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It's Not Free Yet, but This 15" HP Laptop (Core i3, 2TB SSD, 64GB RAM) Is $2,300 Off on Amazon
Product Reviews

It’s Not Free Yet, but This 15″ HP Laptop (Core i3, 2TB SSD, 64GB RAM) Is $2,300 Off on Amazon

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When it comes to laptops, there’s a model for every type of user – students, professionals and everyone in between. At the moment, Amazon is putting on an amazing sale on a model that meets all requirements: HP 15.6-inch touchscreen laptop (Intel Core i3, 2TB SSD, 64GB RAM) which is currently available at an all-time low price: This powerhouse of a machine (suited for any type of user) which normally costs $2,769, is now available for just $769 which is a 72% discount. This is one of our favorite laptop deals since the beginning of the year, and it matches previous deals seen during Black Friday.

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For less than $800, you get a machine running on Windows 11 Pro that would otherwise retail for several thousand and that is without considering the lifetime subscription for Microsoft Office Pro that is thrown in. You’ll also get a free 7-in-1 USB-A adapter, a mouse, a mobile phone magnetic holder and a 128GB USB stick. Basically, you get $299 of accessories for free.

Great Specs For a Laptop

The HP 15.6 touchscreen notebook runs on a Intel i3-1315U processor that can run at speeds of up to 4.5 GHz, and is complemented by a massive 64GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD. These are some of the most robust specs of any Windows notebooks on the market and it’s particularly suited for content creators, coders and anyone who requires multitasking.

The 15.6-inch FHD touchscreen provides accurate and multi-finger gestures and smooth navigation for intuitive control and interaction with your work or entertainment in a natural manner (you don’t have to use it if you’re not a huge fan of touchscreens). The screen has a high-brightness backlight and high-contrast technology to provide true-to-life colors and clear visuals in any environment. This renders the laptop an ideal tool for mobile office use, creative work, or merely viewing high-definition media.

You will also appreciate the audio part: The two speakers with specially tuned sound provide excellent stereo sound while Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 provide ultra-stable and speedy wireless connectivity with less delay. These are especially useful for streaming, video calling, and online collaboration. For extra peace of mind, the laptop has a physical camera shutter and microphone mute button as well as an LED light to give users security reassurance.

Make sure you grab yours before it runs out of stock.

See at Amazon



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A Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch on a desk
Product Reviews

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch review: purple yet imperfect

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Two-minute review

I have been begging Apple to release a purple MacBook for a few years now and have been repeatedly disappointed year after year, so when I found out that the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch was going to sport a pastel purple colorway, it really was Microsoft’s game to lose in my eyes.

And while it doesn’t quite come close enough to dethroning the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch, performance-wise, it’s a very solid everyday laptop that looks undeniably superior to Apple’s rather boring MacBook Air design, which has stayed the same over the past couple of years.

The Surface Laptop 13-inch starts at $899.99 / £1,099 / AU$1,699 on Microsoft’s website, which is roughly the same price as the MacBook Air 13-inch (which starts at $999 / £999 / AU$1,699), but its performance, at times, is substantially slower than Apple’s best laptop, making it an iffy value proposition for those who could go either way as far as operating systems go.


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Had the Surface Laptop 13-inch shipped with an Intel Lunar Lake chip rather than the underpowered Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core SoC, this would be an entirely different review, as I’d be giving this laptop six-out-of-five stars, because in just about every other way than its performance and minor compatibility issues, this is the best ultrabook I’ve ever put my hands on.

Aesthetically, it’s an upgrade over its larger Surface Laptop 7 sibling that launched last year, with a tighter form factor that is exceptionally lightweight and sleek. Its 3:2 display offers plenty of real estate for a laptop this small, and its keyboard and trackpad are a dream to use.

Best of all, it comes in purple (technically ‘Violet’), though you will pay slightly more for this color option than the base platinum colorway, as it’s only available on the higher capacity configuration.

Meanwhile, the Arm-based Snapdragon X Plus is an incredibly efficient chip, getting just over 17 hours of battery life on a single charge in my testing, which easily translates into two full workdays or more without recharging, outlasting even the latest MacBook Air 13-inch models.

If all you’re looking for is a gorgeous-looking laptop that is great for everyday computing tasks, school work, and general productivity—while liberating you from having to keep a constant eye out for power outlets to recharge day after day—then the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch is one of the best Windows laptops you can buy, and one of the best student laptops as well, especially if you get a student discount. It just isn’t the knockout blow against the MacBook Air that Windows fans might be hoping for.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

  • How much does it cost? Starts at $899.99 / £1,039 / AU$1,699
  • When is it available? It’s available now
  • Where can you get it? You can buy it in the US, UK, and Australia

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch is available now, starting at $899.99 / £899 / AU$1,699 directly from Microsoft or at retail partners. It comes in slightly cheaper than the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 in the US and UK, (starting at $1,099.99 and £1,039, respectively). In Australia, however, the larger Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch starts out cheaper at AU$1,597 (and it comes with more powerful hardware to boot).

The Surface Laptop 7 13.8-inch also features a more powerful Qualcomm chip, a sharper screen, and better port support (though no Violet colorway, you’ll have to settle for the equally gorgeous Sapphire option).

Similarly, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is also slightly cheaper than the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 in the US (starting at $999), while being slightly more expensive in the UK (the base MacBook Air 13-inch start at £999), while there’s no difference in starting price between the two in Australia.

Compare this, however, with a similar memory-and-storage-specced Dell 14 Plus, starting at $799.99 / £999 / AU$1,298, but which comes with more powerful x86 processors from AMD and Intel, meaning that you get better performance without any compatibility worries that come with Arm-based chips.

Granted, none of these competing laptops look anywhere near as good as the Surface Laptop 13-inch, but if your main interest is performance, there are cheaper options that will get you what you want.

All that said, however, this is the best-looking laptop you’re going to find at this price, in my opinion, and yes, that includes the entire MacBook lineup. If you want to look good at a cafe while reading emails, or streaming Netflix in an airport lounge while waiting for a flight, this laptop will turn heads (at least in Violet) without totally breaking the bank.

The only real knock I can point to is that the long-term value of the Surface Laptop 13-inch is lower than a MacBook Air 13-inch with M4. The latter is much more performant, and it will stay ‘current’ for a few years longer than the Surface Laptop 13-inch, in all likelihood.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Specs

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core SoC
  • 16GB LPDDR5x
  • The display could be better

There isn’t a whole lot of variation in terms of spec configurations for the Surface Laptop 13-inch, with the biggest difference being some extra storage and two additional colorway options.

Swipe to scroll horizontallyMicrosoft Surface Laptop 13-inch Base Specs

Price:

$899.99 at Microsoft.com | £899 at Microsoft.com| AU$1,699 at Microsoft.com

Colorways:

Platinum

CPU:

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core

GPU:

Qualcomm Adreno X1-45

Memory:

16GB LPDDR5X-4300

Storage:

256GB SSD

Screen:

13-inch, 3:2, 1920x1280p 60Hz, 400-nit, Touch PixelSense

Ports:

2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A, 1 x combo jack

Battery (WHr):

50WHr

Wireless:

WiFi 7, BT 5.4

Camera:

1080p

Weight:

2.7 lbs (1.22 kg)

Dimensions:

11.25 x 8.43 x 0.61 ins | (285.65 x 214.14 x 15.6mm)

For $100 / £100 / AU$200 more, you can upgrade the storage on the Surface Laptop 13-inch to 512GB and get additional Violet and Ocean colorway options, but otherwise the more expensive configuration (which I tested out for this review) is identical to the base configuration.

Swipe to scroll horizontallyMicrosoft Surface Laptop 13-inch Max Specs

Price:

$999.99 at Microsoft.com | £999 at Microsoft.com| AU$1,899 at Microsoft.com

Colorways:

Platinum, Violet, Ocean

CPU:

Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus 8-core

GPU:

Qualcomm Adreno X1-45

Memory:

16GB LPDDR5X-4300

Storage:

512GB SSD

Screen:

13-inch, 3:2, 1920x1280p 60Hz, 400-nit, Touch PixelSense display

Ports:

2 x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 w/ DP and Power Delivery, 1 x USB Type-A 3.1, 1 x 3.5mm combo jack

Battery (WHr):

50WHr

Wireless:

WiFi 7, BT 5.4

Camera:

1080p

Weight:

2.7 lbs (1.22 kg)

Dimensions:

11.25 x 8.43 x 0.61 ins | (285.65 x 214.14 x 15.6mm)

There’s no option to upgrade the memory or storage on any of these models beyond the configuration options at the time of purchase, which does make the longevity of the Surface Laptop 13-inch’s specs more limited than laptops like the Dell 14 Plus, where you can at least upgrade the storage if you’d like.

And while the specs on the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 might not be upgradable either, they are simply better overall for a relatively small increase in price, meaning the long-term value of the MacBook Air 13-inch (M4) is superior overall.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Design

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

  • Beautiful color options and fantastic aesthetics
  • Light and portable
  • Display resolution is only 1280p with no HDR

The design of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch is simply stunning. There’s no other way to describe it.

Starting with the exterior aesthetics, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is as close to a MacBook Air for Windows as you’re going to find on the market, and in my opinion, it’s even better looking thanks to the additional Violet and Ocean colorways alongside the default Platinum look of the base model.

You pay extra for the splash of color, but it’s a worthwhile investment. The machined aluminum finish of the laptop chassis, along with the pastel-ish hue of the chassis and the darker, more matte color of the keycaps and trackpad, really help make this laptop stand out.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The display on the Surface Laptop 13-inch is a step down from the larger 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 from 2024, which had a maximum resolution of 2304 x 1536 (a PPI of 201, compared to the 1920×1280 Surface Laptop 13-inch’s 178 PPI) and 120Hz refresh compared to just 60Hz for the Surface Laptop 13-inch.

It also has a lower contrast ratio of 1,000:1 compared to the larger version’s 1,400:1. The Surface Laptop 7’s display is also made of Corning Gorilla Glass 5. In contrast, the Surface Laptop 13-inch’s display is only “Strengthened glass” according to Microsoft’s official spec sheet for the Surface Laptop lineup.

The display does max out at 400-nits, though, which is nice and bright enough for most people and situations, but you might struggle to see the screen properly if you’re using the laptop outside on a bright sunny day.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

I found that carrying the Surface Laptop 13-inch around was very easy, as it fitted in pretty much any laptop bag and was thin and compact enough that I was able to use it sitting in an airplane seat during my 15-hour flight to Computex 2025 with almost no issue.

Speaking of using the laptop, the key switches are quiet and have good travel and responsiveness, and everything is well-spaced, so you don’t feel cramped despite the laptop’s smaller size.

The trackpad is likewise responsive and smooth, making navigation and clicking around the desktop a breeze.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

One thing that’s not that great is the port selection, which is limited to two USB-C Gen 3.2 ports, a USB-A Gen 3.1 port, and a 3.5mm jack for a headset.

It’d have been nice to get some USB4 ports in there like you get with the larger Surface Laptop 7 models, but both USB-C ports do support power delivery and DP 1.4 output (though if you’re trying to connect to more than one monitor, you need one port per monitor, rather than being able to daisy-chain them to just a single port).

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The webcam, meanwhile, is a 1080p Surface Studio Camera that is crisp enough, but unlike the larger Surface Laptop models from last year, it does not support Windows Hello authentication, and it doesn’t have a physical privacy shutter, which in 2025 should be pretty much mandatory, so along with the port and display downgrades, I’ve got to ding what is otherwise a nearly perfect design.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Performance

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

  • A performance downgrade from last year’s Surface Laptop
  • Some compatibility issues with ARM architecture still linger
  • Gaming is functionally a no-go

What holds the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch from really being the fierce MacBook Air competitor that many of us hoped it would be is the 8-core Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus SoC.

When I reviewed the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 last year, I was genuinely impressed by the performance of the Snapdragon X Elite chip, despite the compatibility challenges that Windows-on-Arm is still working through. That was a much more powerful chip, though, and even the 10-core Snapdragon X Plus SoC offers noticeably better performance than what the Surface Laptop 13-inch is packing.

The 8-core chip isn’t awful, to be clear. It’s perfectly good for general computing tasks like streaming, school work, and office productivity, and it’s probably one of the best student laptops out there for those who want a little bit of style to go along with their studies.

But if you need this laptop to do anything other than writing up papers and reports, streaming movies, or using web-based cloud software, you will likely be unhappy with what you’re getting here for the price.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

The most direct and obvious comparisons I can make with this laptop is the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with Apple Silicon (starting with the Apple M2), the larger 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7, the recently released Dell 14 Plus, last year’s Dell XPS 13 (with both Intel and Qualcomm SoCs), and the Asus Zenbook A14 with the entry-level Snapdragon X SoC.

Only the M2 MacBook Air 13-inch and Dell 14 Plus are cheaper than the Surface Laptop 13-inch (at least at the time of review), and all of these laptops start around the same price, give or take a hundred bucks or so.

The models I’ve tested and that TechRadar has reviewed in the past vary by spec, so it’s not entirely an apples-to-apples comparison laid out in the charts above, as some of the Dell and Apple notebooks’ advantages can be easily chalked up to more expensive processors.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

If you go with any of those systems at the same price as the Surface Laptop 13-inch I tested, the performance difference might not be nearly as dramatic on paper, and almost certainly won’t be all that noticeable.

Still, it’s pretty clear that the Surface Laptop 13-inch either lands somewhere in the middle of its competition, or comes in second or third from the bottom. Add to that some performance issues stemming from Microsoft’s Prism software layer that translates x86-architecture-designed programs, which is pretty much every Windows program, to be Arm-compatible.

Generally, this works rather well, but it does introduce system overhead that will slow things down. In short, unless you’re running a piece of rare Arm-native software, you will almost never get as good an experience with Windows software on Arm as you would with the x86 architecture powering Intel and AMD chips.

The question comes down to whether or not the performance is good enough, and I think that for most people, it will be (unless you want to load up Steam and get into PC gaming. The best gaming laptop, this is not).

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Much like the MacBook Air 13-inch, the Surface Laptop 13-inch is more geared toward casual computing needs and productivity work, and it excels at these tasks.

So, even though the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 gets roughly twice as many frames per second as the Surface Laptop 13-inch, the MacBook Air 13-inch still struggles to maintain playable frame rates unless you seriously scale back your graphics settings.

The MacBook’s gaming advantage, then, only really looks intimidating as a percentage, but in practice, none of the laptops I tested were suitable for the task of playing, say, Cyberpunk 2077 at max settings and native resolution.

What it really boils down to, then, is whether you’re just looking for a new laptop to keep up with friends and family, maybe do some office work, or write that Sci-Fi novel at the local coffee shop that you’ve been meaning to finally get around to this year.

If those are the boxes that need ticking, any of the laptops listed above will get the job done, but none will look as good as the Violet Surface Laptop 13-inch.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch: Battery Life

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

  • How long does it last on a single charge? 17 hours and 14 minutes
  • How long to recharge from empty to full? With the included 45W charger, it takes about two and a half hours to charge to full.

One other key area where the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch shines is its stellar battery life. In my testing, it ran about 17 hours and 14 minutes on average in my battery test, thanks to the super-efficient Arm architecture. This puts it in fourth place overall in my top 10 laptop test group, but it does outlast all three MacBook Air 13-inch models in the group by an hour or more.

So even though it’s not officially in the battery life winner’s circle, you can’t ask for much more from a laptop this thin and light.

Should you buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch?

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)Swipe to scroll horizontallyMicrosoft Surface Laptop 13 scorecard

Category

Notes

Rating

Value

While not as cheap as something like the Dell 14 Plus, it is on par or cheaper than similar offerings from Dell and Apple.

3.5 / 5

Specs

There aren’t a whole lot of configuration options, and the lack of USB4 is unfortunate.

3.5 / 5

Design

It’s simply gorgeous and a joy to type on. If it had a physical camera privacy shutter, better ports, and a better display, it’d be a 6 out of 5.

4.5 / 5

Performance

For a casual use notebook, it’s in line with similarly specced Windows laptops, but the MacBook Air 13-inch with M4 runs circles around it.

3.5 / 5

Battery Life

At just over 17 hours of battery life in my testing, this is one of the longest lasting Windows laptops around.

5 / 5

Final Score

It’s not perfect, and had Microsoft flexed some muscle to get a 10-core chip in this laptop without raising its price, it’d truly be the Windows MacBook Air we’ve been waiting for, but it’ll be more than close enough for most people and looks better than anything Apple has put out in years.

4 / 5

Buy the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch if…

Don’t buy it if…

Also consider

If my Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch review has you looking at other options, here are three other laptops you should consider instead…

How I tested the Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch

  • I spent about a month with the device
  • I used our standard suite of benchmarking tools and performance tests
  • I used it as my primary work laptop, including taking it on an international work trip

I spent about a month with the Surface Laptop 13-inch, far longer than I usually spend with a device under review. While this was mostly due to circumstance (Computex and WWDC, in particular), this did allow me to do a much deeper dive.

In addition to my normal benchmarking process, I took extra time to retest some competing laptops we had in the office to come up with a more thorough comparison against the Surface Laptop 13-inch’s competitors.



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The Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad at a 3/4s angle with RGB lighting in front of a pink background.
Product Reviews

Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad review: freezing cold performance squeezed by its even more powerful and much cheaper rivals

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad: review

The Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad is a relatively high-end option for keeping your gaming or productivity laptop cool. At $89.99 / £116.26 (around AU$140), it certainly costs a pretty penny; but in return you get a cooling pad with a giant 4.72-inch turbo fan capable of spinning at up to a ludicrous 3,500rpm.

Unlike more shy and retiring options, the Llano V10 isn’t scared to announce its presence – in fact, it’s a little bit of a loudmouth. To benchmark this laptop cooling pad, I ran a 3DMark stress test on our Acer Predator Helios 300 testing laptop with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU testing laptop, while running the Llano V10 at max power for 15 minutes. Using a sound level meter, I measured the noise it was kicking out 10 minutes into the test; it registered 69dB from a few inches away, and 57.5dB at my head height. This makes the Llano the second-noisiest cooling pad I’ve tested, right after the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad, which clocked 79dB and 64dB respectively.

But the one thing you can count on from this little blowhard is that it blows – hard. I measured our gaming laptop’s peak temperature before benchmarking, and again at the conclusion of the 15-minute stress test. With the Llano running at max, its temperature rose from 81.5ºF (27.5ºC) to 103ºF (39.5ºC), a rise of just 21.5ºF (12ºC). This performance is right up there with the best cooling pads, with the only one I’ve tested that could beat it being the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad. So, you’re getting pretty icy cooling here.


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(Image credit: Future)

When it comes to design, the Llano V10 looks decent enough, treading just on the right side of cyberpunk styling without looking too conspicuously edgy or brutalist. The polygonal RGB lighting bars along the sides and back are tastefully done, allowing you to choose between a range of shifting hues. Unlike some laptop cooling pads, it isn’t available in an array of colors; but the black offered looks just fine to my eyes.

  • Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad (Black) at Amazon for $89.99

The Llano also feels pretty ergonomic in use. It offers only a single height setting, which may not suit everyone, but I did find the 10-degree angle at which it held my laptop pretty comfortable for long-term use. However, its build does feel a little more insubstantial than products such as the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad – the V10’s materials and buttons feel a little more plasticky and clicky than I’d like.

Probably the biggest question when it comes to the $89.99 / £116.26 (around AU$140) Llano V10 is down to value. On the one hand, you’re absolutely getting the cooling you’re paying for – the fact that it prevented our laptop from warming more than 21.5ºF (12ºC) is the second-best result from any laptop cooler I’ve tested.

The only issue is the best result: the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad trimmed that warming back to 8ºC and yet costs only $119.99 / £129.99 (around AU$188.33), which isn’t much more. Plus, it’s often available for even less – for example, costing $95.99 at the time of writing in the US. That slightly weakens the Llano V10’s value in comparison.

(Image credit: Future)

Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad review: price & availability

  • Launched on May 17, 2024
  • List price of $89.99 / £116.26 (around AU$140)

Having launched on May 17, 2024, the Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad is available now. It can be purchased from Amazon at a list price of $89.99 / £116.26 (around AU$140). While that’s at the higher end of the market, it’s still its lowest ever price in the UK, and only a few dollars off the $87.99 it briefly dropped down to in May 2025. As such, it represents a decent deal.

Unfortunately, though, the fact that this is a premium product means it has quite a few rivals nipping at its heels. From one end of the market, the budget-priced $19.99 / £20.99 / AU$66.91 Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad offered disproportionately frosty cooling for its mild price, seeing our test laptop rise by 27.5ºF (15.3ºC). Conversely, if you catch it on sale then you can pick up the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad from as little as $95.99 / £129.99 – it stopped our testing rig from warming any more than 14.5ºF (8ºC), which is a substantial performance boost for comparatively little extra spend.

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

(Image credit: Future)

Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad review: also consider

(Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad

  • Tested over the course of multiple days
  • Measured its cooling while running a stress test on our testing laptop
  • Recorded the combined volume of the cooling pad and laptop’s fans

I tested the Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad over the course of several days, using the standard TechRadar testing process I designed. First, I recorded the baseline temperature of our Acer Predator Helios 300 with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 testing laptop using a thermal camera. Then I ran a 3DMark stress test on the laptop for 15 minutes while setting the cooling pad to its highest setting, recording the laptop’s temperature again at the end of the test to measure the impact the cooling pad had on the laptop’s warming.

In addition, I measured the peak volume of the laptop and cooling pad to assess how much noise they kicked out. When the stress test had been in progress for 10 minutes, I checked the volume of the combined fan noise using a sound level meter, both from a few inches away and at my head height (21 inches from the surface of the laptop).

I also tested how the Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad felt in use, while working and playing games, to assess its overall build quality and ergonomics. In terms of additional experience, I’ve been using a gaming laptop and using creative workflows for decades, meaning I’m very familiar with the struggle of keeping a laptop cool.

Llano V10 Gaming Laptop Cooling Pad: Price Comparison



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Snapdragon X Elite
Product Reviews

Microsoft Surface Pro vs. Surface Laptop: Snapdragon X Elite showdown

by admin



Windows 11 is available on all kinds of hardware, but Microsoft makes its own to showcase the popular operating system on its own premium machines.

The company’s Surface Pro has become something of an icon, seen on the sidelines of the NFL and on news anchor desks. Its design, a tablet with a kickstand and a detachable keyboard, has been widely duplicated and is extremely portable.

But it’s the Surface Laptop that Microsoft has touted as its most popular option, with a familiar clamshell design that is familiar and simple.

In its flagship configurations, Microsoft uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite to power both machines, and you can configure them similarly. So much of which system is better for you comes down purely to the design you like better, how much you use your device on your lap, and especially how much you’re willing to spend on accessories.

For most, the Surface Laptop is the option that will be more familiar. But for those who love to write, draw, or reduce weight, the Surface Pro may be enticing.


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Note that this guide is mostly covering the premium versions of these devices – the 13-inch Surface Pro and the 13.8 and 15-inch Surface Laptops, which use the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite processors. Microsoft has recently released new entry-level models using Snapdragon X Plus (8 core) chips with smaller displays and lighter builds, but we haven’t gotten our hands on those yet.

Design

Laptop or tablet? It’s almost that simple. Almost.

The Surface Laptop is just that — a notebook PC. It’s slim and sleek, sure, but it’s a laptop. The Surface Pro, however, is a hybrid device. At the Pro’s most basic, it’s a Windows 11 tablet with a kickstand. Add a keyboard (that comes separate and costs extra), and now you have a full on PC.

The Surface Pro is the lighter device, at 1.97 pounds (before you add the keyboard) and 0.37 inches thick. The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop is 2.96 pounds, while the 15-inch Laptop is 3.67 pounds. It may not seem like a lot, but when you’re jamming it in a backpack, the Surface Pro will be easier to fit.

Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0

Microsoft Surface Pro, 13-inch

Microsoft Surface Laptop 13.8

Microsoft Surface Laptop 15

Thickness

0.37 inches (9.3 mm)

0.69 inch (17.5 mm)

0.72 inch (18.29 mm)

Weight

1.97 pounds (without keyboard)

2.96 pounds

3.67 pounds

Today’s best Microsoft Surface Pro and Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 deals

You also get more ports on the laptops. While all of the devices feature two USB 4 Type-C ports and Surface Connect, only the Laptops feature a headphone jack and USB 3.2 Type-A port. The 15-inch Laptop also adds an SD card slot.

The newer, 13-inch Laptop and 12-inch Pro both ditch the Surface Connect port and rely on USB 3.2 Type-C ports for charging. The 13-inch Laptop also gets a headphone jack and USB 3.1 Type-A.

The Surface Pro 13 and Surface Laptop 13.8 each come in sapphire, dune, black, and platinum. The 15-inch Surface Laptop is limited to black and platinum.

Peripherals

The downside to the Surface Pro is that the keyboard doesn’t come in the box. And while you might want to use it as a tablet some of the time, let’s not pretend Windows 11 is the world’s most touch-friendly OS.

How much you spend on that keyboard depends on its features. The most basic keyboard is $169.99, while a keyboard with Surface Slim pen storage is $179.99. A bundle with the Slim Pen bumps the price up to $279.99, while the Flex Keyboard, which works either attached to the Pro or over Bluetooth, is $399.99. (With a Slim Pen, the keyboard jumps to $499.99).

If you just want to buy a stylus on its own, the Surface Slim Pen is $129.99.

You can, at times, find deals on these accessories, especially from sellers like Amazon or Costco, which sometimes put bundles together. But either way, if you want a full Surface Pro setup, you may have to pay several hundred dollars more than the base price.

In some regions, the Surface Pro may not come with the charger. In the US, the 13-inch version comes with a 39 W power supply, though the 12-inch option doesn’t, so you’ll need to bring your own 27W or higher USB-C power adapter.

Performance

Across the Surface Pro, Surface Laptop 13.8, and Surface Laptop 15, Microsoft is using the same variant of the Snapdragon X Elite – the X1E-80-100. These 12-core processors have integrated Adreno GPUs, a 4.0 GHz boost frequency on two cores, and 3.4 GHz max frequency across the 12 cores.

Swipe to scroll horizontally

CPU

Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100

Graphics

Qualcomm Adreno GPU, integrated, 3.8 TFLOPS

NPU

Qualcomm Hexagon (45 TOPS)

Cores

12

Cache

42MB

Boost Frequency

4.0 GHz (dual-core)

Max multi-core frequency

3.4 GHz

Both the Surface Pro and the 15-inch Surface Laptop have come through our labs, so we can put them against each other. Both were using 16GB of RAM, though the Surface Pro had 512GB of storage and the Surface Laptop 15 had a 256GB SSD.

Image 1 of 3

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

In Geekbench 6, the Pro and Laptop came pretty close to each other in both single-core and multi-core scores, so you can expect similar performance from the two of them in basic tasks.

On our file transfer test, the Surface Pro was way faster than the Surface Laptop at copying 25GB of files. Note that they had different size drives — they may also be using different brands or tiers of drive, too.

On Handbrake, the Surface Laptop won. Despite the same chips, it’s likely the 15-inch Surface Laptop has superior cooling that helped with graphics performance.

Display

The 13-inch Surface Pro is the only Surface device right now with an OLED display (it’s optional, and only on models with a Snapdragon X Elite). That screen gives you improvements in color reproduction and brightness. If OLED matters to you, it’s the only way to go.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

You still get a high-resolution, 3:2 touchscreen on each model. The Surface Pro has a 2880 x 1920 screen on either the 13-inch OLED or LCD models, offering 267 pixels per inch. The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop has a 2304 x 1536 screen, while the 15-inch Laptop has a 2496 x 1664 — both 201 PPI. All of the screens support dynamic refresh rates up to 120 Hz.

Battery Life

In our battery test, which sets display brightness to 150 nits, browses the web, runs OpenGL tests, and streams videos. The 13-inch Surface Pro ran for 12 hours and 17 minutes, while the Surface Laptop hit 14:47.

(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)

There are lots of possible contributing factors. For starters, the Surface Pro has an OLED display. Additionally, the Surface Pro has a 53 WHr battery (48 WHr on LCD models), while the 15-inch Surface Laptop has a larger 66 WHr battery. The Surface Laptop with a 13.8-inch screen has a 54 WHr battery.

Wireless

If you want to work on the go without tethering to your phone, you should opt for the Surface Pro. Certain high-end configurations come with support for both Wi-Fi 7 and 5G networking. As of this writing, the only one on Microsoft’s website that works with 5G and is available is a Surface Pro with a Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage, which will run you a pricey $1,799.99.

The Surface Laptops don’t support 5G, and can only connect to Wi-Fi.

Pricing

As of this writing, when it comes to the high-end models, the 13-inch Surface Pro starts at $929.99, the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop starts at $1,031.22, and the 15-inch Surface Laptop starts at $1,299.99.

The new cheaper models, the Surface Laptop 13 and Surface Pro 12, start at $899.99 and $799.99, respectively. The existing models had lower-end configurations cut to make room for them.

That $929.99 Surface Pro has a Snapdragon X Plus (10 Core) processor, not the Elite, along with an LCD screen rather than the OLED we tested. To get that price, you have to pick the “dune” color from Microsoft’s site, otherwise you’re looking at $999.99. The configuration with Snapdragon X Elite and OLED starts at $1,199.99.

The Surface Laptop 13.8’s $1,031.22 price point is also seemingly due to sales trying to get rid of the dune colorway. In fact, it makes the Snapdragon X Elite cost less than the X Plus. Otherwise, most colors are going for $1,199.99 with Elite and $1,099.99 with Plus.

The 15-inch Laptop only comes with X Elite, starting at $1,299.99.

The Pro might seem like a deal, until you remember that even if you pick the sale up, you’ll still have to buy extras, like the keyboard (see “peripherals,” above). The Laptop is cheaper if you don’t care about having a tablet but do care about having a keyboard and more ports. But if you need the tablet form factor, you don’t really have a choice.

With some sales going on, you can get upgrades in storage for relatively cheap for the laptops (for instance, moving from 256GB to 1TB is currently $100 on the 15-inch Laptop).

Verdict

With performance being roughly similar, whether or not you should opt for a Surface Pro or a Surface Laptop comes down to the design and the display.

Most people are best served by a traditional laptop for work or school. If you really prefer taking notes by hand and want to use your PC for drawing, the Surface Pro makes a lot more sense. There’s a reason it’s popular for field work. Otherwise, it’s also great because of how portable it is.

At the moment, the Surface Pro also has the distinction of being the only Surface device available right now with an OLED display option. While it’s a strange choice to tie it to a chip, getting the Snapdragon X Elite with the OLED panel makes for a great performance and viewing experience. The Pro is also lighter and thinner than laptops.

But the Surface Pro is effectively incomplete out of the box, requiring a significant outlay for the keyboard cover, and even more if you also want a pen and, in some countries, a charger. The Surface Laptop has everything you need in the box.

I would love to see a Surface Laptop with an OLED display option. Outside of that, the Surface Laptop just makes more sense for more people. The Surface Pro is more portable, but the Laptop is, for most needs, more practical.



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FNGT5 Pro
Product Reviews

Compact Thunderbolt 5 and OCuLink eGPU flaunts RTX 4090 Laptop GPU

by admin



If your device doesn’t have discrete graphics, eGPUs are an excellent option for enhancing graphical performance. The FNGT5 Pro (via CNU) from Chinese mini-PC maker FEVM is worth considering; it’s an eGPU with Thunderbolt 5 and OCuLink support, offering graphics options up to a GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop graphics card.

Measuring 5.59 x 3.94 x 2.36 inches (142 x 100 x 60 mm), the FNGT5 Pro is compact but not pocket-sized. Its volume is just 0.86 liters, making it very portable and easy to carry in your luggage. The design looks attractive overall and features multiple air vents on every side of the device. The single 9215/9015 cooling fan provides active heat dissipation and is replaceable in case you want to use a different one.

FEVM has opted for Nvidia’s latest GeForce RTX 40-series (codenamed Ada Lovelace) Laptop graphics cards for the FNGT5 Pro, likely considering cost and availability. You can choose from three graphics options: the top-tier GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop, the GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop, or the basic GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop. Unfortunately, there is no middle option as FEVM does not provide the GeForce RTX 4070 as a choice.


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FEVM FNGT5 Pro Specifications

Swipe to scroll horizontally

Configuration

Pricing

CUDA Cores

Memory

GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop

$1,374

9,728

16GB GDDR6

GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop

$1,040

7,424

12GB GDDR6

GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop

$555

3,072

8GB GDDR6

Unlike other eGPUs with either Thunderbolt or OCuLink support, the FNGT5 Pro synthesizes features from both worlds. By utilizing Intel’s JHL9480 (codenamed Barlow Ridge) controller, the FNGT5 Pro provides Thunderbolt 5 connectivity alongside the traditional OCuLink (PCIe 4.0 x4) interface.

The FNGT5 Pro is in no way short of connectivity. The device offers two Thunderbolt 5 ports (one upstream with 100W PD power output and one downstream with 30W PD power output), one USB Type-A 10 Gbps port, and one OCuLink port. Display outputs include one DisplayPort 1.4a output and one HDMI 2.1 port. FEVM didn’t integrate a power supply into FNGT5 Pro, so it still relies on a 20V DC power adapter. However, you shouldn’t need it if you use the Thunderbolt 5 connection since the upstream port supports 100W.

The FNGT5 Pro is not an inexpensive device. The base configuration featuring the GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop goes for $555. In contrast, the more powerful GeForce RTX 4080 Laptop alternative will cost $1,040. Should you desire the flagship GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop, be prepared to invest approximately $1,374, which is comparable to buying a GeForce RTX 5080.

FEVM products are seldom found outside the Chinese market. Occasionally, they become accessible on e-commerce sites like AliExpress. The FNGT5 Pro can currently be purchased on JD.com, indicating that it might soon be available on AliExpress as well.

Follow Tom’s Hardware on Google News to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.



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The Klim Wind from a 3/4s angle in front of a pink background.
Product Reviews

Klim Wind laptop cooling pad review: this quiet laptop cooler is less a chill wind, more a gentle breeze

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Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Klim Wind laptop cooling pad: review

The Klim Wind is a laptop cooling pad that’s very much aimed at the average gamer. While it may not have the oomph required by pro esports players or creative studios, it’s aimed at those who just want to stop their CPUs cooking while playing Cyberpunk 2077.

It rocks four fans capable of spinning at up to 1200rpm and comes in a range of colorways, and it’s available from Amazon from just $19.97 / £19.97 / AU$49.97.

A big selling point of the Klim Wind is how quiet it is. In fact, the packaging describes it as ‘ultra silent’, which is a) redundant, given that something is either silent or it isn’t; and b) not actually true.


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However, its fan noise is impressively muted – during testing, the combined noise of its fans at 1200rpm and the inbuilt cooling of our Acer Predator Helios 300 testing laptop with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 GPU only registered as 58.5dB from a few inches away and 44dB from my head height. That’s pretty much as quiet as any laptop cooling pad I’ve tested.

I feel a little lukewarm about the Klim’s design. On the one hand, its 16-degree angle is comfortable enough, even if I wish it had a few different height settings, and its blue LED lighting feels nicely understated. On the other, its build quality isn’t as high as some of the best laptop cooling pads, feeling a bit light and plasticky, while the flip-up laptop rests jabbed at my wrists when I was resting them on my laptop. Also, with all its notches and sharp angles, its looks are a bit on the nose – it looks like a cyber-goth butterfly, which is distinctly less charming than it sounds.

(Image credit: Future)

But all of this comes second to its core functionality – if it offers game-changing cooling, does anyone care what it looks like? Unfortunately, the Klim Wind does little to redeem itself here. The cooling it offers is, frankly, mediocre.

Using our testing laptop, I ran a 15-minute 3DMark stress test with the Wind on its max 1200rpm fan speed, measuring how much the laptop’s temperature changed. It increased from 85F / 29.5C to 120F / 49C, a 35F / 19.5C rise, which is the weakest cooling I’ve seen from any cooling pad I’ve tested, aside from the TopMate C12 Laptop Cooling Pad’s 22.8C.

In light of this, I can’t really recommend the Klim Wind – there are simply too many similarly priced options that will keep your laptop cooler. The best cooling I’ve personally tested comes from the Llano RGB Laptop Cooling Pad, which I can’t recommend highly enough, although its $119.99 / £129.99 (around AU$188.33) price tag won’t suit everyone’s budget.

If value is your biggest priority, the Liangstar Laptop Cooling Pad is a great option; it’s nearly as frosty as the Llano but costs just $19.99 / £20.99 / AU$66.91, which makes it a bit of a bargain in my book.

(Image credit: Future)

Klim Wind laptop cooling pad review: price & availability

  • Available now
  • Retails from $19.97 / £19.97 / AU$49.97
  • Wide range of colorways available

The Klim Wind is available from Amazon now. It retails for as little as $19.97 / £19.97 / AU$49.97, which will get you the blue-lit version we tested here. Although it has historically been reduced as low as £14.90 in the UK, this was way back in December 2019, while the price has never been lower stateside, so we’d argue you’re unlikely to get a better price for this now.

If black with blue lighting isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other, pricier colorways to choose from. Including options with red, cyan or green LED lighting, white metal and plastic or even an additional RGB strip, these max out at $29.97 / £29.97 / AU$149.97.

(Image credit: Future)

Should I buy the Klim Wind laptop cooling pad?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

(Image credit: Future)

Klim Wind laptop cooling pad review: also consider

(Image credit: Future)

How I tested the Klim Wind laptop cooling pad

  • Tested over the course of two days
  • Recorded how much the product cooled our gaming laptop during a stress test
  • Checked the volume of its fans using a sound level meter

I tested the Klim Wind using TechRadar’s standard laptop cooling pad testing process. First off, I used a thermal camera to measure the peak temperature of our Razer Predator Helios 300 with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 testing laptop to establish a baseline. Then I ran a 3DMark stress test on the laptop for 15 minutes with the laptop cooling pad set to maximum speed, before recording its final temperature so I could compare its cooling against other products.

To test the amount of sound it generated, I used a noise level meter to check the combined noise of the cooling pad and the laptop’s fans. I took two measurements, one from a few inches away and one from my head height (21 inches away) to get a sense of the absolute and subjective noise levels the device makes. I also used the laptop cooling pad in a range of scenarios, from gaming to day to day work to assess how ergonomic and comfortable it was.

I have plenty of experience to help support my testing. Not only have I reviewed a wide range of laptop cooling pads for TechRadar, I’ve also been a creative and an avid gamer for years, meaning I’m familiar with the struggle of trying to keep a laptop cool during very CPU-intensive tasks.



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Microsoft Surface Laptop and Surface Pro devices on a table.
Gaming Gear

Can’t upgrade your laptop to Windows 11? Asus joins Microsoft’s campaign urging you to buy a new Copilot+ PC, and I’m not sure that’s wise

by admin



  • Asus is trying to persuade those who can’t upgrade their Windows 10 laptop to switch to a Copilot+ PC
  • This is ignoring concerns about millions of PCs heading to the scrapheap because of Windows 11’s spec requirements
  • Asus is also overselling the abilities of Copilot+ PCs, which just aren’t that impressive overall – not yet, anyway

For some time, Microsoft has been urging folks with a Windows 10 PC that can’t upgrade to Windows 11 that they should buy a new computer, preferably a Copilot+ PC – and Asus is now playing that same tune.

Windows Latest noticed a post from Asus about why now’s the time to switch to Windows 11, and to consider upgrading to a Copilot+ device (from Asus, naturally).

This is aimed at folks who are in the unfortunate situation where their Windows 10 laptop is too old to support the stricter hardware requirements of Windows 11, and so they can’t upgrade. Notebooks with older CPUs are left out in the cold, of course, as you can’t switch out those parts like you can with a desktop PC.


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Asus reminds us that Windows 10 runs out of support in October 2025, which is rapidly approaching, and that you shouldn’t run an OS without security updates, which is certainly true.

The laptop maker then moves on to persuade us that what everyone in this situation needs is a new Windows 11 notebook, and that what makes these devices different is one word: Copilot.

Moreover, Asus argues: “But here’s where it gets even better: with Copilot+ PCs, Windows 11 takes the AI experience to a whole new level. These devices are equipped with an NPU – a dedicated AI processor, specifically designed to handle AI tasks locally, making your experience smoother, faster, and more secure.

“If your current laptop isn’t up to snuff for Windows 11 or Copilot+, this is the perfect time to upgrade to a device that’s built for it.”

Thereafter follows a series of plugs for Asus Vivobook models, Copilot+ PCs with both Snapdragon (Arm-based) and traditional Intel processors.

(Image credit: Photo by Tom Fisk via Pexels)

Analysis: Landfill woes and unwise overselling

The problem with these marketing campaigns, which are nudging people to simply dump their Windows 10 PC, is that this isn’t a very green-friendly perspective to serve up.

Going way back, there have been alarm bells rung about potentially towering piles of scrapped PCs heading to landfills later this year, thanks to Microsoft’s policy of enforcing steeper system requirements with Windows 11. If it wasn’t for some of those – generally security-related – measures, those folks could upgrade to the newer OS just fine and keep their current laptop (or indeed desktop PC).

So, when companies like Microsoft and now Asus push the benefits of throwing out old hardware for a shiny new Copilot+ PC, you can see why this frustrates organizations that are working to promote eco-friendliness in one way or another.

At any rate, if your laptop isn’t compatible with Windows 11, is it really ready for the bin when October 2025 and the End of Life for Windows 10 rolls around? Of course not – one option is that you can pay to extend support for a year.

That’s a choice Microsoft has provided for consumers for the first time ever, actually, likely to placate those with the aforementioned environmental concerns – though it’d be good if this support could be extended even further. (It can be for businesses, but we don’t know if that’ll be the case for everyday users).

Another option is switching to Linux, of course, as has been highlighted recently.

The other problem with the argument Asus presents here (and Microsoft is guilty of this too) is that it’s overselling the ability of Copilot+ PCs. While there are some impressive powers for these devices – like improved (natural language) Windows 11 search, and the same search trick in Settings too – most of the AI exclusives for Copilot+ devices aren’t overly compelling (Recall included right now).

While Copilot+ laptops may eventually take your Windows 11 computing experience to ‘another level’ as Asus mentions in its blurb, we definitely aren’t there yet. This is marketing fluff, essentially, and while that’s hardly unexpected, companies need to be careful about how they’re framing these kinds of posts, given the environmental concerns in play here.

No, you can’t keep your PC running forever, but Microsoft and its partners need to be more thoughtful about the state of tech landfill and our planet. And I’d really like to see Microsoft confirm extended support for updates to consumers for more than just a year, without making that additional time prohibitively expensive.

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MSI Titan 18 HX AI Review: The Ultimate Gaming Laptop
Product Reviews

MSI Titan 18 HX AI Review: The Ultimate Gaming Laptop

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The MSI Titan is not for the faint of heart—it never has been. It’s an 18-inch behemoth, fitting into that “desktop replacement” class of gaming laptop. This one in particular is meant for PC gamers who don’t just want top performance, but also some bling.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a gaming laptop with this many high-end features. With a Mini-LED display, a mechanical keyboard, and an invisible haptic touchpad, there’s no other 18-inch gaming laptop like it, and that means a flashy price, too.

Big and Beautiful

The MSI Titan is massive. It’s 1.26 inches thick at its largest point and weighs nearly eight pounds. You read that right. Eight whole pounds. Gaming laptops aren’t known for being particularly portable, especially ones with 18-inch screens, but the MSI Titan HX is almost a full pound heavier than the Razer Blade 18.

It’s hefty and well-crafted, though, as you’d hope for in a laptop north of $5,000. It’s not a single piece of machined aluminum like the Razer Blade 18, but the magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis feels sturdy. The MSI Titan HX uses a thermal shelf on the back, making the laptop larger, but providing a protrusion for extra ventilation and ports. MSI keeps it fairly minimalist with the all-black interior and silver trim, especially compared to older versions of this laptop. The invisible touchpad makes this feel even more modern. And yet, both the Razer Blade 18 and Alienware 18 Area-51 are more savvy designs in my book.

Photograph: Luke Larsen

Photograph: Luke Larsen

Photograph: Luke Larsen

In the rear, you’ll find the power jack, the HDMI 2.1 port, and the Ethernet. Next to some massive vents, you’ll find three USB-A 3.2. Gen2 ports on the side, along with the two Thunderbolt 5 ports, the SD card slot, and a headphone jack. That’s just about every port you can imagine, but the Thunderbolt 5 ports are the interesting part.

Intel sent me several Thunderbolt 5 accessories to demonstrate just how much bandwidth the new spec provides. I set up two 32-inch 4K 240-Hz OLED gaming monitors, all powered through a single USB-C cable. It’s magical seeing those two high-refresh-rate monitors being daisy-chained together, despite their 240-Hz refresh rates. In the past, Thunderbolt 4 ports were limited to two 4K monitors at 60 Hz.

Even if you don’t have two expensive gaming monitors to connect to, the MSI Titan 18 HX has a really solid Mini-LED display onboard. It can hit 414 nits of brightness in SDR and around double that in HDR. That’s not quite as good as the OLED gaming monitors out there, but it’s certainly bright enough to notice the difference in HDR. The color saturation is great too.

You want that 4K resolution when it’s spread across 18 inches of screen, even if you may not always want to play games at that native resolution. It’s incredibly sharp. This really is the best screen you can get on an 18-inch laptop right now, as OLED isn’t common in this larger screen size yet. MSI also offers an IPS version of this panel, as well as a lower-resolution 2560 x 1600 240-Hz IPS option.

Unfortunately, the speakers and webcam aren’t as premium. The 1080p camera is noisy, and the six-speaker audio system is mediocre. The speakers are almost irrelevant given how loud the fan noise is, at least when it comes to gaming.

Tricks Up Its Sleeve

Photograph: Luke Larsen

The keyboard is unique and an absolute joy to type and game on. It’s a Cherry MX low-profile mechanical keyboard that feels chunky and tactile. It’s unlike any laptop I’ve ever typed on in that sense, capturing the feel of a mechanical keyboard right on your laptop. My only complaint is that the many keys are not mechanical, such as the arrow keys, the number pad, and the function row. Once you notice, it’s a little jarring.



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MSI Vector A18 HX A9W
Product Reviews

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W Review: A powerhouse gaming laptop that will eat your desktop rig for breakfast

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Two-Minute Review

This thing is heavy, seriously… (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

It’s simple. If you’re out for a powerful gaming laptop, capable of reaching high and smooth frame rates with minimal performance issues, the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W is your answer. Using Nvidia’s RTX 5080 laptop GPU and AMD’s Ryzen 9 9955HX processor, gaming is a breeze at its native 2560×1600 resolution without using Team Green’s DLSS upscaling technology; however, when it is used, achieving high frame rates is a cakewalk.

It shines best in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Indiana Jones: The Great Circle, and Resident Evil 4 remake. It can struggle when attempting to use ray tracing at maximum graphics settings and at a 4K resolution without enabling DLSS, but that’s exactly what Nvidia’s tools are there for.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 had very little trouble reaching over 100fps, and edged close to the 100fps mark when running on ECO-Silent mode (which is incredible as I’ll dive into later), helping reduce the workload and high temperatures, thanks to MSI Center’s user scenario options.


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With a 240Hz refresh rate, playing less demanding titles like Hades that can reach such frame rates, was an immersive and astonishing gaming experience. I know I’ve previously said that 144 or 165Hz refresh rates are more than enough for gaming, but with any game that can stay at 240fps without any significant dips, it’s very impressive.

It’s not all perfect though; this laptop is not ideal for long trips or playing on the go, as it’s incredibly heavy (especially when including its 400W power adapter), and you’d need a large backpack to fit the 18-inch laptop in for travels. I found it difficult to use for long hours on a sturdy mini bed desk, with worries that it would snap its legs in pieces, and even at my main gaming desk, with its power adapter taking up space – so, portability isn’t the best here.

This isn’t an inexpensive system either – however, if you can afford the expense and you’re looking for one of the best gaming laptops to provide great gaming performance, look no further.

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Price & Availability

  • How much does it cost? Starting at $2,999.99 / £3,199 / AU$6,599 (for RTX 5080 configuration)
  • When is it available? Available now
  • Where can you get it? In the US, UK, and Australia

There’s no denying that the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W is a very expensive piece of hardware, instantly locking most gamers out of a potential purchase. However, for those who can afford it, you’re getting the bang for your buck with a system that is capable of matching a variety of desktop builds.

With both a powerful AMD processor and Nvidia GPU, it’s more than enough to satisfy most gamers’ performance needs; the Ryzen 9 9955HX excels at single-core and multi-core processes, which you’ll see later below.

With this configuration (A9WIG-006UK), there is no OLED or mini-LED display available, which would’ve slightly softened the blow of the high price, with an immersive and brighter screen – but that shouldn’t hinder the gaming experience here.

The issue is that it’s more or just as expensive as some pre-built gaming PCs, which is somewhat reasonable since it’s using a CPU as powerful as those in high-end desktops – but the RTX 5080 discrete desktop version is the stronger GPU.

Regardless, this is a gaming laptop that packs plenty of processing power in a beefy and sturdy chassis, cooled very well with its Cooler Boost 5 tech using a ‘Dedicated Cooling Pipe’, so it’s not very surprising to see it cost so much.

Still, the point remains; unless you’re adamant on travelling with the Vector A18 HX A9W and using it on the go (which I wouldn’t recommend because portability isn’t that great here), or just want a PC you can move around your home easily, it might be a better choice to buy a desktop rig.

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Specs

You knew you’d see Resident Evil 4 at some point in this review… I’m obsessed with it (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell – Column 0

MSI Vector A18 HX A9WIG-006UK (Review model UK)

MSI Vector A18 HX A9WIG-223US (Base model US)

MSI Vector A18 HX A9WIG-076US (Highest config)

Price

£3,199

$2,999.99

$3,959

CPU

AMD Ryzen 9955 HX

AMD Ryzen 9955 HX

AMD Ryzen 9955 HX

GPU

Nvidia RTX 5080

Nvidia RTX 5080

Nvidia RTX 5080

RAM

32GB DDR5

32GB DDR5

64GB DDR5

Storage

2TB NVMe Gen 4×4

1TB NVMe Gen 4×4

2TB NVMe Gen 4×4

Display

18″ QHD+(2560×1600), 240Hz Refresh Rate, IPS-Level, 100% DCI-P3(Typical)

18″ 16:10 QHD+(2560 x 1600), 240Hz, 100% DCI-P3 IPS-Level Panel

18″ 16:10 QHD+(2560 x 1600) 240Hz 100% DCI-P3 IPS-Level Panel

Battery

4-Cell,99.9 Whrs

4-Cell,99.9 Whrs

4-Cell,99.9 Whrs

Ports

2x Type-A USB3.2 Gen1, 1x Type-A USB3.2 Gen2, 2x USB 4/DP&PD 3.1 (Thunderbolt 4 Compatible), HDMI 2.1

2x Type-A USB3.2 Gen1, 1x Type-A USB3.2 Gen2, 2x USB 4/DP&PD 3.1 (Thunderbolt 4 Compatible), HDMI 2.1

2x Type-A USB3.2 Gen1, 1x Type-A USB3.2 Gen2, 2x USB 4/DP&PD 3.1 (Thunderbolt 4 Compatible), HDMI 2.1

Dimensions

15.91″ x 12.09″ x 1.26″

15.91″ x 12.09″ x 1.26″

15.91″ x 12.09″ x 1.26″

Weight

3.6 kg / 7.9lbs

3.6 kg / 7.9lbs

3.6 kg / 7.9lbs

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Design

(Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

I absolutely love the chassis of the Vector A18 HX A9W as it has a sturdy build, and perhaps most importantly, a great cooling pipe design. Even when gaming on Extreme Performance, temperatures were never too high, often hitting a maximum of 77 degrees Celsius.

Its speakers aren’t particularly a standout, but are serviceable and get the job done, especially with an equalizer and 3D surround sound available to improve audio immersion. It’s also always easier to use Bluetooth speakers or headphones that have much better bass and clarity.

The two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports present are ideal for fast file transfers and for those who aren’t keen on expanding internal storage with a new SSD, who would rather use an external one. It also features an HDMI 2.1 port on its rear, right next to its power adapter port – and one particular aspect I don’t like is the slightly short length of the wire, which often forced me to place the chunky adapter on the desk.

Cool design, right? (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

With an 18-inch screen, you’re getting the best you could possibly ask for when it comes to portable gaming – and if you’ve got a spacious desktop setup, it’s a great experience.

However, the screen size and the weight are the only two main issues I have in this region, as you’re going to have trouble fitting this in most backpacks for travel, and it’s very heavy to carry around.

At 7.9 lbs, it had me paranoid that it would make my mini desk meet its demise, and while it’s understandable considering all the powerful components, you should be aware that this laptop isn’t built for portability (especially while carrying the adapter around, too).

Regardless, this is a beefy gaming laptop power-wise, and these gripes weren’t too significant to spoil my experience overall.

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Display

(Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

My review model of the Vector A18 doesn’t exactly have the best display available, as it’s neither OLED nor mini-LED – both of which offer greater contrast and brightness. However, that doesn’t stop it from being an immersive display that I found ideal for intense and competitive multiplayer gaming sessions.

It’s thanks to the 240Hz refresh rate and 2560×1600 resolution, which matches up well with the horsepower of the RTX 5080. There aren’t many games that are going to run at 240fps (unless you significantly lower graphics settings or resolution), but the ones that do, look absolutely incredible.

I must admit, coming from the consistent use of an OLED ultrawide, it took a little bit of an adjustment to become accustomed to an IPS LCD panel again – but that’s to be expected when scaling down from one of the best display types (and it would be unfair to knock points off here because of that).

It’s worth noting that HDR isn’t present either, which often goes a long way at providing better color accuracy and detail in both brighter and darker images.

Regardless, the Vector A18 HX A9W has a 100% DCI-P3 coverage, so I never once felt dissatisfied or urged to calibrate or adjust color profiles. It also helps that you’re getting a full 18-inch screen, which I believe is the sweet spot for portable laptop gaming (besides it probably being why it’s so heavy).

The one downside I ran into is playing games that don’t have 16:10 aspect ratio support. To put it simply, if you dislike black bars filling out portions of your screen while gaming, you’re not going to like it here. So, it’s definitely worth considering before committing to a purchase, but there are no other gripes from me.

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Performance

Sweaty Call of Duty lobbies… we love to see it (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

  • RTX 5080 is a beast of a laptop GPU
  • The combo with AMD’s Ryzen 9955HX processor is fantastic
  • The CPU’s performance is incredible, matching desktop processors

The biggest highlight of the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W is its performance, almost across the board. It shouldn’t come as a surprise for me to say that the RTX 5080 laptop GPU is an absolute powerhouse, and crushes the 2560×1600 resolution in most triple-A games – and DLSS 4 with Multi Frame Generation is a game changer when used where necessary (essentially anything as demanding as Cyberpunk 2077).

In CPU-bound games, AMD’s Ryzen 9955HX processor shines bright with 16 cores and 32 threads, ensuring the Blackwell GPU can do its job without any major bottleneck. In synthetic tests, both single-core and multi-core scores soared above chips like Apple’s M1 Max in Cinebench 2024, and in real-world gaming tests, the results were consistent, as I didn’t notice anything ominous regarding performance frame rates and frame pacing.

Most importantly, MSI Center features three different user scenario modes: ECO-Silent, Balanced, and Extreme Performance, which can all be used in any of the three Discrete, MSHybrid, or Integrated Graphics modes.

For the best results, I stuck with Discrete Graphics mode, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised at how great ECO-Silent was, in particular. Using a lower TDP (power consumption), temperatures are significantly decreased, and the fans are silent, hence the name ECO-Silent – but I came away shocked at the frame rates I was hitting using this mode.

At 1600p on ECO-Silent, Cyberpunk 2077 at maximum graphics settings without ray tracing and DLSS Quality, it ran at a solid 77fps, sometimes reaching the low 80fps mark, with a 1% low of 66fps.

In Assassin’s Creed Shadows – a game that is arguably nearly as demanding on PC hardware as Cyberpunk 2077, and frankly, needs Frame Generation for higher FPS – ran at an average of 40fps on maximum graphics settings at 1600p, using DLSS Quality on ECO-Silent.

With the same graphics settings applied to Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, it hit an average of 62fps; if that doesn’t indicate how impressive ECO-Silent mode is, then I don’t know what will. It’s the best option for gamers who are bothered by fan noise and higher temperatures, while you still get very impressive performance results.

Call of Duty Black Ops 6: MSI Vector A18 HX A9W – YouTube

Watch On

It gets even better with Balanced and Extreme Performance; the former has fans only a little louder than ECO-Silent, and is the way you should use the Vector A18 HX A9W for gaming (it’s also MSI’s recommended option), as it gives you a true reflection of what this machine is capable of, evident in the performance charts above.

Sticking with Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Balanced mode was 41% faster than ECO-Silent, with an average of 94fps and 1% low at 77fps.

In the case of Extreme Performance, expect a whole lot of fan noise and higher temperatures, in favor of the best possible performance. In most cases of casual play, I hardly needed to use this mode, as the FPS boost wasn’t significant enough coming from Balanced mode. However, it’s absolutely essential for gaming at 4K, especially if you’re using ray tracing.

It mustn’t go without mention that DLSS Multi Frame Generation (when you have a decent base frame rate) is an absolute treat. It makes Cyberpunk 2077‘s Overdrive path tracing preset playable without needing to adjust graphics settings; yes, increased latency is worth noting, but I honestly didn’t think it was too impactful in this case.

MSI Vector A18 HX A9W: Battery

This heavy adapter is your best friend… forget about the battery (Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

As it is with most gaming laptops I’ve used, the battery life isn’t terrible, but it’s also not great either – so, decent at best. We’re still seemingly a long way off from battery tech improving, especially for gaming laptops and handheld gaming PCs, but I give the Vector A18 HX A9W its plaudits for being at least average here.

It has a 99.9WHr battery, and switching MSI Center’s user scenarios, battery life can vary. While playing Resident Evil 4 remake on Hybrid mode and Extreme Performance, the laptop lasted a full hour, starting at 85% before draining. Knocking the scenario settings down to Discrete mode and Balanced (with 50% brightness) allowed it to last another 10 minutes from the same battery percentage.

If you ask me, I wouldn’t even bother gaming without the power adapter because, as expected, performance is significantly worse. Bear in mind, there’s a 400W power adapter ready to handle the combined 260W of power from the RTX 5080 and the Ryzen 9 9955HX.

On the other hand, while web surfing in Balanced mode and Integrated Graphics, results were a little bit more impressive; at 59% battery, it took exactly 51 minutes to fall to 6%. When at 100%, it lasted 3 hours and 25 minutes during YouTube playback, so it’s decent enough for those who want to use this laptop for work or multitasking.

However, the biggest downside is the charging time, as it takes a total of 2 hours to fully charge. It’s already not great that the battery drains within 3 hours outside of gaming, but the addition of a long charge time isn’t beneficial if you’re looking to use it while on the go.

Portability isn’t a strong suit, and these battery results are one of the main reasons why, especially when paired with the hefty design.

Should you buy the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy if…

How I tested the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W

I tested the MSI Vector A18 HX A9W for three weeks, running multiple games and synthetic benchmarks. It kept me away from my main desktop gaming PC for a while, with Multi Frame Generation being a significant reason in why, and while I don’t want game developers to become over-reliant on Nvidia’s DLSS tech, it’s great when implemented properly.

Navigation and web browsing was a breeze too, with 32GB of RAM and a powerhouse CPU giving me all I needed to acknowledge that this was a gaming laptop that enthusiasts won’t want to miss out on.



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Gaming Gear

Lenovo’s 2-in-1 Chromebook Acts as Both a Tablet and Laptop for Practically Nothing, Keyboard Included

by admin


Chromebooks are incredibly versatile and can sometimes be the better option for a lot of users when compared to a full Windows laptop with all the bells and whistles. If you just need something with a larger screen than your phone to do the tasks you’d otherwise do there, then Chromebook is the way to go. Best Buy has the Lenovo Duet 11 Chromebook at a pretty sizable discount. Normally priced at $399, but for a limited time you can get it for $150 off (-37.5%). That brings it down to just $249.

The Lenovo Duet 11 Chromebook supports Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution in it’s 11-inch  touchscreen. It’s running on a MediaTek Kompanio 800 processor with an integrated graphics card. Memory-wise, we’re looking at 4GB and storage-wise, it’s working with 128GB. The keypad and cover come in a respectable luna gray colorway, perfect for those who like their style subtle.

See at Best Buy

Versatility at Its Finest

It’s namesake of the “Duet” comes from this being a two-in-one device. They keypad is detachable and given that the screen is a touchscreen, you can effectively transform your Chromebook laptop into a tablet in seconds. This adds a ton of versatility to how you choose to use your Lenovo IdeaPad, letting you switch between laptop and tablet on the fly given the task at hand. Killing time browsing through Instagram? Take the keypad off and layback on the couch. Drafting a longwinded email to a tough client? Maybe pop that keyboard back on and sit at your desk.

The case doubles as a stand, so whether or not you have the keypad attached, you can prop the Lenovo IdeaPad up at the ideal viewing angle. That makes it great for catching up on your favorite TV shows in a pinch.

The Chrome OS is fast and secure. It supports a ton of built-in Google apps such as Gmail, Gemini, Docs, Photos, YouTube, and more. It’s loads super quickly, booting up in just 10 seconds. And then with 10 hours of battery life, it will handle the whole work day and then some on a single charge.

Chat with friends or colleagues with ease thanks to the fixed-focus front-facing 5MP camera. Additionally, it has a rear-facing 8MP for taking photos and videos which is capable of auto-focusing so you can capture subjects at any distance.



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