A derby win today at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will see Spurs head back to the summit of the English Premier League as they host London rivals Chelsea.
With 26 points from their opening 10 league games, Tottenham’s sparkling start to the season is their best since 1960-61.
The match is set to mark an emotional return for former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, with the Argentine making his first appearance in the visitors’ dugout since since his sacking as Spurs boss almost two years ago.
It’s been a tricky start as Blues boss for Pochettino, and while there’s been evidence of a recent turnaround in form, their 2-0 defeat to Brentford at home last time out starkly illustrated how much work is still left to be done before the west Londoners can be considered contenders once more.
Below, we’ll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch all of the action live wherever you are in the world.
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea : When and where?
Spurs host Chelsea at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Monday, Nov. 6. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. GMT local time. That’s 3 p.m. ET or 12 p.m. PT in the US and Canada, and 7 a.m. AEDT on Tuesday morning in Australia.
How to watch the Spurs vs. Chelsea 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 — 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, non-blackout 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.
Livestream the Tottenham vs. Chelsea game in the US
Monday’s Tottenham-Chelsea match is streaming on Peacock. You’ll need a Peacock Premium or Premium Plus account to catch the game live.
Livestream the Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea game in the UK
Premier League rights in the UK are split between Sky Sports, Amazon Prime Video and TNT Sports (previously known as BT Sport). Spurs vs. Chelsea 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 Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea game in Canada
If you want to stream this match live in Canada, you’ll need to subscribe to Fubo Canada. The service has exclusive rights for this Premier League season.
Livestream the Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea game in Australia
Football fans Down Under can watch this EPL fixture on streaming service Optus Sport, which is showing every single Premier League game live in Australia this season.
Quick tips for streaming the Premier League using a VPN
With four variables at play — your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN — your experience and success when streaming EPL matches may vary.
If you don’t see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the “search for city or country” option.
If you’re having trouble getting the game after you’ve turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs — like Roku — don’t have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you’ll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you’re using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network’s sports app, you’ll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.
And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you’re using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommend Brave.
The world of the foldable phone is full of options, especially if you’re into flip phones. Motorola makes some of the best around right now, and two of the very best are available with savings of up to $300 if you’re quick. Discounts can be had on both the Motorola Razr Plus and Motorola Razr — all you need to do is pick which one is right for you.
Those savings need to be seen to be believed, too. At the top of the list is the excellent Razr Plus, a phone that would normally sell for around $1,000 but can now be picked up for just $700. It isn’t every day that you get the chance to save $300 on something, but what if you’re looking to spend a little less? The Motorola Razr is a great option, too, and right now it’s available in a choice of four colors for just $500.
Starting with that Razr, this is the 2023 model, which means that it comes with 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. There’s a 6.9-inch foldable display on the inside and an external display capable of showing notifications, the weather and more. The selfie camera is a 32-megapixel affair, while the rear-facing cameras include a main 64-megapixel sensor and a 13-megapixel ultrawide. In terms of processing power, the capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip is onboard.
The high-end Motorola Razr Plus builds on that by increasing the external display from 1.5 to 3.6 inches, giving more room for apps and whatnot. You also get more storage, with 256GB on offer here. The upgrades continue with the chip — Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 should ensure your apps never miss a beat.
No matter which phone you opt for, you’ll benefit from 5G connectivity and they’re both unlocked, so you can pick and choose your carrier, too.
Apple recently announced a new generation of iMacs equipped with its latest M3 processors. But you don’t have to spend $1,299 or more to get your hands on an Apple desktop — especially if you don’t need the absolute latest and greatest model. Woot currently has a selection of factory reconditioned 2021 M1 iMacs on sale, with prices starting at just $900. There are also some even older refurb models available for less, though we’d generally recommend steering clear of those. This sale runs through Nov. 9, but some models have already sold out, so we’d recommend getting your order in sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.
These M1 iMacs have been graded as factory reconditioned refurbs, which means that they have been inspected and restored to full working condition. And while they may show very slight signs of use, they’re about as close to new as refurbished items get. Plus, they come backed by a one-year warranty.
There are two different M1 models to choose from, which both feature a stunning 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, an eight-core M1 processor and 8GB of RAM. Both also come with the Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard included. Prices start at $900, which scores you the 256GB model — available in blue and yellow. Or you can upgrade to the 512GB model for $1,060, which is available in blue, green, pink, purple and yellow. There are also plenty of older refurb iMac and iMac Pro configurations available for as little as $300. However, these are equipped with the older Intel processors and, as stated above, are a little too outdated for us to strongly recommend.
And if you’re looking for other discounted desktops, you can check out our full roundup of all the best desktop computer deals for even more bargains.
The new, lower-price, entry-level model of the MacBook Pro 14 baffles me. I get that $1,999 — the price of the configuration we tested — is kind of high, but now it just seems like a heavier MacBook Air 13 with an HDR screen. I like the MacBook Pro 14, but you’re probably better off paying less and getting an Air or stepping up to $1,999 for a model with the M3 Pro and at least 18GB RAM.
As configured, the MacBook Pro 14 isn’t powerful enough do anything really but play back HDR content. In other words, there’s really no “pro” in the cheapest model, any more than the M3 iMac is for pros. It’s a price-performance configuration, and one that only an enterprise buyer who doesn’t have to use it could love.
2 x USB-C/Thunderbolt 4, 1 x HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm audio
Networking
Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax), Bluetooth 5.3
Operating system
MacOS Sonoma 14.1
Weight
3.4 lbs/1.6kg
The design is more or less unchanged since the 2021 model; the difference is mainly in the port selection, which is determined by the base level of the chip. An M3 processor means only two USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and only one high-res external monitor in addition to the built-in screen.
The two USB-C port limit won’t be a huge drawback for everyone, especially if you only carry it between docking station locations. But if you need to work in airports, coffee shops or other locations with limited outlet access, having all the charging options (ports and the MagSafe power connector) on one side may pose a problem for you. In my case, for instance, I needed to connect the analog headset jack to another system on my left side, but also needed to connect it to a power outlet on the far right. That left it stuck in the middle of my desk because I was unable to move it out of my way.
The good news is that as long as you charge it regularly, you don’t have to worry about the battery dying. It lasted about 18 hours during testing, which is impressive. Apple touted the increased battery life of 15 to 22 hours, depending upon what you’re doing — but that’s only for the M3 model. Our 18 hours as tested fell right in the middle. The M3 Pro model has the same battery but draws more power, and thus the battery life will be unchanged from before, or 12 to 18 hours. Still, pretty good.
Performance
The screen is essentially the same as that of the MacBook Pro 16, which is excellent — bright and accurate — for everyday use, content creation and gaming. (I didn’t test it separately, though, if you want specifics I suggest looking at that review.) It’s OK for playing new Metal-and-M3-GPU optimized games; Lies of P actually ran pretty well, but the optimized games use MetalFX automatic upscaling technology and the screen is small so it’s easy to get playable frame rates and still look shiny. But despite offering a friendlier gaming environment, Apple still doesn’t have a lot of games from the more prolific platforms.
I think some aspects of the configuration’s performance are memory bound; in other words, too little memory may hold it back because of the unified memory architecture. Apple has improved the graphics optimization so that it doesn’t under- or over-allocate GPU resources, but if you’ve only got 8GB UMA memory there’s really no headroom for the CPU and GPU to share the memory if you’re slamming them both. This may explain some of the unexpected performance differences between the MacBook Pro 14 (16GB) with the iMac (48GB) given that they have the same processor.
Otherwise, even the M3 model is an improvement over the Intel-based MacBook Pros, if only because we’ve noticed that between the several generations of updated MacOS versions, the fact that the Intel chips were old when Apple incorporated them and the overhead of enterprise security and its applications, they’re beginning to slog and the battery life pales. Corporate buyers, I’m talking to you. If you’ve already got an M series processor in your current system, you’ll need to spend more to get the performance boost you’re looking for.
Geekbench 6 (multicore)
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M2 8C/10C)9,859Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M2 Pro 12C/19C)10,592Apple iMac (M3 8C/10C)10,697Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3 8C/10C)12,049Mac Studio (M2 Max 12C/38C )15,014Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max 16C/40C)21,482
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Cinebench 2024 CPU (multicore)
Apple iMac (M3 8C/10C)651Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3 8C/10C)710Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M2 Pro 12C/19C)1,043Apple Mac Studio (M2 Max 12C/38C )1,048Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max 16C/40C)1,672
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Cinebench 2024 CPU (single core)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3 8C/10C)122Apple Mac Studio (M2 Max 12C/38C )131Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M2 Pro 12C/19C)140Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max 16C/40C)140Apple iMac (M3 8C/10C)141
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Cinebench 2024 GPU
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3 8C/10C)3,327Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M2 Pro 12C/19C)3,395Apple iMac (M3 8C/10C)3,711Apple Mac Studio (M2 Max 12C/38C )6,144Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max 16C/40C)12,795
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Streaming video playback battery drain test (minutes)
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (M3 8C/10C)1,129Apple MacBook Pro 13 (M28C/10C)1,253Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max 16C/40C)1,263Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M3 Max 16C/40C)1,474
Note: Longer bars indicate better performance
Configurations of test systems
Apple iMac (2023)
Apple macOS Sonoma 14.1; Apple M3 (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU); 24GB unified memory; 1TB SSD
Apple Mac Studio (2023)
MacOS Ventura 13.4 or Sonoma 14.1; Apple M2 Max (12-core CPU, 38-core GPU); 64GB RAM; 2TB SSD
Apple MacBook Pro 14 (late 2023)
Apple macOS Sonoma 14.1; Apple M3 (8-core CPU, 10-core GPU); 16GB unified memory; 1TB SSD
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (early 2023)
Apple MacOS Ventura 13.2 or Sonoma 14.1; Apple M2 Pro (12 CPU cores, 19 GPU cores); 32GB LPDDR5 RAM; 1TB SSD
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (late 2023)
Apple macOS Sonoma 14.1; Apple M3 Max (16-core CPU, 20-core GPU); 48GB unified memory; 1TB SSD
Enjoying the big-screen experience is pretty easy at home because you just need a wall and a projector, but things get more complicated out and about. There are plenty of portable projector screens to be had, but you’re going to need a portable projector as well. Like this Anker Nebula Solar Portable projector, yours right now for $150 off.
This lightweight projector normally sells for $500 but if you enter the discount code EBFD2131 at Amazon, that price falls to to just $350. That’s a pre-Black Friday savings of a full 30%, but that the code won’t work forever and the best way to lock the price in is to get your order in soon.
The projector is highly portable, so you can take it anywhere, but that doesn’t mean that you’re limited in screen size. This thing can throw an image up to 120 inches on the diagonal at 1080p resolution. The built-in 3-watt speakers are there if you need them, while the built-in Android TV support means all of your favorite streaming apps and services are present and correct without any external sticks or boxes.
The built-in battery can provide up to three hours of use from a single charge. That should be more than enough for all but the longest of movies and plenty of time to binge-watch that new TV show.
Other features include a built-in stand to help you get the right projection angle and a number of connections, including USB-A, USB-C and HDMI, plus Bluetooth for wireless audio.
The 2021 ninth-gen iPad may not be the latest model in Apple’s flagship lineup, but its still managed to hang on to a top spot on our list of the overall best tablets for 2023 thanks to its affordable price tag. And right now, you can get your hands on one for even less. Amazon’s Black Friday sale officially kicks off next week, but the online retailer is already offering an early bargain that saves you $80 on this sleek Apple tablet, dropping it back down to the all-time low price of $249. Though there’s no set expiration for this early Black Friday deal, so we’d recommend getting your order in sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.
If you’re after a tablet that’s great for the basics like checking your email, streaming shows and scrolling through social media, this is one of the best iPad deals you’ll find out there right now. Apple’s 10.2-inch tablet may not be the latest model anymore — having been superseded by the 10th-gen iPad, which ditched the home button — or the most capable when it comes to raw power, but it has plenty of great features. It’s equipped with the still-capable A13 Bionic chip, an 8-megapixel wide-angle rear camera, a 12-megapixel ultrawide front camera with Center Stage technology and more. The Retina display has been upgraded from previous models. It has True Tone technology, which adjusts the screen for comfortable viewing in any light.
It also includes a Lightning connector, instead of USB-C, which will be useful to those with plenty of Lightning cables around, and it gets up to 10 hours of battery life per charge. Plus, this 2021 iPad supports the first-gen Apple Pencil (currently $20 off) and Smart Keyboard — they’re sold separately but can help you create and work more easily, so they may be worth the investment.
With this deal, prices start at $249 for the basic 64GB model, but you need some extra storage, you can upgrade to the 256GB model for $399, which is also $80 off. And if you want cellular connectivity, you can save $64 on the 64GB model (with the instant coupon), dropping it down to $380, or snag the 256GB cellular model for $519, which saves you $90.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max has one of the best cameras it’s possible to get on a phone. Its main, 48-megapixel image sensor takes stunning photos, while its telephoto lens has been bumped up to 5x, making it great for taking more zoomed-in shots of distant subjects. It’s an overall photography beast, but it isn’t the only great camera phone to buy. Samsung’s Galaxy S23 Ultra has remained one of our top picks for photographers since it launched earlier this year. It can take great images under any conditions, and its 10x zoom offers even more creative options.
But how do these two phones compare when it comes to photo-shooting prowess? To find out, I put both devices through their paces in a series of tests in London and Edinburgh, including night mode imagery, zoom tests and portrait mode challenges.
Read more: Best camera phone to buy in 2023
The long story short is that both phones are incredibly capable when it comes to taking photos that’ll wow your Instagram followers, but read on to see how each phone fares under different conditions.
Both phones have captured this bright, vibrant scene well with their main cameras. But the iPhone 15 Pro Max has produced more realistic colors in both the sky and in the main building to the left of the scene. The S23 Ultra’s sky looks particularly oversaturated , with a yellow tinge to the scene that I’m less keen on.
It’s the same story when switching to each phone’s wide-angle lens. The S23 Ultra’s shot is more vibrant, but it looks almost unnaturally saturated as a result. The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s shot looks almost a little drab by comparison, but I prefer its more faithful reproduction of colors.
Beyond a slight shift in white balance, there’s very little to choose between either shot here.
I focused closer-up on these pretty pink flowers using the main cameras on each phone, and the iPhone is the clear winner. It’s provided an attractive out-of-focus bokeh to the background, while keeping the subject looking nice and sharp, which helps the foreground flflowers stand out. The S23 Ultra doesn’t have the same depth effect and its colors are extremely saturated. The green leaves to the bottom left of the image in particular look almost toxic against the iPhone’s much more realistic tones.
Color balance isn’t an issue here, with both phones producing well-exposed shots and the vibrant artwork on this bridge looking well-produced in both images.
There’s not a lot of immediate difference here, so I really have to nitpick to draw any conclusion. On the one hand, I slightly prefer the brighter, higher-contrast exposure the S23 Ultra has managed. However, the iPhone 15 Pro Max has a more attractive shallow depth of field, with softer bokeh noticeable on the chairs and light sources in the background. As a result, we can call this one a tie.
Switching to the ultrawide cameras on both phones, the big difference is the shift in white balance on the S23 Ultra. Samsung’s phone has opted for an image with a strong magenta color cast that I’m not particularly keen on. While the iPhone’s shot is a little darker, its color tone is much more accurate.
Both phones have portrait modes that can be used with different lenses but still capture that attractive bokeh effect around your subject. Taken with the standard 1x lenses, the S23’s shot is wider than the iPhone’s, while also producing richer contrast and stronger colors. The iPhone’s looks quite washed out, either due to lens flare or simply through software processing, and the result is disappointing.
Things change when we look at the zoomed-in shots. The iPhone Pro Max’s 5x zoom lens has captured a lovely portrait here, with great exposure and a really natural-looking bokeh around the subject that could easily have been taken on a DSLR with a telephoto zoom. The S23 Ultra’s shot still looks good though, with rich contrast and deep colors.
The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x zoom has delivered a much better-looking shot than the S23 Ultra’s 3x lens, with more natural-looking colors and exposure. Things improve for the S23 Ultra at 10x zoom though, with a far nicer color tone overall, not to mention being able to see more detail on the sign, thanks to the longer zoom range.
The S23 Ultra’s extended zoom range can be beneficial, especially for those occasions where you really want to fill your frame with a distant subject. However, I personally find 5x to be a real sweet spot. It allows me to find more interesting compositions than I could with a wide-angle lens, but without being too restrictive.
That’s why I prefer the iPhone 15 Pro Max in this scenario rather than the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s closer 10x zoom. This largely comes down to personal preference, of course, but I find the iPhone’s zoom (as I did with the Pixel 7 Pro’s 5x zoom) much more useful on a day-to-day basis.
Night mode
Both the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy S23 Ultra can take excellent shots after dark, and these images from the main camera are fine examples. That said, the S23 Ultra’s image has a more yellow color cast to the image, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max maintains slightly finer details, especially in some of the brickwork on the buildings. The S23 Ultra’s image noise processing has smoothed out some of those details.
That detail smoothing is especially noticeable in this nighttime image of the front of a building. While the iPhone has clearly reproduced the details in the brickwork, with noticeable texture on the sandstone blocks, the S23 Ultra has recognized that texture as image noise and so has attempted to smooth it out. The result is an odd-looking smoothed appearance that lacks any of the realism of the iPhone’s image.
This scene is more of a mixed bag. The S23 Ultra has kept some of the bright highlights under better control, while the iPhone has achieved a brighter sky that gives better separation to the tops of the buildings. I don’t really feel either one is especially better than the other here.
Switching to the ultrawide lenses on both phones, it’s immediately obvious that the iPhone’s image is brighter, both in the sky and in the river below. However, it’s a less detailed image, with the S23 Ultra achieving sharper details on the buildings, better control of highlights and less image noise in the river.
However, I much prefer the iPhone’s 5x zoom shot at night to either the 3x or 10x zoom shots from the S23 Ultra. The iPhone has achieved a pin-sharp image here, with great colors and exposure, with even the bright clock face on the left being clearly visible. At 3x, the S23 Ultra is already losing some detail, and at 10x the image is disappointingly mushy and lacking in detail.
The S23 Ultra’s familiar magenta color cast is visible again in this night mode shot, with the iPhone generally producing more natural tones. Both shots are almost equally bright however, with almost nothing to choose between them in terms of clarity and detail.
While the iPhone’s ultrawide night mode shot isn’t quite as sharp as the S23 Ultra’s, Samsung’s phone suffers from some unpleasant noise artifacts in the sky — green-looking blobs where the digital processing clearly hasn’t performed as it should. It’s a disappointing result for the S23 Ultra here, as its shot is otherwise the better of the two.
The night mode zoom results here are the same as I found in the other test. The iPhone 15 Pro Max’s 5x zoom has produced a sharp and clear image with a good handle on image noise. The 3x shot from the S23 Ultra suffers from unpleasant noise artifacts, and the 10x is extremely muddy and lacking in detail.
iPhone 15 Pro Max vs. Galaxy S23 Ultra: Which takes better photos?
It’s been a very close-fought battle between these two powerhouse phones, and the reality is that either phone is superb for photographers wanting to take beautiful images under any conditions. It’s only when you really study the details of each shot side-by-side that you can you tell much difference. And even then, a lot of those perceived differences are subjective. Still, with both phones costing well into four figures, it’s important to nitpick at these details to make sure your money is well spent.
Overall I prefer the images from the iPhone 15 Pro Max. It delivered more-accurate colors in almost all my tests, with the S23 Ultra frequently producing unrealistic color casts from the auto white balance. Samsung’s phone also produces oversaturated images — something that’s been common on Samsung phones for generations — while the iPhone keeps its colors more true to life.
I Took 600+ Photos With the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Look at My Favorites
I also prefer the 5x zoom on the Pro Max, which produces better-looking images than the S23 Ultra’s 3x lens and is generally more useful than the Ultra’s 10x lens. And in night mode, I found the iPhone to deliver overall better-looking shots, especially when using the zoom.
But bear in mind that I’m a professional photographer, so what I value in images is accurate color tone and a more neutral-looking image that I could boost manually with contrast or other adjustments in editing apps. If you prefer more vibrant, contrasty images to share with family and friends straight from your phone, then Samsung’s phone may be the better option.
Alongside the release of the iPhone 15 series and Apple Watch 9, September’s Apple event brought us the release of iOS 17, the latest version of the iPhone’s operating system. This latest version of iOS contains pretty major updates to existing apps like Messages, Maps and Siri, while also adding new features like StandBy Mode and NameDrop.
Read more: 7 Hidden Features of iOS 17 That You Shouldn’t Miss
iOS 17 has been out for several weeks, but even if you didn’t update right after it hit your phone, it’s not too late to give it a try. However, before you jump right into updating, there are a few things you should know. Read on to learn everything you should do before installing iOS 17 on your iPhone.
To learn more about iOS 17, check out all the best features on iOS 17 and whether or not your iPhone supports iOS 17.
First, is your iPhone even compatible with iOS 17?
As long as you own an iPhone XS or later, you should be able to download iOS 17. Below is a full list of every iPhone compatible with Apple’s new software update. And if your current phone isn’t on the list, here are some more recent iPhone models to consider purchasing.
The iPhone 15 series, Apple’s latest phones, comes with iOS 17 already installed, so you won’t have to do any updating.
Next, make sure your iPhone is fully updated
Before you update to iOS 17, make sure you’re updated to the latest iOS 16 version so that you don’t encounter any issues if you decide to revert. Also, it’s just good to always be updated to the newest mobile software version in case there are major bugs or other issues in older iOS versions.
To update your iPhone to the latest version iOS 16, go to Settings > General > Software Update and check for any available updates.
Now, back up your iPhone before installing iOS 17
This is important: Even though iOS 17 has been out for a couple of weeks, updating your phone can still put it in jeopardy. You could potentially lose pictures, text messages, app data and other treasured memories you’ve stored on your phone. However, you can protect against the risk of losing data when you update.
The best way to protect your info is to back up your iPhone while it’s still running iOS 16. The reason is that if you update to iOS 17 but then decide to go back to iOS 16, you have an up-to-date backup to revert to, so that you keep your most recent photos, text messages, app data and more.
Now, there are two ways to back up your iPhone: via iCloud and your computer.
Back up your iPhone with iCloud
Your iPhone should automatically back up by default once a day, as long as your device is connected to both a power source and Wi-Fi and locked.
To check if this feature is enabled, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud Backup and make sure that Back Up This iPhone is enabled. Also, if you have a compatible 5G iPhone, including the iPhone 12, iPhone 13 and iPhone 14 models, you can enable Back Up Over Cellular to have your iPhone back up over your cellular network when you’re not connected to W-Fi.
You can also just manually back up your iPhone with iCloud. In the same iCloud Backup page, simply tap Back Up Now. Underneath that, you’ll see the last time a successful backup was created. Under All Device Backups, you can check out more information about your backups, including backup size, and customize what is backed up.
Back up your iPhone with Mac or Windows
If you don’t have storage on your iPhone or iCloud, you always have the option to back up your device via your computer.
On Mac, connect your iPhone to your computer via lightning cable, open Finder and select your iPhone. Next, check the circle next to Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac and then hit Back Up Now.
The process with Windows is pretty similar. Again, connect your iPhone to your computer via cable, but this time open the iTunes app and click the iPhone button on the top-left of the window. In the Summary page, click Back Up Now to back up your iPhone to your Windows PC.
For more on Apple, here are the best iPhone deals right now and the best iOS 17 features.
MediaTek on Monday announced its newest silicon for top-tier Android phones, the Dimensity 9300. Along with incremental improvements to performance and battery life, the chip also adds something expected to be all the rage in 2024: on-device generative AI.
Phone manufacturers that build their own chips have been introducing AI features, like Google’s Tensor silicon enabling Magic Editor and Live Translation, but generative AI has become the new frontier for mobile AI.
MediaTek’s announcement comes weeks after Qualcomm revealed its Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, which is set to bring on-device generative AI to phones it powers, starting with the just-launched Xiaomi 14. This pits the two chip companies in a race to see which phonemakers will be excited enough by either chip’s features. MediaTek expects the first phones with the Dimensity 9300 to launch soon.
Read more: I Could’ve Used Qualcomm’s ChatGPT-Like Phone AI on My Trip to Hawaii
As far as the chip’s capabilities go, MediaTek isn’t as bullish as Qualcomm on generative AI. Though the Dimensity 9300 seems to be in the ballpark of Snapdragon 8 Gen 3, MediaTek’s chip takes less than a second to generate a Stable Diffusion image and can run 7 billion parameter AI models at 20 tokens per second. It can also run 13 billion parameter models and up to a maximum 33 billion parameters with reduced tokens per second. Ultimately, this gives the chip a bit more longevity as more robust language models come into use.
Instead, MediaTek touted the Dimensity 9300 for its 46% better peak performance and 40% lower power needed to meet the performance on last year’s Dimensity 9200 chip. The new silicon also has 46% better ray tracing than its predecessor. MediaTek made a direct comparison to Qualcomm’s just-launched chip, saying the Dimensity 9300 scored over 7,600 in a real device on the benchmark Geekbench 6.0 compared to the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 scoring 7,501 in what MediaTek called a “lab environment.” CNET ran Geekbench 6 test on a sample smartphone with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and found similar results.
One difference between the two chips is architecture. MediaTek’s Dimensity 9300 is a 4-nanometer plus TSMC with eight total cores: four X4 performance cores (one at 3.25GHz, three at 2.85GHz) and four Cortex A720 efficiency cores running at 2 GHz. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is a 4-nanometer TSMC and has eight cores as well: one ultra performance core at 3.3GHz, five large performance cores (three at 3.2GHz and two at 3GHz) and two small efficiency cores at 2.3GHz.
Another difference is which phones end up using either chip. Chinese manufacturers like Xiaomi and Vivo have used Dimensity chips in their premium handsets, but those selling devices in the US, like Samsung and Motorola, typically use Snapdragon chips for higher-end phones. While that could always change, MediaTek isn’t expecting to land big in the US this year, though it does see more opportunity for markets in Europe.
“We certainly feel we can deliver everything that a flagship needs and to meet the needs of US carriers,” said Finbarr Moynihan, lead of corporate marketing at MediaTek. “For the near term, we’re going to see China is going to be the most important market for these devices in the near term.”
In addition to overall performance improvements, the Dimensity 9300 adds to camera capabilities with 16-object segmentation (changing lighting and focus for up to 16 objects), pixel-level autofocus, standalone optical image stabilization and more to help phones take better photos.
For foldables, the chip supports dual active displays at 4K up to 120Hz, along with Google Ultra HDR display support in Android 14. Connectivity improvements with MediaTek’s UltraSave 5G give 10% more power efficiency as well as extra range for Wi-Fi connectivity.
We’ll have to wait until we get a phone running the Dimensity 9300 to see if it lives up to its benchmark claims. But perhaps more interesting are what manufacturers will do with its generative AI capabilities — even if MediaTek is less interested in the new technology, device makers and users will want to see what’s possible in the next era of smartphones.
Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to help create some stories. For more, see this post.
If you want a big TV with an excellent picture but you don’t want to spend a fortune, the TCL QM8 belongs at the top of your list. This TV is even better than the best TV for the money I tested last year, the TCL 6-series. It delivered superior brightness and contrast, and it manages to keep the price pretty much the same. As long as your size bracket is “65-inch or bigger” and your price range is “not an OLED,” this is my pick for you.
On the other hand, if you need a 55-inch size instead, you should go for the Hisense U8K. Like this TCL, it’s also a Google TV that offers superb image quality and mini-LED technology for a price that’s much lower than you’d pay for an equivalent fidelity on a Samsung or Sony. I compared the TCL QM8 and the Hisense U8K side by side in the TV lab at CNET and though both looked superb, I give the slight edge overall to the brighter, more contrasty TCL.
With two TVs this close in picture quality and features, the tiebreaker for me comes down to price. If the Hisense U8K is available for significantly less than the TCL QM8 at the time you’re reading this, I’d recommend getting the Hisense instead. The two are just that close. And if you’re wondering how much more you’d need to spend to get an even better picture, check out the pricing on the LG C3 OLED TV. It performed better than the TCL in my comparisons, but it also costs a lot more.
TCL QM8 series TV sizes
I performed a hands-on evaluation of the 65-inch TCL QM8, but this review also applies to the other screen sizes in the series. All sizes have similar specifications and should provide similar picture quality.
The QM8 sits at the top of TCL’s 2023 TV lineup. The less expensive Q7 and Q6 series lack mini-LED backlights and don’t get as bright as the QM8 series. I haven’t reviewed those models yet, but based on their specifications I expect they’ll have worse image quality overall than the QM8.
And if you happen to be in the market for a 100(ish)-inch TV, it’s worth noting that the 98-inch TCL QM8 costs more than $10,000 at the time of this writing while the 100-inch Hisense U8K costs around $4,000. Advantage: Hisense.
Stepped-up design and a sleeker remote
The TCL QM8 isn’t as sleek as a high-end Samsung, but I preferred its look and feel to that of the Hisense. The first thing I appreciate is the central pedestal stand, which I like better than the two-legs-to-either-side look. TCL gives you two different height choices with the stand as well so you can better fit a soundbar below the screen if you’d like. Note that unlike the LG C3 OLED, this TV is quite heavy, as usual for an LED LCD with a complex backlight.
The remote is a long, thin wand that looks nicer than you’ll see on most budget TVs, and I appreciated the backlit keys. That said, it suffers from a level of button clutter that makes it more confusing than Samsung or Roku TV clickers. There are two different menu buttons (one gear-shaped and another “hamburger”), a dedicated profile key for some reason, and no fewer than seven shortcut keys to streaming services, including the TCL channel that I had to Google just now to find out what it was. I’m willing to bet that key won’t wear out.
TCL went with Google TV over Roku TV (unfortunately)
Don’t get me wrong, the Google TV operating system is good, it just isn’t as good as Roku. And up until 2023, TCL has been using Roku TV in its flagship mini-LED models like the 6-Series. The company made the switch to Google in the QM8 and other 2023 sets to have “more control” over features and updates, according to a TCL rep I spoke with.
Google TV offers excellent voice results thanks to Google Assistant, along with a well-implemented kids profile mode and parental controls; tight integration with Google apps (in particular YouTube and YouTube TV); and more apps overall than proprietary systems like Samsung and LG, thanks to the Google Play store. Roku is simpler to use in my experience, however, and its search results are better than Google TV’s.
In my tests on the QM8 Google TV’s system, the responses were quick enough, just as speedy as on the Hisense U8K. As usual with Google, I didn’t love the large chunk of space at the top devoted to promotions of shows and movies on various services. I also wish the “continue watching” row was higher up, rather than placed below the “top picks for you” and apps rows. There were lots of suggestions across various apps but still plenty of content I didn’t care about.
Ultimately TCL’s choice of Google over Roku isn’t a deal-breaker, in part because there’s an easy and inexpensive solution if you want to use Roku’s system on the QM8 anyway. Just attach a Roku streaming device and use it instead of Google TV.
TCL QM8 features: Mini-LED maxes brightness and dimming
The big difference between the QM8 and cheaper LCD-based TVs is its mini-LED backlight. Mini-LEDs are (surprise!) smaller than standard LEDs, allowing them to be grouped into more local dimming zones. Full-array local dimming, in turn, is the best way to improve picture quality on LCD TVs. It allows the screen to dim and brighten different areas simultaneously. Smaller areas, or more dimming zones, mean more-precise illumination — which ultimately increases contrast, the most important ingredient in a good picture — but they’re not the only factor.
The QM8 has a true 120Hz refresh rate, which leads to better motion performance than 60Hz TVs. Like most TVs in its class today, the 6-Series uses quantum dots that help improve color compared with non-QD-equipped TVs. And of course it supports both Dolby Vision and HDR10 high dynamic range (HDR) formats (these days, basically the only manufacturer that doesn’t is Samsung). The QM8 also adds Dolby Vision IQ, which works with an ambient light sensor to automatically adjust the picture.
Other features:
Four HDMI inputs (one with 4K/144Hz, one with 4K/120Hz, one with eARC).
Analog (composite) AV input.
USB port (2.0).
Ethernet (wired internet).
Headphone jack.
Optical digital audio output.
RF (antenna) input.
The biggest step-up in connections compared with the earlier TCL 6-Series Roku TVs is the ability to accept 4K/120Hz input signals, from an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5, for example. The TV is actually capable of 144Hz input, according to TCL, but that extra bit of refresh isn’t a big deal in my book, and is available only on select PC cards. Other gaming extras are par for the midrange TV course, namely VRR, or variable refresh rate, and ALLM (auto game mode). One of the inputs also supports eARC.
One more feature to file under “not a big deal” is the QM8’s lack of a built-in ATSC 3.0 over-the-air tuner for NextGen TV broadcasts, something found on competing TVs, including the Hisense U8K. Those broadcasts are taking awhile to actually arrive and once they do, you’ll be able to attach an external tuner to watch them if you want.
TCL QM8 vs. Hisense U8K and others: Picture quality compared
For this comparison I lined up three 65-inch TVs side by side: the Hisense UK8 and the TCL QM8, which cost about the same, and the LG OLED C3, which costs significantly more. I didn’t include other models in the lineup this time, but from past reviews I can say the image quality of the QM8 is significantly better — brighter, with better color and contrast — than the Roku TV Plus Series, Amazon’s Fire TV Omni QLED and the Vizio MQX (all of which cost less) and a bit better than last year’s TCL 6-Series and Hisense U8H. Let’s dive in.
TV and movies: Contrast is the difference between the brightest whites and darkest blacks, and it’s the most important contributor to TV image quality. This TCL TV is an absolute contrast beast. Watching my standard demo montage from the Spears & Munsil 4K Blu-ray, the QM8 delivered visibly brighter highlights than even the Hisense – despite their similar light output measurements – and matched it with a depth of black that was as close to OLED perfection as I’ve seen on any LED LCD-based TV.
On the flip side, I got the impression that the TCLQM8 looked a bit too brilliant in some scenes. The side-by-side images between it and the Hisense gave the TCL the brightness advantage time after time (it was around 200 to 400 nits brighter in the brightest highlights I measured with an LS-100 light meter) but the Hisense and LG C3 OLED both looked just a bit more natural to my eye. Both of those TVs measured more accurate as well, hewing closer to the target EOTF for HDR than the QM8. That said, my eye kept getting drawn back to the TCL’s brighter, more powerful picture.
The QM8 looked incredibly good in my Netflix comparison too. Watching the excellent Our Cosmos documentary revealed its superb contrast once again. Its black levels and shadow detail were second only to the C3 OLED, with minimal blooming, and a step darker than the Hisense, for more visible punch. The shots of deep space, stars and planets looked nearly as impressive as on the OLED, and scenes of the dark jungle were rich with detail and life.
Its brightness was also better, once again. I measured a spot of sunlight peeking through the trees (episode 2, 36:37) and the QM8 outshone the Hisense by nearly 300 nits (1,300 compared with 1,000), and it more than doubled the brightness of the OLED. Other highlights on the TCL were consistently brighter as well. At times its brightness again seemed a bit more intense than natural, and overall I thought the balanced image of the OLED still looked better, but the QM8 certainly has its appeal.
Gaming: TCL has improved some of its gaming features, though the QM8’s level of extras isn’t quite as comprehensive as what you find with Samsung or LG. In the settings menu (Settings > system) there’s something called Game Master that turns on VRR and Auto Low Lag Mode and allows access to a game bar and three different gaming specific picture modes. The game bar (accessible by holding down the three-line menu button under the Home key on the remote) shows current gaming status, including real-time frames per second, HDR and other features, and allows you to switch between the three modes.
Playing Starfield, I preferred the look of the Original mode to the other two (FPS and RGB), both of which looked very blue and unnatural. A toggle for “shadow enhancement,” with four levels, exposed progressively for shadow detail. Viewers playing dark shooters might prefer that, but to my eye it just washed out the already pale-looking game even more. As with some TVs, you can even add a crosshair (called “Aiming Aid” by TCL) and adjust the style.
As expected, the TCL checked all the boxes on my Xbox Series X’s compatibility menu, including Dolby Vision for gaming. Input lag in HDR was excellent, at 13.9 milliseconds (for some reason my devices didn’t register in SDR, so I couldn’t test lag there).
Comparing the game mode image quality between the Hisense, TCL and LG C3, the story was similar to what I saw with TV and movies. The C3 looked the best overall when I played Starfield, and the TCL had the brightness advantage, but the image of the Hisense looked a bit more balanced to my eye, with more natural color, than did the TCL’s. Overall, however I preferred the more dynamic picture of the TCL over the Hisense for games in my side-by-side comparison.
Bright lighting: With its prodigious light output, the QM8 is a superb bright-room performer as well. It’s one of the brightest TVs I’ve ever measured, and only fell short of the Samsung QN90B because the Samsung “cheats” by not being able to sustain its brightness over time.
Light output in nits
TV
Brightest mode (HDR)
Accurate mode (HDR)
Brightest mode (SDR)
Accurate mode (SDR)
Samsung QN65Q90B
3,316
1,981
2,625
974
TCL 65QM850G
1,975
1,975
1,739
1,448
Hisense 65U8K
1,966
1,966
1,720
1,240
TCL 65R655
1,387
1,194
1,292
624
LG OLED65C3
861
817
501
464
Vizio M65QXM-K03
939
742
958
608
Roku TV Plus
514
455
579
404
I appreciated that for HDR, the TCL’s most-accurate picture modes are also its brightest (IMAX and Movie). With HDR sources aside from games, I’d recommend simply leaving the TV in either one of those modes regardless of lighting condition. For SDR (standard dynamic range), the brightest mode is Sports, but it’s not very accurate. Fortunately, Movie is still plenty bright for just about any lighting condition, and quite accurate.
The TV’s screen finish did a fine job handling reflections, about as well as the Hisense U8K, but it didn’t preserve dark areas as well as the C3 OLED.
TCL QM8 settings and picture mode notes
The most accurate picture mode for HDR was IMAX, which measured slightly better than the next-best (Movie) in my tests. Both were slightly red in grayscale and didn’t follow the EOTF as closely as some comeditors, but the advanced color tests (Colormatch HDR and Color Checker) still qualified as Good in the Geek Box (see below).
Note that only Movie allows you to tweak things like brightness and color (IMAX has no picture adjustment options). For SDR mode, Movie was the best, but in its default settings it was still relatively inaccurate, so I tweaked it slightly to achieve a better image (namely changing the color temperature setting to -4 and gamma to 2.2). Those tweaks are reflected in the results below.
Geek box
Test
Result
Score
Black luminance (0%)
0.017
Good
Peak white luminance (SDR)
1739
Good
Avg. gamma (10-100%)
2.13
Good
Avg. grayscale error (10-100%)
3.68
Average
Dark gray error (30%)
2.59
Good
Bright gray error (80%)
4.60
Average
Avg. color checker error
3.37
Average
Avg. saturation sweeps error
2.60
Good
Avg. color error
1.82
Good
1080p/24 Cadence (IAL)
Pass
Good
Input lag (Game mode)
[No result]
N/A
HDR10
Black luminance (0%)
0.023
Good
Peak white luminance (10% win)
1975
Good
Gamut % UHDA/P3 (CIE 1976)
97.29
Good
ColorMatch HDR error
2.89
Good
Avg. color checker error
2.93
Good
Input lag (Game mode, 4K HDR)
13.90
Good
Check out how we test TVs for more details on the Geek box and our TV testing methodology.
