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A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, July 16 (game #500).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

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

NYT Strands today (game #501) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Find your seat

NYT Strands today (game #501) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• ZANY 
• CLAM
• BONY
• WING
• CROSS
• HEATER

NYT Strands today (game #501) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 8 letters

NYT Strands today (game #501) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: right, 2nd row

Last side: left, 2nd row

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

NYT Strands today (game #501) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #501, are…

• BOXES
• MEZZANINE
• LOBBY
• BALCONY
• WINGS
• ORCHESTRA
• SPANGRAM: THEATERS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

I didn’t see the THEATERS spangram straight away – possibly because I am hardwired to see the UK spelling. Instead, I saw several non-game words in heat, heater, and heaters. So, I took the lazy option of starting with a hint.

BOXES didn’t help me narrow things down much, but it did make me think that we were looking for something about venues and auditoriums. Seeing two letter Zs together helped me get MEZZANINE – a lovely sounding word – and once I got LOBBY I knew that we were looking for words associated with theaters.

It’s a little odd that “stage” is missing from the search as you can’t have a theater without one, but that’s my only quibble.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, July 16, game #500)

• CASE
• SPEAKER
• STAND
• STYLUS
• CHARGER
• KEYBOARD
• FOLIO
• SPANGRAM: TABLET

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

• zLabs spots new version of the Konfety Android malware
• This version uses distorted APKs to avoid being detected and analyzed
• It also uses the "evil twin" tactic to remain hidden in plain sight

The infamous Konfety Android malware has apparently been updated, with new versions hiding in plain sight through tampered APK structure, experts have warned.

Security researchers zLabs have found new Konfety variants were adopting “increasingly advanced” techniques to evade detection and hinder reverse engineering efforts.

In ZIP files (which APKs are based on), every file includes a so-called General Purpose Bit Flag, a two-byte field that stores metadata about how the file should be handled (either 0 or 1). One of the bits in the flag indicates if the file is encrypted or not.

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Evil twins and dual-app deception

In Konfety’s case, the attackers intentionally set bit 0 to 1, even though the file wasn’t actually encrypted, causing decompression tools to misinterpret the files, analysis tools to crash thinking it was unreadable or corrupted, and reverse engineers to waste time troubleshooting.

But that’s not all. Each file entry in a ZIP archive also includes a compression method identifier (0x000 for no compression, 0x000C for an uncommon compression standard, etc.)

With Konfety, the attackers managed to declare files compressed using 0x000C, which wasn’t really the case. Since the files can’t decompress properly, it leads to partial extraction, parsing errors, or even crashes, which complicates reverse-engineering and analysis.

There are other ways Konfety tries to hide and maintain persistence. zLabs said that the attackers are also using so-called “dual-app deception”, in which there’s a legitimate app on major app stores, and a malicious one elsewhere.

The app also hides its icon when installed, and applies geofencing to make sure certain analysts and researchers can’t get to it.

Konfety works by using CaramelAds SDK to fetch ads, deliver payloads, and maintain communication with attacker-controlled servers. It redirects users to malicious websites, prompts unwanted app installs, and triggers persistent spam-like browser notifications.

“The threat actors behind Konfety are highly adaptable, consistently altering their targeted ad networks and updating their methods to evade detection,” the researchers warned.

“This latest variant demonstrates their sophistication by specifically tampering with the APK's ZIP structure. This tactic is designed to bypass security checks and significantly complicate reverse engineering efforts, making detection and analysis more challenging for security professionals.”

Via BleepingComputer

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Far-Flung Postcards is a weekly series in which NPR's international team shares moments from their lives and work around the world.

The Israel military said targets included a Syrian military compound in Damascus as well as a target near the Syrian presidential palace. Israel's defense minister said "painful strikes have begun."

(Image credit: SANA)

It's called parametric insurance, it offers protection for climate-related wage losses and it's gaining ground in India.

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We’ve been hearing for months that Apple is planning to bring AAA game Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition to macOS, and yesterday we finally got a release date: it’s due to arrive tomorrow, July 17. It’s the news Mac gamers have been waiting a tortuously long time to hear.

As someone who games on both a PC and a Mac – and who absolutely loves Cyberpunk 2077 and has been playing it for years – I’m super excited to try out one of the best single-player games on my Mac. Because this isn’t just one of my favorite games on one of my favorite computers. No, it looks like Apple and CD Projekt Red are going above and beyond to make this an experience custom-built for Mac gamers. And that means there’s a lot to look forward to.

Game-changing performance

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

As an Apple gamer, I’m used to performance that lags behind my PC. Don’t get me wrong, Apple silicon has been an absolute gamechanger for Mac gaming, and I can still get decent frame rates in most games on my MacBook Pro. But despite Apple’s lofty claims, it’s always seemed like wishful thinking to imagine that the integrated GPU you find in Apple’s Mac chips can compete with any of the best graphics cards.

That’s why the key detail that leapt out at me from Apple’s announcement was the claim that Cyberpunk 2077 will be able to run on a Mac at 120 frames per second (fps) when using ultra settings. Considering how incredibly demanding Cyberpunk 2077 is, that’s bona fide gaming PC performance and would be a massive step up for Mac players.

If that’s what you can potentially eke out of a game like Cyberpunk 2077, then other, less-demanding games could perform even better. Sure, MacBook Pro displays are limited to 120fps, but you might be able to max out all settings and still hit that refresh rate in other titles. It’s an enticing thought.

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

Of course, everything depends on which chips will be able to achieve this kind of output. Apple hasn’t given any specifics here, but when we went hands-on with Cyberpunk 2077 on a Mac, it reached 120fps at ultra settings using an M4 Max chip. It’s unlikely that lower-rated chips will hit those numbers too – I’m not holding out too much hope for my M1 Pro MacBook Pro – but we’ll have to see how they perform when we get some testing time with the game.

Interestingly, software is seemingly just as important here as hardware. Yes, a high-end chip will undoubtedly help you reach those sky-high numbers, but some of the most interesting tidbits from Apple’s Cyberpunk 2077 announcement were related to software.

For instance, Apple said that MetalFX Upscaling would be available on launch, with MetalFX Frame Interpolation and MetalFX Denoising coming later this year. Starting with MetalFX Upscaling, this renders the game at a lower level than your display’s native resolution, then uses artificial intelligence (AI) to scale it up. Nvidia and AMD already have similar techs, and they do a fantastic job (in some cases, the upscaled version actually looks better than the original), so this could be a major boost for macOS.

MetalFX Denoising, meanwhile, will allow “real time path tracing on the game’s highest quality graphics settings,” Apple says, and that’s something that could provide an incredible boost to visual fidelity.

The AI revolution

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

What’s fascinating to me is that these are all AI technologies. They come at a time when Apple’s headline AI (specifically, Apple Intelligence) is widely perceived to be seriously lagging behind rivals like ChatGPT and Copilot.

Yet while most people envisage chatbots when they think of AI, artificial intelligence is actually far broader, as these gaming techs show. Apple has long been a strong AI performer – its image processing and Siri suggestions being two examples you’ve likely encountered on an iPhone.

Of course, we don’t yet know how well all of these MetalFX techs will perform, with MetalFX Frame Interpolation and Denoising not expected until later this year. But they could counter the argument that Apple is falling behind in AI (a contention that was never the full picture anyway).

Of these AI features, MetalFX Frame Interpolation is the one that has piqued my interest the most. Apple says this generates a new frame for every two input frames, resulting in much smoother gameplay than you would normally be able to achieve.

This is sure to reignite the impassioned “fake frames” debate that has been playing out ever since Nvidia and AMD introduced their own frame-generation features. Yet provided Apple can avoid stutters and jerkiness, I think this is unlikely to bother Mac gamers – for most Apple fans, being able to enjoy smooth framerates on Mac hardware is likely to outweigh any high-level concerns about whether the frames are “real” or “fake.” The true test will be at more modest hardware levels rather than the M4 Max and M3 Ultra we’ve seen Cyberpunk played on so far.

A serious gaming test

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)

And then there are all the other interesting additions that are unique to the Apple edition. This version comes with “dynamically calibrated HDR optimized for Apple XDR displays,” Apple says, alongside Spatial Audio with head tracking (providing you’re listening with a pair of the best AirPods), plus “For this Mac” graphical presets that are “individually optimized for every Apple Silicon Mac model.”

That all makes me think that Apple is trying to do this the right way. It’s making use of its other products and adding its own techs that are tailor-made for its devices, rather than just plugging in upscaling and frame generation tools from Nvidia or AMD and hoping for the best.

The last few years have shown that Apple is taking Mac gaming seriously. Cyberpunk 2077 will be the sternest test of that commitment – but if Apple does it right, it could also be its biggest success story so far.

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Good news, teen drama fans! The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 is finally off and running, with the first two episodes now available to stream on Prime Video. Annoyingly, this is the final ever season we’re going to get, but the coming-of-age drama isn’t bowing out without setting off some fireworks.

The new TV show is easily top of the list when it comes to everything coming to Prime Video in July 2025, and the results speak for themselves. After the second season aired, the show was third in the streaming service’s global acquisition rankings, doubling its viewership with each passing season.

With this in mind, it doesn’t massively make sense for The Summer I Turned Pretty to end with season 3, but we might partially have the original book series to blame for that. This means the show has to pull out all the stops before saying goodbye, and the first two episodes are already almost too ridiculous to be believed.

Is it just me or is The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3’s Prime Video debut already ridiculously unhinged?

Spoilers for The Summer I Turned Pretty season 3 ahead.

Got whiplash? Me too. In just two episodes, we’ve seen Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) not managing to graduate on time, then proposing haphazardly to Belly (Lola Tung) without a ring, but has also cheated on her in the interim… twice. Add to this the fact that Belly’s brother Steven (Sean Kaufman) woke up from a coma after being in a car accident on exactly the same day Jeremiah chose to propose, and you’ve got a lot to unpack in a much-needed therapy session. It’s getting messy, and in exactly the way we want to see.

However, it gets worse when you consider everything that’s happening from the other perspective. While Jeremiah thrives (in his own mind), Belly is having to give up her dreams to be with the boy who’s unknowingly cheating on her. Taking drugs, getting drunk at endless houseparties and then wondering why he’s not graduating with his friends clearly is a full-time job in itself, meaning the fallout later on in the season is going to be nasty.

In fact, it’s safe to say that Jeremiah’s storyline is already going above and beyond what we saw happen in the books. It’s worth pointing out that we have seen the same things happen in both the book and TV show, but seeing his behaviour brought to life in front of our eyes is nothing short of diabolical. He becomes an uglier version of the monster we already know he is, and depending on what Belly decides to do in future episodes, could grow to be even worse.

For now, Belly’s agreed to marry Jeremiah, which makes me want to simultaneously throw up and shout at my TV. Absolutely anybody can see it’s a bad decision, setting us up for what will surely be a chaotic episodes 3 and 4 when more characters find out about the news. There will be (rightful) judgement, scorn and plenty of tears in the immediate future, and boy I cannot wait to watch it all unfold.

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What's new in Fortnite?

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Epic Games just launched the full Superman collab, with a special item granting Superman powers like flight, heat vision, and super-strength. You can read more about it here. In terms of the OG mode, there's set to be a live event on July 26 centered around a rocket launch. Until then, there's the new Thermal Rifle to try out, as well as a whole new OG Battle Pass to work through.

Fortnite OG wowed players when it first returned, offering up retooled versions of various classic seasons, which changed each week. It proved to be a massive hit, with player counts absolutely skyrocketing in the month or so Fortnite OG was live.

It's no surprise then, that it's now come back as a permanent fixture, continuing into 2025, and Epic has confirmed that the next season of Fortnite OG will begin in August.

Thankfully, the ongoing battle royale title receives regular updates from its developers teasing what's coming, and we do now know that Fortnite OG is going to cycle through seasons. Now that the new season of Fortnite battle royale has launched, the runway is clear for OG to take the spotlight.

Here's everything you need to know about when Fortnite OG Season 5 launches. We'll cover everything officially revealed by Epic Games, some info on what to expect, as well as a round-up of how things played out last time. As news comes out, this page will be updated.

Fortnite OG Season 5 release date

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite OG Season 5 will launch on August 8, 2025. This is according to the in-game Battle Pass screen. Recently, Epic Games has started to detail a live event that'll arrive on July 26. We'll have to wait and see where it lands this time around.

Fortnite OG is now a dedicated mode moving forward, cycling through Chapter 1 seasons in a similar way to how things worked at the end of 2023, though slightly elongated. Chapter 1 Season 2 ended on March 25, 2025, with Season 3 came to a close on June 8, 2025. This recreates the pattern of the original run, adding loot pool changes and feature introductions. You can read more in the full Fortnite OG Chapter 1 Season 4 blog post.

The best place to keep up on specific updates closer to the launch of the new season of Fortnite OG is the Fortnite Status X / Twitter account. We'll be sure to keep this page up to date as well.

What is Fortnite OG?

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Fortnite OG launched in November 2023 and switched the game all the way back to the 2018 map. Specifically, it started in Season 5, with the return of Tilted Towers, a throwback weapon loot pool, and several OG skins to buy in the store. Each week, Epic Games moved the clock forward to the next season, rotating through Season 6, Season 7/8, and then Season 9/10.

The map went back to a more classic style, visually and in terms of level design. Iconic locations like Frosty Flights came back, as did old-school vehicles like the X-4 Stormwing. This lasted until December 2, 2023, when the game switched over to a new season. Fortnite OG returned on December 6, 2024 and is now a permanent mode, with its own seasons cycle.

Fortnite OG map

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Above, you can see the current Fortnite OG map. It's been meticulously recreated, with every tree, car, chest and object is right where you remember it. Ziplines and ascenders have been added in Zero Build to aid movement. As the seasons change, we'll likely see the map change with it, as well. With Season 4, you'll be able to jump into Dusty Divot, and Risky Reels.

Fortnite OG weapons loot pool

(Image credit: Epic Games)

Here's the weapons added as part of Fortnite OG season 3:

• Shopping Carts (live now)
• Thermal Scoped Assault Rifle (live now!) - Spot your enemies easier. It’ll also highlight Chests and Supply Drops for you!
• Apples (live now!) - As tasty as they are useful, these foraged items provide a nice lil’ 5 Health once eaten.
• Hop Rocks (live now!) - Prepare for lift-off! These meteor fragments grant you the power to perform gravity-defying leaps. It won’t last forever though, so use those hops carefully!
• Mushrooms - There’s no funny business here, these fungi’s provide 5 Shield and can be the difference between a slim victory or swift elimination…
• Bouncer - Spring into action! Whether you’re looking for a bouncy escape or setting up an aerial ambush, the Bouncer Trap is a friend.
• Drum Gun - Rapid fire your way to dominance like someone’s supporting you with a drum roll
• Dual Pistols - This pair of pistols packs a punch if you’re willing to get up close and personal.
• Jetpack - Take to the sky and get an aerial advantage over your opponents. Be warned though — it’s a long way to the ground when you’re all out of fuel
• Stink Bomb - Clear the way with a gaseous grenade that creates a lingering cloud of noxious fumes. Who said winning had to smell good?

Note that while these weapons and items are planned on being added this season, they're not all available at launch. Items like the Drum Gun will be added as the season progresses. The following weapons carry over from the previous season:

• Assault Rifle
• Burst Assault Rifle (Epic and Legendary rarities have arrived!)
• Scoped Assault Rifle
• Light Machine Gun
• Minigun
• Revolver
• Pistol
• Suppressed Pistol
• Suppressed Submachine Gun
• Tactical Submachine Gun
• Pump Shotgun
• Tactical Shotgun
• Heavy Shotgun
• Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle
• Semi-Auto Sniper Rifle
• Hunting Rifle
• Grenade Launcher
• Rocket Launcher
• Guided Missile
• Boogie Bomb
• Bushes
• Cozy Campfire
• Clingers
• Grenade
• Impulse Grenade
• Remote Explosives
• Port-A-Bunker
• Damage Trap
• Launch Pad (non-throwable version)
• Bandages
• Med Kits
• Shield Potions
• Small Shield Potions
• Slurp Juice
• Chug Jugs

FAQsHow long is Fortnite OG back for?

In excellent news for fans, Fortnite OG is a permanent game mode for the online battle royale game. It'll stay live in perpetuity, and follow its own seasonal cycle, which means it'll evolve regularly like other Fortnite modes.

Will Fortnite OG rotate seasons?

As well as Fortnite OG being a permanent game mode, it will absolutely have its own seasonal content that will help keep things fresh. Expect the seasonal cycle to change things up regularly.

How much does the Fortnite OG Pass cost?

The Fortnite OG Pass costs 1,000 V-Bucks. This gives you the chance to earn three skins, as well as a host of other items. It's worth pointing out that unlike the main Battle Pass, the Fortnite OG pass does not feature any V-Bucks, so you won't earn any back while working through it.

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• Google says it will spend £3 billion on 670MW in hydroelectricity PPAs
• The deal could end up producing up to 3,000MW of hydroelectricity
• Google data center energy consumption is up 27%, emissions are down 12%

Google has agreed to spend at least $3 billion as part of an agreement to boost its renewable energy portfolio as demands increase in line with demand for artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

The deal with Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners includes 20-year power purchase agreements for 670 megawatts of clean energy via two Pennsylvania hydroelectric plants at Holtwood and Safe Harbor.

Although Google has been bidding big on renewable energy in recent years, this marks the world's largest corporate clean power deal for hydroelectricity.

Google strikes the biggest-ever corporate hydroelectricity deal

Already a considerable starting point, Brookfield noted the Hydro Framework Agreement will support the provision of up to 3,000 megawatts of carbon-free hydroelectric capacity across the United States.

The move aligns with Google's efforts to power its data centers with carbon-free energy around the clock, and comes during an era of increased green energy investments. Hyperscaler rivals like Amazon, Meta, and Microsoft have also been splurging on nuclear, gas and renewables to meet demand.

"Hydropower is a proven, low-cost technology, offering dependable, homegrown, carbon-free electricity that creates jobs and builds a stronger grid for all," Google Head of Data Center Energy Amanda Peterson Corio explained.

Brookfield Asset Management President Connor Teskey welcomed the investment, noting that hyperscalers will need to diversify their energy production to meet demand at scale.

Although surges in AI and cloud computing have resulted in higher demand for data centers, Google's most recent 2025 sustainability report revealed how the company managed to cut data center emissions by 12% despite a 27% rise in energy consumption. In its most recent full year, the company procured more than eight gigawatts of clean energy.

Energy efficiency improvements to its AI systems, including power-hungry GPUs, have also resulted in a reduction in water consumption, typically used for cooling. However, having only replenished 64% of the water it used in 2025, there's still clearly a long way to go.

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Kira Abboud shows off "Rich Auntie Outfits" in a recent post on her Instagram account.'/>

Seesawing tariffs and turbulent financial markets are playing out on social media feeds, impacting the multibillion-dollar influencer industry in what could be a new recession indicator.

Once deported to Bhutan, some Nepali-speaking Bhutanese refugees say they are told to leave. Many have since disappeared, while others are homeless and stateless, according to immigration advocates.

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I wore the Oura, Ultrahuman and Evie smart rings during my daily life and workouts to find out which one provides the best health and fitness tracking. Here's what I found.

Netgear Nighthawk RS100: One-Minute Review

There’s an old saying about the zeal of the convert, and Netgear certainly seems to have changed its ways – or perhaps just its management – in recent months.

After establishing itself as the Apple of the Wi-Fi world, with a series of stylish but expensive routers and mesh systems, the company has recently brought out a number of more affordable products, culminating in the new Nighthawk RS100, which is not just Netgear’s most affordable Wi-Fi 7 router, but also more affordable than many of its rivals too.

Inevitably, though, that low price involves some compromises, and like several of the less expensive Wi-Fi 7 products that we’ve seen recently, the RS100 is a fairly basic dual-band router.

This means that it supports just the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequency bands, and omits the high-speed 6.0GHz band that is also available with both Wi-Fi 6E and Wi-Fi 7. Even so, the RS100 provides Wi-Fi speeds of up to 3.6Gbps, which is still more than fast enough for most home broadband services.

One of the other advantages of Wi-Fi 7 is that the RS100 should also be more reliable than older routers when connecting to lots of computers, mobile devices and other smart devices within your home simultaneously.

That makes it a good, affordable Wi-Fi upgrade for many home users who may still have older computers and mobile devices that don’t need the full speed available with tri-band routers that also support 6.0GHz Wi-Fi.

(Image credit: Future)Netgear Nighthawk RS100: Price And Availability

• How much does it cost? $129.99/£129.99/ AU$259
• When is it available? Now
• Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia

Product prices are wildly erratic all over the world at the moment because of he-who-shall-not-be-named. But, at the time of its launch, the RS100 was priced at $129.99/£129.99 and we were pleased to see that – unlike many Wi-Fi 7 products – it’s also available to our friends down under for AU$259.

That makes the RS100 a full $100 less expensive than the RS200 that we reviewed from Netgear recently. The RS200 is also a dual-band router, but it’s faster, with a top speed of 6.5Gbps.

Even so, the 3.6Gbps of the RS100 should still be perfectly adequate for most home broadband connections. Netgear also states that the RS100 can connect to as many as 50 devices simultaneously, and can cover areas of up to 2,000sq.ft, making it a good option for most small and medium-sized homes (although regions outside the US may quote an area of 1,500sq.ft due to differences in regional regulations).

• Value: 4/5

Netgear Nighthawk RS100: Design

• Compact design
• 2.5Gb Ethernet for broadband connection
• 4 Ethernet ports for wired connections

Unsurprisingly, the RS100 shares the ominous-black-obelisk design of other Nighthawk routers, although it’s actually quite a bit smaller than other models in the range.

The RS100 stands just 184mm high, 66mm wide and 122mm deep, so it’s easy to set it up on any convenient shelf or desk without taking up too much space.

That’s partly because the relatively modest speed of the RS100 only requires two internal antennae, compared to four antennae in the RS200 and RS300 models that we have reviewed recently.

(Image credit: Future)

However, one sign of cost-cutting is that the router’s black plastic casing does feel a little flimsy, so it’s probably a good idea for parents to place it somewhere that’s out of reach for curious little hands.

Netgear hasn’t cut too many corners, though. The RS100 provides a 2.5Gb Ethernet port for your broadband connection (WAN), along with four Gigabit Ethernet ports to provide wired (LAN) connections for a PC or games console if required.

The only minor compromise here is the lack of a USB port that would allow you to connect a USB storage device (or printer) to your network, but that’s not a major problem at this price.

• Design: 4/5

Netgear Nighthawk RS100: Features

• Easy to set up and use
• Poor parental controls
• Useful diagnostic tools

As always, Netgear makes it very easy to get started. You can just plug in the power supply and connect the RS100 to your existing router, and Netgear provides a QR code for downloading the Nighthawk app, and a second code that connects you to the new RS100 network.

But, reflecting the router’s low price, the Nighthawk app is a bit basic when it comes to providing additional features. The app automatically merges the 2.4GHz and 5.0GHz frequency bands into a single network, which keeps things simple for home users, although more experienced users might prefer an app that provides more detailed control over their network settings.

(Image credit: Netgear)

There are some basic diagnostic tools, such as a speed test to check network performance, and you have the ability to create two guest networks for visitors, or to block network access for individual devices. However, there are no parental controls available within the app, and the information on Netgear’s website indicates that the RS100 isn’t currently compatible with Netgear’s Smart Parental Controls subscription service.

Security features are also fairly limited, as you get just a one-month trial of Netgear’s Armor security service, but then have to pay $99.99 (around £75 / AU$150) per year to continue using the service.

To be fair, most rival manufacturers offer software subscription services as well, but there are other routers that still provide better parental controls and other features within their apps free of charge.

• Features: 3/5

Netgear Nighthawk RS100: Performance

• Dual-band Wi-Fi 7
• 3.6Gbps maximum speed
• 2.5Gbps Ethernet for broadband connection

Netgear Nighthawk RS100: Benchmarks

Ookla Speed Test – Single merged network

Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps/150Mbps
Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps/150Mbps

20GB Steam Download –Single merged network

Within 5ft, no obstructions: 150Mbps
Within 30ft, three partition walls: 150Mbps

The lack of support for the 6.0GHz frequency means that the RS100 is very much an entry-level router, but Wi-Fi 7 is so ridiculously fast that the router’s relatively modest 3.6Gbps should still be more than fast enough to handle most domestic broadband connections.

My aging office router struggles even with a modest 150Mbps broadband connection, and can only manage a speed of around 120Mbps even for devices that are in the same room as the router.

And, at the rear of the building, I actually have a ‘deadspot’ where the Wi-Fi signal is so unreliable that I end up using powerline adaptors to provide a wired network connection instead.

(Image credit: Future)

The RS100 solved all my network problems, though, immediately allowing devices in the same room to hit the maximum 150Mbps for both the Ookla Speed Test and game downloads on Steam. The router’s speed did dip slightly as I walked with our laptop along the corridor to the deadspot in the back office, but quickly recovered again and hit 150Mbps once more for both tests.

So, while the RS100 is no speed demon, it can still provide a worthwhile upgrade for many people who own an older router that only uses Wi-Fi 5 or 6, and my only real complaint is the lack of parental controls and additional features within the Nighthawk app.

Should you buy the Netgear Nighthawk RS100?

Category

Verdict

Score

Value

It’s very much an entry-level dual-band router, but the RS100 does provide a very affordable upgrade for owners of older routers.

4/5

Design

The plastic casing feels a little flimsy, so you’ll need to keep it on a safe shelf or desk. The hardware features are up to scratch, though, with 2.5Gb Ethernet for your broadband connection and four gigabit ports for wired connections.

4/5

Features

The Nighthawk app is easy to use, but it’s a little threadbare, especially when it comes to parental controls, and Netgear’s habit of trying to sell you additional subscriptions remains irksome.

3/5

Performance

It’s relatively slow for a Wi-Fi 7 router, and the lack of 6.0GHz support could be a deal-breaker for more demanding users, but a speed of 3.6Gbps will still be a welcome upgrade for owners of older routers.

3.5/5

Overall

It’s undeniably a basic, entry-level router, but at this price the RS100 is one of the most affordable Wi-Fi 7 routers currently available and worth considering if you’re still using an old router provided by your ISP.

4/5

Buy it if...

You’re on a budget
It can’t match the speed of more expensive Wi-Fi 7 routers, but the RS100 can handle most domestic broadband connections with ease.

You have a lot of gadgets
Millions of people are still using computers and mobile devices that only support Wi-Fi 5 or 6, so they really don’t need to splash the cash on a cutting-edge Wi-Fi 7 router.

Don't buy it if...

You’re a gamer
The RS100 is a basic, dual-band router and lack support for the high-speed 6.0GHz band, so it’s not the best option for gamers who need fast and reliable network coverage.

You're a parent
The Nighthawk app doesn’t provide any free parental controls and – at the moment – doesn’t even support Netgear’s separate Smart Parental Controls subscription service.View Deal

Netgear Nighthawk RS100: Also consider

Netgear Nighthawk RS300

It’s twice the price, but at 9.3Gbps the tri-band RS300 is more than twice as fast as the RS100, and will be a good option for owners of new computers and mobile devices that support Wi-Fi 7 and the 6.0GHz frequency band.

Eero 7

Mesh wi-fi systems that support Wi-Fi 7 are still fairly expensive, but the Eero 7 is one of the more affordable options for larger homes that need a far-reaching mesh system.

Netgear Nighthawk RS100 vs its competition

Router

Netgear Nighthawk RS100

Netgear Nighthawk RS300

Eero 7

Price (as reviewed)

$129.99/£129.99/ AU$259

 $329.99/£299.99/AU$649

$349.99 / £349.99

Wi-Fi Type

Dual-band Wi-Fi 7 (2.4GHz, 5.0GHz)

Tri-band Wi-Fi 7

Dual-band Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi Speed

3.6Gbps

9.3Gbps

1.8Gbps

Connectivity

1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN), 4x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN)

1x 2.5Gb Ethernet (WAN), 2x 2.5Gb Ethernet (LAN), 2x Gigabit Ethernet (LAN), 1x USB-A (3.0)

2 x 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, 1 x USB-C port

Processor

Quad-core 2.0GHz

Quad-core 2.0GHz

Quad-core 1.1GHz

Memory

1GB RAM

2GB RAM

1GB RAM

Storage

512MB NAND Flash

512MB NAND Flash

4GB Flash

Dimensions

184 x 66 x 122mm

249 x 150 x 102mm

130 x 130 x 64mm

• First reviewed: July 2025

Samsung's Running Coach questioned my running skills. But Gemini may have just restored my faith in voice assistants.

A direct follow-up to the first two movies, the new sequel welcomes back some original stars. Here’s how to stream the franchise to get in the slasher spirit.

DK is helping me punch my way through summer.

Action adventure title Donkey Kong Bananza harnesses the powerful Nintendo Switch 2 hardware to offer a gigantic, open-ended world with dazzling destruction that lets you bash, smash, and crash through practically anything.

Its seemingly endless stream of hidden collectibles and secrets makes exploration especially rewarding and ensures that each of its many massive layers presents tens of hours of entertainment, even after the credits roll.

Review info

Platform reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2
Available on: Nintendo Switch 2
Release date: July 17, 2025

It feels like a true follow-up to 2017’s ground-breaking Super Mario Odyssey, with everything that made that game so enjoyable dialed up to the max. That includes an attempt at more elaborate storytelling, though unfortunately this is the one area where the overall package falters. Its basic plot is enhanced by compelling voice acting, though it feels a tad rushed - especially when the action kicks into overdrive towards the end.

This isn’t a dealbreaker by any means as the beautiful visuals and wonderfully expressive animations ensure that every cutscene is still thoroughly enjoyable, and ultimately does little to detract from what is undoubtedly one of the very best Nintendo Switch 2 games right now.

Go bananas

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Set in a labyrinthine subterranean world beneath the distant Ingot Isle, you would be forgiven for thinking that the environments in Donkey Kong Bananza would be nothing more than a series of dark caves. Although it’s true that the story starts in a rather cramped, conventional mineshaft, this quickly gives way to a string of bright and colorful locations that wouldn’t look out of place in a Super Mario game.

The themes of each one aren’t anything that you haven’t experienced before, an ice world or a poison jungle is hardly uncharted territory, but are nevertheless elevated by some imaginative flair. The ice world, for example, is styled like a massive freezer drawer, its rolling snowing hills covered with colorful scoops of ice cream and mounds of densely packed chocolate sprinkles, while the poison jungle is home to a fancy egg-shaped hotel. It’s admirable that, after all these years, Nintendo can still find ways to make such well-worn concepts feel exciting and fresh.

The distinct animal residents of each world contribute to this too, and there are plenty of non-playable characters (NPCs) to chat to on your travels that dispense everything from useful tips to interesting worldbuilding and occasionally little jokes or references. The end result are stages that you desperately want to spend as much time as possible in, which is easy to do given the sheer volume of collectibles here

Best bit

(Image credit: Nintendo)

There’s plenty of variety, with some levels featuring their own memorable segments. A favorite is a full-on racing minigame which sees DK and Pauline facing off against Diddy and Dixie Kong on the back of a charging rhinoceros.

Donkey Kong Bananza is densely packed with hidden goodies, the most significant of which are the Banandium gems. These crystalline bananas are Donkey Kong’s favorite snack, and can be found absolutely anywhere, buried beneath mounds of earth, hanging from the top of undersides of hard-to-reach ledges, and so much more.

You’re practically always within a few meters of a new gem, highlighted on screen every time you use a sonar-like clap, and it’s impossible to resist the temptation of going after each and every one.

Most of the time, this involves exploiting the fully destructible terrain, tearing through layers of material with immensely cathartic punches. Building tunnels is as simple as mashing the B button for a downward hit or pushing Y for a forward attack while walking in the direction that you’re facing. X targets the surface above you, ideal for breaking up through to the surface once you’ve reached your destination.

The destruction is absolutely glorious, and your efforts are rewarded with constant bursts of gold that you can hoover up and later spend on constructing hideouts (little rest points that allow you to restore health easily), placing things like barrel launchers that let you traverse more easily, or in at a vendor that sells useful items like health boosts.

Monkeying around

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Early on, you’re introduced to the young Pauline, who accompanies DK throughout much of his adventure. The pair have a great chemistry, with plenty of amusing facial expressions to chuckle at, though the overall plot, which follows DK and Pauline’s quest to reach the magical core buried deep beneath the surface, is sloppy at times.

The main antagonists, three employees of the sinister mining group VoidCo, don’t get a huge amount of screen time, and a dramatic reveal in the final hour is sudden and unexpected, but as a result seems almost shoehorned in.

Still, I was never bored by the events unfolding on screen as they’re conveyed with some beautifully animated cutscenes. In fact, every aspect of Donkey Kong Bananza is absolutely stunning and brimming with remarkably complex effects.

Materials are all heavily stylized, but just lifelike enough to look believable. Every hit on a surface spawns realistic debris, and you can frequently set off complex chain reactions as more destructive materials, such as explosive gold chunks, interact.

In addition to providing plenty of charming interactions as the pair explores, Pauline also has her own destructive special abilities based on her singing. She can clear magical purple obstacles placed by VoidCo and, if you’ve managed to accumulate enough gold, trigger a powerful Bananza transformation.

This morphs DK into another giant animal, be that a flying ostrich that allows you to float for a short amount of time or a racing zebra that can sprint over collapsing surfaces.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

Each one is unique with some creative skills and can be enhanced, alongside your base abilities, by investing points into the robust skill tree. To quickly rack up skill points, granted for every five Banandium gems consumed, I’d recommend pursuing the challenge levels.

These are accessed via little doors strewn throughout each world, and are all memorable and unique. Highlights for me include a full-on 2D section in the style of Donkey Kong Country Returns, complete with a few cool easter eggs to discover, and the many combat challenges that have you using all of your moves to try and defeat a set number of foes within a strict time limit.

(Image credit: Nintendo)

The clothing system is also surprisingly important. Like Super Mario Odyssey, you can outfit your protagonists with a wide range of eye-catching options using a currency acquired in each level (fossils embedded in rocks), though this time around, each item of clothing can provide powerful bonuses too. Experimentation is encouraged, and you can upgrade certain clothing to dramatically enhance its effects if you're relying on it frequently.

Investing in your gear can make a big difference when it's time to face off against one of the powerful bosses, usually found at the end of each layer. Encounters are well-designed, taking full advantage of the destruction system and each Bananza transformation. It’s a shame that some are repeated a couple of times later on, which certainly diminishes the novelty, but the repeats are at least well spaced out so as not to become annoying.

This all comes together in a game that is a delight to pick and play, and almost impossible to put down. Donkey Kong Bananza is a brilliant showcase of the power of the Nintendo Switch 2, thanks to its crisp visuals and showstopping destruction, and the hundreds of collectibles will provide tens of hours of entertainment even after the credits roll for those willing to put the time in.

It’s a worthy Super Mario Odyssey successor in almost every regard, and if Nintendo can keep this level of quality up with future Nintendo Switch 2 releases, it’s clear that the console will have a long and successful run just like its predecessor.

Should I play Donkey Kong Bananza?

(Image credit: Nintendo)Play it if…

You want hours and hours of fun
With loads of levels and hundreds of hidden collectibles, Donkey Kong Bananza is a massive adventure that can easily provide hours and hours of entertainment. Pick it up if you want a Nintendo Switch 2 title that’s going to last you a very long time.

You crave bombastic destruction
The destruction system in Donkey Kong Bananza is particularly impressive, letting you smash your way through almost the entire world. It’s a great showcase of what the Nintendo Switch 2 hardware can do.

You loved Super Mario Odyssey
Hailing from the same development team, it shouldn't come as much surprise that Donkey Kong Bananza shares a lot in common with Super Mario Odyssey. If you loved that high-quality Nintendo Switch platformer, then you’re going to adore this.View Deal

Don’t play it if…

You expect the best story around
Although entertaining, the story here could be better. The main antagonists don’t get much screen time, and a big reveal feels out of place.

Accessibility

Donkey Kong Bananza has some accessibility features. This includes an assist mode, which makes the game easier overall. Camera controls can also be adjusted with inverted options.

Your main actions can also be tweaked with a variety of button presets. Subtitles are enabled by default and featured throughout though the size, font, and color cannot be adjusted.

How I reviewed Donkey Kong Bananza

I played almost 20 hours of Donkey Kong Bananza on Nintendo Switch 2. During that time, I reached the credits of the main game and made a fair dent in hoovering up many of the available collectibles.

I relied on the Nintendo Switch 2 in handheld mode for the majority of my playtime, though I also tested it in docked mode with a 4K TV and the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. For audio, I used the console’s built-in speakers and a pair of Final VR500 gaming earbuds.

First reviewed July 2025

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