Latest News

It seems like graphics card prices are dropping daily, especially for the budget 1080p gaming end of the market: No sooner had Nvidia announced its RTX 4060 at $300 when Intel decreased the price of its competing Arc A750 by about $70 to $200. And shortly before AMD even announced its new Radeon RX 7600, the company reacted to Nvidia’s pricing by shaving $30 off it to come in at a starting price of $270.

These types of recalibrations in prices aren’t unusual — it’s an “Uh oh. We don’t think our card will perform as well for the same money” response. It’s actually quite refreshing, a return to normal after the years of cryptomining- and pandemic-driven price insanity. And $269 feels about where this card should fall, delivering solid 1080p frame rates. But if you’ve got any interest in taking quality up a notch with raytracing or growing into 1440p, it may fall a bit short. And at $200, the Arc A750 looks surprisingly attractive in comparison.

AMD Radeon RX 7600

Like

• Compact and suitable for budget gaming PCs and upgrades
• Solid 1080p performance for the money

Don’t like

• Some minor wonkiness
• AMD’s raytracing performance still not up to par

You’ll be able to buy the RX 7600 starting this week; there’s an AMD version (which we tested) as well as versions from its usual board partners, such as ASRock, Asus, MSI, Gigabyte, PowerColor and more.

It’s not the cheapest AMD option, just the cheapest one based on AMD’s current RDNA 3 architecture. The last-gen RDNA 2 models, RX 6600 and 6650 XT remain in the line starting as low as $229. Above the RX 7600, there are no RX 7800 or RX 7700-class models as yet, so above the RX 7600 are the older 12GB 6700 XT and 6750 XT and the 16GB RX 6800, 6800 XT and 6950 XT, covering a price range from about $370 to about $900.

With 8GB of VRAM, small size — it’s two slots wide, but it’s quite short at under 9 inches — and relatively modest power and slot requirements, it’s a perfect fit for a new budget gaming PC build or for upgrading a 3-year-old low-end GPU in an older system.

Unlike Nvidia, all of AMDs graphics cards have DisplayPort 2.1 connectors (Nvidia’s still on 1.4a), but its somewhat moot for this class of GPU — it doesn’t have enough power to require the extra bandwidth that connection affords, like running 4K at high refresh rates.

Performance

In testing, the card generally delivered 1080p in the 80 to 120fps range at high quality depending upon the game, but you’ll have to scale back quality if you want to jump to 1440p.

The company’s FidelityFX Super Resolution 2.0 technology for upscaling theoretically offers a substantial performance bump: On the new 3DMark FSR 2 test, it boosted frame rates at least 75% and up to 190% with a variety of settings. (I didn’t test every permutation of resolution and quality because testing is an abyss I may never crawl out of.) But in many cases that just boosted 1440p frame rates from unplayable to borderline.

There aren’t a lot of games with FSR 2/2.1 — just about 50 at my last count, some of which haven’t shipped yet — and I wasn’t really happy with earlier versions. Still need to do more testing on this, especially versus Nvidia’s DLSS 3 and Intel’s XeSS. Data accumulation in progress.

The automatic overclocking of the GPU and memory via the driver didn’t seem to have much of an effect, though it remained stable in stress tests; you can manually tune them, but see above regarding testing abyss.

But one thing I consistently see is subpar raytracing performance compared with other GPUs. AMD seems to lag Nvidia and even relative newcomer Intel by a generation, even with the higher end RX 7900 XTX and XT. However, raytracing isn’t a hugely popular feature priority compared with the desire for better performance at higher resolutions; if you fall into that camp, don’t sweat it.

AMD does seem to excel at certain types of pro graphics tasks, notably those represented by the types of applications SpecViewPerf tests. It’s not exceptionally fast (it is a low end card, after all) and only at about 1440p and below, but for the money it seems like a good value.

I did experience a few screen redraw glitches and one system hang, but I couldn’t isolate the causes or replicate them, so for the moment I’ll consider them rub of the green.

I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw more new models to replace AMD’s existing 6000-series cards around the same time as Nvidia ships the RTX 4060 — July — and unless your current GPU is making you crazy with the slow, I’d wait to see what AMD’s planning and how the RTX 4060 shapes up.

Relative performance of other GPUs

There are plenty of handheld consoles out there that let you enjoy your games on the go. If you don’t want to sacrifice power for portability, however, you’ll probably want to opt for a gaming laptop. That kind of convenience doesn’t come cheap, which is why it’s important to take advantage of discounts where you can find them. And today only, Best Buy is offering a whopping $700 off this powerful Acer Predator Triton 300 SE, which drops the price down to $900. This deal is only available until 9:59 p.m. PT (12:59 a.m. ET) tonight, so be sure to get your order in before then if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

The Acer Predator Triton 300 SE packs a lot of hardware into a pretty tiny package. Internally, it’s equipped with a 12th-gen Intel Core i7 processor with 14 cores, as well as 16GB of RAM and a 512GB solid-state drive, for lightning-fast performance. It also features an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card and a 14-inch, full HD screen with a 165Hz refresh rate for smooth graphics. And with a state-of-the-art cooling system built-in and a 76Wh battery, it’s designed for all-day gaming sessions. All of this in a package that’s less than 20mm thick, making it easy to slip in your bag or backpack and take with you on the go.

CNET’s Lori Grunin reviewed an earlier version of this model with similar specs, and found it a good balance of power and portability, with some neat design touches, like a backlit keyboard with configurable colors. Read her Acer Predator Triton 300 SE review for more.

If this model isn’t quite what you’re looking for, you can check out our roundup of all the best gaming laptop deals you can shop right now for even more offers.

Long before the rise of the Netflix true crime documentary, Forensic Files was setting the standard for documentary programming. Originally running from 1996 through 2011, each episode of the show’s 15 seasons revealed how forensic science was used to aid the solving of violent crimes, resolve mystifying accidents, and determine how spates of widespread illness occurred.

While the show hasn’t aired new episodes in over a decade, it can be easily streamed online for those wanting a true crime fix. Better yet, it’s available to watch completely free in a number of places. Note that we’re not including the rebooted Forensic Files II series in the service recommendations below, though you can catch that show in places like Discovery Plus, Max and Sling (though not for free).

How to watch Forensic Files for free

Sling Freestream

15 seasons, no account needed

Sling’s recently revamped Sling Freestream service offers all 15 seasons of Forensic Files to watch for free. One of the best aspects of Freestream is the ability to watch content for free without the need to add a payment card or even create an account, though signing up with a Sling Freestream account has some benefits like watchlists, remembering where you left off and parental controls.

Pluto TV

14 seasons, no account needed

Similarly, Pluto TV has Forensic Files available to stream for free without the need to sign up for an account. The first 14 seasons are available there.

The Roku Channel

14 seasons, no account needed

The Roku Channel also offers ad-supported access to Forensic Files for free with 14 seasons available to stream on-demand. You might already have easy access to The Roku Channel if you have a Roku streaming device or a Roku-powered smart TV.

Freevee

14 seasons, stream with Amazon account

Amazon free streaming service Freevee has 14 seasons of Forensic Files to stream plus some additional best-of compilation content. It’s free to use with an Amazon account.

More ways to watch:

• Tubi
• Plex
• Crackle
• Peacock
• Hulu
• Sling
• FuboTV

Read more: Sling Freestream vs. Sling: Which Is the Best Option for You?

How to watch Forensic Files for free from anywhere using a VPN

If you find yourself unable to watch Forensic Files in your region, a VPN can come in handy. With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change the location of your phone, tablet or laptop to a US server and gain access to the above free services from anywhere in the world. Most VPNs, like our Editors’ Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.

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

ExpressVPN

Best VPN for streaming

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

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

Apple released iOS 16.6 beta 1 to public beta testers Monday, less than a week after the release of iOS 16.5. We don’t expect many new features with iOS 16.6 since Apple is expected to announce iOS 17 at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, but the 16.6 beta sets the groundwork for a new iPhone security tool.

New iOS features can be fun, but we recommend only downloading a beta on something other than your primary phone just in case the new software causes issues. Apple also provides beta testers with an app called Feedback. Testers can notify Apple of any issues in the new software with the app, that way the problem can be addressed before general release.

Here’s what could be coming to your iPhone with iOS 16.6.

iMessage Contact Key Verification

Apple announced iMessage Contact Key Verification in December 2022, and the first iOS 16.6 beta appears to include some of the framework for the tool.

“With iMessage Contact Key Verification, users who face extraordinary digital threats … can choose to further verify that they are messaging only with the people they intend,” Apple wrote in a news release at the time.

The feature doesn’t appear to be operational, but if you go to Settings and search for “Contact Key Verification” in iOS 16.6, you should see an option for the feature. Tapping the feature just opens your Apple ID settings at this time.

Apple hasn’t announced a release date for iOS 16.6. Apple might include more features in iOS 16.6, and there’s no guarantee that Contact Key Verification will be released in the update.

For more iOS news, check out what’s new in iOS 16.5 and why you should download that update now.

Watch this: iOS 16: Powerful Features You May Have Missed

06:28

You don’t have to spend a fortune for a decent set of noise-canceling earbuds. And with solid sound quality, active noise cancellation and a transparency mode, the Beats Studio Buds are a great option to consider. Right now, they’re back on sale, this time at Woot where they’re seeing a 35% discount. At $98, this is the lowest we’ve seen them go in 2023 and just $8 more than we saw during holiday sales late last year.

Beats Studio Buds are small, lightweight, comfortable to wear and fit most ears securely. Despite being made by Apple these days, Beats products work great with both iPhones and Android phones and there are plenty of features to love, including quick pairing and sound quality that CNET’s David Carnoy said beats out AirPods Pro and Powerbeats Pro in his review.

Unlike some other Apple-made Beats products, the Studio Buds lack a few of the fanciest features like in-ear detection and the ability to pair to all of your Apple devices via iCloud and switch between them automatically. That probably won’t be a deal-breaker for most folks, especially given the price differential between the Studio Buds and something like the AirPods Pro.

The Beats Studio Buds provide up to 8 hours of listening time on a single charge, with up to 24 hours when combined with the charging case. They are also IPX4-rated sweat and water-resistant, so they’re a solid option to use on your commute or at the gym.

And if the Studio Buds aren’t quite the right fit for you, check out the other Beats headphones deals currently available.

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.

Who’s left to approve the deal?

Microsoft still has to receive approval from regulators in the US. The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit in December to challenge the acquisition, saying the deal would “enable Microsoft to suppress competitors to its Xbox gaming consoles and its rapidly growing subscription and cloud-gaming business.”

A hearing for the lawsuit is set for Aug. 2.

In April, the Competition and Markets Authority blocked the $69 billion deal, saying it would result in higher prices and fewer choices for gamers.

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.

What does this deal mean for gamers?

For Xbox Game Pass subscribers, the deal means Activision Blizzard’s catalog of games will be incorporated into the service, likely similar to how Bethesda games were when Microsoft acquired that company in 2020.

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.

Microsoft already agreed to a 10-year deal with Nintendo to bring Call of Duty games to its consoles, but Sony reportedly rejected a similar agreement. Sony remains against the deal and continues to submit filings to regulators about its concerns over the acquisition.

What is cloud gaming?

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.

Read more: Best Gaming Laptop to Buy in 2023

Don’t miss the deals below, and check back here often — I’ll keep this list updated as sales expire and new deals emerge.

Acer Nitro 5

RTX 3050 graphics for $750

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.

Alienware x14 R1

RTX 3060 graphics for $1,100

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.

Asus TUF Dash F15

RTX 3070 graphics for $1,200

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.

Acer Predator Helios 300

RTX 3070 Ti graphics for $1,400

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.

MSI Vector GP66

RTX 3080 Ti graphics for $2,049

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.

HP Victus 15

GTX 1650 graphics for $800

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.

Read our HP Victus 15 review.

MSI Katana 15

RTX 4070 graphics for $1,500

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.

MSI Crosshair 16

RTX 4070 graphics for $1,700

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.

More recommendations for gamers

• Best Graphics Card for Gamers and Creatives in 2023
• Best Gaming PC for 2023
• 5 Monitors Worth Checking Out in 2023
• Best Wireless Mouse for 2023
• Best Gaming TV: Low Input Lag and High Picture Quality
• Best Laptop Backpacks for Travel in 2023
• Best TV for PS5 and Xbox Series X, Series S for 2023

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.

When does the Diablo 4 release?

Diablo 4 comes out on June 6.

What systems will Diablo 4 be available on?

Diablo 4 will release on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X and S for $70.

Preorder Diablo 4 $70 at GameStop

What are the PC requirements for Diablo 4?

The minimum requirements are:

• Operating system: 64-bit Windows 10
• Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD FX-8350
• Memory: 8GB RAM
• 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.