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technology (like Nvidia’s DLSS, AMD’s FSR 2, the balance of speed and fidelity that DLSS and Intel’s XeSS) is often a necessity. We’ve Balanced provides. also included performance metrics with DLSS or FSR running in balanced mode to show the We’ve also included a chart below sort of full-stack ray-tracing performance you’ll showing Red Dead Redemption 2 4K see in the real world. Running FSR/DLSS in performance with FSR 2/DLSS Balanced on Performance or Ultra Performance mode the various GPUs. That game lacks ray tracing, would result in even higher frame rates, but but it’s graphically intense, and these results with potentially more image oddities. We like can show us the sort of speed boosts we can expect using the upscaling technologies on F1 22 (4K) Watch Dogs Legion (4K) Frames per second Frames per second 1080p 1440p 4K 1080p 1440p 4K Nvidia 33 74 Nvidia 54 GeForce RTX 115 GeForce RTX 27 3080 FE 3080 FE 54 AMD Radeon 68 AMD Radeon 0 RX 6900 XT RX 6900 XT 21 24 35 125 62 61 EVGA GeForce 77 EVGA GeForce 63 RTX 3080 Ti RTX 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra FTW3 Ultra 38 127 AMD Radeon 90 AMD Radeon 0 RX 7900 XT 43 RX 7900 XT 160 34 82 AMD Radeon 100 AMD Radeon 0 RX 7900 XTX 48 RX 7900 XTX 186 40 94 45 81 Nvidia 109 Nvidia 66 GeForce RTX 55 GeForce RTX 34 94 4080 FE 4080 FE 60 164 61 Nvidia Nvidia 83 GeForce RTX 67 GeForce RTX 41 3090 FE 61 3090 FE Nvidia 133 GeForce RTX 4090 FE Nvidia 109 GeForce RTX 74 4090 FE 205 LONGER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE LONGER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 51

REVIEWS AMD RADEON RX 7900 XTX AND XT newer cards versus older ones. (One caveat: boosts frame rates by about 30fps on the 7900 As mentioned in our discussion of bugs duo and the older Radeon RX 6900 XT alike. above, RDR2 currently crashes on all AMD GPUs when trying to run at 1440p with FSR All of these upscaling technologies look Balanced mode enabled. Use Quality mode great in practice, though F1 22’s use of the instead for now at that resolution.) much simpler FSR 1.0 upscaling results in a more shimmering picture at 1440p resolution. Across the board, RTX 40-series GPUs get It’ll be adding FSR 2.0 soon, however. One about 30 more frames per second with DLSS thing Radeon GPUs won’t be getting is DLSS Balanced, on, while older RTX 30-series GPUs 3 Frame Generation (fave.co/3uTG8nh), a get 20fps—clearly showing improved stunning technical achievement that’s already efficiency in Nvidia’s latest generation of a real weapon in Nvidia’s arsenal despite dedicated AI tensor cores, which power DLSS. being in its early days. AMD has no answer for AMD’s FSR 2 runs on standard GPU shaders it, and it can be a huge boon if you’re trying to rather than requiring specialized hardware and fuel a high-refresh rate 4K monitor. Red Dead Redemption POWER AND THERMALS 2 (4K) Frames per second We test power draw by looping the F1 22 1440p 4K benchmark at 4K for about 20 minutes after we’ve benchmarked everything else (to warm Nvidia 77.1 up the GPU) and noting the highest reading GeForce RTX 59.4 on our Watts Up Pro meter, which measures 3080 FE the power consumption of our entire test 81.2 system. The initial part of the race, where all AMD Radeon 54.6 competing cars are onscreen simultaneously, RX 6900 XT tends to be the most demanding portion. 87.1 EVGA GeForce 68 This isn’t a worst-case test; this is a GPU- RTX 3080 Ti bound game running at a GPU-bound FTW3 Ultra 104.2 resolution to gauge performance when the 75.3 graphics card is sweating hard. If you’re AMD Radeon playing a game that also hammers the CPU, RX 7900 XT 121.7 you could see higher overall system power 90.7 draws. Consider yourself warned. AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX 114.3 Well, well, well, isn’t this a surprise. AMD 85.2 has been touting the efficiency gains in RDNA Nvidia GeForce RTX 88.6 4080 FE 67.8 Nvidia 134.7 GeForce RTX 3090 FE 105.6 Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 FE LONGER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE 52 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

Whole system power Maximum GPU draw Watts temperature under load 1440p 4K Celsius Nvidia 78.2 488 Nvidia GeForce 71 GeForce RTX 73.6 466 RTX 3080 FE 81 3080 FE 77.2 64.7 639 AMD Radeon 78 AMD Radeon 64.6 457 RX 6900 XT 62 RX 6900 XT 66.1 62.1 514 EVGA GeForce RTX 68 EVGA GeForce 74.3 582 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra 60 RTX 3080 Ti 60.4 FTW3 Ultra 453 AMD Radeon 69 537 RX 7900 XT 69 AMD Radeon 588 RX 7900 XT AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 FE XFX Merc 310RX Nvidia GeForce 7900 XTX RTX 3090 FE Nvidia Nvidia GeForce GeForce RTX RTX 4090 FE 4080 FE SHORTER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE Nvidia GeForce RTX often rivals (and sometimes even beats) the 3090 FE RTX 4090, so the increased power draw makes sense. The XT draws roughly the same Nvidia power as the 4080 (and less than the 6900 GeForce RTX XT) while offering significantly higher 4090 FE performance, highlighting RDNA 3’s improved efficiency. SHORTER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE We test thermals by leaving GPU-Z open 3 and smack-talking Nvidia’s move to during the F1 22 power draw test, noting the 12VHPWR power connectors, but as you can highest maximum temperature at the end. see here, both 7900 XT models draw more power than the RTX 4080, though the XT is Here’s where AMD’s decision to stick to a neck-and-neck. The 7900 XTX sucks down traditionally sized card affects the Radeon RX roughly as much juice as the power-hungry 7900 series. Yes, they’ll fit into most any PC, RTX 3090 and while it’s decently behind the but even though AMD’s reference GPUs are new RTX 4090, the whole system still draws incredibly dense and heavy in the hand, the well over 500W under load. much larger Nvidia (and XFX) GPUs do a better job at dissipating heat. You can’t see it much in That’s not necessarily bad—remember, the raw numbers, as sub-70-degree maximums AMD’s 7900 GPUs are always faster in game are fine regardless, but you can definitely hear performance than the RTX 4080, and very JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 53

REVIEWS AMD RADEON RX 7900 XTX AND XT AMD’s reference cards under load. (It’s a pleasant enough sound, though—not too shrill or too loud.) Our Radeon RX 7900 XTX review unit also exhibited coil whine in several circumstances. The Nvidia RTX 40-series GPUs and XFX’s custom 7900 XTX rely on far bulkier cooling designs that run both cool and very quiet— AMD’s duo offers more performance in traditional games for hundreds damned near silent. AMD of dollars less than the 4080. definitely made a trade-off opting for a smaller construction, but since quickly being embraced by games that deploy the 7900’s sound profile isn’t obnoxious, it the cutting-edge lighting effects, giving you feels worthwhile to ensure that smaller RNDA even more performance. You can also flip on 3 cards are available. That said, if you want AMD’s universal Radeon Super Resolution truly silent running, you’ll need to pony up for upscaling feature in any game that doesn’t a larger custom 7900. support FSR for even higher performance, and BOTTOM LINE it looks great at the 4K resolutions the 7900 series targets. These cards are pricey as hell Most people should definitely opt for the but deliver outstanding value versus the Team $899 Radeon RX 7900 XT and $999 Radeon Green competition. RX 7900 XTX over Nvidia’s $1,200 GeForce These reference Radeon RX 7900 XTX and RTX 4080. Heck, many people would be XT cards also win in terms of compatibility, happy picking up the XTX over Nvidia’s thanks to their slim yet attractive 2.5-slot juggernaut RTX 3090 for $600 less. design and dual 8-pin connectors. These fit AMD’s duo offers more performance in into virtually any PC, unlike the massive 3- and traditional games and much more memory for 4-slot RTX options, which also require the use hundreds of dollars less than the 4080. Plus, of finicky new 12VHPWR power cable the XTX offers ray-tracing performance on par adapters (fave.co/3PyrLOL)—though their with that of Nvidia’s best-in-class last- small size also makes them more audible generation GPU, the RTX 3090. FSR 2.0 is also under load than larger GPUs. 54 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

Enough said, right? Not quite. which boasts those features and ferocious Ray tracing isn’t a weakness for Radeon overall performance—it’s the ultimate anymore, but it remains a strength for no-compromises GPU of this generation. GeForce. AMD’s second-gen RT That’s especially true for prosumers who can implementation in the 7900 series caught up put its dual AV1 encoders and 24GB of to the RTX 3090’s second-gen prowess, but ultra-fast GDDR6X VRAM to proper work. the RTX 4080 and 4090 pushed the You’ll pay dearly for it, though: $600 more advantage even further, to the point that you than the 7900 XTX. don’t even have to use DLSS to hit 60fps in That said, while ray tracing is picking up most 4K/Ultra ray-traced games (though you steam, it’s only a must-use feature in a handful should to push frame rates even higher). of games, like Cyberpunk 2077, Metro That’s amazing, and AMD can’t compare. Exodus, Minecraft RTX, and Control. Portal RTX AMD also can’t compete against Nvidia’s also looks dope as heck (and requires DLSS 3 awesome new DLSS 3 Frame Generation Frame Gen to run effectively). If it’s more of a feature, which inserts AI-created frames nice-to-have feature for your gameplay needs, between every other image for unparalleled AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XTX and XT are much visual smoothness and the ability to shatter better values. CPU bottlenecks. Team Red does plan to That that said, we’re currently in a weird release FSR 3 with AI-created Fluid Motion time for GPUs, with a glut of last-gen models Frames sometime in 2023, however. If you care about peak ray-tracing performance and want to get in on the AI frame hype train sooner rather than later, you may want to opt for a 4080 instead (though I’d strongly suggest against it after Nvidia jacked its price up by a staggering $500 over the 3080). Or even The RX 7900 XTX and XT cards also win in terms of compatibility, thanks to the GeForce RTX 4090, their slim 2.5-slot design and dual 8-pin connectors. JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 55

REVIEWS AMD R ADEON R X 7900 XTX AND XT flooding the market after the pandemic- particularly appealing at these prices. If you’re fueled crypto bubble burst. Most people already considering spending $899 for the don’t need a $1,000 graphics card. If you XT, we’d advise saving up some extra pennies aren’t looking to push frame rates on a and grabbing the $999 XTX instead if you high-refresh 4K monitor, last-gen GPUs like can. It offers a lot more performance in some the 6900 XT and Nvidia’s RTX 3080 are still situations, like Cyberpunk 2077 with ray solid practical options for 4K/60 and high- tracing enabled. refresh 1440p displays, and they can usually be found for around $600 to $750 online. After Nvidia’s next-gen reveal, my They’re great if you don’t need the latest and colleague Michael Crider said, “Nvidia’s greatest. You can save a few hundred more tone-deaf RTX 40-series pricing is a golden bucks now that the GPU crunch has opportunity for AMD and Intel” (fave. subsided, and even take the risk of holding co/3WFjTxh). With the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, out for still deeper discounts. at least, AMD is pressing the point. Here’s to a new era of GPU competition after years of Our guide to the best graphics cards for stagnation! gaming (fave.co/3DOEuWk) can help you make the best decision for you. AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX and XT Bottom line? AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XT PROS and XTX deliver staggering performance, ample memory, easy compatibility, and • Much faster than the RTX 4080. software features galore for far less than • Sometimes faster than the RTX 4090, especially at Nvidia’s latest. They may not unseat the RTX 4090 as the towering raw performance 1440p. champion, especially if you’re interested in ray • $200 less than 4080 and $600 less than 4090. tracing, but unlike Nvidia’s price-jacked yet performance-lacking RTX 4080, the Radeon CONS RX 7900 XTX offers stunning value over its predecessor for the same price as before. The • Ray tracing matches 3090 but lags behind RTX 40 7900 XT, on the other hand, delivers worse series. value than the flagship and no doubt would’ve been called the 7800 XT (and sold • Audible (but not overly loud) fan noise due to small for significantly less) if Nvidia hadn’t already design and high power draw. pushed pricing to insane levels with the RTX 4080. Neither the 4080 nor the 7900 XT is • High power draw. BOTTOM LINE For hundreds of dollars less, AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XTX both sprints past the RTX 4080 and challenges the RTX 4090—it can sometimes beat Nvidia’s best GPU. Its compact reference design and use of traditional 8-pin power connectors lets it fit into most PCs easily as well. AMD’s latest also offers acceptable ray-tracing performance, though Nvidia holds its lead. The XTX isn’t perfect—some sporadic bugs did appear during our tests—but overall it’s a very good card without a price premium over last gen. $999/$899 56 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

HP Spectre x360 14: OLED makes a great 2-in-1 even better Lovely as always. BY MATT ELLIOTT With the latest iteration of its biggest addition is the high-resolution OLED premium Spectre x360 14, panel that delivers exceptional image HP adds two new premium quality. The second addition is a high- features not found on last resolution webcam, moving from an year’s convertible alongside the requisite underwhelming 720p camera to a crisp and update to 12th-generation Intel silicon. The dynamic 1080p webcam. IMAGE: HP JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 57

REVIEWS HP SPECTRE X360 14 The Spectre x360’s overall design remains Price: $1,424.99 unchanged. The all-metal chassis with gold The HP Spectre x360 series starts at accents offers a solid feel and luxurious looks, $999.99. The baseline model features a while the display’s 3:2 aspect ratio is geared 12th-gen Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, a 512GB toward business use rather than entertainment SSD and a Full HD display. Our test system pursuits that would benefit from a wider features CPU, memory, storage, and display screen. It’s still a tad heavy for a 14-inch upgrades that raised the price. At HP.com, it’s convertible, and the battery life is shorter than priced at $1,424.99, which reflects a $250 that of last year’s model, but the Spectre discount. Our test model is also available at remains a great pick for executive and other Best Buy for $1,749.99, and it has professionals looking for a portable and occasionally been discounted to $1,399.99. versatile two-in-one convertible. OLED GOODNESS SPECS AND FEATURES This year’s Spectre x360 trots out the same Our HP Spectre x360 14 test system features looks as last year’s model and remains a the following specs: stunner. The all-metal chassis boasts a gorgeous, sophisticated design and rugged CPU: Quad-core Intel Core i7-1255U feel. There are three color options—silver, Memory: 16GB black, and a deep blue. (The latter two colors Graphics: Intel Iris Xe add $15 to the bill.) We received it in black. Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD With the matte finish, it has subtle brown Display: 13.5-inch 3000×2000, OLED undertones that gives it a unique look among a touch panel sea of silver brushed-aluminum laptops. The Webcam: 1080p with physical camera gem-cut edges and other gold accents create a shutter pleasing contrast with the matte black surfaces. Connectivity: 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 4, USB-A, combo audio jack, microSD card The chassis remains the same as last year’s reader model and therefore the weight stays the Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 same at 3 pounds. That’s a bit heavy for this Biometrics: IR facial recognition, class of 2-in-1, but most are close to 3 fingerprint reader pounds. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, for example, Battery capacity: 66.5 Watt-hours with its 13.4-inch 16:10 display weighs 2.9 Dimensions: 11.75 ×8.67×0.67 inches pounds. With the added heft, however, Measured weight: 3 pounds (laptop), comes a solid feel. There is nothing flimsy 0.6 pounds (AC adapter) about the Spectre x360. 58 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

screen, but the boxier ratio is suited well for browsing the web and working on long documents. The 3:2 display is also a good fit in tablet mode. The squarer shape makes it feel more like an iPad than using a laptop spun around. The touch display features pen support, and HP includes its Rechargeable MPP2.0 The Spectre x360 14’s OLED panel delivers incredible contrast with perfect Tilt Pen. Tapping, blacks and bright whites. swiping, and scribbling on the display felt When we looked at the Spectre x360 last natural with both a fingertip and the pen. year, it featured an IPS panel with a There’s no garage for the pen, but it connects 1920×1280-pixel resolution and a boxy 3:2 magnetically to the side of the system. aspect ratio. A 3000×2000 OLED model was Befitting of the premium Spectre x360 are sold as a Best Buy exclusive, which you might its four speakers that produce premium have missed. Now the OLED display is sound. The speakers create dynamic audio available direct from HP. It adds a reasonable with crisp highs and a bit of a bass response. $110 to the price of the system. It’s well worth The audio begins to lose some clarity when the price. The OLED panel delivers incredible you push the volume past 80 percent, but at contrast with perfect blacks and bright that level there’s still enough oomph to fill a whites. Colors are accurate and vivid. And the small room. 3000×2000 resolution across the 13.5-inch WEBCAM GOES TO 1080P panel creates a sharp image with crisp text. The display’s 3:2 aspect ratio is taller than A 720p webcam has no place on a premium a 16:10 or 16:9 widescreen. Movies and Spectre model, and HP made the move to a shows don’t fit as well as they do on a wider 1080p camera with this year’s Spectre x360. JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 59

REVIEWS HP SPECTRE X360 14 fingerprint reader, leaving only a Control key in the left corner. The keys offer a snappy response and quiet action for an overall pleasing and premium typing experience. One change from last year’s model—HP got rid of the right-side column of Home, Page Up/Down, and End keys. Those keys are now double-mapped to the four The keyboard sacrifices the right Control key for the fingerprint reader. arrow keys, which may disappoint some typists. In It produces a clean, well-balanced image that the row of Function keys at the top, there’s a has none of the grainy blotchiness of a 720p key to cycle through the keyboard’s two-level cam. If Zoom meetings and other video calls backlight and two others to mute the are a large part of your job, the 1080p will have you looking clearer to co-workers and clients. The camera has IR capabilities so you can log into the machine via facial recognition. And if you’d rather use your finger instead of your face, there’s a fingerprint reader tucked in between the spacebar and arrow keys at the bottom of the keyboard. Both biometric methods worked flawlessly. The keyboard sacrifices the The gold-edged touchpad offers a quiet, firm click response and right Control key for the accurate recording of finger gestures. 60 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

microphone and cover the camera. When the camera’s physical cover is in place, you can see its white and black stripes to give you peace of mind that your privacy is protected. The mute and camera shutter keys themselves also have orange LEDs to give you visual proof that each device is deactivated. The gold-edged touchpad offers a quiet, firm click response and accurate recording of mousing gestures. It’s near perfect. If I had a nit to pick, it would be that the semi-glossy finish doesn’t offer as smooth gliding a more matte finish would. The useful port selection remains the same as last year’s One of the Thunderbolt 4 ports and the headphone jack are model. There’s a pair of USB-C located on the back corners of the system. Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB Type-A port, an audio jack, and a microSD out the headphone jack and have a card reader. One of the Thunderbolt 4 Thunderbolt 4 port in each corner. Not only ports and the headphone jack are located would I be able to charge the Spectre x360 on each of the back corners of the system. from either side, but the headphone jack These corners are trimmed so each port sits would be closer to the front of the system on the diagonal. It’s an unusual design and my ears. point, and one I doubt will catch on One last note on the power adapter: It because it makes it a bit harder to access also lives up to the premium Spectre name. these ports than if they were simply located The power brick is tiny and easily portable, on the side. And if I could, I would swap and the cord is braided so it never tangles. JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 61

REVIEWS HP SPECTRE X360 14 PCMark 10 Handbrake 0.9.9 Encode CPU performance Seconds HP Pavilion Aero 13 6,024 Acer Swift 5 1,580 Ryzen 7 5800U 5,684 Core i7-1260P 1,615 5,543 1,669 Lenovo Ideapad Slim 7 5,455 Lenovo Ideapad Slim 7 1,677 Carbon Ryzen 7 5800U 5,297 Carbon Ryzen 7 5800U 1,755 5,073 Samsung Galaxy Book2 4,877 Samsung Galaxy Book2 2,073 Pro 360 Core i7-1260P 4,445 Pro 360 Core i7-1260P 3,032 Acer Swift 5 HP Pavilion Aero 13 3,287 Core i7-1260P Ryzen 7 5800U HP Spectre x360 14 Acer Aspire 5 15 Core i7-1255U Core i5-1235U Acer Aspire 5 15 HP Spectre x360 14 Core i5-1235U Core i7-1255U Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 Dell XPS 13 9315 Core i7-1165G7 Core i5-1230U Dell XPS 13 9315 Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 Core i5-1230U Core i7-1165G7 LONGER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE SHORTER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE The system felt peppy during our time with it and operated in near silence. We did see the Our HP Spectre x360 test system features a battery life decline from last year’s model; the Core i7-1255U processor, 16GB of RAM, OLED panel is the likely cause for the shorter integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, and a 1TB running time (more on that below). SSD. The Core i7-1255U is a member of Intel’s 12th-gen Alder Lake U series of efficient, Our first benchmark is PCMark 10, which 15-watt mobile chips that feature Intel’s new measures performance on everyday hybrid architecture. It has two performance computing work including office productivity cores, eight efficiency cores, and a total of 12 tasks, web browsing, and video chats. All of processing threads. the laptops here are overqualified for running general office apps. The Spectre x360 We compared the Spectre x360’s finished in the middle of the pack. With only performance to a mix of similarly sized laptops two performance cores in the Core i7-1255U, with 12th-gen Intel Core processors from the system couldn’t keep pace with the two both the efficient 15-watt U series and more AMD-based laptops—the Ryzen 7 5800U has balanced 28-watt P series that sits between eight processing cores and 16 processing the U series and high-powered 45-watt P threads. And the next two finishers feature the series. Rounding out the charts are a couple Core i7-1260P, which has four performance of laptops based on AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800U cores along with eight efficiency cores and a processor and a Dell XPS 13 based on an total of 16 processing threads. 11th-gen Core i7. 62 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

Cinebench R15 Battery life All threads Minutes Acer Swift 5 1,740 Samsung Galaxy Book2 864 Core i7-1260P 1,676 Pro 360 Core i7-1260P 862 1,422 781 HP Pavilion Aero 13 1,399 Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 753 Ryzen 7 5800U 1,257 Core i7-1165G7 680 1,127 592 Samsung Galaxy Book2 1,100 Acer Swift 5 583 Pro 360 Core i7-1260P 921 Core i7-1260P 520 Lenovo Ideapad Slim 7 Acer Aspire 5 15 Carbon Ryzen 7 5800U Core i5-1235U Acer Aspire 5 15 HP Spectre x360 14 Core i5-1235U Core i7-1255U HP Spectre x360 14 Lenovo Ideapad Slim 7 Core i7-1255U Carbon Ryzen 7 5800U Dell XPS 13 9315 Dell XPS 13 9315 Core i5-1230U Core i5-1230U Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 HP Pavilion Aero 13 Core i7-1165G7 Ryzen 7 5800U LONGER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE LONGER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE Our HandBrake benchmark tests how well On our 3DMark benchmark, none of the a laptop is able to handle crushing CPU loads laptops here—the Spectre x360 included— over a lengthy period—in this case, distinguished themselves. But that’s hardly transcoding a 30GB MKV file to a format a surprise given that they all feature suitable for Android tablets using HandBrake, integrated graphics. the free video encoding utility. The Spectre x360 again finished with a middling result and To test a laptop’s battery life, we loop a 4K found itself well off the pace set by the video using Windows 11’s Movies & TV app, systems that have CPUs with more processing with the laptop set to Airplane mode and cores and threads. earbuds plugged in. We set the screen brightness at a relatively bright 250 nits to Next up is Cinebench, another CPU- 260 nits, which is a good brightness for intensive test but one that renders a complex watching a movie in an office with the lights 2D scene over a short period of time. The on. The Spectre x360 lasted for more than 11 Spectre x360’s Cinebench result is hours, which will get you through the longest underwhelming. Its U series CPU is built for workdays without needing to retreat to a wall efficiency and not cranking through outlet. That’s an impressive figure, but other multithreaded multimedia applications. The models offer runtimes that are hours longer. Spectre x360 is a better fit for executives and other business users than for creative Last year’s Spectre x360 ran for more professionals. than three hours longer than this year’s model. With both systems featuring the JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 63

REVIEWS HP SPECTRE X360 14 IPS LCD display. The gains in contrast and color dynamics are just too great. Plus, with OLED displays beginning to trickle down to midrange laptops, buyers should certainly expect an OLED on a high-end model like the Spectre x360. OLED aside, it’s one of the best-looking 2-in-1 convertibles on the market. The brownish- black chassis is unique without being garish, and the all-metal The Spectre x360 14 is one of the best-looking 2-in-1 convertibles chassis is rock-solid if a tad on the market. heavy. With its U-series processor and integrated same 66.5Whr battery, I suspect the culprit graphics, it’s a better fit for general office tasks of the shorter runtime is the high-resolution than for creative work. Despite the drop in OLED display. Even though an OLED can battery life, the Spectre x360 remains one of turn off individual pixels, a greater number our favorite 2-in-1 business convertibles. of pixels means a greater drain on the battery. And we’ve yet to see any benefit in HP Spectre x360 14 terms of battery life from an OLED laptop. In fact, we’ve generally seen that an OLED PROS panel has a slight adverse effect on a laptop’s battery life. • Stellar OLED display. • Unique and rugged design. • IR and fingerprint biometrics. • 1080p webcam with physical shutter. BOTTOM LINE CONS Even with the decrease in battery life, we • Battery life not as long as that of last year’s model. • A bit heavy at 3 pounds. welcome the addition of the OLED display to BOTTOM LINE the Spectre x360. It’s one of those features that once you’ve experienced it, you will It’s neither the fastest nor the longest running, but the never go back to the old way of a plain-Jane Spectre x360 14 remains one of our favorite business convertibles for its stunning design and display. $1,424 64 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

Perfect Backup: Perfect? No, but darn close This free file and folder backup program is far more versatile than the integrated Windows File History, even backing up to popular online services. BY JON JACOBI Though Windows provides its It’s free and, while it’s just shy of perfect, own file backup facilities in Perfect Backup does grab the brass ring for Windows File Backup (fave. being the most straightforward and user- co/3HKItbC), the OS has friendly interface for the purpose. Add to that continually made them less obvious and less stable performance and a cornucopia of intuitive. Why is anyone’s guess. There are options, as well as network, FTP, and online plenty of alternatives, but they can be hard to services support, and you’ve got a winner on find or just as hard to use. Enter Perfect Backup. your hands. IMAGE: PERFECT BACKUP SOFTWARE JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 65

REVIEWS PERFECT BACKUP There’s also very granular scheduling, logging of results, reporting via email, throttling (CPU usage), and just about everything else you’d expect from a modern backup program. My favorite feature, however, is the ability to back up to popular online services: Google Drive, Perfect Backup starts with a wizard that will walk you through the One Drive, Dropbox, and process of creating a backup job or restoring from one. Box, to be specific. Now if FEATURES the program only supported multiple destinations for the Perfect Backup is file backup—that is, it same job, I’d be ecstatic. You can, of doesn’t image entire partitions like our course, duplicate a job and change the favorite R-Drive Image (fave.co/3Wslx4Z) destination, but that’s always seemed like a does. Instead, it merely copies files and lot of bother to me. folders to a new location. Truth be known, with Windows so easy to install and restore these days, that’s all most users really need. But there are options—a host of them, as a matter of fact. You can specify the number of versions to keep and the number of incremental backups that will transpire before a new full backup is created, and even compress Perfect Backup offers numerous retention options and presents the files to standard Zip format. them in an easy-to-understand fashion. 66 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

Perfect Backup will also back up to network locations and even FTP sites. You can also back up from network locations, but only if they’re mapped as local drives under Windows. Currently, you need to have Perfect Backup offers just about every option you’ll find in any backup program. Perfect Backup start with Windows for it to perform the “output” directory. You might feel scheduled jobs. More elegant would be differently about it. using the Windows Task Scheduler so the Generally, however, the interface’s program isn’t always in the background using language helps new users feel less resources. That said, with modern computing intimidated and more sure of their actions. power, this isn’t nearly the issue it once was. They won’t have to waste so much time INTERFACE sussing out concepts and metaphors. One other thing I did not like was the What I really enjoy about the Perfect Backup user’s guide being HTML online without a interface is not so much its logical layout or downloadable PDF version. Maybe I’m just hand-holding wizard, which are both old school, but I prefer local documentation. I excellent, but its labels and language. Where might be backing up a machine offline when so many interfaces are terse or assume a question pops into my head. knowledge of terminology, Perfect Backup PERFORMANCE labels and explains things as normal humans think of them. Perfect Backup performed, well, perfectly Mostly. I wasn’t in love with calling the during my tests, at least on a normal PC. I did destination directory for the restore function have some network-related issues under JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 67

REVIEWS PERFECT BACKUP Perfect Backup also backs up to online services. Very few backup programs, paid or not, will do this. Parallels and Windows the file backup programs out there, and 11 on the Mac, but there’s no arguing about the price. If it that’s not unusual, and created images for disaster recovery, it would not many users will be be vying for top dog. As it is, it’s highly useful employing that combo. and worthy of recommendation. I tried both zipped Perfect Backup and plain file backups, and the former didn’t seem to significantly throttle PROS what turned out to be very good performance. Restores were also quick and • Familiar and easy interface. easy, though again, I’d prefer the term • Friendlier data selection than Windows File History. destination rather than output directory. Both • Backs up to local media, network locations, and are correct, but the former is more common. online services. Perfect Backup being so useful and well • Logging, notifications, FTP support, and lots of realized prompted me to reach out to the company to ask why it’s free. They other options. informed me that it will remain that way for at least two years, and those who use it now can CONS keep using it for free beyond that. The idea is to get free publicity for the program and • No image backups. eventually garner income from licensing. • Must be loaded for scheduled backups. That’s fine by me. BOTTOM LINE BOTTOM LINE If you’re looking for easier and more versatile backup Perfect Backup exceeded my expectations. than Windows File History, Perfect Backup provides it. It’s more stable and easier to use than most of Fast and competent, it’s also free—for any use. Free 68 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

Acer Predator CG48: A great 48-inch OLED monitor Watch out, LG—Acer’s OLED has arrived. BY MATTHEW S. SMITH P C gamers looking for a big screen and VA panel monitors that came before monitor have great options in them, but also sell at a higher price. The 2022, including new 42-inch and Predator CG48 proves the premium is worth 48-inch monitors with OLED paying. It’s similar to LG’s alternative, though, panels. These have many benefits over the IPS so price may become the deciding factor. IMAGE: ACER JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 69

REVIEWS ACER PREDATOR CG48 SPECS such as built-in apps and a processor The Acer Predator CG48 is a 48-inch 4K capable of smoothing jerky motion (like that monitor with an OLED panel. While Acer of 24 FPS movies). The CG48 makes up for doesn’t detail the panel used by the monitor, this with numerous PC-friendly connection it’s probably the same LG-produced OLED options including DisplayPort and USB-C. panel found in the LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B DESIGN (fave.co/3hIXpwa). Display size: 48-inch, 16:9 aspect ratio The Acer Predator CG48 is a 48-inch monitor Native resolution: 3480×2160 meant as an alternative to buying a television, Panel type: OLED such as LG’s 48-inch C1 or C2 OLED. This Refresh rate: 138Hz comes across in its design, which is similar to HDR: Yes, HDR10 most OLED TVs. Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium Pro It starts with the profile, which consists of Ports: 1× HDMI 2.1, 3x HDMI 2.0, 1× a super-slim panel attached to a bulkier low DisplayPort 1.4, 1× USB-C with DisplayPort half that contains the monitor’s brains and Alternate Mode and 65 watts Power Delivery, ports. The result is a simple silhouette that’s 1× 3.5mm audio out, 4× USB-A virtually identical to the LG Ultragear Stand adjustment: None 48GQ900-B (fave.co/3hIXpwa), LG C2 VESA mount: Yes, 200x200mm TV wall mount Speakers: 2× 10-watt stereo speakers Price: $1,499.99 MSRP Despite its TV-like size, the Predator CG48 is a monitor, not a television. It lacks a TV tuner and can’t be connected to a coaxial input. It also lacks the smart features found The HP consists of a super-slim panel attached to a bulkier lower half that on many modern TVs contains the monitor’s brains and ports. 70 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

OLED, and Sony Bravia XR A90K. All of these displays are about 1.5 inches thick at their thickest point. There are differences in materials, as Acer opts for silvers and grays instead of the black and charcoal of competitors—but this is only obvious from the rear, which most owners will only see when unboxing the display. The main functional difference is the stand. Acer opts for a pair of legs at either end of the display panel. It’s a simple, stable design, but also requires a desk or TV stand that’s nearly as wide as the 48-inch monitor. LG’s On the monitor’s rear you’ll find four HDMI ports, plus Ultragear 48GQ900-B instead DisplayPort and a USB-C connector. uses a wedge-shaped stand, more like a traditional monitor, making it any comparable monitor I’ve tested. easier to position on a small surface. This is a Just one of the four HDMI ports supports small win for LG. Neither of these displays HDMI 2.1 (fave.co/3Uri8Dq): The rest only offers height, tilt, or swivel adjustment. support HDMI 2.0. That’s a limitation for Wall mounting is an option and will work gamers who own both an Xbox Series X and better than for some other large-screen PlayStation 5. One of the two consoles will monitors. The Acer’s ports face to the side, not have to connect over HDMI 2.0 and in so the rear, which is far easier to work with when doing lose out on 4K at 120Hz (though you trying to mount the display flush with a wall. can use an HDMI switcher, of course). FEATURES AND MENUS The monitor’s USB-C port supports both DisplayPort Alternate Mode and up to 65 The Acer Predator CG48 ships with four watts of USB Power Delivery, meaning it can HDMI ports, plus DisplayPort and a USB-C charge a connected device. It also functions port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode. That’s a as a USB-C hub (fave.co/3xzdM48), which total of six video inputs, which is the most of connects to four downstream USB 3.2 ports. JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 71

REVIEWS ACER PREDATOR CG48 it does for any other monitor. It’s not as slick as that used by Dell and the font size is on the small side, but options are clearly labeled and easy to navigate with the remote. In fact, the remote makes the menu much easier to use than most monitors do. There’s no need to awkwardly lean forward and fiddle with buttons. I did notice a few quirks. The The CG48 has a well-thought-out menu and a handy remote. display lacks a factory reset option, which is strange. HDR A 3.5mm audio output can send audio to was not set to automatic with out-of-the-box a soundbar or home theater system. It works options, so HDR content won’t look its best fine, but the LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B also until that setting is turned on. And the has optical audio, which is a higher-quality “standard” color gamut, although very wide connection. This is an important point if you and accurate, looks particularly oversaturated want to use the monitor with high-end home and a bit too yellow with some SDR content. theater audio. Fortunately, the monitor has many other color A bundled remote is included with the modes, including an sRGB mode, plus six-axis Predator CG48 and controls the on-screen color customization. menu (controls are also found on the monitor, A pair of 10-watt speakers rounds out the but the remote is more convenient). Unlike options. They provide acceptable audio in LG’s Ultragear 48Q900-B, which has an odd less complex situations: The beeps and remote built around a big dial, the Predator boops of Vampire Survivors were crisp. CG48’s remote is slim and built around a Content with a more complex soundscape, circle that navigates up, down, left, or right, like music, action films, or open-world games with a big OK button in the middle. This is such as Cyberpunk 2077, can overwhelm the similar to most TV and streaming box remotes speakers and muddy the presentation. and feels more approachable. Maximum volume is lackluster, too, so the The menus are intuitive—for PC speakers are only suitable for a small room. enthusiasts. Acer uses the same menu system 72 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

Maximum brightness Contrast ratio Nits Acer Predator FG48 Infinite LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B Infinite Acer Predator FG48 213 540 Asus ProArt PA32DC Infinite LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B 143 449 Alienware AW3423DW Infinite Asus ProArt PA32DC Dell 3223QE Alienware AW3423DW 246 2,190:1 Dell 3223QE LONGER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE LONGER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE SDR IMAGE QUALITY OLED can control each pixel individually and even turn a pixel off entirely when required, The Acer Predator CG48 is a big OLED providing a truly abyssal black level in dark monitor with 4K resolution and a wide color scenes. It also doesn’t suffer from bloom, a gamut. These traits lead to performance that, problem that can cause a bright halo around while not perfect in every category, is sure to small objects on a Mini-LED (fave.co/ impress most people. Color gamut Maximum full-screen SDR brightness comes in at 213 nits. This is higher than the LG % Adobe RGB % DCI-P3 % sRGB Ultragear 48GQ900-B, which limited SDR brightness to just 143 nits. Acer Predator 89 FG48 98 The Predator’s CG48’s brightness is still 100 low when compared to more conventional LG Ultragear monitors, and way, way lower than that of the 48GQ900-B 89 Asus ProArt PA32DC (fave.co/3Ws4fVF), a 98 high-end 32-inch OLED monitor. But I found Asus ProArt 100 the brightness more than adequate in use. PA32DC 98 The Acer also benefits from an effective Alienware 99 anti-glare coating that helps keep the display AW3423DW 100 usable in bright rooms. It works well in most situations, though a strong light source (like a Dell 3223QE 95 sunlit window) will still cause problems. 99 100 Contrast ratio is where OLED stands out, and the Acer Predator CG48 is no exception. 89 99 100 LONGER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 73

REVIEWS ACER PREDATOR CG48 3rDPT6T) or edge-lit LED monitor with Average color error dimming zones. Acer Predator FG48 1.45 The contrast ratio of the OLED monitors LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B I’ve tested is effectively infinite, since they can 3.39 all achieve a luminance reading of zero nits. None of them obviously outperforms or Asus ProArt PA32DC 0.81 overperforms its competitors in this metric, Alienware AW3423DW 0.71 but all of them beat an IPS monitor. The Dell 3223QE difference is obvious, especially when using a 1.01 monitor in a dark room. SHORTER BARS INDICATE BETTER PERFORMANCE The Acer Predator CG48 has a wide color gamut that covers more than 100 percent of The Predator CG48 scored well in color sRGB, 98 percent of DCI-P3, and 89 percent temperature with a default reading of of Adobe RGB. This is identical to the 6400K, barely off the target of 6500K. This performance of LG’s Ultragear 48GQ900-B provides a warm, inviting image, and is a big and a bit better than Alienware’s ultrawide improvement over the LG Ultragear AW3423DW (fave.co/3bTPB8b). Asus’ 48GQ900-B, which was way off target at ProArt PG32DC leaps ahead, as it covers an 10200K out of the box (and 7100K after impressive 98 percent of Adobe RGB. some tweaks). My testing also turned up a gamma result of 2.1, which is near the target In real-world use, the Predator CG48’s of 2.2. This means content looks roughly as color gamut is plenty wide to do content bright as intended. justice. It can handle a wide variety of content creation including graphics design, Sharpness is a problem for the Predator video editing, and photo editing, and it will CG48. 4K resolution on a 48-inch screen look highly saturated and vivid in movies works out to about 91 pixels per inch—about and games. the same as a 24-inch 1080p monitor. To make matters worse, this monitor doesn’t Color accuracy is good as well, beating appear to use an RGB pixel arrangement (a the LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B, which had common issue among affordable OLED issues with color accuracy at default settings. monitors), which leads to problems around The Acer can’t beat either the Asus ProArt fine fonts and interface elements. I saw PG32DC or Alienware AW3423DW, but the “fringing” around fonts, an issue where the gap is small enough that it won’t be obvious font appears to have a shadow or border that in use. The Predator CG48’s color looks shouldn’t be visible. The LG Ultragear realistic and convincing out of the box. 48GQ900-B and Alienware AW3423DW 74 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

both share this issue, while the expensive These strengths provide a wide range of Asus ProArt PG32DC avoids it. luminance to work with and plenty of colors to appear vivid. Despite this, the Acer Predator CG48’s SDR image quality is great overall. It’s suited Luminance stability is decent in HDR. for PC gaming, streaming video, and high- Some OLED displays, such as the Alienware quality 4K movies, all of which play to the AW3423DW, have problems with the overall strengths of its contrast and color while display brightness swinging noticeably when avoiding issues with sharpness and minimizing or maximizing windows. The brightness. And it looks even better with HDR Predator CG48, like the LG Ultragear turned on. 48GQ900-B, shows a hint of flicker in the most extreme situations, such as opening a HDR IMAGE QUALITY Word document on a desktop with a dark background, but it’s barely noticeable. I’d The Acer Predator CG48 claims a maximum prefer that it not be visible at all, but this is the HDR brightness of up to 900 nits, but it’s not reality of current OLED panel technology. VESA DisplayHDR certified. My testing Even the high-end Asus ProArt PA32DC has showed that its full-screen HDR brightness this issue. was 228 nits, barely higher than the SDR result of 213 nits. Testing in a 10 percent The Acer Predator CG48, like the window (that is, with only 10 percent of the LG48GQ900-B, only supports the HDR10 display lit) didn’t change this result. It does standard and not other HDR standards, such appear that the display achieves a much as Dolby Vision. That’s fine if you intend to use higher brightness when a slim fraction of the the monitor with a computer, because nearly display is lit, as might be seen when all HDR content shown on a computer will be displaying stars in a night sky, but I’m unable intended to be viewed in HDR10. Dolby to test the brightness of details this small. Vision is more relevant if you like to stream shows from major streaming platforms or you Despite this, the Predator CG48 provided remain devoted to 4K Blu-ray discs. a convincing HDR experience when used in a dark room. Its brightness is nowhere near that Overall, the Acer Predator CG48’s HDR of Mini-LED, but is still bright enough to pack performance is good. It leans more heavily on a punch in a home theater. This is less true its contrast ratio and color performance than when using the monitor on a desk in a well-lit its brightness, which means it will never hit home office, however. the eye-searing heights of a Mini-LED alternative like the Samsung Odyssey Neo The HDR experience is supported by its G9. But it does provide shadow detail, superior contrast ratio and wide color gamut. JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 75

REVIEWS ACER PREDATOR CG48 brilliant highlights in dark scenes, and vivid what you’re looking at. Very fine elements, color. It’s best for use in a dark room, as this like small fonts showing a character’s name in will make its lack of full-screen brightness League of Legends, remain hard to read—for harder to notice. that level of motion clarity you’d need a 240Hz or 360Hz refresh rate, which is not MOTION CLARITY available in an OLED monitor (yet). The Acer Predator CG48 has a maximum It helps that OLED monitors have very low refresh rate of up to 138Hz and supports pixel response times. This means a pixel’s AMD FreeSync Premium Pro (fave.co/ color can change quickly, further aiding in 3SRJhPe). The LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B has motion clarity. The benefit of this is improved both of these features, plus official G-sync motion clarity even at lower refresh rates, such support, giving LG a slight edge here. as 60Hz. Motion clarity is excellent. A refresh rate of The lack of HDMI 2.1 support for all HDMI 138Hz is nowhere near the highest available ports is a limitation, since it means not all today, but it’s high enough to provide a HDMI ports can make full use of the enhanced wonderful sense of fluidity and plenty of refresh rate (HDMI 2.0 tops out at 4K/60FPS detail. Small objects are visible when moving in most situations). quickly across the screen and fast camera pans preserve enough detail so you know Still, this doesn’t spoil the Predator CG48’s excellent motion performance. This is a clear, crisp monitor that looks great when displaying games and feels fluid in everyday use. The LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B can match it but can’t exceed it, and competitive monitors with IPS or VA panel technology can’t compare. The Acer Predator CG48’s motion clarity is more than suitable for games BOTTOM LINE such as Flight Simulator or even faster-paced e-sports titles. The Acer Predator CG48 is a great 48-inch OLED monitor and a good choice for anyone looking 76 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

both retail at an MSRP of $1,499.99. However, the LG 48GQ900-B dipped as low as $849.99 during Black Friday sales and was typically $1,199.99 prior to that. Acer’s monitor is still listed at MSRP. At sale prices, the LG is the obvious pick. The two monitors are more similar than they are different, so it makes sense to pick the less The Acer Predator CG48 is a good choice for anyone looking to go big expensive option. If the with their next monitor. two happen to be similarly priced when to go big with their next monitor. It has you’re buying, though, the Acer is the excellent color performance, a wide range of better choice overall. connectivity, and a handy remote. Compared to the LG 48GQ900-B, the Acer Predator CG48 most obvious alternative, the Predator CG48 feels better suited to PC use and less suited to PROS use with game consoles. The Acer only has one HDMI 2.1 port, compared to the LG’s • Excellent SDR and strong HDR image. • Great motion clarity. • Superior contrast and wide color gamut. three. But the Acer has USB-C with Power CONS Delivery, which the LG lacks, and has more video connections overall. The Predator • Only one HDMI 2.1 input. • Sharpness is just OK. • Stand offers no adjustment and no VESA mount. CG48’s on-screen menu options and layout BOTTOM LINE are a better fit for PC use than those of the LG, which has fewer options and relies on a larger, Acer’s Predator CG48 delivers a beautiful 48-inch more awkward remote. OLED screen and tons of PC-friendly features, though it’s more similar to its LG competitor than it is Pricing and availability is the wildcard. The different. At full price, the Acer has a slight edge due Acer Predator CG48 and LG 48GQ900-B to its USB-C power capabilities, but ultimately it’s best to go for whichever is on sale for the lowest price. $1,499 JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 77

REVIEWS Acer Chromebook Vero 514: Sustainability never looked so good The first of its kind. BY ASHLEY BIANCUZZO W hen Acer announced the exciting news for eco-conscious buyers. Not new Chromebook Vero only are you reducing your e-waste with this 514, I was thrilled to bits. machine, as it’s made of recycled materials, I’m something of a but you’re also getting pretty good hardware Chromebook stan, as I dig its bare-bones for the price. nature. This is the first Chromebook in the manufacturer’s eco-friendly Vero line, which is From strong CPU performance to a bright 1080p display, the Acer Chromebook Vero 78 PCWorld JANUARY 2023 IMAGE: ACER

514 has a lot to offer. Battery life is good and Battery capacity: 56Wh the unpainted exterior is totally unique. Even Price: $599.99 the packaging it comes in consists of mostly DESIGN AND BUILD recycled paper and cardboard. However, audio quality is underwhelming and you’re The Chromebook Vero has one of the most stuck using ChromeOS. If you can live with unique color schemes I’ve ever seen and I’m those nitpicks, then this machine is well worth so here for it. The unassuming gray exterior is considering. It’s affordable, sustainable, and a covered in yellow and dark blue flecks. It’s not reliable performer. paint, but the colors of the recycled materials SPECIFICATIONS the laptop is made out of. Cool, right? I tend AND FEATURES to prefer laptops with an unusual or eye- catching aesthetic and the Chromebook Vero Our review unit is the top-tier configuration, definitely delivers here. It may not be for which costs $599.99. It’s packing an Intel everyone, but I deeply appreciate the Core i5-1235U CPU, Intel Iris Xe graphics, outside-the-box design. The banana yellow 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage. accents on the bottom and sides of the The 14-inch display has a resolution of machine are really eye-catching, too. 1920×1080 and a refresh rate of 60Hz. An If you’re a tactile person like me, the alternate configuration has an Intel Core unusual texture of the recycled material might i3-1215U CPU, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 8GB of be different from what you’re used to. Most RAM, and 128GB of SSD storage. That one costs $499.99. For more details regarding our review unit, check out the bulleted list below: CPU: Intel Core i5-1235U Graphics: Intel Iris Xe RAM: 8GB Storage: 256GB SSD Display: 14-inch, 1920×1080 Ports: HDMI, USB 3.2 Type-A, USB 3.2 Type-C Weight: 3.09 lbs The gray exterior is covered in yellow and dark-blue flecks—the Color: Cobblestone gray colors of the recycled materials the laptop is made out of. JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 79

REVIEWS ACER CHROMEBOOK VERO 514 I expected the build quality to be subpar given the recycled materials, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. The Vero feels both durable and solid overall. I didn’t notice any bend in the keyboard tray and the display hardly twisted when I pushed and pulled on it with both hands. This Chromebook definitely feels like it could handle a good knock or two. The banana-yellow accents on the bottom and sides of the The Chromebook Vero is machine are really eye-catching. pretty darn lightweight, too. It weighs just a little over 3 laptops have a smooth plastic exterior. The pounds. The weight surprised me, as the Vero, by comparison, feels a little rough to the Vero has a boxlike shape and looks heavier touch. That said, it’s not unpleasant. I found than it really is. The weight puts it in the myself rubbing the corners of the machine as I ultraportable category, which is great news if watched YouTube videos. you travel often. I also used this machine for hours on my lap and the underside never got uncomfortably warm. The backlit keyboard was comfortable to use for long periods. KEYBOARD, TRACKPAD, AND WEBCAM I’m a clumsy typist. Always have been. Always will be. Whenever I’m working with a laptop, it takes me a good amount of time to get accustomed to the keyboard and trackpad. Fortunately, that wasn’t the case with the Chromebook Vero. The backlit keyboard was 80 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

comfortable to use for long periods and the keys were pleasantly springy under my fingertips. There were very few, if any, mistypes on my part. The E and R keys are also lime green in color, which I really like from an aesthetic standpoint. The square-shaped trackpad sits directly in the center and is lovely to use. In terms of size, it’s just right, not too big and not too small. The surface of the trackpad is The 1080p webcam is a step up from the usual 720p fare. smooth and responds well to DISPLAY, AUDIO scrolling and clicking. Multitouch gestures seem to work just fine as well. According to The 14-inch 1080p non-touch display is bright Acer, the surface of the trackpad is made and colorful, especially for a sub-$600 entirely of ocean-bound plastics. Cool, right? laptop. When I watched an episode of It doesn’t feel cheaply constructed, either. Children of the Whales, an anime about a I like the inclusion of a 1080p webcam, community living atop a moving island, the which is a step up from the usual 720p fare. protagonist’s emerald-green tunic was vivid As you can see in the still photo above, colors and bright. It’s a lovely display for watching are relatively accurate and I don’t look Netflix, web surfing, writing, and so on. The washed out or grainy. I look a little pale, but bezels are also quite skinny, which means I’m part vampire so that’s par for the course. you’re getting a good amount of screen. The With remote work becoming more and more display never felt cramped as a result. common these days, investing in a higher- I didn’t love the audio quality and I quality webcam is key, especially if your job suspect the downward-firing speakers are to involves a great deal of videoconferencing. blame. When my husband and I were Having worked from home the past three watching The Great British Bake Off, the most years, I can’t imagine doing my job without a wholesome baking competition around, the 1080p webcam. contestants’ voices sounded weirdly tinny at JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 81

REVIEWS ACER CHROMEBOOK VERO 514 PERFORMANCE I’m something of a serial multitasker, which means I regularly operate in a sea of open tabs. It may look chaotic to some, but it’s how I work and I won’t be shamed for it. Fortunately, the Chromebook Vero 514 keeps pace with someone like me thanks to its Core i5 CPU. I was able to watch a three-part The 14-inch 1080p non-touch display is bright and colorful. documentary on Peacock while having a myriad of tabs times. I also had to turn the volume up higher open in the background. You’ll often find me than I normally would to hear the rapport jumping back and forth between YouTube between the contestants and judges. I’m not videos and Discord messages. Even when I sure it’s a deal-breaker, though, as you can always plug in a pair of headphones. CONNECTIVITY The Chromebook Vero has a decent selection of ports. The Chromebook Vero has a nice collection of ports. Flanking the right side is one USB 3.2 Type-A, one USB 3.2 Type-C, and one Kensington lock. On the left, you’ll find one HDMI, one USB 3.2 Type-C, and one headphone jack. I like the inclusion of old and new USB ports as well as the full-size HDMI. This eliminates the need for an adapter. 82 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

had about 15 tabs open, this laptop handled phenomenal battery life plus the lightweight everything with ease. form factor make the Vero a solid option for the frequent traveler. Here’s how the Chromebook Vero performed in various web-based BOTTOM LINE benchmarks: The Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is a CrXPRT 2: 150 phenomenal pick for those who want an Speedometer: 250 eco-friendly everyday laptop. The hardware Basemark Web 3.0: 1289.54 inside promises strong performance and the Kraken: 484.7ms exterior is both rugged and uniquely Jetstream 2: 236.57 designed. In terms of aesthetic and The CrXPRT 2 performance benchmark sustainability, it’s definitely a welcome change measures a Chromebook’s speed and is a from your typical run-of-the-mill Chromebook. good indication of how it handles day-to-day tasks like watching videos, playing games, There are only a couple of downsides to surfing the web, and so on. Equipped with a the Vero. The audio is lacking, but that’s not 12th-gen Intel Core i5 CPU, the Vero’s too surprising. Laptops aren’t known for the performance score was 150. The Acer best audio. You’re also stuck using Chromebook Spin 713 (fave.co/3Fzr1nM), by ChromeOS, which means your apps and comparison, has an 11th-gen Intel Core i5 game options are limited. If you don’t mind CPU and received a slightly higher those minuscule nitpicks, then the Vero 514 is performance score of 164. Although there definitely worth considering. isn’t much difference between the two machines as far as performance score goes, I Acer Chromebook Vero 514 expected the Vero to score higher, especially with the latest-generation CPU. That said, the PROS Vero is still a strong performer. • Strong performance. BATTERY LIFE • Stellar battery life. • Made of recycled materials. When we ran the CrXPRT 2 battery • 1080p webcam. benchmark, which cycles through videos and various tasks until the laptop dies, the Vero CONS lasted about a whopping 14 hours on a single charge. That’s a phenomenal result right • Poor audio quality. there, as it far exceeds a typical workday. The • Limited to ChromeOS. BOTTOM LINE The Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is both affordable and sustainable, making it a great choice for the eco-conscious buyer. $599 JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 83

FEATURE THE BEST HARDWA SOFTWA 202 84 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

T PC THEBESTOFTHE BEST, AS CHOSEN BY THE PCWORLD EDITORS. BY BRAD CHACOS ARE AND ARE OF 22 JJAANNUUAARRYY22002233 PCWorld 85

FEATURE BEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE 2022 A fter years of shortages and all: Our top picks include the best software product delays, the PC industry available, because what you use all that slammed on the gas pedal in computing power for is just as vital. 2022, unleashing bleeding- edge hardware at a truly frenetic pace. For this list, we asked PCWorld’s tech experts to share their favorite picks in their A wave of long-lasting, heavy-hitting areas of expertise. Without further ado, this is laptops started the year with a bang. Then the best PC hardware and software of 2022 the battle turned to desktops, where Intel, and 2023. Yes, we’re looking forward to next Nvidia, and AMD rolled out new generations year, because until even newer products of processors and graphics cards alike, begin launching in 2023, many of the bolstered by delightful advances in SSDs champions on this list will remain very and new monitors that push pixels harder relevant for months to come. than ever before. And those are just the tip of the iceberg. We’ve also rounded up our favorite work-from-home tech of 2022 (fave.co/ We tested some truly impressive 3YPZjMz) if you’re interested in a more hardware this year—but you’ll only find the productivity-focused look at the year’s absolute greatest on this list. And that’s not best options. BEST THIN-AND-LIGHT design choice that’s different from previous LAPTOP: DELL XPS 13 PLUS iterations—helps the Dell XPS 13 Plus look truly sophisticated. You really can’t go wrong If you’re on the hunt for a truly here.—Ashley Biancuzzo spectacular ultraportable, the Dell XPS 13 Plus (fave.co/3TPKp5F) PRICE: is the laptop to target. It’s featherlight at $1,399 from under 3 pounds, the 13.4-inch fave.co/3BP2zOg 3456×2160 OLED display is a real sight to FULL REVIEW: behold, and the Intel Core i7-1280P CPU fave.co/3TPKp5F delivers leading-edge performance. That’s the full package right there. It has enough oomph to whiz through photo editing work as well as day-to-day tasks like browsing the web and checking e-mail. And the hidden haptic trackpad—a unique 86 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

BEST GRAPHICS CARD: rates in compatible games for unparalleled NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 4090 visual smoothness. And content creators will adore the RTX 4090’s 24GB of mega-fast It’ll cost you a small fortune to VRAM and juggernaut productivity chops get your hands on one, but (fave.co/3Ys2Ekw). the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 (fave.co/3O1pryL) deserves the highest Yes, the GeForce RTX 4090 costs $1,600. accolades possible. Nvidia’s 40-series But this GPU is worth every penny. It’s so fast flagship is blow-your-hair-back-and-melt- that AMD’s flagship Radeon RX 7900 XTX your-face fast—so fast, it unlocks (fave.co/3j9ZLEF) isn’t even trying to experiences never before possible. compete at its level. This may be my With the RTX 4090—and only the RTX favorite graphics card I’ve ever tested in all 4090—you can max out a 4K, 144Hz monitor my years at PCWorld. with all the eye candy turned on in your PRICE: games. You can play $1,600 from the most strenuous fave.co/3HSUtIj ray-traced games FULL REVIEW: without even bothering fave.co/3O1pryL to flip DLSS on—but you should, because DLSS delivers a massive speed boost with few visual compromises. DLSS 3’s new Frame Generation feature taps into AI to double frame BEST HIGH-END CPU: (fave.co/3v8rWqE) is better. The last-gen INTEL CORE i9-13900K Core i9-12900K already impressed, but Intel managed to cram twice as many efficiency- AMD’s 16-core Ryzen 9 7950X (fave.co/ focused E cores into the new chip, while 3Thn24k) may have landed the first blow in simultaneously cranking clock speeds to this new CPU generation, and it’s a mighty foe blistering new 5.8GHz levels. As a result, the indeed—but Intel’s 24-core Core i9-13900K JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 87

FEATURE BEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE 2022 Core i9-13900K holds the performance PRICE: crown in gaming and single-threaded $623 from performance, while speeding through heavily fave.co/3jatQUI multi-core tasks at a 40 percent faster clip FULL REVIEW: than before. Hot damn. fave.co/3v8rWqE Tipping the scales even further in Intel’s support? The Intel Core i9-13900K is favor, the Core i9-13900K also enjoys robust absolutely the best CPU of this new software support for its onboard media generation.—Brad Chacos engine (helpful for content creators!) and somehow costs less than its Ryzen rival. Adding insult to injury, Intel’s 13th-gen Core CPUs also support cheaper DDR4 memory when using select motherboards, unlike AMD, which mandates DDR5 with Ryzen 7000. Faster, cheaper, and better software BEST SSD: optional heat sink in the box and offering a ADATA LEGEND 960 surprisingly substantial warranty and TBW rating. Our reviewer summed it up perfectly: Sure, some rival PCIe 4.0 SSDs “The Adata Legend 960 is a top-performing (fave.co/2Z26gQg) edge out the NVMe SSD at a mid- to lower-tier price. Adata Legend 960 (fave. What’s not to like about that?”—Brad Chacos co/3VkocNc) in raw benchmark performance—but only PRICE: by the slimmest of $130–$200 from margins. Yet somehow, fave.co/3FFgp6S Adata managed to FULL REVIEW: price the Legend 960 at fave.co/3VkocNc substantially less than the bleeding-edge competition, at just $130 for 1TB or $200 for 2TB capacities, while also tossing an 88 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

BEST ANTIVIRUS: 3CnDHuk). With recent feature updates NORTON 360 DELUXE such as Dark Web Monitoring and VPN Norton 360 Deluxe (fave. access, it has made itself the security suite to co/30Bk59o) may not be the beat. The price of $109 for a year most new or exciting, but the subscription, while not insignificant, isn’t well-established security software continues likely to break the bank either. to reign supreme at the top of our list for the Norton also includes a ton of extras in its best antivirus for Windows (fave.co/ antivirus suite, including file cleanup, startup manager, and options for gamer-specific features. Last but PRICE: not least, Norton 360 Deluxe is $109 from one of the least obtrusive or fave.co/3YCFfwS annoying antivirus programs we’ve tested—no unnecessary FULL REVIEW: fave.co/30Bk59o pop-ups or notifications in sight. For the peace of mind and full feature set that Norton provides, we think it represents excellent value and top-of-the-line protection.—Sam Singleton BEST GAMING LAPTOP: PRICE: RAZER BLADE 17 $2,799 from fave.co/3IR04Nd The Razer Blade 17 (2022) (fave.co/ 3AVS4Je) delivers serious gaming FULL REVIEW: power. Thanks to the Intel Core fave.co/3AVS4Je i7-12800H CPU and the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU inside, this laptop can chew right through most games on ultra settings without breaking a sweat. It also features a drop-dead gorgeous 240Hz panel, which deserves its own callout, JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 89

FEATURE BEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE 2022 complete with Nvidia G-Sync support to mention the drool-worthy aesthetic design? eliminate any screen tearing by matching the This laptop will definitely provide the ultimate display’s frame rate to the GPU’s. And did we gaming experience.—Ashley Biancuzzo professionals, and as such it offers incredible color accuracy and a wide color gamut, as well as extensive customization options. The monitor stand is simple but solid, with good connectivity options, including four video inputs PRICE: and a USB hub, the full complement $729 from of ergonomic adjustments, and fave.co/3v8dbnB built-in speakers. That alone would FULL REVIEW: fave.co/3VaoFkV make it worth its $729 price. BEST MONITOR: But what makes this monitor ASUS PROART PA348CGV particularly outstanding is that it matches its pro-graphics chops with gaming When it comes to all-around capabilities in the form of a 2mm response monitor greatness, it’s hard to time, 120Hz refresh rate, and official support beat the Asus ProArt PA348CGV for AMD’s FreeSync. We can’t think of (fave.co/3VaoFkV). The ultrawide 34-inch, another monitor this satisfyingly versatile. 3440×1440 IPS panel is targeted at —Katherine Stevenson BEST GAMING HEADSET: blend of comfort, style, and functionality I’ve STEELSERIES ARCTIS NOVA experienced in 2022. The headset’s snugness PRO WIRELESS comes courtesy of a multipronged ComfortMAX system consisting of height “Make me a gaming headset that does adjustable sides, a central flexible tension everything” must have been the design brief band, and rotating earcups that provide your behind the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro head ample room to move. These features sit Wireless (fave.co/3zZDQoz). This top-notch alongside plush leatherette ear coverings and gaming headset offers the most compelling 90 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

audio untethered but also lets you simultaneously take calls, listen to music, or chat while gaming—a real treat for multitaskers. Plus, the headset comes with a convenient base controller that lets you switch between your PC and Xbox PRICE: One and Xbox X/S at the $349 from switch of a button. fave.co/3V9ooPi When it comes to the FULL REVIEW: :all-important audio fave.co/3zZDQoz performance, the Nova Pro Wireless nails it. The headset exceptionally stylish gunmetal earcup covers always sounds fantastic, with Active Noise that ooze high-end style. Cancellation, a rich and warm audio profile, The Nova Pro Wireless also goes the extra and a sizable bass presence that never mile with connectivity, sporting dual wireless disappoints. On top of all that, the headset (2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) functionality, as benefits from SteelSeries’ excellent GG well as wired connectivity— the latter for software app, which you can use to Hi-Res 96KHz/24-Bit audio. The dual wireless personalize your gaming audio exactly as you capability not only allows you to access your like it.—Dominic Bayley BEST VPN: PRICE: EXPRESSVPN $6.67 per month from fave.co/3FefN6R It isn’t easy to select the FULL REVIEW: best overall VPN (fave. fave.co/3nthVRR co/3FtTTMs). There are a ton of contributing factors to JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 91 consider, such as privacy, user interface, server spread, and speed. While before it was common to sacrifice some of

FEATURE BEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE 2022 these features to gain others, that is no use, and it offers wide device support. longer the case. ExpressVPN also regularly has third-party auditors review their services to reinforce ExpressVPN (fave.co/3nthVRR) has it all, their privacy credentials. Currently there easily making it our top choice for best VPN. aren’t any other VPNs out there offering the Not only is it one of the fastest VPNs we have same level of features and value as ever tested, but it has plenty of country ExpressVPN.—Sam Singleton locations to choose from, it’s very easy to BEST CHROMEBOOK: PRICE: ACER CHROMEBOOK $769 from SPIN 713 fave.co/3jmsPcn FULL REVIEW: The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 fave.co/3Fzr1nM (fave.co/3Fzr1nM) is a fantastic convertible laptop for work or play. don’t need Windows, the Spin 713 is a great You can prop it up like a tent for everyday laptop.—Ashley Biancuzzo watching movies or rotate the screen around and use it like a handheld tablet. The laptop itself weighs just a little over 3 pounds, making a perfectly capable travel companion. It also has a colorful 2256×1504 touch-enabled display, all-day battery life, and a wide array of ports. The build is surprisingly robust as well. If you BEST KEYBOARD: still cheaper than many gaming-oriented KEYCHRON Q5 designs). But that gets you an incredible amount of features and so much quality you’ll One keyboard stood out for both find it hard to go back to a “normal” board. quality and value this year: the Keychron Q5 (fave.co/3W7LvLr). Full aluminum construction, high-quality That isn’t to say it’s cheap — it starts at $175, switches, excellent keycaps, and a foam and it’s a little over $200 fully loaded (which is gasket mount make the keyboard feel 92 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

incredible right out of the box. Hot-swap want to combine these features with some switches and VIA programming make subtle ergonomics.—Michael Crider customization easy and inviting. And the thing’s so PRICE: solid you could use it as an $175–$205 from anchor. You can extend this fave.co/3FDIbk0 recommendation to FULL REVIEW: Keychron’s entire Q series, fave.co/3W7LvLr which all use the same design for a variety of layouts. Check out the Keychron Q8 and Q10 (fave.co/3WuebxO), if you BEST GAME co/3CbTcJz) is the best of the bunch. STREAMING SERVICE: While you do have to purchase many of NVIDIA GEFORCE NOW the games that you can play on this service— No graphics card? No problem. GFN hooks into your existing PC store Folks blessed with good Internet accounts, like Steam, instead of providing a have an abundance of game- library of “free” games like Xbox Cloud streaming services (fave.co/3G7ebi8) to Gaming (or Netflix)—GeForce Now brings choose from these days, but for PC gamers some of the best visual quality, a massive specifically, Nvidia’s GeForce Now (fave. game compatibility PRICE: list, and a free $9.99 per month from membership plan fave.co/3YGtEwD option. With that in FULL REVIEW: mind, there’s literally fave.co/3CbTcJz no reason not to jump in and at least try out some free games like Fortnite or League of Legends to see if it works for you. And if JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 93

FEATURE BEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE 2022 you do dig it (or can’t find an affordable GPU), complete with ray-traced visuals, support for the top-tier RTX 3080 offering brings the higher resolutions at faster speeds, and might of that kick-ass graphics card to bear, priority server access.—Brad Chacos year? The Crucial P3 PRICE: (fave.co/ $47 and up from 3HY15Fn). It fave.co/3WdoEOw offers FULL REVIEW: fave.co/3HY15Fn excellent everyday storage performance BEST BUDGET SSD: for gaming, content creation, and more, and CRUCIAL P3 better yet, it’s one of the first fast NVMe drives If you don’t move massive amounts of ultra- large files, you probably don’t need to to drop under 10 cents per gig—you can pick splurge on a pricey cutting-edge PCIe 4.0 SSD—a standard PCIe 3.0 drive will do you up a 500GB model for $47, while a 1TB just fine. The best bargain we’ve reviewed this version costs just $90 at press time. The Crucial P3 offers a whole lot of fast storage for a very compelling price.—Brad Chacos BEST MAINSTREAM CPU: PRICE: INTEL CORE i5-13600K $339 from This year, not one but two fantastic mainstream fave.co/3v5TNHE processors launched, with both the Intel Core i5-13600K and AMD Ryzen 5 7600X posting ridiculous numbers. But as impressive as AMD’s latest is, Intel edges it out with faster gaming performance and cheaper compatible hardware. For PC builders on a budget, it’s hard to beat Intel’s wider selection of affordable motherboards, especially when 94 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

they support inexpensive DDR4 memory. recommendation for PC gamers who don’t Intel’s Core i5-13600K easily earns our have an infinite budget.—Alaina Yee BEST PASSWORD tablet should be seamless. You can store MANAGER: LASTPASS other information too, like credit card information or general notes. If you’re not already using a password manager, you should LastPass’s premium features also include be. Creating long, random file uploads up to 1GB, secure password passwords becomes a snap, with the hard sharing, emergency access for trusted work of remembering them left to the contacts, and more. With its user-friendly service. You could use your phone or interface tying everything together, browser’s built-in manager, but upgrading to managing your digital life is so much easier LastPass (fave.co/3HwaMbf) supercharges and more secure.—Alaina Yee the features you get. Its $36-per-year paid plan is worth the cost—and PRICE: among the most affordable $36 a year from options out there. fave.co/3BRD9Qa Simply install its browser FULL REVIEW: plugin and/or mobile app for fave.co/3HwaMbf a combination password generator, password vault, and form filler. It works across all devices, so moving between your PC, phone, and BEST GAMING MONITOR: expanse that fully immerses you in the action. ALIENWARE AW3423DW Alienware’s AW3423DW (fave.co/3bTPB8b) checks all those boxes and then some. If you take your PC gaming seriously, you want a display that It all starts with the cutting-edge OLED elevates the experience with panel using Quantum Dot technology (a first excellent color and contrast, superior motion of its kind), which gives the 34-inch, performance, and an ultrawide screen 3440×1440 display some key advantages JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 95

FEATURE BEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE 2022 times (aided by a refresh rate up to 175Hz). And while the curved monitor surpasses the competition in gaming, its 1800R radius is still serviceable for nongaming use. Combine that with a PRICE: stand that offers height, tilt, $1,299 from and swivel adjustments, an fave.co/3j944QH attractive and sturdy design, and a fair price for its premium FULL REVIEW: fave.co/3bTPB8b feature set, and you can see why our reviewer proclaimed: over its IPS counterparts: backlight-free deep, “The Alienware AW3423DW makes every inky blanks alongside the panel’s rich color other 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitor reproduction, and near-instant pixel response obsolete.”—Katherine Stevenson BEST PDF EDITOR: interface to make it easier to navigate the ADOBE ACROBAT PRO DC robust toolset. Additionally it added a cloud Who else could it be but the OG PDF editor? subscription option and a mobile app for Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (fave.co/3VdGoYY) both iOS and Android—both great services has been, and continues to be, the undisputed king of PDF Editors (fave.co/ 3V8Y9bO). Its combination of features for editing, creating, reviewing, and security are the industry standard and what most of its competitors PRICE: can only attempt to emulate. $179 from fave.co/3BSAzcF In the latest version, FULL REVIEW: fave.co/3VdGoYY Adobe redesigned the 96 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

for individuals and small businesses. Adobe access to the latest version and you don’t Acrobat Pro DC is a subscription-based have to buy new software every year. service, meaning that you will always have —Sam Singleton BEST THUNDERBOLT DOCK: bandwidth, but stricter compatibility KENSINGTON SD5500T restrictions. In this case, we haven’t had any THUNDERBOLT 3 AND issues with this Thunderbolt 3 dock at all. USB-C DOCKING STATION You  might notice that our pick only includes a pair of DisplayPort options for external Our pick for the best Thunderbolt monitor connectivity—while we appreciate dock of 2022 is the Kensington more flexibility, all but bargain-basement SD5500T Thunderbolt 3 and monitors now include DisplayPort ports. With USB-C Docking Station (fave.co/3HT3st1), a smart mix of ports and 60W of laptop and here’s why: It makes smart compromises. charging power, we think this is the best One of the complaints readers have is that Thunderbolt dock for the largest audience Thunderbolt docks are useful, but they’re so right now.—Mark Hachman damn expensive, pushing north of $300. Kensington’s SD5000T (a PRICE: slightly cheaper clone of $259 from the IOGear Thunderbolt fave.co/3WxvPky 3  Dock Pro, fave.co/ FULL REVIEW: 3G95GD3) is about $215 fave.co/3HT3st1 at press time. Price matters. The advantage of a newer, more expensive Thunderbolt 4 dock isn’t BEST BUDGET MONITOR: impressive debut display an even better value. NZXT CANVAS 27Q As with our other monitor picks, the 27Q can meet the demands of work and play. You can find a decent monitor for less than the NZXT Canvas 27Q (fave.co/3S0mY8X), but a The 27-inch, 2560×1440 IPS panel recent $70 price drop makes this already has a 165Hz refresh rate and support for JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 97

FEATURE BEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE 2022 good at default settings and can be further enhanced PRICE: with an MPRT backlight- $249 from strobing mode. fave.co/3jn5wiI For content creation FULL REVIEW: fave.co/3S0mY8X tasks, you’ll find that the 27Q delivers great image quality and a wide color gamut that’s impressive for the price. It’s also unique in offering black or white color options, which can be mixed and matched adaptive sync with both AMD and Nvidia between the panel itself and the stand (sold graphics cards. Motion clarity in games is separately for $40).—Katherine Stevenson BEST GAMING MOUSE: responsive in fps games like Overwatch and HYPERX PULSEFIRE HASTE Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. WIRELESS The switches are nice and clicky, the mouse I keep returning to this esports- is rated for a long 100-hour battery, and the friendly 2.4GHz wireless mouse unusual honeycomb design feels both for its mix of lightweight handling, comfort, precision, and predictability in a range of different games. Under the hood, it’s powered by a 16,000 DPI Pixart PAW3335 sensor. You’d be forgiven for thinking that it’s a little underpowered compared to some 20,000 to PRICE: 30,000 DPI sensors on the market— $80 from but it’s actually not. It provides an fave.co/3HSOJhp extremely fast 1000Hz (1ms) polling FULL REVIEW: fave.co/3v65Bd1 rate, and proves quick and 98 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

lightweight and responsive in your hand. It’s a Haste Wireless costs just $80 in an era when great gaming mouse, full stop, but the price top-notch gaming mice go for $100 or more. makes it even better: The HyperX Pulsefire You can’t go wrong.—Dominic Bayley BEST WINDOWS feature, as well as new file and folder backup BACKUP SOFTWARE: systems. It has practically made itself a one- R-DRIVE IMAGE 7 stop solution for backing up on Windows. At less than $50 for a license, it’s quite affordable Always a favorite of ours here at as well and is a no-brainer for people looking PCWorld, R-Drive Image (fave. for reliable backup software.—Sam Singleton co/3Wslx4Z) is consistently solid Windows backup software PRICE: (fave.co/3nlNb3Z). But it $44 from wasn’t until the latest version 7 fave.co/3p6FP63 was released that it jumped FULL REVIEW: ahead to take our top spot. It fave.co/3Wslx4Z not only consumes pleasantly few system resources, but it’s ultra-reliable when creating backup images of partitions and disks. The latest version improves upon this with a more modern, user-friendly interface and adds partition management, a welcome BEST ONLINE BACKUP services (fave.co/3FWaMk6) we have tested, SERVICE: iDRIVE ONLINE none is more complete or feature-rich CLOUD BACKUP than iDrive Online Cloud Backup (fave.co/ 3HQAasY). When you are paying for an online backup service, you want It has you covered with online, local, it to be comprehensive and sync, and snapshots. The company will even versatile. Out of all the best online backup ship you backup drives with your stored data JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 99

FEATURE BEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE 2022 iDrive also has a simple and easy-to-use interface that allows you to back up your important data with a minimum of fuss. Additionally, all of its most advanced features are included in PRICE: the basic service level, $79 from making it a better value fave.co/3QEr2vq than it appears to be at FULL REVIEW: fave.co/3HQAasY first glance. It is a one-stop shop and for quick recovery if something happens to likely to be the only online backup service you your data locally. will ever need.—Sam Singleton BEST DASH CAM: PRICE: COBRA SC 400D $399 from fave.co/3hJGuJW The Cobra SC 400D (fave.co/ 3Gb1lzx) is a superb product. Day FULL REVIEW: or night, front or back views, it’s fave.co/3Gb1lzx got you covered with best-in-class video captures. The quality of the device itself is top-notch. The main unit has a solid heft and uses a semi-permanent mount with a built-in GPS unit. On the back is a 3-inch color touchscreen that’s easy to use; voice control is also an option. Being a premium product, it has all the bells and whistles: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, mapping, an SD card, 100 PCWorld JANUARY 2023