Best multipurpose		Anker PowerCore Fusion 10,000		SEE IT	The Anker PowerCore Fusion 10,000 combines the convenience of portable battery and outlet-based charger in a single package.
Best for travel		Belkin Gaming Power Bank with Stand		SEE IT	Belkin’s gaming charger with a stand lets you power up your phone while watching media or playing games.
Best for laptops		Anker 747 Power Bank		SEE IT	The Anker 747 Power Bank power bank pulls out all the stops with its massive charging capacity.

Keeping a portable charger in your car, bag, or pocket prepares you if an emergency arises as you’re running out of power. Say you’re stuck in a raging blizzard, your car in a snowbank on the highway, and you need a tow if you don’t want to stay where you are overnight. No problem, you can just call for roadside assistance, right? That isn’t the case if your phone happens to run out of power and you have no way to charge it back up again. It’s not the case unless you carry a portable power bank, that is. A battery pack to charge your phone, laptop, and other devices can make all the difference when your battery’s nearly dead and draining fast. The right power bank will let you top off all your essential gear to get your devices through the day (or longer). Fortunately, we’ve collected some of the best portable chargers available and sorted them into categories that should fit most people’s needs.

• Best overall: OtterBox Performance Fast Charge Power Bank
• Best multipurpose: Anker PowerCore Fusion 10,000
• Best for travel: Belkin Gaming Power Bank with Stand
• Best with flashlight: superallure Solar Charging Power Bank
• Best with wireless charging: Mophie Charge Stream
• Best large: Goal Zero Sherpa Wireless Portable AC Power Bank
• Best for laptops: Anker 747 Power Bank
• Best budget: INIU Portable Charger

How we chose the best portable chargers

When choosing the best portable chargers, I relied on my years of experience covering the tech industry. I’ve used portable power banks to keep my phone and other devices charged while covering events, conducting interviews, and recording presentations. In addition to my personal and professional testing, we’ve parsed reviews from consumers and other publications to find chargers that have made a strong impression on their owners. 

The best portable chargers: Reviews & Recommendations

Our choices for the best portable chargers run the gamut from small pocket-sized batteries for extending your phone’s battery life to big, beefy chargers that can power a mobile office. Depending on what devices you carry around daily or while traveling, there are different power banks for everyone.

Best overall: OtterBox Performance Fast Charge Power Bank

Amanda Reed

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Why it made the cut: This speedy power bank allows for 3.6x faster charging compared to other portable chargers and can power two devices at once.

Specs

• Dimensions: 6.26x 3.08 x .92 inches
• Weight: 15.3 ounces
• Battery capacity: 20,000 mAh
• Ports: 2 (one USB-C, one USB-A)
• Charging speed: 18W

Pros

• Fast charging
• Can charge two devices at once
• Drop protection

Cons

• Heavy compared to other portable chargers

Otterbox makes some of our favorite MagSafe accessories, so it’s no surprise we love its powerful wired charger as well. The OtterBox Performance Fast Charge Power Bank gives you 20,000 mAh of juice to recharge your tablets and phones. And, with a USB-A port and a fast-charging USB-C port, you can charge two devices at once, no matter what brand. It comes with a USB-A to USB-C cable, so you won’t have to get one on the go, but it works fabulously with others you may have around the house, as we did in the above photo. An LED power indicator shows you how much power you have left, and the power bank is designed for durability thanks to trusted drop protection. Although it’s a little chonky, we’d rather carry around a powerhouse than be left in the dark and uncharged.

Best multipurpose: Anker PowerCore Fusion 10,000

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Anker PowerCore Fusion 10,000 combines the convenience of a portable battery and outlet-based charger in a single package.

Specs

• Dimensions: 4.72 x 3.23 x 1.39 inches
• Weight: 10.1 ounces
• Battery capacity: 10,000mAh
• Ports: One USB-A, one USB-C
• Charging speed: 20W

Pros

• Convenient size
• Doubles as a wall outlet and battery pack
• Charges multiple devices

Cons

• Can be awkward to plug into some sockets

As the best multipurpose portable charger, the Anker PowerCore Fusion 10,000 is especially convenient, even among power banks. It’s a fairly small portable charger with two ports and a 10,000mAh battery, but you can also plug it into an outlet and draw power from there. This is extremely convenient for travelers and rolls two devices into one well-crafted package. Its only downside is that it’s a little larger and heavier than a standard wall-based charger. The shape can also make it awkward to fit into some places, and the weight might cause it to fall out of a loose socket.

Best for travel: Belkin Gaming Power Bank with Stand

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Belkin’s gaming charger with a stand lets you power up your phone while watching media or playing games.

Specs

• Dimensions: 6.21 x 1.56 x 4.02 inches
• Weight: 11.8 ounces
• Battery capacity: 10,000mAh
• Ports: One USB-A, one USB-C
• Charging speed: 12W

Pros

• Stand makes continuing to use the phone while charging more convenient
• Stand is retractable

Cons

• Fast charging is hit or miss

It seems like combining a portable charger and a stand would be a no-brainer, but surprisingly few companies have actually made them. Belkin’s Gaming Power Bank with Stand is the best portable charger for travel. It offers a retractable shelf with a lip that makes it easy to continue enjoying media or games on your phone as it charges. Unfortunately, its fast-charging seems to be hit-or-miss: Some users report speedy refueling, while others aren’t as impressed with how quickly their devices get juiced up. It’s a great charger when you have a few hours to kill and need to top off your phone’s power, but not the most efficient option.

Best with flashlight: superallure Solar Charging Power Bank

superallure

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Why it made the cut: This power bank is powered by the sun and can give you some extra light in the great outdoors if your flashlight decides to take a day off.

Specs

• Dimensions: 7.48 x 4.92 x 1.42 inches
• Weight: 1.15 pounds
• Battery capacity: 43,800 mAh
• Ports: USB-C, USB-A
• Charging speed: 15W

Pros

• Built-in chargers
• Solar-powered
• Built-in flashlight is bright

Cons

• Heavy

Sometimes you don’t need solar generator-level power, but you still need a bit of juice while adventuring the in the great outdoors. This one is solar-powered, Qi wireless charging compatible, and has USB-A and USB-C cords built-in—that’s one less thing in your pack. You can maybe even leave the flashlight at home—this charger also has a built-in flashlight. An IP65 rating makes it dust-resistant, with a bit of waterproofing on top. Plus, it can power 3-5 complete phone charges. Reviews note that customer service is great, and the power bank gave peace of mind while traveling in remote settings.

Best with wireless charging: Mophie Charge Stream

mophie

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Ditch the cables entirely with this Qi-enabled wireless portable charger that works across Android and iPhone.

Specs

• Dimensions: 2.72 x 0.63 x 5.19 inches
• Weight: 8.5 ounces
• Battery capacity: 6,040 mAh
• Ports: USB-A, USB-C
• Charging speed: 10W

Pros

• Pass-through charging enabled
• Can charge wirelessly or with a cable
• Can charge two devices at once

Cons

• Shows dirt easily

No cables? No problem, thanks to this wireless power bank from Mophie. You’ll be able to charge using the power of magnets as long as your device is Qi-enabled. Simply place your phone on the portable charger and push the button to begin wireless charging. You can get 48 extra hours of battery depending on what you’re charging, and a USB port allows you to charge another device while using wireless charging. Our only complaint? It tends to show dirt easily. Its powerful charging and wireless transcendence across brands make up for this.

Best large: Goal Zero Sherpa Wireless Portable AC Power Bank

Goal Zero

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: This large portable charger is like a mini generator in your pack.

Specs

• Dimensions: 7.69 x 5.49 x 1.02 inches
• Weight: 3.19 pounds
• Battery capacity: 25,600 mAh
• Ports: 2 USB-A, 2 USB-C, 1 AC port
• Charging speed: 100W

Pros

• Heavy-duty
• Can charge laptops two times over
• Solar generator power without the size

Cons

• Expensive

We’ve reviewed Goal Zero’s Yeti 1000 Core generator in the past and gave it kudos for its durability and battery capacity. Goal Zero took both of those aspects and packed them into an ever smaller package with its Sherpa Wireless Portable power bank. It’s great if you need major power on the go without needing an entire solar generator. And you’ll get plenty of use out of it: this power bank can charge a smartphone 8 times; a tablet three times; a laptop two times; and a GoPro 18 times. It also supports wireless charging. Talk about a multi-hyphenate. Its aluminum unibody is durable, and it easily integrates with other Goal Zero products, like solar panels. It’s pricey, but we think it’s worth it if you’re looking for a tough portable charger that’s made to last.

Best for laptops: Anker 747 Power Bank

Anker

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Why it made the cut: This sleek laptop power bank can keep you powered in the coffee shop or library.

Specs

• Dimensions: 7.2 x 3.23 x .95 inches
• Weight: 26.4 ounces
• Battery capacity: 26,600 mAh
• Ports: Two USB-A, two USB-C
• Charging speed: 87W

Pros

• Recharges in 2.5 hours
• High voltage protection
• Can charge more than one device at the same time

Cons

• No AC outlet

Those who leave their house to work in a coffee shop know the struggle of trying to find a precious outlet. Worry no longer, thanks to this portable laptop power bank from Anker, which can give your laptop enough juice while you wait for an outlet to open up. It’s built with Anker’s MultiProtect safety system, which combines temperature control and high-voltage protection for a safer charging experience. If you use up the portable charger’s power, fret not—it takes 2.5 hours to reach a full charge. Those who need an AC outlet to use their laptop charger, however, will be out of luck.

Best budget: INIU Portable Charger

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The INIU portable charger is cheap and does a fine job powering your phone … plus it has a pawprint-shaped indicator light!

Specs

• Dimensions: 5.2 x 2.7 x 0.5 inches
• Weight: 7 ounces
• Battery capacity: 10,000mAh
• Ports: 2 USB-A, One USB-C
• Charging speed: 15W

Pros

• Has a built-in paw print indicator light
• Extremely affordable
• Cute LED logo

Cons

• Reports of quality assurance issues

Sometimes you just need a product that does exactly what it’s supposed to for as little money as possible. The INIU Portable Charger is affordable and provides a 10,000mAh battery in a very slim form factor. Conveniently, it also has a built-in indicator light which can be a big help in a pinch, and its paw print makes looking at your power bank fun. Unfortunately, there are some reports of dead units, which means customers need to watch out for poor QA. Reports suggest that INIU customer service has done right by users who reported getting a nonfunctional unit, though, shipping out replacements quickly.

What to consider when buying the best portable chargers

Portable chargers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. For many, they’re just random bricks that you plug stuff into, with little to differentiate between them. While they may look the same, there are aspects of a charger’s design that vary, which you should keep in mind when picking one out. 

How much power can it hold? Will it fit in my pocket or my backpack? Does it have the ports to charge all my devices or just my phones? If you know these things, you can buy the right portable charger for your needs:

How big is the battery?

Portable chargers are really just fancy plastic and a circuit board wrapped around a battery. The most important thing you need to know about any portable charger is how big that battery is. Portable chargers measure their power storage in Milliamp Hours (mAh), a unit of measurement that shows how much power a battery can hold. The number of charges it can provide will depend on the specific device, but it’s a good way to get a general sense. 

If you plan to keep a laptop going through your workday or charge many devices simultaneously, you will likely want the largest battery possible, which tends to range between 2,000mAh and 10,000mAh for most users, depending on the devices they cart around.  If you’re just looking to top off your phone to get through a busy day, you can probably get something smaller. More storage translates to a larger, more expensive charger, so that’s definitely good reason to go small if that’s all you need.

How much space does it take up?

As we said, more power means a bigger battery pack. It doesn’t matter how impressive a portable charger’s specs are if it’s a pain to carry around. Power banks range in size from slim and pocket-sized to whopping boxes as big as a book. They can get heavy, too. While it can be tempting to get the biggest, most powerful charger, you will make a better choice if you’re realistic about your needs.

What are you charging?

When you choose a portable charger, you’ll want to remember what you will be using it for. Most people tend to buy chargers to top off their best tablet, new iPhone, Bluetooth headphones, or noise-cancelling earbuds: As a result, most portable battery packs are made for that purpose. If you’re looking to charge something bigger, like a laptop, you should make sure to get a charger that has the right ports for the job. For larger devices, you will also need to make sure the charging rate is actually high enough to replenish your laptop’s battery.

How quickly can it charge your devices?

The second major consideration when buying a portable charger is how fast it charges. Different batteries can charge devices at different rates, depending on the device and the cable used to charge. In general, portable chargers tend to be slower than plugging a device into a wall, but some are faster than others. Check the maximum charging rate, measured in watts (W), to determine how quickly most devices will charge.  For a portable charger, 18 watts is considered a good charging speed. 27 watts is excellent.

Sometimes companies will show a battery’s voltage and amperage rather than a rate in Watts: In that case, multiply the two numbers to get the rate in watts. For example: If a charger serves 5 volts at 2 amps (5V/2A), its charging rate is 10W. (5 x 2 = 10).

How fast does the battery pack charge itself?

It’s also important to look at how long you need to juice each charger back up to full capacity. When you’re in a pinch and pressed for time, knowing you can fall back on a fast-charging portable device offers peace of mind. A good charging rate, for example, is anywhere from 3 hours (111.11 mAh/min) to 4 hours (111.48 mAh/minute), though there have been packs that have charged back up to 100% in just 20 minutes or so. The larger the battery bank, the longer it will need to charge, especially when you factor in larger capacities. This rate may differ from pack to pack if the charger can power other devices. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best portable chargers

• Best overall: OtterBox Performance Fast Charge Power Bank
• Best multipurpose: Anker PowerCore Fusion 10,000
• Best for travel: Belkin Gaming Power Bank with Stand
• Best with flashlight: superallure Solar Charging Power Bank
• Best with wireless charging: Mophie Charge Stream
• Best large: Goal Zero Sherpa Wireless Portable AC Power Bank
• Best for laptops: Anker 747 Power Bank
• Best budget: INIU Portable Charger

Possessing the best portable charger can be a real lifesaver under the right circumstances. There isn’t that much to the tech, but there’s still a surprising amount of variation from device to device. It pays to learn their ins and outs to tell the difference, whether you need a slim power bank to get a quick jolt or something massive that can keep a laptop going for days. No matter what, we can all agree on one thing: Nobody likes having a battery die on them.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best portable chargers for 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		iPad Mini		SEE IT	The iPad Mini is the pinnacle of the 8-inch tablet in terms of performance, hardware quality, and software quality.
Biggest screen		Samsung Galaxy Tab 7A		SEE IT	If you want an 8-inch tablet specifically for streaming video on the go, you can’t go wrong here.
Best budget		TCL Tab 8		SEE IT	Often offered at $99, TCL’s Tab 8 is one of the best values in tech when you can grab it on sale; it even comes with a case.

Phone screens have continuously gotten bigger, but there’s still room for the venerable 8-inch tablet. These standalone devices offer more digital real estate for work and play without feeling cumbersome. For years, companies treated their smaller tablets poorly—omitting features present in “full-sized” models—but that’s changed. Today’s “8-inch “mini” tablets have feature parity with their bigger siblings while besting them in portability. The best 8-inch tablets fill a noticeable gap between smartphones and tablets, offering some of the best of both worlds.

• Best overall: iPad Mini
• Biggest storage: Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus
• Biggest screen: Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
• Best for kids: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition
• Best budget: TCL Tab 8

How we chose the best 8-inch tablets

Our research and testing revealed that the term 8-inch tablet is a little ambiguous because many tech companies have decided to play fast and loose with screen sizes. The iPad Mini, for example, has an 8.3-inch screen, while Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A7 Lite’s display comes in at 8.7 inches. This difference may seem subtle, but every tenth of an inch counts when dealing with tablets this small. We factored in these variations—plus which tablets have the best overall hardware, expandable storage, and battery life—to find five that suit different people’s needs equally.

The best 8-inch tablets: Reviews & Recommendations

There’s a lot more competition in this part of the tech world than you might think, with many tablets having overlapping features and subtle differences. You’ll find the right 8-inch tablet below regardless of your screen size preferences, operating system preferences, or budget.

Best overall: iPad Mini

Stan Horaczek

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Specs

• Screen size: 8.3 inches
• Battery life: Up to 10 hours
• Storage: Up to 256GB
• Weight: 239 grams
• Cameras: 12 megapixel (front) 12 megapixel (rear)

Pros

• Useful for media consumption and work
• Excellent camera hardware for its size
• App store full of helpful software

Cons

• Price

This entire story could honestly be a meditation on how the iPad mini absolutely smokes any other tablet in this screen size bracket when it comes to performance, hardware quality, and software quality. However, as is typically the case, its cost—roughly three times higher than our other recommendations—will temper anyone’s enthusiasm.

In our tests, there wasn’t a single task the iPad Mini couldn’t do well. Its Liquid Retina screen (2266-by-1488 resolution at 326 pixels per inch) made reading text, viewing images, and watching videos a joy. The LED IPS display’s wide color display (P3) reproduction was especially impressive—it can’t match the performance of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro’s miniLED screen, but it holds its own. The pint-sized tablet is powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip, which is speedy enough to stream 4K video, load high-resolution images, and play Apple Arcade games with no signs of slowing down.

If you’ve used an iPhone or previous-generation iPad, you’ll be familiar with many aspects of iPadOS. Apple’s tablet operating system isn’t as versatile as macOS, but Apple has continuously added features to bridge the gap. The iPad Mini’s greatest software advantage over Android tablets is the App Store, which is loaded with hundreds of thousands of productivity and leisure applications. If you want to work on an iPad Mini, you’ll find the software you need on the App Store, and the tablet is powerful enough to run it.

Apple says the iPad Mini’s battery lasts up to 10 hours per charge, and that’s true, depending on how you use it. You’ll probably get there if you browse the web, listen to music, or stream video with the 500 nits of brightness at 50 percent. Resource-intensive tasks like gaming or streaming video with the brightness cranked all the way up will run down the battery much more quickly.

Taking photos and videos with a tablet is more cumbersome than using a phone, but the iPad Mini’s 12-megapixel camera system is unmatched compared to its competition. Whether you’re video chatting with friends and colleagues or snapping a quick pic of something that catches your eye, you should be very happy with the results. The fact that you can import your photo and edit it in professional software like Adobe Lightroom or Photomator—using the Apple Pencil (2nd generation), if desired—speaks volumes about the iPad Mini’s value.

The iPad Mini is offered in 64GB and 256GB storage sizes—more than the average for an 8-inch tablet—but you can’t expand it with a memory card later on. The base storage tier is fine for casual use, but if you plan on using the iPad Mini for productivity tasks, it might be necessary to bump up to the high storage tier. At that point, you’re looking at a tablet that costs over $600—more than Apple charges for the entry-level model of its higher-end tablets. Adding cellular connectivity increases its price even more.

If you don’t mind spending the extra money, the iPad Mini is in a league of its own. You won’t find a better-looking, better-performing 8-inch tablet—or one that even comes close.

Biggest storage: Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus

Amazon

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Specs

• Screen size: 8-inches
• Battery life: Up to 13 hours
• Storage: 32GB (Expandable up to 1TB)
• Weight: 337 grams
• Cameras: 2 megapixel (front), 5 megapixel (rear)

Pros

• Tight integration with Amazon’s digital content ecosystem
• Massively expandable storage
• Price

Cons

• Weak productivity app selection
• No native YouTube support

Amazon has steadily improved the quality of its Fire Tablets by adding more memory (3GB), 30-percent faster processors, increasing the battery life, and continuing to allow users to add to the base 32GB or 64GB storage via a MicroSD Card. That final feature is true of most Android tablets, but the Fire HD 8 Plus takes it to the next level by supporting storage expansion up to 1TB. That’s more than enough space to hold a lifetime’s worth of media—which this tablet is best used for.

The greatest strength of the Fire HD 8 Plus is its tight integration with Amazon’s services ecosystem. Your Kindle books, Prime Music library, Prime Video library, and Audible audiobooks will immediately be available when you turn on the device. All of the appropriate Amazon apps come pre-downloaded, so all you need to do is choose which media you’d like to sync with it. If you use Amazon’s digital services and enjoy Alexa, using the Fire HD 8 Plus will be an excellent experience.

The same is true if you want to stream video from services like Netflix, listen to music on Spotify, or download media from either service. YouTube is the only streaming app you won’t find on this tablet; you’ll have to access this service via the web browser. The Fire HD 8 Plus has enough memory and processing power for audio and video consumption, browsing the web, or taking a video conference call. If you want to get work done, though, it’s a different story. The app library available on the Fire HD 8 Plus isn’t as big as Apple’s App Store, and its relatively low-resolution screen (1280 x 800 at 189 ppi) will make using the limited productivity software even more difficult.

That said, you can get the Fire HD 8 Plus and a 1TB MicroSD card for a third of the cost of the iPad Mini. Economically, it’s a better bet if you only need your tablet for reading, watching movies in bed, online shopping, and catching up with friends on social media. If you need to download a cache of shows and films to watch on a long trip, the expanded storage and Amazon’s battery claims—this tablet can last up to 13 hours in their estimation—make it a great travel companion.

Biggest screen: Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite

Samsung

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Specs

• Screen size: 8.7-inches
• Battery life: N/A
• Storage: 32GB (expandable up to 1TB)
• Weight: 371 grams
• Cameras: 2 megapixels (front) 8 megapixels (rear)

Pros

• Large display
• Expandable storage
• Price

Cons

• Weak front-facing camera
• Samsung not forthright about battery specs

If you’d like to push the boundaries of what it means to be an 8-inch tablet, Samsung’s Galaxy Tab A7 Lite is the right choice. Its 8.7-inch 1340 x 800 px (WXGA+) display is the largest screen of any tablet we’re recommending, which will come in handy whether you’re trying to get work done or enjoy a streaming video. The tablet’s other tech specs—an eight-core processor, 3GB of memory, and expandable storage up to 1TB via MicroSD—are impressive given the tablet’s low price.

The Galaxy Tab A7 Lite runs on Android, and the selection of apps on the Google Play store is robust enough that you should be able to find productivity apps in addition to the usual assortment of streaming services. The tablet’s large screen and highly expandable storage make it a wonderful content consumption device. However, no experience will match the one on Amazon’s tablets regarding overall user experience. At least you can download the YouTube app on this tablet.

Our only complaint about the Galaxy Tab A7 is that Samsung is not forthright about its tech specs. It touts this tablet’s battery life but refrains from giving a battery estimate on its site. The battery’s capacity is high enough to last several hours between charges, but, unfortunately, Samsung doesn’t give a figure to help set your expectations. If that ambiguity doesn’t bother you, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better Android tablet at this price.

Best for kids: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition

Amazon

SEE IT

Specs

• Screen size: 8-inches
• Battery life: Up to 13 hours
• Storage: 32GB (Expandable up to 1TB)
• Weight: 337 grams
• Cameras: 2 megapixel (front), 5 megapixel (rear)

Pros

• Includes a case
• Two-year warranty
• Bundled with Amazon Kids+ subscription

Cons

• Price is steep for a kid’s gadget

The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro has the same exact specs as the version of this tablet aimed at adults, but its kid-friendly features help it stand out in the 8-inch tablet space in critical ways.

Amazon bundles each of these tablets with a hardshell case available in a handful of colors and patterns, a two-year warranty against any damage, and a year’s subscription to Kids+. The first two benefits are straightforward, but access to Amazon Kids+ is a bigger deal than you might imagine. Amazon’s child-friendly service gives kids instant, unlimited access to age-appropriate games, movies, TV shows, movies, music stations, and apps. Think of it as baked-in parental controls that allow a child to experience autonomously with their tablet without worries about the trouble they could get themselves into.

We’re happy that Amazon opted to build its kids-edition Fire Tablet with the same hardware as its standard 8-inch tablet because it ensures that your kid can use this gadget for several years without it feeling run down and slow. That’s important given this tablet’s price, which is far lower than the iPad Mini’s, but still pricey for tech aimed at kids. Still, the overall value is there, and if you’d like your kid to stop reaching for your phone constantly, it’s a wise investment.

Best budget: TCL Tab 8

TCL

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Specs

• Screen size: 8 inches
• Battery life: Up to 8 hours
• Storage: 32 (expandable up to 512GB)
• Weight: 310 grams
• Cameras: 2 megapixel (front), 5 megapixel (rear)

Pros

• Price
• Blue light reduction modes
• Expandable storage

Cons

• So-so resolution

TCL’s Tab 8, which routinely goes on sale for $99, offers plenty of value at its discounted price for anyone who needs an 8-inch tablet for lightweight tasks like web browsing, online shopping, and video streaming. The Android 11 device comes with 32GB of storage with the option to add 512GB with a MicroSD card. TCL says this tablet lasts up to eight hours per charge—again, this will depend on how you use it and your screen brightness level.

Despite running Android 11, which is impressive for a budget-priced tablet, we’d still categorize the Tab 8 as being more for media consumption than productivity. Its display is relatively low resolution (‎800 x 1280 pixels), making it difficult to edit photos or video, though text should look OK. Think of this as a big display you can throw in your bag for video streaming on the go—especially if you download media to watch offline. TCL even bundles the Tab 8 with a foldable case, which protects your device and allows you to angle it upward for more comfortable viewing.

One of the Tab 8’s coolest features is its assortment of eye protection modes, which are optimized for tasks like e-book reading. Staring at a screen can start to hurt your eyes after a while, so it’s great to see these features baked into the device instead of forcing you to download third-party apps for the same functionality. All of these little extras are unexpected for such a budget-conscious tablet. If you’re mostly content with your phone, but would like a bigger screen when online shopping or watching random cat videos, give TCL’s Tab 8 serious consideration.

What to consider when shopping for the best 8-inch tablets

Screen size

The definition of what 8-inch tablet is varies from company to company—some hit that mark exactly, while others push the limits to a screen closer to nine inches. A larger screen makes the tablet better for media consumption and productivity, but the additional size will make it more cumbersome to carry.

Battery life

A tablet’s size doesn’t really matter if it’s run out of power, so we only recommend tablets that get at least eight hours of battery per charge. Some 8-inch tablets can last even longer, though the amount of uptime you get will be based on the apps you’re running and your screen brightness settings.

Storage

If you plan on storing a lot of media and apps on your tablet, it’s going to have enough storage to hold it all. Most of the 8-inch tablets we’re recommending allow you to add more storage to your device by popping in a memory card, which can come in handy if your needs change.

Weight

If you’re worried about how much bulk an 8-inch tablet will add to your everyday carry, don’t be. All of our recommendations weigh in at around 325 grams, which is under one pound. Tablets in this size class can typically fit in the small pocket of a backpack.

Cameras

Tablet photography remains popular, and all of our recommendations have both a front and rear-facing camera. The former is useful for selfies or video calls, while the latter will let you take quick pictures of anything around you. Tablet camera systems aren’t as sophisticated as the ones in your phone, but can work in a pinch.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best 8-inch tablets

• Best overall: iPad Mini
• Biggest storage: Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus
• Biggest screen: Samsung Galaxy Tab A7 Lite
• Best for kids: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition
• Best budget: TCL Tab 8

There’s a lot of competition in the 8-inch tablet world, which is great to see after years of companies focused on larger-screen devices. Current models from the top tech companies are all suited for media consumption, and some are beginning to be useful for productivity. Shockingly, companies have managed to keep the prices of these devices down while regularly updating them with faster components—Apple is the notable exception, but the iPad Mini is virtually untouchable in its performance. If you’ve been curious about tablets, but haven’t taken the plunge because they were too large and unwieldy or expensive, give an 8-inch tablet a try.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best 8-inch tablets in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best extra-large		XP-PEN Artist24 Pro		SEE IT	There’s a ton of real estate on the XP-PEN Artist 24 Pro’s 2K Quad HD display, giving you room to dream big and draw bigger.
Best overall		Wacom Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet		SEE IT	The Wacom Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet has all of the bells and whistles that most artists look for in a drawing tablet.
Best cheap		Huion Inspiroy Dial Q620M		SEE IT	Huion is known for making good drawing tablets, and this inexpensive offering gets the essentials right.

It’s never been easier to express your creativity on your computer. With a tablet and a digital pen, you can paint or draw your next masterpiece directly into a digitally native platform. There are lots of great drawing tablets out there, from specialty devices for professionals and hobbyists, and versatile devices for everyday life whose artistic uses are just part of the picture. Whether you’re just getting started, or a professional artist in need of a new device, these are the best drawing tablets.

• Best overall: Wacom Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet
• Best extra-large: XP-PEN Artist24 Pro
• Best for professionals: Wacom Intuos Pro Large
• Best e-paper: reMarkable 2
• Best for kids: Boogie Board Play and Trace LCD Writing Tablet
• Best for beginners: iPad Air 5
• Best for sketching and note-taking: Surface Pro 8
• Best budget: Huion Inspiroy Dial Q620M

How we selected the best drawing tablets

As a freelance technology critic for over 10 years, I’ve reviewed technology, including tablets, for publications including Popular Mechanics, Tom’s Guide, The Daily Beast, Architectural Digest, Apartment Therapy, and Bob Vila. I tested three of the items on this list and the rest of the selections are based on extensive research, conversations with artists, and reviews from other users.

The best drawing tablets: Reviews & Recommendations

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to go out and pick the best drawing tablet for you. Our list of the best tablets takes a wider approach than similar lists from other publications. In addition to drawing slates for pros from brands like Wacom and Huion, we’ve recommended some everyday tablets that support digital pens and offer strong visual art software. Not everyone who wants to draw on a tablet needs a dedicated drawing tablet.

Best overall: Wacom Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet

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Why it made the cut: The Wacom Cintiq 16 Drawing Tablet has all of the bells and whistles that most artists look for in a drawing tablet. 

Specs

• Screen size: 15.6 inches
• Active area: 13.6 x 7.6 inches
• Maximum screen resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Stylus: Wacom Pro Pen 2 (8192 pressure levels)
• Connectivity: USB-C/HDMI or USB-A/HDMI 2.0 or later
• Standalone: No
• Price: $649.95

Pros

• High-resolution display
• Wacom Pro Pen 2
• Scratch-resistant
• Foldable legs

Cons

• Expensive

The Wacom Cintiq 16 is the best drawing tablet for most people, from beginners to seasoned pros. The 15.6-inch glass display has a large 13.6- by 8.6-inch active area, making it big enough for expressive, lag-free drawing. It has an anti-glare coating that cuts down on potentially distracting reflections and adds a level of friction to help simulate the feeling of drawing on paper. Its express keys are out of the way on the tablet’s rear edge, so they don’t take up valuable screen space. The relatively compact tablet conveniently connects to your computer using an HDMI cable, which produces better video quality than a USB cable and has foldable legs that can provide up to a 19-degree incline. 

The Wacom Cintiq 16’s battery-free, cordless pen is lightweight, pressure-sensitive, and has a natural feel, like you’re writing with a regular pen. It can also tilt up to 60 degrees. The tablet also gives you a little software-enabled help, using anti-jitter technology to ensure you get smooth lines. Between the versatile pen and the high-quality surface, the Cintiq 16 is a well-rounded drawing tablet for hobbyists and pros.

Best extra-large: XP-PEN Artist 24 Pro

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Why it made the cut: There’s a ton of real estate on the XP-PEN Artist 24 Pro’s 2K Quad HD display, giving you room to dream big and draw bigger.

Specs

• Screen size: 23.8 inches
• Active area: 20.74 x 11.67 inches
• Maximum screen resolution: 2560 x 1440
• Stylus: PA6 Battery free stylus (8192 pressure levels)
• Connectivity: HDMI, USB-C
• Standalone: No
• Price: $899.99

Pros

• 2K Quad HD display
• Made for righties and lefties
• Sensitive battery-free pen

Cons

• Heavy
• Expensive

If you want a lot of drawing room, the 23.8-inch XP-PEN Artist 24 Pro provides a ton of space to create your work. The 2K QHD display realizes your designs in vivid color, allowing you to notice even the smallest details. It’s built for comfort: The tablet’s stand is adjustable and can tilt up to 60 degrees, making it easy for you to find your sweet spot. It also accommodates both right- and left-handed artists, with dials and shortcut keys on both sides of the tablet for ambidextrous access. Either way, all 20 shortcut keys are customizable so you can set the tablet to meet your needs. The XP-Pen Artist 24 Pro comes with a battery-free stylus, which features 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity and 60-degree tilt, giving you the most sensitive digital drawing experience.

It’s worth noting, however, that at 15.43 pounds this is a strictly in-office/studio device.

Best for professionals: Wacom Intuos Pro Large Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet

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Why it made the cut: The Wacom Intuos Pro Digital Graphic Drawing Tablet provides creative control and all of the necessary tools for experts.

Specs

• Screen size: N/A
• Active area: 12.1 x 8.4 inches
• Maximum screen resolution: N/A
• Stylus/Sensitivity: Wacom Pro Pen 2 (8192 pressure levels)
• Connectivity: USB 
• Standalone: No 
• Price: $499.95

Pros

• Bluetooth connectivity
• Pen supports 8192 pressure levels
• Multitouch technology
• Touchring

Cons

• May be difficult for new users to learn

Wacom is popular among creative professionals—and for good reason. The company has over 35 years in digital pen technology, and its products are used by everyone from fashion designers to animators and filmmakers. The Wacom Intuos Pro is a surprisingly slim and lightweight tablet at 16.8 by 11.2 inches and weighs only 2.86 pounds. However, the black anodized aluminum and fiberglass composite resin make it a sturdy choice. The battery-free Wacom Pro Pen 2 is extremely pressure-sensitive and tilts 60 degrees. There’s also a pen stand included to keep the stylus safe and out of the way when not in use.

The Wacom Intuos Pro is a graphic drawing tablet, which means it doesn’t have a screen. It connects to your Mac or Windows PC via USB, or wirelessly over Bluetooth. Its multi-touch functionality lets you easily scroll, zoom, and navigate your art via the tablet. (You can also turn touch-based gestures off if they mess with your flow.) 

For a true traditionalist, there’s also a more expensive “paper edition” Intuos Pro, which adds the ability to convert paper drawings inked with a special pen into a digital image. Drawing on paper over your tablet may seem like a waste of time on paper, but it may make a world of difference for some artists.

Best e-paper: reMarkable 2

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Why it made the cut: The reMarkable 2 has the most realistic paper feel, and provides a lot of functionality.

Specs

• Screen size: 10.3 inches
• Maximum screen resolution: 1872 x 1404
• Stylus/Sensitivity: Marker with pen tip (4096 levels of pressure sensitivity)
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, USB-C
• Standalone: Yes
• Price: $399.00

Pros

• Can be used as a digital whiteboard
• Undo, erase, and move functions
• Ultra-thin (.19”)
• Marker does not have to charge

Cons

• Expensive
• No backlight if using at night
• Subscription required for Google and Dropbox support.

If you’re specifically looking for a black-and-white, paper-style experience, the reMarkable 2 is the way to go. The ultra-thin tablet features a unique 10.3-inch “Canvas” display that simulates the look and feel of reading and writing on paper. Though it feels like a whole other world, it integrates into your digital life surprisingly well, converting articles from the web to a more focused, book-like form, converting handwritten notes into text, and sharing your tablet screen via a desktop or laptop. For artists, built-in templates and layers make it easy to start drawing, and there are brushes and tools to fit any type of project. ReMarkable’s proprietary stylus, the Marker, features a high-friction pen tip and doesn’t need to be charged.

While it’s impressive in many ways, it’s worth pointing out that using a paper-style tablet is a choice, with limited functionality compared to the iPad or Surface models on this list. If you’re willing to commit, though, it is incredibly good at what it does.

Best for kids: Boogie Board Play and Trace

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Why it made the cut: As an affordable, kid-friendly tablet, the Boogie Board Play and Trace is an irresistible pick for little artists.

Specs

• Screen Size: 8.75
• Active area: 8.75 inches
• Maximum screen resolution: N/A
• Stylus: Boogie Board stylus
• Connectivity: Battery powered
• Standalone: Yes
• Price: $23.53

Pros

• Inexpensive 
• Durable
• Easy to erase
• Battery operated

Cons

• Stylus isn’t tethered

The Boogie Board Play and Trace LCD Writing Tablet is a great way to introduce your kids to drawing and writing. The battery-powered 13.5 by 9 tablet features a large, semi-transparent screen that lets your child trace their favorite image or draw freehand.

The Play and Trace also comes with templates to teach the basics of writing and drawing. It comes with a stylus, but kids can use pencils, markers, and even fingernails can be used on the surface without damaging the tablet. And, at 13.6 ounces, it’s light enough that even young kids can carry it around and use it on their own. That’s important because who knows where that stylus will wind up once your kid gets a hold of it.

Best for beginners: Apple iPad Air 5

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Why it made the cut: The iPad Air opens the door for digital drawing, but it’s great for everything else, too.

Specs

• Screen size: 10.9 inches
• Active area: N/A
• Maximum screen resolution: 2360 x 1640
• Stylus: Apple Pencil 2 (Sold separately)
• Connectivity: USB-C
• Standalone: Yes
• Price: $519.99

Pros:

• Camera
• Liquid Retina display
• Touch ID

Cons:

• Expensive
• Doesn’t come with a stylus

When you hear the word “tablet,” chances are that the iPad is the first thing that comes to mind. While it isn’t made specifically for drawing, pairing one with a stylus, especially the Apple Pencil 2, turns it into a fairly sophisticated and versatile tool for making digital art. The 10.9-inch iPad Air 5 is our favorite tablet. It has an edge-to-edge liquid retina display that is practically edgeless and makes images look true to life. Its Apple M1 chip is powerful enough to make drawing and other tasks, such as shooting and editing videos, and transferring files, quick and easy. And at 1lb, it is also far easier to carry around than most drawing tablets. 

The biggest disadvantage of the iPad, specifically as a drawing tablet, is that it doesn’t come with a stylus. That keeps the cost of the iPad down and gives you the option to pick one up on the cheap, but budding artists will want to drop the extra $129.99 on the Apple Pencil 2, which creates sharp lines, offers a variety of smart features, and even attaches magnetically to the side.

Best for sketching and note-taking: Microsoft Surface Pro 8

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Why it made the cut: It’s expensive, but the Surface Pro 8 can effectively replace a laptop while providing excellent drawing capabilities.

Specs

• Screen size: 13 inches
• Maximum screen resolution: 2880 x 1920
• Stylus/Sensitivity: Surface Slim Pen 2 (Sold separately) (4096 pressure levels)
• Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, USB
• Standalone: Yes
• Price: $1,219.99

Pros:

• Facial recognition 
• Multifunctional tablet
• 4096 levels of pressure sensitivity

Cons:

• Really expensive
• Surface Slim Pen 2 Sold Separately

The Microsoft Surface Pro 8 is made for multitasking. The 13-inch touchscreen tablet has a plethora of features, ranging from Dolby Vision to automatic color and brightness sensors to the Iris X graphics, which provide more than enough tools and power to seamlessly switch between sketching and taking notes without skipping a beat. With powerful specs and Windows 11 as its operating system, this is the only device on this list that could truly function as a laptop replacement.

Like the iPad, the Surface technically isn’t a dedicated drawing tablet, so it doesn’t come with a stylus. Microsoft has an incredible new pen to go with it, though, in the Surface Slim Pen 2. The $129.99 Surface pen senses 4096 levels of pressure, and creates tactile feedback, simulating the sensation of applying pencil to paper.

Best budget: Huion Inspiroy Dial Q620M

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Why it made the cut: Huion is known for making good tablets, and this one is an inexpensive offering that provides the necessary features.

Specs

• Active area: 10.5 x 6.6 inches
• Maximum screen resolution: N/A
• Stylus/Sensitivity: Battery-free Pen PW500 (8192 pressure levels)
• Connectivity: Wireless
• Standalone: No
• Price: $109.99

Pros

• Inexpensive
• Wireless connectivity
• 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity

Cons

• Doesn’t work with iPhone or iPad 

If you want a drawing tablet that won’t break the bank, the Huion Inspiroy Dial Q620M Drawing Tablet provides a lot of functionality for the price. The graphics (display-free) tablet can connect wirelessly to both PC and Android devices, and the wireless receiver can hold a charge for 20 hours, which makes it convenient and trouble-free. The durable and anti-sweat tablet board is scratch- and fingerprint-resistant and has a frosted matte finish to create the feel of drawing on paper. 

The tablet, which weighs 3.13 pounds, uses a dial controller and also has eight programmable hotkeys. The battery-free pen, which comes in a pen holder, has a 60-degree tilt for accurate drawings. A small nitpick: The tablet works with Windows, macOS, and Android, but not iOS.

What to consider when buying the best drawing tablets

For most people, a drawing tablet is a tool, not a toy. Picking the best drawing tablet for you will come down to your needs as an artist. Those needs may not translate one-to-one with tablet specs, so here’s a brief primer on the most important elements of the device. These are the places where the best drawing tablets will excel.

The drawing surface

At home or in a studio, a larger tablet provides more room for those broad strokes and makes it easier to see what you’re doing. For some, however, it may make more sense to go with a smaller, lighter tablet that’s easier to transport. In general, larger tablets tend to be more expensive, so your choices may be limited by your budget.

Pen/Stylus

Most drawing tablets come with a digital pen, also commonly known as a stylus. While all digital pens are styluses, not all styluses are digital pens: In general, a digital pen works in conjunction with a specific device or set of devices, offering variable pressure sensitivity and digital buttons. Since most tablets offer a pen by default, with only a few upgrade options, finding one that feels right is as important as any aspect of the tablet itself.

Ideally, your digital pen feels comfortable to grip and allows for smooth strokes. Its ability to simulate the various types of marks you make with a pen or pencil largely comes down to its sensitivity, measured in levels of pressure. A pen with high pressure sensitivity picks up even light pen strokes, making it easy to create different shades and shapes without digital augmentation. Right now, most professional drawing tablets come with styluses that feature 8192 pressure levels. Some less expensive drawing tablets, including multi-functional devices like the Microsoft Surface line’s Slim Pen 2, offer 4096 levels. In the same vein, many pro-grade tablet pens feature “60-degree tilt,” which allows you to press down on the pen tip from many angles, offering much a wider range of marks, and less frustration.

Battery life: Your tablet’s and your pen’s

Depending on your tablet, battery life may be a major concern. While many dedicated drawing tablets plug directly into a PC for power, some are wireless and may need to be charged mid-project, especially if you also use it for taking notes, watching videos, and other things.

Some pens require charging, while others don’t. Digital pens for conventional tablets, like the Apple Pencil 2, draw power when attached to a tablet. Wacom (and, more recently, others) make battery-free digital pens that use a magnetic field emanating from the pen tip to achieve nuanced pressure sensitivity. While the phrase “battery-free” is somewhat disingenuous in some cases—many of them still need power from their tablets to power buttons and other features—they do not need to be charged for long stretches.

When choosing between a drawing tablet that has a pen with a battery or not, keep in mind that batteries provide convenience. With some pens,  a single charge can last for up to two months, but you will need to remember to charge the pen. A battery-free pen (like Wacom’s) does not require batteries or charging is extremely convenient… Until it stops working. While changing the batteries solves most of the problems associated with a battery-operated pen, you may have to go through the company’s endless list of troubleshooting steps to figure out what’s wrong with a battery-free pen.  

Connectivity

No matter what tablet you have, you’ll need to connect it to a PC when you’re done to edit and/or share your work. A USB-C to USB-C wired connection will allow you to connect your tablet to a computer without an adapter, providing a faster, more secure connection. Some high-end tablets use HDMI, rather than USB, to provide a superior video image. Some people prefer the cordless convenience of WiFi, but it introduces extra limitations, including the need for a strong network connection.

Adjustable stand

Just as you put a drawing pad on an easel, it’s important to put your tablet in the right position before starting an art project. Having some kind of adjustable base or stand, whether built-in or detachable, allows you to tilt the screen so it sits at the best angle for you to draw comfortably. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best drawing tablets

Whether you’re a professional artist or just dipping your toe into the world of art, there’s a drawing tablet to meet your needs. The Wacom 16 Cintiq Drawing tablet is hard to beat since it offers most of the available features emerging and seasoned artists desire. That said, each tablet on this list was picked to help a different subset of artists, from those who want the cheapest possible tablet that actually works to high-end tablets for pros to multifunctional tablets for newcomers who just want to doodle and take notes by hand. Drawing tablets can feel unapproachable because it’s a niche piece of gear, but everyone’s needs are valid.

The post The best drawing tablets of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

If you’re in the market for an iPad, then the iPad Air (2022) is probably your best option if you can afford the upgrade from the base model. Right now, Amazon has the 64GB 2022 iPad Air for $499, which is $100 cheaper than its usual $599 price. The upgraded 256GB version is down to $649 from $749. Think of it like you’re basically getting a free Apple Pencil (which is also on sale right now for $112, down from $129). Several other iPad models are also on sale right now, so keep scrolling if you’re looking for a new device for watching TikToks slightly bigger than they would be on your phone.

iPad Air (2022), $499 (Was $599)

Mike Epstein

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When it comes to iPads, the Air represents a very solid middle ground that should appeal to most users. It sports the M1 chip inside, making it more powerful than the standard $329 iPad. That’s crucial if you plan to do any creative work like photo or video editing. It’s also convenient if you plan to play games. The cheaper iPad also doesn’t work with the latest Apple Pencil, so charging it (and storing it since it doesn’t magnetically attach to the device) is a pain. The iPad Air also offers Touch ID on the power button, a nice upgrade from the original.

The same-size iPad Pro does offer a few advantages, like Thunderbolt compatibility in the USB-C port for connecting external drives and a more advanced camera array. But, unless you’re doing heavy-duty creative work or trying to replace a laptop fully, you may not need those features anyway.

The iPad Air isn’t the cheapest model or the most powerful, but that’s what makes it such a great option for the vast majority of people who want to watch content, browse the web, and occasionally rest a sandwich on it as you walk from the kitchen back to your desk during lunch.

More iPad and Apple device deals

• Apple 2023 Mac Mini Desktop Computer M2 chip with 8‑core CPU and 10‑core GPU $499 (Was $599)
• Apple 2021 10.2-inch iPad (Wi-Fi, 64GB) – Silver (9th Generation) $269 (Was $329)
• 2021 Apple iPad 9th Gen (10.2 inch, Wi-Fi + Cellular, 64GB) Space Gray (Renewed) $293 (Was $399)
• 2021 Apple 11-inch iPad Pro (Wi‑Fi, 128GB) – Silver (Renewed) $639 (Was $1,199)
• Apple 2021 12.9-inch iPad Pro (Wi‑Fi, 128GB) $899 (Was $1,099)
• Apple 2021 11-inch iPad Pro (Wi-Fi, 256GB) $779 (Was $899)
• Apple 2022 MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip $1,049 (Was $1,199)
• 2022 Apple MacBook Pro Laptop with M2 chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) Space Gray (Renewed) $999 (Was $1,199)
• Late 2021 Apple MacBookPro with Apple M1 Pro chip (16 inch, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) Silver (Renewed) $1,689 (Was $2,399)
• Apple 2021 MacBook Pro (14-inch, M1 Pro chip with 10‑core CPU and 16‑core GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,999 (Was $2,499). [According to Amazon, this is a “new price,” so we would expect to see this price stick around for a while.]

The post The best iPad for most people is back down to its lowest price ever at Amazon appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best Overall		Kindle Paperwhite		SEE IT	The mid-tier Kindle still strikes the perfect balance between performance and price.
Best for note-taking		Kindle Scribe		SEE IT	Amazon’s largest Kindle ever was designed for both reading, note-taking, and annotating.
Best budget		Kindle		SEE IT	The entry-level Kindle has never been better, and it’s the best eReader in its class.

Using a Kindle may seem weird in a world where reading books, articles, and any other text on a phone or tablet is easy. Carrying around a dedicated mono-tasking device will add weight to your load, and it’s another gadget to keep track of and charge. Yet Kindles remain popular because they only have one job and do it very well: let you carry and consume the stories that captivate you. A Kindle’s e-ink screen won’t reflect the sun when reading outdoors, unlike the reflective LCD displays used on phones and tablets. They get much better battery life and have gained the ability to play audiobooks, too. If you’ve never owned a dedicated eReader, the best Kindles are the best place to start.

• Best overall: Kindle Paperwhite
• Best for note-taking: Kindle Scribe
• Best for kids: Kindle Paperwhite Kids
• Best with physical buttons: Kindle Oasis
• Best budget: Kindle

How we chose the best Kindles for any budget

Our Kindle recommendations are based on a mix of research and hands-on testing, factoring in battery life, screen size, durability, storage capacity, and extra features. Amazon has recently expanded the number of Kindles it offers and updated the line, so there’s no bad choice. Instead, it’s made the entry-level good enough to be a solid starting point for people new to eReaders and used its upper-tier models to add nice-to-have features—like wireless charging and physical page-turn buttons—which aren’t necessary but improve the reading experience. Our tests with these Kindles prove the current slate of Amazon hardware is in fine form, but we also suggest checking out our story on the best eReaders to see what the competition is cooking up.

The best Kindles: Reviews & Recommendations

If you’re looking for the best way to take advantage of the seemingly endless Kindle Books store, you should recognize what is most important to you—size, interactive features, price, etc.—and go from there. Our recommendations run the gamut from a large-screen model designed for annotation to a small model that can fit in the pocket of cargo shorts or a purse. All of our recommendations are a solid choice for reading digital text, regardless of your needs and budget.

Best overall: Kindle Paperwhite

Stan Horaczek

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Specs

• Screen size: 6 inches
• Storage: 8GB, 16GB
• Battery life: 21 hours
• IP rating: IP8

Pros

• Excellent size
• 300ppi screen makes for very clear text
• Built-in light offers adjustable power and color
• Flush-front screen doesn’t get junk stuck in it
• Snappier overall response

• Cons

• No hardware buttons for page turns
• Expect to pay $20 more if you don’t want ads

The $139 Kindle Paperwhite (which goes on sale semi-regularly for $99, so keep an eye out) represents an excellent middle ground in Amazon’s eReader lineup. This 6.8-inch device offers a totally flat front, so there’s no edge between the screen and the bezel in which crud can get stuck. The 300ppi display shows absurdly sharp and easy-to-read text, as you’d expect from a current-gen Kindle.

You won’t find dedicated page-turn buttons as you will on the much more expensive Kindle Oasis, but you do get several other high-end features. The current-gen Paperwhite sports an IPX8 ruggedness rating, which means you can run it under the faucet and even knock it off your desk without worrying too much about breakage.

The e-ink display turns pages quickly and smoothly. You’ll have to handle all the other navigation via touchscreen as well. It takes a little getting used to—I flubbed touching the correct area to bring down the menu a few times. But, after a few reading sessions, it feels very natural. The 14 built-in LEDs provide nice, even light across the entirety of the screen. You can adjust the light’s intensity (which goes 10% brighter than the previous model) and the color temperature to match your surroundings.

At just under half a pound (or roughly 11 ounces with the fabric cover attached), it won’t tax your wrists during long reads (as I found out while procrastinating, I mean prepping before my recent full review). And the size generally feels excellent in hand. We wish it weren’t so locked into Amazon’s Kindle ecosystem so it could have better library and other doc compatibility. But, if you’re already buying your books from Amazon or subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, this is the pick that makes sense for most people.

Best for note-taking: Kindle Scribe

Brandt Ranj

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Specs

• Screen size: 10.2 hours
• Storage: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB
• Battery life: 21 hours
• IP rating: None

Pros

• Large screen
• Comes with stylus
• Available in a higher storage tier

Cons

• Not waterproof
• Some features require a premium pen

The Kindle Scribe is Amazon’s first big-screen eReader in nearly a decade, and it’s designed to take on tablets like the iPad when it comes to annotation. First things first, this is still a big-screen Kindle, which in and of itself may make it worthwhile for voracious readers. I personally found the larger screen a lot easier to read on because I could get engrossed in a book without the distraction of turning pages. Amazon’s recent updates to the Kindle interface, which introduced additional swiping gestures to access settings more easily, work wonderfully here.

As a note-taking device, the Scribe is definitely a first-generation device, but Amazon can improve the experience over time with software updates. You can easily annotate books and your own PDFs by tapping the screen once, which brings up a separate notepad on top of the section you’re in. Once you’ve made a note, it collapses into a little rectangle, which you can re-open with a tap.

The note page opens a little too slowly, and while the pen’s performance is good, the overall interface feels a little clunky in my experience. Additionally, some features, like a dedicated shortcut button, or the ability to use the backside of a pen as an eraser, are only available on Amazon’s Premium Pen, which adds $30 to the Scribe’s price. You can make the Kindle Scribe even more luxe by bumping up the storage to 64GB (the most of any model) for an extra $50.

The Scribe is nearly 50% bigger than the second-largest Kindle, but it never felt unwieldy. Yes, you’ll need to dedicate more space in your bag to accommodate the device, but that was never an issue based on how much value it provided as an eReader. I hope the second generation of this device includes physical page-turn buttons because it’d make flipping through pages that much easier and that Amazon finds a way to make it waterproof.

However, this is your only choice if you want a big-screen Kindle that can double as a digital notebook for your books and documents.

Best for kids: Kindle Paperwhite Kids

Amazon

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Specs

• Screen size: 6.8 inches
• Storage: 8GB, 16GB
• Battery life: 21 hours
• IP rating: IPX8

Pros

• Identical specs to the standard Kindle Paperwhite
• Two-year warranty
• One year of Amazon Kids+
• No ads

Cons

• Pricey for a kid’s gadget
• No color display

The Kindle Paperwhite Kids is one of the few digital learning tools children might actually pick up and use. Its hardware is the same as our best overall pick, the Kindle Paperwhite, but it has kid-friendly features that help it stand out. The first is a two-year no-questions-asked warranty, which covers you in case the Kindle accidentally hits the floor or is similarly damaged. The fact that this eReader is waterproof is a bigger deal for a children’s device than one aimed at adults.

This is the only Kindle—save for the entry-level Kindle Kids—without ads. This is a big deal because the last thing children need to see when they pick up an eReader is unnecessary promotions. Our one concern about this device is its $159.99 price tag, but Amazon mitigates that by including one year of Amazon Kids+ for free. The service typically costs $4.99 per month and gives kids access to a library of thousands of books and audiobooks. Kids+ access is a nice perk, especially because it gives children the autonomy to build their own digital book library, but that doesn’t lessen the up-front investment required for this device.

If you’re trying to get your kids to read, the Kindle Paperwhite Kids is the right device for the job. There’re no ads, no apps, and no notifications to distract them. The lack of a color screen hurts because it makes picture-heavy books lose their flare, but e-ink technology isn’t quite there yet. The Kindle Paperwhite Kids’ pros far outweigh the cons, and if you know a child who’s shown an interest in reading or wants to build the habit of chipping away at a book every day, this is the right choice.

Best with physical buttons: Kindle Oasis

Amazon

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Specs

• Screen size: 7 inches
• Storage: 8GB, 32GB
• Battery life: 21 hours
• IP rating: IPX8

Pros

• Physical page-turn buttons
• Tapered design
• Larger screen

Cons

• Price

If you want a Kindle that’s easy to hold and use with one hand, the Kindle Oasis is the best option. It’s the only model with a tapered design, which makes the Oasis easier to grip. Your pointer, middle, ring, and pinky fingers will fall naturally onto the area on the back of the device where it goes from thick to thin, while your thumb is free to hit the eReader page turn buttons. Having used previous generations of the Kindle Oasis, I found it more comfortable than any of Amazon’s other eReader.

The Oasis’ screen is seven inches, slightly larger than the Paperwhite’s display, but every tenth of an inch counts. It is wider than Amazon’s other Kindles—except for the Scribe, which is something to consider when carrying it around. Whether the ergonomic attributes of the Oasis justify its price tag, which is close to double that of the Paperwhite, are worthwhile will come down to personal preference. It was much easier to recommend the Kindle Oasis when its screen was a full inch bigger than the Paperwhite.

It all comes down to where you tend to read and whether swiping or tapping a screen to turn the page annoys you. The Oasis is the clear winner on public transpiration, where one of your hands will typically grip a pole or handle. If you’re reading in bed, it ends up being a toss-up. If you’ve bounced off of using previous generations of the Kindle because they’ve been uncomfortable to use, the Oasis may be the eReader you’ve been looking for.

Best budget: Kindle

Kindle

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Specs

• Screen size: 6 inches
• Storage: 16GB
• Battery life: 21 hours
• IP rating: N/A

Pros

• Base model has twice the storage of a Paperwhite
• Same battery life as premium models
• Backlit display
• Price

Cons

• Smaller display

Amazon has improved all its eReader over the years, but we’re surprised at how much it’s boosted the entry-level Kindle. The device has been updated to have more storage, a backlit display, and battery parity with its older siblings while staying just under $100. In terms of value, you won’t find a better option in the eReader world. That said, the device isn’t perfect.

Its display is nearly one inch smaller than the one on the Paperwhite, which makes a big difference once you bump your text size up a couple of notches. Amazon also neglected to make the entry-level Kindle waterproof, a glaring technical deficit. If you read on the beach or near a pool when the weather gets nice, you’ll miss this feature quite a bit.

Amazon has taken the sting out of the Kindle’s durability hit by equipping it with 16GB of storage, twice as much space as you’d get on the entry-level Paperwhite. A Kindle Paperwhite with 16GB of storage will set you back $150, which is a big difference. If you already have a large digital library and tend to read indoors, that’s a big difference.

If you’ve never tried an eReader before or want a cost-conscious way to upgrade from an older model, the entry-level Kindle will suit your needs perfectly.

What to consider when shopping for the best Kindles

Screen size

A Kindle’s screen size is essential for a couple of reasons. First, this spec will determine the device’s overall size and weight, which matters if you plan on carrying it around often. Second, Kindles with larger screens will allow you to increase the size of a book’s text without requiring you to turn digital pages constantly. If you struggle to read small text on your other devices, getting a Kindle with a larger display may make the most sense. Luckily, Amazon increased the size of most Kindle models over the last couple of years.

Battery life

Amazon is unnecessarily coy when it comes to the battery life of its Kindles. The company says each model lasts a “weeks” between charges, but digging deeper reveals that figure assumes you have its brightness level set to 13, have its wireless functionality turned off, and read half an hour per day. Listening to audiobooks, downloading books to your Kindle, or cranking up its screen brightness will run the device’s battery down far more quickly. For the sake of simplicity, we’ve listed the number of hours each Kindle should last using Amazon’s recommended settings.

Storage capacity

Most Kindles are available in two storage sizes: 8GB and 32GB. Amazon says both models can hold “thousands” of books; in this case, they’re not using a rosy figure to hide the truth. The Lord of The Rings: One Volume is a 1,874-page book with an 11-megabyte file size. This means you could hold over 7,000 copies of the tome on the lower-capacity Kindle with room to spare.

This calculus changes if you’re reading books with a lot of images. For instance, Samin Nosrat’s Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking is 686 pages but has a file size of 132 megabytes, which means you could only fit 64 copies on a lower-capacity Kindle. Audible audiobooks will take up even more room, with Bob Dylan’s The Philosophy of Modern Song taking up 382.9 megabytes of storage with a running time of six hours and 38 minutes.

We recommend writing down a list of five books you plan on reading, checking out their file size—Amazon lists it prominently on each title’s product page—and going from there.

Page-turn buttons

This feature is only available on select Kindles, but it may make using them more accessible and comfortable, depending on your preferences. All Kindles have a touch screen, which allows you to “turn” pages with a tap or swipe. Kindles equipped with page-turn buttons allow you to access the same actions by pushing dedicated physical buttons. Page-turn buttons aren’t necessary, but they make the Kindle easier to operate with just one hand.

Durability

Technology and water are natural enemies, but Amazon has improved the durability of its Kindles significantly in the past couple of years. Many of its eReaders have an IP (Ingress Protection) rating of 8X. Kindles with this rating can be fully submerged underwater for up to 30 minutes without damage. If you’re afraid of accidentally dropping your Kindle in a pool, get a Kindle with this feature.

FAQs

Final thoughts on choosing the best Kindle for you

• Best overall: Kindle Paperwhite
• Best for note-taking: Kindle Scribe
• Best for kids: Kindle Paperwhite Kids
• Best with physical buttons: Kindle Oasis
• Best budget: Kindle

The Kindle’s dominance in the eReader space isn’t surprising, given Amazon’s continued investment over the past 15 years. The company has focused on incremental hardware and software improvements that actually make a difference when using the device rather than being superfluous. Amazon’s vast Kindle library has made building a digital book library trivial, and the ability to carry around thousands of titles on a small device is a big advantage. In a world of convergence devices packed with settings panels and intrusive alerts, it’s nice to see one purpose-built to do one thing very well. Distraction-free reading is difficult on most digital devices, but the Kindle is a big exception to that rule.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best Kindles in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		Kindle Oasis		SEE IT	If you’re looking for a feature-rich eReader, read no further.
Best for PDF		Kindle Paperwhite		SEE IT	This eReader offers one of the easiest-to-read screens you’ll find.
Best for library books		Kobo Clara 2E		SEE IT	Borrowing books could not be simpler than with this device.

An eReader is more than a convenient way to carry an entire collection of James Paterson novels onto an airplane. Today’s eReaders are sophisticated tablets capable of displaying text and images in a wide variety of eye-friendly ways. The screens are stunning, with sharp text that looks just like real ink and paper. These displays separate the best eReaders from tablets, making them the best way to read digital books.

Today’s eReaders are friendly and inviting. They encourage reading and provide services and apps you won’t find on traditional smartphones and tablets. With the best eReader, you’ll access books, audiobooks, magazines, and more in a format dedicated to useability and your eyes.

• Best overall: Kindle Oasis
• Best for kids: Fire 7 Kids Tablet, 7″ Display, 16 GB, Blue Kid-Proof Case
• Best for seniors: Amazon Kindle
• Best for PDFs: Kindle Paperwhite
• Best for manga: Kobo Sage
• Best for library books: Kobo Clara 2E
• Best for students: Kindle Scribe
• Best color eReader: BOOX Nova3 Color 7.8 ePaper Color Digital Paper Tablet
• Best Kobo eReader: Kobo Libra 2
• Best budget: Kobo Nia

How we chose the best eReaders

The writers and editors working on this article have spent thousands of hours reading on paper books and electronic devices. We’ve felt the sting of tired eyes and are glad to leave the world of papercuts behind. 

Taking a critical look at eReaders starts with display clarity. These devices are designed for easy reading, and the best of the bunch must have an impressive, crisp look as close to analog ink and paper text as possible. 

Most eReaders on the market offer similar stats for battery life and storage space, so we focused on the factors that separate the readers—namely screen lights, screen size, and file options. An eReader must be as easy to see as it is to navigate, and generic budget-priced eReaders are notoriously clunky with interfaces that look more like a calculator screen than a soothing, inviting digital library. We ran through the eReader menus, checking for speed and intuitiveness. If we hit a roadblock and had to click the “help” function to figure out what to do, it was a big red flag for casual readers. 

Lastly, we considered price. Devices over $250 must have something special to offer (like a color display), or why spend the money? And devices less than $70 seem sketchy from the start and will likely crash regularly. 

The best eReaders: Reviews & Recommendations

But with so many eReaders on the market, it can be difficult to find the device that suits your needs and your reading habits. Do you want an eReader with a clean, simple interface? Do you want an eReader with a lot of file options? Do you want an eReader for teens or younger children? One of the below eReaders should check all your boxes so you can spend more time reading and less time searching the internet for the best eReaders.

Best overall: Kindle Oasis

Amazon

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Why it made the cut: Amazon’s newest Kindle Oasis eReader is the best eReader overall because it adds even more lighting options for a variety of color temperatures and displays crisp text on a big screen ideal for tired and weary eyes. 

Specs

• Screen size: 7-inch screen 
• Waterproof: Yes
• Resolution: 300 ppi
• Front light: 25 LED lights
• Storage: 8 or 32 GB

Pros

• Big, beautiful screen
• More LED lights than any other eReader
• Controls feel great

Cons

• No speaker or headphone jack (Bluetooth headphones only)
• Price is steep
• Not a huge upgrade from the previous Oasis eReader

The latest Kindle Oasis might be the best eReader overall. The screen is bigger than the standard 6-inch display of most Readers, with a resolution of 300 ppi (pixels per inch)—the sweet spot for crisp text. And the new LED lights can be automatically adjusted to suit your eyes and environment. The result is a stunning display that looks just as good in a dark room as on a sunny beach. 

The Oasis is not cheap, costing twice as much as a Kindle Paperwhite. The bigger, brighter screen is worth the money if you spend a lot of looking at screens, and the physical controls make it the best Kindle if you prefer a more tactile experience. Page-turning is instant; even switching from book to menu screen is done with surprising speed and smoothness. Highlighting passages is also fast and simple. 

Audiobook fans will need to provide their own Bluetooth speakers or headphones, as there is no speaker or headphone jack on the device. But if you want a device to listen to audiobooks, your smartphone is probably better equipped for the job. At just under $250 for the 8 GB version, this luxury Kindle is for serious readers who want a professional, high-quality text-based experience. 

Best for kids: Fire 7 Kids Tablet, 7″ Display, 16 GB, Blue Kid-Proof Case

Amazon

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Why it made the cut: The Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet has a colorful rubber case and reinforced body that makes this an easy pick as the best eReader for kids. 

Specs

• Screen size: 7-inch screen 
• Waterproof: No
• Resolution: 171 ppi
• Front light: Yes; LEDs unknown
• Storage: 16 or 32 GB

Pros

• User-friendly parental controls
• Sturdy case
• Lots of apps and options
• Long-lasting battery

Cons

• Expensive for a kid-themed gadget
• Included apps can be too childish
• Used less as an eReader and more as a regular tablet

Finding an eReader that’s kid-proof can be tough. Amazon Fire 7, the eReader for kids is more of a multi-function tablet than a simple eReader, but you’re getting a lot of computing power in a child-friendly case. Amazon does offer a child-themed Kindle Reader called the Kindle Kids, but for $10 less, you can get a full-blown Fire tablet. It can be used to read books if you only want to use the bare minimum of the Fire’s potential. 

For parents, setting up the tablet is easy and keeps things safe and secure. You can limit social media and web access or ban it altogether. It comes with a year of Amazon Kids+, a subscription service that gives you (and your kids) access to thousands of books, games, and more. The 7-inch screen is bright and colorful—perfect for engaging young readers getting the hang of words. And the battery lasts about 7 hours on a full charge, so it’ll be a useful tool for all-day use. 

The case is thick and can withstand typical bumps and spills. The built-in stand is great for setting up on a table or desk. 

Best for seniors: Amazon Kindle

Amazon

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Why it made the cut: The iconic Amazon Kindle is still one of the best eReaders for any age, but seniors will especially love the reading light, the user-friendly text options, and the low price. 

Specs

• Screen size: 6-inch screen
• Waterproof: No
• Resolution: 300 ppi
• Front light: 4 LEDs
• Storage: 16 GB

Pros

• 4-week battery life when used for 30 minutes a day
• Affordable
• Simple design with no screen clutter
• Robust text size, spacing, and style options

Cons

• Front lights not as bright or bigger than others on this list
• No video features

The Amazon Kindle has come a long way since the first generation of eReaders. The most recent model added front lights for easy reading in the dark. The e-ink screen looks great even in sunlight, and the fonts can be adjusted to suit the reader’s needs, making it the best eReader for seniors. 

Seniors will love the simplicity of the basic Kindle. The menu screens are barebones, and browsing the library is straightforward. Buying books is also a breeze, but make sure the readers understand how it works before they unknowingly rack up thousands of dollars in John Grisham debt.  

The Amazon Kindle can also be used as an audiobook player, and a subscription to Audible makes listening to books cost-effective. But there is no internal speaker, so you need some noise-cancelling Bluetooth earbuds (or a wireless speaker if you’re in a quiet place). We wish the screen were a bit bigger, as some seniors will still have trouble seeing the 6-inch display even when the size of the text is blown up. The next biggest Kindle size would be the Oasis, an upscale device that costs more than double the price of the standard Kindle. Save your money and stick with the affordable option. 

Best for PDFs: Kindle Paperwhite

Stan Horaczek

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Why it made the cut: The Amazon Paperwhite is not only thin, it has enough storage to load up thousands of PDFs, and the little eReader has no problem displaying PDFs on its gorgeous e-ink screen. 

Specs

• Screen size: 6.8-inch screen
• Waterproof: Yes
• Resolution: 300 ppi
• Front light: 17 LEDs
• Storage: 8 or 16 GB

Pros

• Easy to add and read PDFs without lag
• Lightweight and thin enough for pockets
• Screen looks good even in sunlight

Cons

• Can’t read every file format, such as EPUB
• Easy to lose
• Must connect to a computer for file transfer

The Kindle Paperwhite represents a sweet spot for readers with a bit more cash to spend on an Amazon eReader for a few noticeable creature comforts. The 6.8-inch, 300 ppi screen may not seem like a huge improvement over the base model’s 6-inch display, but that extra fraction of an inch actually translates into more words on screen and fewer page turns during each reading session. That translates into thousands or even millions fewer turns over the device’s lifespan. The screen is still exceptionally sharp and clear—there’s just more of it (as I go into in detail in my full review).

The Paperwhite relies on 17 LEDs for its illumination, compared to just four in the standard Kindle. You can also adjust the color temperature of the Paperwhites LEDs to give either warm or cool tones.

For readers who want to consume their literature (or pulp) in the bath or at the beach, the Paperwhite’s IPX8 rating allows it to survive full submersion in freshwater (up to an hour) or seawater (up to three minutes). The standard Kindle doesn’t offer any real weatherproofing.

The Paperwhite generally offers a fairly great reading experience. The pages turn quickly, the navigation has been streamlined from previous versions, and it finally offers USB-C charging. Hence, you’re one step closer to finally recycling all those old MicroUSB cables.

I personally opted for the ad-supported version, which shows advertisements on the lock screen in exchange for a $20 discount on the device itself. That may not be worth it for you if your brain hasn’t become as hopelessly desensitized to ads as mine has.

Best for manga: Kobo Sage

Kobo

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Why it made the cut: The Kobo Sage can handle just about every file format you want, a huge plus for Manga readers whose taste goes beyond Amazon’s limited offerings. And the big display makes art and text look great.

Specs

• Screen size: 8-inch screen
• Waterproof: Yes
• Resolution: 300 ppi
• Front light: Yes; LEDs unknown
• Storage: 32 GB

Pros

• Big 8-inch screen
• Looks good in wide landscape mode
• Supports multiple file formats
• Nice, tactile buttons for easy page turning

Cons

• Buttons can feel a little slow
• Black and white only
• Expensive

Japanese graphic novels (manga) come in every genre imaginable from a wide variety of sources, so you’ll want an eReader that can handle every type of file format to read it all. The Kobo Sage’s large e-ink screen makes black-and-white manga look great, almost as good as physical paper. And holding the Kobo Sage sideways in landscape mode adds to the feeling of reading a real graphic novel. 

The Kobo Sage is the best eReader for manga because it can read comic book files CBZ and CBR, plus ebook files EPUB, EPUB3, MOBI, FilePub, and PDFs. Navigating through a comic is easy, thanks to the side buttons. And the front lights allow for nighttime reading. It’s also waterproof for those who love to read at the beach or pool.

The biggest drawbacks are the price and the lack of color. For reading colorful American comics, you’ll be better off with a standard tablet like an iPad. However, this eReader does look better in sunlight than the glossy screen of an iPad. And manga fans will love the Koba Sage, even with the limitations. 

Best for library books: Kobo Clara 2E

Kobo

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Why it made the cut: For accessing and reading library books, the Kobo Clara 2E has a seamless interface with the library app Overdrive. If you love the library, this ebook reader gives you access to near-limitless free books. 

Specs

• Screen size: 6-inch screen
• Waterproof: Yes
• Resolution: 300 ppi
• Front light: Yes; LEDs unknown
• Storage: 16 GB

Pros

• Comes ready for Overdrive library app
• Great screen looks like a real book
• A lot of text and display options

Cons

• Title offerings may be limited based on what your local library has available
• No cloud storage or syncing to other devices

OverDrive and its Libby app make it easier than ever to borrow books from your local library, and the Kobo Clara 2E eReader is the best eReader for library books. Sure, the Kindle can also link up to OverDrive and Libby, but if the library has a book incompatible with the Kindle, you’re out of luck. Kobo eReaders are better suited for displaying a variety of file formats. 

Simply search for your library in the app or the OverDrive website, plug in your library card info, and you’ll be set. The Kobo Clara 2E is ready to borrow books from your library of choice … assuming your library participates in the OverDrive program. (Most libraries do, and more are added every month.) 

Besides the library functionality, the Kobo Clara 2E is a big improvement over older Kobo products. The display is crisper, and the touchscreen is responsive. Kobo may lack the streamlined UX design of the sleek and simple Kindle, but you’re getting more options and greater freedom to buy, borrow and read the books of your choice. 

Best for students: Kindle Scribe

Brandt Ranj

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Why it made the cut: An easy-to-use interface and note-taking abilities mean you can use this eReader in and out of class.

Specs

• Screen size: 10.2-inch screen
• Waterproof: No
• Resolution: 300 ppi
• Front light: 35 LEDs
• Storage: 16, 32, or 64 GB

• 10.2-inch screen
• 35 LEDs
• 300 ppi resolution

Pros

• Big, beautiful display
• High refresh rate
• Easy-to-use interface

Cons

• Expensive
• Only available with a stylus

The Scribe is Amazon’s first big-screen Kindle in over a decade, and this return to form should be welcomed by digital readers everywhere. The Scribe’s 10.2-inch display has the same 300 ppi screen density as its smaller siblings, making text look as crisp as ever. The screen also refreshes at the same rate, which means you can turn pages quickly without seeing long-lasting artifacts from the previous one on your screen. 

Similarly, the Scribe has the same intuitive, gesture-based user interface as other Kindles, so you’ll be right at home if you’re familiar with any of Amazon’s eReaders. If you already have a collection of Kindle books, they’ll be available on the Scribe from the moment you first activate it, which is very helpful. 

If all you want is a big-screen Kindle, you’re in luck: the Scribe gets full marks in this regard. Unfortunately, Amazon designed this eReader with a secondary purpose: note-taking. The Kindle Scribe is bundled with a basic or premium stylus, depending on how much you pay. Tapping the screen with your stylus allows you to create digital, handwritten notes, which you can refer back to later. You can annotate e-books and PDFs synced to your Kindle Scribe or create original notes on a blank canvas that can be accessed through the cloud. 

Annotation on the Kindle Scribe works well enough, but it feels like this feature should be optional rather than mandatory. A Kindle Scribe with 16GB of storage and the Basic Pen runs costs $340. That’s tough to swallow if you don’t see yourself using the Scribe to write very often, if at all. A $300 basic Scribe with no pen would be easier to recommend. Still, if you have a library of Kindle books and want a large-screen eReader, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Best color eReader: BOOX Nova Air C Color Version 7.8 E Ink Tablet

BOOX

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Why it made the cut: While color e-ink technology is still in its infancy, the Boox Nova Air C eReader is leading the pack with a good color display and responsive touchscreen, making it the best of this limited marketplace. 

Specs

• Screen size: 7.8-inch screen
• Waterproof: No
• Resolution: 118 ppi
• Front light: Yes; LEDs unknown
• Storage: 32 GB

Pros

• Blue and green colors pop
• Handles all standard file types
• Stylus is good for taking notes

Cons

• Costs as much as an iPad but does less
• Yellows and reds look dim
• Needs constant adjustments to fine-tune colors

Color e-ink displays are almost ready for the average consumer … almost. The Boox Nova Air C is a step in the right direction, and while it doesn’t do everything perfectly, it’s the best color eReader for those who want more than gray-on-gray text.

The Kaleido Plus color screen of the Boox Air C uses light filtering to create colors, not actual color microcapsules. You’re looking at monochrome microcapsules through a layer of filters to create color. The result is a muted color, but it looks more like paper than a glossy iPad screen. If you like that newsprint aesthetic, this is a perfect eReader. But if you’re expecting the vividness of an Android or Apple tablet, you will be disappointed. 

As a regular, black-and-white eReader, the Boox does a good enough job, but you’re paying extra for the color functionality. And if you’re not interested in the color, there’s not much else this eReader offers that you can’t find in cheaper devices like the Kindle or the Kobo products. The only other benefit of this device is the stylus; it’s responsive and a good eReader for annotations and jotting notes. The color ink Kaledio Plus technology was brand new for 2021, and it’s still cream of the crop in terms of color variety and speed. We don’t know when or if color e-ink will ever be perfected, so this is the best color eReader of the bunch as of now. 

Best Kobo eReader: Kobo Libra 2

Kobo

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Why it made the cut: The Kobo Libra 2 is the best Kobo eReader and the biggest Kindle competitor on the market, with a stunning display and responsive controls worthy of any digital bookworm.

Specs

• Screen size: 7-inch screen
• Waterproof: Yes
• Resolution: 300 ppi
• Front light: Yes; LEDs unknown
• Storage: 32 GB

Pros

• Physical page-turning buttons
• Bright screen in the dark
• Text looks fantastic

Cons

• Not as user-friendly as Kindle
• Feels a bit slow

The Kobo Libra 2 is the company’s flagship device, the best Kobo eReader for casual reading or intense studying. It feels good in your hand, not like a cheap, knock-off product you buy at a drugstore. Page-turning feels great, and while the touch screen is nice, the buttons are nicer. We wish more eReaders offered the tactile feel of real, physical controls.

The 32 GB internal storage is massive and has enough room for about 24,000 books. The adjustable screen light is a great addition to the Kobo eReaders, and can be used to pick the perfect amount of illumination for night readers. 

Browsing the Kobo library is simple, though not as intuitive as the Kindle store. But the Kobo does support more file types than the Kindle, which is a plus for those who love EPUB books. And the Kobo Libra 2 easily connects to your local library through OverDrive. 

Best budget: Kobo Nia

Amanda Reed

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Why it made the cut: Access to ad-free reading and flexible file access is only a little over $100.

Specs

• Screen size: 6-inch screen
• Waterproof: No
• Resolution: 212 ppi
• Front light: Yes; LEDs unknown
• Storage: 8 GB

Pros

• Thin and lightweight
• Glare-free screen
• Connects to OverDrive

Cons

• Syncing issues
• Not waterproof

Technically, this eReader costs around $10 more than the base model of the Amazon Kindle. However, on-screen ads are a different price to pay if you want that sweet $99.99 Kindle. You’ll have to fork over $119.99 to enjoy your books sans lock screen advertising. Enter the Kobo Nia, a little less expensive than the adless Kindle with more flexibility. You can download EPUB and PDF files or connect this eReader to OverDrive to easily access books from your local library. And, with the Kobo Desktop App, syncing your library has never been easier. You may not be able to read it in the bathtub or at the beach (it’s not waterproof), but you can enjoy it in your own backyard thanks to the glare-free screen.

Another downer? Unlike the Sage, Libra 2, and Clara 2E—which come with ComfortLight PRO to adjust brightness and color temperature—the Nia has plain ol’ ComfortLight, which allows you only to change the brightness.

My Kobo Nia can be stubborn: it occasionally forgets my WiFi network, and I’ve had problems syncing my device with the Kobo Desktop App. Both problems have easy fixes: I re-enter my WiFi password or turn the device on and off; I use Adobe Digital Editions to get the EPUB files and put them on the eReader locally. As someone who refuses to see ads on a device I already paid money for, it’s a minor problem I’m willing to deal with.

What to consider when buying the best eReaders

With advances in e-ink tech and touch screens, the problems of first-generation eReaders are all but gone. There are no more weird visual artifacts and lag when turning a page. You won’t need to struggle with dark screens that are impossible to see at night. And unlike the early 2000s, you have more than one or two eReaders to choose from.  Here’s what to know when starting a new chapter with your eReader adventure:

Why and when is an eReader better than a tablet?

Tablets have become affordable options for casual computing. So why would you need a separate eReader when your tablet (or phone) can access all the popular ebook apps? In a word: Readability. As colorful and bright as LCD tablet screens have become, grayscale e-ink displays are gentler on the eyes. The gray contrast lets the eye relax and focus on the text. And because eReaders are made for books, the page-turning controls are more responsive and text options are more varied than tablets and smartphone apps. Plus, eReaders are generally smaller and more travel-friendly than tablets.  

The beauty of gray: Why color eReaders haven’t taken off … yet?

Most eReaders only display text and images in simple monochromatic grays. While there are a few color eReaders available, the technology of color e-ink has yet to be perfected. In the past few years, Kaledio has led the way for color eReaders like the Boox Nova3, and the results are pretty good—but not great. The color of these eReaders is dull, like a photo viewed through sunglasses. And when you look at the screen from certain angles, the color all but vanishes. This is fine for reading some books and PDFs, but those looking for slap-you-in-the-eye colors are better off with a full-color iPad or Microsoft Surface tablet.

What types of files can an eReader display?

Amazon’s line of Kindles loves the proprietary AZW file type, but they can also handle PDFs, MOBI, standard doc files, and more. However, Kobo eReaders are versatile and can digest more types of saved files. If you want to access a wide variety of books and comics, Kobo has more options. The downside: Not all file types will work as smoothly as the standard PDF and EPUB files. When moving files over to the eReader, some formatting may shift. This isn’t a deal-breaker but can impact the reading experience. 

Do you need cellular data to use eReader?

Nearly all eReaders today offer simple WiFi connectivity.  And most books will download to your device in seconds. WiFi-only models should give you enough internet juice for the average reader to load up on books at home before a long vacation or trip into a world without internet (perish the thought). If you want a 4G cellular connection to download books anywhere, you’ll need to spend more for a 4G-ready eReader. And you’ll need a data plan. Those extra expenses are only worth it if you absolutely, positively need internet access wherever you travel. Because no matter where you are, sometimes you need a quick dose of Jack Reacher’s unique brand of justice.   

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best eReaders

• Best overall: Kindle Oasis
• Best for kids: Fire 7 Kids Tablet, 7″ Display, 16 GB, Blue Kid-Proof Case
• Best for seniors: Amazon Kindle
• Best for PDFs: Kindle Paperwhite
• Best for manga: Kobo Sage
• Best for library books: Kobo Clara 2E
• Best for students: Kindle Scribe
• Best color eReader: BOOX Nova3 Color 7.8 ePaper Color Digital Paper Tablet
• Best Kobo eReader: Kobo Libra 2
• Best budget: Kobo Nia

Digital books are more than a fad. And an eReader with a gorgeous e-ink display helps you get the most out of your reading experience. They have come a long way since the days of built-in keyboards and glitchy page-turning lag. These are sleek, simple readers that are gentle on the eyes and fast on the fingers. With the best eReaders, staying up to date on reading is as easy as tapping a screen. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best eReaders for 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

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I had been trying to finish The Way of Kings, Brandon Sanderson’s 1,250+ page fantasy epic, for roughly two years before I started my review for Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite. However, just a week and a half into my review period, I polished off that first book in the “Stormlight Archive” series, at least partly because of how much I like the Paperwhite as a device. It’s surely better than the chunky paperback I had been toting around but also better than the vast majority of other e-readers I’ve used. It’s not perfect—I do miss the dedicated page-turning buttons of older and more expensive models—but the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite provides a near-perfect blend of performance, size, and price. Plus, it finally ditches MicroUSB for USB-C. Praise be. 

Stan Horaczek

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The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite at a glance

The $139 Paperwhite represents the middle ground in Amazon’s Kindle lineup, between the $99 base model and the $279 Oasis. The Paperwhite offers the following:

• 6.8-inch e-ink display
• 300 dpi screen
• IPX8 ruggedness rating
• USB-C charging
• Built-in light with adjustable power and color temperature
• WiFi connectivity (no cellular option)
• 8GB and 16GB storage options
• Green, Black, and Denim color options
• $20 price reduction for allowing ads on the lock screen
• 7.23-ounce weight

The Kindle Paperwhite design

If you’re used to previous, entry-level Kindle models, you might expect the screen to sit recessed from the front of the device—a small edge trapping everything from Cheez-It crumbs to dog hair. The 11th-generation Paperwhite avoids that with a screen that’s flush across the front of the device. I didn’t expect that to make a huge difference in usability, but the flat front does feel like a drastic design improvement once you’re in the real world. 

The Paperwhite lacks physical page-turning buttons—you’ll have to do all your navigation using the touchscreen. If you’re dead set on a Kindle with physical page-turning buttons, you’ll have to upgrade all the way to the $279 Oasis. 

In terms of size, the Paperwhite is nearly perfect. Despite only having grown a fraction of an inch larger than its predecessor, the new Paperwhite screen can accommodate several more lines of text on each page (depending on how large you keep the font). Anything that results in fewer page turns is a plus in my (electronic) book. 

The Paperwhite weighs less than half a pound, so it doesn’t tax your hand or wrist but doesn’t feel flimsy or cheap. I opted for the fabric cover, and the whole package weighs in at 11.15 ounces, more than eight full ounces lighter than my chubby little trade paperback copy of The Way of Kings.

The Kindle Paperwhite reading experience

Once the Kindle is charged up, connected to WiFi to download your books, and ready to read, the new Paperwhite feels snappier than previous versions. Amazon claims page turns happen roughly 20% faster than before. It’s a noticeable improvement, though it’s important to remember that e-ink is inherently slower than the super-quick speeds we’re used to on smartphone or tablet touchscreens. To go forward, simply tap the page on the right side of the screen. To go back a page, touch the left side. It’s simple and intuitive and surprisingly resistant to accidental page turns. 

Navigating your library and other settings takes a little getting used to, but it’s simple once you’ve done it. Touch near the top of the screen to bring up the menu and navigation. Tap the bottom left corner to cycle between page numbers, time left in the chapter, and other metrics. 

Tapping on the text allows you to share passages or leave notes on them, just as you could with previous models. Again, it took me a few tries to get a feel for the timing and placement required to highlight specific passages, but it quickly becomes second nature. 

The built-in light

The Paperwhite offers a total of 13 LEDs to provide its illumination. That’s considerably more than the four found in the base model Kindle, which results in a more even light across the entire page. The new Paperwhite light shines 10% brighter than the previous model, though I typically didn’t need to go past 75% in most situations. 

I do really appreciate the Paperwhite’s ability to change color temperatures. It allows for hues between cool blue and warm orange, depending on your setting or preference. I typically leave it somewhere in the middle but skew more toward the warm end of the spectrum. 

If you step up to the more expensive Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition or higher, the backlight automatically adjusts to match your surroundings. 

Kindle Paperwhite buying options

Right out of the box, I’m thrilled that the latest Paperwhite charges via USB-C instead of the woefully outdated MicroUSB. The device comes with a cable but doesn’t include a charging brick. You can, however, upgrade to the $189 Essentials Bundle, which comes with the fabric cover and charging brick. 

I bought this Kindle Paperwhite rather than requesting a review unit, so I opted for the model with ads on the lock screen. I find them extremely unintrusive because I never even notice the lock screen, so I was happy to save the $20 and have it to spend on books. If you really hate ads, however, you can pay not to see them. I personally don’t think it affects the experience at all, but you may feel differently. 

Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kindle

If you plan to take your e-reader out into the world on a frequent basis, then I absolutely recommend upgrading to the Paperwhite. The base Kindle lacks the Paperwhite’s IPX8 ruggedness rating, which makes a standard Kindle more susceptible to damage, especially if you read in the tub or at the beach. The base Kindle also lacks the flush-front design, so you can expect all kinds of crud to get jammed between the bezel and the screen. 

Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition

The Signature Edition upgrade adds an automatically adjusting backlight and wireless charging. And that’s about it. At $189, the Signature edition is already considerably more expensive, and you’ll have to shell out even more for a Qi wireless charger if you don’t already have one. The Signature Edition does, however, offer 32GB storage, so if you’re planning on carrying an absolute ton of books around at all times, the extra space may be worth the splurge.

Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kindle Oasis

The Oasis represents the top-of-the-line model when it comes to standard Kindle e-readers. (You can step up to the Scribe, but we consider that its own device category.) The Oasis boasts a 7-inch screen, physical page-turning buttons, and cellular connectivity so you can download books even when there’s no WiFi available. If you’re a true book nerd who reads for hours every day in various locations, then this might be worth the cost. The same goes for those who want the best of the best without regard for the cost. But the Oasis is overkill for me, and the same is likely true for most average readers out there. 

The Kindle Paperwhite verdict

The latest Kindle Paperwhite represents the sweet spot in Amazon’s e-reader lineup. It’s a fantastic size, doesn’t tax your wrist during long reading sessions, offers thoughtfully upgraded illumination, and doesn’t allow gunk to get jammed between the bezel and the screen. While some other e-reader brands offer their own distinct advantages, the latest Paperwhite is the easy recommendation for those bought into the Amazon e-book ecosystem. I might not get through the fourth Stormlight book this month—maybe not even the second—but with the Paperwhite, I’ll enjoy working my way there.

The post Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2021) review: Can’t put it down appeared first on Popular Science.

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When it comes to e-readers, the Kindle Paperwhite strikes an ideal balance of features and price. Today, Amazon has dropped the price from $139 all the way down to $99, which is almost 30% off and what it sold for last year on Black Friday. I actually bought one last Black Friday, and I’ve been extremely happy with it. If you’re looking for something else in the Kindle lineup, Amazon offers very solid discounts on several other models, so keep scrolling to see the rest of the deals.

Kindle Paperwhite 8GB $99 (Was $139)

Amazon

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With its 6.8-inch screen, 10 weeks of battery life, and relatively speedy page turns, this is the Kindle I recommend to most people. It feels like a skinny paperback in both dimensions and weight. The latest version is waterproof, so it’s great for bringing to the beach. And the built-in light offers adjustable intensities and color temperatures to match the situation you’re reading.

Most importantly, the 300ppi screen fights glare and presents super-crisp text that’s very easy on the eyes. The front of the device is also now flat with no edge along the screen’s bezel for hair and other gunk to get stuck.

More Amazon tablet deals

While the Paperwhite is my favorite Kindle model and a steal at this price (plus you can save even more with trade-in), others are on sale today, including some of Amazon’s full-color Fire tablets. Here are some other deals to consider:

• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition $170 (Was $249)
• All-new Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet $59 (Was $99)
• Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet $99 (Was $189)
• Kindle Paperwhite (16 GB) $129 (Was $169)
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32 GB) $139 (Was $189)
• Kindle (2022 release) $79 (Was $99)
• Kindle Paperwhite Kids (8 GB) $109 (Was $159)
• Kindle Kids (2022 release) $84 (Was $119)

The post Our favorite Kindle e-reader is down to its cheapest price today at Amazon appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best Overall		Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M		SEE IT	Richly detailed sound and a plethora of inputs/outputs combine in the perfect preamp for a high-resolution listening station.
Best DAC/amp Combo		iFi xDSD Gryphon		SEE IT	Naturally outstanding sound, well-implemented analog enhancement modes, and plentiful wired and wireless connectivity make this a compact powerhouse.
Most Portable		THX Onyx		SEE IT	Excellent durability and portability let you get the most out of mobile streaming.

Few things in life can sweep you away and transport you to another time as music can, and few things can bring digital music to you with the transportive power of a good DAC, aka a digital-to-analog converter. The joy and nostalgia that music can bring are hard to overstate, but the feeling will be dulled if you’re relying on stock circuitry built into a basic laptop, tablet, or smartphone, etc. Taking full advantage of music’s expressive power means investing in the components that make it happen. If you’ve already got a good pair of headphones, you need an equally good signal chain, and a DAC is an integral part of that. A DAC’s sole responsibility is to convert the 1s and 0s output by your transport (typically a smartphone streaming music these days) into a signal that your headphones can play. Even though that sounds like a cut-and-dry task, how DACs accomplish this varies, as do the prices, form factors, and features they offer. The best DACs can enhance your listening experience, and we’ve collected the top choices right here to upgrade your listening fast.

• Best overall: Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M
• Best USB: Questyle M15
• Best DAC/amp combo: iFi xDSD Gryphon
• Most portable: THX Onyx
• Best for gaming: Creative Sound Blaster X4
• Best on a budget: JDS Labs Atom DAC+

How we chose the best DACs

Over my years of reviewing tech, I’ve extensively tested a wide array of audio equipment. I cut my teeth reviewing gaming headsets at MMORPG.com and quickly discovered a love for audio that progressed into a full-fledged love of hi-fi. In the seven years since that first review, I’ve graduated from gaming headsets with built-in components to desktop DACs and amps, portable hybrids that combine them both into one, and smartphone dongles that range from $10 to $200. I love diving deep into the world of headphones, and that begins with the gear driving that listening experience. 

To create this list, I drew upon multiple sources: user impressions, deep lists of specifications, and, of course, my own experience with several of the products collected. I also researched the pedigree of the different brands producing DACs today and the real-world experiences being shared in forums and Reddit threads. Together, these sources painted a clear picture of the best choices for different types of listeners chosen for this list.

The best DACs of 2023: Reviews & Recommendations

Now that you know what to look for when shopping for a new DAC, it’s time to choose the best fit for you. Sorting through the masses of different options, some from big brands and some from those that won’t be here in a year, can be confusing. We’ve collected the best choices in five key areas to help cut through the noise.

Best overall: Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M

Tony Ware

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Why it made the cut: The Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M is an outstanding, fully featured desktop DAC that’s feature-rich and premium without being exorbitant.

Specs

• DAC: Dual ESS ES9028Q2M DACs
• Included amplifier: Up to 300mW for headphones, 4.2 VRMS for speakers
• Bit-depth/sample rate: 32-bit/768kHz
• Format support: PCM, DSD, DoP, MQA
• Bluetooth: Yes, 4.2

Pros

• Dual DACs for balanced sound
• Wired and wireless high-resolution listening
• Wide format support
• Plentiful connectivity options

Cons

• Costs a premium 
• No LDAC

Since its release in 2021, the DacMagic 200M from Cambridge Audio has been a frequent flier on “Best Of” lists due to its outstanding balance of sound, features, and connection options. It’s easy to see why it’s so beloved: With its combination of dual ESS ES9028Q2M DACs, built-in 300mW headphone amp, wired and wireless connectivity, and premium build quality, it’s the kind of device even a veteran audiophile could stay delighted with for years.

While the other DACs on this list content themselves with a single chip, the DacMagic 200M implements a pair of high-quality ESS chips to reduce crosstalk and improve separation between the two channels. The audio sent from the device is impeccably high-resolution with a maximum bitrate of 32-bit/768kHz and support for the PCM, DSD, and MQA formats. It even supports DoP, which stands for “DSD over PCM,” so it can accept DSD files over USB even if your USB port doesn’t know how to handle the data natively. Pair that with dual digital inputs (your choice of optical or coaxial for each), and USB audio-in, and you have a device that can accept audio from just about anywhere for under $500. 

When it comes to sending audio out, the DacMagic 200M has a whole different set of tricks up its sleeves, acting as a preamp perfect if you’re building a components system with a dedicated headphone amp or AV receiver. Turn it to the back and you’ll find RCA jacks and a pair of XLR ports to drive balanced and unbalanced speakers, making this stylish Lunar Grey aluminum enclosure a best desktop DAC aesthetically and functionally. A ground lift switch sits on the other side to eliminate any hum that might be coming from your home electrical system. You can even apply digital filters that fine-tune the already expansive 10Hz to 50kHz frequency response. But that’s not all: under the hood is a built-in headphone amplifier that can enhance the resolution of easily driven bass cannons (like the HiFiMAN HE-R9 pictured) or even fill in at the fringes for demanding, high-impedance headphones (like the richly textured Sennheiser HD 660S2) so you can get listening right away or integrate it into a larger setup. 

Wireless audio does feel like a bit of an afterthought, though. The DacMagic’s Bluetooth receiver only supports version 4.2, and we’re now seeing products sporting a whole version higher (up to Bluetooth 5.3) that offer better reliability and power efficiency. And though it’s great to see the DacMagic have a more-resolving signal than vanilla Bluetooth thanks to its aptX codec, it still falls short of the quality delivered by LDAC or aptX HD/Adaptive found on competing Bluetooth DACs. 

Best DAC/amp combo: iFi xDSD Gryphon

Tony Ware

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Why it made the cut: The iFi xDSD Gryphon is a hybrid that does it all, offering excellent wired and wireless connectivity, a built-in battery, and tons of rich, powerful sound.

Specs

• DAC: Burr-Brown
• Included amplifier: Up to 1000mW 
• Bit-depth/sample rate: 32-bit/768kHz
• Format support: PCM, DSD, DXD, MQA, DoP over S/PDIF
• Bluetooth: Yes, 5.1

Pros

• Outstanding sound quality, whether wired or wireless
• Powerful built-in DAC with 3 selectable digital filters
• Customizable sound with built-in XBass II and XSpace switches
• Informative OLED screen

Cons

• No track controls
• Expensive
• Larger for a portable

At first blush, the iFi xDSD Gryphon might seem expensive at around $600, but it’s hard to find another portable combo DAC/amp that’s quite as full-featured as this one without paying more. With a corrugated metal casing with an OLED display strip on top, outputs, and a control panel at one end and plastic-capped inputs at the other, the flask-sized Gryphon is distinctive aesthetically but truly extraordinary internally.

It features a high-quality 32-bit Burr-Brown chipset (the same one used in a multi-thousand-dollar flagship DAC/amp) with support for all manner of high-end audio, whether standard MP3s presented in HD or proprietary file types like DSD, DXD, or MQA for streaming hi-fi over TIDAL. The Gryphon outputs support balanced (4.4mm) and single-ended (3.5mm) headphones and earphones—no matter how you want to listen, this hybrid DAC is ready to offer a great experience. A Gryphon even holds the distinction of being one of our associate managing editor’s go-to components (pictured above with the equally compact, amply immersive Sennheiser IE 600 and an ASUS ROG Phone—a sweet streaming suite for a personal audio enthusiast).

The magic of the Gryphon lies in its versatility. When fully charged, you can cut the cord and use it for up to 8 hours on the go with Bluetooth streaming over SBC, AAC for iOS, and up to 96kHz using LDAC, LHDC/HWA, or aptX HD/Adaptive on Android devices. Or you plug it in via USB, Coax, or Optical and ensure that no audio bit gets adulterated by wireless compression. Once you’re listening, you can enhance bass and/or upper midrange presence, as well as soundstage, with iFi’s innovative XBass II and XSpace analog enhancements. Connected to your PC over USB-C, it will act as an external soundcard, eliminating the need for a dedicated desk setup—perfect with headphones and, when the Gryphon is accepting a digital source, ports on the back can even be used to feed an external amp or powered monitors. 

The tremendous 1000mW @ 32 ohms of power on offer over its balanced DAC connection also means the Gryphon can drive even very demanding headphones. The single-ended connection is much more limited at 320mW but is still enough to drive the vast majority of cans available today. If you’re a fan of sensitive in-ear monitors (IEMs), don’t worry, because the Gryphon also offers an iEMatch mode (assignable to either output) to prevent hiss from invading your favorite tracks, while maintaining dynamics. As for the tonality, the Gryphon emphasizes not emphasizing any one thing. It respects the symmetry between impact and imaging, staying as articulate as it is energetic. Its sound-shaping features can fatten up the speedy, textured bass, but not to the detriment of organic midrange expression and shimmering treble details. 

Despite checking nearly every box an audiophile could request, there are still a few missing features here. Track controls are completely absent, so you’ll still reach for your smartphone to play or pause. I would have also liked to have seen some belt clip or travel case included because the device is about the same size as a modern smartphone and roughly twice as thick. If you’re carrying anything else in your pocket, the Gryphon isn’t likely to fit. All that said, this DAC-amp combo has set a high standard for transportable hi-fi.

Regarding DACs, iFi offers something for every scenario and budget. Got a smartdevice or laptop with USB-C ports and want a plug-in-play improvement of your audio output? The iFi GO link is a $59 dongle housing an ES9219 USB DAC and S-BAL 3.5mm headphone jack that supports 32-bit/384kHz/DSD256/MQA (and it comes with a Lightning adapter for iPhones). It’s not high-powered, but it is hi-res.

Best USB: Questyle M15

Chris Coke

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Why it made the cut: The Questyle M15 looks as good as it sounds and has power to spare.

Specs

• DAC: ES9281AC
• Included amplifier: 1.895 Vrms (single-ended), 2.624 Vrms (balanced)
• Bit-depth/sample rate: 32-bit/384kHz
• Format support: PCM, DSD, MQA
• Bluetooth: No

Pros

• Rich, warm sound
• Very quiet, low background noise and distortion
• Unique, eye-catching look
• Very pocketable and easy to carry

Cons

• Costly
• Glass panel seems prone to scratching
• No volume rocker or track controls
• Wired only

The Questyle M15 is far from the only USB DAC on our list—everything offers USB connectivity on our list—but it is the most unique pocket DAC on our list thanks to its see-through glass side panel. However, this is not a case of putting form over function—though it is a captivating machined aluminum case. Two colorful LEDs on the circuit board indicate gain level and active bitrate. And what the M15 offers up in aesthetics, it matches in sound quality. The M15 doesn’t come cheap at $249, and usually doesn’t go on sale for much less, but it offers power, portability, and outstanding quality that make it an audiophile favorite and an all-around compelling buy. Whether you’re looking to power sensitive IEMs or even moderately demanding headphones, the M15 is versatile enough to see you through.

The Questyle M15 is small but mighty. It uses the boutique amp designer’s signature CMA (Current Mode Amplifier) SiP modules to offer up 1.895 volts through its single-ended output and 2.624 volts through its 4.4mm balanced connection. While you’ll probably want to use it with IEMs on the go for their easy portability, a physical gain switch on the side offers up the extra juice you’ll need for more demanding over-ear headphones (though we recommend sticking with the high-powered balanced output for less sensitive gear). It supports high-res audio with its ESS ES9281AC DAC, a Sabre chip that supports 32-Bit/384kHz PCM, DSD256 decoding and TIDAL’s highest-quality MQA tracks. And, with short cords terminated in both USB-C and Lightning connectors, it plays nicely with Android or iOS—and it doesn’t draw power until it’s fed signal. This small touch makes a big difference when preserving precious smartphone battery life.

What really sets the M15 apart is how silent it is. There’s no hiss, no white noise hiding behind tracks, so when your music gets quiet, it’s truly noiseless. This black background allows the M15 to step out of the way and remove the barrier between you and your music. Exceptional dynamic range and a pleasant full-bodied warmth highlight the experience, carrying you from quiet refrains to bold crescendos with impressive ease.

Like most things in life, the M15 isn’t perfect. There’s no way around how expensive it is, and at this price, it would be nice to see value-adding features like Bluetooth support, app-based sound customization, or on-board track and volume controls. The glass side-panel, while gorgeous, also seems like a prime target for scratches if you keep anything else in your pocket. Still, if you’re looking for rich sound in a striking package, it’s a great fit.

Most portable: THX Onyx

Razer

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Why it made the cut: Tiny but powerful, the THX Onyx is an extra portable DAC with a great built-in amplifier.

Specs

• DAC: ESS9281 PRO
• Included amplifier: 180mW (THX AAA-78)
• Bit-depth/sample rate: 32-bit/384kHz
• Format support: PCM, DSD, MQA
• Bluetooth: No

Pros

• Excellent audio quality
• Silent background noise
• MQA Support
• Extra durable for extended life

Cons

• Expensive
• Cable is less flexible than many competing dongles
• No track controls

If the name sounds familiar, it should: This is the same THX that’s been blowing away movie theaters with bombastic cinema sound since George Lucas co-founded it in the ’80s. The THX Onyx is a portable DAC with a built-in 180mW amplifier and is the best choice for listening on the go. Not only does it provide crystal clear and highly detailed sound thanks to its ESS9281 PRO DAC module, but it also has a THX AAA amplifier that all but eradicates background noise and distortion. It’s exceptionally good, but at $199, it’s not cheap and offers no track controls, which is a bummer.

But what makes it the best choice for portability compared to the equally packable, recommendable Questyle M15 above? Outstanding durability and the ability to fold over on itself with an invisible magnet clasp. While many other dongle DACs use plastic and weak shielding on their wires, the Onyx’s DAC and USB jack are protected by sturdy aluminum housings. The cable is guarded by silky soft yet durable rubber to ward off fraying and broken wires (though this does make it a touch less flexible). This DAC is made to last the rigors of everyday life.

While it’s not the smallest portable DAC on the market, its ability to fold over on itself adds to its portability. A small magnet near the USB port connects to the DAC, allowing it to lay flat behind your phone. In a second, the Onyx’s 8-inch length turns into a 1.5-inch curl wire, making it exceptionally pocketable.

Best for gaming: Creative Sound Blaster X4

Creative

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Why it made the cut: Made for gaming, the Creative Sound Blaster X4 is packed with features that make for a stellar entertainment experience.

Specs

• DAC: Undisclosed
• Included amplifier: 1.3 – 2.9 VRMs
• Bit-depth/sample rate: 24-bit/192kHz
• Format support: PCM, Surround 7.1, Dolby Digital Live 
• Bluetooth: No

Pros

• Multi-platform support: PS5, PS4, Mobile, Windows, Mac
• Virtual surround sound and other gaming-specific features
• Mic support with built-in communication features
• Plentiful software controls and onboard memory

Cons

• Plastic construction
• Lower resolution
• Limited file format support 

The Creative Sound Blaster X4 is tailor-made for gaming. While other DACs might work, the X4’s plentiful connectivity, built-in presets, rich software suite, and onboard memory make it the go-to choice for gamers who want to level-up their listening experience for under $150. Best of all, it offers native support for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, Windows, and even macOS. 

Once taken out of its box, you’ll first notice its bold and easy-to-grab volume knob. The next thing you’ll notice is its sheer amount of inputs and outputs. As a gaming device, there are ports for both a headset and a microphone on the front edge. Around the back is a full set of surround sound speaker ports and line-in, optical line-out, and USB jacks. The X4 comes with several clickable presets to quickly tailor the sound for gaming, music, or movies without ever opening a piece of software.

But it would be best if you planned on using the software suite because that’s where you’ll be able to tap into the full suite of options. A 10-band EQ allows you to tailor the sound and save those to the device. You can also enable gaming-specific features like virtual surround sound, SXFI Battle Mode, and Scout Mode to enhance situational awareness, and even enhance the quality of your microphone with noise removal and a vocal equalizer.

The biggest downside to the Creative Sound Blaster X4 is that, since it leans so heavily into its gaming features, it falls short when it comes to resolution and file support. There is no MQA decoding for high-quality streaming over TIDAL, and quality is limited to 24-bit/192kHz. That’s enough for a great listening experience but definitely falls short of other options on this list. 

Best on a budget: JDS Labs Atom DAC+

JDS Labs

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Why it made the cut: This affordable DAC is a no-muss, no-fuss gateway to great audio on a budget.

Specs

• DAC: ES9018K2M
• Included amplifier: No 
• Bit-depth/sample rate: 32-bit/384kHz
• Format support: PCM, DSD
• Bluetooth: No

Pros

• Simple setup
• Improves upon the popular Atom DAC
• Very affordable

Cons

• Lacks added features
• Plastic construction
• Requires a separate amp

The JDS Labs Atom DAC+ is the successor to one of the company’s most popular products: the original Atom DAC. This time around, the company has changed DAC chips from AKM to ESS, but what really matters is that they’ve managed to fine-tune it to deliver less distortion, more clarity, and improved dynamic range. While the DAC+ doesn’t push any limits with its sample rate, it can deliver a clear, detailed sound on the cheap. 

Coming in at only $119, you have to expect some concessions. There’s no built-in amp, so this device is for conversion only. Buying a matched set with the Atom Amp+ adds another $99 but allows you to stack the devices into a veritable tower of power. Outputs are also limited to only a single pair of RCA jacks. The DAC+ does support TOSLINK-in for optical sound, standard USB Type-B for connecting to a computer, however, and includes an external power brick for clean, consistent power to keep it running smoothly.

Looking for something you can snag with Prime Shipping? Schiit Audio’s Modi 3+ is another great option that supports up to 24/192 resolutions through an ​​AK4490 delta-sigma DAC housed in a sturdy aluminum case with a toggle switch to select between Micro USB, Coax, and Optical inputs. Like the Atom DAC+, there’s no built-in amplifier. Still, Schiit also sells the Magni 3+ to accept the Modi’s output via RCA, and it’s identically sized for easy stacking and powerful enough to drive most headphones.

Things to consider before buying one of the best DACs

Choosing the best DAC can be confusing. Even as someone who has been in the hobby for several years, I still find myself researching the differences between different DACs and their features, so if you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry. There are a few key things to remember that can help any DAC shopper. Here are the most important points to consider before pulling the trigger.

Portable or desktop

Do you aim to listen at home or on the go? That should be the first question you ask before seriously shopping for a new DAC. Desktop DACs are often larger and require external power, either over USB or from a standard wall outlet. Portable DACs are much smaller and are made for travel. They sometimes include batteries to preserve the life of your smartphone and may even include a Bluetooth receiver for wireless listening. 

Though you’ll often pay more for the freedom they offer, portable DACs can usually connect to your PC as well, thanks to their USB connectivity. That doesn’t mean they’re exactly the same or the best fit for home listening, however. Since they’re made to be self-enclosed units, DACs like the Chord Mojo 2 and FiiO Q1 won’t integrate with larger audio systems as easily (or at all) and lack connections for dedicated speakers. If all you’re using are headphones and in-ear monitors, a good portable DAC can be a perfect choice, but if you have other audio equipment already, standalone options like the iFi Audio Zen DAC or AudioEngine D1 are a better fit.

What DAC chip does it use?

The job of any DAC is the same: to convert the digital output of a computer or smartdevice into an analog impulse that headphones and speakers can play. This processing is done through a small computer chip, and if you’ve ever plugged in a pair of monitors into a headphone jack, you’ve heard the results. But even though the end goal is the same, not all DACs are created equal or go about their conversion similarly. The first thing to know before hitting that “Buy Now” button is exactly what DAC chipset your device is actually using.

There are several major brands in the DAC world, but very few actually produce their own conversion chips. Instead, they utilize chipsets from other brands, like ESS, AKM, Cirrus-Logic, and Burr-Brown. Like any good tech brand, these companies scale their products to offer different features and match the calibers of DAC they may be implemented in. 

Some of them have better features, like support for boutique file formats or higher-resolution playback. Others offer less measurable noise and distortion (though whether you’ll actually hear the improvement isn’t a given). Many users report certain sound characteristics aligning with different DAC chipsets. ESS DACs, for example, are frequently described as being more resolving, which can mean sharper, more “exciting” treble. Conversely, AKM DACs are “warmer,” which typically means weightier bass with slightly less treble. Some people may love the operating system of their DAP (digital audio player) but aren’t as sold on the output of its headphone jack(s), so they might tether it to a DAC/AMP to enjoy a specific sound signature. It’s important to note that a DAC isn’t intended to color the sound to the noticeable degree of a tube amp, for example, but rather to remove anything taking away from the signal. So don’t expect huge flavor fluctuations between brands on identical settings.

While most DACs clearly label which chip they’re built around, deciphering the differences between chips isn’t always straightforward. It usually means taking a close look at feature and specification lists to determine whether they will make a real-world impact on your listening experience. On the technical side, you’ll need to look at specifications like bit-depth and sample rate. Others, like frequency response and signal-to-noise ratio, are also important to determine the sound’s scope and clarity. Before buying any DAC, it’s a good idea to type that particular chipset into Google and read some expert impressions about its performance and what real listeners like yourself are saying.

But specs aren’t all …

Connectivity and playback options

Two other important considerations when choosing a DAC are its connectivity and playback options. Connectivity refers to its inputs, outputs, and wireless connection options. Can it receive audio the way you’d like to send it: USB, optical, or coaxial? Once it receives that audio, how can it send it back out again? 

The output options are especially key. Depending on the model you’re interested in, you may find that its outputs are either too limited or too plentiful, which means you’re probably paying for features you don’t need. Suppose your amplifier or headphones use a balanced connection (circuitry common for high-end headphones, earphones, and amps pairing conductors that can deliver higher power and lower interference). In that case, it’s also important to double-check that your DAC supports that configuration so everything connects properly and takes full advantage of your equipment. (It is possible to damage incompatible equipment, so match accordingly.) 

Along with that, and directly related to the first consideration we discussed, you need to ensure that the DAC can support the file types and streaming services you would most like to use. Premium streaming service TIDAL’s Master Quality tracks may sound the best to your ears. Still, you’ll need a DAC that can properly decode those files because they use a format known as MQA, or Master Quality Authenticated—a form of compression that “folds” and “unfolds” audio at varying resolution levels to stream higher bitrates efficiently, and not all DACs can take full advantage of it. It can also be wise to think ahead about what you might like to listen to in the future. You might not listen to high-resolution DSD (Direct Stream Digital) files right now, but if you fall deeper into the hobby, you may want the option down the line. Planning ahead may cost a little more upfront but can save you a bundle from buying a whole new DAC in the future.  

Does it include a headphone amplifier?

Even the best DAC is useless without a dedicated amplifier or integrated AV receiver or other means to power the headphones or speakers connected to it. Some DACs, often called hybrids or combos, solve this problem by having an amp built-in. The Chord Hugo 2 is an ultra-high-end version of exactly such a device, but you don’t have to break the bank to find a quality all-in-one solution. Fiio’s E10K Olympus 2 is only $100 and can fulfill your DAC and amp needs in one tiny, affordable box. 

If you do choose a hybrid DAC, be sure to check its output power. Most modern headphones don’t require a lot of juice to drive, but some audiophile favorites and mixing headphones still do, like the Sennheiser HD650, HIFIMAN Sundara, or beyerdynamic DT1990 Pro. Because every headphone is different, it’s difficult to say exactly how much power you’ll need. We recommend putting your headphones through a power calculator to determine how many milliwatts and volts you’ll need for your preferred headphones. 

Price

Finally, we come to the price. The cost of audio gear can range widely, whereas one DAC might be $200, another might be $2,000, even when running similar chipsets. Does that second DAC really sound 10 times better than the first? Probably not (though it’s almost certainly an improvement). So much of the hi-fi hobby is about incremental gains and those margins only become thinner as the price scales up. Diminishing returns are a very real consideration for anyone in the audio hobby.

If you’re new to the world of DACs and amps, it’s wise to set yourself a reasonable budget and stick to it. Just because something is more expensive doesn’t mean it will sound better. This is especially true when you’re early in the hobby and may be unable to hear the difference between two DACs—even when others claim to. Research the options that meet your needs and budget and choose the best option among the bunch. 

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best DACs

• Best overall: Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M
• Best USB: Questyle M15
• Best DAC/amp combo: iFi xDSD Gryphon
• Most portable: THX Onyx
• Best for gaming: Creative Sound Blaster X4
• Best on a budget: JDS Labs Atom DAC+

Choosing a DAC can be a daunting task. There’s a lot to consider and many specs to sort through. At the end of the day, it’s one of the most fundamental upgrades you can make, right alongside buying new headphones and a new amplifier. Since DACs don’t always make as profound an impact on sound quality as other components, you don’t have to feel pressured to spend exorbitant amounts of cash—though they can reveal more layers as you move up the price tiers. Hi-fi is a hobby that can grow with you, and, like the very best of them, there’s always more to experience.

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best DACs for 2023, as chosen by experts appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

The iPad is far and away the best tablet for note-taking, sketching, gaming, videoconferencing, and much more—but it’s also one of the most expensive. Apple doesn’t discount hardware on its site—unless you take advantage of its education discount—but Amazon plays by its own rules. You can currently get the 10th-generation iPad for $50 off. This may not seem like a big discount, but $399 is the lowest price this tablet has ever been.

iPad (10th Generation) $399 (Was $449)

Apple

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The 10th-gen. iPad ushered in an entire design overhaul for Apple’s entry-level tablet. It has a 10.9-inch edge-to-edge display, A14 bionic processor, a 12-megapixel back-facing camera, a 12-megapixel front-facing camera, a USB-C port, and a Touch ID fingerprint reader built into its power button. The bigger screen and much faster processor. The increase in screen size over the previous generation is enough to warrant an upgrade and puts this tablet more in line with its more powerful siblings, the iPad Air and 11-inch iPad Pro. Admittedly, the screen technology and processing power in Apple’s higher-end models is undoubtedly more sophisticated … but also substantially more expensive.

You’ll also appreciate the 10th-gen. iPad’s speed gains courtesy of Apple’s faster processor, which makes a $400 tablet capable of 4K video editing, multichannel audio editing, and gaming without stuttering. Finally, this is the first iPad with its front-facing camera on its longer horizontal side, so you can hold the tablet more naturally during video calls. The 10th-generation iPad is a very good value at its normal price—no Android alternative comes close to its performance and usability—but this deal makes it even better.

Looking to build a sweet suite of tech tools? These deals offer a less expensive taste of the future:

• iPad Air $559 (Was $599)
• iPad Pro $1,199 (Was $1,399)
• Apple 2022 MacBook Pro, $1,149.99 (Was $1,299)
• Apple 2022 MacBook Air, $1,349.99 (Was $1,499)
• eero 6+ mesh Wi-Fi system $239.99 (Was $299.99)
• NETGEAR Nighthawk WiFi 6 Router (RAX120) $289.83 (Was $449.99)
• Samsung UJ59, $269.99 (Was $339.99)
• LG 27UK500-B, $307.86 (Was $349.99)
• Amazon Fire TV 55, $339.99 (Was $519.99)
• Hisense ULED Premium U7H 65, $698 (Was $879.99)
• Sony S100F 2.0ch Soundbar, $98 (Was $129.99)
• Bose Smart Soundbar 600, $449 (Was $499)
• Sonos Roam, $169 (Was $179)
• Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin, $599 (Was $799)
• BenQ GV30, $449 (Was $599)
• Optoma HD28HDR, $649 (Was $729)
• Jabra Elite 7, $114.99 (Was $179.99)
• Bang & Olufsen Beoplay EQ, $180 (Was $199.99)
• Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2, $349 (Was $399)
• Shure AONIC 40 $249 (Was $319)
• Blue Yeti USB Microphone, $89.99 (Was $129.99)
• HyperX QuadCast S, $139.99 (Was $159.99)

The post The latest iPad is at its lowest price ever on Amazon appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best overall		iPad Air M1		SEE IT	This tablet strikes the right balance of power and price.
Best laptop replacement		Microsoft Surface 9 Pro		SEE IT	This Windows tablet can do everything a typical PC can and more.
Best Android		Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+		SEE IT	This powerful tablet offer everything you’d expect in a high-end Android device.

Tablets made for college students offer the power and usability of a laptop with the versatility and portability of a much smaller device. Whether you’re researching topics, typing up essays, making presentations, or using design tools, choosing the right tablet for college can make all the difference. These devices excel when taking notes, reading textbooks, and staying organized. However, with so many options available on the market, it can be a daunting task. We’ve scoured the internet to make our list, considering factors such as battery life, screen size, processing power, and price. Whether you’re a freshman, a senior, or a parent shopping for your college-aged child, our comprehensive guide will help you make an informed decision when selecting the best tablets for college students. 

• Best overall: Apple iPad Air M1
• Best lightweight: iPad Mini (2021) 
• Best Android: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+
• Best laptop replacement: Microsoft Surface 9 Pro 
• Best budget: Amazon Fire 10 HD 

How we picked the best tablets for college students

Tablets truly lend themselves to college work. They’re easy to carry around, offer tons of battery life, typically cost less the high-powered laptops, and they pull double duty as content consumption devices. In our quest for the perfect tablet for college students, we surveyed the entire tablet market from major manufacturers. There are tons of cheap and less-reliable options out there, but for a device that’s going to be so crucial to work and recreation, we want to recommend something durable and reliable.

We relied on a mixture of research, personal experience, spec comparisons, user reviews, and editorial opinions to come up with a list of devices that offer a solid mix of price and performance. We also gave extra credit to devices that work with a wide variety of accessories, so they’re easier to customize to a student’s own personal requirements.

The best tablets for college students: Reviews & Recommendations

The iPad may seem like the obvious choice here (and it is for a number of users), but needs vary and so do devices. Here are some options to consider before you plunk down that college cash.

Best overall: Apple iPad Air M1

Mike Epstein

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Why it made the cut: With their iPad, Apple has cornered the tablet market for good reason. The iPad Air M1 is simply a great piece of tech. Slimline, powerful, and equipped with a powerful camera, this is our top-rated choice.

Specs

• Display Size: 10.9-inch
• Storage: 64GB/256GB
• CPU: Apple M1

Pros 

• Powerful
• Lightweight
• Great design

Cons 

• Expensive

With the additional choice of a Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil (sold separately), the iPad Air M1 is capable of handling almost any academic task. Apple Pencil allows you to mark up documents, draw, or take notes, which are then translated from your handwriting into typed notes ready to share or save to the cloud. The Magic Keyboard has a trackpad and responsive keyboard to take your tablet to the next level and make typing comfortable even during those seemingly endless classes.

Thanks to its M1 chip, it’s a performance powerhouse with speeds up to 60 percent faster than previous generation models. The liquid retina display and 8-core GPU provide crisp images and fast graphics across video calls, gaming, content creation, and design apps. An impressive 12-megapixel camera includes an automatic pan feature to keep you in shot no matter how fast you move around. The back camera is perfect for scanning documents and shooting videos. It comes in five colors and boasts long-lasting battery life.

Particularly power-hungry students could step up to the iPad Pro to get even more processing oomph and an upgraded screen. While the upgrades are nice, they’re likely only necessary for students who want to do a ton of media creation or other resource-intensive activities.

Best lightweight: iPad Mini (2021)

Apple

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Why it made the cut: Small but perfectly formed, this handheld tablet features an edge-to-edge screen and vivid colors. Ideally suited for note-taking with the optional Apple Pencil that magnetically attaches to the side of the screen.

Specs

• Display Size: 8.3″
• Storage: 64GB/256GB
• CPU: Apple A15 Bionic

Pros 

• Touch ID-enabled
• Very compact and portable size
• Sharp display

Cons

• Expensive
• No headphone jack

This very small and portable tablet slips easily into your bag or even a pocket. It fits comfortably in the hand but offers a better screen size and performance than simply using your cell phone. Gameplay, photo editing, and content creation are more than possible because of the impressive A15 bionic chip. You’ll be able to stream content without slowdowns and download quickly with 5G connectivity. You won’t be able to use the magic keyboard with this size iPad but can use it with a separate Bluetooth keyboard to expand its use beyond simple note-taking or entertainment. 

Available in four elegant muted colors including space gray, pink, light purple, or starlight, a champagne tone. Choose from a range of complementary different color smart folios (sold separately) to suit your unique style. The 12MP webcam helps you stay in touch with family back home or log in for virtual classes or group seminars. 

Best Android: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+

Samsung

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Why it made the cut: Fast speeds, impressive battery life, and a large screen make the Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 a great choice for students who prefer Android products. 

Specs

• Display Size: 12.4”
• Storage: 8 GB/128 GB
• Weight: 17.6 ounces

Pros 

• Included S pen  
• Large storage included in the base model
• Bright screen

Cons 

• Expensive

Unlike Apple tablets, this option’s base model comes with an included S pen and 128GB storage, making it a great value choice without having to purchase additional products and extra memory. It has a large and bright display featuring a 12.4-inch AMOLED screen. The battery life helps you work, and watch for hours, and when you do find it running low, it recharges at a lightning speed. 

Expect beautiful graphics with high resolution, and super quick processing speeds to make all your school tasks, including content creation, photo editing, surfing the web, and lab work easy to complete. If the included 128GB isn’t enough space for your documents, photos, and schoolwork, the micro-SD card slot allows for further upgrades. The ultra-wide camera produces great shots and clear video calls for remote learning or catching up with friends. Choose from three colors, including graphite, silver, and pink gold.

Best laptop replacement: Microsoft Surface 9 Pro

Microsoft

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Why it made the cut: A true replacement for even the top laptops for college, this powerful and versatile tablet offers excellent gameplay and graphics with a high-resolution display for a premium experience. 

Specs

• Display Size: 13”
• Storage: 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
• Weight: 31.3 ounces

Pros 

• Preloaded with Windows 11 
• 1080p webcam
• Excellent performance

Cons 

• Very expensive

This incredibly capable and powerful tablet can easily replace a laptop and make an excellent investment for academic use. The responsive and comfortable keyboard allows for extended typing and note-taking during lectures. A stylus is available for a separate purchase and it comes equipped with Windows 11. Although it is one of the more expensive tablets reviewed, it really offers the most bang for your buck and is regularly on sale for discounts of at least a couple of hundred dollars of the list price. 

The battery can last an incredible 15.5 hours, more than enough for class use and homework after hours. The versatile edge-to-edge touchscreen and adjustable built-in kickstand ensure you get the perfect angle for media viewing or video calls. The two USB-C ports allow you to transfer documents, dock to monitors, or connect and charge various devices and accessories, so you’re ready for any task.

Best budget: Amazon Fire 10 HD

Amazon

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Why it made the cut: This budget-friendly option makes a great educational addition if you already have a more powerful laptop for most of your school work.

Specs

• Display Size: 10.1″
• Storage: 32GB/64GB
• Weight: 16.4 ounces

Pros 

• Affordable 
• Compatible with Alexa
• Good battery life

Cons 

• Not compatible with Google apps

Perfect for loading up books, and after-class entertainment, this affordable tablet is more than worth the modest investment of less than $150. The battery life of up to 12 hours works well for a day of learning, followed by surfing the web or watching your favorite shows. 

This tablet doesn’t support Google products so you’ll need to switch over from G drive and docs to the Microsoft Office suite of products if applicable. Compatible with Alexa straight out of the box, it can also be used as an organizer and personal assistant. Optional extras include Bluetooth keyboards and standing cases to improve functionality and ease of use. 

This tablet is definitely not the most powerful or responsive around, but at this very low price point, it makes an excellent option for cash-strapped students. It can also work as a solid secondary device for consuming content and reading (textbooks or anything else) to save wear and tear as well as battery life on a main device.

Things to consider before buying the best tablets for college students

Assess your needs

When you’re selecting any of our top tablet picks, you’ll want to make sure your tablet works well with all the apps and platforms you regularly use. For example, if you prefer a particular data management, file storage, or design program, you’ll want to make sure your new tablet is compatible. The way you intend to use your tablet will also dictate which model you opt for. For example, you’ll want to consider whether you need a keyboard if you intend to play games or stream movies, and your preferred screen size for optimum viewing comfort.

Price 

Students are often on a budget, so the cost of your new tablet is an important consideration. Luckily, there are lots of choices for top tablets under $500. However, that doesn’t always mean the cheapest option is the best. Consider how you’ll use your new piece of hardware and how long you want it to keep working to make sure you plan ahead and buy the best model to meet your needs and price point.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best tablets for college students

• Best overall: iPad Air M1 – Apple
• Best lightweight: iPad Mini (2021) 
• Best Android: Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+
• Best for Windows: Microsoft Surface 9 Pro 
• Best budget: Amazon Fire 10 HD 

Balance your needs as a student with price concerns, and make sure your tablet pick is lightweight and easy to transport from your dorm to the classroom and back again. Tablets can be an excellent choice for college students, especially as many of our top picks are powerful devices capable of research, data management, and content creation to help you meet all your academic targets. 

Why trust us

Popular Science started writing about technology more than 150 years ago. There was no such thing as “gadget writing” when we published our first issue in 1872, but if there was, our mission to demystify the world of innovation for everyday readers means we would have been all over it. Here in the present, PopSci is fully committed to helping readers navigate the increasingly intimidating array of devices on the market right now.

Our writers and editors have combined decades of experience covering and reviewing consumer electronics. We each have our own obsessive specialties—from high-end audio to video games to cameras and beyond—but when we’re reviewing devices outside of our immediate wheelhouses, we do our best to seek out trustworthy voices and opinions to help guide people to the very best recommendations. We know we don’t know everything, but we’re excited to live through the analysis paralysis that internet shopping can spur so readers don’t have to.

The post The best tablets for college students in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Portable chargers are never out of season. Whether your phone is always running low on charge or it’s a particularly busy day and you need more juice for your last meeting, a portable charger makes a great safety blanket. They’re especially useful in the winter months, when batteries seem to drain even faster than usual. Anker’s portable batteries charge consistently, hold up to the worst of daily life, and fit easily into a purse, backpack, or even a pocket. 

Anker is currently offering sales on a large portion of their inventory. It has a wide range of chargers, from older models at cheaper prices with fewer functions, but also have many fancy new models with interesting innovations, like the MagGo battery that allows for wireless charging. 

Our top pick, however, has to be their upcoming release: the Anker 733 Power Bank, which features not just Anker’s signature sleek look and fast charging capabilities, but doubles as a regular wall outlet. If you’re at home, use it exactly like a normal wall charger, but grab it when you’re heading out to take advantage of the 10,000 mAh battery wherever and whenever you want. The 733 will retail for $100 at release, but a preorder will set you back just $70. 

• Anker 733 Power Bank (featured) $70 (was $100)
• Anker 747 Power Bank $153 (was $180)
• Anker 737 Power Bank (PowerCore 26K for Laptop) $136 (was $160)
• Anker 737 Power Bank (PowerCore 24K) $110 (was $150)
• Anker 521 Magnetic Battery $30 (was $40)
• Anker 525 Power Bank $51 (was $60)
• Anker 537 Power Bank $98 (was $140)
• Anker 633 Magnetic Battery $64 (was $80)
• Anker 622 Magnetic Battery (MagGo) $45 (was $60)
• Anker 337 Power Bank $60 (was $70)

More charging deals

There are, of course, more options available. Amazon has a good collection of portable chargers, and many of them are also on sale at the moment.

• Mregb Solar Power Bank, Solar Charger, 42800mAh Power Bank $30 (was $80) 
• Solar-Charger-Power-Bank – Portable Charger, 43800mAh Qc3.0 Fast Charging $45 (was $100)
• Solar Power Bank 36000mAh, Solar Charger Qi Wireless Built in $34 (was $70)
• Solar Charger 25000mAh, Hiluckey Outdoor USB C Portable Power Bank $38 (was $57)
• Solar Power Bank, Solar Charger 38800mAh, Qi Wireless Charger $20 (was $80)
• Power-Bank-Solar-Portable-Charger – 40000mAh Power Bank Large Capacity $30 (was $198)
• Feeke Solar-Charger-Power-Bank – 36800mAh Portable Charger $20 (was $60)
• Portable Charger with Built-In Cables and AC Wall Plug, VRURC 10000mAh $30 (was $37)
• LOVELEDI Portable-Charger-Power-Bank – 15000mAh Dual USB Power Bank $16 (was $70)
• LOVELEDI Portable-Charger-Power-Bank – 2 Pack 15000mAh Dual USB Power Bank $20 (was $99)
• ROMOSS 30000mAh Power Bank Sense 8+, 18W PD USB C Portable Charger $32 (was $40)
• TG90 Mini Power Bank 4500mah Portable Charger with Built in Cable $23 (was $40)
• Charmast USB C Portable Charger Power Bank, Battery Pack 5000mAh $18 (was $30)
• INIU Portable Charger, 22.5W 20000mAh USB C $28 (was $65)
• Baseus Power Bank, 65W 20000mAh Laptop Portable Charger $51 (was $80)

The post Anker’s latest portable charger is on sale even before its release appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

We’ve made it to 2023, which means the PopSci commerce and gear team has decided what our resolutions will be and what we’ll need to achieve them. It’s okay to be a New Year’s resolution skeptic—there are plenty of potential pitfalls in trying to make literal life-changing decisions overnight—but we’re taking a different approach. Our goals can be accomplished little by little over the course of the year, the gear we’re using won’t take up too much space, and we’re not afraid of facing some setbacks every little while. After all, it’s only self-care if it doesn’t cost you mental health. If you’re scrambling to figure out how to make your New Year’s resolutions happen, we hope our gear suggestions can provide a little clarity (and encouragement).

Vitamix FoodCycler FC-50

Jen McCaffery

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An estimated 30 to 40 percent of the food supply in the United States is wasted, according to the USDA. If you’re looking to cut down on the amount of food waste you send to the landfill in 2023, Vitamix’s FoodCycler FC-50 can help. Just toss your vegetable peelings, egg shells, coffee grounds, and even chicken bones into the 2-liter container and press the on button. About four hours later, your scraps are turned into nutrient-rich soil you can use for your houseplants or in your garden. — Jen McCaffery, Director of Commerce

Kindle Paperwhite

Amazon

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Too many times in 2022, I found myself laying in bed at 2 a.m., basking in the hypnotizing glow of TikTok. The lure of people arguing with belligerent neighbors or endless strings of air fryer chicken thigh recipes is just too strong. This year, I’m determined to replace those hours spent mindlessly swiping with reading, and I’m counting on Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite to help me pull it off. The 6.8-inch touchscreen offers soft, warm light that won’t mess with my sleep after a marathon session spent reading Brandon Sanderson. Plus, the latest version charges via USB-C, so it’ll help my other resolution of getting rid of all the MicroUSB cables hanging around my house. — Stanley Horaczek, Executive Editor

Mr. Coffee Iced Coffee machine

Mr. Coffee

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The iced coffee I like at a well-known chain has recently risen to nearly $6. Not even a raging caffeine addiction can justify that cost. This super-simple machine doesn’t rely on wasteful coffee pods and comes with an insulated cup, even though it works with pretty much any other cold up. It simply brews hot coffee over iced cubes, which is sure to make your coffee snob pals bristle, but it’s still better (and even cheaper) than the gas station swill I’ve been known to drink in the past. Plus, all that saved money leaves room in the coffee budget for fancy syrups to spruce up the wallet-friendly brew. — Stanley Horaczek, Executive Editor

Kindle Scribe

Amazon

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I’m trying to (finally) complete The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron’s crash course in kickstarting your creativity after about two years of stopping halfway. Part of the journey includes journaling three pages every morning—simply called “morning pages.” If you do the math, that’s a lot of pages and trees. I’m hoping the Kindle Scribe—with its paperwhite display and pen that won’t leave ink marks on my hands first thing in the morning—will help protect the environment and be the fancy, shiny, neat thing that gives me enough dopamine to organize my morning pages and complete the separate chapter prompts in one convenient, digital place. Spiritual and creative clarity, here I come. — Amanda Reed, Commerce Updates Writer

Garmin Forerunner 955

Garmin

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Setting a fitness goal is one thing, but having a way to track your progress and keep you motivated is another beast entirely. Garmin’s Forerunner 955 is sleek and attractive, so you won’t mind wearing it all day, but it has a nearly endless list of features and tricks. Though it’s geared toward runners, it can track a long list of activities. It also connects to your phone for full smartwatch capabilities and provides workout suggestions when you are stumped on how to move on a given day. Plus, it makes it easy to see how your training is going and how you are progressing toward your goals, giving you specific insight on how you can improve when needed. — Abigail Ferguson, Associate Editor PopPhoto

Nest Hub Max Smart Display

Nest

SEE IT

Eating out (and ordering in) has always been pricier than cooking at home, but that is more true than ever right now. It’s hard fighting the temptation just to tap a few buttons and have food magically show up ready to eat at your door but, for me, having an easy way to follow recipes helps. I’m a recent Nest Hub enthusiast but have loved the larger screen that always stays on as I work through the steps of a recipe. And it makes it easy to store recipes I like in one place. But the biggest bonus is the ability to play music on something other than my phone, so I can jam out while I cook. It does wonders for making me not mind being in the kitchen even after a long day of work. — Abigail Ferguson, Associate Editor PopPhoto

Ring Fit Adventure

Nintendo

SEE IT

I will be making a concerted effort to be more active after years of COVID-inflicted lethargy, but my tool of choice may seem a little strange: a video game. Ring Fit Adventure is a game for the Nintendo Switch that comes with a Pilates ring and leg strap with slots for the system’s Joy-Con controllers. Accelerometers and gyroscopes in the Joy-Con can track your movement, which correlates to actions happening in the game. Instead of passively choosing an attack, you defeat enemies by doing squats, curls, and other exercises. As an avid gamer, I hope Ring Fit Adventure can slot into my lifestyle more easily than a set of barbells. — Brandt Ranj, Commerce Reporter

iFixit Pro Tech Toolkit

iFixit

SEE IT

Repairing technology can feel daunting, especially when many companies make documentation and spare parts difficult (if not impossible) to get, but that will not deter me next year. I have a great deal of respect for iFixit, a site that offers step-by-step instructions on how to disassemble and reassemble gadgets along with links to parts when possible. The site offers a tool kit with bits, spudgers, tweezers, and everything else you’ll need to get into your gear safely and easily. This kit is notable for featuring pentalobe screws, which are proprietary and designed by Apple. If you plan on joining the DIY movement next year, this kit deserves a spot in your workspace. — Brandt Ranj, Commerce Reporter

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2

Bowers & Wilkins

SEE IT

I’m ashamed to say I have a huge music backlog, but I plan to listen to one new (to me) album from front to back every day in 2023. I reserve the right to listen to one disc of a two-CD (or LP) record because I make the rules. While I love speakers, my tool of choice this time will be Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2s, which are infinitely more portable. These Bluetooth headphones are the closest I’ve come to taking my at-home audio system—which consists of wired headphones, a tube amp, and a DAC—with me everywhere I go. Music sounds superb, the headphones are very comfortable, and their active noise cancellation is always top-notch. This is the resolution I’m most excited about, if for no other reason than spending dozens of hours with the Px7 S2s on my head. Maybe, if I’m feeling extra committed, I’ll even upgrade to the B&W Px8, the brand’s flagship wireless headphones that further refine the physical build and sonic profile. — Brandt Ranj, Commerce Reporter

Brava Oven Starter Set

Brava

SEE IT

Cooking at home more often is my final resolution of 2023, and the Brava Oven is the key to making it happen. The 10-in-1 oven supports multi-zone heating and makes a whole dinner faster than a conventional oven or stovetop. The oven can be operated using an app or its built-in touch screen, and Brava is continually updating its recipe library with new dishes to fit any dietary restrictions. Yes, it’s luxe, but cutting out one takeout order per week using the Brava will allow the machine to pay for itself. — Brandt Ranj, Commerce Reporter

OTOTO Gracula Garlic Crusher

OTOTO

SEE IT

I love garlic and plan on cooking more. This Gracula garlic crusher takes knife work out of the equation when presentation isn’t important and helps you get close to a minced consistency in a fraction of the time. On top of saving prep time, a way to work more fresh garlic into meals has the benefits of being a natural antibacterial/detoxifier, aiding blood circulation/lowered blood pressure, while also repelling vampires. Plus, it just tastes good. — Billy Cadden, Director of Commerce

AQUAFIT One Gallon Water Bottle

AQUAFIT

SEE IT

I wish this fit into my Aarke seltzer maker, but I guess good old-fashioned flat water will do. While attempting to cook more garlic-rich meals and use my Tempo daily, I decided to snag a gallon water bottle to keep me hydrated. Or at least try to convince me to stay hydrated. I bet you $10 it sits on my bedside table with the same water for weeks. — Billy Cadden, Director of Commerce

Arc’teryx Kyanite AR Hoodie and Pearl iZUMi Prospect Barrier Jacket

Arc’Teryx/Pearl iZUMi

SEE IT

In 2023, I want to get outdoors more. Hiking. Biking. Though I love reporting on tech, I need to get away from it more, even if for only a few hours. Just because I’m coming out of my virtual (and real) shell doesn’t mean I won’t need a protective layer or two, however. The Arc’teryx Kyanite AR Hoodie is a multisport midlayer that’s far from middle of the road. A worthwhile investment, it’s light, soft, stretchy, and, most importantly, surprisingly warm when traveling on the trail. Did I say I’m coming out of my shell? That doesn’t mean I won’t need some wind and water resistance if I’m in the saddle in the city, so I’m also hanging the Pearl iZUMi Prospect Barrier Jacket in my closet when I need something to cut a brisk breeze and absorb a bit of light rain and road spray. — Tony Ware, Associate Managing Editor, Commerce

Vasque Men’s Breeze Waterproof Hiking Boots

Tony Ware

SEE IT

If I’m going to maintain my getting-outdoors-more resolution throughout 2023, I need accessories that can also go the distance. And one of the most important is trusty mid-range footwear. Lightweight, breathable, and comfortable to … boot … the Vasque Breeze immediately impressed me by requiring zero break-in, then continued to impress me with its stability and traction. While I haven’t submerged my feet to test the proprietary VasqueDry waterproofing fully, I’ve had no complaints following some light but sustained drizzles. And, with each component of the boot’s construction being made from 25%, 60%, and sometimes 100% recycled materials, I can feel better for the Earth as I explore it. — Tony Ware, Associate Managing Editor, Commerce

The post Gear to help us (and you) keep those New Year’s resolutions appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best TV		Samsung QN65QN800A 65 Inch Neo QLED 8K Smart TV (2021)		SEE IT	Save while getting ahead of the crowd with the latest in audio and video TV technology.
Best drone		DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo Quadcopter		SEE IT	This popular drone is suited for beginners and established photographers alike.
Best earbuds		AirPods Pro		SEE IT	Get the AirPods Pro at a reduced price before they sell out … again!

The holidays can inevitably raise a conflict: We may want to find gifts that delight our family and friends but are aware of the environmental impact new products can have. A good compromise? Refurbished goods that have already been purchased, returned, and restored. They can help you cut down on the number of new products you’re buying and save you money. Since these are pre-owned items, you should look closely at the item’s condition and what’s part of the package and check the return policy before making any purchases. That said, you can save hundreds on tech that may not be the latest model but is still one of the best refurbished gifts that will last.

• Best TV: Samsung QN65QN800A 65 Inch Neo QLED 8K Smart TV (2021)
• Best Windows laptop: 2022 Acer 15-inch HD IPS Chromebook 
• Best MacBook: 2020 Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M1 Chip
• Best VR headset: Meta Oculus Quest 2 Headset 
• Best smartwatch: Apple Watch Series 6
• Best iPad: Apple iPad (10.2-inch, 8th Gen)
• Best earbuds: Apple AirPods Pro
• Best speaker: Bose soundlink Mini II Limited Edition Bluetooth Speaker
• Best drone: DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo Quadcopter
• Best mini projector: Anker Nebula Capsule
• Best robot vacuum: iRobot Roomba i4
• Best handheld vacuum: Shark ION W1 Handheld Vacuum
• Best blender: Vitamix Explorian Blender, Professional Grade
• Best air fryer: NINJA Foodi LG450 5-in-1 Air Fryer and Electric Grill

Best TV: Samsung QN65QN800A 65 Inch Neo QLED 8K Smart TV (2021)

Samsung

SEE IT

There’s no getting around it: TVs, especially those equipped with the latest technology, are expensive. That’s why it’s a great time to take advantage of this refurbished smart TV from Samsung. Its 8K video and QLED display with its mini-LED backlights provide a stunning picture, and your recipient won’t need to upgrade for years to come.

Best Windows laptop: 2022 Acer HD IPS Chromebook

Acer

SEE IT

For the student in your life, this versatile 15-inch model from Acer comes equipped with an LED display, and an Intel dual-core Celeron processor that can work at impressive speeds of up to 2.55GHz. This Chromebook also features MicroSD card reader, 4GB of RAM, plus an HDMI port plus two USB-A ports and two USB-C ports for maximum connectivity. And they can return it for a replacement or refund within 90 days if they are unhappy with the purchase.

Best MacBook: 2020 Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M1 Chip

Apple

SEE IT

If you’re not looking to shell out the money for the latest MacBook, the 2020 version will still serve most users well. This 13-inch model is designed with Apple’s M1 chip for faster performance and processing power. It’s designed with Apple’s signature Retina display, and it comes with 8GB of RAM and up to 20 hours of battery life.

Best VR headset: Meta Oculus Quest 2 Headset

Meta

SEE IT

Give the gift of an alternate reality—without paying as much very real money. Meta’s latest iteration of the Oculus Quest comes with hi-res display and fast processing that allows users to g deep into the metaverse. Users can also game with new titles and older ones, plus get access to screenings, concerts, and more.

Best smartwatch: Apple Watch Series 6

Apple

SEE IT

This smartwatch may not have the crash detection of the new Apple Watch Series 8, but it still provides plenty of great features for a reduced price. Its always-on Retina display allows users to answer texts and keep tabs on their heart health with the ECG feature. Plus, it’s dialed into various workouts, and lets users listen to their favorite tunes from Apple Music. 

Best iPad: Apple iPad (10.2-inch, 8th Gen)

Apple

SEE IT

Looking for a gift for an artist? This 10.2-inch Apple iPad comes with a Retina display and is equipped with an 8-megapixel front and back camera. It also comes with stereo speakers and works with smart keyboards and the Apple Pencil (1st Gen). Plus, the battery lasts for up to 10 hours.

Best earbuds: Apple AirPods Pro

Apple

SEE IT

AirPods are ubiquitous, but if you haven’t yet bitten the bullet because of the price, here’s your opportunity to save on the original standard-bearer. They are both water- and sweat-resistant, with silicone eartips that come in three sizes to make sure they give all type of ears the best experience. Plus, they provide active noise cancellation so users can tune out the outside world in favor of your music of choice.

Best speaker: Bose soundlink Mini II Limited Edition Bluetooth Speaker

Bose

SEE IT

This mini speaker will let the music lover in your life bring the party wherever they go. Designed with Bose’s signature sound quality, this battery-powered speaker works with a Bluetooth range of up to 30 feet. And weighing in at a pound, the Mini II is easy to tuck into a backpack.

Best drone: DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo Quadcopter

DJI

SEE IT

Photographers, new and established, can appreciate this drone, made by one of the top names in the category. This quadcopter can capture 4K video in addition to 12-megapixel stills. This battery-powered drone is easy to transport at less than one pound, and this set comes with remote control, carrying case, and accessories. It can also be returned within one year if you’re not satisfied.

Best mini projector: Nebula Capsule by Anker

Anker

SEE IT

The cinephile in your life will thrill to this handy mini projector by Anker. Easily connected by USB, Micro USB, and HDMI, this projector provides vivid images of up to 100 inches and a 360-degree speaker for a cinematic experience. And it should last for up to 4 hours of viewing time.

Best robot vacuum: iRobot Roomba i4

iRobot

SEE IT

Make life a little easier for pet owners with the gift of a robot vacuum that won’t complain about chores. iRobot’s Roomba i4 is designed with sensors to best map homes and can be customized with the accompanying app. This powerful cleaner is designed for carpets and works especially well on cat and dog hair.

Best handheld vacuum: Shark ION W1 Handheld Vacuum

Shark

SEE IT

Help a small space dweller out with this handheld vacuum by Shark. The battery-powered device provides 22.2 volts of energy for a deep clean. It’s recommended for use on upholstery and comes with a nozzle and crevice tool to get down into the sofa. It can also be used in the car.

Best blender: Vitamix Explorian Blender

Vitamix

SEE IT

For a family member with many mouths to feed, this Vitamix Explorian Blender should be a welcome gift. A professional-grade blender is an all-purpose tool that can make quick work of soups, salsa, margaritas, and more. This 64-ounce device has 10 settings that allow it to double as a food processor. And it’s dishwasher-safe, so cleanup is also a cinch. 

Best air fryer: NINJA Foodi LG450 5-in-Air Fryer and Electric Grill

SEE IT

The home chef that hasn’t yet invested in an air fryer should appreciate this versatile model. Made by trusted brand Ninja, this 5-in-1 programmable device justifies the counter space by serving as an air fryer, baker, and indoor grill and in one, making getting meals on the table a lot easier. And if there’s one thing a great refurbished gift should do, it is save time, trouble, and money.

The post 14 refurbished gifts that will last, if they last appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

The Walmart Renaissance is very real. A once openly-mocked big box store is now a TikTok darling and has a fanbase as dedicated as Target’s. Walmart continues to give the goods this Cyber Monday with enlightening tablet deals that give you up to $200 in savings.

SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, 12.4″, 128GB Mystic Black (Wi-Fi), S Pen Included $499 (Was $699)

The biggest deal we saw in Walmart’s tablet section was this Samsung Galaxy Tab S7 Plus, which is $200 off its $699 retail price. This tablet is like a mullet: both business and party combined. Use it for sending emails on-the-go, or demolish a few games of Contexto to get the leftover tryptophan fog out of your brain. Its 12.4-inch AMOLED screen allows you to see every detail in The Rings of Power, and an edge-to-edge screen lets you see more of the Shire and less bezel. Fast WiFi, a day-long battery, and a lightweight lag-phobic S pen lets you get work done with as little roadblocks as possible.

These Cyber Monday deals end at midnight tonight, so click “add to cart” before Smeagol tries to take the deal to rule them all from you in a fit of lustful insanity.

Here are more precious tablet deals from Walmart and Amazon:

• onn. 10″ Kids Tablet, 32GB (2022 Model) – Jade Ming $69 (Was $129)
• 2021 Apple 10.2-inch iPad (Wi-Fi, 64GB) – Silver $269.99 (Was $329)
• 2022 Apple iPad Air (10.9-inch, Wi-Fi + Cellular, 64GB) – Pink (5th Generation) $669 (Was $749)
• 2022 Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (Wi-Fi, 128GB) – Space Gray (6th Generation) $999 (Was $1,099)
• 2022 Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (Wi-Fi, 256GB) – Silver (6th Generation) $1,099 (Was $1,199)
• 2022 Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (Wi-Fi + Cellular, 1TB) – Space Gray (6th Generation) $1,899 (Was $1,999)
• 2022 Apple 11-inch iPad Pro (Wi-Fi, 128GB) – Space Gray (4th Generation) $749 (Was $799)
• 2022 Apple 11-inch iPad Pro (Wi-Fi, 128GB) – Silver (4th Generation) $749 (Was $799)
• 2022 Apple 11-inch iPad Pro (Wi-Fi, 256GB) – Space Gray (4th Generation) $829 (Was $899)
• 2022 Apple 11-inch iPad Pro (Wi-Fi + Cellular, 512GB) – Space Gray (4th Generation) $1,229 (Was $1,299)
• 2022 Apple 10.9-inch iPad (Wi-Fi, 64GB) – Blue (10th Generation) $419 (Was $449)
• Restored Apple 10.2″ iPad (8th Gen) Wi-Fi 32GB – Gold (Refurbished) $229 (Was $268.99)
• Open Box Apple iPad Mini 4, 7.9-inch, Wi-Fi Only, 128GB, Bundle: Tempered Glass, Case, Rapid Charger & Stylus Pen comes in Original Packaging $219 (Was $249)
• Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB) $94.99 (Was $139.99)
• Kindle Oasis – With 7” display and page turn buttons – Wi-Fi + Free Cellular Connectivity, 32 GB, Graphite $254.99 (Was $349.99)
• Kindle (2022 release) $84.99 (Was $99.99)
• Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet $54.99 (Was $109.99)
• Fire HD 8 tablet, 8” HD Display, 32 GB (2022 release) $54.99 (Was $99.99)
• Fire HD 8 tablet, 8″ HD display, 64 GB, (2020 release) $74.99 (Was $119.99)
• Voger 10.1 Inch WiFi Tablet with 2GB RAM 32GB Storage, Android 10.0, Dual Camera 5000mAh Battery Black $102.99 (Was $149.99)
• Contixo 10 Inch Kids Tablet with $150 Value Educator Approved Apps, Eye Protection, Faster System and Large Storage, Protective Case with Kickstand and Stylus, K102 Blue $79.99 (Was $129.99)
• Samsung 8-inch Galaxy Tab A, Wi-Fi Only, 32GB, Bundle: Bluetooth Headset, Stylus Pen – Black (Refurbished) $89.99 (Was $149.99)
• Lenovo Tab M10 Plus (3rd Gen) 10″ Tablet, 64GB Storage, 4GB Memory, Android 12, FHD Display $129 (Was $199)

More of the best Cyber Monday Black Friday deals:

• Deal: Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker
• Jackery solar generator deals
• TV deals
• Computer deals
• 3D printer deals
• Headphone deals
• Speaker deals
• Apple deals
• Telescope deals
• Walmart deals
• Appliance deals
• Fitness deals
• Generator deals
• Coffee deals
• Deal: LG OLED TV
• Deal: Shark vacuum
• Deal: Anker Power Station
• Deal: Vitamix blender
• Deal: ooni Pizza oven
• Deal: Kindle Paperwhite
• Deal: Eero WiFi routers

The post Cyber Monday tablet deals: iPads, Kindles, and more appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

If you’re looking for a Black Friday deal on AirPods, MacBooks, an Apple Watch, or an iPad, you’re going not going to find them directly from Apple. The company is offering free Apple Store gift cards when you purchase hardware at its stores, but no discounts. Don’t worry, retailers like Amazon and Best Buy have you covered and have heavily discounted Apple’s latest hardware to their lowest prices of the year. We’ve pulled out some highlights alongside a curated list of the best Apple Black Friday deals.

You can save hundreds of dollars by shopping right now, which is great whether you’re looking for a gift or want to treat yourself. All of the current deals ship well before the holidays, too. It’s important to remember that these deals will only be available while the items are in stock. A lot of Apple gear sells out—especially when it’s available at a great price—so act fast!

The best MacBook & accessories deals

• M1 MacBook Air, $799 (Was $999)
• M2 MacBook Air, $1,049 (Was $1,199)
• M2 MacBook Pro (14-Inch), $1,599 (Was $1999.99)
• M2 MacBook Pro (16-Inch), $1,999 (Was $2,499)
• Twelve South BookBook Case (13-Inch MacBooks), $64.99 (Was $89.99)
• Twelve South BookBook Case (16-Inch MacBooks), $67.19 (Was $79.99)
• Excitrus 100W Power Bank, $79.99 (Was $119.99)
• Lamicall Adjustable Stand, $37.48 (Was $39.99)
• Logitech M720 Bluetooth Mouse, $34.99 (Was $39.99)
• Anker USB-C Hub for MacBook, $54.99 (Was $59.99)
• Elgato Stream Deck MK.2, $119.99 (was $149.99)
• Samsung T7 (1TB SSD), $89.99 (Was $104.99)
• Blue Yeti USB Microphone, $84.99 (Was $129.99)

The best Black Friday AirPods & accessories deals

AirPods Pro 2, $199.99 (was $249.99)

The AirPods Pro 2 are Apple’s top-of-the-line earbuds, and they’re down to their lowest price ever during Black Friday. The earbuds have longer battery life, clearer sound, better active noise cancellation, and more sophisticated Spatial Audio (surround sound) performance. These earbuds were only released a couple of months ago, so this Black Friday deal is especially surprising.

• AirPods (2nd Generation), $99 (Was $129)
• AirPods Max, $449 (Was $549)
• EarPods, $16.99 (Was $29)
• Nomad Rugged AirPods Case, $9.95 (Was $29.95)
• Casetify AirPods Case With Ring, $29.75 (was $35)
• Nomad Modern Leather AirPods Pro Case, $20.95 (Was $29.95)
• Spigen Rugged Armor AirPods Pro Case, $18.99 (Was $24.99)
• YeeHoo AirPods Pro Lanyard, $5.99 (Was $9.88)

The best Black Friday iPad & accessories deals

M1 iPad Pro (12.9-Inch), $799.99 (was $1,099.99)

The 12.9-Inch M1 has a faster chip than most Windows laptops and weighs just over one-and-a-half pounds. This is the ultimate tablet for creative professionals who want to use a tablet to edit high-resolution photos, videos, or multitrack audio recordings in addition to kicking back to stream video and read eBooks. Apple just released a new generation iPad Pro, but the differences are so minor that most people aren’t going to notice, so we recommend snagging this deal while you can.

• 10.2-Inch iPad, $269.99 (Was $329)
• iPad Mini, $399.99 (Was $499)
• iPad Air, $559.99 (Was $599)
• Nomad Modern Leather Case, From $62.95 (Was $89.95)
• Spigen Hybrid Pro iPad Air Case, $23.99 (Was $54.99)
• ZAGG Pro Keys Wireless iPad Keyboard, $59.99 (Was $99.99)
• Brydge 11.0 Pro+ Keyboard with Trackpad, $79.95 (Was $149.99)
• Brydge 12.9 Pro+ Keyboard with Trackpad, $89.99 (Was $169.99)
• Apple Pencil (2nd Generation), $89 (Was $129)
• Anker 100W USB-C to USB-C Cable (2-Pack), $15.99 (Was $19.99)
• Omoton Tablet Holder, $12.98 (Was $21.99)
• Twelve South HoverBar Duo Adjustable Arm, $47.99 (was $79.99)

The best Black Friday Apple Watch & accessories deals

• Apple Watch SE (40mm), $229 (Was $249)
• Apple Watch SE (44mm), $309 (Was $329)
• Apple Watch Series 8 (41mm), $349.99 (Was $349)
• Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm), $479 (Was $529)
• Apple Watch Ultra, $739 (Was $799)
• Apple Watch Charging Cable (1m), $14.55 (was $29)
• Nomad Modern Slim Band (40mm/41mm), $48.95 (Was $69.95)
• Nomad Traditional Band (45mm/49mm), $69.95 (Was $99.95)
• ZAGG InvisibleShield Glass Fusion Screen Protector (41mm), $22.99 (was $29.99)
• ZAGG InvisibleShield Glass Fusion Screen Protector (45mm), $18.70 (Was $29.99)
• Satechi USB-C Wireless Charging Dock, $20.99 (Was $29.99) [Amazon Prime Member Exclusive]
• Belkin Boost Charge Power Bank, $44.96 (Was $59.99)

The best Black Friday AirTag & accessories deals

• Apple AirTag (1-Pack), $24.98 (Was $29)
• Apple AirTag (4-Pack), $74.98 (Was $99.99)
• Hawanik Slim Minimalist Front Pocket Wallet, $10.39 (Was $16.99)
• Belkin AirTag Case With Wire Cable, $14.82 (Was $19.99)
• Nomad Leather Keychain, $20.95 (Was $29.95)

The best HomePod & Apple TV 4K deals

• HomePod Mini, $94.99 (Was $99.99)
• Apple TV 4K (2nd Generation), $114.99 (Was $179)

More of the best Black Friday deals

• Computer deals
• 3D printer deals
• Headphone deals
• Speaker deals
• Apple deals
• Telescope deals
• Walmart deals
• Appliance deals
• Fitness deals
• Generator deals
• Coffee deals
• Deal: LG OLED TV
• Deal: Shark vacuum
• Deal: Anker Power Station
• Deal: Vitamix blender

The post Apple Black Friday deals: 30+ iPads, AirPods, MacBooks and more appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

Best for drawing		Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch (5th Generation)		SEE IT	Go big with this large liquid retina display that allows you to draw and create in stunning detail.
Best Android		Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+		SEE IT	Get all the performance power of a PC in the compact size of a tablet.
Best budget		Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus (2nd Gen)		SEE IT	Use all the power with this Octa-Core processor, at a fraction of the cost of comparable tablets.

Tablets have come a long way in the last decade. While portable touchscreen devices have been prototyped and produced since the 1970s, and they even enjoyed the spotlight when Type-A personalities made the PalmPilot the handheld PC du jour in the late ’90s, the tablet computer really caught on in 2010 with the introduction of the iPad. Sure, Android was there first, but Apple defined the category, and in the years since these devices have transitioned from screens just powerful enough to play movies to laptop alternatives with the potential to edit 4K video. That doesn’t make an iPad the best tablet for everyone, however. With varying sizes, operating systems, storage, and connectivity options, the right tablet can offer you as much access or ease as you like once you identify your priorities.

• Best overall: Apple iPad Air (5th Generation)
• Best for drawing: Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch (4th Generation)
• Best Android: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+
• Best for toddlers: Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition
• Best budget: Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus (2nd Gen)

Best tablets: Reviews & Recommendations

Let’s be honest, “iPad” hasn’t quite reached the level of Kleenex or Band-Aids when it comes to a brand name becoming the generic term for a product…but of all the tablets it’s the closest. There are folks, especially those who already have an iPhone and/or a MacBook, who believe tablet and iPad are already, exclusively synonymous. And iOS is undoubtedly accessible and app rich, able to cater to casual or corporate needs. So, if you’re looking for specific use cases (the best tablet for professional artists, Android users or young children, etc.), skip to the next section. Otherwise, here’s our pick for the best tablet for most users.

Best overall: Apple iPad Air (5th Generation)

Amazon

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: It strikes the ideal balance of power, price, and excellent design to appeal to most people.

Specs:

• Screen size: 10,9 inches
• Screen resolution: 1536 x 2048
• Stylus: Optional Apple Pencil not included

Pros:

• Beautiful, high-res screen
• Great stylus support
• Powerful
• Lots of accessory options

Cons:

• Expensive

The 2022 iPad Air packs flagship features into a more affordable package and is the best tablet for the money. A model honed to overperform, the iPad Air’s 10.9-inch Liquid Retina P3 HDR screen has the thin bezels and anti-reflective display of its bigger, more expensive sibling, as well as support for the Magic Keyboard and second-generation Apple Pencil (each sold separately, but the best combo for note-taking). Combine that with the M1, WiFi 6 chipset, and a 12-megapixel front camera—as well as the most active app development community for tablets—and you’ve got the best work-from-anywhere or game-on-the-go platform. A fingerprint scanner in the power button adds the convenience of unlocking the tablet without having to expose your face.

Best for drawing: Apple iPad Pro 12.9 inch

Amazon

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: It has a huge screen, tons of features, and heaps of processing power to claim the crown as the champ.

Specs:

• Screen size: 12.9 inches
• Screen resolution: 2048×2732
• Stylus: Apple Pencil not included

Pros:

• More power than you’ll need
• Absurdly beautiful screen
• 120 Hz refresh rate for smooth scrolling
• Great design

Cons:

• Expensive
• Overkill for many users

What’s the most important component of the best tablet? For artists, it is a highly sensitive, touch-responsive screen that delivers the widest array of colors. For that reason, Apple wins another category, getting the top pick when it comes to the best tablet for drawing and creatives. The iPad Air and iPad Pro’s laminated displays are bright (at 500 and 600 nits, respectively), as well as vivid, registering 102 or 123 percent of the sRGB color gamut, depending on the model. With support for Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Premiere Rush, etc., as well as powerful, intuitive apps such as Procreate, the iPad can handle any medium. So, which one is the best iPad for drawing?

The iPad Air is conveniently sized without making major compromises, but if you’re a serious graphic designer with money looking for the best drawing tablet, you’ll want to spring for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. Paying the premium gets you additional processor cores, an ultrawide camera, as well as more screen real estate with ProMotion technology for increased 120Hz refresh rates, fluid motion, and the smoothest stylus response, making it the very best iPad for drawing or as a laptop replacement.

It is important, however, to acknowledge the lack of true multitasking in iPadOS, so if you’re as much a business user as an illustrator and you’re looking to run a video chat while simultaneously sketching or editing documents, you’ll need to consider the best Windows 2-in-1 tablet, which is a laptop-class Intel i5 or i7 Microsoft Surface Pro 7. The iPad may be best for painting, but for vector art, layout tasks, and the like, full access to Windows 10 can help with a creative studio’s workflow. The Surface Pen, featuring 4096 pressure sensitivity, allows for plenty of control, though the screen’s brightness, refresh rate, and color gamut are more akin to the iPad Air than the iPad Pro.

Best Android: Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+

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Why it made the cut: A beautiful screen and powerful guts make this appealing to high-end users.

Specs:

• Screen size: 12.4 inches
• Screen resolution: 2,800 x 1,752
• Stylus: S Pen

Pros:

• Super-colorful screen
• Fast performance
• 120 Hz display

Cons:

• Expensive
• Big

Sure, Apple devices can feel ubiquitous at times. But there are also plentiful alternatives if you prefer the Android OS, which stands out for its configurability and seamless integration with Google apps. Because multiple hardware developers support Android—and not all devices ship with or are capable of running the most current version of Android—there’s a little more legwork involved in selecting the best Android tablet. But that’s where this guide comes in, so here’s our suggestion for the best Samsung tablet, made for Android and intended to give the iPad Pro a run for its money in terms of cameras, connectivity, and battery life.

A classic rounded aluminum slab, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S7+ doesn’t look like much—until you boot up its gorgeous 12.4-inch, 2,800 by 1,752-pixel Super AMOLED display. With a 120Hz refresh rate and a color gamut that even beats the iPad Pro (though it can’t match the iPad’s brightness), the Galaxy Tab S7+ makes you want to consume content (or game with no lag). But if you’re looking to work, as well as play, Samsung’s One UI skin and a customized DeX desktop interface (paired with an S Pen, included, for annotations and/or the optional Book Cover keyboard) helps to optimize the latest Android OS’s phone-like appearance and empower multitasking. (For games you can even pair an Xbox controller.) The device doesn’t have the processing power or streamlined system of an iPad, but it’ll stream or beam HD all day long.

Like almost every Samsung tablet, the Galaxy Tab S7+ is sold in various sizes of internal storage. However, unlike an iPad, which does not officially support expandable storage (and therefore may require more investment upfront), the Galaxy Tab S7+ has a slot for removable storage up to 1TB (via microSD card, sold separately). Cloud backups (whether it’s Google Drive or iCloud) are handy, but sometimes you want the assurance of local storage.

Best for toddlers: Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition

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Why it made the cut: It’s built to withstand the rigors of little hands and adds useful controls for parents to have a say in the content they consume.

Specs:

• Screen size; 10.1-inches
• Screen resolution: 1080p
• Stylus: None

Pros:

• Cheap
• Long battery life
• Rugged
• Built-in parental controls

Cons:

• Locked into the Amazon ecosystem
• Only good for kids

Typically, shopping for electronics is about getting the most functionality for the money. But when it comes to the best tablet for kids the equation shifts, because what you’re paying for is limitations. The best kids tablet comes with parental controls engaged and uncluttered access to a wealth of content. Ninety-nine percent of the time the goal is to keep the kid(s) preoccupied, not productive (for more coordinated tweens, etc., you might as well get an entry-level iPad to help with homework, or an Amazon Kindle Kids Edition to promote reading). So here’s our suggestion for the best kids’ tablet that can grow with your child.

The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition is a full-featured model with affordability bettered only by its durability. For under $200 you get a 10.1-inch 1080p Full HD IPS screen with 12-hour battery life encased in a colorful, drop-resistant bumper. It’s a crisp, responsive display for the age-adjustable library presented by the Kids+ carousel of apps, books, and videos (a one-year subscription to Amazon’s FreeTime Unlimited is included with purchase). While kids will love the ability to get Netflix, Minecraft, Zoom, etc. as they get older, parents will really enjoy the time limit and educational goal filters, as well as the two-year, worry-free “no questions asked” replacement guarantee.

Best budget: Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus (2nd Gen)

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Why it made the cut: This model offers solid specs for a reasonable price, which is what you want if you’re using it as a secondary device.

Specs:

• Screen size: 10.3 inches
• Screen resolution: 1920 x 1200
• Stylus: Optional

Pros:

• Affordable
• No software bloat
• Charging dock

Cons:

• Not super powerful
• Low-res cameras

Packing a 10.3-inch Full HD (1920 by 1200) IPS display, powered by an eight-core processor with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, the latest generation of the Lenovo Smart Tab M10 Plus has a premium feel and it runs a version of Android 9 that isn’t overly bloated by third-party preinstalls. It can smoothly run a web browser or word processor and has a productivity mode that adds a task bar (though it’s not a true desktop experience). Streaming and gaming performance is standard, though not spectacular, as are the cameras (at 8MP/5MP). But if you’re looking for the best budget tablet for Google apps and Assistant with solid battery life and a convenient charging dock for hands-free use, this is a great pick.

Things to consider when shopping for the best tablets

The best tablet computer is more than a screen: it’s an entryway. You’re buying into an ecosystem of apps and accessories. So before you invest it’s important to ask yourself a few questions about your own habits and existing hardware. Are you looking more for a portable bookstore or a part-time babysitter? Do you need a tool to up productivity or just for downtime? Are you always on the go or just want a more portable screen around the house? Do you already have Amazon, Android, and/or Apple devices, and is this tablet replacing or complementing them?

Related: Find out if you need to replace your laptop with a tablet

Maybe you want the best tablet for gaming and using Google Workspace. Maybe you just want the best screen to surf the internet, read a bestseller, or watch 4K HDR10 blockbusters. Establishing whether you’re trying to bridge the gap or just fill a specific hole is the first step. Then, based on how heavy you want your bag and how light you want your wallet, you can decide on the size and feature set that suits you, like whether a WiFi-only model or a more expensive cellular-equipped one fits where you’ll do most of your work. So come up to the lab and see what’s on the tab. Here are our suggestions for the best tablet whether you’re a voracious reader or a power user, a creative or wrangling kids.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best tablets

Whether you’re a reader or an author, a filmmaker, or just getting the most out of your Netflix subscription, you’re probably going to spend a lot of time looking at your tablet. So choose wisely. As long as you clearly identify your needs, the best tablet for you will feed your hunger for media and/or expression without sinking its teeth too deeply into your wallet.

The post The best tablets of 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

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The new 12.9-inch M2 iPad Pro might be the best display in my house. I have a nice TV and a solid computer monitor that I use for my professional photography work, but the Liquid Retina XDR display on Apple’s flagship tablet really is incredible, just like it was on last year’s M1-powered model. 

The new M2 chip inside the iPad Pro might also make it the fastest computing device I have in my home. It’s difficult to compare apples to apples when it comes to tablets vs. laptops, but my 16-inch M1 MacBook Pro gets some stiff competition from its skinnier, touch-enabled sibling. 

In short, the iPad Pro is the best iPad. In fact, I’d consider it the best overall tablet you can buy at the moment. But all the features that make it great also make it expensive (prices start at $1,099). And unless you have specific workflows in mind that require an immaculate screen and ample computing power, the iPad Pro (2022) is probably overkill. It is, however, that slick kind of overkill that Apple has refined into an art form. 

Stan Horaczek

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What’s new in the iPad Pro (2022)?

With this year’s iPad Pro refresh, don’t expect much in the way of a redesign. It relies on the same 12.9-inch, 2732 x 2048 display as last year’s M1-powered iPad Pro (an adaptive 120Hz panel that was already my favorite). The screen was one of the biggest selling points for the M1 model and it hasn’t changed here. Behind it, 10,000 mini-LEDs provide the backlight in 2,500 local dimming zones to allow for up to 1,600 nits of maximum brightness while maintaining deep black levels. It also supports a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio, the entire P3 color gamut, plus HDR, which makes for a truly gorgeous screen. 

The rest of the hardware hasn’t changed much, either. The front-facing camera has remained at the top of the screen rather than moving to the long edge as it has on the standard 10.9-inch iPad. The form factor has remained the same and so have all the accessories designed to go along with it. 

Enter the M2 chip

With the exterior components staying mostly the same, you have to look inside for the updates. Apple promises improvements across the board, including 15% faster CPU performance and 35% faster GPU numbers. Apple also claims a 40% improvement when it comes to the neural engine, which powers machine learning tasks. 

I personally find benchmarking somewhat unsatisfying when it fails to reflect tangible changes in the real world, but other reviewers have found that the spec bump has made a real difference in operating speeds across a litany of different tasks. 

For my testing, I loaded up a huge collection of 45MP raw files from my Canon R5 mirrorless camera into Adobe Lightroom and did a few hours of fairly intensive photo editing. The iPad Pro had no problem rendering previews, showing me edits in real-time, and quickly moving between images with very little lag. 

I also loaded up some 4K video from the same camera into iMovie (because Final Cut Pro still annoyingly doesn’t exist in iPad form yet) and found the M2 chip handled it with ease. Resource-intensive work like that obviously drains the battery more quickly than typical everyday tasks but the iPad never really struggled with tasks that tend to tax my 16-inch MacBook Pro. 

New Pencil Tricks

As with the previous iPad Pro, the new M2 version makes the most of the $129 Apple Pencil 2. A new iPadOS 16 feature allows the iPad to recognize the Pencil when it’s hovering up to 12mm above the display. Hovering allows for a few clever tricks like the ability to preview brush strokes in apps like Procreate or simply preview sections of a YouTube video by simply hovering over part of the timeline. I found this feature surprisingly handy during my review period. It’s exclusive to the 2022 iPads for now but, hopefully, it will trickle down the line later on. 

But how does the iPad Pro (2022) compare to …

12.9-inch vs. 11-inch iPad Pro

While I spent my entire review period working on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the 11-inch model has also gotten 2022’s M2 upgrade. The big difference between the two models lies in the screen. The 11-inch model is smaller, of course, but it also lacks some of the bells and whistles that make the 12.9-inch model so desirable. The 11-inch model still offers the high-refresh-rate ProMotion tech, as well as the P3 color gamut, but it lacks the mini-LED backlight tech, which limits its overall brightness to 600 nits and can’t provide the same kind of contrast ratios found in its big sibling. 

iPad Pro vs. iPad Air

With the introduction of the new M2 chip, there’s now a real performance gap between the 2022 iPad Air and the newest iPad Pro. If you’re doing resource-intensive work on the iPad, upgrading to the Pro absolutely makes sense. The 12.9-inch Pro also offers a decidedly better screen than the Air, which is no slouch. 

There are a few other differences, too. The new iPad Pros have Wi-Fi 6E, for instance, but it’s unlikely you’re even using 6E at the moment, though it may become more accessible in the future. 

So, who should buy the iPad Pro (2022)?

As with just about any product with the word “Pro” in the name, there are likely two kinds of people who will buy the new M2-equipped iPad Pro. Some actual professionals with specific use cases for this kind of device will take the plunge. As a professional photographer and imposter professional video shooter, a super-fast iPad with an immaculate screen has undeniable appeal to me. Other creative pros likely feel the same. 

The other target audience for this kind of product contains the same kind of people who will buy the Apple Watch Ultra because it’s the best Apple Watch and then never take it out into the wilderness or into harsh terrain. Some people just want the “best” thing with no real regard for whether it makes any financial or practical sense. 

I can say without a doubt that both of these groups will be satisfied with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2022). It’s fast, slick, expensive, and capable—a work machine and a status symbol all wrapped up in one.

The post Apple 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2022) review: Pretty and powerful appeared first on Popular Science.

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Change can be hard, especially when it comes to devices many of us use every single day. Apple’s new standard iPad has just undergone one of its biggest evolutions so far. And while the transformation introduces some notable design and performance upgrades, it also opens the door to a few growing pains, particularly when it comes to price and Pencil support. I’ve spent roughly a week with Apple’s new 10th-generation iPad and it’s undeniably great, but it suffers from a real case of middle-child syndrome.

Stan Horaczek

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What’s new in the 10th-generation iPad?

Until now, the standard iPad has embraced the original design with tapered edges and a Touch ID-equipped home button below the screen on the front of the device. The 10th-generation iPad moves to a more modern setup with no home button and squared edges to closer emulate the upmarket iPad Air and iPad Pro. Losing that front-facing button leaves room for more screen, giving the 10th-gen. model 10.9 inches of usable screen compared to 10.2 in the previous version. 

The 10th-gen. iPad’s front-facing camera also now resides along the long edge of the display, where it should be. That’s particularly huge when using the iPad in a keyboard case for video calls. It finally fixes the awkward issue of looking off to the side during Zoom meetings because of the awkward camera placement. Not even the Air or Pro can do that in their current iterations. 

Big for its britches

In a vacuum, all of these iPad design upgrades are great. They make the device feel much more modern during use and it improves the overall feel. The new form factor also introduces some growing pains. Despite the fact that it’s extremely similar in size to the iPad Air or the 11-inch iPad Pro, none of the cases for those devices will work with the newest model. 

Apple offers a Smart Folio, as well as a Magic Keyboard Folio specifically designed for the new 10th-gen. iPad. The Smart Folio offers a very standard iPad experience with a simple folding cover that lacks a keyboard. It works like so many versions of the same product before it, which is to say seamlessly and elegantly. 

It’s also slightly odd that the new iPad lacks a headphone jack. That’s a very odd omission if Apple is trying to make this model as accessible as possible. Many schools that use iPads, for instance, also rely on cheap earbuds and headsets that won’t work with this model unless they’re paired with an optional dongle. It’s an odd choice.

Case options

The Magic Keyboard Folio is a more interesting and considerably more expensive option. At $249, it’s more than half the price of the iPad itself. It includes a back plate, as well as a keyboard (with a touchpad) that doubles as a cover. Because the keyboard isn’t permanently attached, it’s simple to remove when holding the iPad like a book or setting it on a desk to simply watch some content or play games. 

While I enjoy the overall Smart Keyboard Folio experience, it does have a few downfalls. It doesn’t provide any protection for the edges of the device and the flexible hinge allows the keyboard to move around too much when the cover is closed. But, typing on the Magic Keyboard feels excellent and the whole package works seamlessly and easily. 

Pencil support

Because it looks so much like an iPad Air, you might expect to see an Apple Pencil 2 attached magnetically to the side of the 10th-gen. iPad. That’s not the case. The new standard iPad still works exclusively with the original Apple Pencil, which doesn’t allow for magnetic charging. 

Despite its reliance on an older Pencil, the 10th-gen. iPad offers a solid drawing and writing experience. It’s responsive and accurate enough for high-level work. I did some tedious photo retouching with it and had no problem with misalignment or lag. 

Things get a bit awkward when it’s time to charge. The new iPad offers a USB-C charging port, which makes the original Pencil’s integrated Lightning jack useless without an optional dongle. With help from a charging cable, you can use the Pencil while it’s connected to the iPad, but it’s an inelegant solution. It’s great to keep support for the original Pencil intact because it’s a pricy peripheral and there are literally millions of them still out there. Still, the charging process feels very clumsy compared to iPad’s slick design and generally intuitive experience.

Some select comparisons

At $449, the new iPad occupies the space between the $329 9th-gen. iPad (which Apple will continue to sell) and the $599 iPad Air. Here are pros and cons for each:

The 10th-gen. vs. 9th-gen. iPad

Upgrading from the 9th-gen. model offers the extra screen real estate, the updated design, the Touch ID via the power button, and access to the slick new Magic Keyboard Folio. The 10th-gen. model also upgrades the chip inside to the A14 Bionic, which is one generation newer than the A13 Bionic found in the previous model. Whether or not those upgrades warrant a $150 premium will vary from user to user. 

The 10th-gen. iPad vs. iPad Air

The discussion gets more interesting when comparing the 10th-gen. iPad to the iPad Air. The Air has a noticeably superior display thanks to the lamination and anti-reflective coating. Those two variables make a huge difference when you’re using the iPad out in the world. Reduced glare makes the screen visible in more settings without having to crank the overall brightness. That helps preserve battery life. 

The Air’s M1 processor also offers a considerable performance boost compared to the standard iPad, but many users may not even notice it. The extra horsepower makes itself known during resource-intensive activities like video editing or playing games. Users who don’t partake in those activities all that frequently may not really notice a difference. 

For those who rely heavily on the Pencil, upgrading to the Air likely makes sense. Magnetic charging is vastly easier and it drastically cuts down on opportunities for the Pencil to simply roll away when not in use. I know this because I spent five minutes of my 10.9-inch iPad review process fishing around under the couch for the Pencil. 

The verdict so far

After just a week with the new 10.9-inch iPad, I’ve been both impressed and slightly confused. The design changes are excellent and I hope every iPad from here on out keeps the front-facing camera on the long edge of the screen like it is here. This iPad is also fast enough to handle almost any task you want to throw at it unless you’re doing extended sessions with resource-intensive games or serious production work. 

The price still seems a bit high considering this device’s place in the lineup. That issue grows exponentially once you start adding accessories. A 256GB iPad with a Smart Keyboard Folio and a Pencil will cost you just under $1,000 (can’t forget the $9 for the Pencil charging dongle). That’s serious cash for a device that will eventually occupy the entry-level slot in the iPad lineup. 

Overall, the 10.9-inch 10th-gen. iPad is extremely solid and fills a real hole in the iPad lineup. Just make sure you understand the quirks before forking over that credit card.

The post Apple iPad (10th gen.) early review: It’s going through changes appeared first on Popular Science.

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Apple revealed updates to its entry-level iPad, both iPad Pro models, and the 4K Apple TV via an Oct. 18 update to its online store. All three tablets are available for preorder now with launch-day delivery Oct. 26. The Apple TV will also arrive day one if you order now, but won’t be released until Nov. 4.

The 2022 iPad

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The 2022 iPad is a substantive update over the previous version of Apple’s entry-level tablet, bringing it more in line with the mid-tier iPad Air. This new 10th-generation model—available in blue, pink, silver, or yellow—has a 10.9-inch “Liquid Retina” display, which is .7-inches larger than the 9th-generation iPad due to its much smaller bezels. Apple has also integrated the tablet’s Touch ID fingerprint reader into the power button and replaced its aging Lightning charging port with the now-standard USB-C port. Also, iPad photographers everywhere can rejoice. This new model has a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera—up from 8 megapixels. And a 12-megapixel front-facing camera sits to the side of the tablet’s screen, moved from the top, which will make video calls feel more like they do on a laptop.

But the changes to this iPad aren’t just skin deep. It’s rocking Apple’s A14 Bionic processor, which should be a moderate step up in performance when compared with the A13 Bionic processor inside the previous-generation iPad. This is also the first regular iPad to support 5G networking, plus Wi-Fi 6. These are more moderate changes when compared to the iPad’s updated design, but they’ll help ensure the tablet will run new versions of iPadOS for many years to come. One unwelcome update to this iPad is its price: The 10th-generation iPad starts at $449, which is $120 more than the 9th generation. The difference is so stark that Apple is keeping the last-gen iPad around at its regular $329. Apple has typically replaced the iPad with a new one at the same price, but that’s not so this time. It remains to be seen whether Apple’s price bump will blunt the impact of this meaningful iPad update or not.

Apple’s 10th-generation iPad is available for preorder right now at Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, B&H, and Adorama.

The iPad Pro M2

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Apple’s updates to the 11- and 12.9-inch iPad Pros are modest, especially compared to how much work the company did to differentiate the 10th-generation iPad from the previous model. Both iPad Pros have the same adaptive 120Hz Liquid Retina XDR displays, ports, storage options, battery life, and prices as the ones they replace. In terms of connectivity, there’s still 5G support but the iPad Pros add Wi-Fi 6E (a more futureproofed variant one step above the regular iPad). The biggest difference is that the new iPad Pros run on Apple’s M2 processor—custom silicon that is 15% faster than the M1 and has 35% better graphics performance. This spec bump will primarily be noticeable to those who use the iPad Pro for resource-intensive tasks, like high-resolution photo or video editing, and gamers playing the latest titles.

The year-over-year improvements to the iPad’s processing power are solid, but the M2 enables some more interesting features. First, it lets the iPad Pros encode and decode ProRes video, so Apple upgraded the camera on both models to record in that format. Second, it enables a feature called Apple Pencil Hover, which allows the iPad’s display to detect the electromagnetic pulses transmitted by Apple’s stylus from up to 12mm (.47 inches) away. Digital artists can use this feature (enabled in iPadOS 16, which will ship with the new iPads) to preview the location of a brush stroke on an image before they set the Apple Pencil down, so they know exactly where it’ll go. It’s up to third-party developers to take full advantage of this feature, but it does enhance the iPad Pro’s chops as a drawing tablet.

The M2 iPad Pro is available for preorder at Best Buy, Amazon, B&H, and Adorama.

Apple’s late-2022 iPad updates have given budget-conscious customers another option when picking a tablet, while continuing to position the iPad Pro as a worthy laptop alternative. Time will tell if either of these strategies is successful. But this tablet refresh helps to clarify Apple’s intentions in this part of its product portfolio. Both tablets are designed for aspirational users who want to do more on their iPad than browse the Internet and stream content. We hope that in the future the iPad Pro will be available in fun colors and that the successor to the entry-level iPad sees a price drop to become even more accessible.

The Apple TV 4K

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Need a way to cast the art you’ve been hovering over onto the big screen? The most surprising announcement from the hardware refresh was an update to the Apple TV 4K. Apple announced two new models with updated custom silicon—both featuring an A15 Bionic processor (up to 50% faster than the A12 Bionic found in the previous Apple TV)—as well as support for HDR10+, a new Siri remote that charges via USB-C instead of Lightning, and a fan-less design that cuts the streaming puck’s weight in half. The move from Lightning to USB-C is a welcome one, but Apple doesn’t include a charging cable for it in the box. While the two Apple TVs share a lot in common, there are a few key differences between them that are worth mentioning.

The entry-level Apple TV has 64GB of storage, lacks an Ethernet port for wired networking, and doesn’t have a thread radio, which means it can’t connect directly to smart-home accessories and act as a hub. The higher-end Apple TV has 128GB of storage, features a Gigabit Ethernet port, and a thread radio. These two new Apple TVs retail for $129.99 and $149.99 respectively, which is a price cut of $50 compared to the models they replace, and will be available Nov. 4.

Apple TV is available for preorder at Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, B&H, and Adorama.

The post The new iPads and Apple TV are up for preorder appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best overall		NordVPN		SEE IT	NordVPN ranks among the best VPN providers across all desirable capabilities.
Best for unlimited devices		Surfshark		SEE IT	While it’s not the most well-known VPN provider, Surfshark is among the best in every meaningful category.
Best dedicated IP		Cyberghost		SEE IT	CyberGhost is one of the best VPN providers out there, and its advanced features are very handy.

From smartphones to tablets to laptops and everything internet-connected in between, most of us rely on multiple devices every single day—all the more reason we should rely on a VPN. To stay online all the time, you may wind up relying on public Wi-Fi or a connection through work or school, which often isn’t as secure as you might think. If you’re tired of worrying about trackers and hackers potentially sifting through your data, you should consider using a virtual private network, or VPN, to hide your online presence and make it harder for companies and bad actors to find your data. Some VPNs specialize in phones or PCs, but the best VPNs for multiple devices can protect your entire tech arsenal.

• Best overall: NordVPN
• Best for unlimited devices: Surfshark
• Best dedicated IP: CyberGhost
• Best app: ExpressVPN
• Best for families: Private Internet Access
• Best budget: ProtonVPN

What is a VPN?

When you surf the internet, you transmit certain information about yourself to the sites you visit, including your location. A virtual private network (VPN) is an online service that hides your digital identity from online utilities like Google or Facebook that wish to collect and sell your data, as well as from hackers and scammers. A VPN acts like a mask that your computer puts on before it walks into a party. Websites can tell that you’re there and that you’re wearing a mask, but they can’t see any of the personal information that they normally would.

Each of the following VPNs encrypts the data that you send, and most of them have a “no-log” policy, which means that they do not keep any record of your activity. Some even allow you to mask your identity from the VPN server itself. While you might not care if a random person knows about your online shopping habits, you certainly don’t want them to know the password to your bank account. 

VPNs also let you set a virtual location, allowing you to appear as if you are browsing from another country. This allows you to look at the many international versions of sites like Netflix, which may offer different content to other parts of the world.

When it comes to finding a VPN that supports many devices, the good news is that most VPNs have apps that allow you to easily modify your phone or tablet’s internet connection. However, the quality of those apps does vary somewhat, as we’ll go over in the next few sections.

For more information on how VPNs work and how to set one up, please check out our full-length guide on how to use a VPN.

How we picked the best VPNs for multiple devices

As a professional tech writer for almost a decade, I’ve personally tested many of the most popular VPNs for friends and my own personal use, and I know how they perform. To make these recommendations, we consulted online guides, reviews, specs, and spoke to several information security experts. Thanks to this research, we know which VPNs are worth your hard-earned cash, and which ones are better left in the bowels of Google.

Things to consider when buying a VPN for multiple devices

Choosing a VPN to protect every device you own can seem intimidating at first, especially if you aren’t the kind of person who spends hours and hours online. However, the competing services really boil down to a few factors that will determine which provider is best for you. Since the best VPN deals are often a multiyear commitment, it’s important to consider the following questions before clicking the buy button.

Why do I need a VPN?

When you access the internet from your phone, tablet, or computer, you’re transmitting information about yourself, whether you like it or not. Most companies collect this information and track your activity across the internet to help them sell you products. Some bad actors will try and use it to target you for identity theft scams, such as phishing schemes. 

If you use public Wi-Fi often for work, you should keep in mind that most public Wi-Fi networks are not secure. Whether you’re relaxing in your dorm or enjoying a cup of coffee at your favorite cafe, public Wi-Fi often leaves you unprotected against scammers who want the password to your Amazon account. Using a VPN in these situations makes it much harder for people to grab your data, even when it may be vulnerable.

How many connections do you really need?

In a perfect world, a VPN would provide perfect protection to every single internet-enabled device you own. Realistically, most services won’t allow that. Even if they did, you probably don’t really need that level of protection.

When picking your VPN, take a moment and think about which devices need extra security. Laptops, desktops, tablets, and phones are the most vulnerable because they connect to an internet browser, as well as email phishing scams. Game consoles like a PlayStation 5 or a Nintendo Switch are far less likely to fall victim to malware. Most VPNs that work across many kinds of computers do put a cap on the number of devices you can protect. Most popular services will have plans that can go up to 5-10 devices, though some services offer plans to protect an unlimited number of devices.

If you want a subscription package that supports you and your entire family’s massive constellation of tech toys at the same time, you will only have a couple of options. Alternatively, if you just need to protect your three primary devices—a PC, a phone, and tablet, for example—you can safely go with any of our picks.

Killer apps

VPNs designed for multidevice use should offer a free app that you use to mask your tablet or phone activity. Not all of them are easy to navigate, but they allow you to protect your mobile devices before you log on, not after.

Speed and cost

Using a VPN will always make your internet at least a little bit slower. When you use a VPN, you’re forcing your information to make a couple of stops on the way between you and whatever website you’re looking at. Since you’re routing your browsing through another server, the sheer fact of that distance means that it’ll take a little longer to load your sites. 

The best VPNs will only slow you down the slightest bit. Others may slow it down quite a bit. This is one of a few reasons why it’s always worth it to pay for a well-known VPN rather than use a sketchy “free” alternative.

Reputation is everything

While many VPNs like to vaunt their latest and greatest technology as a must-have innovation, the truth is that most of the big VPNs offer extremely similar services for very similar prices. 

When you connect to a VPN, you’re giving that provider an inside look at your browsing habits. As such, we only picked VPNs that are well-known, reliable brand names that have proven their worth over the years. The usual VPNs might be a little more expensive than the new kids on the block, but using a no-name provider could theoretically be worse than using none at all.

Price

Most trustworthy VPN services charge between $10 and $15 per month to use their platforms. If you’re looking to get the best bang for your buck, we highly recommend paying up-front for a year or two of service, as that will significantly reduce the cost of admission. In picking the best VPNs, we weighed the cost of the service heavily, as well as whether or not those premium prices resulted in more simultaneous connections.

The best VPNs for multiple devices: Reviews & Recommendations

Hopefully, you now feel comfortable poking around and picking a VPN to keep your daily browsing data safe. If you’re looking for a VPN that can cover all your fun electronic toys without much of a hassle, our recommendations are a great place to start.

Best overall: NordVPN

NordVPN

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Why it made the cut: NordVPN delivers everything you would want from a VPN provider, including thousands of servers, six simultaneous connections, and ultra-reliable service.

Specs

• Server count: Over 5,500 servers in 59 countries
• Connection limit: Supports 6 device connections at once
• Home country: Panama
• Free/trial version: None
• Standard plan price: $11.99 per month, $59.98 per year, or $126.96 every two years

Pros

• Trusted brand name
• Extremely reliable
• Many, many servers
• Fancy bells and whistles you actually want

Cons

• Only six simultaneous connections
• Fairly expensive

If you’re thinking about using a VPN, you’ve almost certainly heard of NordVPN, and that’s for good reason. Pound-for-pound, it’s arguably the best VPN provider on the market. Nord boasts thousands of servers in dozens of countries, as well as competitive speeds worldwide. NordVPN also offers dedicated IPs for an additional monthly fee, which is useful for users who want to hide the fact that they’re using a VPN at all.

Though the brand’s reputation took a hit after a 2018 server breach, it still remains one of the most trusted providers in the space. NordVPN’s mobile app is clean and intuitive, and it supports every device you have lying around the house. If you’re looking for more than just a basic VPN service, Nord also offers a data breach scanner, a password manager, and encrypted cloud storage for additional rates.

NordVPN plans support up to six simultaneous connections. That’s definitely enough for a well-connected person or an average household, but large families full of tech-heads may want to look at alternatives that can handle more bandwidth.

Best for unlimited connections: Surfshark

Surfshark

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Specs

• Server count: 3,200 servers in 95 countries
• Connection limit: Unlimited
• Home country: The Netherlands
• Free/trial version: None
• Standard plan price: $12.95 per month, $47.88 per year, or $59.76 for two years 

Pros

• Unlimited connections on one account
• Competitive speeds
• Extremely good value

Cons

• Less well-known than alternatives
• No extra bells and whistles

Surfshark is the new kid on the VPN block, but don’t let that fool you. Though it makes our list for offering unlimited simultaneous connections—making it an extremely good option for large households full of technophiles—it’s a very strong service across the board. Its $60, two-year subscription is one of the best deals you’ll find in the space, and Surfshark is consistently ranked high among the fastest VPN services out there. Its mobile app is also quite snazzy.

Surfshark’s major downside is its server network, which is significantly smaller than its well-known competition. That said, 3,000+ servers is nothing to sneeze at. Meanwhile, the ability to access servers in 95 countries gives you far more masking options than most providers. Surfshark is arguably the best deal in VPN-land and is definitely the best choice for users with more than six devices.

Best for dedicated IP: CyberGhost

Cyberghost

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Specs

• Server count: 7,900 servers in 91 countries
• Connection limit: Supports 7 device connections at once
• Home country: Romania
• Free/trial version: None
• Price: $12.99 per month, $51.48 per year, or $78 every two years

Pros

• More servers than almost any VPN
• Seven simultaneous connections
• Easy setup for advanced features

Cons

• Visually underwhelming
• No independent security audits since 2012

Some VPN users prefer to pay their provider a little extra for a dedicated IP address in order to fool websites into thinking that they aren’t using a VPN at all. If you don’t pay for a dedicated IP, your traffic will show up as a different IP every time you connect and many websites have filters for popular VPN server IPs. If you want to hide the fact that you’re hiding your info, we recommend CyberGhost, a fully featured VPN provider with all the bells and whistles you need to take control of your cybersecurity.

CyberGhost’s dedicated IP service costs about $4 a month, which is not insignificant. This service ensures that you will always show the same unique IP address when you’re using CyberGhost, which will likely be enough to fool streaming services like Netflix into unblocking you. No more Captchas when casually Googling, either. However, there is a small catch: CyberGhost will issue a unique access token that you use to log into your unique IP. The company keeps no record of this token, but that means you have to keep track of it yourself. If you lose it, you’ll have to purchase another subscription to get another dedicated IP.

Even if you don’t want a dedicated IP—or you’re afraid you’ll lose the token—CyberGhost is an extremely competitive VPN provider. It’s one of the fastest VPNs out there according to speed tests, and its plans are significantly less expensive than some of its competitors.

Best app: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN

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Specs

• Server count: Over 3,000 servers in 94 countries
• Connection limit: Supports 5 device connections at once
• Home country: British Virgin Islands
• Free/trial version: None
• Standard plan price: $12.95 per month, or $99.95 per year

Pros

• Best app UI and usability
• Very reliable
• Trusted name

Cons

• Only five connections at once
• Expensive

NordVPN and ExpressVPN are effectively the Coke and Pepsi of the VPN world. Like its counterpart, ExpressVPN is a well-established brand that gives you everything you expect from a premium VPN, including fast speeds, a widespread network, and a variety of extra services that you tack on.

ExpressVPN’s key advantage for those of us with a lot of gear is its excellent mobile app. It’s visually appealing, works on every platform, and makes tweaking your settings easy. ExpressVPN’s speeds have also tested well over the years. However, it does not offer some of the popular extras that Nord users might like, such as dedicated IP services. 

Express offers only five simultaneous connections, which is significantly less than some of our other picks. However, if you tend to stick with only two or three devices, ExpressVPN is a premium provider that covers the basics quite well for everyday people who don’t want to be burdened with overly technical details.

Best for families: Private Internet Access

Private Internet Access

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Specs

• Server count: Over 28,000 servers in 84 countries
• Connection limit: Supports 10 device connections at once
• Home country: United States
• Free/trial version: None
• Standard plan price: $12.00 per month, $90 per year, or $56 for two years

Pros

• 10 simultaneous connections
• Ridiculous server count
• Good UI
• Very reasonable price

Cons

• Not the fastest
• Doesn’t stand out in any category

Private Internet Access is one of the most popular VPNs out there thanks to its compelling price point and feature set. For one thing, PIA boasts a truly absurd server count—over 28,000 worldwide—as well as a simultaneous connection cap that’s more than double some of its competitors. PIA is also regularly discounted for price points that you rarely see in the VPN space, making it a good option for families who want to make every dollar count.

While PIA is certainly a good VPN, it doesn’t necessarily excel in any particular way. Its dedicated IP services aren’t as well-regarded as CyberGhost and NordVPN. Its speed doesn’t compete with many of the major platforms, either. It has standard VPN features like split tunneling, a killswitch, and optional antivirus software, but nothing that sets it apart. 

All in all, Private Internet Access is an extremely respectable VPN that doesn’t quite have the brand recognition of its bigger competitors. However, it’s a reliable alternative that costs less than most of our other picks and will protect a lot of devices simultaneously.

Best budget: ProtonVPN

ProtonVPN

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Specs

• Server count: Over 1,700 servers in 63 countries (premium)
• Connection limit: Supports 10 device connections at once (premium)
• Home country: Switzerland
• Free/trial version: Yes, speed-capped
• Standard plan price: $10.52 per month, $75.69 per year, or $126.10 every two years (billed in Euro)

Pros

• A decent free tier that actually works
• Supports 10 simultaneous connections
• Easy to upgrade to premium

Cons

• Limited feature-set
• Premium is expensive for what it is

You can’t go very far online without being bombarded with ads for free VPN services these days. While most of these services are unreliable, data-capped, or possibly even scams, ProtonVPN is the real deal. It offers a free tier that can actually serve as a decent VPN in a pinch. It doesn’t have a data cap, so you don’t have to tediously count every megabyte you transmit to use it.

As you might expect, ProtonVPN’s free plan is quite limited compared to its premium competitors. You can only choose from three servers, it’s limited to one device at a time, and Proton blocks popular VPN use cases like torrenting and streaming. As such, if you really want a VPN that supports multiple devices, you’ll need to shell out for its premium services.

The good news is that ProtonVPN makes it very easy to upgrade from its free plan to a paid option. It offers 10 simultaneous connections, which is more than enough for even large households. However, it does falter when compared to other premium competitors like NordVPN and ExpressVPN. It also lacks premium features that power users might expect, such as support for dedicated IP addresses.

The truth is that there is no good free option if you want to use a VPN across many devices. ProtonVPN gives the closest thing: A free taste of its services before you invest.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best VPNs for multiple devices

Whether you command a fleet of devices or simply want to protect your laptop and your phone, it makes sense to sign up for a VPN service to protect gear on unsecured networks. While our VPN picks vary in price, number of connections, and advanced features, the bottom line is that they all keep your private information safe.

The post Best VPNs for multiple devices in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

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For most of us, myself included, the folding display technology at the heart of Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold4 is the stuff of wonders. Despite the fact that this is the fourth Galaxy Fold, and there are several other devices with foldable screens that you can touch and use, it is truly wild to crack open your phone and see the tablet-esque 7.6-inch inner screen open. It’s important to keep in mind that folding screens are, conceptually, still new and a bit magical. The Fold4, launched Aug. 26, is largely defined by design tweaks and improved components that improve its flagship-tier performance, though not always in ways that the average person will care about. And yet, unless you are one of the few upgrading from an older Fold, using one will likely feel entirely new and exciting.

But, like the previous models, that experience comes with a few tradeoffs versus a conventional phone. Having a very large screen that’s genuinely pocketable feels great when you’re scrolling at home or sitting on a train, but it’s thicker, more delicate, and a little bit awkward compared to the standard smartphone design. Samsung has taken measures to mitigate those issues in the Fold4, especially around durability. The result is powerful and appealing, but not necessarily a big enough change to make the folding handset a viable choice for the average phone fan.

Mike Epstein

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What is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4?

The Galaxy Z Fold4 retains the book-style folding form factor that its predecessors popularized. When you pull it out of your pocket, it’s a thick, tall, and skinny riff on the conventional smartphone, measuring 2.64 x 6.11 x 0.62 inches (WHD) with a 6.2-inch 2316 x 904p Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen. You can open the phone from the right side, like a book, revealing the larger 7.6-inch 2176 x 1812p Dynamic AMOLED 2X display. At 5.12 x 6.11 x 0.25 inches unfolded, the Fold4 demands two hands to handle the larger “tablet” mode comfortably, so it’s really reserved for when you can give it your full attention.

Using the Fold when closed feels more or less like your standard smartphone, though the form factor is definitely less than ideal. The external screen makes most apps look scrunched together. Text in apps like Twitter and Facebook is small, so it can be harder to casually look at apps at a glance. It’s fine when you need to bang out a quick text or take a call, but you wouldn’t want to spend time using it this way.

Of course, when you have time, you’ll open up the phone and use the larger screen, which greatly enhances watching, playing, and doing anything where you give the phone your full attention. I’ve never been one to watch a movie or TV on my phone, but the screen fills your field of vision to the point where you can watch videos comfortably without bringing the screen in close. Games, especially those with small text like League of Legends: Wild Rift or Teamfight Tactics, look better and are easier to navigate. (If nothing else, the Fold4 feels more like a “gaming phone” than anything else I’ve tried.)

It also offers the best version of app multitasking on a phone. You can open and simultaneously run up to three apps across the 21.6:18 inner screen. I find it works best keeping it to two so nothing gets too small, but it feels much better to move information between two apps you can see than to copy something, close an app, then open another and paste, as you would on most phones. Sometimes you’re transferring info from a Google doc to a spreadsheet. Other times you’re adding something to your calendar based on a note or a text that Android doesn’t recognize as a potential calendar event. As streamlined as our phones are, we all still do these little manual data transfers from time to time and it feels better on the Fold, once you get the hang of split-screening apps using the “Multi-Window” tab on the right side of the screen.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4’s design and features

To optimize its strengths, and overcome a few of its weaknesses, the Fold4 features a few structural design tweaks. The phone is just under 3mm shorter than the Galaxy Z Fold3, and 2mm wider when unfolded, which goes a surprisingly long way to make holding the phone more comfortable, especially in “tablet” form. Its smaller bezels get out of the screen’s way, allowing it to loom large in the shorter, wider phone.

The unconventional form factors of both screens still present their own issues, though. Since neither display fits the conventional dimensions of a smartphone or a tablet, you’ll find many apps feature crunched display text, plus large black bars around widescreen videos and other apps not optimized specifically for the Fold. That doesn’t take away from the fact that Netflix and games look sharp and beautiful on the large unfolded screen (or the cover screen, if you choose), but it sometimes minimizes the benefits of having a maximal screen.

In fairness, though, Samsung is steadily getting more and more developers to create Fold-native versions of their apps, including the Google suite, the Microsoft Office suite, Spotify, Facebook, and more. Most recently, they’ve added Twitch, YouTube, and Microsoft Teams.

So durable, but not durable enough

To combat the general perception that the Fold is fragile, Samsung has taken steps to make it more durable. It features a reinforced frame and a cover display made from Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+. It also features a redesigned hinge, which allows for a smoother opening. Samsung also claims that the new hinge makes the “crease” in the middle of the display disruptive, but it’s still very noticeable in most apps.

While those changes may have reinforced the phone against drops, the phone still feels more delicate than a Galaxy S22 or an iPhone 13. The hinge opens smoothly, but slowly—you cannot whip it open the way you can with a laptop or an old-school flip phone. As a result, I was still afraid of opening it forcefully and snapping the phone in half, even if that wasn’t a real possibility. Also, the phone remains susceptible to dust—it features an IPX8 water resistance rating, but no dry particle resistance—so there you do need to be somewhat mindful of where and how you handle it. (Also, at 9.6 ounces, it drops like a rock. So … don’t drop it.)

Processor gains

One of the Galaxy Z Fold4’s largest improvements is its new and improved Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 processor. While it’s only half-step over the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 in the Galaxy S22 line, it has seemingly delivered a larger-than-average performance boost, at least on paper. In benchmarks like Geekbench 5 for CPU and general processor performance, the Fold4 outperformed the Galaxy S22 and S21 Ultra by a small but notable margin. It beat out Samsung’s other foldable, the Galaxy Z Flip4, which has the same chipset. It also outdid the standard Galaxy phones in 3DMark’s Wild Life tests for GPU performance and was neck and neck with the Flip4. 

All things being equal, the Fold4 offers best-in-class speed for an Android phone. You may notice it in games, which should feel snappy and look sharp, or when taking and editing either high-resolution photos and video. It also ensures smooth scrolling in 120Hz without flickering, and seamless transitions when using two apps in split screen mode apps, or bending the inner screen into the half-folded “flex” mode.

Camera bump

The camera is the centerpiece of most smartphones, and the Fold4 is the first folding model where the hardware feels like it’s in lock-step with the standard Galaxy phones. Its primary back cameras match the S22 and S22 Plus—a 50MP wide-angle camera, a 12MP Ultra-wide camera, and 10MP tele-photo camera. That’s a notable step up over the 12/12/12MP lenses on the Fold3 5G. It also offers up to 30x digital zoom and 3x optical zoom, the latter of which is an upgrade over the S22.

For video, the Fold4 can record in 8K at up to 24 frames per second (fps), or in 4K at up to 60fps. The Fold3 couldn’t record in 8K, so you are getting a fidelity bump, albeit a largely unnecessary one. (I don’t own any 8K devices, do you?)

Of course, the actual performance of these cameras increasingly comes down to the AI that magically blends multiple pictures together behind the scenes. Again, the Fold4 receives an upgrade that enables parity with the S22, including Samsung’s new “nightography” for low-light photos. As someone who’s very critical of photos, but only an okay photographer, I found the Fold4 makes it very easy to take the best possible photo in any given situation, though I would say that some colors appear a bit oversaturated in very bright settings. That shouldn’t come as a surprise for anyone familiar with Samsung’s camera systems.

It’s also worth pointing out that the folding screen is especially useful when shooting photos and video. In “flex” mode, with the screen half-folded, the viewfinder appears on the upper, vertical half of the screen and the buttons appear on the lower half. This makes it much easier to take a clear photo while raising your phone high or lowering it without bending down, since you can still see what you’re shooting.

In addition to the primary rear cameras, the Fold4 has two selfie cameras, a 10MP camera on the cover screen and a 4MP under the unfolded display. These cameras are largely unchanged from the Fold3: Both are fine, but a far cry from the excellent rear cameras. That said, Samsung has made it so the under-display camera successfully fades into the display when games and apps don’t use it. It’s a nice quality-of-life improvement, though a small camera dot doesn’t feel like a huge impediment in a tech world full of camera notches.

Battery life and other features

For all of its many improvements, some aspects of the Fold4 are identical to the Fold3. It features a 4400mAh battery that will get you through a day of intermittent use, though you will burn through it much faster playing a game on the big screen for an extended time, maybe 4-5 hours. It still can handle up to 25W fast-charging, which can juice up your phone from dead to 50 percent in 30 minutes. It also supports the latest networking standards—5G from your carrier and Wi-Fi 6E on a home network.

Aside from battery life, which can always improve, these are top-of-the-line specs. We would expect nothing less from the only phone that costs more than a Galaxy S22 Ultra.

So, who should buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4?

Though it’s the best version of the Galaxy Fold yet, the Galaxy Z Fold4 still feels like a device reserved for tinkerers, early adopters, and those who are willing to pay more for an exciting, if sometimes flawed experience. Its streamlined design looks more svelte and feels better in your hand. In many ways, it is more durable. It offers smoother performance and much-improved cameras. These are all great things, and they allow the Fold4 to retain its place as the premiere folding phone (even if the Z Flip series is more popular).

Despite the positives, two things hold the Fold4 back: First, even with its enhancements, many aspects of the Fold4 feel more delicate than another phone. In some cases, those fears may be imagined, like snapping the hinge. Others, like concerns about getting dust in the phone or breaking the inner screen, are not, though. Real or not, anxiety over breaking the phone adds some real baggage to the experience.

That perceived fragility is only enhanced by the Fold4’s sky-high price. With a starting launch price of $1,799.99 for an unlocked phone, it’s considerably more expensive than a Galaxy S22 Ultra, a Pixel 6 pro, or an iPhone 13 Pro Max. At that price, I expect a special phone that excels in ways others do not and delivers superior performance without any compromises. The Fold4 nails the first part, but falters on the second. One of these days, the Fold will either fix those issues or drop to a low enough price that it can become a practical recommendation. It isn’t ready today, but Samsung is one step closer.

The post Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 review: A step closer appeared first on Popular Science.

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Apple only recently started offering support for at-home product repairs, albeit with many a caveat, but yesterday marked a notable expansion in available services for consumers—in theory. Apple’s Self Service Repair Store now encompasses all MacBook Air and MacBook Pro laptops utilizing the M1 chip, although the website portal is down at the time of writing this. It’s frustrating, but not exactly surprising—this is a major industry shift that both consumers and regulators have urged for years, so demand will be understandably high upon launch.

Once the site is back up and running, however, Apple promised in a statement yesterday that Self Service Repair for M1 Air and Pro models will offer over a dozen different fixes for parts like the display, trackpad, top case with battery, and “more to come.”

[Related: The Apple self-service repair shop just opened for business]

Of course, the “right to repair” comes with a cost. Customers hoping to mend their Apple laptops themselves are required to purchase proprietary company parts at a hefty premium, as well as rent an official “repair kit” at $49 for one week’s usage if they don’t want to buy the necessary tools themselves. As Gizmodo notes, the price tag is the same as Apple’s two-part, 79-pound behemoth iPhone kit, although the company promises MacBook kits are “significantly different.”

With individual tools such as a torque driver costing $80 on top whatever the replacement parts run you, it’s clear Apple still much prefers its customers to take their devices to a certified repair location. “For the vast majority of customers who do not have experience repairing electronic devices, visiting a professional repair provider with certified technicians who use genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to get a repair,” the company goes out of its way to say in the official press release, before extolling all the new and existing licensed repair sites and technicians.

Changes in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act alongside an executive order signed by President Biden last year have pushed companies like Apple, alongside Google and Samsung, to finally offer home repair options for their millions of customers, but it’s already obvious that moving towards making the choice far more affordable and accessible for everyone is going to be quite the challenge. Still, the expansion is a notable step forward for the industry, once that site is back up and running, of course.

The post Apple finally extends home repairs to (some) MacBook owners appeared first on Popular Science.

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Samsung’s summer Unpacked event brings exciting announcements every August and this year’s presentation didn’t disappoint. The company unveiled new versions of its two high-end foldable phones—the Galaxy Z Fold4 and Galaxy Z Flip4—which have been fine-tuned with slimmer bezels, smaller hinges, and more seamless display creases. It also revealed two versions of its next smartwatch—the Galaxy Watch5 and the first-ever Galaxy Watch5 Pro, which features a tough titanium case and sapphire crystal display. Last, but not least, an upgraded version of Samsung’s earbuds, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro, features some subtle design tweaks and support for high-fidelity audio.

Galaxy Z Fold4

With each passing year, Samsung’s Z Fold series further establishes itself as the company’s premier foldable. Samsung refines the Z Fold4’s signature tablet-esque 7.6-inch AMOLED 2X folding screen with a slightly wider inner display, a more subtle hinge with less of a crease, and a less-intrusive under-display camera. Samsung has also taken great pains to make the Z Fold4 more durable than its predecessors, as the line’s integrity has always been a concern. This year’s model features IPX8 water resistance for the first time and a newly optimized layer structure on the main display for enhanced shock absorption. 

Under the hood, the Z Fold4 is powered by a Snapdragon+ Gen 1 processor, has 12GB of RAM, and offers 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage. The device continues to provide a triple-camera setup, but there are some welcome updates this year.

Its rear cameras receive a major boost, sporting the same trio as the Samsung Galaxy S22—a 12MP ultra-wide, a 50MP wide, and a 10MP telephoto camera, the latter of which offers 3x optical zoom and 30x digital zoom. It will also feature a 10MP wide camera on the front, just like Z Fold3.

Samsung has also made some software changes that make the Z Fold4 a more effective multitasker. The taskbar has been redesigned in OneUI 4.1.1, providing users easy access to their favorite and recently used apps. Speaking of software, the Z Fold4 is the first device to ship with Android 12L, a version of Android for large screen and foldable devices.

Last, but not least, the Fold4 now has touchpad controls in “flex mode,” when the Fold4 is partially folded. It should, if nothing else, make it easier to use the half-screen as a viewfinder when taking selfies.

The Galaxy Z Fold4 will be available Aug. 26 for $1,799 in graygreen, phantom black, and beige. Samsung is also offering the device in burgundy exclusively on its website.

Galaxy Z Flip4

Samsung also introduced an updated Galaxy Z Flip, which the company said is the most popular foldable in the world. (Practically speaking, that simply means it’s more popular than the Z Fold.) This year’s model, the Galaxy Z Flip4 improves the clamshell design with a tougher frame, refined hinge, and slimmer display bezels compared to previous generations. Samsung also said the display is stronger, so users will encounter fewer unexpected cracks from everyday use.

Improved durability is welcome but that isn’t the only change. Samsung has enhanced the cover screen so users can more efficiently reply to messages and make calls. New widgets are also being made available, further establishing the cover screen as a core part of the Z Flip experience. The concept of the cover screen has always been exciting and it looks like Samsung is getting closer to making it a reliable quick-glance solution in more situations.

Like last year’s model, the Galaxy Z Flip4 launches with a 6.7-inch OLED display that features a 22:9 aspect ratio and supports 120Hz ProMotion technology. The display also features a 10MP selfie camera with a familiar hole punch design.

The Z Flip4 is powered by a Snapdragon+ Gen 1 processor and comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB, 256GB, or 512GB storage options. The device also comes with a 3700mAh battery that can charge to 50% in just half an hour, and it’s water-resistant, so it can survive getting wet if caught in a downpour. Like last year, the Z Flip 4 features a dual-camera setup, with a brighter 12MP wide lens and a 12MP ultra-wide lens. 

Samsung said the cameras now offer larger pixels, better image stabilization, and enhanced processing for better low-light performance. Tracking for video has also been improved, so moving subjects stay in focus without much intervention from the user.

The Galaxy Z Flip4 will cost $999 when it launches Aug. 26 and is available in bora purple, graphite, pink gold, and blue. Samsung is also offering bespoke editions that will allow users to pick from a set of colors for the front, back, and frame.

Galaxy Watch5 and Galaxy Watch5 Pro

Samsung historically releases a standard Galaxy Watch and a more robust, expensive “classic” version with a larger frame. This year, the company is shaking things up by introducing the Galaxy Watch5 and a more rugged, outdoor-minded Galaxy Watch5 Pro.

The Galaxy Watch5 comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes and will be available in both Bluetooth and LTE. Both feature sapphire crystal glass and curved rear glass, which Samsung said offers better contact with a user’s wrist, enabling more accurate biometrics, including advanced sleep coaching, body composition analysis, heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen levels, and a new skin temperature detection feature, which could tell users when they have a fever. The Watch5 also features IP68 water and dust resistance and runs Wear OS powered by Samsung’s customizations.

The 40mm Watch5 features a 1.19-inch display and 284mAh battery, and the 44mm Watch5 includes a 1.36-inch display and 410mAh battery. Otherwise, the two devices offer the same features and support 20mm band sizes. The Galaxy Watch5 starts at $279 for the 40mm and 44mm versions with Bluetooth and the price goes up for both models to $329 if you want LTE. Curiously, the small version is available in silver, graphite, and pink gold, while the larger model comes in sapphire, silver, and graphite.

The only totally new product in the announcement, Galaxy Watch5 Pro is a larger smartwatch made for people who spend a lot of time in the great outdoors. It features a harder titanium case and a sapphire crystal display, making it better prepared to handle whatever outdoor adventure you have planned. 

The Galaxy Watch5 Pro comes in a single, extra-large 45mm case size. Like the Watch5, it offers advanced health and sleep tracking features. It includes a larger 1.36-inch display and a 590mAh battery, giving it enough juice to last a day away from outlets. The Galaxy Watch5 Pro will start at $499 and comes in black and gray titanium.

On the software side, both the Galaxy Watch5 and Watch5 Pro will have eight new watch faces and support Samsung’s Smart Switch feature, which allows you to quickly transfer contacts and other data from an old Galaxy Watch.

Galaxy Buds2 Pro

Last year, Samsung released the Galaxy Buds2, and this year Samsung follows the “Pro” earbuds trend with the Galaxy Buds2 Pro. These true wireless earbuds feature improved active noise cancellation, allowing users to tone down even the loudest ambient noise, and an auto voice detect feature, which can turn down your music and let outside noise in after you start speaking.

Since the Buds2 already offered active noise cancellation, the distinction between the Buds2 and Buds2 Pro is a little more subtle, focusing on a smaller design and improved fidelity. Samsung said this year’s Pro model is 15% smaller than the Buds2, providing users with a more comfortable fit. The updated design also helps reduce pressure inside your ear because, as Samsung explained, air flows more effectively through the device. The more ergonomic design also prevents rotation, so you can comfortably lay down without them moving around.

The Galaxy Buds2 Pro offers higher-quality audio in the right conditions, thanks to new 10mm drivers with support for 24-bit audio. The higher bit depth provides audio with a higher dynamic range and reduced noise, resulting in a cleaner sound. It also offers multi-channel Dolby Atmos support for virtual surround sound in certain streaming apps. The Buds2 Pro also features IPX7 water resistance.

The Galaxy Buds2 Pro will be available Aug. 26 for $229 (up from $200 for the original Buds Pro).

The post Samsung announces new Galaxy Z folding phones, Galaxy Watch5 Pro, and more appeared first on Popular Science.

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Apple is expected to release the latest iteration of the iPad Pro in the next few months, and many have high hopes for the tablet to have some swanky features, including the M2 chip, MagSafe wireless charging, and possibly an accompanying new Apple Pencil.

With yet another iPad Pro in our midst, you might as well be ready to drop thousands on the latest version. Apple is notorious for not offering discounts, but luckily, there’s another way to score their products without spending an arm and a leg — buying refurbished. Refurbished products are basically near-mint items that have been tested to ensure they’re in working order before being returned to the market. If you want to score an iPad Pro at a heavily marked-down price, this deal on the space gray 9.7-inch Apple iPad Pro is too good not to snap up.

This particular iPad Pro packs 128GB of storage for storing all your essential apps, documents, and media, a 9.7-inch Retina display for showing your favorite content in stunning detail, and a 12-megapixel camera that captures high-quality photos. It’s also equipped with a 5-megapixel FaceTime HD camera, which is more than enough for video calls between friends and family or even video conferencing for work. 

This iPad Pro is powered by the Apple A9X chip, which may not be as powerful as the M1 or M2, but it still makes multitasking a breeze. It also comes with a bevy of valuable features, including WiFi capability, Bluetooth 4.2, dual microphones, two sets of stereo speakers, and a 27.5Whr Li-Poly battery that lasts up to 10 hours of surfing and streaming on a single charge. 

This refurbished Apple iPad Pro normally retails for $749, but for a limited time, you can grab it on sale for only $310.99.

Prices subject to change.

The post This near-mint iPad Pro is on sale for $438 off appeared first on Popular Science.

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Best for kids age 7 to 10		Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro Tablet		SEE IT	Great for kids who want more than a toy.
Best for kids older than 10		Apple iPad, 10.2-inch		SEE IT	Powerful tablet for older kids.
Best for kids age 3 to 7		Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet		SEE IT	Perfect tablet for kids of all ages.

Give your youngster a magical mirror that teleports them into the world of shapes, colors, math, science, and never-ending reruns of “Paw Patrol.” Don’t be afraid of screens. Today’s best tablets for kids are designed to be user-friendly, parent-friendly, durable, and safe. An affordable children’s tablet is not a distraction from the real world but a friendly learning center that helps kids adapt to, and navigate through, the modern world. The best kids’ tablets are much more than busy boxes to entertain kids on road trips. And the best tablets for seven to 10-year-olds are more than rubber bricks that play Disney songs. These handheld touch screens are sophisticated, yet simple, tools for learning, playing, and…yes…keeping kids occupied at TGIFridays.

• Best for toddlers: Animal Island AILA Sit & Play Preschool Learning System
• Best for kids age 3 to 7: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet
• Best for kids age 7 to 10: Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro Tablet
• Best for kids over 10: Apple iPad
• Best budget: Pritom 7-Inch Kids Tablet

The best tablet for kids: Reviews & Recommendations

The market is flooded with bright, colorful tablets aimed at kids. But some of these tablets are nothing more than an overpriced calculator. Look for trusted brands with a proven track record of creating useful technology. Your children’s tablet should be fun, strong, and functional.  

Best for toddlers: Animal Island AILA Sit & Play Preschool Learning System

Animal Island

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The AILA Sit and Play is not a traditional tablet. All the apps and content is curated by the company to create a learning experience. (No web surfing, no app store, no subscriptions.) Parents can set up and monitor the tablet on their smartphone. Daily lessons are aimed at children between 12 and 36 months old. It’s a lot of fun for toddlers, but it’s not good for older kids who will get bored by the kiddie content. With its sturdy pedestal, this the best tablet for toddlers who aren’t yet ready to hold a screen in their hands. This is more of an early learning tool than a full-blown tablet, so don’t expect robust functionality. 

 Best for kids age 3 to 7: Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet

Amazon

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Amazon has become the king of tablets for kids, and with good reason. The colorful and sturdy Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is the latest kid-friendly touch screen and checks all the boxes of a quality tablet. Its 32GB of storage and 2GB of RAM is more than enough power to comfortably run apps and stream videos. The battery lasts 12 hours and the eight-inch tablet has decent front and rear cameras (both 2MP). It comes with one year of Amazon Kids+, the subscription service that provides age-appropriate movies, shows, music, and games. (It’s $3 a month after the free trial.) And the parental dashboard is simple and secure for adults to manage. As an added bonus, the device comes with a two-year worry-free guarantee—Amazon will replace the tablet if it breaks or cracks. The Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is the best tablet for kids too old for baby games and too young for more delicate electronics. 

Best for kids age 7 to 10:: Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro Tablet

Amazon

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The kids’ edition of the Amazon Fire HD 10 Pro has a big, bright HD screen perfect for watching movies and playing games. That’s one of the reasons why this device is a fantastic upgrade from the Amazon HD 8. The bigger model is designed for older kids, with more RAM, better web-surfing capability, and less lag. The protective bumper case is slimmer than the HD 8 and gives the tablet a more mature look and feel. It comes with the same 12 months of Amazon Kids+ and the two-year worry-free guarantee of the Amazon HD 8 tablet for kids. For parents looking to buy a bigger, better tablet for the whole family, the HD 10 Pro is a powerful tool that can take a beating. 

Best for kids over 10: Apple iPad, 10.2-inch

Apple

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The Apple iPad is the iconic leader of the tablet market. The latest iPad 10.2 is a beautiful and elegant device that makes work easier and more fun. For kids mature enough to handle a delicate tablet, the iPad is the perfect portable computer. The long list of apps and functions makes it the most versatile tablet on the list. No matter if your kid needs help accomplishing complex school work, or wants their own screen to watch shows and play games, the iPad 10.2 handles all digital tasks with ease. Add the intuitive (though slightly overpriced) Apple Pencil to get even more out of the tablet. The biggest downside: This device isn’t so good for clumsy kids covered in candy. The iPad is for young adults who know how to use expensive gadgets. And even if the kid is responsible, a sturdy rubber case is recommended to keep the device protected.  

Best budget: Pritom 7-Inch Kids Tablet

Pritom

SEE IT

What can you expect from a tablet that costs less than $70? More than you may think. While the Pritom 7-inch tablet is a far cry from the dignified and industrious iPad, this budget-priced Android tablet for kids can accomplish the basics such as watching YouTube and playing games. It comes with pre-installed apps for children between the ages of two and 12 and has parental controls to manage screen time. But never forget: This is a discount item, and that means it’s not as dependable as an Amazon or Apple tablet. You may be better off spending an extra $100 to buy a tablet that will last longer. However, if your young one has the tendency to drop, lose, or toss things into a volcano, an Android tablet like this one is a gadget you won’t worry too much about replacing. 

What to consider when shopping for the best tablets for kids

There’s a big difference between standard tablets and tablets made for kids under the age of 10. Simply put: Don’t hand your clumsy kid an iPad Pro and expect to get it back unscatched. The best tablet for kids should be durable, affordable, and highly controllable. It should also be fun and functional. 

The tablet must be as kid-proof as possible

Imagine throwing a pane of glass into a tornado, and you’ll have a good idea about what a tablet for kids will be up against. The best tablet for eight-year-olds and younger must have tough, rubberized protection around the edge. And the best tablet for a two-year-old should be more rubber than screen if you plan to use it longer than a day. 

Thankfully, some of the biggest brands make strong tablets designed for the wobbly and dirty hands of kids. The rubber shell of these tablets will be thick and round—something a tiny hand can comfortably grasp. But you could cage the screen in Wolverine’s adamantium bones and kids will still find a way to break, scrap, and scratch the tablet. No tablet is 100 percent kid-proof, so don’t be too angry if a toddler drops the gadget in the toilet. All kids’ tablets are temporary. And a good protection program and warranty is a must. 

For children older than eight, you won’t need as much protection. Plus, some older kids will balk at the idea of using a baby tablet that looks more like a toy than a computer. Older kids should be able to handle a regular tablet, as long as you use a robust case. And always explain to your kids the importance of gadget care. 

Don’t spend too much

If you’re spending more than $300 on a tablet for a kid between the ages of two and eight, you’re probably spending too much. Tablets designed for children are typically more affordable, costing less than $200. 

These tablets will lack the hefty processing power of an iPad Pro or Microsoft Surface Pro. But kids don’t need all that functionality. Unless your five-year-old is a graphic designer using the tablet to create a multimedia campaign for an international sneaker company, they won’t miss the ability to use the full Adobe suite. 

Yes, these lower-priced tablets can be sluggish. But if you streamline the apps, using only what’s important, today’s kid-friendly tablets get the job done at a fraction of the price of the professional touch screens. The best tablet for kids is like dinner at a restaurant—don’t order the filet mignon if all they’ll eat is the bread. Stick with the kiddie menu.

Size of the tablet screen and internal storage 

There are smaller and much larger screens, but generally speaking an eight-inch screen with 1,280 x 800-pixel resolution is perfect for kids of all ages. This size is big enough to play games and watch videos without being too big and cumbersome for tiny hands. 

Check the specs and look for at least 8GB of storage. The more storage the better, since you and your family will quickly fill up a tablet with apps, music, photos, and videos. Storage management is a pain for adults and tantrum-inducing for young kids. A microSD card slot can give you extra space, but always be careful with tiny parts around small children. Those cards do look delicious. 

While no one is expecting a kids’ tablet to run at breakneck speeds, find a tablet with at least 2GB of RAM to get apps up and running quickly and smoothly. The more RAM means the easier it will be to run multiple apps at once. 

You have the power: The joys of parental control

The ability to limit screen time and restrict online access is a must. Make sure the tablet is equipped with parental controls. Tablets like the Amazon Fire come equipped with controls that allow parents to set up educational goals, reinforcing the idea that this isn’t a toy—it’s a learning device.

The best tablet for kids should also block social media apps. Most social media platforms have age restrictions already in place, but ingenious kids can find loopholes to gain access. (Lying about your age? What kind of hacker madness is this?) A secure children’s tablet will effectively block the insanity and cruelty of Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, and any other social media timesuck. 

Parents must, of course, know how parental controls operate. Before handing over a tablet to your child, play around with it and get a feel for the interface and management system. You don’t want to ask your kid for help on this one. 

Is the tablet for school?

Distance learning and virtual classrooms have become a norm during the pandemic. But even in-person education relies on technology to teach. If your child’s school asks students to use a tablet, make sure the tablet you choose can run the necessary apps. For instance, Amazon tablets are great for kids, but they only run proprietary apps. If your school or daycare wants to use third-party programs, the tablet may not be up to the challenge. 

Check with your school. The IT department will do doubt have the specs and recommendations for a tablet that can run the right apps. And don’t assume every tablet is the same. 

FAQs

The final word on the best tablet for kids

Screens aren’t going anywhere, and if you want to introduce your kids to a tablet, make sure it’s safe, secure, and parent-friendly. Amazon offers several high-quality tablets for kids of all ages. Younger kids will need a tablet with a big case that’s easy to hold. Older kids will get the most out of an Apple iPad and will appreciate all that it can accomplish. Look for a good warranty, because any tablet for kids is susceptible to falls and scratches. And when in doubt, look for a brand you know and trust, like Amazon or Apple. Or, pick up a budget-priced tablet if you just need something your kids can play with in the car.

The post The best tablets for kids in 2023 appeared first on Popular Science.

Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made.

This story has been updated. It was originally published on October 31, 2019.

Add some hardware

Before you dig into the functionalities of this new operating system, you’ll need to add some hardware—you can’t use your iPad as a serious laptop replacement without a keyboard attachment. Apple makes official keyboard covers for all current iPad models, starting at $160, but more affordable third-party keyboards are also available, like the Logitech Slim Folio (for around $100 on Amazon), or the Brydge Pro (for around $140 on Amazon, depending on the model).

Not only do these keyboard accessories make it much easier to type on an iPad for extended periods of time, but they also tap into the tablet’s support for keyboard shortcuts. As with any Mac computer, you can use Cmd+C to copy text and Cmd+V to paste text, and the arrow keys will give you greater control over text editing selections as well.

For the ultimate laptop experience, you can also add a mouse or trackpad to your iPad, either via Bluetooth or a USB-C connection. Just go to Settings, select Accessibility, Touch, AssistiveTouch and then Devices.

Customize your iPad’s Dock

Until iPadOS went live, Apple’s tablets looked and felt more like an iPhone because they used the same same operating system. But moving away from iOS has made iPads look a lot more like MacBooks. The main feature responsible for this is the array of icons displayed on the bottom of all Apple screens: the Dock. On iPadOS, you can find it when you’re inside an app by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. To add an app, press and hold its icon, then drag it down to the Dock, and hit Done in the upper right; to remove a shortcut, press, hold, drag the app icon out, and hit Done.

From Settings in iPadOS, tap Home Screen & Dock to access a handful of options. For example, you can choose whether to keep recently opened apps on the right-hand side of the Dock or not (we suggest you keep them in place).

[Related: How to tap into iPadOS’s new widget and multitasking features]

Another option you’ll want to keep enabled is Picture in Picture (under General in your iPad’s Settings app). This will allow video playing in apps such as FaceTime or Netflix to continue playing in a smaller window when you launch another app or go back to the home screen. It’s a handy feature if you’re trying to do some serious multitasking on your iPad.

Use Split View

Like on a laptop, Split View mode on an iPad lets you get two apps on screen side by side. With one app open, slide up from the bottom of the screen to see the Dock, then press and drag another app icon to the left or right edge of the screen. Release the app icon when the screen splits, then drag the black partition line to set how the screen is divided.

Split View will come in handy when you need to compare two websites, or compose an email while referencing another one. To see all of the open apps and split windows currently running on your iPad, drag up from the bottom of the screen, then keep dragging into the middle of the display—this opens the main multitasking view that lets you quickly jump between apps.

If you like to tap instead of drag, you can also access Split View by touching the three dots at the top of an applicable app window. A bubble with three icons will appear—tap the middle one (it looks like an equally divided rectangle) to choose Split View, and use the next set of icons to decide which side of the screen you want the app to stick to.

Get comfortable with Slide Over

In a similar vein, Slide Over lets you run apps in little floating windows on top of each other—it’s a bit like having a mini iPhone interface open on the right side of your iPad screen. To put an app in Slide Over mode, tap the three dots at the top of the app window and select the icon all the way to the right (it looks like a white rectangle with a thin black bar on its right side). Then choose any other app, and it will open full-screen, keeping the smaller window on top.

Press and hold one of the top corners of a Slide Over window to drag it to the left or right side of the iPad display, or just swipe it off screen hide it entirely. When you want to bring a Slide Over window back back, swipe in from the edge of the screen where it’s hiding. To use multiple apps in Slide Over, just press, hold, and drag another icon on top of the window that’s already floating on screen.

[Related: Learn to use picture-in-picture on all your devices]

If you have multiple apps in play in Slide Over, swipe left or right on the narrow bar at the very bottom of the floating window to quickly jump between them. Swipe up on that same bar to fan out all the apps currently in Slide Over mode (just as you’d see when swiping up on your iPhone). Tap a window to jump to it, or touch and swipe up to close it.

Learn to use drag and drop

When you’ve got apps up in Split View or Slide Over mode, try dragging any item you want to transfer from one app to another, like an image from Photos into Mail, or a link from Safari into Messages.

Support for this feature, Slide Over, and Split View can be a little hit or miss in apps that aren’t made by Apple, because developers won’t necessarily have added the necessary flexibility into their apps. However, plenty of third-party apps can work with these modes, and more should fall into line in the future.

The post How to help your iPad cosplay as a laptop appeared first on Popular Science.

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Trying to figure out how to sync your Google and Apple calendars used to be an excruciating process. You’d have to make your iCloud calendar public, grab its URL, paste it into Google’s app, change “webcal” to “http,” and a whole bunch of other nonsense. It was like trying to manage a playdate between two cranky preschoolers who have just been introduced to the concept of sharing.

These days, it’s much easier to get Google Calendar and the iOS, iPadOS, and macOS calendar apps to play nicely. The link between the two companies’ scheduling services has matured, though it’s not flawless. There’s still a bit of arbitrary chaos lingering in their relationship.

Now, on Settings > Calendar > Accounts, you’ll see a Gmail entry, as well as what data it’s syncing. If you see Calendars there, you’re all set. If you don’t, tap Gmail and activate the toggle switch next to Calendars (it’ll turn green).

[Related: 5 Google Calendar tricks to ensure you never miss a date]

The steps are similar from a macOS computer: open the Calendar app, click Calendar in the menu bar, and choose Add Account. Pick Google from the list and you’re off to the races.

From the accounts page in the Calendar settings on an iPhone or iPad, tap Fetch New Data. You can’t push updates from your Google account to your Calendar app, but you can tell iOS to fetch them. Your options are automatically, manually, hourly, and every 30 or 15 minutes. Whatever you choose, Apple will grab new data from your Google calendar in the background whenever your phone has enough power and internet connection.

The process is a little easier on a computer: click Calendar in the menu bar, choose Preferences, then Accounts, and select your Google account. Finally, choose an option from the dropdown menu next to Refresh Calendars. If you choose manual refresh, that option is under the View tab in the menu bar. This, however, only syncs one way—from Google to Apple. If you want to go the other way, make sure that when you create an event on your macOS calendar, you use the calendar selection menu (a dropdown menu next to a colored square in the top right corner of the new event dialog box) to select your Google calendar. That’s a taste of the lingering arbitrary chaos we mentioned earlier.

What you need to know about linking Google and Apple Calendars

Now that you’ve got chaos on your mind’s metaphorical tongue, let’s dig in so you know what to expect when you start using the apps in tandem. If you add or edit an event on your iPhone’s Calendar app, it will almost immediately appear on your Google calendar (if you have good power and connection). Make a change on Google Calendar, and it might take five to 15 minutes to show up on iOS.

To edit your calendar on an iPhone or iPad, open the Calendar app, tap Calendars at the bottom of the screen, and hit the info button (an “i” in a circle) next to the one you want to tweak. This, to be fair, is standard and not chaotic at all.

But because the apps are made by two different companies, you may discover strange bugs. For one, we found that if we made an all-day event in the Calendar app, then changed the time in Google Calendar, it inexplicably appeared as four hours earlier than the time we’d chosen. We confirmed our time zones were correct, but asked the apps to always choose New York time—just to be sure. The edited events subsequently appeared nine hours too early. Re-editing the time always fixed the problem, but we haven’t yet figured out a better way. We’ll just have to wait until the Google-Apple relationship completely matures.

The post Syncing Google and Apple calendars is less annoying now appeared first on Popular Science.

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Love reading but hate lugging a stack of books around? If you flip for flipping pages, eReaders are a convenient way to work through a righteous reading list on the go, combining portability with almost instant access to your favorite titles or new pageturners. Additionally, some eReaders are waterproof for reading in the tub or while waiting for the bus on a rainy day. The Amazon Kindle line is one of the largest and most popular selections of eReaders on the market, all on sale for Prime Day. 

Here are some of our favorite Kindle deals:

Kindle $59.99 (Was $109.99)

Amazon

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This black Kindle includes a built-in front light and three months of free Kindle Unlimited with auto-renewal. And you don’t have to deal with pesky lockscreen ads (models with lockscreen ads are cheaper, though, so keep scrolling if you want to snag one and save). A 167 PPI glare-free display reads like paper, even in direct sunlight. In fact, it’s easy—and comfortable—to read indoors, outdoors, during the day, and even at night thanks to the Kindle’s adjustable brightness. The 8 GB storage holds an entire library in the palm of your hand, while Kindle Unlimited gives you unlimited access to over 2 million titles. If audiobooks are more up your alley, the Kindle pairs with Audible and Bluetooth headphones or speakers for some spoken word(s). 

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition (32 GB) $134.99 (Was $189.99)

Amazon

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With the Kindle Paperwhite Signature edition, you get all the basics of the Kindle Paperwhite with handy upgrades like Qi wireless charging, auto-adjusting front light, and 32 GB storage. This specific model comes without lockscreen ads and three free months of Kindle Unlimited with auto-renewal. The 6.8-inch, 300 PPI, glare-free display is even brighter than the base Kindle model and can hold a single charge to blast through the entire Percy Jackson & the Olympians series (Greek mythology hive, rise up) without running out of battery. Thinner bezels mean more space for words, and adjustable warm light and auto-adjusting front light gives you a personalized reading experience any time of day.

Kindle Oasis $209.99 (Was $299.99)

Amazon

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If you’ve always fantasized about reading in the bath or in the pool without the liability of ruining your eReader with a stray stream of water, the Kindle Oasis is for you. It’s waterproof up to 3 feet and has been tested to withstand water immersion. Plus, adjustable warm light means you can maintain the ambient vibe while taking a candle-lit bubble bath. This model includes 32 GB storage, no lockscreen ads, and three free months of Kindle Unlimited with auto-renewal. Like the Kindle Paperwhite, it features a 300 PPI glare-free display but is slightly larger at 7 inches and includes page-turn buttons that mimic flipping an actual page. The peace of mind the Oasis provides and its customizability make it worth every penny.

If those models don’t inspire your inner bookworm, check out these other Kindle deals: 

Kindle

• Kindle – With a Built-in Front Light – White – Without Lockscreen Ads + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $59.99 (Was $109.99) 
• Kindle – With a Built-in Front Light – Black + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $44.99 (Was 89.99)
• Kindle – With a Built-in Front Light – White + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $44.99 (Was 89.99)

Kindle Paperwhite

• Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB) – Now with a 6.8″ display and adjustable warm light – Without Lockscreen Ads + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $109.99 (Was $159.99)
• Kindle Paperwhite (8 GB) – Now with a 6.8″ display and adjustable warm light + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $94.99 (Was $139.99)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Blue Fabric Cover, and Power Adapter – $132.97 (Was $189.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Ad-supported, Amazon Black Fabric Cover, and Power Adapter – $117.97 (Was $169.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Pink Leather Cover, and Power Adapter – $139.97 (Was $199.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Black Leather Cover, and Power Adapter – $139.97 (Was $199.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Light Cork Cover, and Power Adapter – $146.97 (Was $209.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Dark Cork Cover, and Power Adapter – $146.97 (Was $209.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Cork Cover, and Wireless charging dock – $181.97 (Was $249.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Merlot Leather Cover, and Power Adapter – $139.97 (Was 199.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Lavendar Leather Haze Cover, and Wireless charging dock – $174.97 (Was 239.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Deep Sea Blue Leather Cover, and Power Adapter – $139.97 (Was 199.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Ad-supported, Amazon Dark Cork Cover, and Power Adapter – $131.97 (Was $189.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Ad-supported, Amazon Blue Fabric Cover, and Power Adapter – $117.97 (Was $169.97) 
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Dark Cork Cover, and Wireless charging dock – $181.97 (Was $249.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Ad-supported, Amazon Lavendar Haze Leather Cover, and Power Adapter – $124.97 (Was $179.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Black Fabric Cover, and Power Adapter – $132.97 (Was $189.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Black Fabric Cover, and Wireless charging dock – $167.97 (Was $229.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Merlot Leather Cover, and Wireless charging dock – $174.97 (Was $239.97) 
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Deep Sea Blue Leather Cover, and Power Adapter – $139.97 (Was $199.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Lavendar Leather Haze Fabric Cover, and Power Adapter – $132.97 (Was $189.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Ad-supported, Amazon Fabric Cover, and Power Adapter – $117.97 (Was 169.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition – Wifi, Without Ads, Amazon Black Leather Cover, and Wireless charging dock – $174.97 (Was $239.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Ad-supported, Amazon Leather Cover, and Power Adapter – $124.97 (Was $179.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Ad-supported, Amazon Light Cork Cover, and Power Adapter – $131.97 (Was $189.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Ad-supported, Amazon Deep Sea Blue Leather Cover, and Power Adapter – $124.97 (Was $179.97)
• Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle including Kindle Paperwhite – Wifi, Ad-supported, Amazon Black Leather Cover, and Power Adapter – $124.97 (Was $179.97)

Kindle Oasis

• Kindle Oasis – With adjustable warm light – Without Lockscreen Ads + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $209.99 (Was 299.99)
• Kindle Oasis – With adjustable warm light + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $194.99 (Was $279.99)
• Kindle Oasis – With adjustable warm light – Without Lockscreen Ads + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $189.99 (Was $269.99)
• Kindle Oasis – With adjustable warm light + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $174.99 (Was $249.99)
• Kindle Oasis – With adjustable warm light + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $194.99 (Was $279.99)
• Kindle Oasis – With adjustable warm light – Wi-Fi + Free Cellular Connectivity, 32 GB, Graphite – Without Lockscreen Ads + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $259.99 (Was $349.99)
• Kindle Oasis – With adjustable warm light – Without Lockscreen Ads + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $209.99 (Was $299.99)
• Kindle Oasis – With adjustable warm light + 3 Months Free Kindle Unlimited (with auto-renewal) – $194.99 (Was $279.99)

More Amazon Prime Day deals

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Best overall		T-Mobile Magenta MAX		SEE IT	This is a no-brainer for current T-mobile subscribers.
Best no-contract		Straight Talk Wireless		SEE IT	It has some drawbacks, but you can surf contract-free.
Best 5G speed		Verizon Pro		SEE IT	It’s costly, but this plan offers excellent speeds.

The Internet is a basic requirement for existence at this point, but choosing the right hotspot plan can be difficult. But, using public Wi-Fi has its own set of risks, especially if it’s free. Considering you are likely carrying a 5G-capable internet device in your pocket, why not make your own hotspot? And for that, you need the best hotspot plan.

There are more than 500 million public hotspots in the world but more than 7 billion smartphones, and many phones offer tethering options that turn them into makeshift hotpots. Sometimes the best, however, is not necessarily the phone in your pocket. Rather, the best might require a hotspot device to connect, offered by numerous carriers and third-party vendors. We tend to take the internet for granted at this point in its evolution but not all of us are connected all the time. Sometimes we need some 5G or 4G LTE help to get on the web. Especially if we are holed up with too many family members at a remote cabin in Michigan where the Wi-Fi is akin to two soup cans with string. 

A mobile hotspot plan offers you the ability to connect to the internet securely. It’s your own personal ISP. While that’s not necessarily true, as all hotspot plans are through a major (or minor) carrier, it’s your connection that works just for you from wherever. If you travel for work, you probably could use a reliable connectivity source. If you like having the internet out in the woods where there is no Wi-Fi but somehow a 5G signal, a hotspot is your choice. The best hotspot plans ensure you’ll never have to go camping without access to online Mario Kart sessions ever again.

• Best overall: T-Mobile Magenta MAX
• Best no-contract: Straight Talk Wireless
• Best 5G speed: Verizon Pro
• Best international: Solis Global Pay-Per-GB
• Best for streaming: AT&T 100 GB Plan

How we picked the best hotspot plans

Choosing a hot spot plan is different than buying a gadget. There are more variables involved that you have to consider. For instance, your current cellular carrier may offer a substantial discount for hot spot usage, which can seriously skew the numbers. In order to choose the best hot spot plans, we considered the specific needs of various people from casual browsers to serious power users. We relied on a combination of personal experience, editorial reviews, user feedback, company reputation, and spec comparisons. 

We included most of the major carriers, as well as some of the smaller names in the space who offer more niche plans. If you already have an account with a major cellular carrier, we suggest starting there. 

Things to consider before buying a hotspot plan

While you can just go out and buy a hotspot and get your internet, there are some factors to consider before buying. When it comes to a hotspot, the differences between services offered come down to the things you’d expect: price, network, plan details, and so on. Before buying a hotspot plan, you’ll at least want to consider how much data you might be using. Keep your expectations realistic. Even the best hotspot plans can’t typically handle long Netflix marathons.

Carrier

All the major carriers offer hotspot plans. Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T each sell devices and plans. Aside from that, minor carriers like U.S. Cellular, Cricket, and Straight Talk Wireless offer hotspot plans. Then there are virtual carriers that usually piggyback off of the major carriers. Visible is a solid example of one of those carriers. Considering all this, you’ll generally want to dance with the one that brought you. That is, if you already use one of these carriers for your main smartphone, that’s likely your best bet.

Price

Prices can be all over the place for hotspot plans. Either there is a flat monthly fee or a per GB usage fee. This shouldn’t be the factor that totally influences your decision, as each pricing stage offers something different. Some of the pay-per-GB plans, for instance, are great for international travel. Verizon offers a discount on hotspot plans if you already have a Verizon phone. You can expect to pay on average around $40-$60 a month for most hotspot plans. This is cheaper than most ISP monthly costs.

Data plan

Most hotspot plans do not offer unlimited data. If you are expecting your phone carrier, with whom you may have unlimited data, to have a hotspot plan without a data cap you may be disappointed. Regardless, most hotspot data plans offer enough GB of data to cover whatever you are working on. Pay attention to what is offered by your current phone carrier, you may get a good deal on hotspot data plans. Additionally, check what happens when you exceed your data cap. Does it cut off? Are there additional charges or slower speeds? Each carrier handles overages a bit differently and it can get very costly if you’re not careful.

Network size

Unlike the standard internet delivered through Wi-Fi, the signal coming through hotspots uses cellular signals. The best you can hope for is a good 5G signal if you are in a 5G area. More often than not you’ll get 4G LTE or, at worst, 3G. So you’ll want to check if the carrier supporting the hotspot is loaded with 5G towers. All the major carriers are expanding their 5G networks and it’s debatable who has the widest coverage. You’ll want to check coverage maps in relation to where you are going to need a hotspot in order to determine the largest, best network. 

Cell or mobile

Do you want to use your cellular device as a hotspot or do you want to purchase a dedicated hotspot device? That’s the question you’ll have to answer before choosing a hotspot plan. If you have very little to do besides uploading a few files from your work laptop here and there, or answering some email, your smartphone should do the trick. If you are planning on sitting down and pumping out Powerpoint presentations for eight hours from a lawn chair on the beach, then you might want a dedicated device.

The best hotspot plans: Reviews & Recommendations

Best overall: T-Mobile Magenta MAX

t-mobile

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The top hotspot plan on most lists, the T-Mobile Magenta MAX plan is a phone plan with a hotspot plan built in. 

Specs

• 40 GB Premium data cap
• Smartphone hotspot
• 5G Unlimited data

Pros

• Plenty of data
• One plan for phone and hotspot
• Large 5G network

Cons

• 5G speeds can be slow
• Price is on the high end

If you already have T-Mobile or are thinking of switching, the $85 T-Mobile Magenta MAX plan is for you. The bonus with this plan is not just that it offers you a hotspot without another device but that it’s an unlimited data plan. The catch is that after you use 40 GB of hotspot data, it reverts to 3G speeds for whatever you use after (per month). 

As long as you have a limited amount of devices connected to your hotspot (say, like one or two) then even 3G speeds can give you up to 3 Mbps. That’s not terrible for doing basic tasks. While the plan is meant to be used through your phone, you can still use a hotspot device instead. Depending on the model phone you have, this might be a good tack to take. Some models get mighty hot when pulling double duty. Regardless, the T-Mobile Magenta MAX plan offers you a hotspot option without necessarily having to buy another device. 

Best no-contract: Straight Talk Wireless

Straight Talk

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: Of all the ancillary carriers out there, Straight Talk offers one of the more compatible hotspot plans.

Specs:

• No contract
• Starts at $15/month
• 4G LTE data

Pros: 

• Good download/upload speeds
• No contract, no cancel fee
• GB pricing better the more you purchase

Cons

• No 5G service
• Limited network size

Straight Talk Wireless is known for its pay-as-you-go plans. If you don’t want a contract then this is the hotspot plan you are looking for. Plans range from $15/month for 2 GB of data to $75/month for 20 GB of data. Either plan delivers a moderate 31.1 Mbps download and 15.6 Mbps upload speeds. That’s not too shabby and comparable to some basic Wi-Fi services. The catch is that it’s all delivered across a 4G LTE network, likely piggybacking off a larger carrier’s tower. 

With a Straight Talk Wireless hotspot device, you can connect up to 10 devices at a time. This is probably the way to go here, as with 4G LTE you probably don’t want to burden your phone with being the community hotspot. The no-contract deal is a handy thing to have (or not have), especially when you only need to use a hotspot for a limited time. Straight Talk Wireless isn’t the only carrier out there to offer a no-contract hotspot plan, but it has some of the best plan options. 

Best 5G speed: Verizon Pro

Verizon

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The Verizon Pro is another hotspot plan from another major carrier. It makes sense if you already use Verizon.

Specs

• 100 GB of Premium data
• 5G/4G LTE speeds
• Smartphone hotspot

Pros: 

• Discount with a phone plan
• 5G millimeter-wave compatibility

Cons:

• 100GB is all you get

With the Verizon Pro hotspot plan, once you go over 100 GB of data, you get whacked down to a meager 600 Kbps. That’s weak sauce but at least there are no extra charges for going over. The Verizon Pro plan offers a $30 discount down to $60 if you already have a Verizon phone plan. That’s not too shabby for 100 GB of data. Verizon has one of the fastest 5G networks out there, utilizing the millimeter-wave 5G in limited areas, mid-band 5G in others. Like the other major carriers, Verizon is working on expanding that network. 

If you use a hotspot a lot, then you’ll want a plan that takes advantage of those 5G speeds where available. While with this plan you can use your smartphone as a hotspot, Verizon’s Jetpack device has long been a reliable hotspot. Many businesses use the Jetpack for connectivity, which means its been field-tested plenty. You know what you are getting with Verizon, and the Verizon Pro hotspot plan takes full advantage of the growing 5G service network.

Best international: Solis Global Pay-Per-GB

support.skyroam

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Why it made the cut: The Solis Global Pay-Per-GB hotspot plan can be used almost anywhere around the world.

Specs

• 1 GB data cap
• $12/GB
• International use

Pros

• Easy pricing
• Network in 135+ countries
• No contracts

Cons 

• Speeds dependent on geography
• Have to purchase 1 GB at a time

With the Solis Global Pay-Per-GB Subscription, getting internet access from anywhere in the world is a relatively simple process. It should be noted that there are two ways to get the internet when you are traveling out of the country. The first is to buy a phone in your host country, with a new SIM. The second is to bring an international hotspot. There is a third option, but if you use your phone for the internet outside of the country, your phone bill would make Elon Musk do a spit take. 

If you aren’t sure how much data you are going to use, and need a fairly cheap option then this is it. At $12 a GB of data using the Solis Lite hotspot, you know what you are getting. Need another gigabyte? That’ll be another $12. There is no bulk pricing plan; it’s just the single plan. Of course, if you do use the Solis Global Pay-Per-GB Subscription hotspot plan, then you are at the speed whims of your host country’s cell towers. This is solid as a backup plan if you get into a real jam overseas.

Best for streaming: AT&T 100 GB Plan

att

SEE IT

Why it made the cut: The AT&T 100 GB plan is one of several hotspot plans offered by AT&T, one of the major carriers.

Specs 

• 100 GB Data
• 5G/4G LTE Speeds
• Unlimited data options

Pros 

• Unlimited plan comes with Hulu & HBO Max
• Works with Netgear hotspot devices
• 100 GB for $55

Cons 

• Plan has to be ordered in store
• Works best for existing customers

If you are an existing customer with AT&T then you really don’t need to shop around. The AT&T 100 GB hotspot plan is one of several prepaid and postpaid hotspot plans offered by AT&T. If that’s too much data, there is a 25 GB plan for $50 per month or a 40 GB plan for $75. If it’s not enough data, there is a postpaid $75 per month unlimited plan that allocates 15 GB for hotspots, while the $85 unlimited elite plan allocates 40 GB. The unlimited plans are phone plans, while the prepaid plans are best for mobile hotspots or tablets.

The best hotspot plan is the 100 GB plan for $55 a month. Comparable to the Verizon Pro hotspot plan, that’s a good deal for 100 GB. This is a good amount of data if you are planning on spending your hotspot time streaming movies. While only the unlimited plans come with Hulu and HBO Max, you probably already subscribe to those. Speeds vary as AT&T is still working on expanding its 5G network, but you’ll at least get 4G LTE in most areas.

FAQs

Final thoughts on the best hotspot plans

One of the hardest things about shopping for the best hotspot plan is deciding whether or not you want to switch carriers. Chances are, you are going to stick with whatever carrier you already use and piggyback a hotspot plan onto your existing phone plan. This is the easiest solution. If you do find yourself in the market for a new phone carrier, or plan to use a hotspot enough that it could stand to have its own dedicated line, then shopping around can’t hurt. The best hotspot plan is the one that works best for your needs—whether those be price, data, speed, or some combination—and there is a plan somewhere that will work perfectly. 

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At its WWDC 2022 keynote presentation on Monday, June 6, Apple unveiled its next-generation M2 chipset, which will power a new wave of Mac laptops and desktops. The new chip promises performance improvements over the M1, Apple’s original first-party processor, which we’ll get to see in a redesigned MacBook Air and an updated version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro coming in July. 

As expected, hardware was a secondary concern at WWDC, as Apple also announced the new versions of its various operating systems for its many devices. Coming this fall, the various software updates included iOS 16 for iPhones, macOS Ventura, iPad OS 16, and watchOS 9. Though there’s plenty of overlap, each system will have distinctive new features, including customization features for the iPhone lock screen, revamped multitasking on iPads, and more robust health tracking in Apple Watch. It was an action-packed event. Here’s a quick rundown of the highlights.

M2 Apple Silicon

Apple unveils next-generation M series chip

In the realm of “new stuff,” Apple’s M2 chip made its debut, promising some big performance gains over the current M1 Macs and even bigger ones over older Intel-based Macs. The new M2 chip is constructed using a second-generation 5-nanometer process, and consists of over 20 billion transistors—25-percent more than the original M1. The additional transistors result in an 18-percent faster CPU, 35 percent faster GPU, and a 40-percent faster Neural Engine.

Like the M1, the M2 is an 8-core processor with four high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores. It features 50 percent more memory bandwidth than the M1 and up to 24GB of fast unified memory.

The M2 gets an even bigger bump in the graphics department. The new 10-core GPU is bigger than the 8-core design of the M1. That allows it to hit 25-percent higher graphics performance benchmarks than an M1 at the same power level, and up to 35-percent higher performance at max power. The M2 also introduces an updated media engine that supports 8K H.264 and HEVC video, allowing you to play multiple streams of 4K and 8K video.

Presumably, we’ll see M2 make its way into all of Apple’s computers (and some iPads) over the next few years. The new wave begins in July, when Apple launches the first two M2 laptops, including the newly designed MacBook Air, which ditches the line’s signature tapered “wedge” design for the first time since the original Air launched in 2008.

MacBook Air gets a big redesign

The 2022 MacBook Air is the signature machine showcasing the M2 chip at launch. As with every Air, the new is set to deliver outstanding performance in a svelte package, albeit a more evenly shaped one. The new MacBook Air is 11.3mm thick, weighs 2.7 pounds, and features an all-aluminum unibody enclosure. According to Apple, that’s a 20-percent reduction in “overall volume” from the current M1 MacBook Air. With a smaller body, it should be no surprise that the port situation remains essentialist, with the same two Thunderbolt ports and a 3.5mm audio jack with support for high-impedance headphones. That means no HDMI port or SD card reader, so you’ll have to rely on a USB hub for additional connectivity.

That said, the new Air will feature a slightly larger 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display—up from 13.3 inches on the M1 Air—with a notably enhanced top brightness of 500 nits. Like the newer MacBook Pro, the new MacBook Air features a display notch, which makes room for a long-awaited 1080p FaceTime HD camera. The MacBook Air will be available in four colors, including Midnight and Starlight, and will feature the same MagSafe that was reintroduced on the MacBook Pro.

There’s also a “new” 13-inch MacBook Pro 

Speaking of the MacBook Pro, Apple will also bring the M2 to the entry-level 13-inch form factor, which offers a big performance bump, but not the extra ports and improvements found in last year’s outstanding M1 Pro and M1 Max redesigns. (Touch Bar fans, this one’s for you.)

While the design remains the same, users will see an improvement in performance when using graphic-intensive apps thanks to its active cooling system. For example, editing RAW images in Affinity Photo can be up to 40-percent faster thanks to the M2’s 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU. The 13-inch MacBook Pro also promises up to 20 hours of battery life for video playback.

Those looking for a redesign can find it in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, which feature more powerful specs (and heftier prices) in addition to M1 Pro and M1 Max chips. By keeping the 13-inch MacBook Pro around, Apple is offering a much more affordable entry into the pro category, while continuing to ditch Intel for its in-house silicon.

The MacBook Air with M2 chip will start at $1,199, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M2 will start at $1,299. Apple didn’t reveal an exact launch for the MacBook Air but did say it’ll be available in July.

iOS 16

Apple brings widgets and customization to the lock screen

In iOS 16, Apple has redesigned the lock screen to bring you more information at a glance. You will be able to customize what you can see before unlocking your phone beyond setting a photo, adding widgets like your calendar, the current forecast, and Apple-Watch-style activity rings. You’ll also be able to change the font and color of the time, and add filters to the entire lock screen for some added style. Apple said you can create multiple lock screens, which you swipe through, similar to changing watch faces on Apple Watch. A new Photo Shuffle feature will let you choose a set of photos that will automatically change throughout the day.

You’ll also see a “Live Activities” feature on the lock screen, which effectively combines a widget and a notification for frequently updating events. For example, if you’re a sports fan, a notification for a game you’re following will update your lock screen and bring you the latest score and other relevant updates. Developers can create custom Live Activities, so you can check the status of a delivery or shipment without leaving your lock screen.

Messages will get an edit function

Messages are also getting a few new user-requested features. You’ll be able to edit messages, cancel texts with an “undo send” feature, and mark them as unread. The edit function will allow you to edit typos, while undo will let you unsend a message after sending for up to 15 minutes after sending a given message. These additions give you a lot more editing power and should make texting feel a little more like using chat apps, such as WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger.

Apple Wallet, CarPlay, and more

There are a ton of miscellaneous new features coming to iOS 16, including changes to Focus, a shared photo library for shared iCloud accounts, SharePlay for Messages, and Live Text support in videos. 

Apple Wallet will add a “pay later” function that will allow users to break up Apple Pay purchases into four installments over a set period without interest charges. Once you place an order, Apple Wallet will help you track your orders so that you can receive detailed information throughout your package’s journey to your doorstep.

Finally, CarPlay will get its most significant update yet, setting the stage for deep integrations with dashboard systems in new cars. You’ll be able to perform actions like changing the temperature, controlling the radio, and seeing deeper vehicle data, including your current speed, fuel level, and fuel economy. Though iOS 16 will include some of this CarPlay functionality, Apple said automakers like Ford, Volvo, and Jaguar won’t announce new vehicles that support the system until late 2023.

watchOS 9

Apple Watch adds new health features

Apple also unveiled watchOS 9, which adds four new watch faces, workout updates, and deeper integration with Apple Fitness+. If you’re a runner, watchOS 9 will introduce more insights into how efficiently you run. For example, you’ll be able to track your stride length, ground contact time, and vertical oscillation, giving you valuable data whether you’re a casual runner or training for a marathon. 

Apple will also add an FDA-cleared atrial fibrillation (AFib) history feature, which will provide those who have been diagnosed with AFib with deeper insights into their condition. The hope is that this information will allow people to make lifestyle changes that can potentially improve their condition.

WatchOS 9 will also add deeper sleep insights. By tapping into Apple Watch’s accelerometer and heart rate sensor, the wearable will detect when you’re in REM, Core, or Deep sleep—metrics that better help you understand your sleep quality.

Perhaps the most significant addition in watchOS 9 is the ability to manage and track your medications, vitamins, and supplements. The feature will allow you to create a medications list, set up schedules and reminders, and view information about your medication in the Health app. You can also receive an alert if there are potential critical interactions with medications you’re already taking.

iPadOS 16

The iPad introduces multitasking upgrades (and a weather app)

The most significant feature coming to iPadOS is called Stage Manager (also available in macOS Ventura), which organizes apps and windows into a pane on the left side of the display. By default, the apps and windows are arranged in order of recency, but you can also group apps together to quickly access them, like if you need Safari and Notes to plan for a meal. You can now open apps as overlapping windows and resize them, bringing them more in line with the conventional macOS experience.

Stage Manager also brings full external display support in up to 6K resolution and will allow users to run four apps on their iPad Pro, as well as four apps on the external display. These features are only available on iPad Pro and 2022 iPad Air with an M1 chip.

Collaborate with the new FreeForm app

Additionally, iPadOS 16 will introduce Freeform, a collaboration app that offers a scalable whiteboard, so there are no limits on the page size or layout. You’ll be able to see the updates people have made and even hop on FaceTime to discuss ideas. The new Freeform app brings to mind Figma’s FigJam app, which offers a similar collaboration tool.

Other additions coming to iPadOS 16 include Apple’s Weather app and “Reference Mode,” a color calibration tool for creatives that allows the iPad Pro and Liquid Retina XDR display to match the color requirements in workflows like review and approve, color grading, and compositing. This will ensure that photo and video editors get consistent, color-accurate edits across their projects, making the iPad Pro an even more powerful tool for creatives.

macOS Ventura

Expanded continuity comes to Mac

Ventura, the next big update for macOS, offers one of the most exciting features of the day. Continuity Camera will allow users to turn their iPhone into a webcam. Macs will automatically recognize your iPhone when it’s nearby and use it for video conferencing. You’ll be able to take advantage of modern iPhone camera features like Center Stage, which automatically adjusts the camera’s framing to center on you, and the background-blurring Portrait mode.

Ventura also brings updates to some of Apple’s core apps, including Safari. In Ventura, you’ll be able to share tab groups with friends and family and start a FaceTime call right from the page you’re browsing. Meanwhile, Mail is introducing more robust search features and the ability to schedule emails and undo send for up to 10 seconds after hitting send.

Spotlight gets more powerful

Finally, Apple has updated Spotlight to bring more information to searches. In addition to launching apps, you can type in a musical artist and get information about who they are, when they were born, where they’re from, etc. You can also set timers, create a new document, and run a shortcut from Spotlight.

Final thoughts on WWDC 2022

We rarely expect major hardware announcements at WWDC, so color us pleasantly surprised that we got to hear about some new Macs at WWDC 2022. Of course, these are all just promises until we take the time to test the M2 Macs later this summer. And, of course, we’re looking forward to checking out all the new features coming to Apple’s various devices as roll out in beta ahead of their wide launch in the fall.

The post Everything you need to know about the new Apple M2 laptops and WWDC 2022 appeared first on Popular Science.

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