Latest news with #JoshGoldman
CNET
13-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
I Tested AI for Its Best Laptop Picks. I'm Glad I Fact-Checked Before I Bought
If you're looking to buy a computer right now, please accept my condolences. With the ongoing tariff madness, it's a heady time to be researching your options and choosing a new PC. The tech market is in flux, and you're no doubt concerned about the potential for price increases. CNET is tracking how political and financial developments are impacting the prices of things like smartphones, TVs, game consoles and laptops. Meanwhile, shopping assistant chatbots have proliferated, and the best-known one, ChatGPT, says it's rolling out a shopping experience soon -- so maybe you're tempted to take a shortcut by using an AI chatbot to help you narrow down the options to find a suitable computer in your target price range. I tested it out, cross-referencing its suggestions with CNET's guide on the best desktop PCs, the best MacBooks and the best laptops, assembled by a staff of experts based on hands-on testing. And in my experience, as you'll see, the AI recommendations all had notable shortcomings. The AI's suggested picks "are all old and, for the most part, they are underpowered for what we asked for," CNET managing editor and laptop expert Josh Goldman said. "With two exceptions." A laptop for value and flexibility The MacBook Air M1 laptop was released in 2020 and discontinued in 2024. Josh Goldman/CNET You need a laptop that checks a ton of boxes while also staying well within your budget. What Microsoft Copilot picked was a laptop from 2020 -- the Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020). The M1 Air is only available new in one configuration from Walmart, but you can get a refurbished one at Best Buy or buy the M2 model (see it at Best Buy). "Despite its advanced age in computer years, the M1 Air is a good all-around choice for school, home office, entertainment and basic content creation," Goldman said. Where the AI recommendations started to really fall off was when I tried to use the free versions of Copilot and Perplexity to help with the mind-numbing work of identifying which retailers accept buy now, pay later purchasing options, such as Klarna and Affirm. These allow you to make purchases in installments instead of owing the total cost at checkout while avoiding high-interest credit cards. The AI-enabled search tool Perplexity confirmed that Walmart offers the ability to pay for products using Affirm, and its recommendation of the Apple MacBook Air as a budget-friendly option agreed with CNET's advice. However, be warned -- Perplexity was terrible at identifying afterpay options available directly from retailers, and confidently conflated store credit cards and high-interest payment plans as "pay-as-you-go" options, so make certain you double-check the cited results. (As a side note, I've been putting AI tools through their paces for a year now, and I have noticed some are getting worse, with more frequent hallucinations and bad information being returned. Perplexity in particular admitted in the chat that there is a "disconnect" between its "capabilities" and what it can actually accomplish.) A laptop for browsing and bed rotting An HP Chromebook was suggested by AI for binge-watching your favorite shows. HP Screen time can also be self-care if you do it right. You deserve a lightweight, internet-optimized laptop with a screen big enough for bingeing Columbo episodes on Prime Video (just me?) under the covers in your personal cocoon. I asked Microsoft's AI-enabled in-browser search tool, Copilot, to find me laptops I'd use while mostly horizontal. No powerful frills necessary. This needs to be built for comfort, not speed, with a price to match. What it came back with: the HP Chromebook 11 (see it at Amazon) -- which it called the "HP Lightweight 11," no doubt confused by its description online -- with an 11-inch HD IPS display, Intel Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage and Windows 11. To throw in another warning about using AI, Copilot returned a great list of very affordable options optimized for lounging and bingeing, but it fabricated links that were not active on any sites instead of providing real links to review the products. After this deceptive hallucination was discovered, another query had to be done for active links to the products. Copilot / Screenshot by CNET Goldman, CNET's laptop expert, disagreed with the choice, though. "For binge-watching, the correct answer is an iPad or Apple tablet, frankly," he says. "An 11-inch laptop would not be enjoyable because the screen and audio quality at that price would be disappointing. Performance would be pretty disappointing too." A laptop for gaming power and portability The Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 laptop is great for gaming. Josh Goldman/CNET I'm not going to suggest you touch grass, but it would be nice to play Baldur's Gate while looking out a window or, better yet, at Ren Faire on the shared Wi-Fi with three of your best Tavs. I asked Copilot to recommend laptops that are blessed with long battery life and are feature-rich, yet have affordable graphics chips that can run a game like Baldur's Gate 3 smoothly. The first suggestion was the Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 (see it at Amazon) -- the second recommendation that Goldman agreed with. But here's what else Copilot recommended: Copilot / Screenshot by CNET Although Copilot's list of laptops were technically capable of running the game, only the Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 met the recommended specs for an epic title like Baldur's Gate 3. Copilot / Screenshot by CNET After prodding, the AI tool admitted that the Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 was the only option that met the search criteria. So, as always, make sure you double-check the info AI is giving you -- and cross-reference it with CNET's recommendations for gaming laptops before making a purchase. A laptop for content creation and connectivity You have a gift, an expertise or another light inside you that you want to share with the world, and being afraid of overpaying for a laptop shouldn't deprive us of your contributions. I asked Copilot to show me laptops and computers built for content creation, photo and video editing, and easy, creative collaboration that wouldn't set me back more than $500. Copilot / Screenshot by CNET Copilot returned a list of options that made some sense; however, when asked to crown a content creation laptop champion, its criteria and methodology were lacking. The tool first identified a laptop option that was not on the initial list provided and was well over the $500 budget. When prodded, Copilot recommended the HP 15.6-inch FHD Chromebook (see it at Best Buy) as the best budget option; however, when compared directly, the Acer Aspire 3 Premium (see it at Amazon) beat the HP on all criteria, including price. Copilot / Screenshot by CNET Key tip on using AI to help you choose your tech Working with conversational AI-integrated search tools is a give and take, and you should never take the first answer at face value. Challenge the AI, be specific about what you want and scrutinize the results, comparing them against actual human expert advice like CNET reviews for the best outcome.
CNET
05-05-2025
- Business
- CNET
Amazon Deals of the Day: The Powerful M4 Mac Mini Is Down to a New Record Low of $491
Amazon sells a gazillion products, with new ones dropping daily. The retail giant carries everything from home essentials to tech gear and wellness items. And Amazon loves reducing prices almost as much as it loves adding new products. Deciding which deals are (and aren't) worth grabbing is a full-time job -- our job, specifically, which is why we've scoped out the top deals today. Today, we spotted the M4 Mac Mini desktop computer at a new record low, saving you over $100. We also found the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds at a nice $50 off, also a record low. And lastly, we found the Jackery Explorer 1000 portable power station for an impressive $350 off. If you're thinking about making a big purchase ahead of tariffs, the M4 Mac Mini is a great option for those looking for a desktop computer. It's actually one of CNET's favorite desktop computers. It's also our go-to for the best cheap desktop alternative to a MacBook or iMac. The M4 Mini comes with a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. We love it because it has an ultracompact design without compromising on its strong performance. In Josh Goldman's review, he notes, "The Mini can fit in your hand and be everything from an everyday home office computer to a full-on professional content-creation machine -- and an easily portable one at that -- with support for up to three 6K-resolution displays." It also has tons of ports so you can connect any device you want to. We also believe it's at a good starting price, and now it just got even better. Don't miss out on a new record-low price on the M4 Mac Mini that drops it down to $491, saving you $108. The Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds are a true powerhouse. They're our favorite wireless sports earbuds with ear hooks. The previous model came out six years ago, giving Beats plenty of time to make some great upgrades, and they did. These earbuds have an improved design and sound quality with smaller case. It also has a more powerful H2 chip. The active noise cancellation is top notch as well, along with the voice-calling performance. They have a strong and long battery life of 10 hours so you can use them all day long. Note that while they work with Android devices, iOS devices get exclusive features such as Personalized Spatial Audio with head tracking, hands-free Siri, audio sharing and iCloud pairing across all your Apple devices logged into your iCloud account, so they're a better fit for iOS users. Having just been released earlier this year, this is the first discount we're seeing on the earbuds. Right now you can score $50 off the Powerbeats Pro 2 in any color, bringing the price to $200. If you're planning some camping trips this summer or live in an area where there are sometimes power outages, a portable power station should be essential. The Jackery Explorer 1000 V2 is a great option as it's compact and portable and it's simple to use. With its handle and rugged exterior, you can comfortably take it on any adventure you end up on. It is more powerful than you'd expect, too, as it can temporarily power fridges, grills, medical equipment and more. It also boasts a 10-year battery life, so you're set for a pretty long time. Take advantage of the $350 discount on Amazon right now and pick one up for just $449. With so many deals on Amazon, deciding which ones are worth it can be difficult. That's why CNET searches everything the world's biggest online retailer has to offer before gathering the best deals.
Jordan News
04-03-2025
- Jordan News
Best Lightweight Laptops of 2025 - Jordan News
Some laptops are designed to stay at home and function like desktop computers that you can move from room to room. Some laptops are designed to stay at home and function like desktop computers that you can move from room to room. اضافة اعلان Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (2.96 pounds) is the best lightweight Copilot Plus PC. (Matt Elliott/CNET/TNS) On the other hand, the design of other laptops prioritizes portability, making them light enough to fit into your bag for daily commutes and frequent travel, allowing you to return home at the end of the day without shoulder pain. The options you see here fall into this latter category, but these are not just the smallest laptops we've reviewed. These are the lightweight laptops that CNET editors have tested over the past year. Many new models were recently announced at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show, based on next-gen laptop chips from Intel, AMD, and NVIDIA. However, there is a slight delay — from two weeks to several months — between the unveiling of a laptop and its availability for purchase. The three lightweight laptops featured here were all released last year but remain current with modern components. While we will offer additional recommendations when reviewing new laptops for 2025, this is the ideal time to find a lightweight laptop from 2024, as many of them are available at good discounts. 1. M3 MacBook Air (2.7 lbs / 1.224 kg) - Best Lightweight Laptop For the latest MacBook Air from Apple, not much has changed from the previous version, except for the transition from M2 chips to M3 chips. The performance differences between the two devices are modest, but graphics performance has received a notable boost. The biggest features include support for Wi-Fi 6E, faster connectivity, and the ability to run dual external displays, albeit at the cost of closing the MacBook Air's lid. The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is gorgeous, and the build quality of the MacBook Air is slim yet sturdy. Not only is the M3 Air one of our favorite lightweight laptops, but it's also the best overall laptop. Thanks to its blend of portability, build quality, performance, and battery life, it's considered the best laptop for most people. M3 MacBook Air (2.7 pounds) is the best lightweight laptop. (Josh Goldman/CNET/TNS) 2. Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (2.96 lbs / 1.342 kg) - Best Lightweight Laptop with "Copilot Plus" Feature The Surface Laptop 7 reflects previous ARM-on-Windows efforts, which struggled with performance and limited compatibility, as many x86 apps couldn't run on an ARM-based system. This time, both performance and compatibility have improved. Additionally, its battery life is remarkable. The Surface Laptop 7 is the longest-lasting 13- or 14-inch laptop. Its luxurious runtime, combined with a weight under 3 pounds, makes the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 7 an ideal travel companion. We wish there were an OLED screen option, and you will need to do a compatibility check for your important applications before adopting an ARM-based Surface Laptop 7, but if you can get past those hurdles, you'll get a lightweight, long-lasting Windows laptop. 3. Lenovo Yoga 9i 14 Gen 9 (2.9 lbs / 1.315 kg) - Best Lightweight 2-in-1 Laptop The premium Lenovo Yoga 9i convertible laptop is ultra-slim, lightweight, and compact. It doesn't differ much from the Lenovo Yoga 7 mid-range convertible, but it's noticeably lighter at under 3 pounds. The reduced weight is a clear advantage in easing the burden when traveling with the device, but it also makes the 2-in-1 more manageable in tablet mode. The Lenovo Yoga 9i also upgrades to a high-resolution OLED display, and the amazing sound you get from its unique rotating soundbar hinge is exceptional. Its audio/video outputs are outstanding, giving this versatile device a strong boost as an entertainment machine. CNET Magazine, Tribune Media Services.
