Tag:

Buy

NHL 26 is one of the best sports games you can buy right now, but it’s brutal for beginners

by admin September 11, 2025

I’ve always loved sports, from football (soccer) to darts; if there’s some kind of competition on TV, I’ll be watching. It wasn’t until last year, however, that I got the hockey bug, and ever since I’ve been engulfed by the world of the NHL.

I’ve fallen in love with ice hockey so much that I’m now a season ticket holder for my local ice hockey team in Scotland, and while the level isn’t on par with the incredible abilities on display in the NHL, it captures the soul of the game.

Review info

Platform reviewed: PS5
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series X|S
Release date: September 12, 2025

Why am I talking about my newfound love for hockey, you ask? Well, the last EA NHL game I purchased was NHL 16, and despite playing trials sporadically over the years, I’ve never truly immersed myself in the world of Chel.

This all changed with NHL 26, the latest video game in the annual ice hockey series, and the first time I’ve ever played a hockey game with pretty good knowledge of the current teams and rosters.

This is my review of NHL 26, from the eyes of someone who’s found a new passion for ice hockey as the sport quickly becomes my go-to weekend television.

It’s in the game

For a little bit of extra background, I played the 10-hour free trial of NHL 25 when it launched last year, and while I enjoyed it, my lack of hockey interest at the time severely impacted my decision not to purchase the full game.

Fast forward 12 months, and everything has changed. I’ve got tickets to my first NHL game, I watched the whole of last season almost religiously, and I have a massive urge to get good at scoring slap shots from almost anywhere on the ice.

Like most sports video game franchises, each annual release brings new rosters, new jerseys (in the case of hockey, sweaters), and some improvements to gameplay to try and warrant a new full price tag. Compared to my previous experience with NHL 25, NHL 26 seems to build on everything that made that game an excellent sports simulation, while also adding new features to make the gameplay feel fresh.

(Image credit: EA / NHL)

NHL 26 introduces ICE-Q 2.0, a new engine that makes players feel more like their real-life skating counterparts. EA says ICE-Q 2.0 is “fueled by NHL EDGE positional data,” and real-world data has an impact on player attributes.

I noticed this first-hand when trying out Connor McDavid, who felt as quick and skillful in NHL 26 as he does while I’m watching him play for the Oilers on TV. Each player has specific tendencies pulled from the data, which means they perform more like themselves than ever before. Players like Leon Draisaitl hold their position like in real life, making him lethal from the right side of the net, able to smash the puck in from a tight angle.

I really appreciated the uniqueness of star players across the NHL, and combined with X-Factors (specific skills unique to the players in real-life), I found the gameplay incredibly engaging and layered. As someone who has grown up with FIFA (now EA FC 26), I found the complexity of the gameplay in NHL 26 very refreshing.

EA has put a big effort into improving the presentation of the game using ICE-Q 2.0, too, with new extended replays combined with insights and more immersive audio that makes the game feel as close to the real thing as possible.

(Image credit: EA / NHL)

Heading for the Stanley Cup

I played a lot of Franchise mode in the week or so I’ve spent with NHL 26, and I really enjoyed having an input into all of the elements that go into running an elite team. From working on your marketing budget to juggling salary caps with trades, I found myself playing the offline career mode far more than I’d ever have expected to.

I’ve taken fondly for the Montreal Canadiens, and considering the team’s huge prospects for success in the next decade, building the team and taking them on a late playoff run was really satisfying.

I decided to have lots of control over everything going on behind the scenes, but if you choose to, you can let the AI control everything and just focus on the performances on the ice.

Franchise mode was probably my favorite gamemode on NHL 26, but it’s only had small incremental improvements compared to the experience on its predecessor.

A lot of time has been put into revamping Be a Pro in NHL 26, where a new chapter-based progression system with all-new cutscenes and cinematics brings the feeling of being a future ice hockey star to life.

Best bit

(Image credit: EA / NHL)

NHL 26 is one of the most realistic sports games I’ve ever played, and as someone who’s trying to immerse themselves in the world of ice hockey as much as possible, it’s a joy to experience the slick and speedy action on the rink.

I’m not a huge fan of these kinds of game modes in sports games; in fact, FIFA 17’s The Journey completely turned me off wanting to experience the life of a player, but for those who do like focusing on building a star, the new changes here will scratch the itch.

Just like other sports games in EA’s portfolio, NHL 26 puts an emphasis on Ultimate Team, and love it or loathe it, it’s an incredibly popular game mode. This year, HUT has a Cup Chase game mode that allows you to progress offline to earn rewards to improve your team. There are also new team-building mechanics and salary caps to make the game more competitive online.

During my review period with NHL 26, I wasn’t able to play online, but I did enjoy building a somewhat respectable Ultimate Team. The problem with modes like this is the emphasis on blind boxes (packs) and spending real money to get the players you know and love. I have not played HUT for an extended period of time, so I don’t know how bad it is in NHL 26, but if it’s anything like my experience of EA FC Ultimate Team, it can be a dangerous game that leads to throwing cash away for minimal reward.

Face off

Ice hockey games have always shone when it comes to multiplayer, so I invited my friend round for some couch co-op to check out the modes in NHL 26.

Now, I want you to remember that I’m a massive novice when it comes to ice hockey games, and my friend, who’s also a huge NHL fan, hadn’t played one of these games for well over a decade.

I’d say, in general, I’m a pretty good gamer. I used to compete in FIFA tournaments when I was younger, and I’m currently bruteforcing my way through Hollow Knight: Silksong, despite backlash online with people crying it’s too hard.

That said, NHL 26 was impossibly hard for a beginner, and even after changing the speed and power of our shots, my friend and I really struggled to score goals on the ice.

It got so bad, in fact, that we tried training mode with 5 players against a goalie, and even then, nothing seemed to click. Now, obviously, this is a skill issue, and actually, I really appreciate there being a learning curve to get good at the game, but I have an issue with the lack of training and tips.

I turned on all the beginner trainer pop-ups for in-game, which showed me what to do and when, but even then, nothing seemed to click. And unlike games like Madden 26, there was no training facility to learn the ropes; NHL 26 just assumed that anyone playing the game was already familiar with it.

My friend and I had an 8-time overtime game that ended 1-0, and let’s just say the only way we were getting through the pain of being terrible at finishing our chances was by ingesting copious amounts of beer (We couldn’t score before the drinking).

Something is fascinating about how difficult NHL 26 is, however, and the need to really learn the ins and outs of ice hockey keeps me coming back for more. I was able to sneak my way into the playoffs in Franchise Mode, but if I want to win the Stanley Cup, I’m going to have to train harder and smarter to actually get good at scoring goals.

Should you play NHL 26?

Play it if…

You want to immerse yourself in the world of NHL
NHL 26 is the best ice hockey game on the market, and it does an excellent job at capturing what makes the sport one of the most exciting on the planet. If you’re into hockey or want to be, NHL 26 is the sports game for you.

You don’t own NHL 25
I can’t say for certain that NHL 26 is worth picking up if you own NHL 25 because, quite frankly, I dream of a world without annual sports video game releases. That said, NHL 26 is a damn good sports game, so if you love everything hockey or don’t own NHL 25, it’s a must-play.

Don’t play it if…

You’ve not got patience
Unless you’re a seasoned veteran, NHL 26 is not a pick-up and play experience. In fact, it’s probably one of the hardest sports games for a beginner I’ve ever tried. If you don’t have time to invest in learning the ropes, NHL 26 isn’t for you

Accessibility

NHL 26 is filled with accessibility features to set the game up exactly as you want it. With multiple control schemes and basic controller remapping, there are different ways to play depending on your needs and preferences.

Gameplay accessibility is supported via adjustable difficulty levels (with more granular “advanced” difficulty options) as well as control reminders (so players can see how to do certain moves or actions).

How I reviewed NHL 26

I played over 30 hours of NHL 26 on PS5 Pro connected to my Samsung S90D, one of the best OLED TVs on the market.

I tested all of the main game modes, spending most of my time in Franchise Mode and playing exhibition matches with my friend via couch co-op.

I’ve played a whole host of sports games over the years and have reviewed EA FC 25 and WWE 2K25 in recent months. While I’m a novice to NHL video games, I know quite a bit about the sport and used my experience to compare the real-life action with the gameplay on my PS5.

First reviewed September 2025

Source link

September 11, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

The best iPad to buy in 2025

by admin September 11, 2025

There are no bad iPads. That’s the best news about Apple’s tablet lineup: 15 years after Steve Jobs first debuted the device, the iPad is the best tablet on the market, and it’s not particularly close. Apple’s App Store is enormous and filled with great apps, Apple’s performance and battery life are consistently excellent, and the iPad is still the company’s most versatile device. That’s one easy answer to your question: yes, if you want a tablet you should buy an iPad. Even last year’s iPad, or heck, last-last year’s iPad is still a solid device. Buying an older but better device — last year’s Pro instead of this year’s Air, for instance — is a tried and true iPad formula.

But which of all those good iPads should you buy? That’s never been more complicated. Apple sells six different iPads — the Pro in two sizes, the Air in two sizes, the Mini, and the regular ol’ iPad — all of which come with different specs and accessory options. It’s all too much.

I’ve tested every iPad currently on the market and have been an iPad user and reviewer since the very first model. (I’m pretty sure I got a job in 2010 because I had a brand-new iPad with me at the interview, but that’s another story.) After using all these tablets and accessories, I think I can help you make the choice.

The simplest way to pick an iPad is by process of elimination. First, there’s your budget: you can spend $350 on an iPad, you can spend $2,728 on an iPad Pro, or you can spend just about anything in between. You should also decide whether you need an Apple Pencil and which one has the features you need, because not every iPad supports every model. The same goes for the keyboard attachments. Between price and accessories, your choice might be instantly obvious.

More broadly, though, your iPad-buying journey starts with two crucial questions. The first is: what kind of iPad user are you? There are roughly two types. The first and most common iPad user mostly uses it like a larger iPhone: it’s a bigger screen on which to send emails, do the crossword, watch Netflix, and other fairly casual activities. The second type of iPad user, on the other hand, uses it like a touchscreen Mac: it’s for video editing, 3D modeling, creating presentations, crushing spreadsheets, and generally Doing Work of all sorts. You’ll also email and Netflix, of course, but you want your iPad to be a primary computing device.

I think most people fall into the first category. (Honestly, I also think a lot of people who believe they fall into the second category… mostly don’t.)

What to consider when buying an iPad:

How we test iPads

Collapse

iPads are incredibly versatile gadgets, so we test them in as many real-world ways as possible. We use them for video chats, we play high-end games and casual ones, we edit complex video, we fall asleep on the couch watching Netflix. We pay close attention to performance, battery life, durability, and compatibility with important apps and accessories. We’ve reviewed every iPad on the market, along with their most important competitors, and track software updates closely as they change the devices’ appeal.

Price

Collapse

Yes, this is obvious, but it’s good to know how much you want to spend before shopping — otherwise, you risk succumbing to Apple’s incredible ability to always get you spending just a little more. You can get a new iPad for as little as $350, or you can spend well over $1,000 for a top model. Knowing how much you want to pay will guide you to the right models. It might even guide you to older models; sometimes the last-gen iPad, at a steep discount, can be the one to buy.

Size

Collapse

The most common iPad size these days has a roughly 11-inch screen. This is probably the right size for most people: 11 inches is ideal for a wide variety of things and is flexible for both holding in your hands and using with a keyboard. If you primarily plan to use your iPad for reading, you might want to go with something smaller; if you intend to replace a laptop with an iPad, you might want a bigger model. Be warned, though: a 13-inch iPad is a truly humongous thing.

Accessories

Collapse

Apple’s accessory compatibility is somewhat fragmented across its iPad lineup. It has several different Pencil stylus models, a number of different keyboard attachments, and a wide variety of case options. While some iPad models share accessories with others, not all of them do, so if you want to use a specific accessory with your iPad, it’s important to make sure both are compatible before you buy them.

The second question is more complicated to answer, and it’s what makes the iPad-buying process so tricky right now: how long do you expect to keep your iPad? If you’re looking for a device for the kids to beat up or something that will be your travel companion until you inevitably leave it somewhere, you’re going to end up with a very different device than if you’re shopping for your main computer for the next decade. In general, if you take care of your iPad, I think you can reasonably expect it to last at least five years — so that’s the timeline I have in mind as we go through this guide.

I used to say that almost everyone should just get the base iPad. Now, I think there are two options worth seriously considering. No matter which one you choose, all the models on this list will receive Apple’s iPadOS 26 update, which launches on September 15th (and may be out by the time you read this).

$299

The Good

The cheapest iPad by far
Comes in lots of fun colors
Plenty capable for casual use

The Bad

The worst screen in the lineup
Much older chip
No Pencil Pro support

Screen: 11-inch, 2360 x 1640 resolution / Processor: Apple A16 / Storage: 128GB to 512GB Port: USB-C / Cellular: 5G (optional) / Speakers: stereo / Compatible accessories: Apple Magic Keyboard Folio, Apple Pencil (USB-C)

Apple’s base model is still a really good tablet and a pretty good deal: you could buy the $349 tablet and the (wildly overpriced but still very nice) $250 Magic Keyboard Folio for the price of the iPad Air. Now that it comes with at least 128GB of storage, I have few complaints with this device.

The 11-inch screen is the right size for most iPad things, the camera is good and is located in the right place, it supports the Apple Pencil — though not the newer Pencil Pro — and even its A16 chip is plenty for most casual iPad uses. All the other iPads have slightly nicer screens, particularly the antireflective coating that helps mitigate glare, but that’s almost certainly not worth the additional price for most buyers.

Here’s my reservation: the base model iPad is further behind the Air than ever before, and I worry about how that’ll play out over the next few years. If you decide to start using your iPad for more creative tasks, then you might regret not getting the Air’s M3 chip. If, by some miracle, Apple Intelligence becomes awesome in the next few years, you won’t be able to use it.

If you only wanted an iPad to last a couple years, for everyday iPad tasks, I’d tell you to buy this one without a second’s hesitation. But there’s a chance this one will feel old and outdated long before the Air does.

Read our full iPad (11th-gen) review.

$537

The Good

M3 chip is fast
Excellent accessory support
Better display than the base model

The Bad

Has Touch ID, not Face ID
Much more expensive than the base model
AI is not an upgrade so far

Screen: 11-inch, 2360 x 1640 resolution; 13-inch, 2732 x 2048 resolution / Processor: Apple M3 / Storage: 128GB to 1TB / Ports: USB-C / Cellular: 5G (optional) / Speakers: stereo / Compatible accessories: Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad Air, Apple Pencil Pro, Pencil USB-C

The iPad Air is supposed to be the perfect middle ground of the iPad lineup, and this year’s model gets pretty close. The M3 chip is only a tiny upgrade over the M2 — I don’t even notice it in day-to-day use — but I’ll never complain about having newer chips. The biggest upgrade to the Air this year is actually the new Magic Keyboard, which adds a row of function keys and makes the setup a much more credible laptop replacement. (The new keyboard also works with the M2 Air, and if you can find that device on sale somewhere, it’s still a great tablet.)

The base iPad to iPad Air upgrade is straightforward enough. You get better accessories, a somewhat better screen, and a noticeably better processor for $250. (You also get the option of a 13-inch device for another $200, but I think an 11-inch iPad is the right size for most people — the 13-inch models start to feel more like laptops than tablets.) If you’re playing Netflix and browsing the web, that $250 won’t get you much, but as soon as you start noodling around in Final Cut or even GarageBand, you’ll notice the difference. There’s a lot of room to grow into the Air, whereas the base iPad may hit its ceiling much sooner.

The other thing the Air offers that the base iPad doesn’t is Apple Intelligence. Right now, this is not a problem: there is exactly nothing in Apple Intelligence worth spending $250 on. But if you’re an AI believer, you should know that the base iPad won’t get whatever’s coming.

Read our full iPad Air M3 review.

$1195

The Good

Outrageously powerful
Gorgeous screen and design
Full accessory support

The Bad

Outrageously expensive
Like, MacBook Pro-level expensive

Screen: 11-inch, 2420 x 1668 resolution 120Hz OLED; 13-inch, 2752 x 2064 resolution 120Hz OLED; nano-texture glass optional / Processor: Apple M4 / Storage: 256GB–2TB / Ports: USB-C / Cellular: 5G (optional) / Speakers: four / Compatible accessories: Apple Magic Keyboard, Apple Pencil Pro, Pencil USB-C

If you’re not worried about price tags, this is easy: the latest iPad Pro is my favorite tablet of all time. The Tandem OLED screen is bright and crisp, the tablet is barely thicker than its USB-C port, it’s light, it’s thin, and it’s about as well made as you could expect a tablet to be. The M4 chip is plenty fast even for high-end games and ultra-complex creativity apps. It supports the new, lighter, better Magic Keyboard case and the Pencil Pro. I have plenty of qualms about how powerful iPadOS is, and the limits it places on just how powerfully you can use an iPad, but the M4 Pro is everything you’d want in a tablet.

But oh boy, the price. The Pro starts at $999 for the 11-inch model, and if you want a keyboard, a Pencil, and even a single storage upgrade, you’re quickly looking at a $2,000 purchase. If we’re just talking about a Netflix and email machine, we’re long past the point of diminishing returns. But if you don’t care, and you just want the best thing money can buy? Here it is. You won’t be disappointed.

Read our full iPad Pro review.

$474

The Good

Ideal for one-handed use
Works with the Pencil Pro

The Bad

Missing some accessory support
Camera’s in the wrong spot

Screen: 8.3-inch, 2266 x 1488 resolution 60Hz Mini LED / Processor: Apple A17 Pro / Storage: up to 2TB / Port: USB-C / Cellular: 5G (optional) / Speakers: quad / Compatible accessories: Apple Pencil Pro, Pencil USB-C, Smart Folio

You’re either an iPad Mini person or you’re not. I very much am: I’ve used a Mini for years as my device for reading in bed, watching movies on airplanes, and playing games on the go. The latest Mini is a bit of a disappointment, with a slightly underpowered processor and an old design that could have used smaller bezels and a relocated camera. But it’s still the iPad Mini, and it’s still good enough for most tablet things. If you want an iPad Mini, this is it.

Read our full iPad Mini review.

An aside on specs and extras

Once you’ve picked an iPad model, you still have a bunch of decisions to make. And many of them are about specs and features that will cost you hundreds of dollars. Here are my recommendations for some of the things you’ll encounter:

Cellular coverage: You probably don’t need this. Unless you live in a really remote place, Wi-Fi is available in most places. That said, I’ve found that I use cell-equipped iPads far more often when I can just pull them out and know they’re connected — there’s something about busting it out in the park or on the subway that just feels great. Plus, it’s a really useful hotspot for other devices. This isn’t the first place I’d spend my money, though.
Storage: This is the first place I’d spend my money. All the iPads now come with at least 128GB of storage, which is a big upgrade — 64GB was just never enough. Even now, though, I recommend springing for 256GB if you can afford it; you’d be surprised at how quickly your photos, videos, and Netflix downloads add up.
Engraving: Don’t do this. It screws up returns and makes selling or giving it away harder. Just don’t do it.
Apple Pencil: As much as I’d love for this to be an all-purpose accessory, it’s really not. Buy it (either the USB-C or the Pro) if you plan to handwrite or draw a lot. Otherwise, skip it.
Magic Keyboard: This is the first accessory I’d recommend to most people — many people type a lot on their iPads, and it’s also a handy stand and dock for the tablet. You can find cheaper keyboard docks than Apple’s, but I haven’t found one I like better. It’s expensive no matter which model you buy, though.

My gadget shopping advice is always to buy the best thing you can afford and hold it for as long as possible, and that’s more doable with an iPad than almost any other device category. If you have the extra $100 to spend on storage, do it. If you want to upgrade because you think AI will get more powerful in the next few years, go for it! Just make sure you know which kind of iPad user you really are, and get the best one you’ll actually make use of. Hopefully for a long time to come.

For the first time in a while, the iPad lineup feels fairly up to date. The Air, Mini, and base model have all been updated in the last several months. The Pro is actually the oldest device in the lineup, and Bloomberg has reported that an M5-powered Pro could be coming as soon as this year.

Apple does appear to be updating its devices more often than before, sometimes on an iPhone-style annual schedule. Obviously, your iPad doesn’t need to be upgraded that often, and the year-to-year upgrades tend to be small. So our advice still holds: if you need a new one, now’s a good time. If you don’t, there seems to always be an upgrade just around the corner.

Update, September 10th: Adjusted prices and availability.

0 CommentsFollow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

David PierceClose
David Pierce
Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
PlusFollow
See All by David Pierce
AppleClose
Apple
Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
PlusFollow
See All Apple
Buying GuidesClose
Buying Guides
Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
PlusFollow
See All Buying Guides
iPadClose
iPad
Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
PlusFollow
See All iPad
ReviewsClose
Reviews
Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
PlusFollow
See All Reviews
Tablet ReviewsClose
Tablet Reviews
Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
PlusFollow
See All Tablet Reviews
TechClose
Tech
Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.
PlusFollow
See All Tech

Source link

September 11, 2025 0 comments

Game Updates

Lenovo Clears Out Its 4.8-Star Copilot AI Laptop (40GB RAM, 1TB SSD) at 73% Off, You Could Buy Several for the Price of One

by admin September 10, 2025

If you’re out there looking for a solid laptop that can handle basic, everyday tasks, then Lenovo is a manufacturer worth consideration. Maybe you’re a college student in need of something to build out documents and slideshow presentations for your classes. Maybe you’re a small business owner in need of something to, err, build out documents and slideshow presentations for your clients. Web browsing, email drafting, YouTube video watching. You know, computer stuff! Well, take a look at the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3. Right now, Amazon has it on sale for 73% off. It’s listed at $2,999 but after the discount, the price comes to just $800. That’s a savings of $2,200.

Okay, but let’s hold our horses for just a moment. A $2,200 discount on a $2,299 laptop? Sounds too good to be true. So yeah, if we take a look at this items price history, we’ll see this listing has only existed on Amazon since the beginning of August. After about two weeks it dropped to the price it’s at now. It briefly went back up when September hit, but now it’s back down to $800.

See at Amazon

When we take a look at the specs on offer here, you can tell this is not a three thousand dollar machine. Lenovo’s own website has various builds of the IdeaPad Slim 3 in this $600 to $800 range. This listing is trying to trick you into thinking you’re saving a lot more than you are. And that’s a shame because these specs at this price point is a pretty good deal in its own right.

Deep Dive

What we have here is a 15.3-inch laptop capable of displaying in 1920 by 1200 HD. The anti-glare non-touch display has 300nits of brightness and a refresh rate of 60Hz. With DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4, you can display on two additional monitors (three displays total including the laptop screen).

It’s got a built-in webcam that can record in 720p HD with a shutter so you can maintain privacy when not in use. For added connectivity, you have two USB-A ports and one USB-C port to transfer data or charge your other devices. Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 are also supported.

The real story is its RAM and storage. It’s working with 40GB of memory and an SSD containing a full 1TB of storage space. Great for backing up photos and working with large file types like 4K video.

All and all, this Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 is a worthwhile laptop. At $2,999? Heck no. But at $800? Not bad.

See at Amazon

Source link

September 10, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

Metaplanet Now Holds 20,136 BTC After $15M Buy

by admin September 9, 2025

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

Metaplanet Inc. moved again into the Bitcoin zone as part of its treasury plan, buying 136 Bitcoin for about $15.2 million at an average price of $111,783 per coin.

According to the company, that brings its total holdings to 20,136 coins. The purchase keeps Metaplanet among the larger corporate holders of the crypto.

Metaplanet Expands Bitcoin Stack

The company reported the fresh buy on Monday. Based on reports, Metaplanet now sits as the sixth-largest corporate holder of Bitcoin.

At the time of the purchase, Bitcoin traded around $111,580, putting the new units close to current market levels. The move underscores how some firms are turning parts of their balance sheets into crypto exposure rather than sticking only to their core businesses.

Market Reaction Was Cool

Shares of Metaplanet did not climb after the disclosure. They fell 2.3% in Tokyo trade on Monday and were trading near a four-month low, extending nearly a 20% rout from the prior week.

Reports show the stock slide has tracked a drop in Bitcoin’s price after profit-taking followed August’s record highs. Investors appear skittish when a company’s share price is tied tightly to a volatile asset.

*Metaplanet Acquires Additional 136 $BTC, Total Holdings Reach 20,136 BTC* pic.twitter.com/c41t6bJg1L

— Metaplanet Inc. (@Metaplanet_JP) September 8, 2025

Investors Weigh ETFs Versus Direct Exposure

Part of the pushback comes from alternatives. Exchange-traded funds now give retail and institutional investors direct bitcoin exposure without owning a company whose core business may not reflect the crypto bet.

Strategy, formerly MicroStrategy, remains the biggest corporate holder with 636,505 coins. Strategy logged nearly a 15% loss in August as Bitcoin pulled back, showing how a firm’s valuation can swing with crypto prices.

Questions have been raised about whether holding Bitcoin on a company balance sheet still offers the same appeal it once did.

BTCUSD now trading at $112,018. Chart: TradingView

Valuation And Volatility Concerns Persist

Metaplanet’s market value — around $5 billion, based on recent trading — has drawn scrutiny because it exceeds the current market value of the bitcoin on its books.

Critics warn that tying a company’s shares to Bitcoin can make the stock more vulnerable to crypto’s swings. New players, including Metaplanet and Gamestop, tried to copy the strategy and have met mixed results so far.

Market Crowding Could Limit Future Gains

Analysts also point to crowding: many companies chasing the same story could blunt future upside for treasury-play stocks if fresh buyers stop showing up.

Strategy achieved big gains after late-2023 purchases, funded in part through large share and debt issuances. That path may be harder to repeat now that more investment routes exist.

For now, Metaplanet keeps adding to its bitcoin pile while its shares remain under pressure. Reports suggest the next moves by both Bitcoin and markets will decide whether that bet looks smart or risky in hindsight.

Featured image from Unsplash, chart from TradingView

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.

Source link

September 9, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

Best Crypto to Buy as Banking Giants Now Predict at Least Two Rate Cuts in 2025

by admin September 8, 2025

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

Jerome Powell, the Fed Chair, in his speech at Jackson Hole on August 22, hinted that the Fed might cut interest rates in September.

Now, weak U.S. jobs market data has increased the chances of not one, but at least two rate cuts in 2025.

For the first time since April 2021, there are more unemployed people (7.24M) in the U.S. than available job openings (7.18M).

According to the Kobeissi Letter, the U.S. has revised June’s job report for the second time, showing a loss of 13,000 jobs – the first negative month since July 2021. Meanwhile, August saw only 22,000 jobs added against an expected 75,000.

This is why many banks have revised their earlier rate cut predictions and are now expecting a 50 to 75 bps cut before the end of the year.

Read on to learn what banks are saying about rate cuts, what it could mean for the crypto markets, and the best cryptos to buy now to capitalize on this opportunity.

Banks’ Rate Cut Prediction

Bank of America had long stood by its prediction that there would be no rate cuts in 2025. However, in a major U-turn, the bank now expects two 25 bps cuts this year – the first in September and the next in December.

Goldman Sachs has made an even bolder call, forecasting three 25 bps cuts in 2025, followed by two more in March and June 2026.

The firm now sees a terminal rate of 3-3.25% (down from its earlier 3.5-3.75% forecast). Similarly, Citigroup is also predicting three cuts this year.

With rate cuts now looking almost certain, the crypto markets are buzzing again. Historically, interest rate cuts have been bullish for digital assets: borrowing becomes cheaper, risk-on sentiment increases, bond yields fall, the dollar weakens, and capital flows into crypto in search of higher returns.

If you’re planning to build a crypto portfolio, there may not be a better time. Here are some altcoins worth considering to take full advantage of the upcoming rate cuts.

1. Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) – Turbocharging Bitcoin with Fast Speeds, Low Fees & Web3 Compatibility

Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) has the potential to crank up Bitcoin’s real-world application, making it more than just an investment vehicle.

This new crypto project is building a Layer 2 solution for Bitcoin, one that integrates the Solana Virtual Machine (SVM) to deliver fast transaction speeds, low fees, and a full-blown Web3 environment directly on Bitcoin.

Unlike Bitcoin’s main chain, which processes every transaction first-hand, $HYPER will act as a much-needed secondary fast lane.

It’ll handle thousands of requests on the side before sending a summary of all those transactions to the primary chain.

At the core of this Layer 2 is a decentralized, non-custodial canonical bridge.

By locking your Layer 1 Bitcoin and minting an equivalent amount of tokens on Bitcoin Hyper’s Layer 2, the bridge enables seamless interaction with SVM-powered Web3 applications.

These include DeFi trading apps, NFT marketplaces, lending and staking protocols, DAOs, and gaming dApps.

Right now, 1 $HYPER is available for just $0.012875, and the project has in total raised over $14.33M from early investors. Here’s how to buy $HYPER.

Visit Bitcoin Hyper’s and get yourself possibly one of the best altcoins in 2025.

2. SUBBD Token ($SUBBD) – Revolutionizing the $85B Online Content Industry

SUBBD is the newest (and potentially most game-changing) crypto-powered online subscription platforms available today.

It stands out as the first platform of its kind to integrate cutting-edge AI tools, including voice, video, image, and profile generators.

The biggest benefit? Helping creators dramatically reduce their workload. By automating much of the content creation process, SUBBD leaves creators with more time to directly engage with their audiences.

At the heart of it all is SUBBD Token ($SUBBD), the platform’s native currency.

For fans, buying $SUBBD means more than just paying for premium content, tipping creators, or sending personalized requests. It also unlocks a host of unique perks:

Exclusive discounts on in-platform content and subscriptions
Early access to beta features
Voting rights on key platform decisions, such as creator onboarding and feature prioritization

Even better, staking $SUBBD gets you a fixed 20% APY for the first year, along with access to creator livestreams, daily BTS drops, and exclusive content from SUBBD’s top talents.

According to our $SUBBD price prediction, a $100 investment today could turn into $850 by the end of 2026 – an eye-popping 750% gain.

Currently in presale, $SUBBD has already raised more than $1.1M, with each token priced at just $0.056375.

Visit SUBBD Token to join a promising AI-driven crypto project.

3. MemeCore ($M) – Viral New Altcoin Changing the Meme Coin Space

If you thought meme coins only existed for speculation and as an outlet for crypto degens’ deranged sense of humor and thrill, MemeCore ($M) is here to make you think again.

It’s a unique new cryptocurrency project ushering in a never-before-seen paradigm, one where meme coins evolve into full-blown engines of culture, value, and community coordination.

MemeCore introduces a novel Proof of Meme (PoM) consensus layer, designed to reward participants for both cultural contributions and on-chain activity.

Thanks to MemeCore’s Meme 2.0 revolution, the token has been a rockstar on the exchanges. It’s up more than 196% in just the last seven days, currently trading around $1.90.

Conclusion

With speculation about a Federal Reserve rate cut in September dominating crypto chatter, several banking giants have now added more fuel to the fire by suggesting there could be multiple cuts by year-end.

That said, none of the above is financial advice. Crypto investments are highly risky. Invest only after doing your own research.

Authored by Krishi Chowdhary, Bitcoinist — https://bitcoinist.com/best-crypto-to-buy-banking-giants-predict-two-rate-cuts-2025

Source link

September 8, 2025 0 comments

Crypto Trends

Best Altcoins to Buy After US Senate Confirms Tokenized Stocks Are Still Securities

by admin September 7, 2025

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

Complicated rules and regulations have long been the tightest noose around crypto’s neck – but that’s now changing rapidly with Donald Trump back in the president’s seat for a second term.

The latest sign of the US government’s pro-crypto stance is the Senate’s new bill, the Responsible Financial Innovation Act of 2025.

Most notably, the bill introduces a crucial provision clarifying that tokenized stocks and similar assets will remain classified as securities.

Keep reading to learn why this clarification is a win for crypto, how it simplifies things for blockchain businesses, and what the best altcoins to buy to make the most from the momentum this regulatory shift is set to create.

Why the Senate’s 2025 Bill Could Supercharge the Crypto Market

The Senate’s latest bill is crucial because it ensures that companies involved in tokenization can continue operating within familiar frameworks, including broker-dealer systems, clearing mechanisms, and trading platforms.

Even better, the bill also lays out clear guidelines on when digital assets will fall under the jurisdiction of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) versus the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis reinforced the urgency, saying, ‘We want this on the president’s desk before the end of the year,’ showing that the Senate isn’t just committed to pro-crypto changes but also to rolling them out quickly for maximum impact.

Combined with the prospect of multiple Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2025, there may not be a better time to load up your portfolio with explode-worthy altcoins like the following.

1. Snorter Token ($SNORT) – New Telegram-Based Trading Bot Helping Retail Meme Coin Traders

Snorter Token ($SNORT) powers a new Telegram trading bot built to restore parity in the meme coin trading space.

Right now, deep-pocketed investors with advanced tools and algorithms scoop up most of the liquidity in newly listed tokens, effectively shutting out retail traders from those early meme coin pumps.

Snorter Bot’s automatic execution changes that. It lets you place buy/sell orders in advance and then executes them the moment liquidity becomes available – something nearly impossible to do manually.

This gives you the chance to ride the earliest (and often biggest) price jumps in new meme coins.

On top of that, the bot is loaded with robust safeguards against common on-chain threats, including rug pulls, honeypots, front-running, and sandwich attacks.

Why buy $SNORT, Snorter Bot’s native cryptocurrency?

A potential 807% ROI by year-end, according to our $SNORT price prediction
No daily sniping limits
Advanced analytics
Generous staking rewards, currently yielding 123%
Reduced trading fees: just 0.85% vs. 1.5% charged to non-holders

Interested? Join the $SNORT presale, which has already pulled in over $3.77M from early investors. And each token is currently priced at just $0.1037.

Check out Snorter Token’s presale page to snort your way to profitable trades.

2. Maxi Doge ($MAXI) – Dogecoin-Themed Meme Coin with Aggressive Marketing Plans

Maxi Doge ($MAXI) might not have an other-worldly staking mechanism or any underlying utility, but its raw, laser-focused mission to overshadow Dogecoin has crypto degens hooked.

Simply put, Maxi is Dogecoin’s distant cousin who, thanks to Doge’s pomp and show as the best meme coin ever, grew up in the shadows. This left Maxi licking his paws in frustration.

That’s why Maxi harbors an undying hatred for Dogecoin. The million-dollar question, however, is whether $MAXI is capable of being the next 1000x crypto.

The answer? A resounding yes. With over 40% of its total token supply reserved for marketing (think PR campaigns, influencer partnerships, and social media blitzes), $MAXI has locked in a solid plan to go viral.

Additionally, it won’t stop at DEX and CEX listings – $MAXI is also eyeing a futures platform launch.

This could make it even more popular among high-risk, high-reward traders, who will be able to take leveraged positions and chase potentially life-changing gains.

Join the tribe by buying $MAXI while it’s still in presale at just $0.000256. The project has already amassed $1.9M in funding within just a few weeks.

Join the presale and go with this unhinged Maxi Doge in his journey to take down Dogecoin.

3. Comedian ($BAN) – Viral Meme Coin Based on Controversial Artwork

Comedian ($BAN)’s 130%+ rise over the past month is already impressive, but its additional 22% gain this past week is particularly noteworthy, as it comes right after a major breakout.

The breakout in question was a run-up out of a descending triangle pattern – the same formation that pushed the token into a nearly 90% drawdown back in February-April this year.

According to textbook technical analysis, by measuring the width of the triangle and projecting it from the breakout, $BAN could be on its way to $1.419360 – an eye-popping 1,000% gain from current price levels.

For context, Comedian is based on the controversial artwork featuring a banana taped to a wall.

This so-called piece of ‘modern’ art that has sparked endless online debate about whether it represents brilliance or just lazy absurdity.

Wrapping Up

With the US government showing no signs of slowing down its pro-crypto stance, the stage is set for the crypto market to rise by leaps and bounds in the coming weeks.

Remember, this article is not financial advice, and you must always do your own research before investing.

Authored by Krishi Chowdhary, Bitcoinist — https://bitcoinist.com/best-altcoins-to-buy-us-senate-confirms-tokenized-stocks-still-securities/

Source link

September 7, 2025 0 comments

Product Reviews

6 Best Phones You Can’t Buy in the US (2025), Tested and Reviewed

by admin September 7, 2025

Other Good International Phones

These phones are worth considering if you have yet to see something you like.

Xiaomi Poco F7 for $366: The latest release from Xiaomi’s Poco brand comes close to a place above, combining the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor with a lovely 6.83-inch AMOLED screen and a big 6,500 mAh battery. There’s no scrimping on the rest of the spec sheet, with Wi-Fi 7 support, an IP68 rating, and 256 GB of UFS 4.1 storage in the base model. The main camera even has a 50-MP Sony IMX882 lens, though the 8-MP ultrawide and 20-MP front-facing cameras aren’t great. I love the silver model, but it also comes in white or black. I think the X7 Pro above, now dropping in price, is a bigger bargain, but the F7 is a better phone and worth considering if you don’t mind spending a bit more.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Oppo Find N5 for $1,265: It’s a real shame that the Find N5 won’t even land in the UK or Europe, because the world’s slimmest book-style foldable (3.6 millimeters open) is a lovely phone. The 6.62-inch cover display and 8.12-inch inner display are excellent, and the Find N5 has top specs all the way (Snapdragon 8 Elite, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB storage, 5,600-mAh battery, 80-watt wired and 50-watt wireless charging). The triple-lens camera (50-MP main, 50-MP telephoto, 8-MP ultrawide) is the most obvious compromise, a necessity for this form factor. The slightly buggy software and bloatware are the only other detractors, but the potential pain of importing will be enough to put most folks off.

Xiaomi Poco F7 Ultra for £569 and F7 Pro for £449: While Poco has traditionally been a budget brand, the aptly named F7 Ultra takes it into new territory. This phone boasts a few flagship-level features, such as the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset with the VisionBoost D7 for graphics, a powerful triple-lens camera, and a lovely, high-resolution 6.67-inch display with a 120-Hz refresh rate. It also scores an IP68 rating and offers up to 50-watt wireless charging. The catch is a price hike over previous Poco F series releases, but at the early-bird price, the F7 Ultra is a compelling bargain. The F7 Pro is more in line with what we expect from the brand, with an older processor, limited camera, and no wireless charging. Both run Xiaomi’s HyperOS 2 and have too much bloatware, but Xiaomi now promises four Android version upgrades and 6 years of security patches.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Realme 14 Pro+ for €530: The color-changing finish may be gimmicky, but it’s fun, and this phone looks and feels far more expensive than it is. There are more highs than lows on the spec sheet. You get a triple-lens camera, an IP68/69 rating, a 6,000-mAh battery, and a 6.83-inch OLED display with a 120-Hz refresh rate, but the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 chipset is limited, there’s no wireless charging support, and no charger in the box. It is still quite a bargain and should be landing in the UK soon.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Xiaomi 15 for £899: Folks seeking a more compact phone than the Xiaomi 15 Ultra could do a lot worse than its smaller sibling. The Xiaomi 15 feels lovely, with a 6.36-inch screen, a decent triple-lens camera, and top-notch internals. But it’s a conservative design, kind of pricey, and it has the same software and bloatware issues as the Ultra.

Honor Magic 7 RSR for £1,550: Designed with Porsche, this souped-up version of the 7 Pro above has a fancier design with a hexagonal camera module, a slightly improved telephoto lens, 24 GB of RAM (likely largely pointless), 1 TB of storage, and a bigger battery (5,850 mAh). It’s lovely, but it doesn’t do enough to justify the additional outlay.

Oppo Find X8 Pro for £800: The last two Oppo flagships didn’t officially make it to the UK and Europe, so the X8 Pro marks a welcome return. This is a polished phone with a quad-lens camera (all 50 MP), but it feels like a downgrade from the Find X7 Ultra I used last year because of the smaller sensor. It is fast, with excellent battery life, speedy wired and wireless charging, IP68/69 protection, and no obvious omissions. But it’s pricey, and flagships should not have bloatware. I’d prefer to wait for the X8 Ultra.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Honor 200 Pro for £360: I don’t love the design of the Honor 200 Pro, but it has a versatile triple-lens camera with a capable portrait mode. There are also some useful AI features, and the battery life is good, with fast wired and wireless charging. It cost £200 more at launch, but at this new lower price, it is a far more attractive option.

Xiaomi Mix Flip for £629: Xiaomi’s first flip phone is surprisingly good, with two relatively bright and roomy screens, solid stamina, fast charging, and snappy performance. It’s a shame Xiaomi didn’t craft more flip-screen-specific features. It doesn’t help that the Mix Flip was too expensive at launch (£1,099), but at this reduced price, it’s a decent shout for folks craving a folding flip phone.

Nubia Z70 Ultra for £649: Much like last year’s Z60 Ultra, the Z70 Ultra is a value-packed brick with an excellent 6.8-inch display, Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, versatile triple-lens camera, and 6,150-mAh battery. Unfortunately, the camera is inconsistent and poor at recording video, and the software is shoddy (with only three Android version updates promised).

Photograph: Simon Hill

Xiaomi 14T Pro for £465: As the mid-year follow-up to Xiaomi’s flagship 14, the 14T Pro is a bit of a bargain and has dropped in price since I reviewed it. The basics are nailed, with a big screen, good performance, plenty of stamina, and a solid camera. But there is bloatware, Xiaomi’s software, and the lack of wireless charging to contend with.

OnePlus Nord 4 for £310: With a metal unibody, the Nord 4 stands out and also boasts an excellent screen, enough processing power for most folks, impressive battery life, and fast charging. The main camera is fine, and there’s a nifty AquaTouch feature that lets you use the phone with wet hands. But there’s no wireless charging, the ultrawide camera is disappointing, and there’s some bloatware.

Avoid These Phones

These aren’t bad phones necessarily, but I think you’d be better served by something above.

Oppo Reno 13 Pro 5G for £620: This slim, lightweight midranger boasts a 6.8-inch screen (brightness is limited), a triple-lens camera (solid 50-MP main and telephoto lenses with a disappointing 8-MP ultrawide), and an impressive IP69 rating. Battery life is good, and wired charging is fast, but there’s no wireless charging. It’s packed with bloatware but also AI features and tools covering transcription, summarization, image editing, and more that may add value for some folks. Performance-wise, it can’t keep up with the similarly priced Poco F7 Ultra above. After some time with the 13 Pro, I’m not convinced it justifies such a major price bump over last year’s 12 Pro (it costs an extra £150), and you can do better for this money.

Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 for $1,399: Only officially released in China, the Xiaomi Mix Fold 4 is a stylish folding phone with a 6.56-inch outer screen that folds open to reveal a 7.98-inch inner screen. It also offers solid performance and battery life, but despite having a large quad-lens camera module, the camera is underwhelming. The crease is also pronounced, and using a Chinese model is a bit of a pain as various things are not translated, and there’s work in getting the apps you want.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Realme GT7 Pro for $529: This potential flagship killer has a 6.78-inch OLED screen, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, and an enormous 6,500-mAh battery. You also get a triple-lens camera, but the 50-megapixel main and telephoto lenses are let down by the 8-megapixel ultrawide. It also lacks wireless charging, and you’ll have to import it to the UK, as it only seems to be on sale in Germany.

Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 Pro+ for £309: An attractive, durable design (IP68), a 200-megapixel Samsung camera sensor, and decent battery life with superfast charging (120-watts) must be balanced against middling performance, poor ultrawide (8 MP) and macro (2 MP) lenses, and a ton of bloatware. Ultimately, there’s little improvement over last year’s Redmi Note 13 Pro+, and it’s not just that there are better phones for the same money; there are better Xiaomi phones.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Xiaomi Poco F6 for £270: A real bargain when first released, the Poco F6 series is still tempting with a big screen, decent performance, and a pretty capable camera, but there’s bloatware, shoddy software, and limited long-term support. The F6 is a better value than the Pro.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Motorola Edge 50 Pro for £285: It may be falling in price, but the Motorola Edge 50 Pro (7/10, WIRED Review) only has a couple of Android upgrades to go. While the design is compact and there’s a lovely display, I found it lacked processing power, with sometimes sluggish camera performance, and there are better options above.

Nubia Flip 5G for £346: I had some fun with the Nubia Flip 5G (6/10, WIRED Review), and it was the cheapest flip foldable available for a while. The circular cover screen is cute, but it can’t do much. The performance was average a year ago, and the annoying software and update policy are major strikes against it.

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

Source link

September 7, 2025 0 comments

Gaming Gear

Real Estate Speculators Are Swooping In to Buy Disaster-Hit Homes

by admin September 7, 2025

“Hi there Gina, hope you’re having a great day,” said another exactly two weeks later. “My name is Christine, I am a land buyer. I’m reaching out to see if you have any plans to sell the lot.” The text was signed by “Twin Acres.” Twin Acres is not a registered real estate broker. Grist’s attempt to text the number back went unanswered.

Sometimes, Miceli said, she answers the texts. “It depends on my mood. I think there’s been a time or two I’ve said, ‘Go to hell.’” She has no plans to leave. She’s raising her family in the home her husband’s grandparents bought, and she owns a local brewery.

Some theorists call this phenomenon “disaster gentrification,” when real estate investors flood a disaster zone to buy up damaged properties for cheap.

Samantha Montano, a professor of emergency management and author of the book Disasterology, spent years living and working in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and saw it happen with her own eyes. In areas like the Lower Ninth Ward, some people displaced by the storm didn’t have the resources to return. Speculators rushed in. Some landowners became instant millionaires, selling their properties to out-of-state developers hoping to rebuild and flip their property.

“The issue of gentrification in New Orleans was there from the beginning,” Montano said. “There were many groups who were warning about that, advocating for housing policy and other recovery policies to account for gentrification. [They] tried to prevent it.” Twenty years later, the demographics of New Orleans have shifted: Lower-income and Black residents have been displaced, and whiter, wealthier new residents took their place. “Certainly that is all very much intertwined in the recovery and in who had access to the resources to return and rebuild—and who didn’t,” she said.

In the wake of the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, earlier this year, half of home purchases were by limited liability corporations, according to Dwell, the home design news site. That’s nearly double what they typically represent compared to individuals buying homes. Just six companies—among them Ocean Development Inc. and Black Lion Properties LLC—dominated those transactions in Altadena, spending millions of dollars to purchase destroyed properties in historically Black neighborhoods. It’s difficult to find out who these companies are: Often, they contact potential sellers through fake phone numbers or under names that aren’t necessarily attached to real corporations.

The value of disaster-struck land consistently bounces back fast, meaning that buyers can flip the land or homes—sometimes even without making repairs. As climate change fuels more frequent severe natural disasters across the United States, “disaster investors” seem set to make greater profits than ever—and communities like North St. Louis stand to bear the burden.

A for-sale sign in Altadena, California, in March, three months after wildfires swept through the area.Photograph: Juliana Yamada/Getty Images

Source link

September 7, 2025 0 comments

GameFi Guides

Top 3 Reasons to Buy Crypto Before 2026

by admin September 5, 2025

Very likely, the peak of the cryptocurrency cycle — which started in November 2022 with the recovery post-FTX collapse — is close. At the same time, the coming weeks might bring some opportunities for buying cryptocurrency assets, or at least Bitcoin (BTC) and major altcoins.

Post-halving peak might be near — next one expected in late 2029

Q4 of a post-halving year is normally considered to be the peak of Bitcoin (BTC) performance. Bitcoin (BTC) set its 2017 high in December — the year after the 2016 halving. The situation repeated itself in November 2021, when Bitcoin (BTC) reached its $69,000 top in the year after the 2020 halving event.

Image by CoinMarketCap

The last Bitcoin (BTC) halving happened in April 2024. Thus, Q4 of 2025 will most likely mark the top of this Bitcoin (BTC) rally. While there is a major risk of “buying the top,” the volatility in the peak phases of a bullish run might open up space for more income opportunities.

Also, as the segment matures and its net capitalization surges, the cycles are getting longer and longer. Should we assume that the peak comes in Q1, 2026, it might be worth buying Bitcoin or Ethereum in September-December 2025. If not, the next cycle will definitely start from the decline of crypto prices. While the reduced rates open up more lucrative buying opportunities, those who buy Bitcoin or Ethereum in 2026 will be forced to hold until at least late 2029.

Of course, all of these implications only work for long-term holders. Opportunities for futures trading will be available in every period of existing and upcoming cycles.

Institutions are coming for Ethereum (ETH): Price discovery in the cards

What is special about the current bullish rally of cryptocurrencies is that it is really driven by institutions interested in gaining exposure to crypto price volatility. Unlike previously, institutional buyers — family offices, retirement funds, investing conglomerates, banks and TradFi VCs — do not have to find exotic ways to benefit from crypto.

During previous cycles, they were forced to either buy the stocks of mining companies or seek off-shore instruments as well as OTC buying deals. In 2024, cryptocurrency spot ETFs in the U.S. arrived. In January 2024, 11 Bitcoin ETFs went live in the U.S., while in July, they were accompanied by Spot Ethereum ETFs. With these instruments, large-scale investors now have reliable and secure methods to benefit from crypto trading without holding private keys physically.

Image by MacroMicro

This resulted in a huge inflow of liquidity into such products. The cumulative volume of Spot Bitcoin ETFs and Spot Ethereum ETFs as of press time is targeting $200 billion. While this is definitely a landmark milestone for Web3 economics and the digital assets segment as such, for regular traders it might result in too-high prices.

Should the institutional inflow accelerate, with Spot ETFs and Digital Assets Treasury companies like Sharplink or ETHZilla siphoning more and more liquidity, Ethereum (ETH) and Bitcoin (BTC) might skyrocket too high for ordinary users. Simply put, you might be interested in buying while you still can buy.

Bitcoin (BTC) security budget under pressure; this might be last big cycle

Also, this cycle might actually be the last in which we see the status quo, with Bitcoin (BTC) dominating here and there. As of press time, the Bitcoin (BTC) dominance rate eyes 60%, even in the context of a decline registered in Q3, 2025.

However, with the inception of quantum computers, Bitcoin’s (BTC) 21 million supply cap — one of its greatest long-term investing narratives — might be destroyed. More and more researchers are warning that if the Bitcoin (BTC) mining mechanism is altered by quantum computers, the asset will not be verifiably scarce any longer. Therefore, its attractiveness to investors will fade.

The best laptop you can buy in 2025

by admin September 5, 2025

Choosing the best laptop can be a bit of a challenge — there are so many models, sizes and specs out there that it’s easy to feel lost in the shuffle. But the good news is that modern laptops are better than ever. Whether you’re looking for a powerful AI PC, a travel-ready ultrabook or an affordable machine that can handle everyday tasks, there’s something out there for everyone. Today’s systems combine improved performance, longer battery life and smarter features in sleek, lightweight designs that are built to keep up with work, play and everything in between.

Out of all of the notebooks we’ve tested and reviewed recently, we consider Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air M4 to be the best laptop for most people, and this is still the case for our top picks to start off the new year. It’s powerful enough to handle most tasks (even light video editing); it has a great screen and built-in speakers; and its battery could last over 18hours (depending on what you’re doing, of course). The MacBook Air M4 is also one of the lightest and thinnest systems we’ve reviewed, and it’s dead silent, thanks to a fanless design.

Of course, not everyone wants a MacBook, and there are excellent Windows laptops and Chromebooks out there, too. Windows systems offer a range of configurations, from budget to high-end UHD screens with stunning IPS panels that boast high nits for vivid brightness. Chromebooks, on the other hand, tend to be more affordable and are great for users who mostly work online. Whether you need a powerhouse for creative work, a compact system for note-taking, or a laptop that can handle family movie night, there’s something for everyone in today’s laptop market.

Best laptops of 2025

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Read our full Apple MacBook Air M4 review

Apple’s M4-equipped 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air remain the best ultraportables you can buy today, and now they’re also better deals starting at $999 and $1,199, respectively. That’s $100 off the previous generation, but it’s no knock on the quality of these laptops.

Both MacBook Air models remain remarkably fast, incredibly thin and light, and deliver excellent battery life. They’re basically everything you’d want in a premium productivity notebook. Sure, it would be nice to see more than two USB-C ports and a screen that’s faster than 60Hz, but most buyers likely won’t notice these deficiencies. (And if they really bug you, you can always consider the 14-inch MacBook Pro.)

While the MacBook Air’s design hasn’t changed from the 2022-era M2 model, it’s still attractive today, and it also holds up well against Windows ultraportables. The Air isn’t Apple’s fastest computer, but it’s one of the company’s most iconic machines, one that’s elegantly crafted in ways that PC makers rarely accomplish. Its smooth metal case still feels great to hold, and its thin and light design makes it easy to travel with. The 2.7-pound 13-inch Air still feels impressively sturdy for its weight, and the 3.2-pound 15-inch model doesn’t feel that much heavier. (And for many, the larger screen is worth the portability sacrifice.)

Both MacBook Air models lasted for well over 18 hours in our tests, so they’ll likely last you two work days without needing to be juiced up. And while they’re far from gaming PCs, we were still impressed to see them run the graphically intensive game Lies of P at 60fps in 1080p.

Pros

Fast performance
Thin and light design
Great keyboard
Best-in-class touchpad
Excellent battery life

Cons

Could use more ports
Screen is only 60Hz

$898 at Amazon

Dell / Engadget

Read our full Dell 14 Premium review

For 2025, Dell rebranded the XPS 14 into the 14 Premium and gave it some updated specs. And while its new name is a shame, its pedigree remains unsullied (at least for now), which allows Dell’s flagship 14-inch laptop to retain its title as one of the best Windows notebooks around. It features a slick, futuristic design with a hidden touchpad and love-or-hate-it multimedia controls along with solid performance, good enough battery life and welcome optional upgrades like a 3.2K OLED display and a discrete RTX 4050 GPU. So if you’re looking for a portable and well-rounded Windows PC, it’s hard to go wrong with the Dell 14 Premium. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter

Pros

Sleek design
Vivid optional OLED display
Solid performance
Giant touchpad

Cons

Divisive capacitive touch buttons
Optional discrete GPU is one generation old

$1,500 at Dell

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Read our ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 review

The beauty of the ASUS ROG Zephryus G14 is that it features an all-new unibody aluminum chassis, a vibrant 120Hz OLED display, solid performance and tons of ports–all for hundreds less than an equivalent Razer Blade 14. It even has a built-in microSD card reader and presets for several color gamuts, so it can easily pull double duty as a photo/video editing machine. Its audio is also way above average thanks to punchy up-firing stereo speakers. Battery life is solid too, with the Zephyrus lasting just shy of eight hours on our rundown test. And to top it off, the G14 weighs almost half a pound less than rival laptops with similar designs.

The main downsides are that its GPU caps out at an RTX 4070 (instead of a 4080 like on the previous model) and that its RAM is soldered in. But if you want a really great all-rounder that offers big power in a portable package, this system has to be at the top of your list.

If you’re set on having a larger screen, the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 is available now as well. And if you’ve got a tight budget, there are still options for you. Our top pick for the best budget gaming laptop is currently the Dell G15. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Writer, Reviews

Pros

Beautiful understated design
Gorgeous OLED screen
Strong performance
Good port selection
Punchy speakers

Cons

Bottom vents can get a bit toasty
Keyboard only has single-zone lighting
Armoury Crate app is kind of messy
RAM is soldered in

$2,000 at Best Buy

Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Our favorite Chromebook is Lenovo’s Flex 5 Chromebook, which Engadget’s resident Chrome OS aficionado Nathan Ingraham described as a tremendous value. This laptop nails the basics, with a 14-inch Full HD touchscreen, a great backlit keyboard and a 13th-gen Core i3 processor. The latest model has an upgraded 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which when paired with the Core i3 CPU, make for a speedy, capable machine. It’s also nice to see one USB-A and two USB-C ports, six hours of battery life and a 360-degree hinge that makes it easy to use the Flex 5 as a tablet. This could be the ideal laptop for Chrome OS fans, and it’ll hit the sweet spot for a lot of other buyers out there, providing a level of quality and performance that’s pretty rare to find at this price point.

Pros

Great overall performance for the price
Nice display
Solid keyboard and trackpad

Cons

Mediocre battery life
A bit heavy and chunky

$438 at Amazon

Photo by Daniel Cooper / Engadget

Read our HP Pavilion Aero review

If you’re looking for a budget laptop priced around $800, your best bet is the HP Pavilion Aero 13. For around $799 (or often less when on sale), you’ll get a Full HD screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio and surprisingly thin bezels, as well as a comfortable keyboard and spacious touchpad. Importantly, the Aero 13 provides solid performance and relatively powerful components compared to others in this price range, with an AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor and Radeon graphics. Plus, this pick for best budget laptop has a generous array of ports and all-day battery life.

Pros

Good performance
Lightweight design
Generous port selection

Cons

Boring design
Backlit keyboard only available on custom orders

$800 at HP

Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

Display: Liquid Retina XDR | Screen size: 14 or 16 inches | Screen refresh rate: 120Hz | CPU: Apple M4 | Installed memory: Up to 128GB | Storage: Up to 8TB | Weight: Starts at 3.4 pounds | Battery life: Up to 24 hours | Dimensions: 12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 inches (14 inch), 14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches (16 inch) | Available ports: HDMI, 3.5mm headphone jack, MagSafe 3, 3x Thunderbolt 5, SDXC card slot

Read our 14-inch and 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro M4 review

Apple’s latest 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros may not look any different, but under the hood they’re entirely new beasts thanks to Apple’s M4 chips. The $1,599 14-inch model is a far better deal than before too, since it now includes 16GB of RAM standard and it has three USB-C connections instead of just two. While the M4 chip is a decent step up from the M3, the M4 Pro wowed us with Geekbench and Cinebench scores that we’ve never seen before. The Pro model’s multithreaded performance is practically the same as two competing Windows laptops put together! (We didn’t test the M4 Max, but it’s most likely another stunner.)

Beyond the new chips, the MacBook Pros sport slightly brighter screens for SDR content (helpful for working in sunlight), as well as a big webcam upgrade to 12MP, instead of just 1080p. So, for the first time, the MacBook Pros can use Apple’s Center Stage to keep you in frame during video chats, as well as Desk View.

These MacBook Pros also deliver the same excellent keyboard and super smooth trackpad that we’ve loved over the last few years. They also have all the ports you need, including three USB-C, HDMI, 3.5mm jack and an SD card reader. The M4 Pro and M4 Max chips also bring along Thunderbolt 5 for faster connections to external accessories. As for battery life, both systems lasted over 30 hours in our video rundown test, and they could easily run for multiple workdays without a recharge.

Pros

Fast M4 chips
Brighter display
Sharp 12MP Center Stage webcam
Thunderbolt 5 with M4 Pro/Max
Long battery life

$1,426 at Amazon

Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

Read our HP Spectre x360 14 review

If you want a laptop that can occasionally turn into a tablet, HP’s new Spectre x360 14 is our top choice for the best 2-in-1 laptop. It’s a beautiful notebook that can rotate its screen into a variety of orientations: a tent mode for propping it up in bed or on a table and a tablet mode with the keyboard tucked away neatly behind the lid. While it wouldn’t completely replace something like an iPad, the x360’s rotating hinge makes it more versatile than a conventional notebook. It’s perfect for diving into a lengthy article or PDF or using the bundled stylus to jot down some notes. The Spectre x360 14 is also a solid laptop in its own right, with an excellent keyboard, an extra-large touchpad and some of the best PC industrial design on the market.

Pros

Versatile convertible screen
OLED display is incredibly vibrant
Solid CPU upgrade
Starts with 16GB RAM
Excellent keyboard
Plenty of ports

Cons

HP’s design hasn’t changed in years
Haptic touchpad is a bit finicky
Average battery life

$1,449 at HP

Engadget

Read our full Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition review

After more than a decade of tests and trials for Arm-based Windows PCs, Microsoft’s Surface Laptop 7 feels like a breakthrough. It’s fast, it’s quiet and thanks to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chip, it delivers well above average performance and battery life. Meanwhile, on the inside, Microsoft’s Prism emulator has almost completely smashed the barrier between Arm and x86, so aside from gaming, almost all of your favorite apps just work. Tack on a bright 120Hz display and excellent build quality and you get something really close to an ideal ultraportable PC. — Sam Rutherford, Senior Reporter

Pros

Slick design
Excellent battery life
Good performance
Bright display
Powerful Prism emulator
Responsive haptic touchpad

Cons

Some apps and games still don’t play nicely with Arm-based chips
No OLED display option

$1,300 at Microsoft

Lenovo

Read our full Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 review

The latest ThinkPad X1 Carbon deserves a shout on this list because it’s been one of the best options for business users for a long time and continues to be. The Get 12 model runs on the newest Intel Core Ultra CPUs and includes an integrated NPU, a 14-inch matte touchscreen, a larger trackpad and a spill-proof keyboard. It performed well in our real-world testing, handling everything from dozens of Chrome tabs to light video editing without breaking a sweat. It didn’t score as well on some of our benchmark tests as other top picks like the HP Spectre x360, but that won’t be a dealbreaker for most people. Workers who spend hours typing away at emails and spreadsheets will appreciate the spacious 4.7-inch glass trackpad and Lenovo’s signature, comfortable keyboard that’s also nicely backlit. On top of that, the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12 lasted up to 13 hours in our battery tests, which should be more than enough to carry you through even your longest days. — Valentina Palladino, Deputy Editor, Buying Advice

Pros

Lightweight, durable design
Excellent battery life
Comfortable keyboard and trackpad

Cons

Performance is a mixed bag
Power button placed on the side of the laptop

$2,666 at Amazon

Specs to look for in a new laptop

Depending on the type of laptop you’re looking to buy, there are some specs we think you should look for to get a machine that’s powerful enough for your needs and future-proof for the next couple of years (at least). Here’s a cheat sheet for you to use when you’re shopping.

MacBooks

At least 256GB of SSD storage

Windows laptops

The most recent generation processor available from Intel or AMD
At least 256GB of SSD storage

Chromebooks

At least 8GB of RAM (4GB is the bare minimum for a basic Chromebook)
At least 128GB of storage, preferably a SSD

Gaming laptops

At least AMD Ryzen 9000 series or Intel 14th Gen Core CPU
At least 16GB of RAM (ideally 32GB if you can swing it)
At least 1TB of SSD storage
For GPU recommendations, check out our guide to buying the best GPU for your needs

Budget laptops

The most recent generation processor available from Intel or AMD
At least 256GB of SSD storage

How we test laptops

Engadget has been reviewing laptops for two decades, and while the definition of what a portable PC is has changed considerably since, our obsession with testing their limits and serving up informative buying advice remains the same. Be it a hybrid tablet like Microsoft’s Surface machines, a rotating 2-in-1 convertible like HP’s Spectre x360s or a plain old clamshell notebook, our review process follows similar beats. How does it look and feel? How fast is it? Whether it’s a Windows device powered by an Intel Core i5 or higher, a MacBook or a Chromebook, we aim to answer the most important question: Is it actually worth your hard-earned cash? We also pay close attention to portability, webcam quality and display features, including IPS panels and nits of brightness, as they can make a big difference in daily use.

Factors to consider when choosing a laptop

Operating system: Apple, Windows or Chrome OS

There’s a good chance you’ve already committed to an operating system, but my advice is to be as flexible as possible. These days, most major software is compatible with both Macs and PCs. (Of course, it’s another story if you’ve become dependent on an Apple-only app like Final Cut Pro.) Web-based apps, naturally, will work on any platform with an internet browser.

If you’re an Apple-loyalist, there aren’t many reasons to consider Windows laptops (unless you want a secondary gaming machine). But for Windows users, macOS is becoming more tempting every year. Apple’s MacBooks, powered by its M-series Silicon chips, are among the fastest and most efficient laptops we’ve ever seen. They’re incredibly well-built and have outstanding battery life to boot. MacOS itself is also an easy platform to learn, especially if you’re used to iOS and iPadOS.

That brings up another point: iPhone users may want to consider Macs because of the seamless integration with Apple’s other platforms. You can’t respond to iMessage conversations easily or hop into FaceTime chats on Windows PCs, but doing so is simple on Macs. (Microsoft’s Phone Link app lets you send iOS users individual texts, but not media or group chats.) Android users, meanwhile, may be better off with Windows, as Phone Link can make calls, synchronize all your texts and also access your phone’s photos.

If cloud gaming is your priority, Windows laptops with NVIDIA’s GeForce Now or Xbox Cloud Gaming compatibility may offer more flexibility and decent performance, especially when paired with fast internet speeds. Chromebooks also make a compelling case here as an affordable, lightweight solution for casual cloud gaming sessions.

As for whether you’ll want a PC with a dedicated Copilot AI button on the keyboard, that depends on how often you see yourself using Microsoft’s generative tools. Given we’re only just seeing the first slate of AI PCs, it would be wiser to wait out the hype and see what improvements might come over time.

And what about ChromeOS? Chromebooks are a smart and (typically) inexpensive way to do things like web browsing and hopping on a few video chats, but for most, they’re not the best choice as a primary computer. There aren’t many apps or games that work offline, and they also don’t work with powerful software suites like Adobe’s (you can use the stripped-down Adobe Express and Photoshop online tools, though).

Chromebooks are great secondary machines to use alongside a more powerful Mac or PC, and they’re popular in schools because they’re cheap and easy for IT workers to manage. And if all you need is web browsing access, or a notebook for a kid, a Chromebook might be enough.

If, for some reason, you’re looking for a powerful ChromeOS system, there are also Chromebook Plus models to consider. These machines sport faster processors and more RAM than typical Google notebooks, and they can also tap into a few of the company’s online AI features, like AI image generation and photo processing.

Price

You can expect to spend between $1,000 and $1,800 for a new laptop these days, depending on the configuration. If you’re looking for more of a workhorse, that could cost you well over $2,000 for additional RAM, storage, as well as a beefier graphics card and CPU. But you can also find some good laptops under $1,000 if you’re willing to overlook build quality (or buy a refurbished or previous generation machine, which we highly recommend). Systems with AMD chips tend to come in cheaper than their Intel counterparts, but the bulk of their cost will come down to other components like RAM and storage.

I’ve included our favorite affordable model in this best laptop buying guide, but we have a list of the best budget laptops that you can check out as well.

Laptop size and weight

So how portable do you want your laptop to be? That’s the ultimate question you need to ask when choosing between various screen sizes. 13-inch machines have become a solid starting point for most shoppers — it’s enough real estate for the majority of tasks like emailing and writing, and it also helps keep machines relatively light (typically between two to three pounds). Thanks to manufacturing advancements, these dainty machines sometimes even come with larger screens (the smaller MacBook Air actually has a 13.6-inch display).

If you have trouble seeing fine text, we’d recommend going for a display larger than 13 inches. ASUS’s Zephyrus G14 is a solid 14-inch option for gamers, and we’re also seeing more productivity-focused machines aim for that size, like the Dell 14 Premium and MacBook Pro. While 14-inch notebooks are a bit heavier than 13-inch models, coming in between three to four pounds, their screens are noticeably roomier.

For artists, or anyone else who needs a large canvas, a 15-inch laptop may make the most sense. They typically weigh between 3.5 and 4.5 pounds, but that extra heft may be worth it to fit wider video editing timelines or Photoshop windows. And, as you’d expect, you’ll also pay a bit more for a 15-inch notebook compared to smaller ones (the 15-inch MacBook Air starts at $1,199, while the smaller model goes for $999). PC makers are also replacing 15-inch systems with 16-inch versions, which will give you even more space to work.

If you’re in the market for a business laptop, size and portability might be key considerations. A lightweight yet powerful system with a long battery life can make a world of difference if you travel frequently for work.

You can still find laptops with 17-inch or 18-inch screens, but those are typically gaming systems or souped-up workstations. They’re not meant for mere computing mortals.

Ports and connectivity

These days, most laptops ship with a few USB-C ports, which can handle both charging and speedy data transfers. Apple’s MacBooks also include a separate connection for MagSafe power, and you’ll find custom power connections on some PCs like Microsoft’s Surface. Older USB Type-A connections are less common now, but they still pop up in systems like HP’s Spectre x360 14, as well as many models from ASUS.

For gamers or creators who rely on discrete graphics, ensuring your laptop has the right ports for external monitors or GPUs is crucial. DisplayPort or HDMI connections can also ensure you’re ready for dual- or multi-screen setups for more immersive experiences. Similarly, if you want to save high-resolution files or install multiple games, you might need to consider additional hard drive space; external hard drives are pretty affordable, as long as you have a proper port to connect them.

If you’re a fan of wired headphones, it’s worth keeping a close eye on headphone jack availability. They usually include a USB-C to 3.5mm adapter, but that’s a clunky solution, and it also takes up a USB port. Sure, most people use wireless earbuds and cans today, but it’s still helpful to have a wired one around for when those devices run out of juice.

Most laptops today offer Wi-Fi 6 or 6E and Bluetooth 5.0 or later, which should mean faster and more stable connections if you have compatible routers and devices. While Wi-Fi 7 routers have started appearing, that spec hasn’t made its way into laptops yet. As for cellular coverage, there are notebooks like the Surface Pro 9 and Samsung Galaxy Book models that offer integrated 5G. But from our testing, that feature may not be worth the cost of a separate data plan. Instead, you could tether to your smartphone or invest in a wireless hotspot that can keep multiple devices online.

Battery life

A laptop’s battery life depends on several factors: The power draw from the screen and other hardware, the optimizations used to avoid unnecessary power drain, and, of course, the size of the actual battery. One of our previous favorite systems, the Dell XPS 13, lasted 13 hours and 15 minutes in the PCMark 10 battery benchmark. In real-world testing, I was able to use it for a day and a half without needing a recharge. The MacBook Air 13-inch, meanwhile, more than 18 hours in our benchmark and kept running for more than two work days of my typical workflow. In general, you should expect a modern laptop to last at least eight hours.

If battery life is your absolute priority, I’d strongly suggest looking at Macs over Windows PCs. Apple’s M-series chips are essentially mobile hardware, with all of the power efficiency you’d expect from something originally designed for phones. Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon chips could help Windows PCs compete with Apple’s astonishing battery life, but we’ve yet to see those in action. Chromebooks also typically get decent battery life (as long as you don’t overstuff them with power-draining tabs).

Refresh rate

A laptop’s refresh rate refers to the amount of times its screen is cycled every second. Modern displays like IPS LCDs and OLEDs support 60Hz refresh rates at a minimum, but we’re seeing more devices offering 120Hz, 240Hz and beyond. The higher the number, the faster the screen is refreshed, which ultimately leads to a smoother experience while mousing around or scrolling through web pages. (If you want to get a sense of what a slow refresh rate looks like, just grab an e-reader like the Kindle and try to flip between book pages.)

While high refresh rates used to be reserved for gaming laptops, nowadays we’re seeing more mainstream machines like the Dell 14 Premium offer 120Hz (or variable rates that move between 60Hz and 120Hz).

CPU & GPU

If you’re buying a new laptop, you’ll want to make sure it’s powered by the latest CPUs. For Windows PCs, that includes Intel’s Core Ultra chips for thin-and-light machines or the 14th-gen HX chips for beefier systems. The Core Ultra series have NPUs for handling AI tasks, while the HX hardware does not – they’re based on Intel’s previous chip architecture, and they’re more focused on delivering raw horsepower. Intel’s older 13th-gen and 12th-gen laptop chips also don’t have NPUs, so keep that in mind if you’re looking at used systems.

You’ll also see AMD’s Ryzen 8000 and 9000 chips in plenty of new systems like the ASUS Zephyrus G14 and Razer Blade 14. Those CPUs mainly target gaming laptops and high performance systems, while you’ll still find AMD’s older Ryzen 7000 chips in ultraportables. AMD’s main advantage is that its chips also include Radeon graphics, which are far more capable than Intel’s Arc hardware (though those are getting better).

Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon X Elite and X Plus are also an option in Copilot+ PCs (more on those below). Since they’re based on mobile chip designs, they’re likely also more power efficient than AMD and Intel’s hardware. In the past, we’ve avoided recommending Snapdragon chips because they led to a slow and frustrating Windows experience. But Microsoft claims it’s rebuilt Windows 11 around Snapdragon’s Arm-based architecture, which should lead to far faster performance and better app compatibility.

As for Apple’s laptops, you’ll be choosing between the M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max, each of which is progressively more powerful.

On the graphics side of things, a GPU, or graphics processing unit, is the component that communicates directly with a laptop’s display. Laptop CPUs all have some form of integrated GPU: Intel has either its standard graphics or beefier Arc hardware, while AMD’s chips include fast Radeon mobile graphics. If you want to play demanding games at high speeds (measured in frames per second, or fps), or if you need some extra power for rendering video or 3D models, you can configure a laptop with a dedicated GPU like NVIDIA’s RTX 40-series hardware or AMD’s Radeon RX 7000. Just be sure to leave room in your budget if you want a powerful GPU, as they typically add $300 or more to the cost of a laptop.

Apple’s M-series chips, meanwhile, have GPU cores that can perform as well as NVIDIA’s and AMD’s lower-end dedicated GPUs. That’s quite the accomplishment for systems like this (especially the MacBook Air and 14-inch MacBook Pro), and it’s another reason we highly recommend Apple’s notebooks.

AI PCs, NPUs and Copilot+

Simply put, an AI PC is a computer equipped with a neural processing unit (NPU), which is designed to handle AI-related tasks. Much like how GPUs tackle heavy-duty gaming and rendering workloads, NPUs are designed to handle the complex math necessary for AI workloads. They’re also far more power efficient than CPUs or GPUs, which could lead to better battery performance in laptops. While many factors go into NPU performance, for the most part we measure their potential speed by TOPS (tera operations per second).

We were primed for AI PCs based on the chips Intel and AMD announced in 2023. Intel unveiled its “Core Ultra” CPUs in December, its first to include an NPU for AI work. AMD also announced its Ryzen 8040 AI mobile chips that month (and it couldn’t help but say they were faster than Intel’s new hardware). But in May, Microsoft announced its Copilot+ initiative, which is pushing major PC makers to deliver premium AI PCs with specifications including 16GB of RAM, 256GB SSDs and NPUs with at least 40 TOPS of AI performance.

Copilot+ is more than just a marketing term: Microsoft is also launching AI-powered features in Windows 11 that take advantage of powerful NPUs. That includes Recall, which can help you locate anything you’ve done on your PC (whenever it finally launches), as well as Cocreator in Paint, which can generate AI images based on text prompts and doodles.

If you buy an AI PC that isn’t Copilot+ certified, you’ll still be able to use some features like Windows Studio Effects, which can blur your background in video calls or keep you in frame. Developers like Adobe and Audacity are also building features into their apps that can take advantage of NPUs.

At the time of this post, Chromebook Plus notebooks can also access a few of Google’s online AI features, like image generation and photo processing.

Other laptops we tested

Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Aura Edition

The ThinkPad X9-14 Aura Edition is a great spiritual successor to the ThinkPad X1 Carbon, offering the best that business laptops have to offer. That includes long battery life packed into a thin and light chassis. This is an optimal ultraportable business laptop.

While the price might give you some pause, we tested the lowest configuration, and found that the X9-14’s performance is excellent for casual business users. The only issue with quality is that the keyboard is lacking. It’s mushier than we’d like, which could get a bit tiresome throughout the day. You’ll still miss out on a USB Type-A port, so you may need to carry a Type-C hub with you.

Where the ThinkPad X9-14 will win you over is its bold OLED screen. Combo that with its well-rounded audio, and the ThinkPad X9-14 makes for an excellent multimedia device in and out of the workplace.

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Aside from its lovely OLED screen, the ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED doesn’t stand out from the crowded laptop field in any way. It just looks dull and boring, especially compared to the strikingly beautiful ASUS Zephyrus G14, which also came out this year. While you can probably find the Zenbook 14 for a decent price, I’d recommend holding out for something with a bit more personality (and with a less wobbly screen hinge).

Razer Blade 14

The Razer Blade has almost everything you’d want in a 14-inch gaming notebook, but it’s far pricier than the Zephyrus G14 on this list, and it doesn’t even have an SD card reader. It would be a solid competitor once its price falls a bit, and it’s certainly a great option if you just have to have a jet-black laptop.

Framework Laptop 16

Framework gave its modularity magic to the Laptop 16, delivering a gaming notebook where almost every single component is user replaceable. But you’ll have to pay a pretty penny to snag it with upgraded hardware, and its optional Radeon 7700S GPU was surprisingly slow.

Alienware m16 R2

The Alienware m16 r2 has been revamped with a slimmer case, but it’s otherwise a fairly typical gaming laptop. It’s a solid option for Alienware fans, but you’ll find better hardware and deals elsewhere.

ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024)

The Zenbook Duo is a fascinating dual-screened notebook, and according to my colleague Sam Rutherford it’s the first of its kind that’s worth buying. But its unique hardware isn’t really meant for mainstream consumers, and Windows 11 still doesn’t support multi-screen setups well enough to make full use of the Zenbook Duo’s ample canvas.

Dell XPS 16

Dell’s XPS 16 is big and beautiful, but it’s far too expensive compared to the competition. Plus, it uses a capacitive row of function keys that you basically can’t see under bright light and has too few ports for a machine of this size.

See Also:

Laptop FAQs

What is the average battery life of a laptop per charge?

It’s hard to come up with an average battery life for laptops, since that will ultimately depend on what you’re doing with them. An ultraportable like the MacBook Air that sips power can last around 20 hours in our battery benchmark, and around two full work days of real-world usage. But a gaming laptop may last only a few hours if you’re actively playing something while on battery. At this point, Macs are delivering far better battery life than PCs, thanks to Apple’s Silicon chips, but Microsoft claims Copilot+ systems with Qualcomm chips will also get over 20 hours of batter life.

How much RAM do I really need?

The more RAM you have, the more things your computer can do simultaneously. For that reason, we recommend buying PCs and Macs with at least 16GB of RAM. That gives you enough memory to have several applications open at once, as well as web browsers filled with RAM-hogging tabs. Many PC games also require at least 16GB of RAM. While you could use a system with 8GB of RAM for basic tasks, you’ll quickly run into slowdowns and error messages as your apps stack up. Many laptops, especially ultraportables, don’t let you upgrade RAM, too – so you’ll have to buy an entirely new computer if you didn’t equip enough memory at the start.

If you’re a hardcore gamer, programmer or planning to render videos or 3D models, then you may want to go for 32GB of RAM or more. And if you just need a secondary laptop for lighter work – perhaps a no-frills system for writing – then you can probably get by with 8GB. Just be sure to keep those browser tabs in check.

What is the best storage capacity for a laptop?

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to laptop storage. You’ll typically find configurations between 256GB and 1TB SSDs (solid state drives) on most laptops, and I’d recommend most people get at least 512GB. That’ll be enough space for large apps, music and video files without stressing your system too much. If you’re a media hoarder, or want to play a ton of games, then it’s definitely worth getting a 1TB SSD.

If you’ll mainly be streaming your shows and music, and would rather invest in RAM or other hardware, then 256GB of storage would be serviceable. I’d recommend staying away from any machine with 128GB of storage though. Most of that will be taken up by the operating system, and you’ll likely run into issues cramming in large apps after a few months.

We recommend springing for extra built-in storage or investing in a portable SSD for backing up your most important files. It’s also worth noting that Chromebooks tend to come with less built-in storage — 32GB, 64GB or 128GB — since ChromeOS encourages users to save their files in the cloud rather than on the device. In that case, 128GB is plenty.

What’s a good price range for a decent laptop in 2025?

You can expect to spend between $1,000 and $1,800 for a typical 13-inch laptop today. As I explained above, you’ll pay more if you want to stuff in more RAM or better GPU hardware. But you can also find deals below $1,000 if you look for refurbished or older-generation models.

What’s the difference between macOS and Windows? Which is better?

Simply put, macOS is the operating system in all of Apple’s notebooks and desktops, while Windows powers the vast majority of PCs. You’ll also find Chromebooks running Google’s ChromeOS, but those are basically just web browsers running on top of Linux.

Debating the differences between Windows and Macs is something PC nerds have been doing since the ’80s, so we won’t be declaring a winner here. There are some small, negligible distinctions, like using a Command versus a Control key, how file explorers work and concerns about viruses and security. For the most part, those are minor issues or have become moot thanks to better built-in security.

But if you care more about playing the newest games, you’ll want to have a Windows system. If you’re more focused on creative apps, like Photoshop, Premiere and Final Cut Pro, then macOS may be a better fit (especially if you’re running an iPhone).

What are the best laptop brands?

There is no single “best” laptop brand, but judging from this guide alone, we’re generally impressed by notebooks from Apple, Dell and ASUS. They all offer fast, reliable and sturdy machines. HP also makes some eye-catching devices if you want an option that’s the most aesthetic. Those four brands, along with Lenovo and Acer, dominate laptop sales worldwide. We’d avoid systems from any retail store brands, or companies that don’t have a major presence in the US.

Recent updates

September 2025: Added a new “specs to look for” section.

August 2025: Updated our top picks to include the Dell 14 Premium.

May 2025: Updated to ensure top picks and details are still accurate.

March 2025: Updated to include the M4-powered MacBook Air.

November 2024: Updated to include the M4-powered MacBook Pros.

August 2024: Updated to include the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 12.

Source link

September 5, 2025 0 comments

Buy

It’s in the game

Heading for the Stanley Cup

Face off

Should you play NHL 26?

Play it if…

Don’t play it if…

Accessibility

How I reviewed NHL 26

What to consider when buying an iPad:

How we test iPads

Price

Size

Accessories

The Good

The Bad

Read our full iPad (11th-gen) review.

The Good

The Bad

Read our full iPad Air M3 review.

The Good

The Bad

Read our full iPad Pro review.

The Good

The Bad

Read our full iPad Mini review.

An aside on specs and extras

David Pierce

Apple

Buying Guides

iPad

Reviews

Tablet Reviews

Tech

Deep Dive

Metaplanet Expands Bitcoin Stack

Market Reaction Was Cool

Investors Weigh ETFs Versus Direct Exposure

Valuation And Volatility Concerns Persist

Market Crowding Could Limit Future Gains

Banks’ Rate Cut Prediction

1. Bitcoin Hyper ($HYPER) – Turbocharging Bitcoin with Fast Speeds, Low Fees & Web3 Compatibility

2. SUBBD Token ($SUBBD) – Revolutionizing the $85B Online Content Industry

3. MemeCore ($M) – Viral New Altcoin Changing the Meme Coin Space

Conclusion

Why the Senate’s 2025 Bill Could Supercharge the Crypto Market

1. Snorter Token ($SNORT) – New Telegram-Based Trading Bot Helping Retail Meme Coin Traders

2. Maxi Doge ($MAXI) – Dogecoin-Themed Meme Coin with Aggressive Marketing Plans

3. Comedian ($BAN) – Viral Meme Coin Based on Controversial Artwork

Wrapping Up

Other Good International Phones

Avoid These Phones

Post-halving peak might be near — next one expected in late 2029

Institutions are coming for Ethereum (ETH): Price discovery in the cards

Bitcoin (BTC) security budget under pressure; this might be last big cycle

Table of contents

Best laptops of 2025

Specs to look for in a new laptop

MacBooks

Windows laptops

Chromebooks

Gaming laptops

Budget laptops

How we test laptops

Factors to consider when choosing a laptop

Operating system: Apple, Windows or Chrome OS

Price

Laptop size and weight

Ports and connectivity

Battery life

Refresh rate

CPU & GPU

AI PCs, NPUs and Copilot+

Other laptops we tested

Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Aura Edition

ASUS Zenbook 14 OLED

Razer Blade 14

Framework Laptop 16

Alienware m16 R2

ASUS Zenbook Duo (2024)