Category: Technologies

Load up your silenced PP7s and prime those remote mines: GoldenEye 007 is available on the Nintendo Switch Online and Xbox Game Pass subscription services this Friday, Jan. 27. The beloved James Bond first-person shooter originally hit the N64 in 1997, and this is the game’s first rerelease since then.

Online multiplayer is exclusive to the Switch release, the official 007 website noted, but this version will otherwise be the same as the N64 original. It’s unclear if you’ll be able to use twin-stick controls — the N64 controller only had one stick, but the Switch offers two and the original game allowed you to do by using two controllers (gaming was weird in the ’90s).

You’ll need to be subscribed to Switch Online’s $50-a-year Expansion Pack tier to access GoldenEye and other N64 games.

The Game Pass version (playable on Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S) includes “alternative control options, achievements to unlock and native 16:9 resolution up to 4K Ultra HD,” Craig Duncan, head of Microsoft-owned developer Rare, said in a blog post Wednesday. So it offers more modern bells and whistles than the Switch release, but lacks online multiplayer (you’ll still have local splitscreen).

A subscription costs $10 a month, though people who own a digital copy of Rare Replay, the 30-game compilation of classics that came out in 2015, can also get access to GoldenEye for free. It isn’t available to purchase separately.

GoldenEye’s return was revealed in a Nintendo Direct livestream last September.

As a licensed tie-in to the 1995 movie that introduced actor Pierce Brosnan as the legendary British agent, the game won critical acclaim for its fun single-player campaign and epic split-screen competitive multiplayer. It became the N64’s third bestselling title, with 8.09 million units sold — it was only topped by Super Mario 64 and Mario Kart 64, which sold 11.91 million and 9.87 million copies, respectively.

Rare also developed GoldenEye followup Perfect Dark for the N64 in 2000, before Microsoft acquired the company in 2002.

Fans have been expecting a remaster for Microsoft’s Xbox Series X and S to be revealed for months, since achievements for it have leaked multiple times. It was reportedly planned for release on Xbox 360 in the late 2010s, and an apparent extended gameplay video appeared in 2016. At the time, Xbox boss Phil Spencer said the game’s licensing rights complicated efforts to get it on the console. The versions coming on Friday don’t appear to be the remasters; the Switch release seems visually identical to the N64 one, while the Xbox release looks like an upscaled edition of the original.

“Great to see that GE007 is being made available again. I hope this means that a new generation will get to experience and enjoy the game,” David Doak, a developer whose face was famously used for in-game Bond ally Dr. Doak, tweeted after the announcement last September. “It was an absolute privilege to be part of the talented team that created it 25 years ago.”

He also tweeted a recent shot of him dressed like his in-game counterpart, and joked that players shouldn’t “come crying” to him if they have trouble unlocking the infamous Invincibility cheat. That’s one of the game’s most difficult challenges — you have to beat the Facility level in under 2 minutes, 5 seconds to get it.

Doak has spoken at length about the game’s development over the years, and tweeted a 1997 shot of the original development team on Wednesday.

Read more: GoldenEye at 20: We Raise a Martini to a Classic Game

This year marks the 70th anniversary of Bond’s first appearance, in author Ian Fleming’s novel Casino Royale. Last year was the 60th anniversary of the Bond movie franchise — with latest film No Time to Die now available to stream on Amazon Prime Video — but the series is in a state of flux as fans await the announcement of Daniel Craig’s successor in the role. Hitman developer IO Interactive is also working on its own Bond game.

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The fantasy movies on HBO Max don’t get enough attention. The streaming service hosts some of the biggest fantasy franchises in history, including the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy. You’ll also find a selection of charming Studio Ghibli films, comic book blockbusters from DC, and much more. Whether you’re looking for mainstream hits or cult classics, you’ll find them on this streaming service.

HBO Max: See subscription options

See at HBO Max

Warner Bros.

Shazam! (2019)

One of DC’s most underrated superhero films, Shazam follows the teenage Billy Batson as he stumbles into an adult body and supernatural powers like the the strength of Hercules, the power of Zeus and more. Despite being easy fodder for childish jokes, this movie has one of the more emotional through lines of DC’s recent slate. The sequel comes out in March, so now’s a great time to rewatch or catch up.

Paramount Pictures

Stardust (2007)

An underrated pure fantasy flick based on Neil Gaiman’s book of the same name, Stardust conjures up a sprinkle of magic to transport you to the magical kingdom of Stormhold. Tristan (Charlie Cox) meets a fallen star in the form of a young woman (Claire Danes), helping her survive those hunting her.

Warner Bros.

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore (2022)

If you’ve been keeping up with the Fantastic Beasts series, you’ve probably noticed a dip in quality since the first entry. Now we’re up to the third, with the notable absence of Johnny Depp as big bad Gellert Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen took over the role). Maybe you chose not to head to a theater to catch this instalment — now’s the chance to see it at home on HBO Max.

Nightmare Alley (2021)

A Guillermo Del Toro tale with handsome production values, Nightmare Alley dabbles in the director’s dark fantasy preoccupations. Bradley Cooper stars as a carnival worker who rises up the ranks — at a dangerous cost. It never detonates full-blown fantasy, but the carnival setting, seances and and mysterious characters evoke a dark gothic magic.

Parisa Taghizadeh / Focus Features

Last Night in Soho (2021)

Shaun of the Dead director Edgar Wright dabbles in psychological horror, with several plunges into a young girl’s fantasy. Ellie (Thomasin McKenzie) is a young fashion student who travels to the Swinging Sixties at night. She observes the life of another young woman (Anya Taylor-Joy) aspiring to achieve her dreams. But Last Night in Soho is no Midnight in Paris — prepare for unsolved mysteries and a few ghoulish scares.

Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET

The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-2003)

The Lord of the Rings is a masterclass in adapting beloved books to screen and weaving multiple stories together into one cohesive narrative. All the fantasy tropes are here: elves, dwarves, wizards, orcs and more. But the Lord of the Rings elevates them to new heights with its sweeping cinematography, shockingly immersive costuming and powerful performances. To put it another way: This trilogy won 17 Academy Awards, including 11 wins on 11 nominations for Return of the King. If you’ve been holding out, now’s the time to watch, and if you’ve seen them before, there’s never a bad time for a rewatch — especially with Amazon’s Rings of Power series coming out in the fall.

Studio Ghibli

Spirited Away (2001)

This movie about transformation genuinely left me feeling transformed the first time I watched it. No other movie has affected me the way this one did. Arguably the best movie from a director responsible for many excellent movies, Spirited Away tells the story of Chihiro, a little girl who gets lost in a spirit world as her family moves across Japan. The animation is spectacular, and director Hayao Miyazaki’s careful pacing gives every character the perfect amount of time and space, delivering one of the most unique and compelling fantasy movies ever made.

Legendary Pictures

Godzilla (2014)

The 2014 reboot of the towering terror of Tokyo is underloved and underappreciated. No Godzilla movie before or since has done as much to sell the truly awesome scale of the monster. Yes, the movie takes a slow burn approach to revealing Godzilla, but the time it spends in the build-up makes the payoff that much sweeter. While some might not like the movie spending more time on the humans following Godzilla, those characters add emotional stakes to the carnage. You can also find the sequels King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong on HBO Max (along with the ’54 original), but this is Godzilla’s best showing.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

A classic fantasy movie, The Wizard of Oz follows Dorothy as she’s transported out of Kansas into a land of witches, wizards, living scarecrows and more. Judy Garland shines in her most iconic role as the lost-but-determined Dorothy. It’s a great early film for kids, who will enjoy the colorful characters and musical numbers, and adults might appreciate a glimpse into how movies were made 80 years ago.

Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET

Hellboy (2004)

Part superhero action movie, part World War II alternate history, part fantasy film about a demon child, Hellboy defies easy categorization. But director Guillermo del Toro weaves it all together into a dark and entertaining story about a man fighting against his apparent destiny. Hellboy is a cult classic because it treats its characters seriously while remembering that movies are meant to be entertaining, and Ron Pearlman wearing filed-down demon horns while being overprotective of cats is nothing if not entertaining.

Studio Ghibli/GKids

Princess Mononoke (1997)

Princess Mononoke will scar you. It’s a violent, tragic movie that deals with the devastation of the natural world in the wake of industrialization. It’s also the most visceral, harrowing movie Miyazaki ever made. Giant wolves, violent boars and wriggling parasitic demons all play vital roles in the story, which features more violence and bloodshed than anything else in the Ghibli collection. That’s part of what makes Mononoke so great — it feels distinct from all of Miyazaki’s other movies, thanks to its unflinching look at themes of fear, violence and fighting to protect the things that matter to us.

Studio Ghibli/GKids

The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)

Studio Ghibli is often synonymous with Miyazaki, but this film is proof the studio is perfectly capable of making good movies with other directors. An adaptation of Mary Norton’s book The Borrowers, Arrietty focuses on a young girl from a race of tiny humans who “borrow” things like tissue paper and cubes of sugar to survive. It’s a sweet little story about growing up, helping others and facing the uncertainty of the future.

Studio Ghibli/GKids

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Oh, you thought we were done with the Miyazaki movies? Any of them are worth a watch (Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle and Nausicaa are additional highlights), but Kiki’s Delivery Service holds a special place in my heart for how authentic it feels, even as a fantasy movie. Kiki is a bright, warm-hearted young witch, and as she ventures out on her own for the first time, she must learn to grapple with her powers, her feelings and her dreams all at once. It’s a powerful story, sometimes painful in how accurately it portrays Kiki’s struggles, but it’s an uplifting tale for kids and adults alike.

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If you aren’t up for the challenge of assembling the parts and then building your own gaming rig, a prebuilt system is a quicker and easier route to a new gaming PC. You can find some reasonably priced, off-the-shelf gaming desktops right now with Nvidia’s previous-generation GeForce 3000-series GPUs. There are even a few rigs with Nvidia’s next-gen RTX 4070 Ti, RTX 4080 and RTX 4090 GPUs that aren’t exorbitantly priced.

Check out the best gaming PC deals at Best Buy and Newegg on systems previous-gen — and still highly capable — RTX 3000-series GPUs as well as a handful of newer models with the latest RTX 4000-series graphics cards.

CNET Shopping discounts: get your dream desktop for the best price.

Read more: Best Graphics Card for Gamers and Creatives in 2023

Check back regularly; I’ll keep this list updated as current discounts expire and new deals emerge.

Best Buy

CyberPowerPC Gamer Master

RTX 4070 Ti graphics for $1,990

Although it’s not currently discounted, this CyberPower tower is one of the least expensive gaming PCs with Nvidia’s new GeForce RTX 4070 Ti GPU. It also supplies an AMD Ryzen 7 7700X CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.

$1,990 at Best Buy

Newegg

Cobratype Levant Hero

RTX 4080 graphics for $2,750

Even without its slight $50 discount, this Cobratype system would be one of the more affordable RTX 4080-based gaming PCs. Part of the reason for its (relatively) low price is the odd CPU-GPU pairing. It boasts the latest from Nvidia in the form of the RTX 4080 GPU but then turns around and gives you a CPU from Intel’s previous 11th-gen family of processors. At least it’s a powerful Core i9-11900F chip. The other items to note are the liquid cooling system and beefy 1,000-watt PSU.

$2,750 at Newegg

Newegg

Skytech Eclipse

RTX 4090 graphics for $3,800

This Skytech system features the latest from Intel and Nvidia by way of the Core i7-13700KF CPU and RTX 4090 GPU. It’s $600 off at Newegg to bring its price below $4,000 — a rarity for a gaming PC with Nvidia’s latest flagship GPU. It also features 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a massive 1,200-watt PSU.

$3,800 at Newegg

Best Buy

Skytech Blaze 3.0

RTX 3060 graphics for $1,250

It’s not on sale, but this Skytech system is still one of the lowest-cost gaming PCs with RTX 3060 graphics. Paired with the RTX 3060 GPU is an Intel Core i7-12700F CPU. You also get 16GB of RAM, a roomy 1TB SSD and a 650-watt power supply.

$1,250 at Best Buy

Skytech Blaze 3 gaming desktop PC at a angle

Skytech Blaze 0310-B-NE

RTX 3060 Ti graphics for $1,300

This Skytech system is $350 off, making it only $50 more than the above model. It steps you up to RTX 3060 Ti graphics but features the Core i7-11700F CPU from Intel’s previous 11th generation. The power supply is also slightly less at 600 watts.

$1,300 at Newegg

Newegg

MSI MPG Trident AS 12TD-030U

RTX 3070 graphics for $1,550

Discounted by a hefty $550, this MSI slim-tower system with its RTX 3070 GPU is a great deal. In addition to the midrange RTX graphics card, it features a Core i7-12700F CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a 750-watt PSU.

$1,550 at Newegg

Newegg

Velztorm White Ferrux II

RTX 3080 graphics for $1,780

You can save nearly $200 on this Velzstrom gaming PC that features RTX 3080 graphics along with an 11th-gen Intel Core i9-11900K CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a 750-watt PSU. It’s the rare example of an RTX 3080-based PC that costs less than $2,000.

$1,780 at Newegg

How to choose a good gaming PC deal

There are thousands of gaming PC deals to choose from, but not all of them are worth your hard-earned cash. As with any pricey purchase, it’s worth assessing your needs before diving in and spending big bucks. When it comes to gaming PC deals, that means looking at how demanding the games you plan on playing are, how your new PC will fit into your existing setup (how many displays it will be driving, for example, and at what resolution and frame rate) and of course, your budget. If you want multimonitor 4K gaming, you’re probably going to struggle with a budget of $1,000, so it’s best to be realistic with your expectations here.

Once you’ve considered those factors, it all comes down to the price-to-performance ratio on offer. The main considerations here are the processor, graphics card and RAM as these will have the most impact on your overall experience. Newer and more powerful parts are going to push the overall price up — just take a look at our list of the best graphics cards for gamers and you’ll see that these don’t come cheap — so consider machines with recent previous-gen components to save some cash.

Should I buy a prebuilt gaming PC deal or build my own?

Depending on how technically savvy you are, the proposition of building your own gaming PC will either excite you or strike fear into you. The main benefit of building a PC yourself is you get to choose every component, shop around for deals on individual parts, and ultimately get more bang for your buck. The downside is that it takes a lot of research, effort and a decent amount of technical savvy. There’s also the risk of something going wrong in the build process, which means you’ll end up damaging parts or pulling your hair out trying to figure out why things aren’t working as expected. With prebuilt gaming PC deals, you get to skip some of the more time-consuming and frustrating parts of the process, but you’ll pay for the privilege and likely spend more money overall.

You’re not alone if you like to watch horror movies all the time, year-round. Fortunately, there are streaming services that allow you to get your scary kicks whenever you want, keeping new frights and old classics in a rotation. With these services, you can take in all the John Carpenter, Wes Craven or A24 films that you want.

Instead of heading to the theater for every new drop, you can stream from the comfort of your couch — plus, you can keep the lights on. Here are some of the best places to stream everything from zombie thrillers to ghostly encounters to monster attacks and iconic classics.

Shudder

Shudder

Worth the price for die-hard fans

If it’s an all-you-can-eat horror buffet you’re seeking, then Shudder is a great place to have your fill — and all of it is ad-free. Owned by AMC Networks, the niche streaming platform has more than 350 horror flicks in its library as well as TV series. Shudder offers a quality lineup of originals, classics, international gems and modern frights, including The Seed, Hellraiser, Children of the Corn and Train to Busan. Choose from aliens, slashers, vampires, hauntings, horror comedies and more.

You can sign up for Shudder as a stand-alone subscription for $6 a month, and it comes with a free seven-day trial. It’s also included as part of the AMC Plus five-channel package, which runs $7, and Shudder is a Prime Video add-on channel that costs $6 a month. A handful of titles are available on the Roku Channel for free, but you’ll need to pay to access the majority of Shudder’s library. We recommend downloading the Shudder app directly on your phone, tablet, FireTV device or smart TV.

See at Shudder

James Martin/CNET

Tubi

Free access to a variety of old, popular and obscure movies

A free streaming service, Tubi offers way more than B-movie horror selections. With a dedicated category that houses over 450 terrifying titles, including originals, famous franchises and retro favorites, you can scare yourself all day and night. You can find 1980s and ’90s cult hits including Puppet Master and The Shining alongside Blade, the Final Destination movies, Wrong Turn and The Terrifier.

Though Tubi is an ad-supported service, you can watch it on virtually any device. Register an account to access its entire catalog.

See at Tubi

James Martin/CNET

HBO Max

Carries newer titles, classics and familiar franchises

WarnerMedia’s streaming service grants you access to the Warner Bros. catalog and content from DC and HBO. On top of that, the app is sleek and easy to use on any device. If you love scary movies, there’s plenty to watch on HBO Max.

HBO Max’s selection ranges from older classics to newer horror releases, including Eraserhead, The Fly, Hereditary, Sweeney Todd, Malignant, Piranha 3D, Shutter, Annabelle and more. There’s also more light-hearted fare such as Gremlins and the original Godzilla movies, plus horror mysteries like Last Night in Soho. HBO Max also has an easy-to-find horror collection where you can access groups of franchise films with one click.

Just open the app and navigate to the horror section to start your binge-watching session. HBO Max costs $10 monthly (with ads) or $15 for the ad-free experience.

See at HBO Max

Screenshot by Kourtnee Jackson/CNET

Crackle

Free option that’s best for lesser-known titles and retro vibes like Prom Night

Admittedly, Crackle is sort of a B-movie paradise where you can stack your watchlist with films like Killer Mermaid, Malevolence 2, Return of the Scarecrow and Lake Placid: The Final Chapter. But the streaming service is free and also carries more mainstream titles like An American Werewolf in Paris. And if you’re a fan of mutant monsters who wreak havoc, you’ll find Sharktopus movies, giant spiders and piranhas. Crackle has films from the 1950s (like The Blob) up to 2021, and you can click through horror subgenres like comedy, action, mysteries or monsters for easier navigation.

See at Crackle

James Martin/CNET

Prime Video

Great for Blumhouse fans and renting movies

Prime Video has an abundance of movie titles, and its horror offerings include exclusive, original releases from Blumhouse, the production company known for projects like Get Out, Paranormal Activity, The Purge, Happy Death Day and Ma. In addition to streaming Amazon Originals like Evil Eye and Suspiria, you can watch free movies on Freevee or other flicks like Freaky or Rosemary’s Baby that are included with your Prime membership.

You also have the option to buy or rent the latest titles available on Prime Video. Catch 2022 films such as The Black Phone or rent releases from years past likeA Quiet Place II. Browse Prime Video’s rotating selection by clicking on the horror category, or check out our recommendations for the best scary flicks on the platform.

See at Prime Video

Sarah Tew/CNET

Paramount Plus

Houses a few blockbuster franchises along with classics

Paramount Plus may not be the first streamer to come to mind for horror, but it’s home to several popular franchises, including Scream, A Quiet Place and Paranormal Activity. You can stream every movie from each series.

But the service also has a few nostalgic classics in the vault like Carnival of Souls, Candyman, Night of the Living Dead and The Ring. Viewers will find roughly 200 scary movies on Paramount Plus, with many of them being recent releases, like Smile. While Orphan and World War Z are among the familiar titles, there’s an assortment of lesser known films too. Paramount Plus is $5 for the ad-supported version.

See at Paramount Plus

Other services we tested

Of course Netflix has its share of engaging horror movies too, but we wanted to focus on services that are either free or have deep investments in the genre — like Shudder. We also looked at Peacock and it’s appealing because of its Universal Pictures and SyFy catalog, but its library is smaller than most with roughly 160 movies.

We also checked out Showtime and Starz. Though both services provide a solid roster of new and old frights, the price isn’t necessarily worth it when you can stream many of their titles on other services. However, HBO Max and Paramount Plus made the cut due to owning their own heavy franchise collections. HBO Max is also notable for its inclusion of animated and family-friendly scary movies.

Horror movie streaming service FAQs

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Verizon ended the year by gaining more phone and internet subscribers over the holiday season, the carrier reported this week in its fourth-quarter earnings.

The carrier had a positive turnaround after several difficult quarters last year in which price hikes led phone subscribers to drop their plans. Over the fourth quarter, Verizon added 217,000 postpaid net phone subscribers, a metric used by the industry as an indicator of success, though the majority were for business customers, with consumers only accounting for 41,000 net subscribers, according to a press release.

Verizon’s turnaround was driven by generous promotions and trade-in offers. But consumers will see fewer financial incentives to switch going forward. CEO Hans Vestberg warned Tuesday on a call with Wall Street analysts that the company will wean itself off these offers even if this results in short-term losses.

“We believe current promotion incentives are not sustainable for the industry in the long run,” Vestberg said.

Verizon is on track to reach 200 million people with its C-band flavor of midrange 5G coverage by the first quarter of 2023 and is ahead of schedule to reach its target of 250 million by the end of 2023, Vestberg said. When the full breadth of C-band service goes live by the end of the year, subscribers should see speeds increase to 2.4Gbps, up from 900Mbps currently.

Verizon lost 175,000 prepaid net subscribers over the quarter. This comes after the carrier expanded its prepaid offerings by launching its Total by Verizon prepaid line to rival T-Mobile’s Metro and AT&T’s Cricket brands of affordable phone plan providers.

Read more: Best Cheap Phone Plans 2023: Affordable Alternatives to AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon

The carrier continued to expand its fixed wireless subscriber base with gains of 379,000 net additions, bringing the year-end total to 1.3 million more net subscribers than it started the year with. Broadband gains were much more modest, with 59,000 Fios wired internet net additions. Verizon said it had the best gains in broadband in over a decade, and Vestberg said to keep expecting fiber expansion in the years ahead.

Verizon posted $35.3 billion in revenue in the quarter, slightly beating expectations of $35.1 billion and up 3.5% from the same period last year, an increase the carrier credited to migrations to pricier unlimited plans, rate hikes earlier in the year and a full quarter of contributions from prepaid phone subsidiary TracFone, which Verizon acquired in late 2021.

The carrier reported net income of $6.7 billion, or $1.56 earnings per share. Its adjusted earnings were $1.19 per share, exactly meeting expectations of analysts polled by Yahoo Finance.

Verizon set expectations of wireless service revenue growth of 2.5% to 4.5% for 2023, with more cashflow freed up after finishing deploying its C-band 5G by the end of 2022.

Whether you played the original Dead Space or not, you’re gonna want to play the remake.

For the uninitiated, the original Dead Space was a sci-fi survival horror game set in the 26th century. Players step into the role of engineer Isaac Clarke, part of a small crew sent to the USG Ishimura, a giant mining ship, to do repairs. But in true horror fashion, the Ishimura has become something of a ghost ship. Only a few crew members have survived thanks to the Necromorphs, the zombie/alien monsters responsible for a bloody massacre on the ship.

What makes this Dead Space remake so special is how it remains true to the original classic but somehow manages to completely reinvent the experience at the exact same time.

Buy Dead Space

$70 at Amazon

Dead Space Remake does have an advantage over other, similar remakes such as Resident Evil 2 and 3. The original game came out in 2008 — its controls haven’t had enough time to date poorly. The same goes for the visuals. The original Dead Space looked fantastic back in 2008 and still looks good in 2022. Still, it’s hard to deny the forward strides made in this new remake. This is a fantastically made video game.

Visually, the remake is stunning. The lighting effects are some of the best found in any video game out there. Dark rooms feel unnerving and creepy in contrast with other areas basked in bright lights, creating a more welcoming environment, which made me lower my guard at just the right moments.

As beautiful as Dead Space looks, there are a few minor issues I came across. In rooms where there’s smoke or mists, Necromorphs are a little too hard to see. The same can be said for areas in total darkness where the only source of light is the one that is emitted when pointing a weapon.

The remake feels like the original — in a good way. Multiple times while playing I paused to look up YouTube clips of the 2008 original game and directly compare the two. I didn’t even notice the “new” content in the remake because, in my mind, that content was already there. It was seamlessly integrated. I assumed I’d just forgotten about it since it’s been over a decade since I played the original.

Dead Space is even more phenomenal when taking in the audio. Sound pours through the speakers with distant screams of pain echoing off the ship’s metal hallways.

This time round we have a voice actor for Isaac. In the original, Isaac was a silent protagonist who didn’t utter a word, just grunts and screams. Now he has a voice, but developer Motive Studio made the smart move by giving him limited dialogue. In the original, other characters delivered exposition with zero input from Isaac. This time around, his dialogue creates a more natural conversation between characters while conveying the same points as the original.

Dead Space made some other changes to the original as well, but like with Isaac’s voice acting, it doesn’t distract and seems as if it was always there. When exploring the Ishimura, there are times when Isaac will come across an area with zero gravity. He can move around effortlessly in all directions, which is a big difference from the original. Necromorphs will also show up in these areas, causing for some interesting zero-gravity combat where you blast them away while being upside down.

The boss monsters also changed in the remake, but again, I didn’t notice until I actually went back and watched the original.

Dead Space also expanded on the franchise storyline. Dead Space’s original plot unfolded quite slowly with the explanation of what was behind the Necromorphs coming much later in the game. This time around, there are earlier mentions of what’s really behind the horror taking over the ship.

Helping with this narrative expansion are new side missions. These quests require more exploration of the Ishimura while also adding more details to the plot. And like everything else found in the remake, these additions were harmonious.

If there’s one word to summarize the Dead Space remake, it’s seamless. Practically every decision made in this game was done to make players like myself feel like these new additions were already in the original. This is remarkably tricky to do, but Motive pulled it off, making Dead Space something fans of the original and newcomers will enjoy equally.

Dead Space comes out on Friday on PC for $60 and on Xbox Series and PS5 for $70.

Apple’s iOS 17 doesn’t have a release date yet, but there are already rumors that the next operating system will bring changes to a number of apps and support Apple’s AR/VR headset, according to a report from HowToiSolve.

The report said a new app, similar to the Watch app, is expected to be released with iOS 17 to add support to Apple’s AR/VR headset. However, this app is expected to have more features than the Watch app. Apple’s AR/VR headset is expected to release in 2023, according to Bloomberg.

Changes are also expected to come to a number of apps, like Mail, Reminders and Files, according to the report. Major changes are expected to come to Home app, and minor changes are expected to come to the Fitness and Wallet apps.

The report also says iOS 17 will work on six iPhone models that will have the Dynamic Island: iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. There are also rumors that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will not only have a larger screen than the iPhone 15 Pro, but it will also have more advanced image processing software.

Apple’s iOS 17 is rumored to launch alongside the iPhone 15, but a release date has not been announced yet.

Apple did not immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.

These iOS 17 rumors come out the same week as the release of iOS 16.3. The latest operating system brought a handful of new features, like security keys for your Apple ID, and bug fixes to your iPhone.

For more on Apple, check out CNET’s reviews of the M2 Pro MacBook Pro 16 and the M2 Mac Mini 2023.

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Earfun has put out a series of wireless earbuds over the last couple of years with one important commonality: They’re very good values, made more so by frequent discounts. I’ve highlighted previous deals on its Air Pro SV and Air Pro 2, as well as the more recent Earfun Air S. Now the company is releasing its new Earfun Air Pro 3 earbuds, which I’ve been testing for the last week and feature the latest Qualcomm QCC3071 system-on-a-chip with aptX Adaptive for Android and other devices that support it. They’re due to ship on Jan. 30 and are on sale now for $56, or 30% off their list price of $80.

Lightweight and comfortable to wear — I got a good seal with the largest ear tip size — these aren’t a huge upgrade over the Earfun Air S, but they are clearly better. They have slightly larger wool-composite drivers (11mm versus 10mm), slightly improved noise canceling and better battery life (up to seven hours with noise canceling on, according to Earfun). They also support the new LE Audio standard and LC3 audio codec, which is superior to the SBC codec (they also support AAC for Apple devices). Their transparency mode seems to be a touch more natural sounding than the Air S, too.

In short, the Earfun Air 3 deliver strong performance for their modest price, with robust bass, good clarity and a relatively wide soundstage. They also pack in a lot of features, including a wireless charging case and “multidevice” connectivity. (I could pair them to two devices simultaneously but had to pause the music on one device and hit play on the other for the audio to switch.)

They’re IPX5 splash-proof and have touch controls that could be a little more responsive but work OK. And, finally, the buds connect to the Earfun Audio app for iOS and Android, which allows you to update the firmware and tweak their sound profile.

I listened to the buds using an iPhone 14 Pro and an Asus ROG 6 Android smartphone that’s powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1 mobile platform. With the Asus, I was able to stream high-resolution tracks from Qobuz (with aptX Adaptive) and the sound had a bit more depth and detail and the overall sound was impressive, again given the price.

However, they can’t compete with high-end buds like the new $400 Bowers & Wilkins Pi7 S2, which offer better definition and more accurate sound. I know that’s an unfair comparison, but I only mention it to say that while the Air Pro 3 sound quite good for relatively cheap earbuds, they do have their limitations, particularly when it comes to bass definition — the bass is a tad overemphasized at the default setting.

If you’re wondering where these stand for voice calling, they perform well, with decent background noise reduction in noisier environments (like the streets of New York, where I tested them). But I wouldn’t say they’re excellent for making voice calls; callers said my voice sounded “reasonably” clear outdoors, not crystal clear. You can use either bud independently of the other and use a single bud to listen to audio or make calls.

Here’s a quick look at the Air Pro 3’s specs, according to Earfun. For now they’re only available on Earfun’s website, but eventually they should hit Amazon and perhaps go on sale there.

• Compatible with Earfun audio app
• Multidevice connectivity
• Qualcomm QCC3071 system-on-a-chip with aptX Adaptive
• QuietSmart 2.0 hybrid active noise cancellation up to 43dB
• 6-mic array
• Bluetooth 5.3 + next-gen LE Audio & LC3 codec
• 11mm wool composite drivers
• <55ms ultra low latency mode for better video and gaming experience
• IPX5 sweat and water resistant
• Up to 7 hours of battery life with ANC on and 9 hours with it off (extra 4 charges in the case)
• Get 2 hours of playtime from a 10-minute charge
• Wireless charging case with USB-C
• Price: ($80 list, $56 sale price)

Few things in life are both as invigorating and de-stressing as getting to kick back and fire up your favorite game. And when it’s time to play, you want a machine that isn’t going to leave you frustrated with lag and crashes. That’s why having a computer that can keep up with the taxing expectations of the newest games is a boon to any gamer.

If you’re looking for a gaming laptop to take up less space than a desktop PC or to take with you wherever you go, check out the MSI Pulse GL76. Usually listing for $1,349, B&H has slashed the price on this device by $550, meaning you can bring one home for just $799 right now. Keep in mind that this deal is only available today, Jan. 26, while supplies last, so order soon if you want to cash in on these savings.

The Pulse GL76 is a sleek gaming laptop boasting a large 17.3-inch display with 1,920×1,080 screen resolution and a refresh rate of up to 144 Hz. And while that large screen may be a bit bulky for on-the-go play, it’s nice to have a large screen while immersed in battles and other missions. Plus, with virtual surround sound, you shouldn’t have any problem staying engaged.

It comes equipped with 512GB PCIe M.2 SSD storage and 16GB of RAM, which should allow you to store your saves without bogging down your machine, as well as Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics card with ray tracing technology and a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 processor to keep your gaming session going strong. While with laptops you have to consider the possibility of overheating, that shouldn’t be a problem with Cooler Boost 5, which uses two fans and six pipes for efficient cooling under heavy loads. It even has support for Wi-Fi 6.

As for the aesthetics, it has an RGB backlit keyboard that allows you to adjust its hue, and it comes with Windows 11 Home OS installed. If you’ve been hunting for good deals on gaming laptops, this might be the perfect addition to your gaming arsenal.