The MacBook Neo Outperforms These M-Series MacBooks

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The MacBook Neo might just eclipse the iPhone Air as the most interesting Apple product in years. This machine offers buyers the full macOS experience, in their choice of fun new colors, for $599 ($499 for "students"). Not so long ago, Apple's cheapest laptop, the MacBook Air—long priced at $999, but increased to $1,099 with the launch of the current M5 model—felt like a good deal. Now, you can get a machine that includes all of Apple's latest Mac features for as little as half the price.

Of course, the Neo isn't a MacBook Air. To get the price of a Neo down to $500 or $600, Apple had to make some concessions, like using a mechanical trackpad instead of a modern haptic one; the absence of Touch ID on the base model keyboard; older USB-C tech, including one USB-2.0 port; and no backlight on the keyboard. These are things many users won't notice or won't miss much in light of the price. But what's really allowing for the lower cost of the MacBook Neo is arguably its most interesting feature: While all of Apple's Macs now run the company's M-series chipset, the Neo is running the A18 Pro, the chip Apple put in the iPhone 16 Pro, coupled with 8GB of RAM.

Apple MacBook Neo

$599.00 at Amazon

$599.00 at Amazon

Not only is the Neo running an iPhone SoC, this one has one fewer GPU core than the A18 Pro found in the iPhone, as Apple is using the "binned" version of the chip for this laptop. When chips are manufactured, some come out better than others. The better ones are sold as higher-end chips, while others are sold as lower-performing chips, or "binned" chips. In this case, the MacBook Neo is running A18 Pros that weren't up to the iPhone 16 Pro standard. You can see that from the Neo's tech specs: While it has the same six-core CPU as the iPhone 16 Pro, the Neo has a five-core GPU, one fewer than the iPhone 16 Pro's six-core GPU.

It seems safe to assume that a MacBook running a binned iPhone chip, with 8GB of RAM, no less, wouldn't fare as well running the latest macOS as a chip designed for the operating system. But the truth is more complicated than that.

MacBook Neo keeps up with some M-series MacBooks in benchmarking

While there aren't any full reviews of the MacBook Neo quite yet, initial benchmarks, as spotted by MacRumors, are quite promising. The Neo's first Geekbench tests show the laptop's A18 Pro chip scores a 3461 in single-core performance, 8668 in multi-core performance, and 31286 in Metal (GPU) performance.

Those numbers don't mean anything unless they're compared to other devices, of course. Let's look at the iPhone 16 Pro first: Despite having one more GPU than the Neo, the 16 Pro has slightly lower single-core (3445) and multi-core (8624) scores. That sixth GPU core likely helps it eke out a win in the Metal test, scoring a 32575. Still, performance across the board is relatively similar between the two devices—despite running totally different operating systems.

Where things start to get really impressive, however, is when you start comparing the Neo's "iPhone" chip to the Mac chips in other MacBooks. The M1 MacBook Air, for example, scores a 2346 in single-core, 8342 in multi-core, and 33148 in Metal. While M1 beats the Neo in Metal tests, the Neo's A18 Pro chip wildly outperforms M1 in single-core performance, and even wins out in multi-core by a few hundred points. That means simple tasks that don't require a lot of processing are going to run faster on the Neo than an M1 Air, as will complex tasks—though not by as much.

Even Apple's M4 MacBook Air doesn't totally obliterate the Neo. The M4 Air scores a 3696 in single-core, 14730 in multi-core, and 54630 in Metal. Yes, in multi-core and GPU-intensive tasks, the M4 Air smokes the Neo. But for single core tasks, it outperforms the Neo by a smaller margin than the Neo outperforms M1 in multi-core. Simple tasks will likely feel comparable between the M4 Air and the Neo.

The MacBook Neo could be a big win for Apple

Benchmarks don't necessarily reflect real-world performance, so we won't really know how the MacBook Neo stacks up against Apple's M-series MacBooks until reviewers put it through its paces. But these numbers only make me more convinced than ever that the MacBook Neo is going to be a huge success for Apple. Not only is this a great alternative to a Chromebook or a low-end Windows PC, it seems like it's a good MacBook in its own right. You could buy an older MacBook, say an M1 or M2 machine, or you could buy a brand-new Neo, and enjoy the perks that come with a fresh purchase.

That said, one area the benchmarks don't measure is multitasking. The Neo has 8GB of RAM, which should be find for single tasks, but once you start running too many things at once, you could choke the system. If you open too many browser tabs, or run too many apps at once, you may start to feel that pain. That's not an issue if you were between a Neo and an M1 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM. But if you can find an M1 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM at a similar price point, that might be the move. You'll get comparable performance and more flexibility for multitasking—not to mention some future-proofing with the additional RAM, as macOS gets ever more complex.

This Three-in-One Belkin Charging Pad Is Nearly 75% Off Right Now

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Charging multiple Apple devices often turns into a mess of cables. An iPhone charger here, an Apple Watch puck there, and another cable for AirPods. A single charging station like the Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 Fast Wireless Charging Pad helps simplify things. It’s currently $39.99 at Woot, down from its original $149.99 price. The same charger is selling for about $100.58 on Amazon, and price trackers show it rarely dipping below $75.99. Shipping is free for Amazon Prime members—everyone else pays a $6 fee. Woot says the deal will stay live for 23 days or until it sells out, whichever happens first.

Belkin MagSafe Charging Pad

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The appeal here is convenience: Instead of plugging in three separate chargers every night, this pad lets you place all your devices in one spot. It can charge an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods at the same time, which is helpful if you use Apple gear daily and want a simple bedside setup. The phone section uses MagSafe magnets, so compatible iPhones snap into place without much effort. Charging speeds reach up to 15W for iPhone 12 models and newer, which is Apple’s standard for fast wireless charging. The Apple Watch section also supports fast charging for newer models like the Series 9, so a quick top-up in the morning can add a useful amount of battery. AirPods with a wireless charging case sit on the third section of the pad.

This charger is clearly built with Apple devices in mind, so it doesn’t make much sense if you use Android phones or non-MagSafe accessories. You also need an iPhone 12 or newer to get the magnetic alignment and full 15W charging speeds. Older iPhones will still charge, but without the magnetic guidance. At $39.99, it costs less than many single-device MagSafe chargers.

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10 Hacks Every Dark Web User Should Know

The dark web has a sinister and foreboding name for a reason. This is a place where all manner of illegal and underhand activity takes place, as well as somewhere internet users can free themselves from government censorship and draconian surveillance. Getting on the dark web isn't particularly difficult, but it's not somewhere you should head without doing your research first. If you visit an unfamiliar location in real life, you'll want to make sure you know how to stay safe and make the most of your trip, and it's the same with the dark web. As such, follow these hacks and tips to maximize your chances of staying safe and getting the most out of what the dark web has to offer.

Use IP Leak to make sure your IP address stays hidden

As with the general web, using a VPN with the dark web isn't essential, but is recommended. However, you should also check for IP leaks before you start doing any dark web browsing, even with a VPN up and running.

In simple terms, an IP leak is where your actual internet location is revealed to the sites you're connecting to—something you want to avoid on the dark web. This might be caused by a rogue website script or browser extension, for example. It's easy to do: Just head to IP Leak and check the IP address that's being reported isn't actually where you are. As an added bonus, the site checks for leaks through the WebRTC and DNS protocols, which can also reveal your location in a more roundabout way.

Avoid leaving fingerprints by resizing your browser window

Tor and a VPN of your choice can hide a lot about your identity, but you're still vulnerable to fingerprinting when you're on the dark web. That's where information being reported by your computer—such as the operating system, the system time, and even the fonts you have installed—is used to recognize you as an individual.

Another key piece of information used in fingerprinting is the size of your monitor display: If your browser window fills your screen, a bad actor can infer what monitor or device you may be using. Tor does use some tricks to try and obfuscate this, but you can help by not maximizing your browser window (and perhaps randomly resizing it from time to time).

An identity reset in Tor. Credit: Lifehacker

Use "New Identity" to hide who you are online

Tor includes a feature that isn't immediately obvious, but which can help you switch identities in a couple of clicks. It's like disappearing into a rest room and then remerging with a different disguise—disconnecting you from whatever you were doing through the browser before.

Click the menu button (three horizontal lines, top right), then pick New identity. All currently open tabs will be closed, and the browser restarts. You'll be rerouted through different Tor circuits to get back online, and all previous browsing data and cookies will be wiped away.

Use Dangerzone to securely open files on the dark web

Generally speaking, you don't really want to be downloading anything from the dark web, if you can help it: The dark web waters are swimming with malware, scams, and otherwise unwholesome material. However, there may be times when you need to open a document given to you by a trusted contact.

Anything you do need to open should be opened through Dangerzone. It basically puts a security sandbox around PDFs, images, and office documents, and strips out any kind of malicious or tracking data embedded in the file. You're then left with a sanitized file that's passed security clearance and can be opened as normal.

Add a bridge for extra security

For ease of use, you can have Tor connect to the web through a path of its choice, concealing your identity and location through a series of recognized nodes. If you want to take this a step further, you can add a bridge into the connection chain as well.

Standard Tor nodes (or relays) still report an IP address, though it won't be your actual one. Bridges don't share IP addresses at all, which makes it even harder for someone else to track who you are and what you're doing. They're particularly useful in countries where known Tor relays might be blocked by the authorities.

In the Tor browser, click the menu button (three horizontal lines, top right), then Settings > Connection to configure a bridge. Use Request bridges to ask for a bridge link from the official Tor bot, or use the web or Telegram links to find one.

Setting a pluggable transport. Credit: Lifehacker

Use pluggable transports to hide from your internet provider

Pluggable transports are a specific type of Tor bridge: As well as additional IP address cloaking and anti-censorship measures, pluggable transports hide the fact that you're actually using Tor from your internet provider as well. They're often used as a next-level step wherever the Tor network has been banned.

To configure a pluggable transport bridge inside Tor, click the menu button (three horizontal lines, top right), then pick Settings > Connection. Click Select a built-in bridge to choose from one of the available pluggable transports, which each come with a description of how they work.

Kill your other tasks and apps before surfing the dark web

If you're accessing the dark web through Tor, shut down everything else on your system: Clear out all the apps that are in memory, even if they're only running in the background (Task Manager on Windows and Activity Monitor on macOS can help with this).

Not only can running apps help to identify your system for fingerprinting (see the window resizing tip above), they can also make you more vulnerable to malicious websites and malware you might come across on the dark web. The more programs you've got running besides Tor, the bigger the target area for bad actors.

Use tools to create a "dark web persona"

All of the security and anonymity measures that go into Tor and VPNs are compromised to an extent if you then log into your regular accounts (like Amazon and Instagram) while you're also browsing the dark web. It makes it more likely that your credentials will be stolen, and that you can be identified as an individual user.

Some dark web users set down rules for a whole new internet persona to make it harder to reveal their real identities. This might involve going online at different times, using different devices, and maybe even different wifi networks. Any overlap with your "regular" internet use puts you at more risk.

This extends to email addresses and login names too: Use different ones on the dark web to the ones that you normally use. You can get burner email addresses from plenty of providers, including DuckDuckGo and Apple.

Ramping up browser security. Credit: Lifehacker

Use Tor's "Safest" mode to restrict what websites can do

The Tor browser includes a "maximum security" level that shuts down a lot of website activity like scripts and media playback. It's not on by default, and it can affect the functionality of sites (they'll typically look a lot more barebones), but if you want to stay as safe as possible then it's available as an option.

Click the menu button (three horizontal lines), then Settings > Privacy & Security and Change under Security. Select Safest to put Tor into maximum security mode, then click Save and restart.

Connect through Tails OS for an extra security layer

Access the dark web through Tor on Windows or macOS, and you're well protected from harm. Access it through the portable, Linux-based operating system Tails, and that protection goes up another level.

Tails runs from either a USB stick or through a virtual machine, which means any malware that does sneak through your defenses can't reach your main operating system and everything on it. (Everything on the OS runs through the Tor platform, not just the browser.) You will need to set aside some time for this, but it's worth the additional effort if you want to stay as safe as possible. Tails offers a full guide explaining how to get started.

This Arlo Outdoor Camera Two-Pack Is Over $100 Off Right Now

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Outdoor security cameras have become common, but the ones that balance good video quality with simple setup still tend to cost a fair bit. That’s why this deal is worth a look. Right now, a two-pack of Arlo Essential Spotlight Cameras is $151.29 at Woot, compared with $259.99 on Amazon for the same bundle. If you have Amazon Prime, you’ll get free standard shipping; otherwise, shipping costs $6. Woot doesn’t ship to Alaska, Hawaii, PO Boxes, or APO addresses. The deal is scheduled to run for a week, though it could end earlier if the cameras sell out.

Physically, the cameras are small and designed for outdoor use, with an IP65 weather-resistant body that can handle rain and dust. They run on a rechargeable battery rated for up to six months, although the exact lifespan depends on how often motion events occur. Also, the battery isn’t removable, so you’ll need to take the whole camera down and bring it inside when it’s time to recharge, notes this PCMag review.

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The camera records 1080p video with a 130-degree field of view, which gives you a wide look at driveways, yards, or entryways without needing multiple cameras. Daytime footage looks crisp and detailed, and the camera includes 12× digital zoom if you want to inspect something in the frame more closely. As for its nighttime footage, when motion is detected, a built-in LED spotlight can turn on and light up the scene so the camera records color night video instead of the usual black-and-white view. It also works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT, which means you can view the feed on a smart display or trigger other smart home devices when motion is detected. This camera does not support Apple HomeKit.

Motion alerts show up quickly on your phone, and the system can identify people, animals, and vehicles with Arlo’s advanced detection features. The catch is that those smarter alerts and recorded clips require an Arlo Secure subscription. Without it, you still get live viewing and basic alerts, but saved video and some detection tools are locked behind a monthly plan starting at $7.99 per month for one camera.

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Google I/O 2026: How to Watch and What We Know so Far

Google I/O 2026 is nearly upon us. This is Google's annual opportunity to showcase the software features (and perhaps some of the hardware) the company has been cooking up behind the scenes. Like other big tech keynotes, anyone can tune in live and catch Google's latest announcements as they happen. Here's when Google I/O 2026 will kick off, and what we know about the conference at this time.

When and what time is Google I/O 2026?

Google tends to kick off its I/O event in May of each year, and 2026 is no different. This year, Google I/O will run May 19 through May 20. If you're used to watching one single livestream, that two-day schedule might come as a surprise. But I/O isn't just an announcement: It's a developer conference, spanning keynotes, demos, and product sessions.

But if you're only interested in the company's main keynote, you'll want to get May 19 on your calendar. Google hasn't announced the exact time for its presentation, but it usually starts at 10 a.m. PT (1 p.m. ET), based on previous years.

How to watch Google I/O 2026

While Google invites a select group of journalists to watch its presentations live, and encourages developers to register to attend its various events, you can tune into the livestream wherever you are in the world. Google hasn't confirmed where its livestreams will be hosted this year, but looking to the past, you'll likely be able to stream the keynote from the official I/O website, as well as Google's official YouTube channel.

What will be announced at Google I/O 2026?

The short answer? We don't really know! Google is keeping I/O news close to the vest, and rumors haven't been particularly prolific this year—at least, not yet. Seeing as it's only March, it's entirely possible we'll hear more about Google I/O 2026 as we get closer to May.

That said, there are some things you can expect to see regardless of leaks and rumors. Android 17 will almost assuredly take center stage at Google I/O this year. Google just released first beta for the OS on Wednesday, though it doesn't change all that much about Android 16 at this time. That said, I suspect beta testers will discover a number of new features and changes between now and May, as Google continues to add new things to its test software ahead I/O.

Like the past couple of I/O's, this year should also be all about AI. Google seems to come out with new AI announcements multiple times a week, including adding its Lyria 3 AI music model to Gemini, or adding an agentic bot to Chrome to browse the internet for you. To that point, Google rolled out its official "save the date puzzle" for I/O 2026 on March 6, but this year, it's a game with five stages that each use AI to some degree. If you complete all five "builds," you unlock the Google I/O date (though you already know that). The games are:

• "Hole in one," which offers an AI assistant to guide your golf putts into the hole

• "Nonogram," which uses Gemini to create "endless game boards"

• "Word wheel," which uses Gemini 3 to automate each level's design

• "Supersonic Bot," which uses Gemini to add microphone mechanics to adjust the bot's altitude

• "Stretchy cat," which uses Gemini 3 to balance game mechanics for "endless play"

Considering the AI lengths Google has gone to for this simple save the data, expect Google I/O 2026 to be full of AI features—perhaps more than some of us would like to hear about.

I/O 2026 could also show off some hardware, but that's no guarantee. Google did just announce the Pixel 10a, the company's latest "budget" phone, and it could reveal other devices in May, but I/O really is more about the software than the hardware. (It is a developer conference, after all.)

This Premium ASUS OLED Gaming Monitor Is Over $100 Off Right Now

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High-refresh-rate gaming monitors are getting faster every year, but a 480Hz OLED panel still feels like a technical flex—and the ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDP is one such example. This 27-inch OLED gaming monitor is currently $662.36 on Amazon, down from its usual $799 price, and price trackers show that’s the lowest it has dropped so far. It sits in a very small group of monitors built around a 1440p panel with a 480Hz refresh rate, competing with models like the Sony Inzone M10S. It is designed first and foremost for high-end PC gaming, where extremely fast frame rates can actually make use of a panel this quick.

ASUS ROG Swift OLED Gaming Monitor

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A big part of the appeal here is the OLED panel paired with Micro Lens Array+ (MLA+) technology, which helps the screen get brighter than most OLED monitors. The difference shows up in games with strong lighting contrast. Dark scenes show the deep blacks OLED is known for, while bright elements like explosions or neon lights stand out more clearly than they do on many IPS displays. Motion also looks exceptionally clean. The 480Hz refresh rate and near-instant OLED response times make fast movement easier to track in shooters and competitive games. ASUS also includes features such as Extreme Low Motion Blur, OLED Anti-Flicker, and support for all major variable refresh rate formats, including AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility. Connectivity is up to date as well, with HDMI 2.1 ports that support modern consoles and GPUs.

The performance is impressive, but the experience is not perfect. The hardware delivers exactly what competitive players want, yet the software side still feels rough around the edges. Some users report bugs where settings reset or behave unpredictably. There is also noticeable VRR flicker when frame rates change, and input lag increases when the monitor receives a 60Hz signal, which is something to keep in mind if you plan to use it for slower console games or everyday media. Still, for players chasing extremely high refresh rates and OLED contrast, this is among the most capable options available.

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How to Track Your Sleep With an Apple Watch

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The Apple Watch has a built-in sleep tracker, but it can be hard to find. Here’s how to access it, how to set it up so that it properly records how much sleep you’re getting, and how to understand the results. 

Does my Apple Watch support sleep tracking? 

Sleep tracking was introduced with WatchOS version 7 (released in 2020). That version of WatchOS works on watches from Series 3 and newer, paired with an iPhone 6S or newer, with iOS 14 and newer. 

In other words: The oldest devices that will work are a 2015 phone, a 2017 watch, and 2020 releases of the software that run on them. As long as your Apple Watch isn’t truly ancient, it should support this. (If you're looking to buy a new Apple Watch, though, the Series 11 is the newest.)

Apple Watch Series 10

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Where to find the Apple Watch Sleep app

You’ll need to navigate to four different places to access all of the sleep-related features of your Watch and iPhone. (Three of them are on the phone.)

On the Apple Watch

Credit: Beth Skwarecki/Apple

On your Watch, look for a bed icon with a greenish-blue background. (Pro tip: You can change this screen to use the names of apps, alphabetized, rather than having to play hide and seek with little icons.) When you open the Sleep app, scroll down to check (or set) your sleep schedule. That's all you need to do with this app for setup; the Apple Watch will track your sleep automatically even if you never open this app again.

In the Health app

Credit: Beth Skwarecki/Apple

On your iPhone, the sleep functions are part of the Health app. (There is no dedicated Sleep app.) Open the Health app, tap Browse, then tap Sleep. From here, you can view data on recent nights of sleep, and set your sleep schedule for the future.

At the bottom of this screen, you can edit your next sleep schedule or your full sleep schedule (the one that repeats daily and weekly). This tells your phone when you’re planning on sleeping. Tap Full Schedule & Options to set that schedule, and scroll down to the bottom for the next step.

In the Watch app

Credit: Beth Skwarecki/Apple

To make sure your watch will track your sleep, you need to configure your Watch-specific sleep settings in the Watch app. The easiest way to access this from the Health app (tap Full Schedule & Options from the Sleep screen), and at the bottom of that screen, there’s a link to Manage Sleep in the Apple Watch App. Tap that, and you’ll go straight to those Watch settings. 

Turn on “Track Sleep with Apple Watch” to enable tracking, and turn on “Charging Reminders” so the Watch can notify you to charge it before bedtime if your battery is low in the evening.

In the Settings app

We’re not quite done. In the Settings app, you can set up your Sleep Focus. To get to it, you can go into the Health app, then Sleep and Full Schedule & Options, as above. You can also get to it from the focus modes in the Settings app. The sleep focus is optional for tracking, but it gives you access to specialized home screens and notification settings that will turn on at bedtime.

How to set up your Apple Watch to record your sleep

You can fully explore all the sleep-related features through the apps I mentioned above, but here is the short version. Do these things and you’ll have your Watch recording your sleep tonight:

1. Set up a Sleep schedule (Health app > Sleep > Full Schedule & Options).

2. Tap Manage Sleep With Apple Watch at the bottom of that screen. (This sends you to the Watch app.)

3. Turn on Track Sleep with Apple Watch.

4. Wear your Apple Watch to bed. It should be unlocked, and if you have a passcode, you’ll want wrist detection turned on. 

The Apple Watch will use the sleep schedule (or Sleep Focus, which you can turn on manually) to know when you might be sleeping. During this time, it uses your movements and your phone use, to detect whether you’re sleeping, and to estimate when you are in each stage of sleep. 

How to read your results from the Apple Watch sleep app

To see your sleep on your watch, scroll down from the main watch face (using the digital crown, or swipe up with your finger) and you'll see a card in your Smart Stack with the previous night's sleep. Tap this to open the Sleep app, which will show you your sleep stages, time asleep, last 14 days' sleep, and your sleep schedule settings.

Credit: Beth Skwarecki

You can also see this information anytime you visit the Sleep app on your watch, or the Sleep section of the Health app on your phone. (If you wake up before your sleep schedule ends, you may need to wait until your scheduled sleep time is finished before the data becomes available.) 

Your sleep data, on either the watch or phone, will show your sleep stages represented with deep sleep at the bottom in purple, “core” (that is, light) sleep in the middle in blue, REM higher up in lighter blue, and awake in orange at the top. (That said, no wearable is going to be completely accurate when it comes to sleep stages, so don’t read too much into these.)

The app will also show you your heart rate during the night, your sleep trend (mine says “You slept an average of 7 hr 22 min over the last 7 days”), and monthly and yearly highlights showing whether you’re getting more or less sleep than in the past.