It's about time for a new semester, and upgrading your PC can make the process much easier. You don't need anything excessive to access most of the Windows software and cloud apps you'll need in school or college, and Dell's official store has already reduced prices on some of its best hardware.

• Back to school deals up to $900 off PCs and more at Dell

Some of Dell's deals go into the weeds (who knew they sold robot vacuums?), so I've handpicked a collection for practically anyone who needs portable tech for studies or even works from home. We've tested hundreds of processors found in its laptops, and traveled the world with devices just like this.

Is the new Dell XPS 13 a good laptop?

We saw the revival of Dell's XPS 13 laptop appear at Computex earlier this year, and went hands-on while we attended Taiwan's popular technology convention. There's no denying it's the Windows-centric alternative to Apple's MacBook Neo, but as Dell explained to us in person, it was in development before the Neo ever launched. In that, it stands as more of an affordable flagship than a compromise.

After spending some time with the XPS 13, Senior Editor Zac Bowden said it "still feels every bit as premium and nice to use as the $1,000 XPS 13 before it", which tracks, because this used to be placed as a much more expensive laptop. If you pick one up, you'll get a 120Hz display for a smooth refresh rate on a bright, 2.5K touchscreen, in the thinnest and lightest XPS yet.

As the name suggests, the XPS 13 offers a 13.4-inch screen in a 2.2-lb chassis, powered by a relatively standard 65W USB-C AC adapter rather than a proprietary cable-and-brick setup. Yes, it's smaller than the EcoLoop backpack was designed for, but the extra inch leaves space for extras like the Pro 7 mouse and keyboard combo.

However, Zac did make it clear that the XPS 13 has "an amazing keyboard and excellent trackpad", so you'll still be able to rely on it in any situations where an external set of peripherals isn't as viable, and they stay in your backpack instead. Plus, the built-in webcam supports Windows Hello face unlock for faster logins, and its powered USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports support external displays.

You'll need to verify your education status with Dell to be eligible for the XPS 13's $599.99 student pricing, but $699.99 is still a great price if you're looking for a work companion instead. Otherwise, for students heading back to school for a new semester, this portable PC combo for under $740 is a steal.

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Monitors generally last so long that I often forget how significant an upgrade can be, but seeing some of the 4K displays and OLED panels in our recent reviews always proves they're among the best investments you can make. After all, you're looking at your PC monitor most of the time, so it's worth it.

• Back to school deals up to $900 off PCs and more at Dell

Sure enough, Dell is offering generous discounts on some of the best monitors we've tested, including a gaming variant in its Alienware subbrand. If you're thinking about a screen upgrade for your new semester, now's the right time to buy. Here's my curated collection of Dell monitors that are easy to recommend.

Does Dell make good monitors?

Dell has consistently impressed my team and me with each monitor that we've sampled — and in some cases permanently adopted — with accurate color representation on sharp panels with good contrast. Their construction is consistently above average, too, often with a toolless setup and included stands offering plenty of tilt and swivel adjustment options.

With its $200 saving, the 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED (S3225QC) stands out as the best deal, and we particularly praised its five-speaker array for delivering "some of the best audio you'll hear in a monitor or TV". Indeed, it includes a two-piece toolless stand for a straightforward setup and affordable access to a Quantum Dot OLED (QD-OLED) panel with "perfect" contrast.

One of the most important considerations is connectivity and whether your existing PCs and devices can connect to the monitor you buy. For example, the S3225QC offers a gorgeous panel, but it's limited to a single HDMI port and two USB-C ports — one of which supports DisplayPort 1.4 output — but there's nothing for a traditional full-sized DisplayPort cable.

The opposite side of that coin is the UltraSharp 27 4K (U2725QE) with its Thunderbolt Hub and two DisplayPort options, HDMI, alongside a positively huge array of USB-A and USB-C ports. For gamers, responsiveness matters more, and the Alienware AW3425DW dominates with a 240Hz refresh rate and a 0.03ms response time built into a 21:9 (3440 x 1440) panel.

Overall, our own testing proved that Dell monitors are great picks for practically anyone. Nevertheless, you should always consider your needs, including which display size best fits your desk setup (or whether you'll use a mounting arm over the included stands). Right now, availability is healthy at Dell's US store, with fast delivery times.

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Huion, known for creating high-quality drawing tablets and pen displays, is launching a back-to-school sale on some of its best models. These discounted tablets are built for the aspiring student, whether they need extra help taking notes during class or creating beautiful digital works of art.

There are tons of discounts on offer, so I've picked out some of the best in both the budget and premium price ranges while showcasing a couple of drawing tablets we've reviewed and given high marks in the past. So, if you want to overcome a wave of AI-generated knock-off art by showing off real creativity with top-grade drawing tablets, these are for you.

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Back in April, Microsoft raised the prices of all of its Surface laptops as a consequence of the ongoing RAM crisis, making these once valuable desktops nearly untenable for most people who can't afford them.

Yet not all hope is lost for these critically acclaimed laptops, as they do occasionally get generous discounts to bring their prices back down to more manageable levels.

Such is the case with the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) with the Snapdragon X Plus CPU, 13.8-inch display, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD configuration that's now on sale with a 27% discount for $1099.99 at Best Buy.

What makes the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) worth the money?

Despite current times being the worst time to buy a Surface Laptop, that shouldn't deter you from getting one if it's on sale, as they boast the best specs for conquering daily office workflows or finishing homework on time at school.

The 13.8-inch, 7th Edition Microsoft Surface Laptop is no exception, as it delivers exceptional performance on everyday tasks thanks to its Snapdragon X Plus processor and 16GB of RAM.

It also features a splendid, ultra-thin clamshell design that's pretty to look at, practical enough to carry around while traveling, durable enough to withstand accidental (or intentional) bumps or bruises, and comfy enough to hold in your hands while working.

Other notable features include a 2K touchscreen display with a 120Hz refresh rate to render images with crystal-clear 2304x1536 resolution, a respectable battery life of around 18-19 hours, and a Neural Processing Unit (NPU) with 45 TOPS to efficiently run AI-related programs like Recall or Windows Studio Effects.

If you need to browse the net for research notes fast or write down your work on documents or spreadsheets using Microsoft Office without slowdown, you can't go wrong with the Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th Edition) now that it's on sale, as it's one of the best Windows laptops around.

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Best Buy's back-to-school sale continues to provide illustrious discounts on all kinds of computers and laptops built to help students succeed in school.

If you're looking for a high-quality laptop with solid performance and a clear display that has vastly benefited from this sale, then look no further than the 2025 edition of HP OmniBook X Flip 14", which is now 30% off for $699.99 at Best Buy.

Why buy the HP Omnibook X Flip 14"?

The HP OmniBook X Flip 14" (2025) laptop variant that's on sale right now comes configured with an Intel Core Ultra 5 (Lunar Lake) 226V CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD for storage.

For those who don't speak techno-wizardry, all this means is that this laptop can run software like Microsoft Office, browse the web, email, and multitask with multiple apps at once without any slowdown.

It's also great for creating digital artwork as it features a 14-inch, 1920x1200 touchscreen display capable of loading and rendering images with crisp clarity so you can make out all the details much easier when drawing.

Speaking of drawing, the HP Omnibook X Flip 14" (2025) is compatible with stylus pens (which are sold separately), so you will be able to draw on the screen instead of using a mouse if you prefer drawing that way.

Add to that a respectable battery life of up to 22 hours with its Intel chip, a durable and portable-friendly design, and an HP 5MP IR Camera for video conferencing, and you have a sweet mid-range laptop for work whose value has risen dramatically thanks to Best Buy's 30% discount.

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Laptops outfitted with Qualcomm Snapdragon CPUs are some of the best in the market for people looking to crush their daily quotas or survive mountains of schoolwork due to their reliable performance rates. long battery lives and sturdy designs.

Yet, many of them have had their price jacked through the roof thanks to the ongoing memory crisis, making their value not worth the investment for most people with low budgets and incomes.

Fortunately, one of these laptops, the ASUS Zenbook A14 (2025), has managed to snag a sneaky 30% discount to give people an edge in completing their daily workloads for the reduced price of $699.99 at Best Buy (listing price was $999.99).

Why buy the ASUS Zenbook A14?

If you're looking for a high-quality mid-range laptop that can get homework and work office tasks done fast with no fuss, the ASUS Zenbook A14 is the machine for you.

Why you may? Well, first of all, its performance rates are strong, as it's able to perform productivity activities like browsing the internet for info, opening up hundreds of emails, and running Microsoft Office and AI-empowered programs with great speed with little to no slowdown thanks to its mighty Snapdragon X Plus CPU, 16GB of RAM, and NPU capable of 45 TOPS.

Additionally, it has a clean and beautiful 2K OLED display screen that renders images in crisp detail so you don't miss out on any details when viewing documents or art pieces, an intuitive operating system, and a massive selection of USB and HDMI ports.

Throw in a massive battery life of roughly 32 hours with a sleek, minimalist design that doesn't compromise its durability for the sake of portability, and you have one of the best workhouse laptops in the mid-range spectrum, especially now that it won't cost you $1,000 thanks to this 30% discount at Best Buy.

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There's a lot of debate around minimum memory requirements for Windows laptops at the moment, and that often comes with the discussion of rising costs for the same components. It could be confusing for students looking for a new portable PC as they head back to school, but there are genuinely great options out there.

• Back to school deals up to $900 off PCs and more at Dell

Dell's latest XPS 13 offers student pricing starting at $599, and comes with the absolute latest "Wildcat Lake" processors from Intel. Yes, it sticks with an entry-level 8GB of RAM — though it is high-speed (7,467 MT/s) LPDDR5x memory — but at 2.2 lbs, it's still one of the most lightweight and portable options available right now. Need more? I have some options.

How much RAM does Windows really need?

There's no doubt that manufacturers like Dell started flexing their design muscles even harder after Apple launched its MacBook Neo for $599 — later rising to $699 —and it's arguably led to better choices for Windows PC consumers on a budget. We saw the new XPS 13 at Computex, a technology convention held earlier this year in Taiwan, and learned more about its choice of Intel Wildcat Lake processors.

Dell's Konstantin Tuv described it as "a great student device" [...] we want this to be their first XPS", and revealed that it was in production far before the Neo ever appeared, so it certainly isn't some knee-jerk reaction to rush an affordable laptop to market. Indeed, the XPS 13 was designed from the beginning to be a featherweight companion for students and workers alike. Still, its release didn't suddenly remove its in-house alternatives from sale.

Microsoft itself is committed to optimizing Windows 11 for 8GB of RAM, as CVP Marcus Ash told us directly: "We're relentless at reducing the memory footprint." However, if you're certain you need more memory (RAM) or storage (SSD space), Dell still offers its 15-inch and 16-inch laptops with modern DDR5 and previous-generation DDR4 modules, so you can choose a variant that suits you.

Ultimately, the $599.99 Dell 16 comes closest to satisfying each category, albeit with a larger display (though you'll have access to its touchscreen) and increased weight at 4.18 lbs, but you get 16GB of RAM and the same sensible 512GB of storage as the $599/$699 XPS 13. Otherwise, if you're prioritizing portability, the $549.99 Dell 15 doubles the SSD to 1TB, giving you more space for your files.

Whatever you choose, it's refreshing to see Dell pushing its capable laptops below $1,000, even if it takes back-to-school-themed sales to do it. If you've been holding out for a new Windows PC, there are still brief moments of savings happening like this where it's smart to shop.

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Razer's gaming keyboards rank among the best on the market, whether you're looking to crush the competition in games or type up school reports. However, if you've ever shopped around, you've probably noticed how many are on the higher end of the affordability scale.

• Crush the new semester with Razer keyboards

Fortunately, one of Razer's top-rated wired gaming keyboards, the Huntsman V3 Pro 60%, has managed to evade lofty pricing for a limited time, thanks to a 28% discount bringing it to $129.99 at Best Buy, giving you a chance to get a leg up on multiplayer and get a head start on your studies for less.

What buy the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro Mini 60%?

For starters, this keyboard features Razer's Analog Optical Gen-2 switches, which grant it extremely precise and responsive input detection speeds, which can be enhanced further with a Rapid Trigger mode and adjustable actuation that ranges between 0.1 mm and 4.0 mm.

The Huntsman V3 Pro 60% also features textured double-shot PBT keycaps with a keystroke lifespan of 100-million clicks to help it endure many years of intense button mashing.

Other notable features include a sleek and compact 60% form factor that makes it very portable-friendly while saving tons of vital desk space, buttons that double as arrow keys, and a Razer Snap Tap feature, which prioritizes the latest input between two selected keys without letting go of the previous one for near-instant directional movements in action games.

The only noticeable drawbacks of this keyboard are the somewhat noisy switches with no sound dampening (as noted in GamesRadar's review), the lack of wireless connectivity, and its usually steep listing price of $179.99.

So, it's a blessing to see its high price taken down to somewhat more affordable levels thanks to Best Buy's 28% discount, especially during this general RAM crisis where almost everything else in tech has become so insanely expensive.

If you're looking for a high-quality wired gaming keyboard that doubles as a high-speed workhorse keyboard for helping you ace exams or assignments, you can't go wrong with the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro 60%.

Frequently Asked Questions

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One of the best laptop deals of the year is live, though I'm worried stock won't last. The Dell XPS 14 (2025) is up to $1,350 off.

I highlighted Dell's discount on the XPS 14 recently, and the deal has since gotten even better. I didn't think I'd see a laptop with these specs at this price in 2026. 32GB of RAM, 1TB of storage, and 3.2K OLED touch display for $1,549.99 is, quite frankly, ludicrous.

My only concern is that the laptop dropping in price quickly suggests Dell is almost out of stock and wants to clear out 2025 models to push the newer XPS 14 laptops from this year.

Why buy the Dell XPS 14?

The XPS 14 is a pretty laptop built for productivity. At one time, there were a bunch of variations for this PC, but the options have been trimmed down as stock dips. The 3.2K OLED touch display in this model stands out, especially at this price.

The XPS 14 has a zero-lattice keyboard that packs large keys into a relatively small laptop body. The haptic touchpad of the XPS 14 is invisible, creating a clean look when the laptop is open.

That touchpad can take some time to get used to, but it was praised by Tom's Guide in their review:

"The keys have good travel distance and just the right amount of resistance when pressed. Once you get used to how tightly packed they are, typing is a breeze. And now that I’m used to it, the invisible touchpad doesn’t bother me. As before, I like the haptic feedback the touchpad produces, which also helps me know its location."

As a reminder, the Dell XPS 14 (2025) was originally called the Dell 14 Premium. Dell abandoned that naming scheme and resurrected the XPS brand earlier this year and retroactively renamed older models.

While I love the design of the XPS 14, it has battery life that's just OK. Our colleagues at Tom's Guide got 8 hours and 16 minutes in their testing. For context, 10 hours of battery life is considered "pretty good" in that same test.

The discounted XPS 14 model I highlighted retails for $2,899.99, but it is from last year. Many laptops from this year with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage cost well over $2,000. The new XPS 14 with those specs is $2,119.99 right now, and that's after a $630 discount. That version also has a 2K non-touch screen rather than the 3.2K OLED touch screen seen in the XPS 14 (2025) highlighted here.

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It feels like every week the component crisis worsens, driving the prices of hardware for even mid-level PC gaming to insane prices that only a few could afford without draining their savings.

Fortunately, price discounts are still a thing, giving us PC players brief respites from this RAMpocalypse. One such deal is this 26% discount for AMD Ryzen 7 7800XD, reducing the price of one of our favorite gaming CPUs from $449.99 to $333.99 on Amazon.

Why buy the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D?

The AMD Ryzen 7800X3D may be three years old, but it's still packing plenty of processing power to help your PC run games with extremely high performance that will make them feel so much smoother and more responsive to play with.

How high, you may ask? Well, my colleague, Ben Wilson, confirmed in his 4.5-star review of the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D that its 3D V-Cache makes an obvious difference to games, even if it doesn't thrill in productivity.

You can boost the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D's performance further by overclocking it using the Precision Boost feature with the Ryzen Master app. This is all done while the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D's power management system keeps it stable and cool.

However, don't expect to use this CPU for grinding through productivity tasks in a speedy manner, as its performance rates in this regard are somewhat lacking compared to Intel's (often more expensive) offerings.

Additionally, the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D isn't compatible with DDR4 RAM, so folks running PC rigs with older RAM may need to upgrade (which is easier said than done thanks to this AI-induced RAM crisis sucking all our RAM dry).

So, if you're looking to upgrade your gaming PC without breaking too much bank, this 26% discount for the AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D at Amazon is currently one of the safest and most affordable bets out there.

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The Seagate Xbox Expansion Card is a must-have accessory for the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. It's a plug-and-play drive with quick enough speeds to play games right from the card.

But the Seagate Xbox Expansion Card is running out of stock. Scanning the web shows retail listings with warnings of low stock or a lack of stock at all. Other stores have the cards but at inflated prices. If you want to get a Seagate Xbox Expansion Card, you need to act quickly.

Below, I'll list all places I've found the card in stock. It's now difficult to find them at all, let alone at a good price.

Is it a good time to buy a Seagate Expansion Card?

Right now is a good time to buy a Seagate Xbox Expansion Card for three reasons. First, the card is below its launch price at certain retailers. Second, the card is running out of stock, so if you want one you need to act quickly. Third, games like GTA 6 and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 will take up a lot of space, so you'll need more storage.

Gaming prices are out of control right now. RAM and storage seem to get more costly each month. There aren't signs of the market correcting any time soon, either.

The most pressing factor here is that stock of the Seagate Xbox Expansion Card is running out. Literally as I wrote this article, Best Buy marked the card as unavailable. Newegg and Amazon have the card in stock but at wildly inflated prices.

The only Seagate Xbox Expansion Cards I've found in stock are the ones listed above, including the 2TB model at Walmart. If you spot a model in stock, please flag it and I'll update this piece.

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Razer's gaming keyboards have consistently ranked as some of the best you could buy, and, of course, they double up as generally excellent options for work and studies. Because let's be honest, if a keyboard doesn't feel good for actual typing, then is it even doing its job?

• Crush the new semester with Razer keyboards

We already praised the Huntsman V3 Pro as "the world's most advanced gaming keyboard", and for now, the downside of its high price has been solved as the tenkeyless (TKL) model drops to $124.99 at Best Buy. Compared to its original MSRP of $219.99, it's instantly a much more tempting pick.

That $95 price drop stands alongside a discount on the full-size variant that we tested, bringing that to $180.74 with a much more specific $69.25 discount. Either way, you'll gain access to Snap Tap, Razer's solution for perfect counter-strafing in FPS games that prioritizes the most recently pressed button.

What makes the Huntsman V3 Pro so good?

Adjustable actuation is one of those phrases that crops up around keyboards, and it's a feature that shines when you have the time to dig into it. Essentially, you can change the depth at which the optical switches underneath the keys detect a valid press, usually opting for shallow pushes during gaming and more deliberate, deeper pushes for typing.

If you're into tweaking and personalization, you'll get a lot out of it by fine-tuning the actuation and saving it to one of the on-board memory profile slots. That, paired with its brushed aluminum chassis and double-shot PBT textured keys for more durable lettering, makes for a comfortable typing experience.

On the flip side, we noted in our (full-size) Razer Huntsman V3 Pro review that the leatherette wrist rest isn't perfect, but it is magnetic, so if you'd rather use it only for typing and remove it for a night of gaming, it's easy to detach. I'd recommend giving it a fair try, as it's generally better to use something to support your wrists than nothing at all, but your mileage may vary.

Overall, this discount makes the Huntsman V3 Pro, whether TKL or full-size, an absolute bargain. Even if you don't make use of all the extra dials at first, diving into customization would help you assign them to your most-used features soon after. It's a quality wired keyboard that works just as hard for daily typing, so you could probably argue it's a back-to-school expense if you tried.

Frequently Asked Questions

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In an age where the best laptops are being price-gauged for everything they're worth thanks to AI eating all our RAM and memory, sometimes laptops we never took a shine to can end up being smarter financial alternatives, provided they have redeeming qualities and discounts to back them up.

One such flawed but capable laptop is the 16-inch, 2-in-1 Lenovo Yoga 7i, a laptop that doesn't quite get the "2-in-1" part right but makes up for it with all-day battery life, a strong SSD for fast boot-up times and decent storage space, and more enticing features that are now 20% off for $799.99 at Best Buy (was $999.99).

Why buy the Lenovo Yoga 2-in-1 laptop?

Now, the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 16-inch isn't the greatest laptop in the world. When our laptop expert, Ben Wilson reviewed it, he remarked that its "sub-par IPS panel prevents its tablet mode from appealing to creatives who demand accurate color reproduction."

Plus, no bundled-in stylus pen combined with a stiff screen hinge makes the laptop's tablet mode not as useful or enjoyable compared to its competition.

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However, that doesn't mean the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 is worthless, as it has plenty of redeeming qualities.

It features above-average performance rates for crushing productivity tasks thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 5 Processor (2024) and 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD to help store vital data files and boot its systems quickly, a 70Wh battery that will last over thirteen hours, and solid Wi-Fi 7 connectivity to ensure you never lose connection with the internet and never wait forever for web pages to load.

It's also got a built-in fingerprint scanner that acts as a secondary security measure for your precious work files, a 2K touchscreen with 60Hz refresh rates and 1080p resolution so you can view documents and spreadsheets with clear clarity, and competent performance rates for tackling AI-related tasks thanks to its integrated Copilot+ feature and a Neural Processing Unit capable of 40 TOPS.

So if you're looking for a reliable mid-range laptop that won't cost you over $1,000 to tackle work reports or school exams while travelling, the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 that's now 20% off at Best could be the best unlikely weapon you didn't know you needed for slaying productivity backlogs.

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The harsh reality of heading back to school is the exam prep work. I've been there. Strict deadlines, heavy revision, and pressure on your shoulders. It can be intense when you don't have anything to help manage all of your work.

Luckily, a laptop to help you write and catalog all your studies beforehand for any exams with high performance is currently discounted to $899.99 at Best Buy — the ASUS ZenBook 14, featuring a vibrant 2K OLED display.

Why buy the ASUS Zenbook 14?

This specific UM3405GA-ZB_70 model of the ASUS ZenBook 14 laptop is a major upgrade from the UX3402ZA predecessor we reviewed four years ago, at least performance-wise.

With the new model's AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 2026 processor, 16GB of RAM, and Integrated AMD Radeon graphics, the ZenBook 14 will deliver fast performance in documents and spreadsheets, editing media, and browsing online without slowdowns, even when you have multiple apps or browser tabs open.

Additionally, it features an NPU rated for up to 50 TOPs so you can use its Copilot+ integrated functions to run AI-empowered programs like Windows Recall to see snapshots of your past activity or conjure quick art images with Cocreator.

Other notable features include a 512GB SSD to store files, a portable-friendly ultra-thin design, a 1080p Full-HD IR webcam with swift face login, and a 14-inch 2K OLED Touchscreen display so it can render images with crystal-clear clarity at a traditional 60Hz refresh rate, 2K resolution, and 500 nits of max brightness with HDR support and 100% accuracy of the DCI-P3 color gamut.

So if you need a powerful laptop in the mid-range area to save you from getting an 'F' on your exams or help you clear deadlines faster, then the ASUS ZenBook 14 that's now 25% off could be your savior.

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Microsoft's Surface Pro is on sale just in time for back-to-school season. The flagship 2-in-1 runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite or Snapdragon X2 Plus processor, both of which promise a significant performance bump over the last generation.

A bunch of Surface Pro models are on sale right now across various retailers. I've listed the biggest deals below, starting with the 21% discount on the Surface Pro with Snapdragon X2 Elite, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.

Why buy a Surface Pro

The main reason to grab a newer Surface Pro is the processor you'll get. The Snapdragon X2 Plus and Snapdragon X2 Elite offer over a 50% graphics improvement over the last gen.

That performance bump helps everything from photo editing to everyday productivity tasks feel smoother.

Microsoft refined the design of the Surface Pro over more than a decade, resulting in a premium device that defines the category. There are good reasons why Apple and other companies try to copy the Surface Pro.

While imitation is a form of flattery, the Surface Pro still stands out because of its built-in kickstand that makes it easy to prop up. That kickstand-centered design is best taken advantage of with the Surface Pro Flex Keyboard, which happens to be discounted right now.

The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard that's on sale is compatible with the new Surface Pro that launched this year. If you're worried about compatibility, you can double-check your device on Microsoft's support document about Surface Pro keyboards.

The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard can be used wirelessly or when physically attached. If you've ever tried to use a laptop or a 2-in-1 on an airplane tray table or tiny desk, you'll know the struggle of feeling cramped. The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard lets you have the keyboard on your lap or a table while the PC sits elsewhere.

Like other PCs, the Surface Pro has crept up in price over the last year or so. The high price tag of the Surface Pro was the main complaint about the PC when it was announced. The current deals on the Surface Pro alleviate that issue, at least temporarily.

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JLab, a brand we usually recognize for its headphones, still dips out of its wheelhouse from time to time to make broader PC accessories for productivity and gameplay performance on the side.

Now, its ergonomic "Epic Wireless Mouse", featuring a 2,400 DPI sensor, 4-month battery life, and remappable buttons, is available at Best Buy (currently discounted by a third-party seller to $51.77).

If you're looking for something different, there are more affordable ergonomic JLab mice and keyboards at Best Buy, flaunted as "Better for your wrist. Better for your budget" — with options available directly from Best Buy alongside third parties.

Why buy the JLab Epic Wireless Mouse?

JLab's Epic Wireless Mouse offers features for any worker navigating life's daily grind while taking breaks for some light gaming. These include an ergonomic design that fits snugly in your hand, the ability to connect to 3 devices via Bluetooth or its USB dongle, rechargeable batteries that last for around 4 months, and 9 buttons that can be customized with key bindings or shortcuts via JLab's Work app.

Elsewhere, it features silent buttons so they don't make distracting noise, a tiny OLED screen to show its status, and a 2,400 DPI sensor, making it responsive when moving the cursor while browsing or gaming.

So, if you're looking for a new mouse to help you with your assignments or games, then JLab is worth a shot. At least 114 shoppers on Best Buy have given it 5-star reviews, with some saying its performance is comparable to Logitech's MX Vertical Mouse but at a much cheaper cost (JLab's Epic Wireless Mouse has a listing price of $59.99, compared to the MX Vertical's listing price of $119.99).

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JLab, one of the most popular headset manufacturers, has been known to make keyboards and mice from time to time, some of which are so good they rank up with some of the best PC accessories out there for a fraction of their competition's budget.

One such peripheral is the JLab Epic Wireless Keyboard, which is currently being promoted at Best Buy along with other JLab accessories with a 14% discount for $59.99 (was $69.99).

Why buy the JLAB Epic Wireless keyboard?

Our friends at TechRadar gave this mid-range keyboard an above score of 4/5 stars, proclaiming that, "If your ideal keyboard includes a pleasingly tactile dial for media control, the JLab Epic Wireless is a great choice."

It's not hard to see why, as the JLab Epic Wireless keyboard features a lightweight, sturdy, and clean design that's easy on your wrists despite not having a bundled wrist rest support.

It also has rapid responsiveness when it comes to input detection for typing (while being near-silent so it doesn't cause any distracting noises), an intuitive JLab Work App to help you remap its keys, a 2000 mAh rechargeable battery that will last you two years, and a pleasing Smart Media Knob dial to let you adjust the volume or playback of any media you're watching on your PC.

Add on top a reasonable MSRP of $69.99 that's regularly on sale, and you've got yourself a sweet wireless keyboard fit for any hard-working typist looking for a straightforward tool to help get typing reports or homework done in a jiffy on a budget.

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Microsoft's new Surface Pro pairs Snapdragon X2 processors with a 2-in-1 design that set the standard for the form factor. The new Surface Pro launched this summer, and it comes with some serious graphical improvements.

You'll see some people refer to the device as the Surface Pro 12, though it's officially known as the Surface Pro 13-inch. Pricing starts at $1,499.99 and scales up depending on the processor you want and how much RAM and storage you need.

• Shop all Best Buy Surface deals

The new Surface Pro is available in black, platinum, or dune, giving you a chance to add a bit of flair to the convertible PC.

Surface Pro

The latest Surface Pro looks a lot like its predecessor, and that's a good thing. This form factor matured through over a decade of refinements and innovation, so there's not much Microsoft could do to revamp the design.

Our Editor-in-Chief called the Surface Pro 11 a "stunning achievement" and "one of the best Windows PCs of 2024." The same design that earned a five-star review from Rubino is here in the new Surface Pro, but with a noticeable spec bump.

The Snapdragon X2 Plus and Snapdragon X2 Elite that are available in the Surface Pro promise significant graphics improvements (up to a 53% increase depending on the model you choose).

When you hear about a graphics bump in a PC, you may think about games. But in the Surface Pro it's more about productivity. Better graphics means smoother scrubbing through timelines, better video editing, and smoother performance when handling demanding tasks.

The new Surface Pro has more affordable options with LCD screens or premium-priced offerings with OLED panels. Creators should lean toward the OLED display for its pitch blacks, better HDR, and higher contrast. If you're on a budget, the LCD options are the better choice.

As is always the case, I recommend grabbing a keyboard to go with your Surface Pro. The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard provides the best experience, since it can be used wirelessly or when physically connected. It's currently on sale, which reduces sticker shock ever so slightly.

The new Surface Pro only started shipping recently, so reviews are scarce and few customers have had a chance to share their thoughts. Early buzz around the web says the Surface Pro powered by Snapdragon X2 is faster and gets better battery life than its predecessor.

If you already have a Surface Pro 11 that's holding its own and aging well, I'd suggest holding onto it. But if you want a new flagship 2-in-1 that can tackle productivity workloads all day when plugged in or unplugged, the new Surface Pro with a Snapdragon X2 chip is the way to go.

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Best Buy's Back to School is still ongoing and providing healthy discounts on our favorite laptops we've personally tested and confirmed will help you smash your exams and homework with no effort.

One such device that will be invaluable to your schoolwork is the HP Omnibook X Flip 16-inch laptop with an Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB SSD that's now on sale for $749.99 at Best Buy (cut down by 38% from its listing price of $1,199.99).

Why buy the HP OmniBook X Flip 16-inch laptop?

We've reviewed the 14-inch configuration of the HP OmniBook X Flip laptop, and aside from having a larger screen, a slightly larger battery life of 23 hours (as opposed to 22 hours), and a larger NPU with 47 TOPS (as opposed to 40 TOPS), the 16-inch version of the HP OmniBook X Flip is conceptually the same machine with the same generation processor selections.

This means that the 16-inch version we're spotlighting features all the great draws that made the 14-inch version earn 4/5 Stars from us.

These features include strong performance rates when tackling productivity tasks thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 7 (Lunar Lake) 256V 2024 CPU and 16GB of RAM, vast amounts of space to store valuable homework within a 1TB SSD, and the aforementioned NPU with 47 TOPS to run through AI programs with great speed and stability.

It also includes a practical 2-in-1 design with a sturdy build to help it withstand bumps and occasional falls off desks (it's happened to the best of us), and stylus compatibility so you can draw digital art on its touchscreen, rather than use a mouse if you prefer.

So, if you're fretting over schoolwork and need a reliable and fast-performing laptop to help you get work done, and if you don't mind if it has a plain design with no RGB lighting, then the 16-inch HP OmniBook X Flip that's now $749.99 at Best Buy will save your day.

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Microsoft's Surface Laptop 8 launched this summer, sporting new Snapdragon X2 chips. The flagship laptops promise a premium experience, better battery life than the previous generation, and improved graphics performance.

The bump in performance is expected considering the Surface Laptop 8 has a brand-new chip inside, so a different improvement is more noteworthy. The Surface Laptop 8 is one of the only devices to support Windows 11's new advanced haptics feature. It's the only laptop to support the feature.

• Shop all Best Buy Surface deals

Advanced haptics sends a subtle bump through a touchpad, mouse, or stylus to let you feel Windows 11. For example, rearranging windows on your screen through Snap Layouts gives a clear indication of when you've hovered over a different layout.

Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden said "Windows 11's new 'Haptic Signals' feature is a quality of life upgrade [he] didn't realize the OS needed until [he] tried it." Now, you can experience the same thing since the Surface Laptop 8 is available for purchase.

Why should I care about advanced haptics?

As a quick point of clarity, the Surface Laptop 8 with Snapdragon X2 is what recently became available. Microsoft launched the Surface Laptop 8 for Business earlier this year. The business model runs on an Intel processor and comes with features you likely do not need as a general user.

Both the consumer and business versions of the Surface Laptop 8 support advanced haptics, but I recommend the consumer model to most people.

Advanced haptics is one of those small touches that makes Windows 11 feel polished. I appreciate UI changes and other Windows 11 improvements, but I'm more interested in features like advanced haptics because it changes the hands-on experience with a PC — quite literally.

"The new advanced haptic touchpad is a joy to use. It provides subtle tactile cues that confirm your actions," said our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino in our Surface Laptop 8 review.

Our friends at Tom's Guide came away similarly impressed when reviewing the Surface Laptop 8:

"I’m also fond of the touchpad, which delivers satisfying haptic feedback when pressed. With some apps, you will even feel haptics when hovering over the X button on a window, which is quite fun and intuitive."

Right now, Windows 11 is the main way that you'll experience advanced haptics. But there's an API for the feature, so third-party developers can leverage it. Filmora, Affinity, and other third-party apps either already support the feature or will soon.

The only other way to use Windows 11's advanced haptics feature is to have a Logitech MX Master 4 or a supported stylus like the Surface Slim Pen 2. Over time, more devices should support the feature, but the Surface Laptop 8 beat everything else to the punch.

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Best Buy is hosting a Back to School sale, giving major discounts on various gadgets and gizmos to help aspiring students get through their summer semester.

One of the more lucrative products on offer through this event is the fast-performing, long-lasting Samsung Galaxy Book6 laptop, which is currently having its steep $1,449.99 listing price cut down to $899.99 at Best Buy.

Why buy the Samsung Galaxy Book6?

Samsung produces some of the best laptops in the business, boasting gorgeous screens and solid hardware that can tackle any workloads thrown at them, and the Samsung Galaxy Book6 is no exception.

It can handle running multiple browser tabs; it can launch and run heavy-duty programs like Adobe Photoshop or multiple lightweight programs from Microsoft Office, and multitask these activities and more without a hint of slowdown thanks to its solid Intel Core Ultra 7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD storage unit.

It also features a 16-inch 2K LED touchscreen that displays images with bright, vibrant colors and rich details for viewing documents and videos with clear HD definition while allowing you to tap and swipe app windows in an instant compared to using a mouse.

Other notable features of the Samsung Galaxy Book6 include a slim, lightweight design that's also sturdy enough to withstand some punishiment, a plethora of USB, HDMI and microSD ports, a long battery life up to 24 hours, Copilot+ integration for AI tasks, and the ability to wirelessly connect your phone via Galaxy Book6 Touch so you can respond to phone calls and text messages directly from your PC while turning it into a monitor so you can multitask more easily.

So, if you're looking for a premium-grade laptop to help you survive school exams for the next several years, Best Buy's 38% discount for the Samsung Galaxy Book6 laptop could be your golden ticket to acing tests with A+ scores.

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AI continues to wreak havoc on the tech industry, driving up the prices of processors, RAM, motherboards, and more PC hardware so companies can keep up with its hunger for more power (and RAM).

Fortunately, Newegg is offering a limited sale on several discounted bundles containing AMD processors we've tested and rated highly for their solid performance, alongside compatible motherboards and 16GB RAM modules to help these CPUs reach their full potential.

So, if you're looking to upgrade your PC with some of the best CPUs for gaming or productivity content creation, along with the best motherboards and precious RAM to maintain their stability, this round-up could be your next best solution.

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This RAMpocalypse is getting worse by the day, making vital components for PCs like SSD units for storage and RAM chips for boosting performance cost hundreds of dollars by themselves.

During such a crisis, it's easier to find essential parts built into pre-made desktops. One such example is the Geekom A7 Max AI Mini-PC, a compact form-factor desktop built for crushing heavy workloads while being capable of light to mid-level gaming thanks to its 1TB SSD and 16GB of RAM.

Fortunately for workers and gamers alike, the Geekom A7 Max AI Mini-PC is now on a limited-time 29% discount for $594.00 at Best Buy (which is nearly half the price of a Steam Machine) just for today.

Why buy the the Geekom A7 MAX AI Mini-PC over the Steam Machine?

The Geekom A7 MAX AI Mini-PC is a handy desktop for work and 1080p gaming on the side. It's equipped with an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU, an AMD Radeon 780M GPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD (the latter two of which can be upgraded to 64GB RAM and a 2TB SSD, respectively).

With these specs, the Geekom A7 MAX Mini-PC will suffer little to no lag performing productivity duties like typing or opening internet browser tabs while being capable of running light indie games at 60fps and even some AAA games at 1080p resolutions/30fps (with FSR enabled) at medium settings.

Another notable feature of this mini-PC is its large number of USB and HDMI ports, which allow it to connect to four monitors simultaneously, making it incredibly useful for those who want to open multiple programs at once without having to juggle their positioning on a single screen.

So, if you want a compact-sized, desk-space-saving mini-PC to play light games like Minecraft or indie games like Mina the Hollower on the side while tackling never-ending paperwork at the office, the Geekom A7 MAX that's now $594.00 at Best Buy could be your next best workplace buddy.

Just be aware that this deal is only available until July 15, 2026, so think fast if you want to get it.

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The highly anticipated upgrades to the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop just launched. Both PCs pack the latest Snapdragon X2 processors from Qualcomm, promising better performance while still delivering great battery life.

The biggest upgrade in the lineup is performance. Microsoft promises up to 53% faster graphics performance on the Surface Pro than the previous generation. The Surface Laptop sees an even larger bump of up to 58% when compared to the last generation.

Those improvements are thanks to the Snapdragon X2 processors inside the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro.

Now, Best Buy has a wide range of configurations available for the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro. I've included a mix of various colors, storage options, and processors. But there are plenty of other configurations up for grabs if you want to mix and match.

• Shop all Best Buy Surface deals

The new chips from Qualcomm perform well and let your PC last all day. Exact performance will vary based on the full specs of a PC, but the Snapdragon X2 Elite competes with Apple's M4 Pro. The Snapdragon X2 Plus stands toe-to-toe with Apple's M3 Pro.

Benchmarks and spec sheets aside, any Surface with a Snapdragon X2 chip will handle a wide range of workloads and tackle productivity tasks easily.

While the Snapdragon X2 chips are the stars of the show, they're not the only upgrades worth checking out in the new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro.

What's new with the latest Surface Pro and Surface Laptop?

There are more display options than ever across the Surface lineup. The new Surface Pro is available with either an OLED display or an LCD screen. The new Surface Laptop 15-inch has a screen with 262 PPI, which is much higher than the last generation offered.

But the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop are more than a spec bump. While they share much of their designs with the last generation, both offer a new way to use haptics.

The Surface Laptop now features a haptic trackpad that allows you to feel Windows 11 and supported apps. The Surface Pro delivers a similar experience when paired with the latest Surface Slim Pen.

The new experience comes courtesy of Windows 11's new haptic feedback system. That system sends subtle vibrations when you perform certain tasks, such as dragging files in File Explorer or snapping windows.

The new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro build on over a decade of refinement by Microsoft. The overall form factor has matured, but Microsoft has figured out how to squeeze innovation from designs that were already almost perfect.

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When it comes to productivity in the classroom, in the office, or even at home, HP's Omnibook laptops are among the best value-for-your-money Windows laptops.

The Omnibook 5 features an OLED 2K display, solid performance, a long-lasting battery, a sturdy build, and other useful features that help justify its cost, even amid a memory crisis.

And now, the 16-inch OmniBook 5 AI PC is on sale with a 26% discount for only $809.99 at Amazon.

Why buy the HP Omni 6 16" Next Gen AI PC?

Our colleagues at the sister site, TechRadar, went hands-on with the 14" variant of the HP OmniBook 5 and gave it a high score of 4/5 stars, praising its gorgeous display, strong battery life, responsive keyboard, and lightweight design.

The 16" version that's on sale today features similar levels of computing horsepower but with a larger 2K OLED display capable of rendering images and videos with strong contrast.

This configuration of the HP OmniBook 5 is equipped with a Snapdragon X processor, 16GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, and an NPU with 40-60 TOPS to support its built-in Copilot+ AI feature.

With these specs, this laptop will reliably and effectively run productivity tasks like reports or spreadsheets in Office, perform AI-related tasks like researching and compiling information online, open multiple browser tabs without lag, host video meetings, and more.

Other notable features of this laptop include a gargantuan estimated battery life of 34+ hours, a lightweight yet sturdy thin build that makes it easy to carry or store for long-distance travel, a built-in FHD IR camera, and pre-installed Otter.AI to automatically take notes during meetings (which I personally love as I'm regularly forgetting to take notes during fast-paced or long-winded conversations).

So, if you're looking for a dependable workhorse laptop, you can't go wrong with the HP OmniBook 5, especially now that it's on offer for $809.99 at Amazon instead of its usual listing price of $1,099.99.

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Summer is taking a heavy toll on us all. Not just because of the heat, but also because of rising tech prices across the board, driven by RAM-hungry AI and other economic factors.

Fortunately, Dell has come to cool off the frustrations of PC gamers and desk workers alike with a collection of advanced laptops, desktops, and monitors now on sale for a limited time, such as a 46% discount on the Alienware 16X Aurora Gaming laptop for $1,729.99 at Dell and a 38% discount on the Dell 14 Plus Laptop for $859.99 at Dell, to name just a couple.

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I've managed to just about avoid the Steam sale relatively unscathed, but alas this insane deal from Green Man Gaming has just had me double dipping on some of my favorite family games. Right now, you can get 7 full Lego games and additional DLC for $9.00, and they are all Steam-verified.

It's worth $9 just for the Skywalker Collection

Before you've even looked at the other games available here, it's worth noting that the Skywalker Saga alone is worth the $9 many times over. In fact, the Galactic Edition advertised here on Green Man Gaming is currently $11.99 on Steam. You get all nine movies in one collection, with over 380 characters to unlock and most importantly, Lego lightsaber battles...

RELATED: 7 of the best Game Key websites

All of the Lego games are some of the smoothest co-op experiences I've ever had with my kids and I credit Lego games for turning my youngest son into a bona fide gamer. They have kept him away from the lure of Roblox, but in reality I end up playing most of these games myself. I've just grabbed this bundle for my ROG Ally, since I already own most of them on Xbox, but they are simply perfect for handheld.

But there’s an even better reason to pick this up: Green Man Gaming is using this bundle to support Breakthrough T1D, an organization dedicated to accelerating life-changing breakthroughs to cure, prevent, and treat type 1 diabetes.

This hits incredibly close to home for me. I've previously worked for a diabetes charity in the UK, and have seen firsthand how terrifying it is for parents dealing with a young child who has Type 1 diabetes. It's easily diagnosable, yet it is so frequently missed in young kids because the symptoms are often written off as other conditions, sometimes with fatal consequences.

A portion of this $9 purchase goes directly toward preventing diabetes related illness and funding a cure.

If you want to grab it while supporting a vital cause, here is another reminder of exactly what you get in the bundle:

• LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga (Galactic Edition) (Includes 13 DLC character packs)
• LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens (Deluxe Edition)
• The LEGO Movie Videogame
• The LEGO Movie 2 Videogame
• LEGO The Incredibles
• The LEGO NINJAGO Movie Video Game
• LEGO Jurassic World (Plus 3 included DLC expansion packs)

Whether you're looking for a perfect couch co-op experience with your kids or just want some solo fun on your Steam Deck or ROG Ally, you won't find a better value than this right now.

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Dell's laptops can be pricey, especially in this turbulent economy. Still, the vast majority live up to their high asking prices thanks to their sleek, portable designs, strong performance for daily productivity and creative projects, and long-lasting batteries.

The Dell Pro 16 laptop is no exception, and its steep $1,529.00 listing price has been taken down a peg to $1,229.00 at Dell for a limited time.

Why buy the Dell Pro 16 laptop?

The Dell Pro 16 laptop has received much praise from over 1,059 customers on Dell.com (average rating: 4.5), citing it's top of the line build-quality, performance, and features. And of those, 828 were perfect 5-stars from customers who bought it.

This configuration we're spotlighting is armed with an Intel Core Ultra 5 235U vPro CPU and 16GB of RAM, which enables it to boot up as quickly as a fingersnap and operate productivity apps like Microsoft Office and open multiple tabs in web browsers like Microsoft Edge with ease and no performance hiccups.

Not to mention it has a sleek design that can take a lot of punishment while being ultra-thin enough to carry in most travel bags with minimal issue for easy portability.

Other notable features include a large 16" FHD screen so you can see images and text with clear definition so you perceive them better, a built-in camera so you can host video calls at 1080p+30fps, an optional fingerprint scanner during checkout to add extra security, and a respectable battery life of roughly 9 hours before needing to recharge.

So, if you're looking for a premium-grade laptop that can topple any productivity obstacle thrown at it so you can clock out of work early, then the Dell Pro 16 could be your next best ticket out of the office.

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The ongoing memory crisis has taken a heavy toll on tech, forcing PC prices to rise regardless of how much we need them in our daily lives, whether that's communicating with family or working with remote colleagues millions of miles away (or simply watching Netflix).

But we'll always find deals on a range of Windows laptops so you can enjoy fast performance, crisp displays, and sizeable storage that regularly drop below $1,000, with this recent collection being a prime example.

This roundup includes the speedy and reliable Dell 14, now 43% off at $699.99 at Dell (list price $1,229.99), or the most budget-conscious ASUS Vivobook 14, now on sale for $519.99 at Amazon (list price $639.99).

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Many laptops in the premium category cost thousands of dollars to justify the advanced specs built in, but few feel like they've earned their premium spot like the Dell XPS 13.

With its Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 32GB RAM, and 512GB SSD, this ultra-thin portable desktop can tackle any productivity task, no matter how small or big it is, and it's currently on sale with a 29% discount for $999.99 at Dell.

Why buy the Dell XPS 13?

Even without this RAM crisis looming over our heads, prices for premium-grade laptops were already extreme, numbering in the thousands.

Yet very few of them have justifiably earned their advanced-tech-per-cost ratio, like the Dell XPS 13 laptop, which has earned near-perfect reviews from our sister sites at TechRadar, Tom's Guide, and LaptopMag for its exceptional performance and quality.

The configuration of the Dell XPS 13 we're spotlighting comes equipped with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite CPU, 32GB RAM, a 512GB SSD, and Copilot+ PC certification. With these specs, this laptop will tear through Microsoft Office assignments, online browsing research, and AI-related tasks like a hot knife through a 4th of July steak dinner.

On top of that, it has a 2K display so you have beautiful visuals to look at while working, a sturdy and lightweight design that makes it easy to store while traveling, and a battery life of nearly 24 hours at minimum power and brightness settings.

So, if you're looking for a dependable laptop that will help keep you on top of your daily workflows for the next several years, provided you're okay with only having two USB-C ports, then the Dell XPS 13 will serve you well.

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Two of the best Microsoft 365 deals of the year just dropped, but they're only available for a limited time. Right now, Microsoft 365 Personal is discounted to $59.99 and Microsoft 365 Family has been slashed to $89.99. Both deals get you 12 months of access.

If you know you need a Microsoft 365 subscription, stop reading and just see if the deals below are still live. Woot discounts run out of stock quickly, especially when they're on a popular software suite like Microsoft 365.

Why subscribe to Microsoft 365?

Microsoft 365 is a massive software suite with several must-have programs. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint are perhaps the best known, but a subscription also comes with 1TB of OneDrive storage per user.

Microsoft 365 subscribers also get access to extras like Microsoft Defender for security, Microsoft Editor, and premium tools in Clipchamp for video editing.

I've subscribed to Microsoft 365 since it launched, and had an Office 365 subscription before the suite was rebranded over a decade ago.

For years, Microsoft kept the price of Microsoft 365 Personal (was $69.99) and Microsoft 365 Family (was $99.99) the same. That changed when prices increased at the beginning of last year.

At the time, that price increase was met with severe pushback. But considering the state of the global economy right now, maybe we judged Microsoft too harshly.

The temporary discounts through Woot cut through all of that and slash Microsoft 365 Personal and Microsoft 365 Family to prices that would be discounts back in 2014.

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The RAM Crisis has PC users gripped in fear as they're scrambling to buy as much storage space for their PCs as they can before their costs become too unaffordable for the average person, leaving many stores deprived of SSDs.

However, some SSDs have managed to slip through this shopping rush with their stock untouched, like the WD_Black SN8100 PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD.

This internal storage unit, boasting insanely fast read speeds for work and gaming, is currently on sale at Best Buy for $269.99 for its 1TB model (listing price was $528.99), $399.99 for its 2TB model (listing price was $1,057.99), and $999.00 for its 4TB model (listing price was $2,069.99).

Why buy the WD_Black SN8100 SSD?

In an age where files for games, documents, 4K videos, and other pieces of media are taking up hundreds of gigabytes' worth of space, you're going to need a massive SSD to store them in while having high read/write speeds so transferring files won't be slower than snails.

SanDisk's WD_Black SN8100 SSD is one such storage unit, as it comes with 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB models, each one being equipped with high Read Speeds up to 14,900MB/s and Write Speeds up to 11,000MB/s.

This makes the WD_Black SN8100 SSD one of the best SSDs for gaming as these models will have plenty of space to fit your precious games in while cutting down on load times for rendering graphical assets and reducing lag so they feel smoother to play.

These read and write speeds are also good for productivity tasks, as the SSD can help your PC transfer files in mere seconds, which can be handy when you need to send work documents, videos, and other important data from one machine to another.

Just make sure your computer has a heatsink attached to its motherboard before installing the WD_Black SN8100, as it can get extremely hot when taking on heavy-duty workflows.

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Whenever I'm personally looking for a laptop to take with me to continue working while traveling abroad, I'm not interested in too many over-the-top machines with flashy designs, RGB lighting, and various features I'll probably never use.

I just need a laptop that can reliably chip away at mountains of work, research, and other productivity tasks so I can clock out of work (and get back to playing games).

The HP Omnibook X Flip 14" is one such laptop, and it's currently having one of the best laptop deals happening right now for Best Buy's 4th of July sale, as it's on sale for $649.99 (previously $999.99).

Why buy the HP Omnibook X Flip 14"?

The HP Omnibook X Flip 14" isn't the prettiest 2-in-1 laptop in the world, as it sports a rather bland design with a lattice-less keyboard layout and little personality behind.

But the HP Omnibook X Flip 14" isn't built to win beauty competitions; it's here to tackle day-long workloads. Thankfully, it more than delivers on that promise, thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 5 (Lunar Lake) 226V CPU and 16GB of RAM, which help it perform better when running multiple apps, boot up faster from sleep, and more.

This laptop also comes with a 2K touchscreen to provide crisp visuals, a 512GB SSD storage unit that can be upgraded with larger ones to store more data, an NPU of 40 TOPS to help it run local AI tasks, and compatibility with stylus pens so you can take notes or draw art more proficiently while it's in Tablet Mode.

So, if you prefer laptops that focus on substance rather than style, then the HP Omnibook X Flip 14" laptop that's now on sale for $649.99 at Best Buy may be the perfect fit for you.

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Trying to get your hands on a full desktop PC that won't force you to take out a loan during this price-hiking RAM crisis is like trying to punch through a brick wall: painful and futile.

In such grim times for tech, mini PCs can provide a much-needed reprieve with their more affordable prices that won't set you back thousands of dollars while providing fast performance for productivity, vast storage space for precious documents, and compact sizes that won't eat up your desk.

One such lineup of high-quality mini PCs is those produced by Geekom, many of which are currently on sale for Best Buy's 4th of July sale, which will last until July 5, 2026.

So, if you've been eyeing up a chance to obtain budget-friendly mini-PCs like the Geekom IT13 (now on sale for $569.99) or a pink-sized performance powerhouse like the Geekom AX8 MAX (now on sale for $629.99), now's a great time to capitalize on it before the RAMaggeddon jacks their prices for good too.

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If you've missed out on Amazon's June Prime Day sale trying to search for cheaper laptops for work, then Best Buy's 4th of July sale that's happening right now is your next best bet.

For a limited time, this event will allow you to get your hands on several vaunted laptops boasting strong performance speeds for productivity tasks, sturdy designs with responsive keyboards, and long-lasting batteries that will last you for full workdays.

With so many laptops to choose from, we've cherry-picked laptops we at Windows Central, and our colleagues at TechRadar and Tom's Guide, know are great to use but are no longer held back by steep listing prices thanks to this sale for your perusal.

Examples include the Acer Swift Go 16" AI laptop, with its Intel Core Ultra 7 355 CPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD that's now 42% off for $899.99 at Best Buy, and the entry-level Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i with Intel Core i5-1335U CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB SSD that had its $899.99 fee cut down to a more budget-friendly $449.99 at Best Buy.

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Update (06/29/2026, 4:20am EST): The WD_Black C50 1TB Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S is no longer in stock at Best Buy. ~ Alexander Cope, Staff Writer

Original article (06/29/2026):

Seagate's Storage Expansion Cards are one of the most popular plug-and-play SSDs for Xbox Series X|S for their increased install space and high read speeds. However, their high listing prices make them somewhat undesirable for the average player, especially during the ongoing memory crisis that has made tech so unaffordable.

Fortunately, Western Digital's WD_Black C50 Expansion Cards offer a cheaper means of adding storage while maintaining similar read speeds, and its 1TB model is now on sale with a 58% discount for $149.99 at Best Buy.

Why buy the WD_Black C50 Storage Expansion Card for Xbox?

The biggest draw for Western Digital's WD_Black C50 Storage Expansion Cards for Xbox, aside from having chunky install spaces (which include 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB models), is that they allow a player to play games directly installed on the card without having to move them into an Xbox's internal SSD, saving them from tedious game file shuffling and deletion.

Of course, being able to play games directly from the card won't mean much if they don't run well. However, with the power of Xbox Velocity Architecture, the WD_Black C50 Storage Expansion Cards can deliver fast and seamless performance rates for games installed inside them while improving load times and input detection speeds using a Superspeed NVMe Core.

Other notable features include Quick Resume Support so it can suspend a game and let you pick up exactly where you left off, and ease-of-use as you only need to plug the card into Xbox Series X|S's dedicated expansion card slot for it to work - no wires needed.

So, if you're hungry for more space for your Xbox, especially as newer games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 require over 161GB (and that's just for the base game alone without DLC add-ons), then the WD_Black C50 1TB Expansion Card will satiate it for a good while.

FAQ

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Amazon Prime Day has entered its fourth and final day, and I know that some of you are probably tired of the sheer amount of deals floating around social media and your favorite websites.

I get it. There are countless deals to sift through, and the fatigue is real. However! I figured it was worth throwing together a collection of the deals that our readers here at Windows Central seemed to love the most.

• Shop all Amazon Prime Day deals

At the top of the list, and no surprise in the current console pricing climate, is Seagate's 2TB Storage Expansion Card for the Xbox Series X|S. Although the original Amazon deal expired, you can still save $55 at Newegg.

In second place is Geekom's A7 Max mini PC and its $204 discount available at Best Buy. Third place is unsurprisingly inhabited by a discounted Surface Pro 11; the original deal ran out, but you can still save $300 on a new model at Walmart.

Several other popular sales, including the Xbox Series X, Surface Laptop 7, and Seagate's other capacity expansion cards, are long gone, but the following deals are confirmed to be all in stock as of noon ET on June 26.

Most popular Prime Day deals according to Windows Central readers