THE PROS & CONS

ARE 4K WEBCAMS WORTH IT? TO CONSIDER

DECEMBER 2024

NEXT-GEN CPU
SHOWDOWN!
RYZEN 9800X3D
AND INTEL 285K
REVIEWED

HOW TO
SWITCH FROM

WINDOWS to
CHROMEBOOKS
AND NEVER LOOK BACK
MAKE SURE
CUTIE PIE IS IN
THE RIGHT SEAT.
NHTSA.gov/TheRightSeat
 CONTENTS

DECEMBER 2024

≥ DEPARTMENTS ≥ FEATURES

7 News

27 Reviews & Ratings 76 Why I switched from Windows to Chromebooks

93 Here’s How

108 Tech Spotlight 84 Are 4K webcams worth it? The pros and cons to consider

COVER IMAGE COURTESY OF ACER DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 3

MASTHEAD

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4 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

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DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 5

News TECH NEWS AND TRENDS THAT WILL
AFFECT YOU TODAY AND BEYOND.

Want to keep getting Windows 10

updates? It’ll cost you $30
Consumers can pay $30 for an extended support update that allows you to stay on
Windows 10 for a bit longer. BY MARK HACHMAN

A
s you may know, support for patches with a new extended consumer
Windows 10 expires in just support option.
under a year’s time. But if you’re Microsoft has confirmed a consumer
reluctant to upgrade to version of its Extended Security Updates plan
Windows 11, there’s a new alternative: You (fave.co/3NWEOJG). For $30, you’ll receive
can pay a little extra to keep receiving security “critical” and “important” security

IMAGE: MICROSOFT DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 7

NEWS WINDOWS 10 UPDATES WILL COST YOU

updates—basically security patches that will WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS?

continue to protect your Windows 10 PC from More than half of Americans (59.1 percent)
any vulnerabilities. That $30 is for one year’s still run Windows 10, according to September
worth of updates, and that’s the only option at 2024 data (fave.co/3NZAucG) from
this time. (You won’t be able to resubscribe at StatCounter. That means millions of PCs will
the end, thus ending Windows 10 support.) need to upgrade in a year’s time, something
Microsoft has been warning users for that both chipmakers like AMD and analysts
years that Windows 10 support will expire in are counting on to reinvigorate the PC
2025, specifically October 14, 2025 (fave. market. Consumers, on the other hand, may
co/453aILS). At that point, Windows 10 will feel differently.
officially fall out of support: There will be no If you want to upgrade to Windows 11, our
more feature updates or security patches. On how-to guide (fave.co/3FccfS2) will help you
paper, that would mean that any Windows 10 out. I’ve also explained why you should
PC will be at risk of any new vulnerabilities that upgrade to Windows 11 (fave.co/3WhBo9s)!
researchers uncover. Microsoft essentially makes an ad to
Previously, Microsoft had quietly hinted upgrade to Windows 11 now part of the
that consumers would be offered the same default Windows 10 upgrade process, and
ESU protections offered to businesses and I’ve seen this on several PCs. It’s just one of
enterprises, as it did in December 2023 (fave. several ads injected into the Windows
co/40wz5lm) and again in an “editor’s note” experience (fave.co/3K1AEhv). If your PC is
shared in an April 2024 support post (fave. eligible, you’ll be given the option to
co/3YzFhqd), in which the company said that upgrade from the Windows Update menu
“details will be shared at a later date for within the Windows 10 Settings.
consumers.” That time is now, apparently. If your PC is not eligible, you still have
Back in December 2023, Microsoft options: Buying a new Windows 11 PC is
offered the ESU on an annual basis to probably the easiest option. One alternative
businesses for three years, one year at a time. could be 0patch (fave.co/4hApArn), a new
The fees would double each year (fave. subscription service that promises to protect
co/3UEUUeG), which means charging your PC.
businesses hundreds of dollars for the What we would not recommend is
privilege. Consumers won’t be offered the waiting until the end-of-support date expires
same deal, as a Microsoft representative said and taking the risk of continuing to use
via email that it’ll be a “one-time, one-year Windows 10 without proper security updates.
option for $30.” That’s just asking for trouble.

8 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

Wireless 6G sets an incredible
speed record that makes 5G
feel like dial-up
Scientists just reached blazing-fast speeds with 6G wireless tech that’s
still in development. BY LAURA PIPPIG & JOEL LEE

M
ost people in the US who researchers at University College London
have flagship phones with showed that 6G wireless can transmit
mainstream carriers are on data at speeds up to 938 gigabits per
5G networks. And while 5G second (Gbps).
tech is noticeably faster than its
predecessors, it’s still weak compared to 6G SPEEDS COMPARED
Wi-Fi and fiber internet. TO 5G SPEEDS
That’s why we’re already looking forward The theoretical max download speed of 5G
to 6G, the next-gen wireless data standard wireless is 20 Gbps. That means 6G is
that just set an incredible speed record. theoretically faster by more than 45 times.
According to NewScientist (fave. But the median 5G download speed
co/3UB0LS7), a recent test conducted by across all mobile carriers around the world is

IMAGE: BUNNY PIXAR/SHUTTERSTOCK DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 9

NEWS WIRELESS 6G SETS SPEED RECORD

around 70 megabits per second (Mbps), co/3NW3r9d) shows, the main factor
according to Speedcheck’s 5G Index (fave. involved was utilizing a much higher
co/4ffWMmy). If 6G can practically deliver frequency range up to 150GHz.
day-to-day speeds anywhere near its Normally, devices such as smartphones
theoretical max, that would make 6G up to can only send and receive transmissions in
13,400 times faster than average 5G. the range between 5GHz and 39GHz.
At 938Gbps, you could download around But the researchers made it possible by
20 entire movies per second. That would mixing different signal types, such as lasers
be absolutely insane to have carrying around and radio waves. The transmission was
in your pocket. (And you’d likely hit your data stable and able to bridge the small gaps
cap in less than a day.) between wavebands.
But it’s good to keep your expectations in
check. 6G will certainly be much faster than WHEN WILL 6G WIRELESS
5G, but it’s unlikely to deliver actual speeds of GET HERE?
938Gbps once you factor in congestion, It will probably be some time before we can
tower distance, interference, and so on. actually use 6G. Even though many tests
already show promising results, a market
HOW IS 6G WIRELESS launch is currently expected in 2030 at the
SO FAST? earliest. (This is mainly due to the need for
To achieve such incredible speeds, the carriers to expand their networks and develop
scientists working on 6G have incorporated a suitable towers.)
few tricks. But as the research report (fave. There are also a few problems that 6G still
has to overcome. Early versions
of 6G had a shorter range than
5G transmissions, with the most
recent record (fave.co/
3NUYmOH) being 1,640 feet
(500 meters). If that holds, 6G
would only be practical in
densely populated urban areas.
In addition, any new
technology involving radiation
must ensure that it cannot have
At 938Gbps, you could download around 20 movies per second. an impact on human health.

10 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

Intel, AMD, and other PC titans join
forces to fortify x86 CPUs
Two competitors are teaming up to preserve X86 processors. BY MARK HACHMAN

F
or years, both AMD and Intel have architecture where customers are demanding
energetically competed against one a simplified approach.
another in the PC processor market. Part of competition involves different
But there’s a new force to be approaches to a specific problem, such as
reckoned with—Arm—and both AMD and creating a processor using tiled chiplets or a
Intel are circling the wagons. monolithic design. In general, a software
On Tuesday, both AMD and Intel, along developer can code for the X86 instruction
with Linux creator Linus Torvalds, Epic CEO set that both AMD and Intel share and not
Tim Sweeney, Microsoft, and a number of have to worry too much about specific
other companies, announced the X86 implementations.
Ecosystem Advisory Group. The goal is to But there are exceptions—sometimes
allow AMD and Intel to keep competing, specific instructions that one vendor
while unifying certain aspects of the X86 will use, for example. In a Forbes interview

IMAGE: BLUE ANDY/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 11

NEWS INTEL AND AMD JOIN FORCES

(fave.co/48Md7wL) between PC analyst (and wasn’t mentioned. Both AMD and Intel use
former AMD executive) Pat Moorhead, AMD their own specific AI instructions, with an
CEO Dr. Lisa Su and Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, entirely different architecture.
Gelsinger commented that security models “We are on the cusp of one of the most
“haven’t done our ecosystem a favor,” and significant shifts in the x86 architecture and
that could change. ecosystem in decades—with new levels of
The goal, the companies explained, was customization, compatibility and scalability
to craft a “more unified set of instructions and needed to meet current and future customer
architectural interfaces,” the companies said. needs,” Gelsinger said in a statement. “We
“This initiative will enhance compatibility, proudly stand together with AMD and the
predictability and consistency across x86 founding members of this advisory group, as
product offerings.” we ignite the future of compute, and we
Both Su and Gelsinger pointed out that deeply appreciate the support of so many
the two companies share technologies—USB, industry leaders.”
for example. AMD and Intel have also It’s hard not to see the formation of the
occasionally collaborated on products (fave. X86 Ecosystem Advisory Group as a
co/3YVzexC), too, such as the 8th-gen Core defensive measure. For years, the PC
chips with an integrated AMD Radeon RX market was an exclusive x86 club, with Arm
Vega graphics core. unable to gain a foothold. That changed
Weirdly, the one topic you might expect over the past few years, and Qualcomm’s
the two to work on, a common AI interface, Snapdragon X Elite has convinced PC
makers to adopt its power-
sipping, performance-minded
architecture. Arm is still a tiny
minority in the PC market, but
that’s not guaranteed.
The partnership, in fact, includes
many enterprise companies.
Specifically, the group will include
Broadcom, Dell, Google, Hewlett-
Packard Enterprise and HP,
Lenovo, Microsoft, Oracle, and
AMD and Intel previously collaborated on the 8th-gen Core Red Hat, plus Torvalds, Sweeney,
chips with an integrated AMD Radeon RX Vega graphics core. AMD and Intel.

12 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

Warning: Windows 11’s big 2024
update takes a long time to install
Luckily, you don’t have to sit by and monitor the upgrade. BY MARK HACHMAN

H
ow long will it take to update the code needed to perform security or
your PC to the Windows 11 2024 feature updates. The language that
Update? If my tests are any Microsoft is using now implies that this is a
indicator, you’ll be twiddling much more involved process, and that
your thumbs for a lot longer than usual. seems to be true.
Microsoft characterizes Windows 11 I tested downloading and installing
24H2, formally known as the Windows 11 Windows 11 24H2 on four separate laptops.
2024 Update (fave.co/48Dcwxs), as a “full Each took at least an hour to install and some
OS swap.” Until now, Microsoft pushed much more. Put another way, this isn’t
incremental updates to your PC, with only something you can take care of quickly—quite

IMAGE: STOCK-ASSO/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 13

NEWS WINDOWS 11 UPDATE TIME

24H2 ISO stalled out

repeatedly, so I chose to
create a Windows 11
installation media, the other
option. That tool gives you
the choice of either
downloading Windows to an
external drive, or an ISO file
that you can mount to a DVD.
Windows offers a more
convenient option, however.
Simply right-click the ISO file
and “mount” it in a virtual
The Windows 11 2024 Update is beginning to roll out now. drive on your PC. That opens
up a virtual drive, where you
a change from the quick Windows 11 feature can simply click the “setup” icon to launch the
updates of the last few years. process. You can store the ISO on a handy
The Windows 11 2024 Update has begun DVD or USB key (the ISO is about 4.4GB) and
to roll out (fave.co/4dGK3HX), though the then just move it from PC to PC.
actual process will be performed in phases. The So to upgrade, I simply:
update is free. You have several options to • Used the Windows 11 Installation
update, as our story notes, including setting Assistant to download a copy of Windows.
your Windows Update
settings to ask for the latest
updates as soon as they’re
available. You can also
download Windows 11
directly from Microsoft (fave.
co/3YU6BRh), either as an
ISO file or using the Windows
11 Installation Assistant (fave.
co/40D5Z3M).
For whatever reason, To quickly update to Windows 11 2024 Update, you can download a
downloading a Windows 11 fresh copy of Windows 11 from Microsoft.

14 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

(Windows 11 24H2
is selected
automatically).
• Selected the
ISO option.
• When the
download
completed, right-
clicked the file and
mounted it using File
Explorer. I find it easiest to download an ISO file, mount it, and then begin the upgrade…
• Clicked “setup”
and launched the
update process.
Ideally, you’ll have
already updated your
PC before you begin
the process. Installing
Windows 11 24H2
won’t erase your
personal files or
applications, but it’s a …simply by clicking “setup.”
good idea to have
them backed up anyway. Some of you prefer installation phase (performed on an otherwise
a clean install of a new operating system. blank screen), and then a series of reboots
Since this is a “full OS swap,” this should be while Windows goes through the final
part of the process. process. You may see an additional series of
Upgrading may involve agreeing to a screens that can occur during the setup of a
Windows license agreement. In general, the new PC. Aside from requiring that I approve
process simply involves Windows checking the license agreement (which Windows
and downloading any additional updates didn’t always ask for), the update proceeded
behind the scenes, and then completing the without supervision.
process itself. The upgrade will proceed I used four notebooks, which are listed
through the update phase, through to the here from newest to oldest model. The time

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 15

NEWS WINDOWS 11 UPDATE TIME

sense. I actually had the

Surface Laptop Studio 2
enrolled as part of the
Dev Channel on
Microsoft’s Windows
Insider program, but it
hadn’t been updated in
some time. I was able to
set the Windows
Update settings to exit
Expect to see this screen as you move through the upgrade process. the Insider program
(which normally
it took to update follows. This did not requires a fresh install of Windows, erasing
include “pre-updating” the PC or everything) without the need to remove my
downloading the ISO file, just the time it apps and files.
took after I clicked the “setup” application While I can’t truly know how long your PC
inside the Windows 11 ISO file. will take to update to the Windows 11 2024
I would expect this to be the same time Update, you should probably set aside an
your PC would take to update if it hour or two, especially if you have an older
progressed through the normal Windows PC. Good luck!
Update channels.
• MSI Prestige 16 AI Evo B1MG: Core
Ultra 7 155H/32GB RAM/1TB SSD: 1
hour, 2 minutes
• Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2:
Core i7-13700H/64GB RAM/1 TB SSD: 1
hour, 37 minutes
• HP Victus: Core i7-11800H/16GB
RAM/512GB SSD: 1 hour, 27 minutes
• Microsoft Surface Laptop 3: Core
i7-1065G7/16GB RAM/256GB SSD: 1
hour, 45 minutes
It does appear that older laptops will The update took 1 hour, 37 minutes to install on
take longer to upgrade, which makes Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Studio 2 (pictured).

16 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

ChromeOS gets a major update
with plenty of new features
Google is currently rolling out a hefty update to its operating system for Chromebooks.
BY VIKTOR ERIKSSON & JOEL LEE

A
t the end of October, Google links, calculations, and even access AI
released its major ChromeOS features. Depending on the type of
M130 update (fave.co/3CsPYTR) Chromebook you have, Quick Inserts can
to everyone on the operating be activated with a special keyboard key.
system’s stable channel. This version of the However, all ChromeOS devices can also
Chromebook OS includes a variety of do it using the Launcher key + F
improvements, including Quick Insert, Focus, keyboard shortcut.
and Welcome Recap features, among others. Focus is a new feature that makes it easy
Quick Insert is a new menu that allows for you to toggle ChromeOS’s Do Not Disturb
you to quickly input emojis, symbols, GIFs, (DND) mode, set and adjust your focus times,

IMAGE: MARTYN CASSERLY/FOUNDRY DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 17

NEWS CHROMEOS GETS MAJOR UPDATE

session. It’ll also show you info you might

be interested in, like weather, upcoming
calendar events, and Google Drive
suggestions.
Other notable improvements in this
update include quick access to starred
Google Drive files from the shelf, an
AI-powered Recorder app that can create
transcriptions, better OS-level privacy
settings, multi-calendar events support,
and more flexibility with Picture-in-Picture
(PIP) windows for playing videos while
doing other tasks.
ChromeOS version M130 is currently
being rolled out to all users and should be
available to you within the upcoming days
if you don’t already have access to these
Focus is designed to remove distractions.
new features and improvements.
select or create new Google Tasks, and play
curated playlists for better
Multi-calendar
focus through YouTube support lets
Music Premium (subscription you view
events from
sold separately). The idea different
here is to reduce distractions calendars.
and boost productivity.
Welcome Recap is a
new feature that helps you
jump back into what you
were doing when you start
up your Chromebook. Once
this is enabled, you can
quickly view and restore
apps and tabs that were
open in your previous

18 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

Anthropic’s new Claude AI model
can use a PC ‘the way people do’
Anthropic’s latest version of Claude can ‘read’ a computer via screenshots and operate
its mouse and keyboard, performing basic data entry tasks. BY MICHAEL CRIDER

I
f you’re worried about artificial In the video demo, researcher Sam
intelligence taking your job, you might Ringer shows Claude performing a bit of
want to sit down for this one. AI startup data entry “drudge work,” with the AI model
Anthropic has demonstrated a new using screenshots of a Mac desktop to find
Claude model that can look at a computer relevant information and submit a form. It is
screen and operate a virtual mouse and indeed the kind of thing that employees all
keyboard “the way people do,” according to over the world do every day, though Ringer
promotional material. notes that this is just a “representative

IMAGE: TREECHA / SHUTTERSTOCK DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 19

NEWS CL AUDE AI

example.” Exactly how much of the video abilities,” it was coaxed into writing a basic bit
has been edited isn’t known. of code to automate its processes.
But you don’t need to take Anthropic’s This is an example of a virtual computer
word for it. An early version of the Claude 3.5 writing virtual code to play a virtual game—
Sonnet API is available to try out now, and we’re going full Inception here, albeit with a
Ethan Mollick, a professor studying AI at the fairly basic goal and outcome. Claude
University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, declared that it had “successfully ‘won’” the
did just that. Mollick tested out the AI with game by reaching a milestone “within the
Universal Paperclips, an online clicker game given constraints” after multiple VM crashes.
with some subtle science fiction (fave.co/ It didn’t win Universal Paperclips, not by a
3Crm1Uc) going on in its background. long shot. But bear in mind that playing this
Mollick pointed the program at the largely contextual game is far beyond the
game’s browser window and “told it to win” original automation intention laid out in
(fave.co/4fBCBz5), then sat back and Anthropic’s demo video. The AI’s ability to
watched it operate. The result was identify a goal and make progress with some
fascinating. The AI was able to identify the minimal prodding was impressive. The full
point of the game by extrapolating its text- breakdown is well worth a read.
based interface, then use some trial and error “[Claude] was flexible in the face of most
to try to win—in this case, basically by just errors, and persistent,” writes Professor Mollick.
making the numbers go up. It was able to “It did clever things like A/B testing. And most
fiddle with the price of paperclips to increase importantly, it just did the work, operating for
its fantasy revenue with some basic A/B nearly an hour without interruption.”
testing, the way a real player would. But Anthropic’s Claude AI is available as a free
didn’t quite put together the steps needed to text-based tool on the web (fave.co/3UFLyPU)
optimize the process, something that would and as an app on iOS and Android, with the
be fairly obvious to a human player. ability to ask about images and text
The real-world AI was “playing” a game documents. The latest changes (version 3.5)
about fictional AI. It ran into a few logic loops are live for the free version, but more advanced
that prevented it from making meaningful access requires the $20 per person, per month
progress, and Mollick’s virtual machine Pro account (fave.co/3V4PZEj), with priority
crashed multiple times before the hourslong bandwidth and more models. Anthropic
game could be completed. But with an claims current clients that include dozens of
interesting bit of input from the human companies, notably including Notion, Intuit
operator, “you are a computer, use your (maker of TurboTax), and Zoom.

20 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

Microsoft’s free PC Manager
app for Windows 10 and 11
gets even better
The latest version of Microsoft’s PC Manager displays internet speed in real time and
removes unnecessary files even faster. BY HANS-CHRISTIAN DIRSCHERL & JOEL LEE

M
icrosoft just released a new 3.14 now lets you view your internet speed on
version of PC Manager, the desktop directly in the Windows taskbar.
the free tuning tool for This means you can see how fast you’re
optimizing Windows 10 and surfing in real time, as reported by Window
Windows 11 systems that competes with Latest (fave.co/4ffeR3T), and you’re able to
CCleaner (fave.co/3MaqoEL). PC Manager see both downstream and upstream speeds.

IMAGE: MICROSOFT DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 21

NEWS PC MANAGER APP

access a wealth of information with a single

keystroke, and one
of the most
overlooked
Windows 11
features actually
worth trying; fave.
co/3CjMYt9.)
We’re really
pleased with PC
Manager and
consider it a must-
have app for
regular PC
A new algorithm will help you free up storage space. maintenance.
Check out our guide to using PC Manager for
Microsoft has also added a new algorithm a digital spring cleaning (fave.co/3AIGxPE)
for freeing up storage space occupied by files and reclaim all kinds of storage space you
that are no longer required. This improvement didn’t even know you had available.
makes PC Manager better able to recognize
and remove both temporary files and
otherwise unneeded
files more quickly.
Also new with
this update is the
ability to integrate
PC Manager into
Windows 11
Widgets. (If you
aren’t using
Widgets yet, you
should really
consider it. They’re
a great way to PC Manager has a range of handy tools.

22 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

You can now report fake reviews
to the FTC
The Federal Trade Commission’s new rules governing fake reviews are now in play.
BY MICHAEL CRIDER

T
he U.S. Federal Trade Commission If you spot violations of the new policy,
(FTC) is swinging its big, regulatory you can report them directly to the FTC, for a
stick at fake online reviews. Rules maximum fine of $51,744.
announced earlier this year (fave. The FTC’s updated guidelines for online
co/4fCDFTy) are now in effect, banning reviews outlaw six specific types of fakery:
reviews by fake people, AI-generated text, reviews from people who aren’t real or who
and those who don’t disclose their status as use AI-generated text or images, no paid
company insiders or affiliates. reviews (or other forms of compensation, like

IMAGE: SOBER 9426 / SHUTTERSTOCK DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 23

NEWS REPORT FAKE REVIEWS

those sneaky $10 coupons thrown in with an make their marketplaces and product listings
Amazon shipment), no reviews from less trustworthy.
employees of the company offering the That said, I have some serious doubts
product or others with a financial relationship, about the FTC;s ability to actually enforce
no fake review sites designed to gum up these rules. Since most of the infractions
search results, no suppression of negative come from small-time sellers gaming
reviews, and no buying or selling fake automated systems—and a huge amount
“followers” or other social influence. of them fall outside of U.S. jurisdiction—
FTC Chair Lina Khan announced that the the measurable effect of this policy could
rule went into effect (fave.co/4fhzXyD) be negligible.
yesterday on X, the social media site formerly Some means of going after the platforms
known as Twitter (her post was spotted by that enable these problems—stores like
PCMag, fave.co/4hw1CgS). She encourages Amazon, social networks like X and
Americans to report infractions at reportfraud. Facebook, and so on—would be a more
ftc.gov (fave.co/3AvzGJr). meaningful avenue toward actually protecting
I think the new guidelines are great, and consumers. But it would also be a much
they should make companies like Amazon harder regulatory goal to achieve, and if
and Walmart take a much harder look at the attempted it would cause instant legal
increasing ranks of review bots that ultimately blowback from some of the biggest
corporations on the
planet, along with their
political allies.
But having these
rules on paper might
dissuade certain well-
known laptop makers
from, say, nudging the
scores on their online
customer reviews or
hiding any reviews that
highlight particularly
egregious service
Companies like Amazon will have to take a more meaningful approach to examples. It’s a step in
protecting their customers. the right direction.

24 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 I am
more
than
who
I am
on
paper.

Jeff, STAR
It’s time to let your skills shine.
Find resources for breaking through barriers like
degree screens and stereotypes. It’s time to tear the
paper ceiling limiting STARs: workers Skilled Through
Alternative Routes rather than a bachelor’s degree.

TEAR THE PAPER CEILING.ORG #HireSTARs

 TESTED IN PCWORLD LABS
Reviews & Ratings WE PUT HARDWARE & SOFTWARE
THROUGH RIGOROUS TESTING

Ryzen 7 9800X3D: AMD’s gaming

titan obliterates Intel’s best
Yes, AMD’s Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the new CPU gaming champion—but it’s the productivity
improvements that should be screamed about. BY BRAD CHACOS & ADAM PATRICK MURRAY

A
MD’s vaunted “X3D” V-Cache Spoiler alert: Absolutely. The Ryzen 7
technology vaulted Ryzen 9800X3D rocks, obliterating Intel’s new Core
processors to the pinnacle of Ultra 9 285K (fave.co/4hACpC7) in games—
gaming supremacy when it but that’s not all. Previous X3D generations
debuted in the legendary Ryzen 7 5800X3D. always popped in games, but proved
Now it arrives with extra pressure on its lackluster against its non-X3D siblings in
proverbial shoulders: Can that X3D magic creation workloads. Thanks to some smart
help resuscitate a Ryzen 9000 lineup that’s
struggled with ho-hum reviews out of the VIDEO: RYZEN 7
gate (fave.co/40Do41v) and dramatic 9800X3D: NOT JUST A
performance-altering Windows updates
GAMING CPU
Watch now at fave.co/4fdEAKf
(fave.co/40zlutp)?

IMAGE: AMD DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 27

REVIEWS RYZEN 7 9800X3D

tweaks to the second-gen V-Cache design, 1. SECOND-GEN

the $479, 8-core Ryzen 7 9800X3D (fave. V-CACHE MAKES
co/48EMaeh) actually gets an even bigger VITAL IMPROVEMENTS
bump in select creator workloads than Before we get into the benchmarks, we need
gaming, compared to its predecessor, and to quickly talk about how AMD achieved such
now sits comfortably above the 8-core 9700X sterling results.
for work and play. It’s a monumental moment The Ryzen 7 9800X3D introduces the
for AMD—and a monumental beat-down for second generation of AMD’s V-Cache
Intel’s gaming ambitions. technology, and it’s a winner. In previous X3D
Our review of the initial Ryzen 9000 CPUs generations, the slabs of cache sat on top of
(fave.co/4efXMpv) can get you caught up on the Ryzen CPU dies, which resulted in them
crucial platform details about this generation not being able to clock as high as their
of AMD processors. We’ve already dug into non-X3D siblings due to heat concerns—and
the Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s speeds and feeds you couldn’t overclock them at all. So the
(fave.co/4eqw9Ki), while the video Ryzen 7 5800X3D and 7800X3D were slower
embedded above dives deep into our full than their non-X3D counterparts in many
testing results for the chip (though you can non-gaming workloads.
swipe through all our benchmark graphs Say goodbye to those limitations with
below). Here, we’ll explain the five key things the 9800X3D and its new-style V-Cache.
you need to know before buying the Ryzen 7 Here’s AMD describing the tweaks (fave.
9800X3D…which we absolutely recommend co/3YU1TTG):
if you’re a gamer. AMD has re-engineered its cutting-edge
on-chip memory solution with
2nd Gen AMD 3D V-Cache
technology. The 64MB cache
memory has been relocated
below the processor, which puts
the core complex die (CCD)
closer to the cooling solution to
help keep the “Zen 5” cores
cooler, delivering high clock rates
and providing up to an average
The Ryzen 7 9800X3D introduces the second generation of 8% gaming performance
AMD’s V-Cache technology, and it’s a winner. improvement compared to our

28 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

last-gen generation and up to an average
20% faster than the competition. This Cyberpunk 2077:
revolutionary change in placement allows for 1080p, Ultra preset,
extreme overclocking of the processor. no upscale/RT
End result? The Ryzen 7 9800X3D has a Ryzen 9 9950X
197
much higher 4.7GHz base clock speed Ryzen 7 9800X3D
233
than both the Ryzen 7 9700X and the older Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
197
Ryzen 7 7800X3D, while also bumping up Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
191
maximum clock speeds to 5.2GHz and Ryzen 7 7800X3D
220
also allowing you to (finally) overclock Ryzen 7 5700X3D
191
the processor. Core Ultra 9 285K
161
Core Ultra 7 265K
154
2. A GAMING Core Ultra 5 245K
156
LEGEND INDEED
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
With those changes in tow, the Ryzen 7
9800X3D absolutely slaps in games—and
slaps Intel’s flagship Core Ultra 9 285K
around in the process.
F1 2023: 1080p,
In the four games we tested, the Ryzen 7
Ultra preset, no
upscale/RT, Bahrain
9800X3D runs an average of 25 percent
faster than the 285K at 1080p resolution.
Ryzen 9 9950X
450
That’s a massive and unheard-of gulf, and it’s
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
511
actually being dragged down by the results in
Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
455
Total War Warhammer 3, which runs similarly
Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
452
on every processor we tested. If you take that
Ryzen 7 7800X3D
504
out, the 9800X3D runs a whopping 30
Ryzen 7 5700X3D
414
percent faster than Intel’s biggest dog. It’s 45
Core Ultra 9 285K
380
percent faster than the 285K in Cyberpunk Core Ultra 7 265K
338
2077 with ray tracing off. Core Ultra 5 245K
316
Madness! I can’t remember the last time I LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

witnessed a hardware beat down this

relentlessly violent. If you want the single best
gaming chip you can buy, the Ryzen 9 AMD’s newcomer also bests the
9800X3D is it. company’s productivity flagship, the Ryzen 9

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 29

REVIEWS RYZEN 7 9800X3D

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Total War: Warhammer

Six Siege: 1080p, DX 11, III: 1080p, Ultra Preset,
Ultra Preset (50% Render) No Upscale/RT, Battle
Ryzen 9 9950X
683 Ryzen 9 9950X
234
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
713 Ryzen 7 9800X3D
272
Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
645 Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
272
Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
633 Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
269
Ryzen 7 7800X3D
658 Ryzen 7 7800X3D
272
Ryzen 7 5700X3D
499 Ryzen 7 5700X3D
251
Core Ultra 9 285K
583 Core Ultra 9 285K
257
Core Ultra 7 265K
486 Core Ultra 7 265K
260
Core Ultra 5 245K
425 Core Ultra 5 245K
254
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

Interestingly, the 9800X3D isn’t all that

3DMark: Steel much faster in our tested games than its
Nomad 1.0 Overall predecessor, the 7800X3D. But that’s not
Ryzen 9 9950X
9,311 the case when it comes to, well, everything
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
9,361 but gaming.
Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
9,314
Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
9,360 3. SHOCKINGLY GOOD
Ryzen 7 7800X3D
9,396 CREATION CHOPS
Ryzen 7 5700X3D
9,186 Eight-core CPUs are the sweet spot for most
Core Ultra 9 285K
9,298 folks who game and dabble in tasks like
Core Ultra 7 265K
9,354 streaming and basic video editing, and the
Core Ultra 5 245K
9,288 second-gen V-Cache in the 9800X3D makes
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E it a much more compelling option for work
than its predecessors.
Unlike prior X3D chips, the 9800X3D is
9950X, in gaming—no surprise there given demonstrably faster than the vanilla 8-core
the Ryzen 9’s dual-CCD design, which can chip in AMD’s Ryzen lineup—the 9700X
impact gaming frame rates. here. We tested the 9700X in both its stock

30 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 Cinebench 2024 nT: Cinebench 2024 1T:
Average of Three Back- Average of Three Back-
to-Back Runs to-Back Runs
Ryzen 9 9950X
2,196 Ryzen 9 9950X
135
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
1,315 Ryzen 7 9800X3D
132
Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
1,244 Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
134
Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
1,083 Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
134
Ryzen 7 7800X3D
1,059 Ryzen 7 7800X3D
113
Ryzen 7 5700X3D
804 Ryzen 7 5700X3D
85
Core Ultra 9 285K
2,343 Core Ultra 9 285K
140
Core Ultra 7 265K
1,997 Core Ultra 7 265K
132
Core Ultra 5 245K
1,412 Core Ultra 5 245K
124
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

Blender 4.2.0: Blender 4.2.0:

Classroom Scene Monster Scene
Ryzen 9 9950X
130 Ryzen 9 9950X
264
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
72 Ryzen 7 9800X3D
146
Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
67 Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
134
Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
56 Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
114
Ryzen 7 7800X3D
56 Ryzen 7 7800X3D
116
Ryzen 7 5700X3D
40 Ryzen 7 5700X3D
84
Core Ultra 9 285K
125 Core Ultra 9 285K
258
Core Ultra 7 265K
107 Core Ultra 7 265K
209
Core Ultra 5 245K
70 Core Ultra 5 245K
142
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

65-watt configuration, as well as with the 9700X’s default performance, and manages
105W option unlocked via a BIOS update. to keep its lead even when you juice the
The 9800X3D soundly trounces the vanilla chip with abundant extra power. We

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 31

REVIEWS RYZEN 7 9800X3D

Blender 4.2.0: Handbrake 1.8.2

Junkshop Scene Seconds
Ryzen 9 9950X Ryzen 9 9950X
192 287
Ryzen 7 9800X3D Ryzen 7 9800X3D
103 313
Ryzen 7 9700X 105w Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
97 363
Ryzen 7 9700X 65w Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
85 401
Ryzen 7 7800X3D Ryzen 7 7800X3D
81 422
Ryzen 7 5700X3D Ryzen 7 5700X3D
61 559
Core Ultra 9 285K Core Ultra 9 285K
168 250
Core Ultra 7 265K Core Ultra 7 265K
138 289
Core Ultra 5 245K Core Ultra 5 245K
94 371
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E S H O R T E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

Premiere Pro 24.6.1: Photoshop 25.12:

PugetBench 1.0.1 PugetBench 1.0.1 Overall
Extended Overall Ryzen 9 9950X
11.790
Ryzen 9 9950X
11,586 Ryzen 7 9800X3D
12,166
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
10,471 Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
12,057
Ryzen 7 9700X 105w
10,102 Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
11,706
Ryzen 7 9700X 65w
9,524 Ryzen 7 7800X3D
10,308
Ryzen 7 7800X3D
9,249 Ryzen 7 5700X3D
7,868
Ryzen 7 5700X3D
7,393 Core Ultra 9 285K
9,607
Core Ultra 9 285K
12,053 Core Ultra 7 265K
9,136
Core Ultra 7 265K
11,569 Core Ultra 5 245K
9,043
Core Ultra 5 245K
10,745 LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

point is the difference between the

haven’t seen this before, and it’s a huge 9800X3D and the 7800X3D in creative
feather in the 9800X3D’s cap. That’s workloads, especially given their neck-and-
notable. But what really drives home the neck performance in gaming.

32 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 vanilla siblings. That’s not the case anymore.
DaVinci Resolve 19.0.2.7: The Ryzen 7 9800X3D outshines the 9700X
PugetBench 1.0.1 in every way—and it’s often not close,
Extended Overall especially if you’re using the 9700X’s default
Ryzen 9 9950X 65W configuration.
11,545
Ryzen 7 9800X3D Don’t hear what I’m not saying: If you’re a
10,495
Ryzen 7 9700X 105w person who does heavy, crunchy creation
10,375
Ryzen 7 9700X 65w tasks, you’re generally going to be better off
9,846
Ryzen 7 7800X3D going for the Ryzen 9 9950X or Core Ultra 9
9,761
Ryzen 7 5700X3D 285K, both of which come loaded with way
8,271
Core Ultra 9 285K
more CPU cores than AMD’s new X3D
11,116
Core Ultra 7 265K
vanguard and offer correspondingly higher
10,576
Core Ultra 5 245K
performance (at, yes, higher prices). But the
9,781
9800X3D can easily handle what the vast
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
majority of folks will throw at it.

The 9800X3D is 24 percent faster than 4. IT’S MORE EXPENSIVE

the 7800X3D in Cinebench’s multi-thread So the Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the single best
test, despite both being 8-core chips with gaming chip you can buy, and it’s now a
connected V-Cache. It’s roughly 25 percent very solid chip for non-gaming tasks too.
faster in Blender workloads. That leaps up to a Excellent! But you don’t get those benefits
whopping 35 percent faster during for free.
Handbrake video encodes. The torrid pace At $479, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D costs $30
slows in Premiere Pro and Photoshop, to a more than its predecessor, and a whopping
still-valiant 13 and 18 percent, respectively, $130 more than the 9700X—an interesting
while Davinci Resolve is the least impressive price since the 9800X3D chip was only
result, with the 9800X3D landing about 7.5 about 14 percent faster than the 9700X in
percent faster than the 7800X3D. our gaming tests. If you want the very best
These are phenomenal results, full stop, gaming performance, though, you have to
and ones that eradicate the previous caveats pay for it. It’s also worth pointing out that the
associated with Ryzen X3D chips. Choosing 9800X3D is $110 cheaper than Intel’s Core
the Ryzen 7 5800X3D or 7800X3D meant Ultra 9 285K. AMD’s chip whups on Intel’s in
you got top-tier gaming performance, but games, while Intel’s shoves AMD’s chip
non-gaming tasks suffered compared to their around in multi-core workloads.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 33

REVIEWS RYZEN 7 9800X3D

5. SHOULD YOU UPGRADE gaming speed, it makes sense. If you take a

YOUR 5800X3D? step back, however, the beloved 5800X3D—
Finally, the big question: What should you do which came out years ago—is just as fast if not
if you already own a Ryzen 7 5800X3D system faster than Intel’s 285K flagship. So it remains
(fave.co/3D3nyxE)? Lots of enthusiasts a very potent gaming chip, and the
snatched up the legendary chip during fire 9800X3D’s gaming uplift won’t be as
sales in recent years and were waiting to see pronounced at 1440p or 4K resolution, where
how the Ryzen 9800X3D performed after gaming bottlenecks tend to get shifted more
skipping the 7800X3D. towards GPUs.
Going off the numbers alone, the Upgrading from the 5800X3D to the
9800X3D is 25 percent faster than the 9800X3D doesn’t just mean spending $479
5700X3D (which is clocked 400MHz lower on the chip, either—you’ll also need to
than the 5800X3D) in our gaming tests, and a upgrade to a new AM5 motherboard, and
whole lot faster than that in content creation snag some newfangled DDR5 memory to go
tasks. The 5800X3D should be about 7 with it. All in, you’re looking at a total platform
percent faster than the 5700X3D. On the upgrade cost pushing nearly $800 or more,
surface, that makes the 9800X3D seem like a even if you keep your existing graphics card,
very fine upgrade indeed. But should you bite case, power supply, and so on.
the bullet? Again, if you seek the very best gaming
For people who demand the newest firepower, it could make sense, and doubly so
technologies and the bleeding edge of if you stream or use your PC for other
demanding workloads—the
9800X3D’s content creation leap
is breathtaking, and the AM5
platform supports newer
technologies like PCIe 5, DDR5,
and USB 4. But if you’re mostly a
gamer, and the 5800X3D is still
spitting out ferocious frame rates
in your games of choice, saving
your cash for a baller new
graphics card is probably a better
bang for your buck despite how
The 9800X3D’s content creation leap is breathtaking. fantastic the 9800X3D is.

34 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

Core Ultra 9 285K tested: 10
must-know facts about Intel’s
radically new CPUs
Don’t call these 15th-generation processors, thank you.
BY ALAINA YEE, ADAM PATRICK MURRAY & WILL SMITH

I
ntel’s new desktop CPUs are radically last-generation Raptor Lake CPUs, while still
different than the Intel CPUs you’re beating out the competition.
used to. However, Arrow Lake isn’t notable just
Today marks the launch of Arrow for what it does, but also for what it is. As
Lake (fave.co/48EQJFo), the company’s latest
architecture for desktop processors, formally VIDEO: INTEL CORE
sold as the Core Ultra 200S Series. According ULTRA 9 285K REVIEW:
to Intel’s claims, this batch of Core chips is
WORKSTATION FOCUS
Watch now at fave.co/3V6lWMv
faster and far more power efficient than

IMAGE: INTEL DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 35

REVIEWS TESTED: INTEL CORE ULTR A 9 285K

the first set of desktop x86 processors and 9, and dropping the reference to the
shipped but not fabricated by Intel, TSMC’s generation. It also squeezed in the word
involvement in their production is but one “Ultra” for CPUs containing Arc graphics and
new standout aspect. Intel has reworked its a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for AI-based
chip design, too—and the overhaul comes tasks, as well as reset the numbering system
with some quirks, as we discovered during to start in the hundreds.
our testing. This change first rolled out to laptops with
For a deeper dive into productivity Meteor Lake CPUs in late 2023. Arrow Lake’s
benchmarks, check out Gordon’s video release is the first time we’re seeing the new
review of the Core Ultra 9 285K here: fave. names on desktop—a big shift after a decade-
co/3V6lWMv. plus of the old style of names. Intel also opted
Here, let’s dig into the top ten things you to begin Arrow Lake’s numbering in the 200
should know about Intel’s Core Ultra 200S range, despite being the first on desktop—
CPUs, after extensive testing of the flagship likely so that laptop and desktop architectures
Core Ultra 9 285K. from the same year match. (Lunar Lake, which
just began shipping in laptops in September
NEW NAMES FOR 2024, labels its processors with numbers in
A NEW ERA the 200 range as well.)
Last year, Intel retooled its naming system for These are the five CPUs in the new Core
Core processors (fave.co/3AtpSjb), bidding Ultra 200S series, which includes two variants
farewell to the “i” designator before 3, 5, 7, without integrated graphics, as denoted by
the “F” designator (that
convention is still the
same as before):
Intel Core Ultra 9
285K: 24 cores (8 P-cores,
16 E-cores, 5.7GHz max);
4 GPU cores, 13 TOPS
NPU, $589
Intel Core Ultra 9
265K: 20 cores (8 P-cores,
12 E-cores, 5.5GHz max);
4 GPU cores, 13 TOPS
Intel’s Arrow Lake 245K (left) and 285K side by side. NPU, $394

36 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 part of efforts
to improve power
and space efficiency
in Arrow Lake—that
is, how much power
a chip uses, and
what can be fit
into each
processor’s
package.
So the core
These are the five CPUs in the new Core Ultra 200S series. counts you see for
Core Ultra 200S
Intel Core Ultra 9 265KF: 20 cores processors are what you get—no additional
(8 P-cores, 12 E-cores, 5.5GHz max); 0 GPU threads. That said, the number of Lion Cove
cores, 13 TOPS NPU, $379 performance cores (aka P-cores), and
Intel Core Ultra 9 245K: 14 cores Skymont efficiency cores (aka E-cores) packed
(6 P-cores, 8 E-cores, 5.2GHz max); 4 GPU into Arrow Lake aren’t stingy. The top Core
cores, 13 TOPS NPU, $309 Ultra 9 285K chip still boasts 24 cores overall,
Intel Core Ultra 9 245KF: 14 cores with 8 P-cores and 16 E-cores.
(6 P-cores, 8 E-cores, 5.2GHz max); 0 GPU
cores, 13 TOPS NPU, $294 PERFORMANCE GAINS FOR
CONTENT CREATORS
HYPERTHREADING IS DEAD Arrow Lake’s performance will be a touchy
(AGAIN) subject among chip enthusiasts, who’ve
Intel introduced the masses to hyperthreading, become accustomed to huge gains over the
its technology allowing a CPU core to run two last couple of years. But that was possible due
threads (set of instructions) simultaneously, to high power ceilings—recent flagship
rather than the default of just one per physical processors essentially came overclocked as
core. But in more recent years, the company the default. In contrast, a key attribute of the
has flirted with killing it off. For Arrow Lake, the Core Ultra 200S lineup is power efficiency,
feature’s gone overboard once again. which Intel emphasizes as a selling point.
As Intel explained recently (fave. With this change, Arrow Lake provides
co/3AtpXU1), it dropped hyperthreading as creatives improved performance, but the

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 37

REVIEWS TESTED: INTEL CORE ULTR A 9 285K

Blender 4.2.0: Average of Cinebench 2024 nT:

Three Back-to-Back Runs Average of Three Back-
Monster Junkshop Classroom to-Back Runs
Core Ultra 9 285K 258
Core Ultra 9 285K
2,343
168
125
Core i9-14900K
2,088
Core i9-14900K 218
Ryzen 9 9950X
2,196
152 LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
103
Ryzen 9 9950X 264
192
130
Premiere Pro 24.6.1:
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
PugetBench 1.0.1
Extended Overall
Core Ultra 9 285K
12,053
Core i9-14900K
11,752
Handbrake 1.8.2
Seconds
Ryzen 9 9950X
11,586
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
Very Fast 4K AV1 Very Fast 4K HEVC

Core Ultra 9 285K 250

298
Core i9-14900K 277
325 DaVinci Resolve 19.0.2.7:
Ryzen 9 9950X 287 PugetBench 1.0.1
293
Extended Overall
S H O R T E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
Core Ultra 9 285K
11,116
Core i9-14900K
11,505
Ryzen 9 9950X
11,545
Photoshop 25.12: LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

PugetBench 1.0.1 Overall

Core Ultra 9 285K
9,607
gains aren’t spectacular enough to compel
Core i9-14900K
9,596
most Core i9-14900K owners to upgrade just
Ryzen 9 9950X
11,790
yet. Across our rendering and encoding
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

benchmarks, the Core Ultra 9 285K

38 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

consistently pulled ahead of last generation’s 14900K and 9950X in some games, holds
14900K flagship, with improvements about equal with them in others, and edges
ranging between 2 to 21 percent depending them out in yet others.
on the task. It also mostly edged ahead of In our small selection of gaming
the Ryzen 9 9950X. The one exception: It benchmarks, the 285K generally held even
trailed slightly behind both older CPUs in
DaVinci Resolve.
3DMark: Steel
BUT GAMING IS LESS Nomad 1.0 Overall
OF A WIN Core Ultra 9 285K
9,298
Gamers love to see new CPUs crush the Core i9-14900K
9,218
existing competition—and for those in that Ryzen 9 9950X
9,311
crowd, the Core Ultra 9 285K may seem
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

disappointing. It’s a chip that trails behind the

Cyberpunk 2077: Tom Clancy’s Rainbow

1080p, Ultra Preset, Six Siege: 1080p, DX 11,
No Upscale/RT Ultra Preset (50% Render)
Core Ultra 9 285K
161 Core Ultra 9 285K
583
Core i9-14900K
166 Core i9-14900K
562
Ryzen 9 9950X
197 Ryzen 9 9950X
683
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

F1 2023: 1080p, Total War: Warhammer

High Preset, No III: 1080p, Ultra Preset,
Upscale/RT, Bahrain No Upscale/RT, Battle
Core Ultra 9 285K
380 Core Ultra 9 285K
257
Core i9-14900K
389 Core i9-14900K
261
Ryzen 9 9950X
450 Ryzen 9 9950X
234
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 39

REVIEWS TESTED: INTEL CORE ULTR A 9 285K

with the 14900K, but often trailed by a POWER EFFICIENCY IS

double-digit margin behind AMD’s Ryzen IMPROVED, BUT…
9 9950X. In Cyberpunk 2077, the 9950X As for the reason behind Arrow Lake’s
kept a cushy 18 percent lead over the smaller performance gains—Intel claims |
285K, with similar performance in F1 2023 its new chips match 14th-gen Raptor Lake-
and Rainbow Six Siege. The 285K only R’s performance at half the power, but you
held its own in 3DMark’s Steel Nomad, a may not see quite such a
synthetic gaming benchmark that dramatic improvement.
simulates a more system-intensive game at Compared to the 14900K, our tests
4K resolution. showed a 17 percent decrease in power
Even when paired with faster, more consumption during our Handbrake AV1
performant CU-DIMM memory, fave. benchmark (a difference of 65 watts).
co/3UKxzs5, (instead of DDR5), gaming Similarly, during Cinebench 2024’s single-
performance doesn’t dramatically core benchmark, energy use dropped by
improve—in F1 2023,
we saw a rise to 410
frames per second, or
Handbrake: Highest Performance
9950x 14900k 285k
about a 7 percent
increase. That narrows
the gap between the
285K and 9950X, but
the latter still comes out
on top.
By no means is the
285K a bad chip for
gaming—but it won’t
really blow anyone’s
Cinebench: Highest Performance
9950x 14900k 285k
socks off. So while Intel
has been open about
Arrow Lake’s gaming
performance, the
internet pitchforks will
likely be out in force on
this score.

40 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 power draw, these new
Idle: Highest Performance chips reveal an
9950x 14900k 285k unexpected peculiarity.

…WINDOWS
OPTIMIZATIONS
MAY BE A WORK
IN PROGRESS
Desktop users don’t often
pay much mind to
about 16 percent (a difference of 22 watts). At
Windows power settings—they’re less
idle, the 285K’s power draw actually relevant when you’re plugged into a wall all
increased slightly, nudging up about the time. At least, that’s the case normally.
3 percent (about 2.5 watts). These threeHowever, being a curious bunch, we checked
benchmarks cover the
general spectrum of
usual PC behavior.
Handbrake: Balanced
9950x 14900k 285k
The 285K fares better
against AMD’s best, with
a 4 percent decrease in
power consumption in
Handbrake, an almost
25 percent decrease in
Cinebench 2024, and a
roughly 28 percent
decrease at idle
compared to the 9950X.
Cinebench: Balanced
9950x 14900k 285k
Overall, Intel’s
improvements give it an
edge if you’re worried
about heat or your
power bill. But the story
doesn’t end there. Turns
out, when you dig into

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 41

REVIEWS TESTED: INTEL CORE ULTR A 9 285K

285K (15 minutes

Idle: Balanced into the 285K’s run)
9950x 14900k 285k and still see them
complete the
task faster.
Additionally,
the resulting score
showed a 55
percent decrease
in performance
compared to the
the 285K’s power consumption on different 14900K and 9950X on the same Balanced
Windows 11 power plans. And oddly, the power plan. The difference was even higher on
285K’s performance dropped on the the Power Saver plan, with a 67 percent drop.
Balanced and Power
Saver plans.
In our Cinebench
Handbrake: Best Power Efficiency
9950x 14900k 285k
2024 single-core test, the
285K slowed down
notably while completing
its task, stretching out to
30 minutes on the
Balanced plan. On the
High Performance plan,
the 285K kept closer to a
10-minute run (a more
typical result for flagship
Cinebench: Best Power Efficiency
9950x 14900k 285k
desktop chips).
Highlighting this contrast,
the 14900K and 9950X
finished with their usual
times—meaning we
could start those chips’
benchmarks later than the

42 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 too surprising—Arrow
Idle: Best Power Efficiency Lake is considerably
9950x 14900k 285k different compared to
14th-gen Raptor Lake-R.
Until now, Intel
released monolithic
processors for desktop;
everything related to the
CPU existed on a single
die. But starting with
Meanwhile, on High Performance Arrow Lake, Intel has switched to a chiplet
settings, the 285K actually outperformed design (fave.co/4ekN7Ke), a move that rival
its predecessor by about 5 percent, and AMD made years ago.
the 9950X by about 2 percent. This Intel calls Arrow Lake a “disaggregated”
outcome is all the more puzzling, given processor, in which separate chiplets (“tiles”)
that our power draw measurements for different functions are linked together as a
showed little energy savings across the single package. If you pull off the lid of an
various power plans. Arrow Lake processor, you’ll find compute,
Does this mean Intel’s new chip could GPU, SOC, and I/O tiles, along with a “filler”
be nerfed by your power settings? For the and “base” tile for stability. Intel’s Foveros
moment, likely yes, especially since the technology connects them all together. Each
Balanced power plan is the Windows of these chiplets is fabricated (produced) on
default. Time will tell if
this behavior can
and will be fixed via
better Windows
optimization.

INTEL
REVAMPED ITS
PROCESSOR
DESIGN
Growing pains with a
new chip design aren’t Starting with Arrow Lake, Intel has switched to a chiplet design.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 43

REVIEWS TESTED: INTEL CORE ULTR A 9 285K

different processes—you can read more if you enable XMP for faster RAM speeds,
details about them in our initial overview of DDR5-8000 will be the ideal.
Arrow Lake (fave.co/48EQJFo). For connectivity, Intel’s 800 series
For chip nerds, this change in approach chipsets offer up to 24 PCI-e 4.0 lanes, as well
represents a huge shift for Intel, which had as 10 USB 3.2, 14 USB 2.0, and 8 SATA 3.0
previously championed a single die as better connections. Combine this with an Arrow
performing. For most home users, however, Lake CPU, you’ll get up to 48 PCIe lanes, with
what matters more is how Intel had to juggle 20 of them PCIe 5.0.
the layout of the package. Thunderbolt 4 and Thunderbolt 5
integration are also features, as are
YOU’LL NEED A NEW technologies like Thunderbolt Share (which
MOTHERBOARD lets you share screens, peripherals, storage,
Arrow Lake requires a new socket—LGA and files with another PC; fave.
1851—and accordingly, that means it won’t co/3z0ULdM), Intel Killer Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth
be compatible with existing LGA 1700 boards. 5.4, and 2.5Gbps ethernet (depending on
The first chipset to be announced is the the configuration).
Z890, which supports up to 192GB of
DDR5-6400 memory (up to 48GB per DDR5 RAM AND EXISTING
DIMM). You can use more common COOLERS STILL WORK
SO-DIMMs, but the newer CU-DIMM While you can pair Arrow Lake with CU-DIMM
memory modules work as well. Intel says that memory, you don’t have to do so. DDR5 RAM
will still work with
a Core Ultra 200S
processor, and as
we’ve seen above,
you’re not losing
that much of a
performance boost.
In fact, with
general availability
for CU-DIMM
memory not slated
Arrow Lake won’t be compatible with existing LGA 1700 boards as it requires a to heat up (fave.
new socket—LGA 1851. co/3UKxzs5) until

44 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

early next year, if you buy
into Arrow Lake now, your
option really will be only
DDR5 memory.
As for coolers—if you
already have a cooler
compatible with 13th or
14th generation processors,
they should still work with
Arrow Lake. However, Intel
says you’ll likely new
mounting hardware to
achieve the correct pressure
for optimal cooling. DDR5 RAM will still work with a Core Ultra 200S processor.

NO UPGRADES TO AI gamers happy—as they’re one of the

CAPABILITIES ON DESKTOP primary groups of buyers for desktop chips.
If you were hoping that the launch of Arrow Lake You can read more about Intel’s approach in
meant desktop access to generative AI and the our rundown of Arrow Lake’s AI capabilities
divisive Recall (fave.co/3YhvZjC) feature in (fave.co/3YBCYD3), but know that
Windows 11, prepare yourself for systems with these chips will still likely be
disappointment. These new processors marketed as AI PCs.
incorporate an older
NPU into the package,
which only provides 13
TOPS of computational
performance, well
below the minimum of
40 TOPS Microsoft
requires to unlock
Windows 11’s
Copilot+ AI features.
Why? Decisions
were made to keep These new processors incorporate an older NPU into the package.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 45

REVIEWS

TunnelBear VPN: It’s just right

for beginners
Come for the bear puns, stay for the security. BY SAM SINGLETON

T
unnelBear (fave.co/40CwBlk) is a has tried hard in recent years to remain
good-humored VPN service relevant in an increasingly competitive VPN
owned by McAfee security market by adding more features and
company and based in Toronto, maintaining a strong privacy record. Certainly
Canada. It’s been around for a while now and there are ursine puns aplenty to be enjoyed
has always stood out due to its unique and here, but is the VPN service just right for you?
endearing bear-themed interface. The service I took it for a walk in the woods to find out.

46 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024 IMAGE: TUNNELBEAR

TunnelBear in brief: with its premium subscription plan and comes
P2P allowed: Yes with a large server network. While it boasts
Unlimited device connections: Yes that it has over 8,000 servers, you wouldn’t
Business location: Canada necessarily know from looking at the server
Number of servers: 8,000-plus list on the app. Most of the 45 country
Number of country locations: 47-plus locations, with the exceptions of the U.S. and
Cost: $9.99 per month, $39.99 for 1 Canada, only have one server to connect to. If
year, or $120 for 3 years you’re looking to stream and you find the one
server location in that country blocked, you’re
FEATURES AND SERVICES essentially out of luck.
When you first open TunnelBear, you’ll notice On the whole, TunnelBear is a simple
how much work the designers have put into service without a lot of frills, but it does
it. The main interface is a world map dotted provide some interesting key features worth
with the available servers. As you scroll across checking out. Along the side bar, under
the map, even the trees change based on the Settings > Security, TunnelBear has its own
continent or region you’re viewing (palm version of a kill switch feature called
trees in the Middle East, umbrella thorns in VigilantBear. It works a little differently than a
Africa). Your actual location is signified on the normal kill switch in that instead of
map with a sheep, but once you connect to disconnecting your internet in the event of a
the VPN, it turns into a bear.
Each server location has an
empty tunnel icon on it. To connect,
just select the server location you
want. In addition to selecting from a
map, there is also a drop-down list
at the top with all of the servers as
well. Somehow in the TunnelBear
universe, sheep turning into bears
and bears digging through tunnels
makes sense, but the logic is lost on
me. Still, it’s a fun and unique
design element.
TunnelBear offers unlimited TunnelBear comes with a lot of servers but not a wide variety
simultaneous device connections of country locations.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 47

REVIEWS TUNNELBEAR VPN

VPN disconnection, it just blocks all will have access to the VPN connection.
incoming and outgoing traffic until the Unfortunately, TunnelBear lacks many
connection is reestablished. advanced features that competitors offer,
Additionally, TunnelBear offers a feature such as multi-hop and dedicated servers
called GhostBear that makes your encrypted specific to certain activities—streaming,
data less detectable. It does this by masking torrenting, and so on.
your VPN traffic and disguising it as HTTPS In fact, in the past, TunnelBear blocked
traffic, which is generally less likely to be access to P2P downloads, but it has reversed
blocked by censors—particularly useful for course and begun allowing them. Still, it’s not
streaming services such as Netflix. something that it openly encourages with its
Turning on the GhostBear feature service and for that reason other VPN
increases the likelihood that your connection providers such as ProtonVPN (fave.co/
will be able to access these restrictive sites. 3IwKVz5) and Mullvad VPN (fave.co/
Be warned, though, that turning on 3Cywibv) are better suited for torrenting.
GhostBear will likely slow down your TunnelBear offers desktop programs
connection even further. and mobile apps for a number of systems
Another feature to note is SplitBear, such as Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS.
TunnelBear’s version of split tunneling, which There are also browser extensions for
allows you to control which apps or websites Firefox, Chrome, and Edge.

PRICE
TunnelBear offers its premium
Unlimited plan in monthly, 1-year, or
3-year increments. If you opt for the
monthly plan, you’ll need to pony
up $9.99 per month. The 1-year
plan will set you back $39.99 for
the first year or $3.33 per month.
Then there’s the 3-year plan, which
runs for $120 or $3.33 per month.
It’s worth noting that with the 1-year
plan, the rate will autorenew at
TunnelBear’s settings including a VigilantBear kill switch and $59.88 per year for any subsequent
GhostBear features. years you subscribe.

48 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 VPN service with all of its
servers and features. The
drawback is that you’re limited
to 2GB of data per month. With
a data limit that low, it’s hard to
recommend using the free plan
for anything other than testing
out the service before deciding
to upgrade.
TunnelBear accepts payments
via credit card only.

PERFORMANCE
The SplitBear feature allows you to pick and choose which apps During my testing, I rated
and websites to run through the VPN and which to exclude. speeds across TunnelBear’s
servers in six different countries
While these certainly aren’t the most all around the world and then compared
expensive prices I’ve seen for a premium VPN them to my baseline internet speed. Last
service, they aren’t the cheapest either. The time around, TunnelBear’s server speeds
monthly plan in particular strikes me as a bit weren’t great, and this time wasn’t much
expensive for the rather small feature set that better. Across all locations tested, the
TunnelBear provides. Other similar services speeds averaged a mere 40 percent of the
offer multi-hop and ad- and tracker-blocking base download speed and an even less
for the same prices. When it comes to the impressive 35 percent of the base upload
longer-term plans, the price becomes much speed. Not only do these numbers not
more reasonable. impress, but they fell way short of the
Personally, I don’t recommend anyone opt services in our top five fastest VPNs
for a 3-year plan as the ever-changing (fave.co/3OWgSrf).
landscape of the VPN market makes this too Still, online speeds can vary wildly in pure
long of a commitment. If you want to save Mbps tests from day to day and even hour to
some money and enjoy TunnelBear, stick with hour. It’s best to take any and all speed tests
the 1-year plan and reassess each year. with a grain of salt. Your experience with
TunnelBear does also offer a free plan TunnelBear may differ from those in the tests
that includes full access to the TunnelBear for this review.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 49

REVIEWS TUNNELBEAR VPN

In regard to streaming, I noticed

that TunnelBear wasn’t able to
consistently unblock sites such as
Netflix and Amazon Prime. It was
successful in doing so most of the
time, but the odd server seemed to
have trouble or was outright getting
blocked. I have encountered similar
results in the past with TunnelBear,
and the lack of improvement in this
area feels a bit careless.
When I turned on the GhostBear
feature, it seemed to solve most of
these unblocking issues. TunnelBear’s protocol options for its Windows app.
Unfortunately, with GhostBear turned
on, I noticed that my connection speeds SECURITY AND PRIVACY
plummeted and I wasn’t able to stream HQ TunnelBear comes with your industry-
video because it was too slow. So GhostBear standard AES-256 encryption, which is the
seems to work as intended, but it wasn’t really strongest currently available. The WireGuard
a viable solution for streaming. and OpenVPN protocols are supported on all
Given these results, I personally platforms, while IKEv2 is available for
wouldn’t recommend TunnelBear as a Windows users as well.
reliable VPN for streaming. That doesn’t Since TunnelBear began supporting
mean it can’t be used to stream, but I WireGuard last year, it is the protocol I
believe there are better options available. recommend for most activities due to its
Competitors such as NordVPN (fave. strong security and speeds. But if you’re
co/3wX9BwC), which works flawlessly with unsure, you can just select the Auto option in
Netflix, or CyberGhost VPN (fave. TunnelBear’s settings, and the app will
co/3PidGnn), which has a ton of locations choose what it believes is the best protocol
to choose from and optimized servers for for your connection.
streaming, would be the preferred Also, in order to confirm that my actual IP
alternatives. (See my roundup of the best address is obfuscated correctly, I used a DNS
VPNs for streaming Netflix to learn more, leak test (fave.co/44bvY0r). It confirmed that
fave.co/3KHEZaF.) there were no issues with accidental leaks of

50 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

my IP address when connected to comes from its charm and simplicity. It’s
TunnelBear’s servers. extremely easy to use, and it doesn’t
According to its privacy policy (fave. overwhelm you with too many features or
co/3UL3k4b), TunnelBear does not collect country options. And while this might be
any DNS queries, IP addresses of users, ideal for the average user, power users who
timestamps, or other personal identifiable like to tweak and optimize their VPN
information. However, it does collect what it connections will feel that the service doesn’t
deems “operational data” such as user offer enough to satisfy their needs.
support and troubleshooting queries, total The speeds are passable, but not great—
data used per month, and some sales data. It you might say they lumber a bit. Also, I did
says none of this information could identify encounter some unfortunate issues with
users and it is “not related to the time and servers being unable to unblock streaming
activity of VPN usage.” platforms, particularly Netflix. Overall, this
TunnelBear continues to conduct regular approachable and cheerful service is a good
third-party audits by Cure53, a trustworthy and option for users who are just getting started
reliable Big Four auditing firm. TunnelBear has with VPNs or might not be the most tech
successfully passed every audit for the last savvy. Otherwise, there are other services
seven years. That’s admirable and should be a such as those on our best VPNs list that might
big selling point for privacy-conscious users. be better for more advanced users.
TunnelBear itself is located in Toronto,
Canada, which means that all personal TunnelBear VPN
information is handled according to Canadian
law. While Canada does not currently have PROS
• Charming and easy-to-use interface.
any mandatory data retention laws, they are a • Multiple independent audits.
member of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing • Unlimited simultaneous device connections.

alliance, meaning they could be obligated to CONS

• Limited feature set.
share user data with other governments. • Customer support not the most helpful.
Fortunately, TunnelBear’s verified no-logs • Not a good option for torrenting.

policy means it wouldn’t have any user data to BOTTOM LINE

TunnelBear is an undeniably charming VPN that keeps
turn over anyway. it simple with basic but solid features. It offers reliable
security, but continues to struggle with inconsistent
speeds and unblocking issues. VPN novices will find
BOTTOM LINE it approachable, but advanced users will be left
wanting more.
TunnelBear is a VPN that sticks to the basics—
From $10 per month
privacy and bear puns. Most of its appeal

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 51

REVIEWS

Asus Zenbook S 14: A nearly

perfect productivity PC
It’s lighter than a MacBook Air. BY MARK HACHMAN

You might approach buying This, the launch platform for Intel’s Core
the Asus Zenbook S 14 Ultra Series 2 (Lunar Lake) mobile chip,
(UX5406) for a variety of simply does not. It makes battery anxiety a
reasons such as its status as thing of the past.
an AI-infused Copilot+ PC and its lovely “Tight” is a word that has come to
OLED screen, but it’s the long-lasting connote an efficiency of space and effort. This
battery—21 hours in our tests!—that will laptop feels tight in that very little is without
change your life. purpose, from the gorgeous edge-to-edge
I don’t mean this lightly. I’m used to OLED display to a design that keeps fan noise
packing a charger in my bag because I to a whisper (at most). My one minor quibble
know that the laptop will run out of battery. is with the compact keyboard, and even there

52 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024 IMAGE: ASUS

it’s compact for a reason—and otherwise, this NPU: Yes, 47 TOPS
laptop is close to perfect in my eyes. Memory: 32GB LPDDR5X, integrated
Storage: 1 TB NVMe PCI 4.0 SSD (512GB
BUYING OPTIONS as tested)
Asus sells a single version of the Zenbook S 14 Ports: 2 USB-C (Thunderbolt 4), 1 10Gbps
(UX5406) for $1,499, with an Intel Core Ultra USB-A, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio jack
7 Processor 258V as well as 32GB of memory. Security: Windows Hello (camera)
Our review unit was the UX5406SA, which Camera: 1080p30
shipped with a 512GB SSD instead. Battery: 72Wh (design), 71.9Wh (full,
Remember, Intel’s Core Ultra Series 2 as tested)
chips (Lunar Lake) package the system Wireless: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
memory directly on the package. That limits Operating system: Windows 11 Home
the available configurations and prevents you 24H2
from upgrading the memory later. Best Buy Dimensions: 12.22×8.45×0.47 inches
(fave.co/4epcEBI) and Walmart are selling Weight: 2.65 pounds
versions with a Core Ultra 7 processor, but Color: Scandinavian White, Zumaia Gray
only 16GB of RAM for slightly cheaper. Price: $1,499 as tested
Otherwise, Asus offers this laptop in a pair of
colors: Scandinavian White and a blackish tint BUILD QUALITY AND FIRST
formally called Zumaia Gray. IMPRESSIONS
Asus also offers the Vivobook, which is The Asus Zenbook S 14 was Intel’s launch
aimed more at budget buyers. Best Buy just laptop for its latest Core Ultra Series 2 (Lunar
announced the related Asus Vivobook S 14 Lake) processors, so most of my early
Q423 (fave.co/4epcI4q), with a Core Ultra 5, experience with this clamshell laptop was
16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a 1200p quickly installing and running benchmarks for
screen for $949. our review of the Lunar Lake chip (fave.
co/402SDh2). (While I’ll reproduce some of
SPECIFICATIONS my benchmarks there, the Lunar Lake review
Model number: UX5406 dives much deeper into the laptop’s
Display: 14-inch (2880×1800) performance while on battery and on
touchscreen OLED up to 120Hz maximum performance settings.) For this
Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V (eight review, I treat the laptop more holistically.
cores, eight threads) Asus and Intel sent us the Zumaia Gray
Graphics: Intel Arc version for review. The Zenbook S 14 is

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 53

REVIEWS ASUS ZENBOOK S 14

constructed of what Asus calls Ceraluminum, quickly. The Zenbook weighs just 2.65
a portmanteau of “ceramic aluminum.” While pounds, with a screen-to-body ratio of 90
it does have a bit of a ceramic feel to it, your percent—and a 14-inch screen that pushes up
fingers will probably take away a somewhat right against the borders of the chassis, in
plasticky feel from it all. Asus etched silvery other words. Did you know that the 13-inch
lines on to the chassis on the back of the MacBook Air weighs 2.7 pounds?
display, giving it the unfortunate look that a There isn’t too much room between the
few cracks had appeared. Overall, the left and right sides of the keyboard and the
laptop has a prestigious look to it, but edges of the keyboard tray, and the touchpad
nothing especially luxurious. feels like they had to lean hard against it to
Structurally, it’s sound, too. I noticed squeeze it—as well as the integrated functions
just a minimal amount of flex when pressing it controls—in. The downside is that the
hard upon the center of the keyboard, and keyboard looks and feels a mite cramped.
the display doesn’t demonstrate any Still, all of these things contribute to the
meaningful wobble. impression that this little laptop is jam-packed
My overall impression of the Zenbook S with features.
14 is of a compact little productivity This new Asus Zenbook is extremely
powerhouse, and picking up and opening quiet. I tested it in a variety of modes,
this notebook reinforces this idea rather accessible via the MyAsus app, and forgot I
had left it in performance mode.
Normally, that means a loud, noisy
fan blowing hard to keep the
laptop cool. At least while
performing office tasks,
performance is basically as loud as
many laptops’ standard or quiet
modes. There’s no real need to run
the laptop in a high-performance
mode, but rest assured that if you
do, you probably won’t even
notice. Even full speed mode, the
laptop’s highest performance
The Zenbook S 14 is constructed of what Asus calls setting, declined to actually run
Ceraluminum, a portmanteau of “ceramic aluminum.” the fan at high speed when it

54 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 without requiring an optional
Thunderbolt dock or USB-C
hub. Inside, Asus has added
an up-to-date Wi-Fi 7 radio,
paired with Bluetooth 5.4.

DISPLAY
Asus chose a 14.0-inch, 3K
(2880×1800) touch OLED
panel with refresh rates up to
The left side of the Zenbook S 14 boats two Thunderbolt 4 ports as 120Hz for use with the
well as an HDMI connection. Zenbook S 14. The display is
rated for 500 nits HDR peak
brightness, which isn’t that
much. At maximum
brightness, the display
produces 358 nits by my
measurements, which is good
for indoor use but not in
direct sunlight.
Lenovo’s rival Lunar Lake
platform, the Yoga Slim 7i
Aura Edition (fave.
Is that a properly labeled USB-A port? It is! co/3YVHwFG), uses a
traditional IPS panel instead.
wasn’t needed. The Zenbook S 14 sucks air The difference is one of image quality and a
via vents on the bottom of the chassis and power tradeoff. An IPS panel typically uses a
blows it out through the hinge. single, uniform backlight, which brightens
Asus has added a pair of Thunderbolt 4 and dims the entire screen depending upon
ports to the left side of the chassis, next to an the demands of the image it’s rendering. That
HDMI 2.1 port. Asus has also included a single can cause a bit of backlight “glow” in darker
USB-A port on the right side, with a 3.5mm scenes, which OLED displays don’t have.
audio jack. It’s a nice mix of ports, able to OLEDs regulate brightness on a per-pixel
accommodate an external display and mouse basis, which gives darker scenes richer,

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 55

REVIEWS ASUS ZENBOOK S 14

deeper blacks. But they have a reputation for integrated stylus. (The laptop does boast stylus
consuming more power than an IPS display if support.) The Zenbook reclines to an
rendering a bright scene, such as what you approximate 30 to 40 degrees off the
might use for apps like Microsoft Word or horizontal, which is fine for office work—but
Outlook. It’s likely, given the stellar battery life reclining flat would allow for easier inking.
this notebook already has, that chips like the In the real world, what this means is that
Intel Core 200 series found inside will allow you’ll be able to work in either light or dark
visually richer OLED displays to be more mode, while enjoying a lovely screen for
common than in the past. watching streamed video after hours. I’m an
We’ve thankfully begun to move from a unabashed fan of OLED displays, and the
standard 1080p, 60Hz display to higher- Zenbook’s choice of an OLED display is
resolution displays like the 1800p display probably a good thing. Inside the MyAsus
here. That allows for a crisper image, and the app you’ll find various controls to tweak the
dynamic 120Hz screen should feel more display, from adjusting the color gamut to
comfortable to look at for longer periods of tweaking how the OLED displays visible pixels
time. (It will dip down to 60Hz when it thinks at low brightness. Probably the most
it can to save power, though you can fix it at important control from a visual sense is
120Hz using the MyAsus settings app.) whether you enable a screensaver to kick in at
An 120Hz screen refresh rate also allows for about 30 minutes; OLEDs can suffer from
smoother inking and mousing, which isn’t so burn-in, but the issue is less of a concern now
much of an issue because of the lack of an than it once was.
Peer closely, however, and
you may notice the speckling
that affected the Surface Pro 11th
Edition’s OLED screen (fave.co/
3YPPm3T) . Think of it as a very
light coat of dust on the inside of
the screen. It’s extremely faint,
but it’s there.

KEYBOARD AND
TOUCHPAD
I’ve never found Asus keyboards
The Vivobook S 14’s display color gamut. particularly appealing, and that

56 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 contrast between the key
markings and the gray
background. The
backlighting will turn off after
one minute on battery, a
configurable setting. It
remains on constantly while
on wall power, unless
disabled or unless the
MyAsus setting disables it
when the notebook detects
bright light.
The keyboard includes three levels of backlighting. Asus places a row of
function keys atop the
still holds with the Zenbook S 14. The keys keyboard, which can be triggered by tapping
themselves aren’t any smaller than those of the Windows key or just the function key itself.
any other notebooks I’ve tried, but the There’s a dedicated emoji key, as well as one
pitch—the space between the keys—is less (F11) that is surprisingly without purpose.
than some competitors, contributing to a The Zenbook S 14 is not the first Asus
cramped feel. notebook to use its configurable which
Key travel (fave.co/4esgmdY) is
only 1.1mm, too, which is at the
minimum end of the spectrum. Again,
I prefer keyboards with at least
1.25mm of travel. You might think…
does just 0.15mm make a difference? I
believe it does and you’ll notice it. I
typed this review on the Zenbook
itself and my fingers were not as
comfortable as they are on an Acer,
Microsoft, or HP keyboard.
The keyboard includes three levels
of backlighting, which feels pretty There are camera and mic controls on the Asus Zenbook
necessary given the rather poor S 14, but no physical covers or slides.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 57

REVIEWS ASUS ZENBOOK S 14

incorporates the standard Windows knock on it is that it does cause your voice to
touchpad gestures (fave.co/4fBUpu3) as well sound somewhat hollow, and unless you start
as its own: a swipe along the left edge to raise speaking immediately, the tech might briefly
or lower the volume, along the right edge for and incorrectly focus on the background
brightness, and along the top to scrub back music instead.
and forth within a video. They’re all The Zenbook’s integrated 1080p, 30Hz
surprisingly useful little tweaks. webcam is decent. The video quality is sharp
Otherwise, the mammoth touchpad is enough that you’ll come across pretty well on
clickable just two-thirds or so up the screen. a videoconferencing app. The color balance,
That’s acceptable, though not stellar. though, is pretty hit or miss: My skin tone
looked fairly normal, but my green shirt
AUDIO, MIC, AND WEBCAM appeared brown.
The Zenbook S 14 has stellar audio, boosted There are no physical slides or covers for
by four integrated Harmon Kardon speakers the webcam, though Asus dedicated two
and augmented by Dolby Atmos audio. function keys to turning off the webcam and
Dolby’s dynamic setting is on by default, mic. The webcam does have a depth
which will carry you across the finish line as far camera attached, which is configured during
as audio quality is concerned. (The music setup to recognize your face. It worked
setting sounds a bit better, but not by much). flawlessly in my experience.
Again, the MyAsus app hides a
few settings that may be of interest.
Using AI to adjust the speakers
didn’t do much, but the volume
booster control nudges the volume
up a bit. The AI mic control, though,
continues to be really impressive.
I’ve written before how Asus
essentially filters out background
noises (fave.co/3TqSoHu), even
music, almost perfectly from apps
like Zoom or Teams using the NPU’s
AI powers. If you do buy this
notebook, try this out with a friend— The bottom of the Zenbook, complete with a vent grille
it’s really remarkable. About the only and speakers.

58 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

PERFORMANCE Lunar Lake chip’s performance drops while
Whenever we test something, we try to on battery power. I absolutely agree, and
minimize any potential conflicts or sources of conducted numerous tests on wall power
trouble. In certain situations, though, that’s and battery power (fave.co/402SDh2)—on
unavoidable. In this case, I tested the Asus this laptop, no less—to test the chip itself.
Zenbook S 14, one of the first laptops out the Basically, expect that this laptop’s
door with Intel’s latest chip, together with one performance, unplugged, will drop to about
of the first Thunderbolt 5 docks in existence, 50 to 70 percent of what our test results
the Kensington S5000T5 (fave.co/40mKzrJ). show here. Office work and web browsing
The Zenbook only has a Thunderbolt 4 are just fine on battery, but if you plan to do
port inside, not a Thunderbolt 5. But the dock something like intensive editing work, I
played well with other laptops I own with a would plug in.
TB4 port. That wasn’t the case with the Should you buy a Lunar Lake laptop like
Zenbook S 14—every hour or so, it would this one over a laptop powered by a
drop the connection to a monitor for a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip, such as
second or two. The displays wouldn’t the 2024 version of the Microsoft Surface
disconnect, but the screen would blank. Laptop? I don’t think it’s a conclusive win for
Also, I conducted a Web video chat with a either side. Qualcomm, like it or not, still has
vendor, using a Web-based “white box” some lingering, minor compatibility issues,
video client that featured the vendor’s name— but the Snapdragon is a more power-efficient
not Zoom or Teams. The laptop locked up chip than the Core Ultra Series 200/Lunar
completely, becoming totally unresponsive Lake chip found in this Asus Zenbook S 14.
until I held down the power button to reboot For comparison’s sake, I’ve chosen the
it. In a regular Zoom call, moving the Zoom 13.8-inch, $1,999 Microsoft Surface Laptop
window around occasionally took a couple of 7th Edition (aka the Surface Laptop 7; fave.
seconds for changes to register. I can’t say for co/3X7OXJ5), with a Qualcomm Snapdragon
certain what the cause was, but my time using X Elite chip, the 15.3-inch, $1,379 Lenovo
this Asus notebook was not without issue. Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition (fave.co/3YVHwFG)
This review, though, will run through our with another Lunar Lake processor, the
standard benchmarks, plugged in on wall 14-inch $1,689 HP OmniBook Ultra 14 (fave.
power. Qualcomm has been vehement (fave. co/48FyEHo) with AMD’s latest Ryzen AI 300
co/3Cw7p5W) that this generation of laptop chip inside, plus Acer’s 14-inch, $1,329
testing should be performed on wall power TravelMate P4 Spin 14 (fave.co/3CfXUbg)
as well as on battery, to show how sharply the with a Core Ultra Series 1 chip inside. I’ve also

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 59

REVIEWS ASUS ZENBOOK S 14

PCMark 10 Overall Cinebench R20

CPU performance CPU multi-thread performance
HP Omnibook Ultra 14
Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 7,801 HP Omnibook Ultra 14
Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 7,582
Asus Zenbook S 14
Core Ultra 7 258V 7,046 Asus Zenbook 14 OLED
Ryzen 7 8840S 5,387
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura
Edition Core Ultra 7 256V 6,995 Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th
Edition Snapdragon X1E-80-100 3,820
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED
Ryzen 7 8840S 6,772 Acer TravelMate P4 Spin 14
Ryzen 7 8840HS 3,644
Acer TravelMate P4 Spin 14
Ryzen 7 8840HS 5,642 Asus Zenbook S 14
Core Ultra 7 258V 3,603
HP Pavilion Laptop 16
Ryzen 7 8840HS 5,474 HP Pavilion Laptop 16
Ryzen 7 8840HS 3,469
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

added a budget 14-inch $849 Asus Zenbook usually break out), the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i
14 (fave.co/4bQ3Eo2) from earlier this year falls just below the Zenbook in the total
as well as the surprisingly inexpensive $769 score, which includes a variety of factors. In a
16-inch HP Pavilion Laptop 16 (fave.co/ single category, spreadsheet performance,
3Che5Vv) with a Core Ultra 7 155U inside, the Yoga far exceeds the Zenbook, with a
just to demonstrate what an extra $1,000 or score of 14,646 to 10,855, a whopping 35
so supposedly buys you. percent difference. I don’t know why that is,
We use four major tests to determine the but it’s noteworthy.
laptop’s performance, beginning with Cinebench is a synthetic benchmark that
PCMark 10. This benchmark puts the laptop pushes all of the laptop’s CPU cores to their
through a number of tasks, from limit. In this case, we’re trying to understand
videoconferencing to web browsing, to how well the laptop responds to an
general Office tasks, and even some mildly application’s demands for the full capabilities
intensive CAD work. It’s a good of the PC, whatever that application may be.
approximation of many daily tasks in a variety Don’t expect Lunar Lake laptops to be
of applications, and a good score here means especially powerful; battery life is now the
that this laptop will be able to hold up over a focus. Still, this laptop can hold its own.
day’s work. We use an older version of the test,
You would expect this laptop to hold up, Cinebench R20, as the version we test here.
however, and it does. There’s one thing I On the latest iterations, Cinebench R23 and
noticed that stands out. If you drill down Cinebench 2024, the laptop scored 1,855
inside the PCMark scores (which we don’t and 589, respectively. You can find more

60 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 Handbrake 0.9.9 Encode 3DMark Time Spy
Seconds GPU performance
HP Omnibook Ultra 14
Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 896 Asus Zenbook S 14
Core Ultra 7 258V 4,171
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura
Edition Core Ultra 7 256V 1,462 HP Omnibook Ultra 14
Ryzen AI 9 HX 375 3,909
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED
Ryzen 7 8840S 1,491 Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura
Edition Core Ultra 7 256V 3,677
HP Pavilion Laptop 16
Ryzen 7 8840HS 1,616 HP Pavilion Laptop 16
Ryzen 7 8840HS 3,477
Asus Zenbook S 14
Core Ultra 7 258V 1,714 Asus Zenbook 14 OLED
Ryzen 7 8840S 3,160
Acer TravelMate P4 Spin 14
Ryzen 7 8840HS 1,814 Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th
Edition Snapdragon X1E-80-100 1,797
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th
Edition Snapdragon X1E-80-100 3,061 Acer TravelMate P4 Spin 14
Ryzen 7 8840HS 1,728
S H O R T E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

context in our Lunar Lake review (fave. While I wouldn’t look at the Asus
co/402SDh2), which used this laptop as a Zenbook S 14 as a gaming laptop, we use
test bed. the 3DMark test suite to evaluate the
Handbrake is a similar test, though with laptop’s 3D performance. UL, the
prolonged exertion in mind. Handbrake developer behind the benchmark, has a
takes an approximately 90-minute video file variety of different benchmarks, which have
and transcodes it into a more compact slowly become more complex throughout
format. It’s a practical task, one that people the years.
still perform for copying videos onto a Time Spy is the test that we use to
tablet for a plane flight. But it’s really a test compare laptops both past and present.
of how well the laptop can deal with a Intel has promised that the graphics
prolonged workload. processing unit inside this generation of
After a while, running at full speed can Core Ultra chips has been significantly
cause the laptop to dial back its performance improved, and that is the case. Still, this
to prevent it from overheating. What this test isn’t a gaming laptop.
evaluates is how well the laptop can cool itself Our final test is of battery life, and it’s here
and modulate its own power to prevent that that the competition between Intel and
from happening. Cutting back the Qualcomm has been especially fervent. We
performance increases the time it takes to take a 4K video and loop it over and over until
complete the transcoding test, and we don’t the battery expires—which it does, hours and
want that. hours later.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 61

REVIEWS ASUS ZENBOOK S 14

There’s really no conclusion to draw here

Battery Life but the obvious one: This laptop will just keep
Minutes going and going and going.
Asus Zenbook S 14
Core Ultra 7 258V 1,261
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th
Edition Snapdragon X1E-80-100 1,223 BOTTOM LINE
HP Pavilion Laptop 16
1,116 The Asus Zenbook S 14 is a fantastic go-to
Ryzen 7 8840HS
HP Omnibook Ultra 14
1,091 productivity laptop for most people. It’s very
Ryzen AI 9 HX 375
Acer TravelMate P4 Spin 14
1,065 light and compact, so it shouldn’t give your
Ryzen 7 8840HS
back or shoulder any trouble when traveling
Asus Zenbook 14 OLED
Ryzen 7 8840S 1,009
with it. You can’t really argue with the 21-hour
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura
Edition Core Ultra 7 256V 1,005
battery life, either. My nitpicks mostly lie with
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

the keyboard and the performance on battery

power. I prefer a springer, more responsive
The laptop lasts so long that we even ran keyboard—the 1.1mm key travel is a real
tests using UL’s Procyon battery life tests, bummer for me. Performance also drops
which simulates someone “working” in the when the laptop is unplugged, so you may
Microsoft Office apps for hours on end. That’s want to stick near a wall outlet if you plan on
a long workday, for in this environment the doing any resource heavy tasks.
laptop lasted for 17 hours, 7 minutes, instead If you’re looking for a long-lasting laptop
of the 21 hours it persisted on our video that’s light and slim, the Asus Zenbook S 14 is
rundown test. Basically, you can argue that a great option to consider.
this laptop will last about two workdays
without a charge. Asus Zenbook S 14
Granted, Lunar Lake is not the
absolutely most efficient chip. The Surface PROS
• Transcendent battery life.
Laptop 7th Edition with its Snapdragon X • A purposeful use of space.
Elite chip is paired with a 54Wh battery. • Lovely, surprisingly large OLED screen.
• Great audio.
Asus includes a 73Wh battery inside, and
CONS
the two laptops are neck and neck in overall • Keyboard needs more key travel.
battery life. That’s where I’m impressed with • Performance needs improvement, especially
on battery.
Asus. Yes, it stuffs more battery inside to
BOTTOM LINE
keep up with Qualcomm and Microsoft, but The Asus Zenbook S 14 is a potent lightweight laptop
that allows you to work over a day without a charge.
it does so without the penalty of substantial
From $1,499
extra weight.

62 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook
Plus: Slim, sleek, and powerful
Like a well-balanced sword. BY ASHLEY BIANCUZZO

W
hen it comes to premium Although Samsung makes quite the
laptops, the new Samsung impression with this Chromebook, there
Galaxy Chromebook Plus are still a few flaws to be found. For one, it’s
ticks a lot of boxes. It’s thin pretty expensive for a Chromebook,
and light, day-to-day performance is snappy especially for one without a touchscreen.
and efficient, and the OLED display is both The other is the offset keyboard, which I
beautiful and big. It’s one of the Chromebook struggled with. Nitpicks aside, I have to
Plus (fave.co/3QevGBY) models, which hand it to Samsung for creating one of the
feature faster processors along with more thinnest Chromebooks I’ve ever worked
RAM and storage. with. That’s no small feat!

IMAGE: SAMSUNG DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 63

REVIEWS SAMSUNG GAL A X Y CHROMEBOOK PLUS

SPECS AND FEATURES

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook
Plus comes in just one configuration
(as far as I’m aware). Inside you’ll
find an Intel Core 3 100U processor,
8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD
storage. You’re also getting a
15.6-inch 1080p display, a 1080p
webcam, and a 68Wh battery. It’s
currently available at Samsung for
$699.99 (fave.co/3AAZOCK). For
further details, check out the The Neptune Blue colorway is beautiful and changes
specifications list below: depending on the lighting conditions.
Model number: XE550XGAA
CPU: Intel Core 3 100U couldn’t help but comment on its sleekness.
Memory: 8GB It weighs 2.58 pounds and measures 0.46
Graphics: Intel Graphics inches at the thickest point of the laptop.
Display: 15.6 inch AMOLED, As someone who likes to work in different
1920×1080, 60Hz (non-touch) rooms throughout the day (I work remotely,
Storage: 256GB SSD by the way), the laptop never weighed
Webcam: 1080p me down or was bothersome to carry. It’s
Connectivity: 1 HDMI, 2 USB-C, 1 USB-A even easy enough to carry in one hand,
3.2, microSD, 1 3.5mm audio jack though I don’t recommend doing that
Battery capacity: 68Wh with any laptop.
Dimensions: 225.8×355.4×11.8 mm The Neptune Blue colorway is beautiful
Weight: 2.58 pounds and changes depending on the lighting
MSRP: $699 conditions, a bit like Princess Aurora’s
changing dress in Sleeping Beauty. In natural
DESIGN, BUILD QUALITY lighting, namely with the sun streaming in
When I removed the Galaxy Chromebook through my kitchen window, the chassis
Plus from the box it came in, I was genuinely appeared dark blue like the deep ocean. But
surprised by its thinness. My colleague when I snapped a photo of the laptop with
Michael Crider, who had the chance to look the flash turned on, the chassis looked more
at this laptop before I got my hands on it, silver than blue. It’s a cool effect. I don’t

64 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

believe I’ve seen such an effect on other millennial and I’m contractually obligated to
laptops, so kudos to Samsung on that one. intimately know the art of the GIF response.
Pressing the insert key will bring up a
KEYBOARD, TRACKPAD small(ish) menu. You get quick access to not
The offset keyboard (number pad included) only GIFs, but also Google Drive and
took some getting used to because it’s bigger Google AI, which can help you write a
than the keyboard I use on a daily basis (my thank-you note. It’s a neat feature, but one I
personal laptop measures 13 inches), but once I didn’t use for anything aside from sending
got into a groove, I was typing just fine at my GIFs and calculating a mathematical
usual pace. That said, the backspace key equation or two.
remained a point of frustration for me, as it sits The trackpad is enormous and takes up a
right next to the number pad. I don’t have a lot of space beneath the keyboard. It’s not a
number pad on my personal laptop keyboard, haptic trackpad, which vibrates, emulating
so I kept accidentally hitting the plus and minus the feel of physical buttons. It’s just a
keys whenever I deleted a typo. The inclusion of traditional one. I don’t have strong opinions
a number pad is great if you’re into crunching on either traditional or haptic trackpads, so I
numbers, but unnecessary for someone like me didn’t mind it, but some folks really stand by
who works primarily with words. the haptic variety. In use, the trackpad
I felt the need to make use of the Quick responds well to taps and swipes. In fact, I
Insert key (aka the caps key) because I’m a had an easier time using the trackpad than I
did using the keyboard.

DISPLAY,
WEBCAM,
SPEAKERS
The 1920×1080 AMOLED
display is large and
commanding at 15.6
inches, and the bezels are
so skinny they’re barely
there. The picture it
produces is sharp and
bursting with color, but
The inclusion of a number pad is great if you’re into crunching numbers. that’s no surprise, as

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 65

REVIEWS SAMSUNG GAL A X Y CHROMEBOOK PLUS

for Zoom or Team meetings.

When I turned on the 1080p
webcam on the Samsung
Galaxy, I was pleased to find
that I didn’t look half-dead. I’m
very fair-skinned, so I tend to
absorb light, and that makes
me look like some pale creature
of the shadows. The orange
part of my sweater really
popped as well. Overall, I was
generally quite pleased with
The picture quality of this display is excellent. the webcam’s performance,
though it sometimes looks
Samsung is known for making quality darker at the edges of the frame.
displays. When I watched Beetlejuice As for the speakers, they’re fine but not
Beetlejuice (yes, it’s available to stream excellent. I know that’s a lukewarm response,
already), a movie that’s chockful of dark but laptop speakers often leave a little to be
scenes, I was surprised by the amount of desired. Many of them are downward firing
detail I could see in those scenes, especially (the Samsung Galaxy included), so you lose
when the camera panned over Adam punchiness and clarity. That said, the speakers
Maitland’s model town in the beginning. are serviceable when it comes to watching
The picture quality is excellent, but I’m YouTube videos and listening to podcasts. If
bummed this display is not a touchscreen. It you’re watching a movie, I’d recommend
costs $699.99 at MSRP, which is expensive plugging in a pair of headphones for a better
for a Chromebook, so I had higher audio experience.
expectations from the get-go. It’s not a
massive deal-breaker, especially if you prefer CONNECTIVITY
a non-touch display, but it’s a little The port selection is surprisingly diverse for
disappointing in my book. It’s marketed as a such a thin machine. On the left side of the
premium Chromebook, yeah? Shouldn’t Samsung Galaxy, you’ll see two USB-C ports
Samsung have pulled out all the stops? and one HDMI port. On the right side, you’ll
All Chromebook Plus models come with find one USB-A port, one microSD port, and
1080p webcams, which is perfectly suitable one 3.5mm audio jack. The inclusion of USB-A

66 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

and HDMI is especially
impressive, as both of the
slots for them are tall and
wide. You can do a lot of
useful things with this laptop,
like hook up to a monitor (via
HDMI) or offload files and
photos (via microSD).

PERFORMANCE The port selection is diverse for such a thin machine.

The Intel Core 3 100U
mobile processor that’s driving this machine Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus (fave.
is quick and efficient. There’s evidence of co/4fBAxqJ), which features an Intel Core
that in my day-to-day use, which includes i3-1315U CPU. The Lenovo Flex 5i has a
binge-watching Netflix’s Outlander, writing CrXPRT 2 score of 177, which is 4.1 percent
e-mails, browsing social media, and writing faster than the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook
in Google Docs. I didn’t notice slow Plus. By the way, the CrXPRT 2 benchmark
renderings or any lag when leap-frogging determines how fast a Chromebook handles
from one open tab to another. The processor day-to-day tasks like completing homework
uses the Raptor Lake-U architecture, which assignments, editing pictures, and so on. That
was first introduced in January 2024. It has a said, the difference is marginal. I doubt you’d
total of six cores and eight threads. be able to spot the difference in performance
Depending on what you’re doing, it’s between the two machines.
capable of boosting up to 4.7GHz. The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is a
We ran our usual suite of browser-based tiny bit faster than the Samsung Galaxy
Chromebook benchmarks, and here are the Chromebook Plus, sure, but both offer
scores we got: equally strong day-to-day performance. The
CrXPRT 2: 170 Samsung Galaxy is well equipped as far as
Speedometer 2.0: 318 hardware is concerned.
Basemark Web 3.0: 1335.19
Kraken: 428.7ms BATTERY LIFE
Jetstream 2: 294.324 Samsung claims you can get 13 hours of
These are great numbers. Based on these battery life out of this machine, but I didn’t
alone, performance is comparable to the qite reach that number in my everyday use.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 67

REVIEWS SAMSUNG GAL A X Y CHROMEBOOK PLUS

The number I reached was closer to 8 hours, learning curve with the keyboard, and the
which isn’t a poor result by any means. That Quick Insert key is hardly a necessary
said, not only do I turn up the brightness feature. The AMOLED display, though it
because my eyesight stinks, but I also have produces a beautiful picture, doesn’t have
loads of tabs open, both of which ultimately touch capabilities, which is disappointing
impact the battery life. When I put the Galaxy given the high price of this machine.
Chromebook Plus through CrXPRT 2’s battery The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus
benchmark, however, I got a better result. is a near-perfect device, but the cost
The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus ($699.99 at MSRP) is a little too high for a
died in about 12 hours. It’s close enough to laptop without a touchscreen, a premium
Samsung’s original claim, but I did lower the feature I’d expect to see in this price range.
brightness to 50 percent and turned off the There’s always a fracture in the marble
keyboard’s backlighting, which may explain statue, yeah? Wait for a sale before
the jump. The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin committing to the buy button. Until then,
714 (fave.co/3CjrWLb), on the other hand, you may want to check out the Acer
costs about the same as the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus Spin 714 (fave.co/
Chromebook Plus, performs similarly, and 3CjrWLb), which is the same price as the
lasted 15.1 hours on a single charge. Do I Galaxy Chromebook Plus but features a
wish for better battery life? Of course! touchscreen and a 2-in-1 form factor.
Chromebooks are generally known for their
long battery lives, so I was a bit surprised by Samsung Galaxy
this result. It’s not the end of the world, but for Chromebook Plus
a $700 Chromebook, I expected better.
PROS
• Cool design.
BOTTOM LINE • Thin and lightweight.
• Speedy performance.
The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus is an
CONS
exciting if not explosive entry in the world of • No touchscreen.
Chromebooks. It’s almost paper thin, • Expensive.
• Battery life isn’t great.
making it a fantastic portable option for
BOTTOM LINE
those who are always on the go, and it’s so The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus offers strong
lightweight you’ll barely notice it’s there processing performance as well as a paper-thin
design. However, battery life could be better, and it’s
inside your bag. While daily performance is missing a few premium features I expected to see
given the price of this laptop.
lightning fast and the unique colorway will
From $699
no doubt turn heads, you’ll be in for a

68 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

LG MyView Smart Monitor
32SR85U: A monitor that’s at
odds with itself
The LG is packed with features but fails to deliver on image quality. BY MATTHEW S. SMITH

T
he differences between monitors that uses LG’s webOS to provide access to
and televisions seem to become streaming apps and control smart home
slimmer every year. Some people devices. It even has a bundled webcam.
now use a television as their
monitor, and others use monitors like SPECS AND FEATURES
televisions. The LG MyView 32SR85U is an The LG MyView 32SR85U’s basic
example of the latter. It’s a 32-inch 4K monitor specifications are typical for a 32-inch 4K

IMAGE: LG DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 69

REVIEWS LG MY VIEW SMART MONITOR

monitor that is priced around $500. It has a should match any similarly colored
resolution of 3840×2160 across an IPS panel, peripherals you might have on your desk.
with a refresh rate of 60Hz. An L-shaped monitor stand keeps the
Display size: 32-inch 16:9 widescreen display stable. The stand has a small base
Native resolution: 3840×2160 that minimizes the space the monitor takes
Panel type: IPS up, and the base is flat, so you can still place
Refresh rate: 60Hz notebooks or knickknacks on the stand itself.
Adaptive sync: None The stand includes ergonomic adjustments
HDR: HDR10 for height and tilt, but I was a bit
Ports: 2× HDMI 2.0, 1× USB-C upstream disappointed to find it doesn’t swivel or
with DisplayPort and 90-watts USB-C Power pivot into portrait orientation.
Delivery, 2× USB-C downstream The stand also omits a thumb screw for
Wireless: AirPlay, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth securing the base to the stand neck and
VESA mount: 100×100mm instead uses two Phillips-head screws, which
Speakers: Yes, 2× 5-watt must be installed with a screwdriver. That’s
Price: $599.99 MSRP, $449.99 typical unusual for a monitor in this price range and
retail price makes the monitor slightly more difficult to
However, several specifications stand out, set up. A 100mm×100mm VESA mount is
though none of them has anything to do with included for use with third-party monitor
the display panel. The monitor has several stands and arms.
USB-C ports with up to 90W of USB Power
Delivery, which makes them useful for CONNECTIVITY
charging a connected tablet or laptop. The LG takes a somewhat unconventional
monitor also ships with LG’s webOS, a smart approach to video connectivity with the
television operating system that can be used MyView 32SR85U. It has two HDMI ports
to access streaming apps. And, because it and one USB-C upstream with DisplayPort
has webOS, the monitor also supports Wi-Fi, for video input and provides up to 90W of
Bluetooth, and AirPlay. power delivery for charging connected
devices, which is excellent. DisplayPort, the
DESIGN most common connection for a PC monitor,
The LG MyView 32SR85U’s design is simple is not included.
but effective for a monitor meant for home The USB-C upstream port connects to two
office use and entertainment. LG goes for a additional USB-C ports, so the monitor
sheer, ultra-white look that is attractive and functions as a USB-C hub to connect wired

70 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 REVIEWS

USB-C peripherals. USB-A is not available, it’s ready to use. When first turned on, the
however, and the monitor doesn’t include a monitor will ask you to connect to Wi-Fi and
KVM switch function. complete a few setup steps. Setup takes about
The monitor’s physical connectivity is five minutes and is like setting up the Samsung
joined by wireless options, which include Odyssey G8 OLED. However, compared to
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Apple’s AirPlay. Samsung (which uses Samsung’s Tizen OS),
Wireless connectivity not only provides LG’s setup is less visually appealing, and the
access to streaming services available setup menu feels a bit sluggish.
through the LG webOS operating system That sluggishness continues to the
but also allows wireless connections with general webOS experience. I found the main
other devices, like smartphones or a webOS interface, which displays the available
wireless gamepad. apps and video sources, responsive.
And, because it has AirPlay, the monitor However, it takes a few seconds to load when
even supports wireless video streaming from switching to it from an app or the Windows
an iOS or MacOS device. This is a small but desktop. The monitor’s on-screen settings
notable advantage over Samsung’s Odyssey menu was also slow. It often took more than a
OLED G8 (fave.co/48LzMt1), which has Wi-Fi full second to appear (though, again, it was
and Bluetooth but lacks AirPlay. responsive once the menu was visible).
LG includes a remote control to access the
FEATURES MyView 32SR85U’s features, most of which
Technically, the LG MyView 32SR85U is not a focus on webOS and connectivity instead of
television because it lacks a TV tuner and can’t image quality adjustments. The monitor’s
connect to cable or antenna television
over coaxial. It does have LG’s webOS
smart television operating system,
though, so it effectively works as a
television in many situations. WebOS
provides access to all the usual
streaming apps like Netflix, Hulu, and
YouTube. It also supports cloud
gaming services like Nvidia GeForce
Now and Amazon Luna.
Because of this, the LG MyView
32SR85U requires a bit of setup before The monitor requires a bit of setup before it’s ready to use.

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REVIEWS LG MY VIEW SMART MONITOR

settings are also accessible

through a joystick on the rear of
the display, though there’s not
much reason to use it when the
remote is available.
While I found the MyView
32SR85U’s menus sluggish
compared to the Samsung, LG
does a slightly better job of The LG MyView 32SR85U has a bundled webcam that attaches
arranging the on-screen menus. magnetically to the top of the monitor.
LG’s menus are arranged in a layout
more typical of a monitor (with easy-to-read for listening to a podcast, but they have a
text labels and nested menus). That contrasts harsh, hollow quality that quickly becomes
with Samsung’s Odyssey monitors, which irritating. Most people choosing the
place some settings in a confusing Game Bar MyView 32SR85U will need to budget for
that appears at the bottom of the display. external speakers or a soundbar—especially
That makes for a tough comparison with if you plan to use the monitor like a
Samsung’s alternatives. I think the LG MyView Smart TV.
32SR85U with LG webOS is easier to use than
a Samsung Odyssey with Tizen OS, but the IMAGE QUALITY
LG was less responsive when navigating the While the LG MyView 32SR85U and the
OS. Shoppers must pick their poison. Samsung Odyssey G8 are similar in terms of
display size, resolution, and Smart TV
CAMERA AND SPEAKERS features, the similarities end there. LG’s
The LG MyView 32SR85U has a bundled MyView 32SR85U is roughly half the price of
webcam that attaches magnetically to the top the Samsung. That’s good news for your
of the monitor. It’s unremarkable. The wallet, but it’s not great news for the monitor’s
webcam’s image quality is no better than a SDR image quality.
typical mid-range laptop webcam. While it’s The LG MyView 32SR85U gets off to a
nice that it’s included, that inclusion probably modest start in brightness with a maximum
adds to the price—and I’m not sure it’s a sustained SDR brightness of 311 nits. That’s
worthwhile trade-off. bright enough for most situations, but it’s not
A pair of 5-watt speakers is bundled as bright as many competitive monitors, and it
with the monitor. They offer passable sound might look dim if the monitor is used in a

72 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 REVIEWS

The low contrast ratio reduces the sense

Maximum Brightness of depth and immersion in the image and
Nits introduces a distracting issue known as IPS
LG MyView Smart
Monitor 32SR85U 311 glow. This happens when too much light
HP Omen 32q
373 from the backlight escapes through the
Gigabyte GS32QC
324 display in dark scenes. The problem is
Dell U3223QE
449 obvious, and distracting, on the LG
LG Ultragear
252 MyView 32SR85U.
32GS95UE-B
The LG MyView 32SR85U delivers
Samsung Odyssey
OLED G8 206
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
similarly mediocre results in color gamut. The
monitor’s color gamut covers 90 percent of
DCI-P3 and 84 percent of Adobe RGB. These
room with bright interior lighting or large, would have been great results a few years
sunlit windows. ago, but times have changed, and modern
Contrast, however, is where the LG monitors tend to offer a slightly wider color
MyView 32SR85U really runs into problems, gamut. This is especially true for OLED
as it has a maximum measured contrast ratio monitors and those with quantum dot
of 950:1. IPS panels are notorious for limited technology. OLED monitors are more
contrast due to their elevated black levels in expensive, but monitors with quantum dots
dark scenes. Still, the LG MyView 32SR85U’s are available around $500 and below.
contrast is unimpressive, even by modern IPS That’s not to say the MyView 32SR85U’s
display standards. color performance is bad. On the contrary, it
provides a vivid, punchy, and saturated
image. Still, a more limited color gamut
Contrast Ratio means the display will seem a bit dull
at 50% Brightness compared to a monitor with a wider gamut.
LG MyView Smart
Monitor 32SR85U 950:1 It’s also an obstacle for content creators, who
HP Omen 32q
1,160:1 often work in DCI-P3 or AdobeRGB and crave
Gigabyte GS32QC
4,840:1 color gamut coverage well above 90 percent.
Dell U3223QE
1,920:1 While the LG MyView 32SR85U has a
modest color gamut, the monitor has top-tier
LG Ultragear
32GS95UE-B Infinite
color accuracy. The only exception is in blue and
Samsung Odyssey
OLED G8 Infinite
cyan hues, which have a color error in a range
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E

that would be visible. Still, this level of

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 73

REVIEWS LG MY VIEW SMART MONITOR

Color Gamut Average Color Error

% AdobeRGB % DCI-P3 % RGB
LG MyView Smart
Monitor 32SR85U 0.66
LG MyView 84
Smart
Monitor 90
HP Omen 32q
3.49
32SR85U
100
Gigabyte GS32QC
1.36
HP Omen 32q 84 Dell U3223QE
1.01
89
100
LG Ultragear
32GS95UE-B 1.56
Gigabyte
GS32QC 77
Samsung Odyssey
OLED G8 2.49
78
S H O R T E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
94
Dell 89
U3223QE
99
100
LG Ultragear 88
3840×2160 resolution offers a tack-sharp
32GS95UE-B
96 look. This is close to the sharpest image
100
available in a 32-inch display, beaten only by
Samsung 94
Odyssey
OLED G8 97 a few 5K and 6K monitors. They’re far more
100 expensive, though, so I doubt shoppers will
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
compare them to the LG.
Unfortunately, the LG MyView 32SR85U’s
SDR image quality isn’t impressive for a
performance indicates that the monitor provides 32-inch 4K monitor. The main issue is the low
an extremely realistic and lifelike image. contrast ratio, which saps immersion and
However, the LG’s color temperature is not leads to distracting IPS glow. The monitor also
ideal. It measured a default color temperature delivers mediocre results in brightness and
of 7300K, far above the target of 6500K. That color gamut. These problems are especially
means the image looks much cooler than we disappointing for a display with Smart TV
prefer. Additionally, the monitor’s default features. You can use the MyView 32SR85U
gamma was measured at 2.3, which is slightly to watch Netflix or stream a movie from Apple
off the target of 2.2. That means content may TV—but most viewers won’t be happy with
appear a bit darker than it should. However, the image quality.
the gamma result is close enough that most
viewers won’t be bothered by it. IMAGE QUALITY
Sharpness is certainly an advantage for the The LG MyView 32SR85U’s disappointing
MyView 32SR85U, as the monitor’s SDR image quality spells trouble for its HDR

74 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 REVIEWS

performance. While the monitor can accept obvious, and details become difficult to
an HDR10 signal, it lacks VESA DisplayHDR see when you’re panning the camera quickly
certification. In my testing, it hit a maximum in a 3D game.
sustained brightness of just 372 nits in HDR
mode. To be fair, that’s similar to price- BOTTOM LINE
competitive monitors that have VESA LG’s MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U
DisplayHDR 400 certification (like the Asus provides a long list of useful extras
ProArt PA278CFRV, fave.co/4fFn7tS). including Smart TV functionality, a remote
However, 372 nits isn’t enough to deliver on control, wireless connectivity, and a
HDR’s potential. As a result, bright objects bundled webcam. Yet these extras are held
and scenes often look blown-out. back by the monitor’s low contrast ratio,
The LG’s contrast ratio is another which is limited even for a midrange
significant issue. Dark scenes appear flat and 32-inch 4K monitor.
washed out, with a noticeable grayish haze The monitor’s features and quality are at
or fog over the image. It’s a serious problem odds, too. It has LG webOS and can be used
in dark, moody movies like The Batman or as a Smart TV, but it lacks the image quality
Pan’s Labyrinth. to help shows, movies, and games look
While the monitor’s HDR performance is great. If you use it for productivity, on the
underwhelming, it’s typical for a 32-inch 4K other hand, webOS may feel like an
monitor in this price range. Shoppers unnecessary distraction.
looking for great HDR in a 32-inch 4K
display must spend more for a Mini-LED LG MyView Smart Monitor
monitor (like the Samsung Odyssey Neo 32SR85U
G8) or an OLED monitor (like the Samsung
PROS
Odyssey OLED G8 or LG Ultragear • Attractive, minimalist design.
32GS95UE-B, fave.co/4fFCYIS). • Includes LG webOS, remote control, and webcam.
• Has USB-C with 90 watts of power delivery.

MOTION PERFORMANCE CONS

• SLG webOS is sluggish at times.
The LG MyView Smart Monitor 32SR85U • Low contrast ratio.
• Mediocre color gamut.
isn’t a great monitor for motion clarity. It
• Unimpressive HDR.
sticks to a 60Hz refresh rate and doesn’t
BOTTOM LINE
support Adaptive Sync for smooth frame The LG MyView 32SR85U is packed with features but
fails to deliver on image quality.
pacing in 3D games. Motion clarity is fine
$450
for a 60Hz monitor, but motion blur is

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 75

FEATURE

76 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 WHY I
SWITCHED FROM
WINDOWS TO
CHROMEBOOKS
AND HAVEN’T
LOOKED BACK
THESE DAYS, I MOSTLY USE
CHROMEOS, AND I ONLY BOOT UP
WINDOWS WHEN I ABSOLUTELY
NEED TO. BY DAVE PARRACK

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 77

FEATURE WHY I SWITCHED FROM WINDOWS TO CHROMEBOOKS

WHY I SWITCHED TO

I
’m not saying Windows is a terrible
operating system, but it’s definitely no A CHROMEBOOK
longer the one I choose to use on a Why did I switch from Windows to
day-to-day basis. ChromeOS? There were several factors that
After 30-plus years of using Windows in its influenced my decision. Some may resonate
various forms (starting with Windows 95), I with you, while others may differ from your
have moved on—but not to macOS! In fact, own experiences.
I’ve switched from Windows to ChromeOS,
and I’m loving every minute of it. REASON 1: A simpler, less
I want to be fully transparent: I admit frustrating operating system
that I still own an all-in-one Windows PC After decades of using Windows in its various
(currently running Windows 10 because forms, I grew tired of how frustrating it has
Microsoft doesn’t think it’s capable of become to use. It feels bloated and slow
Windows 11, fave.co/3C7aDbn), and I’m more often than not, even with a decently
also likely to buy a new Windows PC before specced machine and everything updated.
support for Windows 10 officially ends I don’t want to wait minutes for an
(fave.co/4hApArn). operating system to fully boot and be ready to
However, my Windows PC only exists as a use. I don’t want it to constantly grind away in
backup for those increasingly rare times when the background doing who knows what. And
my Chromebook isn’t right for the task. Most I don’t want to be troubleshooting it all the
days, my Chromebook is more than sufficient. time when things inevitably go wrong.
Here’s why I switched and why I now love I want an operating system that boots on
Chromebooks more than Windows laptops. demand in seconds and simply works without
fuss or obstacles. I just want to
get on with my day and do
what I need to do. That’s what
I found in ChromeOS.

REASON 2: Less stress

about malware and
security issues
Windows has always been
the favorite target of
ChromeOS’s desktop doesn’t have any icons to clutter the desktop. scammers and hackers due

78 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

to its mainstream
popularity and the
many vulnerabilities
that continue to pop up
even as older ones
are fixed.
In other words,
while Microsoft has
admittedly improved in
this area (fave.co/
4fiu5VX), malware is
more likely to hit and System updates are fast, silent, and fuss free.
infect a Windows
machine than a Chromebook. (Windows is updates that Microsoft pushes onto users—
riskier to use than macOS and Linux, too.) ones that aren’t seamlessly applied in the
ChromeOS is especially safe and secure background but rather are disruptive to
thanks to a range of built-in security features, daily productivity.
including Verified Boot (which checks for I’ve often heard my PC chugging away as
unexpected changes on startup), it downloads a massive Windows update,
Sandboxing at all levels (which ensures any which then prompts me to restart my
issues are kept isolated), and the inability to computer in order to install it. That can
run random executables. sometimes take upwards of an hour.
All of this, combined with the fact that ChromeOS, on the other hand, is such a
malware creators are less likely to target lightweight operating system that its regular
ChromeOS, means that I can use my updates are fast, silent, and without fuss. It
Chromebook without worrying as long as I’m takes the hassle out of maintaining an
mindful of best practices for digital security operating system.
(fave.co/4hGAHPt).
REASON 4: Productivity without
REASON 3: No system updates that spending a fortune
take hours to complete As a freelance writer and editor, I have the
Another constant frustration of using privilege to work anywhere—at home, at an
Windows that made me look around for an office, at a coffee shop, or even while I’m
alternative is the seemingly never-ending on vacation. But that only happens if I have

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 79

FEATURE WHY I SWITCHED FROM WINDOWS TO CHROMEBOOKS

For me, a Chromebook strikes the

right balance between usability,
performance, and affordability.

REASON 5: I’m already

embedded in Google’s
ecosystem
The final reason why I made the switch
away from Windows to ChromeOS is
the fact that I’m already embedded in
Chromebooks are a lot more affordable than their Windows Google’s ecosystem.
and macOS counterparts. I own an Android phone and I use
most of Google’s apps (including
a machine that’s sufficiently light, portable, Gmail, Meet, Calendar, Maps, Photos, and so
and user-friendly. on), so it wasn’t a huge leap to ditch
Sure, there are plenty of Windows Windows and go (almost) all in on
laptops and MacBooks out there that fit ChromeOS. In fact, the switch has made
the profile, but they generally come with things easier for me as I now have full access
higher price tags than Chromebooks. to all of my data across my phone,
Chromebook, and other devices.

WHY I DON’T REGRET

MAKING THE SWITCH
I have no regrets about buying a
Chromebook and I have no shame in
preferring ChromeOS over Windows.
Here are three big ways in which the
switch has left me in a better place
than before.

I’m actually more productive

The most obvious benefit I’ve felt after
Android phone owners won’t find moving to ChromeOS switching is a boost to my
from Windows a huge leap. productivity, and that in turn has

80 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 required, but I don’t
like the idea of
needless idling. Sleep
and hibernation modes
are also options, but
Windows is too
sluggish for me when it
comes to waking up.
ChromeOS offers a
more practical and
Google’s OS boots instantly and can be used at a moment’s notice. environmentally
friendly alternative.
improved my work-life balance. As a writer Given how lightweight Google’s OS is, it’s no
who works from home but also needs the surprise that it boots instantly and can be
option to work outside the home at times, a used at a moment’s notice.
Chromebook offers the perfect blend of
power and portability. I can get my work Web and Android apps are
done with little fuss, and I can do it from enough for me
anywhere, without the operating system One of the bigger worries I had when leaving
bogging me down. Windows was losing access to all the
Windows programs I’d been using for years.
ChromeOS boots instantly However, those fears proved (mostly)
and is ready when I
need it
Despite being a desk worker, I
don’t actually have to be sat at
a desk for eight straight hours
every day. I have flexibility in
my schedule, and that’s why I
need a machine that’s always
ready to use on demand.
Sure, I could leave my
Windows laptop running all There are adequate Android apps and web apps to replace their
day and jump on and off as Windows equivalents.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 81

FEATURE WHY I SWITCHED FROM WINDOWS TO CHROMEBOOKS

unfounded as there are adequate Android some niche programs simply don’t have
apps and web apps to replace the ones I viable web or Android alternatives.
used on Windows. For example, if your job requires that you
What you may not know is that use a particular Windows-only app—maybe
Chromebooks aren’t just limited to websites even an in-house app that’s specific to your
and Chrome extensions. A few years ago, company—then you may not have a choice.
Google added the ability to natively run Another example is software that comes in
Android apps on Chromebooks (fave. both web and Windows versions, with the
co/4hA2RM7), and most apps in the Google Windows version being more full-featured or
Play Store are compatible with ChromeOS. more performant. In that case, switching to the
Some work better than others, of web version might be an obvious downgrade
course, and there was a lot of trial and error that seriously harms productivity or usability.
as I sought apps that most closely matched Therefore, you really have to do your
my needs and preferences. But these days, research before making the switch, whether
web and Android apps are pretty darn you’re switching to ChromeOS or some other
good, and you can easily get by except in operating system like macOS or Linux.
very specific situations. Windows-only apps can be a deal-breaker.

WHAT YOU MIGHT Play PC games without having to

MISS IF YOU SWITCH rely on cloud gaming
FROM WINDOWS Contrary to popular belief, you can game on a
TO CHROMEBOOK Chromebook—and the experience is far
ChromeOS works perfectly for me 99 percent better than you’d probably expect it to be.
of the time, but if you decide to follow suit The caveat is that you can’t just install Steam
and switch from Windows to Google’s and play all the same PC games that you can
operating system, there are some things you enjoy on a Windows machine.
may miss—and I’d be remiss if I didn’t at least Yes, you can install Steam on
mention them. Chromebooks now, but not all games on
Steam are compatible with ChromeOS. You
Access to your full-featured desktop can also install most Android games on
applications ChromeOS, which opens up a whole world
While I was able to find suitable web and of casual gaming opportunities (along with
Android apps to replace most of the mobile ports of popular games like Stardew
Windows programs I previously relied on, Valley, Dead Cells, and Hollow Knight).

82 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 upgrading your
hardware to stay
ahead of the
curve, then
ChromeOS
probably won’t
be for you.
It’s meant to be
a lightweight
operating system
that works out of
the box, not
You can install most Android games on ChromeOS. something for
tinkering and
Otherwise, you have to rely on cloud customizing and messing around in. And
gaming services (fave.co/3UK2rsS) if you while that suits me perfectly, it won’t suit
want to play mainstream AAA games on a everyone. The same goes for the hardware, as
Chromebook. Using platforms like Xbox you’re pretty much stuck with what you buy.
Cloud Gaming, Nvidia’s GeForce Now, and Thankfully, ChromeOS isn’t at all heavy on
Amazon Luna, you can stream gameplay to resources, so as long as you buy smart to
your Chromebook…but it’s notably not the begin with, the hardware should last.
same as playing games locally
on a high-end machine.
If these limited gaming
options are a problem for you,
then you should probably skip
the Chromebook (or keep a
separate gaming PC).

System upgradability
and customizations
If you’re a fan of either
customizing your system to Since ChromeOS isn’t heavy on resources, your Chromebook
your heart’s content or should be usable for a long time.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 83

FEATURE

ARE 4K
WEBCAMS
WORTH IT?
THE PROS
AND CONS
TO CONSIDER
THERE’S A LOT TO LIKE
ABOUT 4K WEBCAMS, BUT
THE PRICE CAN BE HARD TO
JUSTIFY FOR MOST FOLKS.
BY JON MARTINDALE
84 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024
DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 85
FEATURE ARE 4K WEBCAMS WORTH IT?

PRO: 4K IMAGE QUALITY IS

I
always thought that buying a 4K webcam
was only something streamers and INDEED BETTER
influencers should care about. I mean, I know, mind-blowing take here…but bear
how much better am I really going to look with me.
when I’m on a Teams call with my editors, or Yes, 4K webcams obviously look nicer
on a Skype call with my mom? It seemed than their 1080p or 720p counterparts,
quite silly to think about. and that’s thanks to the extra details
But I’ve been playing around with several captured in their images. The improved
webcam options to see what difference they sensor quality in 4K webcams makes a
actually make to everyday video calls and massive difference to how you and your
meetings—and as it turns out, there are some environment look on camera.
real positives with 4K webcams. There are Take a look at my selfie shots on the
some negatives, too. (And I don’t just mean opposite page, which were taken with three
that suddenly everyone can see that pimple different webcam resolutions, all in the same
you didn’t bother to cover up.) lighting conditions. The first shot comes from
Here’s what I’ve learned about why 4K the built-in 720p camera on a 2019 Acer
webcams can be worth buying (and why they Predator Triton 500 laptop. The second is
might not be), depending on your needs and from a 1080p Logitech C920s Pro. The third is
use cases. from a 4K Logitech MX Brio.

There are some positives to buying a 4K webcam.

86 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 These were taken with
ambient light, with the two
main sources being the
window (behind me) and a
static ceiling light (above me).
It’s fair to say that the 4K
webcam looks substantially
better than the 720p option,
and even quite noticeably
better than the 1080p
alternative. It has a much Taken with 720p Acer Predator Triton 500 laptop webcam.
wider field of view, plus
greater detail and clarity. The
colors are more natural and
nuanced, and it’s better at
handling the contrast of a
bright backdrop (the window)
with a darker foreground.
Sure, going from a 720p
built-in webcam to a 1080p
standalone webcam still
offers the biggest bump, but
there’s definitely an argument Taken with 1080p Logitech C920s Pro webcam.
to be made that the image
quality of a modern 4K
webcam stands out.

CON: 4K
WEBCAMS ARE
SILLY EXPENSIVE
With most laptops—and even
some monitors—coming with
their own built-in webcams, it
can seem silly to spend any Taken with 4K Logitech MX Brio webcam.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 87

FEATURE ARE 4K WEBCAMS WORTH IT?

money on a separate webcam,

let alone a lot of cash. But if
you’re thinking of buying a 4K
webcam, then you will have to
spend quite a bit for one.
The Logitech C920s Pro
webcam (1080p) that I used
in these comparisons is
available for around $70 at
most retailers (fave.
co/3UFylGK), which is fairly The Logitech MX Brio’s webcam settings.
affordable and maybe even
justifiable. But the Logitech MX Brio webcam capable. You can zoom in or crop down to
(4K) is sold for around $200 (fave. whatever shape and size you like, all without
co/4fivxHT). That’s…not cheap. compromising on image quality. Meanwhile,
Throw in that anyone spending this much zooming in on a 1080p video is pretty
on a webcam should also consider some kind noticeable, and don’t even think about
of external lighting setup, and the price for zooming in on a 720p image. (Many built-in
looking hot on camera starts to seem kind of webcams don’t even have this functionality.)
mad, especially if you’re only using it to chat In the case of the MX Brio—and some
with relatives or for your virtual D&D game. other 4K webcams—you can also adjust
exposure (automatically or manually), switch
PRO: SOFTWARE on HDR mode, enable low-light
ADJUSTMENTS MAKE compensation, adjust color balance and
A BIG DIFFERENCE temperature, and even change focus
WITH 4K WEBCAMS manually. That can be awesome if you don’t
With a 4K webcam, you actually get more want autofocus overreacting every time you
than just the physical hardware for your adjust your positioning.
money. For example, the Logitech MX Brio
comes with a range of software features that CON: A NON-4K WEBCAM
help make it (more) worth it. CAN BE JUST AS GOOD
Also, keep in mind that with a 4K WITH PROPER LIGHTING
resolution, you have more pixels to work Remember when I said it was worth getting
with—and that means digital zoom is far more an external light for use with your webcam?

88 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

Well, it turns out you
can get a pretty great-
looking picture even
with a cheaper
webcam as long as you
have good lighting.
That’s because
cheaper cameras cut
corners in areas like low
light compensation and
high dynamic range. If Better lighting, taken with 720p Acer Predator Triton 500 laptop
webcam.
you can provide
enough light for the
webcam to work with,
and if you position those
lights to illuminate you
the right way, then your
webcam will produce
a far better image.
The best part? The
price of a good lighting
setup plus a modest
Better lighting, taken with a 1080p Logitech C920s Pro webcam.
webcam is usually
cheaper than a
high-end webcam.
See at right a
comparison of my three
webcams again, except
this time I’m using a
Logitech Litra Beam to
better illuminate myself.
To be fair, the 4K
webcam still looks the
best—but the gap Better lighting, taken with 4K Logitech MX Brio webcam.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 89

FEATURE ARE 4K WEBCAMS WORTH IT?

Sarcasm aside, Logitech’s MX

Brio is a much nicer piece of
equipment than the C920s Pro.
It’s made of aluminum (and
low-carbon aluminum at that)
instead of plastic for a premium
feel, and the housing doesn’t flex
or creak when you apply pressure
or move it around.
The mount is excellent, too,
and it has a magnetic attachment
rather than a screw thread.
Logitech’s Litra Beam is an expensive streaming light and Combine that with a tilting
overkill for most people. mechanism for the camera, which
lets you point it down at your desk
between the 4K and 1080p image is far (fave.co/4hG4jfO) to show off documents
smaller now, surprising given the less-than-a- and trinkets, and you have a clearly superior
third-of-the-price nature of the C920s Pro. option. It’s just easier to maneuver the camera
Even the built-in 720p laptop webcam looks into whatever position you need it to be in.
noticeably better with improved lighting.
Of course, the Litra Beam is an
expensive streaming light and will be
complete overkill for most people. You
can just as easily grab a cheap ring light
for $20 (fave.co/4hOK8g2) to get a
similar result, and that would make the
overall package far cheaper than buying an
expensive 4K webcam.

PRO: BUILD QUALITY IS

BETTER IN 4K WEBCAMS
A $200 webcam has a greater build quality
than a $70 one? Ha! That should surprise no Logitech’s MX Brio is a nicer piece of equipment
one. But it’s true. than cheaper alternatives.

90 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

CON: HIGHER BANDWIDTH
COSTS ARE A CONCERN
While some of you are no doubt living your
best life with Google Fiber and 10Gbps up
and down, some of us aren’t so lucky. We
have to worry about data caps and
bandwidth limits.
If you’re like me, you might be fine
uploading 5Mbps of 1080p webcam video
while your kids are streaming Netflix in the The Logitech
other room. But if you were to upgrade to a C920s Pro is
better than
4K webcam, you’d suddenly be sending
any built-in
20Mbps upstream—and that could be a real webcam of
internet bandwidth clog. any laptop
I’ve used.
The issue is even worse if you ever plan to
use the 4K webcam while on the go, where actually spend my own money on it. Which
your 5G signal might be too weak to stream raises the question: Would I pay money for it?
properly, where roaming charges can mount Well, the 1080p Logitech C920s Pro
up, or where public Wi-Fi just isn’t suitable for webcam is something I did actually buy on
handling your 4K webcam. my own, and I would 100 percent buy it
It goes both ways, too. Your own internet again. It’s far, far better than the built-in
might be great, but what about your webcam of any laptop I’ve used and it’s not
grandma’s internet? She might not be able to just about image quality but also about the
handle the barrage of video data from your ability to move the webcam around and
4K webcam. How much time do you want to even unplug it whenever I need extra,
spend troubleshooting for her the next time guaranteed privacy. That alone is enough for
you’re on a call together? me to recommend it.
The 4K Logitech MX Brio is undoubtedly
I’LL KEEP IT, BUT I’M the better webcam, and I am glad to have it
NOT SURE I’D BUY IT because it does make me look better on
Whenever I write about my own experiences conference calls and in virtual D&D sessions.
about something and some of the hardware But would I pay $200 for it? Probably not. An
was provided for me, I have to couch any external light and a 1080p webcam are good
opinions I have with the fact that I didn’t enough for me.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 91

When
you
graduate,
they
graduate.
Find free adult education
centers near you at
FinishYourDiploma.org.
Here’s How HOW TO BUILD, MAINTAIN,
AND FIX YOUR TECH GEAR

How not to get bamboozled by

AI content on the web
Look for these identifying traits. BY ASHLEY BIANCUZZO

N
owadays, it’s easy to get fooled cultural or historical sense. While some
by AI content on the web. AI-generated images are harmless and do not
Whether it’s a picture of the spread misinformation, others, especially
Pope sporting a puffy ones involving celebrities or politicians, can
Balenciaga jacket or Trump getting tackled cause a great deal of damage and brain rot.
and arrested, these AI-generated images Heck, I consider myself to be a relatively
appear super realistic (as long as you’re not tech-savvy person and even I’ve been fooled
looking too close), so it can be hard to once or twice. We’re already in an era where
separate fact from fiction. This is because AI even political leaders use AI images in
doesn’t really understand context in the misleading or emotion-provoking ways, so it’s

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HERE’S HOW HOW NOT TO GET FOOLED BY AI

good to be able to identify whether what If you’re not sure whether an image is AI
you’re looking at is real or not. If you find generated or not, you can always check it
that you’re always falling for these images and with Sight Engine’s AI image detector (fave.
videos, don’t worry: I’ll show you how to co/4fFAsTf). All you have to do is upload the
identify the markers of AI-generated content. image in question and you’ll be given
a percentage rating. The higher the
HOW TO SPOT AI IMAGES percentage, the more likely it’s AI.
One of the easiest ways to spot an
AI-generated image is to look for anatomical HOW TO SPOT AI VIDEO
weirdness such as a second arm sprouting out AI videos are just about everywhere on the
of nowhere or additional fingers and toes. internet these days and they’re often the stuff
This is because AI struggles with the finer of nightmares. I’m sure you’ve seen the
details of an image. Other telltale signs infamous AI video of Will Smith devouring
include waxy skin, areas of unnatural spaghetti and existing in a universe
smoothness or blurriness, or architecture that where spaghetti is not in short supply. Don’t
makes zero structural sense. That said, these worry, if you haven’t had the pleasure (insert
mistakes can be subtle or painfully obvious, heavy sarcasm here), you can check out the
so it’s important to take the time to inspect the video here: fave.co/48MRGf1. You can easily
image with a closer eye. tell the Will Smith spaghetti video is AI
I asked Google’s Gemini (fave. because it’s so unrealistic and absurd, but
co/4fg8SvX) to create a photorealistic image what about the more realistic ones?
of two people hanging out.
Pretty simple, right? Upon first
glance, you may not notice
anything abnormal in the above
image. However, if you zoom in,
the man on the right has
questionable-looking teeth as
well as a questionable-looking
neck. The bottom row of teeth
almost looks rotted. His neck is
also misshapen, bulging outward
at about where his Adam’s apple The man on the right has questionable-looking teeth as well as a
should be. questionable-looking neck.

94 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 If you’re skeptical about whether the of the speaking voice. It may sound totally
video you’re watching was AI-generated, I’d flat (no pitches) or not at all like a human.
pay close attention to the shadows and their Sometimes the pacing is too fast or there
behavior. Are they going in the wrong are weird pauses in between words. Heck,
direction? The most troublesome AI content the speaker may even mispronounce a
out there has to be deepfake videos. These random word or two.
are videos of a person whose body or face I’d also recommend just listening to the
has been digitally changed (fave.co/ words themselves and approaching it with a
4hGcokI). This can really damage a person’s healthy dose of skepticism. If you believe it
reputation, especially when it looks like sounds fishy or is too good to be true, then
they’re doing risque things in the video. you’re probably right.
One sure-fire way to identify a deepfake If you’re ever uncertain, you can always
video is to pay close attention to the face use a detection tool that’s designed to suss
area. If it’s a fake face, you may catch a out AI-generated audio. I’d recommend
slight distortion when the head turns or you using this tool (fave.co/48MIWpm) from
might notice the face swell and shrink when Eleven Labs, which allows you to directly
smiling or blinking. You might even want to upload a sample.
zoom in and check the reflection in the
eyes. Sometimes they reflect two different HOW TO SPOT AI TEXT
things! The text on clothing is another AI-generated text is another difficult one to
strong indicator, as you’ll likely spot identify and currently stands as a real problem
some misspellings. in school environments. The biggest indicator
If you’re still feeling bamboozled, then I’d I look for is sudden shifts in topic or tone,
recommend using Deepware’s video AI tool something that gives me writer’s whiplash.
(fave.co/40FOVKr). Just paste the link or You should also look out for repeated phrases
upload video directly and click on the blue or nonsensical sentences. Below you’ll find an
Scan button. example of AI-generated text. I asked Google
Gemini to create a story about a curious
HOW TO DISCERN AI AUDIO greyhound exploring the planet Mars. It’s a
The audio is a tricky one because it can simple enough prompt, yeah? Here’s what
sound so frighteningly realistic. You could Gemini churned out:
make anyone say anything you want—a Rusty wasn’t your average greyhound.
scary power, indeed. That’s why it’s Sure, he was fast, had a sleek coat, and loved
important to listen closely to the intonation a good chase. But Rusty also had an

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HERE’S HOW HOW NOT TO GET FOOLED BY AI

insatiable curiosity that led him to the most backyard, the warm Martian sun replaced
extraordinary adventure. by the familiar glow of Earth.
It all started with a strange, glowing orb Rusty’s adventure on Mars had changed
that fell from the sky. Rusty, ever the curious pup, him. He brought back tales of a strange new
couldn’t resist investigating. The orb pulsed world, and though he missed his Martian
with energy, and as he touched it, he felt a friends, he knew he would always carry a
strange sensation. The next thing he knew, he piece of Mars within him. And whenever he
was hurtling through space, landing with a soft looked up at the night sky, he would see the
thud on the dusty, red surface of Mars. red planet twinkling, a reminder of his
Rusty’s heart pounded with excitement. He extraordinary journey.
was on another planet! The air was thin, the The jump from Rusty meeting Martian
sun felt warmer, and the sky was a creatures to stumbling across an ancient
breathtaking shade of pink. He bounded structure underneath the sand feels abrupt
across the Martian landscape, his long legs and out of place. The flow is all wrong here.
effortlessly carrying him over rocky terrain. He How did we even get here in the first place?
chased strange, floating dust devils and We have next to no detail about the Martian
investigated towering canyons that seemed to creatures or the ancient ruins. It’s also a little
stretch to infinity. too verbose and filled to the brim with flowery
As days turned into weeks, Rusty became a words. The story isn’t badly written per se, it’s
true Martian explorer. He discovered hidden just awkwardly written. Humans are just better
caves filled with sparkling crystals, befriended at adding detail and context, the two things
a family of tiny, green Martian creatures, and that this story really lacks.
even learned to communicate with them If you’re still feeling unsure, you can
through a series of barks and gestures. always run the text through an AI detector
One day, Rusty stumbled upon a massive, tool. Grammarly has a free AI detection tool
ancient structure buried beneath the Martian that’s super easy to use (fave.co/3NYiBeo).
sand. With the help of his new friends, he All you have to do is load up the site, paste
uncovered the ruins of a long-lost civilization. the text in the white box, and click on the
Inside, he found a device that could transport “Check list” button. I actually ran the above
him back home. story through Grammarly’s tool and, though it
With a heavy heart, Rusty activated the took a few minutes to come up with a result, it
device. He said goodbye to his Martian informed me that the story is in fact 100
friends and stepped through the portal. In percent AI generated. You’re right,
an instant, he was back in his own Grammarly! Clever girl.

96 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

How to make Windows search
use Google instead of Bing
Do you prefer Google instead of Bing? You can make the change. BY ARNE ARNOLD

T
he Windows search function is very the top: Active Mode – Recommended.
practical because it usually finds The tool’s configuration page will then start
installed programs faster than using automatically. Now tick Bing Search, for
the program menu. However, you which Google is preset as a replacement.
can also use the input field to search the There are ten other search engines to choose
internet. By default, Windows uses the from as well as the option to enter your own.
Microsoft search engine Bing (fave. Finally, click on Install to apply the changes.
co/3YGmGsD) for this. Unfortunately, the The tool can then be called up as usual via the
results often cannot keep up with those of program menu.
Google. With the MS Edge Redirect (fave. In addition to replacing the Bing search,
co/3YVN2bm) tool, you can redirect the other shortcuts to Edge and Microsoft
search from Bing to Google. We’ll show you services can also be changed. For example,
how to do it. MSN Weather, MSN News, Bing Images,
The first step is to install the tool. In the and Bing Discover can be replaced by
installation wizard, select the third option from other services.

IMAGE: TADAS SAR / UNSPLASH DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 97

HERE’S HOW

You’re using your USB flash drive

wrong. Do this instead
There’s more to using a USB flash drive than just plugging it in, at least if you
want to get the most out of it. BY LAURA PIPPIG & JOEL LEE

YOU’RE USING THE WRONG

U
SB flash drives are pretty self-
explanatory, aren’t they? All USB PORT
you have to do is plug it into Many PCs and laptops have multiple USB
your PC and it’s ready to go, ports, and many people simply assume that
whether you’re using it to transfer files, play all USB ports are basically equal. When you
media, or launch an app. But mistakes can need to plug in your drive, you might assume
happen, and these mistakes can go further it doesn’t matter where it goes, so you just
than the familiar meme of always needing at stick it into whichever port is most convenient.
least three attempts to finally get that USB But that’s far from the truth. In fact, it can
connection plugged in. (That’s less of an issue make a huge difference to how well your USB
with USB-C, but I digress.) drive performs, and it’s most keenly felt when
Here are the various ways you might be you’re transferring files. Pick the wrong
using your USB flash drive incorrectly and the port—even if your drive fits—and you could
kinds of issues that can crop up. be hampering your read and write speeds.

98 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024 IMAGE: SAMSUNG

 USB technology has continued to If this is successful, data transfers should
improve over many years, but the shape of a be significantly faster. Alternatively, you can
USB-A port hasn’t changed. When you plug also change the file system of your USB flash
in, it could be a slower USB 2.0 port or it drive (fave.co/48ILK6O) to one that can
could be a faster USB 3.2 port. And it can be better cope with large amounts of data.
hard to tell which ports are which, so don’t However, beware that formatting a drive will
feel too bad if you didn’t know. delete all the data stored on it.
On most devices, the faster USB 3.0 ports
are usually located on the rear side and have a YOU AREN’T REMOVING
blue inner strip inside the port. (If the port is YOUR USB DRIVE SAFELY
colored green or red, it’s USB 3.1 or USB 3.2.) In a lot of cases, it doesn’t matter whether
Slower USB 2 ports, on the other hand, tend you “safely eject” your USB drive before
to be on the front and have no special color. If unplugging it. However, if you followed the
you have a USB 3.x flash drive, make sure you above tips and optimized your drive, you
use the corresponding 3.x port. must start ejecting it safely before removal or
else the data on the drive could be lost.
YOUR USB DRIVE ISN’T To safely eject a USB flash drive, open
OPTIMIZED This PC in File Explorer and right-click on
If your USB flash drive feels like it has slowed the USB drive in question, then select Eject.
down and isn’t performing as well as it once That will properly deregister the drive and
did, you can optimize it using Windows. make it safe to unplug.
To do this, use the Windows key + R
keyboard shortcut to open the Run window, YOU’RE TOSSING YOUR
then type diskmgmt.msc and click OK. This “BROKEN” USB DRIVES
will launch the Disk Management window, What do you do when a USB flash drive
where you can right-click on the USB flash begins to malfunction? Maybe files can’t be
drive (make sure it’s currently plugged in) and deleted anymore, or maybe the drive itself
select Properties. can’t be formatted. This can happen,
In the Properties window, navigate to the especially with older or cheap drives. But you
Hardware tab, select the proper disk drive, shouldn’t immediately despair, and don’t
then click Properties. Then navigate to the throw it away until you’ve tried to recover it.
Properties tab and check both “Enable write There are ways to save the USB drive, which
caching on the device” and “Turn off Windows you can read about in our guide to reviving a
write-cache buffer flushing on the device.” broken flash drive (fave.co/40DapHO).

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 99

HERE’S HOW

Solve your Wi-Fi problems with

these smart router settings
Speed up your wireless network and make sure your whole home has good Wi-Fi
coverage. BY ANDERS LUNDBERG

T
oday, the internet has become like disconnected and having to be reconnected
water and electricity, a necessity for manually, choppy music and video playback
everyday life and something we take on connected devices, and slower-than-
for granted. Most people never promised speeds on large downloads.
think about routers, network cables, frequency By optimizing your router’s settings
bands, and more as long as everything works. and placement in your home, you can
But wireless networks—Wi-Fi—are not flawless achieve a more stable and faster Wi-Fi
and few users have never had problems. network. Often this is enough, but
Common problems include weak otherwise there is help from different types
coverage in parts of the home, devices being of networking equipment.

100 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024 IMAGE: NETGEAR

 the same location without interfering with
each other. But wider channels mean
more data can fit per transmission,
resulting in a higher overall speed for
connected devices—as long as the signal
is strong enough.
If your router can choose the channel
width automatically, this is likely to give
you the best results. Some routers can
automatically vary the channel width to
optimize the network. If you have to
choose for yourself, or just want to test
whether it can be useful, you can test from
the top down—start with 160MHz in the
5GHz band, step down to 80MHz and
40MHz, and see how it affects the
experience of devices around the home.
Routers have a wide range of Wi-Fi settings. If your router supports the 6GHz band,
you can probably push a little harder and
OPTIMAL ROUTER SETTINGS choose the widest possible channels, but as
Different routers offer different levels of radio is complicated, it’s always best to test
customization for Wi-Fi settings, but the vast the waters.
majority have at least the following settings:
Channel—manual or automatic
Channel width Depending on the channel width, there are
Channel width refers to how much of the different numbers of channels to choose from.
available frequencies in a frequency band For example, with 160MHz channel width
the communication
between router and devices
takes up. Narrow channels
allow for more channels,
which means that several
different networks can
operate simultaneously in It’s normally best to let the router choose the channel itself.

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 101

HERE’S HOW SOLVE YOUR WI-FI PROBLEMS

there are only three channels, while with connecting (which is relatively common). It
40MHz there are 14 in the 5GHz band. The can also help if you have devices that insist on
2.4GHz band can only use channels of 20MHz connecting to the 5GHz band even though
or 40MHz, and the normal one is 20Mz the signal is weak due to an obstruction such
because it can fit three channels without as a brick wall or some other reason. Lower
overlap (channels 1, 6, and 11). In houses frequencies penetrate walls better, so the
without interference, 40MHz can work. 2.4GHz band is often more reliable at a
Normally, it’s best to let the router make distance from the router.
the choice itself as it has a better idea of
which channel has the least “noise,” but if you Band steering
have coverage problems in a particular part of On networks that combine multiple frequency
the house and you can see that a neighbor in bands, devices or routers must choose which
that direction is using the same channel that band to communicate in. Most routers have a
your router has chosen, you can try a
different channel.

Combined or separate
frequency bands
Behind the scenes, Wi-Fi over
2.4GHz and 5GHz are completely
separate and use different antennas,
but normally the router creates a
common network name (SSID) to
which devices connect. Which
frequency band they connect with
can either be up to the device itself,
chance, or the router (see below).
This usually works well, but you
may find it useful to choose two
separate networks with separate
names instead. This can be useful,
for example, if you have smart
home devices that only support The Quality of Service (QoS) function balances the network
2.4GHz and are having trouble and ensures that no single device takes up all the bandwidth.

102 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

feature called band steering that automates hundreds of active connections, can saturate
the selection based on various parameters. the connection to the internet service
On newer routers from Asus, you can provider on its own.
set how it should choose, but as you can QoS can also be used to prioritize
see in the picture below, solid knowledge is certain types of traffic. Most typical are
required to do a better job than the router, online games that require very short
if possible. response times to mitigate lagging. Setting
If you have a specific problem, such as QoS to prioritize games reduces the
devices that insist on connecting on the likelihood that temporary spikes in network
5GHz band even in parts of your home where activity will cause games to hack.
the signal is so weak that the internet is slow, Video calling is also something that can
you can experiment with the settings. The benefit greatly from a QoS service in the
Small Net Builder website has a good guide router, as it requires both relatively short
to Asus settings (fave.co/3Chdeo3). response times and a steady stream of data.
Routers with large processors often do
Quality of service (QoS) better without QoS than less well-equipped
gives all devices a chance routers. Problems that can be solved with
Quality of Service, or QoS, is a feature found QoS are often due to something called
in many higher-end routers that balances the bufferbloat, where the router queues up too
network so that no single device hogs all the many packets and can’t forward them all in a
bandwidth. Without QoS, a computer reasonable time. A faster connection
running Bittorrent, for example, with won’t help, and incorrect router settings
can make it worse.
You can test for yourself
how much bufferbloat your
router suffers from with
tests at dslreport.com (fave.
co/4ehFfsQ) or waveform.
com (fave.co/4ffxNjd).
Both give a rating, so you
don’t need to understand all
the numbers. But in case
you’re wondering, it’s all
Bufferbloat test results from Waveform. about how much response

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 103

HERE’S HOW SOLVE YOUR WI-FI PROBLEMS

preset profiles that prioritize different

things—gaming, streaming, general
browsing, distance learning, or
remote work. You can also set the
prioritization order manually.
I should point out, however, that
Adaptive QoS is one of several features
in Asus routers that require you to
authorize security firm Trend Micro to
collect data from you. Other router
manufacturers may have other similar
agreements for certain features.

Map your home and

find the radio shadows
If you’ve tested out the best Wi-Fi
settings on your router but you’re still
having problems with slow internet, or
Change the order of priority in Adaptive QoS. devices occasionally losing connection
in remote parts of your home, it might
times degrade when the connection is be time to look at upgrading your network.
heavily loaded. Before splurging on a new, more powerful
Whether you have a lot of bufferbloat or router or any kind of extension, it’s a good
not, you can try enabling QoS if your router idea to check what the signal strength is
has the feature, especially if you experience actually like in your home. There are a number
occasional problems with gaming or video of programs that can help you with this, such
calls. If you can’t find the settings for your as Netspot (fave.co/4hD0SGS). You will
particular router, search for “[router model] need a floor plan of your home and a laptop.
qos” and you’ll probably get both an answer Once you have installed the program
to whether it has the feature at all, and if so, and launched it, select the Survey tab and
how to enable it. create a new project. Here you can upload
As an example, take my newly purchased an image of the floor plan or draw it manually.
Asus router, which has a feature called A calibration function ensures that the
Adaptive QoS. Here, I can choose one of five distances are correct, and before you start

104 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

taking measurements, you
can choose how large an
area each measurement
point should cover. I
recommend going with
the default setting.
Then you simply carry
the computer around to
different locations in your
home and let Netspot
measure the signal
strength. Click on the
floor plan to show where
you are at each Programs like Netspot let you check the signal strength in your home.
measurement and on the
stop button when you’re done. The results are the full capacity of your Wi-Fi network with
displayed as a color chart of the floor plan, many connected devices. If you have a large
with warmer colors indicating stronger family where everyone watches a lot of
signals. Areas in blue show parts of the home streaming services, this can easily happen.
where the router has difficulty reaching. An easy way to give the router and the
Measuring many places around your devices that can only connect wirelessly some
home can give you a good idea of where it wiggle room is to connect desktop
might make sense to place an extender, or computers and other fixed devices with an
whether a router with stronger antennas is Ethernet cable instead of Wi-Fi. Televisions,
likely to reach all corners. It can also help you games consoles, smart home hubs and media
spot poor router placement, and if you move players often have a connector for network
it to a location that should provide better cables. If your router doesn’t have enough
coverage, you can repeat the survey and connectors, you can buy a cheap switch from
check whether it actually did. Netgear or TP-Link, for example.
A switch also allows devices connected to
Reduce the load with it to communicate directly with each other
cable connections without going through the router, which can
If your problems don’t seem to be due to a further reduce the load on it. For example, if
weak signal, it could be that you are utilizing you have a media library on a NAS device and

DECEMBER 2024 PCWorld 105

HERE’S HOW SOLVE YOUR WI-FI PROBLEMS

stream from it to a TV or computer and both broadband. They connect to each other
are connected to the switch, that can have a wirelessly, but they do so either in a smarter
big effect on the speeds of the Wi-Fi network fashion or with separate antennas and
for other connected devices. channels so that the transmission doesn’t
clash with the regular network.
GET A WI-FI BOOSTER, For those who have Wi-Fi problems with a
REPEATER, OR MESH regular router and want a simple solution, a
Sometimes the only solution to Wi-Fi mesh system with two or three base stations is
problems is to upgrade your hardware. There often the simplest solution but rarely the
are different options depending on what you cheapest. Use Netspot to find the best
have today and what the possibilities are for placement of base stations, then just sit back
running cables in your home, for example. and enjoy.
Some traditional routers now have a
Wi-Fi amplifier built-in mesh function so you can expand your
A Wi-Fi amplifier extends an existing network network afterward with compatible base
by creating its own network with the same stations. Asus, for example, has a feature
name (SSID). Newer models can connect called AI Mesh, while TP-Link calls its
either by cable or wirelessly. The latter is equivalent Onemesh. Both of these
obviously more flexible but offers slower manufacturers are flexible with what
speeds and longer response times as devices additional devices you use as base stations,
connected to the extension communicate such as another regular router, a mesh router,
with the router in two stages. or a dedicated Wi-Fi extender that supports
the mesh system.
Repeater Unlike regular Wi-Fi extenders, all devices
The Wi-Fi repeater is an older technology that in one of these mesh networks must be from
is not as common today, where a radio the same manufacturer and support the mesh
intercepts the signal from the router and simply technology in question.
sends it out again. It rarely makes things much One important thing to consider if you’re
better, and I don’t recommend it. getting mesh is to position the base stations
so that they have the best possible signal to
Mesh each other. This means that their signals
With mesh routers, you place two or more should overlap but not too much, and there
base stations in the home, where one acts as should be as few walls as possible in the
the main unit and is connected to the straight line between two base stations.

106 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024

 BUZZED DRIVING
IS DRUNK DRIVING
Tech Spotlight A video showcase
of the latest trends

Watch the
video at
youtu.be/
YH_ygvfPsO0

OEM vs. SI: ≥ If you are confused about

What’s the the differences between an

Difference? OEM (original equipment

manufacturer) and SI (system
integrator), then we are here to help. In this video, Adam
sits down with @braethorn and goes over the differences
between the two prebuilt PC options and why you might
pick one over the other.

108 PCWorld DECEMBER 2024