Category: Technologies

Life is full of tough choices. But choosing the right over-the-ear headphones shouldn’t be one of them.

Some people may prefer earbuds, but for those who want a good pair of over-the-ear headphones, we’ve got a list of great options.

Whether you’re looking for a wireless or wired model, over-the-ear models offer the trifecta of sound quality, comfort and style. And most wireless headphones also come with an attachable cable, giving you more flexibility if you need to connect them up occasionally. Many also have noise-canceling features too, which can be great for people with sound and sensory sensitivities.

Here’s a look at the best headphones that go over your ears (they’re also sometimes referred to as “around-the-ear” headphones). When making my picks, I considered factors such as build quality, comfort and sound quality, as well as noise-canceling and voice-calling performance.

This list is regularly updated as more over-ear headphones hit the market. Here’s what I added in my most recent update: the WH-1000XM5, Edifier W820NB, Edifier Stax Spirit S3 and Technics EAH-A800. The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless 3 was dropped from the list because the Momentum Wireless 4 is scheduled to be released in the next few months.

Read more: Best Headphones for 2023: Our Top Overall Picks

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Apple AirPods Max

Best high-end wireless headphones

Battery Life

Rated up to 20 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

Yes, they’re expensive, but the AirPods Max deliver richer, more detailed sound than lower-priced competitors from Bose and Sony. They also feature arguably the best noise cancellation on the market, along with premium build quality and Apple’s virtual surround-sound spatial audio feature for video watching. While they’re heavy, they manage to be surprisingly comfortable, though I did have to adjust the mesh canopy headband to sit a little more forward on my head to get a comfortable secure fit when I was out walking with them. They should fit most heads well, but there will be exceptions.

Read our Apple AirPods Max review.

$500 at Amazon

$549 at Apple

$500 at Best Buy

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Sony WH-1000XM5

Best new noise-canceling headphones

Battery Life

Rated up to 32 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

When you have a product that a lot of people love, change can be risky. Such is the case for Sony’s WH-1000XM5, the fifth generation of the 1000X series headphones, which were first released in 2016 as the MDR-1000X Wireless and have become increasingly popular as they’ve improved with each generation. Over the years, Sony has made some tweaks to the design, but nothing as dramatic as what it’s done with the WH-1000XM5. Other than the higher $400 price tag ($50 more than the WH-1000XM4), most of those changes are good, and Sony’s made some dramatic improvements with voice-calling performance as well as even better noise canceling and more refined sound.

Read our Sony WH-1000XM5 review.

$398 at Amazon

$400 at Best Buy

$400 at Target

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Anker SoundCore Life Q30

Best cheap noise-canceling headphones under $100

Battery Life

Rated up to 60 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

Premium noise-canceling headphones tend to cost more than $300. But what if you’re on a tight budget — what’s your best option for noise-canceling over-ear headphones?

As far as sound, comfort level and build quality, you’d be hard-pressed to do better than Anker’s SoundCore Life Q30 for the money. They don’t quite have the same clarity or bass definition as some of the top premium models, but they’re less than a third of the price and get you about 75% of the way there in terms of sound: It’s well-balanced overall with punchy bass, and there’s an app that allows you to tweak the sound. The noise canceling is good for the price, though not up to the level of the Sony WH-1000XM4 or Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700. Battery life is rated at an impressive 40 hours with USB-C charging.

The only area where the Q30 headphones fall a little short is voice calls. They pick up your voice fine in quieter environments, but they just don’t reduce background noise all that well.

Compared with the step-down Q20, the Q30 headphones do offer improved sound (it’s not a huge difference, but it definitely is a notch up) and a more premium design.

$63 at Amazon

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Sony WH-1000XM4

Best ANC headphones

2020

Battery Life

Rated up to 30 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

Sony has released its new WH-1000XM5, but the WH-1000XM4 remain on sale. While I prefer the WH-1000XM5 — they’re a little more comfortable, have improved noise canceling, more refined sound and significantly better voice-calling performance — the WH-1000XM4 are still great headphones and some people may prefer their slightly more energetic sound and how they fold up into a smaller case than that of the WH-1000M5. They also cost less and we should see some nice discounts on them going forward.

Read our Sony WH-1000XM4 review.

$348 at Amazon

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Beyerdynamic DT 700 Pro X

Best wired studio headphones

Battery Life

NA

Noise Canceling

No

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Over-ear wired headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

We were fans of Beyerdynamic’s earlier DT 770 Pro headphones. The new DT 700 X is easier to drive than the 770 Pro, thanks to the company’s new STELLAR.45 sound transducer with an impedance of 48 ohms, so it plays better with smartphones, tablets and laptops without requiring a headphone amp.

The headphone is targeted at content creators who want accurate audio reproduction, but it’s a bit more dynamic sounding and less bass shy than many studio headphones, which tend to restrain the bass and hew toward a very neutral sound profile. The DT 700 X is a revealing, clean-sounding headphone that offers invitingly open sound (particularly for a closed-back headphone) and makes you realize what you’re missing after listening to similarly priced Bluetooth headphones.

Unlike the earlier DT 770 Pro, which is being sold at a nice discount (around $160), the DT 700 X comes with two interchangeable (detachable) straight cables in different lengths, and the DT 700 X arguably has a little cleaner look than its predecessor.

The solidly built headphone — it weighs 350 grams — is quite comfortable, featuring upgraded soft, velour-covered memory foam earpads that offer decent passive noise isolation. The earpads and the headphones’ other parts are replaceable, Beyerdynamic says.

Beyerdynamic also sells the open-back DT 900 X for the same price. That model should provide slightly more open, airy sound but the big drawback is people around you can hear whatever you’re listening to — and sound also leaks in. This closed-back version is more versatile.

$139 at Walmart

$125 at Amazon

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Bose QuietComfort 45

Best QuietComfort from Bose

Battery Life

Rated up to 25 hours

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

The Bose QuietComfort 45 essentially looks the same as its popular predecessor, the QuietComfort 35 II, with the biggest design difference being a USB-C port in place of the older Micro-USB. (At 238 grams, the QC45 weighs just 3 grams more than the QC35, which should be imperceptible.) And while the Bose 700 have plenty of fans, a lot of people (including me think this QuietComfort design is slightly more comfortable and the headphones fold up and fold flat. It’s arguably the most comfortable pair of headphones out there.

They also sound very similar to the QC 35 II, with no change to the drivers. Where you’ll see an improvement is with the noise cancellation (there’s a transparency mode), which very well could be the best out right now. According to Bose, there’s a new electronics package that powers the new ANC system, which now better muffles “unwanted sounds in the midrange frequencies” (voices) that you’d “typically find on commuter trains, busy office spaces and cafes.”

I found that to be true and give these the slight edge over both the Headphones 700 and Sony WH-1000XM4 for noise canceling. That said, you can’t adjust the level of noise canceling like you can with those models, which offer a more robust feature set, particularly the Sony. You also can’t tweak the sound in the app; there’s no equalizer settings.

The headset performance has also improved, with better noise reduction during calls. And these offer multipoint Bluetooth pairing. That means you can pair the QC45 with two devices simultaneously — such as a smartphone and PC — and switch audio as needed. They’re equipped with Bluetooth 5.1 and support the widely compatible AAC audio codec but not AptX.

While these have advantages over the Headphones 700 and Sony WH-1000XM4 and do sound quite good, those models sound slightly better: The 700 is slightly more natural sounding and tuned more for audiophiles, while the Sony has more dynamic bass. So that makes choosing between these three models that much more difficult.

$329 at Bose

$329 at Amazon

$329 at Best Buy

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Edifier Stax Spirit S3

Best planar-magnetic headphones

Edifier makes some nice headphones and earbuds that offer good quality for your dollar. And while its Stax Spirit S3 is pretty pricey at $400, it’s essentially a value version of a high-end audiophile headphone. It features planar-magnetic drivers (with Audeze components) that deliver clean, clear, distortion-free sound. Though these aren’t noise-canceling headphones, they are wireless and are certified as hi-res. You can also use them as wired headphones, though you may want to pair them with a headphone amp in wired mode.

I found them comfortable to wear, and they’re relatively compact and reasonably weighted (329 grams) for planar magnetic headphones. Battery life is excellent at up to 80 hours of listening time at moderate volume levels, and these do have multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can simultaneously connect them to two devices (such as a smartphone and a computer). They’re also decent for making calls and come with an additional set of “cooling-mesh” ear pads for outdoor use in warmer environments.

These are built on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon audio platform and support its aptX Adaptive audio codec (along with SBC but alas, not AAC), which is capable of delivering near lossless audio if you stream from an aptX-compatible Android device or dedicated music player and subscribe to a music service such as Qobuz or Tidal that offers high-resolution tracks. Certain smartphones are now certified for Snapdragon Audio, which simply means you’re getting the best end-to-end Qualcomm solution for wireless Bluetooth streaming. I tested these headphones with the Motorola Edge Plus 2022 smartphone, which features Snapdragon Audio. How much of a difference it made is debatable, but overall I was impressed with the sound, though sound does vary with the recording quality of certain tracks (the headphones are revealing, sometimes too much so).

Planar magnetic headphones are known for delivering detailed sound with well-defined bass and clear, natural-sounding mids (where voices live). These have a balanced, flatter sound profile and while the bass is punchy and ample, it’s not quite as meaty as what you get with some headphones like Apple’s AirPods Max or Sony’s WH-1000XM5. But they sound really good. And while they’re missing some features, like ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off, and a customizable EQ (you only get a few presets along with a low-latency gaming mode), you’re ultimately buying these for their audio quality.

$400 at Amazon

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Technics EAH-A800

Best over-ear noise-canceling headphones

Battery Life

Rated up to 50 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

There’s a bit of an old-school vibe to the Technics EAH-A800 — and it’s not just the Technics brand, which Panasonic resurrected in the last few years. Their design is something of a throwback but the headphones are comfortable and both fold up and fold flat. They feature a big, energetic sound with powerful bass and good detail. However, they take a day or two to break in.

They feature ear-detection sensors that automatically pause your music when you take the headphones off, as well as multipoint Bluetooth pairing, so you can connect them to two devices at the same time like a computer and smartphone. Additionally, they have support for Sony’s near lossless LDAC audio codec for Bluetooth streaming that’s available on certain Android devices. I mainly listened to these headphones with an Android device and the Qobuz music service, which offers high-resolution tracks. That setup offers the best possible wireless sound quality.

The headphones are available in black and silver, and according to Panasonic, can deliver up to 50 hours of battery life at moderate volume with ANC on. That’s excellent. The EAH-A800 also works well as a headset for making calls, with eight onboard microphones for noise reduction and voice pickup.

$319 at Amazon

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Bang & Olufsen Beoplay HX

Best AirPods Max alternative

Battery Life

Rated up to 35 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

Bang & Olufsen’s Beoplay HX headphones are the successor to the company’s H9 series headphones (the X is the Roman numeral 10) and, like those earlier H9 models, the HX headphones carry a list price of $500 (some colors are discounted at Amazon). That price makes it a direct competitor of Apple’s AirPods Max, which are heavier at 385 grams versus the HX’s 285 grams. I don’t know if the HX headphones are more comfortable than the AirPods Max, but I found the two models pretty equal in the comfort department over longer listening sessions, and these do feature the usual swanky B&O lambskin-covered memory foam earpads.

The HX has custom 40mm drivers, Bluetooth 5.1 and support for Qualcomm’s aptX Adaptive (that includes AptX HD) for high-resolution wireless streaming when you combine an aptX-enabled Android device with certain music-streaming services like Qobuz.

Their sound measures up well to the AirPods Max’s sound, overall well-balanced, with deep, well-defined bass, natural-sounding mids (where vocals live) and inviting detail in the treble. If you want to push the treble or bass, you can tweak the EQ in the Bang & Olufsen app for iOS and Android and give the headphones a warmer or brighter profile.

While these are expensive, they offer more accurate sound than the Sony WH-1000XM4. Their noise canceling is also very good and voice-calling capabilities are also quite solid. Additionally, they offer multipoint Bluetooth pairing so you can connect them with a smartphone and PC simultaneously (Microsoft Swift Pair-enabled for Windows machines) so you can easily switch between the two. (The Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones also have this feature.) Battery life is rated at up to 35 hours with noise canceling on and 40 hours with it off. Those are excellent numbers.

Earlier Bang & Olufsen models included a soft case (a pouch really), but the HX headphones come with a hard case. As I said, they’re expensive, but the small improvements over earlier flagship Bang & Olufsen noise-canceling headphones help make the HX headphones a worthy alternative to the AirPods Max.

$390 at Amazon

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Edifier W820NB

Best-sounding affordable noise canceling

Battery Life

Rated Up to 49 Hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Over-Ear Wireless Headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP Rating

Edifier makes some good-sounding PC speakers and true-wireless earbuds, and it’s done a nice job with its W820NB noise-canceling headphones. The first thing you’ll notice about them when you put them on is that they’re comfortable — the earpads are nicely cushioned and the headphones fit snugly on your head. They also sound good for their price, offering just enough clarity and decent bass performance. Their sound didn’t blow me away, but I was fine listening to these headphones for a while; they sound pretty pleasant.

There’s also an ambient mode that lets outside sound in and a low-latency gaming mode. They’re decent enough for voice calling and battery life is pretty impressive, with up to 49 hours on a single charge at moderate volume levels (and noise canceling off).

A couple of things are missing. There’s no carrying case or headphone jack — they’re Bluetooth only. But the 820NB headphones are still a good value.

$70 at Amazon

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Sony MDR7506

Best older over-ear headphones

Battery Life

NA

Noise Canceling

No

Headphone Type

Over-ear wired headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

Introduced way back in 1991, the Sony MDR-7506 has long been a favorite headphone of recording engineers and other sound professionals (yes, these are wired headphones). The origins of its design date even further back, since the MDR-7506 headphones are, in fact, a refresh of the Sony MDR-V6 that rolled out in 1985. Both models were designed for the pro sound market, but remain hugely popular with consumers.

While the two models have the same design and are very comfortable, they don’t sound identical. Both offer very well-balanced sound and excellent clarity for their modest prices — and both are great overall values. But the MDR-V6 headphones make a little more bass and sound more laid-back and mellow, while the 7506 headphones are leaner with a more accentuated treble range, which makes the sound a little crisper and livelier.

Read our Sony MDR-7506 review.

$81 at Amazon

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Grado Prestige Series SR225x

Best open-back wired headphones

Battery Life

NA

Noise Canceling

No

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Over-ear wired headphones (listed as on-ear)

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

Grado has upgraded its entry-level line of Prestige Series wired headphones for 2022. Hand-built, the line includes the SR60x, SR80x, SR125x, SR225x and SR325x, and they’re all very good at their various prices. Arguably, however, the $225 SR225x headphones hit the sweet spot if you’re looking for open-back audiophile-grade headphones that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

This updated model features a more durable eight-conductor cable infused with “super annealed” copper for “improved purity of the audio signal,” a more comfortable headband design and updated fourth-generation 44mm drivers that further cut down on distortion and are also more energy-efficient, making them easier to drive. I not only used these headphones with an external headphone amplifier attached to my computer but with an iPhone using a Lightning-to-3.5mm adapter. They had plenty of volume when connected directly to the iPhone.

Open-back headphones are supposed to produce more open sound and these do just that, with powerful, controlled bass and natural, warm-sounding mids (where vocals live) along with excellent overall clarity. Stepping up to the SRS325x should give you a little bit more bass energy, but you’re not looking at a big jump in sound quality. As with any open-back headphones, these do leak some sound, so people around you can hear what you’re listening to.

These headphones have semisoft foam earpads that, when you first put them on, you wouldn’t think would be that comfortable over longer listening sessions. But they end up being more comfortable than you’d expect and the new headband design does help in that department. For entry-level audiophile-grade headphones that cost less than $250, it’s hard to do better than the SR225x.

$225 at Amazon

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Plantronics BackBeat Fit 6100

Best over-ear headphones for working out

Battery Life

Rated up to 24 hours

Noise Canceling

No

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX5 — protection against low-pressure water streams)

Some people, particularly weightlifters, like to work out in full-size headphones, and the BackBeat Fit 6100 over-the-ear wireless headphones are a very solid choice for both the gym and everyday use. They have an adjustable sport-fit headband, an IPX5-rated water-resistant and sweat-proof design, 40mm angled drivers and noise-isolating earcups with an “Awareness” mode. Battery life is rated at 24 hours. The sound quality is quite good and the headphones stay on your head securely — you can adjust the tension in the headband, which is innovative and ideal for exercise headphones.

Note that Plantronics has discontinued its entire BackBeat headphones line, so this model should drift out of the market by year’s end. It started out at $180 and now costs half that and usually even less.

$65 at Walmart

$65 at Amazon

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V-Moda M-200

Best audiophile headphones from V-Moda

V-Moda’s M-200 are one of the few wired headphones on this list. Released in late 2019, these clean and detailed sounding over-ear headphones have excellent bass response, and the cushy earcups mean they’re also comfortable to wear. Featuring 50mm drivers with neodymium magnets, CCAW voice coils and fine-tuning by Roland engineers — yes, V-Moda is now owned by Roland — the M‑200 is Hi‑Res Audio-certified by the Japan Audio Society. Other V-Moda headphones tend to push the bass a little, but this set has the more neutral profile that you’d expect from studio monitor headphones. They come with two cords, one of which has a built-in microphone for making calls. It would be nice if V-Moda offered Lightning or USB-C cables for phones without headphone jacks.

Note that last year V-Moda released the M-200 ANC ($500), a wireless version of these headphones that includes active noise canceling. They also sound great, but their noise cancellation, call quality and overall feature set don’t match those of the AirPods Max.

$303 at Amazon

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Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700

Best noise canceling from Bose

The Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 have been out a while but are still one of the best over-ear noise canceling headphones, with excellent sound, noise cancellation and top-notch headset performance for voice calls. Bose’s newer QuietComfort 45 headphones probably have the slight edge in terms of comfort and offer a tad better noise canceling, but the Headphones 700 arguably sound a little better with slightly more refined sound.

$379 at Bose

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JBL Tour One

Best over-ear headphones from JBL

Battery Life

Rated up to 50 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

Yes

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

JBL’s Tour One are the company’s 2021 flagship noise-canceling Bluetooth headphones and they’re very good. Not only are they comfortable to wear, with nicely padded earcups and a relatively light design, but they also deliver strong sound quality. The bass is punchy, there’s good clarity and the headphones have a pretty wide soundstage. I also like the touch controls, and the adaptive noise canceling is solid and so too is headset performance for voice calling. Battery life is rated at 25 hours with noise cancellation on and up to 50 hours with it off.

In a lot of ways, particularly their design (and sound, to a degree), the Tour One headphones are quite similar to the Sony WH-1000XM4. Even their cases look alike. But the Tour One model isn’t quite as good as the WH-1000XM4 and is missing a couple of the WH-1000XM4’s features, including multipoint Bluetooth pairing.

$300 at Amazon

Is it ‘noise canceling’ or ‘noise cancelling’?

Short answer: both. Either spelling is correct, as “canceling” is more common in American English, while “cancelling” is more common in British English. CNET uses “noise canceling” since the company is based in the US, but the noise is canceled just the same, regardless of spelling. If you’re looking to see what different noise-impacting technology is out there for headphones, check out our article on noise-canceling versus noise-isolating headphones, which highlights differences in function (and not just a difference in spelling).

More for audiophiles

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• Best On-Ear Headphones of 2023
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• Best Wireless Earbuds and Headphones for Making Calls
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• Best Apple AirPods Max Alternatives for Less: Sony, Bose, AirPods Pro and More

When you’re spending several hundred dollars on a device, you want to make sure you get something that meets your performance needs. However, you don’t want to spend big money on features you don’t need. The best budget laptop models can handle all your everyday tasks like checking emails, scrolling through social media, typing up documents and more, and they can be available for less than $900.

The chip shortages of the past couple of years have made finding a good budget-friendly laptop a little trickier, though. With fewer chips available, PC makers made more midrange and premium laptops than lower-end models made to handle essential, day-to-day tasks. Inflation has driven up prices, too. So while it’s possible to find a good laptop under $500, you may need to shop around and wait for a discount. Otherwise, you may need to spend closer to $700 to get a laptop that’ll last you several years.

The good news is, we’re here to help. If you’re searching for a laptop under $500, we’ve tested and reviewed the best budget laptops you can buy right now. Not sure what to look for in a good budget laptop? Jump to the buying advice right below our recommendations. This advice is based on our years of testing and review experience to figure out what to expect from a laptop priced under $500. It will also let you know what to look for if you want to continue your budget laptop hunt on your own.

Use these picks to sort through the competition. Because there are a lot of cheap laptops that aren’t worth it, try not to make rash decisions when buying.

Best budget laptops

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HP Laptop 17

Windows

The HP Laptop 17 is a good pick if you want everyday performance and a bigger display. It’s perfect for home office tasks, entertainment and just general computing. Battery life is also good at nearly 9 hours in our tests. Although the configuration we reviewed is $650, HP offers many configuration options so that you can balance price and performance to match your needs. And if you’d rather have a smaller laptop, HP makes both 14- and 15.6-inch models in this line too.

HP Laptop 17 review

$650 at HP

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Acer Aspire 5

Windows

The Acer Aspire 5 continues to be one of the best laptop deals available. Available in 14-, 15.6- and 17.3-inch sizes, I am partial to the 15.6-inch size because it’s relatively compact and lightweight but still full-featured. Acer has a wide range of configurations to choose from starting under $500. This budget laptop also features a USB 3.2 Gen 1 USB-C port, two USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 ports, Ethernet and an HDMI port. The Acer Aspire 5 regularly includes a backlit keyboard and fingerprint reader for quick sign-ins — rarities at this price.

Acer Aspire 5 review

$499 at B&H

Josh Goldman/CNET

Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook

ChromeOS

This Lenovo 13-inch Chromebook two-in-one has a full-HD display as well as excellent performance and battery life for the money, thanks to an Intel Core i3-1115G4 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 128GB solid-state drive. Battery life is great, too, at nearly 11 hours.

While it’s not overflowing with extras, the Flex 5i Chromebook does have a privacy shutter on the webcam so you can physically block it when it’s not in use. The touch display is also pen-enabled so you can write or draw it with a USI pen. It is definitely one of the best Chromebook models for its price, power and size.

Lenovo has another two-in-one option on our best budget laptop list, the Lenovo Duet Chromebook. The Lenovo Duet Chromebook is similarly priced to the Flex 5i but is a detachable two-in-one — i.e., a tablet with a removable keyboard cover. If you need a Chromebook for full-day use, go with the Flex 5i. The Lenovo Duet Chromebook is better as a secondary device for on-the-go productivity tasks and entertainment.

Lenovo Chromebook Flex 5i review

$300 at Amazon

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Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i 14

Windows

The Windows version of the 14-inch Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i is also an excellent value. Along with the latest 12th-gen Intel processors, Lenovo includes higher-end features like a Thunderbolt 4 USB-C port, an SD card reader, a 1080p webcam with a privacy shutter and a fingerprint reader. Plus, it reached nearly 11 hours of battery life in our tests. It regularly sells for around $700, but right now you can get it for just $450.

$450 at Staples

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HP Pavilion 14

Windows

The HP Pavilion 14 is a budget laptop that looks and performs above its price. At 3.2 pounds (1.4 kilograms), the laptop can easily be a daily carry for school or work. It could also be a good home office laptop that can be easily connected to a monitor, keyboard and mouse at a desk, but also has a screen that’s comfortably large enough for full-time use. It’s just a solid everyday laptop with a clean design. The starting price is $650, and the configuration we tested is normally $800, but it goes on sale for much less sometimes.

HP Pavilion 14 review

$800 at HP

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Lenovo Duet Chromebook

ChromeOS

The Lenovo Duet Chromebook (aka Chromebook Duet 3) is an awesome little 11-inch ChromeOS tablet with a detachable keyboard and touchpad. Its small size and performance aren’t ideal for full-time use. But the Chromebook Duet 3 is a good pick if you’re looking for an affordable ultraportable device to get some work done on the go, sketch or jot down notes in class, or do simple stuff like email, web browsing, gaming, reading and streaming video.

The original 10-inch version of the Duet Chromebook is also still available for $300 or less.

Lenovo Duet Chromebook review

$379 at Best Buy

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Budget laptop FAQ

Now that so much work can be done online without the need for a hard copy, many people have begun to wonder in recent years if they really need a printer at home.

However, with tons of people now working from home, we’ve seen a renaissance for home printers. If you’re one of the many who find yourself in need of your own printer, CNET is here to help you find the right one. We’ve combed through the changing landscape of printers to bring you the best models available in 2023 so you can print photos, documents, college essays and more whenever you need.

Every printer profiled below can manage basic printing needs. For example, they can handle mobile printing and wireless printing from a phone or any PC, Mac or Chromebook, which is a must when it comes to office printers. They can also print over a cabled connection and via wireless printer connectivity. (Note that some — but not all — printers support Apple’s AirPrint and Google’s Cloud Print protocols, which are usually less onerous than the printer vendors’ proprietary systems.)

But what you intend to print will determine which is the best printer for you. If you’re mostly working with shopping lists, concert tickets or travel itineraries, having excellent print quality is arguably less important than print speed and price. If you’re using your printer for professional materials or photo printing, then color accuracy, printing quality and the inclusion of features like borderless printing will be primary considerations when you’re looking for the right printer.

Another factor to consider is the cost of ink and making sure that you have enough ink to print everything you need. (There’s nothing more frustrating than having a printer but no ink in the ink tank.) Inkjet printers use liquid ink to print, whereas laser printers use toner cartridges containing powder. So even if you’re getting a great printer deal, just be sure to do some research into how you’ll refill the ink, so you can choose the best printer for your overall budget. Some new printers include an ink subscription in their original price tag, so that may be something to consider as well.

We’ve tested and reviewed the top models for home and small office use from many of the major printer manufacturers including Brother, Canon, Epson and HP. Whether you print for business or personal use, we’ve got the best printer for you.

HP

HP OfficeJet Pro 9015e

Complete office solution

If you work from home but need all the advantages of an office printer, the OfficeJet Pro is an excellent choice. In terms of sheer printing speed, the HP is ahead of most others in its price range. It printed the 10 pages in just 32 seconds and scanned and printed them in 1 minute, 12 seconds. Very impressive.

While the images and graphics aren’t the best, they were, on average, for at-home printers. The text was excellent, with clearly defined edges, even the Comic Sans parts. It’s a bit larger than some of the printers I tested, but the deep paper tray and auto-feed for the scanner make the size worthwhile.

Of the printers I’ve tested so far, the OfficeJet Pro is the most versatile. It also comes with six months of free ink, based on a standard usage if you sign up for HP Plus. While HP Plus does give you some extra helpful app choices for free and the ink, the downside is you can only use HP inks while subscribed to it.

$230 at HP

$230 at Best Buy

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Epson

Epson Workforce Pro WF-4830

Best for multiple people

First off, this is not a typical printer machine. The bulky square shape is not something you would want to see in a fashionable home office. It is solidly constructed, though, and unlike some of the other products in this price range, it doesn’t have any creaky plastic pieces. It’s built well and it shows.

Because of the extra paper tray, the Epson can hold a large amount of paper for use. This makes it perfect if you and another person use it daily. It prints fast too — the fastest in our test, though the scanning is a little slow. The graphic, text, and webpage text were all excellent, though the image quality on glossy paper was only good. This is a workhorse though, designed for high-volume text, not imagery.

My only real issue with the Workforce Pro was the size of the ink cartridges. It’s great that you have two large paper trays to hold a lot of paper, but if the amount of ink you have doesn’t match, then you are going to have a problem.

$200 at Amazon

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Canon

Canon Pixma TR4720

Average all across the board, except the price

The Canon Pixma TR4720 is not going to be winning any awards in any category. In all of my testing, it came out around the middle of the pack in just about every category. While that could be seen as a negative in a printer that costs several hundred dollars, for one that is as cheap as the Pixma, it’s encouraging.

In fact, the Pixma scored better in color reproduction when placed against other, more expensive all-in-one printers when printing on glossy paper. Some printers suffer from dimpling when printing images but the Pixma didn’t and the skin tones were far better on the Canon image than on other brands. My only real negative is the machine’s volume. You can tell it was built on a budget, but as far as budget printers go, this one’s pretty good.

$104 at Amazon

$119 at Best Buy

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Sawgrass SG500 Sublimation printer

Make your art come alive

Sublimation is the process of transferring ink from paper to another material like t-shirts, mugs and canvases. There are plenty of options if you are looking to convert a standard printer to use sublimation ink but if possible you should buy a dedicated printer for the job.

The Sawgrass SG500 is purpose-built to print using sublimation ink and paper. It works great too: You can print up a storm of artwork to put on t-shirts for the whole family. If you’re interested in starting your own business using your own art, then this printer is well worth the price.

$649 at Amazon

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Epson

Expression Home 4100

An excellent balance of cost and performance

After testing the Expression I was pleasantly surprised at how well this printer did. Being Epson’s budget option it could have been poor, but instead performed excellently at text reproduction and about average on the image quality.

The setup was quick and easy and the Wi-Fi connection seems to be solid wherever I put it in my house. Print time was average at 1 minute, 15 seconds, but the text quality more than made up for the speed. All of the text, even the photocopied text was legible and smooth.

The only downside is how small the ink cartridges are on this printer. I know ink is where companies make the most money, but replacing these tiny cartridges every few weeks or months will get old quick.

$140 at Walmart

$105 at Amazon

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How we test

For a long time, CNETs methodology for testing printers didn’t change. Our original testing was designed in the days when Wi-Fi printers were rare, and faxing was an important consideration when choosing a device. These days, Wi-Fi is standard, app-controlled printers are everywhere and what and how we print have changed considerably. I designed a new set of printing parameters in 2022 that I hope will mesh with how we use printers nowadays.

Print and copy speed

The speed at which things print and copy is important in our daily lives. Printing a quick theater ticket, or copying a document needs to be done quickly and accurately. Testing this is easy; I simply used a stopwatch and printed 10 pages of text of varying sizes and typefaces. I used Fillerama to generate random text from Star Wars and Monty Python and changed the font size randomly across the page. I also used different fonts like Arial and Times New Roman to see how they would print. I even added Comic Sans into the mix, as people still think it’s a good idea to use it. Middle managers mostly.

Brochure and web page test

When asked, people told me that they use their home printer for printing online tickets from webpages as well as their resumes for job interviews. With that in mind I used the standard brochure template from Google Docs that I changed a little — I made the font size smaller and larger and changed the font too — to give that modern resume look. I also saved my article about becoming a Star Wars action figure into a PDF — I needed to keep the ads the same on every test so the live article wouldn’t do. Sometimes we are in too much of a rush to select just the ticket, so printing the entire webpage is easier. This test simulates that.

Receipt test

When you work from home you often have to submit your receipts for traveling and incidentals. One of the most common ways to do that, if you aren’t lucky enough to have an app, is to tape receipts to a piece of paper and scan them into your computer. That way you can email to where they need to go quickly and easily. To recreate that, I taped my receipts from my food shopping to create a scan. I used a mixture of new receipts and ones that had faded in my wallet, then I checked the scan for legibility. Most scanners will enhance the image you are scanning and that certainly helps with receipts.

Picture quality test

Like the previous CNET photo tests, I use the PhotoDisc Target file for my image tests. I print them on the same Canon glossy paper and study them according to the guidelines associated with this industry standard. I take special note of the skin tones at the bottom to make sure they’re replicated correctly and I also check for chromatic abrasion. Chromatic abrasion is a purple hue that often surrounds images and can make even the best picture look cheap and tacky. I also check for stippling; an image error that occurs on poorly calibrated inkjet printers.

The San Francisco 49ers haven’t lost a game since October and after a slow first half, they ran away with Saturday’s playoff opener against their NFC West rivals the Seattle Seahawks. The Dallas Cowboys, meanwhile, dominated Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night (despite some poor kicking) to continue their impressive season.

The two teams will meet at the 49ers’ home in Santa Clara on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. PT (4:30 p.m. ET) on Fox.

How to watch Cowboys vs. 49ers without cable

If you don’t have a cable or satellite TV subscription, you can watch the Cowboys-49ers game on Fox with a live TV service. The good news for football fans is that Fox is available on each of the five major streaming services. The catch is that not every service carries every local network, so check each one using the links below to make sure it carries Fox in your area.

If you live in an area with good reception, you can watch the broadcast on Fox for free on over-the-air broadcast channels just by attaching an affordable (under $30) indoor antenna to nearly any TV.

All of the live TV streaming services above offer free trials, allow you to cancel anytime and require a solid internet connection. Looking for more information? Check out our live-TV streaming services guide.

Gaming subscriptions are here to stay, and there’s no denying it. Every gaming platform has at least one, with Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo building their gaming subscription servicesaround basic features like online multiplayer.

That’s right, even if you’re not interested in a digital gaming library, it might be more cost-effective to subscribe to one just to access things like multiplayer — and you might even find a new favorite game along the way.

With cloud gaming and the PC version of Xbox Game Pass, subscriptions are a big part of PC gaming, but not yet the default. It helps that PC gamers can buy games a la carte from a variety of shops (Steam, GOG and so on), which means that individual games are often discounted.

And if content subscriptions are the future of gaming, then cloud gaming subscriptions are the future of that future, as they require almost no specialized hardware, and generally work anywhere from an iPad to a cheap Chromebook. For this roundup, we’re including both download and cloud-based subscription services.

That said, the road to cloud gaming is not always a smooth one. Google just announced that its Stadia service is going to end this month. Similarly, the very first cloud-gaming service, On Live, started in 2010 and shut down in 2015.

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate remains the gold standard, offering a catalog of games across console, PC and cloud (which works on practically any device). But Sony has revamped its PlayStation Plus service to be much closer to what Microsoft offers.

The top tier of services includes:

• Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
• PlayStation Plus
• Nintendo Switch Online
• GeForce Now
• Apple Arcade

Other players include:

• EA Play
• Ubisoft Plus
• Google Play Pass
• Amazon Luna
• Amazon Prime Gaming

Dan Ackerman/CNET

Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

Best for multiplatform gaming

Game Pass has evolved far beyond its Xbox-bound origins to become a subscription that delivers something for everyone who plays games, and now encompasses console and PC game downloads, access to online multiplayer services, a deal with gaming giant EA and a cloud-based service that streams games to nearly any device.

Microsoft offers several versions, but because of how the features are sliced up between them, only the $15-a-month Ultimate plan, with all the benefits detailed above, really makes sense. New subscribers can get their first month for just $1 right now as well.

Read our full review of Xbox Game Pass.

$15 at Microsoft

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PlayStation Plus

Best for PS4 and PS5 gamers

This service went through a dramatic change in 2022. The new PS Plus incorporates a large game catalog and also Sony’s PS Now cloud gaming service. Subscribers have access to three tiers: Essential, Extra and Premium (called Deluxe in some countries).

Essential is the same as the previous version of PS Plus, allowing access to online multiplayer games, along with PSN in-store discounts, cloud game saves and two new free-to-you games each month (similar to Xbox Live Gold).

Extra has about 400 PS4 and PS5 games available to play via download for $15 monthly, while Premium costs $18 a month and adds PlayStation 1, PS2, PS3 and PSP games, a handful of time-limited game demos and cloud streaming for select games.

Essential is the least expensive ($10 a month), but Extra ($15 a month) is the tier everyone should have. Premium ($18 a month) feels like a stretch, unless you’re really into retro games. — Oscar Gonzalez

See our top picks for the best PlayStation Plus games.

Read our review of PlayStation Plus.

$15 at Sony

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Nintendo

Nintendo Switch Online

Best for retro gamers

If you want to play online multiplayer with a Nintendo Switch, there’s only one option: Pay for Nintendo Switch Online. The service ranges in price depending on whether you’re playing by yourself or have other family accounts: $19 for a single person is the way to go for most, while $35 covers eight Nintendo family accounts in case others play (or have their own Switches).

Unlike other services, which charge by the month, this single fee covers an entire year. Besides online play, access to a bunch of free NES and SNES games are included, as well as Pac-Man 99. Online cloud saves are useful in case you play across multiple Switches, too.

A bonus tier introduced in 2021 called the Expansion Pack probably isn’t worth it unless you’re a serious Switch player or a lover of retro games. It comes with add-on Animal Crossing, Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 DLC packs that normally cost around $25 each, and adds a bunch of Sega Genesis and N64 games.

But the $50-a-year plan ($80 a year if you choose the family account access) still doesn’t feel worth it yet. If you really love Sega games, there’s already a Genesis Classics compilation in the eShop that’s often on sale. — Scott Stein

$19 at Amazon

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Nvidia GeForce Now

Best for cloud gamers

GeForce Now differs from the competition in that it lets you play games you’ve already paid for rather than requiring you buy a special version of the game (like Google Stadia or Amazon Luna) or stream games from a circumscribed subscription library (like Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or the Sony PlayStation Plus Premium).

It also works, via an app or web browser, on Android, Windows and Mac OS devices, as well as Chromebooks, iPhones and iPads.

The service costs $10 a month for a version that supports 1080p resolution at up to 60 frames per second. For $20 a month, a premium tier supports 4K resolutions at up to 120fps. A free tier is a great way to try it out, but limits you to one hour of play at a time.

Because of its smart set of plan options, solid performance and big and growing list of supported games, along with Nvidia’s aggressive strategy for its data center and GPU businesses (the bedrock on which GeForce Now is built) I’m recommending it for gamers who’ve amassed large game libraries and want to play them in more places. — Lori Grunin

Read our full review of Nvidia GeForce Now.

$10 at Nvidia

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Apple Arcade

Best for casual gamers

Apple Arcade has established a polished service with something for every kind of gamer since its launch in 2019. For just $5 per month, subscribers can play hundreds of games without ads or in-app purchases across all their iOS devices. New games are added weekly along with updates for existing titles. You can download and play all of Apple Arcade’s games offline.

The service is still a solid option for users seeking family-friendly gameplay, but Apple Arcade increased its appeal by adding more social and multiplayer games, as well as classic and well-known games already available in the App Store. — Shelby Brown

Read our full review of Apple Arcade.

$5 at Apple

Also tested

EA Play

For $5 to $15 a month, you get access to a catalog of EA games, but EA Play is also included in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Ubisoft Plus

For $15 a month, you get access to Ubisoft games as a stand-alone PC subscription, or as a paid add-on to Stadia or Luna, and eventually Xbox.

Google Play Pass

Like Apple Arcade, the Google version for Android phones includes lots of games, but also other apps. It works on Android devices only.

Amazon Luna/Prime Gaming

Luna is Amazon’s cloud-based service, like Stadia, that offers different catalogs for between $5 and $18 a month. Prime members can stream some games at no additional cost, and also get access to “a rotating selection” of full downloadable games. Amazon also owns Twitch, so there’s deep built-in integration for streamers.

Stadia

Google’s cloud-based service is shutting down later this month, but you can still go back and read our launch review of Google Stadia.

Apple’s next iOS update is expected to arrive as soon as this week, and with it will likely come a handful of new features, bug fixes and some Black History Month designs for your iPhone. Public beta testers, however, have already been given access to the iOS 16.3 beta.

As always, we recommend downloading a beta only on something other than your primary device. Since these are beta versions of iOS 16.3, the features might be buggy and your device’s battery life may be shortened, so it’s best to keep betas on a secondary device.

If you’re a public beta tester, here’s what’s new in the iOS 16.3 beta software. Note that the beta is still ongoing, so these likely won’t be the only new features to land on your iPhone when iOS 16.3 is officially released.

Apple Maps helps you find nearby parking options

If you use Apple Maps to get directions to a location, you can now find nearby parking within Maps. When looking up a place to go, you can tap More (…) and tap Parking. This opens SpotHero, an online service that helps you find, book and pay for a parking spot at a nearby garage or parking lot. You can also reserve a spot through SpotHero. This feature is available only in select cities, though.

New ways to use Emergency SOS via satellite

Emergency SOS via satellite was introduced at Apple’s 2022 event in September. The new beta software brings new ways to use the service on your iPhone.

In iOS 16.3 beta 2, the Call with Hold option has been replaced with Call with Hold and Release. If you enable Call with Hold and Release, you can hold the side button and a volume button to initiate a countdown and an alarm. After the countdown, you release the buttons and your iPhone will call emergency services on its own. Before with Call with Hold, pressing the side button and a volume button would first bring up the Emergency SOS call slider. If you continued to hold the buttons, a countdown started and an alarm would go off. After the countdown ended, your phone would make an emergency call.

There’s also an option to Call Quietly in Emergency SOS. By enabling this option, when you try to make an emergency SOS call, your phone won’t start flashing or making an alarm sound.

Security keys come to Apple ID

With the beta software, users will be able to use third-party security keys instead of two-factor authentication for their Apple ID.

Security keys are a lot like keys to your home. You still use passwords, but this extra layer of security can help protect you against phishing scams and hackers.

“Hardware security keys are very, very secure,” Diya Jolly, chief product officer of authentication service company Okta, told CNET’s Stephen Shankland.

Apple’s security keys feature only works with FIDO Alliance-certified security keys.

New HomePod Handoff prompts

Beta testers who have an Apple HomePod will be shown new messages when trying to use Handoff to transfer music, podcasts or phone calls over to the speaker. The messages further explain how Handoff works with your HomePod.

One message instructs you to bring your iPhone closer to the HomePod to view controls or to transfer your audio over to the HomePod. Another message says you can bring your iPhone closer to your HomePod again later to view those same controls or to transfer music.

Dumping Passwords Can Improve Your Security — Really

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Those are the major new features beta testers will see in the iOS 16.3 beta. That doesn’t mean these are the only features coming to the next iOS update. Apple will likely add more features before the release of iOS 16.3.

For more iOS 16 news, check out the new features in iOS 16.2 and iOS 16.1. Here’s how to sign up to test Apple’s iOS beta software, too.

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Table-toppers Arsenal welcome third-placed Manchester United to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in what looks set to be pivotal match in this season’s English Premier League title race.

A win here for the Gunners would see them open up a massive 11-point gap over United, as coach Mikel Arteta looks to edge his side closer to their first title in 19 years.

United boss Erik ten Hag nevertheless knows his team have had the measure of Arsenal once already this season, with their 3-1 victory in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford back in September standing as the only defeat the Gunners have suffered in the league this term.

United were left to settle for a draw in midweek away to Crystal Palace, in a match that saw influential midfielder Casemiro pick up a costly yellow card, which rules him out of this big game.

Sunday’s match could see Arsenal give new $33 million signing Leandro Trossard his debut, following the completion of the Belgian attacker’s move from Brighton on Friday.

Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game live wherever you are in the world.

Arsenal vs. Manchester United: When and where?

Arsenal host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium in London on Sunday, Jan. 22. Kickoff is set for 4.30 p.m. local time in the UK (11.30 a.m. ET, 8.30 a.m. PT in the US).

How to watch the Arsenal vs. Man United game online from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to view the game locally, you may need a different way to watch the game — that’s where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it’s also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.

With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. So if your internet provider or mobile carrier has stuck you with an IP address that incorrectly shows your location in a blackout zone, a VPN can correct that problem by giving you an IP address in your correct, nonblackout area. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you’re streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions.

Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other great VPN deals taking place right now.

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ExpressVPN

Best VPN for streaming

ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It’s normally $13 per month, and you can sign up for ExpressVPN and save 49% plus get three months of access for free — the equivalent of $6.67 per month — if you get an annual subscription.

Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Livestream the Arsenal vs. Man United game in the US

Sunday’s match at the Emirates is streaming on Peacock. You’ll need a Peacock Premium or Premium Plus account to catch the game live.

Livestream the Arsenal vs. Man United game in the UK

Premier League rights in the UK are split between Sky Sports, BT Sport and Amazon Prime Video. The Arsenal-Man United game is exclusive to Sky Sports — showing on its Sky Sports Main Event, Premier League and Ultra channels. If you already have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, you can stream the game via its Sky Go app, but cord-cutters will want to get set up with a Now account, and a Now Sports membership, to stream the game.

Livestream the Arsenal vs. Manchester United game in Canada

If you want to stream this crucial game in the title race live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to FuboTV Canada. The service has exclusive rights to this Premier League season.

Sometimes you might start shooting a video vertically on your iPhone only to realize moments later that it’s recording horizontally instead. Flipping your phone midway doesn’t work, since the iPhone locks the video in the orientation you started recording in.

Thankfully, Apple knows this is a common occurrence and has equipped our iPhones with a handy solution you can use after you’re done recording. All it involves is a series of “button” taps, and you should have your video in the correct orientation in seconds.

Apple added the ability to rotate a video’s orientation with the release of iOS 13 in 2019. In fact, as long as your iPhone is running iOS 13 or newer, you can take advantage of the feature and quickly fix any videos recorded the wrong way. Here’s how.

How to fix your iPhone’s video orientation

1. Open the Photos app and find the video you want to fix.
2. Tap the Edit button on the upper right of the screen to bring up a toolbar at the bottom.
3. Now tap the Crop icon on the far right side on the toolbar.
4. Next tap the Rotate tool icon (a square with a tiny arrow) on the top left of the screen.
5. Once the video is in the orientation you want, tap the Done button.

If you enjoyed this tech tip, make sure to check out these 10 hidden iOS 16 settings that’ll change how you use your iPhone, as well as the most annoying iOS 16 features and how to fix them.

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You might think you’re smart enough to avoid viruses, but even the smartest of tech aficionados can get fooled — yes, even us. That’s why it’s so important to invest in an antivirus software that can efficiently protect your system. These programs can help protect not only your devices, but your information as well, which hackers, scammers and other internet bandits would love to get their hands on. These rascals are getting smarter every day, developing new techniques and methods all the time. Fortunately, there are tons of great antivirus softwares available in 2023, so you’ve got plenty of options to keep your computer safe. We’ve put some of the most popular softwares out there to the test to bring you the best antivirus software options out there.

Windows devices make up three out of every four laptop or desktop operating systems, according to the latest data from Statcounter. Windows-targeted malware has a larger base of devices to infect, giving it more potential in the eyes of cybercriminals.

We’re here to help you find the antivirus software that best fits your needs. These picks of the best antivirus programs are a combination of recommendations from independent third-party labs AV-Test, AV-Comparatives and SE Labs, as well as CNET’s own hands-on testing. We regularly research and test software to determine which product leads the pack, and we update this list periodically based on those tests.

Note that antivirus software is only one piece of the cybersecurity puzzle. Cybercriminals are becoming more sophisticated, and the more steps you take to lock down your online security, the safer you’ll be. A secure virtual private network can help protect your internet privacy, and a password manager will help you create and keep track of more secure login credentials. These tools are all essential in protecting your personal information.

Our recommendations

Whether you’re looking for free antivirus protection or are willing to pay for a program that offers more security features, we have you covered. Here’s where to start when looking for the best antivirus software for your specific needs.

Note: The pricing structure for antivirus services can be complicated, since providers often offer low introductory prices to entice you to sign up for their services. After the first billing period — typically a year or two, depending on the plan you purchase — the amount you pay for the service may increase substantially. The regular rate for the services may be double the introductory rate or sometimes more. Be sure to check the terms of the subscription plan prior to making your purchase so you don’t get an unwelcome surprise when your subscription renews.

Microsoft

Microsoft Defender

Best free Windows antivirus

Free version? Yes, free antivirus built into Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Paid version: Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection is available to corporate users for a fee.

Honestly, if you practice safe computing — you keep your software up to date, you use strong passwords (with the help of a password manager), you steer clear of unexpected emails and you don’t click suspicious links that may be phishing attempts — you probably can avoid zero-day attacks and ransomware attacks. And with the free Microsoft Defender Antivirus software running on Windows 10, you have a malware protection safety net if you do let your guard down. In fact, it is one of the best antivirus software options.

(Note: Microsoft changed the name of Windows Defender to Microsoft Defender and has expanded the service to other platforms.) This free antivirus program is built into Windows, and it’s turned on by default, the antivirus engine does its thing, and this antivirus solution will cover the basics of internet security. Microsoft pushes new updates frequently. Defender also lets you tune the level of protection you want, giving you control over blocking potentially unwanted apps and protecting folders and files from a ransomware attack.

Windows 10 and 11 will automatically disable its own Windows Defender antivirus when you install third-party antivirus. If you uninstall the third-party protection, Windows will turn back on its own antivirus.

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Norton

Norton 360 With LifeLock Select

Best antivirus subscription for Windows

Platforms: Windows 10 and 11 plus MacOS, Android, iOS.

Free version? No, but a free 30-day trial is available.

Cost: $100 per year for five devices (first year).

For a long time, Norton Security — now called NortonLifeLock, and no longer part of Symantec — has earned high marks from AV-Test, AV Comparatives and SE Labs for virus and malware detection. Norton antivirus provides industry-leading security software for PC, Mac and mobile devices. Their products include Antivirus Plus, Norton Secure VPN, Norton 360 for Gamers, Norton 360 with LifeLock Select and more. A five-device subscription for Norton 360 with LifeLock Select is normally $180 per year, but you can get your first year for $80 off. In addition to malware and virus protection for your computer and mobile device, this antivirus suite provides 100GB of backup to the cloud, safe-browsing tools, a secure VPN, password manager, parental controls and LifeLock identity theft protection and fraud alert. While not all of those services are necessarily best in their respective class, getting them all in one package is a compelling option.

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Bitdefender

Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition

Best free antivirus alternative for Windows

Platforms: Windows 10 and 11 plus MacOS, Android, iOS.

Free version? Yes.

Paid version: $25 per year for five devices (first year).

If you’d like to take a step up in securing your PC without taxing your wallet, it’s hard to beat Bitdefender’s free antivirus software for Windows 10 and 11. The Windows security software offers real-time monitoring for viruses, malware, spyware and ransomware protection. Bitdefender Antivirus Free Edition is easy to set up and stays out of your way until you need it. And the protection this antivirus product offers is solid. Bitdefender antivirus software consistently earns top marks for its antivirus protection and usability from the respected AV-Test independent testing lab. The free antivirus version covers one Windows PC. For broader protection, you can choose Bitdefender Total Security or Bitdefender Antivirus Plus. The subscription antivirus suite lets you protect five devices (Windows, MacOS, iOS and Android), set up parental controls on a kid’s computer and run a VPN.

See at Bitdefender

Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes

Best on-demand Windows malware removal

Platforms: Windows 10 and 11 plus MacOS, Android.

Free version? Yes, after the 14-day trial expires.

Paid version: $34 per year for one device, $59 for two years for one device.

Malwarebytes does protect your PC from a virus or malware attack, scoring reasonably well in recent independent testing for guarding against malware threats. But that’s not really what Malwarebytes is known for. If you find yourself in trouble, the go-to disinfectant for many is Malwarebytes. You can get protection and disinfection for one device for $34 a year, regularly $45. To cover five devices — any combination of Windows, MacOS and Android — it’s $80 for a year of antivirus software. To get the antivirus company’s free antivirus version, download this trial version, which “downgrades” to a no-fee on-demand cleaner with fewer features that detects and removes viruses and malware when you run an on-demand antivirus scan after 14 days.

See at Malwarebytes

Also worth considering

In addition to the four antivirus apps we recommend above, a handful of other anti-malware tools are worth considering among the best antivirus protection if you find them at a better price or just prefer to use one over our picks above.

What about Avast?

Test after test, Avast Antivirus for Windows performs well for malware detection with options ranging from Avast free antivirus software to Avast Premium Security. And we’ve included its antivirus in our list of recommended security app options before. But Avast was in the news for several months for its non-antivirus business, so we looked at the company, specifically reports at the end of 2019 that Avast allegedly collected user data with its browser plug-ins and antivirus software and then sold data it collected through its Jumpshot subsidiary in early 2020.

In response to the reports that his company gathered and sold the details of its customers’ online activities, Avast CEO Ondrej Vlcek said in a statement that he understood that his company’s actions raised questions of trust in his company. To address that, Avast terminated Jumpshot data collection in January 2020 and closed its operations because the data collection business wasn’t in line with Avast’s privacy priorities.

Those reports followed another in 2019 from Avast that its internal network was breached, possibly to insert malware into its CCleaner software, similar to an earlier CCleaner hack that occurred prior to Avast’s acquiring the Windows utility.

Avast started saying the right things about taking its customers’ privacy seriously, but it only came to that point after reacting to investigative reporting that revealed the Jumpshot practices. (The CCleaner revelations, while concerning, were self-disclosed, which is important to building user trust.) We hope Avast’s more privacy-friendly policies mean that there will be no further Jumpshot-style activities and that it returns to glory as one of the best antivirus software options. In the meantime, we’d recommend using one of the many other solid choices in this realm (listed above).

What about Kaspersky?

Because the company has been in the news the past few years, let’s talk about Kaspersky Lab — specifically about the federal ban that blocks US government agencies from using Kaspersky Antivirusproducts.

Based in Moscow, Kaspersky Lab has for years produced some of the best antivirus software for business antivirus needs and home customers. But in 2017 the US government prohibited Kaspersky security cloud software on federal government computers because of alleged ties between Kaspersky and the Russian government.

Notably, the ban does not apply to its consumer products such as Kaspersky Total Security and Kaspersky Anti-Virus. But as with China-based Huawei, the question remains: If the federal government doesn’t think the products are safe enough for its own devices, should consumers avoid them as well?

In a statement sent to CNET, the company said, “Kaspersky Lab has no ties to any government, and the company has never, nor will ever, engage in cyber offensive activities. Kaspersky Lab maintains that no public evidence of any wrongdoing has been presented by the US government, and that the US government’s actions against Kaspersky Lab were unconstitutional.”

In Kaspersky’s favor, it continues to earn top scores and awards for virus and malware detection and endpoint protection from independent testing labs. And it’s reasonably priced.

In the end, even though no one has ever publicly produced a “smoking gun” linking the company to Russian intrigue, we think any of the options listed above is a safer bet. And if you are a US government employee or work with the federal government, you’ll want to steer clear of Kaspersky internet security products — and perhaps use one of the antivirus software products mentioned here instead.

Antivirus basics: What to look for

Picking the best antivirus software for Windows means finding one that keeps your PC safe, doesn’t take up a lot of system resources, is easy to use and stays out of the way till you need it. Here’s what to look for.

Effectiveness. Antivirus software runs virus scans for known viruses and malware, of course, and can offer real-time protection. And it watches for shady websites and suspicious links to keep you out of trouble. It can also offer ransomware protection and monitor unexpected behavior that may be a sign of new and not-yet-identified viruses and malware. You want antivirus software that can successfully identify these unknown online threats without flagging too many false positives.

Light on system resources. You don’t want antivirus software that taxes your PC’s resources. If after you install the program, websites open slowly, apps download or open sluggishly or file copies take longer than expected, you may want to try another service. The good news is, all our picks offer a free trial or money-back guarantee to let you try out the antivirus program, so if your system feels sluggish after installation, you may want to keep looking.

Cost and discounts. Don’t just pay the sticker price for antivirus protection. Before you buy, check for discounts on a company’s website. Another way to save: The prices we list above are for 10 devices — if the company offered that package — but you can trim your cost with antivirus packages if you need to cover three or five devices. You may also find discounts on an app’s Amazon page.

Privacy. To be effective, antivirus software needs to monitor what’s going on with your PC, check in with company servers about unusual behavior and should provide sound banking protection. The companies say they anonymize this technical data as much as possible to protect your privacy. But if you want to know more, the security companies on our list post privacy policies on their websites, so read their privacy statements to learn what the companies do with the information you share.

Protection for other platforms. Microsoft is by far the biggest target for viruses and malware. But Android is second, with just under 1% of apps installed on Android devices with Google Play Protect in the potentiallyharmful app, or PHA, category.

The threat to MacOS and especially iOS is low, in part because of the tight control Apple has over its app stores. While the Mac does come under attack via side-loaded apps, it’s rare, and if you download apps only from the Mac and iOS app stores and keep your guard up when clicking links and download files, you should be OK without an antivirus app on Apple devices.

Antivirus FAQs

Can antivirus protect against phishing?

To a degree, yes. Some antivirus programs can do things like warn you or block you from visiting a suspected phishing site. Others may also automatically block suspicious emails that appear to come from a malicious sender or contain phrasing common in phishing emails. However, you cannot count on an antivirus program to be a failsafe solution for phishing protection. You still need to be vigilant and know what to look out for on your own when it comes to phishing, because an antivirus program won’t be able to catch everything.

Will antivirus slow down my computer?

Any program running on your computer will require a certain amount of processing power to work, which can affect your computer’s overall performance. If an antivirus program is just running in the background, it shouldn’t really have any effect on your computer’s performance. However, when actively running a scan of your system, an antivirus can noticeably slow down your computer. If this is the case, try to schedule antivirus scans at night, or at a time when you’re not using your computer.

More computer security advice

• Best Password Managers and How to Use Them

• Best VPN Service for 2023

• Special Report: A Winning Strategy for Cybersecurity (free PDF from TechRepublic)
• This Is the Browser You’ll Want if You Care About Online Privacy

• The CNET Guide to Password Security (and Why You Should Care)

• 6 Steps to Secure Your Windows 10 Machine

• This Is the Best Free Password Manager

Seamless integration between all Apple devices is a huge benefit of the ecosystem, and that’s why AirPods often come in handy: They can easily connect to the rest of your devices. With several AirPods on the market, however, it’s tough to know which are the best ones for you.

CNET is here to help. We’ve tested out all of Apple’s earbuds and rounded up the best models across the various generations below.

There’s a reason AirPods always top best headphones lists for the year, but shopping for AirPods has become a lot more complicated now that Apple’s released multiple generations and versions of its AirPods. These versions include standard AirPods, AirPods Pro and AirPods Max.

Confused? Don’t be: I’ll run down the differences and benefits of each. Note, too, that we’re pulling the Beats Fit Pro into this conversation — they’re not “AirPods,” but that model of the Apple-owned brand is worth considering if you’re looking for AirPods in the $150 to $200 range.

Great sound quality, a variety of ear tips for a snug fit, noise-canceling technology and extended battery life thanks to a wireless charging case are aspects that undoubtedly contribute to AirPods’ perpetual appeal.

I’ll compare their feature highlights below to help you pick the best AirPods for your needs. Many times, choosing the best AirPods involves striking a balance between function and price, so we’ve mapped out the most current pricing for you as well. Here are the best Apple AirPods deals you can find this year.

Read more: Best True-Wireless Earbuds for 2023

We update this story frequently to reflect current pricing.

David Carnoy/CNET

Apple AirPods Pro 2

Best overall AirPods

Battery Life

Rated up to 6 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)

The new AirPods Pro (2nd generation) are powered by Apple’s new H2 chip, which delivers more processing power while being more energy efficient, according to Apple. The new chip, combined with new low-distortion drivers, allows for improved sound that offers better clarity and depth. The noise canceling is also improved — Apple says the new AirPods have “double” the noise canceling of the original AirPods Pro.

Additionally, the new AirPods add an extra hour of battery life, up from five to six hours with noise canceling on. Plus, a speaker in the case that emits a sound that helps locate your buds via Find My should they decide to hide from you.

Note that while Apple has discontinued the original AirPods Pro, they’ll remain on sale at discounted prices until supplies are exhausted. However, most people should get this newer model if they can afford it.

Read our Apple AirPods Pro 2 review.

$239 at Amazon

$249 at Apple

$250 at Best Buy

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David Carnoy/CNET

Beats Fit Pro

Best Apple buds for working out

Battery Life

Rated up to 6 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)

Made by Apple, the newest Beats headphones aren’t AirPods, but — except for lacking a case with wireless charging and MagSafe compatibility — they pretty much pack most of the features found on the AirPods Pro in a sportier design and are available in multiple color options. You should definitely check these out before buying the AirPods 3 or AirPods Pro at nearly the same price. Read our Beats Fit Pro review.

$200 at Best Buy

$200 at Apple

$200 at Target

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David Carnoy/CNET

AirPods Max

Best noise-canceling headphones

Battery Life

Rated up to 20 hours

Noise Canceling

Yes (ANC)

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Over-ear wireless headphones

Water-Resistant

No IP rating

Apple’s first full-size headphones are chock-full of high-end features like noise cancellation, spatial audio and easy integration with Apple devices. Yes, paying about the same as you would for a PS5 may sound crazy, but here’s the crazier thing: They’re actually kinda worth it, so long as you don’t feel burned by their lack of support for full lossless audio and lack of included cable for wired listening (which must be purchased separately).

We’ve occasionally seen the Apple AirPods Max prices dip as low as $395 in certain colors, but right now they’re hovering around $480 at most retailers.

Read our AirPods Max review.

$480 at Amazon

$549 at Apple

$499 at Best Buy

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AirPods Pro

Former top AirPods

Apple’s original AirPods Pro have been discontinued, so they’re gradually getting a little harder to find (Amazon is only stocking “renewed” versions). While a clear step down from the new AirPod Pro 2, if you can find them at a steep discount — under $180 — they may be worth buying.

Read our AirPods Pro review.

$220 at Best Buy

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AirPods 2021 (3rd-gen)

Best open AirPods

The newest 2021 AirPods deliver better sound quality than their predecessors while maintaining an open design. Slightly larger and shaped more like the AirPods, they should be a better fit for more people’s ears, but at the same time, they may not fit those with very small ears who got a perfect fit with the AirPods 2nd Generation. Read our AirPods 3 review.

$179 at Apple

AirPods 2019 (2nd-gen)

Best budget AirPods

Battery Life

Rated up to 5 hours

Noise Canceling

No

Multipoint

No

Headphone Type

Wireless earbuds

Water-Resistant

Yes (IPX4 — splash-proof)

Apple’s second-generation AirPods remain in the line but no longer include a wireless-charging option. Apple has dropped the official price of the AirPods 2 to $129, though you can usually find them for $100 or less.

They’re not as feature-packed as the other AirPods on this list, but they remain an appealing option for folks on a tighter budget or those who’ve worn out their original pair but love their fit and simply want to replace them.

Read our AirPods review.

$129 at Apple

$100 at Best Buy

$100 at Amazon

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