You can never have too much external storage space, whether it’s for backing up important files or transferring data from one PC to another. Samsung’s USB-C flash drive makes it super easy and convenient to tote plenty of files around with a super compact design and a 128GB capacity. Right now, it’s discounted to just $16 at Amazon, 30% off its retail price, dropping it down to a new all-time low.
Most modern laptops have moved to USB-C ports, so this Samsung drive is a future-proof option. It offers USB 3.1 read speeds of up to 400MBps meaning you can move around large amounts of data in seconds. Its 128GB capacity is enough space for tens of thousands of photos and up to 12 hours of 4K video making ideal for backing up your family photo library. And despite its sleek looks, it’s also pretty rugged with resistance to water, shocks, magnets, extreme temperatures and more.
The current sale on this Samsung flash drive forms a part of Amazon’s huge Gaming Week sale, which includes tons of PCs, accessories and games, so we anticipate the price will rise on May 28 when that sale ends, though it’s best to grab one sooner than that to avoid missing out.
Microsoft’s $69 billion acquisition of publisher Activision Blizzard took another step toward the finish line when it received approval on Friday from China’s competition regulators.
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation approved the deal without any conditions, according to the AP. This comes a week after the European Commission, the executive body of the European Union, gave its approval of the merger on the condition that Microsoft address concerns the commission has regarding competition in the video game industry.
Microsoft first announced its plans to acquire Activision Blizzard in January 2022. Closing the deal would make the Xbox maker into one of the top three video game publishers, right behind its rival Sony. Activision Blizzard is one of the largest third-party publishers, with some major franchises that would give a much-needed boost to Microsoft’s games catalog, including Call of Duty, Candy Crush and Overwatch.
Though Microsoft has won a few merger-related battles recently, it still has a few more hurdles to clear before the deal is done.
Microsoft has continued to deny the deal would hamper competition within the video game industry and continues to negotiate with regulators in order to get approval.
How gamers who don’t have an Xbox, and instead use a Sony PlayStation or Nintendo Switch console, will be impacted is less clear. Critics of the deal are concerned that Microsoft could make future games developed by Activision unavailable on rival consoles. (Microsoft did just this for game developed by Bethesda.) This is especially concerning for a major Activision title like Call of Duty.
Cloud gaming is the technology to stream video games remotely to a device such as a phone, tablet or smart TV. While the technology has been around for more than a decade, it’s only in recent years has it really taken off thanks in part to it being an added feature for Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass and Sony’s PS Plus.
Other companies developed their own cloud gaming services, such as Amazon’s Luna and GeForce Now. The former made an agreement with Microsoft in February to bring more of its games to the service over the course of the next 10 years.
Nvidia recently announced its next-gen GeForce RTX 40 series of desktop graphics cards, highlighted by the flagship RTX 4090. These next-gen graphics cards have started to roll out, and laptops with the mobile versions of these new GPUs are just starting to become available. Big savings can be had on previous models with RTX 30 series GPUs, and we spy a couple of reasonably priced new releases with RTX 4070 graphics.
Acer’s Nitro 5 has long been a popular pick for gamers on tight budgets. This model is $200 off at Best Buy and features GeForce RTX 3050 graphics alongside midrange components: a 12th-gen Core i5 CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB solid-state drive. It only comes equipped with 8GB, but it does offer 512GB of SSD storage, which is a decent size for local game storage. The roomy 17.3-inch display has full HD resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. This is about as inexpensive as you’ll find a gaming laptop with a GPU from Nvidia’s RTX 30 series.
This isn’t the cheapest RTX 3060-based laptop, but it’s one of the best deals with its hefty $500 discount. The x14 is Alienware’s thinnest gaming laptop. It features a 14-inch, full HD display with a 144Hz refresh rate powered by a 12th-gen Core i7 CPU and RTX 3060 graphics.
This 15-inch Asus model isn’t the sleekest looking, but it’s one of the most affordable gaming laptops with RTX 3070 graphics. It’s $300 off right now and features a 12th-gen Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD in addition to the aforementioned 3070 GPU.
This Acer Predator model is based on a high-resolution 15.6-inch display and RTX 3070 graphics. The display offers a QHD resolution for a finer picture than that of an FHD display. You may not play games above 1080p, but you’ll appreciate the high-res display in between gaming sessions. The display also offers a blazing 240Hz refresh rate for smooth gameplay. Paired with the RTX 3070 Ti GPU is a powerful Core i7-12700H CPU. It’s a hefty $700 off at Best Buy right now.
This MSI model is $550 off at Newegg, making it one of the least expensive gaming laptops with RTX 3080 Ti graphics. The rest of the component lineup is equally strong, with a Core i9-12900H CPU, 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The 15.6-inch display offers full HD resolution and a 165Hz refresh rate. The keyboard is from SteelSeries and features pre-key RGB lighting.
For gamers looking for a cheap first date, this HP Victus 15 is a good way to get started. It’s based on a 15.6-inch, 1080p display with a 144Hz refresh rate and powered by an Intel Core i5-12450H CPU, 8GB of RAM and GeForce GTX 1650 graphics. It isn’t going to power through the latest AAA titles with the quality settings maxed out, but for under a thousand bucks, it’s a decent computerif you’re looking for your first gaming laptop to play older or more casual games.. We have seen this model go for as little as $550 before, so you may want to wait for another sale before you pull the trigger on this one.
This MSI model isn’t on sale, but it’s one of the least expensive gaming laptops you’ll find with a GPU from Nvidia’s latest GeForce RTX 40 series. It’s a little light on memory, with only 8GB of RAM, and features a Core i7 from Intel’s previous 12th-generation of Core processors. But it serves up RTX 4070 graphics and a 15-inch display with full HD resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate. There’s a similar Katana 15 model on sale at Newegg for only $1,029 that features a 12th-gen Core i5 CPU and RTX 4060 graphics but with 16GB of RAM.
This MSI model features a modern 16-inch, 16:10 display powered by the latest Intel and Nvidia tech. It boasts a 13th-gen Core i7 CPU and RTX 4070 graphics along with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The roomy 16-inch display features a 16:10 aspect ratio for more space vertically and a 144Hz refresh rate. It isn’t on sale, but it’s still one of the best deals for an RTX 4070-based gaming laptop.
Diablo 4, the latest installment of the popular dungeon crawler, is one of the big games for 2023, and if the recent beta tests are any indicators, it’s also going to be one of the best games of the year.
Diablo 4 puts players back into the bleak world of Sanctuary where forces from Heaven and Hell manipulate humans to do their bidding. The Mother of Sanctuary, Lilith, has returned and intends to spread her evil across the world. It’s up to the players to take on her forces and stop her before it’s too late.
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon R9 280
Storage: Solid-state drive with 90GB available space
Blizzard recommends the following specs:
Operating system: 64-bit Windows 10
Processor: Intel Core i5-4670K or AMD R3-1300X
Memory: 16GB RAM
Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX 470
Storage: SSD with 90GB available space
What classes are available in the Diablo 4?
There are five classes available in Diablo 4: Barbarian, Rogue, Sorcerer, Druid and Necromancer.
What is the story for Diablo 4?
Diablo 4 is the newest entry in the legendary dungeon-crawling action RPG. Players will fight against the horde of monsters controlled by Lilith, the daughter of Mephisto, one of the Great Evils, and called the “mother” of Sanctuary, the world in which the Diablo series takes place.
What’s new in Diablo 4?
One of the biggest changes in the new Diablo game is the open world. Players can now explore more areas of Sanctuary than in previous games. It’s so big players can unlock horses later in the game.
Another change in Diablo 4 is character customization. Previous Diablo games had already designed heroes, but in the newest games, players can customize their own character.
Will Diablo 4 have microtransactions?
Yes it will although developer Blizzard Entertainment says they will only be used for cosmetic purposes.
Netflix said Tuesday it’s now rolling out its account-sharing fee to customers in the US. It will begin sending emails today to customers who are sharing passwords with anyone outside of their household, Netflix said in a blog post.
Subscribers with either a standard or premium plan will pay an additional $8 per month for each extra member. At this time, the extra member option is only available for those who are billed directly by Netflix.
There are limits to how many extra users are allowed on accounts. Only those with a premium membership can add two extra people to their account; the standard price plan allows for only one extra member. Netflix defines a household as one where everyone lives under the same roof. Members of that household are still able to watch content while traveling, and the extra fee will not apply. If you’re sharing your streaming account with friends and family who live at a different address, you have two options: Pay more or remove them from your account.
When you open the Netflix app and navigate to your account page, you’ll see an Extra Members option. From there, subscribers can purchase a slot for the person outside their household. If they accept the invitation, the extra member will receive their own separate account, profile and password, and the fee is paid for by the main subscribing household.
The rules? Extra member accounts can only stream on one device at a time and are only permitted to have one profile. The extra member must also be located in the same country as the account holder.
A peek at where to find Extra Members on your account page.
Screenshot by Kourtnee Jackson/CNET
Subscribers can also opt to remove users outside of their households from their account, and urge them to sign up for their own Netflix subscriptions. In this case, anyone who is removed from an account can transfer existing profiles to a new membership they pay for themselves.
Here’s a look at the monthly cost for each subscription plan:
Netflix plans
Basic with ads
Basic no ads
Standard
Premium
Monthly price
$7
$10
$15.50
$20
Number of screens you can watch at the same time
1
1
2
4
Number of phones or tablets you can have downloads on
0
1
2
4
HD available
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Ultra HD available
No
No
No
Yes
The streaming service rolled out its new policy in February for Canada, Spain, Portugal and New Zealand. Netflix first announced its intention to crack down on password-sharing last year. In April, Netflix said it would implement a fee for US customers by the end of the second quarter.
Many of today’s phones offer fast performance, vibrant displays and powerful cameras. But with so many options, finding the right choice isn’t always easy. To simplify the decision, we’ve rounded up our top picks — each phone on this list meets the requirements for what CNET considers to be the best smartphones. From high-end phones to budget devices under $500 and everything in between, there are plenty of worthwhile options for everyone.
Every phone on this list has been thoroughly reviewed and tested, and you’ll find options across iPhone and Android that fit different needs.
What is the best phone for most people?
The Apple iPhone 14 and 14 Pro impressed us with excellent performance from their processors and the cameras. But if you aren’t an iPhone fan, there are plenty of great Android choices, including the Pixel 7 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra. They both offer everything you could want, from high-end performance to superb cameras.
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Both the Pixel 7A and Galaxy S23 are ideal for those who prefer smaller phones, but the Pixel 7A is an excellent choice for those shopping on a budget at its $499 price.
There are a number of other top smartphones with eye-catching features, such as Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Fold 4, which has a foldable screen. These can be quite expensive, but if your cash doesn’t stretch that far, worry not. More and more affordable phones, such as the Pixel 6A, pack great specs, high-speed 5G connectivity and more approachable prices.
Most of the phones below are available unlocked and should be compatible with the big four US wireless carriers, unless otherwise specified. Many of the best phones of 2022 remain available and some are included below, but we review and update this list regularly and will keep you posted as we continue to test new models throughout 2023. For more info, read our guide to help find the best phone for your needs and take a look at our tips on how to buy a new Apple iPhone or Android phone and where to snag the best phone deals.
Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max introduce sweeping changes like the Dynamic Island, a new 48-megapixel camera system and Apple’s new A16 Bionic processor. All of these upgrades come together to make for an experience that feels fresh and fast. The upgrades to the main camera allow it to take some truly stunning photos, making the phone a solid option if you’re into mobile photography.
As Apple’s top phone it doesn’t come cheap — especially if you want the larger Max model — but if you’re looking for the best all-round performance in an iPhone, then the 14 Pro is the phone to get.
While the base iPhone 14 doesn’t have the same triple camera array or new Dynamic Island notch as its pricier 14 Pro sibling, it still offers a lot to be excited about and comes with a more affordable price. CNET editor Patrick Holland describes it as “a good upgrade for most people” thanks to its solid performance, updated main camera and various other tweaks including a more repairable glass back in case it takes a tumble.
It’s not a huge overhaul from last year’s models, but if you’re in the market for a new iPhone and you don’t fancy spending the big bucks on the Pro series, then it’s a great option to consider.
With its stellar triple camera, refined design and spacious 6.7-inch screen, there’s a lot to love about the Pixel 7 Pro. Although it’s not very different from the previous Pixel 6 Pro, it will feel like a big change to those upgrading from a phone that’s more than two years old. Google has improved the zoom capabilities on the Pixel 7 Pro, giving it a 30x digital zoom compared to the 6 Pro’s 20x range for capturing tighter shots. Both the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro have some new features powered by Google’s Tensor G2 chip, such as the ability to sharpen old photos. You’ll also get free access to Google’s VPN on the Pixel 7 and 7 Pro.
At $899, the Pixel 7 Pro is cheaper than both the $1,000 Galaxy S23 Plus and $1,200 Galaxy S23 Ultra at their regular starting prices, making it a solid choice for those who want a giant screen and an excellent camera for less.
The Galaxy S23 is a lot, but in a good way. It’s more than most people need in a phone, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive. Samsung made improvements to the camera’s resolution (200 megapixels compared to 108 megapixels), color tones and dynamic range, while retaining the same edgy design and massive 6.8-inch screen as its predecessor. There’s also a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor that’s been optimized specifically for Samsung’s phones, which brings faster performance compared to the Galaxy S22 Ultra.
Starting at $1,200, it may be an understatement to call this phone expensive. But those willing to pay more for a giant screen and a high-quality, versatile camera won’t be disappointed. Read our Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra review.
Android fans looking for a petite phone don’t have much to choose from. But the 6.1-inch Galaxy S23 provides a compelling option for those who want a phone that feels compact but still provides enough screen space. The Galaxy S23 comes with routine upgrades like a fresh processor (a version of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 that’s been optimized for Samsung’s phones), a slightly new design and a higher-resolution selfie camera. But it’s the Galaxy S23’s larger battery that makes it worth recommending. Read our Samsung Galaxy S23 review.
Google’s budget phone took a leap forward in 2023 with the Pixel 7A, which offers many of the same benefits as the Pixel 7 but at a cheaper price. Like the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7A runs on Google’s Tensor G2 processor, meaning it has many of the same photo editing and language translation features as its pricier sibling. The Pixel 7A’s 64-megapixel camera also takes excellent photos that rival the Pixel 7’s in quality.
While we still like the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7A’s lower price makes it a better deal for most people. Only opt for the Pixel 7 if you really want a slightly larger screen and are willing to pay the extra $100 for it. Otherwise, the main differences between the Pixel 7 and 7A come down to the former’s more durable build, slightly faster charging and its ability to wirelessly charge compatible accessories. The Pixel 7 also has a larger camera sensor that’s more sensitive to light, according to Google, but CNET’s Lisa Eadicicco didn’t notice much of a difference.
Google no longer sells the Pixel 6 Pro through its website, but you can still find it through some third-party retailers at a significant discount for now. The Pixel 6 Pro’s unique design, great software additions, superb camera quality and solid all-around performance earned the phone an excellent rating when CNET reviewed it in 2021. It’s more than a year old, but many of our initial impressions still hold true. All told, it’s a worthwhile choice for those who want a spacious screen and a top-notch camera on a budget.
While Apple’s new iPhone 14 and 14 Pro might be the more exciting options with their upgraded cameras and the Pro’s new Dynamic Island notch, Apple is still selling the base iPhone 13.
The standard iPhone 13 is a reliable choice for most people, sporting a 6.1-inch screen and two excellent rear cameras. We loved the iPhone 13’s balance of power, camera performance and price and while it’s not a huge amount of money saved over the base iPhone 14, if you’re looking for a new handset and trying to keep your costs down it could be money well saved.
The $700 OnePlus 11 is a powerful phone that’s well equipped to handle gaming, video streaming and other common tasks. In typical OnePlus fashion, this phone is also cheaper than the $800 Galaxy S23 and $900 Pixel 7 Pro. The cameras aren’t the best, but they’re fine for casual photographers that just want to capture their next vacation or a night out. What sets the OnePlus 11 apart from many of its rivals is its blazing fast 100-watt fast charging, which can replenish the battery in just 25 minutes. (The US version only supports 80-watt charging, but that’s still an improvement over the Galaxy S23 Ultra’s 45-watt charging). Overall, the OnePlus 11 is ideal for those who want a powerful phone that charges quickly and won’t break the bank. Read our OnePlus 11 review.
Apple’s 2022 iPhone SE may not have the incredible multiple cameras of the top-end iPhone 13 Pro, but the iPhone SE has a lot to offer if you’re looking for a great experience without spending flagship levels of cash. It’s 5G-enabled, for one, it runs the latest iOS 15 software and it packs the same A15 Bionic processor found in Apple’s top phones. As a result, performance is lightning-fast.
The Pixel 6A impressed CNET’s Lisa Eadicicco last year with its attractive design and Tensor processor, which enabled it to inherit many of the same features as the Pixel 6 but at a cheaper price. Now, Google has knocked the price down to $349, making it an even better value.
The Pixel 6A has a 6.1-inch screen, making it the same size as the Pixel 7A and slightly smaller than the Pixel 7. While it’s missing out on certain newer features that require the Tensor G2, it still has a lot to offer for the price. With the Pixel 6A, you get Google-specific features like Face Unblur, which sharpens a subject’s face in blurry photos, and Real Tone, which renders skin tones more accurately in photos.
Samsung’s $1,000 Galaxy Z Flip 4 is the most portable and fun phone CNET’s Patrick Holland reviewed last year. It inherits the best parts of the Z Flip 3, like its pocketable flip phone-inspired design and Flex Mode, which makes it easier to use the phone when it’s propped open halfway. The Z Flip 4 also has a new image sensor, which improves image quality compared to the Flip 3, along with a bigger battery and newer processor.
These improvements address some of the Z Flip 3’s biggest shortcomings, even though Samsung didn’t give us everything we wanted (like a larger cover screen). But all told, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is a great choice for those who want a phone that’s more portable than almost anything else you’ll find on the market.
You could also go for the Galaxy Z Flip 3, which Samsung still sells at a lower $900 price. But that’s still a lot to spend on a new phone, so I’d recommend spending a little extra now that the Galaxy Z Flip 3 is roughly a year and a half old. You might as well invest in newer technology that will last longer if possible, especially if you can score a good trade-in deal.
If you’re someone who prefers smaller, pocket-friendly devices, this is the phone for you. The 6.1-inch iPhone 13 Mini is easy to use with one hand and even fits into tight jean pockets. Starting at $599, this is the cheapest model in Apple’s iPhone 13 lineup. While battery life isn’t as long as on the iPhone 13, this petite Apple iPhone doesn’t sacrifice on camera capabilities or processing power.
At a whopping list price of $2,500, the Sony Xperia Pro isn’t for everyone (though it’s now available for around $1,000). But if you’re a photographer or videographer looking for professional-level camera phone features, you can’t go wrong. The Xperia Pro is essentially four products in one: a phone, a camera monitor, a speedy photo file transfer device, and a 5G machine suitable for broadcasting and livestreaming.
Every phone on this list has been thoroughly tested by CNET’s expert reviews team. We actually use the phone, test the features, play games and take photos. We assess any marketing promises that a company makes about its phones. And if we find something we don’t like, be it battery life or build quality, we tell you all about it.
We examine every aspect of a phone during testing:
Display
Design and feel
Processor performance
Battery life
Camera quality
Features
We test all of a phone’s cameras (both front and back) in a variety of conditions: From outdoors under sunlight to dimmer indoor locales and night time scenes (for any available night modes). We also compare our findings against similarly priced models. We have a series of real world battery tests to see how long a phone lasts under everyday use.
We take into account additional phone features like 5G, fingerprint and face readers, styluses, fast charging, foldable displays and other useful extras. And we, of course, weigh all of our experiences and testing against the price so you know whether a phone represents good value or not.
All of today’s phones pack some kind of camera setup on the back, with most packing multiple ones like ultrawides or telephoto zooms. More expensive phones, like the iPhone 14 Pro, use larger image sensors, better-quality lenses and image stabilization that let in more light, capturing detailed images with beautiful colors — in daylight and at night. Typically, the more you pay, the better quality you’ll get, with the most advanced features being reserved for the most expensive flagships.
What is the best phone case?
There’s a vast array of case options for almost every phone on the market, so which one is best really comes down to what you need it for. Many cases are simply there for the style. And while these cases will certainly help keep light scratches and scuffs off your phone, you should look toward more specialized rugged cases if you want to take your smartphone on a rough-and-tumble adventure into the outdoors.
How long should a phone battery last?
Most smartphones — even those at the top end — should be able to deliver a full day of mixed use out of a single charge. That means you should have a bit of juice left at the end of your day, but you should expect to give it a full charge when you plug it in next to your bed at night.
How much storage should my phone have?
Most phones tend to come with a minimum of 128GB of storage, which is a good amount for apps, games and locally stored music. But it’s important to think about what you’ll be doing with your phone. If you want to download and play a lot of games, then consider opting for a higher-capacity version.
What makes a phone a smartphone?
Smartphones let you do more than just make calls; they connect to the internet for web browsing, you can download apps and games, and they typically have cameras capable of taking — and displaying — photos and videos. In short, they’re just what we know of today as a “phone,” and everything on this list qualifies as a smartphone.
The band takes inspiration from the pride flag’s rainbow colors, Apple said in a press release earlier this month, along with five other colors that represent Black and Latin communities; those who died from or are living with HIV/AIDS; and transgender and nonbinary individuals.
“The new Pride Celebration watch face and iOS wallpaper honor the combined strength and mutual support of the LGBTQ+ community,” Apple said.
Watch this: How to Choose Between the Apple Watch 8 and SE
11:13
The Pride Edition Sport Band is available in 41mm and 45mm sizes and is compatible with Apple Watch Series 3 and later.
Apple
You can also get a new Pride Celebration watch face and iPhone wallpaper if you have a device running WatchOS 9.5 or iOS 16.5.
The Pride Edition Sport Band also gave Apple the opportunity to acknowledge LGBTQ+ organizations that the iPhone maker supports, including advocacy organizations like the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, the National Center for Transgender Equality and The Trevor Project.
For more on Apple Watches, here are the best Apple Watch deals you can take advantage of right now.
The cheaper graphics cards in a given line aren’t the most exciting to discuss — they’re always about what’s been stripped away to make them meet certain price points, size and power requirements — but that’s true for a lot of products that people need to buy rather than just talk about. Nvidia’s latest step-up-from-the-bottom GeForce RTX 4060 Ti falls squarely into that realm. Targeted at high-quality 1080p up to mid-quality 1440p gamers, the 4060 Ti is a solid GPU and smart upgrade from a 20-series or older, but not quite as attractive for using as a budget GPU for video-editing or some other types of creative tasks.
The card is for upgrades, new builds with low-power — a power supply of 600w or less — or compact systems where you can’t fit or support a triple-slot, 11-inch long card. There are two variants of the 4060 Ti, 8GB and 16GB, which start shipping this week. Nvidia will only offer an 8GB version of the Founders Edition cards, which start at $400; $500 and up 16GB models will come from its partners. The new entry level in the 40-series, the RTX 4060, won’t be arriving until July, and will come only through partners.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti Founders Edition (8GB)
Like
A good size, power draw and slot bandwidth for older systems
Solid high-quality 1080p gaming and a nice boost for ray tracing over older gear
Don’t like
Not as well-suited to some creative tasks as it could be
Size is in the eye of the beholder, though: After a parade of 2.5-plus slot, 11-inch-plus cards, my reaction to the 4060 Ti was “Wow it’s small.” My colleague Josh Goldman‘s was “That thing’s huge!” It’s a lot shorter than the Intel Arc A750, for example, a lower-end card that also has dual fans (albeit the Nvidia card has one on each side rather than both on one side and full ventilation on the back) but a lot more venting on the edges.
And the 4060 Ti runs pretty cool. It has the same design as the RTX 4070, with an intake fan on each side vent on the back and connector bracket.
The RTX 4060 Ti has a lower-than-typical bus requirement — it fits in an eight-lane PCI slot instead of the now-more-common 16-lane slot — which, combined with its relatively low maximum board power of 160 watts and true two-slot width, makes it an especially nice fit in smaller and older systems. The RTX 4070 is also a good fit, but requires a slightly higher wattage power supply.
Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 Ti FE (8GB)
Memory
8GB
Memory bandwidth (GBps)
288
Memory clock (GHz)
9
GPU clock (GHz, base/boost)
2.31/2.535
Memory data rate/Interface
18Gbps/128 bits
RT cores
34
CUDA Cores
4,352
Texture mapping units
136
Streaming multiprocessors
34
Tensor cores
136
Process
4nm
TGP/min PSU (watts)
160/550
Max thermal (degrees)
194F/90C
Bus
PCIe 4.0×8
Size
2 slots
Launch price
$400
Ship date
May 24, 2023
But the tradeoff of going lower power is memory bandwidth. Nvidia spins its narrower memory path (128-bit vs. 192-bit for the RTX 4070) and its concomitant “meh” memory bandwidth by emphasizing “effective” memory bandwidth, where the higher number comes from the increase to 32MB L2 cache, up from 2MB in last-generation 128-bit GPUs — 288GB/sec. actual vs. 554GB/sec. effective, in this case. (Cache is a fast-retrieval location for frequently and recently used data, like game textures and ray trace calculations.)
In theory, that also means that you can get away with less VRAM, since you don’t have to store much of what’s in the cache in the card’s main memory. Hence, 8GB rather than 12GB or more that’s found in competitors. It also means that you’ll need to use the bundled power adapter if you don’t already have PCIe 5 PSU connectors; even though it only uses the same 8 pins as older systems, it still needs to be adapted to Nvidia’s now-standard PCIe 5 12-pin connector.
Enlarge Image
Though it only needs eight pins for power, it still uses the 12-pin connector, so you may have to use the bundled adapter.
Lori Grunin/CNET
That’s fine for a lot of gaming. But it’s not a great choice for some creative applications, such as video editing, where the cache hits can be less frequent than with games. Creative applications also tend to use system memory a lot more, so that eight-lane bus bandwidth — could become a bottleneck. And because of that, along with the narrower memory data path, simply bumping up to the 16GB version of the card won’t necessarily help. It’s too bad, because that means it’s not an unreservedly recommendable choice as a budget creative GPU.
Like its siblings, the RTX 4060 Ti has three DisplayPort 1.4 connections and one HDMI 2.1.
Lori Grunin/CNET
But the card does deliver on gaming for max-quality 1080p to decent 1440p (where “decent” means roughly 100fps at high quality, which means you have some leeway to increase quality at the expense of frame rate or vice versa). It’s also a good entry if you want to use ray tracing, especially given the surprisingly good performance uplift you get by using DLSS; for instance, in Guardians of the Galaxy in 1440p at maximum quality with ray tracing, even DLSS 2 boosted from 66fps to 114fps on the Balanced setting. (DLSS 3 performs a lot better, but doesn’t have nearly the broad support of DLSS 2.)
Without having tested the forthcoming RTX 4060 or AMD competitor Radeon RX 6750 (an older model which remains in the line), I’m reserving judgment on where the RTX 4060 Ti sits on the price/performance spectrum relative to other available options. But thus far it looks like the Ti makes a solid choice for 1080p gamers hoping for a GPU that can last a few years.
Microsoft Windows 11 Pro (22H2); 3.2GHz Intel Core i9-12900K; 32GB DDR5-4800; 2x Corsair MP600 Pro SSD; Corsair HX1200 80 Plus Platinum PSU, MSI MPG Z690 Force Wi-Fi motherboard, Corsair 4000D Airflow midtower case
Apple has long siloed its creative apps into professional and consumer buckets. Pros (or advanced amateurs) used Final Cut for video and Logic Pro for audio, while everyone else used iMovie and GarageBand. Mac users who wanted to upgrade and were willing to pay for the pro-level software could jump from the mainstream apps to the more advanced ones, but iPad owners didn’t have that option.
Now that Apple is launching both Final Cut and Logic Pro for iPad, I can see both of these new versions being used for on-the-go production. For example, editing video while on location, or casually putting together beats on a plane or train trip. The new iPad version of Logic Pro is especially interesting to me, as I have a long history of using various digital audio workstation, or DAW, apps over the past 20 years, including ProTools, Adobe Audition and Logic — even going back so far that I previously used Logic on Windows PCs before Apple bought the brand in 2002.
iPad vs. Mac
I spent several days trying out Logic Pro on an iPad Pro and found the experience to be a mostly familiar one, although some of the navigation can be tricky if you’re using a touchscreen interface to recreate what is typically done with a keyboard, touchpad and mouse. Using a keyboard case like Apple’s Magic Keyboard helps somewhat, although there’s still a learning curve.
But once I got used to manipulating the software through the touchscreen, it opened up new possibilities, and one of my favorite parts of the experience was using my fingers to pinch and zoom on audio waveforms and MIDI data.
Screenshot by Dan Ackerman/CNET
The experience is mostly similar to Logic Pro on the Mac, with a few important caveats. First, instead of a flat $199 one-time purchase, as on the Mac platform, both Logic Pro and Final Cut are $5-per-month subscriptions (or $50 annually) on iPad. It’s subscription-only, with no one-time-purchase option. Yes, that’s the increasingly common standard across many types of software and services, but it also means you’ll have to buy one package for Mac and subscribe to a second for iPad if you want to use Logic Pro on both. And you might want to do that, as sessions are transferable between platforms. ProTools also shifted to a (more expensive) subscription-only model last year.
Another potential issue is that third-party plugins will need new iPad versions, which may or may not ever arrive. Many music apps rely on a wide variety of plugins from companies like Waves, and the most famous (or infamous) plugin is probably Antares’ Auto-Tune. That said, this is less of an issue for Logic Pro, which has always had a huge collection of included plugins for everything from EQ to mastering to guitar effects, as well as instrument sounds, loops and all the other building blocks needed to make music.
There’s also a new feature in the iPad version of Logic called Beat Breaker, which Apple describes as a “time and pitch-morphing plug-in.” It lets you take loops and samples, easily cut them into slices and play with the speed, pitch, direction and even order of those slices. It’s not for every type of music, but I could see it being interesting for taking stale loops and making them sound fresh and different.
If you’re planning to use an external input device, like a MIDI controller, note that it’ll need to operate without any special drivers. On a Mac, it’s easy to add new drivers, but on the iPad, it’s got to be plug-and-play. Fortunately, my Yamaha P-45 digital piano worked fine as a MIDI input device, and that’s what I used to create a short demo song.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
Making music
I plugged my keyboard into the iPad using a USB-B-to-USB-C cable and was immediately able to start laying down tracks. I haven’t used Logic Pro regularly in years, so I went through a few of the included tutorials, which are actual session files that walk you through various features of the app. As far an interactive tutorials go, the lessens included here are pretty good.
This demo is really just a very basic short groove. I laid down a chord progression using an electric piano sound, added some vibraphone licks, bass and pads, all accompanied by Logic Pro’s built-in virtual drummer.
Even though the iPad interface took some getting used to, I was able to manipulate individual MIDI notes, change sounds and tweak effects, quantize my playing and do everything I’d expect to from a desktop DAW.
One thing I found useful — flipping the iPad to a portrait view, I was able to see more of the track view and the mixing board view at the same time. In landscape mode, the mixer view was largely cut off.
If I were working on new music regularly, Logic Pro for iPad would be a great way to do mixing and editing from anywhere, and I especially like being able to prop an iPad on the music stand of my digital piano and connect it via USB-C for real-time recording.
I don’t think it’s a complete replacement for the Mac-based version of Logic — sometimes you just need the full keyboard and mouse version (using an iPad Magic Keyboard is close but not perfect), or third-party plug-ins or the ability to jump between other non-iPad apps. And you’ll be adding yet another monthly subscription to the ever-growing pile.
I’ve had a lot of weird existential feelings trying to use Final Cut Pro for the iPad, which is available today along with Logic Pro. Existential because, well, I’m not a pro video editor. Could I be? Should I be? This is Apple’s ongoing creative invitation it extends through the possibilities of its pro hardware. I’ve been here before.
The Apple Pencil was my invitation to be an artist, and I never took it. It’s nice that it’s there, though. The same is true for Final Cut Pro, an overdue pro video editing tool made only for iPads running M1 chips or later. This is one of those pro apps I was expecting Apple to have when the M1 iPad Pro first arrived back in 2021. Now that it’s here, I’m also wondering how much I will ever personally use it.
Apple already offers free iMovie and GarageBand creative apps that are perfectly fine, although iMovie has always felt too limited in its layout and design. Final Cut Pro immediately feels a lot more flexible, with overlapping timelines for video, animation and audio, a really cool scrubbing jog wheel that feels more granular for minor edits (and brings me back to my old linear video editing days 25 years ago), and works well enough for touchscreen and keyboard/trackpad. Or, maybe, both at once.
I played around with Final Cut Pro on an iPad Air with an M1 chip, the lowest entry point in Apple’s iPad catalog that works with Final Cut Pro (the M1 and M1 iPad Pros are also supported). It worked well enough for me, although the smaller iPad display, compared to my 13-inch MacBook Air, made looking at some preview windows and track details feel a little more challenging.
I’m particularly interested in that last part because Macs still don’t have touchscreens, and some inevitable further fusion of Macs and iPads seems like it’s been in the works in slow motion for about five years now. Final Cut Pro isn’t as full-featured as the Mac version, and it’s also designed, weirdly, to funnel its output up to the Mac app but not the other way around. In that sense, it feels like an intermediary step for any pro video editor… something you’d use in the field, maybe, beginning video editing work before perhaps finishing off on a Mac.
Because the Mac app has more plug-ins (something I haven’t even begun to play with), and has the advantage of larger Mac displays and external monitors, I’d expect any video editor doing professional work to default to that, especially since Macs with M1/M2 processors are so good and small already.
Sketching or writing with the Pencil automatically can be added into video edits. This idea could be expanded even further, though.
Scott Stein/CNET
However, I see a lot of advantages bubbling up here in Final Cut Pro on iPadOS. The scrub tool is clever (although trackpads on Macs could do something similar). Some support for instant Pencil animations opens up possibilities for ways to blend graphic art and video editing, although the doorway in Final Cut Pro feels more slightly opened than truly maximized.
It almost doesn’t matter what I think. The decision to take a dive doesn’t cost much: Apple made this and Logic Pro its first pro creative subscription apps, which cost $5 a month each and also have a one-month free trial. Turning on and off the subscription could also allow someone to work on a project only when they needed to, turn it off, and come back months later if another gig or need opened up. Projects can still be shared when the subscription is turned off, but not edited.
I’m confused by some decisions here. Final Cut Pro doesn’t support true external monitor extension, even though iPadOS and M1/M2 chips do. The app mirrors whatever’s shown on the iPad display to a connected external monitor, but it feels like this should have been a chance to stretch out the iPad Pro’s capabilities.
The subscription model also leaves me feeling very mixed: It’s a relatively affordable way to add in the pro app to your life as opposed to the $300 price on the Mac. At $50 a year, that would equal six years of use. For sure, in six years’ time, Apple will have evolved its Mac and iPad computer landscape, requiring some new software to buy anyway (not to mention whatever mixed-reality features might dovetail with the company’s rumored headsets). Maybe renting creative tools does make more sense. It’s a similar model to how Adobe works, and makes me wonder how many people will choose Apple’s new app over another like Adobe Premiere Rush, which also has multitrack timeline editing features.
But it also makes me wonder why iPad Pros just don’t come included with Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro. Or, get a year-long included subscription, much like Apple TV Plus and Apple Arcade deals get offered. Maybe that’s going to happen. Maybe Apple folds its new pro apps into yet another subscription tier in its ever-expanding subscription services catalog. It’s all a clear reminder that iPads are extremely capable of running high-end software, but I knew that already. Now I just want Mac and iPad workflows to feel even more logically interconnected, too.
