Meet Manus, an AI that thinks on its own. What it means for your job and the future of work. Plus, futuristic laptops, Millennials’ biggest parenting regrets, and a message sent 15 billion miles into the unknown.
Our favorite laptops at every budget (PC, Mac and Chromebook)
© Sebastian Czapnik | Dreamstime.com
Most people have one or two gadgets running simultaneously and can do fine keeping them charged with a couple of cables and a wall outlet. But for those who have multiple devices, that’s simply not enough. Tap or click here for the top charging stations for all your devices.
Tablets are great for browsing the web, reading ebooks, playing games, listening to music and video calls with friends and family. But you should look at a laptop for handling lots of emails, creating documents and general work/business needs. While tablets rely mostly on touchscreens, which is OK for texting, you’ll want a full keyboard for more intensive tasks.
Here are our picks for the best laptops that fit into any budget.
Best laptops under $500
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i
Why we picked it: It’s lightweight and affordable, with a powerful Intel Core i5 processor.
You get a lot of bang for your buck with the Lenovo IdeaPad 3i. It packs in a 12th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage via the solid-state (SSD) drive.
The 14-inch FHD display with narrow bezels gives you a great viewing experience, whether streaming movies or on a conference call. Connect your favorite devices via the USB-C port, two USB ports, HDMI or Bluetooth.
This laptop is travel-ready, weighing just over 3 lbs. and with a battery life of up to 10 hours. Windows 11 Home is included, so you don’t need to worry about upgrading your OS anytime soon. The Lenovo IdeaPad 3i laptop is suitable for home, school and business use.
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HP 15 Laptop
Why we picked it: For a budget laptop, this is powerful with 8GB of RAM.
3 smoking computer and server deals from Dell's Semi-Annual Sale
Here at the Komando HQ, we use the best computers for business. In other words, we use Dell setups. If you’re a fan who wants a similar setup to our resident pros, you’re in luck.
Right now, our sponsor Dell is throwing its semi-annual sale, which slashes prices on some of its best computers. You can even snatch up to 45% off the desktop we use around the office. We searched the sale and pulled out three of the best deals you can get for a limited time.
Go ahead, take my money: Apple is upgrading its 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with its zippy M4 line of processors. The basic 14-inch M4 MacBook starts at $1,599 with 16GB of RAM, and the 16-inch M4 Max is $3,999. Preorders are open, with shipping slated to start on Nov. 8. Psst, this means the older models are on sale.
7.3 out of 10
What Lenovo laptops got for repairability, according to PIRG’s annual report, considered an F rating. The catch? They only submitted one model, so they were slapped with a failing grade for not providing enough data. Other brands sent in nine or 10 models. I guess they didn’t read the terms and conditions.
🗑️ Trashing your tech? Don’t just toss it. Check out Earth911’s recycling database. They’ve got over 100,000 places to drop off over 350 kinds of materials, from old laptops to regular paper and plastic. Type it in the search bar and plug in your ZIP code. Boom, you’ll see where to go.
Tape over your webcam? Hackers can hijack your webcam, spy on you and use the footage for blackmail. But tape leaves a sticky mess. Grab a webcam cover. This two-pack ($7) fits most laptops and tablets. Pro tip: You can’t always trust that little green light to tell you if your camera is on or off.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
10%
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