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95 People Sickened, 18 Hospitalized After Eating These Recalled Eggs
Gaming Gear

95 People Sickened, 18 Hospitalized After Eating These Recalled Eggs

by admin August 29, 2025


The CDC and FDA issued a recall notice on Thursday, warning consumers about brown eggs that have been linked to a salmonella outbreak in 14 states. The eggs, sourced from Country Eggs of Lucerne Valley, California, have sickened at least 95 people and hospitalized 18. No deaths have been reported.

The cage-free eggs have been sold under brand names that include Nagatoshi Produce, Misuho, Nijiya Markets, and Country Eggs, according to a notice posted by the CDC.

  • Code on carton: No. CA-7695
  • Sell by dates ranging from July 1, 2025, to Sept. 18, 2025

The eggs were also sold using the description “sunshine/omega-3 golden” yolk (1/15 Dozen fresh eggs bulk) to food service retailers with the same codes and sell-by dates listed above, according to the FDA. Consumers are encouraged to discard any recalled eggs.

The CDC provided a map showing the 14 states where they’ve identified illnesses from the salmonella outbreak.

© CDC / FDA

The states, along with the number of cases:

  • Arizona (1 case)
  • California (73 cases)
  • Florida (1 case)
  • Georgia (1 case)
  • Hawaii (1 case)
  • Iowa (1 case)
  • Minnesota (4 cases)
  • Nebraska (1 case)
  • Nevada (3 cases)
  • New Mexico (1 case)
  • New York (2 cases)
  • North Carolina (2 cases)
  • Pennsylvania (1 case)
  • Washington (3 cases)

The CDC notes that the actual number of people sickened by this outbreak is likely much higher than the number the agency is reporting because most people who get sick don’t require medical care and are never tested for salmonella.

The people who’ve become sick from this outbreak range in age from 1 to 91 years old, with a median age of 29. Fifty-five percent have been identified as female, with 45% of those who’ve fallen ill being male.

The CDC also includes a racial breakdown for those who’ve become sick, with 62% white, 37% Asian, and 1% Black. Twenty-four percent are identified as Hispanic, while 76% are non-Hispanic, according to the ethnic data published by the CDC.

Public health investigators are using a system called Pulsenet to identify illnesses that might be part of this outbreak. The CDC’s Pulsenet includes a national database of “DNA fingerprints of bacteria” that allows investigators to track bacteria using whole genome sequencing (WGS).

From the CDC’s website:

WGS showed that bacteria from sick people’s samples are closely related genetically. This suggests that people in this outbreak got sick from the same food.

Based on WGS analysis, bacteria from 94 people’s samples had predicted resistance to nalidixic acid and nonsusceptibility to ciprofloxacin (NSC); this NSC strain is related to a strain of Salmonella Enteritidis isolated from chicken, eggs, and backyard poultry. Most people with Salmonella illness recover without antibiotics. However, if antibiotics are needed, some illnesses in this outbreak may not be treatable with some commonly recommended antibiotics and may require a different antibiotic choice. More information is available at the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS) site.

FDA conducted traceback based on where sick people reported shopping or eating eggs and dishes containing eggs during the timeframe of interest. Country Eggs, LLC was identified as a common supplier.

Pretty neat, when you think about it. Too bad the Trump regime is doing everything it can to destroy the agency. Here’s hoping the folks at the CDC can continue to do their important work now and into the future.



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Peacock streaming TV and movies
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You Can Now Sign Up for Ad-Free Peacock Through Prime Video

by admin August 29, 2025


Fans of NBC series, Universal Pictures movies and steamy summer dating shows have a new way to access the streaming service that specializes in all of them.

Peacock Premium Plus, NBCUniversal’s ad-free streaming tier, is now available as a Prime Video add-on subscription as part of a broader set of agreements between Comcast NBCUniversal and Amazon, the online shopping giant revealed Thursday. 

Peacock Premium Plus costs $17 per month or $170 per year, the standard price after last month’s hike. Prime members who pay for the add-on can watch content from Peacock directly through the Prime Video app. 

Before the announcement, Prime members could choose from Prime Video add-on subscriptions to prominent streamers like Apple TV Plus, Paramount Plus and HBO Max (according to Amazon, there are more than 100 subscription options in the US). With the Amazon-Comcast NBCUniversal agreements, the Peacock app will continue to be available on Fire TV devices, while Xfinity X1 and Xumo customers will still have access to Prime Video. Customers can also continue to rent and buy Universal Pictures Home Entertainment films through Prime Video.

Peacock Premium Plus has a higher price tag than ad-based Peacock Premium, but it’s the only way to get downloads and your live local NBC station. For more on the streaming service, read our review.



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The 11 Best Greens Powders, Tested and Reviewed (2025)
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The 11 Best Greens Powders, Tested and Reviewed (2025)

by admin August 29, 2025


You’ve probably seen commercials for Athletic Greens AG1 on YouTube or social media. The sleek, minimalist branding makes it feel elite compared to some other brands. And the same thought is put into the packaging—my AG1 kit came complete with a metal scoop and a slick metal storage canister. AG1 requires refrigeration due to the live probiotics and whole-food ingredients. The canister makes it feel a little more luxe than competitors. Just be aware that it will be crazy dusty in your kitchen when you dump the pouch of greens into the canister. You can also opt for travel packs which come in a stick format.

The original AG1 has a flavor that’s hard to describe. It sort of tastes milky, fruity, vegetable-y, and savory? All at once? It’s not unpleasant, but it definitely tastes like Health Food. The company says it tastes like vanilla and pineapple, and you’ll also get notes of papaya, broccoli, cherry, carrot, and a bit of stevia. There are no artificial flavors, sweeteners, or additives. I don’t think it tastes bad; it just tastes healthy.

If you prefer your greens flavored, AG1 recently introduced three new flavors to its lineup: Citrus, Berry, and Tropical. My favorite is Tropical, which has subtly sweet notes of mango, pineapple, and papaya. Berry was good, too, tasting like a blend of strawberries and blueberries. Finally, Citrus almost felt like I was drinking orange juice mixed with a supplement, which was pleasant when I drank it first thing in the morning. None of the new flavors are candylike in sweetness. These have the same nutritional profile as the Original flavor, but might be more desirable if you want a greens powder that doesn’t taste too grassy or vegetal.

Each serving contains 40 calories, 6 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein, and very low sodium. There are 83 total ingredients, including vitamins and minerals, pre- and probiotics, stress adaptogens, antioxidants, “superfoods and mushrooms,” and ingredients for digestion support. In June 2025, AG1 introduced an updated formula called AG1 Next Gen (which is the version we recommend). It now has more probiotics, vitamins, and minerals, plus an updated B-vitamin complex.

I noticed smoother digestion, higher baseline energy levels, and glowing skin. AG1 is NSF certified, meaning it’s been tested by an independent third party that certifies the ingredients listed are exactly what’s in the product. AG1 also has a dedicated page pointing to clinical research studies showing the science behind its products. AG1 may be pricey, but it made me feel great and helped soothe my chronic stomach issues. I like getting my morning nutrition knocked out in just a few moments. And, OK, yeah—the metal canister and sleek scoop do make it feel more elevated than other greens powders. What can I say? I like nice packaging.



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The best iPhone accessories for 2025

by admin August 29, 2025


Peak Design’s iPhone tripod is a solid, well-designed aluminum frame that folds into a credit card-sized shape. You’re paying a premium for the build design and quality, with a tiny hex key even built into the tripod legs for tightening them, if needed.

With a solid micro-ball head, you can adjust the angle of your iPhone while it’s in tripod mode. Better still, it can firmly attach, magnetically, to the phone in both vertical and horizontal orientations. This makes it an excellent stand for your phone even when you’re not trying to shoot video or photos.

You also don’t need to shell out for a Peak Design case to ensure it works, although it does feel more solidly connected if you do. Any MagSafe iPhone locks onto the peripheral, maintaining a solid hold on this mobile tripod whether in use or folded away.

There are plenty of more affordable MagSafe phone stands, such as Moft’s Snap-On Stand and Wallet, which props up your iPhone while holding a few credit cards, Anker’s MagGo phone grip, and the now-ubiquitous PopSockets. While MagSafe accessories like these are convenient, they won’t be as sturdy as something securely snapped onto your smartphone or a smartphone case. All of the MagSafe stands, wallets, chargers, and other accessories I’ve tried eventually fell off if I applied enough force. However, there’s no sticky residue or the need to use a specific case with Peak Design’s tripod. — Mat Smith, UK Bureau Chief



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Google adds iPhone-like ‘Calling Cards’ to its Phone app
Gaming Gear

Google adds iPhone-like ‘Calling Cards’ to its Phone app

by admin August 29, 2025


Google’s Phone app is adding “Calling Cards” that let you customize the appearance of contact screens for incoming calls. They’re similar to the Contact Poster feature that iPhone users have had since 2023, allowing Google Phone app users to replace the teeny contact photos that appear when someone is calling you with full-screen images and stylized names.

The update is part of Android’s Material 3 Expressive design language overhaul, which Google used to test a revamped Phone app interface in June. Calling Cards started appearing in beta versions of Google’s Contacts and Phone apps earlier this month, but now they’re getting a public release in version v188 of the Phone app. Google says Calling Cards will be available worldwide, and are being rolled out “in phases,” so they might take a while to appear for everyone.

When the feature becomes available, Phone app users will see a banner on the Home tab that reads “Introducing calling card: Customize how you see your contact when they call you.” Tapping on this takes users to the Calling Card page, but you can also navigate to it manually in Contacts. From there, Calling Cards can be created for each contact by selecting an image from the device’s camera, gallery, or Google Photos, and choosing a font and color option that will be used to display the contact’s name.

Unlike Contact Posters on iOS, you can’t design your own Calling Card that will appear for other contacts when you call them. Google’s Calling Cards only let you set customized screens that are specific to your device, so you’ll have to set these for every individual person if you want to use the feature. Those contacts can’t edit how their Calling card appears on your device, however, so you can have some fun with how you customize them.

This is rolling out alongside a new “Take a message” feature for the Phone app that automatically answers and transcribes voicemails when you miss a call. Users can record a custom greeting that callers hear when leaving a voicemail for Take a Message, or select from one of the available greeting presets. Transcripts and voicemail audio can be found in the Phone app Recents tab, and Google says that all messages are “stored privately on your device.” The feature is available on Pixel 4 phones or newer, and on Pixel Watch 2 models or newer when paired with Pixel 6 or more recent Google phone models.



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Hands typing on a keyboard surrounded by security icons
Gaming Gear

Secure access, minimize tech debt: a browser-based strategy for the SaaS-driven enterprise

by admin August 29, 2025



There’s a silent strain on security in today’s enterprises, and it’s coming from an unexpected source: the technology stack.

Technical debt is a $2.41 trillion problem in the United States. No wonder, then, that 87% of IT leaders rank tech debt reduction as a top five initiative for their organization, according to a new Enterprise Strategy Group survey. Respondents cited security concerns, escalating operating costs, and more.

How did organizations get this deep into application tech debt? What are the implications for security? And, most importantly: How can organizations begin to dig their way out?


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A vicious cycle of short-term fixes

Tech debt is, at its core, the pain of applying yesterday’s technology decisions to today’s business needs.

Organizations frequently face trade-offs when it comes to technology. Most often, they find the best solutions for their complex problems, balancing network, security, and end-user priorities. Other times, they’re under pressure to move fast and constrained by limited resources, leading to quick fixes that complicate their tech stack.

This is how tech debt accrues, one well-intentioned decision at a time. As business demands intensify – whether due to growth, digital transformation, or external disruptions – IT and security teams make pragmatic choices and adopt point solutions to keep up.

But these bolt-on software purchases quietly snowball and mutate into an unmanageable web – eventually emerging loudly in the form of fractured IT infrastructure, inconsistent user experiences, ballooning operational costs, and unpredictable IT environments.

Not to mention, they make for a vastly increased attack surface. In this Swiss cheese effect of overlapping systems, the organization can spend more time patching holes and maintaining legacy scaffolding than innovating.

According to a Gartner survey of 162 large enterprises, conducted between August and October 2024, organizations use an average of 45 cybersecurity tools. It’s a vicious cycle of patch upon patch.

Time isn’t the only cost. Enterprise Strategy Group found that 47% of IT leaders point to escalating operational costs as a direct result of legacy infrastructure support. And 36% flagged increased security vulnerabilities as a growing concern tied to outdated systems.

Regardless of the justification for yesterday’s technology decisions, they all impact today’s enterprise systems—increasing complexity, maintenance burdens, and security vulnerabilities.

Tech debt has a SaaS problem

Most modern applications in use across the enterprise today are delivered in a SaaS model. For more than half of survey respondents, SaaS and legacy web-based applications represented a combined 61% of all application usage – the majority of those being classified as “business critical” apps.

In the enterprise, these critical apps require secure, modern access methods. However, to date, secure access has often come at the cost of convenience. Legacy access solutions like VDI and VPN weren’t designed with the SaaS-first enterprise in mind, creating friction for users, increasing overhead for IT teams, and offering limited visibility, control, or threat detection once users are inside the app.

Monitoring these apps requires bolted-on solutions, further increasing tech debt. Unsurprisingly, the number of respondents that indicated the desire to move off VDI solutions was a staggering 72%.

As SaaS adoption has accelerated, this mismatch between access architecture and application delivery has accelerated along with it—slowing agility, increasing risk, and complicating user experience across the board. Tech debt isn’t just a nuisance; it’s an anchor dragging down enterprise security and efficiency.

Addressing tech debt at the point of access

As knowledge workers’ primary interface, the browser is central to accessing SaaS, internal apps, and digital workflows. Therefore, the most direct way to address the application tech debt challenge is to reimagine the browser itself.

Browsers like Chrome and Edge, while highly effective tools for consumers, were never designed for enterprise needs. It presents a huge security gap: 62% of sensitive corporate data is accessed via consumer browsers, and 35% of data leaks stem from those same browsers.

These browsers require a complex ecosystem of tools – data loss prevention (DLP), web gateways, remote browser isolation (RBI), endpoint agents, VPNs, and more – to try to secure browsing activity and protect sensitive data. Over time, these layers have compounded, contributing to tech debt in both security and application access by requiring ongoing management, troubleshooting, and upgrades.

Further complicating the tech debt challenge is the proliferation of AI tools. In these early days of AI adoption, end users and the enterprises in which they operate will undoubtedly choose multiple tools to address niche use cases without understanding the impact on data protection and user experience. And fresh competition will replace many of these tools almost as fast as they arise. Future technology decisions will need to address managing the sprawl of shadow AI and the new tech debt it creates.

The emergence of enterprise browsers

However, a new type of browser has emerged: enterprise browsers, which are designed exclusively for use in the workplace. Gartner recognized this new category of browsers in 2023. In April, Evgeny Mirolyubov, Sr Director Analyst at Gartner, said, “SEBs embed enterprise security controls into the native web browsing experience using a customized browser or extension for existing browsers, instead of adding bolt-on controls at the endpoint or network layer.”

Enterprise browsers are redefining how organizations approach application access. An enterprise browser streamlines the tech stack needed to secure, manage, understand, and enable access to critical apps and data.

With growing regulatory scrutiny and the rising sophistication of threats like phishing, browser-based malware, and insider threats, organizations must rethink access with security at the forefront. Enterprise browsers provide visibility and control down to the session level, enabling proactive enforcement and rapid incident response.

These browsers have the power to reduce reliance on legacy tools like VDI, VPNs, DLP, proxies, and various endpoint agents—eliminating layer upon layer of tech debt and enabling secure, efficient, and scalable access.

Secure access without the debt

For too long, organizations have been trapped in a loop where old decisions constrain new possibilities. Years of layering legacy access tools, fragmented security controls, outdated application architectures, and siloed observability and authentication systems have created a complex web of technical debt—one that undermines performance, cybersecurity, and scalability at a time when seamless, secure, and cloud-optimized access is more critical than ever.

Finally, there’s an off-ramp from this loop. By reconsidering the browser, forward-thinking enterprises are not just reducing debt—they’re building resilience for the next generation of digital transformation.

We list the best IT management tools.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro’s Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro



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An Ultramarine stares moodily at the viewer
Gaming Gear

Space Marine 2 unveils a roadmap for its second year of updates including a new playable class, bosses, weapons, and more

by admin August 29, 2025



Space Marine 2 – Year 2 Trailer – YouTube

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Good news for fans of Space Marine 2’s multiplayer modes, which Saber Interactive has committed to supporting for a whole ‘nother year. As the developer announced, patch 10, on the first anniversary of Space Marine 2’s release, will be the beginning of a second year of updates and additions.

Patch 10 is apparently the “biggest patch to date.” Due on September 4, it includes a new boss (the Chaos Spawn, in three variants), a new PvP arena and mode (Helbrute Onslaught, in which you can play as a big robotic Helbrute), three new weapons, a new PvE map and mode, and the Chaos Armour cosmetics pack (the U in Armour is part of the name because Warhammer is quintessentially British).

There’s another patch scheduled to be squeezed in before the end of the year, but the update kicking off 2026 looks like a more notable one since it includes the techmarine, a new playable class who comes armed with an Omnissiah axe. It’ll be interesting to see how an engineer fits in with the existing six classes, especially if they’re a melee-focused addition. In 40K, techmarines often serve as drivers and pilots, but also mix it up in hand-to-hand with their gigantic axes and a proliferation of mechanical arms that would make Doctor Octopus jealous. I suspect Space Marine 2 will probably embrace the latter depiction.


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As well as all these free updates, Space Marine 2 is getting a second season pass of champion and cosmetic packs, so if you really want to cover yourself in the rad shark logo of the Carcharadon marines you’ll be able to do that when patch 12 comes out. There’s also a new chapter coming in patch 13: the Iron Hands. As the space marine chapter closest to the tech-priests, they’ll make a good match for techmarines.

(Image credit: Saber Interactive)

While Space Marine 3 is currently in development, Saber Interactive is committed to continuing support for Space Marine 2. Which is nice for all the people who have stuck with its multiplayer modes. As someone who loved the original for its singleplayer campaign and found the sequel just kind of OK in that department, it’s a reminder that maybe I shouldn’t get my hopes up too high. At least Dawn of War 4 is doubling down on singleplayer to keep me and the rest of the cranky loners appeased.

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Razer Blade 18
Gaming Gear

Razer Blade 18 review: World-class gaming, priced to match

by admin August 29, 2025



Why you can trust Tom’s Hardware


Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Even among top-tier gaming laptops, the Razer Blade 18 stands out with a winning combination of luxury design and raw power. Starting at $3,499 and reaching $5,199 in our fully loaded test unit, it’s clearly not for anyone on a budget. But for those willing to spend a lot, it does a lot to earn its premium, with desktop-like performance, superior build quality, and high-end features like Thunderbolt 5. Its dual-mode display (4K at 240 Hz or FHD at 440 Hz) is an especially unique touch. So while you could spend less and still get one of the best gaming laptops, no other portable blends luxury and capability quite like Blade 18.

Design of the Razer Blade 18

Razer’s laptops have stayed true to their signature design over the years, and for good reason. While no longer groundbreaking, the look remains distinctive, striking a confident balance of high-performance aesthetics without being garish. Familiar hallmarks include the illuminated lid logo, sharp keyboard backlighting that glows from the shadows, and an oversized touchpad.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

  • Razer Blade 18 (1TB 32GB RAM) at Amazon for $4,999

The Blade 18’s chassis is CNC-milled from a solid block of aluminum, resulting in a build that looks and feels exceptional. It exhibits almost no flex, even in the large lid, and the anodized coating helps preserve its color over time.

At 15.74 x 10.84 x 1.1 inches, the Blade 18 is roughly the size of a cafeteria tray. That’s still slimmer and lighter than the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, which measures 15.9 x 12.08 x 1.26 inches and weighs 7.93 pounds, versus the Blade 18’s 7.06 pounds. Still, comparing these two is a bit like debating which elephant is smaller – both are massive machines, clearly built for stationary power rather than true portability.

Razer’s Synapse app allows lighting customization for both the keyboard and lid logo. Flip the laptop over, and you’ll find a first for Razer – a transparent window showcasing the vapor chamber that cools the CPU and GPU, accented by LED lighting. Alienware has done something quite similar with its latest Area 51 laptops. Synapse also allows different lighting settings while on battery. Note that Synapse prevents the lighting from being seen by the Windows Dynamic Lighting app, but this can be overridden.

Image credit: Tom’s Hardware

Image credit: Tom’s Hardware

The Blade 18’s versatile connections start on the left edge, with two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) ports, a Thunderbolt 5 (USB-C) port, a 3.5 mm audio jack, a 2.5 Gbps Ethernet jack, and Razer’s proprietary power connector. On the right, you’ll find a Thunderbolt 4 port, an additional USB-A port, an HDMI 2.1 output, and an SD card reader. A Kensington lock slot is tucked into the rear corner for added security. Internally, the laptop offers an Intel BE202 card that supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 wireless.

Razer Blade 18 Specifications

Swipe to scroll horizontally

CPU

Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX

Graphics

Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU (24GB GDDR7, 175 W maximum graphics power, 1,597 MHz boost clock)

Memory

64GB DDR5-5600 (2x 32GB SO-DIMM)

Storage

2x 2TB SSD (Lexar NM790)

Display

18-inch, IPS, 16:10, dual mode (3840 x 2400 at 240 Hz or 1920 x 1200 at 440Hz)

Networking

Intel Wi-Fi 7 BE202, Bluetooth 5.4

Ports

3x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A, Thunderbolt 5, Thunderbolt 4, 2.5 Gbps Ethernet, HDMI 2.1, SD card reader

Camera

5MP IR

Battery

99 WHr

Power Adapter

400 W (proprietary connector)

Operating System

Windows 11 Home

Dimensions (WxDxH)

15.74 x 10.84 x 1.1 inches (400 x 275 x 28 mm)

Weight

7.06 pounds (3.10 kg)

Price (as configured)

$5,199.99

Today’s best Razer Blade 18 (2025) deals

Gaming and Graphics on the Razer Blade 18

We tested the Blade 18 equipped with a Core Ultra 275HX processor, GeForce RTX 5090 GPU, and 64GB of DDR5-5600 RAM. With this loadout, it’s hardly surprising the Blade 18 made short work of our benchmark suite.

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To test the Blade 18, I played Crysis Remastered at 3840 x 2400 with all visual quality settings maximized, seeing 95 to over 100 frames per second (FPS) in open areas and low-to-mid-80s in forests and more complex scenes. The game was exceptionally smooth and looked outstanding on the Blade’s display.

Now for our formal testing. The Blade 18’s main competitor is the MSI Titan 18 HX AI ($6,379 as tested), which offers the same GPU but a slightly upclocked Core Ultra 9 285HX. We also included two 16-inch laptops: the Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 (Core Ultra 9 275HX, RTX 5080 175 W, $3,299 as tested) and Razer’s own Blade 16 (AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, RTX 5090 160 W, $4,499 as tested). Uniquely, the Blade 16 pairs a lower-wattage Ryzen chip with an RTX 5090.

All laptops are tested at 1920 x 1080, but we also included test runs at the native resolution for each laptop: 3840 x 2400 for our Blade 18 and the Titan 18, and 2560 x 1600 for the Asus and Blade 16.

Image 1 of 5

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Beginning with Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the Highest detail preset, the Blade 18 led the pack at 1080p with an impressive 213 FPS, while the Titan 18 followed closely with 196 FPS. The Asus (177 FPS) and the Blade 16 (166 FPS) weren’t in contention. At the 4K resolution, performance significantly dropped, with the Blade 18 managing a still-playable 75 FPS and the Titan 18 reaching 68 FPS.

In our most demanding test, Cyberpunk 2077 on the Ray Tracing Ultra preset, the Blade 18 once again secured the pole position at 1080p, delivering 74 FPS, while the Titan 18 followed closely with 71 FPS. The Asus and Blade 16 trailed with respective finishes of 61 FPS and 66 FPS. At 4K, the performance was nearly identical, with the Blade 18 reaching 22 FPS and the Titan 18 hitting 21 FPS.

In Far Cry 6 on the Ultra preset, the Blade 18 continued to top the 1080p charts, delivering 122 FPS, with the MSI close behind at 115 FPS. The Asus followed with 112 FPS, and the Blade 16 trailed at 97 FPS. At 4K, the performance drop was less pronounced in this game, with the Blade 18 at 81 FPS and the MSI at 75 FPS.

In Red Dead Redemption 2 (Medium preset), the Blade 18 produced 132 FPS at 1080p, easily outpacing the only other laptop to complete that resolution, the Blade 16 (94 FPS). It also took top honors at 4K, with 53 FPS versus the MSI’s 50 FPS at 4K.

Last, in Borderlands 3 at the game’s “badass” detail preset, we see the Blade 18 again finished on top at 1080p, producing 189 FPS versus the MSI’s 183 FPS, and outgunning the Asus’ 156 FPS. (Note that we don’t have numbers for the Blade 16 on this test.) It also went on to lead the MSI at 4K, with 76 versus 73 FPS.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

We use Metro Exodus as our gaming laptop stress test. We achieved an average of 143.06 frames per second (FPS) at 1080p across 15 loops using the RTX benchmark preset, with almost no variance between runs, suggesting stable thermal performance.

Summing it up, the Blade 18 demonstrated the highest level of gaming performance we’ve yet seen in a gaming laptop, edging out the massive Titan 18 in every test. While the performance difference likely wouldn’t be noticeable in real-world gaming, the Razer is over $1,000 less expensive than the MSI as tested (though it’s still not remotely affordable for most of us).

The Razer’s other hidden card is its dual-mode display. If a game happens to be too demanding at 4K, or you simply want the smoothest possible experience, it natively supports 1920 x 1200 via a toggle in the Razer Synapse app, which unlocks a near-liquid 440 Hz refresh rate. (See the display section for more.)

Productivity Performance on the Razer Blade 18

We tested the Blade 18 with a Core Ultra 9 275HX processor, 64GB of DDR5-5600 RAM (2x 32GB SO-DIMM modules), and two 2TB SSDs. The SSDs are separate drives in Windows (non-RAID) and are identical (Lexar NM790 in our test unit).

Image 1 of 3

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The Geekbench 6 synthetic CPU benchmark saw the Blade 18 topping the single-core scores with 3,127 points, leading the Asus’ 3,071 points and the MSI’s 3,046 points. It took second place in multi-core, producing 20,220 versus the MSI’s commanding 22,082 points. The Core Ultra 9 HX chips in those laptops are clearly faster than the Blade 16’s AMD chip, which finished last with 16,025 multi-core points.

The Blade 18 completed our 4K-to-1080p Handbrake video transcoding test in 2 minutes and 7 seconds, slightly behind MSI’s leading time of 1 minute and 55 seconds, but ahead of Asus at 2 minutes and 24 seconds, and notably faster than the Blade 16, which took 3 minutes and 5 seconds.

In our 25GB file transfer test, the Blade 18’s primary storage drive averaged 1,890.68 MBps, comparable to the Asus at 1,841.41 MBps, and clearly ahead of the Blade 16’s 1,729.51 MBps. MSI remained in a league of its own, thanks to its PCIe 5.0 SSD, which delivered an unmatched average of 2,635.57 MBps. Notably, the Blade 18 does not offer a PCIe 5.0 SSD out of the box, though you won’t notice the difference when loading and playing games. (If you want PCIe 5.0, you’ll have to bring your own drive. See the upgradeability section, below.)

Display on the Razer Blade 18

The Blade 18’s 16:10 display offers dual native modes: 3840 x 2400 at 240 Hz or 1920 x 1200 at a blistering 440 Hz. You can toggle between them in Razer Synapse, though a restart is required to apply the change. Although it’s possible to switch the display resolution in Windows, that doesn’t change the display’s operating mode, which is done at a deeper hardware or driver level.

Unlike typical LCDs, which tend to blur when running at non-native resolutions, Razer’s panel retains sharpness and clarity regardless of the selected mode. FHD on an 18-inch panel doesn’t look as crisp as 4K since you can almost make out the individual pixels, but that’s expected. The only usability issue I encountered when switching modes was that the Windows zoom level stays the same when between resolutions. For instance, I had it at 175% while in 4K, but it stayed this way when I switched to FHD, where I reduced it to 100%. It’s an extra step in the process.

Picture quality is excellent in either mode. While I found the mini-LED display on the MSI Titan HX AI to be much brighter, the Blade 18’s display isn’t lacking for luminance or visual fidelity. Watching Stranger Things, the strong contrast revealed eerie details in shadowy lab scenes, while vibrant colors popped, especially on Dustin’s hat and the Scoops Ahoy uniforms. In Crysis Remastered, the rich color and contrast heightened immersion in lush jungles and shimmering oceans. Switching to FHD at 440 Hz, I fired up Star Wars: Squadrons to get a taste of what a few hundred FPS feels like. The fluid, stutter-free image felt almost like liquid in motion.

The Blade 18 uses Nvidia Advanced Optimus to shift between the Intel CPU’s integrated graphics and the dedicated RTX GPU to save energy. Gamers seeking minimal input lag can force exclusive use of the Nvidia GPU in the Nvidia Control Panel. On the color front, the Syanpse app offers many profile options, including native, DCI-P3, sRGB, REC.709, Adobe RGB, and custom. Notably, Razer factory calibrates the display and includes the calibration report in Syanpse.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Among these laptops, only the Blade 18 and the Asus feature IPS panels, both delivering similar performance with near-complete DCI-P3 color coverage and brightness levels approaching 500 nits. The Blade 16’s OLED panel stands out for its vibrant color reproduction, though it falls slightly short in brightness. In contrast, the MSI’s mini-LED display operates on a different level, reaching a peak brightness of 729.3 nits while matching the Blade 18’s color fidelity. So while the Blade 18 may not lead in any single metric, it still delivers outstanding overall image quality, and offers the dual mode feature described above.

Keyboard and Touchpad on the Razer Blade 18

Previous Razer laptops I reviewed had modern-looking but stiff, shallow keyboards. The Blade 18 maintains the modern look but significantly improves the feel, thanks to a satisfying 1.5 mm of key travel. Although the switches aren’t mechanical, they provide crisp and accurate action – I could easily tell when the keys registered, and sufficient cushioning at the bottom of the keystroke prevents fatigue during long typing sessions. I nearly matched my personal best in MonkeyType, achieving 118 words per minute.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

In terms of layout, I appreciated the full-size top row, although the mismatched arrow key sizes can lead to hitting the wrong key. The three-column number pad isn’t intuitive, but it’s more of a bonus on this laptop, anyway. Disabling number lock provides convenient shortcuts, such as game mode (5) and disabling the touchpad (0), which can also be done with Fn + T. The M1 through M4 keys embedded in the symbols at the top are customizable for macros in the Hypershift section of the Razer Synapse app.

The macro editor allows for repurposing almost any key. It also offers easy customization of game mode, allowing you to toggle the availability of the Windows and CoPilot keys, as well as the Alt + Tab and Alt + F4 shortcuts. Additionally, there’s a toggle to automatically enable game mode while gaming.

The keyboard’s backlighting and customization options through the Razer Chroma app remain the best in the business. You can adjust layered effects, brightness, and colors, and save them in unlimited profiles. Additionally, you can download user-submitted profiles from Razer. Chroma also supports numerous games for in-game effects.

Razer’s touchpad is massive, as it should be on an 18-inch laptop, covering nearly the entire vertical space between the keyboard and the front edge. Its anti-glare surface provides excellent tracking, even when my fingers are slightly damp, and the tactile feedback from physical clicks is both direct and quiet. Razer centered the pad in the palm rest area rather than below the keyboard, which prevents your left palm from touching it with your fingers on the WASD cluster.

Audio on the Razer Blade 18

The Blade 18 packs a six-speaker array – two tweeters, four woofers, and three amps – which results in robust sound. The laptop’s sheer size helps deliver convincing stereo separation, especially while gaming. Volume level is around what you’d expect from an entry-level Bluetooth speaker. It’s perfectly adequate for a laptop, though I noticed volume levels north of 75% didn’t sound noticeably louder than full volume.

The Blade 18 handled a vinyl rip of Pat Benatar’s “Love is a Battlefield” with finesse, with the airy drum hits and guitar coming through cleanly, with excellent instrument separation and no vocal distortion. For something bass-heavy, I turned to William Black’s “Bleed 4 U”; while the Blade 18 didn’t thump, it delivered a satisfying low-end grunt. The upward-firing speakers helped with clarity across the board.

That said, with this many speakers, this setup is geared for gaming. In Crysis Remastered, I could easily pinpoint bullets whizzing past as I charged enemy emplacements or enemy chatter as I snuck around unsuspecting soldiers. The full sound added enough punch to explosions and gunfire for a decent sense of immersion. Watching The Marvels gave me a similar vibe, with sharp impacts and abrupt sounds adding a cinematic edge.

Razer’s Synapse app includes meaningful equalizer presets. Switching to Movie mode noticeably widened the sound versus music mode, and I liked that each preset displayed its EQ curve. There’s no auto-switching between modes, but you can create custom bands and save them to a profile.

Upgradeability of the Razer Blade 18

All upgradeability is through the Blade 18’s bottom panel, which is secured by 12 identically sized Torx T4 screws. It took me about two minutes to undo them all, at which point the panel can be hinged off from the rear — no prying needed.

Image 1 of 2

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

The Blade 18 offers two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots under a peel-off heatsink, next to the rightmost fan, supporting 96GB of memory via two 48GB modules. There are also two M.2 2280 slots for solid-state drives and an M.2 2230 wireless card slot. The battery at the bottom of the unit can also be swapped.

Battery Life on the Razer Blade 18

Although battery life isn’t the primary reason to purchase an 18-inch gaming laptop, it’s convenient to have enough unplugged stamina to watch a movie or two. In our battery test, which includes web browsing, video streaming over Wi-Fi, and OpenGL tests at 150 nits of brightness, the Blade 18 lasted 5 hours and 15 minutes. While it doesn’t match the Asus (6:30) or the Blade 16 (7:21), its real achievement is more than doubling the Titan 18’s runtime of just 2:16. For such a large gaming laptop, this is a very respectable result.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

Heat on the Razer Blade 18

The Blade 18 employs a dual-fan cooling system that vents heat through the rear edge, complemented by an auxiliary fan beneath the touchpad. Razer claims it dissipates up to 280 W of power, 175 W from the GPU and 105 W from the CPU. To maximize heat transfer, it uses a vapor chamber on the CPU and GPU, plus an unspecified thermal interface gel.

While the fans are unobtrusive at idle, they ramp up noticeably during gameplay. The built-in speakers can overpower the fans, but gamers who need subtle audio cues, like footsteps, will want to wear closed-back headphones. Overall, I found the noise level on par with other high-end gaming laptops.

Under the Metro Exodus stress test, the Blade 18 grew noticeably warm but remained comfortable to use. Surface temperatures peaked at 100 Fahrenheit between the G and H keys, 96 F on the touchpad, and 106 F along the underside near the rear edge. Internally, the Core Ultra 9 CPU maintained average temperatures of 84 degrees C on its performance cores and 76 C on its efficiency cores, while the RTX 5090 GPU averaged 67 C.

Webcam on the Razer Blade 18

Razer’s webcam stands out from typical gaming laptop fare, offering a sharp 1440p resolution. In my office, with two windows behind me, the image appeared slightly grainy, likely due to the camera’s aggressive detail enhancement. Nonetheless, it handled highlights well and preserved decent color accuracy. The camera also features an infrared sensor for facial recognition via Windows Hello as well as a sliding privacy shutter.

Software and Warranty on the Razer Blade 18

Razer’s familiar Synapse app serves as a control console for any connected Razer devices and a hub to launch any installed game. The Blade 18 shows as its own tab and offers an impressive number of configuration options. As mentioned earlier, it offers a keyboard macro editor, lighting customization for the lid logo, and per-key keyboard backlighting via Razer Chroma, plus display toggles for the dual-display mode and different color space presets. It also offers a battery health optimizer that limits battery charge.

Synapse also offers various performance profiles, including balanced, silent, performance, turbo, and custom. The default balanced mode automatically distributes power between the CPU and GPU, while performance mode optimizes CPU power and turbo mode prioritizes GPU power. Turbo mode can be conveniently enabled using the Fn+P keyboard shortcut. The custom mode allows you to select low, medium, high, or max power levels for either component and enables CPU and GPU overclocking. Additionally, fan curves can be customized.

You can create multiple overclocking profiles for both the CPU and GPU. CPU overclocking includes short max and long max turbo power levels, as well as the turbo boost power time window. CPU voltage offset is available if you disable voltage protection in the BIOS. Meanwhile, GPU overclocking controls include memory and core offsets.

Besides a smattering of Windows 11 default apps, Razer doesn’t install any other software. The laptop has a one-year warranty, though the battery is warrantied for two years.

Razer Blade 18 Configurations

Razer currently offers three Blade 18 configurations, all equipped with the dual-mode 18-inch display and a Core Ultra 9 275HX processor. The base model, priced at $3,499.99, features a GeForce RTX 5070 Ti, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. Stepping up to an RTX 5080 raises the price to $4,099.99, keeping the rest of the specifications unchanged.

Models with the RTX 5090 start at $4,899.99, with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD. Our $5,199.99 review unit upgrades to 64GB of RAM and adds a second 2TB SSD, doubling total storage to 4TB.

While the Blade 18 remains one of the most expensive laptops on the market, it’s within the price bracket for a laptop with its components, particularly with the RTX 5080 or 5090. Best Buy had the MSI Titan 18 HX AI for $5,999 with similar specifications as our Blade 18, though with 96GB of RAM and a 6TB SSD.

Bottom Line

The Razer Blade 18 sets the benchmark for high-end gaming laptops, excelling in more areas than it doesn’t. Its performance headlines the show, delivering the best in-game numbers we’ve seen from any gaming laptop. Its dual-mode display is another standout, letting gamers choose between a cinematic 4K picture or a lightning-fast 440 Hz refresh rate at FHD without any loss of clarity. Razer’s excellent build quality, surprisingly tactile keyboard, and unique see-through bottom window make it feel every bit the premium machine.

Its closest rival is the MSI Titan 18 HX AI, which offers similar performance but demands even more cash. While MSI’s display is more visually impressive, Razer’s dual-mode versatility wins out in real-world use, and it also offers better speakers and far longer battery life. If you can afford it, the Blade 18 is a world-class, chart-topping gaming laptop.

Razer Blade 18: Price Comparison



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Meet Freddy Fazbear and Friends at Halloween Horror Nights' 'Five Nights at Freddy's' House
Gaming Gear

Meet Freddy Fazbear and Friends at Halloween Horror Nights’ ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ House

by admin August 29, 2025


Take a look inside the Five Nights at Freddy’s house at Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights. It looks like a real Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza location right out of the mind of game creator Scott Cawthon and Emma Tammi’s cinematic adaptation.

io9 was invited to a behind-the-scenes walkthrough of the Hollywood attraction based on the video game and Blumhouse film franchise, opening at HHN ahead of December’s Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.  Creative director John Murdy took us through to highlight the incredible work done between Horror Nights, Cawthon, and Jim Henson’s Creature Shop.

The latter provided incredible puppets to bring the iconic FNAF characters to haunting life, powered by Universal’s own team of animatronic engineers. “Going back to our Chucky house, we have a group that works for our tech services department that are young mechanical engineers—they just happen to all love Horror Nights and a few years ago they were coming to us and saying, ‘Hey, we’d love to work with you guys and try to do actual animatronics, which we’ve never done.’” Murdy shared. The Chucky animatronics in the HHN attraction inspired by the Syfy series featured pint-sized and giant versions of the terror titan killer doll.

Murdy continued, “We’ve gotten a lot more technologically advanced with the skillset of this particular group, so they built like 17 animated Chuckys that year we did Chucky, and then last year they built a lot of stuff for A Quiet Place. This year they’re doing the T-60 [from Fallout] for us and they’re also doing the hero Freddy Fazbear [as a] fully electronic character.”

He shared about getting to combine tech with the practical elements of their haunted houses, in particular FNAF, which has been a top-requested property for the event. “A lot of this is simply fan wish fulfillment. It’s like, OK, let’s go for it; let’s give them the houses they’ve been dying to get. And that kind of rolled through the whole development process. This house was developed a little differently than all our other houses up to this point. We always collaborate with our sister park in Orlando, but usually that collaboration is more along the lines of, ‘OK, what’s the main story we want to tell?’ [And] when we made our list of what we wanted from the movie based on the first movie to be in this house, there was nothing we didn’t do. We got every single thing on our list.”

The traditional haunt is, of course primarily scareactors in costumes, but for Five Nights at Freddy’s, the challenges posed really needed safer solutions for performers first and foremost. Reaching out to Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, which worked on the puppets used in the Blumhouse FNAF film and on Universal Fan Fest Nights, was the obvious course of action.

“The other big thing we knew early on was that in order to pull this off, we really needed to work with Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. [They] had to build so many creatures and they had to learn how to do it for us,” Murdy explained. “It’s really different when you’re making a movie. You know, with Five Nights at Freddy’s, [there are] puppeted figures, and there are guys in suits [on a movie set]. Guys in suits are out of the question for us because you can do that in a movie for—typically when the cameras are rolling—it’s like a minute or two until they cut and then [the costume] comes off. The performer can go to their trailer and chill out. That’s not how it works in Halloween Horror Nights. Our performers need to be on set for roughly about 45 minutes and then they’re taking a 45-minute break, and then they’re back on set. So we needed to figure out the ergonomics behind all of this as well as the aesthetics, and so it was a big collaboration with Henson. We’ve been in meetings with them every week for well over a year.”

The set immersing park guests into the environment of a Freddy Fazbear’s Pizza was also very important to the HHN teams and Murdy confirmed Hollywood and Orlando’s houses are virtually alike save for some small differences. Both teams worked hard to include as many Easter eggs from the film, such as kid’s art alluding to the yellow rabbit and the training video, which will play as guests enter a night of security guard watch.

Right off the bat you enter the restaurant parlor area with the stage, where the animatronics come to life with puppeteers supplemented by scareactors. “There’s a lot of puppets, but we wanted that human factor as well, like the classic jump scare that are kind of the bread and butter of haunted houses. So that’s where we’re using the ghost kids and we’re also using all of those guys who broke in and trashed the place,” Murdy said. Foxy is teased with eerie music as you venture throughout as if you’re Mike Schmidt (played by Josh Hutcherson in the movies) on a security shift.

 

As you go along, you’ll encounter not only Freddy but also come face to face with Chica with Carl the Cupcake, Bonnie, Foxy, and of course Yellow Bonnie. In order to really capture how these set-piece fights will be effective, Murdy described the mechanics of the scare with Freddy Fazbear.

“In the Chucky house, we created this character we called Mega Chucky. How that worked is there’s a track above the performer’s head and what’s called a traveler. The performer is kind of like strapped into this thing. The monitor for the performer to see is inside the figure itself, and then they’ve got shoes that connect to the feet of the character, so they’re actually able to kind of take a few steps.”

“So we did that for [Freddy] he’s right over here on a big traveler track, so he has the ability [to] come out from there [and] take steps [toward guests].”

You don’t have to be a FNAF diehard to enjoy the work that went into this house, but of course there’s plenty for the fandom, including a certain striped cup and foil ball on the security desk (IYKYK). The nostalgia was so real and Murdy revealed that scents will harken to the ’90s era of pizza arcade casinos so many of us grew up with.

“Like there’s something still lingering in this environment because it was a family entertainment center,” is how he described the aromatics of the house. “[A place] where they served a lot of pizza and a lot of popcorn and a lot of that kind of stuff. I think in the showroom, it’s more of a popcorn thing. The pizza’s [scent] in the kitchen, I believe.”

And of course the mood will be set throughout with the music from the franchise, with the iconic theme greeting you when you enter: “It’s particularly in the facade, and then the rest of it is all score music from the film.” As a Henson puppet fan, I’m stoked to see the characters in action and having attended HHN for decades, I can attest that the Five Nights at Freddy’s house takes things to a new level for theme park haunts.

The Five Nights at Freddy’s house will open the doors to Freddy Fazbear’s come September 4 at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights. For ticket info visit here.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.



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Four iPhone 16's in blue, pink, tan and peach
Gaming Gear

Full iPhone 17 Lineup Specs: Comparing the Latest Rumored Info

by admin August 29, 2025


While we typically wait until phones are actually released to compare them, Apple’s next iPhone models are so highly anticipated that we’ll make an exception. We’re basing our comparisons on the most credible rumors of what’s coming in the iPhone 17 series, including a potential super-thin iPhone 17 Air, to give readers an early sense of how the new series of phones may look. 

Last year’s iPhone 16 series added a handful of upgrades over its predecessors, most notably the new Camera Control key. While the basic iPhone 16 and Plus models got a new ultrawide camera and bigger battery, as is typical with Apple’s phones, the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max got the lion’s share of the improvements with upgraded rear cameras, pro video recording modes and thinner bezels. 

Last year’s iPhone upgrades are a template for what we expect in the iPhone 17 — here’s how we anticipate those comparisons to shake out. 

The iPhone 16 Pro Max led the line.

James Martin/CNET

iPhone 17 lineup price comparison

Apple will hold its iPhone 17 launch event on Sept. 9, with the tagline “Awe dropping” — and since its cutesy mantras usually hint at products being released, there’s plenty of speculation going around as to its meaning. The iPhone always goes on sale the Friday of the week after it’s announced, which should be Friday, Sept. 12, though Apple could always change it.

The iPhone 17 prices are up in the air, mainly due to tariffs. Increased costs of imports mean Apple could raise iPhone price tags, with Jefferies analyst Edison Lee predicting a $50 price hike across the lineup aside from the base iPhone 17 model. If that’s the case, then anticipated US starting prices could be as follows:

  • iPhone 17: $829 — Rumors suggest the baseline iPhone 17 won’t get as aggressive of tariff hikes, but market fluctuations could bump the price up slightly.
  • iPhone 17 Air: $979 — If the iPhone 17 Air is slotted into the lineup where the iPhone 16 Plus was priced (as the more expensive standard model), and with the rumored tariff hikes, its price could creep to nearly four figures.
  • iPhone 17 Pro: $1,049 — Rumors suggest the smaller Pro model could get a small price hike to start at $50 above last year’s iPhone 16 Pro.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: $1,249 — Likewise, the higher-spec iPhone 17 Pro Max may get the same $50 price hike.

The iPhone 17 Pro could come with new finishes and colors.

Zain bin Awais/CNET

iPhone 17 lineups’ design and display changes, compared

  • iPhone 17: Camera bump redesign — Rumors suggest that the square-shaped camera bump from prior years will give way to a vertical pill-shaped ovoid with the usual two cameras (main and ultrawide). 
  • iPhone 17 Air: Thinner, single-camera — Leaked CAD renders suggest the new, thin model will take the place of the iPhone 16 Plus as the larger non-Pro model, but could differ in only a single main rear camera. Unlike the standard iPhone 17, the CAD suggests this will have a horizontal camera bump.
  • iPhone 17 Pro: Larger horizontal camera bump — Rumors suggest the smaller Pro model won’t have any big changes aside from its rear cameras, which will be in their same offset three-lens triangle configuration but with a wide horizontal bump that extends the width of the phone.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Same larger horizontal camera bump — Likewise, the iPhone 17 Pro Max may just differ from last year’s model in a camera bump that extends horizontally across the entire rear width of the phone.

The biggest change we expect in the iPhone 17’s design is in a single model potentially added to the lineup: the iPhone 17 Air. Following plenty of rumors, the Air would be a thinner model of the iPhone line, akin to the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge, which would focus on a slimmer, lighter body that might have reduced battery life as a consequence. CNET Senior Reporter Abrar Al-Heeti found that with the S25 Edge. The Air could take the place of the larger Plus model in the iPhone 17 lineup, though whether that means the thinner phone is also bigger than the standard model is far from certain.

We’ve also heard rumors that the iPhone 17 line could swap from the square camera block it’s used for years to more of a pill-shaped camera bar that runs across the width of the phone’s body. Leaker Majin Bu posted a leaked image and CAD renders on X that show a differently shaped camera setup for each phone. And case-maker Dbrand is preselling an iPhone 17 Pro Tank case that shows off the wider camera bump as well.

iPhone 17 Lineup CAD pic.twitter.com/xednTkpJnq

— Majin Bu (@MajinBuOfficial) February 23, 2025

A Bloomberg report in April affirmed that other than the camera block, the iPhone 17 lineup will look much like last year’s phones, at least as far as rumors go, with the standard iPhone 17, Pro and Pro Max models largely unchanged from their iPhone 16 predecessors. 

Assuming Apple isn’t changing the sizes of the smartphones, expect the iPhone 17 to have a 6.1-inch display, the iPhone 17 Pro to get a 6.3-inch screen and the iPhone 17 Pro Max a 6.9-inch display. The iPhone 17 Air’s size is uncertain, but Apple does have a tendency to retain phone sizes for years (just look at the iPhone SE line using the same display dimensions as the iPhone 6), so if the new thin phone has the same dimensions as the iPhone 16 Plus, it could have a 6.7-inch display.

Another display rumor suggests that Apple will close a feature gap between the baseline and pro models by making all phones have a maximum 120Hz refresh rate (prior lineups have kept the cheaper phones at 60Hz).

The iPhone 17 Pro could get a rectangular camera bump.

Zain bin Awais/CNET

Comparing iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max Cameras

  • iPhone 17: No changes — Rumors haven’t hinted at anything changing in the iPhone 17 from the 48-megapixel main camera and 12-megapixel ultrawide in last year’s iPhone 16.  
  • iPhone 17 Air: Single camera — CAD renders suggest the iPhone 17 Air will have a single camera, presumably the 48-megapixel main camera found on the iPhone 16E.
  • iPhone 17 Pro: Improved zoom camera — While not widely corroborated, one rumor suggests the Pro models will get an up to 8x zoom camera, up from the 5x telephoto found in last year’s iPhone 16 Pro. It would presumably inherit its predecessor’s 48-megapixel main and 48-megapixel ultrawide cameras.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: Improved zoom camera — Likewise, the iPhone 17 Pro Max could get a better telephoto camera and keep its predecessor’s 48-megapixel main and 48-megapixel ultrawide cameras.

We expect the usual feature gap to split the iPhone 17 generation, with the standard iPhone 17 having two cameras (48-megapixel main and 12-megapixel ultrawide) while the Pro and Pro Max models bump the ultrawide to 48 megapixels and also include a third telephoto camera (presumably the 12-megapixel with 5x optical zoom inherited from last year’s iPhones). One of the wildest rumors is that the 17 Pro and Pro Max will have 8x telephoto cameras. The report comes from MacRumors and mentions the lens having moving elements for continuous optical zoom at various focal lengths (think Sony Xperia 1 V).

Rumors suggest the fourth model — possibly the iPhone 17 Air — will only have one camera, which would likely be a 48-megapixel main shooter similar to the iPhone 16E. That would set it apart from last year’s iPhone 16 Plus, which had the same two cameras as the standard iPhone 16.

The only other significant camera rumor suggests that the front-facing shooters on all the phones will be upgrading to 24-megapixel cameras, up from 12 megapixels on last year’s phones.

The iPhone 17 line will run iOS 26.

James Martin/CNET

All iPhone 17 model specs compared

  • iPhone 17: Same CPU, possibly new modem — Rumors suggest the new iPhone 17 will pack the same A18 chip as its predecessor, but could get the Apple-made C1, a 5G modem, that debuted on the iPhone 16E.
  • iPhone 17 Air: New CPU, possibly new modem — Intriguingly, rumors suggest the thinner iPhone 17 Air may get the same A19 chip that’s expected to be in the Pro models out this year. It could also get the C1 modem.
  • iPhone 17 Pro: New CPU, possibly new modem — The iPhone 17 Pro is expected to get an upgrade to a new A19 chip, as well as possibly the C1 modem.
  • iPhone 17 Pro Max: New CPU, bigger battery — Similarly, rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro Max is anticipated to pack an A19 chip and potentially the C1 modem, as well as a slightly larger battery.

As is typical with the feature gap between standard and pro models, rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max (as well as the Air) will get the newest A19 chip, while the regular iPhone 17 will get the same A18 chip that powered last year’s iPhone 16.

It’s unclear if the new phones will get another tech advancement — Apple’s C1 chip, the internally developed 5G modem that debuted in the iPhone 16E released earlier this year. Presumably, the company will want to bring it to the new iPhone 17 lineup, but we haven’t heard rumors suggesting so.

While Apple never explicitly says how much RAM its iPhones pack, most phones require 8GB of RAM to use AI features — and given Apple Intelligence debuted on the iPhone 16 lineup, it’s heavily suspected that those devices were given 8GB of RAM. Presumably, the iPhone 17 series will have the same amount. 

There’s also no reason to believe Apple will switch up its storage options. The standard iPhone 17 will likely be offered in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB tiers, while the iPhone 17 Pro should have those and a 1TB version. The iPhone 17 Pro Max will likely only have 256GB, 512GB and 1TB options.

The batteries of the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro aren’t expected to change, though a leak suggests the iPhone 17 Pro Max could expand its capacity to 5,000 mAh, up from the 4,685 mAh on the iPhone 16 Pro Max. The big question will be the size of the iPhone 17 Air’s battery, which will almost surely be smaller due to the thinner body; by comparison, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge only has a 3,900 mAh capacity.

All iPhones will almost surely launch with iOS 26, the next version of Apple’s iPhone software that was renamed to align with the year following its release. 

Watch this: Hey, Apple: Steal These S25 Edge Features for a Skinny iPhone

04:33



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