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The best smart speakers for 2023

By admin December 20, 2023

The best smart speakers for 2023, Smart speakers are an integral part of any smart home, often serving as the brains of the entire operation. Beyond pumping out impressive audio or giving you updates on the morning news, smart speakers can listen to voice commands before passing out instructions to the rest of your gadgets. Functionality varies widely by product, making it important to find the best smart speaker for your setup.

Thankfully, it’s hard to pick a dud in today’s loaded marketplace. Whether you’re an Apple loyalist, a Google enthusiast, or an avid user of Amazon Alexa, just about every big tech company is churning out incredible smart speakers. But if you need some help narrowing down all your options, here’s a look at the best smart speakers of 2023.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sonos Era 100

The best smart speaker

As the successor to the Sonos One (our previous best smart speaker), it should come as no surprise that the Era 100 is just as easy to recommend. Everything that made the Sonos One popular has been improved with the Era 100 – including sound quality, usability, and the addition of native Bluetooth support.

The Sonos Era 100 produces booming sound thanks to its twin angled tweeters, a woofer that’s 25% larger than the Sonos One, and custom waveguides that help send noise to all corners of your room. It also features a faster processor, which results in better performance when giving it commands.

Interacting with the device is more streamlined than it was on the Sonos One, which used gestures and touch controls on the top of the device. For the Era 100, you’ll get simple buttons for everything from volume controls to track selection.

It’s still expensive (typically retailing for $249), but there’s no doubt it’s a premium smart speaker that should appeal to even the most discerning audiophile.

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Sonos One (Gen 2)

The best smart speaker (Runner-up)

The second-generation version of the Sonos One is even more user-friendly, with an updated design that adds touch controls and incorporates Bluetooth 5.0 for a variety of connection options. Its core features still remain, however, including the ability to choose between Alexa or Google Assistant and to link with other Sonos speakers through Wi-Fi to fill the room with even more sound.

The speaker’s far-field microphone array effortlessly hears voice commands from across a room, even when music is playing. If you have qualms about privacy, Sonos claims that muting the microphones is done via hardware, ensuring that when the mic indicator light is off, the speaker is definitely not listening. With AirPlay 2, you can stream any audio from an Apple device directly to the speaker or to any other Sonos speaker in your home.

But our favorite aspect of this model is simply the fact that it’s a Sonos speaker. The Sonos wireless whole-home music system remains the very best we’ve ever tested. It has support for almost every major music streaming service, and it’s all controlled from an app on your phone, tablet, or PC. Not only is the app full of great features like Apple Music playlist compatibility and the ability to group multiple speakers, but these features are also remarkably easy to use.

Thanks to Sonos’ partnership with Ikea, there’s also a growing ecosystem of cool third-party devices that can be used to control the Sonos One and any other Sonos speakers in your home. The Sonos One (Gen 2) is a fantastic speaker and a great way to smarten up your home.

The best smart speakers for 2023

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Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock

The best budget smart speaker

The 4th-gen Amazon Echo Dot already upgraded the design to an orb that matched the larger flagship Echo and greatly improved the sound of the speaker — but Amazon outdid itself with the 5th-gen model and the host of smart features it contains.

Alexa is fully supported, of course, and those little speakers do an incredible job of filling a small space with sound. The clock version (not necessary but nice) is especially well-suited for an office desk or a bedside table — and onboard controls include privacy switches among other benefits. Plus, as is tradition, there are kid versions of the speaker, this time with owl and dragon skins.

Amazon also added even more useful technology to the 5th-gen model, including a higher-resolution display, and new accelerometer and temperature sensors to provide more information about your surroundings. There’s a new chip also for tap-based controls (all the better for an alarm clock), and it now has Eero tech built in, allowing it to connect with an Eero router to help extend it

The most appealing part about the Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) with Clock is its price. At $60, it’s easy on just about any budget — meaning you can buy multiple units without forking over a huge sum of money! And who doesn’t like that?

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Amazon Echo (4th Gen)

The best smart speaker for Amazon Alexa

The larger, spherical design of the 4th-gen Echo doesn’t just look cool and modern. It also packs a set of speakers specializing in 360-degree sound designed for larger areas, filling spaces with tunes or other audio while listening for voice commands from across the room.

Of course, it’s a wonderful centerpiece in the living room if you’re planning to entertain guests, like a speaker in the kitchen for music, and so on. Other features like a 3.5mm auxiliary jack, Bluetooth, and stereo pairing round out its audio features. When it comes to controlling the smart home, the Amazon Echo (4th Gen) can be used to turn off lights, check up on calendar appointments, and order pizza.

Meanwhile, it can also monitor your home while you’re away by sending you notifications if it hears the sounds of smoke alarms with Alexa Guard. You’re getting a rich smart speaker in terms of performance, and features with the Amazon Echo (4th Gen).

John Velasco / Digital Trends

Google Nest Audio

The best smart speaker for Google Assistant

Google Nest Audio plays to a wide range of people because it brings that perfect mixture of intelligence and raw power.

What’s apparent is that it’s a substantially beefier speaker than the Google Home — aided by its 19mm tweeter and 75mm mid-woofer. The result is a Google Assistant-powered smart speaker that roars with incredible power. There’s no denying that it’s far more equipped at playing music than its successor, just because it’s 76% louder and has a 50% boost in bass.

You can also pair it with another Google Nest Audio for stereo sound, plus you can group multiple speakers in other rooms to play your tunes everywhere — while being harmoniously in sync. The best part of Nest Audio is that you’re not paying a fortune for premium audio with its $100 sticker price. It’s affordable, packs all the intelligence of Google Assistant, and even delivers impressive sound.

John Velasco / Digital Trends

Apple HomePod Mini

The best affordable smart speaker for HomeKit

Apple certainly learned how tough it can be to complete in the smart speaker space. While its HomePod faced stiff competition when it launched, its sibling in the HomePod Mini fared much better. Part of that reasoning is that the HomePod Mini was cheaper, while still offering excellent audio performance.

Apple users will appreciate the HomePod Mini in the home because Siri can be leveraged on the speaker to accomplish a number of things, such as turning on the lights, unlocking the door, and much more. When it comes to audio, there’s still a lot of power behind its compact design — but what’s impressive is its ability to adapt to whatever it’s playing. For example, if you’re watching a movie on your television and using the HomePod Mini as your audio source, it’ll tune the audio accordingly so that dialogue won’t be drowned out by the sound effects in the background.

Speaking of home theater experiences, you can achieve that by pairing two HomePod Mini speakers together. In fact, you’d be surprised by how well it sounds compared to a traditional soundbar.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sonos Beam (Gen 2)

The best smart speaker for TV

Even the best TVs typically have lousy sound quality due to their tiny built-in speakers, which makes soundbars an attractive option for many. However, there are a lot of soundbars and not all of them are as smart as the modern home theater needs. That’s where this excellent iteration of the Sonos Beam steps up.

A compact and well-styled bar, it can easily fit under the smallest of TVs on either a console or on the wall using the optional bracket. Like every Sonos product, it has impressive sound quality for its size and can become part of a much larger multiroom audio system. The Gen 2 model is further improved with the addition of Dolby Atmos, an important part of home entertainment audio these days. The Sonos app lets you stream from virtually every music service on the planet and it does an excellent job managing your private music collection, too.

But the reason we’ve chosen the Beam for this roundup is its smart speaker chops. With the ability to run either Google Assistant or Alexa as its voice assistant, it can serve as the hub for a host of home automation commands. It can translate spoken commands for Google Assistant or Alexa into signals that control your TV. “Alexa, turn on Bedroom TV,” will do just that. Other commands, like “Alexa, turn the volume up on Bedroom TV,” work well too, as will similar commands for Google Assistant. You can also control the speaker with an app, or use it with Apple AirPlay 2.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Bose Portable Home Speaker

The best portable smart speaker

You already know that we love the Sonos One for its ability to let you choose your preferred voice assistant. The Bose Portable Home Speaker gives you that choice too, plus a built-in rechargeable battery, carry-handle, and Bluetooth so you can take it with you anywhere you go.

Though considerably more expensive than the Sonos One, the Bose is the ideal choice for people who demand absolute flexibility. When at home and connected to your Wi-Fi network, the Portable Home Speaker is a full-fledged smart speaker that lets you talk to Alexa or Google Assistant. Using your voice to control music playback via Spotify works like a charm, but the Bose app gives you additional options like multiple speaker groupings. The app isn’t as good as the one Sonos provides, but as long as you don’t intend to build a whole-home music system using Bose speakers, we doubt you’ll mind.

While you shouldn’t let it fall in the pool, the speaker is protected from small amounts of water thanks to its IPX4 rating, so you need not fear the occasional unexpected rain shower.

Apple users will love the AirPlay 2 integration which lets you stream any audio — be it music from your favorite streaming service, or the soundtrack from a Netflix movie — directly to the speaker when connected to Wi-Fi. When on the road (or if you’re an Android user) the Bose Portable Home Speaker’s Bluetooth connection lets you keep the tunes going. With 12 hours of battery life between charges, those tunes can go on for most of a day.

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Amazon Echo Studio

The best smart speaker for 3D sound

Though it bears a resemblance to the Apple HomePod with its cylindrical shape, the Echo Studio is, in fact, an entirely new breed of smart speaker. It’s still an Amazon Echo, which means that you get all of the benefits of being able to issue voice commands to Alexa to control everything from your music to your thermostat. But when it comes to audio, the Echo Studio is in a class of its own.

With the launch of the Amazon Music HD streaming service, Amazon is now a leading source of top-quality music. The service offers CD-quality audio and hi-res audio, as well as immersive 3D music tracks via Dolby Atmos Music, and Sony 360 Reality Audio. And for now, the Echo Studio is the only speaker on the planet that works with all of them.

CD-quality and hi-res audio are fairly easy to understand: They’re the best versions of stereo audio you can get. Dolby Atmos and Sony 360 Reality Audio are different. These two new formats expand your music into something far wider, deeper, and immersive — which is why we refer to them as 3D. The Echo Studio not only projects these formats around a room the way they were meant to be heard, but it also reinforces the sound with a clean and powerful bass response we simply didn’t expect from a speaker at this price.

The Amazon Echo Studio may not please all audiophiles — it tends to muffle some midrange sounds for stereo sound — but it is nonetheless a superb value and (at the moment) a unique smart speaker that leads a growing movement. Also, note that Amazon announced an update for Echo Studio firmware in 2022 to give it Amazon’s own spatial audio processing, designed to improve clarity compared to standard audio. You’ll need Amazon Music Unlimited to use it, but it’s a notable upgrade to the Studio’s sound options.

Zeke Jones / Digital Trends

HomePod 2023

The best smart speaker for HomeKit

If you love HomeKit but need something with a bit more power than the HomePod mini, consider opting for the new Apple HomePod. It offers all the same functionality as its smaller sibling, but thanks to its larger footprint, the HomePod is capable of producing loud, room-filling sounds. Inside the device, you’ll find a high-excursion woofer and an array of beamforming tweeters, which is just a fancy way of saying the HomePod sounds fantastic.

Another perk of the HomePod is its ability to optimize its sound for any room. Using Room Sensing technology and Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos, you can rest assured your smart speaker is pumping out the best possible sound at all times. And if you want to fill your entire home with great sound, HomePod supports multiroom audio through AirPlay. It’s not cheap at $300, but no doubt you’re getting your money’s worth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I buy an Alexa smart speaker or Google smart speaker?

That depends on which ecosystem you like and use most. Both have their benefits and drawbacks, and both work with the most popular streaming services. Alexa tends to work with more smart devices, but this is becoming less of a factor with time. If you’re undecided, pick a smart speaker that gives you a choice like the Sonos One.

Do smart speakers help the visually impaired?

Yes, they have a lot of functionality that doesn’t require buttons, making smart speakers great for visually impaired people. They are particularly useful when paired with smart devices around the home that can be controlled via voice. Even without smart devices, these speakers can help make schedules, read the news, look up information, plan events, provide recipes to cook meals, and lots more — really putting the “assistant” in voice assistant.

Do smart speakers have an AUX input?

Some smart speakers, like the Marshall Stanmore II Voice, have 3.5mm inputs. If you need an AUX input, we recommend making sure the speaker has one before purchasing.

Can I use smart speakers to listen to FM radio?

No, most smart speakers do not have an FM tuner. If you want to listen to the radio, your best bet is to play an internet radio station on these speakers. Some services do turn FM channels into internet stations you can listen to on smart devices, like myTuner Radio.

Do smart speakers usually have a battery?

It’s not common. Batteries are more common on simpler Bluetooth speakers designed more for portability. If you want to take your smart speaker with you on the go, we recommend making sure it has a built-in or add-on battery (like the Bose Portable Home Speaker).

Do smart speakers need Wi-Fi?

Yes, smart speakers generally need Wi-Fi to set up and use. You can access some features with Bluetooth, but a Wi-Fi connection is still needed for the smart speaker to operate.

Are smart speakers always listening to me?

Yes and no. After some initial hiccups, smart speakers typically work like this: The mics are always listening for their wake word, like, “Hey, Alexa.” But they don’t recognize or record anything else. Once they do hear the wake word, they listen to the speech after it to interpret the request. That command is typically recorded, but settings in apps like Alexa allow you to stop the speaker from storing the command in the cloud, or make sure it’s deleted soon afterward. Smart speakers also come with physical mute buttons that will shut down the mics entirely if you don’t want them on.

Can children use smart speakers?

Today’s smart speakers have voice profiles so each person in the family can create their own profile with their own preferences. You can also use apps to set controls, such as disabling any music with profanity, etc. That being said, there have been cases of kids using smart speakers to order things online (100 gallons of ice cream, etc.) or otherwise getting into trouble, so it’s a good idea to limit what they can do.

Can all my devices work with a smart speaker?

Compatibility has long been a problematic part of smart platforms that power smart speakers and other devices. In past years, it’s been a tug of war between brands to get third-party smart devices to support their own voice assistants and apps, so you may have a device that works on Alexa but not with Google Home, and so on. Alexa has generally done the best with third-party support, followed by Google, then Apple’s HomeKit and Home app.

That’s starting to change and change quickly. The big three smart brands, along with a wide variety of other tech companies, banded together and created a new smart home protocol to work on all their platforms, called Matter. These days, you can look for the Matter logo or check to see if your devices are backward compatible with Matter and rest easy. Older devices, however, may still have limited compatibility, so you may have to do some extra research.

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Smart Tech

The best Apple HomeKit devices 2023

By admin December 20, 2023

While not as widespread as Google Home or Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit remains one of the most popular smart home ecosystems of 2023. The software plays well with iOS devices, and several other gadgets such as smart lights, smart locks, thermostats, and cameras can be controlled using the fancy technology. If you’re looking to build your smart home around Apple’s ecosystem, here are the best HomeKit devices available today.

Locks

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HomeKit doesn’t have the largest selection of smart locks, but that doesn’t really matter when you have something as well-rounded as the Aqara Smart Lock U100. Not only does it offer full HomeKit support, but you’ll even gain access to Apple home keys — allowing you to unlock your door with your iPhone or Apple Watch. There’s also the standard keypad for entering a passcode, along with a fingerprint sensor that can store several dozen fingerprints (so your whole family can enter the home without worrying about forgetting their password or smartphone).

A physical key is included for emergency access, and the smart lock is designed to run for up to eight months before you’ll need to replace its batteries. Other standout features include “Do Not Disturb Mode,” auto-locking, and an IP65 rating to help it withstand whatever nature throws its way.

The Schlage Encode Plus is another solid option. This lock includes all of the latest HomeKit features, including Apple home key support. Of course, you still have access to a physical key lock and touchscreen support. The Encode Plus also works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant while having full HomeKit and Siri support. The lock is pretty expensive at $299, but if you want a lock with all of Apple’s secure HomeKit features and a host of other features, Schlage’s Encode Plus is currently your only route.

The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock is still a great choice for one of the best smart locks and makes it possible for you to do things like track who is coming and going, give access to specific people, or lock and unlock your door remotely. Plus, it attaches to your existing deadbolt, so you don’t have to get a new set of house keys. In addition to being compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, it’s also compatible with Apple HomeKit, too. You can check out our full review of the August Wi-Fi Smart Lock.

Don’t want to have to worry about a house key? Yale Assure Lock uses a touchscreen keypad. If you upgrade your Yale Assure Lock (models YRD246 or YRD256) with a Yale iM1 Network Module, it’ll be compatible with Apple HomeKit. The module typically costs somewhere in the $50 range, and it’ll let you control the lock with voice commands and more. Read more about the Yale Assure SL lock in our full review.

You could also spring for the Yale Assure Lock 2, which comes in a variety of designs — including a few models that give you remote access to your front door via Wi-Fi. Our review found it to be a premium smart lock that’s more than worth its hefty price tag. If you’re deep into the Apple ecosystem, consider springing for the Yale Assure Lock 2 Plus with Apple Home Keys, as it works not just with HomeKit, but also supports Home Keys — allowing you to unlock your door with a tap of your iPhone or Apple Watch.

The best Apple HomeKit devices 2023

Lighting

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Now your favorite Hue products work with your Apple devices. You can adjust dimming, change colors in certain rooms, sync your lights, set scenes, and more. The Philips Hue Starter Kit is a great way to get started with smart lighting.

Lifx A19 LED Bulbs are another great HomeKit-compatible option. Delivering 1,100 lumens, they’re about as bright as a 75-watt incandescent bulb. However, they’re energy-efficient at only 11 watts, and they have a 22-year lifespan. With 16 million color options and no hub required, Lifx A19s offers a lot in a compact-sized bulb, including the Candle Color, the first smart LED bulb that can emit multiple colors of light at once.

The Nanoleaf Essentials Matter A19 Smart Bulb boasts full HomeKit support, and it even works with Matter. It’ll give you access to millions of different colors, a simple smartphone app, and a quick setup process. Consider giving it a look if you need something that works not just with Apple HomeKit, but other smart home platforms you may have running in your house.

If you want something a little bit different, Nanoleaf’s Light Panels are triangular smart light panels you can shape into whatever design you like. Connect them to Apple HomeKit to activate different scenes. There’s even a rhythm add-on, so your panels and music will work in sync. If you’re looking for a less expensive way to add some color to your space, another great option is the Lifx Z, a HomeKit controllable Multi Color LED Light strip. The ribbon comes in at 6.6 feet, and additional extensions can be added on for greater flexibility.

Switches and smart plugs

Wemo

Don’t have a smart light but want to tell “Hey Siri, dim the bedroom light?” The WeMo Smart Light Switch lets you voice-control your lights, set your lights on a schedule, and optimize them based on the bulbs you’re using and prevent flickering. With Apple HomeKit, you can tell Siri to turn the lights off for bedtime, or you can have it set the lights to brighten in the morning. The Lutron Caseta Smart Lighting Dimmer Switch is also compatible with HomeKit, and you can even install the switch without a neutral wire.

Another option is to go with a smart plug, which lets you control devices you plug in (think lamps, holiday lights, or even appliances). The Wemo Smart Plug with Thread from Belkin lets you control a plugged-in device with your voice or phone when connecting it to Apple HomeKit. This edition with Thread support allows for a faster and more reliable connection.

For an even smaller version, you may prefer the Pure Gear PureSwitch, which offers app control, timers, and energy management options for anything you plug in. If you want to replace an entire outlet (both top and bottom) then check out the Connectsense Smart Outlet 2. You’ll also get a lot of information about how much energy your devices are using, through the Connectsense app. This plug also works with Alexa and Google Assistant.

Thermostats

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Ecobee released its Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium and Smart Thermostat Enhanced models in 2022. Seeing that the Ecobee 4 was our previous choice for the best thermostat, it’s easy to give the crown to the new generation. The model sports a new design and the Ecobee’s Smart Thermostat Premium has Siri fully built-in and is HomeKit-compatible. It still works with Google Home and Amazon Alexa, as well. The new radar sensor and air quality monitor take the advancements and convenience up a level. If you want something a bit more affordable, the Ecobee Lite still has a lot to offer. The Lite works with HomeKit and other smart home systems, but it doesn’t have Alexa built into the thermostat.

Honeywell’s Lyric T6 Pro thermostat is HomeKit-compatible as well, and it’s a very cost-effective option. The T6 Pro is an upgrade to one of our old top choices, Honeywell’s Lyric T5. It has features like geofencing, scheduling, and smart alerts. Adaptive auto-recovery makes it so the thermostat knows how long it takes to heat or cool your home to your desired temperature at specific times, and the thermostat can also auto-change from heat to cool.

Otherwise, if you are more interested in a minimal approach — a thermostat that appears to disappear into your wall — you’ll want to take a look at the ; variations are available for both baseboard heating and in-floor heating. Minimal doesn’t mean simple, however, as the Mysa includes a smartphone app to monitor your energy usage and set up a heating schedule.

Cameras and security devices

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Logitech’s Circle View is a smart choice if you’re focused on personal privacy with features such as an electronic shutter. It’s weatherproof, easy to set up, and has some pretty decent free features, like 24-hour cloud storage and smart alerts with snapshots. It also has an impressive view radius of 180 degrees. Some of the more advanced features, like person detection and motion zones, require a paid subscription (after a 10-day free trial).

Eufy also has a range of affordable indoor and outdoor cameras that work flawlessly with HomeKit Secure Video. Another great part is that you don’t need a subscription to use these cameras either. Check out Eufy Indoor Cam 2K , Indoor Cam Pan & Tilt 2K, and Floodlight Cam 2 Pro to get the best of the company’s offerings. Keep in mind that if you want to stream a HomeKit-enabled camera remotely, you need a HomePod Mini, an Apple TV 4K, or Apple TV (4th generation).

Apple HomeKit supports other security devices outside of just cameras. Eve and Aqara create complete lines of various sensors to place around and monitor your home. For example, Eve has a door and window sensor, a motion sensor, and a room sensor that monitors temperature and air quality. Aqara also has low-cost sensors, including a water-leak sensor, temperature and humidity sensor, and a vibration sensor, to name a few. Sensors like those or the can add extra home security while also making it possible for you to do things like have the lights turn on when your door opens.

Your options for video doorbells are limited with HomeKit, but the Logitech Circle View Wired Doorbell is a solid option. It’s a bit pricey at $200, but it offers secure storage that’s encrypted before getting backed up to iCloud, rich notifications that alert you when an animal, vehicle, or person is detected, and it supports customizable motion zones. It’s also a rather sleek device, featuring a design that’s all black and with a footprint smaller than most other video doorbells on the market.

A/V devices

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Whether you’re a music fanatic or cinephile, you can use an Apple HomePod mini to expand your at-home A/V experience. For starters, the HomePod mini is an excellent way to listen to your favorite playlists. The speaker’s sound is surprisingly room-filling for its size and includes Thread connectivity to help with your other smart home accessories. Purchase multiple HomePod minis, and you can pair them together to create 360-degree stereo sound.

If you’re willing to drop a bit more cash, you can snag the new HomePod 2023 for $299. It offers everything found in the HomePod mini, although you’ll be treated to radically improved audio. Thanks to its larger footprint, the HomePod manages to pack in a high-excursion woofer, a beamforming array of five tweeters, and supports Spatial Audio and Room sensing to optimize its performance regardless of where you place it. In other words, the HomePod is a massive upgrade over the HomePod mini and is perfect for creating room-filling sound.

Alternatively, Sonos, has a plethora of products that all have Airplay 2 and are HomeKit-compatible. You can purchase the Sonos One, Sonos Beam, Sonos Amp, or the Sonos Ray soundbar and Sonos Roam portable speaker. The new Sonos Era 100 is another great option, as it’s built with support for AirPlay 2, and you can use Siri to play Apple Music through the Home app.

For home-theater hounds, the fourth-gen Apple TV 4K is a fantastic way to bring HomeKit to your media cave. The streaming device delivers crystal-clear 4K HDR and features Siri support. In cases where you may need a smart bridge to control your HomeKit devices, the Apple TV can do that.

Bridges

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Even though there aren’t a lot of smart home systems that require bridges, they can be crucial in some cases. As you might expect from their name, bridges connect the Home app and HomeKit with a particular brand’s devices, guaranteeing compatibility. They are essential for people who want to increase the functionality of their favorite brands.

For instance, let’s look at the Wemo Bridge. It links the Home app and the Belkin Wemo brand, increasing compatibility between devices such as the Wemo Switch, Insight Smart Plug, LightSwitch, and Dimmer.

The advantage of this is that your older Wemo devices will work with your system again. The Apple TV 4K is also a terrific, trustworthy bridge for HomeKit devices.

Stay tuned for Matter

CSA

Matter, a new interoperability standard for smart home gadgets, has already started rolling out to select devices — and more are expected to follow in the coming months. In fact, the company recently revealed the new HomePod — which comes with full Matter support. Apple is one of the biggest companies on board with the technology, meaning HomeKit devices should soon be compatible with any devices that support Matter. In other words, the small HomeKit catalog will grow much larger once Matter updates are pushed to some of today’s hottest devices. A variety of Google and Amazon products have already been updated, so keep your eyes peeled as more manufacturers jump on board throughout 2023.

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Software

Best AI art generators in 2024

By admin December 19, 2023

The top AI art generators in 2024

Every AI art generator you should consider using.

Best AI art generators in 2024, In just over a year, text-to-image AI art generators have gone from closed betas to being literally everywhere. What started with DALL·E 2 has grown into a huge cultural movement. AI-powered art generators that have been around for years are having a surge in popularity, and new apps with interesting takes are launching every week. It feels like pretty much everyone is generating amazing, hilarious, and downright weird images, just by typing in a prompt.

If you want to get in on the text-to-image action but aren’t sure where to start, this list will help you out. It’s a broader list than my picks for the best AI image generators in order to show off all the different angles that folks are taking with AI art generators.

Still, this isn’t an exhaustive list of every app that can make AI art. Instead, it shows off the text-to-image AI art generators that worked when I tested them, are accessible through a web app, and seem not to be scams.

The category is changing so fast that by the time you read this, there might be even more great apps available. But for now, it’s a pretty good overview of the biggest AI art apps available at the moment.

The top AI art generators

.	.	.
DALL·E 2	Prodia	StarryAI
Bing Image Creator	Leap AI	Fotor
DALL·E 3 (ChatGPT)	Craiyon	Vance AI Art Generator
DreamStudio	getimg.ai	Runway
Midjourney	Shutterstock	WOMBO Dream
Canva	Generative AI by Getty	Picsart
NightCafe	Deep Dream Generator	CF Spark Art
OpenArt	Artbreeder	Pixray
Adobe Firefly	Stablecog	Let’s Enhance
Jasper Art	DeepAI	.

How does AI art work?

The first time you enter a prompt into an AI art generator and it actually creates something that perfectly matches what you want, it feels like magic. But it turns out AI art generators don’t work using magic. They use computers, machine learning, powerful graphics cards, and a whole lot of data to do their thing.

Let’s break it down.

AI art generators take a text prompt and, as best they can, turn it into a matching image. Since your prompt can be anything, the first thing all these apps have to do is attempt to understand what you’re asking. To do this, the AI algorithms are trained on hundreds of thousands, millions, or even billions of image-text pairs. This allows them to learn the difference between dogs and cats, Vermeers and Picassos, and everything else. Different art generators have different levels of understanding of complex text, depending on the size of their training database, and some models are trained for specific purposes or only using licensed content, which affects the kinds of things they can generate.

The next step for the AI is to actually render the resulting image. There are two leading kinds of models:

• Diffusion models, like Stable Diffusion, DALL·E 2, Midjourney, and CLIP-Guided Diffusion, which work by starting with a random field of noise, and then editing it in a series of steps to match its understanding of the prompt.

• Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), like VQGAN-CLIP, BigGAN, and StyleGAN, which have been around for a few years longer.

Both kinds of models can produce great, realistic results, though diffusion models are generally better at producing weird or wild images.

Prompt: A parrot detective wearing a deerstalker hat and smoking a pipe.

While some apps are very open about which models they use, others obscure it. VQGAN-CLIP and Stable Diffusion, for example, are both open source, so there are a large number of apps that use them openly—and lots of others that don’t say anything. There are also other apps that use their own data to custom-train various open source models to give better results.

This means that many AI art generators are essentially just different user interface skins for the same art-generating algorithms. From a business point of view, this is somewhat understandable. Still, it’s annoying when you’re trying to choose which app to use (or write about them). Where possible, I’ve listed what models each app uses. When it isn’t declared, I’ve speculated, based on my experience with all these different generative AIs.

How to use AI image generation at work

Interested in AI, but not quite sure how you’d use it at work? Here are a few of the ways people are turning to AI image generation in their roles:

• Generating hero images for blog posts

• Creating social media posts

• Generating slide decks and storyboards

• Creating personalized images for customers

Learn more about how to use AI image generation at work.

29 AI art generators you can use right now

DALL·E 2

I made this with DALL·E 2 using the prompt “an impressionist oil painting of a Canadian man riding a moose through a forest of maple trees”

AI art models: DALL·E 2

Platform: Web

Pricing: $15 for 115 credits (1 credit = 1 prompt with 4 options)

DALL·E 2 is the AI art generator that kicked off this whole craze. While it no longer has a free trial, it’s still one of the most impressive apps out there. It’s simple to use and can produce great results. That’s why its API is used by so many of the other apps on this list.

That API also allows you to use DALL·E as part of your business workflows, by connecting it to thousands of other apps using Zapier. For example, you can create images based on Slack messages and send them back to Slack (or do the same in Discord) or create images for new Airtable records.

Bing Image Creator

AI art models: DALL·E 3

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free

Bing Image Creator is a result of Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI. It uses the latest DALL·E model, DALL·E 3, and it’s free (at least for now). The default styles are a little different, so it’s well worth a look, even if you’ve used DALL·E in the past.

DALL·E 3 (ChatGPT)

AI art models: DALL·E 3

Platform: Web (via ChatGPT)

Pricing: $20/month as part of ChatGPT Plus

DALL·E 3 is a serious upgrade over DALL·E 2, at least if you have a ChatGPT Plus account. Not only are the results significantly better, but controlling and instructing it through ChatGPT gives you a lot of control.

Instead of entering one prompt and having to accept the results you get, you can ask ChatGPT to make changes, add bits in, or otherwise mix things up. It makes it much simpler to get great images, even if ChatGPT doesn’t always perfectly understand your requests.

And when you connect ChatGPT to Zapier, you can add automation to your AI workflows. Learn more about how to automate ChatGPT, or get started with one of these templates.

Best AI art generators in 2024

DreamStudio (Stable Diffusion)

AI art models: Stable Diffusion

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free for 25 credits; $10 for 1,000 credits (enough for ~1,200 images with the default settings)

DreamStudio is the official Stable Diffusion web app. It’s pretty powerful, so you can set how many steps the AI takes, what random seed it uses, and loads of other customizations. It’s also got a free trial, which is nice.

(You can also check out Stable Diffusion through ClipDrop, which is free but watermarks your images.)

Midjourney

AI art models: Midjourney

Platform: Discord

Pricing: From $10 for 3.3 hours of GPU time per month (enough for ~200 prompts with 4 image options)

While Midjourney has one of the weirdest user interfaces—you access it through the chat app Discord—it reliably produces some of the best-looking, most realistic results. It’s my personal favorite AI art generator. Read the showdown with DALL·E: Midjourney vs. DALL·E.

Canva

AI art models: Stable Diffusion

Platform: Web, iOS, Android

Pricing: Free; from $12.99/month for Pro with more AI features

Canva recently added a text-to-image art generator. It integrates perfectly with the rest of the template-based design app, so you can add AI-generated art to anything from social media posts to birthday cards.

NightCafe

AI art models: Stable Diffusion, DALL·E 2, CLIP-Guided Diffusion, VQGAN-CLIP

Platform: Web

Pricing: From $6/month for 100 credits (enough for ~1,240 images per month)

NightCafe adds extra features like styles to DALL·E 2 and Stable Diffusion, as well as allowing you to use older generative art models. More importantly, NightCafe is a community for AI art enthusiasts that includes challenges, a Discord server, and a gallery.

OpenArt

AI art models: Stable Diffusion, DALL·E 2, and other open source models

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free for 50 trial credits; from $10/month for 5,000 credits

Like NightCafe, OpenArt adds extra features to Stable Diffusion and DALL·E 2, as well as letting you use additional open source models and have more control over the specifics of the images you generate. OpenArt also has additional options like sketch-to-image and stock art transformer (which modifies stock images to better suit your needs).

It’s nice to use and its free credit allotment is generous, so it’s well worth a look.

Adobe Firefly

AI art models: Firefly

Platform: Web, Adobe Express, Adobe Photoshop, and other Adobe tools

Pricing: Free for 25 credits per month; from $5/month for 100 credits per month (and included with various Adobe subscriptions)

Adobe has been an AI company for over a decade, and it shows with its custom AI art generator called Firefly. While you can use it online, it’s now being integrated directly into Adobe products like Express and Photoshop.

Perhaps Firefly’s best feature is that you can use it to create custom text effects using a written prompt. AI art generators often struggle with text, and Firefly is really the only one that can do this right now.

Jasper Art

AI art models: Doesn’t say, but appears to be based on Stable Diffusion

Platform: Web

Pricing: From $39/month for unlimited images

Jasper is better known for being one of the best AI writing generators, but it also has a decent art generator as well. It’s more expensive than a lot of the other apps on this list, but if you already use Jasper, it’s worth a look.

Other AI writing tools, like Writesonic and Rytr, also offer AI-generated art, but Jasper’s is different in that it’s more of a standalone tool.

Prodia

AI art models: Stable Diffusion and other open source models

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free for unlimited images one at a time; from $4.99 for faster images two at a time

Another Stable Diffusion-based art generator, Prodia stands out by letting you try all its models without having to sign up for an account. Prodia also connects with Zapier, so you can automatically create an image on Prodia based on triggers in your other apps.

Leap AI

AI art models: Stable Diffusion and other open source models

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free for 100 images and 1 model; then from $9/month for 250 images and 1 model

Leap AI is a great option if you want to train your own AI art models. While a lot of its features are aimed at developers, it’s easy enough to use that anyone can train their own AI. Plus, Leap AI integrates with Zapier, so you can do things like generate images based on new Discord messages or Google Sheets rows.

Craiyon

AI art models: Based on original DALL·E model (Not DALL·E 2)

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free; from $6/month for faster images and no watermark

Craiyon (previously DALL·E Mini) is based on the original DALL·E model. It’s significantly more basic than the latest art generators, but it’s free and fun to play around with.

getimg.ai

AI art models: Stable Diffusion and other open source models

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free for 100 images per month; from $12/month for the Basic plan, with 3,000 images/month and the ability to train your own models

getting.ai is an AI art generator app with 20 open source models, including Stable Diffusion and models built from it, like OpenJourney. The biggest feature, though, is that with a paid plan, you can train your own models.

Shutterstock AI Image Generator

AI art models: DALL·E 2

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free to generate images; from $19/image to download

Stock image company Shutterstock obviously recognizes the existential threat that generative AI poses to its business—so instead of fighting, it’s partnered with OpenAI. The Shutterstock AI Image Generator is powered by DALL·E 2, and while it’s free to generate images, downloading them uses Shutterstock credits. If you have a Shutterstock plan, you should give it a try. Otherwise, it’s a very expensive way to use an AI art generator.

Generative AI by Getty Images

AI art models: Custom model developed with NVIDIA

Platform: Web

Pricing: Custom

Like Shutterstock, Getty Images has developed an AI art generator. Generative AI by Getty Images is trained on Getty’s collection of stock images. This makes it good for generating weirdly specific stock photos, but not as competent or creative at other things.

Best of all, though, Getty claims that its model is free from intellectual property issues, so you’re indemnified against any legal claims resulting from using the images you make with its tool. If your company has a legal department, it might be that AI art generator you need.

Deep Dream Generator

AI art models: Custom-trained models

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free for 20 images with default settings; from $19/month for the Advanced plan, which allows for hundreds of images per month

Deep Dream Generator is one of the oldest AI art generators online. It was originally designed to use Google’s DeepDream algorithm but has added text-to-image algorithms that appear to be based on Stable Diffusion.

Artbreeder

AI art models: BigGAN and StyleGAN

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free for 3 credits per month and most features; from $8.99/month for 100 credits per month, which allow you to use more powerful features more often

Artbreeder (formerly Ganbreeder) launched in 2018 as a platform for experimenting with generative AIs. It’s still loose, experimental, and super art-focused. Its three main tools—Mixer, Collager, and Splicer—allow you to combine aspects of multiple images to create something unique.

Stablecog

AI art models: Stable Diffusion and other open source models

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free for 100 images; from $10/month for the Starter plan with 1,750 images per month

Stablecog is another AI art generator based on Stable Diffusion and other similar models. It’s got a nice, easy-to-use web app and, perhaps best of all, a nice, easy-to-understand pricing structure.

DeepAI

AI art models: Custom models

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free; from $5/month for 500 images

DeepAI is mostly an AI API for developers, but it has a free text-to-image art generator on its website to showcase what it does. You can also sign up for a paid plan, which gives you access to more styles and allows you to use the API.

StarryAI

AI art models: VQGAN-CLIP and CLIP-Guided Diffusion

Platform: Web, iOS, Android

Pricing: Free for 5 credits/day; from $11.99/month for 50 credits/month

StarryAI is another art generator that uses the older VQGAN-CLIP and CLIP-Guided Diffusion models. It’s free for five prompts and twenty images per day, so it’s one of the best free ways to try out generative models. There are also mobile apps, which is nice.

Fotor

AI art models: Doesn’t say, but probably based on Stable Diffusion

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free for 3 images; from $20 for 200 credits

Fotor is a popular online image editing app, and it’s recently added a text-to-image art generator that integrates with its editor.

Vance AI Art Generator

AI art models: Doesn’t say, but probably based on Stable Diffusion

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free for 3 images/month; from $5 for 100 credits

Vance AI offers a collection of AI tools, and it’s recently added a text-to-image art generator. It’s relatively limited, but its tools all use the same credit system. So, if you also want an image enhancer, upscaler, and background remover, it’s worth checking out.

Runway

AI art models: Appears to be Stable Diffusion, but you can train your own

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free trial; from $15/editor/month for the Standard plan, with 625 credits per month

Runway is a suite of art-generating tools for businesses. In addition to features like multiple seats and shared assets, you can train your own custom models.

WOMBO Dream

AI art models: Doesn’t say, but probably VQGAN-CLIP-based

Platform: Web, iOS, Android, Discord

Pricing: Free; from $9.99/month for premium features like making multiple outputs from one prompt

Dream by WOMBO is a freemium art generator with a large number of styles. Although it doesn’t say explicitly, it likely uses the older VQGAN-CLIP-based models to generate its images.

Picsart

AI art models: Doesn’t say, but probably Stable Diffusion-based

Platform: Web, iOS

Pricing: Free; from $13/month for no watermarks and premium features.

Picsart is another online image editing app. The AI art generator integrates with the rest of the editor, so you can combine AI-generated elements with text, stickers, and other images. Although it’s free to use, you have to pay to download images without a watermark.

CF Spark Art

AI art models: Doesn’t say, but probably VQGAN-CLIP-based

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free; from $9/month for faster generating and private downloads

Creative Fabrica is a digital assets marketplace that’s recently added an art generator. It’s free to use, but its best feature is that you’re able to browse hundreds of other AI creations.

Pixray

AI art models: VQGAN-CLIP-based models

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free

Pixray is an open source art generator that uses VQGAN-CLIP-based models. While there’s an API and Python implementation, there’s also a free demo on the website. The best thing is that you can play around with all the hidden settings that go into an AI art generator if you want to learn more and see how they work.

Let’s Enhance

AI art models: Doesn’t say, but appears to be Stable Diffusion-based

Platform: Web

Pricing: Free for 10 credits/month and watermarked images; from $12/month for 100 credits/month

Let’s Enhance is an AI-powered image upscaling app that recently added an art generator. It’s still in beta, so generating images doesn’t cost anything (though saving them costs one credit).

Other categories of AI art generators

This list is focused on text-to-image art generators, but there are entire other categories of AI art makers out there. Some examples:

• Lensa’s Magic Avatars and MyHeritage’s AI Time Machine both take a series of selfies and return AI-generated portraits.

• Many text-generating apps, like Writesonic and Rytr, also include AI art generators, so you can create images to go along with your copy.

• I was only looking at web apps in this list, but there are mobile-only art generators like ArtOut, if you just want something on your smartphone.

• And then there are others, like Palette, that can colorize photos.

And these are just the AI art generators that are available now. Other companies are certainly testing their own art generators, and you could always train your own using one of the apps I mentioned that allows for that.

Which AI art generator should you use?

With so many AI art generators to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start. So let me break it down:

• Midjourney is my favorite, though the free trial is temporarily paused, and using it through Discord is weird.

• DALL·E 2 is great, but it’s cheaper to access it through Bing Image Creator.

• Stable Diffusion is used in lots of different apps. The simplest way to access it is through its own app, DreamStudio.

• Firefly’s text effects are awesome, as is its integration with other Adobe tools.

• NightCafe and OpenArt are the best apps if you want to play around with different models, including some of the older GAN models.

• Deep Dream Generator is a great way to see how far art generators have come.

• Artbreeder is perhaps the weirdest art generator among a very weird series of art generators—and totally worth a look.

Otherwise, just scroll through the list and try whichever ones strike your fancy. You can’t go too far wrong.

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Best wireless earbuds for 2023

By admin December 14, 2023

Best wireless earbuds for 2023, For millions of people across the country, the two tech items you can pretty much count on finding in most pockets, purses, and backpacks at any give time are a phone and a pair of wireless earbuds. And their uses are vast — they bring in beautiful sound, block out annoying, distracting sound, and let us work, workout, and get from A to B while doing it.

But picking through the jungle of wireless earbuds available has gotten increasingly difficult as the breadth of brands continues to grow and tech-heavy features like active noise cancellation (ANC), transparency mode, hi-res audio capabilities, dust and water resistance ratings, and more challenge what it is we need and want in our earbuds, as well as what we can and are willing to pay for them.

That’s where this list of the best wireless earbuds comes in. We test a boatload of wireless earbuds. And the ones that really stand out from the crowd in terms of value, performance, and features are assembled right here. Right now we struggle to find a better pair of wireless earbuds that tick all our boxes for features-to-price ratio than Sony’s latest and greatest, the WF-XM1000XM5. Sony just crushes it year after year with this model line, which has consistently live atop our list for years. Check those out below, but don’t stop there as we go through a whole bunch more that might hit your sweet spot better.

Want a set of true wireless earbuds that are guaranteed to not break the bank? Check out our selections for the best cheap headphones, with plenty of models all under $100

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sony WF-1000XM5

Best overall wireless earbuds

A new model of Sony’s flagship earbuds is always a major event — after all, its WF-1000XM lineup has sat at the top of the earbuds mountain for several generations now. And for good reason – they’re consistently great sounding and super comfortable, have fantastic battery life, and deliver some of the world’s best ANC. And while Digital Trends’ headphone reviewer, Simon Cohen, billed the Sony WF-1000XM4s as “almost perfect wireless earbuds,” it appears that the new WF-1000XM5s have bested them. Also, it should be noted, the XM5s have now bested the Jabra Elite 7 Pros, which you can still get, if you’re lucky.

The XM5s are smaller and 20% lighter than the XM4s, and Sony has addressed some of the key concerns users had with the predecessor right out of the gate. The XM5s are also more streamlined and elegant, and the microphone port, which used to have a slightly protruding gold cap around it, now sits flush to the earbud’s body, making it less intrusive and sleeker. Fit-wise, the XM5s have redesigned foam eartips and come with a new extra small size, bringing the total to four options to fit ears of even more shapes and sizes.

New accelerometers in the XM5s open the door for some neat head-movement gestures (nod to accept a call, shake your head to decline), and Sony has switched to a dual processor system that, combined with resigned microphones and drivers, allow for a dedicated chip to specifically handle noise cancellation. Active noise cancelation is slightly better on the XM5s than the XM4s, and the model has a decent voice-targeting mode that helps you better hear conversations. But if ANC is a high priority for you, Cohen admits that the XM5s don’t quite match the Apple AirPods Pro 2 for that.

With redesigned drivers that are 40% bigger than on the XM4s, it’s no surprise that the XM5s sound every bit as good as the XM4s, and then some. Bass response is great, vocals are clear and defined, the soundstage is wide for a set of earbuds, and there’s even new head-tracked spatial audio support that works well, as long as the phone you’re using supports it.

Sony added Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity to the XM4s in an update last March, and thankfully the feature has hopped over to the XM5s as well, allowing you to connect to two devices at once.

All-important battery life is unchanged in the XM5s, giving you up to eight hours of playtime with ANC on and 12 when it’s off, along with two full charges from the case, for a total of up to 35 hours. A quick three-minute charge nets a whopping hour of playtime.

Of course, if it wasn’t already evident here, the Sony WF-1000XM4s are still a top-notch set of earbuds that you should definitely consider as well, especially as they start to drop in price as the new kid in town takes over.

Best wireless earbuds for 2023

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Anker Soundcore Liberty 4 NC

The best budget earbuds

Every so often, a pair of budget earbuds comes along that are so good for the price and have so many features that they leave us impressed and scratching our heads. Anker’s latest Soundcore Liberty 4 NC are $100, but are arguably better than most of what you can get for twice that price.

The Liberty 4 NC are comfortable, fit well and snugly, and have an IPX4 rating that workout folks will appreciate as they can stand up to sweat and can be rinsed off. They sound robust and balanced, have excellent bass response, and keep things free of distortion at reasonable volumes. There’s also an app (HearID) that gives you some good personalization options for your perfect sound. For the audio nerds out there, the Liberty 4 NCs also support the hi-res LDAC audio codec (Android only, sorry), which is rare for a budget pair of earbuds.

The Liberty 4 NCs shine when it comes to ANC and transparency mode, though, with our reviewer gushing that the ANC stood up to even the $250 AirPods Pro 2. And the features! For your hundred clams, the Liberty 4 NCs feature excellent adaptive noise canceling, presets for things like planes and busses, and a manual slider for you to pick yourself. Transparency mode, our reviewer found, sounds natural, like you’re not wearing earbuds, and does a good job of letting in just the right amount of outside noise. Call quality on the Liberty 4 NCs is good too, with solid compression of environmental noise.

But how’s the all-important battery? The Liberty 4 NC will last up to eight hours on a charge with ANC turned on, and a total of 40 hours when you include the charging case. They best the AirPods Pro (5.5/24 hours), and their next-step-up sibling, the $150 Soundcore Liberty 4 (7/24). Just buy them already.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Sony WF-1000XM4

Still outstanding

Even with the new kid in town, the latest Sony WF-1000XM5s, it’s still hard to beat Sony’s WF-1000XM4 earbuds for an overall superb listening experience. Sony threw the kitchen sink at these buds, adding proper water resistance for workouts, wireless charging, and Sony’s own LDAC Bluetooth codec for wireless hi-res audio performance, they’re the whole package.

Sound quality has always been a Sony strength, and the XM4 continue this tradition with even richer bass. There’s a warmth and resonance to the low end on these buds that benefits a variety of music genres, especially with string instrument- and drum-centric styles like jazz, classical, and even EDM. Sony made the decision to equip the XM4 with foam eartips as opposed to the usual silicone style. This increases comfort and provides an excellent and secure seal, but it also has a slight tendency to rob the high frequencies of precision.

The Sony Headphones app gives you deep control over all settings, like EQ, ANC, transparency, and touch controls, and includes an option to customize both the earbuds and your music apps (like Tidal, Deezer, and Amazon Music) for use with Sony’s 360 Reality Audio (360RA) immersive music format.

Active noise cancellation is superb, as is transparency mode, but Sony throws in a cool new feature: Voice sensing. Simply start talking and the XM4 will automatically shift into transparency while dropping the volume of your tunes. Speaking of, well, speaking, the WF-1000XM4 are some of the few true wireless earbuds that give you hands-free voice access to your choice of Google Assistant (Android only) or Amazon Alexa (iOS and Android).

Battery life, at eight hours of playtime with ANC turned on and 12 hours when it’s off, is excellent, although total playtime — at 24 hours — is pretty standard. A fast charge will get you an additional hour for just five minutes of charging.

With an update in March this year, Sony added Bluetooth multipoint connectivity, so, huzzah! Our only critiques of the WF-1000XM4 are small: Their size and shape might simply be too big to fit some ears, something that has been remedied in the XM5s.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds

Impressive noise cancellation

If you know anything about Bose, you know that noise cancellation is kind of the company’s calling card. Bose was the first to debut the technology in a set of headphones and has been refining the science of silence ever since.

And while it’s only been about a year since Bose dropped the second-gen QuietComfort Earbuds II (QCE II) on us, rest assured, its latest version is still a marvel when it comes to keeping the outside world at bay with some of the best ANC on the planet and adaptive “Aware Mode” transparency mode that sounds natural.

So why a new set of QCEs so soon then? And should you upgrade? Design-wise, they still fit comfortably and are almost identical save for a new metallic paint job. Sound-wise our reviewer didn’t notice much of a difference either — they’re still clear, rich, and extra sparkly in the mids and upper high frequencies.

What is different is that, first, the QC Ultra Earbuds now supports higher resolution audio through Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Sound platform that incudes its aptX Adaptive and aptX Lossless Bluetooth codecs for hi-res audio, and second, Bose’s own take at spatial audio with head tracking it calls Immersive Audio.

Battery life is, sadly, one area that hasn’t changed from the QCE II, and it remains on the lower end: Six hours per charge, with an additional 18 hours in the charging case. With immersive audio on, though, you only get 4/16, and you can quick-charge the earbuds, which earns an extra two hours after 20 minutes.

Unfortunately, there’s still no wireless charging or Bluetooth multipoint pairing, which is a bit of a bummer.

These caveats aside, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds are easily some of the best true wireless buds you can buy, and a must-have for those who crave quiet.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Master & Dynamic MW09

The best sound for audiophiles

Master & Dynamic (M&D) continues its run of making very good wireless earbuds with its latest model, the MW09, a $350 set of earbuds that build off of their predecessors, the MW08, by adding hi-res audio, Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity, and wireless charging this time out.

M&W has kept its unique and stylish aesthetic with the MW09s, as well as their easy-to-use physical controls on each earpiece. They’re also very comfortable and come with both silicone and foam eartips to you can get the perfect fit. The M&D app also has a fit test and the earbuds themselves feature an IP54 rating making them tolerable to sweat and rain, although our reviewer suggested that there are likely better earbuds for working out due to the MW09’s extra bulk.

The MW08s were, by our estimation, some of the best sounding earbuds you could buy, and we’re glad to report that the same is true for the MW09s. Full, beautiful bass is complimented by their insane level of definition and clarity in the mids and highs. EQ presets and five-band EQing is also available through the app, too, but they sound great out of the box.

However, new surprises on the sound front come with the addition Snapdragon Sound, which brings aptX Adaptive on board for the ability to enjoy lossy hi-res at up to 24-bit/96kHz, and lossless CD quality at up to 16-bit/48kHz. Sadly though, these advanced audio codecs will only be available to those with Android devices and those with support for Snapdragon Sound. Apple devices need not apply.

While the MW09’s ANC and transparency modes don’t compete on the same level as the AirPods Pro, Sony WF-1000QM5, or Bose QC Ultra Earbuds, they’re still pretty good at blocking out all of life’s everyday noises and letting you hear conversations and the outside sounds you want to hear. Call quality also holds its own, too.

You get to choose from two charging cases, one made of kevlar, and one made of aluminum, and they both offer wireless charging, IPX4 water resistance, and 32 hours of charging capacity. The MW09 earbuds themselves deliver an impressive 12 hours per charge with ANC on and 16 hours with it off, which is more than you’ll ever really need.

Zeke Jones / Digital Trends

Apple AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C

The best for Apple fans

With the original AirPods Pro proving to have been one of the most successful wireless earbuds of all time, Apple needed to show it could do it again with the second-gen model. First, it did, adding to their great design, comfortable fit, and improvements to ANC and battery life. But then they did it again is September of 2023 by ditching Lightning for USB-C, and adding dust resistance for a new IP54 designation.

All that said, the new AirPods Pro 2 with USB-C still feature shockingly good active noise cancellation. They are the only buds to give the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II some real competition. Transparency — always a high point for the AirPods Pro — has a feature called Adaptive Transparency. Just like Bose’s ActiveSense, it keeps loud sounds from causing you discomfort and it works like a champ.

The Apple H2 chip in each earbud also delivers better call quality that handily kills off any background sounds that might interfere with your voice being heard.

Sound quality is excellent, too, with beautiful detail and depth, and excellent bass response and compatibility with Apple’s immersive Spatial Audio. There’s still no EQ adjustments, but if you love music, you’ll love the way the AirPods Pro 2 sound.

Battery life in the latest USB-C version still stands at six hours per charge, with 30 hours total when you include the charging case – which still has a built-in speaker, lanyard loop, and Apple U1 chip for ultra-precise location reporting via Find My. It also gets the same IP54 protection upgrade, and you can now charge the AirPods Pro 2 with your iPhone 15 or Mac using a USB-C-to-USB-C cable, which is super handy if you don’t have access to power or a portable charging bank.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Google Pixel Buds Pro

The new standard for Android users

Apple has its AirPods Pro, and Google has answered with its first “Pro” earbuds. The Pixel Buds Pro build on their lesser cousins with the addition of Active Noise Cancellation that’s just a hair’s breadth away from Apple’s.

The Pixel Buds Pro are comfortable, they look good (and come in four colors), and the starting price undercuts AirPods Pro by $50. The multipoint connection works great with multiple devices, and Google’s got a little extra AI available for Android users, with the goal of better predicting what you need to hear from which device at what time. It’s not quite magic, but it works very well.

That’s not to say that you can’t find serious competitors in the space for a little less money. You can. But the Pixel Buds Pro absolutely are a strong winner from Google, and that means extra software features if you’re also using an Android phone.

Still in the works, however, is the inclusion of spatial audio. For now, we’ll wait on the firmware update.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Technics EAH-AZ60

Classic Technics sound, affordable ANC

For the price, we are hard-pressed to think of a set of earbuds that offer a better combination of sound quality and ANC performance than the Technics EAH-AZ60 — they are superb. But the best part is that these qualities are just the starting point for a set of buds that might fly under a lot of people’s radars.

They’re very small and ergonomically shaped — a big improvement over the older AZ70 — and we’d argue they’re almost as comfortable as the Jabra Elite 7 Pro, which is saying something. The AZ60s lack some of Jabra’s features, like full waterproofing (the AZ60s are sweat- and splash-proof), wireless charging, and wear sensors, but they justify their higher price through their amazing sound, and absolutely killer noise cancellation and transparency modes.

Like the WF-1000XM4, they support Sony’s LDAC Bluetooth codec, which will give you as close to lossless, hi-res audio as you can get right now in a set of wireless buds (as long as your Android phone supports it). Android users also get the option of hands-free access to Amazon Alexa, which is a helpful feature.

Battery life is very good at seven hours per charge and they’ll last for a total of 24 to 25 hours when you include their charging case. But my favorite feature is Technics’ inclusion of Bluetooth multipoint on the EAH-AZ60 — which lets you stay connected to two devices at once — perfect for those of us who need to juggle Zoom calls on our computers and voice calls on our phones.

If you like the idea of wireless hi-res audio via the LDAC codec, the 1More Evo are an excellent alternative, at a significantly lower price. They can’t quite match the AZ60’s ANC performance, but given how they sound, you may not care.

Simon Cohen / Digital Trends

Final Audio ZE3000

The best sound for under $200

With features like ANC, transparency mode, wear sensors, and wireless charging now showing up on wireless earbuds for as little as $100, can we really justify recommending a set that has none of these options, yet still cost $149? Yes, as long as that set is the Final Audio ZE3000.

The ZE3000 may lack a lot of bells and whistles — in fact, they’re missing just about every feature we can think of – but they excel in one area that matters above all else for music lovers: Sound quality. With an impressive amount of accuracy and detail, these earbuds offer the best sound quality you’ll find under the $200 mark, and we’d argue they even hold their own against many models that are more expensive than that.

The ZE3000 have a warm but still very balanced EQ that lets each frequency come through clearly and distortion-free, which provides the perfect sonic platform for a huge array of music genres. We think they perform their best with jazz, classical, and vocals-intensive tracks, but their energetic mids and highs make them just as enjoyable for pop, rock, and EDM.

Bass is beautifully balanced with the rest of the frequency spectrum, but this is one area where some folks may find the ZE3000 lacking — if you want chest-pounding low-end, you should consider the Technics EAH-AZ40 instead.

With an IPX4 rating and seven hours of battery life (35 in total), the ZE3000 can join you on any adventure, and in quiet environments, they have stellar call quality. As long as you can forgive their lack of other features, these earbuds will reward you with fabulous sound for the money.

Jabra

Jabra Elite 8 Active

The best for sports and athletes

Jabra has always done a great job at making earbuds for active people who need quality products that can take a beating, whether that’s during workouts or, say, you find yourself getting in a lot of water balloon fights.

The Jabra Elite 8 Active ANC earbuds are a perfect match for this kind of punishment. They’re affordable at $200, they come from the same pedigree as Jabra’s flagship Elite 10s, and they come with an impressive IP68 dust and waterproof rating. In fact, they even carry the U.S. military’s STD-810H standard, which means they’ve gone through a battery of tests, including for corrosion, heat, humidity, vibration, and more.

Another thing Jabra has gotten right over the years is great sound. The Elite 8 Active, with their snug fit and great seal (courtesy of Jabra’s “ShakeGrip” liquid silicone rubber eartips), allow for balanced sound on all frequencies that can also be tailored to your exact specs with the earbuds Jabra Sound+ app. The Elite 8 Actives also feature Dolby Audio spatial sound for immersive audio, but sadly there’s no head tracking if you’re hip to that kind of thing.

Jabra’s adaptive hybrid ANC system can’t match the Elite 10s, but they do a great job at listening to your environment and filtering out all the nonsense, and their hear through transparency mode offers wind neutralizing when you’re running your fastest lap. Calls are also beautifully quiet. and Bluetooth Multipoint connectivity means you can take those calls from one connected device while still having sound form another.

The Jabra Elite 8 Active’s battery offers up to eight hours of playtime with ANC on, with a total time of up to 32 hours with the case. A five-minute quick charge adds an hour of playtime.

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The best smart plugs of 2023

By admin December 14, 2023

The best smart plugs of 2023, Smart home devices have come a long way over the past few years. Walk into any home improvement store or supermarket, and you’re bound to find a wide variety of smart thermostats, and other “smart” gadgets. But one often overlooked category is smart plugs – tiny devices that plug into your electrical outlet and give your “dumb” electronics the versatility of a modern smart home device.

Beyond giving you remote control of your outlets, many smart plugs allow you to set timers or monitor your electricity usage. This makes them surprisingly versatile while still carrying an affordable price tag. Plenty of big names (like Amazon and Wyze) are producing smart plugs, but they’re far from your only option. Here’s a closer look at the best smart plugs of 2023.

Keep in mind that these products are designed for indoor use and are not intended to be placed outside. If you’re looking for something to use in the great outdoors, be sure to check out our list of the best outdoor smart plugs.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Amazon Smart Plug

Best smart plug for Alexa

Amazon’s very own smart plug seamlessly works with Alexa, and its Certified for Humans ranking means setup is as simple as plugging it in and following a few basic directions. Its design is narrow, so it leaves the other outlet free for use. You can set up routines and schedules through the Alexa app, while the Alexa energy dashboard provides recommendations on how to save energy.

The best smart plugs of 2023

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Wemo Smart Plug with Thread

Most compact smart plug

Belkin’s latest smart plug is a big improvement from its last version. It’s a compact option that can fit nearly anywhere and sports built-in compatibility with Siri. Made with the Apple HomeKit in mind, this plug is a great pick for Apple fans and those who are already using the Apple Home app.

This smart plug also includes support for Thread, part of the smart home Matter standard, which helps establish a more secure connection. That feature is useful for those who may be worried about hacking or who want the most reliable connection.

Kasa / Kasa

TP-Link — Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini

Best budget smart plug

At about half the price of some of the other smart plugs on this list, the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug is a solid choice if you’re on a budget. It’s compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, or you can just use the app. Use the app to create schedules for powering your devices on and off for up to a full week.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Wyze Smart Plug

Best smart plug ecosystem

The Wyze Smart Plug is just slightly more expensive than the TP-Link WiFi Smart Plug, with a two-pack for just $20. On its own, the plug is just $12. It works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allows custom scheduling, and offers a Vacation Mode that imitates the presence of people in the home by randomly turning lights on and off. The Wyze Sense feature means you can control appliances based on motion, and you can link up the Wyze Smart Plug to other devices through IFTTT.

Lutron

Lutron Caseta Plug-In Lamp Dimmer Switch

Best smart plug for lamps

The Lutron Caseta Plug-In Lamp Switch is great for keeping your electric bill low and home security high. Controllable with Alexa, Google Assistant, Serena shades, and Sonos, you can dim lights, set schedules, and create lighting routines with voice commands or the Lutron app. The switch is also seasonally savvy, meaning as the days grow shorter or longer, the switch adjusts lamp light based on how much sun a room is getting. The unit itself is a little bulky, so you’ll want to make sure it’s not going to interfere with power brick items.

Jon Bitner / Digital Trends

Emporia Smart Plug

Best smart plug for energy tracking

After suffering a recall, the Emporia Smart Plug is back in action. The company made a few tweaks to improve the plug’s safety, but it’s still packed with all the energy-tracking features that made it popular at launch. This includes an easy to use smartphone app and detailed energy reports – giving you a simple way to track your usage and cut down on your bills.

The plug itself is thoughtfully designed, with a slim profile that doesn’t intrude on nearby electrical outlets or look wildly out of place when plugged into your wall. And when you consider that a four-pack is typically available for just $35, it’s an affordable smart plug that’s easy to recommend.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a smart plug?

There are plenty of exciting innovations in the world of home automation, between virtual assistants that can control your smart devices, connected appliances, or smart thermostats. You can also upgrade a regular appliance and add it to your smart home system by using a smart plug.

Smart Plugs take a wired home to a new level. They plug into your outlets and let you run small home appliances through Alexa, another intelligent home device, or the sound of your voice. A smart plug turns a “dumb” device, like a coffee maker, room fan, or table lamp, into a smart device.

Exactly how a smart plug communicates will vary by brand. Wi-Fi is common enough, but you’ll also see Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Z-wave used to let smart plugs connect to the internet and your phone. Of course, you’ll need to ensure the router or other required hub is within range of the smart plugs that you’re connecting. Placement can be a challenge in bigger houses, but it’s nothing a Wi-Fi extender can’t fix.

How do smart plugs work?

Using smart plugs is super simple. First, you plug a smart plug into an outlet. Then you plug something else (like a lamp or appliance) into it. Finally, you connect the plug to your favorite home assistant, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, or the smart plug’s app. From there the smart plug turns the power supply to the item you plugged into it on and off using commands sent from an app or smart home hub and your Wi-Fi network.

What are smart plugs used for?

There are dozens of uses for smart plugs. Here are just a few to get your imagination turned on to all of the possibilities:

• Turn on your coffee pot while you’re still in bed.

• Control your window unit air conditioner or space heater without getting out of your chair.

• Turn on lamps while you’re away to deter would-be burglars.

• Turn off the oven, curling iron, or hair straightener you left on from your desk at work.

• Turn on your holiday lights using a voice command.

Can smart plugs save you money?

Smart plugs can potentially save you money. By being able to keep tabs on exactly how much power any given appliance is slurping up, you can identify the products in your home that are the biggest problem areas.

Smart plugs can also help save you power by turning off the power supply to devices that use it up even when they’re off. This will ultimately help to cut down on phantom power drain and save you a few bucks on your electrical bill. Over time, smart plugs can pay for themselves, provided you enact sufficient use of their features.

How to Choose a Smart Plug

There are several things to consider before getting a smart plug.

Voice assistant compatibility: First, make sure that the plug incorporates the type of command system you are more likely to use. For example, you shouldn’t get a plug that uses only its own app for commands if you strictly use Alexa. Not all plugs will be compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant either, so make sure it supports your voice command preference. Note that voice assistants and other platforms that support multiple smart devices can create “scenes” that

Energy monitoring: By plugging an appliance into this type of smart plug, you can learn just how much electricity your appliance uses, which can be particularly useful if you’re trying to decide on upgrading to a more energy-efficient model. The plug monitors how much electricity is routed through it to your appliance. Then, it sends a report to the plug’s app.

Reports vary from app to app, but many let you see peak energy use hours and energy used over time. Quite a few smart plugs also give you the option to automatically turn on and off an appliance on a schedule so you can save electricity. Some good energy monitoring smart plugs include the WeMo Insight Switch, Elgato Eve and D-Link Wi-Fi Smart Plug.

Scheduling ahead of time: Most smart plugs have options to set schedules for turning devices on or off at certain times. It’s a common feature, but you should still make sure your plug has it for convenience.

Surge protection: At a desk or entertainment center, a smart power strip with surge protection may be a better choice for you. Check out our list of the best surge protectors for a few great smart power strips that you can use here.

Additional outlets: If you’re short on outlets around the house, a smart plug with the ability to expand the number of ports on your outlet is a helpful choice.

Outdoor vs. indoor use: For outdoor use, some of our favorites include Maxcio, Kasa, and Meross (we have a list of the best outdoor smart plugs here). For indoor use, the ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2 provides the most flexibility in the smart plug world. It is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple’s HomeKit and Siri, and Google Assistant. If none of those options suit you, it can work without any smart hub at all.

Dimming: You can use voice commands or your smartphone to get precise with your dimming. It’s just a matter of pairing a dimmable lamp with a smart plug that supports dimming, like this Leviton model.

The best outdoor smart plugs for 2023

Have you experienced the thrill of connecting your favorite devices to a smart plug? Made for home essentials like lamps, security cameras, toasters, coffee makers, dehumidifiers, and more, these programmable outlets are amazing additions to any smart home. With a compatible app, you can even power the plugs on and off remotely and set schedules. This is all well and good for the devices inside our homes, but what about our outdoor gear? Fortunately, there are now durable and weather-resistant outdoor smart plugs that are just as good as their indoor brethren.

Geeni

Geeni Indoor/Outdoor Smart Plug

Whether you’re powering pool lights, sprinklers, or other outdoor gear, the Geeni Indoor/Outdoor plug gets the job done every time. A hub-less setup, there’s no need to plug anything into the router for this guy. All you need to do is download the app and connect using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Cortana. Convenient and cheap, this is one of our favorites for pairing and sharing. Using a feature called Share Access, you can zone multiple Geenis through the app. This means you’re able to turn outlets on/off separately or all together.

We’re not the biggest fan of some of the app’s deeper menu functions, but the outlet itself works great, as do its voice command capabilities.

Meross

Meross Smart Outdoor Plug

This waterproof Meross two-outlet plug is ready for anything, with a solid design and the latest smart features for your garden, bathroom, porch, garage, laundry room, or wherever else you’d like to put it. It works not only with Google Assistant and Alexa, but is also compatible with IFTTT if you’d prefer to set up more complex routines. You can also control the plug via an app if you don’t care for voice commands. Schedules and timers are available for each socket independently.

The Meross plug also gets good marks for a strong Wi-Fi connection, which is great — smart plugs don’t work very well if they’re always dropping connections, which can be a problem in an outside environment. The one downside to this plug is that the cable itself is pretty short (a common choice for durability and protection), so you’ll need to keep it right by the outlet, and it may not work very well for wall outlets that are too high

Woods

Woods Outdoor/Indoor Wireless Remote Control Kit

If you’re looking for an inexpensive option to power your outdoor tools, the Woods kit is a great choice. It’s a single-grounded outlet that can stand up to weather and debris for comprehensive outdoor security. The wireless remote functions up to 100 feet away, so you can control the system from indoors. The Woods remote control kit is fairly simple and doesn’t have as many extra features as some of the other options in this list; however, it’s affordable, reliable, and easy to set up. If you need basic outdoor functionality on a budget, look no further.

Ring

Ring Outdoor Smart Plug

Ring might have become popular thanks to its lineup of video doorbells, but it also manufacturers one of the best outdoor smart plugs. You’ll need a Ring Bridge or similar device to access all its features (including mobile notifications), but that’s about the only drawback to this well-designed product. Standout features include two outlets, a compact footprint, and the option to program schedules or timers for your gadgets. It’s also easy to sync with the rest of your Alexa products.

Just imagine controlling your yard lights or seasonal decorations even when on vacation. You can do that and more right from your phone with these weather-resistant outdoor smart plugs. Many don’t even require a hub, as some are fully functional on their own, and others work with your current system.

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The best Fitbit devices in 2023

By admin December 8, 2023

The best Fitbit devices in 2023, If you’ve been thinking of buying a new fitness tracker, you have a wide selection of options to choose from. Fitbit is a name you’re bound to have heard of, as it’s one of the top brands in the fitness industry, with more than a dozen varieties of fitness trackers and smartwatches to suit different needs.

With that number of devices to choose from, it’s not hard to see why people might become overwhelmed when choosing between them. Thankfully, there are definitely Fitbits that excel in certain areas, and as such, it’s not too hard to narrow down your choice to find the best Fitbit for you. We’ve done a bit of the work for you here by gathering some of the best Fitbit options around, breaking them down, and pointing out what makes them so special..

Before we start, keep in mind that there’s a downside that all Fitbit models share, whether fitness tracker or smartwatch: the Fitbit subscription. While not required, if you want to access the best analysis and breakdowns of your data, you will need to pay for a Fitbit subscription after any free trials have concluded. This isn’t the case with many competitors, including Apple, Samsung, and Garmin, and it can be a reason to avoid Fitbit for many. But there are still many reasons Fitbit is one of the top fitness-tracking brands around. Here are the best Fitbits for 2023.

Looking to widen your vision past just Fitbit? We’ve got lists of the best smartwatches, and the best fitness trackers too!

Joe Maring / Digital Trends

Fitbit Charge 6

The best Fitbit overall

Why you should buy this: It’s got a bit of everything that makes Fitbit so great.

Who it’s for: Anyone who knows you don’t have to pay a lot to get a great fitness tracker.

Why we picked the Fitbit Charge 6:

Fitbit’s catalog is large and it has models to cover almost every niche, from pure fitness to mental wellness, so finding a great middle ground option that covers all the bases can seem like a challenge. Thankfully, it isn’t, as the Fitbit Charge 6 is simply the best Fitbit overall that you can buy in 2023.

It’s a fitness tracker-style device, so if you’re looking for a smartwatch, this may not be the device for you. However, you should still consider the Charge 6, as it’s one of the most comfortable, nonintrusive wearables you can buy. The 1.04-inch display is an AMOLED panel, so it has vibrant colors and deep inky blacks, and the performance is swift and snappy. It’s quite similar to the Charge 5, with the exception of the reintroduction of a side button, and a new heart rate sensor, which Fitbit claims is 60% more accurate than previous versions.

The heart rate sensor forms the backbone of Fitbit’s fitness tracking. It’s excellent, as you might have expected. The Charge 6 has over 40 trackable workouts, with a number of those being automatically recognized and tracked. It also tracks sleep, SpO2 levels, and heart rate variability. It has an ECG and EDA (for stress), and it’ll notify you if it notices an irregular or high or low heartbeat rate. It’s a solid, all-in-one suite that offers everything you’re going to need from a fitness tracker.

Its use as a smart device is one of the wearable’s few failings, unfortunately. Setting up notifications involves diving into the app’s settings (which it doesn’t tell you about), and even when enabled, notifications are very unreliable — with notifications not being sent at all on some days. There’s also no local storage for music files, which limits how phone-free you’re able to go during workouts.

The best Fitbit devices in 2023

Thankfully, the battery life is another big win for the Fitbit Charge 6. It lasted almost an entire week before needing charging at 16%, and that figure included sleep tracking every night and six workouts. Granted, that’s also with the always-on display turned off, but the lift-to-wake function is good enough that you probably don’t need that on. If you do turn it on, expect to see the battery life drop.

The best part of all this is the price: The Fitbit Charge 6 costs just $160, making it a very reasonable prospect for a fitness tracker. Granted, it has some downsides, chief of which being its inability to masquerade as a smartwatch, but the upsides make it more than worth it for most people.

Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

Fitbit Inspire 3

The best value Fitbit

Why you should buy this: It’s an excellent “put it on and forget it” fitness tracker, at an amazing price.

Who it’s for: Someone who doesn’t like to be reminded they’re wearing a tracker, and wants one at a great price.

Why we picked the Fitbit Inspire 3:

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is a great cheap fitness tracker, but that’s not what makes it amazing. Instead, it’s one of the most subtle, discreet trackers you’ll come across. It shines as a device you can forget about for long periods of time, thanks to its light and comfortable build and 10-day battery life. Yes, 10 days. Combine that with an AMOLED display that’s bright and colorful, and you have a real winner.

Fitness tracking doesn’t let it down, thankfully. The heart rate tracker is reliable and accurate, and so is sleep tracking. There’s no altimeter, which may disappoint the hikers among us, but there’s a relaxation mode that can help you get over that, and it’s great when you’re feeling a little stressed.

The Fitbit Inspire 3 is a simple device, but that’s what makes it so good. There’s little here to obsess on — you simply put it on and forget about it. Best of all, the rock-bottom price means it’s a tempting device.

Fitbit

Fitbit Ace 3

The best Fitbit for kids

Why you should buy this: You want a great Fitbit tracker for a child.

Who it’s for: Any active kid.

Why we picked the Fitbit Ace 3:

Kid-friendly fitness trackers are curiously few and far between. It’s curious because there are few people as active as the average child, and if you’re as data-hungry as most of us, you might want to know exactly how active your child is. The Ace 3 is a tracker unit held in a silicone band, and as such, it’s durable and simple to keep clean. it’s also easy to swap in a new strap if your child wants something a bit more grown-up.

In terms of tracking, the Ace 3 is similar to Fitbit’s other fitness trackers, just with some elements turned off for privacy’s sake. The heart rate sensor is turned off, but it has sleep and step tracking, though not much in the way of actual workout tracking. It tracks “active minutes” as a whole though, and it has a swimming mode through the Water Lock setting.

Stats are presented in a fun and engaging way, and the animations that change as steps get closer to the target are a particular hit with younger kids, though older ones may find them childish. Either way, this is an excellent choice if you want a fitness tracker for a child, and it’s available at a fantastic price.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Google Pixel Watch 2

The best Fitbit smartwatch

Why you should buy this: Google’s second go turned out to be a pretty good smartwatch.

Who it’s for: Anyone who wants Fitbit’s fitness suite in a solid smartwatch.

Why we picked the Google Pixel Watch 2:

After a disappointing first act, Google bounced back with the Google Pixel Watch 2. With Fitbit-powered fitness capabilities, the Pixel Watch 2 is an excellent Wear OS smartwatch that more than deserves to be on this list, and should be the first port of call for anyone looking for a Fitbit smartwatch.

The design isn’t a particular high point of the watch, as it seems to straddle the line between fitness tracker and smartwatch. It’s not as attractive or stylish as many smartwatches, but also not as subtle and easy for forget as most trackers. It’s a weird place to find a wearable, and a lot will come down to whether you like the design or not. It’s only available in one size, so it’s worth checking out in person before you buy it.

It’s fast though. The Pixel Watch 2 uses the Snapdragon W5 processor, and it really shows how much Google has learned from the hitches on the original Pixel Watch. While not as quick as some competitors, it’s noticeably faster than the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6, and it loads apps fast. Battery life has also improved, lasting between 24 and 36 hours on a single, and a full recharge takes less than an hour. That’s longer and faster than Google’s claims, which is a rather nice surprise.

The Pixel Watch 2 has more or less the same fitness and health tracking software you’ll find in other current Fitbit devices, including automatic workout tracking, tracking for over 40 exercises, sleep and stress tracking, and heart rate tracking. It’s a comprehensive and complete package, but keep in mind that despite not being a Fitbit-branded device, it still uses Fitbit’s analysis software, and still needs a Fitbit subscription for the most comprehensive breakdowns of data.

The Google Pixel Watch 2 is a good choice if you want a Fitbit smartwatch, and it’s definitely a huge step up from last year’s Pixel Watch. It starts from $349, with the LTE model costing $399.

Andy Zahn / Digital Trends

Fitbit Sense 2

The best Fitbit smartwatch runner-up

Why you should buy this: It’s a great all-around smartwatch and fitness tracker from Fitbit.

Who it’s for: Someone who wants a strong best-of-both-worlds approach.

Why we picked the Fitbit Sense 2:

The Fitbit Sense 2 is one of Fitbit’s smartwatch options, and it is an excellent smartwatch by most metrics. It looks classy and elegant, and while the squared design means it won’t pass as a normal watch, it looks good enough that you might not care. It’s comfortable to wear too, and the strap-swapping system is extremely easy to use.

But the meat of any Fitbit device comes from its fitness tracking, and the Sense 2 is not lacking here. It tracks steps and heart rate, as well as your stress levels over time, helping you pinpoint your stress triggers. Also included is an ECG app, as well as comprehensive food and drink tracking too, which makes your health tracking even more accurate. It’s tough and durable and came out of our strenuous test trip without a scratch. Add in a six-day battery life, and you’ve got a winner on your hands.

It’s not perfect, however. The built-in microphone and speaker aren’t great for calls, and it’s certainly on the pricey side as far as these gadgets go. At this price, the Apple Watch SE is a strong competitor, and it’s hard for Fitbit to match that level of support. But even with that in mind, this is an excellent device, and should be high up your list to consider.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best Fitbit for me?

How can you find the best Fitbit for you? It all comes down to your needs. Ask yourself the following questions to find a suitable Fitbit device for your needs.

• What do I need from a fitness tracker?

• Which features are the most important to me?

• Which features are good-to-have, but can be sacrificed to save money?

• How do I plan to use this device? Do I need a waterproof model for swimming?

• What’s my budget for a new fitness tracker?

Once you understand your needs, it becomes easier to compare different Fitbit models and find which one best suits your preferences. While top-end Fitbits tend to excel in a number of areas, sometimes there’s no reason to pay top dollar if a lower-priced option gives you everything you need.

At the end of the day, your choice of Fitbit depends on what you need from a fitness tracker. If you feel stuck, revisit the questions below to understand which features you need, which ones are good to have, and which ones you don’t care about at this time. Hopefully, this will help you to find the best Fitbit device for you.

What are the best Fitbit features for workouts?

If you are a runner or exercise often, there are some features you’ll want to keep an eye out for. These apply whether you’re a professional athlete with years of experience behind you, or a complete newbie still aiming for their first mile.

• GPS (for mapping your route).

• Music player/streaming.

• Step and distance tracking.

Beyond these basics, here are some extra features that make workouts more effective and fun:

• SmartTrack: With SmartTrack, your Fitbit can automatically identify and record your workouts, and track your stats, like workout duration, calories burned, and heart rate zones. This feature is super helpful for users who don’t remember to start tracking, or switch between tracking modes when exercising.

• Oxygen Saturation (SpO2) monitoring: This feature monitors the level of oxygen in your blood, which can add nuance to your workout stats, and detect any respiratory issues.

• Active Zone Minutes (AZM): AZM tracking helps you understand how you are moving, how often, and how intensely. This is great if you want to meet specific activity goals, like having a certain number of active minutes per day.

What are the best Fitbit features for mental health?

While Fitbit devices are most commonly used for fitness tracking, the latest versions have started offering more lifestyle-oriented features for stress management and improving overall well-being.

If you’re in the market for a Fitbit device to help you manage anxiety and stress, here are some mental health-focused features to look out for:

• Stress monitoring: Some Fitbit devices measure stress through electrodermal activity (EDA), heart rate variability, and sleep monitoring. These features are key for busy individuals who frequently work in fast-paced environments.

• Guided meditations: Having guided meditations at hand (literally) goes well with stress-monitoring features. Whenever you see your stress score go up, simply check out a meditation or two for relief on the go.

• Music: For many people, music is a huge part of managing their mental health. If this is you, having a robust music player or online streaming on your Fitbit device can really help.

What are the best Fitbit features for casual use?

If you want to use a Fitbit device casually, look for options offering decent features at an affordable price.

Some features to look out for include:

• Step counting

• Workout tracking

• Sleep monitoring

• Heart rate monitoring

• Music functions

• Smartphone notifications

• Water-resistance

• Decent battery life

Other semi-advanced “good-to-have” features include:

• On-screen workouts

• Guided meditations

• Stress score

• Music storage

• Voice assistant

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Computer

Best NVMe SSDs for gaming in 2023

By admin December 6, 2023

Best NVMe SSDs for gaming in 2023, NVMe technology provides superior storage, superior speed and superior compatibility. Since NVMe utilises PCIe sockets, it transfers 25x more data than the SATA equivalent. Along with more data, NVMe’s commands are 2x faster than that of AHCI drivers. In addition, NVMe input/output operations per second (IOPS) exceeds 1 million and is up to 900% faster compared to AHCI drives. NVMe also communicates directly with the system CPU, giving it incredible speeds due to its compatibility. NVMe drives work with all major operating systems regardless of form factor.

But there are also some honorable mentions!

Image: Corsair

Most computers and storage drives still use the common SATA or PCIe 3.0 interfaces to sling your bits of data around, but if you’re lucky enough to own a relatively modern PC, you might be able to upgrade to a solid-state drive (SSD) built on the insanely fast PCIe 4.0 protocol.

We’ve tested several PCIe 4.0 SSDs and the best one to cross our labs thus far is the Solidgm P44 Pro in a field of tough contenders thanks to ferociously fast speeds only rivaled by next-gen PCIe 5.0 SSDs.

Read on to learn more, including what to look for in PCIe 4.0 SSD.

Updated 11/17/2023: To include the Seagate Game Drive as our pick for best PCIe 4.0 SSD for PS5. Among a number of great features, this drive comes with DRAM cache, making it perfect for a PS5. You can read more about why we love this SSD in our summary below.

Solidigm P44 Pro SSD – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD

Pros

• Fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD to date

• DRAM facilitates excellent random performance

• Synergy low-level Windows driver improves random performance further

Cons

• Inconsistent pricing on web

The Solidigm P44 Pro is without a doubt the fastest PCIe 4.0 drive we have ever tested. In fact, it finished within the top five fastest drives in our tests, and was only beaten by three next-gen PCIe 5.0 drives. Plus, by installing the Solidigm Windows driver you can further improve random performance in small read/writes making it even faster during everyday use.

Not only is the Solidigm P44 Pro performance top-notch, but it also has a very reasonable price so long as you shop at the right place—we found that pricing varies widely online from retailer to retailer. This is not only the best PCIe 4.0 drive on the market, but also one of the best SSDs period. And despite stiff competition from a crowded field of other excellent PCIe 4.0 drives it holds its own at the top.

WD Black SN850X – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD runner-up

Pros

• Excellent performance

• Decently affordable given its speed

• Available up to 4TB

• Optional heatsink for 1/2TB models

Cons

• Pricey per gigabyte

• Somewhat parsimonious TBW ratings

The WD Black SN850X is a screaming-fast drive and ranks right up next to the FireCuda 530 near the top in terms of speed. The reason the WD Black SN850X edges out that drive as our pick for best PCIe 4.0 runner-up is that it offers better value for the money—not only does it give you the same great speed as the FireCuda, but it does so at a lower price per GB.

Also, in terms of overall performance, the SN850X stands out with its excellent real-world transfer rates and outstanding random write performance. In the crowded field of great PCIe 4.0 SSDs, the WD Black SN850X holds its own despite stiff competition.

WD Blue SN580 SSD – Best budget PCIe 4.0 SSD

Pros

• Fantastically affordable

• Super fast real world transfers

• Single-sided for laptop upgrades

Cons

• Slows to less than 300MBps when writing off secondary cache

• Slightly low endurance rating

Price When Reviewed: 54,90 Euro

Now with the very first signs of PCIe 5.0 drives coming to market, we’re finally starting to see companies offering budget PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives at compelling prices. The best of the affordable bunch? The WD Blue SN580 NVMe SSD. At just $50 for a 1TB model at the time of writing you can get your hands on the excellent SN580—you won’t likely find any PCIe 4.0 drives with storage that cheap. And even with the low price you won’t be sacrificing any performance here either.

In our testing, the SN580 turned out both stellar benchmark and real-world results. Admittedly, it slowed down considerably in the large 450GB transfer test, but seeing as how it’s unlikely anyone will write that much contiguous data it likely doesn’t matter. When all is said and done, the SN580 is a super-affordable wonderfully high-performing PCIe 4.0 SSD. It simply can’t be beat at this price point.

Best NVMe SSDs for gaming in 2023

Adata Legend 850 – Best budget PCIe 4.0 SSD runner-up

Pros

• Great real-world performance

• Very affordable

• Attractive designer-styled heat spreader available.

Cons

• 512GB capacity is a relatively slow writer

If you don’t need a 1TB capacity drive like the Crucial P3 Plus above, or you’re just looking to get your hands on a blazing-fast PCIe 4.0 for as little money as possible then the 512GB Adata Legend 850 is worth considering. For only $50 at the time of this writing, you can get the solid Legend 850. The drive scored very well in synthetic benchmark numbers for read scores, and in our real-world 48GB reading and writing test, it scored better than a lot of its peers.

The 512GB capacity probably isn’t enough to be the main drive in a high-end gaming or content creation PC, but for the average budget gaming PC or laptop it would be a solid foundation or great upgrade.

Sabrent Rocket Q4 NVMe SSD – Best for Steam Deck

Pros

• Half-sized 2230 (22mm wide, 30mm long) form factor fits a variety of devices

• Amazingly fast at real-world tasks

• Decently affordable

• Unmitigated five-year warranty

Cons

• Writes slow to a crawl when secondary cache is depleted

In the past, you were out of luck if you wanted to upgrade your storage in a smaller-sized device such as a handheld gaming console where the longer 2280 NVMe SSDs wouldn’t fit. Luckily, Sabrent has set out to change all of that with its line of Rocket half-sized 2230 small form-factor SSDs, and its latest Rocket Q4 is our favorite. It comes with up to 2TB of capacity and shockingly excellent real-world performance. Its unique feature is that it’s only 30mm long, meaning you’re able to use it in small devices such as a Steam Deck.

The Rocket drive has great everyday performance and truly impressive real-world transfer speed. During our testing, it cruised through the 48GB and 450GB transfer tests, beating out other zippy full-sized PCIe 4.0 drives. While the Rocket Q4 provides decent enough capacity-to-cost, if your device is able to handle the longer, standard-sized 2280 drives, you’ll likely have more options to choose from and might be able to find even better price-for-performance. Regardless, we love this compact SSD and the Sabrent Rocket expertly fits a niche that is only likely to grow more common with devices such as the Steam Deck in the future.

Seagate Game Drive – Best PCIe 4.0 SSD for PS5

Pros

• Very good overall performance

• Excellent 4K performance

• Low-profile heatsink

• Twice the TBW rating of the competition

Cons

• A bit pricey

• No 4TB model

The Seagate Game Drive is a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD that was made specifically for next-gen consoles—the PS5 in particular. And it doesn’t disappoint. It features DRAM for primary caching duties, which is a bit unique and almost essential for Sony’s console system. The PS5 doesn’t support HMB, so a drive such as this with DRAM cache is the optimal choice. The drive comes in 1TB and 2TB models, meaning you’ll have plenty of space to store all of your games should you need it.

While the Seagate Game Drive is optimized for a PS5, it’s no slouch as a regular SSD either. In our speed tests it did remarkably well, earning the spot as the second-fastest PCIe 4.0 SSD with random ops that we’ve ever tested. Seagate also provides a generous five-year warranty with the drive and it has an astounding 1,275TBW rating—more than double the industry norm. PS5 owners simply can’t go wrong with the Seagate Game Drive.

Crucial T700 – Best PCIe 5.0

Pros

• Breathtaking performance

• Available with or without heatsink

• Up to 4TB in capacity

Cons

• Extremely pricey

• Requires the still rare PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot

Sure, PCIe 4.0 is great and all, but what if you want to upgrade to PCIe 5.0? If your system features a PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot, and you can afford it, then there is no question you’ll get significantly faster read and write speeds. And if you do decide to upgrade, there is currently no better PCIe 5.0 SSD than the Crucial T700.

It practically shattered all of our benchmarks for both synthetic and real-world tests. How fast is it? Well, in a side-by-side comparison with the WD Black SN850X, our top pick for best PCIe 4.0, the Crucial T700 almost doubled it in sequential read and write benchmarks, was around 30 percent fast in the 48GB transfer test, and about 25 percent faster in the 450GB transfer tests. Currently, the T700 is undoubtedly the king of the hill by a fair margin when it comes to PCIe 5.0. So if and when you decide to make the change, the Crucial T700 is your best bet.

What to look for in an SSD

There are a few things to look out for, but most importantly you’ll want to focus on capacity, price, and warranty length. Three-year warranties are standard, but some nicer models are guaranteed for up to five years. And unlike the olden days of SSDs, modern drives won’t wear out with normal consumer usage, as Tech Report tested and proved years ago with a grueling endurance test.

Another crucial thing to watch out for is the technology used to connect the SSD to your PC. For more details and buying advice you can read our in-depth guide on which type of SSD you should buy.

1.SATA: This refers to both the connection type and the transfer protocol, which is used to connect most 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch hard drives and SSDs to your PC. SATA III speeds can hit roughly 600MBps, and most—but not all—modern drives max it out. (More on that in the next section.)

2.PCIe: This interface taps into four of your computer‘s PCIe lanes to blow away SATA speeds, to the tune of nearly 4GBps over PCIe gen 3. Those sort of face-melting speeds pair nicely with supercharged NVMe drives. Both the PCIe lanes in your motherboard and the M.2 slot in your motherboard can be wired to support the PCIe interface, and you can buy adapters that allow you to slot “gumstick” M.2 drives into a PCIe lane. PCIe 4.0 drives are significantly faster, but require an AMD Ryzen 3000-series or Intel Core 11th-gen (or newer) processor, along with a compatible PCIe 4.0 motherboard.

3.NVMe: Non-Volatile Memory Express technology takes advantage of PCIe’s bountiful bandwidth to create blisteringly fast SSDs that blow SATA-based drives out of the water. Check out PCWorld’s “Everything you need to know about NVMe” for a nitty-gritty deep-dive.

4.M.2: This is where things get tricky. Many people assume M.2 drives all use NVMe technology and PCIe speeds, but that’s not true. M.2 is just a form factor. Sure, most M.2 SSDs use NVMe, but some still stick to SATA. Do your homework. Many modern Ultrabooks rely on M.2 for storage.

5.U.2 and mSATA: You may also stumble across mSATA and U.2 SSDs, but both motherboard support and product availability are rare for those formats. Some older Ultrabooks included mSATA before M.2 became popular, and drives are still available if you need them.

Speed matters, of course, but as we said most modern SSDs saturate the SATA III interface. Not all of them, though.

How we test SSDs

We test SSDs using a variety of synthetic benchmarks (such as CrystalDiskMark 6’s various tests) and real-world tests, including 48GB transfers that showcase how a drive performs during common tasks, and also a demanding 450GB transfer test that pushes an SSD’s cache performance to the limit.

The PCIe 4.0 testing was done on an MSI MEG X570 motherboard socketing an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-core CPU, using the same Kingston DRAM, cards, and software. All testing is performed on an empty, or nearly empty drive. Note: performance will decrease as the drive fills up.

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The Best PC Games 2023

By admin December 5, 2023

The Best PC Games 2023, The PC gaming ecosystem is easily the largest in the industry, with tens of thousands of games available to play and no real generational divide. Rather than a comprehensive list of the best PC games of all time, we placed our focus on the best PC games to play right now.

Some of these, like Elden Ring and Baldur’s Gate 3, are recently released gems, while others are multiplayer or live service games that have stood the test of time, such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Minecraft. Our list of the best PC games spans across a wide variety of genres, so we imagine at least a few of these games will pique your interest.

PC gaming is quite different from consoles, as your mileage with each game on this list will vary based on your rig. That said, many of the games on this list don’t require the latest and greatest graphic cards–they merely help these great games look even better. And if you happen to have a Steam Deck, a lot of these games are playable on Valve’s impressive handheld PC.

We’ve linked to Steam listings where possible for these games, but it’s worth noting that you can often find better deals on storefronts such as Fanatical and GOG. We’ve included links to those stores, too. Also, some of our picks are available on PC Game Pass, Microsoft’s subscription service.

If you’re thinking about upgrading your PC or starting a new build to play some of these games at higher settings, make sure to check out our step-by-step guide for building a gaming PC. We also have a dedicated list focused on the best Steam Deck games to play right now. If you’re looking for accessories for your rig, check out our roundups of the best gaming keyboards, gaming mice, and PC gaming headsets.

Alan Wake 2

Another chapter in the mind-bending Remedy universe, Alan Wake 2 picks up right where the cult classic left off more than a decade ago. Alan is trapped in the Dark Place and his only way out is to write his own story. His campaign takes place alongside a concurrent one with FBI agent Saga Anderson, and the two complimentary campaigns can be played together in any order. The lightly spooky elements of the first game turn much darker here, for a horror experience full of unforgettable moments.

The Best PC Games 2023

Apex Legends

We’ve called Apex Legends the champion of battle royales in the past, and two years into its lifespan, that’s something we stand by. Respawn Entertainment took its strong FPS foundation (namely Titanfall) and created a competitive shooter that refines all the core tenets necessary for a good battle royale. Its roster of characters adds a strategic layer and diversity of playstyle, gunplay is sharp and engaging, and quality-of-life features like the ping system and inventory management keep you focused on executing in combat.

Over the many seasons of content for Apex Legends, we’ve had multiple maps and game modes cycle into the experience. It has surprisingly deep lore that gets you invested in the world of Apex Legends, too. And because it’s free-to-play, you have nothing to lose by giving it a shot.

Baldur’s Gate 3

The triumphant return of a legacy CRPG series is also one of the best games of 2023. While Baldur’s Gate 3 is also available to play on PS5, the PC version is the clear leader thanks to its intuitive keyboard-and-mouse controls–and it’s a welcome return to form for longtime Baldur’s Gate fans. This fantasy tale is set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, but the most incredible part is how it approximates actually playing a game of D&D, with all the freedom that entails. You can tackle problems and navigate the world with an almost overwhelming amount of choice and agency, making it easy to get lost for hours and then start all over again with a new character.

Before Your Eyes

One of the most original games of recent memory, Before Your Eyes has a simple premise that hinges on your ocular organs controlling the entire experience through a webcam. It’s a short jaunt of a game that chronicles the life of a recently deceased person that you play as, but the catch here is that every time you blink, time moves forward. It’s a terrific idea, incredibly well-implemented, and ties in perfectly with themes of memories, life, and storing those precious moments within ourselves. Unusual but packing a heavyweight emotional punch, you won’t want to take your eyes off of this game for a single instant.

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The Case of the Golden Idol

The Case of the Golden Idol is a throwback to classic point-and-click adventure games and an exacting puzzle game. You investigate scenes and then piece together what happened in a linear story narrative by placing names and verbs in their proper places. And if the original release whets your appetite for more, developer Color Gray games has spun off additional “Golden Idol Mysteries” DLC–new stories and mysteries with the same narrative-building mechanic.

Civilization VI

First released in the ’90s, Sid Meier’s Civilization series is still going strong in 2021, thanks to continued support for its most recent release, Civilization VI. As in previous games, Civilization VI casts you in the role of a historical leader, such as Egypt’s Cleopatra or India’s Gandhi, and tasks you with building your civilization from the ground up, including growing your military, developing new research facilities, and engaging in diplomacy with other world leaders.

Of course, Civilization VI expanded and improved on previous games in the series, with additions such as the inclusion of districts that let cities expand across multiple tiles, but it’s also continued to receive new content in the form of two major expansions: Rise and Fall and Gathering Storm, both of which added new leaders, civilizations, and features to the game. Civilization VI earned a 9/10 from GameSpot when it initially released back in 2016, and nearly five years later, it’s still one of the best strategy games to pick up and start playing on PC.

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Cocoon

A tiny bug in a big world surrounded by puzzles. In this game from a new studio founded by key Limbo developers, you’re a small cicada-like creature exploring the wilderness with limited movement and only specially powered orbs to help. But nested inside the noodle-tickling puzzle mechanics is an artful, subtle message about self-improvement and how one forms their identity, making it a can’t-miss.

Control Ultimate Edition

Control‘s blend of action, mystique, and the surreal is one that should not be missed, and while it’s available on PS5 and Xbox Series X, you’ll find no version better than that of the PC. The pairing of DLSS and ray-tracing makes Control a visual powerhouse, reflecting its impressive effects on the surface of the Oldest House’s pristine waxed floors and shrouding its mysterious hallways in the uncertainty of shadow.

And that’s all accented by supernatural fights that can pop off at a moment’s notice in any one of these enigmatic rooms as the world shifts and morphs around you. What makes Control truly special is exploring the unknown and uncovering secrets the world isn’t supposed to know. The Ultimate Edition gets you both pieces of DLC, AWE and The Foundation.

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Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

The iconic competitive FPS is still going strong today with Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Though CSGO has undergone significant changes over its lifespan, it’s still very much the core Counter-Strike experience that revolutionized the multiplayer FPS genre in the 2000s. The standard mode of play is a five-on-five demolition-style match on carefully crafted maps that emphasize specific positioning, sightlines, and team strategies. But beyond that, there’s a hostage rescue mode, gungame free-for-all, and tons of custom content from years of work by its player base.

One of the most exciting things about CSGO is the high-intensity competitive matches where the slightest mistakes could spell doom for your team, or clutch plays could drastically shift the momentum of a match. Counter-Strike has historically been played with a level of precision in both the FPS combat and in its tactics, which makes a bit of a steep learning curve for newcomers. However, this classic game can be wildly rewarding, which you can see from its massive competitive scene. Recently, Valorant has adopted the Counter-Strike formula to great effect, but the high-stakes tactical combat of CSGO is still in a league of its own.

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Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 had a divisive launch that by all accounts failed to live up to the lofty expectations placed on it. But CD Projekt Red didn’t abandon the game, instead issuing a steady stream of updates culminating in September 2023’s massive 2.0 update that overhauls many major systems, while also integrating the new Phantom Liberty DLC. The Cyberpunk of today is a sharper, more focused action-RPG

with a greater variety of skills that let you navigate Night City your own way. The Phantom Liberty expansion received a 10/10 in our review, adding new systems and a compelling new story featuring Idris Elba. Best of all, it’s still a gorgeous showpiece for your PC rig, so there’s never been a better time to dive in.

Deathloop

Arkane Studios became the name to beat when it came to first-person shooter games that married well-crafted action with rich narratives, but Deathloop has raised the bar for those games to a glorious new level. Game of the year material at its best, Deathloop’s homicidal Groundhog Day appeal is amplified by its terrific cast, layered levels of gameplay, hidden secrets, and so much more.

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Destiny 2

Despite releasing more than nearly five years ago, Destiny 2 remains one of the most popular live service multiplayer games around. While the sequel started off on a strong note, it has only gotten better thanks to consistent updates and expansions that delivered a steady stream of enthralling first-person shooter content. And it’s not even close to being too late to jump into Destiny 2, as more content is coming through 2023. Destiny 2’s plethora of content would be nothing without strong mechanics and overarching systems that keep you grinding away for new gear.

Bungie crafted one of the best-feeling first-person shooters we’ve played in recent years, so it offers a constant source of fun regardless of whether you’re making your way through story missions, going on challenging raids with friends, or battling in the Crucible. It’s a wonderful game that digs its teeth into you the more you play, and it’s easily one of the best cooperative PC games available today.

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Disco Elysium

When it comes to writing, Disco Elysium is perhaps unrivaled. Developed and published by ZA/UM in 2019, Disco Elysium places you in the role of a detective suffering from amnesia and a serious bout of alcoholism. His quest to unravel a baffling murder and the details of his life that he’s forgotten takes you on an absolutely stunning adventure that thrives on its choice-based gameplay and exquisite dialogue.

Disco Elysium balances humor and serious life dilemmas with astounding grace, and the freedom it gives you to shape the narrative and your interactions with its many colorful characters you meet allows you to make this detective story your own. Its gorgeous world is teeming with life, and viewing it from the eyes of a nameless cop with memory issues makes it all the more immersive. It earned a rare 10/10 from GameSpot, and we can safely say there’s nothing else exactly like it in modern PC gaming.

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Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Definitive Edition

Building on the already-brilliant formula of its predecessor, Divinity: Original Sin 2 is an all-time great RPG, giving you a huge range of freedom in how to build your party, deal with a combat scenario, and approach a given situation. It’s a game best played on PC, thanks to its crisper visuals, the precision of using a mouse, and faster loading times,

which encourage you to experiment with its wide range of possibilities. While truly a great game overall, much of the fun in Divinity stems from seeing what you can get away with, be it stealing items or avoiding a lengthy combat encounter by setting up an elaborate trap. Experience with earlier entries in the series aren’t required to enjoy Original Sin 2, and as the best entry to date, this is an ideal place to start–just be prepared to lose dozens of hours to it.

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Dota 2

Dota 2 is not only one of the more daunting PC games to learn and master, but it’s also one of the most rewarding and satisfying to play once you know what you’re doing. Two teams of five assault each other as they try to destroy the opposing team’s Ancient. It sounds simple, but the strategic depth is vast, and there’s a lot to learn if you want to keep up.

, It requires learning the map, getting familiar with the vast array of characters, and mastering their mechanics to be successful. Of course, if this wasn’t an exciting process, it wouldn’t be as popular as it is–and if you haven’t seen a match play out at The International, then you’re missing out.

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Elden Ring

A strong contender for the best game of 2022, From Software’s latest dip into dark fantasy and brutal combat is the studio at its very best. The Lands Between are a massive sandbox in which to explore as a newly-risen Tarnished warrior, and every corner of this world hides a secret that’ll take you down a path of danger in exchange for fascinating lore and powerful rewards. While Elden Ring doesn’t stray too far from the usual From Software formula, it does polish the elegant gameplay and signature style of that studio to a mirror finish that’s beautiful to behold and loaded with dozens of hours of content to dive into.

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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

It’s true that since its release in 2012, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim has been ported to just about every platform that can play games, including Amazon Alexa speakers and smart refrigerators. But the king of all Skyrim versions is the one on PC, and it’s not even close. That’s because the PC version gives you access to years of mods created by the Skyrim community. From adding serious RPG story content to providing ridiculous possibilities like replacing all dragons with Thomas the Tank Engine,

the PC version of Skyrim adds nearly endless options to an already expansive, enormous game. You absolutely should play Skyrim on PC if you haven’t, and you absolutely should mod it to see how the game has become so much more than it was when it was released. Skyrim is also available with Xbox Game Pass for PC.

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Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters

The pre-PlayStation era of Final Fantasy won’t be vanishing anytime soon, as Square Enix has managed to restore those classic games for new and future generations of fans who want to experience the origins of that best-selling franchise. From the first game to its very 16-bit best, these remasters aim to keep the restoration as pure as possible while sharpening up the titles with additional content found in previous ports across other consoles across the years. Outside of owning an NES or SNES console, the Pixel Remasters are simply the finest and most vibrant ways to play classic Final Fantasy in the modern age of gaming.

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Final Fantasy VII Remake

The first chapter in a mammoth project, Final Fantasy VII Remake blends new and old ideas to create a uniquely nostalgic and fresh to what is considered by many to be the greatest video game of all time. Jaw-droppingly gorgeous to look at, the return of Cloud Strife and pals to the world of Midgar is a cinematic masterpiece that combines explosive blockbuster moments with fun action-RPG elements. While some story beats have stayed the same, Final Fantasy VII Remake also takes time to make some crucial changes to the plot, setting this project up to deliver some massive surprises down the road when the Avalanche crew embarks on a road trip that’ll decide the fate of the world.

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Final Fantasy 14 Online

The Final Fantasy series is known for having a strong focus on storytelling with colorful characters who get into over-the-top battles, and the MMO Final Fantasy XIV manages to stay true to what the series is all about. Though you might assume the familiar Final Fantasy tenets of storytelling and strong character moments would be absent in an online game, FFXIV is one of the more story-driven MMOs out today. Final Fantasy XIV is the franchise’s second crack at an MMO, and it features a sprawling story about rebellion, equality, and friendship that manages to hit the same highs of the franchise’s best single-player games.

Though MMOs have a reputation for being inaccessible and time-consuming, Final Fantasy XIV offers an excellent gateway for lapsed and new MMO players to jump into–and it’s also a fantastic Final Fantasy game in its own right.

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Forza Horizon 5

Few games get the absolute thrill of driving a ridiculously fast car the way that the Forza Horizon series does, and its latest chapter is another example of pure petrolhead bliss. Shifting to the warm climate of Mexico, Forza Horizon 5 sticks to its template and hits top gear right from the start with its selection of vehicles, activities, and a constant sense of reward for being a speed demon. Beyond its superb gameplay, Forza Horizon 5 also takes time to emphasize a personal connection between man and machine, as it balances epic showcase events with personal moments of reflection and car culture.

See our Forza Horizon 5 review.

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God of War

Even if it took a few years, the wait for one of the best PlayStation games on the market to hit PC was well worth it. While previous God of War games emphasized gratuitous violence and a character with the personality of a very angry cardboard box, Sony’s reinvention of Kratos helped create a more nuanced and layered hero. That doesn’t mean that there wasn’t a satisfying amount of carnage to engage in, though, as developer Sony Santa Monica expanded on Kratos’ brutal abilities in methodical ways and gave him plenty of new tools to play with in a Nordic sandbox.

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Grand Theft Auto 5

It may be surprising that a game from 2013 is still so pervasive nine years later, but when that game is Grand Theft Auto 5, it makes a lot more sense. A story of deceit and betrayal, GTA 5 follows the exploits of three men as they make their way through the criminal world of Los Santos and join together for heists that rival those in the Michael Mann classic Heat.

It’s bolstered by an immensely popular multiplayer mode, GTA Online, where you can band up with friends and orchestrate your own rise through the criminal ranks. The PC version has a slew of settings that let you tweak the finest details, and GTA 5’s incredible modding community has concocted creations that absolutely can’t be missed.

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Hades

As far as roguelikes go, Hades is among the best. It nails the loop of jumping into the underworld and fighting your way out of Hell, providing players with an arsenal of unique weaponry and powers fit for a god (and borrowed from many of the Gods and Goddesses of Olympus). However, it’s the slower moments in which you visit the friends and family of protagonist Zagreus between runs that grab hold and keep you fighting for the truth. In most roguelikes, you care solely about making it further than your last run, but Hades does more: It blends action and story, striking a delicate balance of clawing your way toward the overworld and growing your relationships.

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Halo Infinite

Years in the making, the return of Master Chief saw the legendary hero hit the ground running with a new and epic adventure. Even after a lengthy amount of hibernation, Master Chief’s newest odyssey shows no signs of ring rust and is augmented by a few new tricks up his Mjolnir-armored sleeve. While the main single-player campaign is a treat that’s packed with massive setpieces and satisfying action, the multiplayer side is no slouch other and offers a ton of modes to try out. If you’re feeling competitive or nostalgic, Halo Infinite hits a sweet spot for fans looking to revisit a franchise that has matured with them over the years.

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Hitman 3

IO Interactive’s grand World of Assassination trilogy reached its final chapter in 2021, as Hitman 3 built on the efforts made by its predecessors to create a perfectly executed experience. Bigger, bolder, and more cunning than ever, Agent 47’s journey around the world saw him explore an opulent Dubai skyscraper, solve a murder mystery in an ancient British mansion, and turn a train into a slaughterhouse as he worked his way through each cabin. Each destination offers not only some devilishly delicious ways to eliminate targets, but also plenty of room for experimentation that leads to hilarious and grim demises for anyone who gets in your way.

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Inscryption

At first glance, Inscryption looks like a mixture of tabletop card games with a healthy dose of deckbuilding thrown in for good measure as you risk your very life in a high-stakes game of survival. Throw in some roguelite progression, mystery, and a creepy art direction, and you’ve got the perfect mix for a game that hides more mesmerizing content beneath its surface. Absolutely strange while it deals out its ideas, that weirdness makes Inscryption the type of game that’ll live rent-free in your head long after you’ve played your last card.

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League of Legends

League of Legends is one of the most popular competitive games for a reason. From its strategic combat and mechanical depth to its colorful characters, it’s hard not to get sucked into game after game of this MOBA. While there’s a lot to learn, it’s not as mechanically dense or difficult to master as Dota 2, providing a more welcoming experience to those wanting to get into the MOBA world.

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Loop Hero

One of the most original indie games of the year, Loop Hero can’t be defined by any single genre. A creatively clever mix of RPG staples, deck-building charm, and brutal strategy, Loop Hero merges all of these elements together to create a bold and fresh adventure that’ll keep you occupied for hours on end.

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Microsoft Flight Simulator

If soaring through the air and flying around the world is a dream of yours, there’s no better game than Microsoft Flight Simulator. You can fly out of almost any airport in the world, including smaller airports in quieter towns, and go literally anywhere on Earth–though landing may be difficult in places like the Grand Canyon and Mount Everest. Microsoft used satellite imagery to recreate the world in-game, and it’s improving both the game and map all the time. If there was ever a reason to invest in a flight stick or yoke system, it’s Microsoft Flight Simulator. The game is available via Xbox Game Pass for PC.

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Minecraft

Minecraft is a global phenomenon for a reason. Its crafting, base building, and survival-lite mechanics are unmatched, providing both an engaging and accessible experience to people of all ages and walks of life. Crafting huge castles, cozy homes, or monuments to your favorite video game character is a joyful time, while venturing toward the Nether is a tense experience that you’re not sure you’ll return from. Whether you’re building up a huge tower or exploring the depths of the perilous mines, Minecraft remains an exciting time that can be enjoyed with friends or by yourself. Just make those Creepers don’t get too close to your house.

See on Microsoft Store

Monster Hunter Rise

After Monster Hunter World set a new benchmark for what the Capcom series was capable of, Monster Hunter: Rise had some big dragon leather boots to fill. Monster Hunter Rise is a showcase of what happens when you take the lessons learned from something new and apply it to an older example of Monster Hunter greatness, as the newest game in the series expertly shifted back to all-out action. Originally designed for the Nintendo Switch, Rise’s port to PC came with a ton of free post-launch content, graphical upgrades, and performance enhancements that make this version the definitive edition of an already fantastic game.

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Pizza Tower

A gonzo take on Wario Land platformers, Pizza Tower was a success that gathered fans through its early access period and then exploded once it was released in full. Peppino Spaghetti has a similar move set to Wario, but this take gives him a boost of speed and agility that makes Pizza Tower center around lightning reflexes and speedy runs through the stages. The art style looks straight out of a 1990s Nickelodeon cartoon, with a soundtrack to match.

Portal 2

Portal 2 remains one of the funniest and most inventive puzzlers in games. It successfully built on the mind-bending multidimensional ideas of the first game and somehow elevated its storytelling and characterization to become incredibly fun and memorable.

Those things alone would make Portal 2 worthy of your attention, but there’s additional content that comes with playing the game on PC. Not only is there online and local co-op that extend the game beyond its single-player offering, but there’s a huge amount of user-created content that includes whole story campaigns. Portal 2 is great fun no matter where you play it, but with modding and puzzles built by other players, you get a superior experience on PC–and a ton more Portal to play for free.

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Project Zomboid

For the ultimate experience in zombie apocalypse realism, nothing competes with Project Zomboid. The isometric survival game is perhaps most like DayZ, but is somehow even more hardcore, with things like hunger, wounds, and fatigue being deadlier than similar systems in other games, and the purest depiction of how, in real life, even just a single zombie would likely spell your doom. It’s a PC exclusive, so it’s sorta great on PC by default, but given the sheer number of mechanics involved here, a mouse and keyboard setup feels right at home, though the game is fully playable on controller and even Steam Deck too.

Rainbow Six Siege

Rainbow Six Siege is an adept mix of first-person shooting, strategic planning, and tactical teamwork. Two teams of five vie for control of a building, where the goal is to capture an objective, defuse a bomb, or secure a hostage. The brilliance of Siege comes in learning these buildings in and out and knowing how to work with your teammates to get in and out most effectively. Map knowledge can trump twitch shooting in the most dire of situations, rewarding its players for smart thinking and careful play. Siege is available on consoles, but the definitive way to play it is on PC with a keyboard and mouse.

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Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a phenomenal and engrossing video game that is easily one of Rockstar’s finest releases to date. A prequel to the original game, the story delivers some eye-opening revelations about the wider Red Dead universe. The gameplay and world-building are incredible, with lots of freedom available for players to do whatever they want as they set out onto the frontier as Arthur Morgan. The game is also gorgeous, especially on PC for those with a capable enough rig. The sweeping mountain visits and bubbling rivers shine on PC, making Red Dead Redemption 2 one of the best games we can recommend on PC.

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Resident Evil 4

Capcom’s venerable Resident Evil series has been progressively producing remakes of its classic library, but none of them held the expectations and weight of Resident Evil 4. It’s long been regarded as one of the best survival-horror games of all time, and a trendsetter for the action-focused style of the genre. Capcom approached this remake especially cautiously, giving it a light touch of upgrades that make the whole experience feel modern without losing its soul. It’s also never looked more beautiful, so you can see the horrific monstrosities of Las Plagas with newfound fidelity.

Return of the Obra Dinn

Return of the Obra Dinn is a meticulous puzzle box revolving around a grisly scene. When a missing ship mysteriously reappears with all of its passengers and crew dead, you’re dispatched as an insurance adjuster tasked with uncovering the causes of death for each one aboard. What follows is a massively connected logic puzzle as you uncover scenes of life aboard the ship alongside clues as to each of their identities and fatalities. This is all delivered in a stark lo-fi black-and-white presentation that remains perfectly readable in motion.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

A departure–though not a complete departure–from its previous games, From Software’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice takes the simple act of blocking an attack and turns it into a thrilling gameplay mechanic. Battles against bosses are not simply marathons to whittle down their health, but an exercise in perfection as you time your own attacks, parry your enemy’s, and then deliver a final killing blow. On PC, you can mod the game to speed up the pace or play as goofy characters who definitely don’t belong in its somber, violent universe. Without a dedicated easy mode in the settings, which is itself a subject of debate, the PC version’s modding potential also lets you lower the difficulty.

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Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew

The unfortunate swan song for the tactics genre experts at developer Mimimi, Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew let the studio leave on a high note. Starring a cast of cursed pirates aboard a living ghost ship, you’ll have to use stealth and your wits to take down legions of Inquisition troops. Each of the crew has their own otherworldly powers and specializations, making it engaging to experiment with different combinations of abilities to take down the enemy without being seen. Shadow Gambit also learns from its predecessors by implementing save scumming into the story, making it that much more satisfying to pull off a perfect plan–and less punishing when you make a mistake.

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

Only The Stanley Parable, a nearly unexplainable game where things get regularly weird and meta, could get away with hiding what amounts to a sequel within the frame of an expanded re-release of the original game. Like the original title, the strange and hilariously distracted nature of The Stanley Parable is something that you have to experience for yourself, as words simply do not do it justice. With the Ultra Deluxe edition, you’re getting an experience that feels like a game within a game, adding the illusion of freedom and other surprises along the way. It’s nothing short of a clever and thought-provoking examination of video games and the relationship that we have with them.

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Stardew Valley

It starts with an old broken-down farm and a handful of seeds. You clear out the weeds and rocks until you get tired, and then you do it again. You get into the rhythm of daily life–visiting friends, watering crops, occasional light spelunking. Before you know it, it’s been 75 hours and you’re mostly managing your complex irrigation system and planning for next season’s harvest. Stardew Valley is a friendly, relaxing experience that also somehow manages to be endlessly addicting. Fans know the feeling of assuring themselves they’ll play just one more day before bed.

And while it’s appeared on just about every platform, PC often gets the first chance to test all of the little quality-of-life tweaks and new features that come with patches–most recently the massive 1.5 update appeared on PC almost two months before consoles. Plus, there’s a huge library of mods that let you tweak various gameplay elements, give the game a new aesthetic, and even add extensive new content and characters (see: Stardew Valley Expanded). Keeping up with Stardew Valley on PC is the best way to make sure your farming life never gets stale.

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Starfield

Starfield has been one of the most anticipated RPGs from Bethesda, the studio behind Fallout and The Elder Scrolls. This game will seem very familiar to those who’ve played these types of games, but the new spacefaring setting introduces a variety of biomes and enemies, space combat, and refined gunplay with boost packs for extra mobility. While it’s available on Xbox as well, only the PC version supports console commands and mods to customize the experience to your liking.

The Talos Principle 2

The follow-up to the philosophical first-person puzzle game is once again a contemplative experience that raises big questions even as you stay occupied with a series of clever puzzles. The philosophical underpinnings create a sense of expansive mystery as you explore deep existential questions and unravel the nature of the world. The first game was an unexpected treat but The Talos Principle 2 shows that developer Croteam can still create a delightful puzzle box even when we think we know what to expect.

Tunic

If Death’s Door didn’t satiate your hunger for a Zelda-like adventure, then Tunic is well-equipped to fill you up with some nostalgic and cathartic gameplay. Not just an homage to Zelda games of the NES and SNES eras, Tunic’s familiar green clothing and swordplay in a vibrant and colorful world is balanced by a collection of amazing puzzles and challenges that require quick reflexes and superb wits. Evocative of a bygone time and somehow still feeling like a completely fresh take on the subject matter, this love letter to the past was years in the making and more than delivers on its elevator pitch of exploration and wonder.

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Valorant

The initial response to Valorant was that it’s basically a mashup where Overwatch meets Counter-Strike–and yeah, that’s pretty accurate. That’s also a good thing, because Valorant draws on many of the strengths of those games to make something unique. It focuses on the round-based demolition-style game mode with two teams of five (attackers and defenders) on balanced maps with specific lanes and sightlines and an extremely fast time-to-kill. However, each agent (or character) has their own unique abilities that add another strategic layer to combat. Team composition plays a major role, and each agent affects what the team is capable of in each high-stakes situation. It’s intense and demanding, but so rewarding.

Valorant is still early in its lifespan. But we’ve seen content updates and changes in its first year and it’s been quite successful, so you can expect the game to get more support moving forward. If a competitive FPS with layered tactics, precise gunplay, and intense moments is your thing, Valorant is worth a try.

See on Riot Games

Viewfinder

A puzzle game built around a mechanic that feels like magic, Viewfinder has a remarkable wow-factor that alone puts it on this list. The concept is simple enough: You take a photo and when you place a picture against the environment, you can walk into it. That allows you to create a bridge where there was none before, or walk into a completely different art style than the rest of the environment. When the game gives you your own camera, and starts introducing different ways to apply its simple rule set, the mindbending puzzles grow more complex.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

One of the best RPGs of all time, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt brings the incredible story of Geralt of Rivia to a close. The Witcher 3 puts Geralt on a quest to find Ciri, a witcher in training who’s like a daughter to him. He reconnects with old flames, friends, and adversaries as he searches far and wide for her.

Of course, there’s an abundance of side quests and characters to meet along the way, which will undoubtedly keep you busy for hours. Many of these quests require you to slay monsters, a witcher’s main trade, and you’ll have to prepare accordingly to defeat them by sword, witcher magic, and potions. All this–and we didn’t even get into the two excellent expansions–makes The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt an essential PC game.

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XCOM 2

Finding the right balance in a strategy game is extremely difficult, as the best ones are challenging enough to necessitate smart play without being too punishing. XCOM 2 very nearly falls into the “too punishing” camp, but its mix of turn-based tactics combat and overarching management gameplay rarely feel unfair. Set after the first game, when aliens have nearly completely conquered Earth, XCOM 2 certainly casts you as an underdog, but it gives you the tools you need to take the fight to the invaders with careful planning.

Ambushing a squad and delivering a mix of long-range sniping shots and explosive damage is immensely satisfying, and even more so if you’ve struggled on the same map for an hour or more. The game is certainly playable on consoles, but it’s at home on PC, as are developer Firaxis’ other games. Moving your units around and getting a view of the whole battlefield is perfect with a keyboard and mouse.

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The best Android apps in 2023

By admin December 4, 2023

The best Android apps in 2023, Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and even Motorola have been coming out with fast new Android phones that match a number of lifestyles and design tastes. And that means you’ll need apps that can take advantage of those larger screens and faster processors. They’re how we communicate with friends, watch movies, stay productive, and so much more. You can have the best Android phone on the market, but if you don’t also pair it with the best Android apps, you’re missing out.

There are millions of Android apps on the Play Store. Many of them are great, some are fine, and others are bogus. To help you sift through everything and focus on the apps you should actually care about, we’ve rounded up 50 of our favorite ones right here. If you’re looking for games, check out our list of the best Android games. And if you are in the market for a new Android phone, make sure to check out our latest smartphone reviews.

If you have an Apple iPhone, then check out these helpful guides: best iPhone apps and best iPhone games.

Android essentials

YouTube

It’s probably the Android app, so you likely have YouTube already — but that doesn’t make it any less essential. YouTube’s mobile app is sleek and intuitive, bringing the entirety of the video-sharing site to the palm of your hand. For those subscribed to YouTube Premium, you’ll have access to premium content, as well as special features like audio playback while the screen is off. But even when used as a free app, YouTube is essential.

GOOGLE PLAY

X (formerly Twitter)

Now that Elon Musk has purchased Twitter and renamed it “X,” there have been some interesting developments at the company. That little blue tick, which used to mean you were a bona fide and verified VIP, can now be purchased by anyone, and those who have been banned from the platform are welcomed back. But that doesn’t mean a lot of people are not using the popular platform.

Sometimes unfairly viewed as the lesser version of Facebook, X is the place where everything seems to happen instantly. Birthplace of the now now-ubiquitous internet facet, the hashtag, X is the best place to be if you like to be on top of the latest breaking news as it happens. Follow your favorite content creators, actors, or crazes, and follow all the news, impressions, and opinions as they roll in. Musk has big plans for X and aims to add voice calling and financial payments to the platform down the line, so it’s worth keeping an eye on regardless of how you feel about the recent changes.

GOOGLE PLAY

Google Home

There’s no time like the present to complete that connected-home project you always swore you’d do. If you are the proud owner of a Google Home device, then you already know the ins and outs of a digital assistant. The Google Home app takes this one step further, allowing you to control a plethora of connected smart home devices. It also serves as a command central for any native Google-connected device and your Google-connected accounts, like maps, contacts, calendars, and more.

GOOGLE PLAY

The best Android apps in 2023

Movies and videos

JustWatch

It’s not a streaming service, but JustWatch is the app that tells you what to watch and where to watch it. So no more wondering where you can catch the latest season of The Boys or whether The Witcher is available to stream on Netflix — JustWatch will keep you right. The app also gives you personalized recommendations based on your streaming services and supports casting to your TV from your device. There are over 90,000 movies and TV shows listed, and you can check out trailers, cast details, and synopses before you watch. There’s even a handy timeline showing what’s coming to your favorite streaming services and when, plus you can create your own Watchlist.

GOOGLE PLAY

Netflix

Netflix isn’t just one of the best video-streaming services; it’s the video-streaming service. There’s a huge selection of Netflix movies and TV shows for subscribers, and the performance is silky smooth. It’s not just restricted to old favorites either, as Netflix has produced a huge amount of excellent exclusive content. If you’re anything like us, though, you’ll just put Seinfeld on again.

GOOGLE PLAY

Disney+

Disney holds possibly the largest library of film and television properties in the world, and they are all on Disney+. From Hamilton to The Mandalorian, you’ll find something for every member of the family. As theatergoers are slow to return all around the globe, Disney has begun using Disney+ for major blockbusters like Mulan and Soul. You’ll also have access to original television shows like Marvel’s The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

GOOGLE PLAY

Music and audio

YouTube Music

If you listen to as much music on YouTube as we do, then it’s a no-brainer to use YouTube Music. The music app is geared very well toward your tastes if you’ve spent much time watching and listening to music videos on YouTube, and the ability to listen with the screen off is very helpful, but the key element is being able to listen to any live performance or other alternative performance of a song.

GOOGLE PLAY

Pocket Casts

Pocket Casts is one of the last podcast players left standing after the assault by music apps like Spotify, and the reason it’s still around is because it’s very, very good. You’ll find most of the popular podcasts here (as long as Spotify hasn’t signed an exclusivity deal with them, of course), and you can sort and arrange podcasts into folders and set up filters to find what you’re looking for even faster.

In episodes, you can speed up, slow down, and set the player to skip out periods of silence, and your listening progress and playlists sync across devices. If you want to take advantage of all it has to offer, like the web-based player, you’ll need to pay for the Plus service, which costs $40 a year or $4 a month.

GOOGLE PLAY

Spotify

Spotify is probably the first name that springs to mind when you think about music apps — and for good reason, as it’s one of the best streaming services out there. There’s a massive selection of music on offer, from the latest huge releases to up-and-coming acts. Spotify also now offers video support for some of the best podcasts on its platform.

There’s a free version if you want to try it out, but if you want ad-free listening and to download music, play any song, and have unlimited skips, then you’ll need to subscribe for $11 a month, though Spotify does offer a generous three-month free trial. Spotify also offers a family household plan for $17 a month, a student account at the reduced cost of $6 a month, and a Duo account covering two people in the same household for $15 a month.

GOOGLE PLAY

News

NewsBreak

It’s not hard to find news apps that cover national and international news, but what about more local events? NewsBreak specializes in digging out the news that’s local to you so you can stay updated with your personal community. It’s not just about the news, though — it also has safety alerts to show you nearby hazards and can help you find local experts to guide you around new areas if you’re visiting or want to know more about your home. Just make sure to add Digital Trends to your news feed!

GOOGLE PLAY

The Wall Street Journal

During these harrowing financial times and in a volatile macroeconomic environment, you’d be well served to stay up to date on the goings-on of our economy, markets, and financial news. The Wall Street Journal app places all this information in your pocket as well as the multifaceted award-winning journalism that’s been printed there since 1889.

GOOGLE PLAY

NPR News

The official app of National Public Radio provides a steady stream of straightforward reporting in both print and audio. Users can listen to news reports and various NPR staples such as All Things Considered and Radiolab.

GOOGLE PLAY

Sports

Fox Sports

Get the same industry-leading coverage you can expect from Fox Sports television right on your smartphone. Track your favorite teams, players, and leagues, and watch it all unfold live from inside the app. The Fox Sports app offers a complete experience with bonus cams and angles of the game you caught on television, as well as up-to-date sports news.

GOOGLE PLAY

ESPN

Having the official ESPN app installed is a no-brainer for any die-hard sports fan, especially if you have ESPN+. You can quickly get the latest news on your favorite teams and leagues, including MLB, NFL, NCAA, MLS, NHL, and more.

GOOGLE PLAY

Social media

TikTok

Essentially Vine for a new generation, TikTok is the home of short videos that are amusing, meme-laden, and just generally fit for easy consumption. What started as the app Musical.ly, geared at miming songs while dancing, has bloomed into one of the fastest-growing social media apps in the world. Its algorithm has become legendary as it curates content for you based on what you like and interact with, and there is now content on the app for all generations, hobbies, backgrounds, and interests.

GOOGLE PLAY

Instagram

Instagram is ubiquitous in photography now, so you might as well have it on your phone. Owned by Facebook, the social network centered on photos offers great filters and connectivity with others. Instagram has also been angling for a younger market share with its TikTok competitor called Reels.

GOOGLE PLAY

Messaging

The Google Play Store has no shortage of messaging apps, but WhatsApp’s secure end-to-end encryption and feature-rich interface mark it as one of the best. This cross-platform app lets you send and receive messages, pictures, audio notes, and make video calls for free. A must-have for messaging addicts, travelers, and anyone with loved ones abroad.

GOOGLE PLAY

Discord

Hugely popular among PC gamers and office workers, Discord is a place for messaging, image sharing, and voice and video calls. It features an intuitive interface that makes it easy to communicate and share with friends and co-workers. Discord is also home to countless communities where members with shared interests can hang out digitally.

GOOGLE PLAY

Dating

Grindr

The largest social networking and dating app for gay, bi, trans, and queer people of all sorts, Grindr uses your phone’s location to put you in contact with other nearby members to chat, swap photos, or meet in person. Initially launched as a dating app, Grindr now has a much larger remit as a great chat and networking app.

GOOGLE PLAY

Hinge

Hinge is the app “designed to be deleted.” By highlighting our most personal values, future plans, wants, and needs, Hinge focuses on bringing people together looking for serious relationships. The company also enforces a zero-tolerance policy on harassment, abuse, or any untoward behavior against their terms of service. Hinge sets out to provide an alternative to the fast-casual nature of many other dating apps, and according to the company, four out of five users go on second dates.

GOOGLE PLAY

Reading

Kindle

Don’t worry if you don’t have a Kindle — you can still read your ebook directly on your smartphone. From best-sellers to the classics, it’s all here, with more than 900,000 titles in Amazon’s store.

GOOGLE PLAY

Audible

Audible is the premier place to consume audiobooks on your Android device. There are thousands of audiobooks on offer, from classics to the most recent hits, and you get your first audiobook for free. A $15-per-month subscription gets you a credit per month to spend on any audiobook, and options for playback speed and cross-device syncing make listening even easier. There’s even a car mode for listening on the go.

GOOGLE PLAY

Gaming

Roblox

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Roblox deserves a spot as an essential app because it is so much more than just a game. With over 160 million active users and representing more than half of all children under age 16 in the United States on the platform, Roblox has ballooned into an online universe reminiscent of the “metaverse” that purports to be the future of online life and interaction. Roblox is itself a platform for game development and is responsible for millions of children gaining an interest in coding and software development.

GOOGLE PLAY

Twitch

While platforms like Facebook Gaming try their best to compete, Twitch remains the preeminent option for video game streaming and sports a growing roster of celebrity streamers. With the power of Amazon behind it, it’s unlikely Twitch will be dethroned anytime soon.

GOOGLE PLAY

Nutrition, cooking, and food

DoorDash

There are so many food delivery apps out there to choose from, but DoorDash is one of the most popular. That’s likely because not only can you order from your favorite restaurants — from Wendy’s to The Cheesecake Factory — but you can also get alcohol, fresh groceries, household goods, and more delivered to your doorstep with no minimum spend. Whether you forgot some ingredients for cooking, ran out of shampoo, or are craving sushi, DoorDash will deliver, and if you sign up for DashPass, there are zero delivery fees for your first month. You can also schedule deliveries for a future date, track orders in real-time, and pay via Apple Pay, Venmo, PayPal, or credit card.

GOOGLE PLAY

Yummly

There are plenty of recipe apps, but Yummly is one of the best. There are over2 million recipes stored in this app, but don’t be scared by the sheer number of choices, as Yummly uses AI to narrow down your list of options and presents them to you based on what you’ve made before. You can set up dietary requirements and filter by cooking time, ingredients, and other criteria. You can even set up a smart shopping list for your trip.

GOOGLE PLAY

Fitness and health

MyFitnessPal

Like it or loathe it, there’s little doubt about the effectiveness of calorie counting. But it can be tough to keep track of everything you’re eating, especially when you have to look up calorie counts for everything. Thankfully, MyFitnessPal can do it for you, with its enormous database of foodstuffs, bar code scanning, and more.

GOOGLE PLAY

Caliber

Caliber is an all-in-one training app that includes strength training, nutrition tracking, and reminders to build healthy habits so you can focus on your fitness goals without having to juggle different apps for every aspect of your journey. A Caliber membership gets you personal coaching to ensure you’re hitting your personal goals, as well as supplies in-depth analysis, but you can also use the app for free and keep track of your activity, schedule workouts, and take short weekly lessons.

GOOGLE PLAY

GoodRx

GoodRx can help you save on your prescription medicine costs by helping you find coupons for your most important prescriptions accepted at most pharmacies. The app also offers a medicine tracker and pill reminder to help track your daily health routine. Before you pickup a prescription, check GoodRx to save some money.

GOOGLE PLAY

Finances and money

Acorns

Looking to save a little more money? Acorns helps you invest by rounding off your credit card or debit purchases to the nearest dollar. Once you’ve accumulated a little money, it’s easy to transfer the funds to your bank account. Acorns also offers retirement accounts like a Traditional IRA, so you can start saving for retirement now.

GOOGLE PLAY

Fidelity Investments

Fidelity Investments brings the power of the brokerage and financial services company Fidelity into your pocket. Open a retirement or taxable account and handle your trades and portfolio right from the app. Fidelity allows you to buy fractional shares, and execute trades with $0 commission fees on U.S equities or ETFs.

GOOGLE PLAY

Shopping

eBay

There’s very little that you can’t buy or sell on eBay. The app is full-featured and much easier to use than the website. Bid on items, track your orders, and sell all of your unwanted stuff right here.

GOOGLE PLAY

Amazon Shopping

There’s no more essential shopping app than Amazon. Practically anything you need, anywhere you live, and anytime you want, Amazon has it. With the Amazon app, you can order groceries through Amazon Fresh and all your essentials through Amazon Prime.

GOOGLE PLAY

PayPal

The easiest online checkout method is on your smartphone. You’ll be able to manage your PayPal account, send and receive payments, and more. The app can also notify you of transactions, offering handy reminders and alerts when you use PayPal as a payment method or have an upcoming bill due.

GOOGLE PLAY

Travel and events

Duolingo

The Duolingo owl is one of the most celebrated (and feared) app mascots around, and for good reason. Duolingo is an excellent way to learn a language, with a constantly updated learning track evaluated by experts and bite-sized lessons that you can complete in a matter of minutes. Learn as much or as little as you want, but keep in mind your hearts (mistakes) are limited on free accounts, and if you want completely limitless learning, you’ll need to subscribe to Duolingo Plus.

GOOGLE PLAY

Uber

If you need to get somewhere and don’t have wheels of your own, hop in someone else’s ride. Uber allows you to call upon a private driver in your city who will help you get to where you need to go. It’s all the ease of a taxi at a lower cost and without the fumbling for cash at the end.

GOOGLE PLAY

Airbnb

Forego the headache of trying to find and book a hotel and instead find an open room or home to stay at on your travels. Users can search for accommodations, communicate directly with hosts, and book, all without leaving the app.

GOOGLE PLAY

Going out

Overdrop

One thing you need to know before you head anywhere is what the weather’s got in store. Never get caught in an unexpected rain shower or snow flurry again with Overdrop, the app that gives you a live weather forecast powered by Dark Sky, Accuweather, and WeatherBit. There are over 60 widgets to choose from, a 96-hour radar map, severe-condition alerts, an air quality index, and seven themes to choose from. Get a 24-hour or seven-day forecast, and use colorful temperature, rain, and wind graphs to see what the weather will be like in advance.

GOOGLE PLAY

Tripadvisor

Tripadvisor is the ultimate going-out app, with millions of recommendations and reviews from people all around the world, covering the best things to do wherever you are. Plan ahead with Tripadvisor’s tools, allowing you to organize your hotel bookings, restaurant trips, and attractions. You can even book them from the app with Google Pay access. It’s also great when you’re traveling, thanks to support for mobile tickets and bookings.

GOOGLE PLAY

Waze

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Never get caught off guard by a car accident, broken traffic light, or speed trap again. Waze harnesses all the power of user-submitted information to help drivers avoid the common pitfalls of their daily commutes or long road trips. Waze is designed to get you where you’re going as quickly as possible by using up-to-the-minute live information to navigate. It will even help you find the cheapest gas along your route.

GOOGLE PLAY

Photo editing and management

Snapseed

Snapseed is the best option if you’re looking to edit a photo. Google’s photo editing app has tools for whether you’re quickly polishing up a snap or diving in really deep to dramatically change the details of a photo. Snapseed’s control method can take a little getting used to, but once you’ve got the hang of it, it’s intuitive and incredibly fast to use. Best of all, it’s absolutely free.

GOOGLE PLAY

Adobe Photoshop Express

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While not as feature-filled or extensive as the desktop version, Adobe Photoshop Express still offers an impressively wide array of tools for editing and creating images directly on your Android device.

GOOGLE PLAY

VSCO

One of the original players in the photo editing space, VSCO sparked an entire movement and brought an iconic photo aesthetic to a generation of social media users. The VSCO photo editor offers a variety of presets, vintage filters, and texture effects. VSCO also supports video editing for those longer video posts.

GOOGLE PLAY

Documents, web, and email

OfficeSuite

It’s one of the most downloaded apps on the Play Store, and that’s for a very good reason. OfficeSuite is a full-featured alternative for Microsoft Office, and includes tools to view, edit, and create Word, Excel, and Powerpoint documents, as well as including support for various PDF operations. It’s an all-in-one solution for your document woes, and it’s free to get most of the features. OfficeSuite Premium gets you the ability to work on password-protected files, 50GB of cloud storage, the ability to export PDFs to other formats, and more.

GOOGLE PLAY

Dropbox

Dropbox is another cloud storage service, and while you think you have that covered with Google Drive, Dropbox is still useful to download and use, because it often works with many third-party apps Drive doesn’t. It only gives you 2GB for free, but if you use it primarily for smaller files you should be okay with that amount.

GOOGLE PLAY

Grammarly

Grammarly has grown above and beyond its key use case of email writing assistance and has grown into an integrated extension and app offering grammar and spelling suggestions or corrections for not only emails, but across all apps on your smartphone. Whether you’re composing a LinkedIn message, a text, or a Yelp review, Grammarly will help you maintain composure by perfecting your composition.

GOOGLE PLAY

Productivity

Memorigi

Feel like you’re always ticking off an endless to-do list? Step up Memorigi. This colorful app acts as a daily planner, to-do list, and task manager — and actually makes staying organized more fun. The My Day feature focuses on today’s most important tasks, or you can add shopping lists, goal lists, or a simple to-do list, as well as create reminders for appointments and payments. The app also has cloud sync, making it easy to keep on top of things from any device. Upgrade to premium and you’ll get Google Calendar integration, progress tracking statistics, and the awesome Nag Me feature, designed to make procrastinating a thing of the past.

GOOGLE PLAY

BitWarden

BitWarden has been the password manager of choice for many since LastPass changed the way its free tier worked, making this app the best free choice for keeping your passwords safe and secure. Save your passwords to BitWarden’s vault and lock it up tight, and then access it on your smartphone or computer or generate super-secure passwords automatically. It can be set up to automatically fill recognized password fields or do it with a single click. It’s free, and the paid tier is incredibly cheap at less than $1 a month.

GOOGLE PLAY

Slack

Slack remains one of the biggest communication tools for businesses everywhere. Organize your teams and employees into channels to help with team productivity. Slack’s intuitive layout and ability to integrate workflows with other popular productivity apps such as Google Drive, Salesforce, and Dropbox make it a powerful tool to help get work done.

GOOGLE PLAY

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