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The XL Ninja Air Fryer Is the Best Deep-Fried Deal You Can Find Today

12 juillet 2025 à 04:11

It's snack time, baby! If you don't already have an air fryer, Amazon is giving you a great excuse to get one. Right now, Amazon is offering 50% off the Ninja Air Fryer XL for a limited time. Although it's not a Prime Day-specific deal, it should be treated the same as limited-time deals also don't last long and could be gone at any time. This specific model is at its lowest price we've seen since Black Friday 2023 (within $1 of the all-time low price then)! Plus, air-fried foods are popular for a reason: You get crispy goodness without the guilt of extra oil and fat attached.

The TL;DR is: The Ninja Air Fryer XL model is incredibly popular, with over 85k total 4.7-star ratings on Amazon. Offering a 5.5-quart capacity, the XL model is the same price as the slightly smaller 5-quart model (Pro), so it's a no-brainer to get the XL if you're trying to decide between the two. Another big win for this air fryer is that its basket and crisper plate are dishwasher safe, so you can clean up in no time. I would shop the deal as soon as possible since it may not be discounted again until Black Friday, and that's a long time to go without an air fryer in your life.

The Ninja Air Fryer XL Is 50% Off Today

With this multipurpose air fryer, you can skip the oven and air roast your veggies, baked goods and more. The 5.5-quart model offers five different cooking functions, including air fry (of course), air roast, bake, dehydrate (remove moisture to make your own dried fruit, for example) and reheat. Some people prefer cold leftover pizza, and I'm not here to judge, but for folks like me, I'd much rather reheat my 'za with an air fryer to get that hot, crispiness back. Either way, what does a 5.5-qt capacity look like? Ninja says it fits up to 3 lbs of wings or fries. Not bad at all.

As it's a limited-time deal, this deal may expire tonight alongside the close of Prime Day, so it's time to get cookin'. See even more Prime Day kitchen appliance deals with a focus on the trusted Ninja brand.

More Prime Day Ninja Deals

Other Last-Chance Deals for Prime Day Tonight

With just mere hours left in Prime Day, now's the time to stock up on other things you need at some of the lowest prices you'll see all year. See our top 10 things to buy before Prime Day ends, including a big 4k Blu-ray sale:

Lindsey (she/her) is IGN's Director of Audience Development and Commerce. She's been at IGN since 2021 and has a background in SEO, especially in the gaming, entertainment, and tech media spaces. Find her on Twitter at @LindseySalzer.

College Football 26 Review in Progress

12 juillet 2025 à 03:07

There’s an old idea that second efforts generally aren’t as good as the first. It’s called the sophomore slump, and there are a dozen reasons for it. Sophomore students don't care as much as freshmen; bands have less time to write, practice, and record a second album than the “breakout” hit they worked on for years before anyone knew who they were; athletes who have exceptional rookie years regress to the mean; and so on. There’s no denying the power of new car smell. I think part of the reason College Football 25 popped off as hard as it did (and trust me if you’re unsure: it popped off) was it’d been more than a decade since NCAA 14 and people really, really wanted a new game based on college football. It didn’t hurt that it was also a good game, but the yearly “it’s the same game as last year” fatigue of the sports genre hadn’t set in yet. That makes College Football 26 the real test.

I’ll be honest, reader: I haven’t had a ton of time with this sequel yet (I've been busy finishing up my review of Mecha Break, which I thought was pretty great), so these impressions are going to be pretty light. One of the things I’m interested in as I play more is how this car handles after we’ve put some miles on her, and if it falls into the same slump so many games, bands, and students have hit before it. But while that remains to be seen, I’m having a pretty good time so far.

Part of that is College Football 26 is built on a really firm foundation. College Football 25 was a good game, and it still has that infectious spirit and sense of tradition that made it a nice change of pace from the more straight-laced Madden. From what I’ve seen, College Football 26 builds on that in good ways. One of the things I’m appreciating most is the Trophy Room, which tracks the real world trophies you’ll accumulate across your entire career, no matter what mode you’re in. It’s cool to see stuff like the Heisman Trophy, the Unitas Golden Arm Award, and the Orange Bowl Trophy collected in one place, and be able to learn about them, too. There’s a lot of history to college football, and I appreciate that EA has tried to capture that.

So far, most of my time has been spent sneaking Quick Play games in where I can, so I haven’t really dug into College Football’s major modes too much yet (something I plan to remedy this weekend), but I have noticed some on-the-field stuff that makes me happy.

Better defenders can now make plays average ones can’t.

The little change I’m happiest about is to how defenders play the football when it’s in the air. If you’ve played College Football or Madden in the last few years, you’ve probably been intercepted (or had one of your defenders intercept) a pass that they can’t see without turning around. They’ve essentially got eyes in the back of their heads, and it could be very frustrating. EA has said they’ve changed that, and in my testing, it’s proven true. Now a defender has to see the ball to pick it off, and you’ll notice defenders turning their heads (or not) before the ball arrives. If they don’t, however, it doesn’t mean that defender can’t make a play on the ball. They can still swat it. It’s a good change because it’s two-fold: you now actually have a reason to swat the ball down instead of going for the pick every time, and better defenders can now make plays average ones can’t.

I’m also a big fan of dynamic subs and custom zones for defenders. The former allows you to swap players on the field and not just on the playcall screen (thank God), though you may have to wait a play for the substitution to take effect, and the latter is the defensive version of last year’s custom stems for routes on offense. I enjoy the defensive game more than the offensive one, so being able to set where I want my zones to be on the field in real-time and not in a menu is welcome. I’m enjoying playing around with this stuff, and I imagine I’ll be using it quite a bit.

Now that I have the time to really dig into College Football 26, I am excited to see all the new additions to Road to Glory, where I’m really looking forward to being able to play my high school career, as well as all the new bells and whistles in Dynasty, which is where I imagine I’ll be spending most of my time. But the on-field stuff is where it counts. I can’t say yet if EA has avoided the sophomore slump with College Football 26, but I’m going into this year optimistic, and that’s not nothing.

Mecha Break review

12 juillet 2025 à 01:07
A surprisingly dull hero shooter wrapped up in a monetization nightmare.

© Tyler C. / Amazing Seasun Games

The Razer Iskur V2 Is a Superb Gaming Chair With Comfort, Support, and Style

12 juillet 2025 à 01:39

With so many to choose from, even the best gaming chairs can start to blend together, but that's definitely not the case for the Razer Iskur V2. Razer’s snake-inspired aesthetic is woven into the chair in a way that offers a unique look, but it doesn't forget that the priority is comfort – it doesn't come cheap, however. I've put it through its paces and can attest to its impressive comfort, making a strong case within a crowded field of chairs.

Razer Iskur V2 – Design and Features

The original Razer Iskur we reviewed took the top spot in Razer's gaming chair lineup and made waves with its unique design and lumbar system. Its backrest was tensioned and looked almost spring-loaded, and while it did the job of offering pronounced support, it wasn't an instant hit precisely because of how pronounced its support was. The Iskur V2 changed all of that, refining its support and aesthetic while maintaining its unique identity and premium positioning.

Looking at the Iskur, the word "bold" comes to mind immediately. It's a large chair and stands imposingly just under five feet tall and has a 27-inch circumference, including its wheelbase. Its lumbar support is redesigned from the original, but stands out from the rest of the chair with its own separate piece. And, unifying it with the original, it’s again embroidered in a pattern that resembles snakeskin. Care to sit on an anaconda? Want your own serpent throne, a real life lizard king? That’s the vibe, and if you’re not down for it, this may not be the chair for you.

Despite its aggressive styling, Razer has actually reeled it in with this revision. There's no longer the "For Gamers. By Gamers." tagline embroidered on the front of the seat, and the bolsters are no longer as steep. You can pick it up in black and green, or a simpler all-black color scheme, and you can get either with fabric materials or Razer's own leatherette finish. Or, for something even more homey (albeit still snakey), there's a gray and black fabric version available. No matter which you choose, the chair is all around more accommodating for different body types and sitting styles.

[The Iskur V2] offers the kind of improvements I always hope to see from iterations on existing designs.

Razer didn't spare any expense in fit and finish. I was sent the black and green leatherette version, and the build quality was excellent across the board. There wasn't a single stray thread or scuff on the plastic or metal elements like its polished arms. As one of the biggest brands in the business, Razer has faced its fair share of criticisms for build quality and durability over time for its peripherals. But over the years I've covered it, the brand has responded to the criticisms in a big way, and the Iskur V2 is a great example of where it led to tangible results. It's right up there with the very best gaming chairs you can buy today in its craftsmanship.

With an MSRP of $650, it checks every box you would expect for a premium-priced gaming chair. It uses a steel frame and aluminum wheelbase for long-term durability. Its cushioning is thick and balances firmness with pliability, so it's comfortable out of the box. The leatherette feels robust while remaining soft to the touch, though breathability is still an issue.

The armrests deserve special mention – they're four-dimensional like most other premium gaming chairs, which means you can adjust them for height, depth, width, and rotation, but they offer an extended height range. This lends them greater versatility, especially if you have a higher desk and want to line up your armrests flush with the edge. They're also topped with a soft enough foam that, while firmer than gel or memory foam armrests, is soft enough to lean on without causing elbow pain. I also appreciate the polished metal used on the arms. It’s not a touch unique to Razer, but it looks great and definitely evokes a sense of small sense of luxury you don’t get with typical armrests.

There’s more going on under the surface here, and there’s a renewed emphasis on comfort and accommodation for different sitting styles and preferences. The flattening of the bolsters, especially on the seat, makes a big difference. I was able to cross one and both legs beneath me without feeling them press uncomfortably into my legs, so criss-cross-applesauce sitters are well served. The same is true of the backrest, the two going hand in hand, so leaning in either direction is more comfortable.

The biggest change, however, comes with its lumbar system. While the original Iskur used a cable and tension system to wing out the lumbar support and press into your back, this version is more traditional and frankly, much more effective. Beneath the textured scales of the lower backrest is a flexible plate that can move to properly match your back. Positioning was the biggest issue our reviewer took with the V1’s lumbar, in fact, and this both addresses it and enhances how supportive the lumbar system can actually be.

Razer calls the lumbar support “6D” to probably play on everyone’s knowledge of “4D” with highly adjustable armrests, but that’s a bit of a stretch. Knobs on either side of the chair allow you to move the lumbar curve up and down and tailor precisely how aggressive its curvature is. The other dimensions come from the flexibility of the plate, allowing it to move with you as you shift your weight or twist side to side.

The lumbar isn’t the only ergonomic refinement, either. The seat cushion has also been reworked to provide dual densities of firmness. In simpler terms, it’s softer where your butt and legs go, reducing the amount of pressure experienced by your underside. It’s one of those things that you don’t consider until someone points it out, but the actual impact is that you can sit for longer without feeling it in your body. It also comes with a downright delightful neck pillow. It’s soft memory foam trimmed with velour and shaped to cradle the neck – gaming chair brands take notice, this is how you do support pillows.

Of course, you can rock and recline, both of which are adjustable for how much resistance you can feel. The Iskur V2 doesn’t quite deliver a full laying position at 152 degrees of recline, but it’s not far off and great for putting your feet up on whatever you have under your desk. The rock tension will likely need some adjustment out of the box, but it’s worth taking the time to really dial it in for the best balance of support and leeway.

Razer Iskur V2 – Assembly

If you've ever built a gaming chair before, assembling the Iskur V2 doesn't offer many surprises. It comes mostly disassembled, except for the armrests on the seat. Helpfully, Razer puts all of the fasteners into position ahead of time, so you don't need to guess about which screw goes in which position. It also provides the wrench you'll need to complete the process without providing any tools of your own.

All-in-all, the assembly process took me about 20 minutes (including taking these photos). I would suggest having an extra set of hands available, purely due to size, if possible; while the assembly process is pretty much entirely typical, the backrest can feel a bit unwieldy when attaching it to the seat. Overall, assembling the chair is straightforward and shouldn't pose much difficulty if you're slightly handy. If it's your first time, detailed instructions are included in the box to guide you through the process.

Razer Iskur V2 – Performance

The Iskur V2 is rated to support an especially wide range of heights, spanning 5-foot 2-inches all the way up to 6-foot 5-inches. I fall right in the middle at 5-foot 8-inches, and though I didn't quite feel like I was swimming, it definitely felt larger around me than a typical gaming chair. There is currently no XL version for the V2, just for the original, but this could easily work as a big and tall chair as is (provided you're within its 299-pound weight limit).

I was lucky enough to have the ability to test the chair intermixed with the cheaper Iskur V2 X model that I am also reviewing. I spent about a month with both and can say that this higher-end V2 version is far more comfortable, and more so than you might first guess based on its aggressive styling. When properly dialed in, the lumbar support is very effective in preventing me from developing soreness, even over longer gaming and work sessions.

The seat itself is superb and the dual-density foam makes a noticeable difference. In truth, I was surprised to see that here because the top-end Anthros chair, which is more than triple the base price, applies a similar approach toward pressure relief with dual density foam, while adding cutouts to further enhance the effect. It’s immediately more comfortable to sit on and remains so over multiple hours, and it makes the Iskur V2 truly stand out.

Given that the chair emphasizes ergonomics and support, as I mentioned before, it's very important that it be properly adjusted for your body. Trying to use it straight out of the box is a recipe for a sore back. It's important that you dial in the position and curvature of the lumbar support correctly, or else it can actually have the opposite effect and push your back and spine out of alignment. When fully personalized, however, it’s a very accommodating and versatile gaming chair.

Between its gentler bolsters, versatile armrests, and overall improved comfort, I was able to freely swap between gaming with a mouse and keyboard, sitting upright with a controller, or leaning back with my feet up. The only thing I didn’t like is trying to fully lay back. I’m not one for power naps at my desk, but in the fully reclined position, the lumbar was too pronounced and needed to be reset. This wasn’t a big deal for me and only takes a minute or so to readjust, but it’s something to keep in mind if you’re a deskside napper.

I'm Still Waiting for LEGO Lord of the Rings Discounts That Will Probably Never Come

12 juillet 2025 à 01:30

As both a big Middle-Earth and LEGO fan, I'm ecstatic that we have some of the most intricately detailed and beautifully recreated scenes in brick form. What I don't love, however, is that these sets have never (and likely will never) go on sale. Except for the Balrog Book Nook, which is $129.99, you'll be spending between $270 and $500 for one of these boxes of plastic. I had hoped to see one of the first deals on these sets for Prime Day this year, but was yet again left disappointed.

If you think you have what it takes, you can potentially win some of these sets for free by entering LEGO Ideas' Lord of the Rings build contest. The theme is "A Night to Remember in the Shire" and submissions close August 6. But unless you're a master builder, full price seems to be your only option.

These LEGO Lord of the Rings Sets Are Never On Sale

It's a shame that the barrier to entry to some of the coolest LEGO sets ever is so high. I was able to get my hands on the LEGO Balrog book nook, and it's an impressive build that functions as intended, but you can also open it up to display in full glory. Then you have the Shire, which IGN's Kevin Wong built and said "[b]y and large, LEGO Shire is a simple set – far simpler than LEGO Rivendell and far simpler than LEGO Barad-dûr. Nothing is ornate, but then again, why would it be? These are not elves' dwellings; these are hobbits', and hobbits live simple lives."

Picking up any of these four sets will break the bank in one way or another, and but I'm still holding out hope LEGO will slash the prices on these in the near future. My bookshelf demands it.

Check out The Lord of the Rings Prime Day Deals

Amazon's massive Prime Day sale ends tonight, but you can still save big on some awesome Lord of the Rings and Hobbit books and movies. Some of these are available as buy 2, get 1 free bundles for Prime Day, so if you're looking to grab the gorgeous illustrated editions of the books now is the perfect chance to do so.

Last Chance Prime Day Deal: Save 30% Off the Retired LEGO Ideas Treehouse 21318 Set on Amazon

12 juillet 2025 à 00:20

Today is the final day of Prime Day, but that hasn't stopped Amazon from releasing another deal on an excellent LEGO set as a last hurrah. Right now you can pick up the LEGO Ideas Treehouse 21318 set for only $174.99. That's 42% off its $250 MSRP and the best price we've ever seen for this model since back in 2023. This is already an officially retired set, meaning this could potentially be the last deal we might ever see for it.

30% Off LEGO Ideas Treehouse 21318 (Officially Retired)

If you're familiar with the popular LEGO Bonsai kit, think of the Treehouse as a supersized version of it. This 3,036 piece set measures an impressive 14" x 10" x 9" and weighs in at over 8 pounds. This is a rather complex build that's intended for an older audience (16+). At first glance you might just see a majestic tree, but there's definitely more than meets the eye here. The fully landscaped base features a complete picnic setup next to a buildable stream. The treehouse itself is comprised of three separate cabins, each with removable rooftops and fully decorated interiors. There's even a windup crane for hauling goods up to the treetop. A full set of both green and yellow leaves are included to mimic your choice of season. And in keeping with the whole "green nature" aspect of this build, all the plant and tree elements are made of a renewable plant-based plastic as opposed to petroleum-based plastic.

More LEGO Sets on Sale for Prime Day

Mighty Bowser isn't the only set currently on sale for Amazon Prime Day. Check out these other adult-themed sets from Walmart, Amazon, and even the LEGO Shop, including the Milk Way Galaxy, the LEGO Technic BMW M 1000 RR Motorcycle or the LEGO Icons Land Rover Classic Defender 90, which is expected to be retired later this year.

Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Amazon's Huge Buy 2, Get 1 Free Sale Won Prime Day This Year

11 juillet 2025 à 23:11

This is the 11th day of July, the year of Donkey Kong 2025. These are the closing days of Prime Day, and the final hours of my busy work week (you may now clap for my sick Oblivion reference). That's right, today's the final day of Prime Day, but the deals are still flowing. The obvious winner for this year's sale was the extensive buy 2, get 1 free promotion on hundreds of pieces of physical media. From movies and TV box sets to vinyl records and books, you can still bundle and save on so many awesome goodies before Prime Day ends tonight.

If you're a physical media collector like me, this deal was a treasure trove of backlog filling and bookshelf padding. Let's have a look at some of the best things included in this promotion, all aggregated in one spot for your convenience. With the end of Prime Day upon us, this is one of the only sales you won't want to miss.

Buy 2, Get 1 Free on Movies and TV Shows

The movie selection here has been pretty great. You can grab 4K or regular Blu-rays on some of my personal favorites like Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and the Back to the Future Trilogy. Also included were some amazing hidden gem animated shows, like the complete collection of the Legend of Zelda animated series on DVD from the 80's. No matter what combination of three you end up picking, you can't go wrong with anything from this deal.

Buy 2, Get 1 Free on Books and Box Sets

Book nerds were feasting with this deal all week, as well. Countless popular titles could be bundled, like all of the beautiful Lord of the Rings illustrated editions and Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary, a personal favorite of mine with a movie adaptation around the corner. I'd also recommend some extremely relevant historical literature like 1984 and Brave New World, which are each under $10. The biggest draw, however, are the discounted full box set collections of series like A Court of Thorns and Roses and Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn Trilogy.

The Best Comics and Graphic Novels to Get 3 for the Price of 2

The regular book selection for this bundle promotion was choice, and the comics and graphic novel offerings are just as juicy. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Last Ronin's new hardcover printing was a hot item this year, and there are dozens of incredible Batman stories to pick from. With James Gunn's Superman out today, I'd highly recommend checking out All-Star Superman, which the film pulls a lot of inspiration from.

If physical comics aren't quite your bag, another great Prime Day deal is the Kindle Colorsoft Signature Edition for $100 off, which I think is the best way to read digital comics.

Buy 2, Get 1 Free on CDs and Vinyl Records

The buy 2, get 1 free bundle also has a nice music selection. The CD and vinyl records available cover a wide variety of genres, like classical and country to iconic records like the Beatles' Abbey Road. I was hoping for a lot more film soundtracks to be part of this sale, but we at least had the Hobbit & Lord of the Rings Film Music Collection as part of the deal. And for elder emos like me, American Football's self-titled Deluxe Edition LP is an easy choice.

Now if you're planning on buying all of these great vinyls on the cheap, how are you supposed to listen to them? I'm glad you asked; Prime Day has a handful of Bluetooth turntable and record player deals to go with your shiny new vinyl.

If you're looking for some video game soundtracks on vinyl, check out the IGN Store to get some of the best.

Myles Obenza is a freelance writer for IGN. Follow him on Bluesky @mylesobenza.bsky.social.

Foundation Season 3 Review

11 juillet 2025 à 23:10

Episode 1 of Foundation season 3 is now streaming on Apple TV+. New episodes premiere on Fridays through September 12.

Taking in the epic scope of a supposedly “unadaptable” literary masterpiece and showing us all the cool stuff the books could only describe – this is Foundation’s bread and butter. Like Denis Villeneuve’s Dune movies, the Apple TV+ series makes its source material digestible for a wider audience by filtering the essence of the work – a love of science and a focus on the impact and flow of history – through a unique vision. And, in the process, it’s reserved its own spot in the pantheon of epic science fiction. In season 3, we get what this version of Foundation was always building to: a blockbuster-sized, galaxy-spanning story with fantastic action, stunning visuals, and a singular threat that serves as a focal point for plotlines that are scattered across different worlds and millennia.

That threat would be The Mule (Pilou Asbæk), the planet conquering mutant who was teased in season 2, but arrives in full force in season 3. He’s an ever-present, highly visible menace here – much more than the late-stage plot-twist role he serves in Isaac Asimov’s Foundation novels. But that doesn't mean the character has a diminished capacity for surprise: Asbæk gives what could easily be a one-note character plenty of personality, changing the character's mannerisms and motivations seemingly every episode to keep him mysterious to everyone, even when you think he's being open about who he really is. At times The Mule is Foundation’s equivalent of the Joker, at others he's Napoleon, or even Paul Atreides. Asbæk is great in the role and quite fun to watch bringing the same swashbuckling air of danger that he previously lent to Game of Thrones.

All that, plus he touches every storyline and character in season 3, even if they’re not fully aware of it at first. Take the Cleons, for example, who face an unprecedented existential crisis in these episodes. The genetic tampering of generations past, together with Demerzel’s (Laura Birn) micro-management of their lives to ensure the best future outcome, has fully eradicated any notion that Dawn (Cassian Bilton), Dusk (Terrence Mann) and Day (Lee Pace) are one and the same man.

Pace is the highlight of the season – a continued delight as Cleon XXIV goes through his Big Lebowski era. He lets his hair grow wild, sports an unruly beard, and spends his time far away from the politics of the crumbling Galactic Empire, choosing instead to get high, gamble on card games with his guards, and clone long-extinct animals for the garden palace he shares with the concubine he's caught feelings for. Pace is clearly having the time of his life in the role, and he’s a welcome respite from how plot-heavy things get elsewhere on the capital planet of Trantor-based story (and how lore-heavy Demerzel’s corner of season 3 gets). Day remains self-centered as ever, and he doesn’t care about anything but his own amusement, but he does experience surprising character growth that leads to the best arc of he season.

Lee Pace is clearly having the time of his life in season 3.

Although it presents a lot of information to sift through, Foundation’s take on Demerzel remains the biggest surprise and joy of following this show. Birn does a spectacular job portraying the immortal robot’s identity crisis: If the end of the Cleon dynasty is finally at hand, that means she can consider a future free of her programming. But is such a future even possible? And what is she without her programming? That clash between the desire for freedom and the genuine love within her servitude/programming is the crux of the character, and it's never been as prominent as it is this season. It places the robot at the center of the Empire’s story – and with it, the entire history of Foundation – in a way that makes the scope of the show even bigger and its story more complex.

Foundation has always been a visually impressive show, but season 3 takes it to a new level, with a stunning mix of practical sets and impressive VFX, bringing vast and varied worlds to life, while also staging action sequences worthy of a blockbuster feature. Through these visuals, we see how important the passage of time has become to this story – in the shrinking of the Empire and the growth of Foundation, but also in the worlds themselves. Ignis, home of the secret Second Foundation, changes and flourishes, while Trantor, where the lack of change is part of the illusion of the Empire's power, receives some subtle alterations.

Keeping this all from being too dense or heavy-handed, Foundation still manages to bring in some weirdness and fun in its stories. This is particularly true of the Mallows, specifically Toran (Cody Fern) and Bayta (Synnøve Karlsen), a rich influencer couple who feel like they’re on an entirely different show (in a good way). Their story becomes not just funny, but even heartwarming when their paths cross that of a jester named Magnifico Giganticus (Tómas Lemarquis), a guy who plays a Visi-sonor that not only plays sound, but visuals too. The way the show brings that instrument to life is inventive and makes me wish Villeneuve had attempted something slightly more sci-fi with the baliset in Dune.

Best RAM in 2025

11 juillet 2025 à 22:50

I’m just going to come out and say it: RAM is not the most exciting part of your computer. That doesn’t mean it’s not an important part of your system. Picking the best RAM for your gaming PC is something that’s usually either overlooked entirely or scrutinized to the point of choice paralyzation. The truth is, for a gaming PC, especially with a powerful graphics card, 32GB of CL38 DDR5 RAM is going to be more than good enough for the next few years.

TL;DR – These are the Best RAM Kits:

The problem is there are dozens of RAM kits out there that fit that bill, and navigating the differences between them is a good way to get lost in the weeds. My advice is to find a RAM kit with the right capacity for your needs, at a decent speed and the lowest price possible. When it comes to gaming, outside of a select few instances differences in RAM latency and speed are typically extremely minor.

Still, I totally get the urge to get a RAM kit with gauche RGB lighting and a ridiculous heatsink, because it just looks cool. The point is, though, that you don’t need to fork over the extra cash just to have RAM sticks that look neat. RAM is RAM at the end of the day.

Contributions by Danielle Abraham and Georgie Peru

Just The RAM Basics

When picking your RAM, the most important thing is figuring out what type you need in the first place. This will typically depend on the age of your processor and motherboard, but a quick way to check is to look at your motherboard manual. Most processors released in the last few years support DDR5, while anything before the AMD Ryzen 7000 or Intel Core 13000 generations support DDR4, which is quite a bit slower.

After you figure out what type of memory you need, you need to decide on how much RAM to put in your system. The right amount is going to vary depending on what you’re doing with the system, but these days, 16GB should be considered the minimum for a gaming PC. This is because Windows 11 seemingly gobbles up more memory every day, and PC games are following suit. If you really want to make your system last a few years without needing to upgrade it, 32GB of RAM should be a safe bet for a few years.

You can get more than 32GB, of course, with many recent motherboards supporting up to 256GB of memory. Having high amounts of memory is extremely important for creative professionals, as apps like Photoshop, Blender, and Adobe Premiere all need as much memory as possible to run at their best. For gaming, anything over 32GB is pretty much overkill, and will only get you bragging rights when comparing your rig to your friends’.

There is an active debate in the computing world about which is more important: CAS Latency or clock speed. The real answer is that they’re both important. CAS Latency simply measures how many cycles, or clocks, are required to transmit data to and from the RAM. This is typically measured in a series of four numbers, each representing latency in relation to a different type of data transfer. For instance, the G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB kit I use in my test bench has an advertised CAS Latency of CL28-36-36-96. That doesn’t mean much to the untrained eye, but basically these numbers represent, in order, the following:

  • CL: How fast your memory can send information requested by your CPU
  • tRCD: How quickly your memory can read and convert a data matrix
  • tRP: How fast your memory can end one function and switch to another
  • tRAS: How long your memory has to wait between memory requests

For all of these, the lower the number the better. But don’t let that be the only thing that guides you when picking out your memory. The clock speed is also extremely important. Clock speed measures how quickly your memory can access data. But a higher clock speed also means each cycle is shorter. That’s why DDR5 memory typically has higher CL ratings than DDR4 memory – because DDR5 is so much faster, it ends up being a wash.

The general rule of thumb is that you should figure out how fast your clock speed should be, then find a kit with the lowest latency at that speed. You can tweak CAS Latency in your BIOS, but unless you’re experienced with overclocking, I wouldn’t advise it.

You will have to do a little bit of overclocking to hit your RAM’s advertised speed, however. DDR5 memory, when you plug it into your motherboard, will typically run at around 4,800MHz. To get to the speed advertised in the box, you’re going to need to go into the BIOS real quick. Intel and AMD both have programs to quickly set RAM to their optimized settings, called XMP and EXPO, respectively. Follow the instructions in your motherboard manual to be on the safe side, but it’s typically as simple as going into the “tweaking” section of your BIOS and enabling XMP. I wrote a whole guide on enabling XMP and EXPO, if you want more detailed information.

There are some RAM kits that will support both XMP and EXPO, but they’re not common. Instead, you should check to make sure the RAM kit you’re getting supports the appropriate processor, otherwise you’re going to have to manually overclock your RAM, which is not for the faint of heart.

If you want to give your gaming PC a flashy edge to it, you can always pick out RAM with RGB lighting. When I’m building a PC with a glass side panel, it’s always tempting to get the flashiest memory I can just to show off. Just keep in mind that no matter how pretty the RGB is, it’s not going to make your computer any faster.

1. G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB CL30

The Best RAM, Period.

As someone who reviews PC hardware for a living, I need memory that’s both fast and reliable, especially when testing graphics cards and processors. And, well, there’s a reason I have a G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB kit in my main test rig. Not only is this RAM fast at 6,000MHz, it has extremely tight timings, which means it keeps my Ryzen 7 9800X3D fed with data. Even after running this memory through hours and hours of testing with EXPO enabled, I haven’t run into a single crash or Blue Screen that could be traced to the memory.

This RAM is beautiful, too. The AMD version of this kit has a white colorway with a beautiful strip of RGB lighting running mostly across the top of the kit. The light strip ends partway down the length of each DIMM, so while it doesn’t have the same amount of lighting as comparable kits, it has a unique look that looks particularly good in all-white PC builds.

This RAM kit does only support AMD EXPO, but you can get the G.Skill Trident Z5 RGB, which is basically the same RAM, but configured for Intel XMP. You can probably get the advertised speed out of the AMD version on an Intel system, but you’d have to manually overclock it.

2. Crucial Pro DDR5 CL36

Best The Best RAM for Most Gamers

As much as it might seem like pretty RGB lights make everything go faster, sometimes it’s best to get a plain kit of RAM that just works. This Crucial CL36 kit has 32GB of DDR5 clocked at 6,000MHz. It also claims to be compatible with both AMD EXPO and Intel XMP, which means you don’t have to worry about having the wrong system for the RAM. Just go into your BIOS and enable the appropriate profile and you should be good to go.

I haven’t tested this particular kit, but it’s the same type of RAM that I usually recommend friends to grab, especially if they want decent performance for the money. It’s just a nice mid-range kit, even if there aren’t many bells and whistles to catch your eye.

3. Corsair Dominator Titanium RGB CL30

Best RGB RAM

On the complete opposite side of the spectrum is Corsair’s Dominator line. This is the kind of memory you grab if you want your gaming PC to be as good at catching someone’s eye as it is actually playing games. This kit has 32GB of capacity, which is about what I’d recommend for most people these days, plus it’s clocked at 6,000MHz with 30-36-36-76 timings.

If that’s not fast enough, Corsair does offer this memory at speeds up to 7,600MHz, though, you’ll be paying a lot more and it will have slightly looser timings. But even at its base level, it’s more than enough to play games, and forking over the extra cash for the faster version isn’t going to make that much of a difference to your gaming performance. Plus, it’s going to look just as flashy no matter what the clock speed and timings are set to.

4. G.Skill Trident Z DDR4 CL18

Best DDR4 RAM

If you have an older PC that you’re looking to upgrade, it’s likely you need DDR4 memory. This is the kit I used in my rig for years, which meant I swapped it between different systems constantly – and it stayed reliable the whole time.

It’s more than fast enough to keep up with the processors it’s compatible with, as this kit is rated at 3,600MHz with CL18-22-22-42 timings. There is faster DDR4 out there, but you’re going to start running into diminishing returns quickly if you buy much quicker memory. Plus, I really like the RGB on this kit. It has this blocky lightbar aesthetic that looks really good, especially on a black motherboard. And, I mean, most motherboards are black these days, so you can’t really go wrong there.

Best RAM FAQ

Is DDR4 RAM still good?

It really depends on what you mean by "good". Current-generation processors and motherboards almost universally require DDR5, so DDR4 memory simply won't work. However, if you have an older processor – think Intel 12th-gen and older or Ryzen 5000 and older – DDR4 will be your only option. It's less a question on whether or not "DDR4 is good" it's more "what memory standard does your CPU and motherboard actually support?".

Jacqueline Thomas is the Hardware and Buying Guides Editor at IGN. When she's not helping her friends and family buy computers, you can usually find her tinkering with her own PC.

How To Get Pokémon and Other Popular Squishmallows for as Low as $8 Today for Amazon’s Final Prime Day

11 juillet 2025 à 22:50

While there are plenty of great Amazon Prime Day deals on tech and gaming gear, sometimes you just want something soft and adorable to squeeze when you're stressed or are looking to add a little bit of quirky character to a space. That’s where Squishmallows come in; many of these ultra-plush, top-tier plushies from Jazwares are included in the Prime Day sales this year, and today is the last day to enjoy big savings.

From original stuffed plushies with a unique charm to Squishmallows based on major franchises, there’s something for everyone. If you’re a Prime member, looking for a cute gift, or want to keep these lovable creatures all to yourself, Squishmallows are at their lowest prices of the year. Some are up to 60% off or more.

Pokémon Squishmallows are even discounted. An officially licensed Chansey plush, available in both medium and jumbo sizes, is now up to 25% off. Maybe you prefer Harry Potter or Disney? Plenty of plushies from those franchises have dropped in price too. Instead of grabbing an IP-based plushie, Squishmallows has tons of other creative and darling options of its own. Admittedly, the food characters are my kryptonite, and these deals may drain my bank account yet again. Take a look at some of my favorite deals below:

New Squishmallow Deal Highlight at Walmart

Get the 12 in. Sanrio Squishmallow for only $10 at Walmart today!

Pokémon Squishmallows

Pokémon Squishmallows are a hot commodity as some of the best plushies for the franchise, so it’s rare to find them on sale. At least for Prime Day, a couple have gotten a solid discount. Chansey, a Pokémon known to be sweet and caring, with high HP, got its prices slashed on both the 14-inch and massive 20-inch plushies. Marill may be a bit more playful and energetic than Chansey, but it's equally adorable and also on sale for Prime Day — just don’t go splashing around in lakes with this plushie. For those who prefer a slower pace, Belibolt is a great discounted Squishmallow that’s sure to bring chill vibes.

Disney Squishmallows

The Disney Squishmallows deals are plentiful. Two of my favorite animated features ever, Monsters, Inc. and The Lion King, have a bunch of character plushies on sale for Prime Day. Honestly, it’s taking far too much willpower for me not to snag a Sulley or Pumbaa for myself. I’ll probably end up with one by the end of the week.

If you’re after something a little more compact, 3.5-inch keychain Squishmallows featuring Mickey & Minnie are perfect for adding to a backpack for back to school or a bag for an upcoming Disney trip. There are even a couple of Marvel HugMees on sale, which feature a slightly more huggable design than the classic rounded, pillowy shape of the originals.

Harry Potter Squishmallows

Get ready to jump on board the Hogwarts Express with discounted Squishmallows inspired by the Harry Potter series. Whether you’re in Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw, you can grab a cute plushie to represent your house. Plushies of Ron —sorry, Hermione and Harry fans— and Dobby are also on sale this week. These are some great Harry Potter gifts for kids and adults alike.

Other Squishmallows

Those aren’t the only franchises with some major Squishmallows discounts. Sonic, Hello Kitty, Stranger Things, and more have great sales for Prime Day. Maybe you’d prefer to step away from the franchises altogether? I found deals on tons of darling plushies in a wide range of sizes with super unique styles. From a mystery box complete with five Squishmallows to a mushroom that might be too cute to handle, there’s sure to be a plushie that suits just about anyone.

What size Squishmallows should I get?

Squishmallows come in a wide range of shapes and sizes. The 3.5-inch keychain models are perfect for throwing on a bag, while the Micromallows and smaller 5 to 8-inch plushies can sit on a desk or shelf — I like to use them as a stress ball. Getting into the medium sizes, around 10 to 14 inches, these are ideal for placing on a couch or bed and are great for hugging. Anything larger is the perfect cuddling plushie, and the jumbo sizes are even a solid option for lounging on.

See More Prime Day Toy Deals Below:

There are tons of other collectibles and toys on sale for Prime Day. Be sure to check out the wide range of Funko Pop deals, LEGO, board games and more. We'd recommend buying your favorites before Amazon's sale ends tonight at 11:59 pm PT so you don't miss out.

Top board games

Top LEGO sets

Random Prime Day finds

Danielle is a Tech freelance writer based in Los Angeles who spends her free time creating videos and geeking out over music history.

The Best Prime Day Deals on Apple Products End Tonight

11 juillet 2025 à 22:46

Prime Day is on its fourth and final day, but there are still amazing deals to score before it's too late. This year, some of the best deals came from Apple, with discounts on Apple AirTags, iPads, and AirPods dropping them to the lowest prices we've ever seen. With the sale set to wrap in just a matter of hours, now is the time to grab these Apple products at a discount before it is too late. These are some of the best Prime Day deals to grab before the sale ends.

Prime Day Apple Deals Ending Tonight

The most popular Apple deal has by far been the AirPods Pro 2, which are $100 off through tonight. It's hard to even begin to describe just how convenient these earbuds are, as you can use them for taking calls, listening to music mid-workout, and so much more. I use my AirPods Pro every day, and I don't think the convenience factor can be beat by any other headphones out there. This is the lowest we have ever seen AirPods Pro 2, so if you've ever been on the fence, now is the time to buy.

Another great deal you can still score is a four-pack of Apple AirTags for $64.99. I have recently used AirTags to track luggage while flying across the world and keeping tabs on my Nintendo Switch 2. Since these trackers are so small, you can get very creative in where you place them. Whether you decide to track your purse, wallet, keys, or even pet, this four-pack of AirTags can be a lifesaver.

There's also the Prime Day iPad deals here that are currently at their lowest prices of all time. The new iPad mini deal in particular has been very popular throughout Prime Day as it is a solid Kindle competitor for those looking for a reading tablet.

Is it worth waiting for Black Friday?

As we all know, Black Friday in November is often seen as the biggest sales event of the year. Apple usually has great deals at this time, with Apple Gift Cards given out for purchasing specific items. If you're looking to buy a pair of AirPods Pro, I would recommend grabbing a pair unless you are willing to spend $250 or more on a pair of AirPods Pro 3. For Apple Watch, we might see a slightly lower discount, but the Prime Day deals we have are very solid—same goes for iPad. However, if you're aiming to pick up a new iPhone, it's best to wait until the new models drop this Fall.

Noah Hunter is a freelance writer and reviewer with a passion for games and technology. He co-founded Final Weapon, an outlet focused on nonsense-free Japanese gaming (in 2019) and has contributed to various publishers writing about the medium.

The Best Fitbit to Buy in 2025

11 juillet 2025 à 21:57

Fitbits are some of the best Android smartwatches and fitness wearables you can buy, keeping you on top of your fitness goals and tracking your health affordably. Let's not forget the battery life: These things can last for days without needing a charge, unlike an Apple Watch that needs to be recharged practically daily. Our favorite of the lineup is the Fitbit Charge 6 thanks to its slim and sleek design packing loads of features. But Fitbits come in all sorts of styles and sizes, so you can find one that best fits your vibe.

TL;DR – These Are the Best Fitbits:

Similarly to other smartwatches and fitness trackers, Fitbits count steps, monitor your heart rate, track your sleep patterns, and a whole lot more. On top of that, they’re incredibly user-friendly and sync up with your phone. Some even make great Apple Watch alternatives.

It’s important to note that Google owns Fitbit and has made several changes to the fitness tracker brand, including requiring a Google account and cutting social features like Challenges, Adventures, and Open Group a few years ago. It's also been removing the music functionality and some third-party apps, pushing people after smartwatch features to the Goole Pixel Watch.

Still, Fitbits make excellent tools for those on a health and fitness journey. Take a look at our top picks below:

1. Fitbit Charge 6

Best Fitbit Fitness Band

The Fitbit Charge 6 is like your personal health guru strapped to your wrist. It's packed with features that make living a healthier life a breeze. This bad boy doesn't just count steps. With over 40 exercise modes, it's got your back whether you're hitting the gym or doing a yoga session at home. The built-in GPS means you can track your routes without lugging your phone around. Plus, it keeps tabs on your heart rate 24/7, and with the Active Zone Minutes and Cardio Fitness Level, you get a comprehensive view of your workout intensity and overall fitness.

Think of the Charge 6 like your health wingman. It has seriously accurate heart rate monitoring, ECG capabilities, and alerts for irregular heart rhythms. With SpO2 monitoring and notifications for high/low heart rates, it keeps a close eye on your overall heart health. And the stress management and nightly sleep scores? They're like your personal wellness coaches, helping you understand and manage your stress levels and sleep quality.

To top it off, you get a six-month Premium membership thrown in, giving you access to deeper insights, exclusive workouts, mindfulness sessions, and more. Plus, it's compatible with both iOS and Android, so it's a buddy for everyone!

2. Fitbit Versa 4

Best Fitbit Smartwatch

Rocking more smarts and a bigger AMOLED touch display than the Charge 6, the Fitbit Versa 4 is the smartwatch-meets-fitness tracker you've been looking for. Its easy-to-use interface makes finding the details of your exercises, responding to phone notifications, and more a breeze. With a battery life hovering around six days, it also outdoes many other smartwatches—we’re looking at you Apple Watch. Though, advanced tracking and the screen’s always-on mode drop that number.

The Versa 4 offers a combination of sensors, including a heart rate (which isn’t as accurate as we’d like), blood oxygen saturation, and even GPS, allowing you to track over 40 different exercises. It can even guide you through various workouts and keep tabs on your fitness goals. If you’re curious about your sleeping habits, the device’s sleep tracking is also impressive, telling you the different stages of your sleep along with providing a detailed overview every month.

3. Fitbit Sense 2

Best Health Monitoring Fitbit

If you like everything the Fitbit Versa 4 offers, the Fitbit Sense 2 takes all that and adds a dash of extra health monitoring. This smartwatch not only automatically recognizes various fitness activities, monitors your heart rate, and tracks your blood oxygen saturation levels but also accurately measures skin temperature variation and detects atrial fibrillation. There's even a GPS and altimeter built-in to keep track of distance, pace, and altitude whether you're hiking, biking, or running.

Your mental health is just as crucial as your physical well-being, so this Fitbit includes a sensor to track your stress levels throughout the day using continuous electrodermal activity (cEDA) responses. It then prompts you to reflect on your feelings during those stressful times and suggests ways to decompress, ensuring you’re in better shape inside and out. Beyond that, you get a decent six-day battery life with light use and your typical smartwatch features, though there’s no music functionality or third-party app support.

4. Fitbit Inspire 3

Best Budget Fitbit

Fitness tracking doesn’t need to be expensive, especially if you’re just looking for the basics. Look at Fitbit Inspire 3: It's the best budget fitness tracker you can buy, costing under $100, and you really aren’t missing out on too many features. You can scroll through fitness data and view pings from your connected smartphone’s supported apps on a bright AMOLED touch display with two haptic buttons for easy navigation. Its battery life is also the best you can find on a Fitbit, lasting an impressive 10 days — though that’s less when taking advantage of the always-on display mode.

As for fitness, the Fitbit Inspire 3 counts your steps, measures sleep quality, and automatically detects various exercises to track and catalog them for you. There’s no GPS on this model, but the device still measures your heart rate and blood oxygen saturation. Its water-resistant design can go down to 50m, so the only time you’ll ever need to take it off is to recharge.

5. Google Pixel Watch 3

Best Premium Fitbit

The Google Pixel Watch 3 is technically not a Fitbit, but it offers Fitbit health and tracking features alongside wearOS smarts, making for a brilliant premium option. With a range of sensors, including blood oxygen, optical heart rate, and ambient light, the watch delivers helpful metrics. In turn, it uses that data, along with AI, to build custom workouts.

It’s especially great for runners, building plans, tracking form, and offering real-time guidance. A daily readiness score can even be created using sleep tracking and activities from the previous day, letting you know the best way to tackle the day ahead. Just note that some of these features require a Fitbit Premium subscription.

Using Fitbit features is simple since the Fitbit app is preloaded onto the Google Pixel Watch 3, but this smartwatch is capable of a whole lot more. Google’s wearOS and a Qualcomm processor are zippy and lag-free. Shuffling through and opening the endless apps is painless, while doing things like answering calls, responding to texts, and using Google Pay is seamless. When connected to a Pixel phone, the watch’s abilities are amplified. With all of those features crammed into a wearable, it'll net you only about 24 hours of use from a single charge.

The latest model of the Pixel Watch has a slight redesign from previous models. Most notably, it now comes in a larger 45mm size option. Even when opting for the smaller 41mm watch, the screen feels bigger due to its thinner bezels. Brightness is also doubled with this model for easy viewing in just about any environment. Other than these changes, the Watch 3 comes with a familiar rounded body and digital crown that works wonderfully in conjunction with the touchscreen.

6. Fitbit Ace 3

Best Fitbit for Kids

A fitness tracker for kids may seem extra, but these devices can challenge and excite them to get up and moving. One of the few kid-friendly options out there is the Fitbit Ace LTE. Designed for ages 7 to 11, this compact smartwatch is full of games and activities to get kids away from their screens and focused on reaching movement and step goals. To appease parents, it includes GPS location tracking, LTE for calls and texts, and activity tracking for a constant link to your child.

For parents who are hesitant to get a phone for their kid but still want a way to keep in contact when they’re outside, on a playdate, or at school, the Fitbit Ace LTE is a great solution. Its cellular support makes it possible to call or text straight from the watch, while the GPS powered by Google Maps will quickly and accurately pinpoint the watch’s location. It also comes with tons of safety features and parental controls, like trusted contacts, school time hours, and full access to what kids are doing on the watch, making things far more restricted than typical smartwatches.

The downside with this is that access to the LTE network and many games require a $9.99 monthly subscription, though it is cheaper than most cell plans. The watch is sturdy and durable, while the display is colorful, vibrant, and easy to interact with. Unlike this smartwatch's biggest competition, the Verizon Gizmo Watch 3, a selfie camera isn’t available.

7. Fitbit Luxe

Best Stylish Fitbit

The Fitbit Luxe takes Fitbit’s tracking tech, and packs it into a classy little number that flies under the radar. The silicone band comes in several subtle colors, including orchid, black, and white, or you can go for the soft gold link band from jewelry designer Gorjana. There’s also a choice of stainless steel frames in soft gold, black, or platinum that blend smoothly with the rounded glass AMOLED display of the tracker. You can even customize your watch face using an app, making it uniquely yours.

The small footprint of the Fitbit Luxe keeps it subtle on your wrist but still delivers capable tracking that can keep up with you throughout the week, thanks to the five-day battery life. In total, it tracks 20 different exercises, and you won’t need to take it off when you shower after with water resistance down to 50m. It’ll monitor your heart rate nonstop and let you know your sleeping habits, though you don’t get GPS on this model.

8. Apple Watch Series 10

Best Fitbit Alternative

Fitbit has cornered the market on fitness trackers, but Apple runs the smartwatch game, and it continues to shine with the Apple Watch Series 10. It’s the best Apple Watch model you can buy for a reason. Apple’s latest wearable sees the biggest design changes in years, as it’s now rocking a bigger OLED display while remaining thinner and lighter than previous generations. Anyone will appreciate the better readability and lower profile for added comfort.

Under the hood, the Series 10 offers a S10 SiP chip, essentially the same processor on the Apple Watch 9. While that means there isn’t a major performance boost with the new model, it’s still full of machine learning and ready to power the extensive sensors and tracking that go head-to-head with the best Fitbits – and often surpass them. From an ECG and skin temperature to crash detection and GPS, this watch does it all — except for blood oxygen saturation in the U.S. due to an ongoing patent dispute. Divers and swimmers will love the new water temperature sensor and depth gauge, while an FDA-approved sleep apnea detection tool could help doctors in a diagnosis.

Beyond health and fitness tracking, the Apple Watch Series 10 is ready to take advantage of the extensive apps available with watchOS. For those looking to make calls, the upgraded voice isolation helps to eliminate a decent amount of background noise, and audio playback sounds better than ever. When responding to texts and notifications, or even just navigating, the larger display will make a surprisingly big and welcome difference in your experience. If you’re looking to unlock even more capability out of the device, there is the option for cellular connectivity.

Battery life remains unchanged with the Apple Watch Series 10, lasting far shorter than all the Fitbits. Eighteen hours of juice is the average with typical usage, while a power-saving mode doubles that time to 36 hours. The one positive is charging times have gotten a boost. With a 30W USB-C charger, the watch will be 80% charged in about 30 minutes.

What to Look for in the Best Fitbits

Most Fitbits share the same set of core features: tracking steps, exercise, and activity level, as well as provide at least a rudimentary sort of sleep tracking, and approximate a calorie count as well. From that basic set, though, trackers can vary quite a bit, with simpler models clocking in under $100 and advanced smartwatch models costing $200 or more.

These days, virtually all fitness bands can conveniently detect when you’re starting common kinds of exercise, but not all trackers are equipped to measure every kind of exercise. If you’re a swimmer or want to track stairs, your options will narrow significantly. And if you want to leave your phone at home when you go for a jog, look for models with integrated GPS (and perhaps even the ability to store or stream music).

The key takeaway is that you don’t need a tracker bristling with sensors that can do everything – it depends upon what you want to track. If you never swim, you obviously don’t need swim tracking. If you’re mainly trying to get your 10,000 steps in and don’t do intense workouts, you probably don’t need a heart rate monitor.

Since most fitness trackers go on your wrist, some try to replicate some smartwatch functionality. Many bands can display phone call and text notifications, for example, but the best smartwatch experience comes from a fitness tracker that’s actually shaped like a watch, with a large screen, support for apps, and perhaps even the option to show on-screen workout while you exercise.

Finally, keep an eye on battery life. While most Fitbits run for at least a few days on a charge, some can go over a week. And that’s not necessarily true of non-Fitbit trackers. The Apple Watch, for example, needs to be charged daily.

While the Fitbit device itself is a big part of the equation, don't forget that Fitbit also has a large community of active users. Getting a Fitbit will let you join the community, sharing exercise tips, troubleshooting issues with devices, and plenty more. Although, as we mentioned, Google has cut some of those features. There's also Fitbit Premum, which can offer guided workouts to help you reach your fitness goals.

Fitbit FAQ

What are the disadvantages of a Fitbit?

Although Fitbits are great tools to track your fitness activity and help motivate you to reach your fitness goals, everything isn’t perfect. Its sensors and tracking aren’t always 100% accurate, so you must view the information provided with some skepticism. Also, most Fitbits cannot connect to cellular networks, so to use certain apps and features, you’ll need to be connected over Wi-Fi or paired via Bluetooth with your smartphone. Plus, accessing some advanced health data and tracking requires a subscription, adding an additional expense to make the most of your Fitbit.

Does your Fitbit require a subscription?

Fitbits don’t require a subscription to use most features, but a Premium Membership Plan for $9.99/month unlocks more detailed health data and fitness classes. With this subscription, you’ll get a daily readiness score to know when to exercise, recipes, a sleep profile, mindfulness sessions, audio/video workouts, and more. But if you’re just looking to get all the traditional tracking and fitness basics, there’s no need for a Premium Membership.

What are some upcoming Fitbits?

The Google-owned Fitbit has been slow to release new models of these budget-friendly fitness trackers. Instead, Google is focusing more attention on its Google Watch lineup, most recently announcing the Galaxy Watch 8 Series models.

Dave Johnson has been writing about gaming and tech since the days of the Palm Pilot. See him shout into the Twitter void @davejoh.

Danielle Abraham is a freelance writer and unpaid music historian.

Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition Releases August 14 with Improved Graphics and PC Minimum Requirements Revealed

11 juillet 2025 à 21:09

Relic Entertainment has announced that the Definitive Edition of Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War will be released on August 14th. To celebrate this announcement, the team shared a new trailer, as well as the game’s PC minimum requirements. As Relic noted, the Definitive Edition will include everything from Dawn of War and all its standalone … Continue reading Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition Releases August 14 with Improved Graphics and PC Minimum Requirements Revealed

The post Warhammer 40K: Dawn of War – Definitive Edition Releases August 14 with Improved Graphics and PC Minimum Requirements Revealed appeared first on DSOGaming.

Reçu hier — 11 juillet 20253.3 🎲 Jeux English

5 LEGO Sets for Adults You'll Want to Buy Before Prime Day Ends

11 juillet 2025 à 20:45

LEGO: these building sets are not just for kids anymore. Over the past few years, LEGO has been releasing more and more LEGO sets for adults. Some of these are complicated builds that would pose a challenge for kids. Others are nostalgia-fueled sets like the Atari 2600. In any case, there are a bunch of LEGO sets on sale for Prime Day 2025. And since today is the last day of the sale, I thought I’d pick out the five sets for adults to buy before the prices go back up. LEGO is definitely one of those things you'll want to buy before Prime Day ends this year.

LEGO Marvel Daily Bugle

You don’t need a Prime membership to take advantage of this one, but you do need to be a LEGO Insider. Thankfully, you can sign up here for free. This is one of my favorite Marvel LEGO sets, because of its immense scale. It’s the building where Peter Parker’s newspaper employer is housed in Manhattan, and the set stands nearly three feet tall. It’s made of 3,772 pieces and it comes with an incredible 25 minifigures. You get Marvel heroes like Spidey, Spider-Gwen, Blade, and Daredevil, plus villains like Doc Oc, Mysterio, and more. It’s a huge set, and the current 20% discount helps lighten the financial load.

LEGO Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle and Grounds

Harry Potter and LEGO go together like peas and carrots. And one of my favorite Harry Potter LEGO sets is this beautiful version of Hogwarts Castle and Grounds. It’s smaller than the $500 version LEGO released a few years ago, but it looks great and the price is right. This set also acts as the blueprint for the massive, multi-set, modular LEGO Hogwarts Castle that’s currently being released. That project has you piece together multiple individual Harry Potter LEGO sets to create the biggest version of Hogwarts Castle LEGO has ever made.

LEGO Icons Boutique Hotel

The other sets on here are all associated with brands and IP. This one isn’t. It’s classy. It’s a LEGO set that depicts a European-style hotel, with minifigures doing everyday activities outside and around it. It’s also huge, at 3,066 pieces. And if you like building it and like the way it looks, you can pick up some of the other LEGO Modular Buildings to connect it to, creating your own little LEGO nook designed however you want it. It's not part of the LEGO architecture line, but it definitely comes close.

LEGO Star Wars R2-D2

This one is aimed at the 10+ age range, so it’s not technically a LEGO set for adults, but I’m picking it anyway. That’s because I’d argue it is an adult-aimed set. It looks terrific (close to the now-retired Ultimate Collector Series R2 that came out a few years ago). It also comes with an informational placard, which means it’s designed for display rather than play. This, and many other LEGO Star Wars sets, have consitently been top Prime Day deals this year.

LEGO Disney Young Simba: The Lion King

The LEGO/Disney partnership goes back a long way, but it’s only pretty recently LEGO started putting out Disney LEGO sets for adults. As a child of the ‘90s, The Lion King was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid. This set has you build young Simba (the voice of JTT is not included, unfortunately). It’s a great-looking set for any adult Disney fan, and it’s a full 50% off for Prime Day – a discount you almost never see on LEGO sets. For more, take a look at our favorite LEGO Disney sets overall.

More Deals for Prime Day

LEGO isn't the only category on sale for Prime Day. You can save cash on just about everything else. But remember, it ends soon, so grab what you want before midnight.

Chris Reed is a commerce editor and deals expert for IGN. He also runs IGN's board game and LEGO coverage. You can follow him on Bluesky.

Abraham's Boys: A Dracula Story Review

11 juillet 2025 à 20:24

It’s frustrating to see a movie with a solid script and a good cast get held back by its execution. But such is the case with Abraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story. Working from a short story by “The Black Phone” author Joe Hill, writer-director Natasha Kermani crafts a semi-sequel to Dracula that takes Abraham Van Helsing (Titus Welliver) to the American frontier, where the legendary vampire hunter is raising two sons with his wife (and Drac’s one-time target), Mina (Jocelin Donahue). On the plus side, Kermani comes up with something that’s more introspective and off-kilter than a straightforward “Van Helsing dusts off his wooden stakes” tale. On the minus: That’s not enough to keep some artificial, unatmospheric filmmaking from dragging Abraham’s Boys into the graveyard of forgettable vampire movies.

The plot kicks off on a suitably uneasy note, with some strange behavior from Mina causing Van Helsing to wonder if vampires are once more being drawn to her. From the get go, it’s unclear whether this is actually what’s happening, if it’s all in Mina’s head, or if it’s the work of another threat entirely. But the level of craft on display isn’t enough to support this intriguing setup. Abraham’s Boys’ vision of central California circa 1915 feels distractingly stagey – the sets and costumes are a little too clean and pristine-looking, some of the supporting characters are a little too modern in their demeanor. More damagingly, several would-be spooky and startling scenes fail to elicit any real dread, with attempts at jump scares completely falling flat.

Because of what’s happening with their mom, the boys of the title – teenage Max (Brady Hepner) and his younger brother, Rudy (Judah Mackey) – are informed of their dad’s special skill set. A big, upsetting revelation shifts Abraham’s Boys away from its clunky early scenes, and the story grows more engaging from there. When they’re told that vampires are real, Max and Rudy are understandably confused and upset, and there’s inherent tension as they decide what to do next.

Hepner and Mackey work well off each other and make for a sympathetic duo; really, all four members of the family are well cast. Welliver is as charismatic and compelling as ever, even if his vaguely European accent feels a bit spotty at times. He gets to play some darker, more complex shades as Van Helsing makes it clear that he wants his sons to follow his orders without hesitation. Donahue brings a lot of gentle, haunted touches to Mina, and it’s great to see her in such a prominent role some 16 years after her breakout performance in Ti West’s The House of the Devil. (That movie helped kick off contemporary horror’s ’80s fixation, but it should’ve been a bigger launchpad for Donahue, too.) Van Helsing and Mina striking up a May-December romance in the wake of Dracula’s defeat feels inherently creepy, and while this is never articulated or directly spoken about, it does feel like something Kermani is aware of. It hangs over their relationship like the long shadow of an immortal Transylvanian count.

It’s too bad that Kermani the screenwriter is let down by Kermani the director.There’s a lack of overall mood here, while the flat, mundane visuals fail to accentuate the tension and often rob nearly effective scenes of their proper impact. And by eschewing widescreen framing, Abraham’s Boys gains an old-timey appearance – just maybe not the intended one: It winds up looking more like a TV show from the late 1990s than a movie from the early 1900s.

There’s some good to be found in Abraham’s Boys. It's a clever, thoughtful take on Dracula’s greatest nemesis, and it’s always impressive to see a genuinely new angle on such frequently adapted source material. In some ways, this is a deconstruction of Dracula, and given how many variations on that story we’ve seen, it’s always impressive if you can do something new with it. It’s just too bad the movie doesn’t ever really click in and make the most of its core concepts.

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