IT General

Proxmox is remarkably forgiving when you use it the way it was designed to be used. With it, you can have a functioning homelab in an afternoon, but that ease and simplicity can also encourage a lot of mistakes.

SAVE $78: As of Sep. 9, get the Amazon Fire HD 10 for $76.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 50% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 $76.99 at Amazon
$154.99 Save $78.00   Get Deal

If you're looking to get a new tablet but don't want to break the bank, you should seriously consider a device from the Amazon Fire family. Right now, you can score one for a significant discount, and it's well worth swooping in and grabbing, especially as it's the lowest price we've seen on this particular model all year.

As of Sep. 9, get the Amazon Fire HD 10 for $76.99 at Amazon. That's $78 off and a discount of 50%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The 7 best tablets of 2026: Comparing iPad, Samsung, and Lenovo

While this tablet isn't quite as zippy or as powerful as a member of the iPad family, it's still a great pick for under $100. It works great as a quick and easy way to browse the internet, watch your favorite shows and movies, or just keep up with friends and family. It's also perfect to give younger (but still mature) kids who need a tablet as well.

Mashable reviewer SaVanna Shoemaker called it "great for on-the-go entertainment" and labeled it an "excellent value", which means it'll worth investing in at this discount while it lasts. Since it's up for grabs for such a great price, it's likely that discount won't be around for very long, so it might be prudent to add it to your cart while it's still here.

TL;DR: The HP OmniBook 3 16 Laptop (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is $599.99 at Staples, down from $1,149.99. That's a $550 discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP OmniBook 3 16 $599.99 at Staples
$1,149.99 Save $550   Get Deal

I used to use only HP laptops until I got my MacBook, but according to our Senior Shopping Reporter, Haley Henschel, this unassuming laptop beats Apple and other brands for battery life.

During hands-on testing, the HP OmniBook 3 16 Laptop clocked 40 hours and 14 minutes of continuous playback on a single charge. According to Henschel, "No other laptop we've tested (PC, MacBook, or Chromebook) comes remotely close to rivaling its stamina." In fact, it ran for nearly twice as long as Mashable's top-performing MacBook Pro.

SEE ALSO: The 6 best laptops for college students at school this fall

"If you're looking for the best battery life laptop of 2026, your hunt ends here," Henschel wrote, noting that its "multi-day stamina" makes it the perfect match for on-the-go workers "who hate fighting over outlets at cafés and airports." Henschel praised its huge, surprisingly colorful 16-inch display, comfy keyboard, and added that it "runs super cool and quiet" even when stressed out with tons of browser tabs.

And right now, you can get it on sale. Staples is still having its Labor Day Sale (whether the dev just forgot to take it down is neither here nor there), and the HP OmniBook 3 16 Laptop is listed at $599.99, down from $1,149.99. That's a $550 discount and a damn good deal for a laptop that can outlast a MacBook.

The premise of Abner Pastoll's horror film Nervous is sure to spark internet opinions: a woman suddenly becomes unable to hear men's voices, while women's voices sound crisp and clear. 

It's a topical hypothetical from the British-South African director of 2019's A Good Woman Is Hard to Find that harnesses the power of feeling heard, with Nervous' central character isolated and dismissed by her husband as paranoid. Nervous creates a feeling that's effectively captured through sound itself, with Pastoll's team crafting an unsettling immersive experience — though there's one element of the film that raised this critic's eyebrows.

Premiered at this year's FrightFest in London, Nervous demands to be experienced in a cinema — or at least with the best sound system you can find.

What is Nervous about? Ko Asung and Sarah Bolger in "Nervous." Credit: February Films / Story Robot

Married couple Sarah (Sarah Bolger) and Sungsoo (Sungsoo Yune) — the actors' characters share their real names — have plans to buy a house together, so when Sungsoo decides to go house hunting himself, surprising his wife with a furniture-less rural abode outside Seoul, she feels undermined by his attempted grand romantic gesture. It doesn't help that there's a strange woman milling around the house when they arrive, and reports of stabbings and disappearances in the area being reported on the radio.

Sarah is Irish, Sungsoo is Korean, with language an awkward but steadily evolving dynamic between them. However, Sarah's feeling of isolation swells as she's often spoken for in conversations and left to her own devices as a newly minted housewife. Sarah has left her career as an investigative journalist to run the household, with Sungsoo constantly referring to her inquiring mind as a negative; as obsessive, over-the-top "here you go again" behaviour. We learn over the course of the film why Sarah tends toward such insistent investigation, but before we get there, the couple discover a creepy black record player in the attic, equipped with a completely silent album.

After listening to this supposedly empty recording, Sarah starts to lose her ability to hear men, starting with an increasingly frustrated Sungsoo. But someone she can hear loud and clear is their mysterious and alluring neighbour, Eunbyeol (The Host's Ko Asung). Is Sarah's experience medical? Or is there something more supernatural going on?

Featured Video For You 'No Other Choice' skewers the job market. Here's why Park Chan-wook made it. Nervous is a triumph of sound design, of course Sungsoo Yune in "Nervous." Credit: February Films / Story Robot

For the film to work, properly immersing the audience in a sense of auditory distinction, Nervous needs impeccable sound design. Thankfully, supervising sound editor Nick Baldock (Black Mirror) and his team create a fittingly rattling ride for the viewer, in which men's voices become more muffled, women's crisp and clear. 

The task requires considerable craft from the actors, especially Bolger, with sharp editing from Pastoll, visceral foley artistry, and compelling cinematography from Jungmin Lee that plays with depth of field to determine Sarah's focus. And it's paired with some grisly body horror elements, with watch-through-your-hands gore from visual effects artists Mykola Shurin and Howard Gardner. Nervous will have you painfully aware of each and every sound after you leave the cinema.

Nervous plays with oppressed desire through a tired trope  Ko Asung in "Nervous." Credit: February Films / Story Robot

As Sarah's focus pulls from the men in her life — her husband, doctors, friends — Nervous plays with desire through the character of Eunbyeol. It's here the film unfortunately falls into the "depraved bisexual" trope, in which Eunbyeol is presented as the temptress next door, a lust-fueled predator poised to disrupt the film's main "conventional" marriage. While Ko's bold performance brings nuance and genuine likability to the character, the film itself seems set against her through sexually charged cinematography and editing, and non-existent backstory in the script.

It's a shame the film leans into such a stale trope, as it undermines the effective central message of women feeling unheard, not believed, and being portrayed as paranoid. While Sarah's burgeoning desire is portrayed as innocuous, Eunbyeol is seen as a vamp dancing on a moral compass. Bolger and Ko's chemistry here is undeniable, but to see this stereotype still pervading 2026 cinema is frustrating.

While this element of the film is disappointing, the effect of the film overall is memorable, as a spark-igniting speculation on what it means to be heard or to truly hear others as a woman. Pastoll uses the horror genre to consider the inner workings of a couple, the idea of broken trust, and a sense of gender roles informing behaviour. Make sure you watch it at full volume.

Nervous was reviewed out of FrightFest in August 2026. Cinematic release details are TBC.

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SAVE $240: Through Oct. 28, Xfinity Internet and TV customers can get NFL Sunday Ticket for $240 instead of $480. That's 50% in savings. Both new and returning subscribers are eligible for the deal.

Opens in a new window Credit: NFL / YouTube NFL Sunday Ticket $240
$480 Save $240 *for Xfinity TV and Internet customers* Get Deal

I've done a few deep dives into the streaming options and requirements for watching NFL games in 2026 and unfortunately, if you want to (legally) watch out-of-market games, you're going to need NFL Sunday Ticket. I say unfortunately because it's wildly expensive at $480 for returning subscribers. There is some good news, though. If you have Xfinity Internet or TV (or are close with someone who does, perhaps), you can get the streaming service for half price.

Through Oct. 28, Xfinity Internet and TV customers can lock in the full 2026 NFL season on NFL Sunday Ticket for only $240 instead of the typical $480. The kicker is that even returning subscribers are eligible for the deal, unlike the YouTube offer for new subscribers only. Game changer.

There's a few things to note. After you sign up through Xfinity by adding Sunday Ticket onto an existing Internet or TV plan, you'll receive instructions to activate your subscription via YouTube. Once activated, you'll have to login to YouTube through your Google account and use the YouTube app to watch games on Sunday Ticket. You'll still be billed through Xfinity, though.

It's worth repeating that NFL Sunday Ticket only includes access to out-of-market NFL games on Sunday afternoons throughout the season. These are the games that are only available outside of the designated broadcast region you are in — the best and only real option for fans living in a different region than the team they want to watch. It's also a great way to keep up with your fantasy players. If this sounds like you, Xfinity's 50% off discount is the best way to sign up for less.

The fear of an AI apocalypse has persisted for decades in movies like WarGames and the Terminator series, but now that worry is becoming more than speculative fiction. Both current and recently-departed Anthropic researchers argue that there's a real possibility AI could kill humanity — although the issue is complex.

If you’re like me, you have a bunch of files, folders, and items in your office that make it unorganized and cluttered. Over time, these become increasingly overwhelming, and you forget what’s in each file or folder or which cable goes to which monitor or port.

SAVE $15: As of Sep. 9, get the AirFly Pro for $39.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $54.99. That's a discount of 27%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon AirFly Pro $39.99 at Amazon
$54.99 Save $15   Get Deal

Have trouble relaxing on planes? You're not alone. Something about the cabin noise, air pressure, and often your seatmate can make settling down and enjoying your flight seem like a nightmare instead of a convenient and fun way to travel. If raw-dogging your flight doesn't sound like a fun option and you want a little assistance enjoying your time in the air, there's a dongle that can help.

As of Sep. 9, get the AirFly Pro for $39.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $54.99. That's $15 off and a discount of 27%.

SEE ALSO: This $55 Bluetooth dongle made my long-haul flight way less miserable

This Bluetooth transmitter is the perfect thing for helping you get comfortable for long (or short) flights. You can connect it to your in-flight entertainment display, set up your favorite headphones, and get comfortable without having to struggle with the airline-provided earbuds or other subpar equipment.

That means you can whip out your noise-cancelling headphones with this dongle and actually feel like you're experiencing your entertainment in a way that lets you focus on it -- or just block out the noise around you.

Mashable's Haley Henschel took this device for a spin on a flight and found that it made her long-haul flight "way less miserable." If you've got some traveling to do, or you're a frequent flier who needs help getting comfy to enjoy your time in the air, it might be a good idea to take part in this rare discount and grab your own. It definitely beats staring out the window and counting the minutes until you land.

Where to buy the new Belkin SoundForm line SoundForm Dot (ANC) $34.99 at Amazon Shop Now SoundForm Play ANC Headphones $49.99 at Amazon Shop Now SoundForm Isolate Buds $59.99 at Amazon Shop Now

At IFA 2026 in Berlin, Belkin expanded its SoundForm audio family with three new budget-friendly options designed to bring premium features like active noise cancellation, dual-device pairing, and long battery life down to accessible prices. Across the whole lineup, Belkin is leaning heavily into practical daily specs — packing IPX5 sweat resistance and app-customizable EQ controls into every pair.

Here’s a dive into each of the models and what they offer: 

SoundForm Dot

For listeners after lightweight, daily-use earbuds, the SoundForm Dot line comes in two variations. The base SoundForm Dot Wireless Earbuds ($34.99) offer an ultra-affordable entry point into true wireless audio. If you want active noise cancellation, the upgraded SoundForm Dot ANC ($39.99) adds ANC while maintaining the compact design. 

Both Dot versions pack up to 30 hours of battery life, Bluetooth Multipoint for dual-device connectivity, Clear Call Quality tech, IPX5 water/sweat resistance, fast charging, three ear-tip sizes, and app-customizable EQ settings.

SEE ALSO: The 11 best wireless earbuds we've ever tested SoundForm Play ANC

Designed for listeners ages five and up, the SoundForm Play ANC ($49.99) bring over-ear active noise cancellation to school, travel, and gaming. They feature a durable, foldable design and include an optional 85dB Safe Sound volume limiter to keep young ears protected. 

Belkin also integrated a "Focus Boost" soundscape mode that generates Pink Noise, Seashore, or Brain Beats sounds to help kids lock in during homework or reading sessions. Battery life reaches up to 62 hours with ANC off (45 hours with ANC on), supported by a built-in microphone, USB-C fast charging, a 3.5mm wired backup jack, and RockStar Mode for audio sharing.

SEE ALSO: The 12 best headphones of 2026: We tested the top contenders from Sony, Apple, Bose, and Beats SoundForm Isolate Buds

The SoundForm Isolate Buds ($59.99) are built for commuters and workers who need maximum distraction blocking. They deliver up to 45dB of hybrid Active Noise Cancellation paired with three ear-tip and three wing-tip sizes to ensure a locked-in, comfortable seal. 

You get up to 32 hours of total playback time with the pocket-sized charging case, fast-charge support (10 minutes for 90 minutes of juice), Bluetooth Multipoint pairing, Clear Call Quality microphone tech, IPX5 weather resistance, and full SoundForm app EQ customization.

Head over to Belkin or Amazon to shop the new SoundForm lineup starting at $34.99 before everyone else realizes noise cancellation can actually be this cheap.

Want more tech news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today, and see what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

SAVE $300: As of Sept. 9, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (256GB) is down to its lowest price since launch. Snag one on Amazon for $1,799.99 down from its $2,099.99 list price — a 14% savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra $1,799.99 at Amazon
$2,099.99 Save $300.00   Get Deal

Amazon dropped the price of the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra (256GB) to $1,799.99 — a 14% discount off its hefty $2,099.99 retail price. Saving a full $300, this deal marks the lowest price since launch on Samsung's premier folding phone.

The real draw of the Z Fold 8 Ultra is how easily it opens up from a standard phone into a bright, tablet-sized display built for productivity. You can run up to three apps side by side, letting you handle emails, review documents, and engage in video calls all at once without switching windows. Samsung’s built-in AI even learns your daily routines to predict and suggest the exact apps you'll want to open next.

In his hands-on testing, Mashable reviewer Alex Perry gave the Z Fold 8 Ultra a 4.2 out of 5 rating, calling it "the best foldable form factor" on the market. He noted that "the thin chassis, gorgeous displays, and newly improved battery go a long way towards making it a very good phone," highlighting that it also remains "extremely comfortable" in the hands.

His biggest praise went to the new 5,000mAh battery — a welcome bump from the 4,400mAh cell in the Z Fold 7. In Mashable's video test, it churned out 24 hours of continuous playback, fixing what Alex called last year's "biggest downfall".

SEE ALSO: Galaxy Z Fold 8 review: Why this is my favorite new foldable

Unlike earlier foldables that compromised on camera hardware, the Z Fold 8 Ultra packs a flagship 200MP main sensor paired with an upgraded 50MP ultra-wide lens, giving you crisp extreme close-ups and wide landscape shots without sacrificing detail. Performance is powered by Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, handling intensive mobile gaming and AI tasks with zero lag.

Head to Amazon to score the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra for $1,799.99 and get Samsung's top foldable at a far more palatable price point.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

The Pumpkin Spice Latte has returned to Starbucks, the leaves are starting to change, and shelves are already lined with Halloween-themed decor. For the dedicated fall fanatics, 'tis the season to revisit the Emmy Award-winning animated mini-series Over the Garden Wall — aka the ultimate autumn watch with darkness and whimsy.

A dozen years after the show's debut, Over The Garden Wall is still a spooky season staple. So, in the spirit of the season, Loungefly has unveiled an all-new Over the Garden Wall collection dedicated to Wirt and his little half-brother, Gregory's trek through the Unknown. This comes after Funko's first-ever Pop! Figures inspired by the series were unveiled last month. Once again, Mashable has the exclusive first look.

The iconic mini backpacks from Funko's lifestyle brand Loungefly are basically God-tier in the fandom world. A status symbol in the form of pop culture-themed accessories. So diehard fans of Over The Garden Wall will definitely want to get their hands on these. The collection includes two exclusive mini backpacks that perfectly capture the show's whimsical nature in lavish detail: a Pottsfield embroidered mini backpack and a web-exclusive Greg cosplay mini backpack. Let's take a look.

First look: Loungefly x Over The Garden Wall Collection Pottsfield Embroidered Mini Backpack The front of the backpack features the lead duo: Wirt and Gregory. Credit: Loungefly Flip over the bag to reveal The Woodsman in his signature hat and trench coat. Credit: Loungefly

First in the collection is a mini backpack dedicated to Over The Garden Wall's lead duo: Wirt and his half-brother Gregory. Its cream and olive tones, paired with the corduroy detailing, make it perfect for your fall wardrobe. On the front, you'll find Wirt and Gregory in their signature getups: Wirt in a navy blue cloak and red hat, and Greg in his overalls and tea-kettle hat with a satchel. Alongside them, of course, are the no-nonsense bluebird Beatrice and Greg's frog of many names. Elegant embroidered flowers surround them.

Flip the bag over and you'll find The Woodsman, donning his gray hat and trench coat and wielding an axe and the Dark Lantern. On the sides, you'll also find Beatrice and the many-named frog.

The Pottsfield Embroidered Mini Backpack is about 10.5 inches tall and 9 inches wide and features adjustable shoulder straps to fit all backs. It retails for $90.

Greg Cosplay Mini Backpack (Web Exclusive) The Greg cosplay backpack features his classic overalls with actual buttons and a frog coin bag. Credit: Loungefly The applique leaves and embossed Gregory on the back are nice touches. Credit: Loungefly

Next up, we have the web-exclusive Greg Cosplay Mini Backpack, a charming replica of Gregory's signature look. It features his classic green corduroy overalls with real buttons, a 3D molded metal brooch, a velvet ribbon, a brown satchel strap, and debossed detailing. It even comes with an adorable detachable coin bag featuring, of course, his beloved frog (aka Kitty, Wirt, Dr. Cucumber, and Jason Funderburker). The details really bring the bag to the next level, including applique flowers on the adjustable straps and a hidden Gregory silhouette on the back.

Like the Pottsfield Backpack, the Greg Cosplay option also stands at about 10.5 inches tall and 9 inches wide, and retails for $90.

How to buy the Loungefly x OTGW collection

The Loungefly x Over The Garden Wall collection is officially available for purchase on the Loungefly website as of 12 p.m. ET on Sept. 9, 2026. Head over to Loungefly.com to snag yours for the season. And while you're at it, check out the Funko Pop! figurines of these curious characters, which are coming soon.

Apple's iPhone 18 event is almost upon us, and we're still hearing new rumors about the devices just hours before the big show.

Bloomberg reporter and well-connected Apple insider Mark Gurman shared news on X on Wednesday morning about the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo devices, specifically, which colors will be available. Gurman's latest report matches months of rumors, and he says the traditional iPhone 18 Pro will be available in light blue, black, burgundy, and silver. The foldable iPhone Duo, on the other hand, will only available in dark blue and white varieties.

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Gurman is also responsible for breaking the iPhone Duo's name, which we had been calling the iPhone Fold or iPhone Ultra in the months leading up to the event on Wednesday. He's usually right about these things, so these colors seem like very safe bets.

Follow our Apple event live blog to catch up on the latest news and announcements from the "Surprise and Shine" keynote, with live updates from Apple Park.

Want more tech news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today, and see what our readers guessed would happen at today's Apple event in our Big Guessing Game.

Starbucks just announced a new collab: Starbucks x Peanuts, which, rationally, could only mean one thing — a Snoopy Glass Cold Cup.

The full 10-piece collection will be available to purchase on Sept. 15, just days before fall officially starts on Tuesday, September 22. Normally, I'm not a fan of premature pumpkin-spicing, but I'm letting this slide. I WILL be standing in line at 4 a.m. for this one. (I have two beagles, and if this isn't the cutest damn thing.)

SEE ALSO: Get ready to fight for your life: Starbucks is dropping a new Pink Drink Bearista Cup

Inspired by the 60th anniversary of It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, the limited-edition drop includes drinkware (obvs), a plush, and accessories. And because Starbucks knows exactly how this is going to go (as do we all), they're enforcing a strict two-item purchase limit per customer on the Snoopy Glass Cold Cup.

The Snoopy Glass Cold Cup Credit: Starbucks Everything in the Starbucks x Peanuts 'Great Pumpkin' collection

• Snoopy Glass Cold Cup ($39.95): The star of the collection is obvs the Snoopy Glass Cold Cup. He's wearing a pumpkin-colored beanie, a green scarf, and is adorned with a Woodstock straw topper.

• Snoopy Plush ($34.95): If you can't get your hands on the Cold Cup, you can get a cute Snoopy plush. He's wearing Starbucks green and holding what I could only assume is a PSL.

• 16-ounce Stainless Steel Tumbler ($32.95): Need another tumbler? The 16-ounce Stainless Steel Tumbler is super cute and features a Woodstock charm and a dancing Snoopy.

• Stainless Steel Cold Cup ($32.95): The Stainless Steel Cold Cup includes a straw and shows an illustration of Lucy and Snoopy sharing coffee.

• The Great Pumpkin Tumbler ($32.95): This cute coffee tumbler features Snoopy and Woodstock artwork inspired by the movie.

• 14-ounce Ceramic Mug ($29.95): If you want a collectible that includes the whole gang, you should get the 14-ounce Ceramic Mug. It also "reveals a surprise Snoopy with every sip," which maybe means that there's a Snoopy at the bottom of the mug?

• 24-ounce Cold Cup ($27.95): The 24-ounce Cold Cup is a clear, plastic cold cup covered in Snoopy and The Great Pumpkin fall imagery.

• Accessories: The drop also includes a Mini Tote ($29.95), a Bag Charm ($16.95), and an Enamel Pin Set ($14.95).

Peanuts + Starbucks collection launches Sept. 15. Credit: Starbucks

JSON has become a near-ubiquitous data format, used in API responses, save game files, and configuration. But many people feel it can be better, and various attempts have been made to expand or improve it. JSONC is one of those attempts.

A NAS is one of the cheapest and most convenient ways to keep your data backed up. It’s also fairly reliable, but while HDDs and SSDs can last for years, they will fail eventually. When they do, you could lose everything stored on them, so here are some cheap ways to back up your NAS before that happens.

SAVE 25%: Through Sept. 11, rewards members can take 25% off pre-order books at Barnes & Noble with the code PREORDER25. Paid Premium members save an extra 10%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Save 25% on pre-order books at Barnes & Noble with code PREORDER25 Get Deal

2026 has already been an excellent year for new books, from the satirical influencer-inspired Yesteryear, to the new Dungeon Crawler Carl book A Parade of Horribles, to the supernatural horror The Caretaker. But the year is far from over and we still have plenty of new releases to add to our shelves. Why not save a little cash on those highly anticipated titles?

From Sept. 9 through 11, Barnes & Noble is giving rewards members 25% off pre-order books with the code PREORDER25. The offer is for online pre-orders only on the most anticipated nonfiction and fiction titles and you must be a rewards member to redeem the code at checkout. Fortunately, if you're not yet a member, it's free to join. There's also a paid Premium membership option available ($39.99/year), which will save you an additional 10% on pre-orders if you choose to sign up.

There are hundreds of books available for pre-order on the Barnes & Noble website, but a few standouts include I'll Believe in Anything: The Making of Heated Rivalry Season 1 by Jacob Tierney, Exit Party by Emily St. John Mandel, Off the Reservation by Stephen Graham Jones, Hollow Bones by Jodi Picoult, Hollywood Ending by John Green, and The Witch by Freida McFadden. Be sure to get your pre-orders in by 2:59 a.m. ET on the morning of Sept. 12 to score the 25% off discount. And don't forget the code PREORDER25.

Looking to score some deals on existing titles? Here are a few discounts I spotted on Amazon worth adding to your cart.

Best book deals at Amazon

• And Now, Back to You by B.K. Borison (paperback) — $10.40 $19 (save $8.60)

• The Wedding People by Alison Espach (paperback) — $14.24 $18.99 (save $4.75)

• Heart of Glass by Jennifer Hillier (harcover) — $14.50 $29 (save $14.50)

• Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke (hardover) — $14.99 $30 (save $15.01)

• Big Little Truths by Liane Moriarty (hardcover) — $22.10 $34 (save $11.90)

• Under Story by Chloe Benjamin (hardcover) — $22.38 $32 (save $9.62)

Everyone who misses Andrew Scott's Priest from Fleabag better prepare themselves for the upcoming series, It Gets Worse.

Created by UK comedian Leo Reich, It Gets Worse is about three university friends in London. A clip of the show recently dropped, and it already has the internet in a (figurative? literal?) chokehold.

The two-minute snippet features Reich as an adrift 24-year-old and Scott as a therapist and apparent hookup app match. Reich's character, though, uses the opportunity to speak to the therapist and laments that he feels like his life is over. But his woes are curtailed pretty quickly when the therapist kisses him.

It gets worse better: The therapist holds the 20-something by the neck and tells him, "You're just a hole for daddy." After telling him he's fine mentally, valid, and enough, he spits in his mouth.

As expected, the internet is extremely horny about this:

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The UK recently banned strangulation porn in its Crime and Policing Bill (as well as incest porn). It's now an offense to possess or publish images of strangulation and suffocation if the image is pornographic. The law states that the image is banned if it "portrays, in an explicit and realistic way, a person strangling," but doesn't go into detail about what, exactly, this means, or whether what Scott is doing in the clip would be allowed if the parties were naked.

Obviously, a UK sitcom isn't the same as pornography, but it's notable that a famed star can hold his costar by the neck and be shown at the BFI London Film Festival, while adult performers can't do the same.

A dashcam can be one of the most useful gadgets you add to your car, but simply sticking one onto the windshield doesn't guarantee that you're getting the protection you expect. Where you put the camera can affect everything from how much of the road it captures to whether it interferes with your own visibility, and a poorly planned installation can create problems you probably didn't consider.

Why are Windows laptops so expensive right now?

The ongoing memory crisis, aka "RAMageddon," is the main reason why Windows laptop prices have skyrocketed this year. But it also doesn't help that Microsoft reportedly raised its Windows 11 licensing fees by abnormally high rates. In other words, PC makers are spending more on both hardware and software right now, so they're making consumers eat the extra costs.

Some of our current picks have faced price hikes in recent months (see below). We've re-evaluated them and decided that they're still worth recommending at their higher prices, but will remove them from this guide if we find better-value alternatives or if their prices keep climbing to exorbitant levels.

What's new this month

In early September 2026, I updated this guide with one new pick. The Dell XPS 13 is my new favorite budget Windows laptop for its elite build quality. (It's also the best MacBook Neo rival I've encountered thus far.) It succeeds the sold-out Acer Aspire 16 AI.

SEE ALSO: MacBook Neo vs. XPS 13: The golden age of ultraportables is here

I've started looking for a replacement for the Alienware 16X Aurora, our former pick in the gaming category, which is no longer available. I'm also in the process of testing a possible alternative to the Asus Zenbook A16, our current favorite 16-inch Windows laptop, which just got a $300 price hike. I still love it and think it's a decent value in the age of RAMageddon, but I want to double-check that it's still the best option out there.

Finally, I'm monitoring the availability of two of our other current picks: the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI and Intel-powered Acer Swift X 14. They were both out of stock at the time of writing but could return, so I'm keeping them on this guide for now. If it turns out they've been fully discontinued, I'll replace them with other models. (As things stand, the Dell 14S would become my top choice for students, and the AMD-powered Acer Swift X 14 AI would be my new pick for photo and video editing.)

As a quick note before we get into the picks, Mashable tests laptops on the basis of performance, battery life, design/build quality, and value. We do so using a combination of synthetic benchmarking and real-world usage. You can read more about our testing process in the "How We Tested" section.

A note about ARM-based Windows laptops Asus' Zenbook A-series laptops are two of the best ARM-based laptops I've tried. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series chips use ARM-based architecture, not traditional x86 architecture like Intel and AMD chips. As such, their compatibility differs. ARM-based laptops don't work natively with certain specialty software (like AutoCAD), nor can they run as many PC games.

ARM compatibility issues are a non-concern for the majority of general-purpose Windows users, but they'll be dealbreakers for some demographics — PC gamers being an obvious one.

College students should also steer clear of ARM laptops. When I examined the 10 top public universities' hardware recommendations for the 2026 fall semester, I found that a couple schools explicitly advised their students against getting ARM-based laptops to make sure they can run all of their necessary coursework without emulation. (This is one big reason why I recommend the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI and Dell 14S for college students, in particular: They have x86-based Intel chips.)

The good news is that ARM compatibility has gotten better over the past couple years, and it will definitely continue to do so now that Nvidia is coming out with its own RTX Spark "superchips," which run on ARM.

What we're testing right now

The Mashable team has a bunch of other Windows laptops in hand for testing right now, including the Alienware 16 Area-51, Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i, Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1, Lenovo LOQ Essential 15, Lenovo Legion 5i, Lenovo Legion Pro 7i, MSI Prestige 16 AI+, Framework Laptop 13 Pro, Asus ProArt PZ14, Asus Zenbook Duo, and Acer Swift Air 14. Stay tuned to see if any of them make the cut for a future update to this guide.

What to look forward to

PC makers announced lots of new laptops earlier this month at IFA, a tech trade show in Berlin. The models confirmed for an eventual U.S. release are:

• Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe, a budget laptop that comes in two sizes and seven colors

• Lenovo Yoga Pro 5n and Yoga 9n 2-in-1, two creator laptops powered by Nvidia's RTX Spark platform

• Lenovo ThinkBook 14 Gen 9 and ThinkBook 14x Gen 2, two fresh business laptops

• Acer Swift Air 16, a slim 16-incher

• Another version of the Dell 14S with more colors, less powerful processors, and a cheaper price tag

FREE MARS CANDY WITH TICKET PURCHASE: As of Sep. 9, get a free Mars candy when you purchase a ticket to see Verity starring Anne Hathaway at a Regal Theater on opening weekend.

Opens in a new window Credit: Regal Theaters Free Mars Candy with Verity Ticket at Regal   Get Deal

Can't wait to see Anne Hathaway's latest movie in theaters? Make sure you head to Regal to get your money's worth. After starring in a string of hits like The Odyssey, Mother Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2, and The End of Oak Street, the actress is appearing in a new theatrical adaptation of the Colleen Hoover bestseller Verity, and you have a chance to get a nice little freebie for checking the movie out as soon as it hits theaters.

As of Sep. 9, get a free Mars candy when you purchase a ticket to see Verity starring Anne Hathaway at a Regal Theater on opening weekend. That means you must purchase a ticket between Oct. 1 and Oct. 4, and you'll get one free eligible Mars candy per ticket. The movie officially hits theaters on Oct. 2, so you can preorder your tickets if you like, as long as you buy them at a Regal theater, while supplies last. This offer is only available to Regal Crown Club members as an exclusive.

SEE ALSO: 'Mother Mary' review: Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel are rapturous

Verity follows writer Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson), who's hired to ghostwrite for author Verity Crawford (Hathaway). She's given all the notes and reference materials she needs when she heads to the Crawford residence to get started, but there's something not quite right about the situation, and it all comes to light when she happens upon an extremely dark confession about Verity's husband Jeremy (Josh Hartnett).

It's always good to get a freebie when you head to the movies given how expensive everything is, so if you're headed out to see this one anyway, might as well get something sweet for your trouble!