Cameron Faulkner | The VergeThe Verge is about technology and how it makes us feel. Founded in 2011, we offer our audience everything from breaking news to reviews to award-winning features and investigations, on our site, in video, and in podcasts.2026-04-22T15:03:58+00:00https://www.theverge.com/authors/cameron-faulkner/rsshttps://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/verge-rss-large_80b47e.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1Cameron Faulkner<![CDATA[Sony’s PlayStation 5 is $200 off for the first time since December]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9166102026-04-22T10:47:21-04:002026-04-22T10:38:51-04:00
When the price increases for PlayStation 5 consoles went into effect on April 2nd, we weren’t sure when the next time a good discount would happen. Surely, not for at least a couple months, right? Well, now just a few weeks later, Sony’s direct-to-consumer site is offering the slim PS5 console with no disc drive for $399. That’s a whopping $200 less than it costs at other retailers. It wasn’t uncommon to see this price in late 2025, but it’s rare these days.
The particular bundle that’s discounted is just like other slim digital PlayStation 5 consoles. You’ll get a PS5, a DualSense controller, a power cord, and an HDMI cord (the vertical stand is sold separately). However, it also includes some Fortnite cosmetics that you can redeem in the free-to-play third-person shooter. As mentioned earlier, the digital-only console doesn’t include a disc drive, but an add-on can be purchased for $79.99 and attached to it for playing discs, be it a game or a 4K Blu-ray.
Some other great Verge-approved deals
The Fitbit Charge 6 is a well-rounded fitness tracker that we continue to recommend despite it launching in late 2023. It’s full of features, including robust health tracking and gym equipment integration (a first for a Fitbit), along with a slick design that has a colorful screen and a haptic-based side button that’s satisfying to click. If you’re considering a new wearable, it won’t cost you a ton now at Wellbots. The retailer is offering Verge readers a discount that drops the Charge 6 to $109.95 (usually $159.95) with the code VERGECHARGE50. Read our full review of the Fitbit Charge 6.
In the mix with Sony’s other InZone announcements last week, which included an open-back gaming headset and a 540Hz OLED monitor, it debuted a new transparent purple variant of its excellent InZone Buds wireless gaming earbuds. Those launched for $239.99, but you can already find them discounted to $178 at Amazon (or $179.99 at Best Buy), the lowest price so far this year. They’re currently a better value than the closest competitor, the SteelSeries Arctis Buds, which are $199.99. Both offer active noise cancellation, as well as compatibility with PC, mobile, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch (among other platforms). However, the Arctis Buds’ case supports wireless charging while Sony’s doesn’t.
Last for today, there’s an interesting deal happening on the LTE version of Google’s Pixel Watch 4, which offers more features and apps than the aforementioned Fitbit Charge 6. The 41mm and 45mm sizes are the same price — $389.99 at Amazon — and include two years of data at no extra charge for texting and other use cases via Google Fi (but not voice calls over LTE). These watches originally sold for $449.99 and $499.99, respectively, so this is a good value if you want to take the smartwatch on-the-go and leave your phone at home.
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Cameron Faulkner<![CDATA[I bought Alienware’s $350 OLED monitor and I can’t believe how good it is]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9162772026-04-22T11:03:58-04:002026-04-22T10:00:00-04:00
At $350, the AW2726DM is cheap enough that some people may choose to buy two for a dual monitor setup.
I’ve recommended several OLED gaming monitors to readers over the years, and I’ve finally taken my own advice to buy one. Alienware’s new 27-inch 1440p QD-OLED has all the features that I want and a low $350 price that was too tempting to ignore.
The AW2726DM model has five things that make it stand out for the price: a 1440p QD-OLED screen with lush contrast, a fast 240Hz refresh rate, a semi-glossy screen coating to enhance details, a low-profile design without flashy RGB LEDs, and a great warranty (three years with coverage for burn-in).
I’ve been using Alienware’s new monitor for a couple days, and I’ve already spent hours with it playing Marathon. It was my first opportunity to see Bungie’s new first-person extraction shooter in its full HDR glory, and I can never go back. Switching on HDR wasn’t automatic, though it already looked so much better than my IPS panel without being activated.
Enabling it transformed how Marathon looked for the better, but made everything else about the OS look pretty washed-out. It’s a Windows issue, not an Alienware issue. It’s easy to enable HDR every time I launch a game and disable it afterward with the Windows + Alt + B keyboard shortcut, but unfortunately triggers HDR for all connected displays. This includes my IPS monitor that imbues everything with a terrible gray hue when HDR is on. So, using the system settings is the best way to adjust HDR for just the QD-OLED.
I landed on this QD-OLED after having spent a ton of time researching pricier models. The unanimous takeaway from reviewers was that LG’s Tandem RGB WOLED panels are some of the brightest out there, but also tend to exhibit lousy gray uniformity in dark scenes. QD-OLED monitors, on the other hand, offer slightly better contrast than WOLED and don’t suffer from those same uniformity issues. However, blacks sometimes appear as dark purple in bright rooms on QD-OLED panels, meaning they’re ideal for rooms that don’t have a bunch of light bouncing around.
There’s no perfect choice, and honestly I got tired of doing research, so I jumped in with the cheapest OLED. I’m glad that I did. Shopping for an OLED gaming monitor can be hard, but it can also be this easy. AOC makes a model that’s discounted to $339.99 at the time of publishing, and its specs are comparable.
As expected, the AW2726DM isn’t a cutting-edge monitor. Its QD-OLED panel isn’t as fast or as bright as some other pricier options, and it doesn’t have USB ports for connecting accessories. Considering its low price, it’s easy for me to overlook those omissions. I’d have a much harder time accepting them in a pricier display.
The fact that I mostly use my computer for text-based work at The Verge is what prevented me from upgrading to an OLED monitor. My 1440p IPS monitor is bright, it’s good at showing text clearly, and it has a fast refresh rate for gaming. Alienware’s QD-OLED is less bright, and some might be bothered by how text looks (I have to really squint to see the slight fringing from this QD-OLED’s subpixel layout). But I have a life outside of work, which includes playing a lot of PC games. That’s the slice of myself I bought this monitor for, and I’m so happy I did.
Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
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Cameron Faulkner<![CDATA[The nine best ways to protect, customize, and accessorize your MacBook Neo]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9127672026-04-16T13:57:47-04:002026-04-16T13:05:54-04:00
You can use the Neo as it comes out of the box, or enhance your experience with some add-on accessories. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
The MacBook Neo is poised to be a top-selling laptop in 2026, thanks in large part to its affordable $599 entry price. Despite launching at a more accessible price point than Apple’s $1,099 (though often discounted) 2026 MacBook Air, the Neo makes surprisingly few concessions in terms of build quality. Its design has the same level of precision as pricier Apple products, and we found in a hands-on comparison that it handily outclasses similarly priced Windows laptops in just about every way despite running on an iPhone chipset.
In short, you might want one, or perhaps you already have one. Whatever your situation is, it’s possible that you may also want a couple of accessories to get the most out of your Neo. We have nine recommendations — a MacBook Neo accessory starter kit, if you will — that can help you protect it, customize it, or just use it more comfortably in your day-to-day life.
A USB-C monitor to use as a second screen
Not every computer monitor supports USB-C video input, so the selection of ones that do is smaller (and often pricier) than if you just want a cheap model that only boasts HDMI or DisplayPort inputs. Whether you find a deal or not, the Asus ProArt PA278CV is an appealing (and relatively inexpensive) monitor that offers USB-C video-in as well as passthrough charging to keep your Neo charged.
It’s a 27-inch 1440p monitor with a 75Hz refresh rate that’s color accurate. It features built-in speakers and can deliver 65W of power via USB-C, which is more than enough to keep the Neo charging at its peak 30W speed (faster than the 20W charger that Apple includes). It’s typically priced at $299 at retailers like Amazon and B&H Photo, but you might find it for as low as $209 if you’re lucky.
If you want something cheaper and small enough to fit in a bag (but with even better contrast), portable OLED monitors might be a better fit. Brands like Innocn make them in various sizes with different screen capabilities, but the company’s 13.3-inch 1080p model — which connects via USB-C — is a steal at $99.99, its current price for Amazon Prime members. Otherwise, it’s $129.99 on Amazon for those without a premium membership.
Innocn 13.3-inch OLED Full HD 1080p Portable Monitor
A USB-C hub for connecting accessories and a display
The great thing about laptops with USB-C ports is that the ecosystem of compatible accessories is vast. However, the Neo has only two USB-C ports, meaning you’ll likely need to prioritize which devices to plug in at any given moment. Thankfully, you can easily expand your Neo’s capabilities with an affordable USB-C hub like Anker’s 7-in-1 model, which can expand a single port into seven for around $26 at Amazon and through Anker directly.
Not only can you use it to charge your laptop (it supports up to 85W passthrough speeds), but it also provides an HDMI port and another USB-C port, plus two USB-A ports and both full-size and microSD card readers. It’s a must-have, if you don’t already have one.
A screen protector to shield the Neo’s most fragile component
The first accessory I put on all my pricey devices that have a display is a screen protector. Several brands make them, but I always gravitate toward amFilm, which makes a tempered glass protector for the Neo that’s currently going for just $19.99 on Amazon.
Not everyone will feel the urge to buy this upgrade. But it’s never a bad idea to protect your purchase, since it might just save you from a pricey repair down the road. The protector from amFilm is easy to install, and it’s anti-scratch and anti-fingerprint, too.
AmFilm tempered glass screen protector for the MacBook Neo
If you, like me, are someone who absolutely babies their tech, you may also feel inclined to get a snap-on shell that can fit perfectly around your MacBook Neo without hiding its sleek design or color. The multicolored, matte-textured options from Mosiso seem nicer than other options, and it’s about $24 at Amazon. The plastic shells typically cost around $20, and the company claims that they don’t hinder the Neo’s ability to close. They’re also built to resist scratches, fingerprint smudging, and unwanted cracks.
Laptop stands serve different purposes for different folks. Some people want to use their laptop’s keyboard at an angle that’s more ergonomically friendly, while others may simply want to bring their laptop’s display closer to eye level. And some people may want all of those benefits. Whatever your need, Moft’s $25 Adhesive Stand is great because it’s only there when you need it. The handy laptop stand folds into itself (unlike pricier, bulkier options) and features a low-profile design that’s barely there when you need to slide your Neo into a bag.
Liquid ingress in a keyboard is one of the main reasons why a laptop dies before its time. Dust and crumbs certainly don’t help, either, as they can clog things up and prevent your keys from pressing. A lightweight keyboard cover that gently lies over the keys, thus preserving their look, feel, and backlighting, is a nice, cheap accessory that can keep dust out. Uppercase’s GhostCover is just under $13 at Amazon. It may not stop a flood of water, coffee, or your beverage of choice from getting into your Neo after a spill, but it’ll likely help limit the damage.
One important note is that this keyboard cover is only compatible with the $699 version that has a 512GB SSD and, crucially, a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. It won’t fit the $599 version correctly.
The Neo’s built-in trackpad is large and responsive, but you may want to use an input off to the side for ergonomic reasons (you might also be more comfortable with a mouse). In the case of mice, there are numerous models that work with macOS — either dongle-free over Bluetooth or with a USB receiver — but the best, most feature-packed model you can currently buy is the $119.99 Logitech MX Master 4 from Amazon, Newegg, and Logitech directly. It’s a right-handed mouse that’s comfortable and high-end, with a haptics-based thumb button that can surface on-screen shortcuts to make navigating both a bit faster and easier. It also connects via Bluetooth or with its included USB-C dongle.
Another option for trackpad lovers is Apple’s official Magic Trackpad. It’s a bigger standalone trackpad than the one built into the Neo, but you can position it wherever you’d like. It starts at $119.99 from Amazon and is rechargeable via USB-C, just like the laptop, and connects wirelessly over Bluetooth.
As often as you may be at home or otherwise near a power outlet while using your MacBook Neo, sometimes you need to take it on the go. A power bank is great for rescuing depleted gadgets, or keeping them topped off until you settle down again with a power outlet. They range in price and capabilities, but given the Neo’s 30W peak charging speed, you don’t need anything extravagant on that front.
Baseus’ 20,000mAh power bank with two built-in USB-C cables, which can supply up to 45W of power, should more than suffice. It’s on sale at Amazon for $31.99 right now, and its size should allow it to charge your Neo at least once, or you can charge your laptop alongside up to three other devices at reduced charging speeds.
Baseus EnerFill FC11 Power Bank with Dual Built-in Cables
For something with more capacity that offers similar versatility thanks to its two built-in USB-C cables (one of which can extend), Anker’s 25,000mAh Laptop Power Bank is a popular choice among Verge readers. It’s significantly pricier at around $120 — though it’s currently on sale for $95.99 at Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart — and it can deliver a combined output of 165W when charging multiple devices at once.
For tinkerers, mix and match official Apple components for a customized look
It was recently discovered that Apple sells spare parts for the MacBook Neo, which are intended for repair, not necessarily for the funsies I’m about to describe. That said, you can buy parts in the color of your choosing (silver, indigo, blush, citrus) to make a fun, unique Neo that will likely attract some eyeballs when you use it in public.
Granted, it’s not affordable to make these customizations; the bottom metal case is the cheapest upgrade at $34.32, and a complete set of key caps runs $39. You’re also on your own when it comes to installing them, so it’s not a project that I’d recommend for beginner tinkerers, since you’re at risk of damaging your laptop.
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Cameron Faulkner<![CDATA[It’s slushy season, and Ninja’s frozen drink machine is nearly half off]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9130672026-04-16T11:22:59-04:002026-04-16T11:22:59-04:00
Woot is making it more affordable to own a frozen drink machine. Ninja’s Slushi that has an 88-ounce container for storing your ice-cold creations is down to $184.99 at Woot, which is a whopping 47 percent off its list price. The Slushi requires no ice, just the liquid of your choosing and a little time for it to transform into a thick, yet pourable slurry that will stay frozen in the machine for up to 12 hours.
The Slushi is great for parties, since you can craft plenty of alcohol-infused (or non-alcoholic) delights with it. The machine can just as easily be used just to make the day-to-day easier, whipping up frozen OJ for the morning, or a frappe so you don’t need to make a trip to the cafe. The only disclaimer with this deal is that the purchase includes a 90-day limited warranty through Woot, not a full one-year warranty from the manufacturer that you’d get by buying it at a different retailer for full price.
Some other Verge-approved deals for you
Google recently announced a price hike for YouTube Premium that’s happening in June for current subscribers, or now for new sign-ups. To soften the blow for its loyal customers, the company is offering a promotion if you pay for the $9.99 Google One Premium 2TB tier. You’ll get an offer on this landing page to get 50 percent off the monthly cost of YouTube Premium for a year. Normally $15.99 for an individual subscription, it’s $7.99 per month for 12 months.
Razer’s new Pro Type Ergo wireless ergonomic keyboard that it launched on March 31st is already $40 off when you add it to your cart at Amazon. Normally $189.99, you can see the price fall at checkout to $149.99. This is Razer’s first split-style keyboard that aims to alleviate hand or wrist pain that gamers (and non-gamers, if you’re just drawn to its RGB LEDs) might be experiencing from keyboards that have a traditional layout. This model includes a non-removable wrist rest, two customizable dials, macro keys, a full number pad, and it can connect via Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, or wired with a USB-C cable.
The Fractal Scape is an awesome wireless gaming headset, especially on PC where you can easily change its sound and LED settings with a browser-based app. Its $199.99 price has been holding steady for a while, but Newegg is offering a $20 gift card when you purchase the black-colored version. I loved not only its clean design and its good sound, but also its clever (included) magnetic charging dock that has a secret garage for its USB audio transmitter. Check out our review.
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Cameron Faulkner<![CDATA[Dozens of 4K Blu-rays are included in Amazon’s three for $33 sale]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9118062026-04-14T17:53:43-04:002026-04-14T15:37:16-04:00
Amazon has switched on its semi-regular three for $33 sale for a large batch of 4K Blu-ray movies. As usual, there are too many to list individually, though it’s a comprehensive mix of old and new flicks that should keep physical media fans scrolling for a minute. The steps to get in on the deal are the same as ever: add three titles from the sale page to your cart, and each item will be price-adjusted at checkout for a total of $33. The deal also works if you add six eligible movies to your cart.
These sales are always a good opportunity to add a permanent addition to your movie library, as opposed to hoping they’ll always be available on your preferred streaming services. Movies on 4K Blu-ray will look and sound better than their streamed equivalent, assuming you have a 4K Blu-ray player and a 4K-ready TV.
I’ve included a batch of personal favorites (some of which make for fantastic showcases on a high-end TV), as well as a mix of old classics and newer releases that I’m thinking of picking up soon.
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Cameron Faulkner<![CDATA[Sony’s new 1440p OLED gaming monitor seems a lot better than its first]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9079242026-04-14T12:10:51-04:002026-04-14T12:00:00-04:00
The original InZone M10S OLED gaming monitor stood out for a mix of reasons when I reviewed it for Polygonback in late 2024 — some good (impressively small stand, high 480Hz refresh rate) and some bad (high price, low on features versus the competition). The company is launching its follow-up model, the InZone M10S II, at the same $1,099.99 price as before, but with numerous updates to better justify the cost. It’ll come out later this year and will be sold exclusively through Sony’s online shop.
For instance, it’s built with a fourth-gen WOLED panel (LG Display’s Primary RGB Tandem tech) that offers higher brightness and contrast than previous panels — rivaling QD-OLED — plus the ability to toggle between 540Hz at QHD resolution via DisplayPort and 720Hz at 720p. The dual mode feature is aimed at competitive gamers who want the option to switch from a very fast, somewhat hi-res picture to an even faster-moving image, even if it doesn’t look particularly good. Its .02-millisecond response time is, like other recent high-end WOLED monitors, just a little bit faster than previous generations.
Possibly the biggest spec improvement in the M10S II is the inclusion of black frame insertion (BFI) for motion blur reduction, which its predecessor lacked. Sony claims its BFI algorithm will deliver higher brightness than similar implementations on competing monitors — brightness being the big trade-off when using BFI to deliver a smoother-looking image. In this mode, the M10S II will peak at 240Hz instead of a raw 540Hz, and a black frame will be inserted between every other frame.
Covering some other important bases, Sony’s latest OLED monitor has a matte-textured screen coating, as before, but now includes a “super anti-glare film” to further reduce glare. It supports variable refresh rate, with Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, and the monitor has “extreme” anti-VRR flicker to reduce the visible flickering effect that’s sometimes noticeable on monitors that are adjusting to frame rate spikes and plunges.
The M10S II features a DisplayPort 2.1a port (topping out at UHBR13.5 with up to 54Gbps), an HDMI 2.1 port, and a USB hub for connecting accessories to. It includes a slightly evolved version of the sleek disc-shaped stand that shipped with the original M10S, albeit with changes made to allow for a larger tilting angle.
Sony’s second OLED monitor is landing at a high price as options with similar specs to some models that are starting to receive discounts. LG’s dual mode QHD monitor is down to $799.99, matching most of the M10S II’s display specs, but with a different design and port array. Its biggest competitor is likely Asus’ Rog Swift OLED (PG27AQWP-W), a $1,099 model that some may prefer simply because it has a glossy screen coating. If you aren’t chasing high-end specs, it’s getting surprisingly easy to get an OLED on a budget. Alienware just announced a new $350 27-inch 1440p QD-OLED monitor with a 240Hz refresh rate and a slim design.
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Cameron Faulkner<![CDATA[Sony’s latest gaming headset offers great open-back audio]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9081322026-04-14T12:10:14-04:002026-04-14T12:00:00-04:00
Sony’s PC-focused InZone brand is covering a lot of ground, now adding open-back headsets to its growing catalog of gaming accessories. The $199.99 H6 Air borrows the comfortable, easy-to-adjust design of the flagship $350 H9 II wireless headset, makes it wired, and pokes a bunch of holes in the ear cups, resulting in an open-back design that sounds more natural and fits more comfortably than most other headsets.
Like other open-back headphones, the H6 Air isn’t built to reduce outside noise. Instead, sounds coming from the headset’s drivers are mixed with outside sounds. Open-back headsets or headphones are a bad choice if you’re easily distracted by sounds happening near you, but they offer some benefits that might make them worth trying nevertheless.
They’re light and comfortable. My ears stay cooler than they otherwise would in a closed-back headset, and the H6 Air’s build weighs around 200 grams. Also, letting the drivers breathe enables a different listening experience than closed-back drivers can offer. Audio sounds less processed, and music soundstages are more expansive, letting me appreciate details I hadn’t noticed before in some song mixes. Games are no less immersive, except for when there’s a lot of noise happening outside. I’ve been playing a lot of Marathon recently, and the H6 Air’s open-back design doesn’t hinder my ability to hear footsteps or other useful auditory cues.
Sony opted to use the same drivers found in its MDR-MV1 open-back reference headphones, which were made for use by editors in studios. Given their pedigree for reference-level accuracy, I had some doubts about their performance for listening to music and playing games. My concerns have been put to rest after having used the H6 Air for about two weeks. The drivers sound spectacular, with plenty of bass presence that doesn’t compromise the mids or highs.
The sound is good by default, but you can toggle audio settings in the InZone Hub desktop app. Doing so requires using the included 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter (oddly, using this accessory with beta software introduced some audio blips as I loaded apps and scrolled around my browser, which weren’t present when the headset’s 3.5mm jack was plugged directly into my PC). The software offers several equalizer settings, the option to enable spatial sound, plus the ability to adjust sidetone and mic volume for the detachable boom mic.
The mic doesn’t make my voice sound particularly good (and it’s not an omnidirectional mic), but it’s serviceable for chatting with friends and participating in video calls.
Here’s a snippet of audio from the InZone H6 Air’s boom mic (recorded through the Sound Recorder app in Windows 11):
Open-back gaming headset models aren’t in plentiful supply; there have always been fewer options available at any given moment compared to closed-back options. That has pushed some gamers to opt instead for pricier open-back audiophile-grade headphones from the likes of Sennheiser and Audeze (Asus’ new-ish $299 Kithara blurs the line between open-back gaming headset and audiophile headphones thanks to its HIFIMAN drivers). Yes, $200 is on the pricey side for a wired headset, especially considering how many features are in something like SteelSeries’ wired Arctis Nova Pro. But the great sound and comfy, open design of Sony’s latest headset make it worth considering if it’s within your budget.
Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
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Cameron Faulkner<![CDATA[Google’s Pixel 10A is a good midrange phone that’s $50 off]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9109662026-04-13T15:07:22-04:002026-04-13T11:41:03-04:00
If it’s time for you to upgrade your phone, it’s worth considering the Pixel 10A, Google’s latest midrange phone that has some (but not all) of the new software features of the pricier $599 Pixel 10. Every color of the 128GB 10A — including the alluring “berry” tone — is down to $449 ($50 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and the Google Store, where you can get it for even less with an eligible trade-in. This is the first cash discount we’ve seen since the phone’s launch in early March. The 256GB version is $50 off, too, selling for $549 at Amazon and Best Buy.
If you look at our coverage of the Pixel 10A, it won’t take you long to put the pieces together and see that we feel Google played it safe with this year’s model. It’s strikingly similar to last year’s Pixel 9A — both feature a Tensor G4 processor, plus a camera combo consisting of a 48-megapixel main shooter and a 13-megapixel ultrawide lens — but we don’t suggest getting the 9A, at least right now. Its software support will end a year earlier, and it’s currently more expensive than the 10A ($50 more at most retailers).
The 10A stands out for its slightly brighter screen, faster wired charging, and support for Satellite SOS, among other small differences. It also has two unique AI-powered features from the Pixel 10 series that are not available on the 9A: Camera Coach and Auto Best Take. However, there are no internal hardware differences in the latest version that would prevent the features from coming to last year’s model.
Sony’s WF-1000XM6 are back down to around $298 at Amazon and Best Buy, matching their lowest price to date. The wireless, noise-canceling earbuds debuted in mid-February at $329, and they were discounted to this price once before, in the latter half of March. My colleague John Higgins praised their stellar sound, great call quality, and their best-in-class active noise cancellation. However, how well the ANC works for you will depend on whether you can get a good seal with their included foam ear tips. He noticed the tips starting to wiggle out after some time, though Sony will send you silicone tips for free if you can’t get a good seal in its Sound Connect companion app on mobile. Read our review.
Depending on where you live in the US, a Micro Center store near you might have a great budget-friendly AMD motherboard / CPU / RAM bundle you can pick up today. The retailer is offering AMD’s Ryzen 5 7500X3D processor pre-mounted on a compatible AM5-socket motherboard (saving new builders a somewhat stressful installation step), and you’ll get 16GB of G.Skill Flare X5 DDR5 RAM clocked at up to 6,000MHz all for $299.99. While the included motherboard varies, you’ll be able to figure out for yourself which one you’ll get in the bundle when you go into the store.
Elden Ring Nightreign is on sale as part of Best Buy’s Ultimate Deal sale on tech and video games, with the Xbox Series X version now at $11.99 (typically $29.99). FromSoftware’s multiplayer twist on Elden Ring was engineered for fervent fans of the single-player RPG and people who dig roguelike games. It’s designed to be played in groups of three (though you can play alone or in a duo), and its roguelike design is the opposite of the open-ended game it derives from. The explorable map shrinks throughout each in-game day, culminating in difficult boss matches. Read our hands-on impressions.
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Cameron Faulkner<![CDATA[You don’t have to spend more than $50 on a great USB-C dock for your Switch 2]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9076452026-04-10T19:04:17-04:002026-04-11T09:30:00-04:00
You can’t make the wrong choice based on hardware, but you can spend more than you need to.
Nintendo seemingly designed its latest console to be a mystery for third-party accessory makers. With the Switch 2, the company changed the wireless protocol for connecting controllers to the new system, as well as how it outputs video over USB-C, making it clear at launch that every third-party manufacturer needed to start over from scratch.
Figuring out how to speak the Switch 2’s language — and ensuring reliability even after system updates — is an ongoing challenge. But now there are two reliable USB-C dock alternatives I can recommend, if you need one. Jsaux was one of the first to land with its $45.99 OmniCentro Dock last year, and now Genki’s crowdsourced Covert Dock 3 is available for $69.99.
Both docks can output up to 4K at 120Hz, though keep in mind that the Switch 2 tops out at 4K / 60Hz in TV mode. They can also scale down to 1440p or 1080p at 120Hz, with HDR support and up to 65W PD fast charging, and include a spare USB-A port for connecting accessories, such as a 2.4GHz wireless transmitter or controller. Genki’s dock seems to cost more simply because it features translucent orange components on two sides. I couldn’t find another spec or feature to justify the $24 price discrepancy between the two.
At this point, we’re several years into having gadgets like these around — after all, this is the third iteration of Genki’s Covert Dock. Just like previous USB-C dock alternatives, having one of these hubs around can be handy for travel (both have foldable prongs, so they won’t bend or snag on your bag), or even if you don’t leave the house. Sometimes, I like to use my Switch 2 up in my office, while leaving Nintendo’s first-party dock downstairs.
While the novelty of this kind of charger has worn off (they felt revolutionary when the first Covert Dock launched in 2020), it’s great to have two options that work great with Nintendo’s latest console, as well as the Steam Deck and other handhelds.
It’s also nice that, whichever model you choose to buy, they both support upgradeable firmware, should a system update change how the Switch 2 communicates with docks. Overly cautious? Not so much. A November 2025 console update blocked some third-party docks, and if it happened once, it could happen again.
Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
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Cameron Faulkner<![CDATA[A thin, light entry-level gaming laptop is $300 off at Best Buy]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9091482026-04-09T11:31:28-04:002026-04-09T11:31:28-04:00
It’s tough to find decent gaming laptops under $1,000. However, Best Buy has what I consider to be a good entry-level model for 1080p gaming in Lenovo’s 15.6-inch LOQ laptop, which is selling for $649.99 (usually $959.99) through today, April 9th. Even with its Nvidia’s RTX 4050 (its lowest-tier GPU of the series), the laptop is likely to be performant enough to play many titles at respectable frame rates if you adjust video settings per-game as needed.
A few things stand out to me about this laptop that make it worth considering. For one, I’ve always loved the typing experience of other Lenovo gaming laptops that I’ve used (impressively, this one stocks a full keyboard with a numpad). I also like that, despite being an entry-level machine, it has 16GB of speedy 4,800MHz DDR5 RAM, and you can go up to 32GB by opening up the chassis. Same goes for the SSD — it comes with a somewhat paltry 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, but there are two slots, and each tops out at 1TB.
A few other Verge-approved deals for you
PC gamers into Destiny 2 can get every expansion for the free-to-play game in one of Humble’s bundles. The top-tier bundle is $28, and includes content dating back to the Forsaken and Shadowkeep expansions as well as newer expansions, like The Edge of Fate and The Final Shape. A fun perk in the $28 tier is a 25 percent off coupon for Marathon, Bungie’s latest game. It’s a punishing extraction first-person shooter for teams up to three players that Destiny fans might dig.
If you have a Nintendo Switch 2 and are considering getting Resident Evil Requiem, Capcom’s latest entry in the franchise, here’s a deal to consider. The Resident Evil Generation Pack costs $89.99 at Amazon and Best Buy and includes Requiem, Resident Evil 7, and Resident Evil Village. Nintendo stopped selling the bundle on its eShop in March, and now it sells those older games digitally for $29.99 and $39.99, respectively — totaling $140 for all three a la carte. Here’s our review of Resident Evil Requiem.
You can turn one AC outlet into six (with a pair of USB-C and USB-A ports, to boot) with Anker’s 10-in-1 mountable power strip. It’s down to $15.99 at Amazon, a small, but nice $4 discount off its usual price. Its leftmost USB-C port tops out at 20W charging, while the other supports up to 15W, which is enough if you want to keep your phone charged while you sleep or in between events. In case its 300-joule maximum isn’t high enough to assure you it’ll protect your priciest, most power-hungry devices, Belkin’s six-outlet surge protector offers slightly better protection (up to 1,680 joules) and costs $22.99 at Amazon.
