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FED Chair Jerome Powell Hints at September Rate Cut – Top 3 Cryptos to Buy Now

GameFi Guides

Best Crypto to Buy Now as FED Chair Jerome Powell Hints at September Rate Cut

by admin August 24, 2025

Trusted Editorial content, reviewed by leading industry experts and seasoned editors. Ad Disclosure

FED Chair Jerome Powell spoke at Jackson Hole on August 22, addressing rate cuts, inflation, and the labor market.

Powell’s Friday appearance turned out to be a bonanza for intraday stock traders and crypto investors, as both the NASDAQ and major cryptos surged after he hinted at a possible September rate cut.

Powell noted that the balance of risks is shifting in the U.S. economy. While inflation remains a concern for the Fed, the latest labor market data is now a bigger worry.

Job growth, for instance, has slowed dramatically: from 168,000 new jobs in 2024 to just 35,000 in the latest figures. At the same time, unemployment has held steady at 4.2%.

This slowdown is partly due to reduced demand and supply in the job market, temporarily influenced by weaker immigration flows.

Powell warned that the labor market remains in a delicate position, and a wave of layoffs could make conditions worse.

Read on as we unpack Powell’s September rate cut hint, what’s driving it, and how you can ride the brewing risk-on sentiment among investors by loading up on the best cryptos to buy now.

Powell’s Rate Cut Hint Could Spark the Next Crypto Rally

Inflation is still around 2.6% to 2.9% above the Fed’s 2% target, largely due to Trump’s tariffs, which are expected to gradually push prices higher.

However, the Federal Reserve views this as a one-time bump rather than the start of an inflation spiral.

Speaking on interest rates, Powell noted that current levels are now closer to neutral – a zone that neither slows nor boosts the economy – and described the Fed’s stance as a little restrictive.

He added that while there’s room for a rate cut, the Fed intends to move carefully based on incoming data.

Here’s the kicker now: although Powell didn’t commit to a September cut, he admitted it’s certainly a possibility.

Wall Street celebrated the remarks, with the NASDAQ surging 1.39% in just 15 minutes. Crypto markets also rallied, as Bitcoin climbed 4%, once again crossing the $115K mark.

Traditionally, rate cuts are bullish for risk-on assets like crypto. Why? Because cheaper borrowing often pushes investors toward alternative ‘high-risk, high-reward’ investments like cryptocurrencies.

That’s why the prospect of a September rate cut is being viewed as a potential major catalyst for another broad-based altcoin rally.

If you’re looking to cash in on this opportunity, now may be the best time to scoop up promising low-cap, high-upside.

To help you out, here are our top picks for the next cryptos to explode.

1. Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) – Next-Gen Bitcoin L2 Bringing Fast Transactions & Web3 Compatibility

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) is the world’s first Bitcoin Layer 2 solution that brings Solana-like speed and scalability to the Bitcoin blockchain.

Despite being the biggest cryptocurrency in the industry, Bitcoin has long struggled with slow transactions, increasing traffic, and zero Web3 compatibility.

$HYPER aims to fix this through the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) integration, which allows developers to execute smart contracts and build dApps on the Bitcoin network – something that was never possible before.

At the heart of this ecosystem overhaul is a non-custodial, decentralized canonical bridge. In plain English, it locks up your Layer 1 $BTC and mints an equivalent amount of Layer 2 $BTC tokens.

These L2 tokens can then be used for Web3 interactions, including staking, lending, swapping, NFT transactions, DeFi trading, and much more. Once you’re done, simply use the bridge to swap back your L2 tokens for L1 Bitcoin.

The $HYPER presale has already gained strong traction, raising $11.53M so far.

Even better, this includes sizable institutional investments, with whale purchases of $75K, $54K, $38K, $19.6K, and $13.2K, underscoring big-money interest in the project.

Currently priced at just $0.012785 apiece, our $HYPER price prediction suggests it could surge to $0.32 by the end of 2025, delivering a potential 2,400% return.

Want in on the project? Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to buy $HYPER.

For more information, visit Bitcoin Hyper’s official website.

2. Best Wallet Token ($BEST) – Native Cryptocurrency of a Privacy-First and User-Friendly Crypto Wallet

Best Wallet Token ($BEST) is the in-house cryptocurrency of Best Wallet – a multi-chain, non-custodial crypto wallet built with a focus on user security.

Here, you hold the private keys, leaving no room for foul play by malicious third parties. On top of that, the app uses Fireblocks MPC security tech, biometric logins, and scam protection to keep your funds safe.

One of the most exciting features, though, is the Presale Aggregator section, which helps you load up on the best new meme coins in presale before they hit the mainstream.

Plus, being a multi-chain wallet, Best Wallet already supports Bitcoin, Ethereum, Polygon, and BNB Smart Chain, with 50 more blockchains coming soon.

This means you won’t have to jump between multiple wallets to manage your crypto portfolio – everything is accessible from one easy-to-use interface.

Why buy $BEST?

According to our $BEST price prediction, the token could hit $0.62 by 2026, delivering a potential 2,500% return.
Reduced trading and gas fees on the platform
Staking rewards, currently yielding 89%
Early access to the best crypto presales
Voting rights on key project decisions

The $BEST presale has been a massive success, to say the least, having already raised over $15M from early investors.

Currently priced at just $0.025515 per token, the next price increase is only a few hours away, so this could be your last chance to grab it this low.

Check out Best Wallet Token’s official website for more information.

3. Bertram The Pomeranian ($BERT) – A Philanthropic Meme Coin Eyeing New All-Time Highs

Bertram The Pomeranian ($BERT) is a Solana meme coin that goes beyond being just another character-driven hype asset.

Inspired by Bertram, a famous Pomeranian dog influencer with millions of followers, $BERT is tied to a noble mission of global pet care through WOOFHub.

WOOFHub, by the way, is an AI-powered startup dedicated to raising awareness about dog shelters, enabling real-time adoption alerts, and helping with lost pet tracking.

It also sells NFC-enabled smart dog collars, allowing owners to keep tabs on their pets’ locations at all times.

It’s worth noting that the project has already donated over 5 tonnes of dog food worldwide, further reinforcing its socially conscious mission.

On the market side, $BERT recently hit a $70M market cap after surging 40% in the past seven days. And it’s now trading at around $0.07095.

Its recent listing on BloFin injected fresh liquidity, fueling an 61% spike in trading volume within the last 24 hours alone.

Combined with strong technicals, including a robust MACD histogram and neatly stacked, fanning EMAs, $BERT looks poised to extend its parabolic bull run in the weeks ahead.

Conclusion

Fed Chair Jerome Powell has delivered positive signals for the U.S. economy, from slowing inflation and historically low unemployment rates to a relatively neutral stance on interest rates.

Most notably, he hinted at the possibility of an interest rate cut in September, which helped propel both the NASDAQ and crypto markets higher.

If you want to ride this bull run, utility-driven tokens like Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER), Best Wallet Token ($BEST), and $BERT could be among your best bets.

That said, remember that crypto markets are highly volatile and subject to significant risks. Always do your own research before investing. This article is not financial advice.

Editorial Process for bitcoinist is centered on delivering thoroughly researched, accurate, and unbiased content. We uphold strict sourcing standards, and each page undergoes diligent review by our team of top technology experts and seasoned editors. This process ensures the integrity, relevance, and value of our content for our readers.

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest Season One Coming To Blu-Ray This Fall

by admin August 24, 2025

Fairy Tail was a massively popular manga and anime series during its original run from the mid-200s through the 2010s, and not long after its saga wrapped up, a new sequel series hit the scene. Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest has been in print since 2018, but it wasn’t until recently that it got an anime adaptation. In case you missed out on it, the good news is that you can preorder the upcoming Blu-ray release ahead of its release for $80 on November 4 through Amazon and CrunchyRoll. This edition of the complete first season also comes inside a stylish steelbook case, featuring the main cast of Fairy Tail on the cover.

$80 | Releases November 4

Set one year after the war with the Alvarez Empire and the destruction of the evil black dragon Acnologia, Fairy Tail: 100 Years Quest sees Natsu Dragneel and his allies embark on an ambitious mission to seal the Five Dragon Gods. The Blu-ray release contains all 25 episodes from the first season across four discs and in 1080p, with Japanese and English audio options. For the extras, there are clean credit sequences, an interquel recap episode, and promo videos.

Fairy Tail 100 Years Quest Special Features

Episode 13.5 – Going Off Topic: Lucy’s Diary
Fairy Tail promo videos
Promo videos
Textless opening and ending songs

Check out deals on paperback box sets of the original manga.

If you’re new to the world of Fairy Tail, then you’ll also want to check out the original series. Created and illustrated by Hiro Mashima, the series is set in a magical land of wizards and follows Natsu and his eclectic friends as they take on quests for their guilds and tangled with dark wizards. While the series isn’t groundbreaking and can be slightly derivative, it’s still a consistently fun show thanks to its quirky characters, well-paced action, and emotionally heavy plots that come out of nowhere.

The best way to check out the original manga–which ran for an impressive 545 chapters across 63 volumes–is through the manga box sets currently available for sale. Each one collects around 11 paperback volumes and come with exclusive sticker sheets and a slipcase box to store them in. Pricing ranges from $60-$80 for each discounted collection.

Check out the original long-running Fairy Tail anime on Blu-ray.

The original Fairy Tale also received its own anime adaptation. All 328 episodes of the show are available on Blu-ray and include Japanese with English subtitles and the English dub, as well as a few special features like clean credit sequences and promotional materials. Collections one through ten also come with DVD copies of the series, but starting with Collection 11, these changed to Blu-ray and digital streaming code combos.

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

Best MacBooks (2025): Which Apple Laptop Should You Buy?

by admin August 24, 2025

The bigger change is in how many external displays the M3 MacBook Air can support. While the M4 model can power up to two 4K external displays, the M3 MacBook Air can only do that if the lid of the laptop is shut. But if that isn’t a hang-up for you, you’ll likely be very happy with the cash you save going for an older model, especially if you opt for a refurbished or renewed version.

The Cheapest MacBook

Courtesy of Apple

Apple

MacBook Air (M1, 2020)

Apple doesn’t typically keep older MacBooks in its lineup officially. But for a few years now, the company has allowed Walmart to exclusively sell new versions of the MacBook that started it all: the M1 MacBook Air (9/10, WIRED Recommends) from 2020. This laptop with the original M1 chip is still a pretty powerful laptop at its lower price. It’s not the snazziest Apple laptop, but it lasts more than a full workday, with the battery hitting 22 percent after I ran it almost nonstop from 9 am to 7 pm using Safari and work apps like Slack.

Walmart recently dropped the price to $599, which is a configuration that comes with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage. That’s not the most impressive machine in the world, admittedly. Just keep in mind that while this M1 chip supports Apple Intelligence, it may struggle with some tasks due to the limited memory. Also, if you push it with too many browser tabs and apps running simultaneously, you may run into some slowdowns. Other downsides? The 720p webcam isn’t great, and the M1 only supports one external monitor.

This is an easy choice for students, although a recent rumor might make you want to wait if you’re not in a rush. Multiple reports indicate that Apple may announce a 12.9-inch budget MacBook that will retail for $599, very much taking the place of the M1 MacBook Air. This new MacBook will reportedly use the iPhone’s A18 Pro chip, a newer and faster processor than the M1.

A Breakdown of Each M-Series Chip

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All of Apple’s processors are scattered throughout different MacBook models. While Apple only currently sells M4 MacBooks, you can find older models at specific third-party retailers online either completely new or refurbished. If you do stumble upon its older chips (which came out four years ago), you might be wondering how they compare to other options. We break down the differences between each one.

M4 Series

M4: The M4 is the current entry-level chip and has a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU. Apple claims it delivers 1.8 times faster CPU performance and 2.2 times faster GPU performance than the M1. Meanwhile, the neural engine is over three times faster than the original and twice as fast as the M3. It also starts with 16 GB of unified memory, which will help power Apple Intelligence (the company’s suite of artificial intelligence features) a lot more smoothly. It’s available on the 14-inch MacBook Pro (2024), iMac (2024), and MacBook Air (13-inch and 15-inch, 2025).

M4 Pro: The M4 Pro has a 14-core CPU (which Apple claims is up to 1.9 times faster than the M1 Pro) and up to 20-core GPU, with up to 64 GB of unified memory. Built on a second-generation 3-nanometer process, it also supports enhanced GPU features like mesh shading and ray tracing—the latter of which is now twice as fast as on M3 chips. You’ll find it on the latest MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) and Mac Mini (2024).

M4 Max: This chip has a 16-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU with support for up to 128 GB of unified memory. Apple says the CPU is up to 2.2 times faster than the M1 Max, while the GPU is up to 1.9 times faster. As with the M4 Pro, it packs support for mesh shading and ray tracing. The M4 Max is currently the most powerful chip you can get in a MacBook, and is available on the latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro. You can also get it as an option in the current Mac Studio.

M3 Series

M3: The M3 is available on the 14-inch MacBook Pro (late 2023), 13-inch MacBook Air (2024), 15-inch MacBook Air (2024), and 24-inch iMac (2023). It packs an 8-core CPU and up to 10-core GPU with 24 GB of unified memory. When compared to the M1, Apple claims CPU performance is up to 35 percent faster and GPU performance is up to 65 percent faster. The company says the CPU and GPU are both 20 percent faster than the M2. As with the M1 and M2, it’s great for basic tasks like word processing, sending emails, using spreadsheets, and light gaming. With the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, you also have support for two external displays (one display with up to 6K resolution at 60 Hz and another with up to 5K resolution at 60 Hz).

M3 Pro: With a 12-core CPU and an 18-core GPU, Apple claims the M3 Pro’s GPU is only up to 10 percent faster than the M2 Pro—making this a marginal upgrade from its predecessor. Compared to the M1 Pro, however, the M2 Pro is up to 40 percent faster in GPU performance and 20 percent faster in CPU performance. It’s available on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro from 2023. It’s the ideal in-between for those who need a chip that’s more powerful than the M3 but won’t utilize the full power of the M3 Max.

M3 Max: This is the next step up from the M2 Max and the most powerful of the three chips (but still not as powerful as the M2 Ultra). It has a 16-core CPU, 40-core GPU, and up to 128 GB of unified memory. According to Apple, the CPU performance is up to 80 percent faster than the M1 Max and up to 50 percent faster than the M2 Max. As for GPU performance, it’s said to be up to 50 percent faster than the M1 Max and 20 percent faster than the M2 Max. The M3 Max is available on the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro (late 2023).

M3 Ultra: While the M3 lineup was introduced in 2023, Apple announced an M3 Ultra in 2025. It’s confusingly the most powerful chip in the M-series lineup—even better than the latest M4 Max. It has an up to 32-core CPU (with 24 performance cores) and a GPU with up to 80 cores. Apple claims it’s up to 2.5 times faster than the M1 Ultra. It also comes with 96 GB of unified memory, with the option to upgrade up to 512 GB, while SSD storage can be increased to 16 GB. This chip is currently only available on the 2025 Mac Studio.

M2 Series

M2: You might think the M2 is better than the M1 Pro or M1 Max, but you’d be wrong. It’s an entry-level chip like the M1, with slightly more processing power. It packs an 8-core CPU and up to a 10-core GPU (two more GPU cores than its predecessor), along with support for up to 24 GB of unified memory. Apple says the second-generation chip has an 18 percent faster CPU and a GPU that’s 35 percent more powerful. The M2 is great for daily tasks like word processing and web browsing, but tasks like editing multiple streams of 4K footage and 3D rendering should be reserved for the M1 Pro or M1 Max (or the next two chips). It’s available in the MacBook Air (13 inch, 2022), MacBook Air (15 inch, 2022), and MacBook Pro (13 inch, 2022).

M2 Pro: The M2 Pro is the next step up from the M2. It has up to 12 cores in the CPU and up to a 19-core GPU, with up to 32 GB of unified memory. Apple claims performance is up to 20 percent faster than the 10-core M1 Pro and graphics are 30 percent faster. We recommend this chip for intermediate video and photo editors. It’s a marginal upgrade compared to the M1 Pro, but it’s the best option for those who want a more future-proof processor. You’ll find it in the MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) from early 2023 and Mac Mini (2023).

M2 Max: The M2 Max packs up to a 12-core CPU and up to a 38-core GPU (with support for up to 96 GB of unified memory). According to Apple, graphics are 30 percent faster than the M1 Max. The M2 Max is an excellent choice for those who work with graphics-intensive content, including graphic design, 3D modeling, and heavy-duty video footage. But as with the M2 Pro, it’s an incremental upgrade if you’re coming from an M1 Max. It’s available in the MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) that came out early in 2023 and Mac Studio (2023).

M2 Ultra: This is the successor to the M1 Ultra. It’s available on the second-generation Mac Studio and the Mac Pro (2023). Composed of two M2 Max chips, using Apple’s UltraFusion technology, the M2 Ultra has a 24-core CPU and a GPU configurable with 60 or 76 cores. Apple claims the CPU delivers up to 20 percent faster performance and a 30 percent faster GPU than the M1 Ultra. This is the chip to get if you’re working with extremely heavy-duty content that you believe the M1 Ultra, M2 Pro, or M2 Max simply won’t be able to handle. You’ll know if you need a chip this robust.

M1 Series

M1: This is the first custom silicon Apple debuted for its MacBook Air in 2020. It has an 8-core CPU and up to an 8-core GPU. Originally, there was support for up to 16 GB of unified memory (RAM) at an extra cost, but nowadays you can only purchase the 8-GB model. It’s much faster than any previous Intel-powered MacBook Pro, and it is the practical choice for most people, as it’s in the most affordable MacBook Air you can buy (from third-party retailers). It packs more than enough processing power to get you through common day-to-day tasks—even light gaming—and it can handle more intense jobs like photo editing.

M1 Pro: Next step up is the M1 Pro. It has up to 10 cores in the CPU and up to a 16-core GPU, with up to 32 GB of unified memory. Apple says performance and graphics are both twice as fast as on the M1. We found it to be considerably more capable than the base chip, ideal for anyone who works heavily on MacBooks for music production or photo and video editing. Only the MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) from 2021 use this chip.

M1 Max: Like the M1 Pro, the M1 Max has a 10-core CPU but a heftier 32-core GPU (with support for up to 64 GB of unified memory). Apple says it’s four times faster than the M1 in terms of graphics. As proven in testing, this chip is extremely powerful and handles every heavy-duty task with ease. It was the go-to choice if you needed computer that could handle multiple streams of 8K or 4K video footage, 3D rendering, or developing apps and running demos. You probably already know whether you need this much power. It’s available in the MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch) from 2021.

M1 Ultra: The M1 Ultra is the second-most powerful of them all. It’s two M1 Max chips connected with a technology called UltraFusion. It packs a 20-core CPU, 64-core GPU (which can be configured with up to 128 GB of unified memory), and a 32-core neural engine—complete with seven times more transistors than the base M1. Even with the M3 Ultra now available, the M1 Ultra remains powerful and a solid option for anyone who needs a heavy-duty processor for working with intense visuals and graphics. It was available only on the first-generation Mac Studio.

Which MacBooks Are Compatible With MacOS Tahoe?

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Apple announced macOS Tahoe at its keynote at WWDC 2025. The update comes with a host of new features, including a visual redesign, a spruced up version of Spotlight, and a new Games app. The public beta will be available to download in July, with an official release later this fall.

MacOS Tahoe is the final version of macOS to support some Intel-based Macs. Specifically these are the last Intel-powered Macs to get macOS Tahoe:

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
iMac (27-inch, 2020)
Mac Pro (2019)

You won’t find these Macs on our recommended list below, but if you already own one, you’ll get one more big update this year, along with three years of security updates. All Macs with M-Series chips, going back to 2020, are compatible with macOS Tahoe.

Which Macs Support Apple Intelligence?

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With Apple’s current version of its operating system, macOS Sequoia, you’ll have access to Apple Intelligence—the company’s artificial intelligence features that are also available in iOS and iPadOS 18. Apple launched the first set of features with macOS Sequoia 15.1, including Writing Tools, an overhauled Siri, Smart Replies, and Mail Summaries, and Clean Up in Photos. However, Apple Intelligence is exclusive to Macs with the an M-series chip. This includes the following:

MacBook Air (M1, M2, M3, M4)
MacBook Pro (M1, M1 Pro, M1 Max, M2 Pro, M2 Max, M3, M3 Pro, M3 Max, M4, M4 Pro, M4 Max)
iMac (M1, M3, M4)
Mac Mini (M1, M2, M2 Pro, M4, M4 Pro)
Mac Studio (M1 Max, M1 Ultra, M2 Max, M2 Ultra, M3 Ultra)

Get AppleCare+ to Protect Your Devices

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None of Apple’s MacBooks are cheap, and replacement parts are nightmarishly expensive. Since the entire computer is fully integrated into Apple’s tightly designed aluminum chassis, you’re one coffee spill away from a shockingly large repair bill. This is why Apple’s AppleCare+ might be worthwhile. Remember, you have to purchase it within 60 days of purchasing your MacBook.

Apple offers the choice between monthly or yearly payments. Both include unlimited accidental protection along with 24/7 telephone support. If your MacBook has screen damage or enclosure damage, you’ll have to pay a $99 service fee, while other accidental damage will cost $299. The monthly payments vary depending on the specific MacBook you buy:

MacBook Air (13-inch): $7 per month or $70 per year
MacBook Air (15-inch): $8 per month or $100 per year
MacBook Pro (14-inch): $10 per month or $60 per year
MacBook Pro (16-inch): $15 per month or $150 per year

Take Advantage of Apple’s Education Discounts

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Apple always offers small discounts on hardware for students and teachers. All you need to do is purchase something through Apple’s Education Store, choose the product you want (you should see the discounted pricing), and go through the motions to place the order like normal. You don’t need to show any proof that you’re a student at the time of purchase, but you should be honest, as Apple can ask you at a later date for verification. It’s worth noting that the discounts are not as good as what you’ll find on Amazon and sometimes other retailers like Walmart, so be sure to check prices.

Is Now a Good Time to Buy?

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Yes. Apple released a 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro powered by the M4 chips in late 2024. The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air received the M4 treatment in March 2025. It’s also fine to buy M3-powered MacBooks if you can find them on sale, just make sure it’s the model with at least 16 GB of RAM.

Although the MacBook Pro has been updated each fall for the past few years, recent rumors indicate that the M5 MacBook Pro might be delayed until 2026. Neither the Pro or the Air are rumored to receive a significant overhaul in this next generation though, so now’s a safe time to buy.

The one caveat is that a cheaper, 12.9-inch MacBook is rumored to launch later this year. While it’s still just a rumor, multiple independent reports have now predicted the announcement, which is for a $599 MacBook powered by an A14 Pro chip. If you’re shopping at that price, it might be worth waiting a few months.

Other MacBooks to Consider

Apple releases new MacBooks at a quick pace, so you might feel inclined to buy the latest and greatest. These slightly older models are still good options, as long as you find them on sale for the right price. Apple no longer sells them directly, but we recommend checking third-party retailers (like Amazon, Best Buy, or B&H). Just cross-check the price with the latest models and make sure you’re spending less.

Photograph: Brenda Stolyar

MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch, Late 2023): The 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends) are powered by the M3 series chips. You can configure the 14-inch MacBook Pro with all three, while the 16-inch version can be paired with M3 Pro and M3 Max. The M3 is ideal if you want a few of the “Pro” features but don’t want to spend nearly $2,000 to get them, while the M3 Pro or M3 Max are great for tasks like editing 4K videos, rendering 3D models in CAD, and producing music.

MacBook Air (15-inch, 2023): The 15-inch MacBook Air M2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) packs all the same features as the 13-inch version, plus a larger screen. The M2 also offers great performance and good battery life (we squeezed about 10 hours out of it). The only problem is that it is sometimes only sold for marginally less than the M3 model, and sometimes only comes with 8GB of RAM. Keep that in mind as you consider pricing.

MacBook Pro (14-inch and 16-inch, Early 2023): If you don’t want to spend a ton of money on the latest 14-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pro (9/10, WIRED Recommends), the M2 Pro and M2 Max (which launched early in 2023) are more than capable of handling intensive, graphically demanding production work. In our testing, both the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro and the 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Max delivered smooth performance and playback after being put through stress tests (like editing 4K and RED Raw footage, as well as adding 3D effects). I recommend only snagging this one for around $1,500 or less.

MacBook Pro (14-Inch and 16-Inch, 2021): These MacBook Pro models (8/10, WIRED Recommends), powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max, were the start of a new era for Apple’s high-end machines. The company introduced a redesigned chassis with more ports, a 120-Hz refresh rate, and a MagSafe port. Even though these launched in late 2021, you don’t have to steer clear of them—both processors are still plenty powerful. In our testing, we found the M1 Max felt one-to-one with the $6,000+ older Mac Pro. It didn’t struggle at all while editing heavy-duty footage. However, it’s growing increasingly tough to find in stock at third-party retailers. If you do manage to locate one, I advise purchasing it only if it’s on sale for around $1,100 or less.

Great MacBook Accessories

Photograph: Baggu

There are a lot of MacBook accessories to enhance your experience, including cases and chargers for on-the-go and peripherals to use at your desk. Below, we’ve highlighted some of our top recommendations, but you can find more in our Best MacBook Accessories guide.

Incase Hardshell Case Dots (16-inch MacBook Pro) for $40: This is currently our favorite case for the MacBook. It has precise cutouts for all the ports, rubberized feet that keep it from sliding, and ventilation to help prevent the MacBook from overheating.

Baggu Puffy Laptop Sleeve for $32: This puffy laptop sleeve is adorable and protective. The Velcro enclosure is also strong enough that you don’t have to worry about your laptop accidentally sliding out.

Photograph: Branch

Branch Adjustable Laptop Stand for $65: This is our top pick in our Best Laptop Stands guide. It’s sturdy enough that it won’t bounce or shift while using it, lifts your screen to 7 inches high, and adjusts to any viewing angle. It also has a nice, clean look to it.

Logitech Casa Pop-Up Desk for $180: This is a great solution if you constantly work on the go but prefer using an external keyboard and mouse with your laptop. The Casa Pop-Up Desk comes with a keyboard and trackpad that fit into a compact case that doubles as a laptop stand.

Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (USB-C) for $149: Crafting a workstation around your MacBook? A stand-alone keyboard is a nice upgrade. It comes equipped with a Touch ID button, so you can use it to log in, download apps, and pay for purchases. It also has the same function row keys as M-series MacBooks, including a dedicated Do Not Disturb button, playback buttons, and a Mission Control key.

Photograph: Logitech

Logitech Lift for Mac for $80: This ergonomic mouse is an excellent choice if you spend a lot of time at your desk and deal with wrist pain. It has great battery life too—I’ve gone over a year without needing new batteries. You can program the buttons with Mac-specific features. Read our Best Ergonomic Mice guide for more.

Satechi USB-C Multiport 8K for $100: This hub is our top pick in our Best USB Hubs guide. It packs several USB-C ports, all of which are nicely labeled by their maximum speed. It can also handle intensive tasks in minutes, such as transferring hundreds of GBs of 6K footage. It’s worth noting, however, that it doesn’t have any USB-A ports.

BenQ 27-Inch IPS Monitor (GW2786TC) for $250: There are cheaper 1080p monitors, but none that accessorize MacBooks in such a classy way with its simple white design. You can connect up your MacBook while charging it at the same time, and it even has a 100-Hz refresh rate.

Dell 32 Plus QD-OLED for $850: If you’re in the Mac ecosystem as a creator, you need a monitor that’s designed for media and content creation. The Dell 32 Plus (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is one of the first OLED monitors that isn’t outrageously expensive while still being a proper HDR monitor and maintaining excellent color performance. On top of that, it’s a gorgeous and would look great next to a MacBook.

Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

NFT Gaming

Storage, not silicon, will trigger AI’s next breakthrough

by admin August 24, 2025

Disclosure: The views and opinions expressed here belong solely to the author and do not represent the views and opinions of crypto.news’ editorial.

The debate over graphics processing horsepower is old news. Those who succeed in the future will be those who master where data resides. As global data creation continues to explode, lagging firms will be left locked out of the next stage of innovation.

Summary

Data volumes are exploding, with global creation projected to surpass 200 zettabytes by end-2025, more than all prior human output combined.
Centralized cloud storage is the AI bottleneck, inflating costs by up to 80% with egress fees and slowing large-scale data transfers to days.
Decentralized storage networks offer a fix, sharding data across independent nodes and embedding cryptographic proofs for compliance-ready audit trails.
Regulation like the EU AI Act raises the stakes, forcing provable data provenance—making storage a strategic priority, not a background utility.

Data creation is projected to crest 200 zettabytes worldwide by the end of 2025; that’s enough to stream every film ever made more than 100 billion times. This estimate involves more digital matter than humankind has generated in every prior year combined.

In tandem with this surge, research teams have revealed the first publicly released trillion-parameter language model. This behemoth model, whose training corpus alone would have filled entire national archives ten years ago, is an example of such a Leviathan that consumes petabytes an hour.

Without storage pipelines that can ingest, stage, and stream data at these newfound scales, even the fastest processors will suffer in idle frustration.

Centralized clouds are the new bottleneck

Most organizations still rely on a handful of hyperscale storage silos engineered for web apps, not frontier science. The financial drag is brutal.

An industry audit published in April revealed that hidden egress and retrieval charges can increase real storage costs by up to 80%, rendering routine model retraining a budget-breaking endeavor. Worse, moving tens of petabytes across regions can take days; an eternity when competitive advantage is measured in iteration cycles.

Centralization, therefore, does more than inflate invoices; it embeds inequality directly into the artificial intelligence economy, giving incumbents with deeper pockets an automatic edge over all others. In response to this reality, a different blueprint is gaining momentum as decentralized storage networks that shard data across thousands of independent nodes pave the way for a future built on equal footing.

Equally vital is the need for transparent audit trails that satisfy looming disclosure mandates on how trading data is sourced, curated, and governed. Ultimately, regulation will be the deciding factor in whether tomorrow’s models see the light of day or face litigation.

Storage’s new stress test

Real-time AI now extends far beyond the data center wall, pushing models to factory floors, hospitals, and autonomous vehicles. At these edges, a millisecond lost to sluggish I/O can trigger a production fault or a safety risk.

The latest MLPerf Storage v2.0 benchmarks prove the strain: checkpointing a GPT-class workload across 10,000 accelerators now takes 37 seconds, and even a 100,000-GPU supercluster still stalls for 4.4 seconds while waiting on disks rather than performing mathematical operations.

Unless pipelines can deliver petabytes in bursts and then replicate the same data to thousands of micro-sites, ‘edge-AI’ will remain more keynote than reality. Analysts are already echoing the warning that storage throughput, not memory or networking, will be the number one bottleneck throttling next-gen clusters.

Regulation adds another layer of urgency, such as the European Union’s AI Act, which entered its second enforcement wave on August 2 — forcing general-purpose model providers to document every shard of training data…or risk fines of up to 7% of global turnover.

Centralized silos struggle to satisfy this mandate. Duplicative copies blur provenance, and opaque egress logs make audit trails a nightmare for accountants. By contrast, decentralized networks embed cryptographic proofs of replication into their very fabric, turning compliance into a byproduct rather than an expensive add-on.

Ignore storage at the cost of peril

With edge latency measured in microseconds and legal penalties measured in billions, storage is no longer a background utility; it is the only substrate on which tomorrow’s AI can legally and physically run. Firms that still treat capacity as a commodity line item are courting technical debt and regulatory shock in equal measure.

Compute innovation will continue to steal headlines, but without an equally radical rethink of where (and how) data resides, the most advanced silicon will sit idle as costs and compliance risks spiral.

The race for AI dominance is on, and it will be won by those who elevate storage to a first-class strategic priority, embrace decentralization, and build audit-ready pipelines that scale from core to edge. Everyone else will discover that no amount of GPU power can outrun a bottleneck built into the very foundations of their stack.

Kai Wawrzinek

Kai Wawrzinek is a co-founder of the Impossible Cloud & Impossible Cloud Network. He is a seasoned entrepreneur with a Ph.D. in Law and a proven track record of building successful ventures. Recognizing the need for enterprise-grade solutions in the web3 space, Kai founded Impossible Cloud Network (ICN), a decentralized cloud platform aimed at creating a decentralized alternative to AWS. Before ICN, Kai founded Goodgame Studios, an online game company, and grew the company to over 1,000 employees and generated more than €1 billion in revenue, taking it public on Nasdaq in 2018 through a reverse merger.

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Fed Rate Social Media Mentions Surge Is A Red Flag For Crypto

by admin August 24, 2025

The surge in social media chatter around the highly anticipated US Federal Reserve September interest rate decision could be a warning sign for crypto, says sentiment platform Santiment.

It comes after the crypto market rallied on Friday and market sentiment returned to greed following Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s dovish remarks at the annual Jackson Hole economic symposium. He hinted that the first rate cut of 2025 could come in September.

“Historically, such a massive spike in discussion around a single bullish narrative can indicate that euphoria is getting too high and may signal a local top,” Santiment said in a report on Saturday. The firm said that social media mentions of keywords tied to the Fed and interest rate cuts have jumped to their highest level in 11 months.

Santiment urges caution as analysts are divided

“While optimism about a rate cut is fueling the market, social data suggests caution is warranted,” Santiment said.

Santiment has detected an increase in mentions of the keywords: Fed, rate, cut, and Powell. Source: Santiment

Powell said during his speech on Friday that current conditions in inflation and the labor market “may warrant adjusting” the Fed’s monetary policy stance. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, 75% of market participants expect a rate cut at the September meeting.

Many crypto analysts have based their crypto market forecasts on the Fed’s decisions throughout this year. While some see a rate cut as a potential bullish catalyst, others are divided on the outcome.

Source: Coinbase Institutional

After Powell’s speech, crypto trader Ash Crypto said, “the Fed will start the money printers in Q4 of this year,” along with two rate cuts, which means “trillions will flow into the crypto market.”

“We are about to enter parabolic phase where Altcoins will explode 10x -50x,” Ash Crypto said.

Analyst warns crypto may face short-term pressure

Others suggest that the crypto market may not immediately see the impact of a Fed rate cut.

On April 11, 10x Research head of research Markus Thielen said, “Expecting a bullish impulse is too early.” He said that while a longer-term price opportunity for Bitcoin (BTC) could emerge, it may face short-term pressure driven by recession fears.

Related: BTC climbed to 1.7% of global money before Fed chair signaled rate cut

Meanwhile, some say that if the Fed takes no action this year, it could lead to headwinds for the crypto market.

On March 9, network economist Timothy Peterson warned that if the Fed holds off on rate cuts in 2025, it may cause a broader crypto market downturn.

Magazine: Can privacy survive in US crypto policy after Roman Storm’s conviction?

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

OLED Burn-In: What You Need to Know for TVs, Phones and More

by admin August 24, 2025

The best TVs, the best phones and one of the best game consoles — the Nintendo Switch OLED — have one thing in common: They have OLED screens. Organic light-emitting diode screens offer performance that a traditional LCD screen just can’t match. They have incredible contrast ratios that make the image look much more lifelike. It’s why companies like LG, Sony, and now Samsung have OLED at the top of their TV model lines. The same is true for Apple, Samsung, Google and others on the phone side. OLED screens offer the best picture quality currently available. Unfortunately, there is one, big potential downside: burn-in.

Burn-in is when part of an image — such as navigation buttons, persistent icons on a phone, a channel logo, news ticker or a scoreboard on a TV — remains visible as a ghostly background no matter what else appears onscreen. Apple’s support page for the OLED screen iPhones touts that they’ve been designed to reduce the effects of OLED burn-in, even as it acknowledges that burn-in can occur in “extreme cases.” Google’s Pixel phone support page says burn-in can happen “when the same image stays on your screen for a long time at a high brightness” and recommends steps to reduce it.

Brett Pearce/CNET

In the TV world, LG has a page that says “It is rare for an average TV consumer to create an environment that could result in burn-in.” Nonetheless, stories of OLED burn-in don’t seem rare online, with owners on YouTube, forums and social media reporting the issue. Reviews site RTings has also demonstrated burn-in with long-term tests (more on that below).

The fact is that all organic light-emitting diode screens can experience burn-in, and from everything we know, they’re more susceptible than standard liquid crystal displays (LCDs), which at the moment is every mainstream TV that’s not OLED.

If the mere possibility of burn-in is your primary concern, the decision is simple: Buy an LCD-based display instead. Know that you’re sacrificing the best picture quality that money can buy. Here are some points to keep in mind:

Burn-in is possible with OLED, but not likely with normal use.
Most “burn-in” is image retention, which goes away after a few minutes.
You’ll almost certainly see image retention long before it becomes permanent burn-in.
Generally speaking, burn-in is something to be aware of, but not worry about.

Burn-in can be caused by leaving a single image onscreen for a very long time.

Is screen burn-in still a problem? Not for most people

All things considered, burn-in shouldn’t be a problem for most people. That’s why we at CNET continue to recommend OLED-based TVs, phones and other devices in our reviews. From all of the evidence we’ve seen, burn-in is typically caused by leaving a single, static image element, like a channel logo or “chyron”, onscreen for a very long time, repeatedly.

If you, like most people, watch a variety of content on your TV, phone, or other device with an OLED screen, you’re not going to need to worry about burn-in.

How to avoid burn-in on an OLED screen

What can you do to prevent burn-in on that new TV? As I mentioned, vary what you watch a bit. In particular, don’t watch something that has the same static areas displayed onscreen, nonstop for days on end.

Both Sony and LG told CNET that the best way to prevent burn-in or image retention on their TVs is to avoid static images.

“To avoid the possibility of burn-in, consumers should avoid leaving static images on an OLED screen for long periods of time. For example, leaving a video game paused onscreen for several hours or days,” a Sony spokesperson said.

The logos and news tickers on cable news channels are examples of those static areas — they have elements that never move, and they remain on screen the entire time you’re watching. That means if you leave your TV running Fox News, CNN, MSNBC or ESPN all day long and don’t watch enough other programming, you’re more likely to get burn-in. Or at least, image retention, which we’ll discuss in a moment. If you play the same game for 8 hours a day, every day, the onscreen status display or HUD is also a likely culprit for burn-in.

To repeat, you can watch those channels, play games or whatever else to use your TV as a TV, your phone as a phone, etc. You just shouldn’t watch only those channels, all day every day. And if that sounds extreme, know that emails I’ve gotten from readers about burn-in always have some variation on “well I only watched that channel for 5 hours a day.” If that sounds like you, get an LCD.

As long as you vary what’s displayed, chances are you’ll never experience burn-in. That varied content will age your screen evenly. In 24-hours, you could watch a movie, play some games or binge some TV shows, and they’re all varied enough that you should be fine.

The RTings torture test I mentioned above lasted the equivalent of 5 years of use and it still says “Our stance remains the same, we don’t expect most people who watch varied content without static areas to experience burn-in issues with an OLED TV.” It has updated its testing with some of the new QD-OLED models. More on that in its own section below.

Nintendo Switch OLED: What to know about burn-in on your gaming console’s screen

Dan Ackerman/CNET

Nintendo updated its beloved Switch handheld gaming console with a few improvements, including an OLED screen. This offers a far better image than the fairly unimpressive screen on the original Switch. As you’ve read above, games are one of the potential issues that could lead to image retention or, worst case, burn-in. Here’s what Nintendo had to say when CNET asked about burn-in:

We’ve designed the OLED screen to aim for longevity as much as possible, but OLED displays can experience image retention if subjected to static visuals over a long period of time. However, users can take preventative measures to preserve the screen [by] utilizing features included in the Nintendo Switch systems by default, such as auto-brightness function to prevent the screen from getting too bright, and the auto-sleep function to go into ‘auto sleep’ mode after short periods of time.

Which is to say, Nintendo is fully aware of this potential issue and has taken steps to minimize the risk. Despite many games having static HUDs, you’d need to play just that one game, for hours upon hours, every day without ever using the screen for anything else, at the highest brightness settings.

If that’s you and you regularly play only one game all day, every day, for weeks with brightness set to maximum, get the non-OLED version of the Switch, which is cheaper anyway. For everyone else, the better image quality of the OLED version might be worth the upgrade.

Read more: Nintendo Switch OLED screen burn-in: Why you shouldn’t be worried

Image retention vs. burn-in: What’s the difference?

Let’s get the descriptions right. Though often used interchangeably, “image retention” and “burn-in” are not the same thing.

Image retention is temporary: It goes away in time.
Burn-in is permanent: It does not go away.

Image retention occurs when parts of an image temporarily “stick” on the screen after that image is gone. Let’s say for an hour you’re looking at a still picture of a white puppy (hey, you do you, I won’t judge). Then you decide to watch a movie. Let’s say Best in Show, because you’re keeping with your theme. As you’re watching you can still see the white puppy image, as if it’s a ghost on the screen, staring at your soul.

You’re not crazy, probably. That’s just an extreme case of image retention. Chances are it will go away on its own as you watch stuff that isn’t the same still image of the puppy.

Enlarge Image

Here’s a section of a 2018 LG C8 OLED TV screen displaying a gray test pattern after 5 hours of watching CNN in the brightest (Vivid) mode. They’re the same image, but we’ve circled the section with the logo on the right to highlight it. To see it better, turn up the brightness. In person, it’s more visible in a dark room, but much less visible with moving images as opposed to a test pattern. Since it disappeared after running LG’s Pixel Refresher (see below), this is an example of image retention and not burn-in.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Now imagine you leave your TV on for days or weeks instead of hours, showing the same image the whole time. Then you might be in trouble. With image retention, usually just watching something else for a while will make the ghost image disappear. With burn-in, it’s going to remain there for a while. Maybe not forever, but perhaps longer than you’d want. Anything that stays on screen for a long time and doesn’t change can cause image retention and perhaps, eventually, burn-in.

With your phone, the operating system itself is one of the most likely candidates to cause the issue. My 2015
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge
started to get burn-in after about a year. It started showing up very subtly, but after 18 months I bet most people would have noticed it. The top info bar where the notifications appear, and the lower third where the keyboard would show, didn’t age as much as the remaining middle area. Since it was brighter, the middle area aged faster, so it “burned in” more. I noticed the difference if I was watching something full screen, a video say, and the image went to a solid color. After 2+ years with a Pixel 2 (not the XL), which also has an OLED screen, no burn-in was apparent. Six years on with the S6 Edge, now in the not-so-careful hands of a friend, the burn-in doesn’t seem to have gotten any worse compared to mid-2017.

Apple, for one, flags users of OLED-screened iPhones, like the X, 11 and 12, that burn-in is a possibility. Here’s the quote from its support page for the products:

With extended long-term use, OLED displays can also show slight visual changes. This is also expected behavior and can include “image persistence” or “burn-in,” where the display shows a faint remnant of an image even after a new image appears on the screen. This can occur in more extreme cases such as when the same high contrast image is continuously displayed for prolonged periods of time. We’ve engineered the Super Retina and Super Retina XDR displays to be the best in the industry in reducing the effects of OLED “burn-in.”

What’s colloquially called “burn-in” is actually, with OLED, uneven aging. OLEDs don’t “burn in” as much as they “burn down.” The candle that burns twice as bright burns half as long, right? OLED pixels very, very slowly get dimmer as they’re used. In most cases this isn’t an issue since you’re watching varied content and all the pixels, on average, get used the same amount. But if you’re only watching one thing, that one thing could cause uneven wear. Visually, and in the vernacular, this wear is called “burn-in.” “Uneven wear” is more accurate, but it also has a lot more syllables.

Also, OLED technology has gotten better. Billions of dollars have been spent on OLED manufacturing and R&D, and that’s ongoing. Stories you may have heard about “burn-in” likely entered the zeitgeist years ago about older OLED displays. You just don’t hear about newer OLEDs having these issues, except in extreme situations like those discussed above. You’d likely hear a LOT more stories about OLED now that the two largest phone manufacturers, and many smaller ones, use OLEDs in millions of phones and have for years.

Testing found burn-in is more likely for OLED screens than LCD

CNET has not conducted any long-term real-world tests of OLED burn-in. In our experience reviewing TVs, CNET has seen image retention on OLEDs that disappeared quickly, for example after running a series of static test patterns, but nothing permanent.

The most comprehensive independent tests for burn-in on TVs were run by the review site RTings. In August 2017 they began their burn-in torture test with LCD and OLED TVs, followed by a “real life” torture test in 2018. They stopped regularly updating the test in 2020, but that was after the equivalent of 5 years of normal use on multiple TVs, and still, they felt that most people would never have an issue with burn-in.

Before you check it out, keep in mind what they’re doing is not normal use. You’d have to be trying to wreck a TV to make it look that bad, which is literally what they’re trying to do. That said, the information is still valuable, and the main takeaway is that OLED is indeed more susceptible to burn-in than LCD.

RTings started a new test of 100 TVs in early 2023, hoping to get a sense of longevity between brands and models. This test doesn’t focus specifically on burn-in, but burn-in and image retention will be measured and high rates of either will certainly dock longevity points.

What about QD-OLED?

Samsung

Samsung and Sony also have a version of OLED that includes quantum dots. All the panels are made by Samsung at a new factory in South Korea. These QD-OLEDs have the potential to outperform LG’s version of OLED, referred to as “WOLED” due to its use of a white sub-pixel. Theoretically, QD-OLED shouldn’t be any more susceptible to burn-in, but some recent tests by RTings have found some interesting results in some early accelerated testing.

After three months of constant use running images likely to burn in (i.e. not mixed content like most people would watch on a display), QD-OLED TVs from Samsung and Sony are showing signs of burn-in, while the LGs in the same test are not. Their current working theory is that, because the white sub-pixel allows for brighter white parts of an image, aka the most likely to burn in, it doesn’t degrade the colored subpixels, which all have to run at maximum in a QD-OLED to create white. On a WOLED TV, there’s less of a chance for these burn-in-prone areas to do so.

Does this change our opinion about OLED? No, and it doesn’t change RTings’ opinion either. Its test is an extreme use case. Essentially watching CNN, and only CNN, for 4 hours a day for 8 months. I don’t recommend anyone watch any news channel that much for myriad reasons, not least because the scrolling ticker at the bottom could burn in. It might give computer users pause, at least those considering QD-OLED computer monitors, which are starting to appear on the market.

Screen burn-in is (usually) not covered under warranty

In their warranties, LG and Sony explicitly state that image retention and burn-in are not covered on their OLED TVs. When CNET reached out to LG a couple to ask why, a representative replied:

“There is generally no warranty coverage for image retention by TV companies and display manufacturers. Image retention may result when consumers are out of normal viewing conditions, and most manufacturers do not support warranty for such usage regardless of the type of display,” said Tim Alessi, former director of new products at LG.

Sony’s reply was similar: “Our warranty covers product and manufacturing defects. Burn-in is not covered as it is caused by consumer usage and is not a product defect.”

Neither the iPhone warranty nor AppleCare explicitly mention burn-in, but neither apply to “normal wear and tear,” and Apple’s support page above makes clear that it considers burn-in “expected.”

It’s also worth mentioning that most LCD TV warranties don’t cover burn-in either and most don’t mention it at all. The closest Samsung’s warranty comes on its QLED TVs, for example, is to specifically exclude coverage of “brightness related to normal aging or any other issues if the TV is used for commercial or non-normal consumer use. Samsung does not warrant uninterrupted or error-free operation of the product.”

When CNET reached out to Samsung for details, the representative defined “normal consumer use” as “use of the product by consumers in a home environment for viewing content and/or gaming in a typical manner. It doesn’t cover business use.” In other words, those ESPN logos you see burned into the screens at your local sports bar would not be covered.

Extended warranties don’t typically cover burn-in either. One of the most common, SquareTrade, is available from Amazon,
Walmart
, and others. They explicitly don’t cover burn-in. Best Buy’s Geek Squad Protection Plan might, depending on when you bought it. The latest version only explicitly covers burn-in on phones.

How to use a TV’s image refresh technologies

The unfortunate fact is that if you do get burn-in on your OLED display, you’re pretty much stuck with it. So your best bet is to avoid it altogether. How? Apart from avoiding static images, here’s what else you can do.

Firstly, turning down the brightness (controlled by “OLED Light” on LG’s sets, and Brightness on Sonys) will help, especially when you’re watching the content that causes the image retention. Choosing a dimmer picture mode, like Cinema instead of Vivid, has the same effect. You’d only need to do this when watching something that causes image retention, like a video game for six hours every night, or 24-hour cable news for 24 hours straight.

OLED TVs, like the 2018 LG shown here, have a few different ways to avoid and try to fix image retention.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Pretty much all OLED TVs also have user settings to minimize the chance of uneven wear or burn-in. One is called something like “Screen Shift” (on LGs) or “Pixel Shift” (on Sony’s), which moves the image slightly around the screen. They also have built-in screensavers that pop up after extended idle time. You should also enable screen savers on connected devices like game consoles and streamers.

To remove image retention, the TVs can also perform “refreshers” on a daily or longer-term basis. On Sony TVs the feature is called “Panel Refresh,” and LG calls it “Pixel Refresher.” It can be run manually if you notice image retention or, in the case of LG, you’ll get a reminder to run it after 2,000 hours.

LG also has a Daily Pixel Refresher, which it says “automatically operates when users turn off the TV after watching it for more than four hours in total. For example, if a user watched TV for two hours yesterday and three hours today (more than four hours in total), when powered off the Daily Pixel Refresher will automatically run, deal with potential image retention issues, and reset the operation time. This process will occur when the TV is powered off after every four hours of cumulative use, even if it’s in one sitting.”

In all cases, the pixel refresher looks like a horizontal line that runs down the screen, for an hour or more. It’s designed to even the wear on pixels.

Here’s the Panel Refresh screen on Sony’s A1E OLED TV. Just like on LG’s OLEDs, it’s designed to remove image retention by scrolling a horizontal bar down the screen for an hour or so.

David Katzmaier/CNET

When it comes to phones I wouldn’t be too concerned, since it’s likely you’ll replace the phone far sooner than any image retention/burn-in issues become bothersome. Regarding my aforementioned S6 Edge, even though I noticed it, I wouldn’t say the burn-in reduced my enjoyment of the phone. I was never watching a video and thinking, “Wow, I can’t enjoy this video because of the burn-in.” Since the phone was in use by its second owner twice as long as I had it, and was only let down by its battery, burn-in clearly wasn’t a dealbreaker. My friend replaced it with a Pixel 4a, which also has an OLED screen. Even after 4 years with that screen, he still preferred to get a phone with OLED.

With TVs, beyond the methods outlined above, there’s not much you can do to reverse burn-in. In theory, I suppose, you could create an inverse image using Photoshop and run that on your screen for a while. This could age the rest of the panel to more evenly match the “burned in” area. Figuring out how to do this is well beyond the scope of this article, and you’d need to be pretty well-versed in Photoshop to even attempt it.

The recap: Most people shouldn’t worry about OLED burn-in

You’ve noticed a ghostly image on your TV or phone screen. If it goes away after a few minutes of watching something else, it’s image retention and it’s probably nothing to worry about. If it “sticks” longer, or you’re repeatedly seeing that same residual image, it’s burn-in. With phones, you’ll likely replace it before the screen becomes an issue.

With OLED TVs, it’s something to keep in mind if you’re a TV news junkie, or only ever play one video game. Keep an eye out for image retention or uneven wear. If you spot it, perhaps switch up your viewing habits, adjust the TV’s settings, or run the pixel refresher a few times. If you watch content with hours of the same static image each day, or just keep CNN, Fox or CNBC on in the background all day, you should probably get an LCD TV.

If you vary your TV viewing habits like most people, however, it won’t be an issue. Even so, caveat emptor. Or as Caesar himself once said, “Conscientiam autem ardeat sed non anxius” (be aware of burn-in, but not concerned). He was, we hear, a big iPhone fan.

As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000-mile road trips, and more. Check out Tech Treks for all his tours and adventures.

He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines and a sequel. You can follow his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

Esports

US Open 2025: Tennis schedule, how to watch on ESPN

by admin August 24, 2025

Aug 22, 2025, 05:26 PM ET

The US Open broke records in 2024 by offering the largest purse in tennis history. The final Grand Slam tournament of 2025 is upping the ante this year.

The 2025 US Open will be the first tennis event to reach $90 million in total player compensation, topping the $75 million at stake last summer. The total marks a 20% increase. Reigning men’s and women’s singles champions Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka will look to defend their crowns in New York and take home a respective winning share of $5 million.

ESPN will present exclusive coverage of the three-week tournament across ESPN’s family of networks and digital platforms. Check out key facts about the 2025 event below:

Editor’s Picks

2 Related

When is the US Open?

The 2025 US Open runs from Sunday, Aug. 24 to Sunday, Sept. 7.

How can fans watch?

ESPN’s exclusive coverage of the main draw begins Aug. 24 at noon ET on ABC. It marks the first time the tournament opens on a Sunday, and the first time coverage begins on ABC. Fans can also catch daily marathon coverage from all courts on ESPN and in the US Open streaming hub.

What is the US Open championship schedule?

* All times are Eastern

** All streams are available in the ESPN App

Sunday, Aug. 24: Traditional broadcast coverage begins at 11:00 a.m. on ESPN2 and 12 p.m. on ABC. Individual court streams begin at 11 a.m..

Monday, Aug. 25: Traditional broadcast coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN. Individual court streams begin at 11 a.m..

Tuesday, Aug. 26: Traditional broadcast coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN. Individual court streams begin at 11 a.m..

Wednesday, Aug. 27: Traditional broadcast coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN. Individual court streams begin at 11 a.m..

Thursday, Aug. 28: Traditional broadcast coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN and 5 p.m. on ESPN2. Individual court streams begin at 11 a.m..

Friday, Aug. 29: Traditional broadcast coverage begins at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN and 6 p.m. on ESPN2. Individual court streams begin at 11 a.m..

Saturday, Aug. 30: Traditional broadcast coverage begins at 11 a.m. on ESPN2. Individual court streams begin at 11 a.m..

Sunday, Aug. 31: Traditional broadcast coverage begins at 11 a.m. on ESPN, 3 p.m. on ABC and 6 p.m. on ESPN2. Individual court streams begin at 11 a.m..

Monday, Sept. 1: Traditional broadcast coverage of the round of 16 begins at 11:00 a.m. on ESPN. Individual court streams begin at 11 a.m..

Tuesday, Sept. 2: Traditional broadcast coverage of the quarterfinals begins at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN. Individual court streams begin at 11 a.m..

Wednesday, Sept. 3: Traditional broadcast coverage of the quarterfinals begins at 11:30 a.m. on ESPN. Individual court streams begin at 11 a.m..

Thursday, Sept. 4: Traditional broadcast coverage of the women’s semifinals begins at 7 p.m. on ESPN. Individual court streams begin at 12 p.m..

Friday, Sept. 5: Traditional broadcast coverage of the women’s doubles championship begins at 12 p.m. on ESPN2. The men’s semifinals begins at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. on ESPN. Individual court streams begin at 12 p.m..

Saturday, Sept. 6: Traditional broadcast coverage of the women’s championship begins at 4 p.m. on ESPN. Individual court streams begin at 12 p.m..

Sunday, Sept. 7: Traditional broadcast coverage of the men’s championship begins at 8 p.m. on ESPN2. Individual court streams begin at 12 p.m..

How can fans access more tennis content from ESPN?

Check out the ESPN tennis hub page for the latest news, features, rankings, scores and more.

Where can fans learn more about how to watch and stream ESPN?

Fans can explore ESPN’s streaming plans on this sign-up page.

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

1,200 Criminals Arrested in Crypto Clampdown: Interpol

by admin August 24, 2025

In brief

Interpol’s Operation Serengeti 2.0 resulted in arrests of over 1,200 cybercriminals across 18 African countries and the U.K., with $97.4 million confiscated.
Angola dismantled 25 illegal crypto mining centers run by Chinese nationals, seizing $37 million worth of equipment and power stations.
Zambian authorities broke up a massive online investment fraud scheme that defrauded 65,000 victims of $300 million through fake crypto investments.

Interpol has arrested more than 1,200 cybercriminals who have collectively targeted 88,000 victims—including through cryptocurrency scams.

A “sweeping” effort saw 18 African countries and the U.K. unite for Operation Serengeti 2.0, with more than $97.4 million confiscated as a result.

In Angola, 25 crypto mining centers were dismantled, amid allegations that 60 Chinese nationals had been illegally validating blockchain transactions and earning digital assets as a result.

Officials say mining equipment and 45 illicit power stations worth over $37 million were seized, which will now be used to distribute power in poorer areas.

Meanwhile, Zambian authorities broke up a “large-scale online investment fraud scheme” that led 65,000 people to lose $300 million.

Victims were encouraged to invest in digital assets after being lured in by aggressive advertising campaigns that promoted attractive returns.

“Authorities arrested 15 individuals and seized key evidence including domains, mobile numbers and bank accounts. Investigations are ongoing with efforts focused on tracking down overseas collaborators,” the Interpol statement added.

In separate developments, a suspected human trafficking network was disrupted in the country, with 372 forged passports from seven countries seized as a result.

Prior to Operation Serengeti 2.0 taking place, investigators had undergone training in blockchain analytics and ransomware analysis—familiarizing themselves with open-source intelligence tools.

“Each Interpol-coordinated operation builds on the last, deepening cooperation, increasing information sharing and developing investigative skills across member countries,” said Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza.

The law enforcement agency added that the scale of the arrests “underscores the global reach of cybercrime and the urgent need for cross-border cooperation.”

The operation was funded by the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. A spokesperson for the FCDO told Decrypt that the operation “helped dismantle a network of cyber criminals and scammers who seek to destabilize our societies.”

“The UK will continue to use all tools at our disposal to protect our national security and support our international partners in tackling cyber-crime,” the spokesperson added.

In other developments, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it has deported dozens of people convicted of “cyberterrorism and internet fraud,” primarily from China and the Philippines.

Some of those cases involved romance scams, with victims deceived into handing over cash for bogus crypto investments.

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Stunning New H.P. Lovecraft Complete Box Set Restocked At Amazon

by admin August 24, 2025

H.P. Lovecraft is responsible for a long list of classic horror stories that continue to be highly influential in the world of literature, film, television, and video games. The author’s blend of unsettling cosmic horror with sci-fi/fantasy and Gothic settings–almost always with an ample dose of weird–is so recognizable that the word Lovecraftian is used to describe stories inspired by his work. Stories like The Call of Cthulhu and At the Mountains of Madness are still well-worth reading nearly 100 years after they were first published. Those stories and the rest of Lovecraft’s writings are now available in a premium box set that looks absolutely stunning.

The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society worked with publisher Weldon Owen–an imprint of Insight Editions–to craft a comprehensive two-volume collection called The H.P. Lovecraft Experience Deluxe Box Set. It quickly sold out on release day (August 5) earlier this month, but it’s back in stock for $97.64 (was $100) on August 22.

$97.64 (was $100)

This is almost certainly the most stunning Lovecraft collection you can find at a major retailer or bookstore.

The 1,888-page collection is spread across two striking, dark green volumes hardbound in leatherette to resemble high-quality books from Lovecraft’s time. The cover and spines have foil-stamped insignias and lettering.

The H.P. Lovecraft Experience includes all of the author’s work, so this is a one-stop shop for his novels, novellas, short stories, and other writings.

The two books are packaged inside a sculpted display case featuring a new 3D depiction of Cthulhu. When we say 3D, we mean that Cthulhu rises from the surface of the case, which makes the cosmic entity more terrifying than it already is.

The oversized display box houses more than just the two books, though. The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society created a brand-new Reader’s Guide that examines 10 of Lovecraft’s short stories. The guidebook was written by Sean Branney and Andrew Leman, the co-founders of the Lovecraft Historical Society, and should be an interesting read for newcomers and experienced readers alike. The Reader’s Guide matches the look of the two main volumes, but it’s sized like notebook. The format here keeps with the overarching theme of the collectibles.

All of the supplements are tied to Miskatonic University, a fictional Massachusetts college that plays a major role in many of Lovecraft’s stories, including all of his work related to the Cthulhu.

Big Lovecraft fans will probably want to frame their diploma from Miskatonic University that’s included here–but only after you follow The Undergraduate Course Book, presented as a small booklet. Other Miskatonic-themed collectibles you’ll find in the box include a bookmark, a library card, a patch, and a decal.

The H.P. Lovecraft Experience is also available as a Kindle ebook for $20. Obviously, you’ll miss out on the collectibles and premium presentation, but you’ll still get both volumes and the Reader’s Guide.

The H.P. Lovecraft Experience Deluxe Box Set

Gallery

More Lovecraft Box Sets & Collections

Since most of Lovecraft’s work is in the public domain, you can read many of his horror stories for free online. You’ll also find a dizzying number of Lovecraft collections on Amazon. But keep in mind that Lovecraft being in the public domain means that there are a lot of terribly designed editions created by random people across the world.

Strangely, The H.P. Lovecraft Experience is one of the rare editions of the author’s complete writings that actually looks nice. There are cheaper options that that readers like, but they aren’t always as comprehensive.

One solid budget-friendly option is The H.P. Lovecraft Collection: 6-Book Deluxe Box Set. The set includes clothbound editions of six of the author’s best-known works in a display box. The artwork and cover designs aren’t super exciting, but the books themselves are well-made. It’s on sale for $28 (was $60) at Amazon. Here’s the list of books included in the box set:

At the Mountains of Madness
The Dunwich Horror
The Call of Cthulhu
The Shadow over Innsmouth
Polaris
The Color Out of Space
Rats in the Walls

The same publisher released The Necronomicon: 5-Book Box Set in paperback in 2021. The Necronomicon includes Lovecraft stories as well Cthulhu Mythos tales by other authors. You can get The Necronomicon Box Set for $23 (was $40).

H.P. Lovecraft: The Complete Fiction – Barnes & Noble Collectible Edition

We’d also recommend the Barnes & Noble Collectible Edition of Lovecraft’s Complete Fiction. This beautiful hardcover edition has a premium binding, illustrated endpapers, and a ribbon bookmark. Plus, it’s only $27 (was $30) and is eligible for Barnes & Noble’s Buy One, Get One 50% off Collectible Edition sale until September 2.

For another respected edition, check out The Complete Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft for $14 (was $18). This 1,112-page hardcover was published by Chartwell Books in 2016 and remains a great option today. The Complete Tales of H.P. Lovecraft, published in 2019 by Rock Point, is essentially the same book, but it has more evocative cover art–though it costs roughly $19.60 (was $35).

H.P. Lovecraft Manga Adaptations

H.P. Lovecraft manga adaptations by Gou Tanabe (Dark Horse Manga)

Lovecraft fans and horror manga readers in general should definitely check out the manga adaptations of Lovecraft’s work. Written and illustrated by Gou Tanabe and translated to English by Zack Davisson, the manga is hauntingly beautiful. You can probably already tell by the cover art above, but Tanabe’s illustrations are simply incredible.

Five Lovecraft manga adaptations have already been published in the US by Dark Horse Manga, including the 288-page adaptation of The Call of Cthulhu for $13 (was $20) and At the Mountains of Madness, which has a 626-page hardcover Deluxe Edition for $26.65 (was $50). The English translation of The Shadow Out of Time releases December 23 and is available to preorder for $22.

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August 24, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

NordVPN two-year plans are up to 77 percent off right now

by admin August 24, 2025

VPN users are overwhelmed with choice, and there are as many bad options out there as there are good ones. Luckily, NordVPN sits in the latter category, and right now Nord is offering discounted plans across its various tiers. If you take out a two-year NordVPN Plus plan (the company’s most popular plan) it’ll cost you $108 for the duration of the contract, with Nord throwing in three extra months at no extra cost. That’s 73 percent off the usual rate.

As well as Nord’s VPN service, a Plus plan also includes the Threat Protection Pro anti-malware tool, password management and an ad- and tracker-blocker. A Prime plan additionally comes with encrypted cloud storage or NordProtect, which insures you against identity theft and monitors dark web activity. That’s also on sale — down to $189 on the same two-year commitment with those three additional months thrown in, which works out to a 77 percent savings on the regular price.

Nord

When Engadget’s Sam Chapman reviewed NordVPN earlier this year, he praised its excellent download speeds, exclusive features and extensive server network. Less impressive is its clunky interface and inconsistent design when jumping between different platforms running a NordVPN app. While it doesn’t quite make the cut in our guide to the best VPNs available right now, it generally performed well in speed tests and Threat Protection Pro is really worth having.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

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August 24, 2025 0 comments