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If you’ve just upgraded your PC, you should have taken advantage of Cyber Monday monitor deals to get a display that will give justice to the increased processing power. If you weren’t able to do so, the good news is that you can still avail some of the best Cyber Monday deals for monitors, including Walmart’s $71 discount for the 27-inch MSI Optix G272 gaming monitor that brings its price down to $188 from its original price of $259. It may be a mistake that the deal’s still live as it was supposed to end on Cyber Monday, so if you want to buy the MSI Optix G272 gaming monitor for cheaper than usual, don’t hesitate to click that Buy Now button.
After upgrading your gaming PC or buying a new one to replace your aging machine, you shouldn’t forget to also purchase a monitor that’s worthy of your computer’s capabilities. You don’t have to pay full price for one though, especially if you’ve already spent most of your budget. A highly recommended option is the MSI Optix G272 gaming monitor, which features a 27-inch screen with Full HD resolution so that you can better appreciate the graphics of today’s games. In addition, the monitor’s IPS panel optimizes color and brightness to improve your viewing experience. If you’ve been stuck on an old monitor for far too long, it’s probably a good idea to purchase this monitor so that you’ll no longer have to squint to make out small details, and so that you can enjoy vivid colors and brightness, not only on the games that you play but also on websites you browse and streaming content you watch.
To provide an even bigger boost to the gaming monitor’s capabilities, it offers a 144Hz refresh rate, which is how often the images on the screen are updated, according to Digital Trends’ computer monitor buying guide. It also comes with a 1ms response time, which is how quickly the gaming monitor shows image transitions. With a high refresh rate and a low response time like the best gaming monitors, the MSI Optix G272 displays smooth movements, without screen tearing and staggered frame rates — all providing you with an edge over bosses in single-player games and against your opponents in multiplayer online matches.
The MSI Optix G272 gaming monitor’s other features include Night Vision, which brings out the fine detail in the darker areas of the game that you’re playing, and Game Mode, which will let you choose between different gaming styles to bring out the best visual effects possible on the screen.
Last but not least, the design of the MSI Optix G272 gaming monitor is worth noting. It’s simple and sleek, with narrow bezels on three sides of the screen, eliminating distractions and creating a more immersive experience when you’re looking at the display. The gaming monitor’s stand, meanwhile, is solid but doesn’t take up too much space, reducing clutter on your desk.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.
If you need to upgrade your laptop, you should take advantage of this year’s Black Friday deals, particularly Black Friday laptop deals or Black Friday gaming laptop deals, depending on the machine’s purpose. You don’t have to wait for the shopping holiday though, as there are early Dell Black Friday deals that you can shop right now. For example, the massively popular Dell XPS 13 is currently discounted by $250, which brings the laptop’s price down to $700 from its original price of $950.
The Dell XPS 13 is the top choice in Digital Trends’ best laptops, with its 16:10 aspect ratio and thin bottom bezel resulting in a larger screen without increasing its overall size. The latest version of the laptop also features a larger keyboard and touchpad compared to its predecessor, maximizing the device’s surface. The 13.3-inch display offers Full HD resolution, for an enjoyable viewing experience.
Inside the Dell XPS 13 are the 11th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and Intel Iris Xe graphics, which makes it powerful enough to handle all your daily tasks for work or school. The laptop also features dual fans and heat pipes to keep it cool even after using it for several hours, and it’s also extra durable because the Dell XPS 13 is cut from a block of aluminum into two pieces.
For a powerful, reliable, and stylish laptop, you can’t go wrong with the Dell XPS 13. It’s currently on sale from Dell in an early Black Friday offer that slashes the laptop’s price by $250, making it more affordable at $700 compared to its original price of $950. The deal’s availability is limited though, and it might not be long before it disappears. If you want to acquire the Dell XPS 13 for this special price, you should click that Buy Now button as soon as you can.
If you are in the market for a laptop that will last you years without breaking the bank, try this gem. It’s plenty fast for everyday work, is built superbly well, and has great hardware.
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The Dell XPS 13 comes with a super immersive slim-bezel display on all four sides, along with an improved keyboard and trackpad. Making it one great laptop for productivity.
The Dell XPS 13 is a technological marvel for anyone who wants to get a head start on tomorrow’s work, featuring an 11th-gen Intel Core CPU and boosted RAM for a non-stop workflow.
The Dell XPS 13 is the premier Dell laptop. It’s powerful, sleek, and with a long battery life. The touch version adds that extra convenience. You get all the functionality of a tablet in your laptop.
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This deal bags you an excellent 2-in-1 laptop that doubles as a tablet, making it perfect for carrying on the go and sitting down to some serious work wherever you are.
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A perennial pick for best laptop by DT staff, the Dell XPS 13 is a fan-favorite among working professionals for its reliability and power, making it a great option for every need.
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We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
Microsoft is positioning Windows 11 as a wholesale redesign of Windows itself, adding all sorts of flourishes and effects to the operating system. That puts some on edge, remembering the disaster of Windows Vista that resulted in sluggish performance, which Microsoft is looking to avoid with Windows 11.
Kevin Gallo, head of the Windows developer platform, participated in a Q&A session to explain some of the design decisions behind Mica and how it affects performance.
“Performance is really a top priority for us and we want to ensure that all these fun new functionalities are super fast and don’t impact the OS,” Gallo noted. “For example, Mica was specifically designed for higher performance when compared to things like Acrylic.”
The company’s Fluent Design can be seen throughout the built-in apps and operating system with its rounded corners, drop shadows, and transparency effects. As part of the new design, Windows 11 features a material called “Mica.” This creates a layering effect depending on what the desktop background is. For example, a light background will change the application windows to a lighter hue while darker backgrounds do the opposite. It also allows the desktop background to have subtle transparency through the windows. Mica is already noticeable in the current Preview build with the File Explorer.
In the video session, Gallo goes on to explain that Mica is fully optimized for rendering so the transparency and rounded corners should not affect performance. Mica doesn’t sample the desktop wallpaper every frame while instead opting to only blur the image once. By contrast, the Acrylic “material” creates a live background of whatever is beneath it which uses more resources.
Astute readers will remember that Windows Vista was notorious for bogging down slower machines with its Aero theme. At the time, Aero was a massive change from how Windows XP looked with its glass-like transparencies and reflections. The only way to gain performance was to downgrade to Aero Classic which did not look nearly as good.
According to Gallo, people running Windows 11 versions of apps will use Mica while computers on older versions of Windows will automatically default to those themes instead. This should improve performance across the board while simplifying software development. The goal is to get the “best version of the app everywhere you go.”
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Good quality gaming laptops don’t have to cost thousands, provided you know when to snag a great bargain. That’s why this Dell gaming laptop is worth your time. Right now, you can buy a Dell G3 15 gaming laptop for just $800 directly from Dell. That’s a substantial savings of $420 on the usual price of $1,220 making this a sweet time to invest in a portable gaming setup. As is often the case with Dell deals, stock is limited at this price so if you want to benefit, you’ll need to hit the buy button fast before the price returns to normal. You won’t want to miss out.
The Dell G3 gaming laptop range has been around for a number of years with some great revisions going on. That’s hardly surprising as Dell is also one of the best laptop brands you can buy from. In the case of the Dell G3 15 gaming laptop, you get a 10th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of memory, 512GB of SSD storage, plus an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card. While that spec might not quite top the best gaming laptops, it’s a fantastic array of hardware for the price.
Combined, you’ll be able to play plenty of the latest games at a reasonable pace and the Dell G3 15’s 15-6inch full HD display means you won’t miss out on any of the action. Dell has implemented some of its Alienware range’s technology within the laptop, too, so you get the benefits of fans that maximize their speeds any time you need to keep the system cooler, along with dual speakers that offer Nahimic 3D audio.
The laptop also looks pretty good and isn’t too bulky for a gaming laptop so you’ll have no problem taking it out and about with you, as well as using it at home.
Ordinarily priced at $1,220, the Dell G3 15 is down to just $800 right now, saving you $420 on the usual price. Once it’s gone though, it’s gone, and you won’t want to miss out on this huge saving. It’s a great way of gaming for less.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
Prime Day deals aren’t just exclusive to Amazon with Best Buy also getting in on the action. That includes a Lenovo Chromebook 3 for just $149. Ordinarily priced at $219, that’s a massive saving of $70 on the usual price making this a fantastic budget choice for students and home workers alike. Be quick though. At this price, we really can’t see stock lasting for long.
Of course, we’re not saying this Lenovo Chromebook 3 is one of the best Chromebooks out there. It’s not at the top of the heap, but it is a fantastic price. For the money, you get an AMD A6 processor, 4GB of memory, plus 32GB of eMMC flash storage. Alongside that is an 11.6-inch display with a typical HD resolution of 1366 x 768. So, this isn’t a Chromebook to set the world on fire but with 10 hours of battery life, it’s good to go throughout your working day. Whether you’re taking notes in class or writing up a report for work, it’ll do the job all thanks to being able to work on the cloud.
The Lenovo Chromebook 3 is also fairly portable too. It only weighs 2.42 pounds plus it measures just 0.71-inch thin so it’s slim and lightweight meaning you can take it out and about with you with minimal hassle. Built-in cloud support means you can always pick up where you left off too which is sure to be useful if you work between multiple devices. Plus its screen is competent enough to enjoy some downtime watching your favorite streaming services too.
Normally priced at $219, the Lenovo Chromebook 3 is just $149 right now which is a great bargain for a competent Chromebook from one of the best laptop brands. If you’re on a tight budget, you won’t be let down by this purchase thanks to it offering everything you could need at this price.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador, has got himself a pair of laser eyes – on his Twitter profile at least.
Laser eyes are something social media users give themselves to show they love cryptocurrency – and Bukele proved his crypto-enthusiasm last week by having El Salvador become the world’s first nation to make Bitcoin legal tender.
El Salvador’s parliament passed Bukele’s proposed legislation on June 9, after he announced his plan just a few days earlier. The law will take effect in September.
Some Bitcoin fans have leapt on this as a step towards much broader acceptance. But the changes in Bitcoin’s market value since Bukele announced his plan gives crypto-sceptics reason for doubt.
Nayib Bukele’s Twitter profile image
Over the past week Bitcoin’s value was as high as US$38,200 (about A$49,000) and as low as US$31,428. Over the past month it has fallen from more than US$58,000. This isn’t the type of price volatility any government generally wants to see in a currency.
Such fluctations show Bitcoin’s weakness as a viable alternative to central bank currencies – good only for transactions you don’t want traced and as a speculative investment.
So what is Bukele thinking in wanting to make Bitcoin legal tender for the small central American nation (population about 6.5 million) whose economy accounts for less than 0.05% of global GDP?
What does ‘legal tender’ mean?
Before we get to that, let’s clarify what making Bitcoin legal tender means.
Using Bitcoin is already legal in El Salvador, as it is in most countries. If you want to pay for something in bitcoins, and the recipient is willing to accept them, it’s all good.
Making bitcoins legal tender mean a payee will have to accept them. As the new legislation states, “every economic agent must accept Bitcoin as payment when offered to him by whoever acquires a good or service”.
El Salvador making this move isn’t as significant as it would be for most nations, because it is one of about a dozen countries – most of them micro-states such as Andorra and Nauru – without its own currency (or a common currency such as the Euro).
El Salvador abandoned its own currency (the “colon”, named after Christopher Columbus) in 2001 and adopted the US dollar as its legal tender. This process of “official dollarisation” was seen as a reform that would curb inflation and increase trade with the US (by far its major trading partner).
So El Salvador has less to lose than other nations in adopting a second currency as legal tender. There is no controversy about losing sovereignty and monetary policy autonomy. There will be no loss of “seignorage” – the profit made on issuing currency that’s worth a lot more than the cost of making it.
[For a different perspective, read: El Salvador is the first to adopt Bitcoin as real money — which is good news for the unbanked]
Highly volatile
But having two legal tenders will complicate matters – particularly when one of those currencies is subject to wild swings in its value.
Consider the provision in the new law that “all obligations in money expressed in USD, existing before the effective date of this law, may be paid in bitcoin”.
Even that is complicated. How, and by whom, will the amount of bitcoins necessary to pay a debt be determined? Will it be based on the Bitcoin price at the time the debt was incurred, or when the debt falls due?
The difference of even a few days could be significant.
If the expectation is the price of Bitcoin is going to rise, why would you want to buy things with it? Why not wait? If the expectation is the price is going to fall, why would you want to accept it? For most transactions, using US dollars will still make the most sense.
So making Bitcoin legal tender could help destabilise El Salvador’s economy.
Increasing El Salvador’s GDP
Things would have been simpler if El Salvador had adopted a “stablecoin” whose price is fixed at one US dollar – such as Tether, the third-largest cryptocurrency.
But that would have not been nearly so newsworthy, and would have defeated the apparent reason Bukele has championed this move.
Bukele’s reasoning, delivered via Twitter on June 6, is that Bitcoin has “a market cap of US$680 billion” and:
If 1% of it is invested in El Salvador, that would increase our GDP by 25%.
This argument – which appears to be the only “analysis” Bukele has made public – seems very confused.
Bukele explains his Bitcoin plan on Twitter.
But it is flawed logic to think Bitcoin’s total market value equals money bitcoin owners around the globe are looking to invest anywhere. Market capitalisation typically refers to a listed company’s valuation, based on multiplying the share price by the number of shares. The $US680 billion Bitcoin market cap Bukele referred to represents the currency’s market value multiplied by the number of bitcoins created so far. (For comparison, the market cap of Tether’s 63 billion coins in circulation is US$63 billion.)
In very few cases do people buy bitcoins to invest in other things. Bitcoins are their investment. Neither major funds nor average punters holding bitcoins are likely to want to start investing in El Salvador.
Nor is foreign investment a component of GDP (which is the value of market transactions in an economy). Foreigners using bitcoins to buy assets such as land in El Salvador would bid up its price but not necessarily increase GDP. A surge in foreign investment into new infrastructure and businesess that increase productive capacity would contribute to GDP, but there’s no reason to think giving Bitcoin legal tender status will make this more likely.
Facilitating remittances
A second reason given by Bukele is that Bitcoin “will have 10 million potential new users” and is “the fastest growing way to transfer 6 billion dollars a year in remittances”.
This apparently refers to both the population of El Salvador (about 6.5 million) and Salvadorans living abroad, many of whom send money home to help their families. In 2020 these remittances totalled US$5.9 billion, or 23% of El Salvador’s GDP.
While any cryptocurrency can well facilitate more efficient transfers (without the charges banks impose), the significance of remittances to the Salvadoran economy points to another issue. El Salvador is a poor country, with one of the lowest rates of internet use in the Americas – 33% in 2017, according to World Bank data.
How many vendors, street hawkers or farmers are equipped to handle cryptocurrency transactions? US dollars will more than likely remain the default currency.
The benefits of making Bitcoin legal tender are far from clear. El Salvador is already facing higher interest rates as international investors are worried about the move. There are concerns wider use of Bitcoin will facilitate the black economy and make tax avoidance easier.
For the sake of El Salvador’s people, let’s hope it is successful. But the odds are on it being further evidence of the cryptocurrency’s unsuitability for use as a real currency – confirmation that Bitcoin is nothing more than a speculative gamble.
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If you need to buy a new laptop, you’ll likely come across a great offer from today’s Memorial Day sales. This year’s Memorial Day laptop deals cater to a variety of budget ranges, but if you want a machine that’s very cheap but reliable, you might want to move away from traditional laptops and go with a Chromebook. If you’re interested, the Asus C423 Chromebook is available from Walmart with a $30 discount, further lowering its price to $239 from its original price of $269.
The Asus C423 is powered by the dual-core Intel Celeron N3350 processor with 4GB of RAM ad 64GB of eMMC storage. The Chromebook features a 14-inch HD screen with 1366 x768 resolution, for a clear look at the documents that you’re working on and the websites that you’re browsing. Asus also promises up to 10 hours of battery life, which should be more than enough time for you to plug in the Chromebook to charge if you’re using it on the go.
The Asus C423 and its fellow Chromebooks are named as such because they’re powered by Google’s Chrome OS, which is basically the Chrome browser that’s reworked to function as an operating system. These computers heavily depend on web-based apps instead of software that needs to be installed. While this means that you need an internet connection to maximize Chromebooks, it also translates to low overhead, resulting in quick startups and snappy performance without needing high-end components.
Related
With the Asus C423, you can install Android apps from the Google Play Store to complement the Chrome OS native apps, for a complete suite of software for daily functions such as word processing, browsing social media and other websites, and checking emails. If these constitute most of your daily activities, then the Asus C423 may be your perfect companion.
Chromebooks are a cheaper alternative to traditional laptops, and if you think they’ll work out for you, you should take advantage of this Memorial Day deal for the Asus C423. Walmart is currently selling the Chromebook at $30 off, bringing its price down to an even more affordable $239, from its original price of $269. If you’re already looking forward to the benefits of owning a Chromebook, you shouldn’t hesitate on buying the Asus C423
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.
If you’re looking for a shiny new laptop then the Memorial Day sales are where you need to be looking. In particular, the Dell Memorial Day sale is now on and it brings with it a massive discount on the Dell XPS 13 laptop. Right now, you can snap up a Dell XPS 13 laptop for just $949, saving you over $550 in the process. We can’t see there being a better time to snap up this fantastic laptop for considerably less than usual. Be quick, though. As is always the way with Dell sales, stock is strictly limited and once it’s gone, it’s gone.
The Dell XPS 13 has been a big hit with us for a while thanks to its great design and well-considered specifications. That’s hardly surprising given Dell topped our list of the best laptop brands out there right now. In the case of this Dell XPS 13, it offers a 10th-generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of SSD storage. That’s an ideal set of specs for productivity focused work but it gets better. That’s because you get a 13.4-inch UHD screen, too. It’s rare to find 4K screens at this price, which reinforces why this is such a great deal. Extra pixels and a sharper image are always welcomed and ensure that everything on screen truly pops.
As well, you will get all the versatility of a Dell XPS 13 laptop such as a screen that uses the latest Corning Gorilla Glass so it is impact and scratch resistant, along with a larger touchpad and an edge-to-edge backlit keyboard, too. It has a superior webcam to previous XPS laptops, too, proving to be smaller yet with far better lenses than elsewhere. It’s a thinner design as well, meaning you have less to carry around without missing out on key performance.
Ordinarily priced at $1,500, this Dell XPS 13 is down to just $949 for a limited time only as part of Dell’s Memorial Day sale. Stock is strictly limited so you’ll need to be quick if you want to get in on the action. We’re confident you won’t be disappointed when you do.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
If you’re keen to buy a new monitor then the Memorial Day sales are a great time to check out the best offers right now. At the moment, HP has an excellent 27-inch monitor for just $215, saving you $55 on the usual price — just one of the many HP Memorial Day sales you can shop today. If you’re looking to upgrade your screen needs, whether as part of your home office or simply to give you an extra display for your laptop, this is the monitor for you. This large discount is sure to make it even more appealing. Expect stock to be strictly limited though, so if you’re keen to snap it up, be quick.
The HP 27fw monitor offers pretty much everything you could want from a monitor at this price. It’s a full HD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution with a response rate of 5ms so it’ll keep up with what you’re doing. The display is ultra-slim looking with some great ultra-wide viewing angles for added convenience. There’s built-in audio, too, so you won’t have to worry about hooking up external speakers plus you get the benefit of saving some space on your desk.
The thinking behind the monitor is that it aims to bring home a modern look and feel without the premium price tag. That goes for whether you’re using it to create expansive documents for work or if you’re looking to stream your favorite shows while relaxing in the evenings. It’s all pretty versatile for the HP 27fw and just what most people would be looking for at this price. Of course, if you’re not entirely convinced, then our look at the best computer monitors may help you. Ultimately though, at this price, this 27-inch HP monitor should be a no-brainer of a decision as it really doesn’t leave users with anything to complain about.
Whatever your intentions, we’re confident that the HP 27fw is an addition worthy of everyone’s home office. Right now, it’s available for just $215 saving you $55 on the usual price of $270. As it’s part of the Memorial Day sales, we expect stock to be limited so be quick if this is the bargain for you.
We strive to help our readers find the best deals on quality products and services, and we choose what we cover carefully and independently. The prices, details, and availability of the products and deals in this post may be subject to change at anytime. Be sure to check that they are still in effect before making a purchase.
Digital Trends may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers.
Last night, when most of India was sleeping, Facebook temporarily blocked posts that included the #ResignModi hashtag— criticizing the Prime Minister‘s handling of the raging Coronavirus pandemic — and restored them hours later.
The company said that the blocking was an oversight, and New Delhi didn’t order the social networking giant to restrict it:
We temporarily blocked this hashtag by mistake, not because the Indian government asked us to, and have since restored it.
This incident raises a lot of eyebrows because at one end we have the government, which ordered Facebook and Twitter to remove more than 100 posts that objurgated the country’s poor handling of the current surge of the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more than a week, India has registered more than 300,000 daily cases with thousands of deaths. And the country’s healthcare system is struggling to keep up with rising demands for hospital beds, medicines, and medical-grade oxygen.
Facebook blocked #ResignModi hashtag temporarily
In February, the government also ordered Twitter to restrict posts and accounts that were critical of the farmers’ protest.
At the other end, there’s Facebook, which has been a center of controversy in India many times when it comes to hate speech moderation.
Last year, a Wall Street Journal report noted that Ankhi Das, the company’s India policy head at that time, blocked the removal of certain violence-inciting posts from the leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Several otherreports noted that Das worked closely with Modi’s campaign to form a national government in 2014, and provided it with the information needed to boost its efforts.
Later in October, Das left the company to pursue a career in public service.
Earlier this month, The Guardianwrote a report, citing former Facebook data scientist Sophie Zhang, showing that the firm allowed fake accounts to artificially boost a BJP politician’s popularity.
While this hashtag blocking might have been a mistake, it’s hard to overlook the government’s penchant for censorship, along with Facebook’s history of mishandling content moderation efforts, and not squint your eyes a little.
