‘Jmail’ is like any other inbox, except this one has Jeffrey Epstein’s emails
The more than 20,000 pages of Jeffrey Epstein emails released earlier this month by the House Oversight Committee have been enough to prompt more investigations into the convicted child sex offender and the people around him, like former Harvard president and OpenAI board member Larry Summers. Now, Luke Igel and Riley Walz have reformatted the source documents into a more familiar format for anyone looking into them by copying the Gmail inbox on a website called “Jmail.”
Walz, who has previously authored stunts like a website that unearths long-forgotten iPhone clips on YouTube and a fake Manhattan steakhouse, said they used Google’s Gemini AI to do optical character recognition on the source documents, making them more readable and searchable than the originals. You can type in a word like “Trump” or “SEO” and see exactly what discussions were happening in the emails released so far, and a one-click shortcut that goes from the Jmail site to copies of the source documents on the government’s website, so you can verify the text yourself.
In the weeks since these files were released, the president has signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which says the Attorney General must “make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format all unclassified records, documents, communications, and investigative materials in the possession of the Department of Justice” within 30 days.
That doesn’t mean all of the remaining files will be released, as CNN points out. The law’s language allows information that might “jeopardize an active federal investigation or ongoing prosecution” could be temporarily exempt, but whatever is released could end up sorted into this more easily-scanned version pretty quickly.
Google denies ‘misleading’ reports of Gmail using your emails to train AI
Google is pushing back on viral social media posts and articles like this one by Malwarebytes, claiming Google has changed its policy to use your Gmail messages and attachments to train AI models, and the only way to opt out is by disabling “smart features” like spell checking.
But Google spokesperson Jenny Thomson tells The Verge that “these reports are misleading – we have not changed anyone’s settings, Gmail Smart Features have existed for many years, and we do not use your Gmail content for training our Gemini AI model.”
You may want to double-check your settings anyway, as one Verge staffer also says they had opted out of some of the Smart Features, but had been opted back in to having them on. In January, Google updated its smart feature personalization settings so that you could turn the features for Google Workspace and for other Google products (like Maps and Wallet) independently of each other.
In addition to things like spell checking, having Gmail’s smart features turned on enables features like tracking orders or easily adding flights from Gmail to your calendar. Enabling the feature in Workspace says that “you agree to let Google Workspace use your Workspace content and activity to personalize your experience across Workspace,” according to the settings page, but according to Google, that does not mean handing over the content of your emails to use for AI training.
Judge wants to fix Google’s ad tech monopoly before it’s too late
Google and the Justice Department had their last chance to make their case before Judge Leonie Brinkema Friday before she decides whether Google needs to be broken up to remedy its ad tech monopoly.
Brinkema expects to issue her ruling next year, but understands that “time is of the essence,” as Reuters reported. While the DOJ wants the court to force Google to sell its AdX exchange, and leave open the option to force a sale of its publisher ad server, Google argued that only behavioral changes were necessary to remedy the issues the court found with its business. Brinkema previously ruled that Google held an illegal monopoly in two ad tech markets and illegally tied together two of its tools.
She was keenly aware that Google will likely appeal the case and noted the DOJ’s remedies “most likely would not be as easily enforceable while an appeal is pending,” Reuters reported. On the other hand, she said, behavioral changes could happen quickly, The New York Times reported.
Timing was a crucial factor in another judge’s recent decision to rule against the government’s case accusing Meta of being an illegal monopolist. When the case was filed in 2020, TikTok was a far smaller rival than it was when the case went to trial earlier this year. Of course, that’s part of the reason the DOJ filed the Google ad tech case in the Eastern District of Virginia in the first place — otherwise known as the “Rocket Docket.”
You can save up to $1,300 on robovacs from Roborock and Eufy ahead of Black Friday
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it can also be the most exhausting. Between hunting for gifts and getting the house ready for guests, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Thankfully, we’re already seeing steep discounts on robot vacuums ahead of Black Friday, which can at least make the cleaning part feel a little more manageable.
This year, some of the best midrange models — including Eufy’s X10 Pro Omni — have fallen to budget robovac pricing, meaning you can pick up a self-emptying dock or nab a robovac with high-end features like AI obstacle detection for well under $500. A few premium picks, like the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni and Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller Complete, have also fallen to their lowest prices to date, allowing you to take advantage of self-cleaning mops, robotic arms, and other handy add-ons without having to spend north of $1,000.
Below, we’ve rounded up the best deals on our favorite bots, from basic models that get the job done to powerful cleaning machines that can make the entire experience (almost) hands-free.
Tapo RV30 Max Plus
Our favorite budget-friendly robot vacuum offers high-end features, including room-specific cleaning, a capable mop, carpet boost, and smart navigation. It also features an auto-empty dock.
Where to Buy:
- The Eufy X10 Pro Omni, our favorite midrange robot vacuum / mop, is available from Amazon, Best Buy, and Eufy (with promo code WS24T2351) for $499.99 ($400 off), matching its best price to date. The X10 Pro Omni uses dual oscillating mop pads to thoroughly scrub your floors, and the included dock features heated mop drying to help prevent unwanted odors from building up. The robovac performs especially well on carpet and tile, delivers 8,000Pa of suction power, and offers reliable AI-powered obstacle detection, which is a rare feature to find at this price. Plus, it comes with a dock that auto-empties, washes, and refills itself.
- Narwal’s Freo Z Ultra, our No. 1 mopping vac for hard floors, is on sale for an all-time low of $719.99 ($780 off) at Amazon and Narwal’s online storefront. It builds upon the Freo X Ultra — which is also on sale for $519.99 at Amazon — with an auto-empty dock, better vacuuming with 12,000Pa of suction power, and improved obstacle avoidance thanks to a dual-camera system. It also includes oscillating mop pads that do a great job of scrubbing away dried-on messes, and the bot can even recognize different types of flooring and automatically adjust its pressure and the amount of humidity it delivers based on the type.
Roborock Q10 S5 Plus
The Roborock Q10 S5 Plus delivers 10,000Pa of suction power and features a sonic mop that scrubs 3,000 times per minute. It also comes with a 2.7-liter self-emptying dock that can store up to 70 days’ worth of debris, along with room-specific mapping, no-go zones, and customizable cleaning schedules.
Where to Buy:
- Roborock’s Saros 10R is on sale for $999.99 ($500 off) at Amazon and directly from Roborock, which is a record low price. The pricey robovac uses an AdaptLift chassis to help it climb over high room transitions, and can even lift its mop pads out of the way when they’re not needed. It’s also exceptionally powerful, with 22,000Pa of suction, lidar navigation, and a vibrating mopping pad.
- You can pick up Roborock’s Qrevo Curv for $799.99 ($800 off) at Amazon and directly from Roborock, which beats the robovac’s previous low by about $100. The Qrevo Curv is another robot that can climb stairs and move over room transitions up to 40mm high. It gets its name from its curved side brush — which helps prevent hair from tangling — and features 18,500Pa of suction power, in addition to a multifunctional dock and reactive AI obstacle avoidance via a built-in camera.
Dreame X40 Ultra
With a neat ability to remove and reattach its mop pads, the Dreame X40 solves the problem of vacuuming carpets (with 12,000Pa suction power) while also mopping hard floors. Its mops can also swing out and under low furniture, getting where most bots can’t reach.
Where to Buy:
- Amazon Prime members can currently pick up the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller Complete on Amazon for $899.99 ($700 off), which is a new low price. It stands out with a roller-style mopping system that rinses and cleans itself in real time, along with a massive 30,000Pa of suction power. You also get AI-powered obstacle avoidance and a mop that detects carpet and prevents it from getting wet.
- The Dreame Matrix 10 Ultra is available from Amazon (for Prime members) and Dreame for $1,399.99 ($600 off), which is the lowest price we’ve seen. Like the aforementioned Aqua10, it boasts 30,000Pa of suction power and AI-powered obstacle avoidance, but it adds a multi-mop switching dock that will automatically swap between nylon scrub pads, sponge pads, and heated mop pads depending on the surface. The dock also includes separate compartments with three cleaning solutions designed for pet odors, wood floors, and everyday messes.
Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni
The Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni features an extendable mop that can clean itself, just like its predecessor. However, it also features Ecovacs’ Boosted Large-Airflow Suction Technology, which optimizes the airflow path from intake to exhaust, rather than relying solely on suction power.
Where to Buy:
- The SwitchBot S10 is currently on sale directly from SwitchBot for $360 when you use coupon code BFCM70, down from $1,199.99 and just $40 shy of its all-time low. The Matter-compatible robovac works with all major smart home platforms and comes with self-cleaning rolling mops, which will dry themselves with hot air after use. It also delivers up to 6,500Pa of suction power and offers decent AI-powered obstacle avoidance, though in our experience, it wasn’t always reliable. Read our review.
- You can buy the Eufy 11S Max for $139.99 ($100 off) at Amazon, which isn’t the lowest price we’ve seen but still the best price we’ve seen this year. If you’re looking for a dirt-cheap, basic bump-and-go bot, the discontinued 11S Max is a solid option. You won’t get bells and whistles like self-emptying bins or AI-powered obstacle avoidance, but you do get 2,000Pa of suction power, easily replaceable parts, and quiet operation. It doesn’t connect to Wi-Fi, either, but you can still start and schedule cleanings with the onboard buttons or the included remote.
Roborock Saros Z70
The Saros Z70 offers a built-in robotic arm that can pick up light items, including socks. It’s a powerful robovac / mop hybrid with 22,000Pa suction and dual spinning mop pads, which lift and detach automatically. Read our review.
Where to Buy:
You can now try the Xbox Full Screen Experience on any PC, laptop, or tablet
Microsoft is bringing the Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE), which adds a console-like UI while navigating through your game library on a PC with a controller, to laptops, desktops, and tablets. FSE launched with the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, and it has so far only been available on PC handhelds.
The expansion to laptops, desktops, and tablets is available as part of new Windows Insider Preview Builds on the Dev and Beta channels and for people in the Xbox Insider Program. To turn on FSE on your PC, “hover over the Task View icon on your taskbar and choose Xbox full screen experience,” Microsoft says. “You can also open Xbox full screen experience in Game Bar > Settings or by pressing Win + F11 to toggle the experience.”
However, even if you’re a Windows Insider, you may not have the access to FSE right away, as Microsoft says the feature is “gradually rolling out” with the new Windows Insider builds. It also requires that you have the Xbox app from the Microsoft store.
As of Friday, the company has started rolling out FSE to all Windows-based handhelds, too.
Nothing’s Android 16 update puts a progress bar on the back of your phone
Nothing’s Android 16-powered update brings a bunch of new features to its phones, including its own spin on Google’s Live Updates. With Nothing OS 4.0, users can track a delivery, ride, or timer by glancing using the Glyph Interface — the dot-matrix on the Phone 3’s rear, or the system of lights on the Phone 3A and older models.
Google’s Live Updates look a little different depending on which Nothing device you use. A GIF shared by the company shows a light on the Phone 3A gradually lighting up to match the progress of a Live Update, while the Phone 3’s dot-matrix shows an animated progress bar. Live Updates can appear on a device’s lock screen, too.
In addition to this feature, Nothing is launching its AI-powered Essentials App tool that allows users to create their own widgets by providing a written description to a chatbot. Meanwhile, updates to Nothing OS add more minimalist native app icons, new lock screen clocks, and animations that respond with “sharper tactility and depth, making every swipe and tap feel smoother.”
You can now open two floating apps at once and switch between them by swiping up from the bottom of your screen to minimize them, or swiping down to make them full-screen. There’s also an additional new dark mode with deeper blacks than the original.
Nothing is rolling out a few features specific to the Phone 3 as well, such as a “pocket mode” that automatically turns off the device’s Glyph Matrix when it detects that it’s in a user’s pocket, along with new “toys” that display an hourglass and show the position of the Moon on the dot-matrix.
Nothing OS 4.0 will begin rolling out to the Phone 3 starting today, before expanding to other devices in the lineup “over the coming weeks.” CMF devices will receive the update before the end of the year, but the Nothing Phone 3A Lite will have to wait till early 2026.
In Kirby Air Riders, expression is more fun than racing
Hear me out: Kirby Air Riders isn't a racing game, it's an art tool with a racing game tacked on.
The game, out now for the Nintendo Switch 2, is the follow-up to the quirky Kirby-flavored kart racer released in 2003 on the GameCube. It features Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai's round, pink, utterly charming child participating in short races where the main feature isn't so much about how fast you go, but how well you can manage the winding courses while fighting the cutest rogues' gallery ever committed to polygons.
Unlike in other kart racers, Air Riders has no acceleration button. Instead you're automatically propelled forward, re …
The best laptops you can get
Editor’s note: Black Friday doesn’t officially take place until Friday, November 28th; however, if you want to shop ahead of time, we’ve rounded up the best early Black Friday deals you can already get.
Buying the right laptop can be stressful. It’s likely one of the bigger tech purchases you’ll make, and there are a ludicrous number of models, sizes, form factors, and configurations to pick from. We review and test a wide swath of them here at The Verge, and we’re constantly considering what’s the best and who it’s best for.
Our overall pick for most people has been, and continues to be, the MacBook Air — particularly, as of March 2025, the M4 model. Unless you need to use Windows for specific software needs or you fancy yourself a hardcore gamer, the MacBook Air remains the best option for the average user who wants something portable with excellent battery life and great performance for productivity tasks.
Though the MacBook Air is the easy recommendation for most people, that doesn’t make it the answer for everyone. What if you need more power for video or photo editing, or crunching large datasets? What if you prefer to run Windows? What if you play lots of games and want to take them with you? Or what if you just want something unique — or even, gasp, repairable? We’ve got some recommendations, including a Chromebook or two, a laptop with two screens, the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop with a Snapdragon X Elite chip.
The best laptop
Apple MacBook Air 13 (2025, M4)
Score: 9
| Pros | Cons |
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Where to Buy:
CPU: M4 (10-core) / GPU: M4 (8- or 10-core) / RAM: 16GB, 24GB, 32GB / Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB / Display: 13.6-inch or 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display, 2560 x 1664 or 2880 x 1864 , 60Hz, no touch option / Dimensions: 11.97 x 8.46 x 0.44 inches (13-inch) or 13.40 x 9.35 x 0.45 inches (15-inch) / Weight: 2.7 pounds (13-inch) or 3.3 pounds (15-inch)
Apple’s M4 MacBook Air is the best laptop for most people — Mac users, of course, but also the platform-agnostic or anyone who wants a no-fuss, straightforward machine that doesn’t bombard them with advertisements or bloatware. It’s a productivity laptop that can do a bit of everything. The 13-inch model starts with 16GB of RAM at $999 (it’s often cheaper than this), and it also comes in a 15-inch version for $1,199, for those who like their laptops a little larger. It’s hard to find another laptop that offers this kind of combination of performance and battery life in a thin and light chassis, especially at these prices.
Despite losing its way around the mid-2010s, Apple has a long history of sending quality MacBooks to market, and the Air M4 is no different. A smooth, almost ethereal trackpad, check. A chiclet-style keyboard that makes typing feel like a dance, check. Fast Wi-Fi adapter, color-rich display, and MagSafe charging, check. Those were also true on the previous models, but now with the M4 generation it also features the same 12-megapixel Center Stage webcam of the MacBook Pros, can use two external monitors with its lid open, and comes in a sky blue color (though it still looks silver in some light). And again, you get all this for less money than before.
The M4 Air is a great option for just about anyone who doesn’t need video editing, heavy gaming, or more than two USB-C ports. For those that do, look to the 14-inch MacBook Pro M5 — a great bang-for-your-buck laptop in its own right at $1,599, complete with the latest, fastest processor that Apple makes. Opting for a Pro over an Air is best for students in creative fields and content creators needing more headroom and features like a third USB-C port, an SD card slot, and an even better screen.
Now that the M4 Air is here, Apple has fully discontinued the M3 and M2 models. You might still be able to find them at retailers like Best Buy, but they’re not worth it over the M4 unless substantially discounted. If you can afford an additional $200 on top of either the 13- or 15-inch M4 Air’s starting prices, that’ll net you 512GB of storage instead of 256GB — as well as the 10-core GPU on the 13-inch. The paltry base storage is the only remaining weak point of the MacBook Air. It’s definitely worth getting more, as the roomier SSD will make your life a little easier on a laptop that should easily last you five to seven (or even more) years.
Apple MacBook Air 15 (2025, M4)
Score: 9
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Where to Buy:
Read our review of the Apple MacBook Air M4.
Best Chromebook
CPU: MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 / GPU: Immortalis G925 / RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X / Storage: 256GB UFS 4.0 / Display: Touch 14-inch FHD 1920 x 1200, 60Hz OLED, 400 nits / Dimensions: 12.37 x 8.63 x 0.62 inches / Weight: 2.78 pounds
Lenovo’s Chromebook Plus 14 is the best model we’ve tested so far in 2025 because of its impressive tech specs and long software support. It has a 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1200) 60Hz OLED touchscreen display that has excellent color and contrast, as well as 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. Its 8-core MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910 processor was powerful enough that we could jump between Chrome tabs and Android apps spread across two desktops while uploading documents to NotebookLM to generate audio overviews without any problems.
Lenovo equipped this laptop with two USB-C ports, which can drive a couple of monitors simultaneously, and a USB-A port that’s convenient for connecting accessories without the need for a dongle. All three ports top out at 5Gbps each though, which might be slower than you need. We were impressed by the laptop’s speakers, which sounded great when listening to music or audiobooks, even at a high volume. Its keyboard was comfortable to type on, but the mechanical trackpad makes an annoying, loud click when pressed.
The Chromebook Plus 14 can run Android, Linux, and web apps. You should be able to easily find the right software across those platforms, but we still ran into trouble with Zoom, which ran poorly as a web app and as an Android app. Similarly, we had to run Slack in a browser window because the Linux app wasn’t compiled for Arm processors. The types of apps you use will also heavily impact battery life. We were able to run the laptop for around nine hours and only drained its battery by around 50 percent. We suspect you could use it for a couple of days without charging if your needs aren’t incredibly demanding.
Software support is an understandable concern when getting a new laptop, but Google has guaranteed Chromebooks released after 2021 will receive 10 years of automatic updates. The Lenovo Chromebook 14’s solid hardware and extended software support means you may be able to keep it running for a decade, even if later becomes a secondary machine or hand-me-down.
Read our review of the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14
Best Snapdragon X laptop
Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition (13.8-inch)
Score: 8
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Where to Buy:
CPU: Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus X1P-64-100, Snapdragon X Elite X1E-80-100 / GPU: Qualcomm Adreno / RAM: 16GB, 32GB, 64GB LPDDR5X (soldered) / Storage: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB / Display: 13.8-inch touchscreen LCD, 2304 x 1536 120Hz, 600 nits / Dimensions: 11.85 x 8.67 x 0.69 inches / Weight: 2.96 pounds
Out of all the Snapdragon Copilot Plus PCs we’ve tested so far, the 13.8- and 15-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th edition stood out for their balance of performance, exceptional battery life and standby time, and quality components (120Hz screen, keyboard, webcam, trackpad, etc.). Microsoft was obviously gunning for Apple’s MacBook Air, and the Surface Laptop mostly delivers that level of hardware experience for a Windows machine. It’s the full package if you want a thin-and-light productivity machine running Windows that easily lasts all day and into the night. And if your budget is slightly tighter, there’s a 13-inch model with pared-down features starting at $899 that’s still really good.
The greater concern with Snapdragon X-equipped laptops is whether Windows on Arm supports all the apps you need to get your work done. Most everyday apps work fine, via native Arm versions or emulation, but there can still be some outliers, especially in content creation apps. Also, if you like the idea of your productivity machine being able to pull light gaming duties (one of Windows’ advantages over Mac) then you’re likely better off with a laptop using Intel’s Lunar Lake or AMD’s Ryzen AI chips. Snapdragon X laptops can only run a fraction of the games you find on Steam, and Microsoft is just beginning to roll out the ability to install ARM64-compatible games from the Xbox app. In many cases you’ll only be able to stream games available in the PC Game Pass library.
Earlier this year, Microsoft launched Intel Lunar Lake- based versions of the Surface Laptop 7, but they’re a ridiculous $500 more expensive, and aimed solely at businesses. It’s a shame, because having this hardware with Lunar Lake’s compatibility might have been an appealing prospect.
Read our review of the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7th Edition.
The best 16-inch Windows laptop
Asus Zenbook S 16
Score: 8
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Where to Buy:
CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 / GPU: Radeon 890M, Radeon 880M / RAM: 32GB, 24GB / Storage: 1TB / Display: touch 16-inch 2880 x 1800, 120Hz OLED with stylus support, 500 nits peak HDR / Dimensions: 13.92 x 9.57 x 0.47 ~ 0.51 inches / Weight: 3.21 pounds
The 16-inch Asus Zenbook S 16 is the best-looking, best-performing Windows laptop we’ve tested so far; it’s also so thin and lightweight you wouldn’t know it just by holding it! It can handle a little bit of everything, from emails to graphic design work, and it tackles gaming surprisingly well for a laptop without a separate graphics card. It’s a lovely, catch-all device.
There are only two Zenbook S 16 models as of now. The $1,800 one comes in gray with AMD’s flagship Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 chip and 32GB of memory, and the $1,400 model comes in white with the lower-tier AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 and 24GB of memory. Otherwise, they are identical. Both feature OLED touch displays with a native 2880 x 1800 (3K) resolution and 120Hz refresh rate, stylus support, 1TB of storage, and the same ports / Wi-Fi adapter. Everything but the Windows version. (The more expensive model gets Home; the cheaper one gets Pro.)
At just 11 hours, its battery life doesn’t last as long as similar laptops we’ve tested, such as the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Edge and Dell XPS 14, but it’s a small tradeoff. There’s still no other Windows laptop that offers as much performance and versatility in a 16-inch chassis for the price.
Read our review of the Asus Zenbook S 16.
The best laptop for high-end gaming
Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 (2025, RTX 5080)
Score: 8
| Pros | Cons |
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Where to Buy:
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX / GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 / RAM: 32GB / Storage: 2TB / Display: 16-inch Mini LED 2560 x 1600, 240Hz display / Dimensions: 13.94 x 10.55 x 0.9 to 1.21 inches / Weight: 6.17 pounds
I’m still testing a handful of different gaming laptops, including the Lenovo Legion Pro 7i Gen 10 and HP Omen Max 16, but the frontrunner so far (by a nose) is the Asus ROG Strix Scar 16 with an Nvidia RTX 5080 GPU. From what I’ve seen so far, the 5080 is the sweet spot for high-end gaming laptops in this generation. The 5080 ROG Strix Scar is within earshot of the 5090 performance I saw in the Razer Blade 16, and it’s $1,200 cheaper. The Asus is chunky and heavy compared to Razer’s svelte Blade, but that gives its GPU the space it needs to stay cool. Thinner laptops often thermally constrain a high-end chip like the 5090.
The ROG Strix Scar doesn’t have an OLED display like its direct competitors, which is indeed a bummer, but its 2560 x 1600 240Hz Mini LED panel is still sharp and bright, with some punchy colors. The 16-inch version of the Strix Scar eschews a number pad, giving its large keycaps plenty of space so typing isn’t cramped at all. Its trackpad is massive, and it houses a hidden touch-sensitive numpad you can call up with a long-press in the top corner — though it’s more useful for data entry than gaming needs.
The Strix Scar’s boisterous RGB light show is kind of fun in its garishness. In addition to wraparound underglow, it has a dot-matrix array of LEDs on its lid to display animations — as Asus has done before. A more useful feature is the way you can open up the laptop’s bottom plate like the hood of a car for easy, tool-free access to its two RAM slots and SSDs.
The best MacBook for photo and video editing
Apple MacBook Pro (M4 Pro / Max, 16-inch)
The 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro starts with 24GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and 14-core CPU / 20-core GPU. The M4 Max version offers 32GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, 14-core CPU / 32-core GPU, and can be configured to ridiculously high prices. Both models have Thunderbolt 5 ports, 12-megapixel Center Stage webcam, and options for anti-glare displays.
Where to Buy:
CPU: M4 Pro, M4 Max / GPU: M4 Pro, M4 Max / RAM: 24GB or 48GB (M4 Pro), 36GB – 128 GB (M4 Max) / Storage: 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB / Display: 14.2 / 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR, 3024 x 1964 / 3456 x 2234, adaptive refresh up to 120Hz, no touch option / Dimensions: 12.31 x 8.71 x 0.61 (14-inch) / 14.01 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches (16-inch) / Weight: 3.5 / 4.7 pounds (M4 Pro), 3.6 / 4.8 pounds (M4 Max)
If you need power for intensive creative work — like 3D rendering and working with ultra-high-resolution photos and video — the MacBook Pro is your best bet. Both the 14- and 16-inch models are available with powerful M4 Pro or M4 Max processors. There’s also a 14-inch Pro with a standard M4 processor, and while it’s a formidable step up from the MacBook Air as an everyman’s “pro” laptop, the M4 Pro and Max processors still outclass it in performance.
Processors aside, the MacBook Pro has remained largely unchanged since 2021. It has a bright, beautiful, color-accurate, high-res screen with HDR and an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz; amazing speakers, a comfortable keyboard and trackpad; and a good port loadout: three Thunderbolt 5 / USB-C ports, plus HDMI 2.1 and an SD card slot. The 14-inch MacBook Pro is a few hundred dollars cheaper than the 16-inch, but aside from the very lowest processor options, most configurations are available in either size, so pick whichever works for you.
In our benchmarks, which test a variety of creative tasks including encoding, playback, and export time, the MacBook Pro 16 did better than any laptop we’ve ever used — the only other machines that have come close to matching this thing in some of our benchmarks are high-end desktop PCs. The battery life is also record-shattering. The top-of-the-line 16-inch M4 Max model easily lasted all day in our most recent testing, with no battery-saving features enabled and even keeping the screen on full-time.
Most people who need much more power than a MacBook Air — including all but the most demanding pro photographers — will be fine with an M4 Pro model, which starts at $1,999 for the 14-inch with a 12-core CPU, 16-core GPU, 24GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD. The 16-inch starts at $2,499 for a 14-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 24GB of memory, and 512GB SSD. The M4 Pro chip can be configured with up to 48GB of memory and a 4TB SSD, at the usual absurd Apple markups, and it supports up to two external 6K displays.
If you absolutely need more GPU power — or more than two external monitors — you can step up to the M4 Max. The base M4 Max with 14 CPU cores and 32 GPU cores, plus 36GB of RAM and 1TB SSD, starts at $3,199 in the 14-inch and $3,499 in the 16-inch. There’s also an M4 Max with 16 CPU and 40 GPU cores, which starts at $3,699 and $3,999, respectively. The M4 Max models are configurable with up to 128GB of RAM and 8TB of storage and can support up to four external monitors. The vast majority of people don’t have workloads heavy enough to notice a significant difference between the M4 Pro and M4 Max; if you do, you probably know it.
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2025, M5)
Score: 9
| Pros | Cons |
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Where to Buy:
Read our reviews of the MacBook Pro 16 M4 Pro / Max and MacBook Pro 14 M5.
The best 14-inch gaming laptop
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (2025)
| Pros | Cons |
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Where to Buy:
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 270, HX 370 / GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, RTX 5070, RTX 5070 TI, RTX 5080 / RAM: 16GB, 32GB / Storage: 1TB / Display: 14-inch OLED, 2880 x 1800, 120Hz, 500 nits / Dimensions: 12.24 x 8.66 x 0.63 inches / Weight: 3.31 pounds
Asus recently introduced an updated ROG Zephyrus G14 for 2025, which replaces the previous model as our pick for the best 14-inch gaming laptop. It retains the sleek design Asus introduced last year and continues to strike a balance between power and portability; it also incorporates a handful of improvements, some of which have allowed it to earn the top spot in our best gaming laptops guide, despite a $100 price bump.
The updated Zephyrus G14 has an AMD 9-series processor and Nvidia RTX 50-series graphics chip, which provide modest performance gains. Every configuration features a handsome, high-res OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, so smoother gameplay isn’t locked behind an optional upgrade. Conveniently, the 2025 G14 features USB-C ports on both sides for charging, although you’ll still achieve the maximum wattage by using Asus’ proprietary charger.
The G14 features a backlit, chiclet-style keyboard, and Asus has increased the keycap size by 12.24 percent to make them easier to press. The centered trackpad is also relatively wide, providing ample space for clicks, taps, and swipes without cramping your hand. These features are as useful for typing and productivity work as they are for playing games when you’re not connected to a gaming keyboard and mouse.
Speaking of games, the titles we played ran well, even on high settings, but the laptop felt hot to the touch due to its thin chassis. Its fans were audible under heavy load, and the laptop eventually thermally throttled its GPUs to prevent overheating. The tradeoffs aren’t surprising, though, especially given the G14’s thin, lightweight design.
The best dual-screen laptop
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i (2024)
Score: 8
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Where to Buy:
CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 155U / GPU: Intel UHD (integrated) / RAM: 16GB LPDDR5X / Storage: 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD / Display: 13.3-inch (2880 x 1800) 60Hz OLED touchscreen w/ stylus support / Dimensions: 11.78 x 8.03 x 0.63 inches / Weight: 2.95 pounds
A dual-screen laptop is exactly what it sounds like: a laptop with a second screen where the keyboard normally goes.
The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i has a 360-degree hinge, which lets you use it as a regular laptop, a (large) tablet, and more. You can put it in clamshell mode and write or sketch on the bottom screen with a stylus or fold the keyboard folio into a stand to prop it up and take advantage of both screens. You can set it up at home with an external monitor as a three-screen desktop replacement, or take it on the go with the included Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. Its touchscreen gestures are super responsive but too responsive for the virtual keyboard and trackpad. It’s easy to mistype and accidentally minimize windows.
The Yoga Book’s only real competitor is Asus’ Zenbook Duo. The Duo’s physical keyboard includes a trackpad and makes it look a lot more like a traditional laptop. Its 14-inch OLED screens are a little bigger and brighter, it has a ton of port options, it’s more powerful, and it’s a little easier to fold up and put away. But it’s also heavier (at 3.64 pounds), its top lid doesn’t fold back far enough to use it as a tablet, and its touchscreen gestures aren’t as responsive.
Read our head-to-head review of the Lenovo Yoga Book 9i and the Asus Zenbook Duo.
The best repairable laptop
Framework Laptop 13 (2025, AMD Ryzen AI 7 350)
Score: 9
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Where to Buy:
CPU: AMD Ryzen AI 5 340, AI 7 350, AI 9 HX 370 / GPU: Radeon 860M / RAM: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 48GB, 96GB / Storage: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB / Display: 13.5 inch IPS, 2256 x 1504 60Hz or 2880 x 1920 120Hz, no touch option / Dimensions: 11.68 x 9.01 x 0.62 inches / Weight: 2.87 pounds
There’s no other laptop offering the kind of nerdy fun today that a Framework is. The Framework Laptop 13 isn’t just the only game in town when it comes to a notebook that’s fully repairable and upgradeable, it’s also a great productivity machine for everyday use and has been for several years now. For 2025, the Laptop 13 gets a processor upgrade with AMD’s “Strix Point” Ryzen AI chips, giving it higher performance than the last-gen Intel and AMD offerings with serviceable battery life. Otherwise, it’s much the same chassis as the prior generation — they’re indistinguishable from one another.
But that’s part of what’s so cool about a Framework: a new model means a new chip you can even put into the old model, if you want an upgrade and don’t mind opening up the chassis yourself. It’s actually much easier to do than you may fear, as Framework designs its laptops to give you full access to everything inside with just a simple screwdriver; including its mainboard, storage, RAM, battery, and some fun see-through bezels for a touch of customization.
If you opt for one of Framework’s DIY Editions it only comes partially built, but this allows you to choose from many more configuration options than its pre-builts. Personally, I think the DIY route is the way to go if you’re up for it, because experiencing the assembly (which took me less than 30 minutes) gives you a better awareness of what’s in your laptop and how to change something if you ever need to repair or upgrade it. But even if you choose a pre-built, you can pick from a wide array of modular ports to outfit it with.
The Laptop 13 isn’t as sleek as a similarly priced MacBook or Surface, which offer no upgradeability or modularity (aside from the SSD on some Surface Laptops), but the Framework by no means feels cheap. It’s thin enough and light enough to be very portable, and it’s got a great keyboard with a fine trackpad. Its screen has a 3:2 aspect ratio that’s ideal for productivity since you can see a bit more than the more typical 16:10.
You probably have to be really into the whole repairability and modularity concept to spend the same or more on a Framework Laptop 13 compared to other options out there, but anyone can appreciate picking your ports and being able to swap them around whenever you want.
Read our Framework Laptop 13 (2025) review.
What’s new
- We recently published our review of Acer’s Chromebook Plus Spin 514, which was announced at IFA 2025 and is now available starting at $699.99. The machine runs on a power-efficient MediaTek Kompanio Ultra processor paired with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.0 flash storage. Its 14-inch touchscreen has a resolution of 1920 x 1200 or 2880 x 1800 depending on your configuration. The screen can be flipped 360 degrees, so you can use the Chromebook as a tablet. You can also spec it with either a 1080p or 5-megapixel webcam. The laptop is equipped with a pair of 10Gbps USB-C ports with DisplayPort and Power Delivery, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It has excellent battery life and speedy performance, but you might be disappointed by its speaker performance. Also, it’s a questionable value since Lenovo’s Chromebook Plus mentioned above in this guide is just $50 more but includes an OLED screen and more RAM.
- We were able to put Framework’s GPU upgrade claims to the test in our review of the Framework Laptop 16 (2025). Our review unit included an Nvidia’s RTX 5070, and as expected, the upgrade adds a lot of extra juice for gaming. The graphics card upgrade costs $699 and will be available in December. The company also introduced a 240W USB-C charger, which also ships in December and is available for preorder now.
- Apple’s 14-inch MacBook Pro with the new M5 processor debuted in October, starting at $1,599.99 for the model with 16GB RAM and 512GB of storage. It’s very much a chip bump of an upgrade, delivering minor improvements in benchmark testing. If you can find the M4 version at a reasonable discount, you won’t be missing out on much. Read our review.
Monica Chin and Nathan Edwards also contributed to previous versions of this buying guide.
Update, November 21st: Adjusted pricing and availability, and added more details regarding the Framework Laptop 16 that we recently reviewed. Brandt Ranj and Cameron Faulkner contributed to this article.
Press a button and this SSD will self-destruct with all your data
TeamGroup has announced a new portable SSD drive called the T-Create Expert P35S that could give you some peace of mind if you’re worried about your data falling into the wrong hands. Instead of using encryption to lock everything behind a password or biometric security, the P35S has a single button that initiates a self-destruct. There’s no visible smoke or explosions like in a Mission Impossible movie, but the company says its “patented one-click data destruction circuit” uses “chip destruction” mechanisms to “achieve a truly irreversible data wipe.”
The company hasn’t announced pricing details or when the P35S will be available for purchase, but it will be offered in four different capacities from 256GB up to 2TB. Including an easy-access button on the outside that starts the self-destruction process and turns the entire drive into e-waste feels risky, but there are safeguards that prevent the drive from accidentally getting blanked while it’s bouncing around in your pocket.
The P35S needs to be connected to a computer with a USB-C cable, and that button functions as a two-stage sliding switch. Sliding it to the first stage, partially revealing a red warning sign, requires a bit of force. While pushing it to the second stage, which starts the self-destruction, requires even more force.
Once the self-destruction is started it will continue until the drive is blanked and dead, even if it’s disconnected from a computer. The process ensures there’s “zero data residue” to “prevent any form of recovery,” according to TeamGroup. That’s why the company warns the P35S is “not intended for general consumers, personal data backup, or everyday storage purposes” and is instead targeted at users who handle and transport confidential or classified data.
In addition to its self-nuking capabilities, the P35S features a single USB-C port 3.2 Gen 2 port with up to 1,000MB/s read and write speeds. The entire drive is just over 3.5-inches long and weighs 42 grams.
The 36 best gift ideas for mom this holiday season
Your mom deserves the best, and we're going to help you get them something special. The right gift can make family or friend time more valuable, after all, or it can greatly enrich time spent alone. If your mom says that she has all that she needs, don't take her word for it and show up empty-handed. Instead, peruse this handy guide, sorted by price, to find a gift that she'll remember for years to come.
There are plenty of ideas below that can show the maternal figure in your life that you know them well - such as the practical yet elegant Oura Ring 4, which can help her track her vitals and stay on track with her fitness goals. Apple's ne …