The Best Monitors According to the CNET Staff Who Use Them

The Best Monitors According to the CNET Staff Who Use Them

Over the last few years, office workers across the world have found themselves having to work from their homes. While this has increased productivity and reduced a lot of stress for many, a lot of workers didn't have the right equipment to create a home office. Even here at CNET, we had to find new ways to make our space work. 

Having a good monitor, or even two, makes working from home much easier, as being hunched over a laptop can cause severe back pain and stresses you might not notice right away. It's much better to spend your day looking at a big screen than a little one.

Read more:  The Best Office Chairs According to the CNET Staff Who Use Them

The CNET team is full of diverse experts; people who spend their lives reviewing products and testing them, so we know how to pick a good product. We collected testimonials from the editorial staff and engineers about their favorite monitors and why you should buy one too.

Gigabyte

I got this Gigabyte monitor when I bought a new gaming desktop. I wanted a 27-inch screen with 1440p resolution and 144Hz refresh rate, and this was on offer for around $300 about a year ago. Never having heard of the brand, I took a punt on it.

I'm really happy with it. It looks great, day and night, with hardly any reflections. The bezel is super thin. It can be adjusted up and down, as well as tilted. And it has all the ports you'd probably need. The only thing I would change is that the power button is also a menu joystick and it's on the back, which is fiddly on the few occasions I need it.

-- Nick Hide, Managing copy editor

Asus

I love this monitor from Asus. Since I am a video editor by trade, who also edits a lot of photos in his spare time, having a monitor with excellent color rendition is super important, and this ProArt monitor does that really well.

It has a bit more resolution than a standard 1080p monitor which is fantastic as well, it adjusts easily into landscape and portrait mode, and it can move up and down for different desk setups.

But probably the biggest selling point is the price. It's more expensive than a standard monitor, but for what it delivers on picture and color quality, it's probably the most affordable monitor for professional photo and video folks. The ProArt is much more affordable than something from Apple. 

-- Owen Poole, Video producer

LG

This Full HD monitor is intensely basic for the price, but it's so easy to use and has gotten me through some of the busiest pandemic news cycles. With two HDMI ports, one audio jack and a D-sub connector, I've been able to seamlessly connect its 24-inch glory to my work Mac (for editing and digital production), as well as my former Windows laptop and current personal desktop (for video games) with minimal interruptions to my productivity. It's 6.8 pounds, which might be heavy for a monitor -- I wouldn't know -- but I've also taken to carting it into other areas of my house without issue. And it has... screen tilt!

-- Dawnthea Price Lisco, Copy editor

Sceptre

When we set up our home office, my wife and I used these Sceptre curved displays for a long time. The curve is gentle enough not to strain your eyes, while also making you feel like you have a wrap-around experience. I eventually changed out my monitors for something more gaming focused, but my wife loves her Sceptre. 

The color tone can be a little uneven and it took us a while to get them dialed in, but now that they are, they're worth the small cost. We ended up getting two for the full experience.

-- James Bricknell, Senior editor

HP

While I wanted to have good gaming monitors, I couldn't afford some of the bigger curved displays you see here. My gaming on a PC consists of 1080p resolution games anyway so 4K just wasn't needed.

I picked up two of these ultra-thin HP monitors as they have FreeSync for gaming, but are also low profile enough to leave room on my desk for the keyboards I test. Plus, the bezel-less display is fire.

-- James Bricknell, Senior editor

Lepow

For most of the pandemic, I couldn't work in the same spot in my house every day. Setting up a big monitor or even a regular desk to put one on was out of the question. Lepow's 15.6-inch portable monitor gave me just enough extra room to work, whether my "office" was in my dining room, living room or bedroom.

The display setup takes seconds with a single USB-C cable for both the picture and power though it does have an HDMI input if necessary. All the cables come in the box, too, along with a screen protector. It has a folio case that doubles as a stand (newer versions have a built-in kickstand for better positioning and use less desk space). It even has a headphone jack and basic built-in speakers so it can connect to a game console. When you're done for the day, it folds up and easily stores in a drawer or backpack. Easy.

-- Josh Goldman, Senior editor

LG

 A few years ago I upgraded to the LG Ultragear ultrawide, and everything about it makes me extremely happy. Its 3440x1440 resolution is the sweet spot for a 34-inch gaming setup since it doesn't tax a GPU as hard as a 4k monitor. It's 144hz, with Gsync and VESA adaptive sync (freesync) support. I play Final Fantasy 14 and Destiny 2 on a custom-built gaming rig, and the frame rates are amazing. 

Since I'm not even maxing out the specifications on this monitor -- a GPU upgrade in a year or two will let me max out the 144hz part of the monitor -- I'm going to be keeping this for a good long while.

-- Wesley Radcliffe, Engineering manager

CNET's Eric Franklin got me into ultrawide monitors, and for a long time I had an entry-level LG that did the job. When the pandemic hit though, I decided to go bigger and I'm so glad I did. I bought this one Used/Like New from Amazon, and it's been a dream to work with. 

I bought the 120hz because I don't game at higher refresh rates anyway, and most of the time I was relying on this for work. I also found a monitor arm for it that cleans up my workspace really well.

- Ian Sherr, Editor at large

More stuff we use every day

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Fps frames per second frame rate per second what does frames per second do frames per second explained why does fps matter what gives more fps why is my frames locked on 60 fps on cold war why fps is low

Why FPS, frames per second, and frame rate matter for Xbox, PlayStation, movies and TV

Why FPS, frames per second, and frame rate matter for Xbox, PlayStation, movies and TV

From the best TVs to game consoles like the Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, to cameras like the GoPro Hero 10s and the one on the shiny iPhone 13 Pro, fps matters. But what does fps mean, and why should you care? The short version is that fps stands for "frames per second." In other words, fps is the exact number of individual still images that make up each second of moving video. 

Movies, almost exclusively, are 24fps. Live-action TV shows like sports and concerts are typically 30 or 60 fps. Video games vary, but the latest consoles are capable of up to 120fps (as long as you pair them with a TV that can handle it).

But can you even tell the difference? Does fps even matter? Yes, though not always the way you expect. Here's why.

Brett Pearce/CNET

Why does fps matter?

Let's back up slightly and cover some important basics. All video is made up of a series of still images, shown in rapid succession. Show them rapidly enough and your brain is fooled into thinking these still images are actually smooth motion. The speed of that threshold, from series of still images to motion, varies depending on a variety of factors. Generally, though, somewhere in the mid-teens-per-second will appear as "motion" to most observers, where fewer frames per second just look like individual images. 

Higher frames per second, also known as frame rates, make the image appear smoother and more realistic. Subjectively, there's a huge jump between 15fps and 30fps. There's less of a noticeable jump between 30 and 60, and even less between 60 and 120. But again, depending on the content, display and other factors, you might notice a difference. 

The Xbox Series X can output video up to 120 fps.

Microsoft

With games, higher frame rates can result in smoother, more natural-looking images. Compare that with low frame rates, where the onscreen action will stutter and pause. Because the graphics processing on all consoles is limited, higher frame rates come at a cost. That cost might be fewer polygons, less detail in objects on screen, more basic lighting, less complex textures and so on. With some games, the console might even reduce the game's resolution and then upconvert it at the output to hit the maximum frame rate. The image won't be as detailed, but the motion will be smoother. 

A game designer might decide that their game looks and plays better at 60 or 120fps, despite these limitations, but it depends. Not every game supports higher frame rates, though many new games do (and will). Also, both Sony on the PlayStation 5 and Microsoft with FPS Boost have older titles that now run at higher frame rates.

On the PC side, there are gaming monitors capable of 144Hz (more on Hz vs fps in the next section). There are, potentially, some benefits for competitive multiplayer with higher frame rates, with less and less time spent "waiting" for the computer to update an image. That advantage is, at best, very slight. We're talking milliseconds.

The Sony PlayStation 5 is also capable of delivering video at up to 120 fps.

With consoles and PCs, they might not be hitting their maximum theoretical frame rate at all times. If there's a lot going on, a complex boss fight for instance, it might only produce a fraction of that max frame rate -- a feature known as variable refresh rate, or VRR. 

With cameras, there's an additional benefit. Recording video at, say 120fps, allows you to play back that video at 60 or 30, greatly slowing down the action. Someone doing a backflip recorded at 120fps and shown at 30 will result in some extremely smooth, epic slo-mo.

FPS vs. Hz

The terms fps and Hz are often used to describe the same thing. Hz, or hertz as you may remember it from high school science class, means "one cycle per second." Generally, TVs and related gear use hertz to describe frame rate, a continuation from the analog CRT days. Content like movies and games use frames per second, a continuation from the old film days. 

Technically, these aren't always exactly the same. For some esoteric reasons, 30Hz on a TV is usually 29.97Hz -- again, a holdover from CRT. 

Effectively, though, consider them the same thing. A TV that's capable of displaying 120Hz content means it wants 120fps content to look its smoothest.

Or to put it simply, fps is the content, Hz is the device. You might see some companies using one term in place of the other, which is fine. In practice, you can use these terms interchangeably. 

Why 60 (or 50)?

If you're in the US, Canada or anywhere in the Americas north of Brazil, TVs are 60Hz or a multiple of 60Hz. In the UK, Europe, and most of Asia, Africa, and Oceana, TVs are generally 50Hz or a multiple of 50Hz. Go into an electronics shop in many parts of the world and you might see TVs advertised with 100Hz, something that might catch the eye of a tech-savvy American tourist. 

This is entirely due to the frequency of the mains power in each country. It's always one or the other. OK, almost always. Some newer TVs might ignore this by offering you 60Hz in a country with 50Hz power.

Does this matter? Not really. With older TVs it was more likely you could see flicker with 50Hz TVs. I certainly noticed it during visits to the UK in the '90s. In the modern age where nearly every TV is either LCD or OLED, this is only a concern with people especially susceptible to flicker (though the same is true with 60Hz too, for what it's worth). 

FPS to the moon

The race to increase fps doesn't have much of a downside... for the most part. Higher frame rate cameras can record smoother motion, with less motion blur. TVs with higher frame rates themselves produce less motion blur, though potentially with soap opera effect issues. Games with higher frame rates are smoother and can be more realistic, though some other aspect of graphical detail must be reduced on the limited hardware of game consoles.

However, the same isn't true with live-action fictional content, like most TV shows and movies. With decades of conditioning, most people associate the "look" of 24fps content with fiction. Increasing that, something several Hollywood directors have tried, is rife with peril. Yes, a minority of people like it. The majority of people, though, hate it. It completely negates the suspension of disbelief: They're no longer characters in a world, but actors on a set. There's no coming back from that. Thankfully, these experiments in high frame rate, or HFR, have continually been met with derision. Enough so that Hollywood as an industry seems unlikely to adopt something that would so alienate audiences (aka their customers). 

And if you do get a TV with 120Hz capability, almost all have the ability to turn off motion smoothing, aka the soap opera effect, so it will look like your old TV. If there's an option for black frame insertion, check that out as an alternative too.

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As well as covering TV and other display tech, Geoff does photo tours of cool museums and locations around the world, including nuclear submarines, massive aircraft carriers, medieval castles, airplane graveyards and more. 

You can follow his exploits on Instagram and YouTube about his 10,000 mile road trip. He also has written a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, along with a sequel.

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Microsoft Windows 10 review: Microsoft gets it right

Microsoft Windows 10 review: Microsoft gets it right

When Microsoft unveiled Windows 10 in 2015, it delivered an elegant operating system that could -- for the first time -- fulfill the potential of each modern computing form factor. Equally proficient on a touchscreen tablet, laptop, or conventional desktop PC, Windows 10 resuscitated the operating system's best features while setting the stage for Microsoft's ongoing innovation streak that includes idiosyncratic products like the Surface Pro 4, Surface Book and, more recently, the Surface Studio -- a desktop PC for artists and designers in need of high-end horsepower and display -- and the Surface Dial, a touch-friendly dial designed to facilitate fine contextual controls.

Late 2016 update

The next generation of the popular Surface tablet, the rumored Surface Pro 5, is expected to appear in the spring of 2017 -- timing that may coincide with the rollout of the next version of Windows, a free update scheduled for the first half of 2017. Windows "Creators Update" will introduce 4K video game streaming and support "augmented reality," bringing 3D capabilities to legacy applications such as Paint and PowerPoint. It will support 3D rendering for Microsoft's HoloLens technology, which will be incorporated into forthcoming devices from Acer, Lenovo, Dell, HP and Asus. And it will enable a virtual touchpad that lets you control external monitors from tablets, without need for a mouse.

It's worth mentioning that Apple delivered its own operating system overhaul in September 2016. MacOS Sierra added some new features inspired by its own mobile operating system. And though Apple clearly wishes to continue the integration of Macs and iOS products, providing additional incentives to keep your hardware inside Apple's walled garden, it's not always a perfect fit. In fact, the new MacBooks announced in early October 2016, equipped only with USB-C ports, can't connect to the new iPhone 7 and its Lightning Connector, without an adapter.

Editors' note: The original Microsoft Windows 10 review, first published in July 2015, follows.

Windows 10 is the Goldilocks version of Microsoft's venerable PC operating system -- a "just right" compromise between the familiar dependability of Windows 7, and the forward-looking touchscreen vision of Windows 8.

This new Windows, available as a free upgrade for existing Windows 7 and Windows 8 noncorporate users, is built from the ground up to pursue Microsoft's vision of a unified OS that spans all devices without alienating any one platform. It's an attempt to safeguard Microsoft's crumbling software hegemony, assailed on all sides by Google and Apple. And it's a vision of the future as Microsoft sees it, where a single user experience spans every piece of technology we touch. Welcome to Windows as a service.

Yes, this new OS is chock-full of fresh features. To name just a few: a lean, fast Internet Explorer replacement called Edge; Microsoft's Siri-like voice-controlled virtual assistant, Cortana; and the ability to stream real-time games to your desktop from an Xbox One in another room. (And in case you're wondering: there is no "Windows 9" -- Microsoft skipped it, going straight from 8 to 10.)

Windows 10 bridges the gap between PC and tablet. Nate Ralph/CNET

But Windows 10 is also the end of a long, awkward road that began with the release of Windows 8 in 2012, when Microsoft tried to convince a world of keyboard and mouse wielders that touchscreens were the way to go -- or else. Ironically, in 2015, the PC hardware for that touchscreen future is now here -- everything from 2-in-1s such as the Lenovo Yoga line to convertible tablets with detachable keyboards, like Microsoft's own Surface. And Windows 10 smoothly lets users transition from "tablet" to "PC" mode on such devices like never before.

For the rest of the PC universe -- including those who still prefer good old-fashioned keyboard and mouse navigation -- Windows 10 is a welcome return to form. The Start menu, inexplicably yanked from 8, is back and working the way you expect it to. Those live tiles from the Windows 8 home screen still exist, but they've been attached to the Start menu, where they make a lot more sense. And the fiendishly hidden Charms bar has been morphed into the more straightforward (and easier to find) Action Center.

As always, there are some quibbles and gripes with the end product, but all-in-all -- after living with Windows 10 for months -- I can say it's a winner. It's flexible, adaptable and customizable. And it's been battle-tested by an army of beta testers for the better part of a year, making it one of the most robust operating system rollouts in recent memory.

A fresh Start

The Start menu is back; it's almost funny how relieving that is. That humble Start button has been a fixture on the lower left corner of the Windows desktop since the halcyon days of Windows 95, offering speedy access to apps and settings. Press it on Windows 10, and you'll see the latest step in a long conversation about the state of the PC industry.

I spend more time than I'd like to admit rearranging the Start Menu. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

The past sits on the left: a neat column with shortcuts to your most used apps. Press the "All Apps" button and you'll get an alphabetical list of all of the apps installed on your PC. There are folders in there too -- press them, and extra options will fly out, just like they always have.

The future -- or at least, the future as Microsoft envisions it -- sits on the right side of the Start menu. These are the colorful, animated live tiles that debuted in Windows 8, pulling double duty as app shortcuts and informative widgets. You can resize these live tiles, drag them about to arrange them into groups and pin as many apps as you'd like -- the entire Start menu can be shrunk or expanded to suit your liking. It's essentially a miniaturized version of the fullscreen Start menu we saw in Windows 8. Hate live tiles? Then unpin them to excise them from your computer, leaving you with the narrow column of frequently used apps we've known for so long.

One step back, two steps forward

The Start menu in Windows 10 is admission that Windows 8 maybe have been a bit too forward thinking. But Microsoft hasn't abandoned that vision of unifying all manner of devices under a single operating system: Continuum in Windows 10 is the latest attempt to bridge the gap between touch and non-touch devices, and this time it doesn't force us to relearn how to work with our PCs.

To start, there's no divide between the Windows 8-style "Modern" apps you get from the Windows app store, and those you install the old-fashioned way. Everything exists as a traditional windowed app, sharing space on the desktop. If you're on a two-in-one device like Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 , pop the keyboard off and Windows 10 will switch to tablet mode. The Start menu and your apps will stretch to take up the entire screen, and all of the miscellaneous apps and shortcuts on your taskbar will disappear, to give your finger fewer obstacles to hit.

Apps go fullscreen, and the taskbar gets a little less cluttered in tablet mode. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

Reattach the keyboard, and everything slots back into place. It's an instantaneous, seamless process (once you've shooed away the annoying confirmation window). It's also entirely optional: you can disable the feature and switch to tablet mode manually, or forget that this whole touch concept exists at all.

This is what Windows 8 always should've been: an operating system that bridges the divide between touch and non-touch, without alienating folks who fall into one camp or the other. Like it or not, the future belongs to devices with touchscreens. But Microsoft (finally) understands that we'll all get there at own pace, and Continuum makes the transition painless. And now that there are so many hybrid devices to choose from, making the switch to touch without abandoning the interface we know is more important than ever.

Learning new tricks

Microsoft hasn't stopped at making touch make sense on a Windows PC. With Windows 10, just about every facet of the OS has been tweaked and updated, and a few new features have been rolled in. In typical Microsoft fashion, there's a dizzying array of keyboard shortcuts and touch gestures for each of these features, giving you no fewer than three ways to access the things you're trying to get to. No need to memorize them all -- just use whatever suits you (or your device) best.

Virtual desktops

If I had to pick my favorite new feature, I'd go with virtual desktops. Click the new Task View button on the taskbar and you'll get a bird's-eye view of all of the apps you've got open. Drag one of those apps onto the "new desktop" button, and it'll be moved to its own independent workspace. I can keep one workspace focused on work, a separate desktop for gaming forums, yet another workspace for the new camera lenses I'm checking out; there's no limit to the amount of virtual desktops you can create, and each one is treated as its own little private island.

Virtual desktops help you spread your apps across several workspaces. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

Virtual desktops are far from a new development, and they've been available in past versions of Windows thanks to third-party apps. But it's nice to see Microsoft catching up here. The feature could still use some work: desktops are numbered, but if you create a lot of them it can be hard to keep track of where everything is. The "traditional" Win32 apps you might download and install from a website are happy to open a new instance on any desktop, while clicking the shortcut on an app from the Windows store will yank you back to whatever desktop you used it on last.

You can move apps across virtual desktops -- just drag them, or right-click to shunt them over -- but there's no way to reorder the virtual desktops themselves, which would be really useful for staying organized. I'd also like to be able to set a different wallpaper for every virtual desktop -- I can do both of those things in Apple's OSX operating system, and have always found it really handy.

Windows Snap

The Snap feature introduced in Windows 7 has gotten a bit of an upgrade, too. Drag an app to the left or right side of the screen, and it'll "snap" to fill that space. The new Snap Assist feature will then chime in, showing you little thumbnails of any other apps that are currently open -- click a thumbnail, and it'll fill up the remaining space. You can also snap an app into a corner of your display and fill your screen with up to four apps, divided equally across the screen -- this could prove useful for folks with massive monitors.

Action Center

The new Action Center replaces the "Charms" introduced in Windows 8, and is another nod to mobile operating systems. Click the Action center icon on the taskbar to bring up a panel that houses all of your app notifications, and offers quick access to a few important system settings, like toggling your Wi-Fi network or switching in and out of tablet mode -- you can choose the options that turn up here in the settings menu. If you're coming from Windows 7 and have no idea where to find some of the settings you're used to, there's a good chance you'll find them here.

Wi-Fi Sense

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Wi-Fi Sense. While technically not a new feature (it's part of Windows Phone 8.1) its presence in Windows 10 should've been a welcome addition: Wi-Fi Sense connects your devices to trusted Wi-Fi hotspots.

I love the idea. Automatically sharing Wi-Fi credentials with my friends would remove much of the hassle of most social gatherings, when people just want to jump on my Wi-Fi network. And -- this part is key -- Wi-Fi Sense doesn't share your actual password, so it theoretically eases a social transaction (the sharing of Wi-Fi connectivity) without necessarily compromising my network security.

Until Wi-Fi sense offers granular control over sharing, I'd avoid it. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

But the implementation is, in a word, daft. I do want to automatically share my network with a select group of friends who are visiting, and have them return the favor. I don't want to automatically share access with everyone in my Outlook address book, or on Skype, or the random assortment of folks I've added on Facebook over the years. Give me the ability to choose who I share access with, down to the individual, and I'll give it a shot. Until then, I'll be leaving Wi-Fi Sense off -- I recommend you do too.

Windows Hello and Windows Passport

Microsoft is also beefing up security with Windows Hello. The feature will use your Windows 10 devices' camera or a fingerprint scanner to turn your body into a password. Once you've authenticated yourself with Windows Hello, Windows Passport will then give you access to a number of third-party sites and products, without forcing you to log in all over again. This should make it a bit more convenient to log in to your devices, so you don't skimp on traditional measures, like having a robust password. The only catch is that Hello isn't widely supported on a lot of existing hardware: you'll need a device sporting Intel's RealSense camera, or a fingerprint scanner.

Chatting with Cortana

Microsoft's virtual assistant Cortana isn't exactly a new feature, as she's been on Windows Phone for just over a year. But the company's answer to Apple's Siri, Amazon's Alexa and Google Now has made the transition to the desktop with Windows 10, taking over the OS' search functionality, while also handling quite a few housekeeping duties. You can have Cortana trawl through your email and calendar, and keep you notified of any upcoming flights you're taking, or packages you're expecting. She can set reminders and track stocks, and you can even dictate email messages for her to send to your contacts. Cortana can also be set to listen for you to say "Hey, Cortana," and can be trained to recognize several different voices. If you want to learn more about Cortana, head over to my preview on Microsoft's virtual assistant .

Cortana will help you get things done. James Martin/CNET

I'm torn. I love Google Now's proactive stream of useful information, served to me whenever I need it. But my primary mobile device is an Android phone and not a Windows Phone, which keeps my interactions with Cortana sequestered to my desktop.

She's not especially useful here. Windows 10's Voice recognition is rather accurate, but if I have to send an email message and I'm at my desk, I'm just going to use my email client. She'll offer recommendations for places to eat or things to see, but that'd be a lot more useful when I'm out and about than at my desk. The same goes for reminders, which are decidedly less useful if I can't access them anywhere.

Cortana will be making her way to Android and iOS devices later this year, which should clear up most of these issues -- provided most of her functionality crosses platforms without issue. I'll still turn to Cortana for the occasional joke, but until it's available on a phone I use regularly, I'll be sticking to Google for Now.

Microsoft Edge rethinks the browser

Microsoft has added a brand-new browser into Windows 10, and it's called Microsoft Edge. Introducing a new browser in a world that already has Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Apple's Safari is a pretty bold move. Doubly so when your previous effort was Internet Explorer -- once a juggernaut in the space, now the Internet's favorite punchline.

Annotate webpages with Microsoft's Edge browser. James Martin/CNET

Edge is a fast, modern browser that offers quite a few commendable features. Cortana is integrated right into the browser, and she'll offer detailed information on things like the weather or flight statuses while you're typing into the browser's address bar. Navigate over to a bar or restaurant's website, and Cortana can pull up a little sidebar full of useful information, like reviews or directions. The webnote feature lets you scribble on webpages and share your annotations to OneNote or via email, and you can use the Reading view option to strip a website down to its bare essentials. Edge has also been built with tighter security from the start, to hopefully circumvent some of the headaches that erupted from Internet Explorer.

But there are no extensions to tame overzealous advertisements, or enhance websites like Reddit, or simply organized my tabs -- I've been thoroughly spoiled by Google Chrome. There's no way to sync tabs or bookmarks across devices, and you currently can't import bookmarks from other browsers. All those features will be available eventually, with support for extensions coming sometime before the end of the year -- like Windows 10, Edge is a constantly evolving work in progress. But it's going to take a lot for someone like me, wholly enmeshed in Google's ecosystem, to ditch Chrome for something new. Internet Explorer also isn't going anywhere: it'll remain a part of Windows for the foreseeable future, as legacy apps are dependent on it. Head over to my Microsoft Edge preview to learn more about Microsoft Edge .

Getting your game on

Windows 10 adds and tweaks a few things in the entertainment department. The Xbox Video and Xbox Music apps have been renamed to Movies & TV and Groove Music, respectively. Their function is identical: any music and video files on your device can be found here, but it mostly serves as a means to convince you to buy or rent content from Microsoft's stores. You've got plenty of streaming services to choose from, for music and video.

Xbox Live achievements for Solitaire? Brilliant. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

If you're a gamer, the Xbox app will prove far more interesting. It's a window into your Xbox Live feed, letting you see what your friends are up to and send them messages, browse recordings people have made, compare achievements, and all of the expected ways of interacting with the social network. But if you own an Xbox One, you can stream activity from your console to any device running Windows 10.

It's awesome. No, it's not a game changer, and certainly not a reason to run out and grab an Xbox One. But it's still awesome: if someone wants to use the television, I can just plug an Xbox One controller into one of my PCs and continue plugging away at the Xbox One version of The Witcher 3 . The quality of the experience is going to be dependent on your network, so I'd recommend making sure both your console and the PC you're streaming to are connect to your LAN. The console also can't be used by others when it's streaming so this won't enable cooperative gaming. But if you frequently find yourself sharing the TV and have a PC with Windows 10 on hand, it's a fun little addition that could come in handy.

Handy tools for shutterbugs

The new Photos app isn't going to replace something like Adobe Lightroom, but if you take a lot of photos and are looking for a simple tool to keep things organized, you'll do well here.

Use the Photos app to make quick, non-destructive edits to your pictures. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

The Photos app scans your devices and OneDrive account for photos, and automatically arranges them into albums. You can use the app as a way to keep track of your pictures, but it also offers some basic editing tools too. If you prefer a hands-off approach, Photos will automatically enhance all of the photos it finds, wrangling red eye and sorting out exposure levels -- it works on RAW files, too. But don't worry: the edits Photos makes are non-destructive, so you can undo any changes it makes, or prevent it from altering your photos altogether.

Windows, everywhere

Windows 10 has finally arrived, but this version of Windows is fundamentally different from any that have come before it. It will truly be an everywhere OS, a concept Microsoft will be pushing with Windows 10 Mobile , and Universal Apps. We've been here before: apps developed for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 could share much of their code, which was supposed to make it easy to create a single app that ran everywhere.

Microsoft's universal apps share an identical codebase: the Excel client on your desktop, for example, will be the exact same client as the one on your phone, with elements adjusted to make sense of the different display, and the lack of a keyboard or mouse. You can currently get a taste of this on the latest version of Windows 10 Mobile, and while I wouldn't recommend editing spreadsheets on your smartphone, it's possible.

Universal apps will lead to their own challenges, as developers will have to weigh creating rich, robust apps that can run on a mobile device, against developing apps that can make use of all of the power a full PC can bring to bear. Microsoft is already drafting a solution using Continuum. Microsoft has demonstrated Continuum for phones: plug a Windows Phone into a display, and the interface will one day morph to mimic the PC-based version of Windows. You'll see the desktop, desktop-versions of Windows Store apps, and get full mouse and keyboard support. There's no word on when Continuum for phones will be available, or what devices it'll run on, but it offers a tantalizing glimpse of what Microsoft has in store.

Getting ready for what's next

The Windows Update process will be key to getting everyone on board with Microsoft's vision of the future of Windows. It'll also prove to be one of the most contentious elements: if you're running the standard Home version of Windows 10, updates are automatic and can't be refused.

This is a great thing. Windows' Achilles' heel has long been its nigh-ubiquity, which makes it a prime target for malware and other digital nastiness. A computer that's kept up to date is a happy computer, as it will offer you the best chance of avoiding viruses and other unpleasant things.

You can delay updates, but you can't avoid them. Screenshot by Nate Ralph/CNET

This is also a terrible thing. Many of us have encountered software updates that don't quite work out, occasionally breaking more than they fix. One of the last updates to the Windows 10 preview has been triggering software crashes, a recurring reminder that things occasionally don't work out as intended.

Microsoft has plans in place to mitigate these snafus: those of us who've signed up for the Windows Insider program can opt to continue serving as beta testers in perpetuity, and we'll be receiving every update first, for better or worse. But an army of five million testers could go a long way toward making sure these compulsory updates go as smoothly as possible. Insiders will also be able to continue driving the future of Windows by sharing feedback on features and functionality in Windows as they are developed.

I still worry that something will eventually slip through the cracks, and that will be the forced update that sours everyone's mood on the whole process. But I still favor Microsoft's approach: better to deal with the occasional botched update than have the legion of vulnerable or compromised devices that currently exists.

Conclusion

In an ideal world, we'd just call Microsoft's latest operating system "Windows," and sweep version numbers and codenames under the rug. That "10" gives the impression that something comes next, when in reality Windows is transitioning from something you buy (begrudgingly) once every few years, to a living document that's constantly being updated, and tweaked. For many Windows users expecting a predictable upgrade cadence, this is going to be a difficult transition.

Windows 10 will mean the end of grand, sweeping changes, with a marked increase in the sort of minute, quality-of-life tweaks we've grown accustomed to on our smartphones and tablets. Cortana will learn new tricks, and the interface will become flexible enough to support entirely new kinds of devices, like Microsoft's HoloLens . Should Windows Phone survive, we'll eventually see the world Microsoft envisioned back at the launch of Windows 8, when every device was supposed to feel right at home.

All of that comes later. What we have, at present, is a fast, functional OS that that is equally at home on a beefy gaming rig as it is on a Surface tablet. It does everything you expect it to, and bakes in all of the improvements Windows 8 brought to bear. Both Cortana and Edge have a long road ahead of them before they'll supplant Google's vicelike grip on my digital life, but the novelty of dictating emails and requests to my PC is not lost on me. And then there's the price: free, for those upgrading from Windows 7 or Windows 8.

If you're running Windows 7 or Windows 8 you've little to lose, and quite a bit to gain, by making the jump to Windows 10. If you're still on Windows XP, you've probably got your reasons. But Windows 10 marks the first steps in a transition from operating system to ecosystem, a wild dream that gets a little less crazy every time I ask my PC a question, or pop the keyboard of my laptop to get some reading done. This is Microsoft's second attempt at bringing us the future, and this time they're getting it right.

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Best apps to put on kids' phones to keep them safe online this summer

Best apps to put on kids' phones to keep them safe online this summer

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the

WHO

and

CDC

websites.

School systems are formulating reopening plans amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and families are reshaping their summer schedules to adhere to safety regulations. Parents balancing working from home with caring for school-age kids need ways to keep their brood entertained. 

Read more: Our favorite back to school picks for 2020

With the surge in digital learning and not being able to visit friends in person, many kids are spending more time on their phones and computers. The safety concerns for kids online haven't lessened, but learning about parental controls and safety apps can help bring some peace of mind to parents. 

Here are a few parental control apps we think are a good idea to consider putting on your child's phone or computer.

Read more: Best kids tablet for 2020: Amazon Fire, Apple iPad and more compared 

Net Nanny

Net Nanny/Screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET

Net Nanny is an app that uses AI to block questionable or dangerous content before your child sees it. The app can filter certain websites and monitors your child's digital activity, and can also monitor and limit screen time. The software's Family Feed feature can report what your child is searching online and what apps your child uses and can alert you to content such as pornography, weapons and drugs. 

Net Nanny is compatible with Android and iOS, as well as Windows, Mac and Fire. The software costs $55 per year to cover PC, Mac and mobile for a five-device family. Net Nanny also offers a $40 annual plan to cover one Mac desktop and a 20-device protection package for $90 per year.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Net Nanny also offers a dedicated filter to block coronavirus sites and searches to help kids who might feel anxious. 

Read more: 7 parental controls you can use right now on your kid's iPhone

Bark

Bark/ Screenshot by Shelby Brown/ CNET

Bark is another option for parents who want to keep kids safe online. The app monitors texts and emails, along with YouTube and over 30 social media networks for questionable content your child might be searching or viewing. Bark sends parents alerts if it detects signs of cyberbullying, depression, online predators, adult content and more. You can also decide which platforms you want to monitor, if you want to give your child some privacy. The app recently launched a new screen-time management feature so parents can monitor their kids' accounts as well as set screen time limits from the same app. 

Bark has a seven-day free trial and then costs $14 a month ($99 annually) per family with iOS and Android devices. You can also subscribe to Bark Jr, the company's entry-level product, for $5 a month ($49 annually). Bark Jr focuses on screen time management, website filtering and location check-ins.

OurPact

OurPact

The OurPact parenting app helps families balance screen time for free on iOS and Android devices. The app lets parents limit access to certain apps, filter websites, enable GPS monitoring, and schedule screen time and recurring activities like bedtime. It also allows parents to block or grant internet and app access at anytime. 

In response to the coronavirus outbreak, OurPact said that it's offering three months free access to premium features, normally $7 per month. Premium can manage up to 20 devices, keep tabs on all the apps on your child's device and mark as Always Blocked, Per Schedule and Always Allowed. Premium also enables a spendable screen time allowance, the family locator feature and geo-fence creator for alerts, text blocking and web filters. 

Typically, OurPact's base plan is free and offers one schedule, and five blocks and unlimited grants for one device. OurPact also has a Plus plan for $2 per month that offers unlimited schedules, and manual blocks and grants for 10 devices.

SafeToNet

SafeToNet/Screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET

Kids will be communicating over devices while in lockdown since they can't see their friends. The SafeToNet app, which is now available on iOS and Android in the US, has a safeguarding keyboard powered by AI to judge, guide and advise a child in real time as they search for content and message others. The app's goal is to help the child become more responsible and safe online without feeling like they don't have any privacy. 

Parents won't be able to see what's being written, but can view insights like the time of day when high-risk messages are sent and the top five apps used by their child. SafeToNet can show what issues the child most struggles with, too. 

The software will flag certain messages if the AI detects bullying, abuse, aggression or sexting, for example. SafeToNet gives the child a moment to pause before sending a message they can't take back. Plus, the app provides breathing exercises when anxiety is detected, lessons about self-esteem and an emotion diary.

To help during the pandemic, SafeToNet is offering its services free to families for the next 30 days. 

Google Family Link

Google/ Screenshot by Shelby Brown/ CNET

Google Family Link lets you create a Google account for your child (if they're under 13 years old) with access to most Google services, including Gmail and Photos. If your child is over 13, they have to consent to using Google Family Link. The app lets parents keep track of their kid's Google account and guide them to age-appropriate content. Parents can also approve or deny which apps their kids want to download. Family Link shows parents apps that teachers recommend, which parents can add directly to the child's phone. 

The service is compatible with Chromebook, iOS and Android. It includes other parental controls such as screen time limits, locking the phone for family time and location tracking.

Read more: 

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Best apps to control kids phones phone apps for kids best apps for kids phones best apps for kids what is the best app for kids best free apps for kids best free apps to put on a firestick best apps to get best apps to learn languages best apps

Best apps to put on kids' phones to keep them safe online this summer

Best apps to put on kids' phones to keep them safe online this summer

For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the

WHO

and

CDC

websites.

School systems are formulating reopening plans amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and families are reshaping their summer schedules to adhere to safety regulations. Parents balancing working from home with caring for school-age kids need ways to keep their brood entertained. 

Read more: Our favorite back to school picks for 2020

With the surge in digital learning and not being able to visit friends in person, many kids are spending more time on their phones and computers. The safety concerns for kids online haven't lessened, but learning about parental controls and safety apps can help bring some peace of mind to parents. 

Here are a few parental control apps we think are a good idea to consider putting on your child's phone or computer.

Read more: Best kids tablet for 2020: Amazon Fire, Apple iPad and more compared 

Net Nanny

Net Nanny/Screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET

Net Nanny is an app that uses AI to block questionable or dangerous content before your child sees it. The app can filter certain websites and monitors your child's digital activity, and can also monitor and limit screen time. The software's Family Feed feature can report what your child is searching online and what apps your child uses and can alert you to content such as pornography, weapons and drugs. 

Net Nanny is compatible with Android and iOS, as well as Windows, Mac and Fire. The software costs $55 per year to cover PC, Mac and mobile for a five-device family. Net Nanny also offers a $40 annual plan to cover one Mac desktop and a 20-device protection package for $90 per year.

In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Net Nanny also offers a dedicated filter to block coronavirus sites and searches to help kids who might feel anxious. 

Read more: 7 parental controls you can use right now on your kid's iPhone

Bark

Bark/ Screenshot by Shelby Brown/ CNET

Bark is another option for parents who want to keep kids safe online. The app monitors texts and emails, along with YouTube and over 30 social media networks for questionable content your child might be searching or viewing. Bark sends parents alerts if it detects signs of cyberbullying, depression, online predators, adult content and more. You can also decide which platforms you want to monitor, if you want to give your child some privacy. The app recently launched a new screen-time management feature so parents can monitor their kids' accounts as well as set screen time limits from the same app. 

Bark has a seven-day free trial and then costs $14 a month ($99 annually) per family with iOS and Android devices. You can also subscribe to Bark Jr, the company's entry-level product, for $5 a month ($49 annually). Bark Jr focuses on screen time management, website filtering and location check-ins.

OurPact

OurPact

The OurPact parenting app helps families balance screen time for free on iOS and Android devices. The app lets parents limit access to certain apps, filter websites, enable GPS monitoring, and schedule screen time and recurring activities like bedtime. It also allows parents to block or grant internet and app access at anytime. 

In response to the coronavirus outbreak, OurPact said that it's offering three months free access to premium features, normally $7 per month. Premium can manage up to 20 devices, keep tabs on all the apps on your child's device and mark as Always Blocked, Per Schedule and Always Allowed. Premium also enables a spendable screen time allowance, the family locator feature and geo-fence creator for alerts, text blocking and web filters. 

Typically, OurPact's base plan is free and offers one schedule, and five blocks and unlimited grants for one device. OurPact also has a Plus plan for $2 per month that offers unlimited schedules, and manual blocks and grants for 10 devices.

SafeToNet

SafeToNet/Screenshot by Shelby Brown/CNET

Kids will be communicating over devices while in lockdown since they can't see their friends. The SafeToNet app, which is now available on iOS and Android in the US, has a safeguarding keyboard powered by AI to judge, guide and advise a child in real time as they search for content and message others. The app's goal is to help the child become more responsible and safe online without feeling like they don't have any privacy. 

Parents won't be able to see what's being written, but can view insights like the time of day when high-risk messages are sent and the top five apps used by their child. SafeToNet can show what issues the child most struggles with, too. 

The software will flag certain messages if the AI detects bullying, abuse, aggression or sexting, for example. SafeToNet gives the child a moment to pause before sending a message they can't take back. Plus, the app provides breathing exercises when anxiety is detected, lessons about self-esteem and an emotion diary.

To help during the pandemic, SafeToNet is offering its services free to families for the next 30 days. 

Google Family Link

Google/ Screenshot by Shelby Brown/ CNET

Google Family Link lets you create a Google account for your child (if they're under 13 years old) with access to most Google services, including Gmail and Photos. If your child is over 13, they have to consent to using Google Family Link. The app lets parents keep track of their kid's Google account and guide them to age-appropriate content. Parents can also approve or deny which apps their kids want to download. Family Link shows parents apps that teachers recommend, which parents can add directly to the child's phone. 

The service is compatible with Chromebook, iOS and Android. It includes other parental controls such as screen time limits, locking the phone for family time and location tracking.

Read more: 

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Source

Best budget smartwatches under 100 best budget smartwatches under 50 best budget smartwatches for iphone best budget software best budget gaming laptop best budget tablet best budget phones best budget gaming pc

Best Budget Smartwatches Under $100

Best Budget Smartwatches Under $100

Smartwatches are becoming more and more popular -- and for good reason. They can do numerous wonders, like keeping an eye on your overall health and well-being to taking calls on your wrist. However, well-known brands like the Apple Watch Series 7, Galaxy Watch 5, Fitbit Versa 4 and Fitbit Sense 2 can get expensive. For people looking for a smartwatch that won't break the bank, we've curated a list of affordable alternatives. It's true that even the best smartwatch under $100 won't give you every feature the latest and greatest model will, but you can get a solid smartwatch with a lot of the basic tools that make these devices so convenient. 

These three watches work with all smartphones -- both iOS and Android -- and they come with great features like step, calorie, sleep and activity tracking, GPS, touchscreens, water resistance and a heart-rate monitor.

You can find my full impressions and reviews of each of these Android smartwatches in the video below, or read on for the cheat sheet.

Lexy Savvides/CNET

In addition to the basics that I listed before, this cheap smartwatch displays smart notifications from your Android device and has a sleep monitor. In fact, I found this budget smartwatch had the most accurate sleep tracking of the three watches in this comparison

Its 1.3-inch color display is decent, but doesn't get as bright as one of the other watches on this list. Plus you only get four watch faces to choose from.

The ID205L tracks eight workout types -- walking, running, cycling, climbing, yoga, treadmill cardio, hiking and stationary biking -- and can sync your fitness tracking data with Apple Health. This is the best smartwatch that tracks distance during an outdoor workout, you'll need to take your phone with you as this watch has connected GPS, rather than onboard GPS. 

The battery lasts for up to 10 days with regular use, which can be extended to 30 days if you keep it in standby mode. 

Lexy Savvides/CNET

This best budget smartwatch proves that looks can be deceiving, because the $65 price tag doesn't match its premium exterior and smart features. NDur's smartwatch has a sleek metal frame and comfortable strap, and the 1.4-inch color touchscreen was the brightest of the watches I tested for this. It's easy enough to see in direct sunlight.

It can track seven workout types: walking, running, cycling, skipping, badminton, basketball and football. It has connected GPS like the Fitbit Charge 4, meaning you'll need your phone on hand to track distance and see your workout route mapped.

Sleep tracking doesn't seem to be as accurate, however, as it thought I was sleeping while I was sitting on the couch watching TV and doing the dishes before bed. But it is the only one out of these smartwatches that monitors blood oxygen levels, or SpO2 on the spot. It can even monitor blood pressure with on-demand reading. That said, be aware that the notifications from this watch's app sensors are not medically cleared and should never be used to replace a medical device or to determine whether or not to seek treatment.

The battery lasts for around seven days of continued use.

Lexy Savvides/CNET

The priciest smartwatch on this list doesn't have as many features as its pricier sibling, the Amazfit GTS, but for it's here for good reason. Its 1.3-inch TFT touchscreen stays on at all times, similar to the Apple Watch Series 6, Galaxy Watch 3, TicWatch Pro, and Fitbit's Inspire and Sense watches, so you won't have to raise your wrist every time you want the time. The touchscreen doesn't look as premium as more expensive watches, but this watch does have a backlight.

The Bip S also has built-in GPS, so you can leave your phone behind when you're out for a run or another outdoor workout. It has the most robust exercise tracking, too, with support for 10 workout types: running, cycling, elliptical, treadmill cardio, walking, spin, weights/freestyle, yoga, indoor/outdoor swimming. It also automatically pauses your workout when it detects you haven't moved for a while. This affordable smartwatch has the biggest selection of watch faces to choose from, plus the option to customize some of the metrics displayed -- like weather, activity tracking or heart rate monitoring.

As for battery life, the company claims the Bip S can get up to 40 days of use on standby. But with regular use, including a few GPS workouts, you're more likely to get 15 days between charges.

Read our Amazfit Bip S review.

More smartwatch and fitness advice

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Asus Chromebit review: An inexpensive Chrome OS PC on a stick

Asus Chromebit review: An inexpensive Chrome OS PC on a stick

A handful of Windows 10 laptops now cost less than $200. The tiny Intel Compute Stick, an Atom-powered Windows micro-desktop, is down to $119. Where else can computer prices go when the floor is so close? The latest answer can be found in the Asus Chromebit, a stick-shaped Chrome OS desktop that costs just $85 in the US, £90 in the UK and AU$149 in Australia.

When we've seen Chrome OS, Google's PC operating system, presented in a desktop form before, we've called it a Chromebox. That term applies here, but it's also part of the still-new "stick PC" category.

Despite looking like an oversized USB key, the Chromebit has the DNA of a desktop. It requires constant power, lacking any kind of internal battery. It needs to connect to the HDMI input on a TV or monitor, and it needs a separate keyboard and mouse, connected via Bluetooth or a USB dongle (Bluetooth seems like the better idea, there's only a single USB port, so you'll need a two-in-one USB dongle or else a USB hub to cover both a keyboard and mouse).

Sarah Tew/CNET

Like other Chrome OS laptops and desktops, the system itself is built to run the Google Chrome Web browser and little else. This is a device intended for cloud-based work, although Chrome OS now has some very basic file management features and the Chromebit can store a small amount of music and movie files in its 16GB of internal storage.

Despite the built-in limitations, the argument for the utility of an online-only computer is a persuasive one. Most email is handled through online services such as Gmail, movies stream through Netflix, Amazon or other services, and work happens in Google Docs or Microsoft's free-to-use online Office apps. There's often little reason to download and install third-party software even on a new Windows PC (something I can attest to, breaking open several fresh Windows laptops and desktops every month). In fact, the only must-have program I download immediately onto new Windows and OS X computers is the Google Chrome browser.

Different than most other ultra-budget PCs we've reviewed, including the Intel Compute Stick and HP Stream 11, the Chromebit runs an ARM-based CPU from Rockchip, a Chinese chip maker. It's cost-cutting move compared to the Intel Atom processors in other low-end computers. We also saw that chip in the Asus Chromebook Flip C100 earlier this year. But it's still fast enough for basic Web surfing, and didn't feel any slower in hands-on use than those Atom-powered $200-and-less Windows computers.

Sarah Tew/CNET

The only real problem with the Chromebit is figuring out who it's for. If you need a cheap travel computer, this isn't it, as it requires a mouse, keyboard, monitor, and power source (it might work well for a hotel room or conference room, however). If you're just looking to play streaming video or other media on a TV, the $35 Google Chromecast, among other options, can take care of that as well. If you need a small out-of-the-way desktop, it does the trick, but only as long as you can survive using online tools, and won't need to install new non-cloud-based programs.

But for a narrow slice of Web surfers who want basic surfing and cloud computing in a set-it-and-forget-it stick that plugs into the back of nearly any television, this is an acceptably robust, crash-free way to get that for a price that would have seemed unbelievable just a year or so ago.

Asus Chromebit

Price as reviewed	$85
PC CPU	1.8GHz Rockchip RK3288-C
PC Memory	2GB LPDDR3 RAM
Storage	16GB eMMC
Networking	802.11ac wireless, Bluetooth 4.0
Operating system	Chrome OS

Design and features

As much as we marveled over the tiny Intel Compute Stick and how small it was for a full Windows desktop with an Intel processor inside, the Asus Chromebit is a smaller, slicker-looking stick PC. Its matte plastic body and rounded edges stand in contrast to the squared-off industrial look of the Compute Stick, which is riddled with tiny vent holes. In contrast, the Chromebit has the polished consumer-friendly look of a Roku Stick or Amazon Fire TV Stick.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Early mockup images of the Chromebit showed its end-mounted HDMI output rotating 90 degrees to better fit some monitors. That feature does not appear to have made it to the final version. The HDMI connector sticks straight out from the end, where it's covered by a removable plastic cap and a 1-foot (30cm) HDMI extension cable is included for easier connectivity.

On one edge is a proprietary power connector that leads to a small power brick. On the Intel Compute Stick, power comes through a standard Micro-USB port, which makes it easier to replace if needed. The Compute Stick also includes a microSD card slot, good for expanding the on-board memory. Here you're stuck with 16GB, although it's assumed your photos, files and music will all be stored online, either in Google Drive or another cloud storage service.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Connecting the Chromebit to a TV or monitor is easier if you use the included one-foot HDMI extender cable. Asus also includes a small package of adhesive disks you can use to stick the lightweight chassis to the back of your display and out of sight. The Chromebit isn't unattractive by itself, but connected to its power supply, dangling from an HDMI input, and with something potentially sticking out of its USB port, things can get cluttered quickly, so tucking as much as possible out of the way is a good idea.

Ports and connections

Video	HDMI
Audio	None
Data	1 USB 2.0
Networking	802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0

Performance

We've previously reviewed Chrome OS systems with low-end Intel and ARM processors, mid-range Intel Core i3 chips, and even custom Nvidia CPU/GPU combos. The best thing we can say about the Rockchip-branded processor here is that in everyday Web-surfing and office productivity use, you'll probably forget it's even there.

Streaming HD video worked well, although loading up a movie from Google's own Play store took several seconds to commence each time. Opening a half-dozen simultaneous browser windows, including email, word processing, Google searches and light photo editing via Pixlr, presented no problem.

Sarah Tew/CNET

For more intensive tasks, you may be pushing the limit of the hardware, but in head-to-head browser-based tests it was only slightly slower than the Atom-powered HP Stream 11 laptop, and both were much faster than the Intel Compute Stick, which can be very sluggish in real-world use. The thing about the Chromebit that makes it feel even faster than the scores would suggest is its instant-on booting, while the Intel Compute Stick, for example, always feels like it takes forever to boot up.

Conclusion

Just when you think the steadily dropping price of Windows-based laptops and micro-desktops has made the idea of Chrome OS obsolete, you get something like the Asus Chromebit. It undercuts everything this side of a Chromecast on price, and when connected to a monitor and used for casual online tasks, you'd no doubt say it feels like a lot more than $85 worth of computer.

But it still suffers from the same identity crisis as other online-only Chrome systems, even more so because you can't use it as a cheap on-the-go laptop. I like the Chromebit, but it will only be the right machine for a small slice of shoppers.

Google Octane

HP Stream 11 7685 Asus Chromebit 7464 Intel Compute Stick 3019

Note: Longer bars indicate better performance

JetStream

HP Stream 11 53.19 Asus Chromebit 44.05 Intel Compute Stick 24.4

Note: longer bars indicate better performance

System Configurations

Asus Chromebit	Chrome OS; 1.8GHz Rockchip RK3288-C; 2GB RAM; 16GB SSD
HP Stream 11	Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit); 2.16GHz Intel Celeron N2840; 2GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz; 64MB (dedicated) Intel HD Graphics; 32GB SSD
Intel Compute Stick	Microsoft Windows 8.1 (32-bit); 1.33GHz Intel Atom Z3735F 2GB DDR3 SDRAM 1333MHz; 64MB (dedicated) Intel HD Graphics; 32GB SSD

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