Know It All Nev

On Demand Reviews – 2021

Category: Computing

The best color laser printers for 2021

Nifty Nev
Brother printers, Buying Guides, Canon, color laser printers, Computing, HP printers, printer buying |

The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw is the best color laser printer you can get right now. It prints fast, uses high-capacity toner, and works with just about every wireless printing standard available.
The LaserJet Pro M255dw even has an NFC card reader for customers who’d like a bit more security. We’ve tested and reviewed dozens of printers, and it easily offers the best value for money when buying a new color laster printer.
If you find our top pick just isn’t the right fit for your specific needs, though, there are other color laser printers worth checking out. If you’d like an all-in-one that can handle scanning, copying, and faxing documents, or you simply just need a more affordable model, be sure to take a look at the other printers we’ve placed on this list.
If you’re looking for additional savings, check out our guides to the best cheap printer deals and best laser printer deals available now.
The best color laser printers

HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw

Why you should buy this: It’s the best color laser printer you can buy.

Who’s it for: Small business owners and those with a home office.
Why we picked the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw:
Just because you want a powerful, feature-rich color printer at home, that doesn’t mean it needs to be bulky. The HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw has a simple, modern design, including a helpful 2.7-inch color touchscreen for controls. Compared to larger, more business-ready printers, the LaserJet Pro M255dw weighs just 33 pounds and can easily be tucked into a corner of your home office.
At 22 pages per minute, it’s not quite as fast as some larger printers, nor does it handle all-in-one features like scanning and copying. But with support for both Mac and Windows, as well as a bypass slot for printing odd-shaped materials, the HP Color LaserJet Pro M255dw is extremely versatile.
The best budget color laser printer: Brother HL-L3270CDW

Why you should buy this: Fast, full-color laser prints at an affordable price.

Who’s it for: Home and small office customers with moderate print volume needs.
Why we picked the Brother HL-L3270CDW:
Laser color printers aren’t cheap. Short of buying an older printer, this affordable Brother makes for a great addition to a home office or small business. It has a lot of the same features that come in more expensive models, such as a 2.7-inch touchscreen for controls, a wireless NFC connection, and a 250-capacity tray.
The Brother HL-L3270CDW does that without being overly large or cumbersome, like many any other printers. At 40 pounds, it’s fairly compact, making it a good option for small offices and desks.
The best business color laser printer: Brother HL-L8360CDW

Why you should buy this: High-capacity toner, very fast print speeds, and a wealth of wireless connectivity options.

Who it’s for: Offices with large print volumes or anyone who needs speedy, colorful prints.
Why we picked the Brother HL-L8360CDW: 
If you need to take your Brother printer to the next level, the HL-L8360CDW is a fantastic upgrade. It boasts impressive print speeds (33 pages per minute) and high-capacity toner cartridges that can last for 4,500 prints. It’s not lightweight, though, weighing in at 48 pounds.
For larger organizations with security concerns, the Brother HL-L8360CDW features a built-in NFC card reader that can scan employee badges to authorize access, among other security features. The printer is controlled from the 2.7-inch touchscreen and can be linked to your company’s Dropbox, Google Drive, or Microsoft OneDrive accounts.
For home or small office use, you can print wirelessly with ease via both Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print 2.0. Additional wireless standards include Wi-Fi direct, Cortado Workspace, Mopria, and Brother’s own iPrint&Scan app.
The best color laser photo printer: Canon Color imageClass MF644Cdw

Why you should buy this: Great color print quality in a multifunction printer.

Who it’s for: Anyone who needs to print or copy photos and graphics quickly.
Why we picked the Canon Color imageClass MF634Cdw: 
Laser printers are not photo printers, per se, but models like the Canon Color imageClass MF644Cdw go a long way to blurring the lines between them, which makes sense coming from a company like Canon, known for its cameras. While we wouldn’t recommend it for photographers, the MF644Cdw is hard to beat for the office that needs to make or reproduce documents that contain graphics and photos.
While the 22 ppm print speed of the Canon Color imageClass MF644Cdw doesn’t match the HP M281fdw, it does offer automated duplex printing, copying, and scanning from its 50-sheet document feeder. With a maximum monthly duty cycle of 30,000 prints and a recommended cycle of 200 to 2,500, it can also hold up to the standard printing demands of small to medium-sized offices.
In addition to USB, print jobs can be sent wirelessly via Apple AirPrint, Google Cloud Print, Mopria, Wi-Fi direct, and Canon’s Print Business app.
The best all-in-one color laser printer: Kyocera Ecosys M5526cdw
Kyocera
Why you should buy this: It prints, scans, faxes, and copies, all quickly and at high-quality.

Who it’s for: Small businesses that need a color laser printer that can do it all and do it well.
Why we picked the Kyocera Ecosys M5526cdw: 
If you want to save money and resources with a laser printer but don’t want to sacrifice the expanded functionality of an all-in-one printer system, then the Kyocera Ecosys M5526cdw is a great option. It can print in color and black and white at up to 26 pages per minute, supports A4 and A3 printing, and offers quick scanning, photocopying, and even faxing, all in a single unit.
The toner cartridges last for thousands of prints for each color, and the printer supports Amazon Dash buttons, so you can easily order more as you’re running low. Scan and fax supports A4 and legal size documents, with an integrated address book and encrypted data transfer ensuring easy transmission with better protection for the message’s contents.
On top of being a more efficient print solution than inkjet printers, the Kyocera Ecosys M5526cdw is also built using the Ecosys standard, so it’s manufactured using fewer resources to make for a more environmentally friendly purchase.
Research and buying tips

Color laser printers versus inkjet printers
Laser printers are better for text documents, as they produce crisp lines even at very small font sizes. Over time, they are also cheaper to run, as you can get more prints per dollar spent on toner than you can with inkjet ink. Laser printers also offer faster printing speeds and can save some serious time on large print jobs.
However, laser printers and the toner they use carry higher upfront costs. If you don’t print very often, you can buy a cheap inkjet printer — some are as low as $30 or so — and it may take a long time before its higher operational costs catch up to the higher initial cost of a laser printer. For smaller print jobs, the faster pages-per-minute rate of a laser printer also won’t be much of an advantage. If you’re looking to save money in the long term and need a compelling alternative to laser printers, consider inkjet solutions that rely on tanks for ink rather than cartridges, like Epson’s EcoTank series. Not only will tanks be better for the environment through less waste, but they will save you money for larger print jobs.
Color laser printers may also be a little slower compared to equal monochrome versions because of how the colored toner process works. To create color, most color laser printers use a combination of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. They make one pass for each toner color (methods here can vary, but many use multiple rollers), which naturally takes longer.
While color laser printers have gotten much better at handling photographs, if you’re looking to make detailed, color-accurate photographic prints to hang on your wall, display in a gallery, or sell to customers, a high-end inkjet photo printer is still the way to go (or simply outsource the work to a photo lab). Beyond print quality, inkjet photo printers can also handle a wider variety of paper types and sizes compared to laser printers. A color laser printer will handle inline photos and graphics in documents just fine.
Do color laser printers come with Wi-Fi or AirPrint support?
Yes. As with inkjet printers, wireless connectivity has become very common on color laser printers. However, not every model will support every brand of wireless printing tech. The Brother HL-3170CDW above supports both Apple AirPrint and Google Cloud Print, for example, while the Dell C1760NW does not, though it still offers mobile printing through its own proprietary app.
How can I print from my iPad, iPhone, or Android device?
This will depend on the wireless features of your printer. Many printers today support Apple AirPrint, which makes it easy to print from an iPad or iPhone to a printer on your Wi-Fi network. Not all apps support AirPrint, but many do — including non-Apple apps.
On Android, Google Cloud Print will allow you to print any document stored in your Google Drive or directly from Google apps like Docs and Sheets. As with AirPrint, a printer that supports Cloud Print is required.
If your printer does not support Cloud Print or AirPrint but does feature Wi-Fi, your printer manufacturer may offer its own iOS and Android app for printing from your mobile device.
How often will I have to buy toner?
This depends on how much you print. Toner cartridges often have yields of 2,000 pages or more (check the specifications of your printer for your model’s specific yield). For light home use, that means many people could easily go a year or more without replacing toner. For office use, the replacement interval will be shorter, but toner could still last a few months.
How can I save money on toner?
The first step is to print efficiently; that is, double-check your page layout settings and make sure everything is correct before you hit that print button.
When it is time to reorder, you can save money by buying third-party toner cartridges. A single genuine toner cartridge for the Brother HL-L8360CDW costs about $78, while an entire set of black and color toners (four cartridges in all) from E-Z Ink costs about $66. Buying third-party toner likely isn’t recommended by your printer’s manufacturer, but so long as you make sure it’s compatible with your printer, it should work just fine. However, some printers, like the HP model above, look for toner that uses a special chip identifying it as original equipment. HP warns that while some other cartridges may work today, they may not in the future.
Can I buy a color laser printer with a built-in fax?
Yes. Many all-in-one laser printers, like the Kyocera Ecosys M5526cdw above, can scan, copy, and fax documents. Note that not all all-in-ones — also called multifunction printers — have fax modems, so be sure to check the specs before you buy. If you need a multifunction printer, be sure to check out our best picks for all-in-one printers.
How we test
To find the best color laser printers, we factor in criteria such as speed, price, maintenance costs, and any unique features that help them one-up the competition.
Our selections are based on our long- and short-term testing; experience with earlier models; familiarity with the company’s technologies; consultation with industry experts, fellow journalists, and users; online forums; lab results; and other third-party reviews. We look across the board — not just at our own experiences — to find consensus on what we think are the best-performing printers you can currently buy. We also look at list pricing to determine if a product is worth the cost. We will even recommend printers that aren’t new, provided the features are still best-in-class.
The printer market evolves constantly, with manufacturers either introducing better models with new features or basic upgrades. So, you can expect our picks to change as well. But don’t worry — the models you see here will be with you for some time, and if we anticipate better models on the horizon, we will state that upfront to help you decide whether you should buy now or wait.

Editors’ Recommendations

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Home windows 10 vs. MacOS vs. Chrome OS

Nifty Nev
Buying Guides, Chrome OS, Chromebook, Computing, Google, MacOS, Microsoft |

Deciding on the right operating system can feel downright overwhelming. There are so many factors to consider when choosing an OS, and it often comes down to your personal preference for features, capabilities, user-friendliness, and price.
If deciding on the best OS has been nothing but a headache, look no further. We’ve rounded up the most vital information on the latest from Windows, Mac, and Chrome to make the process a breeze.
Windows 10 (and 11)

Microsoft’s Windows holds around 77% of the global desktop market share, with just shy of two-thirds of that being made up by Windows 10. If you throw in laptops, Windows 10 controls a full 40% of the entire global market, making it by far the most popular OS in the world for those sorts of devices. There are several reasons why that is, but the most important is the depth and breadth of its supporting hardware and software.
Because Microsoft sells Windows licenses to more or less any PC manufacturer to load on desktops, tablets, the best laptops, and everything in between, you can get a Windows machine at almost any size, shape, or price. Microsoft even sells Windows on its own, so consumers and businesses can manually load it onto their PC. That wide-open approach has let it conquer all competitors over the last few decades.
Because of its worldwide availability and longevity, Windows also boasts the biggest library of traditional software on the planet. Windows users don’t get every new application that comes on the market, but even those they don’t receive initially tend to come to Windows eventually. Consumer, media, enterprise, gaming, it doesn’t matter — if you want the most comprehensive array of capabilities, Windows is the way to go.
Moreover, the app library is now broader than in years past, and with the advent of Windows 11, the Microsoft Store is getting compatibility with Android apps while adding new support for a wider range of compatible software.
Works with everything
Riley Young / Digital Trends
Windows boasts compatibility with the most extensive array of hardware, thanks to extensive driver support. That’s a significant consideration if you want to play graphically intense video games or work with high-powered software for media, video editing, or computer-aided design. There are some superpowered Macs as alternatives, but they tend to be far more expensive, and the breadth of hardware choice isn’t the same. Very few Chrome OS devices can even compete.
The Windows PC ecosystem also boasts a wide variety of shapes and sizes, more so now than in years past. There are the usual desktop and traditional clamshell notebooks, which are more powerful and higher in quality than ever. They range in price from just a few hundred dollars for entry-level options up to many thousands for premium machines. The 2-in-1 market has ballooned in recent years, too, most notably thanks to Microsoft’s own Surface range, which makes some of the best convertible laptops and tablets to date.
Though most accessories are universal since the introduction of the USB standard, Windows still technically boasts the most compatibility with third-party add-ons, too. Just about any mouse, keyboard, webcam, storage drive, graphics tablet, printer, scanner, microphone, monitor, or other doodads you care to add to your computer will work with Windows, which is something that can’t always be said for MacOS and is true to an even lesser extent for Chrome OS.
Rapid and meaningful updates

If you haven’t used Windows in a few years, then you may associate it with slow, tepid progress. That’s no longer true. With Windows 10, Microsoft committed to twice-a-year updates. We’ve seen these updates introduce new features, security improvements, and performance enhancements.
For those who want to access the cutting-edge, they can join the free Insider program, which puts out new updates almost every week. Insiders get access to fixes, tweaks, and major new features — and they do add up over time. Not only do Insiders get immediate access to the latest capabilities, but they also help shape the OS by providing ongoing feedback to Microsoft.
Over time, this rapid update policy has given Windows an edge over MacOS, which updates every year, usually with just one or two significant new features (with the exception of Big Sur). Chrome OS also updates quickly, but Google only rarely introduces major new features — which has slowed progress relative to Windows and MacOS.
The only downside to the rapid updates with Windows is that they can occasionally cause more problems than they fix. For instance, the October 2018 update deleted user data and caused all sorts of driver issues. It took months to fix and prompted Microsoft to change its update practice to be a little less ambitious in the future.
Compatibility problems and version confusion

With all that said, Windows isn’t perfect. The open nature of Microsoft’s relationship with desktop and laptop manufacturers means that two different machines, often with the same specifications, can and do perform very differently. Production quality can vary wildly, even within hardware from the same manufacturer. That makes choosing a new Windows PC a challenge. Research devices first to get the most for your money.
Windows also has the reputation of being less secure than MacOS and Chrome OS, simply because it’s the most-used desktop OS and thus the most targeted. Windows includes numerous Microsoft tools and safeguards to prevent and clean viruses and other threats, and third-party tools are also available. Therefore, Windows is much more secure than it once was despite remaining the most-attacked OS — it’s simply no longer quite the security risk it once was.
The wide variety of Windows hardware can cause problems as well. Windows’ complex driver system can cause system errors that force the user to diagnose and solve, and frequent updates from Microsoft might break software or devices that it hadn’t considered or anticipated. For that reason, Windows is more difficult to administer for the typical user, although the Windows update infrastructure does make things easier than they were in the old days of scouring the web looking for updates and new drivers.
Moving to Windows 11

Windows 11 isn’t out quite yet, but it’s slated for a full release in 2021, which means Windows 10 users will have to consider upgrading. The good news is that Windows 11 isn’t changing too much from Windows 10 functionality. Native apps have a friendlier, more streamlined interface on Windows 11, but are otherwise very familiar. More customization options are available, from where to place the Start to bringing back Windows Widgets, the mini-apps you can set up on your home screen to show all kinds of useful information.
Microsoft is also ditching some of the less popular features from Windows 10, such as Live Tiles. The Microsoft Store is receiving an update that will allow users to run Android apps with the Amazon App Store, and the company is pointedly allowing developers to maintain their own commerce engines, something that Apple has repeatedly refused to entertain.
Given this user-friendly optimization and the similarities to Windows 10, there’s little reason to not at least examine with Windows 11 when it becomes available — it appears to be a worthy upgrade for almost all users.
Is Windows for you?

Windows increasingly improved quality of life throughout Windows 10, and the trajectory looks similar for Windows 11 as well. The result is one of the most elegant and user-friendly versions of Windows that receives frequent feature updates.
The problem of complexity does remain, however. You will likely encounter more bugs with Windows than with MacOS and Chrome OS. But these bugs are rarely the fatal errors that used to drag Windows systems to a halt, and they’re balanced by features and hardware compatibility that is simply unavailable with Microsoft’s competition.
MacOS
One of Apple’s older promotional messages for Mac computers and their software was “it just works.” That philosophy is applied to more or less everything that the company sells, including laptops, desktops, and the associated MacOS software. Formerly called OS X, MacOS runs on all Apple computers, and buying an Apple machine is the only legitimate way to access it.
Because of this unique top-down approach to its products, Apple enjoys tighter control over MacOS than any of its current competitors. MacOS is designed to run on only a relatively small — and highly controlled — variety of computers and parts, compared to millions of possible combinations for Windows. That allows Apple to do more intense quality testing on its products, optimize software for only a few PC configurations, and provide targeted services that can diagnose and fix problems with much more speed and accuracy than Windows manufacturers.
For users who want a computer that “just works,” Macs are an appealing proposition.
It just works

The OS itself is designed to be easy to operate, even for novices. While the interface of Windows 10 is simple on its face, Microsoft’s OS has an infinitely deep layer of menus beneath. Troubleshooting can be bothersome and confusing.
New computer users often find MacOS to be more intuitive than Windows 10, though long-term Windows users may need some time to adjust to the interface. Some important features — like the MacOS file explorer, called Finder — are not as easy to understand.
Though the software market for MacOS is nowhere near as broad as Windows, it has its own expansive collection of cross-platform and bespoke apps. Apple includes a suite of in-house programs for basic tasks, and most popular third-party software, like Google’s Chrome browser, is available on MacOS. Microsoft even produces a version of its Office application suite for Apple hardware, and some of the best creative applications are available in superior versions for MacOS. It’s no surprise that MacOS is a popular option for design and media production, and many art-focused applications are available only on Mac, including Apple’s iconic Final Cut Pro video editing suite.
That said, MacOS is disadvantaged for gamers, as many new games are not immediately available on Apple’s platform. In 2021, more games are supporting Mac than ever before, and the new M1 chips are more gamer-friendly than previous processors, but it’s still a paltry list compared to Windows. For people who really love MacOS but still want to game, they can always leverage Apple’s Bootcamp application. This utility helps users prepare any Mac computer to run Windows instead of — or as a switchable option to — its built-in OS, allowing access to most Windows applications and capabilities.
This requires a separate Windows 10 license purchase, though it’s possible to run other operating systems, like Linux, on Bootcamp as well. (Windows machines can also boot Linux and other third-party operating systems, but MacOS cannot be licensed for use on non-Apple hardware.) Macs can even run Windows at the same time as MacOS through virtualization tools like Parallels or VMWare, offering even more flexibility for those who like the way MacOS operates but need access to some specific Windows software.
Better together

MacOS computers work in parallel with Apple’s mobile products, like the iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch. Users who go all-in on Apple hardware for both desktop and mobile enjoy a unified design language, tools like Siri and Apple Pay that work with both devices, and cross-functionality through an Apple account for apps like iMessage. Apple’s Continuity function is perhaps the most exciting example of how well PC and mobile are integrated, with the ability to pick up where you left off in a document on any device and take phone calls and answer texts on your Mac.
Owners of the Apple Watch can even log in to the latest version of MacOS without a password. This synergistic approach simply doesn’t exist to nearly the same extent on Windows, although Microsoft is pushing Windows back into the mobile space with Android and incorporating some Windows 10 X features into Windows 11. While it’s technically possible to acquire many similar features on Windows with third-party tools, it’s much more difficult than using MacOS.
Limited options
Photos by Riley Young
Apple only offers a few product lines running MacOS, and that’s a problem for many. The hardware (especially storage) is often expensive yet not always up-to-date, and it may not fit your needs. There is no 17-inch MacBook, for example, and Macs don’t offer a touchscreen in any form save for the miniature Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro. In fact, unless you want to add a keyboard to your iPad, the 2-in-1 isn’t a thing at all in the MacOS world, leaving behind anyone who’d rather carry just one device compared to lugging around a notebook and a separate tablet.
Apple does have some high-end solutions, though, if you need real power. They’re expensive, but the likes of the iMac and iMac Pro are some of the most capable workstation desktops and all-in-ones in the world.
Apple’s desire to trend-set when it comes to style can often leave users with limited options elsewhere, too. It has been several years since Apple effectively ditched anything but USB-C Thunderbolt connectors, in some cases limiting devices to just one or two ports. That means using an adapter if you want to plug in legacy or multiple devices and accessories at once, especially if you’re charging at the same time.
Is MacOS for you?
Dan Baker/Digital Trends
Mac computers and MacOS are for users who want a premium, fine-tuned, maintenance-free desktop experience. Apple’s top-to-bottom philosophy makes its software relatively accessible to newcomers. It’s also a great pick for people who are dedicated to Apple’s mobile products.
However, Mac systems are expensive and often don’t offer hardware on par with Windows alternatives. The OS also lacks certain features that can be found on Windows, like touch support. You’ll need to commit yourself to USB-C or grab a few adapters if you’re interested in Apple’s MacBook line.
Read our coverage of MacOS Catalina
Chrome OS
Google’s approach to the world of desktop-class hardware is an interesting one. Chrome OS was originally designed as an OS that mostly relied on constant access to the internet — which made sense because it was designed as an extension of the Chrome desktop browser. Chrome hardware — usually called a “Chromebook” for laptops and sometimes a “Chromebox” for desktop designs — was intended for users who rely primarily on the web and only occasionally use more complex desktop software.
Today, Chrome OS feels more like an OS than a bloated browser. It packs an integrated file manager, a messaging app for sending and receiving texts via a linked Android phone (think iMessages), and more. It also supports both Google Play Android apps and Linux-based software. Users essentially get three platforms in one at a lower cost than a Windows PC or Mac.
It’s a web world
Riley Young / Digital Trends
Because Chrome OS revolves around a web browser, it’s the least complex of the three major operating systems. Calling it a “browser in a box” isn’t the whole story, but it’s a good way to think about it. Though Chrome OS includes some basic desktop tools like a file manager and a photo viewer, its primary focus is content on the web. Android app compatibility does expand its capabilities significantly, but not all the apps scale well with a laptop or desktop display.
The interface is designed to get users to the web quickly and easily and to present as few barriers to internet content as possible. Anyone who uses the Chrome browser on a Windows or MacOS machine will be instantly comfortable with the interface, and all their saved history, bookmarks, and extensions will sync over.
Chrome devices excel at web browsing, streaming video and music, chatting and video conferencing, and other relatively simple web tasks. It can do anything that the Chrome browser on a desktop can do, including advanced Flash and Java applications. Chrome extensions and apps can change the interface and add extra functionality to a certain degree, but they lack the fine controls and more advanced “power user” options of Windows and MacOS.
That’s where Android app compatibility comes in, providing millions of new app options that greatly expand the Chrome OS experience. Support for Linux desktop programs, currently still in beta, builds on the Chrome OS ecosystem for users who prefer more powerful, traditional software over mobile and web-based applications.
Since Google designed the system to rely on Chrome, it’s understandably reliant on Google tools, to a greater degree than Windows relies on Microsoft software and MacOS relies on Apple software. That’s either a good or a bad thing, depending on how completely a user has bought into Google properties.
If you already use Gmail, Sheets, Drive, and other Google services, Chrome OS is a fantastic platform for better integrating those tools with your everyday tasks.
Cheap and easy

The focus on the web gives Chrome OS some dramatic advantages over Windows and MacOS. It can run comfortably on very low-power, inexpensive hardware. Laptops with cheap processors, tiny solid-state drives, and very little RAM can run Chrome OS easily, all with expansive storage in the cloud. Sometimes, these inexpensive designs run faster and more reliably than Windows and MacOS, even when the latter is used primarily for a browser anyway.
If you want the best Android app experience, particularly gaming, then you’ll want a fast processor, but you’re much less reliant on high-end components for a usable experience. Options for high-end Chromebooks are more expansive than they’ve ever been, even if they aren’t the focus of the range. The Pixelbook leads the way, but there are plenty of other great Chromebooks to choose from.
Whether you go high- or low-end, if you aren’t running intensive applications, Chrome OS is essentially the same experience on every single Chromebook and Chromebox. It doesn’t suffer from the “bloatware” problem that Windows has, even though Chrome OS devices are sold by third-party manufacturers like Dell, Samsung, and Toshiba. And the administration of such devices is easier, making Chrome OS popular in educational environments.
The combination of this all-in-one approach and low-power requirements means that Chromebooks can be extremely inexpensive, sometimes even less than $200. More expensive models offer high-resolution screens, backlit keyboards, fold-back touchscreens, and other fancy features, including the top-of-the-line Pixelbook 2-in-1 sold by Google itself, complete with touch and pen support.
Is Chrome OS for you?
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Chrome OS originally offered virtually no compatibility with external software. Google is changing that dynamic by supporting mobile Android apps and traditional Linux-based software. Chromebooks won’t work with advanced accessories like USB monitors or complex gaming hardware — Google simply doesn’t provide the drivers. It can handle basic keyboards, mice, USB drives, and Bluetooth add-ons, but that’s about it.
Meanwhile, gaming on Chrome OS is one of the most meaningful beneficiaries of Android and Linux support. While you won’t be running the massive gaming titles available for Windows, and to a much lesser extent MacOS, there are at least hundreds of thousands of Android games that should run fairly well on newer Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. That’s a significant improvement over the early days of Chrome OS when gaming took a real back seat.
On the Linux front, you can install Steam along with any game you purchase that offers a Linux-based version. However, given that most Chromebooks offer lower-end specifications, storage, and GPU processing will be the limiting factor. Google’s own Stadia streaming service and Nvidia’s GeForce Now offer ways to play your favorites without those software and hardware limitations.
In short, Chrome OS is almost all web, all the time. If you’re a Windows or Mac user and you often find that the only app you’re using is a browser, or you’re okay with the huge ecosystem of simpler Android apps, then it’s worthy of consideration. But the almost complete lack of the most advanced third-party software is a deal-breaker for anyone who relies on a computer for more complex tasks.
If you conduct the vast majority of your business online, you’ll find Chrome OS incredibly appealing. Compared to competitors, it’s budget-friendly, easy to use, and designed with durability in mind. While it’s an excellent choice for students, it might fall short for users who need software to handle more complex tasks.
Verdict: Windows is the best all-rounder, at a price
Overall, Windows 10 delivers practical user design, competitive pricing, and the broadest hardware selection, making it the best all-around platform for most users. If you’re not entirely sure about what features you’ll need from your operating system, you can bet that Windows has everything you need. Windows 11 will shake things up in the future too, potentially bringing some of the aesthetic qualities and fluid animations of MacOS to the Windows experience.
Students, folks on a limited budget, and loyal Google users can’t go wrong with Chrome OS. Generally speaking, MacOS tends to be the best option for professionals who are comfortable paying extra for optimized hardware and software.

Editors’ Recommendations

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Finest low cost Chromebook offers for August 2021

Nifty Nev
Chromebooks, Computing, Deals, Evergreen Deals, Laptops |

Chromebooks are young compared to Windows laptops and Macbooks, having quietly come onto the scene barely more than a decade ago. But it was only recently (and last year especially) that these machines really started to make a noticeable splash — almost entirely owing to their affordability and cloud-based Chrome operating system that’s purpose-built for online work and study. You’ve got a lot of options to choose from today, too. To help make that choice a little easier, we’ve rounded up all the best cheap Chromebook deals of the week with bargains to suit every need and budget, followed by a list of a few of our favorite models:
Today’s best Chromebook deals

HP 14 Chromebook (Intel Celeron CPU, 4GB RAM, 32GB eMMC)
— $159, was $195

Lenovo Chromebook S330 (Mediatek CPU, 4GB RAM, 32GB SSD)
— $159, was $239

Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 13-Inch 2-in-1 (Core i3 CPU, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD)
— $350, was $700

Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5 2-in-1 (13 inches, Core i3 CPU, 4GB RAM, 64GB)
— $377, was $430

Acer Chromebook 2021 (Intel Celeron, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC)
— $379, was $499

Google Pixelbook Go (Intel Core m3, 8GB RAM, 64GB SSD)
— $623, was $649

Samsung Galaxy 13.3-inch 4K 2-in-1 Chromebook
— $745, was $1,000

Lenovo Chromebook S330

Lenovo is putting out some of the best Chromebooks on the market today, but its high-end offerings naturally don’t come cheap. For a super-affordable alternative to laptops like the Yoga, consider Lenovo’s Chromebook S330. This 14-inch computer runs on a quad-core CPU and 4GB of RAM – snappy enough for work tasks like web browsing and word processing. It also comes with 32GB of flash storage for files and apps. Since Chrome OS is largely cloud-based, you don’t need too much space to handle your basic needs.
It may not replace your full-featured Windows, Mac, or Chrome OS laptops, but for such little money, it’s hard to find this much laptop.
Acer Chromebook 15
Mark Coppock/Digital Trends
Compact laptops are handy for travel, but for hours of regular use and work, a full-sized computer like Acer’s excellent Chromebook 15 might be a better option. This Chrome OS laptop features a quad-core Intel Pentium N4200 CPU, 4GB of DDR4 RAM, and 32GB of storage for handling basic tasks. But the highlight of this model is its 15.6-inch HD touch display, which gives you a lot more screen real estate to work with.
It’s still fairly sleek and lightweight, though, and its internal battery provides up to 12 hours of juice, giving you more than enough for a day’s worth of work and entertainment.
Samsung Chromebook 4+

The Samsung Chromebook 4+ is another 15-inch Chromebook, but it’s one of our favorites. It sports a sleek look, featuring a silver chassis and thin bezels, despite being just 3.75 pounds. Like many Chromebooks, it comes with just 4GB of RAM and an Intel Celeron processor, but if your computing tasks are relatively simple, you’ll find plenty of performance here under the hood. The Samsung Chromebook 4+ also comes with two USB-C ports, a full-size keyboard, and up to 10.5 hours of battery life.
Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook

If you’re looking for a solid 2-in-1 Chromebook, look no further than the Lenovo Flex 5. For an affordable price, the Flex 5 Chromebook includes great with its 10th-gen Core i3 processor, a crisp 1080p touchscreen, and excellent battery life. And, unlike some of the cheaper Chromebooks, the Flex 5 features fantastic build quality and refreshingly simple design. The sleek design, 13-inch size, and 2-in-1 versatility rival laptops that cost twice as much. It even utilizes a proper SSD, which is pretty rare to see on a Chromebook.
Deals are scarce right now for this solid mid-range 2-in-1 Chromebook, so if you see one on our list, jump on it before it’s gone.
Lenovo IdeaPad Duet

The Lenovo IdeaPad Duet currently ranks as the best 2-in-1 Chromebook you can buy (by our measuring, anyway). The cheaper model, which runs for around $250 when on sale, comes with a MediaTek processor, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. That might not sound like a lot, but for a 10-inch Chromebook, it’s plenty of muscle to get you by.
Like the Surface Book 2, the IdeaPad Duet is actually 10.1-inch tablet that can completely separate from the keyboard case. It functions as well as a tablet as it does a clamshell notebook. This design makes it a great option for college students or workers on the go. It’s a little bit more on the small side for a laptop, but with such a great design, you definitely get your money’s worth.
Google Pixelbook Go
Riley Young / Digital Trends
Given that Google pioneered the Chrome operating system, it’s only fitting that the company’s own Chromebooks are among the best that money can buy, so we’ve saved this one for last. The Google Pixelbook Go has the look and feel of a high-end Chrome OS laptop with a super-slim and attractive design, great build quality, a beautiful high-resolution display, and fast performance under daily workloads. In a word: It’s the Chromebook laptop that most people should buy.
It lacks some amenities like a 2-in-1 design with a fold-flat touchscreen, but if you’re willing to forego those amenities for a solid, no-frills Chromebook, then the Pixelbook Go is arguably a better choice than most Chromebooks thanks to its PC-level hardware which includes newer Intel Core CPUs and full 8GB-16GB of RAM. All of these features would normally run you around $650 for the entry-level model, but you’ll find it at discount from time to time that makes the Pixelbook Go an even better value.
Looking for more great stuff? Find laptop deals, MacBook deals, and iPad deals on our curated deals page.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

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The way to use Dwell Textual content in MacOS Monterey

Nifty Nev
Apple, Computing, live text, Mac, MacOS, MacOS Monterey |

At WWDC in June 2021, Apple announced a neat new feature in MacOS Monterey called Live Text. This allows you to highlight text in any photo and use it in a huge number of ways. You can copy and paste the text, translate it, look it up, or search for it. If the text includes actionable info like an email address or a phone number, MacOS is smart enough to recognize it and suggest appropriate tasks to you, such as adding it to your contacts or starting a call.
As you can imagine, this is a pretty powerful addition to MacOS and opens up a lot of avenues for new workflows when you use your Mac. To help you get the most from Live Text, we’ve put together a guide on all the clever things it can do and the ways it can improve your Mac usage. Follow along to learn how to put Live Text to use in MacOS Monterey.
Highlight text, copy it, and more

Open an app like Photos or Safari and find a picture with text in it. Hover your mouse over the text, and the pointer will turn into a text cursor. Click and drag to highlight some text. Now, right-click the text, and you will get a set of options: Look up a definition of the word or phrase, translate it, search for it with your default search engine, copy it, share it, or use the Services menu to perform extra tasks with it.
Alternatively, you can copy the highlighted text by simply pressing Command + C. Then, just go to another app, such as a Pages document, and paste the text with Command + V.
Click and drag

If you prefer to move the highlighted text by clicking and dragging, you can do that, too. Highlight the text, then click and hold. You will be able to drag it onto another document or folder, where you can drop it in place.
While you are holding the text, press Command + Tab to switch to another app that is out of view, then drop it in place. This also works if you press the Mission Control button, which even lets you drop it onto a different desktop.
Add events to your calendar or reminders

Quick Look is smart enough to recognize the type of text you are highlighting. If you highlight a date and right-click it, you will see options to Create Event and Create Reminder. Click the first one to add a new event for this date to your calendar. You can insert details like a name, location, and duration, then click Add to Calendar to finish.
The situation is similar if you click Create Reminder. This will add a task to Apple’s Reminders app, and you can add a name, time, choose which reminders list it’s added to, and more.
Finally, there is an option to Show This Date in Calendar in the right-click menu when you highlight a date. Clicking this simply opens the Calendar app on the date in question, where you can add an event if you like.
Contact people

As with calendar data, Live Text can recognize email addresses and phone numbers, then suggest appropriate actions based on them. For instance, if Live Text detects an email address, a dotted box appears around the address. Right-click it, or click the Drop-Down Arrow, and you get options to compose a new email to that address, add it to your contacts, or start a FaceTime or FaceTime Audio call.
A similar thing happens with phone numbers, with the information highlighted in a dotted box when you hover over it. Right-click for a range of options, including adding the number to your contacts, starting a call with FaceTime or your iPhone, or sending a message. There is also an option for Large Type. This displays the number in large letters on your screen, which is useful if you find the default text a little too small.
Live Text in Quick Look

Quick Look gives you a preview of files without having to open them, and it also works with Live Text. Locate a file containing text in Finder and click it once, then press the Space Bar to open a Quick Look preview. Here, you can highlight text and right-click it as in previous steps.

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Future MacBooks may substitute this integral element with a touchscreen

Nifty Nev
Apple, Computing, MacBook, News, patent |

Some patent applications from Apple seem a bit on the crazy side and some are a little more grounded. Recently, Apple was granted a patent for a dual-screen MacBook that would replace the built-in keyboard with a virtual one like on the iPad. It would also gain the ability to wirelessly charge an iPhone.
Apple first submitted the patent for an “integrated interface system” three years ago, and we were skeptical that a dual-screen MacBook would even work. However, the company has finally been granted the patent, so we’ll have to see what it does with it.

The primary goal of the dual-screen is to provide the flexibility to change the interface as needed. For example, there could be multiple keyboard configurations to reflect different languages or region-specific layouts. The position and size of the keyboard could be changed depending on user preferences. It’s all very similar to what the current iPad virtual keyboard is capable of.
Apple doesn’t stop at keyboard configurations, though. One of the figures show the ability to interact with external objects such as a joystick for gaming or 3D modeling applications. Apple also envisions several biometric sensors such as Touch ID being integrated into the screen.
One feature that might perk up the ears of the Apple faithful is the inclusion of a wireless charging area for the iPhone or any other smartphone (assuming it’s using the Qi standard). This would make it much more convenient than purchasing a separate wireless charger, as well as reduce desk clutter.

Obviously, a dual-screened device is not a new concept. Lenovo in 2018 released the Yoga Book C930, which featured a unique e-ink screen. The company followed that up with the Thinkpad X1 Fold, a laptop with no physical keyboard at all, but with an actual folding screen. Of course, we can’t talk about dual-screen laptops without mentioning Microsoft’s delayed Surface Neo and Windows 10X.
There have been calls for Apple to put a touchscreen on Macs for a while, but probably more so once the company starting putting its own ARM silicon into its laptops and desktops. The M1 chip is able to run iOS apps natively on a Mac, so it makes sense to add touchscreen support. However, we’ve written before that Apple will probably never make a touchscreen Mac, and Steve Jobs was notoriously against the idea altogether because of the ergonomics.
This newly granted patent gets around this ergonomic problem by allowing Apple to simply modify the displays however it wants. According to the patent itself: “… transparent dielectric material may form a continuous or seamless input surface that may improve the look and feel of the device without having the drawbacks of some traditional device constructions.”
These “drawbacks” simply mean that Apple doesn’t have to physically alter the keyboard or create new MacBook designs in order to change the look and feel. Everything can simply be done through the software. This would save Apple a lot of time and money in hardware design and could be Apple’s ultimate vision of combining the Mac and iPad into one device.
Regardless of  which patent items ultimately get implemented, they hopefully won’t end up as unpopular as the Touch Bar.

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Finest low cost wi-fi keyboard offers for August 2021

Nifty Nev
Commerce 2020, Computing, Deals, Evergreen Deals, SAH, WFH, wireless keyboards |

If you use a computer, be it a laptop or desktop PC, then you’re not gonna get much done without a keyboard. That said, a lot of laptops don’t come with the best built-in keyboards and most desktops use wired ones. A better alternative to both of these is to upgrade to a good wireless keyboard. You don’t have to pay that much to get a good one, either, and better yet, our roundup of this month’s best cheap wireless keyboard deals is your chance to score one for even less.
These discounts feature some keyboard bundles with mice included, but if you need to buy of those separately or need some other stuff to outfit your workstation, check out these wireless mouse deals, headphone deals, and monitor deals, too.
Today’s Best Wireless Keyboard Deals

A beginner’s guide to wireless keyboards
Paired with a desktop monitor and a wireless mouse, a wireless keyboard can turn any laptop into the ultimate home workstation. The type of keyboard you opt for will depend entirely on your needs. If you’re after something to get some work done during the day before kicking back in the evening to battle to the end in Fortnite, you’ll probably want something a little more high-end with mechanical switches. These result in a faster response — less time between you clicking the button and the character on the screen executing the action. Many popular gaming keyboards feature this design.
Now, what about us mere mortals who are just after a keyboard to get down to business? There are a couple of different options. Something cheap will almost always do the trick, offering the wire-free typing experience that so many of us crave. Increase your budget a little bit and you’ll get near-enough to the same hardware, but the keys won’t be as loud and loose. Pivot to the top-end and you’ll take home a keyboard with some resistance. These deliver the most satisfying typing feedback as you have to press with at least an ounce of force to make the word you’re thinking of appear on the screen.
More Home Office

Plus, there are a couple of unique characteristics that wireless keyboards can have. Some are collapsible, meaning they fold in half for easy transportation. We recommend staying as far away from these as can be. Unless you’re parting with an awful lot of cash, they’re often poorly made, and rattle around as you type. In a more positive light, some wireless keyboards come with a built-in numeric keypad (we aren’t kidding — they still exist!). These are particularly useful if you spend a large chunk of your day immersed in Microsoft Excel or some other software where numbers are all the rage.
Do wireless keyboards need to be charged?
That depends on the type of wireless keyboard you have. Some run on disposable batteries. These don’t need to be charged. Others run on solar power. These don’t need to be charged, instead requiring natural light to recharge (if your workstation is not in a place that gets a lot of natural light, though, then these are best avoided). The final type use rechargeable batteries, which — surprise, surprise — need to be recharged. This can usually be done using a USB cable and typically recharging doesn’t see them out of action. They just won’t be wireless, so to speak, while they’re hooked up to a power source.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

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Finest low-cost Microsoft Floor Laptop computer offers for August 2021

Nifty Nev
best cheap Microsoft Surface deals, commerce 2021, Computing, Deals, Microsoft 2021, microsoft surface deals, Microsoft Surface sales |

Are you on the hunt for some Microsoft Surface Laptop deals? Microsoft’s excellent featherweight Surface Laptop notebook computers come in many configurations and price brackets today, and as mentioned in our Microsoft Surface Laptop 4 review, Surface Laptops boast a reputation for solid build quality, durability, great designs, and excellent all-day battery life. So whether you’re looking for a remote workstation, a quality lightweight computer to use at home or school, or even a portable machine you can do a little gaming on, we’ve combed the web to make it easier for you to find the best Microsoft Surface Laptop deals available today.
Best Microsoft Surface Laptop deals

Microsoft Surface Pro vs. Surface Laptop
If you’re torn between purchasing a Microsoft Surface Laptop and a Microsoft Surface Pro 2-in-1 tablet, look to your applications. The Surface Laptop and Surface Pro are each available with a range of options including CPUs, memory, storage, and, in the case of the Surface Laptop, display sizes. Both machines are solidly built despite their thin cases and light weights. As high-end computing devices, the Microsoft Surface alternatives include impressive design characteristics as well as functional competency.
The greatest differences between the Microsoft Surface Laptop and the Surface Pro are due to their respective designs. The Surface Laptop is indeed a laptop computer and as such the focus is on providing everything travelers and homebodies alike need for computing. The Surface Pro, on the other hand, is best considered a premium tablet with scads of power but a primary focus on portability. As our reviewer wrote in the Microsoft Surface Pro X review, the Pro X is “Absurdly thin and light.” The Pro X functions as a standalone tablet and also works with a pen, the Microsoft Surface Slim Pen. There’s also a combination keyboard and cover called a Type Cover. Unfortunately, the Type Cover and Slim Pen are not standard with all Surface Pro X models. You can buy both input devices separately or bundled with a Surface Pro X, but the designed-in independence from keyboards and external pointing devices underscores the Surface Pro X’s essential tablet identity.
One easy way to choose between the two Microsoft Surface models is to consider which format you are currently using or which you are most comfortable with. If you’re a laptop veteran, especially if you rarely use a touch screen even if you have one, you might find it awkward, at least at first, to use a machine rooted in tablet design. If, on the other hand, you already prefer to use tablets over conventional laptops, and all else being equal, lean toward a Microsoft Surface Pro for your next machine.
Best Microsoft Surface Laptop alternatives
If you’re not inclined to buy a Microsoft hardware product, there are a number of top-rated Microsoft Surface Laptop alternatives. The first model that most will think of is the always-excellent Dell XPS thin and light notebook. In the original Dell XPS 15 review, we said “the XPS 15 is the PC every laptop wishes it could be.” That was three years ago and the XPS 15 and larger XPS 17 have only gotten better.
Look to the HP Envy laptop for another high-performance lightweight laptop. In the HP Envy 15 review, we said it “delivers top-notch performance at a dazzling price.” Battery life and an expansive stood out in the LG Gram 16 Review, which we called “almost unbelievably light.”
If you’re looking for value in a lightweight portable, consider the Asus ZenBook. In the Asus ZenBook 13 US333FA review we referred to it as “all the laptop you’ll need.”
Apple fans who like what they see in the Microsoft Surface Laptop but don’t want to leave the Apple fold should check out the MacBook Air. The Apple MacBook Air M1 review summarized it a “fast, fanless, and fantastic.”
So, you can also check out the best cheap laptop deals we track regularly to find additional alternative choices to the Microsoft Surface Laptop.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

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SpaceX reaches 100K Starlink prospects. Right here’s how to enroll

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broadband, Computing, Elon Musk, Internet, Mobile, News, space, SpaceX, Starlink, Web |

SpaceX has now shipped 100,000 Starlink terminals to customers who’ve signed up for the company’s internet-from-space service.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk dropped the news in a tweet on Monday, August 23. It means the company has added 90,000 new customers to its beta service in just six months. The company opened Starlink to its first paying customers in October 2020 and it now serves 12 countries, with more on the way.
Starlink uses a constellation of small satellites in low-Earth orbit to beam down broadband connectivity to customers on the ground using a Starlink dish.
SpaceX has been sending Starlink satellites into orbit since May 2019 and currently has more than 1,700 of them circling Earth.
The goal is to blanket the planet with affordable and reliable broadband connectivity, with a particular focus on communities in remote areas that have little or no access to decent internet services.
Starlink says current download speeds via its service should be around 100 Mbps, though reports online suggest they can be anywhere between 60 Mbps and 150 Mbps.
How to sign up to Starlink
First, you’ll need to find out if Starlink’s beta service is available your area. To do so, simply head to its website and fill in your details. If it’s accessible, you’ll be invited to sign up.
Customers in the U.S. will need to pay $499 for the necessary hardware, and then $99 a month for the internet service. Shipping and handling costs $50, with tax coming in at about $33. You can get the ball rolling by handing over a $99 deposit, and you’ll receive a notification when your order is ready to ship. Note the small print at the bottom of the page: “Depending on location, some orders may take six months or more to fulfill.”
SpaceX isn’t the only company working to provide internet connectivity via Earth-orbiting satellites. U.K.-based OneWeb is also building a constellation, with its most recent batch of satellites heading skyward just a few days ago. With 288 satellites in orbit and more on the way, OneWeb is planning to launch a trial broadband service in Alaska and Canada by the end of this year, with more locations coming in 2022. Amazon has also outlined plans for its Project Kuiper service that could comprise a constellation of some 3,200 satellites, though the company has yet perform any launches.

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inform in case your GPU is dying

Nifty Nev
Computing, GPU, GPU failure, GPU problems, graphics card, issue |

How do you know when your GPU is dying versus all the other components in your PC? Obviously, graphical and visual problems on your monitor are one sign, but there are a number of clues that point toward an imminent GPU disaster. Let’s take a look at the most common signs of coming failure and why the GPU may be responsible.
When it is time to finally say goodbye and find a replacement, you may find our guide on installing a graphics card useful.
Stuttering and visual glitches

First things first: Problems like stuttering, aliasing, inability to render objects, tearing, and similar problems can have many sources. Causes like incompatible games, internet connection issues, and monitor failures can all lead to such visual glitches. However, if these glitches are happening across a variety of media and you tried to address other possibilities, it could be a sign that your graphics card is failing.
This is particularly true if the glitches always show up during particular demanding, detailed content. You may want to raise and lower settings like resolution, texture quality, and lighting effects to see if the GPU always starts failing at a particular level. If these issues get worse over time, even at lower graphics levels, the GPU is probably ready to give it up.
Recurring monitor artifacts
Via: EA.com
A digital artifact is a weird problem your monitor encounters when it tries to display visual data. That could be a block or band of color that won’t go away, an annoying overlay of lines, or another problem that indicates the visual data has been corrupted in some way. It may lead to crashes or other problems.
Artifacts are often resolved by rebooting your PC. However, if they keep recurring or always occur at a specific time (such as after playing a game for 10 minutes), it could be a sign that your GPU is starting to fail, and it’s time to look at what may be wrong with your graphics card.
PC crashes and trouble rebooting

Watch carefully for when your PC is crashing. Does it regularly crash when you boot up a favorite game? Can you never make it through a 4K movie on your PC without it crashing? If you get a blue screen during visually demanding tasks, your GPU may be ready for a replacement. Another potential sign is trouble immediately rebooting afterward, as your GPU is still struggling or potentially waiting to cool down. That brings us to another common sign…
Your GPU is regularly overheating
Via: Asus.com
If you have performance monitoring software or a more advanced EUFI interface, you should be able to check on the temperature of your GPU (not to be confused with the temperature of other components like your CPU) to see if it’s having serious problems.
GPUs are tough: They’re designed to handle high temperatures, and the maximum recommended temperature on a graphics card can go up to 200 degrees Fahrenheit or beyond, depending on the manufacturer. However, if your GPU is regularly going above around 175 degrees Fahrenheit (and staying there) no matter what you’re doing on your PC, it may be ready to give up soon.
GPU fan problems
Via: Flickr/Nvidia Corp
If your GPU has a dedicated fan, it’s also a good idea to watch for suspicious fan performance. The cooling system could be keeping an overheating GPU in working order, but it will suffer for it if the GPU has started to fail. Listen for GPU fans that suddenly get noisy or are always shifting into overdrive even when you aren’t gaming, etc. The total absence of fan noise could also indicate that an overworked fan has failed and the graphics card isn’t far behind.
This is true to a lesser extent of general PC fans, although a number of components could be overheating in this case … which means it’s time for broader troubleshooting.
Your PC is providing error codes during startup

Finally, motherboards may be able to display error codes or sound beep codes to indicate if something is wrong. You may find these codes useful if you are still in the process of building your PC or are cleaning out your PC and connecting a new graphics card to the system. Beep codes, in particular, can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, so you will have to look up the unique beep code list if you want to learn more.
Dell, for example, uses a 3 — 3 — 4 beep pattern to indicate a video memory test failure, which could indicate a GPU problem. IBM uses one long beep and two to three short beeps to indicate video errors that mean graphics card issues, and so on. Learning error codes like these can help you quickly identify if there’s a problem with the GPU during startup.
Final notes on GPU problems
It’s a good idea to troubleshoot your GPU before giving up on it entirely. Problems with dust inside your PC or poor connections can create frequent GPU issues, but they don’t necessarily mean that your GPU is failing. Clean out your PC, check all graphics card connections, and look for any alternative problems with damage or failure on other components, too! When you are ready to replace that GPU, check out our guide to the best graphics cards currently on the market.

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Greatest low cost Adobe Photoshop offers for August 2021

Nifty Nev
adobe creative cloud, adobe photoshop, Commerce 2020, Computing, Deals, Evergreen Deals, photoshop, SAH |

When it comes to graphic design software, nothing comes close to Photoshop. Adobe’s design suite has been the go-to digital toolbox of professionals and hobbyists alike for decades now, but since it’s paid software, you want to make sure you know what you’re buying and that you’re actually getting your money’s worth. We can help: Below, we’ve rounded up all the best Adobe Photoshop deals currently available, followed by a quick run-down of the different packages to choose from.
Best Adobe Photoshop deals

A beginner’s guide to Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Photoshop has been around for decades and has evolved a lot during that time. The popular, full-featured Photoshop program that most of us think of when we think of this software is now part of the Creative Cloud suite, which is a larger bundle of Adobe programs designed for professionals. That said, you can still get Photoshop by itself if you wish, or Photoshop with some other Creative Cloud apps, without paying for the whole bundle (although although at about $20 per month for Photoshop alone, buying one of the above Photoshop bundle deals is a much better value overall). Just bear in mind that these programs, including the standard Photoshop app, are subscription-based.
For those after something a bit more pared-down, however, as well as for casual users who don’t want to be tied to a monthly or yearly payment plan, there is Adobe Photoshop Elements. Originally released with Adobe Photoshop 6, Photoshop Elements is a simpler software suite that’s more geared toward photo editing and simple graphic design tasks rather than for serious professional work. It’s naturally cheaper and it doesn’t follow a subscription-based payment model. Like pretty much all Adobe software, both Adobe Photoshop Elements 2021 and the Creative Cloud software packages are available for both Windows and Mac.
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe Creative Cloud is a suite of multiple editing apps — think something akin to Microsoft Office, except even more expansive — that contains the full-featured Adobe Photoshop graphic design program along with a bundle of other software. The full Creative Cloud umbrella covers apps like Lightroom, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, and Premiere, to name only a few of the most popular, and follows a subscription-based structure where you pay a monthly or yearly fee (a yearly plan is arguably the best way to score an Adobe Photoshop deal here). There are different plans available as well, so you don’t necessarily have to pay for the whole thing if you don’t need it. Adobe Creative Cloud is premium software with a price tag to match, but it contains the full-featured version of Photoshop and is far and away the best choice for professionals and other serious users. One of the above Photoshop deals may also help you save some money on it, too.
Adobe Photoshop Elements 2021
Released last year, the latest 2021 revision of Adobe Photoshop Elements succeeded the 2020 version (which itself succeeded Photoshop LE) as Adobe’s entry-level raster graphics editor and is the best choice for amateur and casual users. The standard Photoshop Elements 2021 package is more focused on photography and photo editing than on 2D graphic design, making it less useful than Creative Cloud (which features the standard full-featured Photoshop program) for professional use. Nonetheless, it’s a great pick for hobbyists and general users, especially when you consider that it’s considerably cheaper than Adobe Creative Cloud and doesn’t tether you to a monthly or yearly payment plan.
Is Adobe Photoshop a subscription?
Adobe Photoshop Elements is a one-time purchase, so when you buy it, you own that license for life with no subscription fees. The more full-featured and professional-grade Adobe Creative Cloud apps and bundles, on the other hand, are subscription-based (not unlike Microsoft’s Office 365 suite), but you don’t have to pay for the whole thing to get Photoshop. Packages like the Creative Cloud Photography Plan, which bundles Photoshop with Lightroom, represent some cheaper options for those who only need particular apps. Also, a good way to score an Adobe Photoshop deal on these subscription-based plans is to look for discounts on a yearly license paid in advance rather than month to month.
Does Adobe Photoshop work on Chromebook?
As of now, Adobe Photoshop and other Creative Cloud apps are only available for Windows and MacOS. However, those of you who work on a Chromebook aren’t without some options: Chrome OS users can download Photoshop Express, the mobile version of Photoshop which works on a Chromebook thanks to the operating system’s compatibility with Android apps. Chrome OS also allows for remote desktop control, meaning you can use your Chromebook to remotely access a PC or Mac that’s running Adobe Photoshop and use it that way.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.

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