PCWorld January 2023

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CONTENTS
JANUARY 2023
≥ DEPARTMENTS ≥ FEATURES
9 News
33 Reviews & Ratings 84 The best PC hardware and software of 2022
119 Here’s How
138 Tech Spotlight 104 Social networks put in the people’s hands
JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 3

MASTHEAD
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Matt Egan

EDITOR IN CHIEF, CONSUMER BRANDS Jon Phillips
DESIGN DIRECTOR Robert Schultz
EDITORIAL
EXECUTIVE EDITORS Brad Chacos, Gordon Mah Ung
SENIOR EDITORS Michael Brown, Mark Hachman
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ashley Biancuzzo
STAFF WRITER Michael Crider
CONTRIBUTOR Adam Taylor
COPY EDITOR Gail Nelson-Bonebrake
DESIGN
ART DIRECTOR Steve Traynor
DESIGNER Rob Woodcock
ADVERTISING
SALES INQUIRIES foundryco.com/contact-us/
FOUNDERS
FOUNDER David Bunnell
FOUNDING EDITOR Andrew Fluegelman
INTERNATIONAL DATA GROUP, INC.

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Walter Boyd
CEO, FOUNDRY Kumaran Ramanathan
4 PCWorld JANUARY 2023

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WHEN THE GAMES BEGIN.
NEVER GIVE UP
UNTIL THEY BUCKLE UP.
VISIT SAFERCAR.GOV/KIDSBUCKLEUP

EDITORS’ NOTE
A lot can change in 40 years.
P
CWorld made its debut in early 40th Anniversary Edition of PCWorld maga-
1983, hitting the streets as a 310- zine in your hands. We’re digital instead of
page magazine brimming with print now. (Things change!) But our central
essential information about IBM PCs, focus remains as relentless today as it was in
the long-forgotten CP/M operating system, 1983. This issue is jam-packed with no-non-
and a 5MB hard sense news,
disk that cost a cool reviews, and tips to
$1,995 (or nearly help you navigate
$6,000 in today’s the confusing
dollars). It was truly fast-paced world of
a different era. technology and
Things coax the most out of
changed. PCWorld your computer—just
was there to guide like the very first
you through it. We one. I grew up
covered the clunky reading PCWorld
debut of Windows and wouldn’t have it
1.0. When Tim any other way.
Berners-Lee Because the
invented HTML in more things
1989, followed by change, the more
the World Wide they remain the
Web a year later, we same, as the saying
explained why it goes. My deepest
mattered. PCWorld and heartiest thanks
chronicled the introduction of graphical brows- goes out to you, fellow PC nerd, for joining us
ers, of Dell, of video cards, of the iPhone, of on this journey, and to every alum who
USB—and several hysterical hype cycles pro- contributed to PCWorld’s long history. Here’s
claiming the death of the PC at the hand of to 40 more.
whatever the new hotness of the time was. Ha.
– Brad Chacos
The PC didn’t die and you’re holding the EXECUTIVE EDITOR
IMAGE: FOUNDRY JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 7

AMERICA’S DEADLIEST SHOOTINGS
ARE ONES WE DON’T TALK ABOUT
On any given day in America, an average of 65 of our mothers, brothers, partners, and friends
are taken from us by gun suicide. But tomorrow’s deaths could be prevented. Store your guns
safely: locked, unloaded, and away from ammo.
EndFamilyFire.org

News TECH NEWS AND TRENDS THAT WILL
AFFECT YOU TODAY AND BEYOND.
Don’t get scammed: Why you can’t

trust Elon Musk’s Twitter right now
Parody and fake accounts have always existed on Twitter, but this kind of mayhem
takes all that to a different level. BY ALAINA YEE
I
f you don’t use Twitter often, you may be easily recognize official accounts held by
unaware of how the site has dissolved government agencies, newspapers, medical
into organizational chaos. But it’s a mess professionals, airlines, large corporations, and
right now—and dangerous as a result. other sources of vital information.
Prior to the company’s sale to Elon Musk, But last week, a major (and hugely
Twitter had a verification process that confusing) change rolled out to the system.
confirmed the identity of account owners. If The tweak? The verification part got
the program found that you were who you dropped—but Twitter didn’t actually tell
claimed to be, a blue checkmark (or gray for people that the badge meant something
the dark mode theme) would appear next to different now, and it did not send any emails
your name. It helped reduce harassment of or notifications to all its users. So here’s what
highly public figures, and allowed users to you need to know.
IMAGE: ROKAS TENYS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 9

NEWS WHY YOU CAN’T TRUST T WIT TER
got to work writing

whatever they wanted.
A flood of hoax
tweets hit the site. The
most headline-
grabbing of them came
on day two from a fake
Anyone willing to pay $8 per month can get a blue badge. account imitating
drugmaker Eli Lilly,
THAT WORD DOESN’T claiming that insulin would now be free.
MEAN WHAT YOU THINK The pharmaceutical’s stock temporarily
IT MEANS dropped in response, dragging down
The move allows subscribers to Twitter Blue its market cap by billions.
(fave.co/3HA4ucX), the company’s optional In response, Twitter played with different
paid membership, to gain a blue checkmark. mechanisms to quash impersonations.
No identity vetting is performed. You simply Some adjustments hit the site, disappeared,
pay $8 per month and get the same and reappeared within hours, like an
scalloped badge as entities like government additional label of Official for verified
officials and media outlets. accounts. The situation remains tumultuous,
Sold by Musk as a democratization of the with constant tinkering to the site promised
verification process, the revamped feature by Musk on his own (verified) account. The
sparked pandemonium.
On November 9, the first
day of the launch, users
quickly demonstrated that
any account could spoof a
verified one with very little
work. They picked a handle
similar to the official
account, entered their
name exactly the same way,
used the same avatar and
cover image, and paid $8
for Twitter Blue. Then they Official websites are the best way to find an organization’s Twitter info.

only thing not changing is Twitter’s adherence Some of the
mayhem
to its new policy.
sported a
hefty dose
YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN of humor.
Classic
Without a trustworthy verification process Twitter.
in place, users now have to be responsible
for filtering all the noise. It’s a heavy burden,
requiring constant vigilance and an
awareness of the latest methods for spotting
genuine accounts among copycats—again,
none of which Twitter is clearly
communicating to its users.
And no end to this additional work is in old verification process. But since that
sight. Bedlam likely will continue for a while at method may not stick, you can more reliably
Twitter. Beyond the verification changes, the start with a known person’s or company’s
company is undergoing extreme internal website to find their Twitter account
upheaval. A mass layoff wiped over 50 information and use those links. And when on
percent of its workforce, with thousands of Twitter, be mindful of the information you
additional firings following in the days after. share. The site is now like any other
The company has much fewer workers to lean unregulated medium (email or text
on and has experienced a sizable loss in message)—don’t reach out or reply to any
institutional knowledge. one without making sure who they are first.
So how do you stay safe on Twitter? The There are likely to be a lot of crypto and
easiest solution is to just stay away until things banking scams under this new system of
settle down at last. That will keep you from “verification.” Companies that have pulled
accidentally falling for tweets or private advertising since the change in ownership
messages from fake accounts. could also end up leaving the service.
But if you can’t bear more traditional In short, be wary when you’re on Twitter.
methods of getting up-to-the-minute news or Stay for the memes and jokes; head to your
contacting companies, you’ll have to take phone and web chat for sensitive customer
extra steps to protect yourself. Currently, you service needs. Don’t expect Twitter to keep
can click on a blue checkmark to see what you up to date on how to successfully
type it is: whether it’s from subscribing to navigate its changes. Its communication team
Twitter Blue or from having undergone the got axed entirely during the mass layoffs.

NEWS
Google Chrome is a memory hog,

but it’s going on a diet
Chrome’s upcoming memory and energy savings will be on by default. BY MARK HACHMAN
G
oogle Chrome has long had a Chromebooks alike, Google said Tuesday.
reputation of being fast, The company didn’t say when exactly when
secure…and ravenous for these new features will show up in your
memory like a starving teenager browser, just that they will.
at an all-you-can-eat buffet. But finally Chrome The features work pretty much as
is going to slim down, right in time for the advertised. Google pitches Memory Saver as
new year. a “smoother-running browser experience,”
Over the next few weeks, Chrome will be promising to save up to 30 percent more
adding two new features, Memory Saver and memory when running Chrome by freeing up
Battery Saver, on Windows, Macs, and memory from tabs you aren’t actively using. If
12 PCWorld JANUARY 2023 IMAGE: WACHIWIT/SHUTTERSTOCK

a tab is idling, it will essentially be put into a activity and visual effects for those sites that
static mode where its resources will be made use them.
available elsewhere. The tab will be reloaded Likewise, Microsoft was first to announce
if needed. a similar battery-saving mode, which it
“This is especially useful if you’re running announced in October in conjunction with
other intensive applications, like editing family Edge 106. (The current version at press time
videos or playing games,” Google said in a is version 107.) Edge’s efficiency mode is a
blog post announcing the new feature (fave. bit more sophisticated (fave.co/3Fps5dL). It
co/3YnHYKE). offers various tradeoffs to preserve battery
If this seems somewhat familiar, it should. life in various states, such as being
Microsoft Edge already can put tabs to unplugged as well as in a low-power state.
sleep to save resources. If you have dozens of For example, when your device is
tabs open in Edge, several probably won’t be unplugged and low on battery, that status
in active use. You’ll see the tabbed icons will have a visual impact on your browsing
along the top of the browser window visually experience, making videos less smooth, for
faded out to indicate their status. Hover over example. You can enter the Edge Settings
them, and Edge will tell you the tab is menu to adjust it if you wish.
sleeping, as well as how much memory that’s Both Edge and Chrome are built on
saving. In Chrome, Google plans to put Chromium, so it seems natural that they’d
controls for this feature in the ellipsis (…) share some features. Whichever browser you
menu to the upper right, though it will be choose, though, you’ll benefit.
turned on by default. (Why
turn it off? If you have a
frequently updated tab
like Twitter, you might
want to keep it active.)
Energy Saver acts in a
similar manner. If your
laptop’s battery level
drops to 20 percent,
Google Chrome will enter
Energy Saver mode and
start conserving power,
limiting background You can find Edge’s Efficiency Mode in its Settings menu.

NEWS
Game over? FTC sues to block

Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision
Blizzard takeover
Proposed $69 billion acquisition would harm consumers, FTC says. BY MARK HACHMAN
T
he Federal Trade Commission said to rival consoles, harming competition. “With
Thursday that it is filing suit in an control over Activision’s blockbuster franchises,
attempt to block Microsoft’s Microsoft would have both the means and
proposed $69 billion acquisition of motive to harm competition by manipulating
game developer Activision Blizzard, on the Activision’s pricing, degrading Activision’s game
grounds that it would suppress competition. quality or player experience on rival consoles
The FTC said (fave.co/3YgecaB) that the and gaming services, changing the terms and
proposed deal could possibly change timing of access to Activision’s content, or
Activision’s existing strategy of supplying games withholding content from competitors entirely,
14 PCWorld JANUARY 2023 IMAGE: ACTIVISION

resulting in harm to consumers,” the FTC said.
In an attempt to get out ahead of the FTC’s
action, Microsoft president Brad Smith
penned a Wall Street Journal editorial (fave.
co/3hqEoPa) in which he said that Microsoft
would supply ten years’ worth of Call of Duty
to Nintendo if the deal were to be approved.
That gambit apparently didn’t work.
Activision’s stable of games includes Call of
Duty, World of Warcraft, Diablo, and
Overwatch, with an estimated 154 million
active monthly users, according to the agency.
The FTC pointed to Microsoft’s decision to The FTC’s press release regarding the takeover.
make several Bethesda titles, including

Starfield and Redfall, Microsoft exclusives after and will withhold content from its gaming
buying ZeniMax, the parent of Bethesda rivals,” said Holly Vedova, director of the FTC’s
Software. That contradicted statements Bureau of Competition, in a statement. “Today
Microsoft had made to European antitrust we seek to stop Microsoft from gaining control
investigators, the agency said. over a leading independent game studio and
“Microsoft has already shown that it can using it to harm competition in multiple
dynamic and fast-
growing gaming
markets.”
The FTC’s job is to
preserve competition
for consumers, and the
agency said that it has a
reason to believe that
competition would be
harmed if the deal
proceeds. The FTC said
that the complaint itself
would be released
Microsoft said it would supply ten years’ worth of Call of Duty to Nintendo. soon.

NEWS
Your laptop’s battery life may be

dropping faster than you think
One test showed a laptop’s battery life dropping by as much as two and a half hours
in about a year’s time. BY MARK HACHMAN
M
ost laptop and CPU makers day-to-day use: In just a year’s time, my
encourage you to upgrade laptop’s battery capacity has dropped by a
your PC because its whopping 16 percent.
performance can’t keep up That’s a real-life number, based on real-
with the latest hardware. But there’s another, world use. Though I swap back and forth
more compelling reason that’s largely between a number of test laptops for various
ignored: Your laptop’s battery life will uses, I typically leave a Surface Laptop Studio
become significantly worse as time goes by. plugged in during the day; it’s also the test
How much battery life will diminish bed for powering my evaluations of the best
depends on a number of factors. But here’s Thunderbolt docks (fave.co/3vtA0BE). As our
my anecdotal report, based on my Surface Laptop Studio review (fave.co/
16 PCWorld JANUARY 2023 IMAGE: DIMA ZEL/SHUTTERSTOCK

3LQurF9) indicates, it’s an excellent (though off and forgotten about it, or, more likely, the
pricey) laptop, and perhaps Microsoft’s best. feature stopped working. At some point the
At the end of a typical workday, I flip off Windows 11 Taskbar began showing a small
the power strip to save power, and the exclamation point next to the battery, which
Surface Laptop Studio discharges. It’s not also appeared in the battery submenu in the
quite the same as dropping it in my backpack Windows 11 Settings. I couldn’t find anything
to take to work, but the charge-discharge wrong with the battery, but after checking
cycle is about the same. the Surface app I was unable to turn on smart
By now, you should hopefully be aware charging. Clicking the button simply
that charging and discharging your laptop’s wouldn’t work.
battery reduces its lifespan (fave.co/ So that’s not that big a deal, right? Well,
3UQKV3e)—but realistically, preventing that no. We use the excellent, though hidden,
is not always possible. Ideally, managing your Windows battery report tool (fave.
laptop battery means never quite letting it co/3j1YK1E) to learn more about how much
discharge fully, and never letting it totally battery power is available to a PC, and it’s a
charge to 100 percent, either. quick and effective reference. (See the linked
More manufacturers are including story for details and how to use it.)
applications to at least prevent you from Essentially, I was interested in a few
charging your PC to 100 percent, and the numbers: how the actual (full charge) battery
Surface Laptop Studio should do that, too, via life compared to the designed battery life, and
the Surface app (fave.co/3Hxo8X5). If you how the actual battery life diminished over
don’t own a Surface,
check the system utilities
that ship with your
laptop—chances are you’ll
find a relevant control. It’s
a good idea, especially if
you’re always close to a
desk, to make sure you
have that functionality
turned on.
In my case, I
Microsoft has several tools to help you learn about battery life: The
discovered that I had Surface app is specific to Microsoft Surface devices, but all Windows 11
either flipped that setting PCs can use the Windows 11 Settings menu.

NEWS L APTOP BAT TERY LIFE
actual capacity was larger: 58.4

Wh. But over a year’s time (135
complete cycles of charging and
discharging, according to
Windows), my fully charged battery
capacity dropped to 48.6 Wh, a
whopping 16 percent drop.
Windows helpfully also estimates
actual battery life times. This isn’t as
accurate as you might think, though,
because how you use the laptop
may evolve over time. But, as a
whole, it’s still generally meaningful,
and what Windows told me wasn’t
encouraging: From an active battery
The Windows battery capacity history (split into two
images for brevity’s sake) reveals the sharp drop in life of 9 hours and 56 minutes in
battery life over time. October 2021, Windows’ current
estimate was just 7 hours and 31
time. Fortunately, Windows keeps detailed minutes for the Surface Laptop Studio’s
records of just that. battery life. Put another way, the laptop’s
On October 13, 2021, the design battery had fallen by nearly 2 hours and 30
capacity was 56.3 watt-hours, while the minutes in a year’s time, an estimated 24
percent decrease in actual
battery life.
Is this entirely accurate?
It’s hard to check, but the
basic point holds true: With
Windows applying
consistent metrics to arrive
at its result, it’s a good
It’s the “current estimate of battery life” that’s concerning. Not shown: indicator that the laptop’s
the original estimate of 9:56, based upon the battery configuration real-world battery life had
that arrived as our review unit. The longer time of 216 hours, 14
minutes, and 56 seconds represents the estimated time in which the indeed decreased by
laptop can remain in idle mode before running out of battery. that amount.

WHAT CAN WE LEARN primarily by reducing its power consumption.
FROM THIS? Smart charging is an entirely different animal.
First, learn how to use the Windows battery Third, with the start of the new year, it
report tool (fave.co/3j1YK1E). The Windows might be time to buy a new laptop (fave.
11 Settings control (System > Power & battery) co/3qL4oHf). If you have, say, an older
will only show the battery state of your laptop 8th-generation Core chip inside your laptop,
for at most the last seven days and without the it might not be as fast as a new 12th-gen
details we’re talking about here. Using the Alder Lake laptop. But your PC isn’t
battery report tool requires opening the actually slowing down; it’s just become
Command Line, typing in a line of code, then slower relative to the latest PCs. Its actual
opening the resulting HTML file in a performance may still be good enough for
browser—a bit of a pain, but nothing too what you do on a daily basis.
scary for an ordinary user. The lesson here is that your battery is
Second, discover how to turn on smart actively degrading, and it’s doing so perhaps
charging on your PC to prevent it from fully faster than you think. We’re always on the
charging and thus wearing out your battery. lookout for the best daily sales on laptops
Unfortunately, this isn’t something I can show (fave.co/3Lx2PoL). If you agree with us that
you, as it varies by manufacturer. (Microsoft’s it’s time to start looking for a new PC, we’ve
support page [fave.co/3HB886G] got you covered.
recommends that you
contact your laptop maker
for more details.) HP’s
Adaptive Battery (fave.
co/3hsWWOQ) is on by
default on the laptops it
supports, for example.
Remember that smart
charging is different than
what’s known as the
“battery saver”—the latter is
designed to preserve your
laptop’s battery life and
Microsoft has another tool for monitoring your Surface: the little-known
prevent it from running out Surface Diagnostic Toolkit application. It will actually provide a battery
of power while on the go, wear estimate, along with other data.

NEWS
ChatGPT is the dazzling, scary

future of AI chatbots
This feels like what Google, Siri, and Alexa hope to be one day. BY MARK HACHMAN
S
omeone on the internet wrote that write a seven-paragraph essay on why nihilism
ChatGPT just made the first two should be your personal philosophy. It can
years of high-school homework write an epic poem on the need to brush your
meaningless. That assessment is teeth regularly. It can write a formal yet
not far off the mark. OpenAI’s new AI text- sarcastic letter to your neighbor on why he
generation tool currently offers sophisticated, shouldn’t trim your trees without permission.
lengthy, and even fun responses to textual It’s a breathtaking development. It’s also a
prompts, currently all for free. scary one when you think about ChatGPT’s
ChatGPT is part Wikipedia, part potential to mimic human prose and poetry.
researcher, part analyst, and part poet. It can ChatGPT (fave.co/3YjXYgy) is currently in
write a short paper on the causes and “free research preview,” which means you
outcomes of the French Revolution. It can can use the service for free. It does require
20 PCWorld JANUARY 2023 IMAGE: AARON BURDEN/UNSPLASH

generators (fave.co/3UV2fUU) are now
relatively common as tools to quickly
dash off SEO-optimized marketing copy,
construct basic blog posts, and so on. It’s
similar to AI art (fave.co/3YnSzFq), which
uses natural-language text to generate
unique images based upon material the
algorithm has found on the internet and in
other sources.
Most text generators are basic, both
in content and in length. ChatGPT is
something else entirely. Using ChatGPT
to write an essay on nihilism probably
wouldn’t fool the instructor of a high-level
college philosophy course. But it’s
Open the image in a new tab if you need to zoom in. feasible that the ChatGPT essay could
read like the work of a high school
you to sign up for OpenAI, which can be as student. You be the judge.
simple as authenticating the service via your Prompting the tool to ask a common
Gmail account. Once inside, you get a question about The Lord of the Rings—”Why
seemingly limitless numbers of text prompts didn’t the giant eagles fly Frodo to Mount
to play with. But don’t expect this to last Doom?”—generated the response below (1).
forever, because OpenAI typically
licenses its models to third parties and
then takes its own service offline.
What separates ChatGPT from
other AI chatbot tools is the length
and detail of its responses. GPT-3 is a
language model built by OpenAI, and
it’s been taught to understand the
relationships between billions of
words. (In fact, ChatGPT uses GPT
3.5, a more sophisticated version.)
Though not mainstream, GPT-3 text 1.

NEWS CHATGPT IS THE FUTURE OF AI CHATBOTS
It’s worth noting that ChatGPT, like instances continuing a running conversation seems a
of AI art, uses a different “seed” for its little stale in 2022, and ChatGPT doesn’t
responses, which you can recycle using the really demonstrate a “personality” per se.
“Try again” button. (An earlier version of this OpenAI’s ChatGPT explainer (fave.co/
query made the good point that the eagles 3WloHYp) describes how humans trained
would be subject to the power of the One ChatGPT by simulating questions and
Ring, which this response omits.) responses, and probing existential questions
But OpenGPT also understands the get shot down quickly.
context of the question without needing it to Responding to the question, “Do you
be explained. want to be alive?” the chatbot wrote, “As a
ChatGPT was also trained to continue machine learning model, I do not have the
conversations. The idea of chatbots ability to want or desire anything. I am
programmed to provide
accurate and relevant
information to humans on a
wide range of topics, and I do
not have the capacity to have
personal preferences or
aspirations.” Pretty dull stuff.
Where ChatGPT really
shines is in its ability to
understand relationships,
which can have some
unexpected benefits. First,
OpenAI claims ChatGPT has
the ability to understand
code. Second, instead of
having something explained
to you on a static Web page,
with ChatGPT you can ask a
complex question and then
follow up. That’s a few steps
beyond Google, which
An example of code OpenAI says it can understand and correct. requires you to enter a query,

on First’ about computer mice” wasn’t all that
sharp. “Tell me how to install an SSD in the
style of a 1940s gangster” returned a decent,
informative response, though it wasn’t
particularly amusing. However, asking it to
write an epic poem about the need for good
oral hygiene (misspelled in the prompt)
returned this, alongside a limerick (2).And, of
course, the internet came up with many other
examples.
ChatGPT also signals the future of smart
speakers. Prompting “Hey Google” for the
weather forecast works great, but Google
Assistant can’t make a case for which player
ChatGPT can be used as a quick but powerful

engineering tool, too.
then select a response—and one that might

not end up being the most appropriate to
your question.
GETTING WEIRD WITH

CHATGPT
ChatGPT shines in the same way that makes
AI art so compelling: The limits of what it can
do are far, far broader than what you might
expect.
As with AI art, you can prompt ChatGPT
to try out different styles of writing, which can
lead to some strange, unusual, and
sometimes rather magical responses. Some
simply don’t work: “Write a version of ‘Who’s 2.

NEWS CHATGPT IS THE FUTURE OF AI CHATBOTS
others might try to do just that.

In case you’re wondering about
ChatGPT’s utility as an academic (read:
plagiarism) tool, I copied the short nihilism
essay into a free online plagiarism checker
at Papersowl.com (fave.co/3VXXpaI), and
the response came back as 84 percent
original. The French Revolution piece was
labeled as 56 percent plagiarized, though
it looked like words and phrases were
copied from several sources, not chunks of
text. Can you imagine teaching high-school
English, history or any other written subject
in a ChatGPT world?
Is this the future of Internet humor?
Right now, ChatGPT feels a little like
peering into the future of the internet. And
would be the best left fielder in baseball history that idea is both fascinating and a bit scary.
and why. ChatGPT can.
On the flip side, Google Assistant often
tells you where it sources its information from
and what that Web site says about a particular
topic. ChatGPT does not, and it can
sometimes be wrong. So while ChatGPT
does an excellent job of speaking with
authority, experts can still poke holes in its
arguments—as in this rebuttal (3).
Interestingly, you can tell ChatGPT that it’s
wrong, and it’s programmed to factor that
information into its responses. What that
means for the future of disinformation,
though, is unclear. I didn’t make an effort to
“teach” it, for instance, the things that forced
Microsoft’s chatbot, Tay (fave.co/3uPXjGk),
offline in 2016. But it’s not unbelievable that 3.

Chrome now supports passkeys,
the password killer
Chrome will support passkeys on Windows, Android, and iOS. BY MARK HACHMAN
T
he Google Chrome browser now Passkeys are surprisingly easy to
supports something new to secure understand. You’re familiar with a username
your life: passkeys, a stronger, and password. The latter should be a
leak-proof version of a password complex series of letters and numbers—the
that can use your phone as a token to longer the password, the more secure it is, in
authorize you to websites. general (fave.co/3Py6OU4).
Passkeys can and will be stored inside the But once they’re exposed in a breach,
Google Password Manager, or inside apps that they can be surprisingly easy to crack (fave.
support passkeys within future versions of co/3hmwmqC). It’s why a password
Android, Google said (fave.co/3URoRpj). manager, even a free password manager
Passkeys are enabled in the latest version of (fave.co/3nT9nDq), is the ideal solution—a
Chrome in Windows 11, macOS, and Android. password manager can generate
IMAGE: GOOGLE JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 25

NEWS CHROME PASSKEY SUPPORT
pseudo-random passwords and

store them securely.
A passkey isn’t a password at all.
It’s simply a token that’s stored on
your phone. When asked to
authenticate you, the token on your
phone communicates with the site
or app in question. No password is
ever used, so no password is ever
exchanged or stored. In this example, a user uses their smartphone to authenticate
“A passkey doesn’t leave your with a passkey while accessing a site on their PC.
mobile device when signing in like
this,” Google said. “Only a securely banking apps already allow you to do this.
generated code is exchanged with the site Here, the user is accessing the website itself
so, unlike a password, there’s nothing that and is using the same biometric login.
could be leaked.” It’s part of an agreement Naturally, you probably wouldn’t use your
Apple, Google, and Microsoft made in May bank’s website when you could use the
(fave.co/3hsVCeL). (presumably safer) app. But this new
In the real world, then, here’s an example capability in Chrome will allow you to replace
of what you might see (1): passwords with passkeys on theoretically any
In the example (a fictional bank illustrated website, provided the site supports them.
by Google), you have On a desktop PC, the process would
the choice of entering work in a similar manner. A passkey could
a stored password, or replace any site’s password. Here, you would
using a passkey have three options: Log in with Windows
instead. The user is Hello via your face or fingerprint; log in with
asked to authenticate your nearby smartphone, much as you would
the password by on mobile; or use a USB security key. All three
simply using their are viable alternatives.
screen lock, Replacing passwords with passkeys won’t
presumably a happen overnight. But as more sites sign on
fingerprint reader. to using them, passkeys will become more
One difference here important—and so will your phone, as a
1.
is that some mobile digital “wallet” for storing them.

Windows 11’s borked gaming
performance is mostly fixed,
Microsoft says
If you’re suddenly seeing that big update hit your desktop, that’s why! BY MICHAEL CRIDER
A
couple of weeks ago Microsoft much in an official bug tracker, and delayed the
confirmed what gamers rollout of the big 2022 Update (fave.
suspected: The big 2022 update co/3WiE2Je) for quite a few users. According
to Windows 11 was affecting the to the same change log, the issue isn’t fully
performance of high-end games. It said as resolved, but it’s now limited to only a “small
IMAGE: MATT SMITH JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 27

NEWS WINDOWS 11’S BORKED GAMING PERFORMANCE
Presumably
that’s why the
safeguard hold
(which prevents
the update from
going out to
users who might
have issues) is
now limited to a
much smaller
subset of users
with those
The recent Windows 11 2022 update affected gaming performance. affected games
and apps.
subset of games and apps.” So the latest Microsoft has yet to mark the issue as
update is heading out to a lot more users. “resolved” in its bug tracker (fave.
The Verge spotted the update (fave. co/3uRaNS8), which indicates there’s still
co/3VZdjl0), and I can confirm that my desktop work to be done. Whether that work will
with an Nvidia GPU got the Windows 11 2022 come from Microsoft itself, developers of the
Update last night. Exactly what the problem affected games and programs, or some
was—is?—remains somewhat nebulous. combination of the two wasn’t made clear.
Microsoft originally blamed
the issue on games
“inadvertently enabling
GPU performance
debugging features not
meant to be used by
consumers.” Based on the
advice to update games
and apps to the latest
versions, we can infer that
the problem can be solved
by updates to the software
itself instead of Windows. Microsoft has marked the issue as “resolved” in its bug tracker.

If your kids love Roblox, check
their browser for this malware
The popular SearchBlox Chrome extension appears to be harvesting user data
for potential digital theft. BY MICHAEL CRIDER
T
he latest high-profile heist of the target of a series of Chrome extensions
valuable digital currency has hiding malware.
nothing to do with Bitcoin or According to BleepingComputer (fave.
Ethereum. Nope, this time thieves co/3VZ3ZNZ), at least two extensions posted
are stealing currency and assets from Roblox to the official Chrome Web Store were fronts
players. Roblox is a massively popular kid’s for a backdoor program that gathers a Roblox
game platform that has a disturbing amount player’s user info and potentially makes them
of real money trading hands, and it’s become a target for hacking, especially if they’re also a
IMAGE: GROUND PICTURE/SHUTTERSTOCK JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 29

NEWS ROBLOX MALWARE
badge. This is despite

the fact that Google
culled similar
compromised
extensions just last
month.
As always, you
should be wary of
third-party browser
extensions, and
check their updates
to make sure they
Roblox is hugely popular with kids.
haven’t been injected
user of the third-party Rolimons.com currency with unnecessary or malicious code. And on a
trading system. bit of a tangent, if you’re letting your children
The SearchBlox extensions claim to allow play Roblox, you might want to take a closer
you to search quickly for other users, and look at its monetization and labor issues (fave.
were apparently legitimate at some point, but co/3huQUNp)—Minecraft might be a more
have been compromised last fall. While one kid-friendly choice.
of the extensions has been downloaded less Note: Shortly after this article was
than a thousand times, the other has more published, Google removed both SearchBlox
than 200,000 installations. There’s extensions from the Chrome Web Store.
circumstantial evidence
that one or more
people are stealing
Roblox currency with
the data gathered by
the hidden backdoor.
At the time of
writing, both SearchBlox
extensions are still live in
the Chrome Web Store,
with the primary listing
enjoying a “Featured” Parents concerned about ethics may want to opt for Minecraft instead.

1 2
GET IT SLIP IT
3 4
CUFF IT CHECK IT
Check it every day. Self-monitoring is power.
Visit: ManageYourBP.com
Or scan code
for more.
In partnership with the Office of Minority Health and Health Resources & Services Administration.

Check it every day. Self-monitoring is power.
Visit: ManageYourBP.com
Or scan code
for more.

In partnership with the Office of Minority Health and Health Resources & Services Administration.
TESTED IN PCWORLD LABS
Reviews & Ratings WE PUT HARDWARE & SOFTWARE
THROUGH RIGOROUS TESTING
5 must-know GeForce RTX 4080

details: Overpriced by $500
The RTX 4080’s performance went up over the RTX 3080, but its price went up
waaaaaaaaaay more. BY BRAD CHACOS
N
vidia’s new GeForce RTX 4080 a staggering $1,200 price tag. Yes, that’s
Founders Edition hits stores right: a $500 (or 71 percent) increase over the
recently, lightning-fast cost of its predecessor. For roughly 30
performance and a massive percent more performance.
new price tag in tow. While last generation’s Sheesh.
awesome RTX 3080 (fave.co/38NTnOi) cost We’ve been putting the GeForce RTX
$700 at launch, delivering a monumental 60 4080 through its paces. While Nvidia’s new
to 80 percent performance uplift over its GPU is astonishingly fast, blowing past last
predecessor, this new model is releasing with gen’s RTX 3090 with ease while drawing
IMAGE: NVIDIA JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 33

REVIEWS 5 GEFORCE RT X 4080 DETAILS
much less power, that new price tag casts a

long shadow over its release, to such an 11 game test suite
extent that we can’t even come close to total combined FPS at
recommending this card at this aggressively 4K/Ultra (no RT or DLSS)
Frames per second
insulting price—unless, perhaps, if you’re
using it for content creation below 8K RTX 3080
1,152.8
resolution (fave.co/3BHPSEG). Look for our RTX 3090
1,397.1
comprehensive RTX 4080 gaming RTX 4080
1,501.2
performance review to land in the coming RTX 4090
2,024.2
days. Today, here’s a high-level look at what LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
you need to know before dropping $1,200

(or, ideally, not) on one of these beasts.
We used the same game suite for the RTX 4080 as
we did in our 4090 review, but with Call of Duty:
1. THE GEFORCE RTX 4080 Modern Warfare 2 added.
CHEWS THROUGH GAMES
There’s no denying that the GeForce RTX to deliver unparalleled performance in these
4080 is fast. Averaged across our 11-game cutting-edge games—especially in the
testing suite—running a variety of graphics handful of titles that support DLSS 3’s Frame
APIs, game engines, and game types—the Generation feature, which adds AI-generated
GeForce RTX 4080 winds up about 7.5 visuals every other frame to supercharge
percent faster than the vaunted RTX 3090, visual speeds (but not necessarily
and 30.3 percent faster than the RTX 3080 responsiveness, because those AI frames
(though exact performance uplift can vary don’t respond to your inputs like a normal
wildly depending on the game). Unlike last frame would). At 1440p in F1 22, the RTX
generation’s cards, it has no problem hitting 4080 hits 118 fps with standard DLSS 2 on
the hallowed 60 frames per second mark at and ray tracing active, and a whopping 234
4K resolution with all the eye candy cranked, fps with DLSS 3 FG enabled!
even in tough titles like Cyberpunk 2077.
The same holds true for ray-traced and 2. THE GEFORCE RTX 4080
DLSS-enhanced games. As we saw with the CHEWS THROUGH
$1,600 GeForce RTX 4090 (fave.co/ CONTENT CREATION
3O1pryL), Nvidia’s new “Ada Lovelace” If you use your graphics card for work as well
architecture seriously stepped up the quality as play, you’ll like what’s on offer here—
of its dedicated ray tracing and tensor cores maybe. Adam “EposVox” Taylor, the

internet’s stream professor, already tested “Throwing the card in my Threadripper
the RTX 4080’s workstation chops in a Pro build to text my intense 8K project full of
gauntlet of content creation benchmarks. 8K RAW footage, Resolve SuperScaled 4K
Bottom line? The huge performance benefits footage, plugins and effects…unfortunately
he first witnessed in the RTX 4090 (fave. the 4080 couldn’t export this, just like the
co/3Ys2Ekw) still hold true here, with the previous 80-tier cards I tested. 16GB of VRAM
RTX 4080 (usually) smoking its last-gen still isn’t enough, I suppose—plugins error
predecessors in streaming, editing, AI art out, color graded footage takes longer than
generation, and more. the 4090, and so on. 8K is tough, but for
But there’s a catch: The RTX 4080 only $1,200 I would hope at this point to start to
comes with 16GB of onboard VRAM. That’s see higher VRAM capacities when Intel is
plenty for gaming, of course, but EposVox handing out $350 Arc graphics cards with
found it wanting for serious video editors. 16GB” (fave.co/3g2HHuI).
Check out his full evaluation (fave.
co/3BHPSEG) for dozens upon dozens of 3. IT’S HUGE
benchmarks, but here’s the key excerpt on One of the perks of Nvidia’s RTX 3080
why you may want to spend up for a 4090’s Founders Edition was its size. Virtually all
24GB capacity or wait for a cheaper RTX custom 3080 boards by the likes of EVGA,
40-series option instead: Asus, MSI, and so on were massive three- or
four-slot cards that required lots
of room in your PC case. The
RTX 3080 Founders Edition
stood out by being a standard
two-slot card that fit into virtually
any system, and it looked
damned good doing it thanks
to Nvidia’s stunning industrial
design. Yay!
Not so with the RTX 4080
Founders Edition. Nvidia
decided to give the RTX 4080
FE the same humongous
The huge performance benefits we first witnessed in the RTX triple-slot cooler as the RTX
4090, shown here, hold true for the RTX 4080. 4090 this time around, which

case, but they’re nothing new—

last-gen RTX 30-series Founders
Edition cards also shipped with
slightly different 12-pin
adapters. What is new are
dozens of reports of melting
12VHPWR adapters on the RTX
4090 (fave.co/3PyrLOL). Yikes.
This isn’t anything I’d
personally worry about. I’ve had
no problems with my 4080 or
But the RTX 4080 is massively overpriced and doesn’t offer 4090 FE, and a few dozen
anything to justify its out-of-control cost. incidents over presumably tens
(hundreds?) of thousands of RTX
means it’ll slip into far fewer systems. It’s a bit 4090 sales indicates a clear problem, but not
of a perplexing design choice, since the more a pervasive one. And despite extensive
efficient Lovelace-based RTX 4080 actually testing, GamersNexus (fave.co/3YmvMtz)
draws less power than the RTX 3080 FE under and Igor’s Labs (fave.co/3j81eeV) have been
full load in our tests. Nvidia could’ve chosen a unable to replicate the melted cables seen by
much cheaper, more manageable two-slot a handful of new RTX 4090 owners. Hopefully
design yet again, I suspect—though having a Nvidia figures out the root cause, and it’s
huge, silent, and frigid three-slot cooler might limited to a bad batch of cables or connectors
help make you feel better about dropping on 4090s alone.
$1,200 on this card, I guess. But it’s another potential point of concern
in a product full of tiny concerns. And a
4. IT USES A $1,200 graphics cards really shouldn’t stress
CONTROVERSIAL (AND you out. Which brings us to the main point.
UGLY) POWER ADAPTER
Similarly, the GeForce RTX 4080 also joins 5. THE GEFORCE RTX 4080
the RTX 4090 in using a new power adapter COSTS WAAAAAAAAY TOO
designed to connect its new-breed MUCH
12VHPWR power port to three standard In no world I can imagine should you pay
8-pin power connectors. I think these $1,200 for the RTX 4080. And I suspect
short-cabled adapters are fugly inside your Nvidia wants exactly that.

the RTX 3080 Ti by
single-digit percentages.
That’s absolutely insane
and aggressively insulting
to PC gamers. You should
stay far, far away from this
graphics card at this price.
There are broader
economic reasons why
Nvidia probably priced
the RTX 4080 this way.
The RTX 4090 remains a
great option even at
$1,600; it can max out a
The RTX 4080, like the RTX 4090, uses a new—and ugly—power adapter. high-refresh-rate 4K
monitor and chew
You can view an assortment of content through content creation tasks without
creator benchmark results in a related story breaking a sweat, something no other GPU
(fave.co/3WLedlM)—a burst pipe in the can claim, for just $100 more than the RTX
middle of the night foiled my release-day 3090’s launch MSRP. It’s pricey, but good.
ambitions—but at a high level, it’s about 30 The RTX 4080 is pricey but does nothing
percent faster than the RTX 3080 at 4K to justify its downright ludicrous cost. It does,
resolution with settings maxed out and ray however, manage to make both the RTX 4090
tracing and DLSS off. That’s a solid if and the piles of older RTX 30-series cards look
unspectacular generational jump (the RTX somewhat more reasonable thanks to the
4090’s 55 to 83 percent leap over the 3090 psychology of price anchoring (fave.
was much more impressive, as was the 3080 co/3HKt62T). Nvidia and its partners are
versus 2080), the sort you’d expect to see in sitting on a massive stockpile of RTX 30-series
the same class moving from one gen to the GPUs after the cryptocurrency market
next. But that’s at the same price. crashed, and sunk demand for ultra-
Again, Nvidia is asking for 71 percent marked-up GPUs alongside it. Consider the
more cash for that mere 30 percent RTX 3080: No one would expect to pay
uplift—$699 versus $1,199. At the same anywhere near its MSRP of $700 more than
$1,199 price, the RTX 4080 is only faster than two years after its launch. But that’s where

we’re at right now, and next to the $1,200 the 1.5x to 1.7x uplift (via 6950 XT) that
RTX 4080, it might look like a bargain, Radeon claims, Team Red’s offering could
because the RTX 4080 is 71 percent more. very well wind up just behind the RTX 4090
Nvidia is keeping both these generations and as fast as or faster than the RTX 4080 for
alive side by side for a reason. hundreds of dollars less.
When Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang spoke Don’t be a sucker and pay $1,200 for this
to reporters after revealing Lovelace at GTC card. Don’t be a sucker and buy a 2-year-old
2022, he said, “The idea that a chip is going last-gen model at full price. Either buy an RTX
to go down in cost over time, unfortunately, is 4090 if you want no-compromises gaming
a story of the past.” But AMD just revealed its and creation performance—or wait to see
next-gen RDNA 3 Radeon GPUs (fave. what Radeon offers this time around, or wait
co/3j9ZLEF), and yes, they cost less than their for Nvidia’s prices to potentially fall after it
predecessors. The Radeon RX 7900 XTX goes through that mountain of older RTX
costs $999, compared to a $1,100 MSRP for 30-series cards. Because a 71 percent price
the Radeon RX 6950 XT; the Radeon RX 7900 increase for a 30 percent performance
XT costs $899, compared to $999 for the increase ain’t it. That may sound harsh, but it’s
Radeon RX 6900 XT (though the 7900 XT also true.
may have more in common with last-gen’s Stay tuned for our full gaming review
6800 XT). soon. In the meantime, check out Adam
We’ll have to see where performance falls Taylor’s insanely detailed evaluation of the
when AMD’s cards launch on December 13, GeForce RTX 4080’s content creation chops
but if the Radeon RX 7900 XTX manages to hit (fave.co/3BHPSEG).
Take all vendor-

supplied
benchmarks with
a big handful
of salt, but if
the Radeon RX
7900 XTX is
indeed more
than 1.5 times
faster than the
6950 XT, it could
wind up faster
than the 4080 in
traditional games
for hundreds less.

AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX and
XT: Move over, RTX 4080
These cards make the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 look silly. BY BRAD CHACOS
The war for the next battle between the last generation of the
generation of graphics Radeon RX 6900 XT and RTX 3090.
supremacy is finally on. AMD’s Despite costing hundreds less, AMD’s
new RDNA 3–powered $999 Radeon RX 7900 XTX comes within spitting
Radeon RX 7900 XTX and $899 Radeon distance of the $1,600 RTX 4090 in many
7900 XT finally hit the streets on Tuesday, games, meeting or even beating it in some
December 13, primed for battle with Nvidia’s titles—just like last generation. Ray tracing is
monstrous GeForce RTX 4090 (fave.co/ also no longer a weakness, with the 7900 XTX
3O1pryL). To cut right to the chase: In many on par with the 3090’s formerly best-in-class
ways, this launch is very reminiscent of the performance but trailing behind Nvidia’s
IMAGE: AMD JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 39

REVIEWS AMD R ADEON R X 7900 X T X AND X T
latest ferocious capabilities—just like last striking change? This is the first Ryzen-like
generation. New capabilities unlock chiplet-based GPU ever created.
specialized experiences when you pair AMD’s Previously, GPUs were built using huge
latest Radeon GPUs with its latest Ryzen “monolithic” dies that crammed all necessary
processors—just like last generation. bits inside. But with RDNA 3 the main 5nm
But this time around, there’s a big core graphics die is flanked by up to six
difference. The Radeon RX 7900 XTX isn’t in complementary memory dies. Built using the
competition with the RX 4090, despite its more mature and cost-efficient 6nm process,
ability to go toe-to-toe with Nvidia’s juggernaut. these house the GPU’s on-chip Infinity Cache
The ludicrously priced $1,200 GeForce RTX and memory controllers. The design helps
4080 (see page 31) is. Nvidia slapped the card AMD keep costs down on both nodes, and
with a mammoth $500 price increase gen over no doubt helps the Radeon RX 7900 XTX and
gen, while AMD stuck to the same $999 for its XT achieve their more palatable prices. The
flagship card. And both members of the 7900 central RDNA 3 GPU die measures just
duo meet or beat the RTX 4080’s performance 300mm squared, while Nvidia’s RTX 4090 die
at those cheaper MSRPs. is over twice as large. All of the 4090 die is
Let’s dig into the details. made using TSMC’s expensive cutting-edge
node, too.
SPECS, PRICE, AND AMD also overhauled RDNA 3’s ray-
FEATURES tracing capabilities to offer up to 50 percent
AMD radically reconfigured its underlying more performance in those cutting-edge
GPU architecture with RDNA 3. The most lighting effects; added a pair of AI
accelerators in each compute
unit (which will likely come into
play when FSR 3.0 lands in
2023); tuned the Infinity Cache
for enhanced performance;
introduced a new “Radiance
Display Engine” that supports
HDMI 2.1a, USB-C, and
DisplayPort 2.1 (unlike the RTX
40 series); amped up the
“dual” media engine with AV1
This is the first Ryzen-like chiplet-based GPU ever created. encoding (yay!) and

more advanced CUs
into these RDNA 3
chips (1).
A couple other
practical technical
tidbits are worth calling
out here. First, AMD
learned its lessons from
RDNA 2. While Infinity
Cache works wonders
The Radeon RX 7900 XTX features a new Radiance Display Engine. for boosting
performance in many
simultaneous AVC, HEVC encode, and games, at higher resolutions you need ample
decode; and more—including switching to a VRAM and wide memory busses to tackle
newly “unified” compute unit. high-performance textures with grace. The
We’re not going to bog down this review Radeon RX 7900 XTX packs 24GB of GDDR6,
with the full details, though. Our initial while the 7900 XT offers 20GB, well above
Radeon RX 7900 XTX reveal coverage (fave. the 16GB found in the RTX 4080 and last
co/3UGlZMo) has all the technical info you gen’s 6900 XT. It’s overkill but content
need if you want to wade in deeper. This creators will love it, and they’re paired with
review focuses on more practical matters. much wider 384-bit and 320-bit
That starts with the technical (respectively) buses than before. Between
configuration
details of the 1.
Radeon RX 7900
XTX and 7900 XT,
and how they
compare against
last-generation’s
Radeon RX 6900
XT flagship. As you
can see, AMD
crammed a lot, lot
more of those

that and Infinity Cache, memory isn’t an issue 12VHPWR connectors (fave.co/3PyrLOL).
with the 7900 series, full stop. Though custom RX 7900 boards also go big,
Also pay attention to the power draw of AMD’s offerings stick to a modest 2.5-slot
the flagship XTX model. While the $899 design that “fits in everything“(fave.
Radeon RX 7900 XT consumes a bit less co/3BFbr8W), per small form factor PC guru
power than its predecessor, the $999 7900 Optimum Tech. That’s great for compatibility
XTX cranks up the juice to compete with with existing PCs.
Nvidia’s latest and greatest. AMD Also great: AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 series
recommends using an 800-watt power reference cards use just two traditional 8-pin
supply at minimum, and in our power testing power connectors. The cards sport dual
benchmarks, we discovered that the XTX only DisplayPort 2.1 connections, a singular HDMI
draws a hair less power than the ferocious RTX 2.1a port, and a USB-C connection that’s
4090. Yes, this card is more efficient than compatible with DP 2.1 as well. Nvidia’s RTX
prior GPU generations, but it’s still 40 series lacks USB-C, and most custom RX
power-hungry. 7900 series cards we’ve seen so far swap it
That makes the relatively tiny size of out for a standard DP 2.1 connection. So if
AMD’s in-house GPUs all the more that’s a key feature for you, AMD’s reference
noteworthy. Nvidia and its partners slapped cards are the ones to target.
gargantuan 3- or 4-slot coolers on their 4080 For a deeper glimpse at these gorgeous
and 4090 cards, powered by the melty new GPUs, check out our separate close-up look
at the Radeon RX 7900 XTX and
XT (fave.co/3v1VsOp).
Of course, these cards also
support AMD’s abundant
software features, some of which
are only available when paired
with an AMD Ryzen CPU. Those
include FidelityFX Super
Resolution 1.0 and 2.0 upscaling
tech (fave.co/3HHp1N8) and its
universal Radeon Super
Resolution cousin (fave.co/
This card is more efficient than prior GPU generations, but it’s still 3hDbKu2), the performance-
power-hungry. boosting Smart Access Memory

The Radeon RX 7900 has a wide selection of connectivity options.
(fave.co/3aReZar), a new Smart Access Video the optional “Hardware-accelerated GPU

feature for accelerating encoding tasks (which scheduling” option in Windows to let the RTX
we hope to test soon), Radeon Anti-Lag for 40 series stretch its legs to the fullest, so
reduced latency, AMD Noise Suppression to we’ve made that tweak as well. Most of the
eliminate background noise during video hardware was provided by the manufacturers,
calls and streams, AMD Link to beam but we purchased the storage ourselves.
gameplay to other devices, Radeon Boost, • AMD Ryzen 5900X, stock settings
power-saving Radeon Chill, Radeon Image • AMD Wraith Max cooler
Sharpening, AMD Privacy View, and more. • MSI Godlike X570 motherboard
They’re all great options to have at hand. • 32GB G.Skill Trident Z Neo DDR4 3800
But enough talk. Let’s get to the memory, XMP active
benchmarks. Giddyup. • Corsair HX1500i power supply, fave.
co/3PuSBqX (and optional $20 12VHPWR
OUR TEST SYSTEM 600 cable for Nvidia GPUs, fave.co/3EMLruz)
We evaluate graphics cards on an AMD Ryzen • 1TB SK Hynix Gold S31 SSD x2 (fave.
5900X PC used exclusively for benchmarking co/3lRPhZM)
GPUs. We now test with PCIe Resizable BAR We’re comparing AMD’s Radeon RX 7900
(also known as Smart Access Memory on series against the $1,200 Nvidia GeForce RTX
Ryzen systems) active, as most modern 4080 and $1,600 RTX 4090, their natural
gaming PCs released in the last four years next-gen rivals. We’ve also included
support the performance-boosting feature, benchmarks from the last-gen Radeon RX
either natively or via a motherboard firmware 6900 XT, as well as Nvidia’s RTX 3080, 3080
update. Nvidia also recommends turning on Ti, and 3090, to show generational

improvements. All of these cards remain solid

4K offerings, even the last-gen models. Call of Duty: Modern
We’ve also updated the games in our Warfare 2 (DX12)
testing suite for this new generation. Our Frames per second
lineup of games spans various engines, 1080p 1440p 4K
genres, vendor sponsorships (Nvidia, AMD, Nvidia 144

GeForce RTX
and Intel), and graphics APIs (DirectX 9, 11, 3080 FE 105
64
DX12, and Vulkan), in an effort to represent a AMD Radeon
RX 6900 XT 168
full range of performance potential. Each title 123
is run using its in-game benchmark, sanity- 74
EVGA GeForce
checked by Nvidia’s FrameView tool (fave. RTX 3080 Ti 154
FTW3 Ultra 116
co/3FBf6Wn), at the highest possible 72
graphics presets unless otherwise noted, with AMD Radeon

RX 7900 XT 238
178
VSync, frame rate caps, real-time ray tracing or
105
DLSS effects, and FreeSync/G-Sync disabled, AMD Radeon
RX 7900 XTX 258
along with any other vendor-specific 199
121
technologies like FidelityFX tools or Nvidia
Nvidia 207
Reflex. We’ve also enabled temporal anti- GeForce RTX
4080 FE 155
aliasing (TAA) to push these cards to their limits. 98
Nvidia
Each benchmark gets run at least three GeForce RTX 159
3090 FE 118
times, with the average result for each test 73
listed as the final result. Outside of esports, Nvidia 244
GeForce RTX
we’ve limited our benchmarks to 4K and 4090 FE 198
132
1440p resolutions, as those are the natural fits
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
for these bruising GPUs. Most cost four
figures or more at launch. Pay close attention
to how the 7900 XTX and RTX 4090 trade GAMING PERFORMANCE
blows at both resolutions—in most cases, BENCHMARKS
AMD’s card is faster at 1440p resolution than Esports and older APIs
the Nvidia card that costs $600 more (thanks, Let’s kick things off with a pair of ultra-popular
Infinity Cache!), while 4K performance varies esports games, and a tactical strategy game
wildly. Sometimes the 7900 duo struggles to running on DX11. It’s a killer start for RDNA 3.
surpass the RTX 4080, while other times it can In Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the Radeon
meet (and, rarely, beat) even the 4090. RX 7900 series mops the floor with the 4080

Counter-Strike: Total War: Troy (DX11)
Global Offensive (DX9) Frames per second
Frames per second 1440p 4K
1080p 1440p 4K Nvidia 120.7

GeForce RTX
3080 FE 80.1
Nvidia 686.7
GeForce RTX AMD Radeon
3080 FE 533.1 RX 6900 XT 141.8
363.5 91.4
AMD Radeon EVGA GeForce 128.3

RX 6900 XT 596.5 RTX 3080 Ti
FTW3 Ultra 90
495.5
411.1 AMD Radeon 152
RX 7900 XT
EVGA GeForce 703.2 112.7
RTX 3080 Ti
FTW3 Ultra 564.2 AMD Radeon
RX 7900 XTX 155.5
413 126.1
AMD Radeon 638 Nvidia
RX 7900 XT GeForce RTX 138.5
548.1 4080 FE 104.5
320.9
Nvidia 127.4
AMD Radeon GeForce RTX
RX 7900 XTX 637.6 3090 FE 90.3
608.5
Nvidia 141.7
390.3 GeForce RTX
4090 FE 122.1
Nvidia 708.6
GeForce RTX
4080 FE 537.3 LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
305.2
Nvidia 704
GeForce RTX
3090 FE 558.9
406.8
beats the 4090 at 1440p, but gets edged at
Nvidia 736.2
1080p and whomped at 4K. These are all
GeForce RTX
4090 FE 616.3 fantastically fast cards for CSGO, though—
416.5
even the last-gen models. AMD’s new GPUs
are clearly favored in the DX11-powered Total
War Troy, on the other hand, with the XT
at all resolutions, with the XTX tying or breezing ahead of the 4080 and the XTX
surpassing the 4090. Things get a bit more taking the vaunted 4090 down completely.
complicated in the ever-popular CSGO,
where Nvidia’s Ada Lovelace architecture DX12 and Vulkan
flexes a bit more, delivering unrivaled 1080p With that out of the way, let’s turn to the more
performance. The $899 7900 XT manages to modern DX12 and Vulkan graphics APIs being
slightly trump the $1,200 RTX 4080 at all used in many (most?) triple-A games these
other resolutions, however, while the XTX days. Once again, pay close attention to how

Gears Tactics (DX12) Cyberpunk 2077 (DX12)

Frames per second Frames per second
1440p 4K 1440p 4K
Nvidia GeForce 134.5 Nvidia GeForce 84.6

RTX 3080 FE RTX 3080 FE
70.3 43.2
AMD Radeon RX 136.1 AMD Radeon RX 91.3
6900 XT 6900 XT
76.2 41.5
EVGA GeForce RTX 152.2 EVGA GeForce RTX 99.3
3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra 3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra
82.4 50.7
7900 XT 7900 XT
92 61.6
7900 XTX 7900 XTX
109.6 70.4
101.6 59.7
88.2 47.8
147.4 77.1
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
Hitman 3 (DX12, Dubia F122 (DX12, Miami track,

benchmark) Frames per second clear) Frames per second
1440p 4K 1440p 4K
Nvidia GeForce 191 Nvidia GeForce 189

109.3 115
AMD Radeon RX 211.8 AMD Radeon RX 207
6900 XT 6900 XT
129.4 125
EVGA GeForce RTX 213.4 EVGA GeForce RTX 199
127.9 127
7900 XT 7900 XT
176.3 160
AMD Radeon RX 259 AMD Radeon RX 260
7900 XTX 7900 XTX
201.4 186
Nvidia GeForce 236 Nvidia GeForce 226
147 164
Nvidia GeForce 201.1 Nvidia GeForce 210
122.2 133
229.5 205

Red Dead Redemption 2 Horizon Zero Dawn
(Vulkan) Frames per second (DX12) Frames per second
1440p 4K 1440p 4K

59.4 83
6900 XT 6900 XT
54.6 83
EVGA GeForce RTX 95.9 EVGA GeForce RTX 155
68 99
7900 XT 7900 XT
75.3 101
AMD Radeon RX 135 AMD Radeon RX 181
7900 XTX 7900 XTX
90.7 118
85.2 117
67.8 95
105.6 147
the various Radeon RX 7900 series and RTX

Watch Dogs Legion 40 series GPUs stack up against each other at
(DX12) Frames per second both resolutions. We won’t dive into a
1440p 4K
play-by-play analysis for all of these games,
Nvidia GeForce 82
RTX 3080 FE
54
but performance can vary greatly depending
AMD Radeon RX
6900 XT
94 on the game and resolution. Peep those
62
EVGA GeForce RTX
Gears Tactics results for an extreme example.
91
3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra
63 Taking the most wild game-to-game
AMD Radeon RX 100
7900 XT
82 fluctuations out of the picture, in general
AMD Radeon RX
7900 XTX
101 AMD’s GPUs tend to have an advantage at
94
Nvidia GeForce 95
1440p, while Nvidia’s still own 4K—but that’s
RTX 4080 FE
81
not a universal truth.
Nvidia GeForce 90
RTX 3090 FE
61
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 4090 FE
95 Skittering Bugs
94
We encountered several bugs during our
testing. None proved severe or pervasive,

aside from Red Dead Redemption 2 constantly • The Red Dead Redemption 2 benchmark
crashing at 1440p resolution with FSR 2 consistently crashes with FSR 2 Balanced at
enabled, but we don’t usually bump into 1440p resolution. This affects prior-gen
quite so many oddities during reviews. That Radeon GPUs as well. AMD says a fix is being
said, they tend to be more common at the investigated, but to use the FSR Quality
introduction of a new GPU architecture (like preset as a workaround in the meantime.
RDNA 3) and usually get mopped up quickly, • The Hitman 3 benchmark crashes
and we’ve already made AMD aware of these sporadically at the same 1440p, FSR 2
issues. The bugs we encountered are: Balanced settings, but only sometimes, and
only on the Radeon
RX 7900 XTX.
• In one Call of
Duty: Modern
Warfare 2
benchmark run out
of 15 with the $899
7900 XT, something
glitched and all the
buildings rendered
in neon rainbow for
some reason—pretty
trippy and cool, but
not ideal.
Fortunately, the issue
didn’t resurface
again in any other
runs or in several
hours of playing
COD multiplayer
with the more
powerful XTX.
• Twice, games
refused to recognize
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 visual corruption with Radeon RX 7900 series. the 7900 XT,

reverting to a “Windows
DirectX Render Device”
instead and drastically
reducing performance.
Running DDU and
reinstalling the drivers fixed
the issues both times, but
I’ve never seen that before.
Bottom line? You might
run into infrequent bugs
during the early days of the Ray tracing is no longer a weakness for AMD.
new Radeon RX 7900
series, especially if you’re using FSR 2.1 7900 series coverage (fave.co/3UGlZMo) for
Balanced to increase 1440p gaming a deeper dive into the architectural changes
performance. None was a true showstopper, AMD made with RDNA 3.
however. While bugs are always irritating, I Want a pre-benchmark TL;DR? AMD
don’t feel these minor, sporadic ones made huge strides here, with the Radeon RX
diminish the 7900 XTX’s and XT’s overall 7900 XTX meeting the last-gen RTX 3090’s
appeal, especially with AMD already working ray-tracing performance levels—aka the best
to squash the problems. ever until a couple months ago. Ray tracing is
no longer a weakness for AMD, though it
RAY TRACING remains a clear Nvidia strength. That makes
BENCHMARKS sense, as Nvidia is a generation ahead, having
We also need to dig into the Radeon RX introduced RT and AI hardware in the RTX
7900-series’ raw ray-tracing performance. 20-series years ago. It’s worth noting that
AMD substantially overhauled how RDNA 3 AMD’s FSR upscaling technology is seeing a
handles ray tracing, not only enhancing the rapid uptick in adoption now that it’s
raw performance of its RT accelerators, but established. At the RTX 4090’s launch, most
also adding a pair of dedicated artificial of the ray-traced games in our testing suite
intelligence accelerators per CU for the first supported Nvidia’s DLSS, but not any iteration
time. Those AI accelerators aren’t doing much of FSR. Now only Watch Dogs Legion lacks it
now, but you have to think they’ll be a big (which is why AMD’s cards show a 0 score
part of the next-gen FSR 3.0 already teased to there). Huzzah to more options that cover
launch in 2023. Read our initial Radeon RX more gamers!

The charts below show the raw efficient each GPU’s raw ray-tracing
performance of the tested GPUs in the capabilities are. (If a game runs at 100fps
selected games with ray tracing off, to get a with ray tracing off, and two different GPUs
baseline. Next, we show performance with run the game with ray tracing on at 50fps
all available ray-tracing effects active and and 25fps, for example, the former GPU
set to Ultra. The important thing to note offers better raw ray-tracing chops.)
here is how these ray-traced frame rates Finally, since these cutting-edge lighting
compare proportionally to the game effects send frame rates plummeting, pairing
running with RT off, which reveals how ray tracing with some sort of image upscaling
Cyberpunk 2077 (4K) Hitman 3 (4K)

1080p 1440p 4K 1080p 1440p 4K
Nvidia 42.3 Nvidia 55.8

GeForce RTX GeForce RTX
3080 FE 15.9 3080 FE 28.1
43.2 109.3
AMD Radeon 29 AMD Radeon 38.8
RX 6900 XT RX 6900 XT
12.2 20.3
41.5 129.4
EVGA GeForce 49.9 EVGA GeForce 65.1
RTX 3080 Ti RTX 3080 Ti
FTW3 Ultra 22.6 FTW3 Ultra 33.6
50.7 127.9
AMD Radeon 41.2 AMD Radeon 61.2
RX 7900 XT RX 7900 XT
18 31.3
61.6 176.3
AMD Radeon 46.2 AMD Radeon 69.8
RX 7900 XTX RX 7900 XTX
20.7 35.9
70.4 201.4
4080 FE 29.1 4080 FE 45.3
59.7 147
3090 FE 21.6 3090 FE 32.6
47.8 122.2
4090 FE 42.3 4090 FE 65.5
77.1 229.5

technology (like Nvidia’s DLSS, AMD’s FSR 2, the balance of speed and fidelity that DLSS
and Intel’s XeSS) is often a necessity. We’ve Balanced provides.
also included performance metrics with DLSS We’ve also included a chart below
or FSR running in balanced mode to show the showing Red Dead Redemption 2 4K
sort of full-stack ray-tracing performance you’ll performance with FSR 2/DLSS Balanced on
see in the real world. Running FSR/DLSS in the various GPUs. That game lacks ray tracing,
Performance or Ultra Performance mode but it’s graphically intense, and these results
would result in even higher frame rates, but can show us the sort of speed boosts we can
with potentially more image oddities. We like expect using the upscaling technologies on
F1 22 (4K) Watch Dogs Legion (4K)

1080p 1440p 4K 1080p 1440p 4K
Nvidia 74 Nvidia 54
3080 FE 33 3080 FE 27
115 54
AMD Radeon 68 AMD Radeon 0
RX 6900 XT RX 6900 XT
21 24
125 62
EVGA GeForce 77 EVGA GeForce 61
RTX 3080 Ti RTX 3080 Ti
FTW3 Ultra 38 FTW3 Ultra 35
127 63
RX 7900 XT RX 7900 XT
43 34
160 82
RX 7900 XTX RX 7900 XTX
48 40
186 94
Nvidia 109 Nvidia 66
4080 FE 55 4080 FE 45
164 81
Nvidia 83 Nvidia 60
3090 FE 41 3090 FE 34
133 61
Nvidia 109 Nvidia 67
4090 FE 74 4090 FE 61
205 94

newer cards versus older ones. (One caveat: boosts frame rates by about 30fps on the 7900
As mentioned in our discussion of bugs duo and the older Radeon RX 6900 XT alike.
above, RDR2 currently crashes on all AMD All of these upscaling technologies look
GPUs when trying to run at 1440p with FSR great in practice, though F1 22’s use of the
Balanced mode enabled. Use Quality mode much simpler FSR 1.0 upscaling results in a
instead for now at that resolution.) more shimmering picture at 1440p resolution.
Across the board, RTX 40-series GPUs get It’ll be adding FSR 2.0 soon, however. One
about 30 more frames per second with DLSS thing Radeon GPUs won’t be getting is DLSS
Balanced, on, while older RTX 30-series GPUs 3 Frame Generation (fave.co/3uTG8nh), a
get 20fps—clearly showing improved stunning technical achievement that’s already
efficiency in Nvidia’s latest generation of a real weapon in Nvidia’s arsenal despite
dedicated AI tensor cores, which power DLSS. being in its early days. AMD has no answer for
AMD’s FSR 2 runs on standard GPU shaders it, and it can be a huge boon if you’re trying to
rather than requiring specialized hardware and fuel a high-refresh rate 4K monitor.
POWER AND THERMALS

Red Dead Redemption We test power draw by looping the F1 22
2 (4K) Frames per second benchmark at 4K for about 20 minutes after
1440p 4K we’ve benchmarked everything else (to warm
Nvidia 77.1
up the GPU) and noting the highest reading
GeForce RTX
3080 FE 59.4 on our Watts Up Pro meter, which measures
AMD Radeon
RX 6900 XT 81.2 the power consumption of our entire test
54.6
EVGA GeForce
system. The initial part of the race, where all
RTX 3080 Ti 87.1
FTW3 Ultra 68 competing cars are onscreen simultaneously,
AMD Radeon 104.2 tends to be the most demanding portion.
RX 7900 XT
75.3 This isn’t a worst-case test; this is a GPU-
AMD Radeon
RX 7900 XTX 121.7 bound game running at a GPU-bound
90.7
Nvidia
resolution to gauge performance when the
GeForce RTX 114.3
4080 FE 85.2 graphics card is sweating hard. If you’re
Nvidia
GeForce RTX 88.6 playing a game that also hammers the CPU,
3090 FE 67.8
you could see higher overall system power
Nvidia 134.7
GeForce RTX draws. Consider yourself warned.
4090 FE 105.6
Well, well, well, isn’t this a surprise. AMD
has been touting the efficiency gains in RDNA

Whole system power Maximum GPU
draw Watts temperature under load
1440p 4K Celsius
Nvidia
GeForce RTX 488
Nvidia GeForce
RTX 3080 FE 71
3080 FE 78.2 AMD Radeon
RX 6900 XT 81
AMD Radeon 466
RX 6900 XT
73.6
EVGA GeForce RTX
3080 Ti FTW3 Ultra 78
AMD Radeon
EVGA GeForce 639 RX 7900 XT 62
RTX 3080 Ti
FTW3 Ultra AMD Radeon
77.2
RX 7900 XTX 68
AMD Radeon 457 Nvidia GeForce
RX 7900 XT RTX 4080 FE 60
64.7
Nvidia GeForce
AMD Radeon RTX 3090 FE 69
RX 7900 XTX 514
Nvidia GeForce
64.6 RTX 4090 FE 69
XFX Merc 582 S H O R T E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
310RX
7900 XTX 66.1
Nvidia 453
GeForce RTX
4080 FE 62.1
often rivals (and sometimes even beats) the
Nvidia 537
GeForce RTX
3090 FE 74.3 RTX 4090, so the increased power draw
Nvidia 588
makes sense. The XT draws roughly the same
GeForce RTX
4090 FE 60.4 power as the 4080 (and less than the 6900
S H O R T E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E XT) while offering significantly higher
performance, highlighting RDNA 3’s
improved efficiency.
3 and smack-talking Nvidia’s move to We test thermals by leaving GPU-Z open
12VHPWR power connectors, but as you can during the F1 22 power draw test, noting the
see here, both 7900 XT models draw more highest maximum temperature at the end.
power than the RTX 4080, though the XT is Here’s where AMD’s decision to stick to a
neck-and-neck. The 7900 XTX sucks down traditionally sized card affects the Radeon RX
roughly as much juice as the power-hungry 7900 series. Yes, they’ll fit into most any PC,
RTX 3090 and while it’s decently behind the but even though AMD’s reference GPUs are
new RTX 4090, the whole system still draws incredibly dense and heavy in the hand, the
well over 500W under load. much larger Nvidia (and XFX) GPUs do a better
That’s not necessarily bad—remember, job at dissipating heat. You can’t see it much in
AMD’s 7900 GPUs are always faster in game the raw numbers, as sub-70-degree maximums
performance than the RTX 4080, and very are fine regardless, but you can definitely hear

AMD’s reference cards

under load. (It’s a pleasant
enough sound, though—not
too shrill or too loud.) Our
Radeon RX 7900 XTX review
unit also exhibited coil whine
in several circumstances.
The Nvidia RTX 40-series
GPUs and XFX’s custom
7900 XTX rely on far bulkier
cooling designs that run
both cool and very quiet— AMD’s duo offers more performance in traditional games for hundreds
damned near silent. AMD of dollars less than the 4080.
definitely made a trade-off
opting for a smaller construction, but since quickly being embraced by games that deploy
the 7900’s sound profile isn’t obnoxious, it the cutting-edge lighting effects, giving you
feels worthwhile to ensure that smaller RNDA even more performance. You can also flip on
3 cards are available. That said, if you want AMD’s universal Radeon Super Resolution
truly silent running, you’ll need to pony up for upscaling feature in any game that doesn’t
a larger custom 7900. support FSR for even higher performance, and
it looks great at the 4K resolutions the 7900
BOTTOM LINE series targets. These cards are pricey as hell
Most people should definitely opt for the but deliver outstanding value versus the Team
$899 Radeon RX 7900 XT and $999 Radeon Green competition.
RX 7900 XTX over Nvidia’s $1,200 GeForce These reference Radeon RX 7900 XTX and
RTX 4080. Heck, many people would be XT cards also win in terms of compatibility,
happy picking up the XTX over Nvidia’s thanks to their slim yet attractive 2.5-slot
juggernaut RTX 3090 for $600 less. design and dual 8-pin connectors. These fit
AMD’s duo offers more performance in into virtually any PC, unlike the massive 3- and
traditional games and much more memory for 4-slot RTX options, which also require the use
hundreds of dollars less than the 4080. Plus, of finicky new 12VHPWR power cable
the XTX offers ray-tracing performance on par adapters (fave.co/3PyrLOL)—though their
with that of Nvidia’s best-in-class last- small size also makes them more audible
generation GPU, the RTX 3090. FSR 2.0 is also under load than larger GPUs.

Enough said, right? Not quite. which boasts those features and ferocious
Ray tracing isn’t a weakness for Radeon overall performance—it’s the ultimate
anymore, but it remains a strength for no-compromises GPU of this generation.
GeForce. AMD’s second-gen RT That’s especially true for prosumers who can
implementation in the 7900 series caught up put its dual AV1 encoders and 24GB of
to the RTX 3090’s second-gen prowess, but ultra-fast GDDR6X VRAM to proper work.
the RTX 4080 and 4090 pushed the You’ll pay dearly for it, though: $600 more
advantage even further, to the point that you than the 7900 XTX.
don’t even have to use DLSS to hit 60fps in That said, while ray tracing is picking up
most 4K/Ultra ray-traced games (though you steam, it’s only a must-use feature in a handful
should to push frame rates even higher). of games, like Cyberpunk 2077, Metro
That’s amazing, and AMD can’t compare. Exodus, Minecraft RTX, and Control. Portal RTX
AMD also can’t compete against Nvidia’s also looks dope as heck (and requires DLSS 3
awesome new DLSS 3 Frame Generation Frame Gen to run effectively). If it’s more of a
feature, which inserts AI-created frames nice-to-have feature for your gameplay needs,
between every other image for unparalleled AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XTX and XT are much
visual smoothness and the ability to shatter better values.
CPU bottlenecks. Team Red does plan to That that said, we’re currently in a weird
release FSR 3 with AI-created Fluid Motion time for GPUs, with a glut of last-gen models
Frames sometime in
2023, however.
If you care about
peak ray-tracing
performance and want to
get in on the AI frame
hype train sooner rather
than later, you may want
to opt for a 4080 instead
(though I’d strongly
suggest against it after
Nvidia jacked its price up
by a staggering $500
over the 3080). Or even The RX 7900 XTX and XT cards also win in terms of compatibility, thanks to
the GeForce RTX 4090, their slim 2.5-slot design and dual 8-pin connectors.

flooding the market after the pandemic- particularly appealing at these prices. If you’re
fueled crypto bubble burst. Most people already considering spending $899 for the
don’t need a $1,000 graphics card. If you XT, we’d advise saving up some extra pennies
aren’t looking to push frame rates on a and grabbing the $999 XTX instead if you
high-refresh 4K monitor, last-gen GPUs like can. It offers a lot more performance in some
the 6900 XT and Nvidia’s RTX 3080 are still situations, like Cyberpunk 2077 with ray
solid practical options for 4K/60 and high- tracing enabled.
refresh 1440p displays, and they can usually After Nvidia’s next-gen reveal, my
be found for around $600 to $750 online. colleague Michael Crider said, “Nvidia’s
They’re great if you don’t need the latest and tone-deaf RTX 40-series pricing is a golden
greatest. You can save a few hundred more opportunity for AMD and Intel” (fave.
bucks now that the GPU crunch has co/3WFjTxh). With the Radeon RX 7900 XTX,
subsided, and even take the risk of holding at least, AMD is pressing the point. Here’s to a
out for still deeper discounts. new era of GPU competition after years of
Our guide to the best graphics cards for stagnation!
gaming (fave.co/3DOEuWk) can help you
make the best decision for you. AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX and XT
Bottom line? AMD’s Radeon RX 7900 XT
and XTX deliver staggering performance, PROS
• Much faster than the RTX 4080.
ample memory, easy compatibility, and • Sometimes faster than the RTX 4090, especially at
software features galore for far less than 1440p.
• $200 less than 4080 and $600 less than 4090.
Nvidia’s latest. They may not unseat the RTX
CONS
4090 as the towering raw performance • Ray tracing matches 3090 but lags behind RTX 40
series.
champion, especially if you’re interested in ray • Audible (but not overly loud) fan noise due to small
tracing, but unlike Nvidia’s price-jacked yet design and high power draw.
• High power draw.
performance-lacking RTX 4080, the Radeon
BOTTOM LINE
RX 7900 XTX offers stunning value over its For hundreds of dollars less, AMD’s Radeon RX 7900
XTX both sprints past the RTX 4080 and challenges
predecessor for the same price as before. The the RTX 4090—it can sometimes beat Nvidia’s best
7900 XT, on the other hand, delivers worse GPU. Its compact reference design and use of
traditional 8-pin power connectors lets it fit into most
value than the flagship and no doubt PCs easily as well. AMD’s latest also offers acceptable
ray-tracing performance, though Nvidia holds its
would’ve been called the 7800 XT (and sold lead. The XTX isn’t perfect—some sporadic bugs did
for significantly less) if Nvidia hadn’t already appear during our tests—but overall it’s a very good
card without a price premium over last gen.
pushed pricing to insane levels with the RTX
$999/$899
4080. Neither the 4080 nor the 7900 XT is

HP Spectre x360 14: OLED makes
a great 2-in-1 even better
Lovely as always. BY MATT ELLIOTT
W
ith the latest iteration of its biggest addition is the high-resolution OLED
premium Spectre x360 14, panel that delivers exceptional image
HP adds two new premium quality. The second addition is a high-
features not found on last resolution webcam, moving from an
year’s convertible alongside the requisite underwhelming 720p camera to a crisp and
update to 12th-generation Intel silicon. The dynamic 1080p webcam.
IMAGE: HP JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 57

REVIEWS HP SPECTRE X360 14
The Spectre x360’s overall design remains Price: $1,424.99

unchanged. The all-metal chassis with gold The HP Spectre x360 series starts at
accents offers a solid feel and luxurious looks, $999.99. The baseline model features a
while the display’s 3:2 aspect ratio is geared 12th-gen Core i5 CPU, 8GB RAM, a 512GB
toward business use rather than entertainment SSD and a Full HD display. Our test system
pursuits that would benefit from a wider features CPU, memory, storage, and display
screen. It’s still a tad heavy for a 14-inch upgrades that raised the price. At HP.com, it’s
convertible, and the battery life is shorter than priced at $1,424.99, which reflects a $250
that of last year’s model, but the Spectre discount. Our test model is also available at
remains a great pick for executive and other Best Buy for $1,749.99, and it has
professionals looking for a portable and occasionally been discounted to $1,399.99.
versatile two-in-one convertible.
OLED GOODNESS
SPECS AND FEATURES This year’s Spectre x360 trots out the same
Our HP Spectre x360 14 test system features looks as last year’s model and remains a
the following specs: stunner. The all-metal chassis boasts a
CPU: Quad-core Intel Core i7-1255U gorgeous, sophisticated design and rugged
Memory: 16GB feel. There are three color options—silver,
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe black, and a deep blue. (The latter two colors
Storage: 1TB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD add $15 to the bill.) We received it in black.
Display: 13.5-inch 3000×2000, OLED With the matte finish, it has subtle brown
touch panel undertones that gives it a unique look among a
Webcam: 1080p with physical camera sea of silver brushed-aluminum laptops. The
shutter gem-cut edges and other gold accents create a
Connectivity: 2 x USB-C Thunderbolt 4, pleasing contrast with the matte black surfaces.
USB-A, combo audio jack, microSD card The chassis remains the same as last year’s
reader model and therefore the weight stays the
Networking: Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0 same at 3 pounds. That’s a bit heavy for this
Biometrics: IR facial recognition, class of 2-in-1, but most are close to 3
fingerprint reader pounds. The Dell XPS 13 2-in-1, for example,
Battery capacity: 66.5 Watt-hours with its 13.4-inch 16:10 display weighs 2.9
Dimensions: 11.75 ×8.67×0.67 inches pounds. With the added heft, however,
Measured weight: 3 pounds (laptop), comes a solid feel. There is nothing flimsy
0.6 pounds (AC adapter) about the Spectre x360.

screen, but the boxier
ratio is suited well for
browsing the web and
working on long
documents. The 3:2
display is also a good fit
in tablet mode. The
squarer shape makes it
feel more like an iPad
than using a laptop
spun around.
The touch display
features pen support,
and HP includes its
Rechargeable MPP2.0
The Spectre x360 14’s OLED panel delivers incredible contrast with perfect
Tilt Pen. Tapping,
blacks and bright whites. swiping, and scribbling
on the display felt
When we looked at the Spectre x360 last natural with both a fingertip and the pen.
year, it featured an IPS panel with a There’s no garage for the pen, but it connects
1920×1280-pixel resolution and a boxy 3:2 magnetically to the side of the system.
aspect ratio. A 3000×2000 OLED model was Befitting of the premium Spectre x360 are
sold as a Best Buy exclusive, which you might its four speakers that produce premium
have missed. Now the OLED display is sound. The speakers create dynamic audio
available direct from HP. It adds a reasonable with crisp highs and a bit of a bass response.
$110 to the price of the system. It’s well worth The audio begins to lose some clarity when
the price. The OLED panel delivers incredible you push the volume past 80 percent, but at
contrast with perfect blacks and bright that level there’s still enough oomph to fill a
whites. Colors are accurate and vivid. And the small room.
3000×2000 resolution across the 13.5-inch
panel creates a sharp image with crisp text. WEBCAM GOES TO 1080P
The display’s 3:2 aspect ratio is taller than A 720p webcam has no place on a premium
a 16:10 or 16:9 widescreen. Movies and Spectre model, and HP made the move to a
shows don’t fit as well as they do on a wider 1080p camera with this year’s Spectre x360.

fingerprint reader, leaving

only a Control key in the left
corner. The keys offer a
snappy response and quiet
action for an overall
pleasing and premium
typing experience. One
change from last year’s
model—HP got rid of the
right-side column of Home,
Page Up/Down, and End
keys. Those keys are now
double-mapped to the four
The keyboard sacrifices the right Control key for the fingerprint reader. arrow keys, which may
disappoint some typists. In
It produces a clean, well-balanced image that the row of Function keys at the top, there’s a
has none of the grainy blotchiness of a 720p key to cycle through the keyboard’s two-level
cam. If Zoom meetings and other video calls backlight and two others to mute the
are a large part of your job, the
1080p will have you looking
clearer to co-workers and
clients. The camera has IR
capabilities so you can log into
the machine via facial
recognition. And if you’d
rather use your finger instead
of your face, there’s a
fingerprint reader tucked in
between the spacebar and
arrow keys at the bottom of
the keyboard. Both biometric
methods worked flawlessly.
The keyboard sacrifices the The gold-edged touchpad offers a quiet, firm click response and
right Control key for the accurate recording of finger gestures.

microphone and cover the
camera. When the camera’s
physical cover is in place, you
can see its white and black
stripes to give you peace of
mind that your privacy is
protected. The mute and
camera shutter keys themselves
also have orange LEDs to give
you visual proof that each
device is deactivated.
The gold-edged touchpad
offers a quiet, firm click
response and accurate
recording of mousing gestures.
It’s near perfect. If I had a nit to
pick, it would be that the
semi-glossy finish doesn’t offer
as smooth gliding a more matte
finish would.
The useful port selection
remains the same as last year’s One of the Thunderbolt 4 ports and the headphone jack are
model. There’s a pair of USB-C located on the back corners of the system.
Thunderbolt 4 ports, a USB
Type-A port, an audio jack, and a microSD out the headphone jack and have a
card reader. One of the Thunderbolt 4 Thunderbolt 4 port in each corner. Not only
ports and the headphone jack are located would I be able to charge the Spectre x360
on each of the back corners of the system. from either side, but the headphone jack
These corners are trimmed so each port sits would be closer to the front of the system
on the diagonal. It’s an unusual design and my ears.
point, and one I doubt will catch on One last note on the power adapter: It
because it makes it a bit harder to access also lives up to the premium Spectre name.
these ports than if they were simply located The power brick is tiny and easily portable,
on the side. And if I could, I would swap and the cord is braided so it never tangles.

PCMark 10 Handbrake 0.9.9 Encode

CPU performance Seconds
HP Pavilion Aero 13
Ryzen 7 5800U 6,024 Acer Swift 5
Core i7-1260P 1,580
Lenovo Ideapad Slim 7
Carbon Ryzen 7 5800U 5,684 Lenovo Ideapad Slim 7
Carbon Ryzen 7 5800U 1,615
Samsung Galaxy Book2
Pro 360 Core i7-1260P 5,543 Samsung Galaxy Book2
Pro 360 Core i7-1260P 1,669
Acer Swift 5
Core i7-1260P 5,455 HP Pavilion Aero 13
Ryzen 7 5800U 1,677
HP Spectre x360 14 Acer Aspire 5 15
Core i7-1255U 5,297 Core i5-1235U 1,755
Acer Aspire 5 15 HP Spectre x360 14
Core i5-1235U 5,073 Core i7-1255U 2,073
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 Dell XPS 13 9315
Core i7-1165G7 4,877 Core i5-1230U 3,032
Dell XPS 13 9315 Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310
Core i5-1230U 4,445 Core i7-1165G7 3,287
LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E S H O R T E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
PERFORMANCE The system felt peppy during our time with

Our HP Spectre x360 test system features a it and operated in near silence. We did see the
Core i7-1255U processor, 16GB of RAM, battery life decline from last year’s model; the
integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics, and a 1TB OLED panel is the likely cause for the shorter
SSD. The Core i7-1255U is a member of Intel’s running time (more on that below).
12th-gen Alder Lake U series of efficient, Our first benchmark is PCMark 10, which
15-watt mobile chips that feature Intel’s new measures performance on everyday
hybrid architecture. It has two performance computing work including office productivity
cores, eight efficiency cores, and a total of 12 tasks, web browsing, and video chats. All of
processing threads. the laptops here are overqualified for running
We compared the Spectre x360’s general office apps. The Spectre x360
performance to a mix of similarly sized laptops finished in the middle of the pack. With only
with 12th-gen Intel Core processors from two performance cores in the Core i7-1255U,
both the efficient 15-watt U series and more the system couldn’t keep pace with the two
balanced 28-watt P series that sits between AMD-based laptops—the Ryzen 7 5800U has
the U series and high-powered 45-watt P eight processing cores and 16 processing
series. Rounding out the charts are a couple threads. And the next two finishers feature the
of laptops based on AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800U Core i7-1260P, which has four performance
processor and a Dell XPS 13 based on an cores along with eight efficiency cores and a
11th-gen Core i7. total of 16 processing threads.

Cinebench R15 Battery life
All threads Minutes
Acer Swift 5 Samsung Galaxy Book2
Core i7-1260P 1,740 Pro 360 Core i7-1260P 864
HP Pavilion Aero 13 Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310
Ryzen 7 5800U 1,676 Core i7-1165G7 862
Samsung Galaxy Book2 Acer Swift 5
Pro 360 Core i7-1260P 1,422 Core i7-1260P 781
Lenovo Ideapad Slim 7 Acer Aspire 5 15
Carbon Ryzen 7 5800U 1,399 Core i5-1235U 753
Acer Aspire 5 15 HP Spectre x360 14
Core i5-1235U 1,257 Core i7-1255U 680
HP Spectre x360 14 Lenovo Ideapad Slim 7
Core i7-1255U 1,127 Carbon Ryzen 7 5800U 592
Dell XPS 13 9315 Dell XPS 13 9315
Core i5-1230U 1,100 Core i5-1230U 583
Dell XPS 13 2-in-1 9310 HP Pavilion Aero 13
Core i7-1165G7 921 Ryzen 7 5800U 520
Our HandBrake benchmark tests how well On our 3DMark benchmark, none of the
a laptop is able to handle crushing CPU loads laptops here—the Spectre x360 included—
over a lengthy period—in this case, distinguished themselves. But that’s hardly
transcoding a 30GB MKV file to a format a surprise given that they all feature
suitable for Android tablets using HandBrake, integrated graphics.
the free video encoding utility. The Spectre To test a laptop’s battery life, we loop a 4K
x360 again finished with a middling result and video using Windows 11’s Movies & TV app,
found itself well off the pace set by the with the laptop set to Airplane mode and
systems that have CPUs with more processing earbuds plugged in. We set the screen
cores and threads. brightness at a relatively bright 250 nits to
Next up is Cinebench, another CPU- 260 nits, which is a good brightness for
intensive test but one that renders a complex watching a movie in an office with the lights
2D scene over a short period of time. The on. The Spectre x360 lasted for more than 11
Spectre x360’s Cinebench result is hours, which will get you through the longest
underwhelming. Its U series CPU is built for workdays without needing to retreat to a wall
efficiency and not cranking through outlet. That’s an impressive figure, but other
multithreaded multimedia applications. The models offer runtimes that are hours longer.
Spectre x360 is a better fit for executives and Last year’s Spectre x360 ran for more
other business users than for creative than three hours longer than this year’s
professionals. model. With both systems featuring the

IPS LCD display. The gains in

contrast and color dynamics
are just too great. Plus, with
OLED displays beginning to
trickle down to midrange
laptops, buyers should
certainly expect an OLED on a
high-end model like the
Spectre x360.
OLED aside, it’s one of the
best-looking 2-in-1 convertibles
on the market. The brownish-
black chassis is unique without
being garish, and the all-metal
The Spectre x360 14 is one of the best-looking 2-in-1 convertibles chassis is rock-solid if a tad
on the market. heavy. With its U-series
processor and integrated
same 66.5Whr battery, I suspect the culprit graphics, it’s a better fit for general office tasks
of the shorter runtime is the high-resolution than for creative work. Despite the drop in
OLED display. Even though an OLED can battery life, the Spectre x360 remains one of
turn off individual pixels, a greater number our favorite 2-in-1 business convertibles.
of pixels means a greater drain on the
battery. And we’ve yet to see any benefit in HP Spectre x360 14
terms of battery life from an OLED laptop. In
fact, we’ve generally seen that an OLED PROS
• Stellar OLED display.
panel has a slight adverse effect on a • Unique and rugged design.
laptop’s battery life. • IR and fingerprint biometrics.
• 1080p webcam with physical shutter.
BOTTOM LINE CONS

• Battery life not as long as that of last year’s model.
Even with the decrease in battery life, we • A bit heavy at 3 pounds.
welcome the addition of the OLED display to BOTTOM LINE

It’s neither the fastest nor the longest running, but the
the Spectre x360. It’s one of those features Spectre x360 14 remains one of our favorite business
convertibles for its stunning design and display.
that once you’ve experienced it, you will
$1,424
never go back to the old way of a plain-Jane

Perfect Backup: Perfect?
No, but darn close
This free file and folder backup program is far more versatile than the integrated
Windows File History, even backing up to popular online services. BY JON JACOBI
Though Windows provides its It’s free and, while it’s just shy of perfect,
own file backup facilities in Perfect Backup does grab the brass ring for
Windows File Backup (fave. being the most straightforward and user-
co/3HKItbC), the OS has friendly interface for the purpose. Add to that
continually made them less obvious and less stable performance and a cornucopia of
intuitive. Why is anyone’s guess. There are options, as well as network, FTP, and online
plenty of alternatives, but they can be hard to services support, and you’ve got a winner on
find or just as hard to use. Enter Perfect Backup. your hands.
IMAGE: PERFECT BACKUP SOFTWARE JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 65

REVIEWS PERFECT BACKUP
There’s also very

granular scheduling,
logging of results, reporting
via email, throttling (CPU
usage), and just about
everything else you’d
expect from a modern
backup program.
My favorite feature,
however, is the ability to
back up to popular online
services: Google Drive,
Perfect Backup starts with a wizard that will walk you through the One Drive, Dropbox, and
process of creating a backup job or restoring from one. Box, to be specific. Now if
the program only
FEATURES supported multiple destinations for the
Perfect Backup is file backup—that is, it same job, I’d be ecstatic. You can, of
doesn’t image entire partitions like our course, duplicate a job and change the
favorite R-Drive Image (fave.co/3Wslx4Z) destination, but that’s always seemed like a
does. Instead, it merely copies files and lot of bother to me.
folders to a new location.
Truth be known, with
Windows so easy to install
and restore these days, that’s
all most users really need.
But there are options—a
host of them, as a matter of
fact. You can specify the
number of versions to keep
and the number of incremental
backups that will transpire
before a new full backup is
created, and even compress Perfect Backup offers numerous retention options and presents
the files to standard Zip format. them in an easy-to-understand fashion.

Perfect
Backup will also
back up to
network locations
and even FTP
sites. You can also
back up from
network
locations, but
only if they’re
mapped as local
drives under
Windows.
Currently, you
need to have Perfect Backup offers just about every option you’ll find in any backup program.
Perfect Backup
start with Windows for it to perform the “output” directory. You might feel
scheduled jobs. More elegant would be differently about it.
using the Windows Task Scheduler so the Generally, however, the interface’s
program isn’t always in the background using language helps new users feel less
resources. That said, with modern computing intimidated and more sure of their actions.
power, this isn’t nearly the issue it once was. They won’t have to waste so much time
sussing out concepts and metaphors.
INTERFACE One other thing I did not like was the
What I really enjoy about the Perfect Backup user’s guide being HTML online without a
interface is not so much its logical layout or downloadable PDF version. Maybe I’m just
hand-holding wizard, which are both old school, but I prefer local documentation. I
excellent, but its labels and language. Where might be backing up a machine offline when
so many interfaces are terse or assume a question pops into my head.
knowledge of terminology, Perfect Backup
labels and explains things as normal humans PERFORMANCE
think of them. Perfect Backup performed, well, perfectly
Mostly. I wasn’t in love with calling the during my tests, at least on a normal PC. I did
destination directory for the restore function have some network-related issues under

REVIEWS PERFECT BACKUP
Perfect Backup also

backs up to online
services. Very few backup
programs, paid or not,
will do this.
Parallels and Windows

11 on the Mac, but
that’s not unusual, and
not many users will be
employing that combo.
I tried both zipped
and plain file backups, and the
former didn’t seem to significantly throttle the file backup programs out there, and
what turned out to be very good there’s no arguing about the price. If it
performance. Restores were also quick and created images for disaster recovery, it would
easy, though again, I’d prefer the term be vying for top dog. As it is, it’s highly useful
destination rather than output directory. Both and worthy of recommendation.
are correct, but the former is more common.
Perfect Backup being so useful and well Perfect Backup
realized prompted me to reach out to
the company to ask why it’s free. They PROS
• Familiar and easy interface.
informed me that it will remain that way for at • Friendlier data selection than Windows File History.
least two years, and those who use it now can • Backs up to local media, network locations, and
online services.
keep using it for free beyond that. The idea is • Logging, notifications, FTP support, and lots of
to get free publicity for the program and other options.
eventually garner income from licensing. CONS

• No image backups.
That’s fine by me. • Must be loaded for scheduled backups.
BOTTOM LINE
BOTTOM LINE If you’re looking for easier and more versatile backup
than Windows File History, Perfect Backup provides it.
Perfect Backup exceeded my expectations. Fast and competent, it’s also free—for any use.
It’s more stable and easier to use than most of Free

Acer Predator CG48: A great
48-inch OLED monitor
Watch out, LG—Acer’s OLED has arrived. BY MATTHEW S. SMITH
P
C gamers looking for a big screen and VA panel monitors that came before
monitor have great options in them, but also sell at a higher price. The
2022, including new 42-inch and Predator CG48 proves the premium is worth
48-inch monitors with OLED paying. It’s similar to LG’s alternative, though,
panels. These have many benefits over the IPS so price may become the deciding factor.
IMAGE: ACER JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 69

REVIEWS ACER PREDATOR CG48
SPECS such as built-in apps and a processor

The Acer Predator CG48 is a 48-inch 4K capable of smoothing jerky motion (like that
monitor with an OLED panel. While Acer of 24 FPS movies). The CG48 makes up for
doesn’t detail the panel used by the monitor, this with numerous PC-friendly connection
it’s probably the same LG-produced OLED options including DisplayPort and USB-C.
panel found in the LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B
(fave.co/3hIXpwa). DESIGN
Display size: 48-inch, 16:9 aspect ratio The Acer Predator CG48 is a 48-inch monitor
Native resolution: 3480×2160 meant as an alternative to buying a television,
Panel type: OLED such as LG’s 48-inch C1 or C2 OLED. This
Refresh rate: 138Hz comes across in its design, which is similar to
HDR: Yes, HDR10 most OLED TVs.
Adaptive sync: AMD FreeSync Premium Pro It starts with the profile, which consists of
Ports: 1× HDMI 2.1, 3x HDMI 2.0, 1× a super-slim panel attached to a bulkier low
DisplayPort 1.4, 1× USB-C with DisplayPort half that contains the monitor’s brains and
Alternate Mode and 65 watts Power Delivery, ports. The result is a simple silhouette that’s
1× 3.5mm audio out, 4× USB-A virtually identical to the LG Ultragear
Stand adjustment: None 48GQ900-B (fave.co/3hIXpwa), LG C2
VESA mount: Yes,
200x200mm TV wall
mount
Speakers: 2× 10-watt
stereo speakers
Price: $1,499.99
MSRP
Despite its TV-like
size, the Predator
CG48 is a monitor, not
a television. It lacks a
TV tuner and can’t be
connected to a coaxial
input. It also lacks the
smart features found The HP consists of a super-slim panel attached to a bulkier lower half that
on many modern TVs contains the monitor’s brains and ports.

OLED, and Sony Bravia XR A90K.
All of these displays are about 1.5
inches thick at their thickest
point. There are differences in
materials, as Acer opts for silvers
and grays instead of the black
and charcoal of competitors—but
this is only obvious from the rear,
which most owners will only see
when unboxing the display.
The main functional
difference is the stand. Acer opts
for a pair of legs at either end of
the display panel. It’s a simple,
stable design, but also requires a
desk or TV stand that’s nearly as
wide as the 48-inch monitor. LG’s On the monitor’s rear you’ll find four HDMI ports, plus
Ultragear 48GQ900-B instead DisplayPort and a USB-C connector.
uses a wedge-shaped stand,
more like a traditional monitor, making it any comparable monitor I’ve tested.
easier to position on a small surface. This is a Just one of the four HDMI ports supports
small win for LG. Neither of these displays HDMI 2.1 (fave.co/3Uri8Dq): The rest only
offers height, tilt, or swivel adjustment. support HDMI 2.0. That’s a limitation for
Wall mounting is an option and will work gamers who own both an Xbox Series X and
better than for some other large-screen PlayStation 5. One of the two consoles will
monitors. The Acer’s ports face to the side, not have to connect over HDMI 2.0 and in so
the rear, which is far easier to work with when doing lose out on 4K at 120Hz (though you
trying to mount the display flush with a wall. can use an HDMI switcher, of course).
The monitor’s USB-C port supports both
FEATURES AND MENUS DisplayPort Alternate Mode and up to 65
The Acer Predator CG48 ships with four watts of USB Power Delivery, meaning it can
HDMI ports, plus DisplayPort and a USB-C charge a connected device. It also functions
port with DisplayPort Alternate Mode. That’s a as a USB-C hub (fave.co/3xzdM48), which
total of six video inputs, which is the most of connects to four downstream USB 3.2 ports.

it does for any other monitor. It’s

not as slick as that used by Dell
and the font size is on the small
side, but options are clearly
labeled and easy to navigate with
the remote. In fact, the remote
makes the menu much easier to
use than most monitors do.
There’s no need to awkwardly
lean forward and fiddle with
buttons.
I did notice a few quirks. The
The CG48 has a well-thought-out menu and a handy remote. display lacks a factory reset
option, which is strange. HDR
A 3.5mm audio output can send audio to was not set to automatic with out-of-the-box
a soundbar or home theater system. It works options, so HDR content won’t look its best
fine, but the LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B also until that setting is turned on. And the
has optical audio, which is a higher-quality “standard” color gamut, although very wide
connection. This is an important point if you and accurate, looks particularly oversaturated
want to use the monitor with high-end home and a bit too yellow with some SDR content.
theater audio. Fortunately, the monitor has many other color
A bundled remote is included with the modes, including an sRGB mode, plus six-axis
Predator CG48 and controls the on-screen color customization.
menu (controls are also found on the monitor, A pair of 10-watt speakers rounds out the
but the remote is more convenient). Unlike options. They provide acceptable audio in
LG’s Ultragear 48Q900-B, which has an odd less complex situations: The beeps and
remote built around a big dial, the Predator boops of Vampire Survivors were crisp.
CG48’s remote is slim and built around a Content with a more complex soundscape,
circle that navigates up, down, left, or right, like music, action films, or open-world games
with a big OK button in the middle. This is such as Cyberpunk 2077, can overwhelm the
similar to most TV and streaming box remotes speakers and muddy the presentation.
and feels more approachable. Maximum volume is lackluster, too, so the
The menus are intuitive—for PC speakers are only suitable for a small room.
enthusiasts. Acer uses the same menu system

Maximum brightness Contrast ratio
Nits
Acer Predator FG48
Infinite
Acer Predator FG48
213 LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B
Infinite
LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B
143 Asus ProArt PA32DC
Infinite
Asus ProArt PA32DC
540 Alienware AW3423DW
Infinite
Alienware AW3423DW
246 Dell 3223QE
2,190:1
Dell 3223QE
449 LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
SDR IMAGE QUALITY OLED can control each pixel individually and
The Acer Predator CG48 is a big OLED even turn a pixel off entirely when required,
monitor with 4K resolution and a wide color providing a truly abyssal black level in dark
gamut. These traits lead to performance that, scenes. It also doesn’t suffer from bloom, a
while not perfect in every category, is sure to problem that can cause a bright halo around
impress most people. small objects on a Mini-LED (fave.co/
Maximum full-screen SDR brightness
comes in at 213 nits. This is higher than the LG
Ultragear 48GQ900-B, which limited SDR
Color gamut
% Adobe RGB % DCI-P3 % sRGB
brightness to just 143 nits.
Acer Predator 89
The Predator’s CG48’s brightness is still FG48
98
low when compared to more conventional 100
LG Ultragear
monitors, and way, way lower than that of the 48GQ900-B 89
98
Asus ProArt PA32DC (fave.co/3Ws4fVF), a 100
high-end 32-inch OLED monitor. But I found Asus ProArt 98
PA32DC
the brightness more than adequate in use. 99
100
The Acer also benefits from an effective Alienware
AW3423DW 95
anti-glare coating that helps keep the display 99
100
usable in bright rooms. It works well in most
Dell 3223QE 89
situations, though a strong light source (like a
99
sunlit window) will still cause problems. 100
Contrast ratio is where OLED stands out, LO N G E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
and the Acer Predator CG48 is no exception.

3rDPT6T) or edge-lit LED monitor with

dimming zones. Average color error
The contrast ratio of the OLED monitors Acer Predator FG48
1.45
I’ve tested is effectively infinite, since they can LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B
3.39
all achieve a luminance reading of zero nits. Asus ProArt PA32DC
0.81
None of them obviously outperforms or Alienware AW3423DW
0.71
overperforms its competitors in this metric, Dell 3223QE
1.01
but all of them beat an IPS monitor. The
S H O R T E R B A R S I N D I C AT E B E T T E R P E R F O R M A N C E
difference is obvious, especially when using a
monitor in a dark room.
The Acer Predator CG48 has a wide color The Predator CG48 scored well in color
gamut that covers more than 100 percent of temperature with a default reading of
sRGB, 98 percent of DCI-P3, and 89 percent 6400K, barely off the target of 6500K. This
of Adobe RGB. This is identical to the provides a warm, inviting image, and is a big
performance of LG’s Ultragear 48GQ900-B improvement over the LG Ultragear
and a bit better than Alienware’s ultrawide 48GQ900-B, which was way off target at
AW3423DW (fave.co/3bTPB8b). Asus’ 10200K out of the box (and 7100K after
ProArt PG32DC leaps ahead, as it covers an some tweaks). My testing also turned up a
impressive 98 percent of Adobe RGB. gamma result of 2.1, which is near the target
In real-world use, the Predator CG48’s of 2.2. This means content looks roughly as
color gamut is plenty wide to do content bright as intended.
justice. It can handle a wide variety of Sharpness is a problem for the Predator
content creation including graphics design, CG48. 4K resolution on a 48-inch screen
video editing, and photo editing, and it will works out to about 91 pixels per inch—about
look highly saturated and vivid in movies the same as a 24-inch 1080p monitor. To
and games. make matters worse, this monitor doesn’t
Color accuracy is good as well, beating appear to use an RGB pixel arrangement (a
the LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B, which had common issue among affordable OLED
issues with color accuracy at default settings. monitors), which leads to problems around
The Acer can’t beat either the Asus ProArt fine fonts and interface elements. I saw
PG32DC or Alienware AW3423DW, but the “fringing” around fonts, an issue where the
gap is small enough that it won’t be obvious font appears to have a shadow or border that
in use. The Predator CG48’s color looks shouldn’t be visible. The LG Ultragear
realistic and convincing out of the box. 48GQ900-B and Alienware AW3423DW

both share this issue, while the expensive These strengths provide a wide range of
Asus ProArt PG32DC avoids it. luminance to work with and plenty of colors
Despite this, the Acer Predator CG48’s to appear vivid.
SDR image quality is great overall. It’s suited Luminance stability is decent in HDR.
for PC gaming, streaming video, and high- Some OLED displays, such as the Alienware
quality 4K movies, all of which play to the AW3423DW, have problems with the overall
strengths of its contrast and color while display brightness swinging noticeably when
avoiding issues with sharpness and minimizing or maximizing windows. The
brightness. And it looks even better with HDR Predator CG48, like the LG Ultragear
turned on. 48GQ900-B, shows a hint of flicker in the
most extreme situations, such as opening a
HDR IMAGE QUALITY Word document on a desktop with a dark
The Acer Predator CG48 claims a maximum background, but it’s barely noticeable. I’d
HDR brightness of up to 900 nits, but it’s not prefer that it not be visible at all, but this is the
VESA DisplayHDR certified. My testing reality of current OLED panel technology.
showed that its full-screen HDR brightness Even the high-end Asus ProArt PA32DC has
was 228 nits, barely higher than the SDR this issue.
result of 213 nits. Testing in a 10 percent The Acer Predator CG48, like the
window (that is, with only 10 percent of the LG48GQ900-B, only supports the HDR10
display lit) didn’t change this result. It does standard and not other HDR standards, such
appear that the display achieves a much as Dolby Vision. That’s fine if you intend to use
higher brightness when a slim fraction of the the monitor with a computer, because nearly
display is lit, as might be seen when all HDR content shown on a computer will be
displaying stars in a night sky, but I’m unable intended to be viewed in HDR10. Dolby
to test the brightness of details this small. Vision is more relevant if you like to stream
Despite this, the Predator CG48 provided shows from major streaming platforms or you
a convincing HDR experience when used in a remain devoted to 4K Blu-ray discs.
dark room. Its brightness is nowhere near that Overall, the Acer Predator CG48’s HDR
of Mini-LED, but is still bright enough to pack performance is good. It leans more heavily on
a punch in a home theater. This is less true its contrast ratio and color performance than
when using the monitor on a desk in a well-lit its brightness, which means it will never hit
home office, however. the eye-searing heights of a Mini-LED
The HDR experience is supported by its alternative like the Samsung Odyssey Neo
superior contrast ratio and wide color gamut. G9. But it does provide shadow detail,

brilliant highlights in dark scenes, and vivid what you’re looking at. Very fine elements,
color. It’s best for use in a dark room, as this like small fonts showing a character’s name in
will make its lack of full-screen brightness League of Legends, remain hard to read—for
harder to notice. that level of motion clarity you’d need a
240Hz or 360Hz refresh rate, which is not
MOTION CLARITY available in an OLED monitor (yet).
The Acer Predator CG48 has a maximum It helps that OLED monitors have very low
refresh rate of up to 138Hz and supports pixel response times. This means a pixel’s
AMD FreeSync Premium Pro (fave.co/ color can change quickly, further aiding in
3SRJhPe). The LG Ultragear 48GQ900-B has motion clarity. The benefit of this is improved
both of these features, plus official G-sync motion clarity even at lower refresh rates, such
support, giving LG a slight edge here. as 60Hz.
Motion clarity is excellent. A refresh rate of The lack of HDMI 2.1 support for all HDMI
138Hz is nowhere near the highest available ports is a limitation, since it means not all
today, but it’s high enough to provide a HDMI ports can make full use of the enhanced
wonderful sense of fluidity and plenty of refresh rate (HDMI 2.0 tops out at 4K/60FPS
detail. Small objects are visible when moving in most situations).
quickly across the screen and fast camera Still, this doesn’t spoil the Predator CG48’s
pans preserve enough detail so you know excellent motion performance. This is a clear,
crisp monitor that looks
great when displaying
games and feels fluid in
everyday use. The LG
Ultragear 48GQ900-B can
match it but can’t exceed it,
and competitive monitors
with IPS or VA panel
technology can’t compare.
BOTTOM LINE
The Acer Predator CG48 is
a great 48-inch OLED
The Acer Predator CG48’s motion clarity is more than suitable for games monitor and a good
such as Flight Simulator or even faster-paced e-sports titles. choice for anyone looking

both retail at an MSRP of
$1,499.99. However, the
LG 48GQ900-B dipped
as low as $849.99 during
Black Friday sales and was
typically $1,199.99 prior
to that. Acer’s monitor is
still listed at MSRP.
At sale prices, the LG
is the obvious pick. The
two monitors are more
similar than they are
different, so it makes
sense to pick the less
The Acer Predator CG48 is a good choice for anyone looking to go big expensive option. If the
with their next monitor. two happen to be
similarly priced when
to go big with their next monitor. It has you’re buying, though, the Acer is the
excellent color performance, a wide range of better choice overall.
connectivity, and a handy remote.
Compared to the LG 48GQ900-B, the Acer Predator CG48
most obvious alternative, the Predator CG48
feels better suited to PC use and less suited to PROS
• Excellent SDR and strong HDR image.
use with game consoles. The Acer only has • Great motion clarity.
one HDMI 2.1 port, compared to the LG’s • Superior contrast and wide color gamut.
three. But the Acer has USB-C with Power CONS

• Only one HDMI 2.1 input.
Delivery, which the LG lacks, and has more • Sharpness is just OK.
video connections overall. The Predator • Stand offers no adjustment and no VESA mount.
CG48’s on-screen menu options and layout BOTTOM LINE

Acer’s Predator CG48 delivers a beautiful 48-inch
are a better fit for PC use than those of the LG, OLED screen and tons of PC-friendly features, though
it’s more similar to its LG competitor than it is
which has fewer options and relies on a larger, different. At full price, the Acer has a slight edge due
more awkward remote. to its USB-C power capabilities, but ultimately it’s best
to go for whichever is on sale for the lowest price.
Pricing and availability is the wildcard. The
$1,499
Acer Predator CG48 and LG 48GQ900-B

REVIEWS
Acer Chromebook Vero 514:

Sustainability never looked
so good
The first of its kind. BY ASHLEY BIANCUZZO
W
hen Acer announced the exciting news for eco-conscious buyers. Not
new Chromebook Vero only are you reducing your e-waste with this
514, I was thrilled to bits. machine, as it’s made of recycled materials,
I’m something of a but you’re also getting pretty good hardware
Chromebook stan, as I dig its bare-bones for the price.
nature. This is the first Chromebook in the From strong CPU performance to a bright
manufacturer’s eco-friendly Vero line, which is 1080p display, the Acer Chromebook Vero
78 PCWorld JANUARY 2023 IMAGE: ACER

514 has a lot to offer. Battery life is good and Battery capacity: 56Wh
the unpainted exterior is totally unique. Even Price: $599.99
the packaging it comes in consists of mostly
recycled paper and cardboard. However, DESIGN AND BUILD
audio quality is underwhelming and you’re The Chromebook Vero has one of the most
stuck using ChromeOS. If you can live with unique color schemes I’ve ever seen and I’m
those nitpicks, then this machine is well worth so here for it. The unassuming gray exterior is
considering. It’s affordable, sustainable, and a covered in yellow and dark blue flecks. It’s not
reliable performer. paint, but the colors of the recycled materials
the laptop is made out of. Cool, right? I tend
SPECIFICATIONS to prefer laptops with an unusual or eye-
AND FEATURES catching aesthetic and the Chromebook Vero
Our review unit is the top-tier configuration, definitely delivers here. It may not be for
which costs $599.99. It’s packing an Intel everyone, but I deeply appreciate the
Core i5-1235U CPU, Intel Iris Xe graphics, outside-the-box design. The banana yellow
8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage. accents on the bottom and sides of the
The 14-inch display has a resolution of machine are really eye-catching, too.
1920×1080 and a refresh rate of 60Hz. An If you’re a tactile person like me, the
alternate configuration has an Intel Core unusual texture of the recycled material might
i3-1215U CPU, Intel Iris Xe graphics, 8GB of be different from what you’re used to. Most
RAM, and 128GB of SSD
storage. That one costs
$499.99. For more details
regarding our review unit, check
out the bulleted list below:
CPU: Intel Core i5-1235U
Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
RAM: 8GB
Storage: 256GB SSD
Display: 14-inch, 1920×1080
Ports: HDMI, USB 3.2
Type-A, USB 3.2 Type-C
Weight: 3.09 lbs The gray exterior is covered in yellow and dark-blue flecks—the
Color: Cobblestone gray colors of the recycled materials the laptop is made out of.

REVIEWS ACER CHROMEBOOK VERO 514
I expected the build quality

to be subpar given the recycled
materials, but I couldn’t have
been more wrong. The Vero
feels both durable and solid
overall. I didn’t notice any bend
in the keyboard tray and the
display hardly twisted when I
pushed and pulled on it with
both hands. This Chromebook
definitely feels like it could
handle a good knock or two.
The banana-yellow accents on the bottom and sides of the The Chromebook Vero is
machine are really eye-catching. pretty darn lightweight, too. It
weighs just a little over 3
laptops have a smooth plastic exterior. The pounds. The weight surprised me, as the
Vero, by comparison, feels a little rough to the Vero has a boxlike shape and looks heavier
touch. That said, it’s not unpleasant. I found than it really is. The weight puts it in the
myself rubbing the corners of the machine as I ultraportable category, which is great news if
watched YouTube videos. you travel often. I also used this machine for
hours on my lap and the underside
never got uncomfortably warm.
KEYBOARD,
TRACKPAD, AND
WEBCAM
I’m a clumsy typist. Always have
been. Always will be. Whenever
I’m working with a laptop, it takes
me a good amount of time to get
accustomed to the keyboard and
trackpad. Fortunately, that wasn’t
the case with the Chromebook
The backlit keyboard was comfortable to use for long periods. Vero. The backlit keyboard was

comfortable to use for long
periods and the keys were
pleasantly springy under my
fingertips. There were very
few, if any, mistypes on my
part. The E and R keys are
also lime green in color,
which I really like from an
aesthetic standpoint.
The square-shaped
trackpad sits directly in the
center and is lovely to use. In
terms of size, it’s just right,
not too big and not too small.
The surface of the trackpad is The 1080p webcam is a step up from the usual 720p fare.
smooth and responds well to
scrolling and clicking. Multitouch gestures DISPLAY, AUDIO
seem to work just fine as well. According to The 14-inch 1080p non-touch display is bright
Acer, the surface of the trackpad is made and colorful, especially for a sub-$600
entirely of ocean-bound plastics. Cool, right? laptop. When I watched an episode of
It doesn’t feel cheaply constructed, either. Children of the Whales, an anime about a
I like the inclusion of a 1080p webcam, community living atop a moving island, the
which is a step up from the usual 720p fare. protagonist’s emerald-green tunic was vivid
As you can see in the still photo above, colors and bright. It’s a lovely display for watching
are relatively accurate and I don’t look Netflix, web surfing, writing, and so on. The
washed out or grainy. I look a little pale, but bezels are also quite skinny, which means
I’m part vampire so that’s par for the course. you’re getting a good amount of screen. The
With remote work becoming more and more display never felt cramped as a result.
common these days, investing in a higher- I didn’t love the audio quality and I
quality webcam is key, especially if your job suspect the downward-firing speakers are to
involves a great deal of videoconferencing. blame. When my husband and I were
Having worked from home the past three watching The Great British Bake Off, the most
years, I can’t imagine doing my job without a wholesome baking competition around, the
1080p webcam. contestants’ voices sounded weirdly tinny at

REVIEWS ACER CHROMEBOOK VERO 514
PERFORMANCE
I’m something of a serial
multitasker, which means I
regularly operate in a sea of
open tabs. It may look chaotic
to some, but it’s how I work
and I won’t be shamed for it.
Fortunately, the Chromebook
Vero 514 keeps pace with
someone like me thanks to its
Core i5 CPU. I was able to
watch a three-part
The 14-inch 1080p non-touch display is bright and colorful. documentary on Peacock
while having a myriad of tabs
times. I also had to turn the volume up higher open in the background. You’ll often find me
than I normally would to hear the rapport jumping back and forth between YouTube
between the contestants and judges. I’m not videos and Discord messages. Even when I
sure it’s a deal-breaker, though,
as you can always plug in a pair
of headphones.
CONNECTIVITY
The Chromebook Vero has a
nice collection of ports. Flanking
the right side is one USB 3.2
Type-A, one USB 3.2 Type-C,
and one Kensington lock. On
the left, you’ll find one HDMI,
one USB 3.2 Type-C, and one
headphone jack. I like the
inclusion of old and new USB
ports as well as the full-size
HDMI. This eliminates the need
for an adapter. The Chromebook Vero has a decent selection of ports.

had about 15 tabs open, this laptop handled phenomenal battery life plus the lightweight
everything with ease. form factor make the Vero a solid option for
Here’s how the Chromebook Vero the frequent traveler.
performed in various web-based
benchmarks: BOTTOM LINE
CrXPRT 2: 150 The Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is a
Speedometer: 250 phenomenal pick for those who want an
Basemark Web 3.0: 1289.54 eco-friendly everyday laptop. The hardware
Kraken: 484.7ms inside promises strong performance and the
Jetstream 2: 236.57 exterior is both rugged and uniquely
The CrXPRT 2 performance benchmark designed. In terms of aesthetic and
measures a Chromebook’s speed and is a sustainability, it’s definitely a welcome change
good indication of how it handles day-to-day from your typical run-of-the-mill Chromebook.
tasks like watching videos, playing games, There are only a couple of downsides to
surfing the web, and so on. Equipped with a the Vero. The audio is lacking, but that’s not
12th-gen Intel Core i5 CPU, the Vero’s too surprising. Laptops aren’t known for the
performance score was 150. The Acer best audio. You’re also stuck using
Chromebook Spin 713 (fave.co/3Fzr1nM), by ChromeOS, which means your apps and
comparison, has an 11th-gen Intel Core i5 game options are limited. If you don’t mind
CPU and received a slightly higher those minuscule nitpicks, then the Vero 514 is
performance score of 164. Although there definitely worth considering.
isn’t much difference between the two
machines as far as performance score goes, I Acer Chromebook Vero 514
expected the Vero to score higher, especially
with the latest-generation CPU. That said, the PROS
• Strong performance.
Vero is still a strong performer. • Stellar battery life.
• Made of recycled materials.
• 1080p webcam.
BATTERY LIFE
CONS
When we ran the CrXPRT 2 battery • Poor audio quality.
benchmark, which cycles through videos and • Limited to ChromeOS.
various tasks until the laptop dies, the Vero BOTTOM LINE
The Acer Chromebook Vero 514 is both affordable
lasted about a whopping 14 hours on a single and sustainable, making it a great choice for the
eco-conscious buyer.
charge. That’s a phenomenal result right
$599
there, as it far exceeds a typical workday. The

FEATURE
THE BEST
HARDWA
SOFTWA

T PC
THE BEST OF THE
BEST, AS CHOSEN BY
THE PCWORLD EDITORS.
BY BRAD CHACOS
ARE AND
ARE OF
22 2023 PCWorld 85
JANUARY2023
JANUARY

FEATURE BEST HARDWARE AND SOFT WARE 2022
fter years of shortages and all: Our top picks include the best software
A product delays, the PC industry

slammed on the gas pedal in
2022, unleashing bleeding-
edge hardware at a truly frenetic pace.
A wave of long-lasting, heavy-hitting
available, because what you use all that
computing power for is just as vital.
For this list, we asked PCWorld’s tech
experts to share their favorite picks in their
areas of expertise. Without further ado, this is
laptops started the year with a bang. Then the best PC hardware and software of 2022
the battle turned to desktops, where Intel, and 2023. Yes, we’re looking forward to next
Nvidia, and AMD rolled out new generations year, because until even newer products
of processors and graphics cards alike, begin launching in 2023, many of the
bolstered by delightful advances in SSDs champions on this list will remain very
and new monitors that push pixels harder relevant for months to come.
than ever before. And those are just the tip We’ve also rounded up our favorite
of the iceberg. work-from-home tech of 2022 (fave.co/
We tested some truly impressive 3YPZjMz) if you’re interested in a more
hardware this year—but you’ll only find the productivity-focused look at the year’s
absolute greatest on this list. And that’s not best options.
BEST THIN-AND-LIGHT design choice that’s different from previous

LAPTOP: DELL XPS 13 PLUS iterations—helps the Dell XPS 13 Plus look
If you’re on the hunt for a truly truly sophisticated. You really can’t go wrong
spectacular ultraportable, the Dell here.—Ashley Biancuzzo
XPS 13 Plus (fave.co/3TPKp5F)
is the laptop to target. It’s featherlight at
under 3 pounds, the 13.4-inch PRICE:
$1,399 from
3456×2160 OLED display is a real sight to fave.co/3BP2zOg
behold, and the Intel Core i7-1280P CPU FULL REVIEW:

fave.co/3TPKp5F
delivers leading-edge performance. That’s
the full package right there. It has enough
oomph to whiz through photo editing
work as well as day-to-day tasks like
browsing the web and checking e-mail.
And the hidden haptic trackpad—a unique

BEST GRAPHICS CARD: rates in compatible games for unparalleled
NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 4090 visual smoothness. And content creators will
It’ll cost you a small fortune to adore the RTX 4090’s 24GB of mega-fast
get your hands on one, but VRAM and juggernaut productivity chops
the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 (fave.co/3Ys2Ekw).
(fave.co/3O1pryL) deserves the highest Yes, the GeForce RTX 4090 costs $1,600.
accolades possible. Nvidia’s 40-series But this GPU is worth every penny. It’s so fast
flagship is blow-your-hair-back-and-melt- that AMD’s flagship Radeon RX 7900 XTX
your-face fast—so fast, it unlocks (fave.co/3j9ZLEF) isn’t even trying to
experiences never before possible. compete at its level. This may be my
With the RTX 4090—and only the RTX favorite graphics card I’ve ever tested in all
4090—you can max out a 4K, 144Hz monitor my years at PCWorld.
with all the eye candy
turned on in your
games. You can play
the most strenuous
ray-traced games
without even bothering
to flip DLSS on—but
you should, because
DLSS delivers a massive
speed boost with few
PRICE:
visual compromises. $1,600 from
fave.co/3HSUtIj
DLSS 3’s new Frame FULL REVIEW:
fave.co/3O1pryL
Generation feature taps
into AI to double frame
BEST HIGH-END CPU: (fave.co/3v8rWqE) is better. The last-gen

INTEL CORE i9-13900K Core i9-12900K already impressed, but Intel
AMD’s 16-core Ryzen 9 7950X (fave.co/ managed to cram twice as many efficiency-
3Thn24k) may have landed the first blow in focused E cores into the new chip, while
this new CPU generation, and it’s a mighty foe simultaneously cranking clock speeds to
indeed—but Intel’s 24-core Core i9-13900K blistering new 5.8GHz levels. As a result, the

Core i9-13900K holds the performance

crown in gaming and single-threaded
performance, while speeding through heavily
multi-core tasks at a 40 percent faster clip
than before. Hot damn.
Tipping the scales even further in Intel’s
favor, the Core i9-13900K also enjoys robust
software support for its onboard media PRICE:
$623 from
fave.co/3jatQUI
engine (helpful for content creators!) and
FULL REVIEW:
somehow costs less than its Ryzen rival. fave.co/3v8rWqE
Adding insult to injury, Intel’s 13th-gen Core

CPUs also support cheaper DDR4 memory
when using select motherboards, unlike support? The Intel Core i9-13900K is
AMD, which mandates DDR5 with Ryzen absolutely the best CPU of this new
7000. Faster, cheaper, and better software generation.—Brad Chacos
BEST SSD: optional heat sink in the box and offering a

ADATA LEGEND 960 surprisingly substantial warranty and TBW
Sure, some rival PCIe 4.0 SSDs rating. Our reviewer summed it up perfectly:
(fave.co/2Z26gQg) edge out the “The Adata Legend 960 is a top-performing
Adata Legend 960 (fave. NVMe SSD at a mid- to lower-tier price.
co/3VkocNc) in raw benchmark What’s not to like about that?”—Brad Chacos
performance—but only
by the slimmest of
margins. Yet somehow, PRICE:
$130–$200 from
Adata managed to fave.co/3FFgp6S
price the Legend 960 at FULL REVIEW:

fave.co/3VkocNc
substantially less than
the bleeding-edge
competition, at just
$130 for 1TB or $200
for 2TB capacities,
while also tossing an

BEST ANTIVIRUS: 3CnDHuk). With recent feature updates
NORTON 360 DELUXE such as Dark Web Monitoring and VPN
Norton 360 Deluxe (fave. access, it has made itself the security suite to
co/30Bk59o) may not be the beat. The price of $109 for a year
most new or exciting, but the subscription, while not insignificant, isn’t
well-established security software continues likely to break the bank either.
to reign supreme at the top of our list for the Norton also includes a ton of extras in its
best antivirus for Windows (fave.co/ antivirus suite, including file cleanup, startup
manager, and options for
gamer-specific features. Last but
not least, Norton 360 Deluxe is
PRICE:
$109 from
fave.co/3YCFfwS
one of the least obtrusive or
FULL REVIEW: annoying antivirus programs
fave.co/30Bk59o
we’ve tested—no unnecessary
pop-ups or notifications in sight.
For the peace of mind and full
feature set that Norton provides,
we think it represents excellent
value and top-of-the-line
protection.—Sam Singleton
BEST GAMING LAPTOP:

RAZER BLADE 17
The Razer Blade 17 (2022) (fave.co/ PRICE:
$2,799 from
fave.co/3IR04Nd
3AVS4Je) delivers serious gaming
FULL REVIEW:
power. Thanks to the Intel Core fave.co/3AVS4Je
i7-12800H CPU and the Nvidia

GeForce RTX 3080 Ti GPU inside, this
laptop can chew right through most
games on ultra settings without
breaking a sweat. It also features a
drop-dead gorgeous 240Hz panel,
which deserves its own callout,

complete with Nvidia G-Sync support to mention the drool-worthy aesthetic design?
eliminate any screen tearing by matching the This laptop will definitely provide the ultimate
display’s frame rate to the GPU’s. And did we gaming experience.—Ashley Biancuzzo
professionals, and as such it offers

incredible color accuracy and a
wide color gamut, as well as
extensive customization options.
The monitor stand is simple but
solid, with good connectivity
options, including four video inputs
PRICE:
$729 from and a USB hub, the full complement
fave.co/3v8dbnB
FULL REVIEW:
of ergonomic adjustments, and
fave.co/3VaoFkV
built-in speakers. That alone would
make it worth its $729 price.
But what makes this monitor
BEST MONITOR: particularly outstanding is that it matches
ASUS PROART PA348CGV its pro-graphics chops with gaming
When it comes to all-around capabilities in the form of a 2mm response
monitor greatness, it’s hard to time, 120Hz refresh rate, and official support
beat the Asus ProArt PA348CGV for AMD’s FreeSync. We can’t think of
(fave.co/3VaoFkV). The ultrawide 34-inch, another monitor this satisfyingly versatile.
3440×1440 IPS panel is targeted at —Katherine Stevenson
BEST GAMING HEADSET: blend of comfort, style, and functionality I’ve

STEELSERIES ARCTIS NOVA experienced in 2022. The headset’s snugness
PRO WIRELESS comes courtesy of a multipronged
“Make me a gaming headset that does ComfortMAX system consisting of height
everything” must have been the design brief adjustable sides, a central flexible tension
behind the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro band, and rotating earcups that provide your
Wireless (fave.co/3zZDQoz). This top-notch head ample room to move. These features sit
gaming headset offers the most compelling alongside plush leatherette ear coverings and

audio untethered but also lets
you simultaneously take calls,
listen to music, or chat while
gaming—a real treat for
multitaskers. Plus, the headset
comes with a convenient base
controller that lets you switch
between your PC and Xbox
One and Xbox X/S at the
PRICE:
$349 from
fave.co/3V9ooPi
switch of a button.
FULL REVIEW: When it comes to the
fave.co/3zZDQoz
:all-important audio
performance, the Nova Pro
Wireless nails it. The headset
exceptionally stylish gunmetal earcup covers always sounds fantastic, with Active Noise
that ooze high-end style. Cancellation, a rich and warm audio profile,
The Nova Pro Wireless also goes the extra and a sizable bass presence that never
mile with connectivity, sporting dual wireless disappoints. On top of all that, the headset
(2.4GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) functionality, as benefits from SteelSeries’ excellent GG
well as wired connectivity— the latter for software app, which you can use to
Hi-Res 96KHz/24-Bit audio. The dual wireless personalize your gaming audio exactly as you
capability not only allows you to access your like it.—Dominic Bayley
BEST VPN:
EXPRESSVPN
It isn’t easy to select the PRICE:
$6.67 per month from
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best overall VPN (fave.
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co/3FtTTMs). There are fave.co/3nthVRR
a ton of contributing factors to

consider, such as privacy, user
interface, server spread, and
speed. While before it was
common to sacrifice some of

these features to gain others, that is no use, and it offers wide device support.
longer the case. ExpressVPN also regularly has third-party
ExpressVPN (fave.co/3nthVRR) has it all, auditors review their services to reinforce
easily making it our top choice for best VPN. their privacy credentials. Currently there
Not only is it one of the fastest VPNs we have aren’t any other VPNs out there offering the
ever tested, but it has plenty of country same level of features and value as
locations to choose from, it’s very easy to ExpressVPN.—Sam Singleton
BEST CHROMEBOOK:
ACER CHROMEBOOK
PRICE:
SPIN 713 $769 from
fave.co/3jmsPcn
The Acer Chromebook Spin 713 FULL REVIEW:
fave.co/3Fzr1nM
(fave.co/3Fzr1nM) is a fantastic
convertible laptop for work or play.
You can prop it up like a tent for
watching movies or rotate the
screen around and use it like a
handheld tablet. The laptop itself
weighs just a little over 3 pounds,
making a perfectly capable travel
companion. It also has a colorful
2256×1504 touch-enabled display,
all-day battery life, and a wide array of ports. don’t need Windows, the Spin 713 is a great
The build is surprisingly robust as well. If you everyday laptop.—Ashley Biancuzzo
BEST KEYBOARD: still cheaper than many gaming-oriented

KEYCHRON Q5 designs). But that gets you an incredible
One keyboard stood out for both amount of features and so much quality you’ll
quality and value this year: the find it hard to go back to a “normal” board.
Keychron Q5 (fave.co/3W7LvLr). Full aluminum construction, high-quality
That isn’t to say it’s cheap — it starts at $175, switches, excellent keycaps, and a foam
and it’s a little over $200 fully loaded (which is gasket mount make the keyboard feel

incredible right out of the box. Hot-swap want to combine these features with some
switches and VIA programming make subtle ergonomics.—Michael Crider
customization easy and
inviting. And the thing’s so
solid you could use it as an
anchor. You can extend this
recommendation to
Keychron’s entire Q series,
PRICE:
which all use the same design $175–$205 from
fave.co/3FDIbk0
for a variety of layouts. Check FULL REVIEW:
fave.co/3W7LvLr
out the Keychron Q8 and Q10
(fave.co/3WuebxO), if you
BEST GAME
STREAMING SERVICE: co/3CbTcJz) is the best of the bunch.
NVIDIA GEFORCE NOW While you do have to purchase many of
No graphics card? No problem. the games that you can play on this service—
Folks blessed with good Internet GFN hooks into your existing PC store
have an abundance of game- accounts, like Steam, instead of providing a
streaming services (fave.co/3G7ebi8) to library of “free” games like Xbox Cloud
choose from these days, but for PC gamers Gaming (or Netflix)—GeForce Now brings
specifically, Nvidia’s GeForce Now (fave. some of the best visual quality, a massive
game compatibility
list, and a free
membership plan
PRICE:
$9.99 per month from option. With that in
fave.co/3YGtEwD
FULL REVIEW:
mind, there’s literally
fave.co/3CbTcJz
no reason not to jump
in and at least try out
some free games like
Fortnite or League of
Legends to see if it
works for you. And if

you do dig it (or can’t find an affordable GPU), complete with ray-traced visuals, support for
the top-tier RTX 3080 offering brings the higher resolutions at faster speeds, and
might of that kick-ass graphics card to bear, priority server access.—Brad Chacos
year? The
Crucial P3
PRICE:
$47 and up from
(fave.co/
fave.co/3WdoEOw
3HY15Fn). It
FULL REVIEW:
fave.co/3HY15Fn offers
excellent
everyday
storage
performance
BEST BUDGET SSD: for gaming, content creation, and more, and
CRUCIAL P3 better yet, it’s one of the first fast NVMe drives
If you don’t move massive amounts of ultra- to drop under 10 cents per gig—you can pick
large files, you probably don’t need to up a 500GB model for $47, while a 1TB
splurge on a pricey cutting-edge PCIe 4.0 version costs just $90 at press time. The
SSD—a standard PCIe 3.0 drive will do you Crucial P3 offers a whole lot of fast storage for
just fine. The best bargain we’ve reviewed this a very compelling price.—Brad Chacos
BEST MAINSTREAM CPU:

INTEL CORE i5-13600K
This year, not one but two fantastic mainstream
processors launched, with both the Intel Core
i5-13600K and AMD Ryzen 5 7600X posting
ridiculous numbers. But as impressive as
AMD’s latest is, Intel edges it out with faster
gaming performance and cheaper compatible
hardware. For PC builders on a budget, it’s PRICE:
$339 from
hard to beat Intel’s wider selection of fave.co/3v5TNHE
affordable motherboards, especially when

they support inexpensive DDR4 memory. recommendation for PC gamers who don’t
Intel’s Core i5-13600K easily earns our have an infinite budget.—Alaina Yee
BEST PASSWORD tablet should be seamless. You can store

MANAGER: LASTPASS other information too, like credit card
If you’re not already using a information or general notes.
password manager, you should LastPass’s premium features also include
be. Creating long, random file uploads up to 1GB, secure password
passwords becomes a snap, with the hard sharing, emergency access for trusted
work of remembering them left to the contacts, and more. With its user-friendly
service. You could use your phone or interface tying everything together,
browser’s built-in manager, but upgrading to managing your digital life is so much easier
LastPass (fave.co/3HwaMbf) supercharges and more secure.—Alaina Yee
the features you get. Its $36-per-year
paid plan is worth the cost—and
among the most affordable
options out there.
Simply install its browser
plugin and/or mobile app for
a combination password PRICE:
$36 a year from
fave.co/3BRD9Qa
generator, password vault,
FULL REVIEW:
and form filler. It works across fave.co/3HwaMbf
all devices, so moving

between your PC, phone, and
BEST GAMING MONITOR: expanse that fully immerses you in the action.
ALIENWARE AW3423DW Alienware’s AW3423DW (fave.co/3bTPB8b)
If you take your PC gaming checks all those boxes and then some.
seriously, you want a display that It all starts with the cutting-edge OLED
elevates the experience with panel using Quantum Dot technology (a first
excellent color and contrast, superior motion of its kind), which gives the 34-inch,
performance, and an ultrawide screen 3440×1440 display some key advantages

times (aided by a refresh rate

up to 175Hz).
And while the curved
monitor surpasses the
competition in gaming, its
1800R radius is still
serviceable for nongaming
use. Combine that with a
stand that offers height, tilt,
PRICE:
$1,299 from and swivel adjustments, an
fave.co/3j944QH
FULL REVIEW:
attractive and sturdy design,
fave.co/3bTPB8b
and a fair price for its premium
feature set, and you can see
why our reviewer proclaimed:
over its IPS counterparts: backlight-free deep, “The Alienware AW3423DW makes every
inky blanks alongside the panel’s rich color other 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitor
reproduction, and near-instant pixel response obsolete.”—Katherine Stevenson
BEST PDF EDITOR: interface to make it easier to navigate the

ADOBE ACROBAT PRO DC robust toolset. Additionally it added a cloud
Who else could it be but the OG PDF editor? subscription option and a mobile app for
Adobe Acrobat Pro DC (fave.co/3VdGoYY) both iOS and Android—both great services
has been, and continues to
be, the undisputed king of
PDF Editors (fave.co/
3V8Y9bO). Its combination of
features for editing, creating,
reviewing, and security are
the industry standard and
what most of its competitors PRICE:
$179 from
fave.co/3BSAzcF
can only attempt to emulate.
FULL REVIEW:
In the latest version, fave.co/3VdGoYY
Adobe redesigned the

for individuals and small businesses. Adobe access to the latest version and you don’t
Acrobat Pro DC is a subscription-based have to buy new software every year.
service, meaning that you will always have —Sam Singleton
BEST THUNDERBOLT DOCK: bandwidth, but stricter compatibility

KENSINGTON SD5500T restrictions. In this case, we haven’t had any
THUNDERBOLT 3 AND issues with this Thunderbolt 3 dock at all.
USB-C DOCKING STATION You might notice that our pick only includes
Our pick for the best Thunderbolt a pair of DisplayPort options for external
dock of 2022 is the Kensington monitor connectivity—while we appreciate
SD5500T Thunderbolt 3 and more flexibility, all but bargain-basement
USB-C Docking Station (fave.co/3HT3st1), monitors now include DisplayPort ports. With
and here’s why: It makes smart compromises. a smart mix of ports and 60W of laptop
One of the complaints readers have is that charging power, we think this is the best
Thunderbolt docks are useful, but they’re so Thunderbolt dock for the largest audience
damn expensive, pushing north of $300. right now.—Mark Hachman
Kensington’s SD5000T (a
slightly cheaper clone of
the IOGear Thunderbolt PRICE:
$259 from
3 Dock Pro, fave.co/ fave.co/3WxvPky
FULL REVIEW:
3G95GD3) is about $215 fave.co/3HT3st1
at press time. Price
matters.
The advantage of a
newer, more expensive
Thunderbolt 4 dock isn’t
BEST BUDGET MONITOR: impressive debut display an even better value.

NZXT CANVAS 27Q As with our other monitor picks, the 27Q can
You can find a decent monitor for less than the meet the demands of work and play.
NZXT Canvas 27Q (fave.co/3S0mY8X), but a The 27-inch, 2560×1440 IPS panel
recent $70 price drop makes this already has a 165Hz refresh rate and support for

good at default settings and

can be further enhanced
PRICE:
$249 from
with an MPRT backlight-
fave.co/3jn5wiI
strobing mode.
FULL REVIEW:
fave.co/3S0mY8X For content creation
tasks, you’ll find that the
27Q delivers great image
quality and a wide color
gamut that’s impressive for
the price. It’s also unique in
offering black or white color
options, which can be
mixed and matched
adaptive sync with both AMD and Nvidia between the panel itself and the stand (sold
graphics cards. Motion clarity in games is separately for $40).—Katherine Stevenson
BEST GAMING MOUSE: responsive in fps games like Overwatch and

HYPERX PULSEFIRE HASTE Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
WIRELESS The switches are nice and clicky, the mouse
I keep returning to this esports- is rated for a long 100-hour battery, and the
friendly 2.4GHz wireless mouse unusual honeycomb design feels both
for its mix of lightweight
handling, comfort, precision, and
predictability in a range of different
games. Under the hood, it’s powered
by a 16,000 DPI Pixart PAW3335
sensor. You’d be forgiven for thinking
that it’s a little underpowered
compared to some 20,000 to
PRICE:
30,000 DPI sensors on the market— $80 from
fave.co/3HSOJhp
but it’s actually not. It provides an FULL REVIEW:
fave.co/3v65Bd1
extremely fast 1000Hz (1ms) polling
rate, and proves quick and

lightweight and responsive in your hand. It’s a Haste Wireless costs just $80 in an era when
great gaming mouse, full stop, but the price top-notch gaming mice go for $100 or more.
makes it even better: The HyperX Pulsefire You can’t go wrong.—Dominic Bayley
BEST WINDOWS feature, as well as new file and folder backup

BACKUP SOFTWARE: systems. It has practically made itself a one-
R-DRIVE IMAGE 7 stop solution for backing up on Windows. At
Always a favorite of ours here at less than $50 for a license, it’s quite affordable
PCWorld, R-Drive Image (fave. as well and is a no-brainer for people looking
co/3Wslx4Z) is consistently solid for reliable backup software.—Sam Singleton
Windows backup software
(fave.co/3nlNb3Z). But it
wasn’t until the latest version 7
was released that it jumped
ahead to take our top spot. It
not only consumes pleasantly
few system resources, but it’s
ultra-reliable when creating
backup images of partitions and
disks. The latest version
PRICE:
improves upon this with a more $44 from
fave.co/3p6FP63
modern, user-friendly interface FULL REVIEW:
fave.co/3Wslx4Z
and adds partition
management, a welcome
BEST ONLINE BACKUP services (fave.co/3FWaMk6) we have tested,

SERVICE: iDRIVE ONLINE none is more complete or feature-rich
CLOUD BACKUP than iDrive Online Cloud Backup (fave.co/
When you are paying for an 3HQAasY).
online backup service, you want It has you covered with online, local,
it to be comprehensive and sync, and snapshots. The company will even
versatile. Out of all the best online backup ship you backup drives with your stored data

iDrive also has a

simple and easy-to-use
interface that allows
you to back up your
important data with a
minimum of fuss.
Additionally, all of
its most advanced
features are included in
PRICE:
$79 from the basic service level,
fave.co/3QEr2vq
making it a better value
FULL REVIEW:
fave.co/3HQAasY than it appears to be at
first glance. It is a
one-stop shop and
for quick recovery if something happens to likely to be the only online backup service you
your data locally. will ever need.—Sam Singleton
BEST DASH CAM:

COBRA SC 400D PRICE:
$399 from
fave.co/3hJGuJW
The Cobra SC 400D (fave.co/
FULL REVIEW:
3Gb1lzx) is a superb product. Day fave.co/3Gb1lzx
or night, front or back views, it’s

got you covered with best-in-class video
captures. The quality of the device
itself is top-notch. The main unit has a
solid heft and uses a semi-permanent
mount with a built-in GPS unit. On
the back is a 3-inch color
touchscreen that’s easy to use; voice
control is also an option. Being a
premium product, it has all the bells
and whistles: Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
connectivity, mapping, an SD card,

and a 3.5mm jack for an optional $80 1080p, and 1080p, 120-degree FOV rear captures.
120-degree FOV interior camera. But the real As our reviewer described it: “The Cobra SC
stars of the show are the incredibly clear and 400D is experientially one of the nicest dash
detailed 4K, 140-degree FOV front captures cams I’ve ever tested.”—Katherine Stevenson
PRICE:
Free from
fave.co/3HTEYjo
FULL REVIEW:
fave.co/3MzWBUw
BEST REMOTE DESKTOP comes with just about every remote-desktop

SOFTWARE: TEAMVIEWER software extra you will ever need, and is free
OR REMOTEPC BY iDRIVE to use for personal or occasional use. It also
This year’s best remote desktop doesn’t require installation making it perfect
software (fave.co/3GajKfN) is a for the casual user.
toss-up between the free-to-use RemotePC by iDrive, on the other hand,
TeamViewer (fave.co/3MzWBUw)and the is a premium service that is a great choice for
premium RemotePC by iDrive (fave. businesses—especially those with mixed
co/3jfBs8x). TeamViewer is our choice for operating systems. RemotePC edges out the
individuals because it is extremely easy to use, competition by offering a full feature set,

including servers for

all major desktop
OSes, multi-monitor
support, drag-and-
drop file transfers,
screen recording,
whiteboard, remote
sound and printing,
among others. And
it provides all of this
PRICE:
at a more affordable $24.50 per year from
fave.co/3VgTNPY
rate than that of FULL REVIEW:
fave.co/3jfBs8x
most other services.
—Sam Singleton
BEST USB-C HUB: YEOLIBO

9-IN-1 USB-C HUB (RU9A) PRICE:
$25 from
fave.co/3hC4IWN
USB-C hubs should be cheap and flexible, and FULL REVIEW:
fave.co/30z4JBG
this dongle has both qualities
in spades (fave.co/30z4JBG).
At just a hair under $25 (fave.
co/3hC4IWN), this hub offers a variety of
USB Type A and USB-C ports, plus a
microSD and SD slot for
transferring photos. It’s also
rated for up to 100W of input
power, so you can connect
your USB-C laptop charger to this
hub, and from there to your PC.
Let’s face it: Buying
technology can be expensive.
But a USB-C hub like this is a afterthought, and for this reason it earns our
necessity priced like an endorsement.—Mark Hachman

SO CAN
YOU.
FEATURE
HOW
MASTODON AND
SERVICES PUT SOC
IN THE PEOPLE’S HA

TWITTER’S TROUBLES
SPARK A NEW OLD-
SCHOOL REVOLUTION.
BY ADAM TAYLOR
D FEDERATED
CIAL NETWORKS
ANDS
IMAGE: MASTODON JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 105

FEATURE MASTODON AND FEDER ATED SERVICES
T
he internet is getting weird again. to “modern” social media from 2012 or so
Twitter’s recent stumbles (fave. onward, all of this can be really confusing at
co/3BRTaFv) under new ownership first glance—which is understandable! A lot of
have surprisingly shined a quick jargon is being thrown around, and many of
light on the world of federated and the established norms are being abandoned.
decentralized social networking services, like Have no fear! This is your guide to the
Mastodon. These services are peer-to-peer or federated universe (coined the “Fediverse”),
community-run networks, depending on the and what it all means for you and for the
particulars. Federated services are services future of social media and networking. Since
that are managed by individual organizations the biggest crowd of Twitter refugees seems
or “offices,” such as the post office, email, or to be heading toward Mastodon, let’s look
self-hosted forums. at what you need to get started there first.
If you were on the internet “back in the Then we’ll dive deeper into the underlying
day,” you might remember when everyone concepts and systems that make federated
connected through a variety of different services work, as well as highlight some
forums or instant messaging client accounts other specialized networks you can try—like
while having their own personal pages on PixelFed and PeerTube—which take that idea
Geocities or Blogspot. The rise of federated beyond mere Twitter clones into a full-on
services is reminiscent of that. If you’re used web experience.
By the time you’re done
reading this you’ll have a full grasp
of how federated services work—
and their potential.
MEET MASTODON
Before we jump into the super
nitty-gritty, let’s take a look at one
of the big services gaining traction
right now: Mastodon (fave.co/
3PGZVQc).
Mastodon has been exploding
over the past few weeks, with over
1 million new daily active users
Eugen Rochko is the creator of Mastodon. getting involved just since the end

as many might
hope. You’d be
forgiven for
taking one
glance at it and
thinking,
“Wow, that’s
generic Twitter.”
In a way, that’s
the point.
The number of Mastodon users has grown over time. However,
Mastodon is
of October (fave.co/3GhbZot). According to missing all the profit-centric bloat of modern
this Mastodon signup tracking bot (fave. social media platforms. There’s no algorithm
co/3Veum1x), there are more than 7 million recommending content or people to follow.
total accounts, with 2,000 made every hour. Unlike Twitter or Facebook, where the goal is
Momentum is gaining for Mastodon, which to keep you glued to the screen as much as
has been around since 2016. possible and to prevent you from ever leaving
Mastodon itself is very much a Twitter-like their website, Mastodon is just there to
service. It’s a microblogging tool in which you provide a social networking place for you to
send mostly short-form text posts, a few have conversations. Humans don’t
images, or very small (40MB is the current limit) communicate with algorithms by nature. But
videos, build
threads, follow
and reply to other
people, and
“boost” (the
equivalent of
sharing or
retweeting) posts.
There’s also
messaging,
though it’s not yet
as fully developed At first glance, Mastodon’s layout very much resembles that of Twitter.

also, the point with Mastodon is to make some of the people you’ve followed over
friends, not follow brands. there may have publicized Mastodon handles
Instead, you get a linear feed of the posts you can follow as well.
the people you follow make (or boost). When In those alternative Mastodon apps, the
you first join, this means your feed may seem Local timeline will be anyone in your
empty or lonely—especially if you’re on the instance, and the Federated timeline is a
“official” mobile apps. The better alternatives “mutuals” timeline featuring anyone that
(such as Tusky [fave.co/3WPpdhF] on anyone in your instance, or that you follow,
Android or Metatext [fave.co/3v3Nk0b] on has connections to. Think of it as a “Six
iOS) feature Local and Federated timelines to Degrees of Kevin Bacon” kind of thing. The
help you find more people. Your individual Federated feed is more akin to the r/all page
instance (read: community server) admins on Reddit (without upvotes) and is generally
may have suggested accounts to follow from not the most fun place to be, but it can be
that community when you sign up, too. interesting to browse.
Otherwise, you can search for hashtags and You can reply to posts, and replies can
follow them, or follow people posting cool be limited in privacy to public (shows up in
stuff in those hashtags relevant to your Home timelines and hashtag searches),
interests. If you’re migrating from Twitter, unlisted (shows up in followers’ Home
timelines and on your profile, but
You can keep
your finger on not in Local or Federated timelines
the pulse while or hashtag searches), and private
on Mastodon,
with trending
(which only show up to the
news, links, recipient). You can boost posts,
and hashtags which just puts them in your
showing
you what timeline, including Local and
conversations Federated timelines. You can also
are going on—
all approved by
“Favorite” (remember when Twitter
your instance called Likes this?) posts—but all
admins to keep that does is just interact with the
the junk out.
person. There’s no system that will
feature Favorited posts in your
feed. Thank goodness.
You can add people you’ve
followed to Lists and then pin those

lists to your Advanced Web View, located You can
reply to
in Options -> Appearance—which is
posts, and
basically like Tweetdeck for Mastodon— replies
and keep better track of different groups can be
limited in
of people. You can also pin hashtags or privacy
groups of hashtags as searches to your to public,
unlisted,
view to follow those as well.
and
Heck, if you want to embed your private.
Mastodon feed in your blog, you can do
that with Mastofeed (fave.co/3BPnEIr).
These stark differences from Twitter
make it clear how different Mastodon’s
goals are as a service. For one, it intends to
be a service instead of a platform. Twitter isn’t a singular service. It has built
itself into a business structure offering a
FEDERATED SERVICE variety of services to different groups—
VERSUS PLATFORM including other businesses. It’s a social
I’m going to keep referring to these social media site for the users, sure, but instead of
networking tools as “services” because they earning revenue from its users in exchange
are just that: services instead of platforms. for that service, it recoups costs (even if
This is one of the major paradigm differences unprofitably) by selling data, ad slots, and
between modern centralized social media other paid tools to businesses.
and the direction things appear to be Nathan Reiff writes on Investopedia
heading (which, again, is also where they (fave.co/3I8A5TJ): “Twitter divides its
came from). Twitter is a platform; it’s a revenue into two categories: the sale of
singular, centralized hub run by a corporation advertising services, which constitutes the
that controls every aspect of it. vast majority of the company’s revenue, and
A service is a tool designed to solve a data licensing and other services.” Twitter
problem for the user (in this case, social doesn’t even have a revenue category for
networking), whereas a platform is a generic “providing a social media app to users.”
service that hosts other services for different With Twitter, social networking isn’t the
target groups, according to Paylocity Chief product. The user is the product, with user
Technology Officer Rachit Lohani (fave.co/ acquisition being the goal. With Mastodon,
3VfyWMR). the tool is the product.

Mastodon is a service. There’s no then all talk to each other and share things
centralized authority or hub: There are bigger, between each other. Microsoft uses this for
more official-like server instances for it, but Active Directory Federation Services (fave.
anyone can host an instance for a community co/3Ve8FOT), as do plenty of other
or niche and is encouraged to do so, and enterprise security systems.
whoever runs those instances governs their OneLogin explains (fave.co/3G8dwwQ)
own community (including policies, code that the difference between federation and
updates, and so on). It’s all open-source SSO (Single Sign-On) is that SSO is used for
software, which means community-based multiple applications from the same provider
development, decision-making, modification, or domain, whereas federated identities can
and verification. There’s also no advertising, be used across multiple different applications,
data sharing, or tracking of any kind. Code services, or platforms from different providers
development and individual community as long as those services are in the same
server hosting is funded by the community or federation and enabled to talk to one another.
the person funding it. Simplified, it just means that a bunch of
Could a major company build their own services are built upon the same account
Mastodon instance and charge users to join foundation to allow you to use the same
and provide some sort of proprietary or accounts and communication protocols
private offering to justify the cost? Absolutely. across each other, so they can all speak the
But that’s not an inherent part of the service same language.
itself, and the vast majority of instances aren’t For Mastodon and other Fediverse services,
set up that way. this foundation is ActivityPub (fave.co/3YABKaj):
an open, decentralized social networking
INSTANCES AND protocol built by the World Wide Web
DECENTRALIZATION Consortium (fave.co/3YFscdU). Many of the
So what the heck are these instances anyway? popular federated services use ActivityPub as
This is where things are going to sound their protocol and thus can talk to each other.
complicated, but I promise they’re simpler There’s a comprehensive list of these services
than they first seem. here (fave.co/3HMhEnv). ActivityPub posts (or
First, let’s cover federation. Mastodon posts and so on) are effectively like
Mastodon is just one example of a RSS feeds. You can even subscribe to Mastodon
federated service. Federation means using a accounts via RSS (fave.co/3WeHZPg).
singular method of authenticating accounts These services are also decentralized,
across multiple different services, which can meaning that the hosting, organization, and

ActivityPub is
basically a protocol
for sending
and receiving
messages, where
anyone can host
their own servers
(or instances) as a
point for the user
to interact with the
broader network.
decision-making for these services is divided mindly.social (fave.co/3BRvVeS). And then

between localized “offices,” or in this case there’s the shining example of the Internet
instances. Individual communities are using Archive having its own organizational
their own server hosting to host different instance at fave.co/3WAUN2v with clear
community hubs—usually on a virtual private roles and identification of IA employees.
server, but some are having great success These are where things get confusing for
hosting instances on Raspberry Pis and many new Mastodon users, however. You do
Chromebooks, interestingly enough. not need to sign up for each individual
Federated services are nothing new. instance. You can if you want to maintain
Humans use federation for many things. Post separate branding for different purposes, but
offices and libraries are good examples— most people do not need to do this. Each
places that operate as a sort of universal instance is equivalent to a dedicated forum or
service but are run by different offices or website in terms of focus and grouping of
organizations. people, but they’re all using the same
In Mastodon, there are the more official communication protocol. That’s the beauty of
generic instances that you can sign up to, federated services. People from one instance
such as mastodon.social (fave.co/3jgx9d6), can chat with, discover, and do anything else
but there are lots of cool niche community with people from other instances without
instances such as techhub.social (fave. much issue. Think of your Mastodon account
co/3YQiIgn) for techies, mastodon.art (fave. like an email address—just because my email
co/3YEa9EZ) for artists, writing.exchange is @eposvox@glitch.lgbt doesn’t mean I can’t
(fave.co/3VlSX4A) for writers, chat with @textfiles@mastodon.archive.
peoplemaking.games (fave.co/3WvlkOG) org—it just means we created our accounts in
for game developers, and the instance I’m in, different places.

give power back to the

user. You, the user, are in
control of your own data.
You can delete every
ounce of it whenever you
like, move it between
instances if you don’t like
how the one you’re in is
being run, or host your
own single-user or
small-community
instance where you make
the rules. You are not the
product, which is hard to
wrap your mind around
Choosing a server is the biggest point of friction for new users. There’s when the net has
nothing difficult about signing up—it’s the same as with every other
website or app in terms of difficulty—but this step does act as a potential conditioned us into
speed bump. Think of servers as clubhouses, chat rooms, or subreddits accepting being the
that you join based on interests or convenience. There’s nothing wrong
with joining a generic, big instance that lets you in and then moving to a product for over a
smaller, more unique one as you learn and explore. decade now.
Also, we just went
You can also move your entire profile to through a load of decentralization talk, and
another instance at any time, followers and all. we didn’t need to mention blockchain or
This is part of the resilience of the service. crypto even once. Just saying.
Your previous “account” then turns into a
redirect to your new one. No worries if you WHY PEOPLE HOST
already told everyone your previous MASTODON INSTANCES
address—the system has free mail forwarding! I got a chance to speak with Joe “KuJoe”
All of this means services like Mastodon Dougherty, the operator of the mindly.social
are decentralized, governed, and hosted by (fave.co/3V7m3Ew) Mastodon instance,
different groups of people in different places about why he started hosting it in the first
and are not subject to any individual authority place, given it went up just a little before large
or goals. They are resilient by nature of being crowds started coming over from Twitter. His
decentralized and interoperable, and they story is similar to those of many who have

started seeking out alternative homes for immediately improved not just his mental
social networking. health but his productivity.
“Earlier this year I was feeling a real sense Then, of course, the Twitter fiasco
of dread using social media; it felt like a game exploded interest in Mastodon in general. As
that I could never win,” Dougherty told me. “I one of the few instances available to these
would spend a lot of my time on it looking for huge waves of new users—as many instances
somebody to interact with, but legitimate had to pause or close invites to balance the
conversations were so few and far between load and allocate more resources and so
because talking in replies doesn’t get likes.” on—mindly.social saw a huge growth in
As someone familiar with IT and server community members. “November 7 we hit
hosting, Dougherty was naturally curious 100 users on our instance, then on November
about this new service and started 8 we hit 5,000 users, then on November 10
researching it, getting hooked immediately. we hit 10,000 users. Six days later we’re
“I was drawn to the tech, to the freedom sitting at around 21,000 users.”
from corporations, and
to the social aspect of it
all,” he continued. “After
a bit more research, I
decided to start my own
instance because I
wanted to build a
different kind of
community than the
existing instances while
also putting my tech
skills to work. It was a
good feeling to offer
other people a home on
a new platform.”
Dougherty quit most
other social media not
long after, going all in on
Mindly.social is one of many Mastodon instances that started out simply
Mastodon by October, as a small, fun place to hang out, but quickly exploded during Mastodon’s
and said the change influx of viewers in November.

For Dougherty, it’s hardly about the up late using Pidgin or Trillian to keep track of
numbers. “I’m so glad to have a home for so AIM, MSN, and Yahoo instant-messaging
many people, most of whom proudly share accounts to keep up with friends in different
that they are escaping the negativity of other places. It meant having fan sites running their
social media platforms like I was,” he said. own shows and blogs spread out across
“In the past few weeks I’ve had so many Blogspot, Geocities, and so on—rather than
conversations with people just talking about everything being limited to Facebook groups
random things, more than I’d ever had in the and Twitter circles, where you’re constantly
14 years I was on Twitter. I’ve turned off fed ads, your data is harvested and sold, and
notifications so I don’t see when I get the for-profit corporations running them are
favorites or boosts and I’m genuinely more making decisions about how to extend profits
happy as a result. rather than provide a great service.
“Probably the best part about this whole But with all of this momentum toward
experience is every day it’s different people,” federated and alternative services, and
Dougherty said. “I didn’t just find a group of millions of users finally trying this stuff out, it all
two to three people that grouped up with means we might actually be able to reclaim
and talk with every day. Every single day for the internet back for the users.
the past nine days I’ve had meaningful If you don’t find yourself enjoying
interactions with new people, even if it’s just Mastodon, that’s OK! The goal of this shift is
me helping them get situated and we make not to convert you to another service that will
little jokes while we work through it. Even monopolize your time, but rather to get you
outside of the conversations, every single day to try out smaller services and communities
people are posting fantastic artwork, beautiful that might be a better fit for you. Let’s take a
photos, inspirational quotes and poems, and look at a few more while we’re at it.
just overall interesting stuff. Social media truly
is much better when there’s no algorithm to PIXELFED
get in your way.” Another great Fediverse service is Pixelfed
(fave.co/3G4xb0G), an Instagram clone
KICKING IT OLD SCHOOL with all the same priorities and subversion as
Again: The Internet used to be this way to Mastodon. You can share photos and
begin with. Socializing online meant chatting images, like, comment, and reshare posts,
on different BBS or forums hosted in different use filters, add Stories (sigh), build albums,
places by different groups of people, usually direct-message users, and so on. There are
funded by that community. It meant staying also no ads, no data selling, and no

algorithms. I still think a no-comments photo share your PixelFed posts to your existing
app like Glass (fave.co/3YEnSvt) would be Mastodon followers.
more akin to what I want as a pure art tool,
but this is awesome. PEERTUBE
Since it’s federated, you can view, follow, If you want to host videos, PeerTube (fave.
and interact with PixelFed posts and co/3WdLkOK) is a great service for building
accounts with your existing Mastodon that. It’s decentralized, open source, and uses
account. Creating posts does require you to ActivityPub for federation—meaning that
make a new, PixelFed-specific account, instead of just building one massive and
which is a point of confusion for users. But direct “YouTube competitor” (which has
then your PixelFed feed becomes its own historically not been a successful venture: See
federated profile that you can, for example, VidMe, Vessel, and so on), individual
follow on Mastodon to easily boost and communities or organizations can host their
own video websites for
specific topics or
communities.
A great example of this is
TILvids (fave.co/3WbVHmg),
a video site run on PeerTube
that’s dedicated to
edutainment videos (hence
the “Today I Learned”
acronym in the title).
This has many
advantages, including
lower and more spread-out
costs by not putting the bulk
of it on any individual or
singular organization, easier
discoverability by having
specialized sites for
While it’s not a federated service connected to Mastodon, SpaceHey individual niches or
(fave.co/3Wmnuk4) is another great example of a small, alternative
social networking website that’s independently run and that happens communities, and control
to hearken back to the classic MySpace nostalgia. for organizations or groups

who want to host

their own content
without being
restricted in rules
by a higher
authority. Plus it
has all the usual
advantages of
decentralization
and federation
described above.
PeerTube uses
the Bittorrent
peer-to-peer TILvids is a video site run on PeerTube that’s dedicated to edutainment videos.
protocol for
streaming video to reduce bandwidth costs blogging service that can be as private or
and load. public as you want, with intense
customization options. You can craft private
OWNCAST personal journals or publish blogs with
Beyond just watching on-demand videos, you monetization, complete with (optional)
can use Owncast (fave.co/3jgywIM) to host comments and federation to other
your own live-streaming service with control ActivityPub-enabled services as well. You can
over how things are run, no ads (unless you also set up your own blog on existing
integrate them), chat with chat bots, and WriteFreely community servers like Write.as
compatibility with most streaming software. (fave.co/3hCkWiD) or easily host your own.
For streamers wanting to reduce their Even better, it’s easy to run.
dependence on a specific streaming
platform, running Owncast is a great way to TUMBLR?
give viewers somewhere else to support you Believe it or not, blogging platform Tumblr
without missing any of the action. (fave.co/3YALbGB) is on the rise again after
being sold to Automattic (the WordPress
WRITEFREELY parent company) in 2019 (fave.co/3hGtB3r).
For long-form writers, WriteFreely (fave. While it’s not currently a federated service,
co/3HNcR5j) is a minimal, Markdown-based Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg teased the

notion (fave.co/3v3RbKH), then later that are “social networking” instead of “social
confirmed (fave.co/3Wo375w) that Tumblr media” to begin with.
will be integrating ActivityPub into the You don’t need to make drastic moves or
blogging platform and working on jump ship from any services right now, but
interoperability with other federated services familiarizing yourself with these decentralized
(like Mastodon) once it scales up to handle options will only benefit you as things move
the new wave of migrating Twitter users. forward. We can all benefit from a paradigm
shift back away from users being the product,
THE UNIVERSE EXPANDS and toward gaining control over our online
INFINITELY experiences. The internet used to be a fun
This article only included a brief overview of place full of clubhouses run by people with
the many federated services available. More varying interests, but more recently it’s just
examples include: been big, monolithic office buildings run by
• BookWyrm (fave.co/3HLAYBk) for a corporations and billionaires. Let’s take the
nice alternative to GoodReads. internet back and make it weird again.
• Lemmy (fave.co/3Wewsja), a link I’m still setting up other federated services
discussion service like Reddit. (including my own instance I’m super stoked
• friendica (fave.co/3PIVHro), a direct about), but in the meantime you can find me
friendship manager service. on Mastodon at @eposvox@glitch.lgbt (fave.
• Funkwhale (fave.co/3PIJi6D), for music co/3Ga1wep) and my WriteFreely blog at
sharing and discussion. AnalogDreams.blog (fave.co/3v1WSsx).
MAKE THE
NET WEIRD
AGAIN
Regardless of what
direction Twitter
goes in, it seems the
social networking
landscape on the
Internet is changing,
potentially for the
better—starting with Mastodon has a wide selection of federated services, including Funkwhale
just having services (fave.co/3PIJi6D) for music sharing and discussion.

Finish your high school diploma
for you and for them.
Find free, flexible and supportive
adult education centers near you at
FinishYourDiploma.org.

Here’s How HOW TO BUILD, MAINTAIN,
AND FIX YOUR TECH GEAR
How to use two-factor

authentication to lock down
your accounts the right way
The best 2FA methods don’t depend on a phone number. Here’s what to use instead.
BY JARED NEWMAN
R
eady or not, two-factor involves combining a regular password with a
authentication (fave.co/3co510T) secondary numeric code, which you must
is something you’ll need to start enter on any device where you haven’t
thinking more about. logged in before. This extra code typically
This approach to online security, also gets sent to your phone, so someone who
known as two-step authentication, multi- steals your password can’t get into your
factor authentication, or just 2FA for short, account unless they have physical access to
IMAGE: KT STOCK PHOTOS/SHUTTERSTOCK JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 119

HERE’S HOW USE 2FA TO LOCK DOWN YOUR ACCOUNTS
your phone as well (and know how to (fave.co/3WbHZ2N). (The FCC is only now
unlock it). starting to examine that problem; fave.
The added annoyance of 2FA is well co/3YwAZ25.) And if your phone gets lost or
worth the extra security it provides, which is stolen, you’ll want to have a backup 2FA
why some tech companies have now started method at the ready.
requiring it. Google (fave.co/3Vbq5vy) and If you’re ready to take 2FA more seriously,
Amazon’s Ring (fave.co/3Wfom9W) both here are some options to consider:
made 2FA mandatory last year, and it’s on by
default for most Apple IDs (fave.co/3G8FCIt). USE AN AUTHENTICATOR
I’ve also noticed Amazon selectively APP
enforcing 2FA on it apps and website, Instead of sending 2FA codes by text
sending a link to click on via text message message, most major online services let you
when you login on a new device. use an authenticator app to generate codes
While these are all positive steps, the on your phone. The authenticator app syncs
smartest approach to 2FA isn’t merely up to your online service—usually by having
passive. Many of these 2FA methods work you scan a one-time QR code—and from then
by texting a code to your phone, which is on, you use the app to look up the code
better than nothing but is susceptible to when you’re logging in on a new device.
potentially devastating SIM hijacking attacks While Google and Microsoft both offer
their own authenticator
apps that work with a
wide range of online
services, I personally
prefer Authy (fave.
co/36EzKHx). It’s free,
and more importantly,
you can install it on
multiple devices at the
same time. I have
Authy installed on my
iPhone, Android
phone, iPad, Windows
desktop, Windows
Amazon selectively enforces 2FA on its apps and website. laptop, and Mac Mini,

which means my
2FA codes are
never out of reach.
This convenience
does come with a
trade-off: Installing
Authy on a new device
requires its own
authentication code,
which Authy can send
via text message. But
Authy mitigates this in
two ways: You must
also enter a password
to unlock your Two-factor authentication confirms your identity.
backups on a new
device, and you can always disable the ability device to help you sign in on another.
to install Authy on new devices. To turn the Similarly, some services can send you an extra
ability back on, you’d need physical access to verification code via email when you log in on
a device where Authy is already installed. a new device.
I wouldn’t rely solely on Authy if you’re Either approach is better than getting
prone to forgetting passwords, because codes via text message—at least, if your
there’s no way to recover Authy’s password if devices and email account are secure
you lose it. But if you want easy access to 2FA themselves—and in most cases you can set
codes across multiple devices—including them up alongside an authenticator app such
your computer—its multi-device support as Authy. That way, you have multiple
makes it tough to beat. methods for getting into your accounts when
2FA is enabled.
USE EMAIL OR APP-BASED
2FA INSTEAD OF TEXT USE PRINTED CODES
If you’ve ever seen the “Are you trying to sign OR A SECURITY KEY
in?” prompt on your phone when logging FOR EXTRA BACKUP
into Gmail on a new device, this in itself is a To make doubly sure that you can always get
form of 2FA, using an existing sign-in on one into your account, some services will let you

HERE’S HOW USE 2FA TO LOCK DOWN YOUR ACCOUNTS
SETTING IT
ALL UP
Here’s where things
get a little tricky: Not
every app or online
service works with all of
the options I just
described. Some may
not support physical
security keys or email-
based authentication.
Others may not
Yubico’s YubiKey is a hardware-based 2FA solution. provide printed codes
as a backup method.
print out backup codes or plug a USB security Others may only offer text-based two-factor
key into your device for 2FA. Last year, for authentication or may not offer 2FA at all.
instance, I set up a Yubico (fave.co/ That doesn’t mean you should avoid 2FA
3BQEMNL) security key with my Gmail, entirely. Instead, you should use the best
Microsoft, Twitter, and Stripe accounts, so if I available options for each of your accounts,
ever need to log in on a new device, I can just starting with the ones that store your most
plug in the key instead of using Authy. You important data. If 2FA options are limited or
can see which online accounts work with unavailable, it’s all the more important to rely
Yubikey here (fave.co/3BL4B1K). on strong passwords—preferably generated
by a password manager (fave.co/3lRkfRz).
SIGN IN WITH GOOGLE OR Ready to get started? Here are quick links
APPLE WHEN POSSIBLE to setting up 2FA on Google (fave.co/
Once you’ve gone through the trouble of 3WzBnen), Microsoft (fave.co/3YESyNa),
locking down your Google and Apple Yahoo (fave.co/3PDBt2d), Amazon (fave.
account, consider using them to log in on co/3WzBcQf), Facebook (fave.co/3YFTm4K),
other sites whenever that’s an option. For Twitter (fave.co/3FFTCrK), LinkedIn (fave.
instance, I often use “Sign in with Google” on co/3Waidfl), and Apple (fave.co/3G8FCIt).
sites that offer it, as spares me from creating Authy’s website also has a searchable list of
another password and gives that site the same tutorials (fave.co/36EzKHx) for setting up 2FA
level of security as my Google account. on other sites.

How to add check boxes to
Microsoft Word documents
Are you making a list and checking it twice? BY MARSHALL GUNNELL
W
hether you’re writing the in the Developer tab. This tab isn’t displayed
next greatest novel or a by default. To show the Developer tab,
simple grocery list, Microsoft right-click anywhere in the ribbon and click
Word is used for all types of the “Customize the Ribbon” option in the
things. Fortunately, if you’re looking to add context menu. In the Options window that
check boxes to a personal survey or work appears, check the box next to Developer
checklist, it’s relatively easy to do. We’ll guide and then click OK.
you every step of the way. Let’s dive right in. Now type out the list you’d like to add
check boxes to. Once you’ve typed it out,
ADD CHECK BOXES TO place the cursor at the beginning of the first
WORD DOCUMENTS ON item. Then, in the Developer tab, click Check
WINDOWS Box Content Control in the Controls group (1).
To add check boxes to your Word document The check box will appear next to the
on Windows, you’ll need to use the features item. Copy and paste the check box next to
IMAGE: PIXIEME/SHUTTERSTOCK JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 123

HERE’S HOW ADD CHECK BOXES TO WORD DOCUMENTS
type the list that you would like to add

check boxes to. Next, place the cursor
at the beginning of the item on the first
line and then select Check Box in the
Developer tab.
The check box will appear next to the
item. To check or uncheck the box, select
the box and then click Options in the
Developer tab. In the pop-up window
that appears, select Checked under
default value to check it and Not
Checked to uncheck it. Select OK (2).
That’s all there is to it.
1. ADD CHECK BOXES TO

WORD FOR THE WEB
each item. To check or uncheck a check box, Word for the Web only offers check boxes
simply click on it with your mouse. using the bullet feature. Unfortunately,
there’s no way to check or uncheck these
ADD CHECK BOXES TO boxes digitally, so you’ll need to print the
WORD DOCS ON MACOS sheet out and manually check the boxes
As with Windows, you’ll need to display the with a pen.
Developer tab to add check
boxes. To show the Developer
tab, open the Word menu and
select Preferences. In the Word
Preferences window that
appears, click Ribbon &
Toolbar. Next, check the box
next to Developer in the
Customize the Ribbon
group and select OK.
With the Developer tab
now in view, go ahead and 2.

Is gigabit internet worth it?
Only if you meet these 3 criteria
You’ll probably be fine with much slower speeds. BY JARED NEWMAN
I
f you ever need a textbook example of important for “scrolling through your
misleading marketing, just look at what Instagram feed on your phone while
some internet providers are saying about simultaneously streaming Netflix and surfing
gigabit internet service. Amazon Prime on your laptop.” Likewise,
Cable companies would have you believe Comcast says to consider gigabit speeds
that speeds upward of 1 Gbps are essential (fave.co/3jjToPu) if “your family loves to
for modern internet use. A gigabit connection stream movies and TV while playing
“lets you multitask,” Cox’s website proclaims bandwidth-hungry games and downloading
(fave.co/3v49Eql), suggesting that it’s the latest apps on your smartphone.”
IMAGE: PROMKAZ/SHUTTERSTOCK JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 125

HERE’S HOW IS GIGABIT INTERNET WORTH IT?
For the sake of keeping this article family- streaming audio. You’d have to stream on
friendly, the term I will use for these claims is more than 108 devices at a time to run out of
“exaggeration.” Gigabit speeds are overkill bandwidth on a gigabit connection.
for the vast majority of internet users, but with Gigabit internet may require additional
more people ditching cable TV and girding hardware investment as well. If you have your
their homes for remote work, internet own cable modem, you’ll need one with
providers have found a golden opportunity to DOCSIS 3.1 support (fave.co/3llkTWF) to
push unnecessary upgrades with fatter profit get gigabit speeds from most providers. Some
margins. So it’s no surprise that they’re routers—including older Eero models (fave.co/
capitalizing on gigabit internet confusion. 3BOGTSi)—don’t support gigabit speeds.
Anecdotally, I’ve been quite satisfied with
WHY GIGABIT INTERNET 200 Mbps speeds from Spectrum. While
MAY BE OVERKILL negotiating a lower price from the company a
Consider the facts: couple years ago, I even declined their offer
• Netflix recommends download speeds for a “free” 400 Mbps upgrade because I
of 25 Mbps for 4K HDR video. That means didn’t want to get smacked with a steep price
you’d need 40 simultaneous streams—10 hike once that promo rate expired.
times more than what Netflix’s 4K plan even I’m writing this because I’ve heard from
allows—to make full use of a gigabit too many folks who’ve been led to believe
connection.
• Zoom Video
recommends speeds
of 3.8 Mbps for
videoconferencing at
1080p. Bandwidth
would only become
a problem if you had
more than 263 video
calls going at the
same time.
• Tidal reports a
maximum bitrate of
9216 Kbps for
master-quality Many TV streaming services don’t need gigabit internet.

that faster speeds will
eliminate buffering and
other connection
problems. Fact is, most
of the time, those issues
can be solved with the
same speeds on a better
Wi-Fi router (fave.co/
3WzdEdZ).
All that said, there
are some scenarios
where gigabit internet
service makes sense. If
you’re going to spend You might need a faster cable internet plan to get better upload speeds
extra, it should be for for participating in video calls.
one of a few very
specific reasons: those upload speeds to 20 Mbps, you’d
need to upgrade to much more expensive
GIGABIT JUSTIFICATION 1: gigabit plan.
YOU NEED FASTER UPLOAD Unfortunately, this is a common problem
SPEEDS among cable providers due to the way
Oddly enough, the biggest reason to pay for they’ve built their networks (fave.co/
gigabit internet has nothing to do gigabit 3j7nmG8), so you’ll find similar “asymmetric”
speeds. Instead, you might need a faster speeds on Spectrum and Cox as well. (They
cable internet plan just to get better upload also take pains to hide this pitiful fact from
speeds for backing up data or participating new customers, fave.co/3V6gEgY.)
in video calls. While upload speeds can vary But even as a ticket to faster uploads,
by cable internet provider, they tend to be gigabit service might still be an excessive
much slower than what you get for choice. I’ve found that Spectrum’s 10 Mbps
download speeds, leading to more upload speeds have been fine for two
noticeable bottlenecks. simultaneous Zoom sessions. And if you
With Comcast, for instance, a plan with have a fiber-optic internet provider in your
200 Mbps download speeds only offers area, this issue probably doesn’t apply.
upload speeds of 10 Mbps. Just to double Verizon and AT&T both offer equal

HERE’S HOW IS GIGABIT INTERNET WORTH IT?
download and upload speeds for their fiber back up his clients’ computers every night
service, so you can safely stick with sub- (fave.co/3WdSmmG).
gigabit plans. Those all sound like legitimate use cases,
but they’re quite specific. They also assume
GIGABIT JUSTIFICATION 2: that whatever server you’re contacting
YOU HAVE A SPECIALIZED supports gigabit speeds as well, which isn’t
USE CASE IN MIND always the case. (This becomes painfully clear
To see if I was missing anything, I recently whenever my PlayStation 4 needs a large
asked folks on Twitter what actual use cases software update.)
existed for gigabit internet service, and I got a
few interesting responses. GIGABIT JUSTIFICATION 3:
KTLA tech reporter Rich DeMuro said he YOU WANT THE BRAGGING
has to transfer huge video files on a daily RIGHTS
basis for his broadcast TV job, so the Even if you can’t think of a particular use for
gigabit speeds come in handy (fave. gigabit internet, maybe you just want the
co/3FKQRp1). Consumer Reports’ Nicholas satisfaction that comes from having the fattest
De Leon said he likes being able to data pipe available. That way, if any high-
download PC and console games faster bandwidth applications do come around,
(fave.co/3hDsuBt). A computer consultant you’ll be well prepared, and on some level
named “Max” said he needs the speeds to you’re establishing a market for those use
cases in the
first place.
As a tech
enthusiast
myself, I’m not
going to deny
anyone’s right
to technological
excess. Just
don’t have any
illusions about
what exactly
you’re paying
You may wish to opt for gigabit internet if you’re a fan of online gaming. for.

The Steam Deck’s button mapper
is the best feature you’re not using
How to make pretty much any PC title work with a game controller. BY JARED NEWMAN
F
or me, the Steam Deck’s aha re-release on GOG a few years ago. That and
moment came when I figured out some other odd display issues kept me from
how to play the PC version of ever giving it a try on my gaming PC.
Stranglehold without a mouse But after I sideloaded the game through
and keyboard. Steam Deck’s desktop mode, Valve’s button
The John Woo–produced, somewhat remapping tool saved the day. This Steam
underappreciated third-person shooter didn’t Deck feature is so extensive that you can get
include controller support when it launched practically any game to work well with the
on Windows in 2007, and neither did the portable console’s thumbsticks, triggers, and
IMAGE: VALVE JANUARY 2023 PCWorld 129

HERE’S HOW STEAM DECK’S BUT TON MAPPER
buttons, and I’ve since used it to breathe new create your own layout. Pick a PC game from
life into other old PC games as well. your library that has poor or nonexistent
Here’s an in-depth guide to everything controller support, then read on for details.
Steam Deck’s button remapping can do:
CREATING A STEAM
HOW TO FIND THE STEAM DECK CONTROLLER
DECK’S BUTTON REMAPPER LAYOUT: THE BASICS
Once you’ve loaded a game on the Steam Before building your own Steam Deck
Deck, click the Steam button, select Controller controller layout, you should visit the game’s
Settings, then press the A button again. control menu first. Using your phone, take
Scroll down from here and you’ll find pictures of the game’s keyboard and mouse
some quick settings such as y-axis inversion assignments so you can reference them along
and sensitivity levels for the mouse and the way. Trust me, this will make the
trackpad. Keep in mind that these are remapping process much less tedious.
independent of the in-game control settings, For this tutorial, I’m going to use F.E.A.R.
so I would only make adjustments here if the as an example, as the first-person shooter
game itself doesn’t offer them. format does a great job demonstrating
Still, those quick settings only hint at everything you can do with button
what’s possible. To truly take advantage of remapping. (That, and I’ve been wanting to
Steam Deck button mapping, you’ll need to get the game off my backlog anyway.)
Here’s an overview
of how the remapping
process works:
• From the
Controller Settings
menu, select the
current layout, and
then select the
Templates menu.
• Scroll down and
select “Keyboard
(WASD) and Mouse.”
This maps the left stick
The Steam Deck’s Controller Settings. to the WASD keys

Once you’ve mapped
those face buttons, you
can move on down the left
sidebar to map the Steam
Deck’s thumbsticks,
triggers, D-Pad, trackpads,
and rear buttons. You can
map those controls to
pretty much anything,
including mouse buttons,
the scroll wheel, and even
system actions like the
Selecting a controller template on the Steam Deck. screenshot function.
While most of this is
and emulates mouse movement with the pretty straightforward, pay special attention
right stick. to the Joysticks tab, and in particular the
• From the Controller Settings menu, gear icon next to Right Joystick Behavior.
select Edit Layout.
• Use the left sidebar
to choose between the
physical controls on your
Steam Deck.
• Use the right-hand
menu to assign commands
to those controls.
In the image at right,
I’ve set the Steam Deck’s
face buttons to correspond
with keyboard commands
for some common actions
in F.E.A.R., including Use,
Flashlight, and Reload.
(We’ll get into the long-
press behavior later.) Remapping keyboard controls to the Steam Deck buttons.

Once you’ve
configured everything to
your liking, go back to
the Controller Settings
menu and the gear icon
underneath your layout.
From here you can either
choose Export to save
the layout on your device
or Share to upload it for
other folks to use as well
(more on that shortly).
Controlling joystick mouse sensitivity in the Steam Deck. Give your layout a
name and a description,
From here you can adjust the sensitivity, then save it. It’ll appear in the Your Layouts
scale, and dead zone for mouse emulation, tab on the layout selection screen, so you can
which is especially useful when mapping always come back to it even if you mess
first- and third-person shooters. You’ll likely around with alternative control schemes.
need to fine-tune the sensitivity as you go,
but you can do this later through the quick ADVANCED STEAM DECK
settings menu. MAPPING OPTIONS
The fun doesn’t stop there.
Valve also offers a few
advanced ways to
optimize your PC games
for the Steam Deck
controller:
Secondary
commands: For games
where a simple button
press isn’t enough, you
can map additional key
bindings behind a long
The Steam Deck layout save menu. press or double press. You

• Choose which
button to map it to, then
click the gear icon next
to the new command
and select Regular Press.
• Choose to map the
extra command to a long
press, double press,
hold, or release.
Virtual Menus: This
neat trick lets you create
your own radial menus for
The Steam Deck lets you roll your own radial weapon selector. the touchpad, directional
pad, or thumbsticks,
can also map separate bindings for when complete with visual overlays that appear in
you hold and release a button—perfect for the game. It comes in handy for shooters or
shooters that toggle the iron sights with a MMORPGs where you’d normally switch
trigger button when you’d prefer to hold it between weapons through the number row.
down instead. • From the layout screen, head to Virtual
• Click the gear icon next to any button Menus, then select Add Virtual Menu.
and select Add Extra Command. • Give it a name that’ll help you identify it
later, such as “F.E.A.R.
Weapon Selector.”
• Choose the type of
menu you want to create.
Radial works best with the
touchpad or thumbsticks,
Touch Menu is just for the
touchpad, and Hotbar is
mainly for cycling through
items with the D-Pad.
• Select the pencil
button next to the newly
The Steam Deck secondary controls. created menu.

method to the Virtual

Menu. For instance, you
can head to Trackpads,
tap the drop-down menu
next to Left Trackpad
Behavior, and choose
your newly created menu
from the list.
Action sets: This lets
you switch to a different
control scheme in
response to a button
The Steam Deck’s Virtual Menus. press. A great example is
reducing the joystick-to-
• Select Add Command and choose the mouse sensitivity when looking down the
key you’d like to assign. sights in a first-person shooter. Here’s how to
• Use the Add Virtual Menu Entry option set that up:
to create additional items in the menu. • In the remap menu, head to Action Sets.
• Use the dotted circle next to each • Select the gear icon next to Default and
button to select an icon for each item. select Add Layer.
These icons will
appear in the overlay
during the game.
• Optionally use
the gear icon next to
each button and
select Rename
Command to give it a
name that will appear
on screen as well.
• Finally, return to
the main remapping
menu and assign a
Steam Deck control The Steam Deck radial control menu.

Action Set, disable
the two blue
toggles, and click
Confirm.
• Return to the
remap menu and
hit R1 so that While
Aiming appears in
the top left of the
screen.
• In the Trigger
menu, select Add
Command next to
Creating a Steam Deck Action Set. Soft Pull.
• Navigate to
• Give the layer a name, such as While the Action Sets tab and select Remove Action
Aiming. Set Layer.
• In the Trigger menu, click the gear icon • Select the While Aiming Action Set and
next to Soft Pull and select “Add sub choose Confirm.
command.”
• Select
“Add
command” to
bring up the
control
selection
screen.
• Navigate
to the Action
Sets tab and
select Add
Action Set Layer.
• Select the
While Aiming Adding Action Sets on the Steam Deck.

some truly horrendous

layouts even for games
with straightforward
control schemes.
Community layouts can
be a good starting point,
but it’s still worth
understanding the
button remapper so you
can make your own
adjustments or start from
scratch if need be.
The Steam Deck’s Action Set behavior. While this is
admittedly a lot to take
• In the Joysticks menu, click the gear icon in, a little experimentation is all it takes to get
next to Right Joystick Behavior and then lower hooked. When everything clicks, you’ll
the mouse sensitivity. realize you can create the perfect layout for
pretty much any game on the Steam Deck, no
COMMUNITY LAYOUTS: A matter how complex the control scheme.
SHORTCUT (WITH CAVEATS) Now, excuse me while I go figure out how
If all that just sounds like too much work for to set up X-Wing (fave.co/3VhPDXP).
the sake of play, there is a
shortcut: Just select one of
the Community Layouts that
other players have created.
You’ll find these by clicking
on your layout in the
Controller Settings page,
then heading to the
Community Layouts tab.
The problem with
community layouts is that
you never know what you’re
going to get, and I’ve seen The Steam Deck’s community layouts.

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