The average installation size of a modern game has become absurd. It's not uncommon now for a single AAA title to consume 100GB or more of storage space, so just a handful of games can quickly push a drive to its limit. Buying a new SSD isn't the easy answer to the problem like it was a couple of years ago, now that AI has caused NAND prices to skyrocket.

It's almost time for the Made by Google keynote, where the company will show off the brand-new Pixel hardware it announced today. Like last year, it'll be a celebrity-packed live show, though Trevor Noah is hosting instead of Jimmy Fallon. If the 2025 show was any indication, today's broadcast might be something of a cringefest.If you've been following tech news this morning, you already know a lot about the new Pixels. Press and creators were able to publish extensive hands-on impressions of the new hardware hours ago, and you can read our coverage of the Pixel 11 phones, their new camera features, the Pixel Watch 5, and more right now. …Read the full story at The Verge.

For as long as I've been building PCs, I've always thought of a monitor as one of the absolute safest things you could plug into a PC. After all, it's just a display. It shows whatever your GPU tells it to show, and that's where its job ends. Sadly, that belief of mine is now dissolved, after I learned that Windows has been treating monitors very differently for years.

Recently, I've been doing everything I can to reduce background processes, unnecessary Samsung apps, and One UI features to make my Galaxy Z Flip 5 feel faster and last a bit longer. After all, I've been using it for about three years now, so it definitely doesn't feel as snappy as it did on day one. Things like disabling RAM Plus and animations helped, but once I was done tweaking One UI, I started looking for what else I could clean up. That's when I decided to go through my storage and came across Samsung Language Core.

Two years ago, when I built my PC with a Ryzen 5 7600X, DDR5 memory, and a lightning-fast PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD, I certainly didn't expect boot times to ever be an issue. And yet, every time I hit the power button, I'm left staring at a black screen for the better part of a minute before I'm greeted by the familiar Windows login screen.

The 8BitDo mechanical keyboard and dual super buttons. | Image: The Verge If you’re looking for a mechanical keyboard that can give your desk a touch of retro flair, Amazon has 8BitDo’s Retro Mechanical Keyboard with Dual Super Buttons on sale for $69.99, one of the lowest prices we’ve seen for the bundle. The styling on this keyboard is thorough, with blocky retro legends on the rounded keycaps, and supplementary buttons and detailing to help match the theme.8BitDo Retro Mechanical KeyboardThis mechanical keyboard is designed to look like Nintendo’s original NES controller, with features like two red customizable buttons. Along with Bluetooth support, it also offers a standard tenkeyless layout with clicky, hot-swappable switches.Where to Buy: $99.99 $69.99 at Amazon (N edition)Despite how it looks on the outside, the internals on this keyboard are modern, with support for Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, and a USB wired connection, and compatibility with both Windows and Android. The 87-key setup is mounted on white Kailh Box switches for that vintage clicky sound, with a volume knob and function keys for quick controls. The included dual super buttons connect to the keyboard, and can be programmed to a variety of key combinations and functions without the need for any additional software. These sizable buttons are great for easy access to shortcuts like copy and paste or media shortcuts, and the bundle includes one, but you can connect up to four to a single keyboard.Other deals to considerBest Buy has the Aukey 2-in-1 MagSafe Qi2 wireless charging stand discounted to $27.99 (usually $49.99). The stand can charge your iPhone and AirPods at the same time with up to 15W of power, and folds away neatly for travel or to clear desk space.You can grab a Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge with 512GB of storage at Woot for $669.99, almost half off the retail price of $1,299.99. The phone stands out with its remarkably thin and light design, and still has recent generation smartphone features, like a SnapDragon 8 Elite chipset, 200MP camera, and 6.7-inch 1440p display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Read our review.The Lego Icons Transformers Soundwave set is on sale at Amazon for $168.96, almost matching its all-time low price. This 1,505-piece set can transform between the character’s robot and cassette player modes without any disassembly, and the included sound effects block helps give this kit a fun twist.

Building a new PC in 2026 is challenging. Part prices for storage and RAM are out of control, and it's not looking like they will stabilize any time soon. But other parts like CPUs and motherboards are seeing good discounts, with the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus popping up on our radar thanks to a solid discount on Amazon to $265 that drops it to its lowest price yet.

When someone buys a new smart TV, they immediately install the entertainment apps that aren't already included, like Netflix, Paramount, or YouTube. However, there are some important apps that can improve your TV experience. Whether it is a better screensaver, a new home screen, or improved remote functionality, there is a quality app to consider.

If there’s one group of people I’m willing to take prompting advice from, it’s the people actually building the AI tool I’m using. I’ve spent plenty of time stealing tips from Claude Code’s creator and Anthropic’s own team, and it’s become one of my favorite ways to figure out what these tools are actually capable of.

Managing a mini PC is much easier when you can access it from anywhere. Whether you're at home or in a different room, remote access saves you from plugging in a monitor and keyboard every time you need to use it. For a long time, I relied on a paid app because it was simple and dependable. But as my home lab grew, I started wondering if I really needed another subscription for something so basic. After trying a self-hosted alternative, I realized I could get the same remote-access experience while keeping more control over my own setup.

Getting a Steam Machine is the first half; the other is making it look great. Fortunately, Valve's console is open to customization, including turning it into a Companion Cube. However, one person has stepped forward to show off their immaculate marble faceplates, and you can register your interest for one right now.

Microsoft has had a hard time trying to convince people to move to Windows 11. While data does suggest that there are now more Windows 11 users than Windows 10 users, there are still some stalwart people holding on to the older OS. Now, Microsoft is prodding them to upgrade by limiting new Microsoft 365 features.