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In this article:

• Our picks
• How we test E Ink tablets

• E Ink tablet FAQ

If you love to write notes by hand, an E Ink tablet could be a good fit. Not only do they provide an excellent reading and writing experience, they also boast a long battery life, while letting you save paper. An E Ink tablet combines the distraction-free and easy-reading environment of a Kindle-style e-reader with the digital handwriting and note-taking ability of a traditional tablet. They eschew the bright LCD displays and superfast processors of Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and Amazon tablets, favoring the efficient gray scale tech.

These devices aren’t going to replace an iPad, though, as they’re mostly just meant for reading and writing. While you won’t be able to stream your favorite show or watch the latest TikTok video on these tablets, you will be able to take them into the classroom without disturbing the professor or your classmates.

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I’ve recently spent time with the newest E Ink tablet on the market, the Amazon Kindle Scribe. Like other E Ink tablets on this list, the Kindle Scribe comes with a stylus and offers note-taking and annotation support for PDFs. Additionally, you can take handwritten notes on Kindle titles via a sticky-note application that pins your note to the text. In keeping with Amazon tradition, the Scribe will not directly support ePub files, which means you’ll need to send them to your Kindle via Amazon’s Whispersync service for conversion. The Scribe features a 300-dpi touchscreen and starts at $340 for the 16GB model, though it also comes in 32GB and 64GB versions and is available now.

So how does the new Kindle Scribe compare to other E Ink tablets? Let’s break it down.

Sarah Lord/CNET

ReMarkable 2

Best for writing and note-taking

The ReMarkable 2 is the best E Ink tablet for students who love to take lots of handwritten notes. It is only 0.19 inch thick and 0.88 pound, which makes it light and easy to carry in your backpack.This 10.3-inch tablet uses a monochrome digital display with a resolution of 226 DPI. The writing and text looks clear and sharp, and you can choose from over 40 different page templates for notes, including seven options just for musical notation. The software is easy to use, with clear buttons at the top for you to add notebooks and folders. It has 8GB of internal storage and now includes handwriting conversion and Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive integration. Those services used to be part of ReMarkable’s Connect subscription, but are now included for free with every device. The Connect subscription itself still exists, but now costs $3 a month instead of $8. It offers a ReMarkable 2 protection plan, along with unlimited cloud storage and the ability to add notes in your notebooks when you’re on mobile and desktop devices.

The included stylus doesn’t require pairing or charging but supports tilt detection and a standard 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity. Practically speaking, it offers the most realistic writing experience of any tablet I’ve ever used. The screen has a paper-like feel, which gives the pen a level of friction that feels incredibly true to life.

The ReMarkable 2 also shines with PDFs. Highlights automatically straighten themselves and turn a legible shade of gray without any needed adjustment. You can add pages to PDFs for extra notes or write in the margins with ease. The ReMarkable’s thinness, two-week battery life, pen input and PDF management capabilities made this E Ink tablet my favorites.

That being said, the ReMarkable 2 isn’t without faults. The biggest issue is that it lacks any kind of backlight, which could be a deal breaker. Much like an actual book or notebook, this device requires an external light source to use in the dark. Even the cheapest Kindle now has front light illumination for night time use. It also doesn’t function particularly well as an e-reader, as the only formats it supports are PDF and unprotected epub. That means that you won’t be able to access your Kindle content or any other epub books with digital rights management software, which includes almost all legally purchasable ebooks on the market.

Ultimately, I found this tablet to be incredibly useful. This is the cheapest E Ink tablet on our list, but it’s still essentially just a PDF and note-taking device.

$279 at ReMarkable

Sarah Lord/CNET

Onyx Boox Note Air 2

Most versatile E Ink tablet

The Boox Note Air 2 is the most tablet-like E Ink device I tested. This 10.3-inch tablet features a resolution of 227 DPI, runs on a customized version of the Android 11 operating system and even has its own app store, where you can download third-party apps that have been optimized for the device. And yes, while it doesn’t come pre-baked into the system, there is a way to access the full Google Play store – though I wouldn’t recommend it for anything other than downloading an e-reading app, as the Boox still has an E Ink display and isn’t made for games or video. A step-by-step on how to get the Google Play store installed is in this hands-on review of a previous model.

Also, the Boox comes with only 64GB of nonexpandable storage, so you don’t want apps filling up your system. The company does offer 5GB of cloud storage from its own service for free to help transfer documents to the device, though you can also use Dropbox, Evernote and OneNote.

The biggest benefit of the apps store is that you’ll have access to your entire collection of books from your Kindle, Nook and Kobo library. You can also download the Libby app for library books, and Marvel Unlimited users can download the app and read comics, though not in color. The Note Air 2 includes speakers and a microphone, allowing you to listen to audiobooks from Audible or other audiobook apps.

This is a great selling point of the device, but I found the in-app experience to be less than ideal. Many of the features that make the Note Air 2 unique are disabled in third-party apps. For example, you won’t be able to use the pen to take notes or highlights in books on the Kindle app. Instead, you’ll have to type in notes you want to take, like using the app on any other tablet. To write directly onto books, you’ll need to have them in DRM-free ebook format. Luckily, the Boox supports a wide range of formats including PDF, epub, DOC and Mobi.

Note-taking and PDF management are strong on the Note Air 2 but not as seamless as on the ReMarkable 2. Highlights aren’t automatically straightened, and users have to choose the color and width of the marker. The Note Air 2 provides 16 options of grayscale color, but they all look the same on the device, leaving highlights looking dark and messy. The included stylus also features 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity but lags ever so slightly when writing across the page. On the plus side, you can include audio recordings for more accurate retention. The Note Air 2 also lets you open a PDF and notebook at the same time in a split-screen view, giving you the ability to read and take notes all at once.

Like the Kindle Paperwhite and Oasis, the Boox Note Air 2 comes with a warm and cold front light to help make the screen easier on the eyes and give it a more paper-like look. You can easily adjust both lights with a swipe-down menu. Plus, it also measures its battery life in weeks, not days.

While this tablet is by far the most expensive on our list, it’s also the most versatile of the E Ink tablets and does a lot well but nothing great.

You might see that the company has recently announced a Note Air 2 Plus. I haven’t tried that one, but it’s almost identical to the original Air 2 — just with a bigger battery, which also makes it very slightly heavier.

$450 at Amazon

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Sarah Lord/CNET

Kobo Elipsa

Best E Ink tablet for reading

Kobo might be a smaller company than Amazon, but it’s been making e-readers for just about as long. While Amazon once made a 9.7-inch Kindle, the product never offered natural input with a touchscreen or stylus and was discontinued in 2014. More recently, Kobo was first with a waterproof e-reader, and it’s the first of the major e-reading players to make a 10.3-inch device with a stylus.

Like most Kobos, the Elipsa is an excellent e-reader and offers battery life measured in weeks, depending on use. Unlike Kindles, Kobos have a seemingly limitless ability to customize the reading experience. You can play continuously with margins, line spacing, fonts and font size to get a page that looks exactly how you want to, no matter the size of the screen. The included stylus can be used on any PDF or Kobo ePub, so it works just as well on library books as it does on books from the Kobo store.

Speaking of the library, Kobo is known for its deep integration with the ebook library service OverDrive. You can easily access, browse and download library books directly from your device, so long as your local library uses OverDrive. Borrowing an ebook from the New York Public Library was a seamless experience and one that makes all Kobos a must-have for library lovers.

Unfortunately, the Elipsa’s note-taking capabilities are lacking. There is a noticeable lag when writing with the stylus for any length of time, and the notebook features are fairly basic. Only four templates are available in the basic notebooks and only a single lined template in the advanced notebooks. Advanced notebooks do let you insert drawings, diagrams, math equations and a free-form section, while also offering the ability to convert your handwriting to text. There are only a few pen types to choose from and only five pen brush sizes.

I wasn’t able to use the notebook feature for anything other than the most basic scribbles and wouldn’t recommend it for anything more than that.

The Kobo Elipsa has 32GB of storage, a resolution of 227 DPI and a blue front light, but it lacks the warm light of the Boox. While this E Ink tablet misses the mark on long-from writing, it excels as a large-screen, library-friendly e-reader with the ability to scribble in the margins.

$400 at Kobo

Sarah Lord/CNET

Kindle Scribe

Best E Ink tablet for Amazon content

The Kindle Scribe comes with a fantastic 300 ppi, 10.2-inch display that is evenly lit and perfect for large-format reading. The writing experience is also very pleasant and natural, but the Scribe’s software limitations keep this device from soaring.

The Scribe looks and feels like an extra large Kindle Paperwhite or Oasis, though it lacks the physical page-turning buttons of Amazon’s premium e-reader. Words look crisp and clear, while the device itself is fast and responsive.

The Scribe’s notebooks are easy to use, but lacking in features compared to other E Ink Tablets. You can export your notebooks via email, but there’s no Dropbox or any other third-party support. There are 18 notebook templates available, including six lined options, graphing paper, musical notation and to-do lists. All of that is great, but these notebooks lack any smart features. For example, there’s no way to insert equations or convert your handwriting to text.

Similarly, writing in books and documents is too limited to be useful to serious highlighters and doodlers. That’s because Amazon doesn’t actually let you write directly on the page in anything other than a PDF. Instead, you’ll need to write on “sticky notes” if you want to handwrite a note in a book or even a Word Doc. Not only does this prevent you from scribbling in the margins of books, it also means you’ll need to take a separate action to start writing at all.

The sticky notes are then collected automatically in your Notes and Highlights section, where they are presented without any of the context in which you wrote them. It does allow you to jump to the page on which a note was written by tapping on your markings. This is great in theory, but is confusing if you have more than one note on each page, as it doesn’t pinpoint the exact location where the note was created. The Scribe also doesn’t let you write any kind of notes at all on manga, comics, graphic novels, magazines or newspapers.

Currently, you are allowed to write directly on the page in PDFs, but the experience isn’t great. The pen itself works well, but dealing with documents is more difficult than it should be. When you’re in a PDF, you aren’t able to adjust the font size or layout, so instead you have to pinch to zoom in order to enlarge or reposition the document. That part works well, and it’s not too hard to find a level that works best for you. However, once you’re positioned in your PDF, you can’t stay there. The Scribe makes it impossible to maintain your current zoom levels from one page to the next. Instead, you have to zoom all the way out again in order to swipe to the next page, just to reposition it all over again. This is a huge pain and makes reading long PDFs cumbersome and frustrating.

Ultimately, the Scribe is great if you want a large-screen e-reader or are eager to handwrite sticky notes in Amazon books. But it just isn’t quite good enough at either PDFs or in-line note-taking to recommend it as anything other than a gigantic, but excellent, Kindle.

Read our Kindle Scribe review.

$340 at Amazon

$340 at Best Buy

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How we test E Ink tablets

Every E Ink tablet undergoes extensive hands-on testing. In this case, each tablet was used for one week of rehearsal in a professional theatrical production. This involved evaluating the set-up process, loading PDFs and books onto the devices, and using both the device and included stylus as a script during full six-hour days of rehearsal. Tasks included highlighting, taking notes in the margins, and creating and taking detailed notes in notebooks. We also downloaded ebooks onto the device and used it as a recreational e-reader.

Anecdotally, we considered the hardware design and features, stylus capabilities, overall ease of use, effective UI layouts, notebook settings, E Ink settings, PDF markup capabilities, e-reading settings and format compatibility, app support and performance, and the overall speed and reliability of the system.

E Ink tablet FAQ

An iPhone that provides almost the same performance as the iPhone 14 for roughly half the price sounds like a great idea, right? Apparently not. If analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is to be believed, Apple may scrap the next version of its wallet-friendly iPhone SE, which was expected to arrive next year.

“The supply chain has received instructions from Apple indicating that the production and shipment plans for the 2024 iPhone SE 4 have been canceled rather than delayed,” Kuo wrote in a Medium post on Jan. 6.

If Kuo’s predictions are correct, only Apple knows the reasoning behind the cancellation. But research and media reports suggest there may be a very simple answer. More expensive iPhone models tend to be more popular, possibly leaving little incentive for Apple to continue pursuing cheaper phones like the iPhone SE.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to CNET’s request for comment.

The third-gen iPhone SE, which debuted in March, starts at $429 and is essentially an iPhone 8 stuffed with the guts of an iPhone 13. CNET’s Patrick Holland called it a “mind-blowing value” in his iPhone SE (2022) review, but he also highlighted missing elements that make it feel dated, like its lack of a full-screen design or night mode for the camera.

Previous generations of the iPhone SE took a similar approach; the 2020 version essentially had the same design but had the iPhone 11’s chip. The 2016 model had the body of an iPhone 5S with the processor of an iPhone 6S. A rumored fourth-gen iPhone SE was expected to adopt a new design similar to the iPhone XR, according to YouTube personality and gadget leaker Jon Prosser.

To understand why Apple may have canceled its next iPhone SE, consider the changes Apple recently made in its iPhone 14 lineup. In a departure from the prior two years, Apple did not release a cheaper “Mini” version of its new flagship iPhone in 2022. Instead, it released a larger version of the regular iPhone 14 called the iPhone 14 Plus, which is $100 more expensive than the regular $799 iPhone 14, raising the barrier to entry for shoppers.

This change followed reports from Nikkei Asian Review and Kuo (via MacRumors) that Apple would scrap the iPhone Mini in 2022, with the former adding that the Mini model didn’t resonate with consumers. Taken together, the elimination of the Mini and reports that next year’s rumored iPhone SE may have been axed could indicate that Apple is pivoting away from releasing smaller, cheaper iPhones.

But Gene Munster, managing partner for tech investment firm Loup and a longtime Apple analyst, doesn’t see it that way. He believes the iPhone SE still plays an important role in Apple’s lineup because of its low price.

“It’s still, I think, the best bang for your buck when it comes to an iPhone,” he said.

Evidence suggests that more expensive iPhones tend to be top sellers, which might help explain the shift. The average selling price of an iPhone rose 7% year over ear in the third quarter of 2022, according to Counterpoint Research. The market research firm also reported in June that Apple dominated the global market for premium phones with a 62% share in the first quarter of 2022. It’s important to note that Counterpoint defines premium phones as devices that cost $400 and higher, meaning the third-gen iPhone SE would fall into that category since it starts at $429. The report, however, did say that Apple’s growth in the premium category largely came from the iPhone 13 lineup.

The pricier iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max also appear to be the stars of Apple’s new smartphone lineup so far. The Information reported that Apple cut production of the iPhone 14 Plus within two weeks of its launch, while research firm Trendforce says Apple boosted production of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. Kuo also said on Twitter in September that the iPhone 14 Pro Max was responsible for about 60% of Apple’s order increase for the Pro lineup, hinting that Apple’s most expensive new iPhone is also its most popular. A November 2022 report from Wave7 Research also said 38 out of 39 surveyed carrier service representatives said they didn’t have in-store inventory of the iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max.

The iPhone SE, meanwhile, has only accounted for roughly 5% to 8% of quarterly US iPhone sales over the past two years, said Josh Lowitz of Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. When looking at total volumes for the newest iPhone models in a given year, the Pro versions typically account for 35% to 40% of sales, while the iPhone SE makes up about 20%, according to Munster.

Carrier discounts have also made it easier to snag high-end phones at cheaper prices, especially when trading in an old device, as my colleague Eli Blumenthal pointed out following the iPhone 13’s launch. Many US shoppers also pay for their phones in monthly installment plans through carriers, which can make higher prices easier to swallow. Both of those factors can make the case for buying a less expensive iPhone with fewer features all the more challenging.

“Because you’re paying over such a long period of time … the $100 price difference, or even a $200 price difference, isn’t that much per month,” said Lowitz.

At the same time, Samsung has seen success in the market for lower-priced phones. Its Galaxy A phones, which typically cost hundreds of dollars less than its flagship Galaxy S phones, accounted for 58% of Samsung’s smartphone unit sales in 2021, according to Counterpoint Research data previously provided to CNET. Samsung’s Galaxy A phones have modern features not found on the iPhone SE, such as a camera with multiple lenses and larger screens, although they often run on less powerful processors than Samsung’s pricier phones.

The notion that Apple may have canceled the 2024 iPhone SE raises questions about the future of the SE line in general. Apple extended the SE branding to the Apple Watch in 2020 for the first time and launched a sequel to that product in September.

iPhone SE (2022): Apple’s Cheaper Phone Brings 5G to a Classic Design

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The fact that Apple had brought the SE line to another product had made it seem like a more permanent fixture in Apple’s lineup. But if Kuo’s insight turns out to be accurate, the iPhone SE’s days may be numbered. And once you take a closer look at how Apple’s smartphone lineup has changed and the data around phone shipments, it’s easy to understand why.

But Munster isn’t convinced that cheaper iPhones like the SE are going away for good. Having a more affordable option makes it easier for Apple to achieve its broader goal of bringing more customers into its web of products and services.

“I think that plays an important role,” he said. “I don’t think Apple’s giving up on that price point.”

Microsoft makes plenty of laptops for Windows users who prefer to keep everything in the same family. And right now, Best Buy is offering a chance to snag one of the very latest models — the Surface Laptop 5 — at a discount. Today only, you can pick up this 2022 model on sale for $1,100, which saves you $200 compared to the usual price. This deal is only available until 9:59 p.m. PT (12:59 a.m. ET) tonight, Jan. 19, so be sure to get your order in soon if you’re hoping to snag one at this price.

CNET reviewer Lori Grunin found the Surface Laptop 5 to be solid, if somewhat unexciting, laptop for most people. But if you’re not looking for something particularly flashy or powerful, it’s a decent option that will have no trouble handling the basics. This model is the larger of the two, with a 15-inch touchscreen. It’s equipped with a 12th-gen Intel Core i5 processor and an Iris Xe GPU, as well as 8GB of RAM and a 256GB solid-state drive. It even supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio, so it’s great for streaming shows and movies. And while it doesn’t come with an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, it is designed to handle Xbox cloud gaming right out of the box. As you would probably expect from a Microsoft laptop, it runs on Windows 11, and it claims an impressive 18-hour battery life for all-day work and play (it managed just under 10 hours in our streaming video battery drain test).

If you’re in the market for something a bit different, check out our roundup of all the best laptop deals right now for even more discounts.

The New York Giants knocked off the Minnesota Vikings last weekend and now will head to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles, who finished with the best record in the NFC and earned a first-round playoff bye. The Eagles went 14-3 and swept the season series against the Giants, but the Giants are a confident bunch behind first-year head coach Brian Daboll and fourth-year QB Daniel Jones, who is playing the best football of his career. For the Eagles, the worry is the health of quarterback Jalen Hurts’ shoulder, which he sprained a month ago; he has played sparingly since. The Divisional Round game between the Giant and Eagles kicks off on Saturday at 8:15 p.m. PT (5:15 p.m. ET) on Fox.

How to watch Giants vs. Eagles without cable

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

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

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

Streaming services have dominated our culture for several years now, and the time of cable packages is behind us. That said, as the number of streaming services on offer increase, the subscriptions can add up. It’s unrealistic to purchase every single one available, especially if you’re only interested in certain movies or television shows. That’s why evaluated all the streaming options (including Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus and HBO Max) to choose the best streaming service in 2023. This useful guide should help you decide which ones to subscribe to.

Your streaming budget probably shifts, depending on which services are worth your time and money. Your choices likely depend on which original shows and movies you want, how important a back catalog of older TV shows is to you, whether you need to consider kids, roommates or sports fans — and your budget. Disney Plus launched its ad-supported plan and raised the price of its ad-free version, all while rolling out four Disney Bundles. Meanwhile, Netflix with ads arrived at $7 per month. Some services offer cheaper options (like Peacock’s free tier), while others come essentially free as part of a bundle (like ESPN Plus in the Disney Bundle).

We’ve reviewed each of these streaming services individually, and assigned numeric ratings based on content, app design and features and overall value. Certainly, some personal preferences regarding content mix influence our decisions, so note that if you love a specific show or style of show, you may have a different favorite.

With that in mind, here’s our list.

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Netflix

Best streaming service overall

There’s a reason why Netflix has become shorthand for streaming in general. The movie-rental service evolved into the top-tier streaming service that’s a must-have in 2023. When big originals like Stranger Things drop, they grab the attention of millions of viewers along with critical praise and awards, giving us the closest thing we have to watercooler conversations these days.

While Netflix has lost a couple of major back-catalog titles to other platforms — specifically TV series favorites The Office to Peacock and Friends to HBO Max — the streamer still offers a wide variety of familiar network shows and more original series, films, documentaries and specials than any of its competitors. New shows and movies arrive each week, with more than 80 original films having debuted in 2022 alone. And the company doesn’t mind catering to different tastes with gaming options and categories for kids, anime and foreign language titles from all over the globe.

Starting at $7 a month for a basic ad-supported account and $10 monthly for basic ad-free, its price is in the middle of the TV service pack. Its standard plan bumps that up to $15.50 per month, which includes HD and two simultaneous streams. The new ad-supported $7 subscription offers one stream for members who want to pay less. But for the variety you get, it’s still a top pick.

Like:

• Simple interface that’s easy to navigate
• Solid recommendation system
• Abundant catalog of licensed movies, shows and originals including Stranger Things, Manifest and Wednesday

Don’t like:

• Expensive subscription plans

Read our Netflix review.

$7 at Netflix

Sarah Tew/CNET

Disney Plus

Offers vault of family-friendly and franchise hits

Disney Plus is one of Netflix’s closest competitors — for good reason. It’s the only place where you can stream the vast majority of the Disney and Pixar libraries, along with every Star Wars movie, Marvel films and new original TV shows, National Geographic content and 30-plus seasons of The Simpsons. While The Mandalorian was its first breakout series, its slate of Marvel shows, including Loki and She-Hulk, have since drawn millions of viewers. Features such as Turning Red and Encanto won rave reviews. Plus, there’s lots more Star Wars and Marvel original programming coming in the next few years.

At the current price of $8 a month for the ad-based plan, Disney Plus is still one of the least expensive streaming TV choices and a great value. We consider it a must-have if you have kids or are a fan of any of its other titles (and who isn’t a fan of Baby Yoda?).

In December 2022, the ad-free version jumped to $11 a month. Disney unveiled four bundles, the cheapest of which is a new $10-a-month plan that combines Disney Plus and Hulu (called Disney Bundle Duo Basic), both with ads. For $13 monthly, the Disney Bundle Trio Basic comes with Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN Plus, all with ads. A $20-per-month Trio Premium bundle nets you all three streaming platforms, and only ESPN Plus has ads. And at $15, the Legacy Bundle allows you to keep Disney Plus ad-free with Hulu and ESPN Plus with ads.

Like:

• Huge library that includes Obi-Wan Kenobi, Willow and Encanto
• Ad-free with reasonable monthly price (for now)
• Adjustable content rating system

Don’t like:

• Extended waits for new or original releases

Read our Disney Plus review.

$8 at Disney Plus

Sarah Tew/CNET

HBO Max

Premium content including House of the Dragon, The Last of Us, Cartoon Network and DC

HBO Max is a well-designed app full of popular TV shows and movies. It has HBO’s entire library, DC Universe titles, along with favorites such as Friends, Rick and Morty, the Lord of the Rings movies and almost every Studio Ghibli film. And it’s the primary destination for new Warner Brothers-owned feature films. It’s not Disney Plus, but HBO Max has a solid streaming collection for kids too, with the ability to control ratings on kids’ profiles better than most other services.

At $10 a month, it sits next to Netflix at the higher end of the streaming spectrum, and if you prefer the ad-free experience, the cost jumps up to $16 per month. In general, HBO Max is ramping up its new originals, and we expect that to increase over time. Though its 8.0 rating is neck-and-neck with Prime Video, HBO Max consistently drops new releases, possesses a large back catalog and offers smooth, user-friendly features.

Like:

• Slick interface
• Loads of content for all audiences. Titles include Euphoria, The White Lotus, Titans and House of the Dragon
• Reliable, customizable parental controls

Don’t like:

• Pricier subscriptions, even with ads

Read our HBO Max review.

$10 at Hbomax.prf

Sarah Tew/CNET

Hulu

Affordable choice with lots of variety

For $8 a month (with ads), Hulu is a perfect complement and counterpoint to Netflix. Its channel lineup has a huge variety of familiar shows from networks like ABC, Fox and CBS that you can watch soon after they air (unlike on Netflix), as well as a growing catalog of its own critically acclaimed original series like The Handmaid’s Tale and Only Murders in the Building. If you have $8 a month to spare and don’t mind trading a few ads for a wealth of TV options, Hulu is a no-brainer. You’ve also got the option to upgrade to a no-ads plan for $15 a month, or add on live TV streaming for $70 a month for a full cable replacement.

Like:

• Low monthly price
• Access to network shows and originals including Abbott Elementary, The Handmaid’s Tale, Only Murders in the Building, The Kardashians, Love Island
• New episodes available almost immediately
• Option to get the Disney Bundle

Don’t like:

• Smaller catalog of originals than its rivals
• Menus are sometimes hard to navigate

Read our Hulu review.

$8 at Hulu

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Sarah Tew/CNET

Prime Video

Best value bundled with Amazon membership

Amazon’s Prime Video features lots of ad-free, quality original shows and movies, an impressive back catalog of older favorites (and B-movies you haven’t heard of) and NFL on Thursday nights.

It lacks the catalogs of Netflix and Hulu, and the star power of Disney’s streaming platform, and I found its menus more confusing since there’s some paid content mixed in with free content. Prime Video’s new redesign aims to cut down on that confusion with clearer labeling and menu updates for its global customer base. For millions of Prime subscribers, the Prime Video channel is already included at no extra cost. If you’re interested in checking out any of its originals like The Rings of Power or its large movie selection, it may even be worth paying the stand-alone $9 a month TV service fee (if you don’t have Amazon Prime).

Like:

• Included in with Prime membership
• Large selection of movies and TV shows including The Boys, The Rings of Power, Hunters and Reacher
• Offline downloads

Don’t like:

• Confusing search process and menus
• Free and paid content stacked together

Read our Amazon Prime Video review.

$9 at Amazon

Sarah Tew/CNET

Starz

Blockbuster movies, early access to original shows

Priced below Netflix at $9 a month, Starz provides a unique but expanding library of films and original shows. With more than 800 movies in its bank that range from ’80s classics to Westerns to the hottest new Sony releases, the streamer houses every genre in its catalog. But Starz has been inching its way into the prestige TV market with a quality lineup of original programming.

It’s best known for the Power universe, Outlander and The White Queen, and the network stands apart by promoting diversity and representation in its originals, elevating the voices of women and people of color. As a Lionsgate-owned company, Starz also airs the studio’s movies and shows — like John Wick and Saw. While you can’t stream feature films as day-and-date releases, Starz inked a deal with Universal to broadcast its 2022 and beyond lineup. That includes flicks such as Jurassic World Dominion, Minions: The Rise of Gru and Oppenheimer. For $9 a month, the Starz app gives you unlimited downloads, early access to new TV show episodes, and four simultaneous streams, all with no ads disrupting your viewing experience. Whether you want to stream blockbuster movies, documentaries, original series, or something for kids, Starz is worth the cost.

Like:

• Quality TV shows including P-Valley, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, The Serpent Queen and Shining Vale
• New episodes drop early on the app
• Unlimited downloads

Don’t like:

• Playback issues on some phones

Read our Starz review.

$9 at Starz

Sarah Tew/CNET

ESPN Plus

For sports buffs

ESPN Plus is a great streaming service for the tried-and-true sports fans, especially those who follow the NHL, MLS and UFC. This is because ESPN Plus is the new home of all out-of-market National Hockey League games, while also offering out-of-market MLS soccer matches, along with those from other soccer leagues around the world. It hosts exclusive UFC matches and pay-per-view events, such as UFC Fight Night and championship bouts (for additional fees).

Hockey and MLS fans who root for teams that aren’t based where they currently live need ESPN’s streaming service to watch their team’s action. The service won’t be of much use, however, to fans of the home teams. Local games are blacked out on ESPN Plus so you’ll need access to your regional sports network through cable or a live TV streaming service in order to watch them. However, golf fans can stream the PGA Tour live on the platform.

ESPN Plus doesn’t show live NFL or NBA games, however, and while its vast library of original programming is impressive, it’s difficult to navigate. While the year service is best suited for die-hard fans of the sports it covers well, more casual fans might find themselves with an ESPN Plus subscription anyway through the Disney Bundle, which also includes Hulu and Disney Plus starting at $13 a month. A standalone subscription for ESPN Plus costs $10, but some viewers may find it more cost-effective to pay for one of the Disney Bundles, which range from $13-$20 monthly.

Like:

• ESPN originals
• Plenty to watch for NHL, UFC and MLS fans

Don’t like:

• Missing live broadcasts for NFL and NBA

Read our ESPN Plus review.

$10 at ESPN Plus

James Martin/CNET

Peacock

Top pick for free streaming

NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock has one major advantage over its peers: It has a free, ad-supported tier with about 10,000 hours of shows, movies, news and live sports. You can upgrade to premium for $5 a month (with ads) or premium plus for $10 a month (with no ads) to unlock more content, including every season of fan favorites like the TV series The Office and Parks and Recreation, as well as live Premier League soccer matches and WWE events.

New episodes of NBC shows stream exclusively on Peacock, and Premium Plus members can watch live local NBC channels in real time. 2022 additions included a dedicated Hallmark channel that airs simulcasts and new movie premieres 45 days after their theatrical releases.

Peacock drops in the rankings due to its lack of mobile downloads for its non-premium plus tiers and 4K HDR streaming, which most of its competitors offer. But it doesn’t hurt to try out the free version — all you need to sign up is an email address.

Like:

• Free tier
• Stream Yellowstone, The Voice, Chicago Fire, live sports, The Real Housewives franchise or originals like Bel-Air
• Live broadcasts of NFL’s Sunday Night Football
• Decent selection of movies

Don’t like:

• No offline downloads for mobile
• Paywall prevents access full seasons
• Peacock Premium has ads, not the best value

Read our Peacock review.

See at Peacock

Sarah Tew/CNET

Paramount Plus

Home of Star Trek, Nickelodeon, live sports and CBS

Paramount Plus brings together live news and sports with on-demand shows and movies, including originals, leaning on parent company Paramount’s brands like CBS, MTV, BET, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and Paramount Network, plus its Paramount Pictures movie studio.

The service has a ton of content: 30,000 episodes of TV and 2,500 movies, plus dozens of original series arriving this year, for either $5 a month (with ads) or $10 a month (ad-free). Two of its biggest draws from its CBS All Access days include the Star Trek catalog and new originals like Star Trek: Discovery and Picard, and the series The Good Fight. Buzz-worthy originals include two Yellowstone spinoffs (though Yellowstone itself is on rival Peacock), a Star Trek animated show, a series based on Halo, and new movies like Mission: Impossible 7 arriving 45 days after theaters. But right now, its main value lies in nostalgia: You can watch just about every old Nickelodeon show, Comedy Central stand-up specials and popular series ranging from Frasier and Cheers to SpongeBob SquarePants and Young Sheldon. Additionally, Paramount Plus launched a Live Channels feature which enables subscribers to watch curated content in special categories. Check out channels for Star Trek, CBS Sports HQ, Paw Patrol, and more with either subscription plan.

Currently, new subscribers can receive a seven-day free trial.

Like:

• Large selection of reality shows including RuPaul’s Drag Race, kids’ content from Nickelodeon, and access to CBS hits NCIS, Young Sheldon
• Streams major movies such as Scream 5 and Top Gun: Maverick soon after release
• Live NFL games
• Inexpensive monthly price

Don’t like:

• Few originals outside of Evil, Yellowstone: 1883, Halo and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Not much 4K HDR content

Read our Paramount Plus review.

$5 at Paramount Plus

Sarah Tew/CNET

Apple TV Plus

Boasts quality originals like Ted Lasso, Severance and CODA

Despite the price jump to $7 a month, Apple TV Plus stands as the lowest-priced premium, ad-free streaming service available, with high-end features like 4K resolution, HDR and mobile downloads. However, it’s also the only service on this list that includes only original content, and no back catalog of shows or movies to explore. While it now has more than 50 exclusive, big-budget original programming shows and movies, only a few have captured widespread attention, such as Ted Lasso and Severance, while CODA won Best Picture among other Oscars. Though the service is branching out with additions like live MLB baseball on Fridays, its library is far smaller than any of the others on this list.

The app is also confusing because it’s housed in the larger Apple TV app with other content. However, Apple TV Plus has one big advantage: There are a lot of ways to get it for free, at least for a while. If you’re a degree-seeking college student, a new purchaser of an Apple device, or someone who subscribes to the Apple One bundle, you can snag a long-term free trial of Apple TV Plus.

Like:

• Ted Lasso, and prestige shows such as Pachinko, Foundation, The Morning Show, Severance
• No ads
• All originals stream with 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos
• Cheap monthly rate

Don’t like:

• Small selection of titles
• Lack of older content
• No Android support

Read our Apple TV Plus review.

$7 at Apple

How we test streaming services

Chances are you’re already pretty familiar with most of the names on this list, but it’s by no means comprehensive. There are plenty of other ways to stream, and hundreds of other choices out there. As we evaluated these particular streaming options, we kept certain things in mind.

This list is ordered based on the numerical value I assigned to each streaming service in their individual review, which I determined by design (i.e. ease of use across different TV and mobile platforms), features (like 4K HDR, mobile downloads, recommendations, watch lists and number of streams), content (number of shows and quality of originals and back catalogs) and value (price compared to these other factors). Click through to the full reviews for more details.

Streaming services FAQs

Want more? Check out CNET’s Streaming TV Insider for advice on what to watch, the latest streaming news, help, how-to and more.

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If you have an iPhone, then you know that your display brightness will automatically adjust from time to time, depending on the amount of light in your environment. It’s a useful feature that should prevent eye strain and make your screen easier to see, but that’s not always the case.

The problem might be that your display automatically dims down even when you’re out in the sun, because you’re partially in the shade, and that can make it difficult to see what’s on your screen. If you manually increase the brightness, it’ll just go back down again because of auto-brightness. Unfortunately, fixing this issue isn’t always as easy as toggling off this setting — although that’s a good start.

In this guide, we’ll show you two settings that you need to disable to help prevent your iPhone from automatically dimming. And how your iPhone might adjust its brightness, even when those two settings are disabled, if you’re not careful.

While you’re here, you should also check out the most annoying things about your iPhone (and how you can fix them). And these 10 hidden iOS 16 features that will make your iPhone experience so much better.

First, disable auto-brightness

Yes, this may seem a bit obvious, but the first thing you want to do is to make sure that you have automatic brightness disabled in your settings. The feature is pretty self-explanatory — it automatically adjusts your brightness depending on the light in your environment. But if you want to prevent your display from always trying to adjust, you must disable this feature.

In the Settings application, go to Accessibility > Display & Text Size and toggle off Auto-Brightness at the bottom of the page. You would think that this setting would exist in Display & Brightness, so it’s not uncommon that auto-brightness would be enabled without you really knowing, since it’s tucked away in Accessibility.

If your brightness continues to automatically adjust, there’s another setting you need to disable.

You also need to turn off True Tone

If you have an iPhone SE (2nd generation) and later, the True Tone feature has the ability to measure the color temperature and brightness in your environment and then adjust its display to match it. True Tone is useful — it not only helps show more accurate colors across various lighting situations, it’s also easier on the eyes, which you need if you’re constantly reading on your phone.

Again, if you don’t care about the feature, don’t use it or are simply annoyed that your brightness continues to automatically adjust, you need to disable it. In Settings, go to Display & Brightness and toggle off True Tone under the Brightness header. As long as auto-brightness is also disabled, turning True Tone off should prevent your iPhone from automatically adjusting your brightness.

There is one exception though.

Don’t let your iPhone overheat

Your iPhone has several ways of protecting its internal components, and that includes automatically dimming your display. Even if you have both auto-brightness and True Tone turned off, if your iPhone is overheating it will automatically adjust the display intensity.

According to Apple, to help prevent this from happening, you should use your iPhone in temperatures between 32 to 95 degrees F (zero and 35 degrees C) and store it in temperatures between 4 and 113 degrees F (between 20 below zero and 45 degrees C). If you leave your iPhone in your car or on the sidewalk on a hot day, there’s a good chance that it will overheat, thus causing your display to automatically dim.

However, overheating doesn’t occur only because of a sunny day. A faulty battery could cause your iPhone to overheat: Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging and check if your battery needs to be replaced. Another reason could be buggy software: Go to Settings > General > Software Update and more sure to always be on the latest update to deal with any software bugs and issues.

Samsung offers a wide variety of Galaxy phones, and the company’s selection is expected to grow on Feb. 1 at the next Samsung Unpacked event. From the gigantic Galaxy S22 Ultra to the pocketable Galaxy Z Flip 4, there’s already a lot of options to consider if one is looking for a new Samsung phone. But there’s one way Samsung could simplify things: Skip the Galaxy S22 FE.

Don’t get me wrong; the Galaxy S21 FE (short for “fan edition”) has plenty going for it. When I reviewed the phone last year, I was impressed with its decent battery life and solid camera for its $700 price. However, it risked getting lost in Samsung’s lineup once the Galaxy S22 launched. And I was right. If Samsung does have a successor to the Galaxy S21 FE in the works, rebranding it as a more premium Galaxy A phone would be a wiser move.

Samsung previously launched its FE phones in the fall or January. However, with Samsung weeks away from its presumed Galaxy S23 event, we’ve yet to hear an official word from Samsung on whether there will be a successor to the Galaxy S21 FE. A rumor from the blog SamMobile published this summer suggests Samsung may have canceled the Galaxy S22 FE, and I can understand why. Between the $800 Galaxy S22 and $450 Galaxy A53 5G, it was too hard for the Galaxy S21 FE to stand out. With the Galaxy S23 lineup potentially right around the corner, a Galaxy S22 FE could face the same fate.

The Galaxy S21 FE lacks what made the Galaxy S20 FE so special

The 2020 Galaxy S20 FE had a major advantage that the Galaxy S21 FE lacks: a sizable gap in price compared to Samsung’s Galaxy S phone. The Galaxy S20 launched at $1,000, making the $700 Galaxy S20 FE feel like a significant bargain. It earned a CNET Editors’ Choice in 2020, with Andy Lanxon writing that its “great balance of performance and value” makes it a better value proposition than the S20 Ultra and Note 20 Ultra.

There are a couple of reasons why the Galaxy S21 FE didn’t strike the same chord. Samsung’s lineup and the broader smartphone landscape were different in 2020. While 5G support, multiple camera lenses and screens with higher refresh rates were starting to trickle down to cheaper devices, these features were considered premium just one year earlier in 2019. Remember the Galaxy S10 5G? Samsung’s first 5G-ready phone commanded a high price of $1,300 when it launched through Verizon in spring 2019.

Things changed the following year in 2020. Every device in the Galaxy S20 lineup supported 5G, but that also meant a higher starting price of $1,000. With that in mind the 5G-equipped S20 FE, which also has a triple-lens camera and speedy processor, was a great alternative for cost-conscious shoppers that didn’t want to make big sacrifices on quality.

In other words, the Galaxy S20 FE came at just the right time and the right price. I can’t say the same for the Galaxy S21 FE. It launched roughly one month before Samsung introduced the Galaxy S22, which offers superior camera quality, a more refined design and a newer processor. The Galaxy S20, on the other hand, debuted in September 2020, which meant it had a longer runway before the Galaxy S21’s arrival in January 2021. Samsung also now faces increased competition from Google, which has been pricing its Pixel phones aggressively compared to Samsung. Google’s main flagship phone, the Pixel 7, launched at just $600 in October.

At the same time, the Galaxy S21 FE does have advantages over the S22, particularly for people who prefer larger phones. But the differences aren’t drastic enough to prevent it from being overshadowed by the S22 and phones from competitors like Google.

Pricing is another important factor. It’s great that Samsung dropped the price of the S21 compared to the S20, but the problem is that it didn’t lower the Galaxy S21 FE’s price to match. The Galaxy S20 FE was $300 cheaper than the Galaxy S20, while the S21 FE costs only $100 less than the Galaxy S21 did at launch.

The Galaxy S21 FE feels more like an A-series phone

The Galaxy S21 FE would feel right at home in Samsung’s lineup of midrange and budget devices, aka the Galaxy A series. These phones are usually significantly cheaper than those in the Galaxy S line and inherit certain features like large displays, multiple cameras and 5G, while compromising elsewhere.

It’s an approach that’s seemingly paid off so far. Samsung’s $180 Galaxy A12 was one of the world’s top-selling phones in 2021, according to Counterpoint Research. No phones from the Galaxy S series made the list. Separate data from Counterpoint Research provided to CNET also suggests A-series phones accounted for 58% of Samsung’s smartphone sales last year.

If the Galaxy S21 FE launched at a slightly cheaper price — perhaps priced around $600 — it would have made a great upper-tier Galaxy A phone. Both the Galaxy S21 FE and A53 5G have big screens, very similar designs, regular and ultrawide camera lenses and high resolution front cameras, making them feel like they’re aimed at a similar audience.

The Galaxy S21 FE has an edge in performance and camera quality, making it a solid choice for those who need more than the Galaxy A53 has to offer at a lower price than the S22. Dropping the price to $600 would also put the phone right between the $450 Galaxy A53 5G and $800 Galaxy S22. If it were branded as an A-series phone, the Galaxy S21 FE could be a worthwhile alternative to the Galaxy A73 in markets where that device isn’t available. The Galaxy A73 5G is the Galaxy A series’ top-tier phone with a 108-megapixel camera, but it’s only available in select regions such as Australia and India.

Samsung hasn’t shared details about its future smartphone plans, so it’s unclear whether it will continue the FE line. But dropping the FE’s price and possibly moving it over to its Galaxy A series could go a long way in boosting its appeal. It wouldn’t be the first time Samsung has merged two of its phone brands recently. The Galaxy S22 Ultra, for example, has essentially replaced the company’s previous Galaxy Note phones, which stood out for their giant screens and included stylus.

Otherwise, the Galaxy S22 FE could end up like Samsung’s current “fan edition” phone and struggle to find its place.

Samsung’s Galaxy S21 FE looks almost exactly like the Galaxy S21

+12 more

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For the last few years, I’ve joined a bunch of friends in online D&D through the Roll20 app. We talk out the story scenarios, and then move our pieces on a giant grid map for tactical battles. Nintendo’s latest Fire Emblem game, Fire Emblem: Engage, gives me that same feeling on the go in a solo adventure.

Fire Emblem is a super long-standing Nintendo series going all the way back to the Game Boy Advance. I loved playing the chess-like turn-based battles back then, which were similar to another Nintendo series, Advance Wars (which should be getting a remake release this year). There are already multiple Fire Emblem titles on the Switch. Two are massive-scale battle games (Fire Emblem Warriors and Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes, which I’m not wild about) and one a complicated social RPG with lots of relationships to manage, and some tactical battles too (Fire Emblem: Three Houses, which is great but a lot to take in).

Fire Emblem Engage cuts down on the social stuff but still has dozens of characters you align with and fight battles with, through a number of chapter-based skirmishes that take about a half hour per fight to complete. I like the streamlined approach to Engage, because I lose patience with Fire Emblem’s characters and storylines (sorry!). I’m mainly in it for the battle strategy.

You can focus on these chapters or dig around and work on optimizing relationships with characters or improving gear. A little home-base town called Somniel is where you can buy new gear, talk to people and adopt pets (weird, but true). It reminds me of the way Kirby and the Forgotten Land has its home hub before diving into new game levels.

Engage’s story that spans a multi-island map and involves collecting rings that contain the spirits of classic Fire Emblem characters like Marth and Roy (who you might also know from Super Smash Bros., and elsewhere), who fight with your party and activate extra attack powers. Knowing how to smartly heal, attack with the right person and weapon, and align your group is how battles are won.

Fire Emblem games have two modes: one in which dead party members are revived after each battle, and one in which there’s permadeath. If someone dies, that’s it. I’m a coward, and can’t deal with people dying, so I don’t choose permadeath. But it’s probably the more rewarding and higher-investment way to play.

After hours of playing so far, I feel compelled enough to keep seeing what battles come next… but I don’t feel like this is my favorite Switch game. There are so many amazing RPGs and adventures the Switch already has to offer: Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Octopath Traveler, Pokemon Legends Arceus. If you want tactical turn-based strategy RPGs, there’s also last year’s Triangle Strategy. Fire Emblem: Engage feels like a return to the Fire Emblem games I used to play, though, and for that alone I appreciate it. Just know that if you want an even deeper and more social universe with similar battle structures, go with Fire Emblem: Three Houses instead.

Odds are you know what Costco is, but you may not already be a member. You may be curious as to whether it’s worth it or not to spend $60 or more a year to shop somewhere, but the truth is that the membership easily pays for itself for most Costco shoppers. As a one-stop-shop, there’s a lot to buy and a lot of money to be saved by signing up for your own Costco membership.

The most obvious advantage to joining Costco is the opportunity to stock up on necessities such as groceries, electronics and more in bulk at affordable prices. But did you know about the different types of Costco membership and the additional perks just waiting for you?

Even after being a member for a year, I had no idea how much value was built into my membership. But now that I do, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about Costco membership perks so you can save every visit. If you want to learn how to save at other retailers, check out our additional shopping tips to save at Best Buy Outlet and Amazon’s subscribe and save.

How to sign up for a Costco membership

Before I dive into the perks of a Costco membership, you should know you have the option to sign up for one of two Costco memberships. There’s the Executive Gold Star membership for $120, and the Gold Star membership for $60.

In order to get a Costco membership, you need:

1. A membership number (you’ll get an email from Costco when you register online)

2. Valid government-issued photo ID

Both of these are needed when you visit a membership counter in person to fully sign up. You can also just do what I did, and sign up in person by skipping the online membership number. Only do the prelim scheduling if you want to save some time in line; either way, you have to go in person to complete the membership process.

When you sign up and it’s confirmed, you’ll take a picture and have a Costco card in minutes. Plus, the Executive Gold Star and Gold Star membership comes with one free card for anyone over the age of 18 who lives at the same address.

Gold Star vs. Executive Gold Star membership

Although you’ll save every time you shop at Costco with either membership, there are differences between the two. As a Gold Star member, you have “everyday value” access. This includes:

1. 100% satisfaction guarantee.

2. Two membership cards.

3. Ability to shop online and in warehouses worldwide.

A Costco Executive Gold Star member gets all three perks from the Gold membership and two additional perks:

1. Costco services discounts (e.g. auto insurance program, home insurance).

2. A 2% annual reward up to $1,000 on eligible Costco and Costco travel purchases.

No matter which membership you choose, you’ll get Costco gasoline, electronics and appliances, prescription, tires and grocery delivery at cheaper prices.

Get 2% back, here’s how

The 2% annual reward is capped at $1,000 for one year. Only purchases made by the primary household member will apply toward the reward. If the primary cardholder is no longer on the account, their purchases will not apply to the reward. About three months before your renewal, you’ll get the 2% reward.

How to upgrade to an Executive Gold membership

Maybe you’re already a Gold Star member and you want to upgrade to the Executive membership. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Costco will prorate the upgrade based on the months remaining in your previous membership.

2. Any purchases made before the upgrade doesn’t count toward your 2% reward.

3. The following year, you’ll be charged the full $120.

4. And if you want to upgrade, you can visit the membership counter at any Costco to do so.

Which membership is best for you?

To answer this question, ask yourself how much money on average you think you’ll spend at Costco. If you’re not shopping at Costco regularly, then regular Gold Star membership is likely the better option. However, if you’re buying in bulk, plan on making your shopping trips exclusive to Costco, and if you want to earn rewards, then the Executive Gold Star membership is your go-to for extra savings.

Since you’re aware of the perks available to you, now you’re ready to become a Costco member or upgrade for more rewards. To save money at other retailers, read our other shopping tips on getting Costco delivered without a membership and getting your money back with this holiday return policy cheat sheet.