative freedom could be a good thing. If fans expect a movie to replicate its original source material exactly, nobody ends up winning. But with so few details to go on, we've got to keep our fingers crossed that good decisions are made in the meantime.

But is Sarnoski concerned about appealing to existing fanbases, or is he happy to stick to his guns? "A little bit of both," he responds. "I feel the pressure, but I have to set that aside and focus on what creatively excites me. I can't make stuff as a reaction to what I think someone else wants — it has to come from a place of love and fascination."

Make of that what you will, folks... and watch this space.

Categories: Technology

Motorola Spiffs Up the Razr With Swarovski Meteorite Finish, Adds Watch Ultra and Edge 70 Plus

CNET News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 11:01
Motorola’s given the Razr a touch of the old razzle-dazzle for IFA, and bulked out its mobile portfolio.
Categories: Technology

Nvidia RTX Spark Systems Approach the Starting Line

CNET News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 11:00
Lenovo provides details on its Yogas, and Acer’s doing a desktop.
Categories: Technology

Nvidia PAIR Speeds Up AI Agents by Annexing PCs on Your Network

CNET News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 11:00
It’s the home LAN reimagined.
Categories: Technology

Lenovo Showcases Silent Ultraportable and Latest Rollable Laptop Concepts at IFA 2026

CNET News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 11:00
Project AeroBlade is an exciting new and fanless cooling system, while Project Swan builds on a motorized display concept shown off at CES. Plus, we saw some actual products that you’ll soon be able to buy.
Categories: Technology

Lenovo’s Latest Laptop Gives Off MacBook Neo Vibes

CNET News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 11:00
It also introduced an equally colorful ThinkCentre all-in-one PC at IFA 2026 along with a completely redesigned Yoga Tab Android tablet.
Categories: Technology

Singapore, Thailand Expand AI and Digital Cooperation With New Regional Push

TechRepublic News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 10:41

Singapore and Thailand are deepening AI, digital trade, and payments cooperation as both countries prepare to shape ASEAN’s next phase of digital integration.

The post Singapore, Thailand Expand AI and Digital Cooperation With New Regional Push appeared first on TechRepublic.

Categories: Technology

TechRadar now has an app — here's what you need to know

TechRadar News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 10:19

We're a bunch of gadget obsessives here at TechRadar, so we appreciate that your phone's home screen is premium real estate. But if you're a TechRadar reader, you're going to want to find room on that home screen for our new app.

That's right, TechRadar now has an app! We've been working hard to bring you a new way to enjoy our content, with useful features that will enable you to enjoy a more personalized experience.

These new features have been designed to make it easy for you to stay up to date when you're on the go, from finding new ways to discover stories to letting you save articles to read later.

We'll be looking to add more features as we grow, so don't be shy about telling us what you think about the TechRadar app, which you can do by emailing the team, or by leaving us a comment below.

How to download the TechRadar app

You can find the TechRadar app in both iOS and Android (Image credit: Future)

You can find us in the App Store and Google Play simply by searching 'TechRadar'. Look for our distinctive pink radar logo and you'll know it's the right app.

The best part? It's completely FREE to download, though you'll need a free account to read unlimited articles — you can only read five articles without signing in. To unlock the full experience, you can create a free account directly in the app.

By creating an account, you'll also automatically unlock membership and become an official TechRadar Insider, giving you the ability to comment on articles, vote in polls, play quizzes and more.

Prefer a cleaner experience? You can subscribe to our ad-free version for $1.99 / £1.99 a month or $19.99 / £19.99 annually — it's a great way to support our work.

New useful features to explore
  • Save articles to your bookmarks to easily read later
  • Personalize your feed to follow the topics you’re most interested in
  • Find what you’re looking for fast with a search tool
  • Turn on push notifications to stay updated with breaking tech news

Discover the latest news, features and reviews (Image credit: Future)

Now that you're all set up, you should have full access to the TechRadar app, which is essentially everything you love about our site available in app form, and with new features.

The home page works just as it does on our site, showing the latest news and features across across our main categories, including phones, computing, cameras, and streaming.

Want a tailored experience? You can simply toggle from 'All News' to 'My Feed' on the home page, and select your interests to start curating your own bespoke news feed.

You can also bookmark articles to read later by clicking the bookmark symbol at the top of an article, and you'll be able to find your articles in a new 'Saved List' in the app.

Personalize your home feed and save articles to read for later (Image credit: Future)

Expect to receive the same push notifications in the app as on our site if you enable them on your device, allowing you to stay updated on breaking tech news as it happens.

There's also a new search tool, and a discover feed that lets you filter articles by type and date range to find the coverage you're most interested in — handy, right?

Stay up to date and search for articles (Image credit: Future)

We're still working on new features, and have a few ideas for even more up our sleeves, so if you have any feedback or suggestions, let us know in the comments below.

Categories: Technology

Dyson’s New Robot Vacuums Aim at Shark with UV Stain Detection and Powerful Scrubbing

CNET News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 10:03
Smarter AI chops and triangular brushes may clean your floors better.
Categories: Technology

Dyson’s Huge Pipe-like Air Purifier Moves Like a Dune Sandworm and Blows Air Across the Room 

CNET News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 10:03
These combo models can heat, cool and clean air all in the same unit.
Categories: Technology

Dyson Unveils Its First-Ever Dryer Brush and a New Hair Straightener

CNET News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 10:01
Dyson’s new hair tools were designed to provide sleek, soft locks without frizz or heat damage.
Categories: Technology

Beyerdynamic is back with affordable Aventho Y wireless headphones — and the 90-hour stamina alone can be my 'why'

TechRadar News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 09:55
  • Beyedynamic has unveiled its Aventho Y wireless over-ears at IFA in Berlin
  • They're packing 90-hour stamina, a folding design, and a battery storage compartment in one ear cup
  • There's an optional 'upgrade bundle' with a low-latency USB-C dongle/detachable boom mic

Looking for all-new headphone releases at IFA 2026? You came to the right place. At the Berlin tech expo, Beyerdynamic has just taken the wraps off its new wireless cans in all four novel colorways.

With the tagline 'Four colors, four feelings, one WHY', you can probably guess that Beyerdynamic is going deep with these cans, and the firm is calling the model its "most personal headphone yet, designed to adapt to the way you listen".

As you'd expect in 2026, there's active noise cancellation on the menu, but one particular claim on the spec sheet — "more than 90 hours of battery life" — is what really got my attention.

Let's dig into the striking aesthetics first, shall we? It's not unusual for Beyer to go bold (who could forget the debut true wireless guitar-pick shaped Free Byrd or delightfully 8-bit Custom Game headset), and here, there's a nice stylized 'Y' on the reassuringly big ear cups.

What of those finishes? Beyer tells me that each of the four colorways represents a different emotional connection to sound, but make no mistake — every Aventho Y set of headphones delivers the same sonic tuning, features and performance.

Anyway, your finish options (as described by the audio specialist) are:

Liquid Black — Focus & Depth: grounded, confident and immersed
Blue Fusion — Calm & Escape: relaxed, open and free
Soft Jade — Clarity & Renewal: refreshed, balanced and inspired
Peach Blush — Warmth & Connection: comforting, soft and uplifting

I mean, I'm not not intrigued…

Find your Y

(Image credit: Beyerdynamic)

Beyerdynamic wants you to know that versatility is at the heart of the Aventho Y. And here, versatility comes in the shape of various optional accessories, including ultra-soft black or grey velour ear pads and an upgrade bundle featuring a low-latency USB-C dongle and detachable boom microphone.

Another plus is that they're genuinely designed for long-term ownership. The design folds and features a user-replaceable battery, magnetic ear pads, aluminum sliders and stainless-steel hinges that the company assures us are easy to replace. An integrated storage compartment inside the ear cup even keeps the optional USB-C dongle and spare battery protected and easily accessible.

Bluetooth 6.0 is here with multipoint connectivity, and while that 90-hour battery life claim is with ANC off, you should still get up to 60 hours with ANC on, and just five minutes of fast charging will apparently provide up to six hours of playback. To be clear: those claims are big.

Through the Beyerdynamic app, listeners can customize EQ profiles, explore genre-based sound presets, receive firmware updates, and manage smart settings such as auto power-off.

Take note though: your basic purchase includes a USB-C charging/audio cable and a soft carrying bag, so lovers of hard-shell cases may need to look elsewhere.

Pricing? Of course. The Beyerdynamic Aventho Y will be available for a refreshingly affordable $149.99 (so around £110 or AU$208) very soon, but anyone lucky enough to be visiting IFA 2026 in Berlin from tomorrow (September 4) can experience the Aventho Y firsthand at the Beyerdynamic booth, located in Hall 4.2, booth #147.

Something for our best noise-cancelling headphones buying guide perhaps? We're working on a full review, so when we know, so shall you.

(Image credit: Beyerdynamic)
Categories: Technology

Clicking 'Allow' on a Google and Microsoft permission screens could give hackers access to your entire account, FBI warns

TechRadar News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 09:45
  • FBI warns of rising OAuth consent phishing attacks exploiting legitimate app permissions
  • Victims tricked into granting malicious apps access, enabling email reading and sending
  • Password changes don’t help; users must revoke tokens in app security settings

Hackers found a way to access your data, read your messages, and even send emails to your contacts, without ever needing your password or other login credentials. All they need from you is a single click on a completely legitimate, well-known platform.

The technique is called “OAuth consent phishing”. It’s been around for more than a year and it’s gotten popular to a point where even the FBI is taking note. Earlier this week, the law enforcement agency issued a new public service announcement, via its Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), warning Americans about the threat.

OAuth (Open Authorization) is an internet standard that allows users to give apps access to their account on another service, without giving the app their password for that service. For example, when users install a new app, they have the “Continue with Google” option. When they click it, they are asked if they allow the app to access their email. If they approve, Google gives that app a special access token, which allows the app to access the user’s Google account without ever seeing the password.

Pulling off an OAuth attack

So, to pull off an OAuth attack, the threat actor must first trick Google (or Microsoft, or any other company providing the service) and get their (malicious) app registered on the platform. Then they would reach out to their target via instant messaging, while impersonating government officials, media, and other publicly known personalities, and sharing a link to what appears to be a document.

The link redirects the victim to a legitimate service (for example, Google), where they are asked to grant permissions to the malicious app. If they approve, the attackers gain access to their email accounts with which they can do almost anything.

To make matters worse, simply changing the password does not fix the issue. The only way to eliminate the threat is to revoke the access token that was given, which can be done in the application security settings.

The FBI did not say who the threat actors were or who they were targeting, other than they were “prominent victims”. Their family members were being targeted, as well.

Via The Record

Categories: Technology

TCL Supercharges Its Stunning Nxtpaper Displays With the P80 Ultra

CNET News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 09:43
The TCL P80 Ultra and Pro will be the company’s first phones to use its fancy paper-like displays.
Categories: Technology

Google is quietly building an AI version of Canva inside Workspace — and Nano Banana could make it seriously useful

TechRadar News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 09:35
  • Google Pics lets you generate and precisely edit images using simple text prompts
  • It will be integrated directly into Google Docs, Slides and Drive
  • Pics is rolling out to Google AI Pro, Ultra and eligible Workspace customers

Google has started rolling out Pics, a new AI-powered image creation and editing tool that looks like the company’s answer to Canva and even Adobe Express.

Canva became enormously popular by enabling ordinary people to produce good-looking graphics without needing professional design skills. Google Pics is attempting something similar, but rather than giving you a huge library of templates and asking you to assemble a design yourself, it puts AI at the center of the entire process.

Pics isn’t as fully featured as Canva, at least from what Google has shown so far. However, it’s included with Google AI Pro and Ultra subscriptions and selected Workspace business plans — and that could prove to be its biggest advantage.

All AI, no templates

Pics starts with a prompt. You describe what you want to create, perhaps a child’s birthday invitation, an event poster or a social media graphic, and the AI generates several versions for you to choose from.

You can then select individual objects or pieces of text and ask Pics to change them without regenerating the entire image. Text can be edited, reformatted or translated while preserving the surrounding design, and images can be cropped for different formats or upscaled to 2K or 4K. You can also request several changes at once and return to an earlier version if the results go wrong.

While some people will dislike how heavily Pics relies on generative AI, others may appreciate how much of the traditional design process it removes. Instead of learning how to use layers, masks and selection tools, you can simply describe the change you want.

Google Pics is powered by Nano Banana, Gemini’s image generation and editing model. You can see how it works in this video:

Why Workspace changes the equation

The biggest difference between Pics and Canva is that Pics isn’t being positioned only as a standalone design app. Google is also integrating its editing tools directly into Docs and Slides, with deeper Drive integration arriving over the coming weeks.

That means you’ll be able to select an image in a presentation or document and edit it using Pics without opening another app. If an image in a document is too dark, for example, you could ask Pics to lighten it while remaining inside Google Docs. Creations can also be shared and edited collaboratively in much the same way as other Workspace files.

That integration is what makes Pics potentially significant. Canva remains a much broader and more mature design platform, complete with templates and tools covering everything from presentations to websites and video. Pics doesn’t need to replace all of that, however. It only needs to make Google users wonder whether opening Canva is still necessary for the everyday graphic they’re trying to create.

Google Pics is rolling out over the coming weeks to Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers, as well as eligible Workspace business and education customers. I’m still waiting for it to reach my account, but I’ll be putting it through its paces as soon as it does.

Categories: Technology

Surprise: someone’s actually making a new 4K Blu-ray player! But it’s not exactly a mainstream option — this reference player is for audiophiles as much as cinephiles

TechRadar News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 09:22
  • The Magnetar Ultima is a new 4K Blu-ray player for reference-quality playback
  • Blu-Ray, DVD, SACD, DVD-A, CD and digital support — but no DAC: all-digital output to your system
  • Costs a cool $12,000 (about £8,895 / AU$16,687)

We've written many times about the benefits of Blu-ray over streaming, but many hardware firms have stopped making players as the format's popularity has declined. So it's nice to see the announcement of a new player for those who are still invested in the future of 4K Blu-ray… and it's one that's also an impressive audiophile music player.

The new player comes from Magnetar, and it's called the Ultima. And because it's being unveiled in the US at CEDIA 2026, the show where sound systems with supercar price tags are exhibited, it's clear that this reference system is aimed at the more affluent end of the market. (You might also get a hint from its price tag of $12,000.)

(Image credit: Magnetar)Magnetar Ultima: key features and pricing

The Ultima is built on Magnetar's MKII player platform, supporting 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray, SACD, DVD, CD, DVD-A (remember that?), DSD/DoP, USB and network playback. That means a huge range of premium formats are covered, including external digital files, in a single system.

The Ultima adapts the existing MKII platform by moving to an external DC power supply instead of a more traditional internal AC setup, which why it has two distinct units. It features dedicated lithium-based power stages designed to isolate the transport, clock and signal paths from any noise, fluctuating voltage and other potential issues that might interfere with pristine digital data transmission.

Interestingly, the power stages are made by Chinese firm BYD, whose electric cars are currently selling like hot cakes in Europe. BYD is at the forefront of battery, charging and electrical tech so seeing a car firm here is less surprising than it might appear at first glance.

The Ultima runs a synchronized master clock system based around a unified 10MHz reference clock for precise timing across the device, but there's no audio DAC: this is a reference device whose job is to deliver the most precise audio data to the rest of your system, so it's expected that you'll connect it to a setup that can handle its audio.

As you'd expect, there are extensive connectivity options including two HDMIs, one of which is audio-only, and there's also gigabit Ethernet, USB 3.0, AES/EBU and coax S/PDIF connections too.

It's a hugely impressive specification, which is why it comes with that impressive price tag. It's available now through Magnetar's dealer network, but if that price is a bit steep you might want to check out our guide to the best Blu-ray players for something slightly cheaper.

Still, we're just happy to see something new arrive onto the market — Blu-ray might be growing in popularity again, but the hardware hasn't had all that much love.

Categories: Technology

Final Fantasy Resonance offers the exact old-school vibes I wanted to see from the first HD-2D game in my favorite RPG series

TechRadar News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 09:15

The spirit forms of The Warrior of Light, Terra, Zidane, and Cloud bob up and down behind each character in my party as I get into battle in an early dungeon in Final Fantasy Resonance.

When the trio of monsters is briefly staggered in front of me, I’m given a choice of which iconic character’s power to unleash to end the battle, and I promptly pick the spiky-haired and Buster Sword-wielding hero of Final Fantasy 7. My reward is a flashy CG cutscene of Cloud obliterating everything on screen in a visual display that seems strangely at odds with the rest of the game's HD-2D style.

But this clash is perhaps to be expected when you learn that Final Fantasy Resonance adapts parts of an old 2015 mobile game, Final Fantasy Brave Exvius, to create a brand-new entry in the traditional turn-based style of Final Fantasy’s NES/SNES golden era.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

For players like me whose formative gaming years were spent playing those classics and who long for more old-school turn-based RPGs, it’s the kind of pairing that should shoot Resonance right to the top of the must-play list. And even in just the brief hour I spent with the game, I could feel myself getting sucked into its combat and presentation style almost immediately.

I can’t speak much on the story that frames this fan-service-heavy premise, given I got to experience so little of it, but it feels very much in the vein of a Final Fantasy of old. There are warring factions, a party of adventurers, and crystals to protect in temples dotted around the world.

However, it didn’t matter that I had very little exposition to set up my time with Resonance, given that I immediately saw so much to dig into with the characters and combat.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

Alongside the four that were already assigned to my party, there are signs that many more familiar faces from across the full history of the series will make an appearance as Visions that you can equip to your characters.

These provide a vast number of active and passive abilities that can be brought together to create particular builds or strengths that you want characters to focus on.

For example, The Warrior of Light has several physical attacks and defensive magic that work together to make the equipped character a strong frontline warrior or damage-mitigating tank. You can further build upon that with abilities learned and masteries gained from other Visions to perhaps buff your health or offer other worthwhile passives.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

I enjoyed tinkering with the makeup of my party to create the classic areas of expertise across all four members — the tank, the physical damage dealer, the mage, and the healer — and I’m sure you’ll be able to create more interesting hybrids as more Visions and their classes become available.

And like the best turn-based RPGs, it was even more fulfilling to see those builds succeed in combat. It led to a satisfying rhythm where you exploit the elemental or physical weaknesses of an enemy to stagger them, earn bonus turns for your characters to create an even bigger advantage in battle, and then unleash a Vision’s special attack once all opponents are in a staggered state.

(Image credit: Square Enix)

It’s nothing hugely revolutionary in the world of turn-based combat, but it does add some flair to a familiar formula.

Throw in summons, limit breaks, and more abilities that are exclusive to each Vision, and you have the makings of an exciting and dynamic battle system that still retains some old-school charm.

And that sums up how it felt to play Resonance. Anyone with a hankering for some classic Final Fantasy will find a lot to love here — even beyond the fan service with its large cast of well-known characters from across the series. If that sounds like you, a demo is available to try right now.

Final Fantasy Resonance launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and PC on October 22.

Categories: Technology

Thomson Reuters hit by cyberattack that saw court documents across 11 states accessed by a hacker

TechRadar News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 09:10
  • Thomson Reuters confirmed March 2026 breach of its C‑Track court management system
  • Incident affected courts in 11 US states, Ontario, and the US Virgin Islands
  • No operational disruption; scope of exposed records still under investigation, no misuse reported yet

Thomson Reuters, the IT company behind the Reuters news agency, suffered a cyberattack a few months ago, exposing certain court documents to the attackers. In a brief announcement published earlier this week, it seems Thomson Reuters only noticed the intrusion now, months after it was already over.

Here is what happened: Thomson Reuters operates a court case-management system called C-Track. It is a tool used by different courts to manage things like cases, filings, hearings, and schedules. It is used by courts in several US states, the US Virgin Islands, as well as Ontario, Canada.

On June 30, 2026, Thomson Reuters detected unauthorized activity in one of its cloud environments, prompting an investigation which later determined that an unauthorized threat actor broke in and obtained some C-Track files. This happened in March 2026.

Investigation underway

So far, the incident is confirmed to have taken place across 11 US states (Alabama, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ohio, New Hampshire, Wyoming), the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Ontario, Canada, exposing court records and personal information. Ontario's three Chief Justices confirmed it, as well, saying Thomson Reuters notified Ontario's Ministry of the Attorney General on July 23.

A more detailed investigation is currently underway, and all relevant authorities have been notified, it was said. At press time, Thomson Reuters did not yet determine exactly what information was accessed, or how many people were affected. The good news, however, is that there is currently no evidence of identity theft resulting from the incident, and there is no indication that systems handling court-related financial transactions were affected.

C-Track itself remains operational, as well. No threat actors have yet claimed responsibility for the attack or threatened to leak the files to the dark web.

"There has been no operational disruption to C-Track as a result of this incident," a Thomson Reuters spokesperson said. "Our products and services remain fully operational and are safe ​to continue to use. Independent ​cybersecurity experts assisted in ⁠the investigation and validated the remediation measures implemented."

Categories: Technology

This Dell 15.6-inch 2K Touchscreen laptop is $450 off, and it's the best Labor Day laptop deal I've seen yet

TechRadar News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 09:09

I've been looking through Labor Day laptop deals, and for the specs on offer, this is my favorite one for business professionals so far, with the Dell 15.6" 2K Touchscreen laptop now $650 (was $1100) at Best Buy.

With that massive $450 discount, you're getting a 13th-generation Intel Core i7-1355U processor, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 512GB PCIe SSD, which is good enough for everyday work, multitasking, browsing, and streaming.

The 15.6-inch 2K touchscreen adds even more value. And although there are some compromises, including integrated graphics, I haven't seen many Labor Day laptop deals that give you this much for under $650. For more laptop deals and WFH essentials, see our round-up of the best Labor Day home office deals.

15.6" 2K Touchscreen Laptop: was $1099.99 now $649.99
Dell's laptop has a 15.6-inch 2K IPS touchscreen, Intel Core i7-1355U processor, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, 512GB PCIe SSD, Intel UHD Graphics, Wi-Fi 6, USB-C, HDMI, SD card reader, and Windows 11 Home.View Deal

Why we recommend it

At $649.99, you're getting a lot of laptop for your money. The 13th-generation Intel Core i7-1355U has 10 cores, 12 threads, and a maximum boost speed of 5GHz, giving it plenty of power for everyday tasks.

16GB of DDR5 is a solid plus at this price, and the 512GB PCIe SSD provides a decent amount of fast storage. You also get a 15.6-inch touchscreen, Wi-Fi 6, USB-C, two USB-A ports, HDMI, an SD card reader, and a full numeric keypad.

For more top performers, see our guide to the best business laptops we've tested.

Price context & historical value

Best Buy normally lists this Dell laptop at $1,099.99, but its Labor Day deal brings the price down to $649.99, putting it firmly into mid-range laptop territory.

Of the Labor Day laptop deals I've seen so far, this is one of the best for anyone who wants plenty of everyday performance without spending anywhere near to $1,000. It isn't the cheapest it's ever been though. It was priced at $599.99 at Best Buy in August this year.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Dell 15.6" laptop if...

If you want a powerful everyday Windows 11 laptop for most tasks, $649.99 is an excellent price. The Core i7 processor and 16GB of DDR5 RAM gives it considerably more staying power than a cheaper laptop with 8GB of memory.

❌ Skip the Dell 15.6" laptop if...

If you want a laptop for gaming, creative work, or anything else that depends heavily on graphics performance, I'd look elsewhere. The integrated Intel UHD Graphics are the biggest limitation here, and there's no dedicated GPU.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

The display is one area where Dell has clearly kept costs down. It's rated at only 220 nits of brightness with 45% NTSC color coverage, so it's better suited to indoor everyday use than working outside or doing color-sensitive work.

There are a few other omissions to be aware of, including the lack of a backlit keyboard and Ethernet port, plus the webcam is limited to 720p.

Categories: Technology

Give your NAS a massive storage upgrade with this 16TB WD Red Pro hard drive deal

TechRadar News - Thu, 09/03/2026 - 08:52

Western Digital's WD Red Pro NAS drive line is designed for businesses small and large looking to max out their storage. Having benchmarked several, it remains one of our favorite internal drive brands - and right now, the WD Red Pro 16TB NAS drive is now $690 (was $705) at Amazon, so long as you tick the coupon box.

Designed for demanding environments, Western Digital rates this model for workloads of up to 550TB per year and continuous 24/7 operation. I've also spotted the NAS drive for the same price here at Newegg when you use code LDSF324.

16TB Red Pro NAS Internal Hard Drive: was $704.99 now $689.99
This 16TB hard drive offers 7,200 RPM performance, SATA connectivity, CMR recording, 512MB cache, 550TB-per-year workload rating, 24/7 operation, NASware technology and a five-year limited warranty. For the full discount, tick the coupon box. View Deal

Why we recommend it

The WD Red Pro is specifically designed for demanding NAS environments, with a 7,200 RPM spindle speed, 512MB cache and CMR recording. It's rated for continuous 24/7 operation, with workloads up to 550TB per year.

It can be used in RAID-optimized NAS systems regardless of the number of drive bays, and NASware technology is designed to improve performance and compatibility. There's also a five-year limited warranty.

In his 4-star review of the smaller 14TB model, our expert Mark said it was "difficult to argue with the resilience of this drive," adding that "lots of resilience tricks and low power consumption are the hallmarks of this design."

Similarly, the 24TB model received 4 stars in his review, where he praised Western Digital's Red Pro line as offering "good performance and massive capacity. And, if the business can afford them, these are a good choice."

For more options, take a look at our roundups of the best NAS hard drives, and the best 167 hard disk drives worth buying.

Also consider

IronWolf Pro 16TB: was $614.99 now $539.99
Designed for 24/7 operation, Seagate's IronWolf Pro NAS drive delivers 7200 RPM spin speeds with 256MB Cache for high-speed file transfer.View Deal

Price context & historical value

At $689.99 after the Amazon coupon, you're saving $15 against the current $704.99 price. That's only a little over 2%, so this is only really worth snapping up if you desperately need to upgrade early.

The WD Red Pro 16TB has been considerably cheaper over the past year, dropping to around $270 in late 2025 before prices began climbing sharply in 2026.

You can also get the drive for the same $689.99 price at Newegg. It's currently $704.99 but you get $15 off when you apply promo code LDSF324.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the 16TB WD Red Pro HDD if...

You have a heavily used NAS and want to add a substantial amount of storage without occupying several additional bays. Its high workload rating also makes more sense for an always-on NAS than using a standard desktop hard drive.

❌ Skip the 16TB WD Red Pro HDD if...

Your storage requirements are relatively small. or you have several empty drive bays available. Smaller-capacity NAS drives could give you the space you actually need for less.

The Catch: What to know before you buy

The obvious problem is the size of the discount. Saving $15 on a $704.99 hard drive isn't massive and this model has been considerably cheaper before. Unless you need another 16TB of NAS storage now, there's a strong argument for waiting to see if a better discount arrives shortly.

Categories: Technology

Pages

Subscribe to The Vortex aggregator - Technology