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Best gaming TVs of 2024 for Series X, PS5, and more Playing games is one of the world’s greatest forms of entertainment. They’re visually and narratively immersive, full of action, and not to mention just an excellent way to blow off steam. But no PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or gaming PC is complete without a top-notch TV to take gameplay to the next level. But let’s be clear: Not just any TV is going to deliver the type of gaming experience you deserve.

You’ll want to make sure your TV is optimized for online and offline gaming. Ultra HD resolution and a 120Hz native refresh rate are good specs to start, but you’ll also want to look for TVs with gameplay optimizations, such as HDR, Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM), and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) support.

We know how tricky shopping for a new TV can be, so we’ve put together this roundup of the best gaming TVs for 2024 to guide you on your quest for gold.

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TCL Q6 Series QLED

The TCL Q6 Series is the bottom rung on TCL’s flagship ladder (with the Q7 and QM8 representing the higher rungs). In terms of HDMI inputs, you’ll be working with three 2.0 ports. All three of these inputs also support VRR, but the real win with the Q6 is the set’s incredibly low input lag. This is particularly relevant for competitive gamers who can’t miss a beat during an online match.

The Q6 Series also does a great job at handling both HDR and SDR performance. The former delivers gameplay imagery that is nice and vibrant, while the latter amps up the peak brightness even more. If you’re going to be doing a majority of your gaming in a well-lit room, it’s important that your TV can get bright enough to beat the sunlight and whatever ambient fixtures are contributing luminance. Fortunately, the Q6 also happens to have good reflection handling, so even if the screen is a little on the dark side, you shouldn’t see much in the way of glare.

One thing that’s missing on the Q6 Series though is local dimming, and the set’s native refresh rate is only 60Hz. While TCL attempts to counter this with the Game Accelerator 120 (picture processing that makes 60Hz look more like 120Hz), the TV’s overall response time still takes a hit because of this.

But if you’re looking to save a few bucks on your TV purchase, and want a gaming set that satisfies several must-haves for offline and online gameplay, the TCL Q6 Series should definitely be a consideration.

Best gaming TVs of 2024

Also Read : Best color laser printers for 2024

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Hisense U6K Mini-LED

Another great budget gaming TV

The Hisense U6K may not be as colorful or bright as the brand’s higher-priced U7K and flagship U8K models, but when it comes to cost-friendly TVs that can deliver a great gaming experience, the Hisense U6K checks all the boxes. But what are the best gaming features of this TV, you may be asking?

The biggest wins (at least in our book) are the U6K’s fantastic contrast, VRR support, and solid response time. When Game Mode is enabled, the preset prioritizes motion above all else, delivering a very smooth-looking picture and low input lag. And because the U6K is also good at dealing with bright rooms, you won’t have to worry about reflection handling during the sunnier parts of the day.

Unfortunately, when you’re using Game Mode, you can’t have VRR and local dimming running at the same time. This means you’ll have to make a choice between near-instantaneous motion performance or brightness and contrast accuracy. And considering the TV only supports HDMI 2.0, and has some trouble with response time during darker gameplay scenes, this could be a tough call to make.

None of the above is enough to disqualify the Hisense U6K though. Available in 55-, 65-, and 75-inch sizes, and with prices starting around $400, this Hisense still punches well above its weight class.

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Sony XR X93L Mini-LED

Best midrange gaming TV

We’re suckers for a solid mini-LED TV, so when we were putting this list together, one of the first entries we knew we’d include was the Sony XR X93L. Sold in 65-, 75-, and 85-inch sizes, one of the chief benefits of mini-LED is that these types of TVs typically have more local dimming zones. And because these screens can get exceptionally bright, you want the kind of lightning-fast dimming that can keep up with big blasts of light.

Luckily, the X93L is a decorated champ when it comes to mini-LED lighting and local dimming, which also makes it an awesome TV for gaming. Now you’ll definitely be able to hook up your Xbox Series X/S or Switch to the X93L, and both the picture quality and motion clarity should be extremely good. But because this is a Sony TV, the Sony-produced Playstation 5 receives some extra gaming perks you won’t get on other consoles.

One of these features is called Auto HDR Tone Mapping, which optimizes the PS5’s HDR capabilities when you’re first setting it up with the X93L. Then there’s Auto Genre Picture Mode, which automatically changes the picture preset to Game Mode when you’re playing video games, and back to the Standard setting when you power the console down.

The Sony XR X93L is also equipped with HDMI 2.1 ports, supports VRR, and has extremely low input lag and response time during gameplay.

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LG C3 OLED

Another excellent midrange gaming TV

When it comes to OLED TVs, LG has made quite the name for itself over the last several years. This is to the point where companies like Samsung are buying its OLED TV screens directly from LG Display. If we made our own OLEDs, we’d probably do the same.

As far as gaming goes, we’re more than glad to call the LG C3 one of our go-to models in the upper midrange category. For a couple of years now, LG has been developing and implementing brighter OLED screens (called Evo panels) on many of its higher-end models, along with a feature called Brightness Booster that adds extra peak and color brightness all around. When you combine this enhanced illumination with the already-astonishing color gamut and inky blacks of an LG OLED, you’re left with a stunning picture that is perfect for console and PC gaming.

With HDMI 2.1 support across all four of the C3’s inputs, we expect big when it comes to lag, response time, and overall motion handling. Thankfully, LG more than delivers on all these fronts, and the addition of an automated Game Mode optimizes the colors and contrast for whatever you’re playing even further.

Admittedly, your overall HDR brightness takes a bit of a hit when Game Mode is engaged. But the C3 is also no straggler when it comes to reflection handling, so even if you’re dealing with some extra sunlight, the rays shouldn’t affect your gameplay experience too drastically.

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Samsung S95C OLED

Best premium-level gaming TV

Welcome to the world of flagship gaming TVs, where the prices may be high, but the picture and performance is literally impossible to beat. We have two contenders in this final category, and the first on our list is a premium powerhouse known as the Samsung S95C OLED.

Have you ever heard of  TVs? This is a relatively new display tech that you can find from brands like Samsung and Sony, although both companies seem to be doing away with the “QD” portion of the moniker these days. Regardless, the acronym stands for “Quantum Dot-Organic Light Emitting Diode.”

The Samsung S95C just so happens to be a QD-OLED, and is equipped with not only a full layer of quantum dots for enhanced brightness and colors, but also uses an OLED panel with millions of self-emissive pixels that can be toggled on or off in an instant. That’s on top of Samsung’s Neural Quantum Processor 4K that automatically upscales and calibrates picture quality on a frame-by-frame basis. But what about pure gaming tech, you may be asking?

Well friends, each of the S95C’s four HDMI inputs are 2.1 certified, meaning you’ll be able to enjoy Playstation, Xbox, and PC gaming in full 4K HDR at up to 120Hz, and up to 144Hz for compatible PCs. And thanks to ultra-low input lag and response time, the S95C delivers blistering-fast motion without devolving into blurry images. And while we wish the TV supported Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HDR10+ gameplay looks terrific.

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Another great premium-level gaming TV

Our other top pick for gaming TVs in 2023 has to go to the godlike Sony XR A95L. Available in 55, 65, and 77-inch sizes, this is another QD-OLED set that employs quantum dots and self-emissive pixels, with a healthy dash of Sony’s Cognitive Processor XR thrown in for some of the best picture processing and upscaling in town.

As you can guess from our writeup on the Samsung S95C, the QD-OLED results are simply amazing. We’re talking incredible peak brightness levels, rich colors, unbelievable contrast, and lightning-fast motion handling for the A95L. But beyond the flagship features that we most certainly expect from a TV that starts pricing at $2,800, what impeccable gaming tech can we anticipate from this bad boy?

Well for starters, like the midrange Sony XR X93L, the A95L model is optimized for Playstation 5 gameplay. Two of the TV’s four HDMI inputs are 2.1 certified, with support for 4K at up to 120Hz. To further buttress the motion handling, the A95L also includes support for VRR and ALLM, ensuring you’ll experience as little lag as possible when playing online or offline.

But perhaps our favorite A95L gaming feature is the set’s Auto HDR Tone Mapping. This is a feature you’ll enable during the initial setup of your PS5 with the A95L. Once activated, all of your gameplay visuals will receive full HDR treatment (as long as the actual game is available in HDR), giving you the best brightness, colors, and contrast, regardless of the genre.

The Sony XR A95L also supports Multi-View, which lets you game on one part of the TV screen, while the second half of the screen can be used to stream a movie or show from apps like YouTube, Netflix, and Prime Video. And like many of the models in this roundup, the A95L comes with a gaming dashboard that lets you adjust things like motion clarity and picture presets without having to go into the TV’s main settings menu.

Frequently Asked Questions

How we choose the best gaming TVs

Before we sign off, we thought we’d go over how we’ve come up with these entries, and what’s important to us when selecting a gaming TV.

The first thing we look for is low input lag. Because if there’s too much delay between the action of your thumbs and the action on screen, well, that’s just a frustration nobody needs. Plus, it can be a huge disadvantage in competitive gameplay, where a few milliseconds literally can be the difference between a win or a loss.

Next, we look for solid picture quality in the TV’s “game mode” preset, which is what you’ll want to use for the lowest input lag. The picture quality doesn’t have to be videophile-grade awesome, but it can’t be trash, either. Today’s game graphics are gorgeous, and you deserve all that gorgeousness, so we seek to find the best balance between low input lag and awesome picture.

Then we need to see great motion resolution. We don’t have to have 120Hz native panels for good motion resolution. A 60Hz TV can look good, but, not all of them do, so we want to make sure we see as little blurring and stutter as possible for the best clarity during fast-moving gameplay.

But since we mentioned 120Hz, that definitely is nice to have, along with some other advanced gaming features like variable refresh rate (VRR), auto-game mode, Dolby Vision gaming, and maybe even up to a 144Hz refresh rate in some cases. We also want to make sure that these TVs do a nice job at displaying both HDR and SDR gaming content.

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12 Best Linux Distros You Should Use, Out of all the operating systems in existence, Linux (also known as GNU/Linux) is the most frowned upon, and there are a few reasons for the same. While overall adaptability, software support, and user experience remain the most common issues with Linux, OS saturation is also a huge issue.

That said, most people involved in Linux treat the overwhelming number of choices as a plus point, as it gives them the ability and flexibility to try out different desktop environments and flavors and, ultimately, settle for what they like the best. However, if you haven’t tried Linux yet and want to start using it for whatever reason, here are some of the best Linux distros you should use and get started with.

1. Linux Mint

Linux Mint has established itself as one of the best distros for beginner Linux users, thanks to Cinnamon’s simplicity (Linux Mint’s desktop environment) and ease of use. It’s an Ubuntu-based operating system that’s good for day-to-day usage and gaming. The -like feel of Mint makes users switching from Windows feel at home and is one of the main selling points of the distro.

Linux Mint Cinnamon

Linux Mint also caters to users who hold system stability of utmost importance. A new version of Mint is released every six months, and it’s usually very stable with occasional bugs. And for those who don’t like Cinnamon, MATE, and are two other officially supported flavors of Linux Mint.

Cinnamon is popular because it uses far fewer system resources than , meaning it’s easier to run Linux Mint on old hardware with ease – like other lightweight Linux distros we recommend. Unlike Ubuntu, Linux Mint drops support for Snaps and embraces Flatpaks with open arms, and lately, the OS is doing its best to discern itself from Ubuntu. And well, it has been successful in doing the same. Overall, it’s a great Linux distro for beginners because everything just works out of the box.

Pros

Cons

Light on system resources

New features take time to appear

A great starting point for beginners

Could be a little too basic for advanced users

Great stability

Not very customizable

System Requirements:

 2GB RAM (4GB Recommended)
 20GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)
 1024×728 pixels resolution display
 A dual-core CPU

Flavors: Cinnamon, MATE, Xfce
Download Linux Mint

12 Best Linux Distros You Should Use

Read Also : 10 Best Football Games for ios 2024

2. Pop!_OS

Pop!_OS is developed by a company named System76, which also sells PC hardware and laptops powered by the OS. The OS was originally made with STEM professionals in mind and comes with NVIDIA drivers preinstalled. Soon, the distro became a hit among gamers, largely because installing NVIDIA drivers on Linux wasn’t the most user-friendly work in the world.

Pop!OS

Pop!_OS is based on Ubuntu and uses the COSMIC desktop environment, which is Pop!_OS’ homemade desktop environment based on GNOME. However, unlike GNOME, it’s a lot cleaner and has got a few neat tricks up its sleeve, like the keyboard shortcuts, which makes Pop!_OS one of the cleanest Linux systems. Overall, Pop!_OS is a great option for budding creators as well as folks who want to game on Linux out of the box.

Speaking of COSMIC, System76 has recently decided to distance itself from GNOME and recode the entire desktop environment in Rust programming language. Rust-based COSMIC was announced a few years ago and is currently about to transition from the Alpha to Beta stages. The revamped COSMIC will supposedly be faster, smoother, and less clunky than GNOME-based COSMIC.

Pros

Cons

An excellent choice for gamers and content creators

Not a cutting-edge distro

A great starting point for beginners

Requires a decently specced PC

Stable, customizable, and feature-rich

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System Requirements:

 4GB (8GB Recommended)
 40GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)
 A dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: None
Download Pop!_OS

3. Fedora

Fedora is the Ubuntu of the new world. It’s a cutting-edge Linux distro that’s an upstream version of the Red Hat Enterprise Linux. It uses the same RPM package manager and embraces Flatpaks and App Images, but more importantly (and the selling point of the distro) comes with a near-stock version of GNOME. Fedora is often one of the first Linux distros to embrace the latest versions of GNOME in its beta builds, which comes out every six months.

Fedora Linux

And since Fedora is open-source, it also has a few community versions called Spins. Some of the popular spins are Plasma, Xfce, , MATE, and Cinnamon. Overall, Fedora might not be the best option for absolute beginners, but it’s great for those who know their way around Linux. Besides, Fedora’s got one of the most active distro communities on Reddit. Hence, if something goes wrong, the group of enthusiasts will always be there for the rescue.

One of the areas where the OS doesn’t excel is with regard to system requirements. GNOME is a heavy desktop environment compared to others. As a result, it needs at least 8GB RAM and a decently powerful CPU/GPU to perform well.

Pros

Cons

Cutting-edge

Learning curve for a beginner

Great for stock GNOME lovers

Requires a decently specced PC

Great for gamers and content creators

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Excellent community

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System Requirements:

 2GB (8GB Recommended)
 15GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)
 A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: GNOME, , Xfce, LXQT, MATE, Cinnamon, , SOAS, and i3 Tiling Window Manager
Download Fedora

4. Manjaro

If your friend says, “I installed an Arch-based Linux OS in just a few hours,” they are probably referring to Manjaro. Arch has always been an inconvenience for new Linux folks, but Manjaro makes it easy to taste Arch. It’s one of the best Arch-based Linux distros that comes in three official flavors/variants — KDE Plasma, Xfce, and GNOME.

Manjaro Linux

Like Fedora Spins, Manjaro has lots of community versions like Budgie, Cinnamon, and MATE too. Hence, you are not devoid of choices in this case. That said, Manjaro isn’t a pure Arch-based system because it isn’t as cutting-edge as the next option on our list. Manjaro has its own repository where all updates from Arch are merged and pushed later. Stability is of great importance for Manjaro, hence, the new packages from Arch are thoroughly tested before they are merged into the OS.

If you’re confused about which flavor to choose, GNOME, KDE Plasma, and Budgie are great if you have a decent PC. However, if you are running ancient hardware, we recommend Xfce or MATE as they use far lesser system resources.

Pros

Cons

Makes installing and trying out Arch easy

Slower update releases than Arch or EndeavourOS

Comes in a variety of flavors

Known to break sometimes

Great hardware support

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System Requirements:

 2GB RAM (8GB Recommended)
 30GB Disk space (80GB Recommended)
 A 2GHz Dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: GNOME, KDE Plasma, Xfce, Budgie, MATE, Cinnamon, Sway, and i3 Tiling Window Manager
Download Manjaro

5. EndeavourOS

If Manjaro’s “Endeavours” don’t align with your philosophies, EndeavourOS gets a lot of right for an Arch-based distro. It offers you the flexibility to choose whichever Desktop Environment you like, has the Arch DNA in its veins, and offers quick package upgrades.

Endeavour OS

For starters, it comes with a customized Calamares installer, which makes installation easy. EndeavourOS does not have “flavors,” instead it prompts and asks you to select the desktop environment of your choice in Calamares during the installation. Besides, EndeavourOS has a great community and is a stellar alternative to Manjaro, or even Arch, for that matter. If all you need is a great rolling distribution, you cannot go wrong with EndeavourOS.

Unlike Manjaro, in which new packages from Arch take at least three weeks to make it to the system, updates to EndeavourOS arrive at the same time as pure Arch Linux. Also, the overall bloatware on EndeavourOS is less compared to Manjaro, which makes it one of the cleanest Arch-based distros out there.

Pros

Cons

The closest cutting-edge OS to Arch

Learning curve for a beginner

Lots of desktop environment options

Frequent Arch updates might break the system or introduce bugs

Great community

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Calamares installer makes it easy to install

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System Requirements:

 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)
 10GB Disk space (50GB Recommended)
 A dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: Xfce, Plasma, GNOME, MATE, Cinnamon, Budgie, LxQt, LxDe, and i3-wm
Download EndeavourOS

6.

Yet another Ubuntu-based distribution, Elementary OS is known for its rather striking resemblance to macOS, which makes it a great starting point for folks who want to switch to Linux from macOS.

Elementary OS

Elementary OS has a few great homemade apps that look great and work well. In fact, distros such as Pop!_OS use Elementary’s store, and that’s a testament to the effort the Elementary team puts into developing one of these best Linux distros. Overall, Elementary OS is a user-friendly and good-looking distribution that gets most things right.

For starters, Epiphany is a decent browser available on Elementary OS, and apps such as Photos, Music, AppCenter, and more all feel like they actually belong to the OS because they’re consistent. The wallpapers are some of the best you can find in any distro, and the dock and animations make the distro a visual treat.

Pros

Cons

Consistent design language

For absolute beginners; Mediocre to advanced users may not enjoy

Great set of preloaded apps

Not cutting-edge

Easy to install

The AppStore is mostly empty

System Requirements:

 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)
 40GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)
 A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: None
Download Elementary OS

7. Zorin OS

Windows users make up a huge chunk of the crowd that to Linux. Hence, one of the top priorities of a few Linux distros is to make them feel at home. That’s exactly what Zorin OS does with its impeccable UI experience. Its clean, polished UI does give out the feeling of a completely revamped experience while still retaining the bits of Windows UI to comfort ex-Windows users.

Zorin OS

Zorin is Ubuntu-based but looks/feels quite unlike Ubuntu both in terms of looks and functionality. There’s also a Lite version that can run on weaker hardware. All in all, Zorin has great documentation and posts for beginners to get started, and more importantly, it is completely free and open-source.

Besides, Zorin OS also has a Pro version that costs $40, and for that price, you get more desktop layout customizations, preloaded apps such as GIMP and Blender, and the ability to share your mouse and keyboard across computers. Now, we wouldn’t recommend going all out on the Pro version, since most of the paid features can be added by using extensions. However, for what it is, Zorin OS is definitely one of the cleanest and best Linux distros out there.

Pros

Cons

Made with Windows users in mind

Limited customization options in the free version

Clean and consistent user interface

Updates are slow to arrive due to the Ubuntu base

Easy to install

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Great for browsing and creating content

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Has a Lite version for old hardware

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System Requirements:

 2GB RAM (4GB Recommended)
 40GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)
 1024 x 768 resolution display
 A 1GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: None
Download Zorin OS

8. Garuda Linux

Garuda does things slightly differently than other best Linux distros on this list. For starters, contrary to the regular Linux kernel, it uses something called Linux-zen kernel, which claims to significantly improve the overall system and gaming performance.

Garuda Linux

The centerpiece of Garuda Linux is its UI. It gets lots of modern elements with gradient coloring splashed across the OS. Garuda Linux is based on Arch and follows the same rolling release pattern. It’s offered in multiple flavors; some of the most popular ones are GNOME, Cinnamon, Xfce, and MATE.

The flagship Garuda variant comes with a heavily customized KDE Plasma and is offered in two editions — Dragonized and Dragonized Gaming. The latter includes all the apps you’d need to get started with gaming on Linux such as Steam, Lutris, Heroic Games Launcher, & more, which makes it one of the best Linux distros for gaming.

Pros

Cons

Cutting-edge, thanks to its Arch base

Could be a bit too overwhelming for new users

Highly customizable KDE Plasma interface

Higher system requirements

Gradient theming and icons look fantastic out of the box

Performance and stability issues due to Arch updates

Dragonized Gaming edition brings all gaming tools for you

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More optimized Linux-zen kernel for better performance

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System Requirements:

 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)
 40GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)
 A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: KDE Plasma, GNOME, Cinnamon, Xfce, MATE, LxQT, Wayfire, Sway, i3 WM, Qtile, and KDE Lite
Download Garuda Linux

9. Solus

Solus is a rather underrated Linux distro. The OS focuses keenly on developers, gamers, and content creators by including the tools required to get started with development, gaming, and content creation. The flagship flavor of Solus OS uses their in-house Budgie desktop, which is one of the cleanest desktop environments you can try.

Solus OS

What makes Solus different is that it doesn’t follow in the same footsteps as other Linux distros. It’s an independently developed distro with a completely different user experience compared to others on this list. Although, if you do not end up liking Budgie, you can switch to other desktop environments, including GNOME, Plasma, and MATE.

Because Solus is an independent distro, it uses its own package manager called Eopkg. It’s quite similar to Apt in Ubuntu but may have a learning curve since the commands are a bit different from the regular Apt commands. However, if you don’t end up liking Eopkg, you could always use Flatpaks and Snaps on Solus. All things considered, it’s one of the best Linux distros out there.

Pros

Cons

Independent OS; Doesn’t depend on any other OS

Eopkg has a shallow learning curve

Highly customizable interface

Slow development pace

The Flagship Budgie desktop looks great out of the box

Lack of software in repos

Comes preinstalled with a few tools for developers

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System Requirements

 8GB RAM (Recommended)
 GeForce 760 and above graphics card with at least 2GB of video memory.
 40GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)
 A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: KDE Plasma, GNOME, MATE, Budgie
Download Solus

10. Ubuntu

In the end, we have something that you would have found in the first two entries had you read this list a couple of years ago. Ubuntu started off with the goal of making Linux more accessible and easily installable than Debian, which was then’s Arch Linux. And, for the most part, it succeeded in achieving that goal, only to succumb to a corporate illness a decade after.

Ubuntu Linux Distro

Don’t get us wrong, Ubuntu is still a great operating system, but it has lost the bling it used to have a few years ago, and a few weird and poor decisions are to be blamed. Without getting into the details, Ubuntu uses GNOME by default, which is a tad bit customized.

Ubuntu uses Snaps for package management, and the latter is the reason the Linux community has started repelling it. They completely dropped out-of-the-box support for Flatpaks, as we mentioned in our Ubuntu 23.04 features list. Although it’s a good starting point for a complete beginner, we would argue there are better Linux distros to try than Ubuntu.

Ubuntu also raised a few privacy concerns when it started preinstalling Amazon and sharing data with the same a few years ago. Most of the users accused Canonical (Ubuntu’s parent company) of tracking user activity by installing spyware, and it made people lose trust in Ubuntu.

Pros

Cons

Beginner-friendly

Snaps are too slow; No Flatpak support

Customizable

Requires a decent PC to run smoothly

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Privacy concerns

System Requirements:

 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)
 25GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)
 A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: KDE Plasma, GNOME, Cinnamon, Budgie, Kylin, Studio, Unity, Xfce, MATE, LxQT
Download Ubuntu

11.

KDE Neon is known to provide a flagship KDE experience, and it delivers! It’s a culmination of the latest from KDE Plasma while maintaining the stability thanks to the Ubuntu LTS base. The latest software from KDE always makes its way to Neon first and is a great way of trying out the latest features that the Desktop Environment has to offer while avoiding butchering the stable feel of the operating system.

KDE Neon

Since Neon is based on Ubuntu LTS, each major release comes with five years of support and a stable tried and tested LTS Kernel. Neon also has some of the best collections of software thanks to KDE Plasma interface, meaning if you’re a creative individual, you could use some of the many tools the OS has on offer to boost your productivity, creativity, and be more efficient in your art.

Although most may like the interface and apps, like any other software, some may find the collection of apps a bit overwhelming. Hence, Neon may not be the distro for you if you prefer minimalism. Overall, Neon is easily one of the best Linux distributions you can try.

Pros

Cons

Runs Vanilla KDE

Could be overwhelming for beginners

Comprehensive suite of apps

Not the best distro for minimalists

Customizable

Stable Ubuntu Base

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System Requirements:

 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)
 25GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)
 A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Download KDE Neon

12. Nobara

Nobara is not a mainstream Linux distributions and isn’t known by many except those who closely follow the Proton Compatibility Layer, Wine for Linux gaming, and Fedora. Nobara was created by Glorious Eggroll, the creator of Proton-GE. Nobara market’s itself as a Linux distro for gamers and creators because it adds and solves a lot of things that a Linux gamer may find annoying and needed.

Nobara Linux

For example, if you’re deeply immersed in Proton and Proton-GE, you may want to install new Proton versions to test for improvements and hence Nobara comes with Proton-QT preinstalled. Similarly, it’s always updated with the latest version of MangoHUD, Kernel patches, has automatic driver installation for NVIDIA GPUs, and comes with things such as OnlyOffice, Steam, Lutris, Flatpak preinstalled.

Pros

Cons

Lots of important preinstalled bits

Is a distro for Gaming and Creative work; May not be ideal for daily usage

Fedora-based, stable

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NVIDIA Drivers are automatically installed

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System Requirements:

 4GB RAM (8GB Recommended)
 25GB Disk space (100GB Recommended)
 A 2GHz dual-core, 64-bit CPU

Flavors: Nobara Official, GNOME, KDE
Download Nobara

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The best apps for 2024, One of the best parts about owning an Apple computer is the massive ecosystem of superb Mac apps it gives you access to. There are apps available to Mac users no matter what you are looking for, whether that’s productivity, photo and video editors, security suites, and more. You can get them from Apple’s own App Store or from third-party developer websites, and many of the best Mac apps are even free.

Whether you just bought your first Mac or you’re a longtime Apple customer, here’s a look at some of the best Mac apps you can get.

Alfred

Alfred 4 running on a Mac.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Think of Alfred as Spotlight with a dash of Siri. It’s an launcher, but it can do a lot more than just that. With Alfred, you can quickly perform calculations, execute web searches, and find word definitions, among many other functions.

It’s a Mac app that fills the gap between Siri and your Spotlight search by allowing you to automate tasks and perform advanced functions that, frankly, Siri should be able to handle on its own. Version 4 improves the workflow creator, introduces rich text snippets, and more.

Get Alfred

The best Mac apps for 2024

Read Also : The best old games PC 2024

Amphetamine

The Amphetamine Mac app showing its menu bar items and preferences window.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Always a favorite, Amphetamine keeps your computer from going into sleep mode, starting the screensaver, or performing the auto-dim function. It’s ideal for Mac users who want to watch streams, videos, or any other activity in which they don’t touch the keyboard or mouse for an extended period.

Note that Amphetamine no longer works with versions of macOS before Yosemite.

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The Bartender Mac app showing the expandable menu bar feature of the app.

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Bartender 4 is an app made for when you’re utilizing too many apps. Put simply, it lets you choose which apps appear in the menu bar and rearrange their position to your liking. It’s a subtle tool that’s specifically designed with organization in mind, and as such, it lets you better systematize various aspects of your interface.

You can also search for specific items or move them into the optional Bartender Bar if you’re in dire need of additional space. The latest version added support for macOS Monterey and M1 devices, a quick reveal to show/hide apps, and the ability to adjust the icon sizes. You can choose a four-week free trial before purchasing.

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Magnet

Magnet running on a MacBook.

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It’s not always easy to view multiple windows side by side, but Magnet gives you tons of options. The app is made for the multitasking Mac user inside all of us and presents a quick way to arrange your desktop.

With Magnet, you can drag and snap windows to the edges and corners of your screen, which will then lock into place. It’s a terrific tool, complete with predefined keyboard if you want to copy content from one app to another.

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A promotional image of the Noir Mac app showing how it works.

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Ever switch on Dark Mode to browse your Mac late at night, only to get your eyes blasted by a bright white website that doesn’t have its own dark version? We’ve all been there, but there’s no need to suffer bleeding retinas in silence. Instead, get Noir.

This clever little app forces websites to use a dark color scheme if you have Dark Mode enabled. If they don’t have one of their own, Noir reskins the website with a darkened, tasteful new look that fits in perfectly with each site’s own style. It’s customizable, too, and you can choose which theme Noir uses from a range of options — or create your own. You can even set site-specific rules.

If you use Safari, Noir is the perfect companion for late-night browsing (or if you just love using Dark Mode during the day). At $4, it’s an absolute steal.

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The Unclutter Mac app showing its overlay with files and clipboard contents inside.

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Unclutter is a simple piece of software that suits its name. This Mac app is accessible with a quick swipe from the top of your screen and functions as a convenient place for storing quick notes, recent files, and clipboard information. You can access it elsewhere, which makes it handy for pasting images into emails, for example, or moving a folder to a new location.

Recent updates also allow for a light or dark theme and include an option for dragging cards on top of other desktop windows. Files and notes even automatically sync across your devices via Dropbox, a suitable addition that adds to the app’s lasting appeal.

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The best Mac apps for productivity

CheatSheet

The CheatSheet Mac app showing its shortcuts windows in action.

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Keyboard shortcuts are great, but so many different apps use so many different shortcuts that trying to remember them all can be an exercise in frustration. Well, no longer, as there’s a brilliant little app that can fix the problem.

The appropriately named CheatSheet is simple. Just press its hotkey and up pops a window listing all the active shortcuts in your app of choice. It’s smart and only shows the shortcuts for the app you’re currently using, so there’s no need to specify the app you need help with. Release the hotkey and the pop-up window disappears. It’s there when you need it and gone when you don’t.

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Fantastical

The Fantastical Mac app showing a calendar with a week view.

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Fantastical is the only calendar app you’ll ever need. A subscription grants you access to a powerful set of tools as well as a full-screen calendar window that’s as beautiful as it is practical. The app’s true hallmark, however, is in the way you create reminders; just type in that you have “Dinner with on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.” and watch the app schedule it with a reminder.

The free edition is minimal, with the ability to add and delete events, get the three-day forecast, and a few other features. For a premium experience, Flexibits provides subscriptions for both individuals and families starting at $3.33 per month (when billed annually). Premium features include a 10-day weather forecast, priority email support, and much more.

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Folder Tidy

A promotional image for the Folder Tidy Mac showing its capabilities.

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You might start off intending to keep all your Mac’s folders neat and organized, but over time, things can go awry — confusing folder names, loose files, things stored in the wrong places, etc. When you’re desperately searching for that all-important file, the confusion can be concerning.

Folder Tidy puts an end to all that in the simplest way imaginable. In just one click it sorts your files into orderly subfolders using its own ruleset. If you want more control, you can add custom rules to sort things how you like. You can ignore specific files, folders, anything with a tag, and much more, and you can also send things back the way they were with the undo button. Instead of spending ages manually sifting through your files, just get Folder Tidy to do the hard work for you.

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GoodTask

The GoodTask Mac app showing a selection of reminders in the app's main screen.

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Apple’s Reminders app is decent, but not much to write home about. Apple should really take some pointers from GoodTask — it’s the best Mac reminders app out there.

If you just need to quickly create entries, GoodTask gets out of your way and lets you do that. But it comes alive when you start to use its power features. You can make smart lists based on specified criteria, add new reminders using text snippets that GoodTask intuitively understands, and everything from the calendar view to almost every function can be tweaked to your liking.

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The Google Chrome app running on a Mac, showing the Digital Trends home page.

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Chrome’s rich feature set, extensive ecosystem, and blazing speed make it a great browser for your Mac. Chrome is one of the fastest browsers available for Mac, one that also features the ability to automatically sync all your information — bookmarks, open tabs, recent searches, and more — across multiple computers and mobile devices. That, combined with its robust customization and instant search capabilities, makes it worthwhile.

As popular as Chrome is, however, it’s one of the weakest for user privacy protections, so consider that before installing.

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Hazel

Hazel running on a Mac.

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Hazel is an organization Mac app with a great twist: You create your own rules for how the app recognizes, sorts, and moves all your files or downloads. This allows for incredibly flexible file management, whether you want to sort out a particular type of file, add names and tags automatically, or apply other strict rule sets to every file, folder, and download on your computer.

It’s an excellent work app, great for home finances, and generally usable in all kinds of scenarios. However, it may take some time to set up all the rules you want for file management, so it’s more friendly for hands-on organizers. It costs $42, though you can get a family five-pack for $65.

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Keyboard Maestro

The Keyboard Maestro Mac app with a macro shown in the app's main window.

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If you’re looking for a way to simplify or eliminate menial tasks in your day-to-day workload, then Keyboard Maestro should be on your radar. In essence, you can automate a variety of tasks, from waking your Mac at a certain time to automatically opening and running windows in a sequence when you launch an app.

It’s a bit overwhelming at first, especially if you’re new to automation features like this. But if you have experience with Apple’s Shortcuts app, you can quickly grasp Keyboard Maestro. Best of all, Keyboard Maestro isn’t a subscription-based app — it’s a one-time purchase of $36, and you might pay to upgrade when new versions release. The latest version now supports Dark Mode and multiple editor windows. That all makes Keyboard Maestro a great app for productivity-oriented users.

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Microsoft 365

Microsoft Word running on a Mac.

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Apple already supplies native tools for creating documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. However, if you work on multiple platforms (including Windows), Microsoft 365 may be the better option. This popular office suite includes Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and OneDrive.

However, users will need a subscription: $7 per month for 365 Personal (one user) and $10 per month for 365 Family (six users). Both subscriptions provide 1TB of storage for each individual regardless of the plan. For Mac owners who don’t want a subscription, Microsoft provides free web-based versions.

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Notion

Notion running on a Mac.

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It’s hard to quantify what Notion is because it does so many things. It works as a database, calendar, Kanban board, and more. It’s great for project management, book writing, social media calendars, and just about anything else you can imagine.

That level of flexibility is what makes Notion such an amazing app. It’s a productivity tool that can be used by anyone for just about anything. It’s particularly popular among the bullet journal crowd, and it’s a must-have tool for any professional who needs help organizing and compiling their workflows.

Notion is a great tool that is simple enough to use, but true mastery of the app can make for some stunning frameworks.

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Parallels Desktop

The Parallels Desktop Mac app showing Windows running on a MacBook Pro.

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If you believe the diehards, you’d think macOS and Windows are eternal rivals, and never the twain shall meet. But there are plenty of times when you might want to run Windows on your Mac, from accessing Windows-only apps and games to testing out new features. Apple silicon-based Macs can’t use Apple’s own Boot Camp app to dual-boot into Windows, but they can use Parallels Desktop.

With this app installed, you can launch Windows inside its own, well, window. That means there’s no need to restart your Mac, making for fewer interruptions to your workflow. It works with over 200,000 Windows-native apps, giving you access to things you might never get on an Apple computer. And you can copy and paste files between Windows and macOS with ease, making the whole experience seamless.

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The Parcel Mac app showing a list of expected parcels and their tracking details.

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Find yourself frequently purchasing things online? Parcel targets the online shopping aficionado, rendering it ideal for anyone who’s constantly expecting a package at their doorstep.

The tracking app works with more than 250 services — including mainstays such as UPS, USPS, and FedEx — allowing you to see where your packages are at a glance with little more than a tracking number. Push notifications require a premium subscription of $5 per year.

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PDF Expert

PDF Expert running on a MacBook.

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Having to work with PDF files is a fact of life, and PDF Expert makes that task a little easier. Not only does the minimalist software allow you to fill out forms and merge PDFs, but it also grants you a host of tools for editing, annotating, and signing files on the fly.

Moreover, it’s compatible with Apple’s Continuity and Handoff features, so you can swap devices while in the middle of a document without fear of losing your work.

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Pocket

The Pocket app for Mac showing a selection of saved articles.

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As the name might imply, Pocket is a tool that lets you “pocket” articles, videos, and web pages for later viewing. It essentially consolidates all the content in a simple, easy-to-use interface that’s also accessible offline.

The app is perfect for sharing your favorite stuff among friends or for stowing interesting articles you may encounter on your evening commute, which you can then pull up on the big screen with their accompanying text, pictures, and links when you get home. Pocket is free to use, but if you want enhanced search capabilities and an ad-free experience, then you’ll want to take advantage of the premium subscription ($5 per month or $45 per year).

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Shortcuts

Apple's Shortcuts app running on MacOS Monterey

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Macs are powerful things, and there’s a huge amount you can do with them. Some tasks, though, can be boring, repetitive, or time-consuming. In those cases, it’s best to get something else to do the heavy lifting. Apple’s Shortcuts app is the perfect solution.

It gives you access to a whole host of actions that can be strung together to form powerful automations. Want to batch-process a whole folder of images? Or implement custom split-view layouts at the touch of a button? There is almost no end to the options you have with Shortcuts. It’s the perfect way to save time and speed up tasks on your Mac.

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Spark

Spark running on a Mac.

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Apple’s Mail app is fine, but we wouldn’t go much beyond that. Spark is great, however, and shows what’s possible in an email app. Its stated aim is to let you “Take control of your inbox”, and it achieves this in several clever and thoughtful ways.

Important emails from people you know are automatically floated to the top, ensuring they don’t get bogged down in a sea of newsletters and spam. You’ll only get notified about mail from your contacts, helping you cut out distractions, while its excellent collaborative tools are great for teamwork. Best of all, it’s free.

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Swish

The macOS options for the Swish app, which lets you perform various actions with a swipe or a gesture on a trackpad.

There are 28 gestures in total, all of which will come in handy Digital Trends

The Mac’s trackpad is the best on any computer, hands down, and Apple has built a great system of gestures into macOS. But Swish takes that even further, giving you gesture control over window management that’s so seamless it feels like Apple made it itself.

With Swish installed, you can fling windows around your display with consummate ease. A swipe upwards maximizes a window, while a pinch closes an app. The more you use Swish, the more ingenious gestures you learn. Before long, it’s second nature, and you’ve got a brilliant way to keep things organized on your screen.

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Things

Things 3 running on a MacBook.

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Things is a brilliant macOS to-do list and task management app. Thanks to a full redesign, Things is more useful than ever, connecting to your tasks and Calendar in a seamless interface. You can add descriptions, checklists, upcoming tasks, evening-only tasks, automated reminders, and a lot of other unique task features.

If you want to invest in a high-end task management app for Mac, Things is worth the price. However, there is a free trial available if you don’t want to pay right away.

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Ulysses

The Ulysses mac app showing a page of written text.

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When it’s time to write on your Mac, you want to make sure you operate with minimal distractions. Ulysses is tailor-made for these situations. With its pared-back layout and focused tools, it can help you get down to work and shut out the world around you.

You can manage all your files and projects in the Ulysses library, keeping everything just a click or two away. There’s a built-in proofreader, support for tons of common file formats, and quick publishing to WordPress, Medium, and more. Whether you’re a professional writer or just need a great word processor, Ulysses ticks all the boxes.

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The best Mac apps for photo and video editing

Affinity Photo

Affinity Photo running on a Mac.

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Tired of shelling out money each month for Adobe but want an app that’s just as good? Affinity Photo from Serif could be just what you need. It’s a photo-editing Mac app that’s won numerous awards from Apple (including app of the year), so you know it’s something special.

Unlike Photoshop, you just pay a one-off fee of $35 and it’s yours for life. But this isn’t some cheap, hobbled software — it’s a deep, full-featured app that can stand toe to toe with Adobe’s image-editing behemoth. It has sister apps for graphic design and desktop publishing too, both of which are superb alternatives to Adobe’s wares.

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CleanShot X

CleanShot X's clean interface showing it's annotation tools.

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Taking screenshots and screen recording on macOS can be pretty unintuitive, and that’s a problem CleanShot X aims to solve. The app gives you over 50 different tools to capture and edit screenshots and screen recordings. It has a clean and modern user interface that blends perfectly with macOS, and it gives you more robust tools for annotating and editing than Preview.

If you find yourself taking lots of screenshots, CleanShot X is a must-have app.

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GIMP

GIMP running on a Mac.

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Here’s another image editor, but this one is free. GIMP has everything you need to replace Adobe’s monthly Photoshop subscription: Layer control, shadow effects, vector-based paths, filters, exposure, and so much more. It even offers similar auto functions to enhance colors, equalize, and correct white balance on the fly. It’s simply one of the best Photoshop alternatives to date.

GIMP is an open-source project, initially developed by two Berkeley students, that first went public in 1996. It works alongside other open-source Adobe alternatives to create an open-source suite: Scribus (InDesign) and Inkscape (Illustrator).

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HandBrake

The HandBrake Mac app with a video loaded and ready to be rendered.

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HandBrake shines when it comes to converting media files and encoding videos, especially when you factor in how quick and effortless this piece of open-source software makes the process.

The well-known app also comes with a plethora of video-editing tools designed for splicing, adjusting frame rate, and adding subtitles, among a laundry list of other useful actions that complement its optimization presets.

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Pixelmator Pro

Pixelmator running on a MacBook.

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Mac users have access to a vast selection of excellent photo-editing apps, but even against its many competitors, Pixelmator Pro stands out as one of the best. It boasts a massive list of powerful features and is currently one of the fastest apps in the entire photo-editing space.

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