One of our favorite gaming monitors just got slashed by $130 at Amazon — get it before it's gone
Right now, Amazon is selling the Alienware AW3423DWF gaming monitor for $649. This is the same price we saw during Prime Day, which saves you $130. Even if this isn't the latest model, it can still deliver an overall excellent gaming experience. Here's why you should seriously consider buying the Alienware AW3423DWF.
As I said in my Alienware AW3423DWF review, this is one of the best gaming monitors for playing the best PC games. It's also perfect for the best PS5 games and best Xbox Series X games. You get excellent contrast levels and boosted brightness thanks to the monitor's superb OLED quantum dot panel. The curved 21:9 aspect ratio and sharp 3440 x 1440 resolution help draw you into the games you're playing.
You also get performance to match the picture quality. The fast 165Hz refresh rate and low 0.1ms response time enable games to run smoothly and with no perceptible input lag. The new AW3425DWF has a faster 240Hz refresh rate and a lower 0.03ms response time, but you might not be able to tell the difference (unless you're a professional gamer).
The only drawback with the Alienware AW3423DWF is that it might be too big for some folks' gaming or office setups. Other than that, this is a gaming monitor I can still wholly recommend to just about any gamer looking for an upgrade.
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Tom's Guide
27 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
Want Alexa to do more? Here's how to make your own skills
Just picked up an Amazon Echo device? Then you'll be itching to discover what it can do. Play music? Check. Answer questions? Check. But as the 30 best Alexa skills (skills being similar to apps), there is so much more available. With Alexa, you can wind down for bed, get weather reports, discover deals and make donations. Just learn how to set up the Amazon Echo and discover how to use Alexa and you'll be well on your way. But did you know that you're not restricted to skills that others have made? With Skill Blueprints, you can create your very own bespoke, personalized skills and you don't need any programming knowledge or technical know-how to do it. The process is surprisingly simple. Amazon simply gets you to fill in forms which tailor a whole bunch of skills to your needs. There are loads of suggestions from countdowns and school schedules to activities for kids and games that can be tailored. You can even create quizzes and work on producing adventures that include the names of people you love. And, if you create something that you feel would be of wider benefit to the Alexa community, there's an option to publish the skill for all to use. Let's check it out. To create skills for your Amazon Echo, you need to visit Skill Blueprints and sign in using the account that's associated with the device. You can then browse the many Blueprints, whether that's the featured set or those separated into categories. It's simply a matter of looking for a skill that interests you — the idea is that you will be able to personalize it by making tweaks to a template. In our case, we're going to look at the Custom Chart skill. This allows you to schedule and track chores for each member of your household. You can select any skill, of course, but this is as good as any to demonstrate how the skills are set up. To get started, click the skill, check out the description which details how it works and the work involved, and select Make Your Own. The 4th Generation Echo is the latest entry in Amazon's mid-range speaker lineup. Its sphere shape houses a large woofer and two powerful tweeters to wrap your room with crisp audio. It's the ideal smart home hub because it has built-in Matter and Zigbee radios to connect to devices both locally and over Wi-Fi. You can now go through the screens that make up the skill — you are, in effect, going to be filling in a form. Change placeholder text, use dropdown menus and select the device that you wish to use if you're asked to choose one. Then select the button in the top-right corner to continue. In many cases, you will be able to change how you experience the skill — you may find you can customize the messages, sounds and responses, for example. You will also be given the opportunity to name your skill. You should choose something memorable and catchy, something that rolls off the tongue so that it's easy to say. The skill name has to be short so stick to two or three words, and they cannot be the same as other skills you use and make otherwise it will cause confusion. Skill Blueprints advises that you don't use Alexa, Echo, Amazon, skill, app or computer in the name. The Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen) is one of the best smart home devices you can get for under $50. Not only is it a speaker, but it has a built-in motion sensor, temperature reader and eero extender, too. When you have finished developing a skill, select Create Skill. Wait a couple of minutes then say: 'Alexa [skill name]' to try it out. You can select Skills You've Made if you wish to view and edit a skill. You can allow other people to use your skill. To send it to specific people, select Share With Others. You may be asked if the skill is intended for use by kids under the age of 16 and then you can share via email, Facebook, X, Pinterest or by copying the link and using your own method. You can also select Publish to Skills Store if you want all Alexa users to access your skill. You will be asked to fill in a form assigning the skill a category, describing the skill and the keywords that will help users to find it. You will be asked to add a skill icon too. When you're ready, review and submit it. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. And there you go. You now know how to create your own skills on your Amazon Echo device. But don't go just yet. There are other things you can do. Discover how to use Amazon Alexa to find your phone and find out how to make Amazon Alexa understand your voice if you're struggling to be heard. And if you're not a big fan of Alexa, no worries. You can learn how to replace Alexa with ChatGPT on your Amazon Echo.
Tom's Guide
an hour ago
- Tom's Guide
I drove 1,000 miles with the Thrustmaster T598 — here's why it's the best sim racing setup you can buy for under $500
I've tried plenty of mid-range direct drive wheels — built to make the lofty heights of the premium sim racing experiences you see the likes of Jimmy Broadbent and SuperGT use all the more accessible. And all in all, they're great, but just fall slightly short of really giving you that same level of immersion that a $1,000+ rig can give you. But then, I tried the Thrustmaster T598, and I must admit this is the new budget king for PlayStation and PC racers alike. The secret sauce comes with Direct Axial Drive. This isn't your standard DD — rather a new kind of flux motor that alters how that magnetic field works to deliver smooth force feedback (I'll get more scientific about it in the review). What you should know about it from the get go is that it delivers an immense driving experience with really precise detail and a whole lot of intensity that can far exceed that 5nm number. Just like with vastly more expensive wheels, I found myself immediately in tune with any car I was driving — noticing small hints of oversteer to prevent and those tiny sensations that help indicate the right moments to trailbrake and apply the throttle. Speaking of, the pedals also feel great too, with a metal construction to withstand years of attack, along with plenty of customizability, and a load cell brake pedal for smooth inputs. Are there compromises? Of course, it's a $500 wheel after all. The chief one being that the wheel that you get is rather plastic fantastic. This is a modular setup, so you can upgrade that (and I did try the hypercar wheel that I'll talk about a little later on). But all of this is overruled by the simple fact I'm feeling a premium sim racing experience on a wheel that's a fraction of the price of it. If you are looking to elevate your driving on a budget (especially given the price of direct drive PlayStation wheels), this is the one to buy. Let me get into why. Wheel diameter 11.8 inches Wheelbase dimensions 15.7 x 8.6 x 7.9 inches Total weight 10.3 pounds Torque (strength of force feedback) 5Nm + 100% overshoot to 10Nm (strong) Connectivity USB-C, Proprietary pedal and shifter connection ports Ways to attach Desk/table mounting with included clamps, and sim frame screws (with included base plate and torque screw) for a sim rig. So here we are — all set up and ready to race. So I popped in Gran Turismo 7, hopped in the Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 from 2013 and burned a couple laps around the Nürburgring to get used to the T598. Getting to the point, this wheel feels phenomenal — gorgeously smooth with plenty of force resistance that feels true-to-life. But to give you the full context of the magic here, I have to get a bit geeky. Read the deep dive ▼ Traditionally, direct drive wheels have used what is called a radial flux motor. Basically, direct drive motors and magnets are placed directly on the steering column to create that smooth force feedback to the wheel. The magnetic flux flows (as the name suggests) radially from the center of the motor to the outside. It's been the best way to do it, but does come with its own issues such as 'cogging,' which comes as the magnets can awkwardly interact with each other some times, and it produces a lot of heat too — leading to higher-priced wheels with more materials to keep them cool. Instead, the T598 uses an axial flux motor, which was only seen in industrial machinery until now. Thrustmaster has put the magnets and motors to make the magnetic flux (yep, you guessed it) axially. This leads to that unique flatter design of the wheel-base, as everything happens parallel to the driving shaft, rather than outwards from it. This leads to more efficient cooling — requiring less materials and a cheaper cost, while also (as claimed by Thrustmaster) reducing cogging by over 99%. The end result is an incredible driving sensation. All the same granular level of detail you'd expect from more expensive wheels in something basically half-the-price. The concrete texture change when entering the Nürburgring's world-famous carousel is immediate with zero latency, which gives you confidence in understanding the speed, the turning angle and when to apply the throttle heading back out. Whether it was paying attention to the tiniest details in time trials to extract as much out of the car as possible, or getting tactical with a good old switcheroo in a race, nothing ever felt artificial — everything felt purer, smoother and less like a fight against magnets. Just make sure you set it up to make the most of that Overshoot, but more on that later. With a sturdy metal construction and with plenty of customizability built-in, the pedals were a pleasant surprise. I've tried wheels that compromise a little too hard with plastic here that makes you a little nervous of breaking them. Without needing a whole lot of time to build them, you're off to the races with a smooth accelerator and a load-cell brake system with various foam options to give you the stiffness you need. Travel can be altered too by moving the bottom of the pedal springs along the ridges. In use, when hurtling down to tight corners, I never felt betrayed by any bad inputs, and the control over trailbraking felt succinct. Not much more you could ask from a set of pedals! Although given the width, I'm a little nervous about how cluttered it may feel with an additional clutch here. Speaking of the clutch pedal accessory, the T598 fits into Thrustmaster's lineup with the modularity to boot and support for a lot of the company's lineup of racing wheels. The one you get in the box is a little cheap and flexes quite a bit under use (more on that later), but alternatively, the Evo Racing 32R leather wheel is fully supported for that more premium round rim experience. If you don't want to rely on the clamp-release of switching wheels, the quick-release upgrade SF1000 can be used too. But the add-on I've been testing is the new Hypercar wheel add-on. And I've got to tell you, firing up a Lamborghini with this wheel just feels elegant. Consider this a mini review — the flatter structure of the wheel, the well-placed buttons and the jog-wheel controls make this ideal for F1 track racing alongside having the luxury build quality to give you supercar vibes. The price may be a little steep, but it's a worthy upgrade with tactility right at its core. With the depth of Thrustmaster's ecosystem, from the hypercar wheel experience and formula wheels, to handbrakes and shifters for rally and more traditional touring car racing, you can tailor this to your racing needs as you go on. Speeding down the Döttinger straight at Nürburgring is a thrilling-yet-terrifying prospect — terrifying because how panicked I get about braking into the tight chicane at the end of it. And in this intense moment of frantic steering for car control, I noticed two key things. The included wheel with the T598 is a bit basic, and its plasticky build does mean it can flex a bit when you're steering hard — making me slightly nervous in the heat of competition. Buttons are placed OK-ish, but outside of the shoulder and face buttons across the top of the central rim, the directional buttons are a little mushy and a bit too close to each other for me to be able to hit the right one from memory wearing gloves. And the lack of any rotating dials makes changing the brake balance or fuel mapping a bit laborious. For a first wheel out of the box, it's fine. But you'll find yourself butting heads with it on some occasions. I'll be honest — this review was set to go south when I first drove. Remember when I said 'provided you tweak the settings?' This is mandatory, otherwise the T598 just feels weird. The settings are easy to change with the buttons on the wheel and the base, but to say you're not getting the best out of the box is a bit strange. Word to the wise, use these wheel settings: Sort these, and you'll get the best possible driving experience. My small gripes about the wheel and settings aside, this is a breakthrough for premium sim racing on a budget — force and detail you'd expect in much more expensive wheels for less than $500. And the other bit I almost forgot to really give props too… This is a PlayStation wheel too. Given the licensing and unique connectivity requirements for Sony's console, direct drive wheels that support PS5 usually come with a huge price tag. Thrustmaster just blew that expectation out the water with the T598. If you are in the market for a new wheel to elevate your experience, but feeling the hurt of the pricing, this is the one to buy!
Yahoo
2 hours ago
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Why This Analyst Says Amazon Stock Is Still His ‘Top Pick'
Large-cap tech stocks have rebounded strongly from their April lows as easing tariff concerns and a more stable macroeconomic outlook reignite investor confidence. Among these giants, e-commerce and cloud titan Amazon (AMZN) continues to attract bullish sentiment, with analysts reaffirming its long-term growth potential. Morgan Stanley's senior analyst Brian Nowak recently reiterated Amazon as his 'top pick,' raising the stock's price target to $300 from $250, a 20% upward revision. In an accompanying research note, the firm cited a 'more manageable tariff and geopolitical backdrop' alongside improving macro conditions as key reasons for its renewed optimism on AMZN stock. More News from Barchart This Penny Stock Wants to Become the MicroStrategy of Dogecoin Opendoor Stock Is Surging Higher in a Frenzied Retail Rally. How Should You Play OPEN Shares Here? Robinhood Stock Stumbles as S&P 500 Inclusion Is Once Again Off the Table for HOOD Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines. In short, the easing of trade tensions and brighter global growth prospects have allowed Morgan Stanley to discard previous worst-case scenarios, such as steep China tariffs, and upgrade its earnings outlook. Crucially, the firm also pointed to accelerating momentum in Amazon Web Services (AWS), fueled by rising demand for artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud-based solutions. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at the specific areas Morgan Stanley believes will drive Amazon's next phase of growth. About Amazon Stock Headquartered in Seattle, Amazon is an e-commerce behemoth that's engaged in online retail, cloud computing, digital streaming, and AI businesses. The company is also a major force in cloud services through its AWS division, which offers on-demand solutions such as computing power, storage, databases, and machine learning tools. Although Amazon stock has rebounded from its April lows, its performance remains relatively slow, gaining just 4.5% year to date, compared with the S&P 500 Index's ($SPX) 7.3% advance over the same time frame. In terms of valuation, AMZN appears relatively expensive. Its price-to-sales ratio of 3.64 is well above the sector median of 0.98, indicating that investors are paying a premium. However, its price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratio of 0.51 points to potential undervaluation relative to its expected bottom-line growth, especially when compared to the sector average PEG of 0.78. Easing Tariffs and Improving Macro Outlook Morgan Stanley restored its 2026 EPS forecast for Amazon to $8, citing a 'significantly improved' macroeconomic outlook since mid‑April. The firm also raised its 2027 forecast, effectively reversing earlier cuts that had factored in potential punitive tariffs on Chinese imports. Morgan Stanley's team now judges the likelihood of extreme tariff measures disrupting Amazon's growth as 'much lower,' and views easing trade tensions as a catalyst for smoother execution across the retailer's core businesses. Tariff concerns weighed heavily on online retail earlier this year, but the latest note describes current pressures as 'manageable.' Unlike some peers, says the firm, Amazon can mitigate cost headwinds by diversifying its supply chain and fine‑tuning pricing strategies. Morgan Stanley specifically points to the improving tariff environment as a key driver behind its more optimistic outlook. AWS and AI Growth Catalysts A second pillar of Morgan Stanley's bullish view is Amazon's cloud and AI businesses. The firm wrote of an 'increased conviction in AWS acceleration' driven by the generative AI wave. Indeed, AWS has been Amazon's biggest profit engine, and it has only become more strategically vital as companies race to adopt AI tools. Notably, Amazon in Q1 announced new generative AI offerings on its Bedrock platform; for example, hosting Anthropic's Claude 3.7 Sonnet and Meta's (META) Llama 4 models for customers. Morgan Stanley highlighted partnerships like the one with AI startup Anthropic as concrete evidence of AWS's upside. It also cited the competitive cloud landscape, which includes Microsoft (MSFT) Azure's own AI push, as a validation of Amazon's strategy. Amazon's recent investment in AI infrastructure even includes custom hardware, as it revealed a specialized In-Row Heat Exchanger cooling system for Nvidia's (NVDA) latest AI chips, underscoring the mega-cap company's commitment to supporting compute-intensive workloads. Amazon Smashes Q1 Earnings Amazon's Q1 2025 results showed the business performing solidly, as Amazon reported net sales of $155.7 billion, which is up 9% from a year ago. All of Amazon's segments grew: North America retail revenue rose 8% to $92.9 billion; international revenue rose about 5% (8% excluding forex) to $33.5 billion; and AWS sales jumped 17% to $29.3 billion. The surge in AWS revenue was a key profit driver: AWS operating income in Q1 reached $11.5 billion, up from $9.4 billion a year ago. On the profitability front, net income soared to $17.1 billion, or $1.59 per share, from $10.4 billion ($0.98) in Q1 2024. That represents a huge step up in profit, even as the company continued to invest aggressively in new technology and logistics. However, AMZN slipped after earnings in response to a soft forecast. Looking ahead, investors will closely watch Amazon's Q2 results (due out after the close on July 31) for signs of resilience. The consensus projection is roughly $159–164 billion in sales with earnings around $1.30–$1.50 per share, but Morgan Stanley's call for easier tariffs and strong AWS momentum could help Amazon beat those estimates. What Does Wall Street Think About AMZN Stock? Backing Morgan Stanley's view, Wall Street analysts also remain bullish on Amazon's growth prospects. Among 54 analysts covering the stock, the consensus rating is 'Strong Buy,' with 47 assigning a 'Strong Buy,' six recommending a 'Moderate Buy,' and only one maintaining a 'Hold' rating. This bullish group has set an average price target of $249.85 for Amazon, implying a potential upside of about 9% from Monday's closing price. On the date of publication, Nauman Khan did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on
