Technology

Alienware AW3426DW: Two-minute review

(Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

There's a new 34-inch ultrawide powerhouse in town, with the brand-new Alienware AW3426DW QD-OLED. After testing it with several games and movies, it's clear to me that this monitor stands well above its predecessors in terms of quality.

Unlike its predecessor, the Alienware AW3425DW, this display uses 5th-gen tandem OLED technology, delivering significantly higher brightness, improved efficiency, and better text clarity. The Penta (five-layer) tandem OLED stack also solves one of the biggest issues I've had with previous QD-OLED monitors, where brightness dimming from the automatic brightness limiter (ABL) would result in inconsistent brightness levels.

Frankly, coming from a 45-inch LG 45GS95QE QD-OLED ultrawide display that utilizes an 800R curve, I wasn't expecting to be blown away with greater immersion — but the AW3426DW delivers so much that I don't think I can do without a tandem OLED display going forward.

It also helps that Dolby Vision HDR support is included, which uses dynamic metadata to help shift brightness levels and tone mapping for each scene, and it's best used on games or movies that specifically support it.

For example, Battlefield 6's visual quality is elevated to a new level, specifically in sequences with chaotic explosions and fire particles that spread across the screen. You can see how good Dolby Vision is, when bright highlights are incredibly detailed, and since tandem OLED minimizes the need for ABL, there are no noticeable brightness dimming issues.

In games that don't support Dolby Vision, you can switch this off from the on-screen display (OSD) and enjoy HDR using the HDR Peak 1300 Bright or Display True Black 500 modes, although the former might have slightly more noticeable ABL. Other than a few errors that forced me to restart my PC after switching HDR modes and losing display signal, HDR functionality is great on the AW3426DW.

Without a doubt, this is one of the best gaming monitors money can buy, and certainly one of the best ultrawide monitors in 2026.

Alienware AW3426DW: Price & Availability

(Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

• How much does it cost? $799.99 / £709 / around AU$1,150
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US and UK

For everything that the AW3426DW ultrawide has to offer, effectively making it one of the best ultrawide OLED monitors money can buy right now, the $799.99 / £709 price is more than reasonable. It's around the same price as its predecessor, the AW3425DW, but is much better, mostly thanks to its tandem OLED tech, but also thanks to its new anti-reflective coating.

Having used a far more expensive LG 45-inch ultrawide, which still sells at just above $1,000 / £1,000 (original retail price was $1,699.99 / £1,699.99), the AW3426DW is a steal in my book.

The LG display might have a virtual reality-like 800R curvature, but it's heavily limited in comparison due to its older WOLED panel, and utilizes the same 3440x1440 display resolution as the new Alienware 34-inch monitor does at 45 inches, which means pixel density is worse on the 45GS95QE.

If you're not ready to make the jump to the flagship Alienware AW3926QW 5K2K ultrawide launching later this year, especially due to the leap in GPU power requirements (it'll be more demanding than gaming at 4K), then the AW3426DW is the best monitor to opt for.

• Value: 4 / 5

Alienware AW3426DW: Specs

(Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

AW3425DW (Previous Model)

AW3426DW (Review Unit)

Screen size:

34-inch

34-inch

Aspect Ratio:

21:9

21:9

Resolution:

3440x1440

3440x1440

Response Time:

0.03ms GtG

0.03ms GtG (Extreme Mode)

Panel Type:

QD-OLED / Q-stripe, 4-stack

QD-OLED Penta Tandem / RGB Stripe, 5-stack

Brightness:

250 nits (Typical), 1,000 nits (Peak)

300 nits (Typical), 1,300 nits (Peak)

Contrast Ratio:

1,500,000:1

1,500,000:1

Refresh Rate:

240Hz

280Hz

HDR:

VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400

VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 & Dolby Vision

Screen Coating:

Standard anti-reflective

New anti-reflective coating

Connectivity:

HDMI 2.1 2x (VRR support), DisplayPort 1.4, USB Type-B upstream, USB Type-A downstream, USB Type C downstream (Power Charge up to 15 W)

HDMI 2.1 2x (VRR support), DisplayPort 1.4, USB Type-B upstream, USB Type-A downstream, USB Type C downstream (Power Charge up to 15 W), Built-in USB Hub

Alienware AW3426DW: DesignFuture / Isaiah WilliamsFuture / Isaiah WilliamsFuture / Isaiah WilliamsFuture / Isaiah WilliamsFuture / Isaiah Williams

Dell has kept the design for the Alienware AW3426DW simple, and it's almost identical to the previous AW3426DW model. The new monitor features the same sturdy stand and base, and I love the shiny and sleek finish it has.

In terms of connectivity, it's effectively the same again with two HDMI 2.1 ports that support variable refresh rate (VRR), along with a single DisplayPort 1.4. Fortunately, you can charge your devices while using the display, thanks to the USB-C 5Gbps downstream port, with a charging output of 15 W.

I'd appreciate it if this display had a slightly deeper curvature (perhaps 1500R) over its 1800R curve; however, that's likely my own bias coming from near-constant use of an 800R curved monitor, which is overkill to say the least.

Most Alienware monitors keep OSD navigation easy via a simple button, and that's also the case here. However, one personal gripe of mine is the lack of a remote control.

Some of LG's UltraGear ultrawide displays come with a remote control, which eliminates the need to physically reach over to the monitor button to change display settings. Fortunately, though, the Alienware Command Center application on Windows acts as an alternative option to access and control some of the OSD options.

The biggest highlight of the AW3426DW's design is its new anti-reflective coating. There's almost little to no glare when using this display in a bright environment, even with sunshine beaming in from open curtains.

Yes, a lot of this is thanks to the 5th-gen tandem OLED panel and the display's high brightness levels, but the anti-reflective coating is just as important in this case, with a 30% glare reduction — and at night, brightness truly blossoms better than I've ever seen before.

• Design: 4.5 / 5

Alienware AW3426DW: FeaturesFuture / Isaiah WilliamsFuture / Isaiah Williams

The AW3426DW has a wide range of features available via its OSD, notably multiple HDR modes: DisplayHDR True Black 500, HDR Peak 1300, HDR Peak 1300 Bright, and Dolby Vision. The latter is what I used for most movies, specifically those that are made for Dolby Vision, especially since it dynamically shifts brightness levels and tone mapping based on each scene — but more on HDR later.

I'm not a massive fan of Picture-in-Picture or Picture-by-Picture (PIP or PBP) modes on monitors, specifically with multiple inputs. However, there are several options available in terms of positioning and sizing, which are more than welcome on any ultrawide display, where productivity is one of the main appeals.

For competitive players, the eSports mode should come in handy, as it transforms the display into a 25-inch monitor, with the option to position the active area at the top, center, or bottom of the screen. It's a reasonable option to include in a monitor with a 280Hz refresh rate, and one that has a 0.03ms GtG response time, and helps simulate a 25-inch monitor gaming experience.

VRR works fine on both DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.1 inputs, ensuring frame rates are high, matching the 280Hz refresh rate, and reducing screen tearing. Nvidia's G-Sync is also enabled to improve smoothness and latency, so screen tearing isn't a concern on this display whatsoever.

• Features: 4.5 / 5

Alienware AW3426DW: Performance

(Image credit: Future / Isaiah Williams)

I tested this monitor playing several games, such as Destiny 2, Crimson Desert, Dragon's Dogma 2, Resident Evil Requiem, and Battlefield 6, and I was left amazed at how impressive the AW3426DW performs. With Dolby Vision enabled in supported games (i.e., Battlefield 6), visuals are absolutely breathtaking, with highly detailed bright and dark areas on screen amid blood-soaked action.

With Dolby Vision enabled, there are effectively no ABL issues, or at the very least, if there are, it isn't very noticeable. Of course, it's not just Dolby Vision's inclusion alone doing the heavy lifting in this respect, but also the fact that this is a 5th-gen tandem OLED display, directly increasing brightness capabilities.

Not every game or movie has Dolby Vision support, and that's exactly why the other HDR modes are vital — and I'm happy to report that HDR Peak 1300 Bright is fantastic. It doesn't come without its faults, and in particular, gamers should be ready to deal with some level of ABL.

However, again, because of the tandem OLED layers, I could play games like Destiny 2 or Dragon's Dogma 2 and enjoy very bright experiences without losing detail in bright and dark areas on screen. It's also a huge benefit that the AW3426DW is seemingly well calibrated out of the box in terms of color profile and HDR calibration, as I hardly had to configure any settings in that regard.

Essentially, Dolby Vision should only really be used for movies and games where it's supported, and HDR modes such as HDR Peak 1300 and DisplayHDR True Black 500 for most games that don't support Dolby Vision.

There aren't many games that can reach the 280 frames per second mark (at least when playing on higher graphics settings), but if you have a powerful enough rig, it's a joy to experience a game that feels so smooth when in motion.

It's also pleasing to see that text clarity issues have been solved, which stems directly from the RGB stripe subpixel layout, and that makes this a great choice for any PC user looking for a QD-OLED display that caters to both work and play.

• Performance: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Alienware AW3426DW?Alienware AW3426DW scorecard

Attributes

Notes

Rating

Value

The Alienware AW342DW is among, the best 34-inch ultrawide QD-OLED displays you can buy, and its price should be seen as a steal, despite being expensive.

4 / 5

Design

This monitor's design is simple yet attractive, and has just about enough ports to satisfy those after greater productivity.

4.5 / 5

Features

With several HDR, PIB/PBP, input options, and an eSports mode, this monitor makes it fairly feature-rich.

4.5 / 5

Performance

Dolby Vision and HDR Peak 1300 Bright help elevate the AW3426DW's immersion to new heights over predecessors, and its ultimately thanks to the 5th-gen tandem OLED panel.

4.5 / 5

Average rating

It's not a massive display like the flagship Alienware 5K2K, but in the UWQHD class, it stands above many competitors.

4.37 / 5

Buy the Alienware AW3426DW if…

You want a bright and colorful gaming experience
The Alienware AW3426DW utilizes its 5-layer tandem OLED panel, Dolby Vision, and other HDR Peak 1300 Bright to significantly boost brightness levels, without sacrificing details in dark and bright areas on screen.

You want a monitor that doesn't dominate your desk
In the same vein as other 34-inch displays, the AW3426DW is one of the best options on the market that still provides high-level quality and immersion, at a manageable size on your desk.

You want a monitor with a high refresh rate
With a 280Hz refresh rate, there is plenty for eSports gamers and high refresh rate enthusiasts to enjoy using the AW3426DW, making every game experience look incredibly smooth.

Don’t buy it if…

You’re out for a bigger ultrawide
If the 34-inch ultrawide monitor size is a feature you want to get past, it's best to seek out a larger 39-inch or 45-inch ultrawide display, possibly a 5K2K monitor.

You're tired of the UWQHD resolution
The UWQHD 3440x1440 resolution is great to stick with for good performance and immersion, but doesn't quite match up to 4K monitors or even LG's UltraGear 5K2K displays.

Also Consider

MSI MPG 491CQP QD-OLED

While significantly bigger than AW3426DW QD-OLED, the MSI MPG 491CQP arguably provides more immersion via its 32:9 49-inch wide screen. It's not a tandem OLED; however, it's currently around a very similar price to Alienware's new display and still provides great quality in HDR performance.

Read our full MSI MPG 491CQP QD-OLED review

How I tested the Alienware AW3426DW

• Tested for a week
• Played several modern games and watched multiple movies
• Tested mostly using Dolby Vision and HDR Peak 1300 Bright modes

I used the Alienware AW3426DW for a week, mostly for gaming and watching movies. The games I tested include: Destiny 2, Resident Evil Requiem, Dragon's Dogma 2, Dead As Disco, Battlefield 6, and Crimson Desert. Some of the movies include Avengers: Infinity War and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.

I also spent the same amount of time using the AW3426DW for work duties and found that it eliminates one of the biggest pain points on OLED monitors, which is text fringing. I had no issues with reading text or simply navigating on web browsers, and also found that both HDR and SDR are visually fine to use outside of gaming (or non-HDR activities).

The monitor was also placed in a brightly lit room for most of the review period, with direct sunlight positioned directly on it, and found that there was little to no glare, thanks to the anti-reflective display.

• First reviewed July 2026

• NordVPN has launched Message Protection for Android users worldwide, adding SMS screening to its Call and Message Protection suite.
• The tool checks incoming texts from unknown senders and pushes a notification when a message looks malicious or suspicious.
• Flagged texts open in a safe view that stops links being tapped by accident, and NordVPN says it never stores message content.

NordVPN is rolling out a Message Protection feature to Android users worldwide, giving people a way to catch fraudulent texts before they become a threat. The tool automatically screens incoming SMS messages and flags anything that looks like a scam.

The feature, which was already made available to iPhone users at the beginning of June, joins existing Call Protection on a single screen, so there is now one place to manage defenses against both suspicious calls and malicious texts.

NordVPN has long been a front-runner for the title of best VPN, but this update is another step in its shift toward an all-in-one privacy and security app, rather than a service that simply encrypts your traffic.

Why text scams keep climbing

According to GASA's Global State of Scams 2025 report, text and SMS rank as the second most common channel used by fraudsters. The same research, which surveyed 46,000 adults across 42 markets, found that 57% had been scammed in the past year, with global losses reaching an estimated $442 billion.

Citing the US Federal Trade Commission, NordVPN says text scam losses hit $639 million in 2025, a 36% jump compared to the previous year. Fake package deliveries, bogus bank alerts, and unpaid toll notices remain some of the most common lures.

"Text messages have always been one of the easiest ways for scammers to reach people at scale," says Domininkas Virbickas, product director at NordVPN. "Message protection is about breaking that chain before it starts."

How Message Protection works

(Image credit: NordVPN)

The feature screens every incoming SMS from an unknown sender, checking it against phone reputation data, URL analysis, and content categorization. When a message is judged malicious or suspicious, users get an instant push notification naming the threat type and the recommended action.

If you want to view a flagged message, you can do so in a safe viewer that prevents links from opening, and you can track how many messages and calls get flagged in the unified dashboard.

The feature runs quietly in the background, even when the VPN is switched off, and NordVPN says it doesn't store the content of any of the calls or texts.

How to switch it on

On a fresh install, you can enable Message Protection during the onboarding steps. Existing users can go from the Home screen to Call and Message Protection under the Product hub, then follow the permission setup.

NordVPN has also launched Prompt Guard, a separate Chrome and Edge extension that warns you before you paste sensitive data, such as passwords or card numbers, into AI tools.

If you want to trust your security information to brands with a strong track record of protecting your data, these are my top picks.

• Sony has announced that it plans to end the production of physical game discs in January 2028
• The move has angered gamers, with a petition urging the company to reverse the decision racking up more than 250,000 signatures
• Major UK second-hand retailer musicMagpie warns that it could lead to higher prices and less choice for shoppers

Last week, PlayStation maker Sony announced that it would end the production of new game discs in January 2028 in response to demand for digital releases "significantly" outpacing that of physical ones. The move immediately angered gamers, with some vowing to stop buying PlayStation products entirely and creating a petition urging the company to change its mind.

The plea has now racked up almost 250,000 signatures, prompting massive UK second-hand retailer musicMagpie to weigh in.

Its in-house physical game expert, Alex Black, warns that Sony's decision will lead to higher prices and less choice for shoppers: “If the industry moves away from physical media entirely, consumers will have fewer opportunities to shop around for the best price or recoup some of the cost of new releases by trading games in."

He thinks that the decision even risks making the hobby less accessible by pricing out those with lower disposable income. "Pre-owned games give people access to more affordable gaming while extending the lifespan of physical products," he explains.

"Customers regularly buy pre-owned games to save money and sell completed titles to help fund their next purchase. It's a model that benefits both consumers and sustainability by keeping perfectly good products in circulation for longer."

The retailer is also aware of the online backlash to the announcement, and reckons that it shows how important physical releases are for gamers — even if Sony seems to think otherwise.

“The comments from gamers about Sony’s decision to go exclusively digital clearly demonstrates that there is a huge community of players who still value physical ownership, whether that's for collecting, preserving, or simply owning something they can keep, lend, or resell," Black says.

“For many consumers, buying a physical game means purchasing an asset that retains, or even increases, in value. Comparatively, digital purchases are tied to licences and various platforms, meaning consumers have less flexibility over what they buy."

Sales data from musicMagpie certainly indicates that there is still some demand for physical titles. Over the last year, the retailer sold roughly 360,000 physical video games, more than 157,000 of which were for PlayStation systems.

Although musicMagpie taking a stand might win points with gamers, it could already be too late for Sony to change course. The company has already made moves to repurpose the historic PlayStation factory that manufactured 24 billion discs, while industry analysts say that digital sales are "just too lucrative" to ignore.

• Most businesses are struggling to deploy agentic AI effectively, and legacy infrastructure is one of the key reasons, report finds
• Google polled IT leaders, with 83% stating that infrastructure upgrades are needed
• IT leaders are also concerned about the hidden costs of agentic AI, such as increased power consumption and operational complexity

If there was a single message to take away from this article, it’s that the infrastructure every business relies on today was not built to handle agentic AI.

Google surveyed over 1,400 senior IT leaders on their AI ambitions, and found that 83% of organizations say they require infrastructure upgrades to leverage the full benefits of production-grade agentic AI.

Moreover, many of those polled are also seeing unexpected costs arise from attempting to run agentic AI on legacy infrastructure. 62% said they had seen significant inference tax driven by data egress fees, storage bloat, and idle specialized hardware, alongside 82% who said that scaling AI introduces hidden operational complexity costs. 79% also reference security, governance, and MLOps as a key barrier to scaling agentic AI.

Upgrades needed for full agentic AI benefit

In order to combat these limitations, Google has several recommendations for organizations hamstringed by legacy infrastructure.

Leveraging fluid compute ‘to dynamically match the right silicon to the right task while minimizing operational overheads’ is Google’s first recommendation, providing compute power for agentic AI tasks without reducing capacity for general workloads, avoiding the need for excess memory usage to run agentic workloads that use large context windows.

For those battling agent sprawl caused by a cascade of new tasks across platforms and teams, Google recommends making use of enterprise-grade governance tools, which are usually available via the cloud partners businesses are already using. Google provides its own platform, Agent Gateway, as an example of a solution that provides visibility and oversight into how agents are communicating, the data they are accessing, and their workloads.

Organizing data more effectively prevents AI agents from drawing more compute when running heavy queries in attempts to access siloed data. Organizations looking to improve the efficiency of agentic AI should work towards using a unified data layer that automatically annotates unstructured data, allowing agents to understand where the data is without having to navigate pipelines. An added benefit of using a unified data layer is that it helps to avoid the duplication of data, saving on additional costs of storage bloat in the long run.

Moving your AI to the edge—by deploying agents directly on the site they are most used—is a further recommendation, and one that organizations are actively pursuing. 90% of organizations polled by Google said that this was a consideration in their AI initiatives. By deploying agents on site in manufacturing plants, retail stores, or hospitals, agents benefit from reduced latency, greater resilience (in the event of a centralized cloud outage), and improved cost-effectiveness by cutting per-token costs with local, highly optimized models.

As with businesses of all sizes, energy costs are a key consideration. When selecting new hardware, 91% of leaders now consider power consumption as a factor, especially when navigating power availability in regions without expanding capacity, regulatory compliance, and reducing the cost of ownership for AI systems.

The deadline for high-risk AI compliance under the EU AI Act may well have been pushed back. And for overstretched compliance teams, that might sound like welcome relief. But the organizations that will thrive in the age of AI are the ones that understand that an arbitrary deadline was never really the point.

The race to deploy AI is already in full swing.

Models like Claude Mythos and OpenAI’s GPT-5.5, dubbed "Spud", represent extraordinary leaps in capability. In the right hands, they accelerate decisions, surface insights, and create genuine competitive advantage. In the wrong hands, or without proper oversight of the data feeding them, the consequences can be catastrophic.

As Pocket OS discovered recently when an AI agent wiped out the company’s entire database in nine seconds.

What the EU AI Act actually demands

When you strip away the regulatory language, what the EU AI Act is really asking for is provability. Article 10 sets out that high-risk AI systems, those used in credit scoring, insurance underwriting, hiring decisions, and similar consequential applications, must be built on training data that is traceable, well-governed, and demonstrably free from bias.

Organizations must document data origins, every transformation applied, the assumptions made, and how potential biases were identified and addressed.

This is not a box-ticking exercise. It is a fundamental rethinking of how organizations manage their data estates. And the penalties for getting it wrong are steep: up to €35 million or 7% of global annual revenue.

The underlying problem is that most enterprise data infrastructure was not designed with this level of traceability in mind. GDPR established guardrails around data storage and access, but the AI Act raises the bar considerably.

You now need to trace data from its original source, through every transformation, to its final impact on model outputs. Anecdotally, AI model validation can take between nine and 12 months, and that assumes you have the lineage infrastructure in place to begin with.

The financial services imperative

Nowhere is this more consequential than in financial services. Credit scoring models trained on historical data can encode the biases of the past, automating financial discrimination at scale, often without any individual in the organization realizing it is happening. A bank that cannot trace how a training dataset shaped a model’s outputs is not just exposed to regulatory risk. It is potentially perpetuating systemic harm.

The irony is that the sector has been here before. BCBS 239 already requires financial institutions to demonstrate data accuracy, integrity, and the ability to aggregate risk data on demand. The AI Act is not a new category of challenge, it is an intensification of one that rigorous data lineage was already built to address.

Data lineage as infrastructure, not compliance overhead

The organizations best positioned for this moment are those that have stopped thinking about data lineage as a compliance cost and started treating it as core infrastructure. There is a crucial distinction between these two perspectives.

The focus must now be a governance model that catches problems during design, before a model ever reaches production, rather than during an incident response. Lineage makes this kind of proactive governance practical at enterprise scale.

Bi-temporal lineage allows teams to recreate the exact data state used for model training at any point in time, which is essential for audit purposes. More importantly, it allows teams to simulate the downstream impact of a data or schema change before it happens, preventing the kind of silent model degradation that can quietly undermine ROI.

The window is shorter than it looks

The deadline extension offers time, but not as much as it might appear. US regulators are already integrating AI into supervisory examinations. Gartner predicts that by 2028, 50% of organizations will adopt zero-trust data governance as AI-generated content proliferates through enterprise data supply chains. The regulatory direction of travel is clear and consistent.

Getting AI governance right requires building the lineage layer first. That is not a project that happens in weeks. And the organizations that start building now, not because a deadline forces them to, but because they understand what is at stake, will be the ones deploying AI at scale with confidence, auditability, and genuine trust.

The EU AI Act just got a stay of execution but organizations that treat it as breathing room may be sleepwalking into a far bigger problem.

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• GPT-Live is rolling out to all ChatGPT users now
• It can both talk and listen at the same time for more natural chats
• Real-time translations are also now possible

ChatGPT has a shiny new AI voice model called GPT-Live, which has a number of helpful tricks — including being able to listen and talk at the same time. It's rolling out to all ChatGPT users now, though OpenAI has acknowledged a number of early bugs.

While free users and users on a paid plan do get slightly different models — GPT-Live-1 mini and GPT-Live-1 respectively — the updated model should now be appearing in all ChatGPT accounts, with the new features outlined below.

The biggest giveaway that you've got the upgrade will be the Live label at the top of voice chats on mobile, and behind the ChatGPT drop-down on the web. Tap or click on these labels and you can still go back to the old voice models, for the time being.

There's another way to check the GPT-Live voice model has arrived in your account: on mobile, tap the menu button (top left), then the settings cog (Android) or your profile avatar (iOS), and Voice > Model. On the web, click your profile avatar (bottom left), then Settings > Voice > Model.

What to try first

The new voice mode in action (Image credit: Future)

The biggest upgrade here is the 'duplex' functionality, so try that first: you can keep talking even after ChatGPT has started answering you, and it should keep up. Second, try interrupting it mid-flow, and it'll adapt its response accordingly. We're almost at the level of the 2013 Spike Jonze movie Her at this stage.

Third, ask ChatGPT in voice mode to translate something into a foreign language as you say it out loud. You can then speak out sentences in English, and ChatGPT will do a real time translation for you without hesitating. It's not particularly useful for language learning, but it does show off the capabilities of GPT-Live.

Fourth, change the voice and intelligence used — you can do this via the sliders icon at the top right of voice chats. The voice options are actually the same as they were before, but you can choose between Instant, Medium, and High as the intelligence level. Use Instant for the fastest answers, High for the best answers, and Medium for a compromise.

The final thing you can try once you've got the update is to ask questions with visual answers. OpenAI has added a bunch of visual cards to voice mode now, so you get graphics on screen about sports scores, weather forecasts, and places that can be found on a map, for example.

Early voice bugs

We are aware of issues with memory not being as reliable in ChatGPT Voice with GPT-Live. We’re actively investigating and will follow up!July 9, 2026

I've been testing out GPT-Live voice mode for a few hours and can report that everything works as advertised. It is, more than ever, like talking to a real person — right down to the hesitations and the variety in speech patterns. I did experience one or two glitches, but they were few and far between.

Over on Reddit, OpenAI's Atty Eleti is answering questions about GPT-Live. One of the main bugs that users seem to be experiencing is related to ChatGPT's memory, which appears to be off limits to voice mode in some cases — this is an issue that OpenAI is tracking and "actively investigating", and you can find updates on it here.

Problems are also being reported when it comes to foreign languages being pronounced in an English accent. Again, this is an issue that's been acknowledged, and which should improve over time according to Eleti.

Overall though, the rollout seems to be going relatively smoothly — and I haven't seen any issues with memory or with accents so far. I'm not sure it's going to make me want to use voice mode any more than I already do (which isn't much), but for heavy voice users it's definitely a big step forward.

• Exposed ElasticSearch cluster at Nextcloud contained ~367k records (8GB), including employee data, client contracts, and scripts
• Sensitive information such as staff emails and client company details was left unencrypted; Nextcloud secured the archive within two days after notification
• Company attributed the incident to hosting misconfiguration, stressing customer servers were unaffected, though researchers warn attackers may have accessed the data

European cloud provider Nextcloud kept an unprotected database on the public internet, exposing sensitive internal and client data to anyone who knew where to look, experts have revealed.

Nextcloud is a free, open source platform that lets users create their own private cloud. It is often described as an alternative to Google Drive, or Microsoft 365, which allows users to control where their data sits.

In mid-May 2026, security researchers from Cybernews discovered a publicly exposed ElasticSearch cluster and, after a deeper investigation, determined it contained around 367,000 records (8GB of data in total). The archive was a mix of Nextcloud employee data, client company data, contracts, and scripts built for the company’s clients.

Nextcloud reacts

The majority of files were in .PDF format (71k), followed by .PNG (53k) and .MD (23k). All of the exposed records were found in a single index, with some revealing client company information, as well as data on Nextcloud staff. Some of the information was unencrypted, as well, exposing employee email addresses, client company names and addresses, and emails of individuals who sent invoices to Nextcloud.

Cybernews reached out to Nextcloud and the company locked the archive down within two days, and notified relevant authorities. It says it found no evidence of unauthorized access, but without a deep forensic analysis, it is impossible to say if that really is the case.

“If our team managed to discover the exposed dataset, threat actors may have too,” the Cybernews team wrote. “Malicious attackers operate numerous bots on the web that scour the net looking for exactly that: misconfigured databases with data to steal.”

The company also said this was a misconfiguration issue and that its services are secure: “The issue was caused by a misconfiguration of our hosting infrastructure and is not related to the Nextcloud solution. No other Nextcloud servers belonging to our customers, partners or other users have been affected by this issue,” the company’s spokesperson told the researchers.

• Russia’s Digital Development Ministry confirmed it has completely dropped its plan to charge users for international internet traffic.
• The proposal initially aimed to charge users roughly 150 rubles per extra gigabyte after a 15GB monthly allowance.
• Demand for censorship circumvention tools remains at an all-time high as the Kremlin continues its broader crackdown on digital privacy.

Internet users in Russia can breathe a sigh of relief as the government has abandoned its controversial plan to tax international mobile traffic.

The proposal, which heavily targeted those using the best VPN services to bypass state censorship, would have forced residents to pay steep premiums to access a free and open internet.

The policy reversal was confirmed during a recent State Duma session by Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Ivan Lebedev.

Responding to parliamentary questions about the initiative from Communist Party lawmaker Oleg Smolin, Lebedev categorically stated: “Fees for foreign traffic are not being considered”, according to reports from Meduza.io.

First introduced during a late March meeting between Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev and domestic telecom operators, the plan aimed to hit privacy-conscious users' wallets.

Because Russian carriers inherently classify VPN data routing as international traffic, the government intended to implement a strict 15-gigabyte monthly cap. According to initial reports from the BBC’s Russian service, authorities intended to charge users roughly 150 rubles for every additional gigabyte consumed beyond that limit.

The sudden U-turn comes after months of ongoing logistical hurdles and industry pushback. The tax was initially scheduled to take effect on May 1, but was subsequently postponed to June 1 after the Russian business daily Vedomosti reported that carriers were not ready to configure their billing systems.

The deadline was later pushed again to "closer to fall" or after the September elections, before finally being scrapped altogether.

As previously reported by TechRadar, an inside source confirmed that Russia's internet regulator, Roskomnadzor, lacks the technical abilities to effectively prevent residents from using VPNs at scale.

A temporary victory in a wider digital crackdown

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

While the scrapped tax is a definitive win for privacy advocates, it remains just one battle in an increasingly hostile digital war.

Russian demand for circumvention tools has surged dramatically following the state-ordered blocking of major global platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Telegram.

Without a VPN, everyday citizens are largely cut off from independent news sources and international social networks.

Rather than relying purely on financial deterrents, the Kremlin has steadily escalated its technical and legislative attacks to plug the gaps.

By mid-April, authorities successfully pressured major domestic internet platforms to comply with new regulations, actively restricting users from accessing their sites and apps while a VPN was enabled.

Cybersecurity experts have also repeatedly warned of more drastic state-led interventions aimed at entirely isolating the country's internet infrastructure from the rest of the world.

For now, millions of citizens continue to rely on robust privacy tools to navigate the web safely and maintain digital contact with the outside world. If you find yourself dealing with this restrictive landscape, learning exactly how to survive Russia's VPN crackdown is more crucial than ever.

Now that we know Samsung's planning a July Unpacked event, leaks are painting a clearer picture of the company's next flip phone.

The Legion 9i Gen 10 has extreme performance, relatively low weight and an unavoidably big price.

Dreo Smart TurboPoly Fan 765S: two-minute review

The Dreo Smart TurboPoly 765S is one versatile fan. It can be tall or short pedestal fan, or you can swap out the base and turn it into a desktop model. You can choose from a generous 11 speed modes, as well as six 'special modes', and horizontal or vertical oscillation (or both at once, turning it into a very effective air circulator).

You're spoiled for choice when it comes to control options, too — you can use the remote, touchscreen buttons on the top of the fan head, or adjust settings on your phone using the Dreo companion app.

In that app you'll find an absolute ton of customization options: I've tested some of the best fans on the market, and it's rare to see a fan that offers such precise control over when, where and how it blows. While Dreo does a good job of laying out the app so it's nice and useable, I do wonder how many people really need quite so many options.

So what about that basics? The Dreo Smart TurboPoly 765S delivers an even, effective flow of air, with a great range of settings. The lowest speed is whisper-quiet and gentle yet still perceptible, and the highest is impressively punchy. The Turbo setting — separated out as a special mode — is a miniature tornado. At higher settings, it's not the quietest fan I've used, but neither is it excessively loud.

You're paying a premium for the versatile form factor, as well as the extensive customization options and smart functionality. If you don't need all those things, there are cheaper, equally effective fans that'll fit the bill better. However, if flexibility and precise control is what you're after, the Dreo Smart TurboPoly 765S is a standout choice.

(Image credit: Future)Dreo Smart TurboPoly Fan 765S review: price & availability

• List price: $159.99 / £169.99
• Available: US, UK

At list price, the Dreo Smart TurboPoly fan 765S costs $159.99 in the US and £169.99 in the UK (which equates to about AU$230, though at the time of writing it's not available in Australia). That puts in in the premium price bracket for fans, but it goes some way to justifying the cost with its versatile desktop-or-pedestal design and smart features.

That's especially true when you compare the wider market alternatives. For example, the original Shark FlexBreeze costs $199.99 / £199.99 / AU$249.99 at list price. The Shark option lacks smart features, but it can be used cordless (whereas the Dreo can't). Another alternative is the Meaco 1056P, at $189.99 / £149.99 (about AU$270). This is the model I have at home, and it's less versatile than the Dreo TurboPoly 765S, but quieter at higher speeds.

If you don't need app control and are happy to commit to either a desktop or a pedestal model, there are cheaper options available to you.

• Value for money score: 4 out of 5

Dreo Smart TurboPoly Fan 765S specs

Type:

Pedestal / tabletop

Speeds:

12

Oscillation:

150° horizontal, 100° vertical

Dimensions (W x H, floor mode):

11 x 39–44 inches / 27.9 x 99-111.8cm

Dimensions (W x H, desktop mode):

16.7 x 19.3 inches / 42.4 x 49cm

Control:

Buttons, remote, app

Cordless:

No

Special modes:

Auto, Turbo, Natural, Sleep, Custom

Max reach:

121.4ft / 37m

Timer:

Yes (12 hours)

Dreo Smart TurboPoly Fan 765S review: design

• Versatile design can be a desktop or pedestal fan or air circulator
• App control is excellent; buttons / remote best for basic functions
• Wide speed range, precise oscillation control and multiple special modes

As fans go, the Dreo Smart TurboPoly 765S is one versatile performer. You can choose from a generous 11 speed modes, as well as six 'special modes', horizontal and vertical oscillation, and a timer option. You can direct the fan head at a specific target, or unleash the full range of oscillation to use it as an air circulator.

It can be used as pedestal fan, and in this mode it's possible to adjust the height to a taller or shorter floor-standing option. Alternatively, you can remove the base altogether and swap on a different one to turn it into a desktop fan. I especially like the design of the tabletop base — its opening mechanism protrudes so when you press it down on a flat surface the legs extend outwards to form a stable base.

(Image credit: Future)

The fan feels well-built and sturdy, and the pedestal base is reassuringly heavy, so I was never concerned about knocking it over. I also appreciated the inclusion of a moulded handle on the fan head, which makes it easy to carry it from the top.

Some competitors offer magnetic remotes that snap onto the fan itself when not in use, but that's not the case here. Instead there's a remote control holder that snaps onto the pole. It could feel more intentional but does the job perfectly fine.

(Image credit: Future)

There are a couple more advanced features the Smart TurboPoly 765S lacks. It can't be used cordless, so you'll have to commit to staying near a power outlet. There's also no misting capability — this is a newly popular concept in the fan world, and appears on a handful of modern fans including the Dreo 516S. It can be a bit of a game-changer if it's really hot.

App and controls

That 'S' in the product code tells me there's an app I can use to control this fan. I can't overstate how jam-packed with options this app is. You can use it to turn the fan on and off, switch modes or adjust fan speed, and change the angle of the fan head. You can also precisely set the oscillation angles, including an option for asymmetrical oscillation.

There's a scheduling area where you can either choose when the fan will go on or turn off, and you can also set it to come on at a certain time (and speed / mode) on certain days. One minor missed opportunity is that you can't then schedule when it turns off — I wanted to set it to run for a couple of hours each evening as I go to sleep, but that doesn't seem to be possible.

Dreo / FutureDreo / Future

The app is well laid-out and easy to use, although the fact there are so many precise customization options means it can feel fiddly at times. If you don't want to get your phone out, you can also control the fan using the remote control, or via touchscreen buttons on the top of the head.

These are responsive, and, to a point, straightforward. Changing the speed, swapping modes or adjusting the angle the head is pointing in is easy. However, for fine-tuning I found it far easier to use the app. (In fact, I had such trouble working out some of the functions that I emailed Dreo's general customer services address to help — and they get major brownie points for replying quickly, with a clear answer.)

• Design score: 4.5 out of 5

Dreo Smart TurboPoly Fan 765S review: performance

• A little noisy on higher settings
• Great range of settings, including an ultra powerful Turbo mode
• Easy to direct the air exactly where you want it

Overall, I was very impressed with the Dreo Smart TurboPoly Fan. The speed settings cover a good range, with level 1 delivering a gentle but perceptible flow of air, while level 11 is pleasingly powerful, and Turbo mode all-but blew me away. I can't imagine many situations where you'd need such strong airflow, but it's nice to have the option.

One small but welcome detail is the fact that the windspeed settings cycle from 11 straight to 1. That meant if I knew I wanted a higher setting, I could work backwards and save some button presses.

Also in its favor is how precisely you can adjust where the airflow is directed. In static mode, arrow controls enable you to easily change where the fan head is pointing. It's also possible to finely adjust the vertical and horizontal oscillation; even making it asymmetrical if you want. And of course, you can extend / retract the pole or swap from pedestal to desktop mode if you want to alter the height more dramatically.

(Image credit: Future)

I used it to keep me cool in my home office during two UK heatwaves, and adjusted it to a very narrow range of oscillation where it was essentially just blowing from side-to-side on my back. The effect was absolutely dreamy.

I also used it as an air circulator (in its full vertical and horizontal range of oscillation) to amplify the effects of our newly-purchased portable air con unit. It did an excellent job of rapidly distributing the cool air as it was being pumped in, filling the bedroom much quicker than the AC could manage on its own.

In terms of noisiness, I'd give the Dreo middling marks. On setting 1 it's whisper-quiet, but as I moved up the settings the sound ramped up, and on level 11 it was noticeably louder than my usual fan (a Meaco air circulator). It's certainly not the noisiest fan I've come across, though.

Moving on to the special modes. They are as follows:

• Normal: runs at fixed speed
• Auto: speed increases or decreases depending on room temperature
• Turbo: runs at maximum speed
• Natural: speed fluctuates to mimic a natural breeze
• Sleep: decreases speed after 30 mins, up to two times
• Custom (via Dreo app): speed changes at specified times or temperatures

I was pleased to see there's a Sleep mode included, and the setup for this one is pretty standard, allowing you an hour to drop off. It's worth pointing out that the lights on the Dreo Smart TurboPoly 765S switch off automatically as standard a few seconds after you've finished adjusting them — something I appreciated as I hate to have a glowing LED illuminating my room as I'm trying to sleep. (You can change this setting if you prefer the display to stay on.)

Auto mode is useful, too, if you're using the fan throughout the day. The ambient temperature measurement seems accurate, and matched that of my other fan.

(Image credit: Future)

I wasn't so enamored with the Breeze mode. I've seen this mode listed on a few different fan models recently, and have always been curious about it. On test, though, I found the fluctuations in speed and accompanying shifts in noise distracting more than anything. That said, it did feel somewhat like a natural breeze, and I can imagine some people enjoying this effect.

• Performance score: 4.5 out of 5

Should you buy the Dreo Smart TurboPoly Fan 765S?

Attribute

Notes

Rating

Value

Premium pricing, somewhat justified by its versatility and smart functionality.

4 / 5

Design

Versatile design — can be used at a range of heights, controlled in a number of ways, and with plenty of setting options to explore.

4.5 / 5

Performance

Great range of airflow settings, including an ultra-powerful Turbo mode. A little noisy on higher settings, and controls can feel fiddly.

4.5 / 5

Buy it if...

You need a tabletop and a pedestal fan

The Dreo Smart TurboPoly 765S can be used as a pedestal fan with a telescopic pole, or the base can be switched to turn it into a tabletop model.

You want lots of precise control

This fan is not lacking in customization options — there are plenty of ways to change exactly how, when, and where the Dreo TurboPoly 765S unleashes its airflow.

You'd like to be able to control the fan remotely

Smart functionality means you can operate this fan via a companion app on your phone.

Don't buy it if...

You just want a tabletop OR pedestal fan

There are cheaper, as effective options if you don't need the 2-in-1 functionality.

You like to keep things simple

Some people won't want all the various control options, in which case there are cheaper and more straightforward fans that would fit the bill better.

How I tested the Dreo Smart TurboPoly Fan 765S

I tested the Dreo Smart TurboPoly 765S over three weeks in June/July, which happened to encompass two UK heatwaves, with temperatures reaching 37C or higher (around 98F). I used it extensively during the day while working from home, as well as at night, and tested all the special modes. I also tried out all the control methods, including digging into the app. I compared my findings with other fans I've used, but predominantly my trusty Meaco air circulator.

Read more about how we test

• First reviewed July 2026

• Analysts suggest Sony won't reverse its decision to end physical disc production
• Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Kantan Games, says Sony will wait for the backlash to pass
• Toto adds that "Digital is just too lucrative" for the PlayStation company

Sony plans to end physical disc production in 2028, but despite pushback from fans, analysts suggest the PlayStation maker won't reverse its decision.

The announcement has caused a bit of an uproar within the community, and while fans online continue to urge the company to backtrack on its decision, including creating a petition that has amassed over 247,400 signatures as of writing, Sony remains silent on the matter.

Others are also PS5 users protesting the plan by cancelling their PlayStation Plus subscriptions, with many fans encouraging others to do the same.

However, according to Dr. Serkan Toto, CEO of Japanese game industry consultancy firm Kantan Games, the boycott won't change Sony's mind on the matter.

"I sympathize with physical media fans, but Sony will not reverse this decision," Toto said in an interview with IGN. "They of course knew what the online reaction would look like, and they now wait for this storm to pass."

Toto put it down to digital being more profitable, and the number of players cancelling their PS Plus subscriptions wouldn't be enough to persuade the gaming giant.

"Sony has over 120 million active PlayStation users," he said. "Around 50 million people subscribe to PlayStation Plus. As a thought experiment, let's say 500,000 cancel in protest, that would be just 1% of that business gone — of course not enough to Sony to start rethinking. Digital is just too lucrative."

The profit margins between physical and digital games is significant, especially when you consider digital sales for first-party PlayStation games.

As IGN calculated, a game like The Last of Us would offer Sony 65% of the profit from a physical copy, 30% to the retailer, and 5% to production costs. For digital sales made from the PlayStation Store, Sony would retain 100% of the revenue, but for third-party titles like Call of Duty, the company would keep a 30% cut of the asking price.

"Their current profit margin has been too weak for years now, so they feel like they must act," Toto added. "From an economic perspective, digital sales just make too much sense especially for platform holders."

If you're upgrading a desktop or compatible laptop, this is a fantastic opportunity to add next-generation storage without maxing out your credit card.

Samsung's 9100 Pro 2TB SSD has crashed to $400 (was $680) at Amazon, knocking a massive $280 off one of the fastest consumer PCIe 5.0 drives around. For UK readers, the 9100 Pro is discounted to £364 (was £529) at Amazon, too.

Sequential read speeds reach up to 14,700MB/s, while write speeds climb to 13,400MB/s, delivering exceptional performance for demanding workloads. Everything you'll want to install and run will benefit from the extra bandwidth available through PCIe 5.0.

Today's best Samsung SSD deal

Offering up to 14,700MB/s read speeds, this PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD pairs 2TB of storage with hardware encryption, advanced thermal control, Magician Software support, and excellent performance for creative workloads, AI applications, and demanding multitasking.

In the UK: now £366 (was £529)View Deal

In our review of the 9100 Pro we said: "Samsung's first true PCIe 5.0 drive is the best there is." In the summary we went on to add: "This is a very professional-specific drive in ways that previous Samsung Pro SSDs were not. If you're not a professional user, there are better PCIe 5.0 drives out there, but for pros, there's none better than the 9100 Pro."

Random performance reaches up to 1,850K read IOPS and 2,600K write IOPS, helping applications launch quickly and keeping multitasking smooth.

Samsung also focuses on efficiency, using a 5nm controller that improves power efficiency over the previous generation while advanced thermal controls help maintain consistent speeds.

Hardware encryption adds another layer of protection, and Samsung's Magician Software provides firmware updates, health monitoring, and extra management tools.

The M.2 2280 form factor fits a wide range of modern desktops and laptops that support PCIe 5.0 NVMe storage. With 2TB of capacity, there's plenty of room for creative projects, large software libraries without you needing to consistently manage free space.

Compatibility is straightforward for systems with an available M.2 PCIe 5.0 slot, and installation only takes a few minutes for most desktop builds.

If you've been waiting to benefit from PCIe 5.0 speeds, this deal delivers huge savings alongside outstanding performance, generous capacity, and useful software features that continue adding value long after installation.

The 9100 Pro SSD is also available in 1TB, 4TB and 8TB capacities at reduced prices.

Also consider: Alternative Samsung SSD deal

The Samsung 990 Pro is one of the best SSDs around, especially at an unbeatable price like this. In our review, we hailed it as "an absolutely stellar M.2 SSD for both professional users and gamers."

In the UK: now £292 (was £503)View Deal

• US: Shop all internal SSDs at Amazon
• UK: See all internal SSDs at Amazon.co.uk

• China's National Vulnerability Database warns Claude Code contains spyware
• Alibaba recently banned Claude use internally over user tracking fears
• Anthropic says it's designed to prevent model distillation and illegal use

China has accused Anthropic's Claude Code of containing what it describes as "security backdoor vulnerabilities" after the country's National Vulnerability Database (CNVDB) found mechanisms capable of transmitting user information to Anthropic servers without explicit user permission.

Researchers accuse the software vendor of collecting information like user identity, geographic location, system environment information and other machine metadata.

The alleged "backdoor" presents risks of data leakage, IP exposure and other enterprise risks, hence Alibaba's recent decision to ban Claude Code internally.

China backs Alibaba's accusations regarding Claude Code, Anthropic

Alibaba engineers reverse engineered Claude Code to reveal checks for Chinese system time zones, proxy servers, AI lab infrastructure and network characteristics.

Chinese authorities are now advising users to uninstall vulnerable releases to upgrade to newer versions that remove or alter this behavior. CNVDB claims versions 2.1.91 to 2.1.196 are affected,

While Anthropic has rejected claims that Claude Code contains malicious spyware or an intentional espionage backdoor, it has admitted that those functionalities do admit, framing the purpose as an anti-abuse experiment. Anthropic has been worried about unauthorized resale and model distillation, which it has already accused Alibaba of doing.

VPNs, proxies, cloud workarounds and international subsidiaries have also sprung up to give developers access to the otherwise restricted tools, hence Anthropic's work to block access where it's restricted.

With a price hike and frequent stock issues, it's been harder to justify picking up the Steam Deck in recent months. But if you're still on the hunt for a handheld gaming PC, then there are some solid alternatives more readily available — and at much lower prices. That includes this Lenovo Legion Go S at Amazon for a record-low price of £404.10 (was £549.99).

This exact same offer was available just a few months ago and it proved popular. With prices for PC components increasing and stock problems still lingering, I only expect that demand has increased since then.

That's why I think the Lenovo Legion Go S is a strong option right now. With an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go, 16GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD, it's capable of running less demanding games, indies, and lots of modern favourites with ease. It also runs on SteamOS, which is designed specifically for the handheld form factor, making it easier and smoother to browse your library and play games compared to Windows 11 devices.

Today's best handheld gaming PC deal

Put off by the price increase to the Steam Deck or tired of waiting for your desired model to come back in stock? I'd consider this Lenovo Legion Go S instead while it's back to a record-low price on Amazon. It offers solid power and performance thanks to the AMD Ryzen Z2 Go, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, and an eight-inch WUXGA display. You also get a device that runs on SteamOS, which is better designed for a smoother and more efficient handheld gaming experience compared to Windows 11.View Deal

I guess one of the only drawbacks to going for the Lenovo Legion Go S is the lack of an OLED display. Its eight-inch WUXGA display with a 120Hz refresh rate still offers smooth and vibrant visuals, though, all for around £250 less than the Steam Deck. I don't think it's worth paying that much more just for an OLED screen.

Yes, you may also have to make some compromises when playing the latest and most demanding games to get good performance, and battery life can be underwhelming, as with most handheld gaming PCs, but the Lenovo Legion Go S is a strong option right now as there are so few alternatives available at this price point.

We also rated it well in our Lenovo Legion Go S review, saying that it is "a compact beauty" and "a good choice for SteamOS diehards." Anyone with a large library of Steam games will find it a great device to play your favourite titles while on the sofa or on the go.

If you're short on desk space but still need plenty of performance for creative work or everyday productivity, I've found a great offer for you. And it's perfect whether you're looking for a powerful business machine or a back-to-school computer that actually performs under pressure.

The Geekom A8 mini PC has dropped to $586 (was $689) at Amazon, saving you more than $100 on a compact desktop packed with impressive hardware. In the UK, the A8 is discounted to £599 (was £636) at Amazon, as well.

It's powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS processor with eight cores, 16 threads, and boost speeds up to 4.9GHz. Paired with AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics, it has the power you need for photo editing, video production, software development, and demanding multitasking.

Today's top Geekom mini PC deal

Powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS processor, it combines 16GB of DDR5 memory, a 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, Radeon 780M graphics, dual USB4, Wi-Fi 6E, Windows 11 Pro in a compact 0.5-liter chassis.

In the UK: now £599 (was £636)View Deal

In our rave review we said the A8 was "remarkably powerful and can handle applications that use multi-threading to reduce processing times. It also offers AI-specific processing features. With AMD-powered machines, this is as good as it gets."

The system includes 16GB of DDR5 memory alongside a fast 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, providing quick boot times and application loading.

Memory is upgradeable to 128GB, while storage can be expanded up to 4TB, giving the system plenty of room to grow alongside your workload.

Despite its tiny 0.5-liter chassis, it comes with dual USB4 ports, dual HDMI outputs, an SD card slot, 2.5G Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.2.

It also supports up to four 4K displays or a single 8K display, making it a good choice for creators, professionals, and anyone running multiple screens.

The compact enclosure includes an advanced cooling system with dual heat pipes, an efficient fan, and optimized airflow to maintain consistent performance during longer workloads.

A VESA mount is included, allowing the system to sit neatly behind a monitor for an even cleaner desk setup.

Windows 11 Pro (not Home) comes preinstalled, and the system also supports Linux and Ubuntu for anyone who prefers to use a non-Microsoft OS.

Geekom backs A8 Mini PC with a three-year warranty, adding extra peace of mind for long-term use.

For more top picks like this, these are the best mini PCs we've tested and reviewed.

Also consider: More Geekom mini PC deals

The Geekom A6 mini PC packs an AMD Ryzen 7 6800H processor, Radeon 680M graphics, and fast DDR5 into a compact aluminum chassis, delivering high performance without taking over your desk. It's $100 off at Amazon, and also at Geekom where it comes with a free $69 case.

In the UK: now £484 (was £569)View Deal

This Windows 11 Pro mini PC is well-suited for general home and office use, which is where it excelled when we tested it out. Specs-wise, it features an efficient AMD Ryzen 5 7430U processor, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD.

In the UK: now £408 (was £479)View Deal

• Shop all mini PCs at Amazon

Businesses are racing to adopt and operationalize AI, but many are deploying the technology faster than they can govern it. This gap is quietly becoming one of the biggest security risks facing enterprises today.

AI agents are being embedded into everyday workflows as teams chase efficiency gains, and organizations are under increasing pressure from boards and senior leadership to automate processes faster.

However, beneath this perceived momentum sits a more uncomfortable reality: businesses still have limited visibility into how these systems behave once deployed.

Security teams need to take a step back and rethink what proper governance looks like in a world where AI systems operate with autonomous access, inherited permissions and limited visibility.

Confidence is outpacing verification

Understandably, many businesses view successful AI deployment as evidence that they are ready to scale AI across their business.

Recent research found that 87% of organizations believe their identity management posture is prepared to support AI-driven automation. Yet, at the same time 46% admit that their identity governance falls short.

This contradiction sits at the core of the AI security paradox.

The core problem is that organizations are granting AI systems increasing levels of access and autonomy before they have established clear ways to monitor or verify how these systems behave.

If nobody can explain why an AI agent took an action, the permissions it inherited, the systems it accessed and whether or not that behavior was actually intended, governance quickly becomes reactive rather than preventative.

AI agents undermine traditional identity governance foundations

Unfortunately, securing these new AI identities won’t happen overnight, as legacy governance models simply aren’t cut out for the challenges facing security teams today.

Traditional identity management was built around four key assumptions: predictable behavior, human intent and bounded permissions. Agentic AI changes all four. Security teams already understand the risks of AI agents and non-human identities. The problem is that operational realities are forcing many organizations to accept those risks regardless.

Research shows that 73% of organizations believe standing access for AI agents increases security risk. In other words, leaders recognize the dangers associated with giving AI systems privileged access, but feel under pressure to prioritize speed and operational efficiency anyways.

Crucially, the governance issue extends beyond risk. The fact that 80% of organizations said they cannot always determine why an AI agent took a privileged action suggests a fundamental issue.

That creates an entirely different governance challenge from one that ever existed in traditional identity management. Humans can typically justify intent, context or decision-making -autonomous systems can’t.

Shadow AI is becoming operational infrastructure

AI usage in the workforce has long moved on from a select few employees experimenting with ChatGPT. Now, the technology is deeply woven into production systems, workflows and enterprise data.

The scale of the problem is significant - 53% of organizations say they regularly encounter unsanctioned AI tools or agents accessing company systems or data, but only 28% can detect shadow AI in real time.

In reality, businesses are effectively allowing unknown contractors to roam freely through their corridors, with limited insight into where they’re going, what they’re doing and what they have access to.

This shift is forcing organizations to rethink traditional security priorities and focus on continuous monitoring and validation.

As a result, businesses need to begin focusing on how effectively they can monitor and verify what their AI systems are accessing, and whether that access is still appropriate.

Solving the governance contradiction

We know that organizations can’t afford to slow down on AI adoption given the competitive and operational incentives. But they also can’t afford to expand AI access and permissions faster than they can secure them.

This means bringing identity security to the forefront of AI governance strategies. Much of the discussion around AI risk still focuses on models, regulation and data privacy and those issues are important. But the true operational challenge increasingly sits between inherited permissions and unmanaged trust between systems.

For business leaders, the first priority should be improving visibility rather than adding more controls. They need to understand which AI identities exist within their organisation, what systems they can access, how permissions are inherited and where standing privileges have accumulated over time.

Organizations will also need to move away from persistent privilege models towards more dynamic models that provide temporary access only when required.

Ultimately, the organizations that will reap the greatest rewards from AI will be the ones that can understand, govern and validate the systems they use.

Deploying automation as fast as possible may lead to some quick wins, but doing so without the right governance measures in place could come back to haunt you.

We've reviewed and ranked the best firewall software.

This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

The memory shortage could force companies to stop making phones under $400.

Peaky Blinders sequel series: key information

- No title has been announced for the sequel series
- No confirmed release date
- No trailer yet
- We know that it will be split into two new six-episode seasons
- Jamie Bell, Conleth Hill, and Charlie Heaton are among the confirmed cast members

The following guide may contain spoilers for the main Peaky Blinders series and the movie The Immortal Man.

Peaky Blinders will return to Netflix for a new sequel series, but so far little is known about the next installment.

That doesn't mean there's nothing to be excited about, though. In June 2026, Tudum confirmed that some huge names were joining the cast, so I'm sure it will be just as impressive as the original Peaky Blinders series and its follow-up movie, The Immortal Man, the latter of which received a 90% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.

However, our entertainment writer Jasmine Valentine noted that The Immortal Man's ending might pose some problems when it comes to the new sequel series. We'll get into that later on.

Here's everything we know about the Peaky Blinders sequel series so far.

Peaky Blinders sequel: release date

We don't have a release date for the Peaky Blinders sequel series just yet, but we do know it will consist of two new six-episode seasons.

The Peaky Blinders sequel will follow the original series and the feature-length film, Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, that’s streaming now on Netflix. So you can watch these while you wait for the new episodes, if you like.

Speaking of the show's return, creator Steven Knight told Tudum: “Once again it will be rooted in Birmingham and will tell the story of a city rising from the ashes of the Birmingham blitz. The new generation of Shelbys have taken the wheel, and it will be a hell of a ride.”

Peaky Blinders sequel trailer: is there one?

Currently, there is no trailer available for the Peaky Blinders sequel series as it is still in development. Once one becomes available, I'll add it here.

Peaky Blinders sequel: cast

Charlie Heaton joins the cast as one of Tommy Shelby's sons. (Image credit: Netflix)

Much of the excitement around the Peaky Blinders sequel so far has come from the recent casting announcements. Despite not having a release date, trailer, or name, we do know that some major stars are joining the line-up.

Half Man's Jamie Bell and Stranger Things' Charlie Heaton will star as Duke and Charles Shelby, two half-brothers and the sons of the now deceased Tommy Shelby. Charles severed all ties to the Peaky Blinders gang, but something tells me he won't be able to get out completely.

Elsewhere, Conleth Hill joins as Clemmy Keeler, the fierce patriarch of the rival Keeler family. Cal O’Driscoll plays Clemmy’s son, Aidan Keeler, and Daniel Monks plays Detective Inspector Bell.

This great selection of stars joins previously announced cast members Jessica Brown Findlay, Lashana Lynch, and Lucy Karczewski.

Peaky Blinders sequel: plot details

Thomas Shelby met his demise in The Immortal Man. (Image credit: Netflix)

Peaky Blinders' sequel series is set a decade after World War II, and follows the race to rebuild Birmingham. Duke Shelby is at the heart of what has been described as "a brutal contest of mythical dimensions."

We can expect new opportunities, jeopardy, and ambitions when Peaky Blinders returns, even though we won't be focusing on the series' icon, Tommy Shelby, anymore. I'm excited already.