A new firmware update has rendered some HP LaserJet printers inoperable, even when using HP’s own toner, Ars Technica reports. The update, version 20250209, was released on March 4, 2025 for HP’s LaserJet MFP M232 to M237 series. According to HP, the update includes security enhancements, updates to meet regulatory requirements, and general improvements and bug fixes. There’s no mention of any changes to how the printers handle HP toner. Despite this, users have started reporting Error Code 11 and a flashing toner indicator after updating their printer firmware. On HP’s support forums, frustrated customers are reporting that their printers with HP-branded toner have suddenly stopped working, despite attempts to clean the connectors and reinstall the toner cartridges. HP has acknowledged that a problem exists, with a company spokesperson commenting: “We are aware of a firmware issue affecting a limited number of HP LaserJet 200 Series devices and our team is actively working on a solution. For assistance, affected customers can contact our support team at: https://support.hp.com.” However, HP hasn’t confirmed how many users are affected, and the exact extent of the problem remains unclear. This is far from the first time HP firmware updates have caused havoc for users. In May 2023, an update caused several HP OfficeJet printers to stop working completely and display a blue screen for weeks. HP also has a controversial policy of blocking printers that use non-original ink and/or toner, which has been criticized by both customers and consumer organizations. The company has also been criticizes for its shady business models, like always-online printers and subscription ink. Further reading: HP adds AI to its printers for some reason Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros High-quality feel and stable Construction Modular T-channel system for flexible customization Quiet and efficient electric height adjustment Large work surface with integrated cable tray Simple assembly thanks to pre-sorted components Cons High price Expensive accessories Cable eyelets poorly made and difficult to mount Our Verdict The Corsair Platform:4 is a well thought-out, versatile, and customizable desk system that appeals to both gamers and productive users. The workmanship is high quality, the design is clearly structured, and the modularity offers many expansion options. The table top and the stable aluminum frame system ensure long-lasting usability. The Elevate version with quiet and efficient electric height adjustment (reviewed here) makes for a long-term and flexible solution. However, it does come at a price. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Corsair Platform:4 Elevate Retailer Price $899.99 View Deal Corsair $899.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket With the Corsair Platform:4, Corsair is launching a modular desk system that’s interesting for both gamers and home office users thanks to its flexibility, high-quality workmanship, and well thought-out ergonomics. The standard version of the Platform:4, which sits at a fixed height, costs $699.99. We tested the Elevate version with electric height adjustment. The desk promises a high degree of adaptability that goes beyond the basic requirements of a conventional work or gaming desk. Corsair Platform:4 design and workmanship The Corsair Platform:4 has a robust table top made of black laminate. If you prefer a natural look, the tabletop is also available in a light wood surface for the fixed-height model, or a dark wood for the Elevate, each at a $100 premium. With dimensions of 47 inches wide and 30 inches deep, it is quite compact, but still offers sufficient work space for monitors, peripherals, and other accessories. The surface is pleasant to the touch and resistant to scratches and stains. Thanks to the solid workmanship, the desk shows hardly any signs of wear even after intensive use. Friedrich Stiemer The highlight of the design is the aluminium T-channel system, which makes it easy to attach and adjust accessories such as monitor arms or lighting. This system allows the use of numerous extensions, including customized ones, which can be retrofitted as required. In terms of stability, the Corsair Platform:4 was completely convincing in the test — even under dynamic load, the table was always stable. Friedrich Stiemer Assembly and scope of delivery Corsair delivers the Platform:4 in a single large and heavy box, which requires two people for transport. In addition to the parts for the table, the package also includes a flexible monitor arm with a gas pressure spring and VESA mount. There are also connection adapters for Elgato accessories, numerous plastic and Velcro cable ties, cable guides, cable eyelets, and a small bag with spare parts such as additional screws and T-nuts. A particularly positive feature was that the assembly materials were sorted for each assembly step and packed in labelled bags. These bags contained precise information on the number and labelling of the respective parts, which made assembly much easier. Corsair even supplies tools! Friedrich Stiemer The assembly itself was quite straightforward and for the most part even self-explanatory. The threads, drill holes, and materials were flawless throughout, which further emphasized the impression of high-quality workmanship. The general feel of the table should also be emphasized positively, as the surfaces appear pleasant and stable. On closer inspection, we only noticed very small imperfections in the edges — but nothing of any significance. Precise information on the number and labelling of the respective parts, made desk assembly much easier. Corsair even supplies tools! Friedrich Stiemer Nevertheless, you should allow around two hours for assembly. It is helpful to have enough space available for the boxes and packing materials so that you are not hindered during the assembly process. A second person should also assist with turning over the assembled table to avoid damage and injury. Friedrich Stiemer There were no more problems worth mentioning when setting up the Elevate version. The cable remote control could be fitted without any problems as the screws were the right length and there were enough of them. In other media reports on the Corsair Platform:6, there was talk of difficulties when screwing on the remote control due to the screws being too short. These problems seem to have been solved with the Platform:4. The other assembly steps went smoothly. A tip for assembly: The cable eyelets supplied make it easier to lay the cables neatly along the underside of the table, even if there is no special cut-out for cable routing. With a little skill, all cables can still be stowed away safely. The only point of criticism: The eyelets are not only difficult to press into the holes, but are also poorly finished as there are numerous burrs on them. Friedrich Stiemer Functionality The most outstanding feature of the Corsair Platform:4 is its modularity. The T-channel system enables a wide range of customizations. We fitted a table extension in the test, which extended the width of the table by a further 11.8 inches. This addition was easy to install thanks to the T-Channel system on the sides and proved to be very stable. Corsair specifies the load capacity of the extension at 50 pounds, which is sufficient even for larger gaming PCs. However, the gaming desk is dominated by the T-channel system on the tabletop, which is primarily used for mounting monitor and microphone arms. Friedrich Stiemer Another positive feature is the optional perforated panel that can be mounted on the sides. Corsair supplies several hooks and brackets for this purpose, which can be used to securely hang headsets or rucksacks, for example. Users can therefore customize the desk to suit their individual needs. Friedrich Stiemer Electric height adjustment The Elevate version of the table that we tested has electric height adjustment with two presets. The motors work quietly and smoothly, with a lifting speed of 1 inch per second. Particularly practical: The height adjustment can also be used unnoticed during video conferences, as the noise level remains below 50 decibels. This ensures undisturbed use, even in noise-sensitive environments. Friedrich Stiemer Another highlight is the integrated cable tray, which is large enough to neatly store a multiple socket and cable bundles. Thanks to numerous attachment points for cable ties, even large quantities of cables remain tidy. There is also a coverable storage compartment with USB-A and USB-C charging ports for smaller devices. This is particularly helpful when using multiple devices, as chargers no longer need to be placed separately on the table. Friedrich Stiemer Monitor arm with gas pressure spring A central element of the whole package is the monitor arm supplied. This arm is equipped with a gas pressure spring that enables infinitely variable height and tilt adjustment. Thanks to the VESA mount, the arm is compatible with monitors with a load capacity of up to 27.5 pounds. We mounted the monitor arm on the main T-rail on the top plate. No T-nuts or screws were required here. Instead, the clamp of the arm had to be opened by loosening a screw and loosening the set screw. This adjusting screw also allows the arm to be moved flexibly sideways on the rail, which is particularly practical for optimum positioning of the monitor. Once mounted, the arm offers a high degree of stability, even with repeated adjustments. Friedrich Stiemer The integrated cable channels and clips along the arm are practical, ensuring neat cable routing and preventing cables from hanging down. This keeps the workplace tidy and functional. Friedrich Stiemer Practical use In everyday use, the Corsair Platform:4 impressed us with its high level of ergonomics and adaptability. The tabletop offered enough space for a multi-monitor setup and additional peripherals. The ability to adjust the desk to the optimum ergonomic sitting or standing height proved to be a real advantage for longer working or gaming sessions. Users with changing working positions benefit from the flexible height adjustment. Friedrich Stiemer The high load capacity of up to 264.5 pounds offers enough leeway for extensive setups. Even with intensive use, the table showed no instability. Even large-format monitors or heavy audio setups could be positioned securely. The cable management proved to be useful for keeping the desk tidy and avoiding tripping hazards caused by hanging cables. Friedrich Stiemer Another advantage is the versatile customizability of the workstation. Users who often switch between different activities, such as creative work and gaming, can quickly change their individual configuration. The modular system also enables long-term expansion without having to replace the entire desk. Friedrich Stiemer Read...

When it comes to professional exchanges, I’ll be the first one to admit that I’m a bit awkward. Sometimes my tone is more terse than intended (sorry!) or I’m just not as clear as I’d like to be from the get-go. Weirdly enough, sometimes I’m more comfortable writing from the perspective of a fictional character than from my own, though it depends on the type of writing.  Since I work from home and communicate with my coworkers via text the majority of the time, I decided to elicit help from the all-knowing chatbot otherwise known as ChatGPT. Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised by the offered guidance and often found myself using the chatbot as a soundboard for my email drafts. Not only does it give pretty solid prompts and tips, but it also recommends revisions and on-the-fly tweaks. Asking ChatGPT for general guidance The first thing I wanted from ChatGPT was general guidance for writing emails with confidence. So, the first question I typed into the chat box at the bottom was simply: “How do I write confident emails to my colleagues and other professionals?”  ChatGPT The bot offered three different responses. The first two were in the form of lists (more like step-by-step guides) with overlapping information. These lists highlighted the importance of clear subject lines and stating your purpose early on in the exchange. However, the third was an email template that illustrated concise language and a polished ending. Bingo! That’s the one I clicked on.  Though I appreciate how ChatGPT organizes information in easy-to-digest lists, I gravitated to the third response because I prefer to learn by example. The template emphasized clear and concise language, no doubt an important aspect to consider when constructing professional emails, but the tone was too stiff for my liking. Here’s what the bot churned out:  Subject: Proposal Approval Needed Hi [Recipient’s Name], I’m writing to request your approval on the updated proposal for the Q2 project. The revised document is attached for your review. Key updates include: Adjusted timelines to align with new deliverables. Additional resources allocated to streamline production. Please let me know if you have any questions. I’d appreciate your approval by [date] to ensure we stay on track. Best,[Your Name] While I agree it’s important to be direct, the above AI-generated example is almost too direct. I wanted to see a friendlier and less formal template (as well as something more specific to my line of work), so I asked the bot to help me craft a new email.  More warmth please ChatGPT asked me to provide more context. Am I providing an update on a group project? Am I requesting something from a manufacturer? I asked ChatBPT to write an email requesting a laptop for review, but to make it more casual in tone. This was the response the bot cobbled together: Subject: Request for Laptop Review Hi [Recipient’s Name], I hope you’re doing well! I’d like to request a laptop for review to [briefly mention purpose, e.g., test compatibility with our software, evaluate performance for our team, etc.]. If one is available, please let me know the process for checking it out. Let me know if you need any details from my end. I appreciate your help! Best,[Your Name] The above AI-generated email was more specific to my line of work, but it still felt a bit soulless, so I tried a different approach and asked ChatGPT to evaluate an email I’d written up. While it helps to have a template to look back on, I find that constructive feedback (even if it’s from a bot) is the most helpful. Asking ChatGPT for constructive feedback Sometimes it’s nice to have a sounding board, even if that sounding board is a chatbot. I asked ChatGPT to evaluate an email I’d written and to recommend revisions. Here’s my original email: Good afternoon, My name is Ashley Biancuzzo and I oversee the laptop section at PCWorld. I’m interested in getting a couple of entry-level laptops in for review, as I’m looking to expand our coverage of more budget-friendly machines. I would love to get this plan in motion sooner rather than later, so I’d appreciate a swift response. Thank you so much! Best,Ashley Biancuzzo And here’s the revised version of my original email (plus suggestions): ChatGPT This feedback is really worth its weight in gold, as it really irons out the bumpiness of the original construction. I struggle with sounding natural in professional emails and ChatGPT definitely clocked me on that. The bot also asked me to soften the urgency of my laptop loan request, which makes total sense. I had asked for a swift response in my version, but that might be too demanding in tone. The other thing I struggle with is integrating my name in a natural way, especially in introductory emails. It looks clunky and is probably difficult to read on the receiving end. ChatGPT clocked me again here, as you can see in the above snapshot. For some reason, I often forget that my name is in my email signature, so there’s no need for me to start the exchange with it. I didn’t like the em dash in the final sentence of ChatGPT’s revision, so I asked the bot to remove it and also tweak that last sentence. Here’s what ChatGPT came up with: Subject: Entry-Level Laptop Review Request Good afternoon, I hope you’re doing well! I oversee the laptop section at PCWorld and am interested in reviewing a couple of entry-level laptops as we expand our coverage of budget-friendly machines. I’d love to get this process started soon. Please let me know if units are available and how we can move forward. I appreciate your time and look forward to your response. Best,Ashley Biancuzzo I love that I can ask ChatGPT to make minor tweaks to current revisions. It’s a lot faster than asking ChatGPT to construct a new email from scratch. My takeaway I don’t use ChatGPT for every email I send, especially if it’s a quick, straightforward exchange between myself and a colleague. However, for introductory emails or something more complex, I’ll ask ChatGPT for recommendations and revisions, as I want to be as clear as possible. It turns out to be a useful second set of eyes and an antidote to the pitfall of overthinking it. Read...

Google Gemini Robotics AI model gives robots fine motor skills and adaptability for general world use. Read...

In order to take full advantage of all the features of Windows 11, you need a Microsoft account. (It’s possible to use Windows 11 without a Microsoft account, but the company doesn’t want that and is trying their darndest to get users onto Microsoft accounts.) And when you’re using a Microsoft account, it’s imperative that you remember your password. But what do you do when you accidentally forget that so-very-important password? Normally, with any other digital account, you just click the “I forgot my password” link and get a password reset email. But you can only do that if you have a backup email or phone number registered. That’s why Microsoft is adding push notifications in Windows 11 to remind you to add an email address or phone number to your account if you haven’t yet. This way, if you do ever forget your password, you’ll have a backup method for password recovery. The new push notification reminders are currently being tested in update KB5053660 for Windows 11 Insiders in the Dev and Beta channels, reports Windows Latest. The feature will likely roll out to the general Windows 11 public later this spring. Further reading: You can now use passkeys with Microsoft accounts Read...

X, formerly Twitter, has been experiencing intermittent disruptions since yesterday at around 3pm ET. These disruptions have been causing users to be unable to access their feeds, send/receive messages, or a combination of both. Users keep receiving an error message that says “Something went wrong. Try reloading” without any recognizable cause. However, reloading the feed doesn’t help, nor does restarting the app. What’s going on with X? According to owner Elon Musk, the platform is being hit by targeted cyberattacks. At least, that’s what he wrote on his X account last night when it briefly worked again. In general, the outages only seem to last for a short time, with posts and messages going out again in the meantime. Whether this is really a targeted cyberattack hasn’t been conclusively clarified. Musk didn’t make any specific accusations, but surmised that a “coordinated group and/or a country is involved.” He also hinted that actors from Ukraine were involved or linked the attacks to the protests and attacks against Tesla. Curiously, the twitter.com site also went offline yesterday for the first time since Musk’s takeover and its renaming to X. Until now, the domain was still accessible, but presumably this has nothing to do with the outages. What can you do about it? As the X app becomes available from time to time, you can periodically check your feed to see if it’s working. In my case, I was unable to access my messages for around two hours last night. It worked again this morning, but currently my feed isn’t updating again. If nothing helps, you can try switching to alternative platforms like Bluesky. Millions of users and creators now post regularly there, recreating what Twitter used to be like before it was driven into the ground. (PCWorld is on Bluesky, too!) It’s currently not possible to predict how long these problems will continue. To check whether the disruption at X is still going on, all you can really do is come back every so often and see for yourself. Further reading: Beginner’s guide to Bluesky Read...

Okay, is someone messing with me? This is the second day in a row I’ve spotted a company putting weird crap into their newest monitor designs. Yesterday it was Lenovo, who put an AI NPU into a monitor. But at least that one matches up with current tech trends. Now I’m seeing that Asus has stuck an air purifier into a PC display. What? According to the press release, the VU Air Ionizer series of monitors comes in 24-, 27-, and 34-inch sizes, all of which include an air ionizer in the back. Maybe I should let Asus do the talking here, since I’m way out of my depth when it comes to copy that reads like it was lifted from Sharper Image… but I digress. The screens themselves are pretty basic, with IPS panels, 100Hz refresh rates, and standard 1080p resolution on the smaller models. The 34-inch VU34WCIP-W has a slight curve and a USB-C connection. More detailed specs weren’t provided, but in keeping with the general feel-good vibe, the monitors’ retail packaging can be re-folded into cardboard phone and laptop stands, a file holder, and a desk organizer box. A box that can be repurposed as a box. Will wonders never cease?Asus Incongruous combinations seem to be a trend with Asus, who recently released a mouse that doubles as an air freshener. And unlike Lenovo’s weird motorized AI monitor, these screens appear to be headed for sale, though the press release doesn’t mention a release date or price. Alright, I’ll be generous and consider how this might make sense. I suppose if you live in a small apartment and you want an ionizer, but you can’t spare even a cubic foot or two for it, then integrating it into your desk setup might appeal. Just don’t expect an OLED panel or a super-fast gaming refresh rate at the same time — after all, convergence devices always come with compromises. (I think I’d prefer one of these OLED monitors with a fancy Wi-Fi antenna.) Let’s go for a three-peat. Tomorrow I want to write about an Acer monitor that doubles as carbon monoxide detector. Fingers crossed. Read...

Intel has appointed George Chacko as General Manager for Sales, Marketing, and Communications in the SEANZ region, based in Singapore. Read...

At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Stunning display Beautiful, shiny design Great Lunar Lake performance Cons Low battery life thanks to the display Webcam is annoying while using it No headphone jack Fingerprint reader is in an odd spot Very glossy and reflective Our Verdict The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 is a sleek laptop with a unique aesthetic and an incredible display. But it makes some sacrifices to get there. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 is a visually stunning laptop. That goes for both the both the stunning OLED display as well as the shiny glass lid that produces lots of interesting reflections. It’s also just a great productivity laptop thanks to the excellent use of an Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) processor, also known as Intel Lunar Lake. But everything in life is a compromise. That beautiful display seems to drain this laptop’s battery life faster than normal, and the beautiful design is just so glossy and reflective. And there are some other strange decisions here, like the lack of a headphone jack and an oddly placed fingerprint reader, which will bug some folks. Still, it’s a great machine – and it may be a dream machine for some people, especially if you’re looking for a beautiful and lightweight machine with a design that stands out. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Specs The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 (Gen 10) is a lightweight ultraportable laptop with an Intel Core Ultra (Series 2) CPU. Intel’s Lunar Lake hardware offers long battery life with solid performance for normal desktop productivity application — so web browsers, office apps, workplace chat tools, and all that good stuff. It doesn’t have high multithreaded performance, but that’s not what a lightweight ultraportable is all about, anyway. Lenovo combines that Intel Core Ultra 7 CPU with 32 GB of RAM and a 1 TB of solid-state storage, so they’re not cutting corners. The machine we reviewed retails for $1,899, but Lenovo also offers a version with 16GB of RAM and a slightly slower Intel Core Ultra 7 256V CPU for $1,759. CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 258V Memory: 32GB LPDDR5x RAM Graphics/GPU: Intel Arc 140V (16GB) NPU: Intel AI Boost (47 TOPS) Display: 3840×2400 OLED with touchscreen, 120Hz refresh rate, and HDR Storage: 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD Webcam: 32MP camera Connectivity: 2x Thunderbolt 4 (USB Type-C) Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3 Biometrics: Fingerprint reader for Windows Hello Battery capacity: 75 Watt-hours Dimensions: 12.32 x 8.01 x 0.57 inches Weight: 2.76 pounds MSRP: $1,899 as tested If you’re looking for an ultraportable with a beautiful display, one that also has a beautiful design, this is a compelling machine! Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Design and build quality IDG / Chris Hoffman This machine is all about good looks. It’s available in a “Tidal Teal” colorway, which looks beautiful. It’s all about the reflections: The lid is covered in impact-resistant glass, and it has a very cool looking effect that looks great when it reflects light. Lenovo describes it as a “3D swirling at-eye effect” that “makes your style pop from every angle, reflecting light beautifully.” It’s shiny. It looks great if reflections are what you’re looking for! If you don’t want your laptop to draw eyes with its impressive looking reflections, then it’s perhaps not the right machine for you. The larger issue with the reflections is just how glossy the display is, which is an issue in direct sunlight. This isn’t just an issue with this machine though, it’s an issue with laptops with glossy screens, especially machines with OLED displays. Also, that glass lid smudges easily. You’ll be wiping it to keep its crisp good looks intact. The build quality is good! Aside from the glass on the cover, this machine is made of aluminum. At 2.76 pounds, it’s a nice light weight, but not the absolute lightest PC. The hinge is easy to open with one hand and feels good. While this is branded a Yoga machine, this is not a 2-in-1 that can open to 360 degrees. Lenovo has decided to use the Yoga name, once meant for laptops that could bend into interesting shapes, for laptops in general. I continue to be absolutely baffled by this change in the Yoga branding. It’s not a problem, but be aware: This is a traditional laptop and not a 2-in-1. In fact, it can only open to about 135 degrees, it can’t even lie flat like many other laptops can. For a laptop that bears the Yoga name, this is pretty silly. There’s also more bloatware than I’d like to see — preinstalled McAfee antivirus and notification ads through Lenovo Vantage for services like Amazon Music. It’s fine and you can get rid of it easily enough. It’s common and more understandable on budget focused laptops, but it feels a little obnoxious on an almost $2,000 premium machine focused on beautiful design. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Keyboard and trackpad IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i has a fine keyboard. It’s responsive enough, not as snappy and crisp as a ThinkPad keyboard or a good mechanical keyboard, but not mushy. It’s the kind of keyboard you find on a good lightweight laptop. You wonder if it feels a little shallow, but then you realize of course it does, they’re trying to make the laptop as thin as possible, so there’s less room for key travel. I do have a major bone to pick with the keyboard. The fingerprint reader is placed smack dab at the bottom right corner of the keyboard, and then the arrow keys are to the left of it. I found myself pressing the wrong arrow key when I moved my finger down there. I’d prefer to have the right arrow key at the left edge of the keyboard. The trackpad feels fine, too–it’s nice and smooth, and the click action is crisp and not mushy. That said, it’s a little on the small side, which makes clicking a little annoying at times since there’s less room to click down. This problem would’ve been remedied had Lenovo used a haptic trackpad. PC manufacturers should choose haptic trackpads more frequently, at least on lightweight ultraportables! The odd fingerprint reader location and slightly small trackpad are artifacts of the same problem: Lenovo has aimed to streamline this machine, cutting down the bezels, shrinking it, and focusing on beauty. There’s not a lot of room for a larger trackpad or to put the buttons elsewhere. For many people, a larger laptop that’s a little less streamlined and a little bulkier will just be more ergonomic, as it gives the keyboard and trackpad some room to breathe. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Display and speakers IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i’s display is just beautiful. This is a 3840×2400 OLED display. It’s incredibly bright and vivid with a high resolution. It also has a good refresh rate at 120Hz — some OLED displays deliver only 60Hz. With 750 nits of peak brightness, it can also deliver a great HDR experience. If you’re looking for an ultraportable with a beautiful display, one that also has a beautiful design, this is a compelling machine! It’s a touch screen, too. The quad speakers with Dolby Atmos are reasonable. They have a lot of volume, way more than I need! That’s not always true on a laptop. The audio feels crisp and clear. However, as always on a laptop like this one, the built in speakers don’t produce a lot of bass. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Webcam, microphone, biometrics IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i has an under display webcam, which helps Lenovo shrink the bezel as much as possible. The screen looks normal while you’re not using the webcam. Activate the webcam and a black circle will appear in the middle of the top area of the screen — annoyingly enough, right where you web browser’s tab bar would be. If you want a small bezel and don’t use your laptop’s webcam much, it’ll be a nice upgrade. If you frequently use your laptop’s webcam, this may be rather annoying compared to a traditional webcam that’s not located on your display. The webcam itself is a 32MP camera. While I’ve seen some complaints online, I’d say the webcam is usable, as I’ve seen much worse. It seems like the under display approach is making the image quality worse, though. To be frank, I would avoid this laptop if you frequently participate in video meetings. It’s really annoying having a black circle obstruct part of your screen while the webcam is in use. There’s also a physical camera shutter switch on the right side of the laptop, which is always nice to see. The microphone sounds fine — not unusually good and not unusually bad. It’ll be serviceable for online meetings, but I’ve heard better microphone quality on business laptops designed for this sort of thing. As far as biometrics, this machine has a fingerprint reader on the bottom-right corner of the keyboard for Windows Hello. It worked well, although I wish the right arrow key was down in that corner. This machine doesn’t have an IR camera for facial recognition with Windows Hello. That’s no surprise given the under display webcam situation. It is a shame, though — facial recognition is a convenient way to unlock your PC. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Connectivity IDG / Chris Hoffman The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i follows the “What are the fewest ports we can include?” school of design. There’s one Thunderbolt 4 port on the left side and one Thunderbolt 4 port on the right side — a total of two places to plug in a USB Type-C cable. That’s it! And you’ll use one of them to charge the laptop. The lack of a headphone jack will be an immediate blocker to many people, although you can of course use wireless Bluetooth headphones or connect USB Type-C headphones. There’s also no microSD slot or anything else. Given that, only having two USB Type-C ports feels really skimpy. It’s another way this laptop is more design focused — it feels like Lenovo has set out to streamline the laptop as much as possible and made the compromises necessary to do so. Some people will like it, but many people will want something a little bulkier that’s more flexible. Thanks to Intel Lunar Lake, this machine does have Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.3 support. It’s good to see Wi-Fi 7 becoming standard. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Performance We’ve talked a lot about design, but let’s talk about the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i’s performance. The laptop performed well in the day-to-day desktop productivity tasks you’d use a lightweight portable machine like this one for. It runs nice and quiet in daily use, too. Of course, we ran the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 through our standard benchmarks to measure its performance. IDG / Chris Hoffman First, we run PCMark 10 to get an idea of overall system performance. With an overall PCMark 10 score of 7,588, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i delivered excellent performance despite its thin-and-light nature. This machine feels like it’s squeezing every bit of performance out of Lunar Lake between its cooling system, RAM, and speedy storage. IDG / Chris Hoffman Next, we run Cinebench R20. This is a heavily multithreaded benchmark that focuses on overall CPU performance. It’s a quick benchmark, so cooling under extended workloads isn’t a factor. But, since it’s heavily multithreaded, CPUs with more cores have a huge advantage. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i delivered a multithreaded score of 4,350 in Cinebench R20. Intel’s Lunar Lake can’t deliver high multi-core performance and we see that here. That doesn’t matter for most people’s basic desktop usage, but it’s an issue if you have workloads that need serious multithreaded CPU performance. IDG / Chris Hoffman We also run an encode with Handbrake. This is another heavily multithreaded benchmark but it runs over an extended period. This demands the laptop’s cooling kick in and many laptops will throttle and slow down under load. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i completed the encode process in 1,249 seconds — that’s nearly 21 minutes. It’s a good score for a Lunar Lake system, but it shows how weak Lunar Lake is on multithreaded performance once again. IDG / Chris Hoffman Next we run a graphical benchmark. This isn’t a gaming laptop, but it’s still good to check how the GPU performs. We run 3Dmark Time Spy, a graphical benchmark that focuses on GPU performance. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i achieved a 3DMark Time Spy score of 4,476. That’s decent for integrated graphics, but it’s certainly much slower than what you’d see on a gaming laptop with a discrete GPU. Overall, the Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i delivers exceptionally good performance for an Intel Lunar Lake system. But this is still Intel Lunar Lake, so it’s weak when it comes to multithreaded performance. It’s more than fine for most people’s desktop productivity workloads, though. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Battery life The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14 has a 75 Watt-hour battery, which is on the large side for an ultraportable laptop. Combined with an Intel Lunar Lake processor, we’d expect long battery life. But the display gets in the way. This laptop doesn’t exactly have bad battery life, but it has the lowest battery life I’ve seen from a Lunar Lake machine. IDG / Chris Hoffman To benchmark the battery life, we play a 4K copy of Tears of Steel on repeat in the Movies & TV app on Windows 11 with airplane mode enabled until the laptop suspends itself. This is a best-case scenario for any laptop since local video playback is so efficient, and real battery life in day-to-day use is always going to be less than this. We set the screen to 250 nits of brightness for our battery benchmarks, and it’s worth noting that this machine’s OLED display has a bit of an advantage, as OLED screens use less power to display the black bars around the video. The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i ran for 859 minutes before it suspended itself. That’s a bit over 14 hours. It sounds like a long time, but the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 with its also-beautiful AMOLED display ran for 1,401 minutes — that’s another nine hours! (The Galaxy Book5 Pro 360’s display isn’t quite as stunning, though.) 14 hours may sound like a long time, but you’re going to get less battery life in real-world use while you use the machine in the real world. This just isn’t great battery life — you’re giving up a lot of battery life to power this over-the-top display. Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i 14: Conclusion The Lenovo Yoga Slim 9i is a great machine if you want a unique design with an incredible display. It really is a nice piece of hardware. It even delivers very good performance for Lunar Lake. But I’d say that this machine isn’t for most people. Between the almost $2,000 price, low battery life, lack of a headphone jack, skimpy port selection, Lunar Lake’s low multithreaded performance, odd fingerprint sensor position, and so many other issues I’ve mentioned above, this won’t be the right machine for most laptop users. Still, some people are going to love this machine. When I open the beautiful laptop and see that stunning OLED display, for a moment, I can almost feel like all those other problems don’t matter. Read...

French Armed Forces Commander in New Caledonia General Yann Latil was in Vanuatu on Friday where he held meetings with Vanuatu Mobile Forces Commander Colonel Ben Nicholson. Read...