gear

We spend a lot of time staring at our screens, so it’s worth finding one that actually feels good to use. The right monitor can make your desk setup feel faster, brighter and easier on the eyes, whether you’re deep into spreadsheets, watching a show or chasing higher frame rates in your favorite game.

Gaming laptops have gone from being ugly bricks to sleek machines that can match the power of desktops. If you’re looking to get crazy high framerates, or if you just want to revel in the glory of real-time ray tracing, you’ll definitely be able to find a gaming laptop that suits your needs. And it’s also easier than ever to connect them to TVs and monitors for big-screen gaming.

Wireless headphones have come a long way from the bulky designs of the past. Today’s models are lighter, smarter and packed with features that make them useful for everything from travel to long workdays at your desk. Many offer strong noise cancellation, quick pairing and reliable battery life — all of which makes them an easy upgrade if you want more freedom from your devices.

Smartwatches do more than just track your steps and deliver phone alerts to your wrist. The best smartwatches go even further, giving you the ability to pay for a cup of coffee, take calls and connect to apps like Spotify all without whipping out your smartphone.

Vlogging used to be a niche camera category, but it’s now at least equal to (if not dominating) the photo scene. All the major camera companies now have multiple creator models with new ones arriving nearly every month, including Nikon’s awesome new ZR hybrid creator camera built in collaboration with cinema company RED.

Regardless of how 2024 went for you, 2025 is another chance for all of us to make the new year better than the one that came before it. New Year’s resolutions are usually set with the best intentions, but it’s no secret many people fail after just a few weeks — old habits die hard. It’s important to have a support group, people who can cheer you on during those particularly hard days. But it’s also important to have the right tools to make achieving your goals easier.

As crisp fall air settles in for the next few weeks, it’s time to make sure you’ve got everything you need to enjoy the weather before winter’s cold embrace drives us inside. There’s still plenty of time to head outdoors, whether it’s to the backyard, porch, patio or even a campsite. We’ve compiled a list of the best outdoor gear for relaxing, enjoying a warm beverage or cooking a meal this fall. We’ve got recommendations from products we’ve tested spanning fire pits, grills, speakers and more.

Think about your digital footprint. How many accounts have you created online since you first started using the internet? How many of those use the same passwords, so you have an easier time logging in? It’s a habit we’ve all fallen into, but it greatly weakens our ability to stay secure online. Just one password leak can compromise dozens of accounts.

It doesn’t take much to make your gaming stream look and sound professional — you just need the right tools, and then let your sparkling personality and on-screen skills take care of everything else. Here, we’ve collected more than a dozen of the best streaming gadgets that you can buy today, separated into five categories: microphones, headphones, cameras, lights and accessories. You won’t need everything on this list, but there’s a good starting point for most budgets under each heading.

Whether you’re working on an essay, doing research for a paper or just need some downtime streaming your favorite show - a good laptop is a sensible investment for every college student. The best laptop for college doesn’t have to push the envelope with the latest graphics card and processor, nor does it have to cost an arm and a leg. Sure, the best laptops come in all shapes and sizes and range in price, but college students don’t need a power-hungry machine to support their needs.