PC World

TL;DR: Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for $59.97 while supplies last (reg. $219.99)—this deal always sells out fast. Have you heard of this year’s “low-buy” trend? It’s where you try to save as much money as possible, like canceling unnecessary subscriptions. First up is Microsoft 365 (especially after that recent price hike).  Instead of paying $9. ...

Antivirus software is a necessity for today’s online world. Attacks have become more sophisticated, especially with the aid of AI. Even the tech-savvy and cautious can drop their guard at the wrong time or get tricked into exposing themselves to malware, spyware, or ransomware. Antivirus protection is an essential backup against such threats. ...

Firefox 135 debuts today, with (what else?) AI built right into the browser. Unlike Microsoft Edge and Copilot or Brave’s own Leo AI chatbot, Firefox isn’t investing in its own AI capabilities. Instead, the company is building in AI access to third-party chatbots such as Anthropic’s Claude and ChatGPT, plus lesser-known LLMs like HuggingChat and Le Chat Mistral. ...

When’s the last time you did some PC spring cleaning? All those unused and unnecessary files that have built up over the years could be slowing down your system and even making your data vulnerable to prying eyes. You have to optimize all that. One of the easiest way to do it is to use CCleaner — and right now CCleaner Professional is on sale for just $14.95 on the PCWorld Store. ...

We regularly review the latest smart locks–deadbolts, most often–reporting our impression on their design, installation process, daily use, their related mobile app, and more. ...

If you’re in the market for a new gaming monitor, you don’t have to choose between speed, panel quality, and a good deal anymore. Fast monitors with IPS panels, combining gaming performance and color accuracy, are easier than ever to find at lower prices. Take this 27-inch Alienware monitor, for example. Amazon is selling it for just $199.99, a whopping $180 off the original retail price. ...

Snapdragon X Series processors redefine what modern portable computing can be by delivering both extensive battery life and unparalleled performance on a single processor. With up to 12 Oryon CPU cores, up to 4.6 TFLOPS of power from the onboard GPU, and 45 TOPS for AI calculations, the new Snapdragon processors can deliver incredible results in professional workloads and entertainment alike. ...

Remote and hybrid work has become a major component of how many industries operate. But staying productive wherever you’re working demands cutting-edge tools that deliver both power and portability – all without the added anxiety of limited battery life. ...

The AI goldrush is upon us, with organizations all over the world keen to take advantage of this exciting and emerging technology – but IT managers still have their apprehensions. Along with its new frontiers for productivity and innovation, AI also introduces significant security and privacy concerns. ...

Artificial intelligence (AI) has quickly transitioned from a sci-fi concept to a tangible, real-world tool seemingly overnight. But while AI chatbots like ChatGPT have grabbed headlines for their early successes and mistakes, on-device AI is set to be the next step in their evolution as convenient and powerful assistive tools for everyone. ...

I got my first mortgage three years ago — and when I did, I read every word of the contract. It was a horrible experience, not just for me but also for the bank manager whom I pestered into explaining every clause or term I didn’t understand. According to Adobe, you no longer need to go through that… at least if you trust its AI system to summarize your contracts for you. ...

You need a power bank. Everyone does. It’s just the smart thing to do because you never want to be caught with a dead phone or laptop while you’re out and about, right? It just so happens that Anker’s Zolo power bank is only $12.94 at Amazon right now. ...

We love portable SSDs and there’s no hiding it. They’re speedy, they’re compact, and they have tons of space for all those files we need to move around and keep safe. And right now, one of our favorites is on sale. The 4TB Samsung T7 Shield is now $280 on Amazon, which is a stunning 44 percent off its original $500 price. ...

The X3D variants of AMD’s Ryzen CPUs quickly shot to the top of the list for gamers building desktop PCs. So it was only a matter of time before AMD tried drizzling some of that special 3D V-cache sauce on laptop CPUs, too. The second-gen “Fire Range” 9955HX3D model was teased at CES 2025 and projected to hit shelves sometime in the first half of the year. ...

Nvidia’s newest RTX 50-series graphics cards have been hot, hot, hot, selling out within minutes upon launch. And though our reviews of the RTX 5080 and RTX 5090 spotted some big flaws, especially in the former, no doubt anyone who managed to get their hands on one is thrilled. Except some early buyers are now reporting serious instability issues with both. ...

It’s a bad time to be in the market for a new graphics card. (“When is it not?” shouts a heckler from the back row.) When the amazing RTX 5090 and the considerably-less-amazing RTX 5080 launched last week, it took less than an hour for Nvidia’s newest GPUs to sell out. But a more affordable option, the RTX 5060, might be on the way soon. ...

Psst. Do you know what apps and services are connected to your Google or Apple account? Yes, that’s right—your online accounts may be linked to third-party apps, websites, and/or services. Think eBay, Reddit, Pinterest, and a number of other consumer sites. And not just Google or Apple accounts can have these ties, but potentially others like Facebook, Microsoft, and X/Twitter. ...

Netflix is still the most successful streaming service today. Nowhere else can you watch such well-known shows such as Wednesday or Squid Game, which attract millions of viewers. But what are the most watched series on the streaming platform? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the figures Netflix published and the ones it hasn’t. ...

Everything to do with artificial intelligence has been the big IT hype of the past two years. Even if the initial enthusiasm for ChatGPT and others has now given way to a more sober assessment, there is hardly a software company at the moment that is not taking a close look at the possibilities of the technology. ...

Climate change, rising inflation, the possible demise of American democracy — it’s a lot to handle. Opera may have the right product at the right time: Opera Air, a free web browser that was actively designed to help de-stress and calm you as you navigate the web. ...

TL;DR: Save 80% on a Headway Premium lifetime subscription with our unbeatable price. You know how it goes—you open TikTok or Facebook for a quick break, and suddenly, hours have passed. The recent app ban made some of us want to spend less time online and more on self-growth. And we have just the app to do it: Headway. ...

An external streaming device is the best way to access online video services without replacing your entire TV. By plugging one of these devices into your TV’s HDMI port, you’ll be able to use apps like Netflix and Hulu, possibly with a faster and smoother experience than your TV’s built-in software. ...

Until now, if you wanted to play the classic computer games The Sims from 2000 and The Sims 2 from 2004, you needed the original CD-ROMs or DVDs. But that’s about to change. In celebration of the franchise’s 25th anniversary, Electronic Arts is releasing The Sims Legacy Collection and The Sims 2 Legacy Collection for Windows 10 and 11. ...

Microsoft’s powerhouse collection of useful Windows utilities, PowerToys, is adding the ability to strip out an audio track from a video file, plus the more general ability to transcode video files as well. Microsoft isn’t adding an additional app to PowerToys, a collection of more than a dozen powerful, free, Windows utilities. ...

It’s not every day you see a massive discount on a Samsung Odyssey monitor, but right now you can get the Samsung Odyssey G5 for 36 percent off. Instead of its usual $550, Amazon has it on sale for $350, so you can finally upgrade your setup at a reasonable price. ...

It’s hard to find a cheap laptop out there. Well, that’s not quite true. It’s hard to find a cheap laptop that’s actually worth buying. But today Staples has one that’s a godsend if you’re in the market for an affordable laptop that can run Windows well. The Asus Vivobook 15 is just $379.99, a whopping $220 off its retail price. I won’t lie to you. ...

Forget laptops. If you want a powerful yet affordable computer and you don’t need portability, then what you really need is a mini PC. Right now, you can snag this crazy Beelink SER8 mini PC for $479 on Amazon, a massive discount from its original $749. This is a special Prime-only price, but you can still score it with a free 30-day trial of Prime. ...

I think it’s fair to say that people are frustrated with Google these days between the deluge of advertisements and AI-powered results of questionable utility. Normally, swearing at your computer only helps in a placebo effect, but it turns out that throwing in an F-bomb might actually improve the quality of Google search results. ...

Is there such a thing as too much storage space? We don’t think so! And that’s why we’re always excited to see the SK Hynix Beetle X31 go on sale, as it’s one of our favorite high-speed portable SSDs. Right now, you can get the 512GB Beetle X31 on Amazon for $40. That’s a slick 20 percent off its typical price and the lowest price we’ve ever seen for it. ...

Astract Japan has launched a crowdfunding campaign for its new mini-mouse CapacMouse Pro (spotted by Tom’s Hardware). As of this writing, the campaign has already reached its funding goal several times over. The CapacMouse Pro is the size of a car remote and can fit on a keychain to be carried around in your pocket. ...

According to a recent blog post, a new update is being rolled out to Windows 11 Insiders (Build 26120.3073) that adds a bunch of fixes and improvements, including a Copilot button in Microsoft Paint. ...

Even if you’ve done a great job looking after your devices, chances are you will have a few much-loved USB cables that look worse for wear. Fraying or breaking cables will mostly work when you need them to, which makes it easy to fob them off as a problem to be sorted out later. But there are good reasons why you should pay closer attention. The biggest has to do with safety. ...

As the end of support for Windows 10 draws ever closer, Microsoft is taking subtle steps to convince users to buy new hardware. For example, one entry about bypassing the Windows 11 TPM 2.0 hardware lock was quietly removed from a support page (spotted by Neowin). ...

If you were hoping to get your hands on a new, incredibly powerful, incredibly expensive Nvidia graphics card… maybe it’s time to make like Luke Skywalker and find a new hope. According to one store in the United Kingdom, it’s going to take “3-16 weeks” to get new RTX 5090 cards in stock. The RTX 5080, much less expensive and much less warmly received, will take “2-6 weeks. ...

Microsoft is no stranger to axing Windows apps and features. In the last year alone, we’ve seen the death of iconic WordPad, abandonment of Paint 3D, and deprecation of Windows Mixed Reality. It’s something you just have to get used to with Windows. And today, we can add another gravestone to the list. ...

Last year, Google announced changes to its Chrome browser that signaled the end for popular extension uBlock Origin. The ad-blocker’s design put it at odds with Google’s new Manifest v3 requirements, with death as the likely outcome.  The Grim Reaper is here now, with Manifest V3’s full implementation all but complete. ...

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Intuitive tabbed interface Comprehensive PDF editing features Affordable Cons Windows only No mobile app Our Verdict Swifdoo PDF is a full-featured, low-priced Acrobat alternative that should serve most users well. ...