Hackers, phishers, spammers, scammers, and loads of unsavory characters work hard to steal our personal information, turn our computers into ghost machines, and just break stuff.

So it’s continuously paramount that we use some sort of software designed for our protection, like one of these antivirus programs.

Each of these antivirus software programs provides a similar service to the next: protecting our devices and identities from malicious forces.

Because as much as some of us like to think we’re amateur-hour security experts, scammers have become more advanced and skilled than ever before.

So it’s integral to our personal safety and computer health that we suck up our pride and utilize the best antivirus software of 2024.

Best Antivirus software of 2024

Best Overall

Norton 360 Deluxe [12 month]

$29.99

Norton 360 is one of the leading antivirus providers, with real-time monitoring and protection against malware and other threats. You also get a fully-featured security suite with a VPN, password manager, firewall, and dark web monitoring.

OS Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS

Cost: Subscription with free trial

What We Like:

• Real-time protection against malware, ransomware, viruses, and more
• Dark web monitoring to notify you if your personal information is up for sale
• 25GB of secure cloud backup for important files, so you won't lose them even if the worst happens to your computer

Check Availability

01/25/2024 02:02 pm GMT

There’s a reason Norton 360 is one of the most popular and well-known antivirus software packages on the market.

It consistently defeats threats with a high level of success, using heuristic analytics and machine learning to murder the most advanced malware out there.

Plus it’s packed with features such as a firewall, password manager, VPN, dark web monitoring, ransomware protection, and so much more.

The dark web monitoring is a nice touch. We might never enter the shadow world, but our personal data might. Norton 360 keeps it personal, private, and secure.

Best for Windows

Windows Security

Rebranded to Windows Security, this inbuilt antivirus comes with every copy of Windows 10 or 11 to protect your PC from threats and viruses. It's really all you need these days, but it isn't the most fully-featured security suite so you don't get any added extras.

OS Compatibility: Windows

Cost: Free with Windows

What We Like:

• Built-in to every version of Windows 10 and 11
• Completely free to use
• Protects against viruses and other threats

Learn more

Whelp, it goes without saying that if you have a Windows PC, you have one of the most competent but annoying antivirus programs out there in Windows Security.

Built into every new copy of Windows, Security does a nominal job of protecting your PC. It’s no slouch, but it’s not a feature-rich antivirus program.

Windows Security does offer real-time protection, and regular updates itself, slogging your RAM as it does so. But it’s a small price to pay (nothing) for moderate protection without paying a premium.

It’s worth mentioning that Windows Security used to be called Microsoft Defender, but was rebranded as Defender is now the name of the security product included with Microsoft 365.

Best for Mac

Intego Mac Internet Security X9

$39.99 $29.99

The old paradigm of Macs not needing antivirus is misguided. With the surging popularity of Apple's OS, hackers have shifted to crafting Mac malware so you need protection. Designed specifically for the needs of macOS, Intego gives you real-time monitoring, a smart firewall, optimization tools and smart backups to keep your Mac safe.

OS Compatibility: macOS

Cost: Subscription

What We Like:

• Customized antivirus and security for macOS users
• Real-time monitoring and backup options that work with Time Machine to keep you protected
• Smart firewall to proactively protect from threats

Check Availability

01/25/2024 02:34 pm GMT

If you are a macOS person, then you’ll need an antivirus program specifically optimized for macOS and that’s Intego.

Intego is designed to take Apple’s built-in security features to the next level with real-time monitoring, Mac optimization tools and backup options, and toggle boxes for network security.

One standout feature is the customizable smart firewall. This ensures that no matter where you are working on your Mac, you are getting the best protection possible.

Intego does offer a Windows antivirus scanner, but it’s a pale imitation of the Mac version.

Best for anti-phishing

McAfee Total Protection 2024 Ready

$119.99 $24.99

McAfee's security suites bring multiple added extras over the real-time antivirus protection, including AI-powered scam protection, a VPN that can turn on automatically on public Wi-Fi, a secure password manager, and options to secure all of your devices.

OS Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Chrome

Cost: Subscription

What We Like:

• Protect every device from PCs, Macs, iPhones, and Androids with one subscription
• AI-powered protection against scammers
• Added value with VPN, password manager, and dark web monitoring

Check Availability

01/25/2024 03:09 pm GMT

Ironically, McAfee’s image is used just as much on malicious websites as phishing spam as it works to protect against it. Don’t let that put you off though, as those sites are fraudulently using the logo to trick you.

The antivirus package is one of the best in the industry. McAfee’s best features is its protection against phishing and web-based trojan attacks. Basically, if you have McAfee installed, you never have to fret when browsing even the most sus sites.

The subscription package can get a bit expensive, but McAfee also offers some of the most comprehensive parental controls on the market.

There’s also a Wi-Fi scanner, especially helpful if you are constantly hooking up with rando Wi-Fi networks ya dawg.

Best free antivirus

Malwarebytes Premium

$59.99 $43.32

Malwarebytes has long been one of the better malware removal tools, and does a great job with the free version requiring manually triggered scans. Upgrading to the premium subscription adds scheduling, real-time monitoring, and other benefits like spam call protection on iOS devices.

OS Compatibility: Windows, macOS, Chrome OS, Android

Cost: Subscription with indefinite free trial

What We Like:

• Free version gives you most of the functionality of the subscription
• Protects against viruses, malware, spyware and ransomware
• Works on most operating systems

Check Availability See free version

01/25/2024 03:34 pm GMT

While Malwarebytes does have a comprehensive subscription plan with the normal features you’d find in an antivirus software, the free version is where it’s at. While you have to run it on-demand, you can use the free version literally forever.

The free version of Malwarebytes is one of the best ways to quickly remove viruses and malware from your PC. That’s not because it’s free, but because it has a constantly up-to-date database of the latest malware and is quick and easy to use.

Simply download, install, ignore the subscription buttons, and clean your PC of the crap you accidentally downloaded.

Best for businesses

Trend Micro Internet Security

$49.99

Trend Micro has more of a footprint in the enterprise space, but that means it's tried and tested and will protect your home computers just as well. Alongside the always-on antivirus it can protect you against identity theft, malware, ransomware, phishing links, and more.

OS Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS, Chrome OS

Cost: Subscription

What We Like:

• Enterprise-level protection with deep customizability
• Encrypted password manager with support for 2-factor authentication
• Helps keep your social media accounts safe

Check Availability

01/26/2024 06:32 am GMT

Trend Micro has a lot of customization options, which is why it’s popular for enterprise-level protection. IT managers can adjust permissions and features based on organizational needs, and it works with the most popular operating systems.

It’s really robust in the password protection arena, with 256-bit AES encryption, unlimited password storage, password generation, and two-factor authentication. While Trend Micro might not be the most well-known antivirus software, it’s still offers enough for consideration.

Best extra features

Panda Security

From $3.99 per month

Many antivirus products have an unreasonably low device limit, but not Panda. You can use it on all of your home devices from one subscription, with no limits on the number of devices it will install on. That's a big bonus, and comes in addition to VPNs, PC optimization, and other added extras.

OS Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS

Cost: Subscription and free plan

What We Like:

• Four different subscription tiers so you can choose the protection level you want
• Added extras like VPN, Wi-Fi protection, ransomware protection, parental controls and PC optimization
• Protect all of your home devices from one subscription with no limits

Check Availability

Panda’s VPN isn’t that great, but that’s a small thing in its sea of extra features. There’s a free plan that offers basic virus protection for Windows and Android, but the subscription plan offers advanced ransomware protection, password manager, parental controls, and a file encrypter.

But the best feature that Panda includes is its Rescue Kit. This is a bootable version that resides on a USB drive, just in case your computers gets obliterated by a virus. That’s much cheaper than scrapping your PC and starting over.

Best free trial

Sophos Home

From $59.99 per year

Sophos Home is a fully-featured security suite that gives you a 30 day trial before you need your credit card details, so you can figure out if it's the home security option for you. It has advanced centralized management and works on most devices, including mobile ones.

OS Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS

Cost: Subscription and free version

What We Like:

• Robust protection against online malware so that you can surf securely
• A 30-day free trial that doesn't require a credit card
• Parental controls, centralized security management, and ransomware protection

Check Availability

Sophos Home is a consumer-facing version of its enterprise-level malware protection software.

Its free version is fairly robust, offering supreme malware protection. Web pages packed with malware stand no chance against Sophos Home’s malware protection.

It’s all in how Sophos Home functions, as it shuts down threatening processes when active, and then automatically reverts data. Plus, it actively blacklists websites known for dumping malware on computers, mitigating risk.

Best for online banking

Kaspersky Internet Security 2023

$89.99 $39.99

Kaspersky is one of the biggest names in antivirus protection, and a solid choice for protecting your computers and cellphones from attacks. It's also got added extras like stronger protection when on online banking websites, a way to protect your webcam, and tracking protection.

OS Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS

Cost: Subscription

What We Like:

• Works on all of your devices
• Added value like parental controls and extra security when doing online banking
• Protects against malware, tracking, and more

Check Availability

01/25/2024 06:18 pm GMT

While Kaspersky is a Russian company, it is more focused on capitalism than anything else.

Plus, with its safe money secure browser, anti-phishing protection, smart home monitor, and unlimited VPN, it’s one of the best pieces of security software for online banking and random financial transactions.

Kaspersky has a dangerous site protection feature and an antivirus engine that keeps itself constantly updated.

While you might fear the call is coming from within the house, Kaspersky has done nothing but competently protect consumers from viruses for its entire existence.

Best budget

Bitdefender Total Security 2024

$53.99

Bitdefender has a hybrid security model that offloads the heavy scanning to the cloud, so your computer isn't using all of its resources to stay protected. It's also packed with optimizations to reduce battery drain, has a VPN, and ways to protect your webcam and microphone.

OS Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS

Cost: Subscription

What We Like:

• Real-time protection against malware, web attacks, phishing, fraud, and more
• Adapts to the hardware of your device to improve performance
• Rescue environment for deep cleaning

Check Availability

01/25/2024 06:29 pm GMT

Bitdefender has two things that set it apart from it competitors. First, it has one of the most advanced antivirus engines backed by a killer malware database, AI detection, and machine learning.

Second, it has one of the best subscription tiers in its Total Security plan, which comes in less in cost than other services.

However, that plan doesn’t include a VPN, but the next tier does and it’s a nice VPN, comparable to standalone products. If you are have a budget for your protection, Bitdefender can save you a few bucks without sacrificing features.

Best for mobile

Avira Prime

From $9.99 per month

This lightweight antivirus program is perfect for protecting your phones and other mobile devices, and it can block spam callers as an added bonus.

OS Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS

Cost: Subscription

What We Like:

• Anonymizes your web browsing for security and anti-tracking
• Optimizes your privacy settings and has an inbuilt password manager
• Blocks spam calls on your mobile devices

Check Availability

The reason Avira is best for mobile is the same reason its best for old computers running Windows XP, it’s a very lightweight program.

This is because its antivirus engine lives in the cloud, rather than in temp files on your PC. You don’t have to download anything of substance.

Plus, it’s packed with system optimization tools such as a startup optimizer, game booster, and junk file cleaner.

That junk file cleaner really comes in handy because while they may not be virus-laden, junk files still take up space and slow things down. Avira also has clean apps for your mobile devices, so you can keep those tiny computers virus-free.

Best bundled VPN

TotalAV

From $29 for the first year

TotalAV is a low-overhead antivirus with a fast VPN that works with streaming sites. It also has added value in a password manager, a remote log out tool, and secure browsing.

OS Compatibility: Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS

Cost: Subscription

What We Like:

• Low cost subscription with included VPN
• Web shield for secure browsing
• Remote log out tool

Check Availability

TotalAV has all the stuff you’d look for in antivirus software, including a web shield that prevents you from even accessing scary websites.

But where it really stands out, as far as an antivirus software, is with its bundled VPN. It’s as good as or better than some standalone VPNs, and is totally secure and works with streaming sites. Plus it’s fast, which some VPNs struggle with.

Additionally, TotalAV has a nice password product called Total Password that provides an encrypted box to store all your passwords and private data.

And there’s even a tool to remotely log you out of all your accounts on any device, a nice touch for an antivirus software.

Things to consider when procuring antivirus software

1. Price

Many of the antivirus programs here list “subscription” under cost. That’s because many have tiered pricing, based on different features like adding a VPN or monthly vs. annual billing.

But the gist is that you should ask yourself before balking at $19.99, what’s the price you’d put on your personal computing security?

How much would you pay to ensure your identity isn’t stolen and your computer isn’t secretly used for doing crimes?

2. Features

Many antivirus software packages are just that. They are much more than antivirus protection. They offer password protection, dark web monitoring, VPN services, malware scanning, and so on.

There’s no reason to get more than what you need. So if you don’t need ten licenses, or enterprise protection, or a password locker, don’t spend the money. Buy the software and plan that contains the features you need.

3. Operating system compatibility

While most antivirus programs work with Windows and Mac, some are better suited for particular operating systems. Especially when it comes to mobile OS like Android or iOS, and Chrome.

Pick the software that optimizes your security for your operating system, or install Linux. Your call.

Final thoughts on the best antivirus software of 2024

As we keep moving forward with technology, as do the spammers, hackers, and phishers. Basic trojan horse viruses are a thing of the past (though still used) and the daily threats we face just turning our computers on compound every single day.

Considering how much we spend annually on subscription services for entertainment and content, it’s a small thing to spend much less on software to protect that freedom.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Best PlayStation 5 accessories
• Galaxy Z Fold 5 vs OnePlus Open: Competition is good
• Best home security cameras
• The best pet tech

The post The best Antivirus software (2024) appeared first on KnowTechie.

PlayStation 5: Play Has No Limits

From $449.99

The new, slim PlayStation 5 and slim Digital Edition PS5 sells like hotcakes, with its powerful CPU and GPU using AMD's technology, and a super-speedy SSD to store games on. It's also the only place to play games like Spiderman: 2.

What We Like:

• New, slim PlayStation 5 consoles are up to 30% smaller, saving you space on your TV cabinet
• Removable Blu-Ray drive can make the Digital Edition into a disc version
• The only home console with a dedicated VR headset

Check Availability

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

So you’ve finally got your hands on a PlayStation 5? Ok, maybe that’s a bit of hyperbole, as the PS5 has been on the market for four whole years, but not everyone was willing to pay secondary market prices.

Plus, Sony recently refreshed the whole lineup, with slimmer PlayStation 5 models with a removable Blu-Ray disc drive.

They still come in Digital Edition and standard versions, but now you can add the drive to the Digital version if you later decide you want the drive.

But even if you just acquired one or its been sitting on your entertainment center shelf for a few years, there are some must-have accessories for the PlayStation 5 that you really shouldn’t go without.

From chargers to controllers, headsets and extra memory, it’s time to upgrade that PS5 from out-of-the-box to awesome box.

Best PS5 Accessories for 2024

Best Controller

Sony PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller

From $49.00

The Sony DualSense controller for PS5 is also one of the best mobile gaming controllers on the market, thanks to its Bluetooth connectivity. It's also got a more natural thumbstick arrangement and a more sculpted design.

What We Like:

• Symmetrical thumbsticks because your hands aren't different sizes
• Ergonomic shape that suits some hand shapes better
• Bluetooth connectivity and in-built rechargeable battery
• Immersive haptic feedback on triggers and main body of controller

Check Availability at Walmart Check Availability at Amazon

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

01/25/2024 01:23 am GMT

This is the top item on many a list for a good reason. You need a controller to play the games, and that controller is the DualSense PS5 Controller.

While the PS5 comes with one of these in the box, that’s only acceptable if you have no friends. We’re not here to judge, but if you have a second pair of hands, you’ll need a second controller.

This controller is next-gen awesome, as the haptics fully engage you in the worlds your characters inhabit.

Toss in some adaptive triggers that provide different levels of resistance based on in-game situations, and a build in secondary speaker, and you’ve got a physical connection to your games.

The Sony DualSense PS5 controller is a must-have for any PlayStation gamer.

Best Charging Station

Playstation DualSense Wireless Charging Station

$29.96

The DualSense Wireless Charging Station keeps up to two controllers topped up while you're not gaming, with a design that looks like a mini PS5. It also keeps your PS5's USB ports free for other uses.

What We Like:

• Charge up to two DualSense controllers without needing to plug them into your console
• Drop your controller onto the dock to get it charging, lift it up whenever you want to play
• Also keeps your controllers stored when not in use

Check Availability

01/25/2024 10:00 am GMT

DualSense controllers work better when charged, so the PlayStation DualSense wireless Charging Station is probably the best bet.

With a charging stand, you don’t have to clog your PlayStation’s USB ports. You can just click-in your controllers, and watch them glow yellow until they glow blue. Then they don’t glow. That means they are charged.

It’s recommended that you purchase official Sony chargers for official Sony controllers, but if you have a 3rd party controller, a 3rd party charging station will work just fine.

The end result is your PlayStation DualSense wireless Charging Station will eliminate wasting batteries and time so that you can keep on gaming.

Best Headset

SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Headset

$349.99 $296.91

Upgrade your gaming audio with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, featuring Hi-Fi quality drivers and 360-degree Spatial Audio, which is compatible with Tempest 3D Audio on the PS5 console. You also get active noise cancelation, and hot-swap batteries to get even more gaming time in.

What We Like:

• Hi-Fi quality drivers for great gaming immersion
• Dedicated gaming DAC for quality sound
• Hot-swap batteries so you can extend your gaming sessions

Check Availability

01/26/2024 08:07 am GMT

The Sony Pulse 3D Wireless Headset is fine if you want to stick with Sony stuff, but the SteelSeries Arctis Nova headset is for true gamers.

With Hi-Fi drivers, active noise cancellation, and a ClearCast Gen 2 Mic, this headset is powerful. But really, it’s the 360° spatial audio that really sets this particular headset apart from the rest.

Here’s something you’ll love: you can hot-swap a second battery that’s kept charged in the base unit until needed.

That means you don’t have to stop gaming and risk waking the family when the charge runs out. Just swap the battery, slam the charging cable into the used one and keep going.

Ultimately, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless Gaming Headset is for that next-level sense immersion.

Best Subscription

PlayStation $30 Plus – Wallet Funds [Digital Code]

$30.00

With PlayStation Plus now having three subscription tiers, the best way to gift a PlayStation gamer is with Wallet Funds so they can choose the tier they want. Plus, it can get to them instantly which is always the best way.

What We Like:

• $30 of instantly redeemable credit for the PlayStation Store to use on games or Plus

Check Availability

01/26/2024 07:50 am GMT

How we access games has changed over the years, and the PlayStation Plus service understands that. It’s a subscription tier that offers different levels of exclusives, new-ish games, classic games, and cloud storage.

It’s a subscription, but a better deal than buying one game at a time. PlayStation Plus is an essential service if you play more games than you want to buy.

The cheapest plan is PlayStation Plus Essential, and it’s the same as the old PS Plus service. It costs $9.99 per month or $79.99 for 12 months.

The Extra tier is the next step, offering up to 400 downloadable PS4 and PS5 games. This is $14.99 per month, or $134.99 per year.

Then there is Premium, offering downloads of nearly the entire PS library or cloud streaming for the rest. This is $17.99 per month, or $159.99 per year.

Best External Drive

Avolusion Pro-5X Series 8TB External Drive for PS5

$105.88

With the PlayStation 5's limited internal storage, you might want a place to offload those huge game files while you play something else. So you're not downloading from the internet all the time, put them on this 8TB drive from Avolusion and save your internet for other uses.

What We Like:

• 8TB of storage for temporarily offloading your PS5 games
• Designed to compliment the PS5's look
• USB 3.0 for speedy transfer speeds

Check Availability

01/26/2024 07:12 am GMT

If you give a mouse a cookie… then you’ll need the Avolusion PRO-5X Series 8TB External Gaming Hard Drive. Well, you’ll need it if you subscribe to PlayStation Plus for sure.

Because the PlayStation itself has limited storage, you’ll need extra storage. 8TB should do it, even if youhave to move games back and forth between your PS5 and this hard drive.

Honestly, it’s the closest you’ll get to owning a physical copy of a game, without purchasing a physical copy of a game.

The Avolusion PRO-5X Series 8TB External Gaming Hard Drive uses USB 3.0, so those game transfers will take as long as it takes you to finish that taco. Plus, you can play PS4 games that are installed on it.

Best Virtual Reality

PlayStation VR2 (PSVR2)

$549.00

PlayStation is the only console maker to embrace VR gaming, and the VR2 headset is ready to transport you into the virtual game worlds PlayStation can think up. Enjoy titles like Horizon Call of the Mountain in eye-popping immersion at up to 120Hz and you'll wonder why other consoles don't get on board.

What We Like:

• 4K HDR display to show off impressive gaming visuals
• Eye-tracking and tracking cameras for positional accuracy
• Haptic feedback on the headset and the two controllers for better immersion

Check Availability

01/26/2024 07:11 am GMT

You can look at the PlayStation VR2 headset either as its own gaming device or as accessory. Since it needs a PS5 to work, it’s probably an accessory. Regardless, it’s a great way to expand your gameplay out of reality and into virtual reality.

With some of the same features as the DualSense controller, such as haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, it also adds finger touch detection and 3D audio to fully immerse your brain.

Virtual worlds can be a bit scary, but from Horizon Call of the Mountain to Iron Man VR to the hundreds of other games available, the PlayStation VR2 headset will certainly expand your gaming universe.

Best Camera

PlayStation HD Camera, Black

$59.99

Add the official PlayStation HD Camera to your PlayStation 5, and you'll be set to livestreaming your gameplay to any supported streaming site. Plus, it looks like your console and captures a 1080p Full-HD image.

What We Like:

• 1080p capture with background-removal tools so you get virtual greenscreen on your PS5
• Looks like your PS5, just smaller
• Built-in stand for either on top or below your TV

Check Availability

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

01/26/2024 07:07 am GMT

If you are into streaming, and you have ahem the assets to put yourself on camera with your streams, then you’ll need a PlayStation HD Camera.

It’s a full HD camera with dual wide-angle lenses so you can easily record or stream your twisted face as you deal with angry gods in God of War: Ragnarok or die incessantly in Ghost of Tsushima.

There are plenty of other 3rd party cameras available, but the PlayStation HD Camera takes advantage of built-in PS5 tools like background removal, and that’s worth the price of admission.

Best Mobile Accessory

Backbone One Mobile Gaming Controller - PS Edition

$99.99

Use your smartphone as a PS Remote Play screen by adding the Backbone One controller, which comes in USB-C and Lightning port versions depending on your phone's needs. It adds physical controls to turn your phone into a PS Portal-like device for on-the-go gaming.

What We Like:

• Use PS Remote Play from the comfort of your smartphone
• Comes in USB-C and Lightning port versions
• Gives you a centralized dashboard for all your mobile gaming
• No batteries needed

Check Availability of Lightning Version Check Availability of USB-C Version

01/26/2024 07:00 am GMT

The Nintendo Switch is popular because you can take it on the go, which the Backbone One mobile gaming controller offers PS5 gamers.

It’s a portable controller that works with your phone in place of your PS5 and a monitor. It uses the PS Remote Play service, so you can play on the go with your iPhone.

While the controller isn’t a full DualSense replacement in the way of features, it does have responsive analog triggers, tactile buttons, and clickable thumbsticks.

You can also connect a headset through a 3.5mm headphone jack. Backbone One mobile gaming controller is your solution for PS5 gaming on the go.

Best Racing Wheel

Thrustmaster T300 RS - Gran Turismo Edition

$449.99

To get the most immersive driving game experience, a sim racing wheel and pedals are paramount. This set is made by Thrustmaster, one of the biggest names in sim gear, and will have you doing victory laps in no time.

What We Like:

• Designed in collaboration with Gran Turismo for the best in-game experience
• GT-style wheel and three adjustable metal pedals
• Works with PS5, PS4, and PC

Check Availability

01/26/2024 06:46 am GMT

The Thrustmaster T300 RS sounds like something it’s not, it’s a steering wheel and pedals. Get your mind out of the gutter.

If the top of your gaming library includes games such as Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, Wreckfest, F1 23, or Gran Turismo 7, then you’ll want to take the next logical step and stop using your thumbs to drive.

With three adjustable metal pedals and a detachable racing GT style wheel, this racing set was developed in collaboration with Gran Turismo.

And if the Thrustmaster T300 RS isn’t enough to up your racing game, there’s a gear shifter available as well.

Best Fighting Stick

HORI PlayStation 5 Fighting Stick Alpha for PS5

$229.99 $208.50

We don't know about you, but playing fighting games with a joypad just doesn't hit the same. Bring the arcade home with this officially licensed Street Fighter 6 fightstick from HORI, featuring tournament-ready buttons and joystick to smash out some hadoukens.

What We Like:

• 18 free downloadable hi-res images of SF6 characters to print out and customize the transparent faceplate with
• Solid build for stability when on your lap or desk
• HORI's proprietary Hayabusa buttons and joystick for tournament-ready toughness

Check Availability

01/26/2024 06:42 am GMT

Conversely, if fighting games like Street Fighter 6 are more your speed, then the HORI PlayStation 5 fighting stick controller might spark your guts a bit more than a racing wheel.

This is a high-end tournament-ready fight stick officially licensed by Sony. You can customize the top panel with 18 free downloadable hi-res images of Street Fighter 6 characters.

Features include high-speed buttons, a touchpad, tournament lock, a 10ft cable, and on-board audio and mic controls. All these features in the HORI PlayStation 5 fighting stick help you keep your hands and mind engaged in the fight.

Best Remote

Playstation Media Remote

$29.95

Make your PlayStation 5 into a media streaming powerhouse by adding the Media Remote, which gives you all the controls you need without having to remember which button is which on your DualSense. Plus, you can let your controllers recharge while you kick back and watch some movies.

What We Like:

• Control all of your streaming media while still staying in your PS5 dashboard
• Let your DualSense controller recharge while you stream videos
• Classic styling to match your PS5

Check Availability

01/26/2024 06:41 am GMT

Your new PlayStation 5 isn’t just for fighting and driving, it’s for watching things too. Control all your streaming services with the PlayStation media remote.

It’s got all the classic features of any other television remote control, but specifically tuned to your PlayStation.

And it helps keep your DualSense controllers charged and ready for play, instead of serving as a TV remote. That’s what the PlayStation media remote is for.

Best Stand

PS5 / PS5 Slim Stand and Cooling Station with Charging

$38.99

This stand from Oivo doesn't just give you space to store game boxes, the Media Remote, two DualSense controllers, and external storage. It also gives your PS5 some much-needed fresh air thanks to a couple of fans and more USB ports to access and charge peripherals.

What We Like:

• Fan-assisted cooling for your PlayStation 5
• Two charging stands for DualSense controllers
• Storage slots for your other accessories like the Media Remote, external drives, or physical game boxes

Check Availability

01/26/2024 06:37 am GMT

And wow, we’ve compiled quite the collection of accessories, so you better get a PS5 stand and cooling station to store them all.

This bad boy has a turbo fan to keep your PS5 running cool, two charging stands for your DualSense controllers, slots for your external drive and media remote, space for physical games, and a headset hook.

Additionally, the fan has three levels, and there is a 3-port USB hub. LED indicators let you know when things are charged.

If you want a clean, organized PS5 workstation, then the PS5 Stand and Cooling Station is an essential buy.

Best Controller Adaptation

MoKo Keyboard for PS5 Controller

$28.95 $26.95

Voice chat isn't everyone's favorite, and trying to enter chat messages on the PS5 with the virtual keyboard is difficult and slow. Speed up the process with this Bluetooth keyboard from MoKo, which slots onto the DualSense so you have a QWERTY keyboard at your thumbtips.

What We Like:

• QWERTY keyboard for faster chatting
• Avoid voice chat because it's universally terrible, while being able to chat to teammates
• Fits perfectly onto the DualSense
• 100 hour battery life between charges

Check Availability

01/26/2024 06:01 am GMT

The MoKo Keyboard for PS5 controllers is specifically designed to integrate into your PS5 controller so you can chitter chatter with your thumbs instead of your mouth.

If you are a smash talker and often get banned from Roblox for calling people “losers” then a keyboard probably appeals to you.

With a green backlight and audio jack, the keyboard keeps you chatting and in the game without saying a word. It’s made of silicone, so your thumbs won’t get fatigued over long gaming and smash talk sessions.

The MoKo Keyboard is a great addition if you spend a lot of time online, but don’t want to say much with your mouth.

Best SSD

Western Digital 2TB Officially Licensed SSD for PS5 Consoles

$229.99 $179.99

The PlayStation 5 comes with about 660 GB of storage once you account for formatting and the operating system, which isn't much when you consider AAA games can take up 120 GB or more. Add another 2TB of storage by slotting this SSD into the expansion port and enjoy having more games installed.

What We Like:

• 2TB of storage, giving your PS5 three times as much total storage capacity for the latest games
• Already has a heatsink applied so it stays cool while gaming or transferring game data
• Up to 7,300MB/s of transfer speed

Check Availability

01/26/2024 05:56 am GMT

Did you know that you can open up your PS5 and install an SSD drive like the Western Digital 2TB NVMe SSD and Sony is totally cool with it?

Unlike Apple, Sony encourages gamers to mod out their PlayStation, which is basically a PC anyway. So while you’re installing a heatsink, you can toss in this internal SSD.

The Western Digital 2TB SSD is one of the best SSDs for the PlayStation 5, and transfers files at speeds up to 7,300MB/s, which is a bit better than any external drive.

Of course, you have to be willing to open up your PS5 if you want to go this route.

Best Heatsink

Archgon PS5 Heatsink for M.2 NVMe SSDs

$25.00

If you're worried about temperatures while adding a second storage SSD to your PlayStation 5, this heatsink from Archgon will keep it running at optimal temperatures while providing some physical security.

What We Like:

• Designed for the PS5 to fit in the secondary SSD slot perfectly
• Can cool up to 25C to keep the SSD running at optimal temperatures
• Fits any M.2 SSD that is compatible with the PS5

Check Availability

01/26/2024 05:42 am GMT

While nothing close to a full gaming PC, PS5s can tend to run hot, and the Archgon PS5 Heatsink alleviates that heat.

It’s worth mentioning this is only necessary if you’ve added a second SSD to your PS5. It’s also unnecessary if you bought the Western Digital drive above, as that already has a heatsink.

This heatsink has up to a 77F (25C) cooling effect and is installed inside your PS5 to dissipate hot air. This is not an accessory for everyone, but hardcore, long-hour gamers will appreciate the drop in internal temp.

During heat tests, the Archgon PS5 Heatsink came in most handy when constantly transferring games from an external drive to the internal drive. Stay cool gamers.

Best Capture Card

AverMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 USB Capture Card

$284.99

The AverMedia Live Gamer Ultra 2.1 USB capture card is the best capture card for any aspiring livestreamer. It can capture 4K60 content with 4K144 passthrough thanks to the HDMI 2.1 ports, so you don't have to sacrifice your game's quality to stream.

Quick Verdict:

Pros:

• First HDMI 2.1 capture card
• Capture 4K60 content or 4K30 with HDR
• Use 4K144 pass-through for the latest consoles

Check Availability

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

01/26/2024 06:16 am GMT

The PlayStation 5 has HDMI 2.1 output to your TV or monitor, so using a capture card that also supports that format makes sense.

That means purchasing an AverMedia device, as they’re the first on the market with an HDMI 2.1-capable capture card.

This USB-C-powered capture card can pass through 4K 144Hz, so it’s perfect for the 4K120 that the PlayStation 5 can output. The 3.5mm jack also means you can easily pipe in your party chat.

That enables capture of 4K at 60FPS (or 30FPS with HDR), making your YouTube videos look crisper than ever. This is the first card with variable refresh rate pass-through support, so your gaming won’t suffer while you record.

Best Grips

KontrolFreek Performance Grips for Playstation 5

$14.99

Keep your DualSense controller in pristine condition while adding a nice cushioned coat of grip with these stick-on performance grips from KontrolFreek. They might not make you into a MLG gamer but you'll feel like one.

What We Like:

• Adds comfort and protection to your DualSense controller
• Easy to apply and to take back off again
• Will last for a long time

Check Availability

01/26/2024 05:46 am GMT

If you are a long-time gamer you know that the physical aspects of your controllers break down over time, which is where KontrolFreek Performance Grips come in.

Your body oils, Cheetos dust, and spittle wear down the shell on your controller, leaving them slippery and smooth.

These are expensive controllers, so keeping them working well as long as possible is essential to saving money and gaming hard.

KontrolFreek Performance Grips protect the body of your controller with anti-slip material, keeping your DualSense controller working just a bit longer.

And you’ll probably want some thumbstick extenders, which make the DualSense sticks easier to use for precision aiming, while protecting the tops.

Things to consider before buying PlayStation 5 accessories

There are a lot of accessories available for your PlayStation 5. It’s hard to imagine gaming without some of them, especially controllers and charging stands. Well, headsets and external drives, too.

The point is, you don’t have to get every single accessory. It’s all based on your needs. There are three things you should consider before buying any accessory.

1. Does this accessory improve my gaming experience?

Between fight sticks and racing setups, there are a few accessories available to enhance your gaming experience. That is, if it needs enhancement.

Casual gamers likely will find a different value in these items than hardcore fight or race fans. So buy what fits your gaming style, not just whatever is available.

2. Do I want to open my PS5?

Specific accessories, such as heatsinks and internal fans or drives, require you to open your PS5. This alteration is only for some; if you lack the experience or are anxious about opening it up, you probably don’t need it.

3. Physical or downloaded?

Buying certain accessories depends on whether you prefer physical games or downloaded games. Don’t buy an external hard drive or SSD drive if you only buy physical copies.

Or search for a different cooling stand if you only download games. Remember, just because the accessory exists doesn’t mean you absolutely have to have it, even if you don’t need it.

Final thoughts on the best PlayStation 5 accessories of 2024

There are many levels of gamer, from casual to hardcore and everything in between. Some accessories are better for the hardcore, while the casual gamer might enjoy the less-is-more approach (but still open to some external storage).

When purchasing PS5 accessories, read a few reviews and recommendations because there’s a lot of junk out there. Ultimately, whatever accessory enhances your gaming experience is the accessory you need.

PlayStation 5: Play Has No Limits

From $449.99

The new, slim PlayStation 5 and slim Digital Edition PS5 sells like hotcakes, with its powerful CPU and GPU using AMD's technology, and a super-speedy SSD to store games on. It's also the only place to play games like Spiderman: 2.

Check Availability

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• The best SSDs to expand your PlayStation 5 storage
• What to look for when buying a new smart TV
• The best smart thermostats
• Best home security cameras

The post Best PlayStation 5 accessories (2024) appeared first on KnowTechie.

Most reviews rightfully hone in on the MG-1’s capability as a gaming PC for hardcore gamers. It was even designed in collaboration with Shroud, a gaming streamer.

But I’m not a hardcore PC gamer. Outside of taking a few minutes to continue building my Minecraft kingdom, I only play a few PC games that would genuinely test a system.

That isn’t to say Minecraft itself doesn’t already crash my current GPU because it does.

Really, any time I engage my current PC in any sort of multiple video exercise across three monitors, it’s very likely to crash. Or at least blink out for a bit.

But that’s not the point, the point is that I use a gaming PC for its raw processing power, rather than gaming, because of what I do for a living.

Editor's Choice

Maingear MG-1 Platinum Gaming PC

4.5

$1,799

The MG-1 is a range of gaming PCs designed in collaboration with shroud, one of the best competitive gamers around.

What We Like:

• Powerful Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card
• 280mm AIO liquid cooler to keep the Intel i5-14600K cool under pressure
• Stylish case with removable, customizable, magnetic front panel

Check Availability

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

The secret of my success

My entire career (outside of being Kevin’s thunder buddy on the internet) consists of massaging, manipulating, and manhandling large sets of data.

Basically, I spend a lot of time in Microsoft Excel creating formulas that pressure my processors like knuckling a perineum, and work-issued PCs can’t handle those calculations. So, I turn to gaming machines.

I’ve used at least one Maingear PC for work, the Maingear Potenza. I convinced an employer to purchase it for me, since the department-issued laptop was about as competent as slicing cold pastrami with a spoon.

Most recently I built my own gaming-ish PC, the one that crashes all the time because the motherboard is too small and the GPU is OK.

But it has good RAM and only stutters a bit when calculating rows and rows of Index formulas in Excel. But it’s not good enough. It could be better.

And the MG-1 Platinum is much, much better.

Let’s get into what these formulas look like, the computing load involved and how the MG-1 took these formulas, smacked them around a bit, and sent them straight back to the abyss from whence they came.

Bright lights, big city

This is what an Index formula looks like (well, one iteration at least):

{=IFERROR(INDEX(Pivots!$AJ:$AJ,SMALL(IF(Pivots!$AI:$AI=$D11,ROW(Pivots!$AI:$AI)-ROW(INDEX(Pivots!$AI:$AI,1,1))+1),AA$8)),””)}

In the Excel workbook I pulled that from, a workbook I utilize almost every day, this type of formula occupies 40 columns by X rows (based on variable lookup data sets).

It’s accompanied by 37 more columns of simple VLOOKUP formulas, but those take little computing power below 50K rows.

Anything under 200 rows of calculations takes my current PC 2-3 minutes to complete. If I press it to around 500 rows, I have to play games on my phone while waiting.

If I press it to 1000 rows, I have to upload it to Google Sheets and make Google do the calculations because my PC can’t handle it.

So I copied this workbook to the Maingear MG-1, pasted in 2,136 rows of lookup data in the lookup column, and pressed F9.

Go big or go home; no sense in testing the smaller sets that my PC can already handle. Let’s go downtown and see what the MG-1 can do.

While that’s calculating 85,440 Index formulas and 79,032 VLOOKUPs at the same time, let’s run down the MG-1 Platinum’s stats:

Ok, back to the calcs. Well, they took a while. I made a bagel, I ate the bagel, and I watched some YouTube videos. But most importantly, the MG-1 handled it.

It didn’t lock up; it allowed me to do other things while the 20 threads were calculating, and I eventually got it done.

That’s crucial for me to be able to watch reruns of 30 Rock while my PC is running calcs. I don’t want the entire thing to lock up on Liz making a weird face, and hear audio in broken snippets.

I want to be able to do other things while the calcs are running. The MG-1 Platinum makes that multitasking (or ADHD soothing) possible. I can actually type an email while it’s calculating.

The hard way

Yeah, I could use Microsoft 365 and do all this calculating online, but I prefer to control data locally, rather than in the cloud. Cloud services always react different to hot keys, formulas, and VB scripting.

Basically, I need Excel on my PC in order to competently complete my tasks the to the best of my ability. Some might find this overtly complex, but to me, it’s easier than screaming at Google Sheets because I can’t use CTRL-D.

There are probably some other pressure tests out there that would test the computing power of the MG-1 Platinum, like video rendering or CAD engineering, but I don’t do those things.

But considering that it didn’t require me to take a nap while data was processing, that’s a huge win.

Evaluating a gaming PC is tricky, even if you specialize in benchmarking performance factors as it pertains to gaming.

These PCs have a wide audience, mostly people who either think they need a gaming PC or don’t actually need a gaming PC but want one for the clout.

I found out a long time ago that attempting to use the shit laptops and desktops provided by my employer to perform my job functions only resulted in stress and frustration.

Whether it’s because of the way I perform my tasks, or their inability to heed me when I demand more powerful computers, gaming PCs have been the answer.

And more often than not over the past two decades, those have been Maingear PCs.

The point is that we’re generally advertised gaming PCs as being the optimal machines for gaming, and they are. But they are just as competent work machines as well.

I can’t imagine being able to do my job, as it stands now, with some dusty Dell workstation that struggles to formulate anything beyond a simple SUM formula.

Maingear is currently running a holiday sale, and the MG-1 Platinum edition is on sale for $1,649.

This is the mid-tier offering of the MG-1 line, and a solid purchase if you don’t want to spend too much on a gaming PC, but don’t want the bottom of the product line either.

If you have any sort of job that requires your computer to think as hard as you pretend to, then a Maingear PC might be the thing that elevates you from cubicle drone to fluorescent formulaic god.

Editor's Choice

Maingear MG-1 Platinum Gaming PC

4.5

$1,799

The MG-1 is a range of gaming PCs designed in collaboration with shroud, one of the best competitive gamers around.

Check Availability

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Review: Nothing Phone (2)
• The best smart thermostats
• Review: Edifier QD35 Tabletop Bluetooth Speaker
• Is your laptop screen cooking your eyeballs? Ocushield is the answer

The post Evaluating the Excel-lent Maingear MG-1 Platinum appeared first on KnowTechie.

Maingear MG-1 Platinum Gaming PC

4.5

$1,799

The MG-1 is a range of gaming PCs designed in collaboration with shroud, one of the best competitive gamers around.

What We Like:

• Powerful Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card
• 280mm AIO liquid cooler to keep the Intel i5-14600K cool under pressure
• Stylish case with removable, customizable, magnetic front panel

Check Availability

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

When you’ve been reviewing consumer tech products for nearly two decades, a bit of malaise tends to creep in. There’s only so many words to write about Bluetooth speakers, headphones, and toasters.

But when Maingear reaches out and asks if you want to take a gander at its new gaming PC, you say abso-freaking-lutely.

Which brings us to the Maingear MG-1 Platinum, the third variant in Maingear’s MG-1 product line. The flavor list for the MG-1 goes Silver ($1,149), Gold ($1,299), Platinum ($1,799), Diamond ($2,299), Legendary ($3,299), and Ultimate ($4,299).

The MG-1 was developed in partnership with Shroud, a professional Counter-Strike player turned YouTuber. The Ultimate version is a direct copy of his personal rig.

The Platinum version I received is a mid-tier option, but the specs are still pretty good:

As soon as I received the PC, Maingear reached out to see if I wanted a replacement, as it just implemented Intel’s 14th-generation processor into these PCs without adjusting the price.

I passed, not wanting to deal with shipping at this point and content to mention the upgrade in the previous sentence (and the specs, but know that I received the last version with a 12th-gen CPU with fewer cores).

The Maingear MG-1 is pretty sweet

I’ve reviewed a few Maingear PCs over the years, most notably the Shift, R2 Razer, Potenza, and Spark, and along with the MG-1, there is uniqueness in design.

Its physical form has enough surprises that sets it apart from standard PCs, gaming or otherwise.

For the MG-1, that’s a multitude of internal fans, lit up with RGB color around glowing memory cards and a liquid cooling system. Tack on an interchangeable, customizable face, and you’ve got a PC tower that deviates from the norm.

So visually stunning, check and check. While a minor aesthetic, the RGB lighting adds a nice dimension to the overall feel of the machine.

There’s even a light cycle on the processor housing, reminding you that not only is this a Maingear PC, but the liquid cooling keeps the processor cool enough to allow for additional, albeit low-wattage, lighting on top of it.

And you can’t miss the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, a massive chunk of GPU power dominating the motherboard. And there appears to be a slot for an additional GPU or other add-in cards like a capture card.

Even if you were to slot another one in, there’s plenty of extra space for hard drives or whatever else you store inside a PC tower, like snacks or rare baseball cards.

Turn it on already

As we powered the MG-1 Platinum and began the Windows 11 setup, the power-gaming 15-year-old in the house exclaimed, “this thing might be able to run Star Citizen!” [Ed’s note: Is that ever going to be released?]

That’s TBD as he doesn’t have enough money in his allowance account to purchase it, but within moments, he had Steam downloaded, along with the Opera browser, and was grinding away in Barotrauma.

We don’t do benchmarking in this house, but there have been nothing but smooth returns on gameplay.

The thing is, this PC is damn quiet. I’ve never met a PC with six (yes, six) internal fans that ran so freaking quietly. My work PC has three fans, and only a constant stream of ’70s music keeps the whirring at bay.

Not to mention that strange noise my GPU makes every time I utilize a third monitor. But that’s a story for another day. The point is, if you couldn’t see the glow of the RGB around the fans, you wouldn’t know this PC was on and running.

While this might seem like some minor detail, it’s important in creating a sense of awe when booting up a PC like this for the first time — it’s not flooded with bloatware.

I’ve found that’s a Maingear standard, that even with Windows 11, it doesn’t come packed with the bullshit you’d find floating around the screen when you purchase a PC from Best Buy or some other retailer.

That feels good, when you aren’t hit with an immediate annoyance and you can just get to the games.

Do you even game bro?

Actually, no, at least not on PC. I began gaming at a time when the best PC had to offer was Kings Quest and Ultima IV. So, console (Atari, Nintendo) was the most available option.

Naturally, there were opportunities to transfer my skills from console to PC, but it has yet to happen. I was never a Counter-Strike LAN party kid. I have Steam on my current PC and sometimes play Roller Coaster Tycoon.

The Maingear MG-1 Platinum is a gaming PC. It’s optimized for gaming. On Ultra/4K settings, you’ll get well over 130 fps on most games and even higher on medium settings. Those are gaming specs.

While I will use it for business (stay tuned for an Excel-themed review), it has no problem playing most AAA titles at engrossing specs. Get a good monitor; there’s no sense in using this thing on some rusty 19-inch Dell you found in the gutter.

Any of the six versions of this PC makes for a solid gaming PC lacking the memory-sucking bloatware that bogs down many retail-specific gaming PCs.

Even with it running Windows 11, we found immediate performance speedy and unhampered by nonsense.

While we’re yet to download Star Citizen, there is hope that it’ll run within moderate parameters on the MG-1. The liquid cooling adds confidence to that assessment, but the six fans pointed at the GPU brings it up a notch.

Stay tuned for more

I’m not done with this PC. Today was turning it on and seeing all the pretty colors as it silently whirred into existence. Downloading Steam and Opera only does a little to test the capabilities of the MG-1.

It’s like going for a hike with some new hiking boots, but all you’ve done is put on socks. There’s more to discover here, mainly how it handles my Index(match) formulas, but that’s an article for another day.

The Maingear MG-1 is worth a look if you are in the market for a new gaming PC. Of all the Maingear PCs I’ve encountered over the years, it checks all the boxes regarding internal specs and form factor.

The pricing is relative to not only the included parts but also the care and time spent ensuring each PC shipped meets the highest construction and testing standards.

Maingear doesn’t just pump out blocky PCs meant for Walmart shelves; it gives a crap about the PCs it constructs, which is highly evident with the glowing RGB perfection of the MG-1 Platinum.

Maingear MG-1 Platinum Gaming PC

4.5

$1,799

The MG-1 is a range of gaming PCs designed in collaboration with shroud, one of the best competitive gamers around.

Check Availability

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

Editors Recommendations:

• Netflix expands game streaming beta to the United States
• Spider-Man 2 becomes fastest-selling PlayStation game ever
• Apple sends out press event invites for night before Halloween
• Nothing Phone 2 is now available on Amazon at $699 in the US

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Maingear MG-1 Platinum–first impressions appeared first on KnowTechie.

They mistake the sheer stupidity (via The Guardian) of the former President for cleverness, and they laud tech billionaire and Mega-Chad Elon Musk as some sort of Reverse Flash version of Steve Jobs or Charles Babbage.

After the success of Paypal and Tesla, the media propped Elon Musk up, even though he had nothing to little to do with the development of those products.

Sure, he helped design the Roadster (and fired one into space), but that’s not an everyday occurrence.

But being the public face of a successful company has its benefits. The main one is the perception of “good” leadership.

Business 101

But there’s a lot more to running a successful business than the appearance of leadership, as Elon Musk has found out with Twitter.

Or has he? It’s very possible that we mistake his intent to create a platform where he can prance around as a tiny king for wanting to better Twitter and turn it profitable.

Musk applied his only useful skill to Twitter the moment he was forced to purchase it: laying off staff.

And that right there is a massive failure of Business 101.

Not only firing support staff that kept the machine running but assuming that one person could be the funnel for all technical and practical decision-making.

If anything, Musk’s singular leadership of Twitter has proven that despite the successes of previous ventures, he had little to do with it.

He bought the public square because no one was listening to him, turned it into a public bathroom with no walls, and the only creatures who are enjoying it are the ones who squeee at the prospect of rolling in their own shit.

And sure, this might all be wildly inaccurate conjecture. Musk could be a low-key genius with a grand plan that is at the beginning stages of fruition, but if that’s true, he’s hiding it well.

No one is doubting his chaotic level of creativity and marketing brilliance, but it’s his business sense that needs a lot of work.

Elon Musk takes the ball, goes home

Just because one is a billionaire and makes the right investments, does not a good businessman make.

Rebranding a household name after nearly two decades? Doable, but unnecessary, especially considering how connected the world is to the bird. Elon Musk did that.

And replacing it with something as uninspired as a distressed X? That’s like when Arthur Andersen spent millions on an orange ball (via Bloomberg) while cooking the books for Enron on the side.

Putting up a giant, seizure-inducing sign in the middle of the night? Even small business owners know better. Elon Musk did that too.

Hiring a CEO then constantly undermining her marketing-speak with irrational, spur-of-the-moment decisions and directives? Bad business. Elon, again.

Constantly eroding the fundamental functionalities of the platform, even to the point of pissing off and mocking one’s own hardcore fanbois? Bad business for anyone else but Elon Musk.

Hype machinery

At one time, the Elon Musk hype seemed real. He was looking better than mecha-Mark. Perhaps he was a tech billionaire who was going to change things for the better.

SpaceX and the Boring Company were going to change everything. But SpaceX has become a repository of explosions, and the Boring Company has become a cascade of ghost tunnels and failures (via WSJ). And Tesla cars keep crashing by themselves.

The good news for Musk is that he can absolve himself of any of that because we know damn well he wasn’t building cars, tunnels, or rockets. But as it pertains to business, it shows a track record of a lack of due diligence, trust, and unpredictable progress.

If nothing else, Musk at least gives a substantial amount of money to charities. Oh, our mistake. His own charity.

And perhaps that’s the silver lining here. No matter how shitty he appears to be at running a social media company, there’s still plenty of cash laying around to give to children’s hospitals and other altruistic ventures.

We have this weird expectation of billionaires that just because they have this volume of net worth, that equates to an equal amount of natural business sense and innovation.

It’s just not true. How many times have tech billionaires sat in front of Congress to explain themselves (to an uneducated and ignorant bunch of fuddy duddies, mind you)?

There’s a sadness to it all, in that we believe billionaires are somehow better than us at everything and that they believe it too.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Elon Musk’s new regime reinstates Kanye West’s Twitter account
• Will Elon Musk’s new company xAI be ChatGPT’s top rival?
• How to keep your teen safe from dangerous social media challenges
• WhatsApp will finally let you send images in HD

The post Is Elon Musk actually good at business? appeared first on KnowTechie.

And sure enough, that’s exactly what people are doing.

As the San Francisco Standard reports, people are hopping in Cruise Robotaxis and immediately getting down to sticky the leather. And since there is no driver to chide the riders, it’s a mobile hump-fest for those looking for a little extra thrill in their sex life.

The thrill is the cesspool of bacteria and ejaculate left behind for the next customer.

In line with previous studies hypothesizing this exact scenario, this is what many of us tech cynics thought would happen.

Because humans are messy little beasts who like to squirt their Capri-Sun shooters on park benches, restaurant bathrooms, airplane bathrooms, train bathrooms – anywhere that offers a modicum of privacy, it’s a thrill-seeking behavior that we can’t ignore.

Get down to getting down

Both Cruise, and its top competitor Waymo, have rules against general bad behavior. While they allow food in their cars (another messy activity on a shared method of transportation), they have hard and fast rules against alcohol and drugs.

They also don’t allow animals but have no strict rules against sex. Rather, the Cruise terms of service kind of passes the buck.

Cruise terms of service ask that riders avoid “potentially make others uncomfortable” as well as behavior that is “threatening, confrontational, discriminatory, harassing, disrespectful, offensive or inappropriate toward others.”

So where does that leave exhibitionists who prefer the audience and don’t feel like their activities bother anyone?

Well, getting off in an autonomous car with an audience because, unlike how autonomous cars are going to appear in the future, these ones are wide open to the world.

The concept of a car will change as these things progress, but we’re not there yet. Then anyone can slime in the backseat without an audience.

Someone is always watching

And speaking about an audience, these cars do have camera and audio systems that record your rides, in case of issues.

But that’s a swampy area of legality because, once again, tech companies are gathering human data, and law enforcement has made requests for it.

Regardless, if you’re banging in an autonomous taxi, you probably don’t give a shit about video evidence of the act. In fact, it’s probably content for your Onlyfans page.

And the thing is, this isn’t abuse. This is just human behavior. And while there is a societal expectation that we shouldn’t crush ass in public spaces, it’s going to happen especially if you provide the opportunity.

Movie theaters aren’t dark and loud for the movie; they are dark and loud so we can fondle each other’s junk. And loudly eat popcorn.

Someday, autonomous cars are going to become opaque wagons without the traditional look and feel of current cars. But tech companies are never going to accept that humans will be humans within those cars.

We want to take rides through cool cities like San Francisco or New Orleans while smoking weed and smashing our genitals together. So it’s going to take a bold tech company to step up and say yeah, our cars are for smashing.

Of course, they are going to need some seriously advanced robo-cleaners.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Tesla driver alleges ‘full self-driving’ caused eight-car pileup
• Move over Tesla, GM’s Super Cruise driver-assist features are better
• Tesla has now been sued over Musk’s Full Self-Driving claims
• BlueCruise is Ford’s new hands-free driving assist system that aims to make driving less stressful

The post Exhibitionists find new humping grounds in SF autonomous taxis appeared first on KnowTechie.

Every stranger on the street is an enemy. Good luck if you still sell goods or services door to door. When did we become a society of suspicion?

Regardless, if you want to watch your corners, then the Switchbot Outdoor Spotlight Cam has got you covered.

SwitchBot Outdoor Spotlight Cam

4.3

$89.99

With 1080P clear night vision and a built-in infrared sensor, the SwitchBot wireless security cam captures high-quality images even in low light. Its AI human/pet detection prevents false alerts, while local and cloud storage options ensure your footage is safely backed up.

Pros:

• The Switchbot Outdoor Spotlight Cam has a smart alert system that differentiates humans from pets, preventing unnecessary alerts.
• It offers both local and cloud storage options for flexibility.
• The camera supports IFTTT connectivity which can be used to activate other products like interior or exterior lights.
• It includes two-way audio and a 100dB dismantling alarm for added security measures.

Cons:

• One downside is that the camera needs to be manually set into position which could create blind spots depending on where it's aimed.
• Although it has wide capture capabilities, it doesn't have tracking movement or auto-rotation features.
• The plastic housing of the camera may not be as sturdy as desired by some users.

Check Availability See at SwitchBot

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

01/25/2024 03:41 pm GMT

Home security

Switchbot carries a wide selection of IFTTT products, from smart lighting to power management. It’s done well with its indoor home security product line.

These products are both affordable and functional. While not being associated with a massive social media company or Amazon.

While they work through a connected app, as does the newly released Outdoor Spotlight Cam, your security videos are yours. So yeah, Kevin, you can use this for freaky stuff if you want.

The Outdoor Spotlight Cam has a smart alert system that makes it worth the money. The PIR sensor picks up motion; then the AI detection system can be toggled to differentiate humans from pets.

So if you don’t want the misadventures of the cat to waste every MB of the MicroSD card, you’ll want to turn this on. In my neighborhood, the nightly foray of outdoor cats is the only thing to watch at night.

Living in a fairly safe neighborhood limited the testing range of this camera. There were no thieves sneaking around the yard at three am. Just cats. The raccoons never come into our yard.

The chickens are sleeping. Regardless, it’d be nice to see if it’s bunnies or cats stealing veggies at night. It’s bunnies. It’s the damn bunnies.

Night vision

If you do need to deter intruders in your yard, then the IFTTT connectivity can be used to activate other products, like interior or exterior lights.

There’s also two-way audio in case you want to hiss at the cats. Additionally, if someone is trying to detach or disable the camera, it can spit out a 100dB dismantling alarm.

That’s freaking loud. That should send the raccoons running. They have human hands it’s so cute. You know those weird, grainy security feed images from television shows?

For a spotlight/cam combo, video quality is quite impressive

The Switchbot Outdoor Spotlight Cam does not deliver such a cliché result. The 1080p video quality comes through, even on night images. This is due to two supporting night vision features.

The infrared night vision creates a crisp black-and-white image of your yard. If you don’t like that, then the two high-brightness LED lights allow clear, bright color night images.

The only downside to the nighttime security is that the camera has to be set into position. That’s to be expected with a camera of this price, but it creates plenty of blind spots.

You’ll want to aim it at the space in front of the door or window. Even though it has a wide capture, it still won’t follow the movement or turn itself. The plastic housing is fine, but not the sturdiest thing ever.

Alternative options

Indoor option	ANNKE Crater Pro Indoor Security Camera 3.5 $45.99	Check Availablity
Solar powered option	Winees L1 Solar-Powered Security Camera 4.5 $99.99$79.99	Check Availability
Higher end option	REOLINK TrackMix WiFi Wired Outdoor Camera 4.0 $199.99$179.99	Check Availability

Indoor option

ANNKE Crater Pro Indoor Security Camera

3.5

$45.99

Check Availablity

Solar powered option

Winees L1 Solar-Powered Security Camera

4.5

$99.99$79.99

Check Availability

Higher end option

REOLINK TrackMix WiFi Wired Outdoor Camera

4.0

$199.99$179.99

Check Availability

01/25/2024 02:50 pm GMT

After action report

There are comparable outdoor security cameras on the market. Camland makes a solar-powered system. There are cheaper Wyze cameras that are fairly popular.

Then, of course, there are the Blink products, but I just don’t trust Amazon. Those can be kind of expensive. The Switchbot Outdoor Spotlight Cam retails for a mere $89.99.

For that price, you really can’t lose. It’s got a ridiculously large 10000mAh Battery and supports solar charging. It doesn’t come with a solar charger, but you can plug one in.

This beats remembering to recharge the camera. You know damn well that shit only goes down when you aren’t paying attention. Get a solar charger.

It also offers local and cloud storage. Or you can just get on a ladder every day and pull the MicroSD card. Your call. The ecosystem that Switchbot has set up with its products makes sense.

It doesn’t seem forced, and its product design seems intuitive instead of unwieldy and strange.

I’ve not reviewed a lot of security cameras in my life, but I also don’t have much to secure. The most valuable thing I own is 10 metric tons of LEGO blocks.

So the Switchbot Outdoor Spotlight Cam is the perfect entry into a crowded, paranoid market. Plus, it’s cheap.

Have any thoughts on this? Drop us a line below in the comments, or carry the discussion to our Twitter or Facebook.

SwitchBot Outdoor Spotlight Cam

4.3

$89.99

With 1080P clear night vision and a built-in infrared sensor, the SwitchBot wireless security cam captures high-quality images even in low light. Its AI human/pet detection prevents false alerts, while local and cloud storage options ensure your footage is safely backed up.

Pros:

• The Switchbot Outdoor Spotlight Cam has a smart alert system that differentiates humans from pets, preventing unnecessary alerts.
• It offers both local and cloud storage options for flexibility.
• The camera supports IFTTT connectivity which can be used to activate other products like interior or exterior lights.
• It includes two-way audio and a 100dB dismantling alarm for added security measures.

Cons:

• One downside is that the camera needs to be manually set into position which could create blind spots depending on where it's aimed.
• Although it has wide capture capabilities, it doesn't have tracking movement or auto-rotation features.
• The plastic housing of the camera may not be as sturdy as desired by some users.

Check Availability See at SwitchBot

KnowTechie is supported by its audience, so if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale.

01/25/2024 03:41 pm GMT

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Introducing the ANNKE Crater Pro: the ultimate indoor security camera
• Eco-friendly home security: Winees L1 solar security cam
• Upgrade your home security with the REOLINK TrackMix WiFi cam
• Eufy’s new outdoor security cameras feature AI and 4K visuals

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Review: SwitchBot Outdoor Spotlight Cam appeared first on KnowTechie.

Thankfully, the Morus Zero portable clothes dryer is looking to break the mold.

Morus Zero Portable Dryer

4.6

$539.99

Quick Verdict: At $600, it's surely a luxury item, but it has a specific appeal to a niche group of target users. That group might love it as much as those who do six loads of laundry daily are rolling their eyes.

What We Like:

• Ultra-fast Drying Down to 15Min: Morus Zero is about 60% faster than conventional dryers using our patented dehydration technology. Laundry drying is now as free as you want.
• Freely Use in Your Apartment or RV: Weighing only 28.7 lbs, Morus Zero's space-saving & install-free design fits into your lifestyle easily & beautifully. Just plug it in and go!
• Kill 99.99% of Bacteria & Mites: Powerful sterilization reduces allergens and removes the stink, making your everyday fresh and clean.
• Smart, Automatic & Trouble-free: AI-driven sensor system with fabric protection eliminates tedious set-up, treats different garments with dedicated modes, and makes it easy as cake.

Pros:

• Super portable
• Great for shoes
• Powerful and fast
• Built-in UV sterilization is a nice touch

Cons:

• The target market here is not for price-conscious shoppers
• Not ideal for family use if you plan on using it as a primary dryer
• No power inverter included

See at Morus

This appliance exists in a world that demands dry clothes on the go. Or at least provides a solution to the problem of wet clothes. But, there are more use-case applications than this. Here’s who the Morus Zero Portable Dyer is perfect for:

• Small apartments 
• RV and outdoor enthusiasts
• Mothers of newborns/toddlers 
• People who need an extra dryer to dry clothes 

Listen, it’s a portable dryer. It has a singular function. That function is to dry clothes. It’s not that heavy (28.7 lbs) and allows you to dry clothes while doing yoga in your studio loft.

So what does the Morus Zero portable clothes dryer have to offer? Do you actually need it, and is it worth buying? After testing it for a few weeks, I have the answers to all those questions and more. Let’s dive in.

How much does the Morus Zero portable dryer cost?

Situational technology has its place. These items exist for a niche market of specific users. The Morus Zero portable clothes dryer is one such appliance.

The $600 price tag is not the issue here. Sure, a used full-size dryer on Craigslist can be had for $140. A used washer and dryer sell for $500 in most cases. That’s not the point.

The target market here is not for price-conscious shoppers. It’s those who don’t live a full-size appliance life. Ironically, minimalism tends to run on the expensive side.

The Morus Zero uses something called Morus drying technology. Basically, this is the dryer creating a low-pressure chamber and applying 43.5 MPH vast airflow to dry clothes.

It takes about 15 minutes to dry a load of clothes. This is optimal for a singular person drying a singular load of clothes. It’s not optimal for family use unless you use it for underwear and expensive garments. 

Like newer full-size dryers, the Morus Zero is equipped with a self-optimizing AI system. This senses when things are dry, and the dryer can stop prematurely.

It worked as indicated, the dryer often stopped early to tell me that my load of just socks was done. Wet socks, the ultimate dryer test. And with the included drying rack, you can dry shoes too.

Morus Zero Portable Dryer

4.6

$539.99

The Morus Zero portable dryer is an ultra-fast, install-free dryer weighing only 28.7 lbs. It kills 99.99% of bacteria & mites, reduces wrinkles, and offers smart, automatic drying with dedicated modes for effortless laundry care.

See at Morus

The built-in UV sterilization is a nice touch. It claims to kill 99.99% of bacteria and mites.

There are no extra exhaust pipes or vents on this thing. Morus Zero uses air condensation to collect water from the garments into the water tank.

The control panel has a child lock and a few simple options. Warm, refresh, shoe, sanitize, quick, shirt, silk, and smart. It’s easier to just choose smart if you aren’t drying shoes. 

RV and campsite use is a huge part of why the Morus Zero exists

However, if your shoe collection doesn’t demand its own dryer, the portability of the Morus Zero is the next best selling point. It oddly doesn’t include a power inverter to convert its standard plug into a car plug.

Considering RV and campsite use is a huge part of why the Morus Zero exists, you have to buy an inverter too. That’s not a terrible thing, just a thing.

If you don’t own an RV, but are limited on space, then the Morus Zero might be what you need. Small studio apartments, dorm rooms, and shared domiciles will benefit here too.

I’m sure if you did the math on how many quarters you’ve shoved into laundromat dryers, the price point is easier to swallow.

The Moruz Zero portable clothes dryer vs. conventional dryers

There’s a comparison on the Morus Zero website to traditional dryers. It makes some obvious claims: traditional dryers take longer, can over-dry clothes, and so on. Yet, these comparisons are quite flat.

The real comparison is portability. If the Morus Zero was a full-size dryer, it couldn’t compete with brand-new washer/dryer sets. Sure, there is no installation because you just plop it on a surface and plug it in. A traditional dryer is just a heavier version of that.

Trying to determine if this thing dried my clothes better than a traditional dryer was futile. All my clothes are Walmart exclusives. There is no risk. The ability to easily and quickly dry shoes were probably the greatest dryer-function difference.

The Morus Zero portable dryer carries a modern aesthetic. It’s not a bulky square hidden away in a lukewarm laundry room. It’s a conversation piece as much as it is an appliance.

At $600, it’s surely a luxury item, but it has a specific appeal to a niche group of target users. That group might love it as much as those who do six loads of laundry daily are rolling their eyes.

Morus Zero Portable Dryer

4.6

$539.99

The Morus Zero portable dryer is an ultra-fast, install-free dryer weighing only 28.7 lbs. It kills 99.99% of bacteria & mites, reduces wrinkles, and offers smart, automatic drying with dedicated modes for effortless laundry care.

Quick Verdict: At $600, it's surely a luxury item, but it has a specific appeal to a niche group of target users. That group might love it as much as those who do six loads of laundry daily are rolling their eyes.

What We Like:

• Ultra-fast Drying Down to 15Min: Morus Zero is about 60% faster than conventional dryers using our patented dehydration technology. Laundry drying is now as free as you want.
• Freely Use in Your Apartment or RV: Weighing only 28.7 lbs, Morus Zero's space-saving & install-free design fits into your lifestyle easily & beautifully. Just plug it in and go!
• Kill 99.99% of Bacteria & Mites: Powerful sterilization reduces allergens and removes the stink, making your everyday fresh and clean.
• Smart, Automatic & Trouble-free: AI-driven sensor system with fabric protection eliminates tedious set-up, treats different garments with dedicated modes, and makes it easy as cake.

Pros:

• Super portable
• Great for shoes
• Powerful and fast
• Built-in UV sterilization is a nice touch

Cons:

• The target market here is not for price-conscious shoppers
• Not ideal for family use if you plan on using it as a primary dryer
• No power inverter included

See at Morus

Have any thoughts on this? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Review: GravaStar Sirius Pro wireless earbuds
• Review: EcoFlow Delta Pro battery backup
• Review: Obsbot Tiny 4K AI-powered webcam
• Review: Edifier MS50A wireless smart speaker

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Review: Morus Zero Portable Dryer appeared first on KnowTechie.

CoolTec, a company that focuses on the one thing men cannot seem to keep their hands off of — their testicles — has created a testicle-cooling device.

Set to go on sale this year, the device’s intended purpose is to create a healthy and thriving environment for sperm while still looking like something Sean Connery would have worn on the Zardoz set.

Rivaling David Bowie for impressive crotch magic, the CoolMen device is a jock strap with a tiny, cooling, wrestling helmet for men’s scrabble satchels.

While Joe’s balls didn’t appear to need any cooling as he successfully impregnated his wife, resulting in a fresh 18-year-long debt, many men aren’t keeping their rumble muffins in the best condition.

While there is a myriad of issues that affect men when trying to conceive, one of them is temperature.

Men, as you may or may not know, often suffer from serious cases of swamp crotch, duck butter city, Gold Bond ratings often reaching the high 90s.

Or after spending a few hours watching one woman roll a joint on another woman’s butt, your dangling doorknobs tend to get a little hot.

This affects not only the amount of greasy muck that accumulates between the hairy hacky sack and thighs but also straight up reduces one’s sperm to a slagging mess of wind bent driftwood.

The CoolMen device aims to alleviate these heated situations by keeping your canary eggs nice and cool.

To be fair, the device is designed to assist with male infertility by keeping the semen parameters within acceptable ranges while increasing sperm quality.

I’m not sure what semen parameters are, but I’m guessing it has something to do with how much they can bench on a hot day.

The point is that the CoolMen device has a purpose beyond just being a fancy way to jam two packs of frozen peas in your pants. It’s a medical device to increase fertility in men.

The CoolTec CoolMen device regulates the temperature of a man’s testicles because even one degree off can cause a decrease in sperm.

Needless to say, in this Florida swamp weather, my sperm must be about as populous as a regional airport in the middle of the night.

The device records data, not just temperature, but time of use, activity, and reports that to an app which can be shared with an andrologist.

The CoolMen device might just offset the damage done to sperm by a decade of skinny jeans.

But it’s also a freezer pack for your sack and that’s worth noting.

Regardless of fertility issues, men have been searching for a way to keep their bouncing meatballs from being overloaded by oily sauce and heating up like tiny little suns.

This is a pretty solid entrance into a market mentality in which fertility causes stress, especially when men are too goddamn stubborn to admit that yes, it might be their squeezable stones that are the problem.

But it’s also a great way to take some of the heat… off your meat. Sorry not sorry.

What do you do to keep cool? Actually, don’t tell me. What do you think of the CoolMen device? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• YouPorn’s first annual 2018 year in retrospect report strokes your thirst for porn data
• PVR IRIS VR Headset might be the holiday gift you’ve been wanking for
• Firefox has been secretly hiding porn sites you visited from your new tab page
• Apple wants you to know that sales are hurting because you’re not upgrading your iPhone
• Google is adding a new reporting feature to Android Messages to help cut down spam

The post Testicle cooling device serves a medical purpose but is still a chill pack for your sack appeared first on KnowTechie.

Quick Answer: No, Apple is not currently working on a game console. While Apple TV supports third-party controllers and Apple Arcade is a thing that exists, it’s nowhere near a gaming console. It can’t even compete with the games on your iPhone.

It’s another weekday, which means another Apple rumor to chew up and spit out. This time, the rumors focus on a potential Apple gaming console.

Today’s Apple rumor comes to us from the generally reliable Apple rumor source Clien.net.

One user has reported that Apple is conducting feasibility studies on turning Apple TV into a gaming console.

It stands to reason that at some point, with Apple working hard on AR/VR devices, (which are now released) Apple might consider marrying those outputs with gaming.

It’s doubtful that Apple Arcade would support AR/VR products long-term. Apple would need something more substantial.

Rumors of an Apple video game console have been around for years

This isn’t the first rumor of this nature to fall from the Apple rumor tree in recent memory.

In 2021, the Apple gaming console rumors started swirling, giving optimistic tech writers reason to justify the rumors.

READ MORE: Is Apple working on its own gaming controller?

Then back in January of this year, it was rumored that Apple was poaching engineers from Xbox to work on its own console.

Naturally, that news was met with a hefty dose of skepticism. The existing Apple Arcade was reason enough to hire devs and engineers with gaming console experience.

With Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard and Sony’s purchase of Bungie, it makes it harder for Apple to enter the console arena with some sort of exclusive game appeal.

According to the rumor, Capcom and Ubisoft are active partners in creating exclusive titles for the imaginary Apple gaming console.

It’d be a strange world indeed if Street Fighter ends up locked to an Apple gaming console.

Does Apple have a gaming console?

Yes, Apple has tried its hand at game consoles before.

If the company works on an official Apple game console in 2022, it won’t be its first dip into the pool. We must never forget 1996’s Apple Bandai Pippin.

The Apple Pippin was forgotten and faded away into obscurity. It was flawed and unable to keep up with the technical specs of the time.

But from that came years of rumors, usually popping up shortly after the release of a new console from Microsoft, Nintendo, or Sony.

Gamers are a sticky bunch, generally affixed to their console of choice.

It stands to reason that if Apple were to enter the gaming console market, it would do so with a complimentary device rather than a device intended to convert gamers directly.

While Apple TV supports third-party controllers and Apple Arcade is a thing that exists, it’s nowhere near a gaming console. It can’t even compete with the games on your iPhone.

So, once again, we are left asking ourselves whether this rumor is real. Is Apple truly working on a gaming console, and could it compete with Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo?

Will it be a handheld console similar to the Switch or something beefier? Could it be an amalgamation of a Mac computer and Apple Arcade?

Or should Apple stay in its lane and stick to slick laptops and iPhones?

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Sony’s new PlayStation Plus subscription launches in June
• GTA Online now has a subscription service for $5.99 a month
• Steam is now on Chrome OS – can your Chromebook run it?
• The new iPhone SE has production slashed due to low demand

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Is Apple working on a game console? appeared first on KnowTechie.