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You Tested, We Report: These Are the Fastest ISPs in the US Today.

DIGITAL EDITION

JULY 2021

CONTENTS JULY 2021

COVER STORY

THE FASTEST ISPS No matter where you live in the country, we’ve pinpointed the ISP that can meet your need for speed.

FEATURES IS WIKIPEDIA THE MOST RELIABLE SOURCE ON THE INTERNET? Professor Amy Bruckman’s conclusions may surprise you.

WHAT’S NEW NOW SAMSUNG DEVELOPS A ‘STRETCHABLE ELECTRONIC SKIN’ OLED DISPLAY In the future, fitness trackers could stick to our bodies like adhesive bandages$

CAN CRYPTOCURRENCY REPLACE THE US DOLLAR? Experts weigh in at RSAC.

EXCLUSIVE: ONEPLUS CEO REVEALS NORD N200 PHONE DETAILS OnePlus CEO Pete Lau tells us about the new N200 phone and his dreams for 5G.

REVIEWS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS Hisense 350-Sq. Ft. Window Air Conditioner (AW0821CW1W) Google Pixel Buds A-Series Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen, 2021 Release)

HARDWARE

Google Pixel Buds A-Series

Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5 Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition Apple iMac 24-Inch

SOFTWARE & APPS Masterclass Movavi Video Editor Plus

Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5

Movavi Video Editor Plus

COMMENTARY CAROL MANGIS

CHANDRA STEELE

First Word: Is Your Broadband Fast Enough?

Never Tweet: How Elon Musk Is Ruining the Promise of Crypto

READER INPUT

MAX EDDY

Your Comments

Never, Ever Pay the Ransom!

SASCHA SEGAN Without a Killer App, Who Needs 5G?

TIPS & HOW TOS WHAT IS AMAZON SIDEWALK, AND HOW DO YOU DISABLE IT? Amazon is automatically activating a network sharing feature for most of the devices it sells. Here’s why you may not want it, and how to opt out of Amazon Sidewalk.

HOW TO SEE WHO’S USING YOUR STREAMING PASSWORDS Is someone using your streaming services without your permission? Here’s how to identify the freeloaders and boot them off Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and more.

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FIRST WORD LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

es, that’s right: We’re asking you. Every year, we pull together data from our online PCMag Speed Test to determine readers’ broadband speeds throughout the US. This method tells us which ISPs—from the giants, such as Comcast and Verizon, down to small, local service providers—are providing the fastest broadband speed to their customers.

Y Is Your Broadband Fast Enough?

Here’s a shocker (or maybe not): One of the small, local service providers on our list, Empire Access, based in southern New York state, is the fastest ISP in the United States.

In good news for those located in the regions of not-so-fast services—generally rural areas— President Biden has announced a plan to improve broadband infrastructure in underserved areas of the US, with a goal of providing 100% coverage for our country. Interestingly enough, the $100 billion plan isn’t earmarked for the big players. As reported by our Michael Kan: “...The White House plan isn’t necessarily going to give the money to corporate internet service providers, which have gained a notorious reputation for imposing data caps and charging high fees. Instead, the plan ‘prioritizes support for broadband networks owned, operated by, or DI¿OLDWHG ZLWK ORFDO JRYHUQPHQWV QRQ SUR¿WV DQG co-operatives—providers with less pressure to turn SUR¿WV DQG ZLWK D FRPPLWPHQW WR VHUYLQJ HQWLUH communities,’ the Biden administration said.”

@cmangis

In the past year especially, the internet has evolved into an absolute necessity. Try to imagine how you would have gotten through lockdown without it— no work, no school, no Zoom, no streaming… Well, we could probably live without those last two, but the former has kept us in touch with our loved ones, and the latter from going bonkers. As vital as the internet is to life today, regulation and oversight is crucial, competition should be available and encouraged, and support for the little guys who are heroically providing amazing service to their communities should be applauded.

PCMAG’S TECHX AWARDS Fastest ISPs is a tradition, but you might spot something new in this issue: One of the reviewed products, the latest Apple iMac all-in-one computer, is a winner of our TechX award, launched at this year’s virtual CES. I’ll let Editorin-Chief Dan Costa explain: “The award is given to products, concepts, and services we think are going to be game changers in their respective markets. CES has always been a proving ground for new concepts, and even ZLWKRXW D WUDGH VKRZ ÀRRU WKLV \HDU WKHUH ZHUH plenty of innovations to be found. Although there ZHUH IHZHU RI¿FLDO H[KLELWRUV WKDQ XVXDO²OHVV WKDQ half by some accounts—the vendors that showed up (albeit virtually) came to play.”

We won’t be limiting this award only to CES debuts, though: Our analysts will be searching for innovative products throughout the year. So keep an eye out for the TechX logo in upcoming reviews. carol_mangis@pcmag.com

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READER INPUT YOUR COMMENTS

DATABASE REVEALS OVER 200K PEOPLE INVOLVED IN POSTING FAKE REVIEWS ON AMAZON

Can You Trust Customer Reviews?

Our readers are well aware of fake Amazon reviews, and they have opinions. Also, Sascha Segan’s column on simple phones elicited lots of questions, which he answers here.

I actually reported some sellers attempting to buy my good review directly to Amazon. Amazon was extremely slow in actually being able to take down the vendors. The process was so painful, in fact, that I probably would never bother to do it again.

I’m sure those same vendors are back up on Amazon as some other name, as Amazon does zero vetting of marketplace vendors. Amazon has serious issues with credibility and many of the Chinese vendors on their platform are very underhanded and don’t follow the Amazon Marketplace rules at all. I stopped reading anything other than the bad reviews, really. I do check the questions from time to time ... but I never read the good reviews any more.

—TheWretchedLive

Amazon, in the past at least, has allowed vendors to change items that are listed so that if you are looking at a fan, for example, with hundreds of 5-star reviews, you might see that the reviews are actually for tables, chairs, electric razors, etc.

When I have complained about this, Amazon has shown no interest in pulling the listings. It’s very disappointing that Amazon seemed not to really care about deceptive reviews.

—JM

I used to check the reviews regularly, until one Amazon vendor told me that my warranty would be activated after I posted a review on Amazon.

In fairness, they never said what the review had to be, just that I had to do one. While I really liked the product, the request left a bad taste, and I chose not to post a review and to forgo my warranty.

—Warranty Man I have been using FakeSpot for about a month now and love it. Not only is it free, it points out fake reviews and alerts you to the sellers’ reviews as well. Huge time saver if you’re an online shopper.

—Tiz4tggr There are patterns to watch for. It’s a IRUPXOD ZULWWHQ WR VSHFL¿HG FULWHULD Only a few reviews are helpful. The rest are questionable. Great article

by PCMag. —S. Genius I have been contacted to do a ‘paid’ review. The product was something I would use and it really did work. I got a follow-up opportunity on another product I was going to buy anyway. It is possible to do this and keep it ethical. If something did not work as expected, I would write my review accordingly. Too many people have no ethics (like the glowing review of an outdoor table umbrella pictured with snow in the

background). Now I always start looking at the lowest possible stars to bypass the fake review section.

—David Dotson

SIMPLE PHONES: STILL GREAT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS The most important [feature] for me in a cell phone is it being a reliable form of communication ... I am on Verizon and have been considering the Kyocera DuraXV Extreme on their basic phone plan ($30 plus fees/taxes per month). However, it appears to be quite large when I’ve viewed the reviews on YouTube. I know you covered it from last year, and you compared it to the Sunbeam F1. Here’s my question. Which one would you recommend ... for an older person in your family?

—Steve Sascha Segan’s reply: I had to sleep on this. The problem is, I have no way of testing long-term reliability; I have to handle devices in such volume that they’re with me a week and then they’re out. But I do really like Sunbeam as a company—I feel like it would be responsive to concerns if things do in fact go wrong, and it operates in lowenough volumes that it can still make a personal connection with its buyers.

0\ 3DQWHFK %UHH]H ,, KDV VHUYHG PH ZHOO IRU PDQ\ \HDUV DQG , ZLOO PLVV LW « ,W ¿WV LQ P\ VKLUW SRFNHW DQG LV HDV\ WR SXOO RXW ÀLS RSHQ DQG VWDUW XVLQJ ,¶P QRW ORRNLQJ forward to a 6-inch-plus screen that’ll be challenging to put in that shirt pocket and have all those apps that are pretty useless for making phone calls—it’s a phone, that’s what they do. For most anything else, I prefer bigger screens and a Real keyboard, or a remote. At home, my phone sits on my desk.

—Retired Techie Sascha Segan’s reply: If what you want is purely to make phone calls, look at the Nokia 225 4G, Sunbeam F1, or Punkt MP02. If ruggedness and long life are your primary concerns, look at the Sonim XP3 or Kyocera Dura series.

0\ OLWWOH ÀLS SKRQH JHWV VQDUN\ FRPPHQWV EXW LW¶V VPDOO DQG HDVLO\ FDUULHG LQ D WLQ\ container. It’s also much cheaper, and I’ve no need to pay the higher-priced monthly subscription of a smartphone. I don’t need to run apps or get on the internet with my phone. My desktop or tablet can handle that. Instead, I want to keep the cheapest (monthly), dumbest phone, preferably the same size, that lets me call in the rare times I need it. Unless a call comes from someone I know, I don’t even answer it, and I tell people not to text me. Even the six-hour charge is enough. I’m uncertain which of the phones you mention come close to that.

—Lois Sprengnether Keel Sascha Segan’s reply: The smallest and dumbest would be the Nokia 225.

Ask us a question!

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Have a question about a story in PC Magazine, one of the products we cover, or how to better use a tech product you own? Email us at letters@pcmag.com and we’ll respond to your question here.

Questions may be edited slightly for content and clarity.

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WHAT’S NEW NOW HEALTH TECH

Samsung Develops a ‘Stretchable Electronic Skin’ OLED Display

BY MATTHEW HUMPHRIES

amsung may be at the forefront of folding and sliding display technology, but the company’s researchers have also been working on displays that can be stretched (with research happening even as far back as 2017), and we’re beginning to see working prototypes.

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In June, Samsung revealed a stretchable OLED display that acts as a heart rate sensor. The wrist-mounted device combines photoplethysmography (PPG) heart rate sensors and an OLED screen to offer real-time heartbeat monitoring.

The research team was able to stretch the device (to 30% elongation) 1,000 times without causing any damage while at the same time recording a heartbeat VLJQDO SLFNXS WKDW¶V ³ WLPHV VWURQJHU WKDQ ZRXOG EH SLFNHG XS E\ D ¿[HG silicon sensor.”

The stretchable device, which Samsung refers to as “Stretchable Electronic Skin,” was developed at the Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology (SAIT) in the Organic Material Lab by principal researcher Jong Won Chung, principal researcher Youngjun Yun, and staff researcher Yeongjun Lee. “The strength of this technology is that it allows you to measure your biometric data for a longer period without having to remove the solution when you sleep RU H[HUFLVH VLQFH WKH SDWFK IHHOV OLNH SDUW RI \RXU VNLQ <RX FDQ DOVR FKHFN \RXU biometric data right away on the screen without having to transfer it to an H[WHUQDO GHYLFH ´ H[SODLQHG <XQ ³7KH WHFKQRORJ\ FDQ DOVR EH H[SDQGHG WR XVH LQ wearable healthcare products for adults, children, and infants, as well as patients with certain diseases.”

The key to unlocking electronic devices that can cope with stretching is to replace plastic parts with an elastomer, which offers elasticity and resilience ZKLOH EHLQJ FRPSDWLEOH ZLWK H[LVWLQJ VHPLFRQGXFWRU PDQXIDFWXULQJ SURFHVVHV Elastomers are susceptible to heat, but this was overcome by strengthening the material’s thermal resistance “by tailoring its molecular composition.”

7KH ¿WQHVV WUDFNHUV DQG KHDOWK PRQLWRUV ZH ZHDU WRGD\ DUH VROLG REMHFWV ZH UHJXODUO\ QHHG WR UHPRYH²VPDUWZDWFKHV IRU H[DPSOH²DQG RIIHU OLPLWHG monitoring performance. Moving to stretchable versions allows for “close adhesion to the skin,” which means enhanced monitoring and a more FRPIRUWDEOH H[SHULHQFH \RX PD\ HYHQ IRUJHW LV EHLQJ ZRUQ 7KLQN RI IXWXUH health monitors as more like adhesive bandages than worn accessories.

“Our research is still in the early stages, but our goal is to realize and commercialize stretchable devices by increasing system resolution, stretchability, and measurement accuracy to a level that makes mass production SRVVLEOH ´ H[SODLQHG &KXQJ ³,Q DGGLWLRQ WR WKH KHDUWEHDW VHQVRU WKDW ZDV applied in this test case, we plan to incorporate stretchable sensors and highresolution freeform displays to enable users to monitor things like peripheral R[\JHQ VDWXUDWLRQ HOHFWURP\RJUDP UHDGLQJV DQG EORRG SUHVVXUH ´

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WHAT’S NEW NOW MONEY

Can Cryptocurrency Replace the US Dollar?

Photo credit: picture alliance / Contributor/getty.com

BY NEIL J. RUBENKING

ven though its value is no longer pinned to great stacks of gold in Fort Knox, the US dollar is a stable and trusted currency worldwide. It’s the reserve currency for the world, supporting international transactions and all aspects of the global economy. But will it continue to hold that position?

Might Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency eventually replace it?

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At the virtual RSA security conference (RSAC 2021) in May, Dr. Kenneth Geers, external communications analyst for Very Good Security, explored this topic, DORQJ ZLWK 9HU\ *RRG 6HFXULW\¶V &KLHI ,QIRUPDWLRQ 6HFXULW\ 2I¿FHU &,62

Kathy Wang. “Is cryptocurrency going to change my life? Change the world?” asked Geers. “Will it bring the end of the nation-state?”

Geers led off by pointing out Bitcoin’s amazingly meteoric rise. On May 22, 2010—a day now dubbed Bitcoin Pizza Day—early Bitcoin miner Laszlo Hanyecz wanted some pizza and offered to pay 10,000 Bitcoins for a pair of pies from Papa John’s. At today’s exchange rate, that’s easily $400 million.

A LITTLE CURRENCY HISTORY To understand whether cryptocurrency can serve as a worldwide reserve FXUUHQF\ ZH QHHG WR ¿UVW XQGHUVWDQG WKH FXUUHQW VLWXDWLRQ VR *HHUV OHG listeners on a trip through history. He pointed out that in wartime, banks can have their monetary reserves stolen, either captured by the enemy or appropriated by their own country. During WWII, banks in England and France shipped their gold to the US for safekeeping.

After the war, the allies tried to create some stability. In a small New Hampshire town called Bretton Woods, they hammered out an agreement that made the US dollar a worldwide standard. “The dollar was pegged to the price of gold, and foreign currency was pegged to the dollar,” explained Geers. “The US dollar was crowned as the world’s reserve currency. It was a stable source of stored value, a medium of exchange a country’s own currency might not have.”

Photo credit: Bettmann / Contributor/getty.com

Nothing lasts forever, though, noted Geers. The New Deal, the Vietnam War, and other factors loosened the Bretton Woods agreement. In 1971, the dollar ZHQW ÀRDWLQJ ZLWK QR JROG EDFNLQJ (YHQ VR LW UHPDLQHG D JOREDO VWDQGDUG

US Z[b[]Wj[i Wj j^[ Bh[jjed MeeZi 9ed\[h[dY[ _d 1944

Geers took a deep dive into economic theory, pointing out that currency solves a problem called “the inconvenience of coincidence of wants.” For example, I have an apple that you want. You have a banana, but I don’t want to trade for your banana. I can buy the banana with currency.

He also noted the historical importance of keeping ledgers, immutable records of transactions. Geers currently lives in Africa, where 20,000-year-old tooled ERQHV KDYH EHHQ LGHQWL¿HG DV D NLQG RI OHGJHU ENTER BITCOIN AND BLOCKCHAIN “In 2008, Satoshi Nakamoto revealed both Bitcoin and blockchain,” said Geers. “Asymmetric cryptography, hash functions, digital signatures, append-only timestamped logs… These can secure the entire internet ZLWK YHUL¿DEOH LPPXWDEOH WUDQVDFWLRQV ´ +H SRLQWHG out that blockchain is the ledger of this high-tech world.

“What happens on blockchain stays forever.”

Very Good Security’s CISO Kathy Wang took over to explain in detail how Bitcoin mining works. She noted WKDW %LWFRLQ PLQHUV JHW PRQH\ E\ EHLQJ WKH ¿UVW WR VROYH mathematical puzzles, but these aren’t just any puzzles.

What Bitcoin miners are actually doing is auditing the legitimacy of Bitcoin transactions. “This minimizes the risk that any Bitcoin holder could spend the same coin twice,” Wang explained. “You can’t do that with a physical dollar!”

Wang also explained that mining cryptocurrency UHTXLUHV D KXJH EDVH RI UHVRXUFHV VSHFL¿FDOO\ *38V DQG the power to run them. Miners may pool their resources or even steal resources using cryptojacking malware.

Geers currently lives in Africa, where 20,000-yearold tooled bones have been identified as a kind of ledger.

BENEFITS AND RISKS *HHUV WRRN EDFN WKH PLF WR UXQ GRZQ WKH EHQH¿WV DQG ULVNV RI UHO\LQJ RQ FU\SWRFXUUHQF\ ³7KHUH DUH WUXO\ UHYROXWLRQDU\ EHQH¿WV ´ KH VDLG ³ERWK SHUVRQDO DQG WUDQVDFWLRQDO <RX JHW FRQ¿GHQWLDOLW\ RI RZQHUVKLS $W D FRXQWU\ OHYHO \RX can bank your savings without being dependent on the US dollar.”

He pointed out the potential for political involvement. Relying on cryptocurrency necessarily involves more transparency. “But do governments actually want to be less corrupt?” asked Geer. “These political impacts may slow adoption. Governments will create policy obstacles.”

7KHUH DUH DOVR ULVNV VSHFL¿F WR FU\SWRFXUUHQF\ VXFK DV ORVW KDUGZDUH ORVW passwords, hacking, scamming, and extortion. “Central banks protect investors and citizens,” noted Geers. “Bitcoin exchanges may not. Governments will be hesitant to let go of the dollar, of their authority.”

Wang took listeners deep into the world of cryptocurrency security. “The pillars RI FRQ¿GHQWLDOLW\ LQWHJULW\ DQG DYDLODELOLW\ VWLOO DSSO\ ´ VKH VDLG ³7KH KRO\ JUDLO where secure access is best, is with a crypto wallet. It holds all your private keys.

With that, you own the currency.”

“But can attackers steal it? They absolutely can,” Wang continued. She detailed an attack called ElectroRAT that gets into crypto wallets and drains their contents.

Wang pointed out that this malware is remarkable because its author wrote the whole thing from scratch, not relying on any existing code libraries that might be found in other malware. That unique quality let it slip past many antivirus systems, at least initially.

CAN CRYPTOCURRENCY REPLACE THE DOLLAR? Geers wrapped up discussing problems that cryptocurrency needs to solve, speed being one of them.

Visa can process over 70,000 transactions per second, while Bitcoin would manage just a handful. “There’s plenty of interest,” he said, “but societal norms will take time. Risks must be addressed, and speeds must be faster.” He pointed out that after the introduction of the credit card, Congress took 15 or 20 years to enact laws that recognized that technology’s existence.

“There is no doubt that cryptocurrency is a gamechanger,” stated Geers. “But in the near term, it will not replace the US dollar. In the long term, anything is possible, but expect government resistance.”

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There are risks specific to cryptocurrency, such as lost hardware, lost passwords, hacking, scamming, and extortion.

WHAT’S NEW NOW MOBILE

Exclusive: OnePlus CEO Reveals Nord N200 Phone Details

BY SASCHA SEGAN

nePlus will raise the bar for budget phones with 5G and a 90Hz display for under $250 in the US, the company revealed exclusively to PCMag in mid-June.

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“From the premium and ultra-premium OnePlus 9 series to the OnePlus Nord N200 5G—our newest and most affordable 5G device ever—we’re providing more choices and easier access to 5G for our users,” OnePlus CEO Pete Lau said in an email interview.

Last year’s OnePlus Nord N10 5G took the US prepaid market by storm.

Reports from Wave7 Research said that the N10 and its cheaper 4G sibling, the Nord N100, lifted OnePlus’s market share to over 15% at Metro by T-Mobile.

Now OnePlus is returning with a phone that brings more of the N10’s features closer to the N200’s price point. Although the N100 had a 90Hz display, it was only 720p, and the phone was a 4G device. The N200 5G will have a 6.49-inch, 1080p LCD, the company said, upgrading the screen to the N10’s level.

An image provided to PCMag by OnePlus also shows three rear cameras, a holepunch front-facing camera, and what appears to be a side-mounted FRPELQDWLRQ ¿QJHUSULQW VFDQQHU DQG SRZHU EXWWRQ The company initially announced the N200 in early June, and as usual, it’s WULFNOLQJ RXW VSHFV WR JHW SHRSOH¶V DWWHQWLRQ 7KH GHYLFH GRHVQ¶W KDYH DQ RI¿FLDO launch date yet.

“OnePlus is committed to making the 5G experience more accessible than ever, and the OnePlus Nord N200 5G is a testament to that commitment. We believe that the N200 5G will allow more users to enjoy the fast and smooth OnePlus * H[SHULHQFH ´ WKH FRPSDQ\ VDLG LQ DQ RI¿FLDO EORJ SRVW ONEPLUS HOW MANY? Over the past year, low-cost 5G competition has gotten more intense. T-Mobile is giving away Samsung Galaxy A32 phones to upgraders, and Verizon is trying

to lure people into premium unlimited plans with huge phone discounts. The Galaxy A32 tends to cost about the same as the price OnePlus is suggesting for the Nord N200 5G. But the A32 only has a 720p, 60Hz screen.

Last year marked a big change for OnePlus. With the departure of co-founder Carl Pei for his new startup Nothing, CEO Pete Lau put the company on a track WR SURGXFH D EURDGHU SURGXFW OLQH²QRW MXVW ÀDJVKLS DQG QHDU ÀDJVKLS SKRQHV but an array of more affordable models as well.

While the N200 is a big step up, the “10” and “200” models remain in different lanes, Lau said. Presumably, that implies an N20 is coming as well, but OnePlus wasn’t ready to talk about that.

“Last year, we announced our strategy of expanding our product portfolio to make the OnePlus experience more accessible to users worldwide. The OnePlus Nord N200 5G and OnePlus Nord N10 5G are in different positions in our product portfolio. The OnePlus Nord N200 5G is fully upgraded from OnePlus Nord N100 with excellent performance and a solid 5G experience,” Lau said.

COVID-19 hasn’t put a kink in the company’s product lineup, Lau said, although it sent OnePlus staff home for a while.

³,W¶V EHHQ D GLI¿FXOW WLPH IRU PDQ\ SHRSOH DURXQG WKH world. Throughout this time, we have closely monitored the COVID situation and continue offering our support to our friends and colleagues in areas that are still impacted. Although the impacts haven’t fully faded away, we’re fortunate that our product roadmap has remained on track,” Lau said.

STAYING TRUE TO 5G 5G in the US has become a bit of a checkbox. Though carriers are pushing consumers to upgrade to 5G with free phone promotions, they haven’t made it clear how 5G will change their lives in the short term.

Lau has been a long-term believer in 5G and has explained in the past how he thinks it’ll change how we use our phones. This week, though, he was a bit more circumspect.

“5G will fundamentally reshape the future of telecommunications and has been an important focus of OnePlus’ R&D efforts,” he said. “The increased internet VSHHG ZLOO FHUWDLQO\ LQÀXHQFH WKH ZD\ SHRSOH XWLOL]H their devices and apps.”

Lau has given more details in previous interviews. At Mobile World Congress Shanghai in 2018, he talked about how 5G could make local storage less important and how smart assistants could become much more powerful. We’ll hear more about the Nord N200 soon, we’re sure.

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The company announced the N200 in early June, and as usual, it’s trickling out specs to get people’s attention.

Sascha Sega

COMMENTARY

Without a Killer App, Who Needs 5G? ireless carriers around the world aren’t offering new services that would make consumers actually want 5G, according to a bleak new report from Ericsson.

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“Five Ways to a Better 5G” reveals that 70% of FRQVXPHUV DUH GLVVDWLV¿HG ZLWK WKH ³DYDLODELOLW\ of innovative services” on 5G and “expect new applications” that they aren’t getting. The report says consumers would be willing to pay 20% to 30% more for things such as 5G TV, 5G in-car entertainment, 360-degree live-streams of events, and instant, responsive cloud access. But none of that is happening.

Sascha Segan is the lead mobile analyst for PC Magazine. His commentary has also appeared on Fox News, CNBC, CNN, and various radio stations and newspapers around the world.

Sascha Sega

It’s not for lack of vision. I’ve been hearing about 5G applications for years. In 2019, Sprint made a deal with cloud gaming service Hatch for 5G game-streaming. But both the carrier and the cloud gaming service have since gone out of business, which is the problem in a nutshell. Until the carriers deliver truly differentiated network experiences, everyone trying to build a killer app is on hold.

Coverage is a big problem, the report says, with people especially disappointed in 5G coverage at home. T-Mobile has a shiny mid-band 5G network, but Verizon and AT&T each have a “nationwide” 5G experience that’s basically just 4G with sprinkles on it. In July, we’re going back on the road for our annual Fastest Mobile 1HWZRUNV WHVWV DQG P\ JUHDWHVW GUHDP LV WR ¿QG some evidence that 5G speeds are starting to be where they need to be so these exciting dreams can become reality.

In addition, plans for the upcoming Mobile World Congress hint at a focus shift for the industry.

Abandoned by most consumer handset makers, MWC has reinvented itself as a place to talk about enterprise 5G, and a lot of the discussion is now around “private” 5G networks. That’s interesting stuff for us network nerds, but nothing like the consumer 5G visions that were being spun just a few years ago.

Hopefully, the folks at Verizon are working hard nurturing compelling new apps to go with their launch of C-band 5G early next year. Otherwise, it’s going to be hard to get the more than 80% of Americans still on 4G phones to upgrade.

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@saschasegan

Chandra Steel

COMMENTARY

Never Tweet: How Elon Musk Is Ruining the Promise of Crypto ven if you know only the basics about Bitcoin, you’ve probably heard the word “decentralized.” It means that the digital currency is not tied to one central authority, so it’s not subject to a single possible failure. But if you’ve followed headlines about Bitcoin, you know that the currency’s success can hinge on one man tweeting breakup memes.

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Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Securities and Exchange Commission has told Tesla it has failed to keep its CEO’s tweets in check, as required by a 2018 securities fraud settlement. Elon Musk is supposed to run tweets that could affect stock prices or the market through Tesla’s communications team, but that’s not working out too well.

Soon after the Journal story published, Musk copied and pasted a breakup meme and added the hashtag #Bitcoin and a Bitcoin emoji, followed by a broken heart emoji. The move sent the value of the cryptocurrency tumbling and took digital currencies Ether and Dogecoin down with it.

Cryptocurrency traders love memes, but it’s been live by the sword and die by the sword for them, particularly when it comes to Musk. When he hosted Saturday Night Live in May, he joked about Dogecoin—a meme-inspired

PCMag Senior Features Editor Chandra Steele got her tech journalism start at CMP/United Business Media. She also writes fiction and has been published in McSweeney’s Internet Tendency.

Chandra Steel

cryptocurrency he has regularly hyped—being “a hustle,” and the value plunged nearly 30%. A week later, he gave the virtual currency a boost by tweeting that he was working with developers to LPSURYH LWV WUDQVDFWLRQ HI¿FLHQF\ In January, Musk added #bitcoin to his Twitter bio, which was enough to boost the cryptocurrency by 20% (it has since been removed). A few days later, Tesla bought $1.5 billion in bitcoin and said it would accept the currency as payment for vehicles, sending the price to a record high. Three months later, Musk tweeted that Tesla would no longer accept Bitcoin, citing the environmental effects of cryptomining and causing its value to drop 10%.

These ups and downs raised the ire of hacktivist group Anonymous, which released a video accusing Musk of trolling cryptocurrency markets.

Setting aside all else that can be said of the KDJLRJUDSK\ DURXQG 0XVN DQG WKH LQÀXHQFH WKDW goes with it, the impact of his words (and sometimes emoji) on cryptocurrency has served to expose one of its weaknesses: Those who wield enough power in the market can manipulate it.

Self-styled “crypto analyst” Mr. Whale on Twitter replied to Musk’s breakup meme tweet: “Bitcoiners arguing that its [sic] literally impossible to manipulate the price of Bitcoin…. while simultaneously crying that Elon Musk is manipulating the price of #Bitcoin is peak hypocrisy.” Musk himself responded with an HPRML RI D ¿QJHU SRLQWLQJ WR WKH WZHHW

@ChanSteele

Chandra Steel

This is not a shocking economic reality when it comes to other markets, but for a form of currency that is touted as being the answer to those who wish to divest themselves of government control of currency, it’s devastating. The complexities of buying and using cryptocurrency put it beyond the grasp of the average consumer. Bitcoin and its brethren reside primarily in the digital wallets of the technocracy. When those who hold the currencies bend to the whims of Musk, it makes him a OHDGHU DQG FU\SWRFXUUHQF\ D VRUW RI ¿DW Cryptocurrency investors may resent Musk’s manipulations, but the market is a volatile one, and the majority of those who are involved in it expect big swings. They know that Musk will likely not affect their money long-term. But his antics have added value to the arguments of those who say cryptocurrency’s claims are counterfeit. chandra_steele@pcmag.com

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Max Edd

COMMENTARY

Never, Ever Pay the Ransom!

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PC Magazine Senior Software Analyst Max Eddy has also written for publications such as International Digital Times, International Science Times, and The Mary Sue.

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REVIEWS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

Hisense 350-Sq. Ft. Window Air Conditioner (AW0821CW1W): Smart AC

BY JOHN R. DELANEY

he Hisense 350-sq. ft. Window Air Conditioner is a reasonably priced Wi-Fi-enabled window AC unit that you can control with your voice, your phone, or the included remote. It’s easy to install and did an DGPLUDEOH MRE RI FRROLQJ LQ RXU WHVWV ,W GRHVQ¶W R̆HU SRZHU XVDJH UHSRUWV RU compatibility with Apple HomeKit and IFTTT like some other smart air conditioners we’ve tested, but it also costs less than many 8,000-BTU models, PDNLQJ LW DQ D̆RUGDEOH RSWLRQ IRU VPDOO WR PHGLXP VSDFHV

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A FAMILIAR DESIGN, BUT SMARTER As its name implies, the Hisense 350-sq. ft. Window Air Conditioner is designed IRU URRPV RI XS VTXDUH IHHW ,W¶V DQ %78 XQLW ZLWK D ZKLWH ¿QLVK DQG dimensions of 13.0 by 17.5 by 18.5 (HWD). The unit weighs 48.5 pounds and ZLOO ¿W ZLQGRZ RSHQLQJV RI LQFKHV LQ KHLJKW DQG WR LQFKHV ZLGH

2Q WKH WRS LV D GL̆XVHU IDFLQJ RXWZDUG IRU GLUHFWLQJ DLUÀRZ WR WKH OHIW ULJKW XSZDUG DQG GRZQZDUG %HORZ that is a control panel with backlit buttons for Fan Speed, Mode, and Wi-Fi Connect. In the middle is the current temperature reading and temperature-up and -down arrows, as well as a Power button and Timer, Sleep, and Filter indicators. Below the control panel is a UHPRYDEOH SDQHO WKDW KLGHV WKH ¿OWHU 7R UHPRYH WKH ¿OWHU IRU FOHDQLQJ VLPSO\ SXOO WKH SDQHO R̆ DQG OLIW LW RXW <RX FDQ FOHDQ WKH ¿OWHU ZLWK D YDFXXP RU ZDVK LW LQ warm soapy water.

The AC uses a three-speed fan and has a maximum noise level of 57dB. When running in dry GHKXPLGL¿FDWLRQ PRGH LW FDQ UHPRYH XS WR SLQWV of moisture per day. Connectivity comes by way of an embedded Wi-Fi radio. You can control the AC using the onboard panel or with the included 3.4-by-1.7-inch remote, which has Power, Fan, Mode, Dimmer, and Temperature Up/Down buttons, as well as Timer, Sleep, and Filter Reset. Included in the box are mounting screws and sash lock hardware, foam sealing strips, a top rail, side curtains, and foam panels for the side curtains. There’s also a use and installation manual.

Hisense 350-Sq. Ft. Window Air Conditioner (AW0821CW1W) PROS Reasonably priced. Easy to install.

Fast cooling. Voice control. Relatively quiet.

CONS Lacks usage reporting. Doesn’t support HomeKit or IFTTT. BOTTOM LINE The Hisense 350-Sq. Ft. Window Air Conditioner is a smart AC unit that can be controlled by your phone, voice, or remote, and does a fine job of cooling for a relatively affordable price.

This air conditioner doesn’t use the same Hisense Smart Air mobile app as the Hisense 10,000 BTU Portable Air Conditioner With Wi-Fi. Instead, it uses the ConnectLife mobile app for Android and iOS devices. On the home screen, \RX¶OO ¿QG SDQHOV IRU DOO RI \RXU LQVWDOOHG +LVHQVH GHYLFHV DQG D SDQHO WKDW displays the last used device and its settings.

When you tap the panel for the AC, it launches a screen with the current temperature reading, a power button, and several quick operation buttons. The Mode button lets you change to Fan, Dry, Cool, and Eco, and the Temperature button lets you adjust the temperature using a sliding gauge. The Fan Speed button lets you select a low, medium, or high fan speed, and the Sleep button increases the AC set temperature by up to 4 degrees before it automatically VKXWV R̆ DIWHU WZR KRXUV 7KHUH¶V DOVR D EXWWRQ IRU UXQQLQJ VHQVRU GLDJQRVWLFV and one for changing the unit of temperature (Celsius or Fahrenheit).

The Hisense AC supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands WKDW OHW \RX WXUQ WKH XQLW RQ DQG R̆ VHW WKH WHPSHUDWXUH DQG FKDQJH PRGHV But it lacks support for Apple’s HomeKit platform and Siri voice commands, as well as power usage reports and support for IFTTT applets that provide interoperability with other smart home devices.

INSTALLING AND USING THE HISENSE SMART AC The Hisense Window AC was relatively easy to install in testing. I attached the top rail using the included screws and slid in the left- and right-side curtains. I had to UHPRYH WKH ERWWRP SDUW LQ RUGHU IRU WKH XQLW WR ILW EXW that was as easy as pressing two buttons and lifting it out of the frame. I placed the AC into the window frame, slid the side curtains out, and used the included hardware to secure the curtains to both sides of the window frame. I drilled a small hole in the window sash and secured the top rail to the sash using an LQFOXGHG VFUHZ WKHQ VHDOHG RII DQ\ RSHQLQJV XVLQJ WKH foam insulation.

Pairing the AC to the app and connecting it to my home network was also easy. I started by downloading the ConnectLife mobile app and creating an account, then I tapped Start Here Add Appliances. I selected Air Treatment from the menu, then selected Window Air Conditioner. Following the on-screen instructions, I turned the unit on and long-pressed the connect button on the AC. When the Wi-Fi icon began blinking, I used my phone’s Wi-Fi settings to connect to the AC. I returned to the app and selected my home Wi-Fi SSID, entered my password, and the device was online and ready to go.

The Hisense Window Air Conditioner did a great job of cooling in my tests. I installed it in a medium-size bedroom (360 square feet), and it managed to bring the temperature down from 76 degrees to 66 degrees Fahrenheit in about 30 minutes, which is right in line with what we saw with the GE AHC08LY and Windmill air conditioners, both of which are also 8,000-BTU units.

In the app, I selected my home Wi-Fi SSID, entered my password, and the device was online and ready to go.

In addition, the Hisense AC reacted quickly to remote and app commands, and the fan was relatively quiet ZKHQ RSHUDWLQJ DW KLJK VSHHG $W ¿UVW , KDG D OLWWOH trouble linking my ConnectLife account to my Alexa account because of some server issues—but once those were resolved, Alexa voice commands worked like a charm.

A SMART WAY TO COOL DOWN ,I \RX¶UH ORRNLQJ IRU D VPDUW $& WR FRRO R̆ D VPDOO WR medium room, the Hisense 350-sq. ft. Window Air Conditioner is an excellent choice. It’s easy to install and responds quickly to voice, app, and remote-control commands, and most important, it works quickly and quietly. The Midea 8,000BTU U-Shaped Air Conditioner has a more innovative design that makes it super easy to install and helps dampen sound, but it’s SULFLHU DW WKH DIRUHPHQWLRQHG :LQGPLOO $& KDV WKH PRVW VW\OLVK GHVLJQ EXW FRVWV HYHQ PRUH DW That makes the Hisense model a good alternative for smart cooling on a relative budget.

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The Hisense AC reacted quickly to remote and app commands, and the fan was relatively quiet when operating at high speed.

REVIEWS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

Google Pixel Buds A-Series: For Google Assistant Power Users

BY WILL GREENWALD

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Google Pixel Buds A-Series PROS Clean, balanced audio performance.

Hands-free Google Assistant voice control. Comfortable.

CONS Bass could be stronger. Case doesn’t support wireless charging.

BOTTOM LINE The true wireless Google Pixel Buds A-Series earphones offer good sound quality and hands-free Google Assistant voice control for an affordable price.

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)RU OHVV EDVV IRFXVHG PXVLF WKH HDUSKRQHV VRXQG QLFHO\ EDODQFHG 7KH RSHQLQJ DFRXVWLF JXLWDU QRWHV LQ WKH <HV VRQJ ³5RXQGDERXW´ JHW VROLG ORZ PLG UHVRQDQFH DQG D IDLU ELW RI VWULQJ WH[WXUH LQ WKH KLJKHU IUHTXHQFLHV :KHQ WKH WUDFN SURSHUO\ NLFNV LQ HYHU\ HOHPHQW JHWV VRPH DWWHQWLRQ ZKLOH KLJKOLJKWLQJ WKH KLJK PLGV DQG KLJKV 7KH YRFDOV DQG F\PEDOV VWDQG LQ WKH IURQW RI WKH PL[ ZKLOH WKH JXLWDU DQG EDVVOLQH VHWWOH D ELW LQ WKH EDFNJURXQG EXW WKH ODWWHU DUHQ¶W RYHUZKHOPHG RU REVFXUHG E\ WKH IRUPHU , KHDUG D VXEWOH KLVV ZKLOH OLVWHQLQJ WR WKLV WUDFN EXW WKLV FDQ EH DWWULEXWHG WR WKH HDUSKRQHV¶ KLJK IUHTXHQF\ UHVSRQVH EULQJLQJ RXW WUDFN QRLVH UDWKHU WKDQ DQ\ %OXHWRRWK LVVXHV 7KH &U\VWDO 0HWKRG¶V ³%XV\ &KLOG´ VRXQGV TXLWH JRRG WKURXJK WKH $ 6HULHV 7KH RFFDVLRQDO EDVV GUXP KLWV GRQ¶W VRXQG OLNH WKH\¶UH EDFNHG E\ D VXEZRRIHU EXW WKH\ VRXQG IXOO HQRXJK WR RPLQRXVO\ SXQFWXDWH WKH WUDFN 7KH GUXPV UL̆V DQG VDPSOHV DOO FRPH WKURXJK FOHDUO\ ZLWK SOHQW\ RI KLJK PLG SUHVHQFH DQG JRRG EDODQFH )RU SKRQH FDOOV YRLFH TXDOLW\ LV JRRG EXW QRW DPD]LQJ , FRXOG EH KHDUG UHDVRQDEO\ FOHDUO\ LQ WHVW FDOOV ZKLOH ZDONLQJ RQ WKH VWUHHW EXW WHVW UHFRUGLQJV WHQGHG WR VRXQG VOLJKWO\ GLVWDQW ZLWK VRPH HFKR The earphones also have the “adaptive sound” feature found on the previous 3L[HO %XGV ZKLFK DGMXVWV YROXPH EDVHG RQ VXUURXQGLQJ QRLVH :H IRXQG WKH IHDWXUH GLVWUDFWLQJ EXW \RX FDQ HDVLO\ GLVDEOH LW WKURXJK WKH 3L[HO %XGV DSS BETTER PIXEL BUDS 7KH *RRJOH 3L[HO %XGV $ 6HULHV DUH PXFK PRUH DSSHDOLQJ WUXH ZLUHOHVV HDUSKRQHV WKDQ WKHLU SUHGHFHVVRUV R̆HULQJ D IDU EHWWHU RYHUDOO H[SHULHQFH IRU QHDUO\ KDOI WKH SULFH 7KH\¶UH FDSDEOH *RRJOH $VVLVWDQW IRFXVHG FRPSHWLWRUV WR WKH $PD]RQ (FKR %XGV GURSSLQJ DFWLYH QRLVH FDQFHODWLRQ ZKLOH R̆HULQJ D PRUH VHFXUH ¿W DW D ORZHU SULFH ,Q WHUPV RI VRXQG TXDOLW\ WKH $QNHU 6RXQGFRUH /LEHUW\ $LU 3UR R̆HUV WKH EHVW DXGLR DQG DFWLYH QRLVH FDQFHODWLRQ \RX¶OO ¿QG LQ D SDLU RI WUXH ZLUHOHVV HDUSKRQHV XQGHU HDUQLQJ WKHP RXU (GLWRUV¶ &KRLFH DZDUG %XW LI \RX XVH *RRJOH $VVLVWDQW RQ D UHJXODU EDVLV WKH 3L[HO %XGV $ 6HULHV DUH D FRPSHOOLQJ DOWHUQDWLYH

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REVIEWS CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen): Just the Right Balance

BY WILL GREENWALD

he original Echo Show 8 has been one of our favorite smart displays since it came out two years ago, thanks to a nearly perfect balance of strong audio performance for the size, a bright and colorful screen, and loads of useful Alexa voice control and smart home features for a reasonable price. Amazon has changed very little in the second-generation model, which sells for the same $129.99 as the original. The second-gen Echo Show 8 looks and sounds identical to its predecessor, with only the camera for video chat and home monitoring receiving an upgrade. It isn’t quite as impressive as the motorized tracking camera on the Echo Show 10 ($249.99), but at nearly half the price, the Echo Show 8 is the best value in the smart display market and our Editors’ Choice winner.

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NEARLY UNCHANGED, INSIDE AND OUT The second-generation Echo Show 8 is physically LGHQWLFDO WR WKH ¿UVW RQH PHDVXULQJ E\ E\ LQFKHV +:' ZLWK D YDJXHO\ WULDQJXODU VLGH SUR¿OH that tilts the 8-inch screen back slightly, like an easel.

7KH VFUHHQ KDV D KDOI LQFK IUDPH WKDW¶V FRPSOHWHO\ ÀXVK with the LCD, with a camera in the top-right corner.

7KH WRS HGJH KDV SLQKROH FXWRXWV IRU WKH IDU ¿HOG microphones, volume up/down and mic mute buttons, and a mechanical switch for the camera’s privacy shutter. The back of the Echo Show 8’s body is covered in fabric, matching the color of the frame on the front (either black or white).

On the inside, the hardware powering the second-gen Echo Show 8 is almost identical to the original, at least when it comes to audio and display performance. It has the same 8.0-inch touch screen with 1,280-by-800pixel resolution and the same dual 2.0-inch speaker drivers with a passive bass radiator.

7KH 0HGLD7HN 07 SURFHVVRU LV DQ XSJUDGH LQ SRZHU IURP WKH 07 RQ WKH SUHYLRXV PRGHO EXW \RX SUREDEO\ ZRQ¶W ¿QG PXFK RI D FKDQJH LQ SHUIRUPDQFH or responsiveness in everyday use. The original Echo Show 8 never felt slow to respond, and the extra power LQ WKH QHZ PRGHO GLGQ¶W PDNH D QRWLFHDEOH GL̆HUHQFH LQ testing. Basically, if you already own the original Echo Show 8, you shouldn’t expect a change in how the new model looks, sounds, or responds.

Here’s the big upgrade in the new Echo Show 8: It’s HTXLSSHG ZLWK D 03 FDPHUD ZLWK DXWR IUDPLQJ D MXPS XS IURP WKH ¿UVW (FKR 6KRZ ¶V 03 VHQVRU ,W appears to be the same camera used in the latest Echo Show 10 but without the motorized tracking capabilities.

Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) PROS Bright, colorful screen. Powerful audio for the size.

Higher-resolution camera than previous model. Digital pan and zoom.

CONS Very few changes aside from camera.

BOTTOM LINE Amazon’s secondgeneration Echo Show 8 smart display offers just the right balance of price, performance, and size, with an updated camera for an even better video chat and home security experience.

AMAZON ALEXA VOICE CONTROL $V DQ $PD]RQ $OH[D VPDUW GLVSOD\ WKH (FKR 6KRZ R̆HUV DQ DUUD\ RI YRLFH control functionality using Amazon’s popular voice assistant. You can ask Alexa for general information, check your calendar and email, set reminders, control smart home devices, and perform other useful tasks.

Of course, you can use Alexa to search for and play music and video on the Echo Show 8. For audio, you can access Amazon Music, Apple Music, SiriusXM, 6SRWLI\ DQG DXGLRERRNV IURP $XGLEOH 9LGHR VHUYLFHV LQFOXGHV $PD]RQ 3ULPH 9LGHR +XOX DQG 1HWÀL[ $ IHZ PRUH IRFXVHG DXGLR DQG YLGHR VHUYLFHV DUH available through the Echo Show 8, including Food Network Kitchen for UHFLSHV +HDGVSDFH IRU PHGLWDWLRQ DQG UHOD[DWLRQ DQG 135 IRU QHZV Alexa supports a wide range of home automation devices, covering most major brands, with both voice and touch-screen control on the Echo Show 8. You can even bring up live video feeds on the Echo Show from compatible doorbell DQG KRPH VHFXULW\ FDPHUDV LQFOXGLQJ WKH 5LQJ 9LGHR 'RRUEHOO DQG WKH :\]H &DP 9 In addition to smart home controls, a wide array of third-party Alexa skills can further expand the Show’s usefulness, letting you use it for everything from ordering pizza to reading bedtime stories.

As mentioned, the biggest change between the second-gen Echo Show 8 and the previous model is the upgraded camera. You can use it to make video calls to anyone else with an Echo Show or with the Alexa app on their smartphone using Amazon’s Drop In service. You can professionally teleconference with Chime, if your organization uses it (Skype and Zoom are supported as well).

The camera can also be used to monitor your home by manually tapping in with the Home Monitoring feature or by subscribing to Amazon Guard (free for basic PHPEHUVKLS RU SHU PRQWK IRU DGYDQFHG IHDWXUHV WR VHW XS QRWL¿FDWLRQV and Alexa routines such as turning on lights when the camera detects motion.

While setting up the Echo Show 8, the device prompts you to opt into or out of the Amazon Sidewalk system. Sidewalk is Amazon’s long-range, low-data network that creates a mesh net around neighborhoods to improve the service DUHD RI ,R7 GHYLFHV LQFOXGLQJ 5LQJ FDPHUDV DQG 7LOH WUDFNHUV ,W¶V FRQYHQLHQW LQ theory, though we recommend disabling it if you’re concerned about privacy and security. (For more, see our Tips & How Tos story in this issue, “What Is Amazon Sidewalk, and How Do You Disable It?”) MULTIMEDIA PERFORMANCE: EXACTLY THE SAME As we mentioned earlier, the audio and video aspects of the new Echo Show 8 DUH LGHQWLFDO WR WKRVH RI WKH SUHYLRXV PRGHO \RX FDQ ¿QG D GHWDLOHG UHYLHZ RI WKDW PRGHO DW 3&0DJ FRP 7KH VFUHHQ LV EULJKW FRORUIXO DQG VKDUS DOWKRXJK you have to manually turn up the brightness (and disable adaptive brightness) IRU WKH EHVW SHUIRUPDQFH 7KH VSHDNHUV DUH IDLUO\ SRZHUIXO HQRXJK WR ¿OO D URRP with sound, with a strong emphasis on mids and little reach into extreme lows and highs. It’s a very good audiovisual experience, especially considering the Echo Show 8’s size and price.

You could also consider getting an Amazon Fire tablet and a stand. Fire tablets KDYH D 6KRZ 0RGH RSWLRQ WKDW H̆HFWLYHO\ WXUQ WKHP LQWR VPDUW GLVSOD\V whenever you want, but the sound quality isn’t nearly as good.

A NEW CAMERA $V PHQWLRQHG D KLJKHU UHVROXWLRQ PHJDSL[HO FDPHUD LV WKH RQO\ VLJQL¿FDQW change on the Echo Show 8 compared with the previous 1-megapixel model. It’s certainly sharper for video calls and home monitoring, with a wide-angle view that can automatically pan and zoom on faces while you’re talking. Despite the ELJ EXPS LQ PHJDSL[HOV YLGHR LVQ¶W VLJQL¿FDQWO\ VKDUSHU WKRXJK HYHQ ZLWK megapixels, the tiny lens and the fact that the Echo Show is likely to be used indoors means noise and softness easily show up. ,Q WHVWLQJ , FRXOGQ¶W PDNH RXW WKH ¿QH GHWDLOV RQ D QHDUE\ ZDOO KDQJLQJ HYHQ when pinching to zoom in. That said, the ability to do this and not have the picture become a tiny handful of pixels is a notable upgrade over the previous model. Colors are generally accurate, and the picture is bright and easy to see in most indoor lighting. And while the Echo Show 8 doesn’t rotate to face you, as the Echo Show 10 does, its ability to automatically pan and zoom on your face makes video chatting easier and more accessible than on the previous model.

NOT MUCH HAS CHANGED—AND THAT’S OK 7KH VHFRQG JHQHUDWLRQ $PD]RQ (FKR 6KRZ GRHVQ¶W R̆HU VLJQL¿FDQW FKDQJHV RYHU LWV SUHGHFHVVRU DVLGH IURP WKH FDPHUD 7KLV LVQ¶W D EDG WKLQJ WKRXJK LW¶V VWLOO WKH EHVW YDOXH DYDLODEOH DPRQJ VPDUW GLVSOD\V R̆HULQJ DQ DWWUDFWLYH VFUHHQ strong audio, and good video chat/home security performance for a very UHDVRQDEOH ,W¶V VOLJKWO\ SULFLHU WKDQ WKH *RRJOH $VVLVWDQW SRZHUHG 1HVW Hub ($99.99), but it sounds considerably better. The Echo Show 10 has even more powerful sound and a motorized base that lets the camera and screen rotate to follow you, but it costs a lot more ($249.99), while the tiny Echo Show PDNHV IRU D JRRG EHGVLGH FORFN IRU 7KH (FKR 6KRZ ¿WV ULJKW between these two, with the best balance of size and features for the price, earning our Editors’ Choice award.

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REVIEWS HARDWARE

Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5: An Appealing Midrange Laptop

BY MATTHEW BUZZI

he modern Alienware m15 design is well-trodden interplanetary soil for us, after having reviewed several annual iterations of the slim gaming laptop. The latest, the m15 Ryzen Edition R5, does what it says on the box: It brings AMD’s latest Ryzen processors to bear for both gaming and media editing. The CPU is notably quicker than its Intel competition, and it teams well with the machine’s Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 GPU to approach the frame rates of more expensive systems. As a whole, this is an appealing midrange package at a very fair price, with a nice supporting feature set, including a 165Hz display and long battery life. It doesn’t quite earn an Editors’ Choice award among gaming laptops. We like the Acer Predator Triton 300 SE and the Razer Blade 15 Advanced Edition, somewhat south and north of the $OLHQZDUH¶V SULFH UHVSHFWLYHO\ %XW LW¶V RQH RI WKH EHVW RSWLRQV \RX¶OO ¿QG between the two.

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WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE (OF THE MOON) While the internals are the exciting new draw in this edition, the exterior, as mentioned, is one we’re quite familiar with. This current iteration of Alienware laptop design has been around only since 2019, starting with the m15 R2, but we’ve already seen quite a few 15- and 17-inch laptops pass through our labs with this look.

In short, I like the modern shape and styling, such as the honeycomb vents and rear ringed LED, which LQYRNH VRPH VFL ¿ DQG IXWXULVWLF ÀRXULVKHV :H¶YH normally been sent laptops in Alienware’s white Lunar Light color scheme, but this review unit features the black Dark Side of the Moon paint job. The styling may not be for everyone, but I think it’s a uniquely intentional design language, and the black color palette makes it look more like other laptops at a glance, in case you’d rather blend in.

The build quality itself is strong, too, with a sturdy and SUHPLXP IHHO 7KH 5 KDV D QHZ ¿QLVK DGGHG WR WKH chassis—which the company calls a “high-endurance FOHDU FRDW ZLWK VLON\ VPRRWK ¿QLVK´²DQG LW GRHV feel nice to the touch. The previous lids felt more like plastic.

Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5 PROS Class-leading CPU performance.

Strong 1080p gaming with RTX 3060 GPU and 165Hz display.

Long battery life.

CONS Weight undermines portability. 512GB SSD as configured is restrictive at this price.

BOTTOM LINE The Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition R5 doesn’t reinvent this proven laptop design, but adding an AMD processor makes it an efficient midrange offering for gaming and media creation.

The m15 is fairly portable, even if it somewhat prioritizes power over portability compared with some premium competitors, including the Razer Blade 15 and WKH 06, 6WHDOWK 0 6SHFL¿FDOO\ LW PHDVXUHV E\ 14 by 10.7 inches (HWD) and weighs 5.93 pounds, which is decent for a gaming machine but still noticeably thicker and heavier than the Razer (0.67 inch thick and 4.4 pounds).

The display measures 15.6 inches diagonally and FRPELQHV IXOO +' S UHVROXWLRQ ZLWK D +] UHIUHVK UDWH DQG 1YLGLD * 6\QF 7KLV LV D JRRG ¿W IRU gaming, particularly for the component combination RXU UHYLHZ FRQ¿JXUDWLRQ LQFOXGHV 7KH VFUHHQ ORRNV good, with particularly nice colors, and the side and top bezels are quite thin. The bottom border is thicker as it blends into the relatively chunky hinge, but you won’t notice it while playing. You can also opt for a full HD 360Hz or QHD 240Hz display.

Next we come to the keyboard, which on our model is merely an above-average laptop keyboard. As on Alienware’s m17 R4, though, you can upgrade to a mechanical keyboard co-developed with leading switch maker Cherry. I was a big fan of it on the larger laptop, and I’m sure it would feel just as good here.

For our more traditional keyboard, the standout feature is its four-zone customizable backlighting. Beyond that, LW VLPSO\ R̆HUV D FRPIRUWDEOH W\SLQJ H[SHULHQFH ZLWK bouncy keys and balanced travel. The touchpad is less exciting and a tad small, but it’s serviceable.

Rounding out the system is a respectable port selection.

The left edge holds the headset jack and an Ethernet SRUW ZKLOH WKH ULJKW ÀDQN LV KRPH WR WZR 86% 7\SH $ ports. Most of the connections are around back, including the power jack, another USB-A port, the sole

The styling may not be for everyone, but I think it’s a uniquely intentional design language.

USB-C port (with power delivery but no Thunderbolt support), and an HDMI video output.

COMPONENT CHECK With the external build out of the way, let’s talk components. The base model starts at $1,567.99, which nets you an eight-core, 16-thread AMD Ryzen R7 + SURFHVVRU *% RI PHPRU\ WKH 1YLGLD *H)RUFH 57; D *% solid-state drive, and the 165Hz display. At $1,649.99, our review unit is nearly identical, but it doubles up on storage with a 512GB SSD. Beyond that, you can upgrade to a Ryzen R9 processor, an RTX 3070 GPU, more RAM and storage, and the abovementioned screen options. The memory is also user-upgradable after purchase via two SO-DIMM slots.

2Q SDSHU RXU PRGHO LV IDLUO\ SULFHG DQG DSSURSULDWHO\ RXW¿WWHG IRU LWV SXUSRVH 7KH RQH SRWHQWLDO QHJDWLYH LV WKH *% 66' ZKLFK ZLOO ¿OO XS IDVW ZLWK WRGD\¶V bulky games. I’d hope for 1TB or more in 2021, aside from entry-level models, but that would add to the price. We’ll see how the performance pans out in a moment, but it’s a good spec combination for midrange gaming. And the modest price premium is an acceptable one for the baseline build quality and extra features (the construction materials, key lighting, advanced thermal layout, and more) that go into the system. To be clear, the jump up from the m15 R4 to R5 is the Ryzen Edition; there is currently no Intel version of the R5.

PERFORMANCE TESTING: THE RYZEN DIFFERENCE Now we’ll take a look at how the m15 R5 performed in our suite of benchmark WHVWV 'HVSLWH LWV IDQF\ IHDWXUHV RXU UHYLHZ FRQ¿JXUDWLRQ¶V SULFH SXWV LW LQ WKH midrange gaming tier. As such, you can’t expect it to go head to head with the SRZHUIXO KLJK HQG FRQ¿JXUDWLRQV RI WKH 5D]HU %ODGH RU $OLHQZDUH P 5 that we’ve reviewed (both well over $2,000), so we’ll use those results for context while comparing it to other midrange systems. $V PHQWLRQHG WKH %ODGH DV WHVWHG DQG P 5 DV WHVWHG

are clearly packing more power than today’s test unit, but it’s useful to see the GHJUHH WR ZKLFK WKHLU FRPSRQHQWV DUH RU DUHQ¶W VXSHULRU 2Q WKH ÀLS VLGH WKH MSI Stealth 15M ($1,699 as tested) is the closest in price to the m15 R5, and the 14-inch Acer Predator Triton 300 SE ($1,399.99 as tested) represents the VPDOOHU DQG PRUH D̆RUGDEOH VLGH Productivity, storage, and media tests: 3&0DUN DQG DUH KROLVWLF performance suites developed by the PC benchmark specialists at UL. The 3&0DUN WHVW ZH UXQ VLPXODWHV GL̆HUHQW UHDO ZRUOG SURGXFWLYLW\ DQG FRQWHQW FUHDWLRQ ZRUNÀRZV :H XVH LW WR DVVHVV RYHUDOO V\VWHP SHUIRUPDQFH IRU ṘFH centric tasks such as word processing, spreadsheet jockeying, web browsing, DQG YLGHRFRQIHUHQFLQJ 3&0DUN PHDQZKLOH KDV D VWRUDJH VXEWHVW WKDW ZH XVH to assess the speed of the system’s boot drive. Both tests yield a proprietary numeric score; higher numbers are better.

We’ve come to expect AMD’s latest Ryzen processors to edge out Intel’s R̆HULQJV LQ &38 KHDY\ WDVNV 3&0DUN GRHVQ¶W SXVK D SURFHVVRU WR LWV OLPLWV but as a measure of everyday competence, it shows that the Alienware m15 R5 is more than capable. All of these laptops go beyond the minimum acceptable level, but the m15 R5 can handle multitasking even more smoothly than the rest. The next three tests will be a better measure of these processors at the high end.

First comes Maxon’s CPU-crunching Cinebench R15, which is fully threaded to make use of all available processor cores and threads. Cinebench stresses the CPU rather than the GPU to render a complex image. The result is a proprietary score indicating a PC’s suitability for processor-intensive workloads.

Cinebench is often a good predictor of our Handbrake video editing trial, another tough, threaded workout that’s highly CPU-dependent and scales well with cores and threads. In it, we put a stopwatch on test systems as they transcode a standard 12-minute clip of 4K video (the open-source Blender demo movie Tears of Steel) WR D S 03 ¿OH ,W¶V D WLPHG WHVW DQG ORZHU UHVXOWV are better.

We also run a custom Adobe Photoshop image editing benchmark. Using an HDUO\ UHOHDVH RI WKH &UHDWLYH &ORXG YHUVLRQ RI 3KRWRVKRS ZH DSSO\ D VHULHV RI FRPSOH[ ¿OWHUV DQG H̆HFWV WR D VWDQGDUG -3(* WHVW LPDJH :H WLPH HDFK operation and add up the total. As with Handbrake, lower times are better here.

It comes as no surprise that the Ryzen-powered m15 R5 is the leader across these three tests. By and large, the Ryzen R7 and R9 chips have shown supremacy over equivalent Core i7 and Core i9 CPUs for media creation and editing. While the gap in some of these tests isn’t great, the AMD advantage in Cinebench is telling. If you’re a content creator or media editor professionally or as a hobby, and would like your laptop to serve as a workstation when not playing games, the R5 is better suited than the others here.

Graphics tests: :H UXQ WZR WHVWV DSLHFH LQ WZR JDPLQJ VLPXODWLRQV 7KH ¿UVW 3DMark, measures relative graphics muscle by rendering sequences of highly detailed, gaming-style 3D graphics that emphasize particles and lighting. We UXQ WZR GL̆HUHQW '0DUN VXEWHVWV 6N\ 'LYHU DQG )LUH 6WULNH ZKLFK DUH VXLWHG WR GL̆HUHQW W\SHV RI V\VWHPV %RWK DUH 'LUHFW; EHQFKPDUNV EXW 6N\ 'LYHU LV more suited to midrange PCs and integrated graphics, while Fire Strike is more GHPDQGLQJ DQG PDGH IRU KLJK HQG DQG JDPLQJ 3&V WR VWUXW WKHLU VWX̆ 7KH results are proprietary scores.

Another benchmark, Unigine’s Superposition, similarly renders and pans through a complex 3D scene but measures results in frames per second (fps). We run the WHVW DW S DQG S UHVROXWLRQ ZLWK ORZ DQG KLJK image-quality settings, respectively; 30fps is a common goal for smooth animation, but serious gamers prefer 60fps or higher.

The Alienware m15 R4 and Razer Blade 15 should surpass the m15 R5 in these tests given their stronger GPUs, but the R5 actually acquitted itself pretty well.

This has a lot to do with the wattage mentioned earlier, as Alienware tends to push toward the max power for a given GPU in its systems, which aren’t as thin as some competitors. That turns into usable raw power in realworld scenarios. Presumably, the CPU is no slouch in helping boost these numbers as well, though for the most part, Ryzen processors haven’t shown us as much of an advantage in gaming as they have in media tasks.

Real-world gaming tests: The synthetic tests above are helpful for measuring general 3D aptitude, but it’s hard to beat full retail video games for judging gaming performance. Far Cry 5 and Rise of the Tomb Raider DUH ERWK PRGHUQ KLJK ¿GHOLW\ WLWOHV ZLWK EXLOW LQ benchmarks that illustrate how a system handles realworld gameplay at various settings. We run them at S UHVROXWLRQ DW WKH JDPHV¶ PHGLXP DQG EHVW image-quality presets (Normal and Ultra for Far Cry 5 under DirectX 11, Medium and Very High for Rise of the Tomb Raider under DirectX 12).

The m15 R5 looks even better here than it did in the V\QWKHWLF WHVWV <RX PD\ FUDYH DQ 57; RU IRU bragging rights, but the Ryzen Edition achieves frame rates reasonably close to those of much more expensive gaming rigs. The latter’s extra 10 to 15 frames per second may satisfy performance maniacs, but 103fps

For the most part, Ryzen processors haven’t shown us as much of an advantage in gaming as they have in media tasks.

and 115fps at these titles’ top settings is highly respectable. The included Alienware Command Center software lets you squeeze out a few more fps with Full Speed performance mode, but the added heat and fan noise make it not worth using, in my opinion. )RU VKRSSHUV VHHNLQJ WKH EHVW YDOXH WKH P 5 R̆HUV better bang for your buck than any of the more expensive systems. The smaller and less expensive Predator comes close, but its smaller size and price bring a performance compromise despite using the same GPU. All told, the Ryzen R7- and GeForce RTX 3060-based Alienware comes darn close to delivering high-end frame rates at a midrange price.

Battery rundown test: After fully recharging the laptop, we set up the machine in power-save mode (as opposed to balanced or high-performance mode) where available and make a few other battery-conserving tweaks in preparation for our unplugged video rundown WHVW :H DOVR WXUQ :L )L R̆ SXWWLQJ WKH ODSWRS LQ airplane mode.) In this test, we loop a video—a locally VWRUHG S ¿OH RI WKH VDPH Tears of Steel short we use in our Handbrake test—with screen brightness set at 50% and volume at 100% until the system quits.

The Ryzen Edition achieves frame rates reasonably close to those of much more expensive gaming rigs.

7KH 5\]HQ (GLWLRQ R̆HUV LPSUHVVLYH EDWWHU\ UXQWLPH It’s not quite a chart-topper in this group, but it’s not IDU R̆ ODVWLQJ ORQJ HQRXJK WR DFWXDOO\ EH XVHIXO IRU WUDYHO RU EULHI JDPLQJ VHVVLRQV R̆ WKH FKDUJHU 6RPH RI these 15-inch alternatives, despite their thin frames and (in some cases) lower weights, can’t really be used on the go very much. The Alienware, as mentioned, isn’t the most compact gaming laptop, so some use cases away from home won’t be practical, but it’s nice to have the option when needed.

A STRONG MIDRANGE CONTENDER The overall design and feature set of this system may be familiar, but between its performance and specs, the m15 Ryzen Edition is a good value. Our test FRQ¿JXUDWLRQ FRPELQHV YHU\ FDSDEOH JDPLQJ SHUIRUPDQFH FODVV OHDGLQJ SURFHVVLQJ ḢFLHQF\ DQG D high-refresh-rate screen, all wrapped up in an appealing and unique chassis.

There isn’t much to fault, other than to say the system’s a bit heavy, as modern 15-inch gamers go. The Predator Triton 300 SE remains the best value in the midrange tier, and we love its compact form factor, but if you have a bit more in your budget, the AMD Alienware is a worthy option.

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There isn’t much to fault, other than to say the system’s a bit heavy, as modern 15-inch gamers go.

REVIEWS HARDWARE

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition: A Muscled-Up Middle Child

BY CHRIS STOBING

t’s been one heck of a year in the world of desktop graphics cards. From silicon shortages to cryptocurrency craziness, the average price of a graphics card in 2021 has surged past all expectations, with models both used and new selling for multiples more than the original prices, even years after their initial release. Realities of the current marketplace aside, though, we’re here to talk about the objective performance of the latest object of desire for GPU shoppers (and likely newest target for scalpers), the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, and how it stacks up against its own (hopefully, one day!) objective manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $1,199.

I

/HW¶V VWDUW R̆ WKLV JUDSKLFV FDUG UHYLHZ WKH VDPH ZD\ we’ve started many over the past 12 months: We know \RX OLNHO\ ZLOO QRW ¿QG WKH *H)RUFH 57; 7L DW LWV MSRP for the foreseeable future, and those who do manage to get their hands on the card at a fair price likely will have done so either through a quick trigger ¿QJHU YLD WKH OXFN RI D GUDZ RQ D *38 ORWWHU\ RU E\ ¿JKWLQJ ¿UH ZLWK ¿UH DQG HPSOR\LQJ D FDUG EX\LQJ ERW of their own.

For those determined buyers, the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti LV D JDPLQJ SRZHUKRXVH DOPRVW ZRUWK ¿JKWLQJ WKH hordes for. Its high price is the only thing that keeps it from true greatness. It’s supposed to be a slightly less powerful, slightly less pricey GeForce RTX 3090 for gamers and creators. But that means it also comes with the same caveat as the original: Even with a lower MSRP than the RTX 3090, the original Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Founders Edition sets up the RTX 3080 7L IRU VRPH VHULRXVO\ RXW RI ZKDFN SULFH WR performance ratios.

Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition PROS Beautiful, functional design, like other Founders Edition cards. Lownoise operation, even under stress.

Compact profile given the raw muscle.

Improves upon original entries in RTX 30 Series Founders Edition lineup.

CONS Only incrementally better than original RTX 3080 for considerably more money.

BOTTOM LINE Nvidia’s GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition is another stunning addition to the RTX 30 Series Founders lineage and a monster for 4K gaming. Just be prepared to pay a disproportionate premium over the RTX 3080 for the extra muscle.

If price is no object (and it had better not be, if you can’t get your hands on the ¿UVW ZDYH DW 0653 WKH *H)RUFH 57; 7L LV D ZRUWK\ EX\ DV RQH RI WKH fastest GPUs in the game today. For the rest of us, the RTX 3080 is almost as good in many 1440p and 4K runs and costs around 40% less. Now that’s a GLVFRXQW ZH FDQ JHW EHKLQG LQ 2I FRXUVH \RX KDYH WR ¿QG HLWKHU FDUG ¿UVW RTX 3080 TI FOUNDERS EDITION SPECS: PLAYING IN ELITE COMPANY 6WUDLJKW RXW RI WKH JDWH OHW¶V WDON DERXW WKH SRXQG JRULOOD LQ WKH URRP the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition is, MSRP versus MSRP, more than 70% more expensive than the original GeForce RTX 3080 Founders Edition at $1,199 to $699. But glance twice at the specs, and you might start to look at it another way. Despite sharing the same GA102 die and many of the same specs (discounting some slower clocks and lower VRAM), the GTX 3080 Ti is just under 15% less expensive than the RTX 3090 Founders Edition.

With those numbers in mind, let’s see from where Nvidia might have pulled its pricing inspiration.

For starters, as we mentioned, the specs of the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti KDYH OHVV LQ FRPPRQ ZLWK WKH RULJLQDO 57; WKDQ ZLWK 1YLGLD¶V WRS GRJ 57; )RXQGHUV (GLWLRQ :KHQ WKH 57; )RXQGHUV (GLWLRQ ¿UVW launched, the card seemed stuck between two worlds. On the one hand, content creators at this price level had, for many years, defaulted to Nvidia’s Titan EUDQG RI FDUGV XVXDOO\ VWX̆HG ZLWK SUHPLXP VSHFV DQG DV PXFK 95$0 DV WKH technology of the time allowed for, past a certain budget.

The gaming crowd then looked to the rest of the RTX and GTX lineup for cards that catered to them, such as the GeForce RTX 2080 Ti, GTX 1660, and RTX 3080. Until the launch of the RTX 3080 Ti, any Nvidia Founders Edition graphics card that called itself “for gamers” was priced under $999 at launch, a ceiling set by the RTX 2080 Ti in September of 2018.

When the RTX 3090 debuted with the rest of the RTX 30 Series late last year, it assumed the de facto mantle of “content creator card,” inherited from the Titan OLQH EHIRUH LW EXW QRW WKH QDPH ,Q ERWK SRZHU DQG SULFH WKH 7LWDQ HVTXH 57; 3090 lived above the clouds with the other gods of card Olympus at $1,399 MSRP, where it still sits today.

Of course, this is all in the current fairytale land of MSRP. Translated to today’s prices via a quick scan of eBay? That “$1,399 suggested price” averages out to a street price of about $3,200, or roughly a 130% increase. Carry that math over to the RTX 3080 Ti, and we’re talking about an RTX 3080 variant that, if trends KROG FRXOG VKRUWO\ EH ÀRDWLQJ ULJKW DURXQG VWUHHW GHSHQGLQJ RQ ZKHWKHU WKH VFDOSHU VWL̆V \RX IRU VKLSSLQJ RI FRXUVH

7KH SRLQW" 7KLV LV DQ LOO WLPH IRU 1YLGLD WR UDLVH WKH ÀRRU RQ ZKDW LW VXJJHVWV gamers will spend for cards that have essentially been rebranded as “gaming GPUs that also work for content creation,” and doing away with Titan and its cachet. How bad could it be? Well, we’re afraid to check eBay in the days after this launch, because who knows what the price of the RTX 3080 Ti (or “Titan -XQLRU´ PLJKW EH RQFH WKH ¿UVW ZDYH VHOOV WKURXJK $QG ZLOO WKDW EH LQ minutes—or seconds?)

THE LATEST FOUNDERS EDITION DESIGN: DON’T MESS WITH SUCCESS If you loved the design of previous models in Nvidia’s RTX 30 Series (as we KDYH \RX¶OO OLNHO\ EH D IDQ RI WKH 57; 7L DQG LWV H̆HFWLYHO\ LGHQWLFDO design, save for some added weight and length. We could gush all over again about how from both a technology and an aesthetic standpoint, the RTX 30 Series Founders Edition cards are artful marvels. It’s a familiar formula: PCBs that have been shrunk by more than 50%, in some cases, according to Nvidia, ZLWK WKH UHPDLQLQJ VRPH RGG SHUFHQWDJH UHSODFHG E\ PRUH KHDWVLQN DWWDFKHG WR WKH VDPH SXVK SXOO IDQ GHVLJQ ZH VDZ ZKHQ WKH 57; 6HULHV GHEXWHG last fall.

7KH LQFK GRXEOH VORW FDUG LV VPDOOHU FRPSDUHG ZLWK VRPH RI WKH FUD]LHU WKLUG SDUW\ 57; PRGHOV ZH¶YH WHVWHG VXFK DV WKH LQFK 06, *H)RUFH RTX 3080 Gaming X Trio 10G (which you could also dub, were it a sandwich, the “$1,000 footlong”). But the RTX 3080 Ti is just on the edge of what a VWUDWHJLF FRPSDFW 3& EXLOGHU PLJKW EH DEOH WR ¿W LQ FHUWDLQ LVRODWHG 0LQL ,7; and MicroATX cases.

Like the iPhone was for smartphones before it, Nvidia’s RTX 30 Series is, in my RSLQLRQ WKH JDPH FKDQJHU RI *38 GHVLJQ JRLQJ IRUZDUG :KHUH RWKHU JUDSKLFV FDUGV FDQ RIWHQ FRPH R̆ DV DQ H[HUFLVH LQ H[FHVV ORRNLQJ DW \RX &RORUIXO WKH RTX 30 Series Founders Edition cards remain a masterclass in restraint.

The idea that Nvidia has found a way to expertly balance the space needed for a 3&% DJDLQVW WKH KHDWVLQN ZKLFK LWVHOI KDV WR R̆VHW LQFUHDVHG KHDW IURP FUDPSHG FRPSRQHQWV LV D UHDO IHDW RI HQJLQHHULQJ %DVHG RQ UHFHQW H̆RUWV LW FRXOG EH \HDUV EHIRUH $0' RU HYHQ 1YLGLD¶V RZQ WKLUG SDUW\ PDQXIDFWXULQJ SDUWQHUV catch up.

7KH FDUG LV RQFH DJDLQ SRZHUHG E\ 1YLGLD¶V SURSULHWDU\ SLQ SRZHU FRQQHFWRU ZKLFK RQ WKH 57; 7L QHHGV WZR HLJKW SLQ SRZHU VXSSO\ OHDGV to jack into. As for the port selection on the rear plane, the design and the number of available slots remains the same among Founders Edition cards in Nvidia’s RTX 30 Series, with three DisplayPort 1.4b ports alongside a single HDMI 2.1 output and a lot of backplane ventilation. (That port mix is just VẊFLHQW WR NHHS XS ZLWK VRPH RI $FHU¶V QHZ PRQLWRUV VODWHG IRU UHOHDVH this year.) $V RQ WKH 57; RQH SRUW FRPPRQ RQ ODVW JHQHUDWLRQ 7XULQJ FDUGV LV DEVHQW WKH 86% 7\SH & ORRNDOLNH 9LUWXDO/LQN ,W¶V JRQH IURP DOO WKH $PSHUH cards so far, we suspect forever. It never caught on with the VR headset makers it was meant to serve. Adios, friend: Pour one out for VirtualLink.

Testing the RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition: Sparring With the RTX 3090 So, back to the card on hand. PC Labs ran the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti )RXQGHUV (GLWLRQ WKURXJK D VHULHV RI 'LUHFW; DQG ±EDVHG V\QWKHWLF DQG UHDO ZRUOG EHQFKPDUNV 2XU 3& /DEV WHVW ULJ LV ,QWHO EDVHG DQG HPSOR\V D 3&, ([SUHVV QRW PRWKHUERDUG ,W¶V HTXLSSHG ZLWK DQ ,QWHO &RUH L . SURFHVVRU *% RI &RUVDLU 9HQJHDQFH ''5 PHPRU\ D VROLG VWDWH ERRW GULYH DQG DQ $VXV 52* 0D[LPXV ;,, +HUR :L )L = PRWKHUERDUG All cards were retested on this rig with their latest drivers at launch for an even SOD\LQJ ¿HOG *LYHQ RXU WHVWV ZLWK WKH &RUH L . DQG UHFHQW 5\]HQ &38V WKLV ULJ LV WKH EHVW UHDVRQDEOH FRQ¿JXUDWLRQ RI WKH PRPHQW LQ WR FXW the CPU out of the equation for frame rates.

)RU RXU WHVWLQJ ZH IRFXVHG VRPH RI WKH H̆RUW RQ WKH HVSRUWV DVSHFW RI WKH 1YLGLD *H)RUFH 57; 7L ZLWK JDPHV LQFOXGLQJ &RXQWHU 6WULNH *OREDO 2̆HQVLYH &6 *2 DQG 5DLQERZ 6L[ 6LHJH :H DOVR UDQ WKH FDUG WKURXJK WKH UHVW RI RXU QHZ VWDQGDUG EHQFKPDUN WHVW UHJLPHQ ZKLFK WHVWV D FDUG¶V DELOLWLHV to handle AAA games at the highest possible quality settings as well as how it rides during synthetic benchmarks that stress the card in a variety of ways.

Also remember that almost every test we run (aside from the esports titles) is GRQH DW WKH KLJKHVW SRVVLEOH TXDOLW\ SUHVHW RU VHWWLQJV ,I \RX KDYH D KLJKHU KHUW] JDPLQJ PRQLWRU DQG \RX¶UH ZRUULHG \RXU FDUG PLJKW QRW PDNH WKH IUDPH UDWH grade, it could still be possible with the right card and a combination of lower settings. Not only that, but many of these titles (including Death Stranding, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, and F1 2020) have both DLSS and FidelityFX CAS with Upscaling integrated directly into the game. This can mean boosts of up to 40% more performance on top, depending on the setting and the card you’re playing with.

And so, on to our test results. Our mix of AAA titles includes a mix of recent WLWOHV VXFK DV 5HG 'HDG 5HGHPSWLRQ DQG ) DV ZHOO DV VRPH ROGHU EXW VWLOO UHOLDEOH SLOODUV RI WKH EHQFKPDUNHU¶V WRRONLW LQFOXGLQJ 6KDGRZ RI WKH 7RPE Raider and Far Cry 5.

TEST RESULTS: SYNTHETIC BENCHMARKS 6\QWKHWLF EHQFKPDUNV FDQ EH JRRG SUHGLFWRUV RI UHDO ZRUOG JDPLQJ SHUIRUPDQFH 8/¶V FLUFD )LUH 6WULNH 8OWUD LV VWLOO D JR WR DV DQ approximation of the load levied by mainstream 4K gaming. We’re looking only at the test’s Graphics Subscore, not the Overall Score, to isolate the card performance. Meanwhile, we also ran 3DMark’s Time Spy Extreme test, which LV D JRRG WHVW RI KRZ ZHOO D FDUG ZLOO GR VSHFL¿FDOO\ LQ 'LUHFW; JDPHV DW . resolution. Finally, there’s Port Royal, which is strictly a test for RTX cards right QRZ PHDVXULQJ KRZ ZHOO WKH\ KDQGOH UD\ WUDFLQJ WDVNV $OVR KHUH DUH D KDQGIXO RI *38 DFFHOHUDWLRQ WHVWV )XUPDUN /X[0DUN

As a “discount” RTX 3090 with half the available VRAM on board, synthetic WHVWLQJ LV WKH ¿UVW VWRS WR VKRZ ZKDW NLQG RI GL̆HUHQFH \RX FDQ H[SHFW LQ rendering tasks between the RTX 3080 Ti and the RTX 3090. The results VKRZFDVH WKH 57; 7L LQ UHQGHULQJ DV D SULFH WR SHUIRUPDQFH ZLQQHU RYHU

the RTX 3090. We don’t run the most extreme gamut of 3D rendering tasks that the RTX 3090 and Titan variants are more famous for crunching through, EXW WKH PDUJLQV RI GL̆HUHQFH LQ /X[0DUN UHVXOWV EHWZHHQ WKH WZR VKRZ WKH 57; 3080 Ti as an impressive RTX 3090 alternative for roughly 15% less.

TEST RESULTS: RECENT AAA GAMES 1RZ RQ WR WKH UHDO ZRUOG JDPLQJ VWX̆ :H W\SLFDOO\ XVHG LQ HDFK FDVH IRU WKHVH $$$ JDPHV WKH KLJKHVW LQ JDPH SUHVHW DQG LI DYDLODEOH 'LUHFW; 7KH PXOWLSOD\HU IRFXVHG DQG HVSRUWV WLWOHV VXFK DV &6 *2 DQG 5DLQERZ 6L[ FRPLQJ up in the next chart group were set slightly below top detail settings to maximize frame rates. We’ll talk more about them there.

If the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 is the perfect 4K gamers’ card (and in our opinion, it is), the RTX 3090 holds a more specialized crown: best (or really, RQO\ FDUG IRU VR FDOOHG ³ . JDPHUV ´ We don’t test at 8K yet (the monitors barely exist, and the game support is hardly baked), so we can’t say for sure whether the RTX 3080 Ti is the world’s best value for 8K gaming. But from our results in 4K, we can easily see that it’s overpriced if it’ll serve just as a 4K gaming engine alone.

The results of these gaming runs cement the identity of the RTX 3080 Ti as a GRZQ VSHF 57; LQ GLVJXLVH 7KH SRZHU LV REYLRXVO\ WKHUH EXW WKH UXEEHU meets the road on just how much more powerful the RTX 3080 Ti is versus the original RTX 3080. Note that on the AMD Radeon side, we haven’t had an opportunity to test a Radeon RX 6900 XT for ourselves (stock of that card is VFDUFH DOO DURXQG %XW WKH 5DGHRQ 5; ;7 DV D QHDU HTXDO WR WKH 57; 3080 depending on the game, falls under the same category as an, ahem, relative “value pick” versus the RTX 3080 Ti. There will always be diminishing returns on value the higher you go in a UHVSHFWLYH *38 VWDFN $W VXFK D YDVW SULFH GL̆HUHQFH WDNHQ DJDLQVW DQ DYHUDJH RI just 14% more performance in 4K gaming, the value proposition for the RTX 3080 Ti would be tough to justify even with scalpers and GPU bots out of the SLFWXUH 7KLV LV PDGH FOHDUHU WKDQNV WR RYHUFORFNHG WKLUG SDUW\ *H)RUFH 57; 3080 card versions such as the MSI Gaming X Trio 10G mentioned earlier.

While retailing just above the RTX 3080 Founders Edition at a $759 MSRP, it comes within just a few frames of the RTX 3080 Ti in 4K, narrowing the value proposition further still.

The RTX 3080 Ti so regularly matches up with the RTX 3090 in these same WHVWV D WRS RI WKH WRS RYHUFORFNHG 57; QR OHVV WKRXJK WKDW LW VLPSO\ resembles a better RTX 3090 for 4K gaming, But no one should be buying an 57; IRU FXUUHQW GD\ JDPLQJ ULJKW" TEST RESULTS: MULTIPLAYER GAMES 7KRXJK PRVW RI 3& /DEV¶ JDPH WHVWV DUH PD[HG RXW LQ JUDSKLFDO ¿GHOLW\ WR SXVK the cards to their limit, multiplayer gaming is all about maintaining the best EDODQFH EHWZHHQ JUDSKLFDO ¿GHOLW\ DQG IUDPH UDWH :LWK WKDW LQ PLQG ZH¶YH NHSW CS:GO, Rainbow Six: Siege, and Final Fantasy XIV tuned to the best FRPELQDWLRQ RI QHFHVVDU\ LPSURYHPHQWV LQ VHWWLQJV KLJKHU DQWL DOLDVLQJ DQG lower shadows, for example), while still trying to keep frame rates for 1080p games above 144fps.

Why 144fps? That’s a coveted target for highly competitive esports gamers who KDYH KLJK UHIUHVK UDWH +] RU +] JDPLQJ PRQLWRUV )RU PRUH FDVXDO players with ordinary 60Hz monitors, a solid 80fps or 90fps at your target UHVROXWLRQ ZLWK VRPH RYHUKHDG WR DFFRXQW IRU GLSV XQGHU ISV LV ¿QH 7KHQ DJDLQ ZH DUH WDONLQJ DERXW D SOXV FDUG KHUH

TEST RESULTS: LEGACY AAA TITLES Speaking of “way, way more than enough horsepower,” let’s see how the RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition does with some AAA games that have long since passed their prime as the most graphically demanding titles on shelves. We ran TXLFN WHVWV RQ VRPH ROGLHV EXW JRRGLHV WKDW VWLOO R̆HU WKH $$$ JDPLQJ experience. These legacy tests include runs of Tomb Raider (2013), the original 6OHHSLQJ 'RJV DQG %LRVKRFN ,Q¿QLWH WKH ODVW EHLQJ D JDPH WKDW KDV QR business still being as well optimized as it is here in 2021.

Do we even need to say it? It’s a blowout. This is another of those “So, how much does it win by?” scenarios, rather than whether or not it wins at all.

-XVW IRU WKH SUHVHUYDWLRQ RI ZKDW YLGHR FDUG VWRFN WKHUH LV ZH EHJ \RX 3OHDVH don’t buy an RTX 3080 Ti (or an RTX 3090, for that matter) just to play Sleeping Dogs at a higher refresh rate than the developers could have ever dreamed of!

OVERCLOCKING AND THERMALS: ALMOST AS COOL AS IT LOOKS :H UDQ D PLQXWH VWUHVV WHVW LQ '0DUN 3RUW 5R\DO RQ WKH *H)RUFH 57; Ti Founders Edition, and the card peaked at a temperature of 81 degrees C. That’s a bit hotter than the RTX 3080 Founders Edition, at 77 degrees C, and shows that as the RTX Founders Edition family scales and grows, temps grow along with it.

$V LQ RXU 57; )RXQGHUV (GLWLRQ UHYLHZ DQG LQ RXU )/,5 2QH 3UR WKHUPDO camera evaluation, much of the waste heat looks to be collecting in the middle of the card rather than in an even dispersion across its length. The Founders Edition cards have been nothing if not consistent in this regard.

6HHLQJ VXFK VWDEOH WKHUPDOV JDYH XV WKH FRQ¿GHQFH WR VHH ZKDW NLQG RI RYHUFORFN we could get out of the card using the EVGA Precision X1 utility. After some tuning, I was able to achieve a stable clock of 1,915MHz, 225MHz over the baseline, which brings it just over the boost clocks of the RTX 3090 and translated to around a 5% bump in benchmark results. Founders Edition cards are known for their overclocking stubbornness, so it’s nice to see anything at all in this department, let alone a perceptible gain like that. Well played, Nvidia.

VERDICT: THE MOST MUSCLED-UP MIDDLE CHILD EVER A card this small, light, quiet, and cool has no business looking as good as the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Founders Edition does. Nvidia is, once again, VLWWLQJ SUHWW\ QRW RQO\ YHUVXV $0' EXW DOVR DJDLQVW DQ\ WKLUG SDUW\ manufacturer that produces its own RTX 3080 Ti models in tandem this launch. The company’s Founders Edition cards are engineered beyond what any other card maker seems capable of these days, and the RTX 3080 7L LV \HW DQRWKHU QHDU ÀDZOHVV H[DPSOH RI 1YLGLD¶V WHFKQRORJLFDO GRPLQDQFH LQ the space. %XW WKDW SUHFLVLRQ FRPHV DW D SULFH WKH 0653 SOXV ZKDWHYHU LQÀDWLRQ WKH current market may wreak. The RTX 3080 Ti may be beautiful on the outside DQG D . JDPLQJ EHDVW LQVLGH EXW LW GRHVQ¶W JHQHUDWH TXLWH HQRXJK H[WUD SHUIRUPDQFH RYHU WKH QRQ 7L 57; WR MXVWLI\ WKH ELJ LQFUHDVH LQ 0653 +RZ WKDW SOD\V RXW LQ UHDO ZRUOG SULFLQJ LV DQ\RQH¶V JXHVV EXW ZH GRQ¶W H[SHFW the price proportions to be any prettier in its favor.

7KLQN RI LW WKLV ZD\ ,Q WKH FXUUHQW VXSSO\ VTXHH]HG HFRV\VWHP FDUGV DUH averaging between 1.25 and 4 times their retail price on some open marketplaces. Hundreds of dollars added to the original price of a card—like, say, $500 between the RTX 3080 and RTX 3080 Ti—put the cards even further out of reach of your average buyer than they already were—and further from each other in absolute price, as well.

The GPU market of today doesn’t tolerate gaps like that.

If you’re buying an RTX 3090 or an RTX 3080 Ti, you should really love creating and gaming. But if you’re on the hunt for a gaming card that powers games in 1440p and 4K at a superhero level, the RTX 3080 (despite what eBay might say) is still objectively the better deal.

That said, with crypto prices falling by the minute at this writing, it may not be long before a wave of used RTX 30 Series GPUs hits the secondhand marketplace.

Soon after, we could see a stabilization of prices for newer GPUs such as the RTX 3080 Ti, in which case it may be only a few months before you’re able to get your hands on an RTX 3080 Ti at the price of $1,199 that Nvidia is suggesting to retailers at launch.

The RTX 3080 Ti isn’t a bad graphics card—far from it.

It’s a wild beast of a 4K card. But the RTX 3080 is a great one. If the card market stabilizes in 2021, a $699 version of an RTX 3080 will still be the best thing to happen to 4K gaming, perhaps surpassed in certain situations only by the stellar GeForce RTX 3070.

The Nvidia RTX 3080 Ti isn’t a faster RTX 3080; it’s a slower RTX 3090. As an $1,199 card, the RTX 3080 Ti is a discounted RTX 3090 that, like that card and the Titans before it, should be seriously considered only by content creators and Powerball winners. As such, it GHIWO\ ZLJJOHV LWVHOI LQWR D QLFKH VORW IRU EXGJHW IRFXVHG content creators who might be able to take the VRAM DQG FORFN VSHHG KLW ZLWKRXW ORVLQJ DQ\WKLQJ YLVLEOH LQ their render times. But for gamers, the RTX 3080 (and AMD Radeon RX 6800 XT, for that matter) are both ZRUWK\ HQRXJK . SOD\HUV WR UHPDLQ WKH SUHPLHU options for 4K gamers headed into the second half of this, the craziest of all GPU years.

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In the current ecosystem, cards are averaging between 1.25 and 4 times their retail price on some open marketplaces.

REVIEWS HARDWARE

Apple iMac 24-Inch: Best Mac Desktop for Everyday Computing

BY TOM BRANT

he original Apple iMac, which was launched at the end of the last millennium, is the archetype for the modern all-in-one desktop computer. The most recognizable of all Mac desktops, its luster diminished over the past two decades as it became less distinctive and more OLNH LWV :LQGRZV FRPSHWLWRUV 1RZ $SSOH LV WU\LQJ VRPHWKLQJ GL̆HUHQW

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The new-for-2021 24-inch Apple iMac takes the legend back to its roots, adding customizable color options that extend across the physical surfaces of the computer and its accessories. Add in cutting-edge enhancements that $SSOH¶V 0 VLOLFRQ HQDEOHV LQFOXGLQJ D ¿QJHUSULQW reader and immensely improved image processing, DQG \RX JHW DQ H[FHOOHQW L0DF WKDW FRXOG GH¿QH WKH QH[W 20 years of desktop computing. It wins our TechX DZDUG IRU UHGH¿QLQJ ZKDW LV SRVVLEOH²DQG ZKDW ³VNLQQ\´ PHDQV²LQ DQ DOO LQ RQH GHVNWRS 5HDG WKH First Look column in this issue for more about our TechX award program.)

PICK A COLOR The new iMac’s headlining feature is color. Available in seven hues, the new PC is a throwback to the whimsy of designer Jonathan Ive’s original iMac case, which came in your choice of translucent, candy-colored plastic.

There were a whopping 13 color options on the iMacs of WKH ODWH V %OXH 'DOPDWLDQ DQG )ORZHU 3RZHU among them), with keyboards and mice to match.

Apple iMac 24-Inch PROS A perky reimagining of the classic iMac design.

Color-matched accessories.

Extraordinarily thin.

Available fingerprint reader. Snappy Apple M1 processor.

Excellent camera quality.

CONS Expensive as configured, and for screen size. Requires external power brick.

Uncomfortable keyboard. No touch input on screen.

Limited port selection.

BOTTOM LINE The first major iMac redesign in years turns Apple’s classic computer into a gorgeous all-in-one with the M1 processor, multiple color options, and a stunningly thin exterior. It’s neither the most powerful nor the most versatile Mac desktop, but it’s the best one for everyday home computing.

The seven current color options are more straightforward than the original ones, an homage to Ive’s original approach rather than a return to it. You can order the 24-inch iMac in green, yellow, orange, pink, or blue. There’s also a purple option, very much au courant these days now that the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini come in purple. And if you’re leery of a vibrant exterior, you can order this iMac in classic silver.

This is a marked departure from the look of the previous-generation 21.5-inch L0DF ZKLFK LV DYDLODEOH RQO\ LQ D VLOYHU ¿QLVK 7KH XQLW $SSOH VHQW XV IRU UHYLHZ LV \HOORZ ZKLFK DW GL̆HUHQW OLJKWLQJ FRQGLWLRQV WKURXJKRXW WKH GD\ DSSHDUV goldenrod to my eyes. And there’s a ton of color to behold on the new iMac, no matter which hue you choose. The entire back of the device is clad in colorPDWFKHG DOXPLQXP :KHQ GD\OLJKW ¿OWHUV WKURXJK WKH ZLQGRZV DERYH P\ GHVN everything behind the iMac is bathed in a faint yellow glow.

Part of the reason for all the color, Apple says, is that it envisions you using the new iMac in places throughout your house, from the kitchen to the bedroom.

That’s a departure from the previous iMac generation, which the company says LV PRVWO\ XVHG LQ SURGXFWLYLW\ VHWWLQJV VXFK DV ṘFHV The color extends to the prominent, oversized “lip,” “chin,” or whatever you call the portion of the front of the iMac below the screen. Oddly, there’s no Apple ORJR KHUH WKH ORJR LV SURPLQHQWO\ HPERVVHG RQ WKH EDFN RI WKH GHYLFH VR LW¶V just a vast expanse of color. The actual bezels of the 24-inch screen are white regardless of which color you choose.

Your color choice also extends to the peripherals and cables. The Magic Mouse, the Magic Keyboard, and the optional Magic Trackpad have color-matched aluminum sides and surfaces that match the design of the new iMac. Even the L0DF¶V SRZHU FRUG DQG WKH 86% & WR /LJKWQLQJ FDEOH XVHG WR FKDUJH WKH wireless peripherals are made from a woven, color-matched material. No other all-in-one PC I’ve seen in the past few years has such consistent colorways. This is taking the Steve Jobs fence-repair parable to the extreme: Even if it will likely be hidden from view, the design still needs to match the rest of the device.

THINNER THAN AN iPHONE %H\RQG FRORU VL]H LV WKH L0DF¶V RWKHU PDLQ SK\VLFDO IHDWXUH 7KLV LV D WUXO\ WLQ\ AIO by the standards of previous iMacs. Even more impressive, it’s tiny by phone and laptop standards. Not including the stand’s depth, the screen portion of the iMac is an incredible 0.44 inch thick. This is thinner than Mac laptops LQFOXGLQJ WKH $SSOH 0DF%RRN $LU DQG WKH $SSOH 0DF%RRN 3UR ,QFK ,W HYHQ beats the 0.48-inch thickness of the iPhone 3GS. ,QFOXGLQJ WKH VWDQG ZKLFK R̆HUV WLOW EXW QRW KHLJKW DGMXVWPHQWV WKH LQFK L0DF PHDVXUHV E\ E\ LQFKHV +:' DQG ZHLJKV SRXQGV Compare that with the previous 21.5-inch iMac, which is 17.7 by 20.8 by 6.9 inches and weighs 12 pounds. Apple continues to sell the entry-level version of this preceding model. Starting at $1,099, it’s $200 cheaper than the base-model 24-inch iMac.

'HVSLWH KDYLQJ OHVV WKDQ KDOI DQ LQFK RI FKDVVLV thickness, the iMac still includes a robust sound system.

Two pairs of woofers pony up plenty of bass, and they’re designed to be force-cancelling so they don’t produce distracting vibrations even at maximum volume.

Meanwhile, two tweeters handle the higher range. The HQG UHVXOW LV DQ LPSUHVVLYH VRXQG VWDJH WKDW HDVLO\ ¿OOV D NLWFKHQ RU OLYLQJ URRP ,W¶V VLPLODU WR²EXW QRW TXLWH DV ORXG DV²WKH ¿YH VSHDNHU VHWXS RI WKH +3 (QY\ $OO in-One, which has two tweeters, two medium drivers, and one woofer. $ NH\ UHDVRQ $SSOH ZDV DEOH WR ¿W D ODUJHU VFUHHQ LQWR D smaller and lighter chassis is the decision to jettison the L0DF¶V LQWHUQDO SRZHU VXSSO\ 'HEDWHV UDJH RQ ZKHWKHU it’s better to have a smaller AIO with an external power brick or a larger one with a built-in power adapter and one less item cluttering up your desk. Whichever side of the debate you’re on, the laws of physics dictate you can’t have a razor-thin AIO and a built-in power supply.

The new iMac’s power brick isn’t small, but it’s well designed, and the color-matched part of the power cord LV ORQJ HQRXJK WKDW \RX¶OO SUREDEO\ EH DEOH WR ¿W WKH adapter under your desk and out of sight. As a consolation prize, you can upgrade to a power adapter with a gigabit Ethernet port built-in. It’s a shame that feature doesn’t come standard, but if you spring for the option, that’s one less visible cord to have sticking out of your iMac’s back panel.

The new iMac’s dimensions are competitive with those of Windows AIOs that have similar-size screens. The +3 3DYLOLRQ $OO LQ 2QH DOVR ZLWK D LQFK VFUHHQ is 17.1 by 21.3 by 6.5 inches. Like the iMac, the Pavilion UHTXLUHV DQ H[WHUQDO SRZHU EULFN WKDW¶V FRQVLGHUDEO\ larger than the one you plug into a laptop.

This is a truly tiny AIO by the standards of previous iMacs.

Even more impressive, it’s tiny by phone and laptop standards.

STILL NO TOUCH SCREEN Popping color and a slim chassis are what make the new iMac look at home ZKHUHYHU LQ \RXU KRPH \RX GHFLGH WR SODFH LW %XW WKH H[SDQVLYH LQFK VFUHHQ LV ZK\ \RX¶G EX\ DQ L0DF WR XVH DW KRPH LQ WKH ¿UVW SODFH LQVWHDG RI D GHVNWRS 3& OLNH WKH $SSOH 0DF PLQL ZKLFK UHTXLUHV DQ H[WHUQDO PRQLWRU DQG LV PRUH EH¿WWLQJ RI DQ ṘFH FXELFOH $OWKRXJK LW¶V QRW D UHYROXWLRQDU\ LQQRYDWLRQ WKH L0DF¶V 5HWLQD GLVSOD\ GRHVQ¶W GLVDSSRLQW ,W¶V JRW D E\ SL[HO UHVROXWLRQ ZKLFK PHDQV LW¶V VOLJKWO\ KLJKHU WKDQ . $SSOH FDOOV LW ³ . ´ 7KH pixel dimensions translate to 218 pixels per inch, which compares well with the GHQVLW\ PHDVXUHPHQWV RI PRVW RWKHU 5HWLQD 0DFV :LWK QLWV RI EULJKWQHVV D JORVV\ ¿QLVK DQG VXSSRUW IRU ELOOLRQ FRORUV WKH entire P3 gamut), this screen is a joy. Onscreen elements appear crisp and brilliant, no matter what you’re viewing. Like the high-end 27-inch iMac, the new 24-inch version has True Tone technology, which sets the white balance EDVHG RQ WKH URRP¶V DPELHQW OLJKW , ¿QG WKLV DGMXVWPHQW WR EH ¿QLFN\ DQG KDYH IRXQG LW FDQ UHVXOW LQ RFFDVLRQDO ÀLFNHULQJ LQ ORZ OLJKW FRQGLWLRQV %XW LI \RX GRQ¶W OLNH 7UXH 7RQH \RX FDQ WXUQ LW R̆ LQ 6\VWHP 3UHIHUHQFHV 8QOLNH WKH LQFK L0DF RU WKH HOLWH SULFH $SSOH 3UR'LVSOD\ ;'5 WKH LQFK YHUVLRQ GRHVQ¶W R̆HU DQ RSWLRQDO QDQRWH[WXUH JODVV ¿QLVK WR UHGXFH JODUH IURP DPELHQW OLJKW , GLGQ¶W ¿QG JODUH WR EH D QXLVDQFH ZKLOH WHVWLQJ WKH LQFK L0DF in a variety of lighting conditions. And given the extraordinary expense of the JODUH UHGXFLQJ ¿QLVK RQ WKH $SSOH GHYLFHV WKDW R̆HU LW ,¶P QRW VXUH PRVW prospective 24-inch iMac users are missing much.

7KH\¶UH GH¿QLWHO\ PLVVLQJ D WRXFK VFUHHQ WKRXJK 7KH macOS operating system isn’t designed for touch input, VR WKH L0DF GRHVQ¶W R̆HU LW 7KLV LV WKH FDVH HYHQ WKRXJK the new iMac’s ideal use scenario as a kitchen PC begs you to touch the screen to swipe through a chicken SDUPHVDQ UHFLSH RU SDXVH D <RX7XEH YLGHR , ¿QG P\VHOI constantly reaching for onscreen elements as though I were using a PC running Windows 10, which has robust touch support throughout the operating system.

Apple suggests an alternative: Use your iPhone or iPad if you need touch input. Continuity Markup lets you sign documents, correct papers, or circle important details in images. Updates to the document you make on your mobile device appear in real time on the 24-inch display.

Meanwhile, Continuity Sketch lets you create a sketch on your iPad or iPhone that automatically inserts into any document on the iMac. These seem like unnecessary additional steps to me, but they’re the reality that iMac XVHUV ZLOO IDFH %XW LI \RX¶UH FRQWHPSODWLQJ EX\LQJ DQ iMac, you probably also have an iPhone or an iPad, too.

TOUCH ID AND FACETIME IMPROVEMENTS Following in the footsteps of the Mac mini, the 24-inch iMac is the second Apple desktop to ditch Intel SURFHVVRUV LQ IDYRU RI WKH $SSOH 0 %HVLGHV UREXVW computing performance, the M1 enables two welcome improvements to the iMac’s keyboard and camera.

The camera is the more impressive of the two. Like the FDPHUD RQ WKH LQFK L0DF LW FDSWXUHV S YLGHR²DQ immediate advantage over the 720p resolution that most built-in webcams use, including the one in the 21.5-inch L0DF DQG WKH 0DF%RRN $LU %XW WKH 0 DGGV PXFK improved image signal processing, with the happy result WKDW WKH LQFK L0DF KDV WKH KLJKHVW TXDOLW\ EXLOW LQ webcam I’ve ever used on a computer.

With 500 nits of brightness, a glossy finish, and support for 1 billion colors (the entire P3 gamut), this screen is a joy.

%HORZ \RX FDQ VHH WKH GL̆HUHQFHV EHWZHHQ WKH RXWSXW RI WKH S FDPHUD LQ the 24-inch iMac and the 1080p camera in the 27-inch iMac, which is already OHDJXHV DKHDG RI PRVW RWKHU ZHEFDPV %HWWHU SURFHVVLQJ JRHV D ORQJ ZD\ WRZDUG PRUH DFFXUDWH VNLQ WRQHV DQG D PRUH OLIHOLNH VHO¿H

7KH VHFRQG 0 UHODWHG LPSURYHPHQW EULQJV D ¿QJHUSULQW UHDGHU WR WKH L0DF DW ODVW $SSOH ODSWRSV KDYH ORQJ IHDWXUHG 7RXFK ,' ¿QJHUSULQW UHDGHUV WKDW OHW \RX ORJ LQ ZLWKRXW W\SLQJ \RXU SDVVZRUG %XW WKH VHQVRUV KDYH UHPDLQHG DEVHQW from the Magic Keyboards shipped with Apple desktops until now. The sensor VHQGV HQFU\SWHG ¿QJHUSULQW GDWD WR WKH 0 ZKLFK XVHV LW WR SURFHVV ORJLQV DQG RWKHU WDVNV $V RQ WKH 0DF%RRN $LU \RX FDQ XVH \RXU ¿QJHUSULQW WR DXWKHQWLFDWH SXUFKDVHV DSSURYH DSS SHUPLVVLRQ UHTXHVWV DQG PRUH

1RWH WKDW WKLV LV QRW VWDQGDUG LVVXH JHDU $ 7RXFK ,' HTXLSSHG NH\ERDUG DYDLODEOH LQ HLWKHU WHQNH\OHVV RU IXOO versions, is an optional extra on the 24-inch iMac. Unfortunately, Apple left the rest of the keyboard the same as before, which means shallow key travel that makes for uncomfortable typing sessions. On the tenkeyless version that shipped with our review unit, the keys in the bottom row are shorter front to back than the rest, leading to a typing experience that IHHOV XQQHFHVVDULO\ FUDPSHG DQG XQEH¿WWLQJ RI D premium AIO. The Magic Mouse and optional Magic Trackpad are the same that ship with other Mac desktops, apart from the FRORU PDWFKHG DOXPLQXP ERUGHUV 7KH 0DJLF 0RXVH comes standard; you can swap in the Magic Trackpad instead for $50 extra or get both bundled for $129 H[WUD DV LQ RXU WHVW FRQ¿J 7KH JLDQW EXWWRQOHVV trackpad is excellent, with hyper-accurate tracking and haptic feedback that feels more precise than a physical switch for clicks. The mouse looks great, but it’s a bit WRR ÀDW IRU P\ ODUJH KDQGV DQG WKH FKDUJLQJ SRUW LV located on the bottom, which means you can’t charge it while you’re using it. All three wireless peripherals FRQQHFW YLD %OXHWRRWK DQG FKDUJH XVLQJ DQ LQFOXGHG color-matched cable.

The port selection on the 24-inch iMac is an unfortunate step backward. The base model includes MXVW WZR 86% & SRUWV DQG D PDJQHWLF SRZHU FRQQHFWRU on the back, with a headphone jack more easily DFFHVVLEOH RQ WKH OHIW HGJH 7KH 86% & FRQQHFWRUV VXSSRUW 7KXQGHUEROW DQG 86% EXW UHTXLUH DGDSWHUV or special cables to connect to an external monitor or a 86% 7\SH $ SHULSKHUDO 3ULFLHU FRQ¿JXUDWLRQV DGG WZR PRUH 86% & SRUWV EXW WKRVH ODFN 86% RU 7KXQGHUEROW 3 support.

The giant buttonless trackpad is excellent, with hyperaccurate tracking and haptic feedback.

(LWKHU FRQ¿JXUDWLRQ LV D IDU FU\ IURP WKH H[WHQVLYH , 2 R̆HULQJV RI WKH LQFK ,QWHO EDVHG L0DF ZKLFK LQFOXGHV IRXU 86% 7\SH $ ³FODVVLF´ SRUWV WZR 86% & SRUWV ZLWK 7KXQGHUEROW VXSSRUW DQG D IXOO VL]H 6' FDUG VORW 7KH +3 3DYLOLRQ LV HYHQ EHWWHU HTXLSSHG DGGLQJ DQ +'0, RXW SRUW IRU FRQQHFWLQJ D VHFRQG GLVSOD\ DQG +'0, LQ IRU FRQQHFWLQJ D FDEOH ER[ RU JDPH FRQVROH WR WKH +3¶V VFUHHQ ,Q DGGLWLRQ WR %OXHWRRWK WKH L0DF VXSSRUWV :L )L D[ IRU ZLUHOHVV FRQQHFWLYLW\ %HDU WKDW LQ PLQG ZKHQ FRQVLGHULQJ ZKHWKHU \RX QHHG WKH (WKHUQHW MDFN HTXLSSHG SRZHU DGDSWHU TESTING THE 2021 IMAC 24-INCH: SPOT-ON APPLE M1 PERFORMANCE There’s no Intel version of the 24-inch iMac, which uses Apple’s M1 chip exclusively. Since the M1 system-on-a-chip incorporates both memory and JUDSKLFV SURFHVVLQJ WKH L0DF KDV IHZ FRQ¿JXUDEOH FRPSRQHQW RSWLRQV DQG \RX can’t swap out components yourself. As with the 2020 M1 version of the 0DF%RRN $LU WKH EDVH PRGHO LQFK L0DF FRPHV ZLWK HLJKW &38 FRUHV VHYHQ JUDSKLFV FRUHV DQG *% RI PHPRU\ 2XU UHYLHZ XQLW KDV WKH XSWLFNHG YHUVLRQ RI the M1 processor, which has the same number of CPU cores but adds one more JUDSKLFV FRUH DQG EXPSV XS WKH PHPRU\ WR *%

6WRUDJH FDSDFLWLHV UDQJH IURP *% WR 7% RXU XQLW FRPHV ZLWK *% $OO DPRXQWV XVH VSHHG\ 66'V LQVWHDG RI WKH VORZHU VSLQQLQJ )XVLRQ 'ULYHV WKDW ZHUH SUHYLRXVO\ available on the 21.5-inch iMac. Our iMac sample is $1,899 before the peripherals upgrades that came in the box; the Magic Trackpad-plus-Magic Mouse upgrade bring it to $2,028.

We’ve already tested the M1’s performance in the 0DF%RRN $LU WKH 0DF%RRN 3UR DQG WKH 0DF PLQL ,Q WKH chart below, you’ll see how the 24-inch iMac compares with the rest of the M1 stable, as well as the 27-inch iMac and a few Windows competitors. Overall, the 24-inch PRGHO LV WKH EHVW SHUIRUPLQJ 0 HTXLSSHG 0DF RQ PRVW benchmark tests, but it’s not meaningfully faster than any of the other M1 models.

On one hand, that’s a good thing; the M1 is an extraordinarily capable processor, and beyond the camera DQG ¿QJHUSULQW EHQH¿WV LW EULQJV WR WKH L0DF HYHU\GD\ performance is a breeze. I experienced no sluggishness or hangs when installing apps, whether they run natively on WKH 0 RU LQ WKH 5RVHWWD HPXODWLRQ OD\HU IRU ,QWHO RQO\ apps. In general, macOS apps that don’t have M1-native versions will still run on the 24-inch iMac and other M1 Macs, but they’ll be slower. For more on this situation, check our our Apple M1 chip explainer.

On the other hand, the fact that all the M1 Macs perform roughly the same is a mark against the 24-inch iMac. If you’ve already got a keyboard, mouse, and monitor, it’s hard to stomach paying at least $1,299 for an iMac when you can get similar performance from a $699 Mac mini.

And no matter how capable the M1 is, it still can’t hold a FDQGOH WR WKH FRUH ,QWHO &RUH L DQG $0' 5DGHRQ 3UR 5700 XT graphics card available in the top-end 27-inch iMac we tested, though that model rings up at more than $4,000.

All use speedy SSDs instead of the slower, spinning Fusion Drives that were available on the 21.5inch iMac.

For more on how the 24-inch iMac’s performance stacks up, check out the GHWDLOV RI RXU SHUIRUPDQFH EHQFKPDUN UHVXOWV 7KH ¿UVW JURXS RI WHVWV PHDVXUHV general productivity tasks using the web browser.

7KH VHFRQG JURXS VLPXODWHV PXOWLPHGLD FRQWHQW FUHDWLRQ WDVNV +DQGEUDNH PHDVXUHV YLGHR HQFRGLQJ²YHUVLRQ LV ,QWHO RQO\ ZKLOH WKH EHWD UXQV QDWLYHO\ RQ WKH 0 &LQHEHQFK LV D VWDQG LQ IRU &38 LQWHQVLYH ' UHQGHULQJ²DV ZLWK +DQGEUDNH YHUVLRQ 5 LV ,QWHO RQO\ ZKLOH YHUVLRQ 5 LV 0 QDWLYH $QG our Adobe Photoshop test measures image editing by applying a series of 10 ¿OWHUV DQG H̆HFWV The 24-inch iMac was tested using the M1-native version of Photoshop, while the other M1 Macs were tested with an older Intel version that was the latest available when they were launched. As a result, the 24-inch iMac appears to shows a clear improvement in image editing, although this is likely due almost entirely to Adobe’s software improvements.

The last group of tests measures graphics performance using a mix of standalone benchmark simulations as well as the benchmark tools built into 5LVH RI WKH 7RPE 5DLGHU DQG 7RWDO :DU ,, :DUKDPPHU *DPLQJ LV SRVVLEOH RQ the 24-inch iMac if you turn down the game’s detail settings, but this AIO is far from a graphics powerhouse.

VERDICT: IT’S ALL ABOUT THE PROFILE The 24-inch iMac is a welcome tribute to the iMac’s origins. Color options are just as important now as they were in the late 1990s when you want an AIO that looks good on your kitchen counter. Previous versions of the iMac lost sight of that; it’s good to see a brand-new design for Apple’s mainstream desktop PC. Switching to an external power brick and adopting the M1 processor also confers impressive design changes, from a chassis that’s thinner than earlymodel iPhones to one of the best built-in webcams we’ve seen on any computer. $V IDU DV SULFH DQG FRPSXWLQJ SHUIRUPDQFH LV FRQFHUQHG $SSOH VWLOO KDV TXLWH D ELW RI URRP WR LPSURYH ,Q WKH FRQ¿JXUDWLRQ ZH WHVWHG WKH QHZ L0DF R̆HUV roughly the same performance as an M1-powered Mac mini that costs less than KDOI DV PXFK ,I \RX GRQ¶W PLQG EULQJLQJ \RXU RZQ SHULSKHUDOV LW¶V GL̇FXOW WR argue that any design improvements or camera upgrades are worth that much.

So we’ll continue to recommend the Mac mini for people who need a versatile, mainstream desktop. Meanwhile, if you’re a power user with deep pockets, the Intel Core i9-powered 27-inch iMac is a much better buy in terms of SHUIRUPDQFH IRU WKH GROODU <RX¶OO MXVW KDYH WR EH VDWLV¿HG ZLWK QR FRORU RSWLRQV %XW LI \RX ZDQW D VWDWHPHQW PDNLQJ SHSS\ ORRNLQJ $,2 WKDW ZLOO KDQGOH EDVLF tasks with aplomb and look stunning doing it, the new-gen iMac is plenty SOHDVLQJ LI \RX FDQ VWRPDFK WKH FRVW <RX ZRQ¶W ¿QG DQ $,2 WKDW¶V WULPPHU DQG it sets a formidable goal for future designers to best. We think that the lowerHQG FRQ¿JXUDWLRQV FORVHU WR WKDQ WKH RI RXU WHVW XQLW DUH OLNHO\ to be the best value for most families and home users.

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REVIEWS SOFTWARE

Masterclass: Masterful Online Learning

BY JILL DUFFY

f you drew a Venn diagram showing the best ideas from TED Talks and the high-quality production value from the best television of the past decade, the overlap would be MasterClass, an online learning service in the form of YLGHR OHFWXUHV DQG GHPRQVWUDWLRQV IURP WKH YHU\ WRS WDOHQW LQ PDQ\ ¿HOGV ,W LV ELQJH ZRUWK\ HGXFDWLRQDO DQG WKRXJKW SURYRNLQJ 7KH TXDOLW\ DORQH OHDYHV you whispering, “How is this so good?”

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The cast—or rather, instructor lineup—comprises A-list talent, whether the VXEMHFW LV EDVNHWEDOO 6WHSK &XUU\ RU FXOLQDU\ DUWV $OLFH :DWHUV 6LQFH ZH ODVW reviewed MasterClass in 2019, the instructor group includes more women and people of color, which was an area we previously called out for needing LPSURYHPHQW 7KLV LV D ZHOFRPH GHYHORSPHQW DQG ZH KRSH LW FRQWLQXHV

PRICING 0DVWHU&ODVV R̆HUV RQO\ RQH SODQ W\SH IRU LQGLYLGXDOV DQ DOO DFFHVV SDVV WKDW FRVWV SHU \HDU :LWK DQ DOO access pass, you can watch the entire catalog of content DW DQ\ WLPH RQ DQ\ GHYLFH $V RI WKLV ZULWLQJ WKHUH DUH FRXUVHV ZLWK D IHZ PRUH GXH RXW VRRQ 3UHYLRXVO\ 0DVWHU&ODVV R̆HUHG D PRQWKO\ VXEVFULSWLRQ and also sold access to any single class for a one-time IHH EXW LW QR ORQJHU GRHV 7KHUH¶V QR IUHH WULDO HLWKHU There is a 30-day money back guarantee, but you still have to lay down a credit or debit card and get charged DQG WKHQ LI \RX¶UH XQVDWLV¿HG \RX FDQ UHTXHVW D UHIXQG ,W ZRXOG EH QLFH WR VHH DW OHDVW RQH RWKHU RSWLRQ EHVLGH SHU \HDU 1RQSUR¿W RUJDQL]DWLRQV FDQ DSSO\ IRU D JUDQW WR JHW DFFHVV WR 0DVWHU&ODVV IRU IUHH ,W DOVR R̆HUV JURXS UDWH GLVFRXQWV IRU RUJDQL]DWLRQV WKDW EX\ ¿YH RU PRUH PHPEHUVKLSV DW D WLPH HOW DOES THE PRICING COMPARE? Other, similar non-degree learning courses are priced DOO RYHU WKH PDS 8QOLNH 0DVWHU&ODVV 6NLOOVKDUH KDV D IUHH WLHU RI VHUYLFH ZLWK OLPLWHG FRQWHQW <RX FDQ upgrade to a Premium Skillshare membership, which opens up the catalog to unlimited access, for $8 per PRQWK RU SHU \HDU ,Q WHUPV RI ZKDW LW R̆HUV 6NLOOVKDUH KDV D OLWWOH RI HYHU\WKLQJ <RX FDQ OHDUQ WR sew or write a memoir or create 4D scenes in After (̆HFWV /LQNHG,Q /HDUQLQJ IRUPHUO\ /\QGD FRP JLYHV \RX D PRQWK IRU IUHH WR WU\ RXW WKH VHUYLFH $IWHU WKDW LW FRVWV SHU PRQWK RU SHU \HDU /LQNHG,Q /HDUQLQJ¶V FRQWHQW UDQJHV IURP VRIW EXVLQHVV VNLOOV VXFK DV PDQDJHPHQW WR PRUH WHFKQLFDO RQHV

Masterclass PROS A-list celebrity instructors.

Supremely high production value in videos. Well-thoughtout course structure.

Great breadth of topics.

CONS Video and course run times, as well as year filmed, should be more apparent.

BOTTOM LINE Online learning service MasterClass lures you in with its A-list instructors, then hooks you with thoughtful material and exceptional production values.

The Great Courses Plus costs $20 per month, $45 for three months, or $150 per \HDU 7KH *UHDW &RXUVHV DOVR VHOOV VRPH FRXUVHV LQGLYLGXDOO\ SULFHV YDU\ EXW VWDUW DURXQG HDFK .KDQ $FDGHP\ LV IUHH WKRXJK LW¶V PXFK PRUH IRFXVHG RQ DFDGHPLFV WKDQ DQ\ RI WKH RWKHU OHDUQLQJ VLWHV PHQWLRQHG VR IDU WHAT MAKES MASTERCLASS DIFFERENT? 0DVWHU&ODVV KDV WZR GH¿QLQJ FKDUDFWHULVWLFV WKDW VHW LW DSDUW IURP DQ\ RWKHU RQOLQH OHDUQLQJ V\VWHP )LUVW LV WKH WDOHQW 0DVWHU&ODVV UHFUXLWV $ OLVWHUV DV LWV LQVWUXFWRUV 6WHYH 0DUWLQ WHDFKHV FRPHG\ 1DWDOLH 3RUWPDQ WHDFKHV DFWLQJ 6HUHQD :LOOLDPV WHDFKHV WHQQLV )UDQN *HKU\ WHDFKHV GHVLJQ DQG DUFKLWHFWXUH Second, the classes are supremely high quality in both production value and FRXUVH FRPSRVLWLRQ <RX FDQ WHOO WKDW WKH WHDP DW 0DVWHU&ODVV VSHQGV VLJQL¿FDQW time working with the instructors to create an outline and sequence for each course to follow so that you, the learner, get the right information at the right WLPH &RQFHSWV EXLOG RQ RQH DQRWKHU \RX FDQ¶W OHDUQ WR EODQFK YHJHWDEOHV ZLWKRXW ¿UVW JHWWLQJ DFTXDLQWHG ZLWK WKH WRROV RI WKH NLWFKHQ IRU LQVWDQFH 7KH TXDOLW\ RI WKH VHWV OLJKWLQJ DQG DXGLR DUH HTXDOO\ KLJK :KHQ &KULVWLQD $JXLOHUD WHDFKHV \RX KRZ WR XVH GL̆HUHQW PLFURSKRQHV ZKLOH VLQJLQJ \RX FDQ KHDU HYHU\ example she makes with the mics without losing your grasp on her normal VSHDNLQJ YRLFH ZKHQ VKH¶V H[SODLQLQJ ZKDW VKH¶V GRLQJ

Compared with other online learning sites, MasterClass has fewer courses and a OLPLWHG UDQJH RI WRSLFV 6NLOOVKDUH IRU LQVWDQFH FRYHUV SUDFWLFDOO\ DQ\ VNLOO \RX FDQ WKLQN RI ,W DOVR KDV UHFUXLWHG D IHZ ELJ QDPHV LQFOXGLQJ 5R[DQH *D\ RQ FUHDWLYH QRQ¿FWLRQ DQG $VKOH\ & )RUG RQ SHUVRQDO HVVD\V <RX FDQ DOVR ¿QG SHRSOH ZKR WHDFK PXFK PRUH VSHFL¿F RU QLFKH VNLOOV²KRZ WR LQFUHDVH \RXU SUHVHQFH DV DQ (WV\ VHOOHU VD\ 7KDW VDLG WKHUH¶V QR XQLIRUPLW\ LQ WKH TXDOLW\ RI WKH YLGHRV RU VWUXFWXUH RI WKH FODVVHV WHAT (AND WHO) IS INSIDE MASTERCLASS? 0DVWHU&ODVV R̆HUV QLQH FDWHJRULHV %XVLQHVV 3ROLWLFV 6RFLHW\ 'HVLJQ 3KRWRJUDSK\ )DVKLRQ &XOLQDU\ $UWV )LOP 79 +RPH DQG /LIHVW\OH 0XVLF (QWHUWDLQPHQW 6FLHQFH 7HFKQRORJ\ 6SRUWV *DPHV DQG :ULWLQJ $V RI WKLV ZULWLQJ WKH 6FLHQFH DQG 7HFK FDWHJRU\ KDV MXVW IRXU FRXUVHV &RPPXQLW\ DQG *RYHUQPHQW LV DOVR OLJKW ZLWK RQO\ ¿YH 6RPH FRXUVHV DUH GRXEOH ERRNHG LQWR PRUH WKDQ RQH FDWHJRU\ )RU H[DPSOH DOO WKH )RRG FRXUVHV DUH DOVR OLVWHG LQ +RPH DQG /LIHVW\OH 7KH FDWDORJ VKRZFDVHV SHRSOH DW WKH WRS RI WKHLU ¿HOGV $V PHQWLRQHG UHFRJQLWLRQ LQ WHUPV RI GLYHUVLW\ KDV LPSURYHG VLQFH 0DVWHU&ODVV ¿UVW GHEXWHG 6LPRQH %LOHV LV WKH IDFH RI H[SHUWLVH LQ J\PQDVWLFV /\QQHWWH 0DUUHUR DQG 5\DQ &KHWL\DZDUGDQD WHDFK PL[RORJ\ 7LPEDODQG KDV D FRXUVH RQ PXVLF SURGXFWLRQ DQG EHDWPDNLQJ 1LNL 1DND\DPD WHDFKHV PRGHUQ -DSDQHVH FRRNLQJ

GETTING STARTED WITH MASTERCLASS When you start a course, you can read an overview of everything it contains, LQFOXGLQJ WKH QXPEHU RI YLGHRV DQG DQ\ VXSSOHPHQWDO PDWHULDOV <RX VHH D EUHDNGRZQ RI WKH YLGHRV HDFK ZLWK D WLWOH DQG GHVFULSWLRQ How long are the videos? The runtimes appear on thumbnails of the video LQVLGH WKH FRXUVH :KDW \RX GRQ¶W VHH LV ZKDW \HDU WKH FRXUVH ZDV ¿OPHG ZKLFK ZRXOG EH QLFH WR NQRZ Most lessons are anywhere from 6 to 20 minutes long, and most courses are at OHDVW OHVVRQV ORQJ WKRXJK VRPH DUH PXFK ORQJHU 6RPH FRXUVHV KDYH ERQXV content, too, such as David Lynch explaining transcendental meditation for 17 PLQXWHV XVLQJ GLDJUDPV KH GUDZV ZLWK D 6KDUSLH THE MASTERCLASS EXPERIENCE ,¶YH ZDWFKHG D ORW RI 0DVWHU&ODVV FRXUVHV , VWDUWHG ZLWK 3HQQ DQG 7HOOHU ZKR WHDFK WKH DUW RI PDJLF -RKQQ\ 7KRPSVRQ ZKR SDVVHG DZD\ LQ DOVR VKRZV XS IRU VHYHUDO OHVVRQV +H¶V ZRUWK PHQWLRQLQJ EHFDXVH KH ZDV RQH RI WKH PRVW respected magicians of the last 100 years and a longtime consultant and FROODERUDWRU IRU WKH GXR ,W¶V D IXQ FRXUVH WKDW¶V DV PXFK DERXW VWRU\WHOOLQJ DQG WKH PHDQLQJ RI WUXWK DV LW LV DERXW VOHLJKW RI KDQG 3OHQW\ RI WKH RWKHU 0DVWHU&ODVV FODVVHV KDYH D VLPLODU PHWD QDUUDWLYH 7KH LQVWUXFWRUV RIWHQ YHHU LQWR D VROLORTX\ DERXW WKH PHDQLQJ RI WKHLU FUDIW RU WKH HPRWLRQDO GUDZ RI LW

Penn and Teller invite magic students onto the set to learn and practice DORQJVLGH WKHP <RX VHH FRPPRQ PLVWDNHV WKDW EHJLQQHUV PDNH DQG KRZ WKH SURV FRUUHFW WKHP ZKLFK LV LQFUHGLEO\ KHOSIXO 6RPH YLGHRV LQ WKLV SDUWLFXODU VHULHV FRPH ZLWK 3')V WKDW VXPPDUL]H WKH OHVVRQ )RU RWKHU FRXUVHV \RX PLJKW ¿QG UHFLSH 3')V RU DQ HQWLUH FRXUVH ERRNOHW Later videos in the course on magic bring in more experienced performers, and \RX JHW WR ZDWFK 3HQQ 7HOOHU DQG 7KRPSVRQ HVVHQWLDOO\ ZRUNVKRS ZLWK WKHP $JDLQ WKH EHQH¿W IRU \RX WKH YLHZHU LV WR VHH ZKDW NLQG RI IHHGEDFN WKH SURV JLYH DQG KRZ WKH\ FROODERUDWH ZLWK WKH SHUIRUPHUV )LQDOO\ \RX JHW WR ZDWFK D IHZ DFWV IURP WKH 3HQQ DQG 7HOOHU VKRZ ,W¶V WKH SD\R̆ PRPHQW ZKHQ \RX VHH the craft, philosophical underpinnings, and showmanship culminate on the VWDJH <RX FDQ ¿QG YHUVLRQV RI VRPH RI WKHVH WULFNV RQ <RX7XEH XVXDOO\ WDSHG for television, but on MasterClass you get the full theatrical performance at its ¿QHVW :DWFKLQJ WKH FUDIW DW LWV PRVW UH¿QHG ZKLOH XQGHUVWDQGLQJ WKH SUDFWLFH DQG FDUH WKDW JRHV LQWR LW LV WUXH EHDXW\ , JREEOHG XS WKLV FRXUVH LQ WZR GD\V )URP WKHUH , PRYHG RQWR $OLFH :DWHUV WHDFKLQJ KRPH FRRNLQJ +HU FRXUVH FRXOGQ¶W EH EHWWHU IRU EHJLQQHU FRRNV ZKR DUH ORRNLQJ IRU WKH FRQ¿GHQFH WR IHHO FRPIRUWDEOH LQ WKH NLWFKHQ :DWHUV LQVLVWV RQ ¿OPLQJ LQ KHU KRPH NLWFKHQ 6KH EULQJV KHU GDXJKWHU LQ IRU D IHZ VHJPHQWV 7KH\ WDON DERXW HDWLQJ VHDVRQDOO\ DQG VKDUH VWRULHV RI GL̆HUHQW GLVKZDUH DQG FRRNZDUH LQ WKHLU KRPH ,W¶V D ORW RI ³ZK\´ EHKLQG FRRNLQJ :K\ FKRRVH WKLV LQJUHGLHQW" :K\ SDLU WKHVH ÀDYRUV" 7KH FRXUVH LV ZDUP DQG JHQWOH WKURXJK DQG WKURXJK , SROLVKHG R̆ WKLV FODVV LQ WZR GD\V DV ZHOO WKRXJK , DGPLW , ZDWFKHG VRPH RI WKH YLGHRV RQ VSHHG ,I WKHUH KDG EHHQ D VSHHG 6NLOOVKDUH KDV WKDW 0DVWHU&ODVV GRHV QRW , PLJKW KDYH used it more, as Waters speaks very slowly and diverges into stories or takes 20 PLQXWHV WR ZDVK OHWWXFH

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MasterClass offers special live broadcasted events, such as a recent talk with author Dan Brown and poetry slams.

REVIEWS SOFTWARE

Movavi Video Editor Plus: Fun, Good-Looking Video Production

BY MICHAEL MUCHMORE

ovavi’s goal for its video-editing software is to enable simple movie and clip creation, avoiding the sometimes needless complexity of the competition. That sounds great, but does it pan out in practice?

After all, creating compelling videos often requires lots of advanced tools and FDSDELOLWLHV <RX DOVR ZDQW D SURJUDP WKDW¶V UHVSRQVLYH DQG UHQGHUV WKH ¿QDO product quickly. The short answer? Yes. Movavi Video Editor Plus is one of the best we’ve seen at packing a lot of capability into a non-intimidating interface.

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PRICING You can get Movavi Video Editor Plus for a one-time payment of $59.95 or as part of a suite subscription that includes other Movavi applications. It’s a good deal, compared with the going rate of $99 to $129 for the likes of Adobe Premiere Elements and CyberLink PowerDirector. The Movavi Video Suite adds a format converter, screen recording, and photo editor for $79.95 per year or a one-time payment of $199.95. The Movavi Unlimited plan ($129.95 per year or a one-time cost of $259.95) adds photo and PDF editing.

Movavi runs on both macOS (version 10.10 and later) and Windows (from XP to 10). It’s available in the Mac App Store but not in the Microsoft Store, unfortunately.

In a good harbinger for performance, Movavi installs about as quickly as a web browser and takes up a very reasonable 280MB of hard drive space. Most consumer video-editing software requires more than a gigabyte of storage these days.

As soon as you start the app, the upsells appear, with (̆HFW 3DFNV RQ R̆HU UDQJLQJ LQ SULFH IURP WR $39.95. You could, of course, just buy the whole lot with the Unlimited subscription plan. The same window that VKRZV WKHVH DGV GRHV R̆HU XVHIXO WXWRULDO YLGHRV however. Fortunately, this popup appeared only the ¿UVW WLPH , UDQ WKH SURJUDP WKRXJK D 1RWL¿FDWLRQ EHOO icon at the bottom-right corner of the program window led to this promotional dialog on subsequent runs.

A PLEASING INTERFACE Movavi Video Editor Plus is refreshingly uncomplicated and labels every element clearly. Buttons down the left rail move you between modes for Importing, Filters, Transitions, Titles, Stickers, and more. The last group includes important features such as Color Adjustments,

Movavi Video Editor Plus PROS Easy-tounderstand user interface. Transitions with sound. Motion tracking and picturein-picture tools.

Chroma keying. Quick movie-creation tool.

CONS Lacks advanced trim modes and clip pre-trimming.

Rendering on the slow side. Not compatible with Apple Silicon M1.

BOTTOM LINE Movavi packs a lot of video editing power into a clear, simple interface. You get PiP, chroma key, titling, basic keyframing, and even motion tracking.

It’s not quite as feature-packed or fast as some of the competition, but it lets you easily produce attractive work.

Crop and Rotate, Pan and Zoom, Stabilization, Slow Motion, and Chroma Keying. I’d put those above Stickers (fun as they are) if I were designing the program, though.

The Import mode includes sections not only for importing but also the traditional Media bin that includes all project content, as well as for sounds, PXVLF VDPSOH YLGHRV EDFNJURXQGV DQG H̆HFW SDFNDJHV The main section layout of the program resembles that of most video-editing software, with a source box at top-left, timeline tracks along the full width of the bottom half of the window, and a preview player at top-right. You can undock only the video-preview panel, but the relative size of the other panels is adjustable.

Above the timeline, which doesn’t limit the number of tracks you can add, are buttons for Split, Rotate, Crop, Color Adjustments, Clip Properties, Markers, Record Video, and Record Audio. You can stop and start playback with the spacebar and rescale the timeline with the mouse wheel + Ctrl key. Movavi supports some keyboard shortcuts, though not the standard pro J, K, and L for playback and I and O for in and out edits.

The Undo feature is impressive in that it works between sessions. That means I can close a project and still undo previous actions the next time I open it.

STARTING A PROJECT To start your video project, tap the Add Files button or simply drag media from )LOH ([SORUHU RU )LQGHU $IWHU \RX DGG WKH ¿UVW PHGLD D WXWRULDO RYHUOD\ VKRZV what the parts of the interface are for. To add a clip to the timeline, simply double-click it. You can also drag it, or choose Add to current position, beginning, end, or after the current clip from a right-click menu—which is very convenient.

0RYDYL VXSSRUWV PRVW FRPPRQ YLGHR ¿OH IRUPDWV , KDG QR WURXEOH LPSRUWLQJ the H.265 content newer iPhones can shoot. You can also use the program’s integrated video-capture utility to record from a connected webcam or camera.

One feature vloggers and YouTubers should appreciate is Intro mode. This lets you create preset sequences to use at the start of all your videos, ensuring channel consistency.

Pros may miss the ability to pre-trim clips before dropping them into the timeline, but that shouldn’t bother hobbyists. The same goes for trimming—you don’t get options such as slip, slide, and roll. It’s simply trimming ends or splitting clips. Again, this isn’t likely to annoy amateurs. You trim clips on the timeline by dragging their edges in, which immediately snaps the new, shorter clip to its neighbor on the timeline.

0RYDYL R̆HUV D ODUJH VHOHFWLRQ RI FRRO WUDQVLWLRQV ZLWK LQ DSS SXUFKDVHV RI more available. There are two ways to work with transitions. One is to switch to 7UDQVLWLRQ PRGH ZKHUH \RX VHH WKXPEQDLOV VKRZLQJ WKH WUDQVLWLRQ H̆HFWV LQ action. You can also click the Transitions button above the timeline to choose a WUDQVLWLRQ IURP D GURSGRZQ OLVW RQ WKH 7UDQVLWLRQ (̆HFWV SDJH ZKLFK DOVR houses the Pan and Zoom features. <RX FDQ DSSO\ UDQGRP WUDQVLWLRQV WKURXJKRXW WKH SURMHFW XVH D VSHFL¿F transition for all clip joins, or choose which transition is applied to the selected clip. You can also set the duration, and one nice thing for amateurs is that the program never scolds you about not having enough overlapping footage—it just creates a good-looking transition with what’s on your timeline. One oddity, however, is that the interface lets you select more than one transition, so you QHHG WR XQFKHFN DOO EXW WKH RQH \RX ZDQW WR DSSO\ WR D VSHFL¿F HGLW

CORRECTING AND ENHANCING VIDEOS 0RYDYL¶V )LOWHUV PRGH OHWV \RX DSSO\ DGMXVWPHQWV EOXU FRORU ¿OWHUV YLJQHWWHV DQG PRUH H̆HFWV 7KH SURJUDP SURYLGHV D JRRG VHOHFWLRQ RI VDPSOH YLGHR DQG audio, most of which it downloads after you click on them. A search box lets you ¿QG DQ\ RI WKH H̆HFWV RU WUDQVLWLRQV The real fun starts in the More Tools section (note that it changes to All Tools ZKHQ \RX HQWHU LW +HUH LV ZKHUH \RX¶OO ¿QG WKH RYHUOD\V VWDELOL]DWLRQ animation, chroma key, and audio tools. The Animation page’s Advanced tab KROGV WKH SURJUDP¶V RQO\ NH\IUDPH HGLWLQJ RSWLRQ ZKLFK LV ¿QH .H\IUDPH HGLWLQJ ZKLFK OHWV \RX PDUN H[DFWO\ ZKHUH RQ WKH WLPHOLQH DQ H̆HFW VKRXOG start and stop, is limited to size, position, opacity, and rotation, but that’s a plus for the program’s ease-of-use objective. On the other hand, those who ZDQW WRWDO FRQWURO RYHU H̆HFWV DQG SRVLWLRQV VKRXOG FRQVLGHU XVLQJ 3RZHU'LUHFWRU RU 3LQQDFOH 6WXGLR ZKLFK OHW \RX WLPH HYHU\ H̆HFW DQG HGLW you apply with keyframes.

7KH 2YHUOD\ VHFWLRQ OHWV \RX DSSO\ SLFWXUH LQ SLFWXUH H̆HFWV ZLWK YLGHR FOLSV that overlap on the timeline in separate tracks. You don’t get all the videoFROODJH WHPSODWHV WKDW VRPH RWKHU VRIWZDUH R̆HUV EXW \RX GR JHW D IHZ DQG \RX can resize and position the pictures to taste. A plus is the guide that appears when your inner picture is centered either horizontally or vertically.

The Stabilization tool lets you set the accuracy and shaking parameters and WKHQ SUHYLHZ WKH UHVXOWV , ZDV LPSUHVVHG ZLWK LWV H̆HFWLYHQHVV RQ D WHVW FOLS even a severe shake was smoothed out, and the overall feel of the video was calmer than the original.

Speed editing happens in two places. The Clip Properties panel has a Speed slider that lets you adjust the clip speed from 10% to 1,000%. The Slow Motion option simply lets you reduce the speed. Though it’s not on either of these SDQHOV \RX FDQ DGG D IUHH]H IUDPH H̆HFW E\ ULJKW FOLFNLQJ ZLWK WKH FXUVRU RQ D clip in the timeline and choosing Insert Freeze Frame. Reversing playback is also possible on the Clip Properties panel.

Motion tracking takes place in the Highlight and Conceal section of All Tools, but you can use it for text and stickers as well. First, you choose a mask that can be either a black shape or a blurred shape. You then have choices for feathering, opacity, and whether you want the shape to appear as an outline. Then comes the tracking, which can be either Quick or Precise. The latter wasn’t that slow in my testing, and it actually stayed with the tracked subject after she passed behind a telephone pole.

The Chroma Key tool starts with green as the key, but a dropper lets you use any background color in the shot. You can also adjust the tolerance, noise, edges, and opacity. It works, but not as well as with some competitors. Corel VideoStudio, for example, lets you choose more than one background color to key out.

INSTANT MOVIES Movavi’s Montage Wizard lets you throw some media at the program and have it build a movie for you automatically, complete with a background soundtrack.

You start by choosing Create Quick Video and adding your media. You then get a selection of templates including Family, Memories, and Travel, and you can view a preview of the template’s look and feel before you use it. The last step is to choose the music mood you’re looking for before you preview your video.

The tool adds striking titles to the start and end of the movie, and though it’s QRW YHU\ FXVWRPL]DEOH LW GRHV D GHFHQW MRE IRU WKH OHDVW DPRXQW RI H̆RUW ,W FDQ HYHQ ¿W WKH PXVLF WR \RXU FRQWHQW DQG ¿OO WKH EODFN VLGH EDUV WKDW UHVXOW IURP shooting with a smartphone in portrait orientation. After creating the project, you can edit the creation in the full editor, save it as is, or upload it to YouTube or Vimeo.

TITLES AND TEXT You get a plentiful choice of tasteful and sassy titles, many with animation. As noted above, you can motion-track titles. Resizing them and moving them around the preview screen, thankfully, is WYSIWYG—something not all editors are capable of.

You get a wealth of font and color choices, and you can choose a background color and outline (aka stroke). Once a title looks to your taste, you can save it as D SUHVHW 6RPH RI WKH WLWOHV KDYH EDVLF DQLPDWLRQV LQFOXGLQJ À\E\ DQG ]RRP

AUDIO A line on the timeline track lets you lower or raise clip volume—a capability Adobe Premiere Rush lacks. You expand the Audio Editing entry in All Tools to get to the relevant controls.

Impressively, a Synchronization option lets you shoot IURP WZR GL̆HUHQW FDPHUDV²WKH ¿UVW VWHS WRZDUGV multicam editing, which Movavi lacks. There’s also an HTXDOL]HU DQG QLQH H̆HFWV LQFOXGLQJ (FKR 0ẌHG Telephone, and Robot. Other programs, such as Adobe 3UHPLHUH 3UR OHW \RX VLPXODWH GL̆HUHQW DFRXVWLF environments, such as a cathedral or stadium. Finally, Movavi includes a Beat Detect feature that adds markers DW EHDW SRLQWV WR KHOS \RX SODFH HGLWV DQG H̆HFWV PERFORMANCE Movavi did pause occasionally when I was working with four-clip, picture-in-picture content, but it was responsive on the whole for normal editing. It was also stable: I experienced no crashes at all while working with it— something that’s unfortunately rare in the video-editing software world, even with apps from big companies like Apple, whose Final Cut software used to crash frequently.

Movavi uses graphics hardware acceleration with all three PDMRU *38V ,QWHO 1YLGLD DQG $0' ,W DOVR FUHDWHV proxies for high-resolution content for faster editing. In my video project rendering text, the program turned in decent if not leading numbers. For the test, I created a ¿YH PLQXWH PRYLH FRQVLVWLQJ RI IRXU FOLSV RI PL[HG W\SHV (some 1080p, some SD, some 4K) with a standard set of transitions and rendered it to 1080p30 MPEG-4 at 0ESV + +LJK 3UR¿OH , UDQ WKH WHVW WKUHH WLPHV DQG WRRN WKH JHRPHWULF PHDQ ZKLFK PLQLPL]HV WKH H̆HFW RI outliers). I tested on a PC running 64-bit Windows 10 Pro with a 3.4GHz Core i7 6700 CPU, 16GB RAM, and an 1YLGLD *H)RUFH *7; ZLWK *% *''5 5$0

MOVAVI ON THE MAC The Apple macOS version of Movavi Video Editor Plus has feature parity with the Windows version, and happily, it’s available on the Mac App Store, to ease installation, updating, and use on multiple computers. Movavi’s system requirements state that the software requires an Intel-based Mac, but I had to test on an M1-based MacBook Air, since my Intel-based MacBook Pro succumbed to a fatal error while running Final Cut Pro. The program looked the same as on Windows, but there was an issue with previewing any video content aside from that shot on an iPhone. In Movavi on the M1-based Mac, video previews became still images, aside from content shot on the iPhone. The audio played normally, but I was unable to render the test project. A Movavi rep told me that M1 native support would come “in a while,” and I’ll update this review with testing results once the update drops.

MOVING PICTURES WITH MOVAVI? I really enjoyed using Movavi Video Editor Plus for testing during this review and recommend it for consumers who want to create fun, good-looking videos.

Unlike many consumer video editors, it’s not intimidating and overloaded with RSWLRQV \HW LW VWLOO R̆HUV PRVW RI WKH DGYDQFHG WHFKQLTXHV SHRSOH ZDQW including chroma keying, transitions, title text, picture-in-picture, music and audio editing, and even motion tracking. It’s not the fastest at rendering SURMHFWV DQG RFFDVLRQDOO\ SUHVHQWV XSVHOOV DQG LQ DSS R̆HUV EXW WKRVH DUHQ¶W major drawbacks.

For the most power and performance in video editing software, check out our Editors’ Choice winners, CyberLink PowerDirector and Corel VideoStudio Pro. On the Mac, for easy editing, stick with iMovie, and for advanced work, look to Final Cut Pro.

PC MAGAZINE DIGITAL EDITION

I SUBSCRIBE I

JULY 2021

FEATURES

BY ERIC GRIFFITH

The work-from-home era has truly arrived.

Fast broadband internet that keeps you productive as well as entertained is paramount. No matter where you live in the country, we’ve pinpointed the ISP that can meet your need for speed. very year at this time, we pull data collected from the PCMag Speed Test and crunch the numbers for download and upload throughput to GHWHUPLQH ZKLFK EURDGEDQG LQWHUQHW VHUYLFH SURYLGHUV ,63V R̆HU WKH best speed, period—both national and regional. Let’s see what surprises await in 2021.

E

WINNERS: THE FASTEST ISPs IN THE UNITED STATES MAJOR ISPs Fios by Verizon 2YHU WKH ODVW GHFDGH 9HUL]RQ¶V ¿EHU WR WKH KRPH VHUYLFH KDV ZRQ QXPHURXV PCMag Readers’ Choice awards from those who use it. And the results from our PCMag Speed Test demonstrate why Fios has also been one of our top fastest ,63V QLQH WLPHV LQ WKH ODVW GHFDGH 7KLV \HDU WKH RQO\ GL̆HUHQFH LV WKDW PDMRU cable providers are edging closer to the kind of speed only Fios once seemed capable of on such a massive scale.

ALL ISPs Empire Access 7KLV OLWWOH FRPSDQ\ LQ 1HZ <RUN¶V FHQWUDO VRXWKHUQ WLHU ZLWK VRPH UHDFK LQWR northern Pennsylvania, has been around for 125 years. Now Empire Access also FODLPV WKH WLWOH RI WKH IDVWHVW ,63 LQ WKH 86 :H¶YH VHHQ VLQJOH PXQLFLSDOLW\ networks crank out the speed in the past, but this year they all fell to this small FRPSDQ\ WKDW SURYLGHV ¿EHU RSWLF VHUYLFH WR VHYHUDO VPDOO WRZQV (PSLUH $FFHVV speeds are so epic, even Google can’t keep up.

HOW WE RATE ISP SPEEDS You can skip this part if you already have a keen understanding of how we calculate an index to rate speed. But if you don’t, give this a read; the charts below will help illustrate our method.

“Internet speed” is a measure of the throughput from your computer to a web server (upload) and from a web server to your computer (download). A lot of online tools can help you measure speed. For this story, the only one that matters is the personalized PCMag Speed Test, because we want speeds as measured by the PCMag community.

Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings. Similarly, whenever a person clicks Go on the PCMag Speed Test, it collects information on your ISP’s download and upload speed, plus a lot of other information—such as your IP DGGUHVV DV DVVLJQHG WR \RX E\ \RXU ,63 ZKLFK LV XVHG WR FRQ¿UP \RXU ORFDWLRQ and ISP’s name.

Since this is all about speed, we look hard at the averages for download and upload speeds in megabits per second. We then combine them and spit them back out using a formula that takes 80% of the download number and 20% of the upload. That combined rating is the PCMag Speed Index (PSI). It lets us compare ISPs head to head.

You’ll see the PSI referenced in the charts below, indicated via the blue bars. They’ll show the top 10 ISPs or the top 10 locations based on the PSI, depending on what we’re trying to convey and how much data we have available. $OPRVW DOO WKH ,63V LQ RXU OLVW DUH ¿[HG ZLUHG SURYLGHUV That means they run a wire right up to your house, DSDUWPHQW RU ṘFH XVLQJ WHFKQRORJ\ VXFK DV ¿EHU optics, coaxial cable, or copper phone lines. (That last one is used for DSL, which is slow; you won’t see any '6/ SURYLGHUV LQ WKLV OLVW XQOHVV WKH\ DOVR R̆HU VRPHWKLQJ HOVH WKDW R̆VHWV WKH VOXJJLVKQHVV $ IHZ DUH XVLQJ ZKDW¶V FDOOHG ¿[HG ZLUHOHVV DQG \RX¶OO VHH RQH LQ particular that stands out.

More and more people are using their mobile wireless SURYLGHU DV DQ ,63²ERWK 9HUL]RQ DQG 7 0RELOH DUH VHOOLQJ LQ KRPH LQWHUQHW ZLWK WKHLU WRZHUV DV WKH connectors—but this method doesn’t yet have the throughput to compete for the fastest ISP, despite all WKH SURPLVH RI * $QG ¿QDOO\ WKHUH DUH VDWHOOLWH EDVHG ISPs with big reach (the signal can cover the whole country). They tend to be incredibly slow—but read on to see what the hot new player in the market may be doing to change that.

Note that for any ISP or location to be included in this story, it has to receive a minimum of 100 tests. We don’t

Since this is all about speed, we look hard at the averages for download and upload speeds in megabits per second.

even look at an ISP in a given place or look at a given location unless the count is 100 or more; this keeps comparisons as fair and valid as possible. So your ORFDO ,63 PD\ EH VXSHU IDVW EXW VWLOO QRW LQFOXGHG LQ RXU OLVW RI WKH IDVWHVW DQG that’s your fault, because you and your neighbors didn’t click on the PCMag Speed Test often enough. (Also, sometimes ISPs overwhelm our test data, which you can read about below.)

This is the 11th time we’ve run this story with this same methodology (described below), but one point bears repeating: The data we have is about speed only. We GRQ¶W JHW LQIR RQ SULFLQJ :H FDQ¶W TXDOLI\ GL̆HUHQW WLHUV RI DQ ,63 YHUVXV DQRWKHU ,Q VRPH FDVHV ZH FDQ¶W HYHQ QHFHVVDULO\ GL̆HUHQWLDWH EHWZHHQ DQ ,63¶V WHFKQRORJ\ R̆HULQJV²VRPH PLJKW KDYH '6/ VSHHGV PL[HG ZLWK ¿EHU VSHHGV (that’s on those ISPs to update their information with the GeoIP services out there, such as MaxMind, that power these tests). In the cases where we can GHWHUPLQH WKH GLVWLQFWLRQ LW PDNHV DOO WKH GL̆HUHQFH²WKDW¶V ZK\ 9HUL]RQ )LRV can come out well ahead of Verizon Internet, for example, instead of generic Verizon getting a mediocre speed index.

THE FASTEST ISPs FOR THE US FOR 2021 :KHQ LW FRPHV WR ,63V WKHUH DUH TXLWH D IHZ PDMRU SOD\HUV DQG D JDUJDQWXDQ number of smaller providers. The CIA World Factbook says the US alone has over 7,000 ISPs, but that includes every possible permutation; BroadbandNow FODLPV WKHUH DUH DV RI WKLV ZULWLQJ R̆HULQJ EURDGEDQG 7KDW¶V VWLOO D ORW <HW WKHUH¶V VR OLWWOH FRPSHWLWLRQ &KDQFHV DUH LI \RX KDYH DQ ,63 WKDW¶V D PDMRU SOD\HU²ZLWK VD\ PLOOLRQV RI FXVWRPHUV DQG D PXOWL VWDWH UHDFK²LW KDV DOUHDG\ squeezed out the rest, or at least tried. If you’ve got decent broadband from a VPDOO ,63 WKH\¶UH SUREDEO\ ¿OOLQJ D PXFK QHHGHG QLFKH LQ \RXU DUHD ,I \RX JHW to pick and choose between multiple ISPs, you’re one of the few lucky ones.

:KHQ LW FRPHV WR PDMRU ,63V RQH FKRLFH DOZD\V VWDQGV out in our tests, and that’s Fios by Verizon (aka Verizon Fios). This is the ninth win of the decade for Fios, despite the fact that its PCMag Speed Index has been decreasing since 2019. )LRV¶ VSHHG GURS ZDVQ¶W HQRXJK WR NLFN LW RXW RI ¿UVW place. But like last year, other vendors—in particular, the big cable providers—are making gains as they upgrade equipment (at least in some areas where the competition UHTXLUHV WKHP WR NHHS XS &RPFDVW¶V ;¿QLW\ VHUYLFH FUHSW up from last year’s PSI of 136.0 to 139.6 to hold onto VHFRQG SODFH 7KH ELJJHVW MXPS ZDV OLNHO\ PDGH E\ RXU QHZ WKLUG SODFH ZLQQHU 6SDUNOLJKW IRUPHUO\ &DEOH 2QH

coming in with a 124.4 PSI, after not even making it into the top 10 last year. Back in 2019, its PSI was only 59.8, so it’s more than doubled its speed in two years. Thanks to that improvement and a slight dip in RCN’s index down to 121.7, RCN slipped to fourth place. Rounding out WKH WRS ¿YH &R[ &RPPXQLFDWLRQV HDUQHG D HQRXJK to push down AT&T Fiber.

In general, you probably won’t be too upset with the speeds you receive from any of the above companies. But the bigger the company (and the fewer competitors it has), the less likely it is to keep speed increases coming.

(Yet it’ll probably keep those price increases coming!)

That’s why we always recommend that you consider smaller ISPs, if you have the option—in particular, those GRLQJ ¿EHU RSWLF LQVWDOOV To factor in the smaller ISP companies, many of which are now run by towns and cities or even by local utility companies, we always look at all the ISPs in our data (again, assuming we got 100 tests from them). We’ve given this award in the past to ISPs that serve cities big and small and even some with a niche reach, such as SURYLGLQJ ¿EHU RQO\ WR DSDUWPHQWV DQG FRQGRV

This is the ninth win of the decade for Fios, despite the fact that its PCMag Speed Index has been decreasing.

For 2021, the best PCMag Speed Index score goes to a small company doing its best to wire up a large number of small towns: Empire Access in upstate New York, with installs reaching from Batavia, NY, down into Pennsylvania. We didn’t get enough tests to measure any individual town for Empire Access use alone, but cumulatively pulling down a stellar index of 366.2 on average for over a year is no small feat. If you’re in one of the locations where Empire competes (mainly with Spectrum), you’re likely in luck when it comes to the velocity of your broadband.

Not bad for a company that’s never made our Fastest ISPs list before. But it did come in second in our “Best Gaming ISPs of 2021” competition earlier this year, which is also based on the PCMag Speed Test.

Google Fiber ZDV RQFH WKH JUHDW KRSH IRU PDQ\ PXQLFLSDOLWLHV VHHNLQJ ¿EHU service, until it slowed expansion plans considerably in 2016. But it’s still in VHUYLFH LQ PDMRU FLWLHV ZKLOH LWV :HE3DVV ¿[HG ZLUHOHVV VHUYLFH XVHG E\ VRPH PXOWL GZHOOLQJ XQLWV DSDUWPHQWV DQG FRQGRV LV LQ VHYHQ FLWLHV *RRJOH )LEHU¶V VSHHGV PL[HG KHUH ZLWK :HE3DVV WHVWV HDUQ LW WKH VHFRQG SODFH VSRW IRU WKH year, though it’s number one in many regions of the country. But Google Fiber hasn’t won a top award since 2016. As of 2020, it’s expanding again, a little, in West Des Moines, Iowa, and Utah, so maybe it’ll bounce back.

Nextlight keeps it consistent. The provider for the city of Longmont, Colorado, has stayed in third or fourth place now for years, but its speeds have dropped. /DVW \HDU¶V IRXUWK SODFH LQGH[ LV QRZ WKLV \HDU¶V WKLUG SODFH

What of previous winners? Last year’s big winner, Cedar Falls Utilities (CFU), fell from an astronomically high PSI of 1,350.4 to 213.4. It’s hard to say which one is the blip until we see numbers again next year. Hopefully, for the folks in that Iowa town, 2020 was the issue (too many users at home?), and the score will rise again. That said, CFU is still in our top 10 this year, in a comfy seventh place. Sonic, the Bay Area provider that was the big winner two years ago at 610.6, has fallen steadily since. This year, its 202.5 score earned it tenth place.

Other services that made our top 10 are familiar, including EPB in Chattanooga, 71 WKH FRXQWU\¶V ¿UVW ³*LJDELW &LW\´ %XW D FRXSOH RI HQWULHV DOVR ZRUWK mentioning are MonkeyBrains, which is producing some amazing speeds in the San Francisco Bay Area—enough to come in ninth ahead of direct competitor Sonic. What’s really amazing is that MonkeyBrains is getting that speed using ¿[HG ZLUHOHVV WHFK $QG LQ IRXUWK SODFH LV 7LQJ D ¿EHU WR WKH SUHPLVHV SURYLGHU found in a few select “Ting Towns” in six states. It launched in 2012 as an 0912 DQG VWDUWHG R̆HULQJ ¿EHU LQ FASTEST SATELLITE ISPs Before we look at the ISPs by region in the US, let’s look at some uniquely FRXQWU\ ZLGH SURYLGHUV 6DWHOOLWH WHFKQRORJ\ FDQ HVVHQWLDOO\ UHDFK DQ\ VWDWH in the union and beyond—as long as no trees are blocking the signal, and it isn’t raining.

In the past, there was no need to mention the word “satellite” when it came to the fastest ISPs in the land, because the technology of the existing satellite providers has never, ever come close to producing service that anyone would call speedy. But that might be changing.

SpaceX’s Starlink service has caught on as the next big hope for internet connectivity, with a reach better than even the mobile network carriers and speeds that could rival the big broadband providers. But these are early days, so it remains to be seen whether Starlink (and future competitors, such as $PD]RQ¶V 3URMHFW .XLSHU ZLOO GHOLYHU 'HVSLWH 6WDUOLQN EDUHO\ EHLQJ R̆ WKH JURXQG HQRXJK FXVWRPHUV XVHG WKH 3&0DJ Speed Test this year to allow us to assign the service a PCMag Speed Index VFRUH :KLOH LW¶V QRW JRLQJ WR PDNH DQ\ ¿EHU SURYLGHUV TXDNH LW VKRZV SURPLVH Starlink managed a 70.8 PSI. That’s 4.3 times faster than the next satellite

LQWHUQHW SURYLGHU 9LDVDW $QG LW¶V QRW IDU EHORZ D PDMRU FDEOH FRPSDQ\² Spectrum earned a 101.1 nationwide.

,W¶V XQOLNHO\ DQ\RQH LV JRLQJ WR GURS DQ H[LVWLQJ ¿[HG ZLUHG ,63 IRU VDWHOOLWH service of any kind. But for the people out there waiting for Starlink to go PDLQVWUHDP WKLV VFRUH LV DQRWKHU ORJ WR WKURZ RQ WKH ¿UH RI KRSH WKDW LW FRXOG SRWHQWLDOO\ VROYH GLJLWDO GLYLGH LVVXHV FASTEST ISPS BY REGION Looking at ISPs nationwide doesn’t help much when some ISPs cover multiple states and others barely reach around the corner. To narrow things down, we look at how services compare in six regions of the US where competition has a better chance.

NORTH CENTRAL Includes: IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, and WI

Last year, when Cedar Falls Utilities (CFU) earned a 1,350.4 PSI, it was unbeatable. This year, in its home region, it got thumped. Google Fiber SUHYLRXVO\ FDUULHG WKH QRUWK FHQWUDO 86 ZLWK D VFRUH RI LQ DQG LW¶V back on top this year with 297.4, an excellent showing.

NORTHEAST Includes: CT, DC, DE, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VA, VT, and WV

,Q 6XGGHQOLQN MXPSHG RXW LQ IURQW EXW WKH LW HDUQHG EDFN WKHQ KDV fallen to 108.5 in 2021. Even if it had sustained that speed, it would have fallen behind the two leaders this year. Empire Access (see above) has the same score here as it does in our “all ISPs” coverage (a massive 366.2 PSI), since it serves VPDOO WRZQV LQ MXVW WZR QRUWKHDVWHUQ VWDWHV 7KH VHFRQG SODFH VSRW JRHV WR *R1HWVSHHG D ¿EHU SURYLGHU LQ VHOHFW PDUNHWV RI 3HQQV\OYDQLD DQG Connecticut, with a 193.9 PSI. NORTHWEST Includes: CO, ID, MT, OR, UT, WA, and WY

)RU WZR \HDUV LQ D URZ /RQJPRQW¶V 1H[W/LJKW DQG &RPFDVW ;¿QLW\ UXOHG WKH stretch of states in the northwest. For 2021, scores for both dropped. That gave WZR SURYLGHUV D FKDQFH WR VWHS XS *RRJOH )LEHU¶V DKHDG RI IRXUWK SODFH &RPFDVW this time. But at the very top, we welcome Ting. Its scores in Colorado and Idaho alone were enough to put it on top with an index of 300.2. NextLight is close, though, at 289.1.

SOUTH CENTRAL Includes: AR, LA, MS, OK, and TX

Google Fiber covers only two cities in Texas (Austin and San Antonio), but WKDW¶V HQRXJK WR JLYH LW VXSUHPDF\ LQ WKH VRXWK FHQWUDO UHJLRQ RI WKH 86 7KH 360.4 PSI it earned is a big leap up from the 277.9 it won the region with last \HDU DQG PRUH WKDQ GRXEOH WKDW RI WKH QH[W EHVW SURYLGHU & 6SLUH )LEHU ZKLFK LV KHDGTXDUWHUHG LQ 0LVVLVVLSSL WKLV LV & 6SLUH¶V ¿UVW \HDU LQ RXU UHVXOWV

SOUTHEAST Includes: AL, FL, GA, NC, SC, and TN

The southeastern states continue to be a Google Fiber (plus WebPass) stronghold. This year, the combo took the lead in the region with a score of 288.5, besting previous winner Hotwire, which earned 248.2 this year—a pretty big drop from last year’s winning PSI of 473.8. Ting also had another good VKRZLQJ KHUH ZLWK D WKLUG SODFH VFRUH DQG ORRN DW WKDW XSORDG VSHHG

SOUTHWEST Includes: AZ, NM, NV, and CA

The southwest states have become a battleground based entirely in the San Francisco Bay Area, where multiple vendors compete to provide the best speed WR WKH KLJK WHFK FXVWRPHUV ZKR OLYH WKHUH 7ZR \HDUV LQ D URZ 6RQLF WKH LQFXPEHQW ¿EHU SURYLGHU FUXVKHG ELJJHU QDPHV LQFOXGLQJ &RPFDVW DQG Suddenlink. But this year, it fell short of beating a newcomer—MonkeyBrains.

7KH IDFW WKDW D ¿[HG ZLUHOHVV FRPSDQ\ FDQ GHOLYHU ZKDW 0RQNH\%UDLQV GRHV YLD dishes mounted on top of buildings isn’t anything new, but it’s cause for hope WKDW PD\EH ¿EHU WR WKH KRPH LVQ¶W WKH RQO\ VROXWLRQ IRU WUXH VSHHG HAWAII AND ALASKA :H GRQ¶W JHW D ORW RI WHVW UHVXOWV IURP WKH QRQ FRQWLJXRXV 86 VWDWHV EXW ZH JHW HQRXJK WR PHDVXUH WKHLU PDMRU SURYLGHUV ,Q $ODVND WKDW¶V *&, /DVW \HDU LW KDG D WKHQ UHFRUG KLJK 36, RI WKLV \HDU LW VHW D QHZ UHFRUG RI 7KLV score might become even higher, as the company has committed to bring JLJDELW LQWHUQHW VSHHG WR WKH VWDWH EXW ZLOO VWDUW ZLWK JLJ VSHHGV LQ for up to 77% of the population).

Hawaii has a race going between two providers. This year, the winner is Hawaiian Telecom at 97.0, compared with Spectrum’s 87.6. The PSI scores for both ISPs had been dropping since 2018, but now each has exceeded that year’s big numbers with new record highs.

US STATES WITH THE FASTEST INTERNET 6WDWH WR VWDWH ULYDOU\ VKRXOGQ¶W HQG ZLWK FROOHJH WHDPV²QRW ZKHQ ZH FDQ ORRN DW DOO WKH VWDWHV DW RQFH DQG ¿QG ZKLFK DUH ZDQWLQJ DQG ZKLFK DUH DEXQGDQW ZLWK rapid internet speeds.

On the map, the darker the shade of blue, the faster the internet speed. Florida LV DJDLQ RQ WRS ZLWK 0DU\ODQG LQ VHFRQG SODFH DIWHU ODVW \HDU¶V VOLGH WR ¿IWK

and Georgia is in third.

Last year, Georgia and Florida topped this list, all because of one ISP: Hotwire.

7KHUH¶V QR GRXEW +RWZLUH²ZKLFK PDLQO\ SURYLGHV ¿EHU FRQQHFWLYLW\ WR apartments and condos—is fast. But considering that its tests don’t beat any services in our other matchups above, it becomes clear that the overwhelming number of Hotwire tests for those two states are skewing the scores. The number of Hotwire tests in Florida alone is almost double that of every other ISP there in total. Right now, as stands, Florida’s PCMag Speed Index this year LV D ¿UVW SODFH EXW LI ZH LJQRUH WKRVH WKRXVDQGV RI WHVWV IURP +RWZLUH users, the state drops to 22nd place with a 106.2 PSI. Georgia similarly would slide from third to 14th place.

Sure, it’s possible that any ISP with an egregiously large or small speed index can skew the average for the whole state. What’s more, statewide (and countrywide) tests include every result we’ve got, so that means businesses, college dorms, and so on, some of which may have very fast connections—all get factored in. But usually, it evens out: The number of tests we see is typically UHÀHFWLYH RI WKH RYHUDOO XVHU EDVH )RU H[DPSOH LQ DOPRVW DQ\ SODFH ZKHUH &RPFDVW ;¿QLW\ H[LVWV LWV XVHUV SURYLGH WKH PRVW WHVWV²EHFDXVH LW KDV WKH PRVW users. That is not the case with Florida and Georgia for the last two years. It’s likely that Hotwire has set up the PCMag Speed Test as the default speed test for its customers to use. While we appreciate the company spreading the word, the concentration of tests hasn’t necessarily done the provider any favors.

US CITIES WITH THE FASTEST INTERNET 6WDWHV DUH HDV\ EXW FLWLHV DUH KDUG &XOOLQJ WKURXJK WKH GDWD WR ¿QG FLWLHV WKDW have 100 tests sounds straightforward, but remember—there are 34 states in WKH 86 ZLWK D WRZQ QDPHG 6SULQJ¿HOG $IWHU VRPH GLJJLQJ WR PDNH VXUH ZKLFK Naples we’re talking about, we narrowed down speeds to the following top 10 cities this year.

But let us throw another Hotwire caveat in here. The numbers you see for those top three cities include a preponderance of Hotwire tests. Factor out Hotwire and the top three cities don’t make the new top 10. In fact, Stone Mountain, Georgia, doesn’t even get to 100 tests and is excluded.

Again, that’s not to say that the average speed for Stone Mountain doesn’t count any less. We wouldn’t say you shouldn’t look at Austin, Texas, since it has killer Google Fiber service. But in Austin, you have a better chance of living somewhere that Google provides service, whereas Hotwire’s very limited access makes it a lot harder to obtain. The spread favoring Hotwire comes from an RYHUORDG RI WHVWV WKDW ORRNV OLNH EDOORW VWẊQJ EXW ZH include it because the test itself probably isn’t spoofed.

Cities minus Hotwire in the top 10 start with McAllen, Texas, which is, somewhat surprisingly, a Spectrum town. Malden, Massachusetts, takes the silver—that’s a Fios town. Shannon, Alabama, features Google Fiber.

Other ISPs leading the way in the top towns include &RPFDVW ;¿QLW\ LQ 9LQFHQWRZQ 1HZ -HUVH\ 7LQJ LQ Lone Tree, Colorado; and our big winner, Empire Access, killing it in Big Flats, New York.

US INTERNET SPEED VS. THE WORLD Perhaps you’re curious where the US lands compared with the rest of the world when it comes to broadband internet speeds. This year, using our usual criteria—100 tests minimum over the course of the year—we did the calculation. Not surprisingly, the US is far from the top of the list. For the past 14 months, the US managed only a 117.2 PCMag Speed Index across every single test run on the PCMag Speed Test. That’s 402,944 tests (because our main audience is in the US). But that score puts the US in 17th place.

Number one in the world, according to our data, is the region of Macau—the “Las Vegas of Asia,” across the 3HDUO 5LYHU 'HOWD IURP +RQJ .RQJ ,W KDV D 36, RI $QG +RQJ .RQJ²VWLOO OLVWHG LQ RXU GDWD DV D VHSDUDWH country from China—got second place with a score of 233.7. China is at 32nd place, at 89.1.

Number one in the world, according to our data, is the region of Macau— the ‘Las Vegas of Asia.’

Other countries besting the US include Thailand (209.4), Iceland (189.7), Singapore (173.2), Chile (165.0), and Denmark (160.2). Canada’s in ninth place, at 140.4. Italy (118.8) and Spain (118.5) are also ahead of us. :H¶UH EHDWLQJ RXU SDOV LQ WKH 8.

DQG *HUPDQ\ DV ZHOO DV DOPRVW all our southern neighbors, including Mexico (61.4). Our own territories, such as Puerto Rico (60.2) and the US Virgin Islands (83.8), don’t fare much better.

Countries with enough PCMag Speed Tests to make the list but with truly terrible index ratings in the single digits include mostly African countries, along with Venezuela and Honduras.

METHODOLOGY The results in this article were taken from 622,681 individual tests completed E\ 3&0DJ UHDGHUV DURXQG WKH ZRUOG IURP $SULO WR -XQH XVLQJ the PCMag Speed Test. The test works on any secure browser, including those on mobile devices. We narrowed results down to 402,944 tests taken in the United States alone.

The PCMag Speed Test collected download and upload speeds for each test, PHDVXUHG LQ NLORELWV SHU VHFRQG .ESV :H XVHG WKRVH UHVXOWV WR FDOFXODWH WKH megabits per second (Mbps) by dividing each test result by 1,000. From there, DQ LQGH[ VFRUH LV FDOFXODWHG IRU D EHWWHU RQH WR RQH FRPSDULVRQ ZKHUH downloads count for 80% and uploads 20%. For an ISP or location (or an ISP in D VSHFL¿F ORFDWLRQ WR EH LQFOXGHG LQ UHVXOWV ZH UHTXLUHG D PLQLPXP RI tests, except where indicated.

2Q WKH EDFN HQG WKH 6SHHG 7HVW SHUIRUPV D ³¿OO WKH SLSH´ WHVW 5DWKHU WKDQ WHVWLQJ WKH XSORDG DQG GRZQORDG VSHHG RI D VLQJOH ¿OH LW XVHV PXOWLSOH broadband threads (the broadband applications that can be used by a browser) to measure the total capacity of the “pipe.” This leads to numbers higher than some other internet speed tests out there, sometimes even higher than the rate of broadband speed you’re paying for.

Tests for wireless carriers do appear in our results, but for more advanced WHVWLQJ RI WKH QDWLRQ¶V PDMRU ZLUHOHVV FDUULHUV ZH GR FLW\ WR FLW\ GULYLQJ WHVWV IRU the Fastest Mobile Networks—coming in August.

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ikipedia is a fascinating corner of the web—a font of knowledge that leads to unexpected places. But as any teacher or professor ZLOO WHOO \RX LW¶V QRW D SULPDU\ VRXUFH 8VH LW DV D MXPSLQJ R̆ SRLQW but scroll to the bottom and seek out original sources for the “truth.”

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Is that really fair, though? Is Wikipedia indeed a repository for half-truths? It’s a topic that Professor Amy Bruckman from the Georgia Institute of Technology’s School of Interactive Computing has researched extensively and examines in her book Should You Believe Wikipedia?, coming out in 2022 from Cambridge University Press.

Her conclusions may surprise you. Ahead of a September keynote at IntelliSys 2021, we spoke to Professor Bruckman, a Harvard grad who holds a PhD from WKH 0,7 0HGLD /DE DERXW KRZ WR WHVW DVVXPSWLRQV²DQG WKH GH¿QLWLRQ RI WUXWK and existence—in an era of misinformation.

PCMag: Before we get to Wikipedia, your wider research focuses on WKH ¿HOG RI ³VRFLDO FRPSXWLQJ ´ ZKLFK LQFOXGHV HWKLFV UHVHDUFK FRQWHQW FUHDWLRQ DQG PRGHUDWLRQ DQG VRFLDO PRYHPHQWV :KHQ GLG \RX ¿UVW HQFRXQWHU ZHE EDVHG FRPPXQLWLHV" 3URIHVVRU $P\ %UXFNPDQ Around 1990, I was a grad student at the MIT Media Lab, and my friend Mike Travers showed me a model of MIT in a multiuser, text-based virtual world. He had programmed a bot of his advisor, Marvin 0LQVN\ 9LUWXDO 0DUYLQ ZRXOG DXWRPDWLFDOO\ VWDUW R̆ LQ KLV ṘFH LQ WKH 0HGLD Lab, walk across campus to a classroom, and deliver a lecture at the correct time Tuesdays and Thursdays, reading a chapter of his book, Society of Mind. It was magic. I was hooked. $QG ZDV WKDW ZKHQ \RX EXLOW \RXU ¿UVW PXOWL XVHU UHDO WLPH ZRUOG" Yes, that was when I built MediaMOO, a multi-user text-based world designed to be a professional community for media researchers. Then my dissertation project was a virtual world for kids called MOOSE Crossing, where kids built the world together and learned object-oriented programming and practiced their creative writing.

0DQ\ SHRSOH KDYH IRQG PHPRULHV RI XVLQJ 0226( &URVVLQJ DV NLGV ,Q IDFW WKHUH ZDV VRPHWKLQJ RQ 135 DERXW LW ODVW \HDU %XW WKHVH ZHUH HDUO\ GD\V LQ FROODERUDWLYH FRPSXWLQJ :KDW ZHUH \RX UXQQLQJ

0226( &URVVLQJ DQG 0HGLD022 RQ" Well, this was before the invention of the web, and we were using computers running the UNIX operating system. The internet wasn’t yet a mass medium, but we could see that it would be, and the potential was exciting.

:KLFK EULQJV XV WR :LNLSHGLD 0DQ\ RI XV FRQVXOW LW VOLJKWO\ ZDU\ RI LWV ELDV GHSWK DQG DFFXUDF\ %XW DV \RX¶OO EH VKDULQJ LQ \RXU VSHHFK DW ,QWHOOLV\V WKH FRQWHQW DFWXDOO\ HQGV XS EHLQJ VXUSULVLQJO\ UHOLDEOH +RZ GRHV WKDW KDSSHQ" The answer to, “Should you believe Wikipedia?” isn’t simple. In my book, I argue that the content of a popular Wikipedia page is actually the most reliable form of information ever created. Think about it—a peer-reviewed journal article is reviewed by three experts (who may or may not actually check every detail), and then is set in stone. The contents of a popular Wikipedia page might be reviewed by thousands of people. If something changes, it is updated. Those people have varying levels of expertise, but if they support their work with reliable citations, the results are solid. On the other hand, a less popular Wikipedia page might not be reliable at all. %HFDXVH IHZ SHRSOH DFFHVV WKDW SDJH RU NQRZ FDUH HQRXJK DERXW WKH VXEMHFW WR FRUUHFW FKDOOHQJH WKHP" :KLFK EULQJV XV WR WKH ELJ LGHDV EHKLQG ZKDW LV WUXWK DQG KRZ ZH UHDFK LW

Professor Amy Bruckman

In my book and my talk at Intellisys, I try to teach everyone a bit of basic epistemology, and show how that helps us better understand the internet. I believe ideas like virtue epistemology can help us to improve the quality of the internet going forwards.

2ND\ YLUWXH HSLVWHPRORJ\ LV GH¿QLWHO\ D ELJ LGHD *LYH XV D ZRUNLQJ GH¿QLWLRQ DQG KRZ LW DSSOLHV WR :LNLSHGLD Virtue epistemology suggests that knowledge is a collaborative achievement, and we all can work to DFKLHYH NQRZOHGJH MXVWL¿HG WUXH EHOLHI E\ DVSLULQJ WR epistemic virtues: ‘curiosity, intellectual autonomy, intellectual humility, attentiveness, intellectual carefulness, intellectual thoroughness, openmindedness, intellectual courage and intellectual tenacity.’ Being someone who is careful with knowledge is a lifelong quest, and trying to embody those virtues helps.

I argue that the content of a popular Wikipedia page is actually the most reliable form of information ever created.

6R LI VRPHRQH HPERGLHV WKRVH YLUWXHV ZH H[SHFW WKHP WR EH LQ SXUVXLW RI QREOH WUXWK %XW KRZ GR ZH NQRZ ZKDW LV WUXH" The real world exists but is only knowable through our fallible senses. But that doesn’t mean that reality is subjective. Am I sitting on a chair? You see it with your senses and I with mine, but we agree that there is something called a “chair,” and I am sitting on one. The high degree of correlation between my subjective perceptions and your subjective perceptions is caused by the fact that the world exists—there’s really a chair.

The more people agree on something, the more we can be sure of it. And the more those people possess what we would call “reliable cognitive processes,” the more we can be sure of it. So let’s pick a harder example than my chair: Is human activity changing the climate? We know the answer is yes, because a large number of people with reliable cognitive processes agree. Truth exists independent of the knower, but social consensus LV RXU EHVW ZD\ RI ¿JXULQJ RXW ZKDW WKDW WUXWK LV 0RVW RI XV H[LVW LQVLGH D EXEEOH RI VLPLODUO\ PLQGHG IRONV ZKLFK VKRUHV XS RXU FRQ¿UPDWLRQ ELDV &DQ \RX H[SODLQ WKDW FRQFHSW ZLWK UHJDUG WR :LNLSHGLD WRR" I’m not actually a climate scientist. I know that human activity is changing the climate because I have chosen sources I trust. And I interact with a community of people (in person and online) who share my views.

When everyone around me believes that human activity is changing the climate, it’s easier for me to decide that it’s worth extra money to buy a car with a hybrid engine.

I live in a bubble of like-minded folks. That’s good most of the time. I don’t have to go get a degree in climatology before I go car shopping. But there are growing numbers of bubbles of people who share false beliefs, and reinforce those beliefs in one another.

That’s a problem for the internet in general.

Truth exists independent of the knower, but social consensus is our best way of figuring out what that truth is.

:KDW KDSSHQV ZLWK IDOVH EHOLHIV RQ :LNLSHGLD" Maybe the biggest surprise of the internet to me is that false bubbles generally are corrected on Wikipedia.

Even if you pick a controversial topic like climate change or vaccination, the Wikipedia page typically UHÀHFWV PDLQVWUHDP VFLHQWL¿F FRQVHQVXV 6RPHWKLQJ about Wikipedia is working better than the rest of the internet, and I think we can learn from it as a positive model. &DQ PHWDGDWD KHOS" Metadata is critical to the future of the internet. We all need help deciding what to believe. It would help a lot if information came with a reliability rating. But there’s nothing easy about creating those ratings. We need both D PHWKRG RI MXGJLQJ ZKDW LV UHOLDEOH DQG D ¿QDQFLDO model to pay for the process of creating those labels. ,I :LNLSHGLD LV D JRRG H[DPSOH RI PDVV SHHU UHYLHZ WKHQ LW FDQ DOVR LQFRUSRUDWH WHVWLPRQ\ WR HVWDEOLVK D EDVHOLQH RI WUXWK ULJKW" )RU H[DPSOH , ZDV LQYLWHG E\ WKH 86& 6KRDK )RXQGDWLRQ ZKLFK ZDV IRXQGHG E\ 6WHYHQ 6SLHOEHUJ WR VHH LWV UHFRUGLQJ RI +RORFDXVW WHVWLPRQLHV IRU IXWXUH JHQHUDWLRQV %XW H\HZLWQHVV DFFRXQWV RIWHQ GRQ¶W SDVV LQWR µWUXWK¶ RU DUH FRQVLGHUHG WRR VXEMHFWLYH RQ :LNLSHGLD ,V WKDW ZKHQ ZH KDYH WR XUJH SHRSOH WR ORRN WR ZLGHU VRXUFHV" You need an intermediate layer—interpretation of primary sources by a Holocaust scholar. That’s the GL̆HUHQFH EHWZHHQ D ZRUN RI KLVWRU\ DQG DQ encyclopedia. The job of a historian is to synthesize primary sources and form an interpretation. The job of an encyclopedia is to summarize work by historians and give you a list of links to go read if you want to learn more.

Maybe the biggest surprise of the internet to me is that false bubbles generally are corrected on Wikipedia.

:LNLSHGLD DOVR DVNV XV WR HGXFDWH RXUVHOYHV DQG WKHQ VKDUH WKDW NQRZOHGJH DV VXEMHFW PDWWHU H[SHUWV &DQ \RX WDON DERXW \RXU SHUVRQDO QRQ DFDGHPLF H[SHULHQFH KHUH" Editing Wikipedia can be a lot of fun. I used to help with the page on trash cans. The group of people working on the page had a long conversation about the words “bin” versus “can” and how the name for a waste receptacle varies around the world. There’s a mini-golf course near my parents’ house, and the trash can is shaped like a dolphin. I added a picture of it to the article, and the next time I visited I showed the owner that his trash can was famous. The photo was there for a decade or so.

Someone has since taken it down, sadly. But I enjoy contributing to something meaningful. Sometimes even things less silly than trash cans. )LQDOO\ DQG WKLV LV JRLQJ SUHWW\ GHHS LV DQ\ RI WKLV WUXH" 7KDW¶V ZKHUH DV \RX¶YH SRLQWHG RXW PHWDSK\VLFV FRPHV LQ DQG ZKHUH ZH JHW WR ORRN XS DW WKH VN\ DQG ZRQGHU µ$P , GUHDPLQJ WKLV OLIH"¶ 'LVFXVV One thing you learn quickly when you hang out with epistemologists is that truth exists. How we agree what WKDW WUXWK LV FDQ EH WULFN\ %XW WKH D̆RUGDQFHV RI LQWHUQHW WHFKQRORJ\ DUH D VXUSULVLQJO\ JRRG ¿W IRU KRZ knowledge is constructed. I think we can learn a lot from success stories like Wikipedia. And maybe apply those lessons to the design of the rest of the internet.

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The affordances of internet technology are a surprisingly good fit for how knowledge is constructed.

TIPS & HOW TOS PRIVACY

What Is Amazon Sidewalk, and How Do You Disable It? Photo credit: omakoma/shutterstock.com

BY ERIC GRIFFITH

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Despite data caps, Sidewalk opens your network up to traffic you don’t necessarily authorize or want.

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Also, there’s still plenty of hullabaloo about the privacy surrounding Amazon and its Alexa assistant.

TIPS & HOW TOS WEB SERVICES

How to See Who’s Using Your Streaming Passwords Photo credit: Mr.Whiskey

BY JASON COHEN

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Spotify lists service integrations instead of individual app usage on mobile or desktop.

WHAT’S NEW NOW THE WHY AXIS

These Apps Collect the Most Personal Data

BY JASON COHEN

study by pCloud concluded that social media and food delivery apps sell the most personal data to third-party advertisers. But a recent ,QYLVLEO\ VXUYH\ VKRZHG WKDW IRXU RXW RI ¿YH SHRSOH GRQ¶W ZDQW WKHLU SHUVRQDO GDWD FROOHFWHG RU VKDUHG ZLWKRXW WKHLU SHUPLVVLRQ ,I \RX¶UH VLFN RI invasive data collection, what are the best alternatives?

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6XUIVKDUN FRPSDUHG WKH GDWD FROOHFWLRQ DFWLYLWLHV RI DSSV WR ¿QG RXW ZKLFK services harvest the most data in a given category and which apps actually leave your data alone. The study compared 18 app categories and found that the more SRSXODU DQ DSS WKH PRUH GDWD LW OLNHO\ FROOHFWV

)DFHERRN ,QVWDJUDP DQG 0HVVHQJHU²DOO RZQHG E\ WKH VDPH FRPSDQ\²HDFK FROOHFWV DOO VHJPHQWV RI SHUVRQDO GDWD WKDW $SSOH¶V $SS 6WRUH ÀDJV /HVV LQYDVLYH RSWLRQV LQFOXGH WKH DXGLR ¿UVW &OXEKRXVH VRFLDO PHGLD DSS &LVFR :HEH[ 0HHWLQJV DQG disappearing messages app Dust are great alternatives for business and personal use, because neither service collects any data. ,I \RX¶UH ORRNLQJ IRU SULYDF\ ZKLOH VHDUFKLQJ WKH ZHE reading email, or streaming video, you should avoid *RRJOH¶V SURGXFWV &KURPH WDNHV SRLQWV RI GDWD *PDLO FROOHFWV DQG <RX7XEH JUDEV D FRORVVDO ,QVWHDG XVH DOWHUQDWLYHV %UDYH RU )LUHIR[ )RFXV²RU D SULYDWH EURZVLQJ ZLQGRZ²DQG SDLG HPDLO VHUYLFH 6SLNH DQG 3RSFRUQÀL[ RU .DQRS\ IRU VWUHDPLQJ YLGHR /RRNLQJ DW ¿QDQFLDO DSSV" 3D\3DO WDNHV D ZKRSSLQJ SRLQWV RI GDWD FRPSDUHG WR 0RQH\*UDP¶V PHUH HLJKW 0LQW DOVR JREEOHV XS SRLQWV RI GDWD ZKLOH 0YHORSHV collects no data at all. Cryptominers, avoid Coinbase and its 18 data points: Choose Crypto Pro instead, ZKLFK FROOHFWV RQO\ SHUVRQDO LGHQWL¿HUV )RRG GHOLYHU\ DSSV 'RRU'DVK DQG &DYLDU FROOHFW SRLQWV RI GDWD DSLHFH ZKLOH DSSV OLNH 3RVWPDWHV DQG &KRZ1RZ FROOHFW RQO\ ,QVWHDG RI VKRSSLQJ RQ $PD]RQ ZKLFK FROOHFWV SRLQWV RI GDWD WU\ (WV\ RU 3RVKPDUN ZKLFK WDNH RQO\

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Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger each collects all 32 segments of personal data that Apple’s App Store flags.

MASTHEAD EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, PC MAGAZINE NETWORK Dan Costa EDITOR Wendy Sheehan Donnell MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL EDITIONS Carol Mangis PRODUCTION DESIGNER José Ruiz

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