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Black Friday monitor deals in 2023: what to expect from this year's deals

We're expecting 2023 Black Friday monitor deals to be some of the best we've seen in years, and you don't even have to wait until the big day itself to get some fantastic savings, thanks to early sales from retailers like Walmart, Best Buy, and Amazon. To help you sort through all of your options, I've pulled together the top offers available right now, plus everything you need to know about what to expect from this year's biggest shopping event.

Black Friday monitor deals are a great way to save big on the best monitor offerings from major manufacturers like Dell, LG, Philips, and many more. Whether you're looking for Black Friday deals on the best gaming monitors with high refresh rates and quick pixel response or the best 4K monitors with precise color calibration and accuracy for professional creative work like video editing.

With Black Friday falling on November 24 this year, it might seem like you have a long time to wait for the best monitor deals, but with everything from another Amazon Prime Day sale running on October 10 and 11 to early deals to help retailers make space for major Black Friday monitor inventory, you'll have a lot of opportunities to save. In fact, recent trends from Adobe Analytics show that prices for all electronics start falling well before for Black Friday, beginning in the middle of October.

That's why I'll keep bringing you the latest deals as I find them and add them here to this page, as things are already starting to move. So, if you're looking for a new monitor, check back regularly to find the best early Black Friday monitor deals on the right display for your needs and budget.

Today's best monitor sales

Today's best monitor deals

BLACK FRIDAY Monitor DEALS 2023: KEY INFORMATION

Best Buy Labor Day sales deals

(Image credit: Acer)

When will Black Friday monitor deals start in 2023?

Black Friday 2023 falls on November 24. The actual date shifts, but the day of the week stays the same: it's always the Friday after Thanksgiving.

While Black Friday monitor deals will officially kick off on November 24, based on years past, we can predict that retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart will launch early sales starting in October. Amazon has also just announced its 2nd Prime Day sale will take place on October 10 and 11, so expect to see early Black Friday deals kick off from other retailers during the two-day sale event and leading up to Black Friday itself.

Thanks to early sales, it's no longer the case that the best Black Friday monitor deals are released on the day itself - November 24. In recent years, retailers have released record-low prices on a range of monitors during early sales, allowing consumers to secure a display ahead of Black Friday proper. I'll be analyzing all the early deals listed in this guide, so if you want to avoid shopping on Black Friday, there will still be plenty of impressive bargains to grab before the holiday weekend.

Where will the best monitor Black Friday deals be?

I'll be tracking all the best Black Friday monitor deals here, so bookmark this page and keep checking back. However, if you'd rather search the sales yourself, there are some retailers we recommend over others.

Amazon is a great source for monitors on Black Friday, consistently holding a wide range of stock covering everything from cheap 1080p monitors to high-end 4K OLED monitors from brands like Samsung, LG, and Philips.

In the US, Newegg and Best Buy are top go-to destinations for Black Friday monitor deals, with record-low prices on basic business monitors for the home or office to blazing fast ultrawide gaming displays. Walmart is another favorite retailer during Black Friday, thanks to stunningly low prices from both budget brands and bigger name players like LG. 

We've listed the best current monitor sales from all the top retailers if you're looking to shop for a bargain right now.

Amazon: discounts on all kinds of monitors
Best Buy: monitor deals from $89.99
Newegg: great deals on gaming displays
Walmart: cheap monitors from under $100
Adorama: premium and ultrawide deals

What Black Friday monitor deals do we expect in 2023?

What Black Friday monitor deals do we expect to see at this year's sale? Last year, the biggest monitor deal (in my opinion) was the HP M27ha, a 27-inch FHD display for nearly half-off, while gamers out there got a massive 36% discount on the Samsung Odyssey G9, dropping this high-end gaming ultrawide to below $950.

This year, we expect to see similar discounts, if not better, on these and countless other monitors across the board.

What specs should I look for when buying a monitor on Black Friday?

One of the most things to be aware of as you search for monitor sales on Black Friday is that retailers are trying to push off old stock. This means that you might come across what looks to be a great deal, only to find out later that the monitor is several years old with outdated specs. Of course, that doesn’t make it useless, as most monitors are still perfectly usable.

Keep in mind that monitors at the very least should be 1080p resolution, which is really the bare minimum HD resolution these days, though preferably 4K if you can afford it. From there, your needs will vary based on what kind of work you need your monitor for.

For instance, if you do professional work like photography or video editing, you’ll need a monitor with color spaces that allow for proper color correction. At least as high as DCI-P3 98% color gamut support, since this ensures that any other monitor viewing that professional material will see images and video in its proper colors across the board. Brightness is also an important factor for image color quality and accuracy as well, with the higher number being better. Going for 300 nits and above is a great place to start.

Meanwhile, for gaming monitors, the two most important factors other than resolution are refresh rate and response time. For the former, the higher the number the better since it represents the number of times per second that the image refreshes on the screen. Refresh rates of 144Hz and above are particularly good.

The latter needs to have as low as a possible number, as it represents the amount of time it takes to shift from one color to another, with lower numbers meaning a much sharper and clearer image. A response time of 1ms is especially great for gaming and is what you want to strive for.

Last Year's best deals

Often, it's good to see what last year's deals looked like to better understand what this year's Black Friday monitor deals are likely to offer. Fortunately, we held onto our favorites from last year to help you research which monitor might be a good one to look out for.

HP M27ha | was $299 now $164.99 at Amazon
Save $135 -
Black Friday is always a great time to buy a standard 1080p monitor for the home or office thanks to some incredible discounts, like this whopping 45% saving on a 27-inch HP monitor at Amazon.

Samsung UR59C (32-inches, 4K, 60Hz, 1500R): was $394.99 now $299.99 at Amazon
While this isn't our favorite 4K monitor, for the price it is definitely a bargain, especially for a curved UHD display. It only has a 60Hz refresh rate (with HDMI 2.0 or higher), but it has a 2500:1 contrast ratio and billions of colors, so everything will look tight and crisp on this display, though it is best for home and office use rather than gaming.View Deal

LG 27UK500-B | was $539 now $246.99 at Walmart
Get more than half off this 27-inch premium 4K creative monitor at Walmart for Black Friday and take advantage of sRGB 98% color coverage, making it great for web design work.View Deal

LG 43-inch UltraFine 4K | was $729.99 now $596.99 at Best Buy
If you're in need of a 4K ultrawide screen that's perfect for multitasking productivity work, then this is your jam. It's a massive 43-inch that can easily split into four screens, which means you can balance spreadsheets and conference calls while streaming a movie and more.

LG 34-inch IPS LED UltraWide | was $329.99 now $249.99 at Best Buy
This is a solid all-around monitor for a variety of needs. Whether you're gaming, working on spreadsheets or creative projects, or watching movies, it boasts a 100Hz refresh rate that's good for most non-competitive gaming as well as an sRGB 99% Color Gamut with VESA Display HDR 400 for creative work.View Deal

LG UltraGear 27GN75B-B | was $329 now $279 at Newegg
If you're looking for a great esports gaming display, look no further than the LG UltraGear 27GN75B-B. With a full HD resolution, 240Hz refresh, and 1ms pixel response, you'll get outstanding gaming performance for a tidy discount at Newegg right now.

LG 27UK500-B | was $539 now $246.99 at Walmart
Get more than half off this 27-inch premium 4K creative monitor at Walmart for Black Friday and take advantage of sRGB 98% color coverage, making it great for web design work.View Deal

Samsung Odyssey G9 | was $1,399 now $947.26 at Amazon
A perennial favorite among PC gamers, the Samsung Odyssey G9 is a premium, 49-inch ultrawide display with 5,120 x 1440p resolution, 240Hz refresh rate, and a tight, 1000R curved panel – now for 36% off at Amazon.

LG UltraGear 27GN800-B | was $462 now $296.99 at Walmart
Get fantastic gaming performance at a great price with the LG UltraGear 27GN800-B, featuring QHD resolution, 1ms pixel response, and 144Hz refresh, all for 35% off at Walmart.View Deal

BenQ EX240N | was $199.99 now $159.99 at BenQ.com
This is an excellent budget HD gaming monitor with an impressive 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. If you need something on the cheap for your gaming needs, this is a great place to start.

BenQ PD2705U | was $599.99 now $549.99 at BenQ.com
If you need a monitor for creative projects like video editing or art, this 4K monitor with 99% sRGB and Rec.709 color spaces is a steal, and the discount is icing on the cake.View Deal

BenQ EX240 | was $239.99 now $189.99 at BenQ.com
Another discount HD BenQ gaming monitor, which has an excellent 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. However, there's the EX240N which is cheaper and has the same specs, so it's better to go for that one unless it sells out first.

BenQ EX3210U | was $1,099.99 now $899.99 at BenQ.com
A 32-inch 4K gaming monitor that boasts an impressive 144Hz refresh and 1ms. The price is quite good for what it offers, and the $200 discount makes it even sweeter.View Deal

Black Friday Monitor deals from TechRadar

Quordle today - hints and answers for Friday, October 6 (game #620)

It's time for your daily dose of Quordle hints, plus the answers for both the main game and the Daily Sequence spin off. 

Quordle is the only one of the many Wordle clones that I'm still playing now, around 18 months after the daily-word-game craze hit the internet, and with good reason: it's fun, but also difficult.

What's more, its makers (now the online dictionary Merriam-Webster) are also keeping it fresh in the form of a variant called the Daily Sequence, which sees you complete four puzzles consecutively, rather than concurrently. 

But Quordle is tough, so if you already find yourself searching for Wordle hints, you'll probably need some for this game too. 

I'm a Quordle and Wordle fanatic who's been playing since December 2021, so I can definitely help you solve Quordle today and improve your game for tomorrow. Read on for my Quordle hints to game #620 and the answers to the main game and Daily Sequence. 

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #620) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too). 

Quordle today (game #620) - hint #2 - total vowels

What is the total number of vowels in Quordle today?

The total number of vowels across today's Quordle answers is 7.

Quordle today (game #620) - hint #3 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.

Quordle today (game #620) - hint #4 - total letters

How many different letters are used in Quordle today?

The total number of different letters used in Quordle today is 13.

Quordle today (game #620) - hint #5 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #620) - hint #6 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #620) - hint #7 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• R

• G

• N

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #620) - the answers

Quordle answers for game 620 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #620, are…

  • SWORD
  • REFER
  • GUILD
  • NASAL

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.


Daily Sequence today (game #620) - the answers

Quordle daily sequence answers for game 620 on a yellow background

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #620, are…

  • CADET
  • FLAKY
  • PATCH
  • IMPLY

Quordle answers: The past 20

  • Quordle #619, Thursday 5 October: STRAW, TILDE, MINER, CARVE
  • Quordle #618, Wednesday 4 October: WHIFF, CREEP, BLUNT, SPELL
  • Quordle #617, Tuesday 3 October: QUALM, CAULK, VOILA, GOING
  • Quordle #616, Monday 2 October: GUAVA, FLORA, LEGAL, ONION
  • Quordle #615, Sunday 1 October: LEAST, ARRAY, BOWEL, MATEY
  • Quordle #614, Saturday 30 September: MELEE, CHECK, SHONE, GLIDE
  • Quordle #613, Friday 29 September: PARER, CLASP, SHARD, JERKY
  • Quordle #612, Thursday 28 September: SAUCY, PEACH, SURER, STRIP
  • Quordle #611, Wednesday 27 September: NOISY, CLEAT, EAGER, CARAT
  • Quordle #610, Tuesday 26 September: SEDAN, CHARD, CHASM, GUSTO
  • Quordle #609, Monday 25 September: LEASH, GAZER, GUILE, KNEED
  • Quordle #608, Sunday 24 September: LUCKY, ANGRY, QUIET, LUCID
  • Quordle #607, Saturday 23 September: HEARD, LOATH, GUEST, SIGMA
  • Quordle #606, Friday 22 September: CHILI, METRO, PUREE, KIOSK
  • Quordle #605, Thursday 21 September: AWARE, SHONE, SHADE, SHELF
  • Quordle #604, Wednesday 20 September: TAMER, SNOUT, BLAND, SLEEP
  • Quordle #603, Tuesday 19 September: WACKY, LAYER, FRUIT, MINER
  • Quordle #602, Monday 18 September: SWEAR, LOWLY, STAND, UPSET
  • Quordle #601, Sunday 17 September: SCRUB, DUSTY, QUOTH, UNCLE
  • Quordle #600, Saturday 16 September: FLAIL, ALTAR, YACHT, HAUNT

Quordle FAQs: Everything you need to know

What is Quordle?

Where Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day, Quordle presents you with four puzzles to solve. And rather than complete them in turn, you do so simultaneously. You get nine guesses, rather than the six for Wordle, but the rules are otherwise very similar. 

It's played online via the Quordle website and you can also get to it via the Merriam-Webster site, after the dictionary purchased Quordle last year

As with Wordle, the answers are the same for every player each day, meaning that you're competing against the rest of the world. And also as with Wordle, the puzzle resets at midnight so you have a fresh challenge each day.

The website also includes a practice mode - which I definitely recommend using before attempting the game proper! - and there are daily stats including a streak count. You also get Quordle Achievements - specific badges for winning a game in a certain number of turns, playing lots of times, or guessing particularly hard words.

Oh, and it's difficult. Really difficult.

What are the Quordle rules?

The rules of Quordle are almost identical to those of Wordle.

1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.

2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow. 

3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray…

4. …BUT the word you guess appears in all quadrants of the puzzle at the same time, so an A could turn green in one square, yellow in another and gray in the final two. 

5. Answers are never plural.

6. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.

7. Each guess must be a valid word in Quordle's dictionary. You can't guess ABCDE, for instance.

8. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses and there is no equivalent of Wordle's Hard mode.

9. You have nine guesses to find the Quordle answers.

10. You must complete the daily Quordle before midnight in your timezone.

What is a good Quordle strategy?

Quordle needs to be approached in a different way to Wordle. With four puzzles to solve in nine guesses, you can't blindly throw letters at it and expect to win - you'll stand a far better chance if you think strategically.

That's the case in Wordle too, of course, but it's even more important in Quordle.

There are two key things to remember. 

1. Use several starting words

Firstly, you won't want just a single starting word, but almost certainly two or three starting words. 

The first of these should probably be one of the best Wordle starting words, because the same things that make them work well will apply here too. But after that, you should select another word or possibly two that use up lots more of the most common consonants and that include any remaining vowels.

For instance, I currently use STARE > DOILY > PUNCH. Between them, these three words use 15 of the 26 letters in the alphabet including all five vowels, Y, and nine of the most common consonants (S, T, R, D, L, P, N, C and H). There are plenty of other options - you might want to get an M, B, F or G in there instead of the H, maybe - but something like that should do the trick.

If all goes well, that will give you a good lead on what one or sometimes two of the answers might be. If not, well good luck!

2. Narrow things down

Secondly, if you're faced with a word where the answer might easily be one of several options - for instance -ATCH, where it could be MATCH, BATCH, LATCH, CATCH, WATCH, HATCH or PATCH - you'll definitely want to guess a word that would narrow down those options. 

In Wordle, you can instead try several of those in succession and hope one is right, assuming you have enough guesses left. It's risky, but will sometimes work. Plus, it's the only option in Hard mode. But in Quordle, this will almost certainly result in a failure - you simply don't have enough guesses.

In the scenario above, CLAMP would be a great guess, as it could point the way to four of the seven words in one go.

Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand

Adobe's new photo editor looks even more powerful than Google's Magic Editor

Adobe MAX 2023 is less than a week away, and to promote the event, the company recently published a video teasing its new “object-aware editing engine” called Project Stardust.

According to the trailer, the feature has the ability to identify individual objects in a photograph and instantly separate them into their own layers. Those same objects can then be moved around on-screen or deleted. Selecting can be done either manually or automatically via the Remove Distractions tool. The software appears to understand the difference between the main subjects in an image and the people in the background that you want to get rid of.

What’s interesting is moving or deleting something doesn’t leave behind a hole. The empty space is filled in most likely by a generative AI model. Plus, you can clean up any left-behind evidence of a deleted item. In its sample image, Adobe erases a suitcase held by a female model and then proceeds to edit her hand so that she’s holding a bouquet of flowers instead.  

Image 1 of 2

Project Stardust editing

(Image credit: Adobe)
Image 2 of 2

Project Stardust generative AI

(Image credit: Adobe)

The same tech can also be used to change articles of clothing in pictures. A yellow down jacket can be turned into a black leather jacket or a pair of khakis into black jeans. To do this, users will have to highlight the piece of clothing and then enter what they want to see into a text prompt. 

Stardust replacement tool

(Image credit: Adobe)

AI editor

Functionally, Project Stardust operates similarly to Google’s Magic Editor which is a generative AI tool present on the Pixel 8 series. The tool lets users highlight objects in a photograph and reposition them in whatever manner they please. It, too, can fill gaps in images by creating new pixels. However, Stardust feels much more capable. The Pixel 8 Pro’s Magic Eraser can fill in gaps, but neither it nor Magic Editor can’t generate content. Additionally, Google’s version requires manual input whereas Adobe’s software doesn’t need it.

Seeing these two side-by-side, we can’t but wonder if Stardust is actually powered by Google’s AI tech. Very recently, the two companies announced they were entering a partnership “and offering a free three-month trial for Photoshop on the web for people who buy a Chromebook Plus device. Perhaps this “partnership” runs a lot deeper than free Photoshop considering how similar Stardust is to Magic Editor.

Impending reveal

We should mention that Stardust isn't perfect. If you look at the trailer, you'll notice some errors like random holes in the leather jacket and strange warping around the flower model's hands. But maybe what we see is Stardust in an early stage. 

There is still a lot we don’t know like whether it's a standalone app or will it be housed in, say, Photoshop? Is Stardust releasing in beta first or are we getting the final version? All will presumably be answered on October 10 when Adobe MAX 2023 kicks off. What’s more, the company will be showing other “AI features” coming to “Firefly, Creative Cloud, Express, and more.”

Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best Photoshop courses online for 2023 if you’re thinking of learning the software, but don’t know where to start. 

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Editing image on laptop

Can AI help Arc browser take on Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge?

If you’re in the market for a new state-of-the-art browser to replace Google Chrome, then you’re in luck: The Browser Company is bringing out the Windows version of their new browser, Arc, towards the end of 2023. The company says that it can bring you “a more personal internet” and a calmer online experience, which is certainly a bold proposal. 

The browser comes with AI features known as Arc Max, which will be powered by the AI models of OpenAI’s GPT-3.5 and Anthropic according to TechCrunch. Anthropic is a company that works in AI safety and research, and has its own flagship AI chatbot, Claude. Amazon recently committed a $4 billion investment into Anthropic (similar to Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI), so it's quickly becoming a big deal in the world of AI.

The Browser Company was founded in 2019, and is made up of ex-employees  from some of the biggest names in tech like Instagram, Tesla, Medium, Google (Google Chrome specifically), and others. 

The Arc browser was initially released for some platforms in April of 2022, with a view to challenge Google Chrome’s dominance in the web browser market. In fact, Arc is built on Google’s Chromium engine, but with some interesting tweaks, like allowing more customization and a user interface that resembles File Explorer in Windows 11

Speaking of which, the Arc browser only currently exists for macOS and iOS, for now, but Windows users can try it for themselves later this year, and by then it should be packing some cool-sounding new AI tools, like the ChatGPT-powered AI assistant.

Some of the functions Arc Max will be able to do is analyze the page in a pinned tab and generate a new title that reads more easily. Similarly, it’ll be able to quickly rename downloaded files based on its analysis of the content in the files. When you browse the web and come across hyperlinks, Arc Max will generate a summary preview when you hover over it and press Shift.

woman working from home with child

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Worth getting excited about?

These types of functions and features will be seemingly opt-in, meaning you'll have to go to Arc’s command bar (Cmd + T on the Mac keyboard) and enter “Arc Max”. This will open up a list of features for you to enable. The command bar is actually similar to the Windows taskbar search feature where you can type in what you’re looking for, and that will pull up the relevant feature. For example, you can type in “ChatGPT” into the command bar in Arc and then converse with ChatGPT.

These are just a few of the examples of Arc’s functionality - there are many AI-fuelled features and tools like web apps and extensions. Arc aims to make them a smooth part of your browsing experience so you’re interrupted as little as possible. The Verge recently interviewed The Browser Company about the Arc browser, and was told that it did a lot of prototype testing to make the AI features as intuitive as possible. Some of its experiments include automatic note-taking that instantly follows after text is selected, and a forward button which would lead to an exploration page of suggestions. TechCrunch compares the latter to StumbleUpon, a handy app which I personally miss.

As reported by TechCrunch, The Browsing Company laid out its plans for the fledgling browser in a recent live announcement. The CEO, Josh Miller, told the audience that features are all work in progress, and features will initially be kept in the browser for ninety days. During this period, Arc’s developers will collect feedback about the features and decide where to take them next based on that feedback. 

Three people working on a problem at a PC screen.

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

High hopes for a new browser experience

Being honest, I’m excited to try this browser. It sounds like it will be a pretty unique experience and I’m always open to trying new ways to browse the web. Browsers are huge parts of many people’s lives, and it’s no easy feat to succeed at establishing a new one. That said, Arc is already doing enough to keep my attention and give it a try. If you feel the same way, you can sign up for the Windows waiting list

No matter how promising Arc is, it'll have a big challenge to rival Google Chrome, which is by far the most popular web browser in the world. While Arc's new AI tools could certainly set it apart from fellow Chromium-based rival Chrome, Microsoft's Edge browser, which is also based on Chromium, is gaining users (albeit slowly), mainly down to its own AI features.

Arc finally coming to Windows 10 and Windows 11 will certainly help, at least, as it'll open up a whole new (and large) audience. Will that, along with the AI features, be enough to make a dent in Chrome's popularity? I'm not too sure, but more choice is always welcome.

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Intel’s long-lost Arc A580 suddenly appears online – is the GPU about to launch?

Despite Intel’s Arc A580 graphics card going missing in action for absolutely ages, it turns out that this lower-mid-range Alchemist GPU could be about to launch.

At least going by what VideoCardz flagged up, namely that ASRock and Sparkle A580 graphics cards have both been spotted online (via the Geizhals price comparison site). The ASRock model was highlighted by well-known leaker @momomo_us on X (formerly Twitter).

ASRock Arc A580 Challenger OCA580 CL 8GO2000MHz8GB GDDR6 256bit 16Gbps2x 8-Pin , 650W3x DisplayPort , 1x HDMI pic.twitter.com/YcwHcznoO4October 4, 2023

See more

So, we have a bunch of box and product shots here as evidence, and the fact that two graphics card makers appear to be readying A580 offerings is a fairly strong sign that Intel hasn’t ditched the GPU after all.

The graphics cards are the ASRock Arc A580 Challenger OC and the Sparkle A580 Orc. Both run with the same specs that Intel first announced many moons ago, with 24 Xe-Cores and 8GB of GDDR6 video RAM. They have a top clock speed of 2GHz along with a TDP of 175W.


Analysis: A bolt out of the Team Blue

This is a real surprise considering the Arc A580 was revealed well over a year ago by Intel, and hasn’t been mentioned since. We have seen the odd leaked benchmark, but nothing to seriously suggest the Alchemist GPU was inbound, and when Intel didn’t mention it at the recent Innovation event – well, we presumed it was very likely to have been canned.

So, we must eat our words here, as it seems the A580 is very much alive. There’s still a chance these graphics cards won’t be released, mind, as box pics and glimpses of hardware online don’t make a product launch, of course. We’ll need to hear officially from Intel that this GPU exists before we can be sure.

That said, given the way Intel has acted with the A580, and all the radio silence, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Alchemist GPU was given a stealth launch, and just suddenly turned up on shelves. (Thinking about it, if an official reveal was the plan, it would surely have been scheduled for Innovation, so the likelihood of an under-the-radar release is probably quite strong here).

At any rate, with details and pics turning up for two separate models right now, the likelihood is that we’ll see the A580 soon enough, if it’s coming.

It should prove a useful extra option in the entry-level GPU department, and with Intel’s pricing of Arc products being pretty keen – and regularly benefiting from some deep discounts this year – there could be bargains to be had with the A580.

Considering the A750 can be had for around $220 as we write this, we’re expecting to see sub-$200 pricing (MSRP) for the A580 in the US, and equivalent price tags in other regions – fingers crossed. With sharp enough pricing, this GPU might just make it onto our best graphics cards list, or certainly the best cheap graphics card rankings.

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An Intel Arc Graphics Card against a dark background

You can now play a retro 90s game while your new Microsoft Surface device sets up

Microsoft has recently introduced a bunch of major updates to Windows 11, and now, it’s even updated how you get the updates. If you happen to be getting one of the new Microsoft Surface laptops or tablets anytime soon, you’re in for a treat. 

When you first open up your sparkling new device, you’ll inevitably have to sit through a setup and update process for a little while before you can dive in. Now, Microsoft has made the installation process less lonely by being able to play a game while you wait. 

You can also see our impression of Microsoft's Surface models.

This development was first spotted by Tom Warren of the Verge when he opened and started up the Surface Laptop Studio 2, he was able to play a modernized version of SkiFree, originally an online game created by Microsoft programmer Chris Pirih and released in 1991. 

Where else can you find the game?

This isn’t the first time Microsoft has mined SkiFree for nostalgic mini-game distractions - it’s actually been something of an easter egg you could stumble upon in Microsoft’s Edge browser since 2020. You can still access the game by typing in edge://surf in your Edge browser.

If you have pending Windows updates that are available or are restoring settings from a previous Windows Backup, it might be possible to play the game. It’s not totally clear if this is only available during the setup process of new Surface devices or if you can also play the game while updating any existing device with Windows 11. The Verge asked for more information on the topic from Microsoft but the company has yet to respond. 

Either way, it’s still a fun tidbit to pass the time and it’s the latest improvement Microsoft has made to make the dreaded Windows update process a little less dull. I think it shows that Microsoft developers do pay attention at more precise levels than people realize to improve the overall user experience. The current setup process is already a big step up even from recent Windows versions, which would have Cortana talking you through the process extensively - something some users found unhelpful or annoying.

Microsoft Surface X Liberty London collaboration, showing Surface Pro 9 tablet with a blue floral print design.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

Where Microsoft may have found inspiration

BetaNews goes as far as to speculate that Microsoft actually nabbed the idea from a third-party Windows enthusiast developer, concept designer 'AR 4789', who developed his own version of Windows with additional features named 'Windows Utopia'. Windows Utopia also lets you play games, as well as browse the web, while you install the custom operating system. 

This news has seemingly been received quite positively by Windows fans so far, and Microsoft could use the goodwill as it rolls out its very novel AI assistant, Windows Copilot, which has been received with a less enthusiastic response. The appearance of the surfing minigame does show that Microsoft is still very detail-oriented when it comes to the user experience, so I hope that it continues to be that way when it comes to delivering huge new features just as it does with the smaller ones.

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Person Working on Surface Laptop at Home

Windows 11 remains an unloved OS – but why won't people upgrade?

Windows 11 is still struggling to attract folks to upgrade, going by the latest stats on the desktop OS market from a major analyst firm.

TechSpot noticed the new figures for last month from StatCounter, one of the main outfits that keeps tabs on Windows versions and their relative levels of adoption.

So, on the cusp of two years after its release (technically, it was released two years ago, but the adoption figures are for September 2023), Windows 11 now holds a 23.6% market share.

For almost two years of existence, that’s not a very impressive inroad carved into the desktop OS world. What makes it worse is that the needle has barely moved for Windows 11 since April 2023, when it was at 23.1%.

In other words, over the past five months, Windows 11 has managed to gain 0.5%, which is a pretty poor show. Half a percent in almost half a year…

Windows 10 still holds a 71.6% share of the desktop market, with Windows 7 having dwindled away to 3.3% of diehards at this point.


Analysis: Why might people be avoiding Windows 11?

If we draw a comparison to what Windows 10 managed to reach in just under two years of its life, that was 36.6%, a good deal more than Windows 11 has achieved now. Indeed, at the two-and-a-half-year point, Windows 10 overtook Windows 7 – and clearly Windows 11 taking the desktop OS top spot isn’t going to happen in six months’ time.

Why is Windows 11 struggling so much compared to its predecessor? There are a few likely reasons, but a primary one is that it makes life more difficult in terms of upgrading.

New system requirements for Windows 11, most notably TPM (security) and ruling out older generations of processors, have left many folks with somewhat older PCs unable to upgrade even if they wanted to. At least not without modifying or upgrading hardware, which many PC owners aren’t keen on doing, frankly, especially not to get access to an operating system which isn’t all that different to Windows 10 at its heart.

That’s another major issue here. Yes, Windows 11 does make a good number of changes, but under the hood, deep down, it remains much the same OS as Windows 10 in many ways. So, there isn’t as much of a drive to upgrade in that respect.

Except maybe for gamers, who do get some interesting goodies with Windows 11 – and there’ll be more important stuff to come, certainly when DirectStorage gets wider support on the PC gaming scene – and that’s reflected in the current Steam stats for Windows 11. Those show Windows 11 securing a 37.4% market share with gamers on Steam, which is a good deal higher than StatCounter observes with everyday PC users.

Coincidentally, that level is about where Windows 11 should be for non-gaming users, if it had managed the same pace of adoption as Windows 10.

Other reasons folks may give Windows 11 a swerve include adverts sneaking into the OS more, privacy issues bound up in that, and some odd design decisions with the interface (like removing the ‘never combine’ taskbar option, though that choice has now been corrected). A steady stream of bug reports popping up and weirdly persistent problems like sluggish SSDs probably don’t help, either.

At any rate, it looks like Windows 11 adoption is going to continue to be a sluggish affair for Microsoft, and perhaps the only factor that’ll really speed it up is when the end of support starts to come into view for Windows 10. (That support deadline is October 2025, incidentally, so still two years away).

Via PC Gamer

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Windows 10 for free

Bing Chat can now create more realistic images thanks to DALL-E 3 AI upgrade

Bing Chat has received a substantial update, now integrating OpenAI’s most recent text-to-image model DALL-E 3. Best of all, it’s available to everyone for free.

As it’s laid out in Microsoft's announcement post, DALL-E 3 is a big upgrade to previous generations because it’s able to produce more “realistic and diverse images” thanks to improvements made in three areas. 

The AI is now able to adhere to a text prompt more closely than before when producing content. Microsoft recommends adding as much detail as possible to ensure the final image sticks close to your vision. Due to the extra precision, outputs will be more coherent or “logically consistent". Sometimes creations from other models like Stable Diffusion look downright weird. Bing's new update improves on this front.

Also, tweaks were made to DALL-E 3 so it can accurately portray unique art styles that meet your standard of creativity, according to the company.

Image 1 of 4

Bing Chat DALL-E 3 generation

(Image credit: Future)
Image 2 of 4

Bing Chat DALL-E 3 generated hand

(Image credit: Future)
Image 3 of 4

Bing Chat DALL-E werewolf

(Image credit: Future)
Image 4 of 4

Pixel art parrot

(Image credit: Future)

Above are some samples we created ourselves to give you an idea of what the AI can now do. Using the generative engine is really simple. You can head on over to either Bing Chat or the Bing Image Creator website, enter a prompt in the text box, give it a few seconds, and you're done. It's just that easy.

Security upgrade

Besides the performance upgrade, Microsoft has added two security features to Bing Chat aimed at maintaining ethical usage. Every output will come with a Content Credential and an “invisible digital watermark” stating it was generated by Bing Image Creator as well as the date and time it was made.  

Content Credential notice

(Image credit: Future)

The company is also implementing a “content moderation system” to remove images deemed “harmful or inappropriate”. This includes content “that [contains] nudity, violence, hate speech, or illegal activities.” Something not mentioned is you can’t generate pictures featuring famous figures. We asked Bing to create something with President Joe Biden in it. But we were told we couldn’t as it violates the service’s policy. 

Work in progress

As impressive as Bing Chat is now, it is still a work in progress. Like other AI engines, Microsoft’s model still has difficulty drawing hands. It’s not as bad as when you had Stable Diffusion generating gnarled hands back in early 2023. However, you may notice an extra digit or two. In fact, the werewolf image above actually has five fingers on its right hand while it only has four on the left. 

Generated image of hands with an extra finger

(Image credit: Future)

We do want to warn you that you may experience some slowdown in AI image-generation output. We certainly did although Bing Chat picked up speed after a few minutes. In the worst case, the AI will refuse to do anything because it can't process new requests.

If you want to take generative AI on the go, be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the four best art generator apps for iPhone

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New content made from Bing Chat and DALL-E 3

Taiwan has cutting-edge display tech to show off with Taiwan Excellence Awards

The display is how we interface with a great many technologies. The quality of the display can make or break the experience. And in some cases, new display technology can create experiences unlike anything we’ve encountered before. It’s those transformational technologies that Taiwan aims to honor with the Taiwan Excellence Awards.

Over the last 30 years, Taiwan has highlighted its domestic products with the Taiwan Excellence Awards, which go to products offering technical innovation and real, life-changing impact. It is this focus on innovative value that the International Trade Administration (TITA) and Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) seek to highlight across the world. 

Each year, Taiwan Excellence Awards selects only a handful of innovative products that have met rigorous criteria for R&D, design, quality, and marketing. The selected products receive the Taiwan Excellence Award mark, which serves as a distinction and testament to their high standards. A panel of international judges take nominated products into consideration for even further commendation, selecting standout products to receive the Taiwan Excellence Gold Award or Silver Award. 

These products, designed in Taiwan embody a combination of innovation and excellence reflecting the following aspects:

  • Innovative: Products that prioritize customer satisfaction through advanced and thoughtful design.
  • Excellence: Companies that are passionate about common goals, foster team spirit, enthusiasm, and knowledge-sharing.
  • Value: Practical products that truly enhance everyday life
  • Dependable: Reliable products with quality and performance you can count on.

In the display technology space, three products not only landed the Taiwan Excellence Award but also merited the Gold Award from the international panel, highlighting the extent of their innovation. Those are AUO’s ALED Spherical Tiled Display, E Ink’s Prism display and PanelSemi’s Primary AM Mini LED Flexible Display.

AUO Corporation’s ALED Spherical Tiled Display

AUO Corporation’s ALED Spherical Tiled Display

(Image credit: AUO Corporation)

The AUO ALED Dome display features hemi-spherically assembled LED panels, AUO’s in-house video processing technology, as well as high brightness, saturated colors, and incredible contrast, offering a truly immersive visual experience. The zero-bezel tiling technology and high frame rate ensure an uninterrupted, flawless, and smooth viewing experience.

When combined with a dynamic driver’s seat, the hemispherical cockpit showcases extremely realistic images and dynamic seating, providing an immersive entertainment experience. This simulator can be applied to simulated racing facilities in the entertainment industry and specialized training scenarios such as flying, driving, or sailing. Simulated scenarios and training modes quantify training performance, helping to reduce training time and associated hazards. The AUO ALED Dome display brings users up, down, left, and right, delivering a fully immersive and lifelike viewing experience. It presents an ideal solution for applications that demand visual precision. 

 E Ink Prism display 

E Ink Prism display

(Image credit: E Ink Holdings Inc. )

E Ink Prism is a unique and dynamic material for design which incorporates a color electronic ink platform. Prism transforms the way spaces and surroundings are experienced. Manufacturers and designers now have the ability to integrate innovative films with surfaces and design to dynamically change colors, patterns, and habitats.

Programmable patterns and shapes can be integrated to create designs or functions. Whatever the idea, the opportunities are endless and only limited by a designer’s imagination.

PanelSemi’s Primary AM Mini LED Flexible Display

PanelSemi’s Primary AM Mini LED Flexible Display

(Image credit: PanelSemi Corp. )

PanelSemi provides ultra-lightweight and thinnest large displays that are created using the world's first Flexible AM Mini LED technology. The displays are available in a range of flexible, rollable, and modular multi-tiling styles.

Primary features include high image quality, an extendable size option, fast assembly, low power consumption, and reduced eye strain by using PAM tuning technique.

These three products show off new and exciting display technologies, and it’s no wonder each earned the Taiwan Excellence Gold Award. To find out more about each and the other products nominated for these awards, you can head over to the Taiwan Excellence Awards page here

Made in Taiwan: An environment that fosters innovation

The companies showcased here have forged everyday excellence into the DNA of their products. The Taiwan Excellence Awards showcase Taiwan's belief that innovative, cutting-edge technology can lead the way to a better future. The winners of the 2023 Taiwan Excellence Awards also demonstrate how Taiwan's work to build an innovative economic landscape is bearing fruit. For more information, visit Taiwan Excellence at https://www.taiwanexcellence.org

See more of Taiwan's best products in the latest global trends here.

Taiwan Excellence Visual

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