IT General

Adapting a video game into a movie is more than a little tricky, as plenty of studios have discovered over the years. From the 1980s to today, we've had our fair share of really poor video game movies, some so bad that they've gone down in history among the worst movies of all time. It isn't all doom and gloom, though. While it definitely feels like there have been more bad adaptations than good ones, occasionally we get a gem that reminds us just how good a video game movie can feel when it is done right.

The more software you install on your computer, the longer it may seem to take to start up Windows. Many programs add themselves to the list of programs started when you boot your computer, and that list can get long. Here's how you can disable startup programs in Windows to speed up your boot time and free up system resources.

Going home for the holidays? Or simply traveling for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's?

Firefox and its built-in VPN has your privacy covered — at not cost to you.

Mozilla, the organization behind the Firefox web browser, has announced that it will be providing free unlimited data for its built-in VPN to all of its users from Nov. 10, 2026 through Jan. 31, 2027. That's now up until the end of January.

Firefox advertises its VPN first and foremost as a privacy feature. A VPN hides a user's real IP address, thus masking exactly what location that user is browsing from. 

For example, Firefox says its VPN will help hide the sites you visit from shared WiFi networks in public spaces or at a relative's home.

However, Firefox knows that many VPN users also utilize the feature to change their location in order to access region-locked websites and platforms. And, according to its announcement, Firefox is cool with that too.

How to try the Firefox VPN

Firefox's free built-in VPN is available for Firefox on both desktop and Android. Mozilla says the feature is coming to iOS devices soon too.

In order to take advantage of Firefox's offer of unlimited data use via their VPN, simply sign up for a Mozilla account. Then, in the Firefox web browser, select the VPN icon in the toolbar on desktop. On Android, tap on the three-dot menu and select Settings followed by VPN. From there, follow the setup process and turn the VPN on.

Mozilla explicitly reminded users in its announcement that VPNs do not make users anonymous or hide on-device browsing history. As Mozilla points out, websites can still identify users through cookies or when signed into an account.

In addition, Firefox's built-in VPN only works with browsing within Firefox. Users cannot utilize the VPN when surfing the internet via another web browser or using a mobile app. Mozilla has a separate paid subscription-based product, called Mozilla VPN, for users looking for a VPN that works across apps.

Mozilla has been heavily investing in Firefox, promoting its privacy features and AI controls for users who aren't fans of AI taking over every facet of other web browsers. The company recently launched an ad campaign for Firefox that went viral, uniting some of the web's earliest internet-famous stars.

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

Windows Search is one of the features I use most in Windows 11. Most of the time, I'm looking for something simple: an app, a file, or a setting. That's why I've never been particularly keen on Search trying to do other jobs at the same time.

Phone brands aren't playing when it comes to pricing these days, and you can easily spend over $1,000 on current flagships. Samsung's Galaxy S26 FE offers some respite with premium features and performance for a fraction of the price.

The biggest story out of VisionQuest's finale wasn't the long-awaited reunion between twins Tommy and Billy Maximoff (Ruaridh Mollica and Joe Locke). Nor was it Vision (Paul Bettany) and Ultron's (James Spader) touching heart-to-heart about grief. Instead, it was the resurrection of Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) at the hands of Dr. Doom (Robert Downey Jr.), which occurs during the second of VisionQuest's two mid-credits scenes.

SEE ALSO: 'VisionQuest' could have done anything, and it just did this

In theory, the return of Scarlet Witch is an exciting one, as she's one of the most powerful heroes in the MCU. Now that she's apparently under Dr. Doom's thrall, that will spell major trouble for the Avengers in Avengers: Doomsday. Powers aside, Wanda is also one of the MCU's most compelling characters, with Olsen's grief-stricken turn in WandaVision earning her an Emmy nomination.

Yet the reality of Wanda's return is that it, like much of the MCU post-Avengers: Endgame, is downright exhausting.

Wanda's return is proof that the MCU has no stakes anymore.

Wanda is the latest MCU mainstay to return from the dead. In addition to the return of everyone who got blipped by Thanos, characters like Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and Gamora (Zoe Saldaña) both stuck around after their deaths in Avengers: Infinity War thanks to some timeline meddling. Vision's complicated return also resulted in three MCU spin-off shows.

For Doomsday, Marvel is also bringing back characters and performers who received fitting send-offs in Avengers: Endgame. Chris Evans is returning as Steve Rogers, again likely due to timeline meddling, while Robert Downey Jr. is back, this time as Dr. Doom.

SEE ALSO: 'VisionQuest's game-changing mid-credit scenes, explained

While I'm often excited to see these characters, Wanda included, the trend of constantly bringing everyone back is a tiring one. It's proof that the MCU has lost all sense of stakes: No one can be killed. Anyone can come back to be smashed together in a massive crossover event like Doomsday.

These constant returns also retroactively cheapen the most impressive feat in the MCU: Tony Stark's (Downey Jr.) mass resurrection of everyone who's been blipped. When half the universe, including some of Marvel's most beloved heroes, turned to ash at the end of Infinity War, it marked Marvel's heaviest moment to date. To reverse it would require a similarly heavy sacrifice, leading to Tony's death. Now, though, Marvel is bringing everyone back with the ease of a Dr. Doom spell, or some timey-wimey hand-waving. Next thing you know, Tony will be back. At this point, why not?

Bringing Scarlet Witch back in a credits scene highlights Marvel's homework problem.

Keeping up with all the intricacies of the MCU has always been a daunting task, but it truly became a chore after Endgame. Now, instead of just watching Marvel's films, viewers also had to keep up with each TV show in order to understand what the hell was going on.

VisionQuest was already a fairly egregious example of this, as audiences had to have a solid understanding of WandaVision and Agatha All Along prior to watching, not to mention 2015's Avengers: Age of Ultron. It exacerbates the problem with its mid-credits scene, which treats Wanda's resurrection — one of the biggest MCU moments in recent years — as a simple teaser, instead of a pivotal story beat that deserves more fleshing out. Will Doomsday dive deeper into Dr. Doom's journey to resurrect Wanda, or will it just skip over it entirely and carry on with her being alive as if nothing's happened?

If so, that will be extra confusing for the casual Doomsday viewer who might not be aware of Wanda's return. Then again, they might have forgotten about her death, because there have been 10 other movies to keep track of in the four years between Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Doomsday.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness certainly did Wanda dirty with her villain arc and choice to sacrifice herself, so a part of me is ready to embrace what could be a new, more fulfilling arc for her. Yet a larger part of me is simply ambivalent, as I have been for much of Marvel's Phase Four and beyond. If you can't trust your own dramatic choices to stick, how can you expect me to care?

VisionQuest is now streaming on Disney+. Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters Dec. 18.

SAVE $200: As of Nov. 11, get the Segway Navimow i215 Robot Lawn Mower for $1,399 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,599. That's a discount of 13%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Segway Navimow i215 Robot Lawn Mower $1,399 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $200   Get Deal at Amazon

Mowing the lawn is a somewhat thankless task that no one really wants to tackle. Luckily, in 2026, you don't have to spend time pushing around a lawnmower when a robot is more than happy to handle that for you. As part of the wave of early Black Friday deals on offer, we found a great deal on a robot lawn mower that can help you achieve a perfectly-manicured lawn in the blink of an eye.

As of Nov. 11, get the Segway Navimow i215 Robot Lawn Mower for $1,399 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,599. That's $200 off and a discount of 13%.

SEE ALSO: We found 45 early Black Friday deals already live: Get $250 off MacBooks, 53% off Bose headphones

This model is simple to start up straight out of the box, so it can hit the lawn running, so to speak. It doesn't require antennas or boundary wires, and it uses one-tap auto mapping to help figure out where any potential obstacles are as well as the size and shape of your yard. That way you can turn it on and let it get to work without complicated setup.

The robot lawn mower relies on solid state LiDAR and onboard vision sensors to navigate from there, which can work in both day and night so it can handle yard work without the need for you supervising it in the sun. It can detect over 200 obstacle types, and you can further adjust its mowing area in its accompanying app with up to 20 mowing zones on an interactive map.

All this, powered by a 100W mower with a 6-blade disc to help it get up close and personal with out-of-control grass. If you're tired of manually mowing the lawn and want to outsource this responsibility, don't hesitate with this early Black Friday deal.

GET A KINDLE PAPERWHITE FOR $89.99: Woot has refurbished Kindle Paperwhites (11th Gen, 16GB) on sale for $89.99. You can also get a larger 32GB model for $109.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Refurbished Kindle Paperwhite (11th Gen, 16GB) $89.99 at Woot
  Get Deal at Woot

We're all aware that everything is too expensive these days. From tech to food to airplane tickets, prices are shocking. Earlier this year, Amazon hiked prices on Kindles, and if you're not into that move, Woot has a great solution.

As of Nov. 11, a refurbished 11th Gen 16GB Kindle Paperwhite is on sale at Woot for $89.99. If you download the Woot app, you can stack an extra 20% off that price today only. The latest Kindle Paperwhite with 16GB storage sells at Amazon for $199.99.

I'm a frugal shopper, and I also love reading. Those combined lead me to score a used Kindle on Woot last year. I bought the 11th Gen Kindle Paperwhite refurbished from Woot. I wasn't totally sure what condition a refurbished Kindle would come in, but I can safely say I had no idea it was used.

SEE ALSO: Amazon launches all-new Kindle e-readers, introducing new designs and colors — and we got to try them

My refurbished Kindle has zero signs of wear. Of course, I can't guarantee yours will come in the same condition, but it's reassuring to know that you might get a pristine model and save a ton of money while doing so compared to buying new.

Early Black Friday sales are already live at Amazon and we have a handful of Kindle deals, but none come anywhere close to this offer for $89.99. Keep in mind since the 11th Gen Kindle is from 2021, it will not be compatible with the new Kindle Click remote (sad).

Please keep in mind Woot deals vanish quickly. If you're considering hopping on this deal, I recommend you add to your Woot cart and check out right away. Be sure to head to the Woot app to score that extra 20% off.

Sure, the 11th Gen is an older model, but the 2021 Kindle Paperwhite is still a fantastic e-reader, especially given today's sale price. In addition to grabbing one for yourself, consider if anyone on your list would love a Kindle Paperwhite as a Christmas gift.

When you think of synthesizers, a $50 USB-C rechargeable slab of plastic isn’t what normally springs to mind. But that’s exactly what has set the internet alight at the tail end of 2026, and it’s having big implications for an established market of music hardware manufacturers.

Let's face it, major PC upgrades are kind of a no-go this year. The RAM-pocalypse has made sure of that in every way possible. Fortunately, there are still ways to give your PC a boost, even to the extent of gaming at 1440p, without spending $7,000-$10,000 on an RTX 5090. (Yes, those price brackets are very much real.)

TL;DR: Instacart is giving away up to 50,000 free turkeys this Thanksgiving from Nov. 18 through Nov. 22 when you spend a minimum of $50 on your Thanksgiving basket. A fresh batch of 10,000 turkeys drops every day at 12 p.m. ET.

Opens in a new window Credit: Instacart Instacart: claim your free turkey (Nov. 18 - 22) (up to $40 off) Get Deal

Grocery shopping the week ahead of Thanksgiving is a nightmare. And then there's the blow to your bank account on top of it.

Instacart is helping on both fronts this season. The grocery delivery app is giving away up to 50,000 free turkeys this Thanksgiving, with up to 10,000 dropping each day between Nov. 18 and Nov. 22. So, you won't have to step foot in the grocery store and a good chunk of your Thanksgiving dinner will be paid for. Win-win.

Here's how it works. From Wednesday, Nov. 18 through Sunday, Nov. 22, customers can score up to $40 off an eligible whole turkey, fresh or frozen, from select retailers on Instacart. That's enough to cover an entire bird in most cases. Just head to the Instacart Thanksgiving landing page and fill up your basket, including your turkey, to reach at least $50 (alcohol is excluded from the minimum spend requirement). Then click to redeem the promo on the Thanksgiving landing page. You're limited to one redemption per person while supplies last. A fresh batch of up to 10,000 turkeys drops every day at 12 p.m. ET, with up to 50,000 total. If you miss out on one day, be sure to return the next day at noon to redeem yours.

If you forget something essential, Instacart is also offering $0 delivery on Thanksgiving grocery orders of $10 or more between Nov. 23 and Nov. 25. The day before Thanksgiving is widely known as the busiest day of the year for grocery stores. Let Instacart battle the crowds for you while you prep your home for guests. Just note that service and other fees may apply.

Before your start shopping Black Friday deals, make sure your Thanksgiving dinner is taken care of.

Grand Theft Auto VI is tantalizingly close, so for many people, it's probably too late to submit a PTO request for its Nov. 19 release date. Not for Logitech employees, though.

The PC accessory maker announced that its employees would be given the option to take time off for new video game releases, according to IGN.

Logitech's announcement was almost certainly timed for the release of GTA 6 (there are basically no other major upcoming releases this year, for obvious reasons). However, the new "Logi Game Day" perk will seemingly apply to more games than just Rockstar's latest open-world crime adventure.

SEE ALSO: 'GTA 6' preorders are live: Where to buy for PS5 and Xbox

Logitech cited an internal study which found that 81 percent of video game enjoyers "believe that gaming builds real-world confidence, reduces anxiety, and correlates with stronger day-to-day work performance." Whether or not that's actually true, Logitech is buying into the idea, enabling its employees to play hooky for gaming purposes.

"It’s time to retire the stereotype that gaming is a waste of time," Logitech CEO Hanneke Faber said, according to IGN. "As a company designing products for work and play, we see every day how engagement in one sphere supports performance in the other."

There are probably lots of folks out there reading this who wish they worked for Logitech right now.

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

PREORDER AT AMAZON: Monopoly Heated Rivalry Edition Board Game launches on June 1, 2027. Preorder are live at Amazon for $29.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hasbro Monopoly Heated Rivalry Edition Board Game $29.99 at Amazon
  Get Deal at Amazon

We've gone to the cottage in our living rooms, at the movie theater, and now we'll be able to visit via a board game.

Hasbro launches Monopoly Heated Rivalry edition on June 1, 2027. Preorders are already live at Amazon for $29.99 which comes with free delivery on June 2.

With references to Season 1 and nods to Season 2, the Heated Rivalry edition of the classic board game is sure to please any fan. You'll be able to buy iconic locations from the show like hotels and the cottage while moving one of six game tokens. Those include a tuna melt, a banana, a smoothie cup, hockey skates, and even a stupid Canadian wolf bird.

SEE ALSO: Start a game night tradition with these early Black Friday board game deals

Hasbro recommends the special edition Monopoly for players ages 17 and up. Since we're in holiday gift mode, consider this to be a fun surprise for that person in your life who simply will not shut up about the show (hi, that's me).

Power tools have certainly improved over the years, with more features, durability, and convenient designs, but portability has become an important part of everyone’s lifestyle. This is why you find newer tools coming out all the time that are smaller but powerful and useful, like the Milwaukee M12 series tools.

If all the emails flooding your inbox weren't enough of an indication, we're closing in on the biggest shopping holiday of the year. Black Friday technically doesn't happen until the dishes from Thanksgiving are scrubbed and put away. But retailers have gotten antsy over the years, kicking off their sales days or weeks in advance. Heck, the whole month of November is basically Black Friday at this point.

If you're hoping to do some discount shopping this holiday season, knowing precisely when to shop each major retailer's official Black Friday sale is key. To help you best strategize this season, we've rounded up the essential dates and times below.

When is Black Friday 2026?

Black Friday always lands on the day after Thanksgiving and the fourth Friday in November. In 2026, that happens to be on Friday, Nov. 27.

As you've probably noticed, however, most major retailers began rolling out early Black Friday deals as soon as the calendar switched to November. Likewise, some will draw things out even longer with Black Friday discounts that last far past the official shopping holiday. Black Friday is no longer a single 24-hour extravaganza; it's a full season.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Prime Day vs. Black Friday: When are the deals better?

Cyber Monday, the more online-centric shopping holiday, falls on the Monday after Black Friday. In 2026, that's on Monday, Nov. 30. Most retailers shift into Cyber Monday mode by the Saturday after Black Friday. It's silly, really, but the lines between the two deal-shopping holidays have been blurred beyond recognition.

When do Black Friday sales actually start at each retailer?

Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target tend to have the biggest Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) sales each year, so we've broken down all the nitty gritty details you need to know about each retailer's specific schedule in 2026. Plenty of deals are already live, but if you want to shop the official sales, here's the scoop.

Black Friday at Best Buy

For the second year in a row, Best Buy kicked off its holiday schedule scary early, with its first round of "doorBOOsters" dropping the day before Halloween. The electronics retailer will release new doorbusters on select tech every Friday leading up to the big day.

Best Buy's official Black Friday sale, aka the main event, will run in stores and online from Thursday, Nov. 19 through Saturday, Nov. 28. The calendar then flips to Cyber Monday on Sunday, Nov. 29 and runs through Monday, Nov. 30.

SEE ALSO: Everything to know about Best Buy's Black Friday sale: Early deals, price matching, store hours, and more Best Buy Black Friday hours

Best Buy's brick-and-mortar stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time on Black Friday. Want an old-school Black Friday experience? You can camp out at stores if you want to score high-demand items, but Best Buy will employ a ticketing system for customer and employee safety.

All Best Buy stores will be closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Black Friday at Walmart

Walmart announced plans for three major Black Friday calendar events for 2026. The first is an Early Black Friday Sale, which will take place from Nov. 12 through Nov. 15. The main event, aka the official Black Friday deals event will kick off Monday, Nov. 23 and last through Sunday, Nov. 29.

Deals will be live online only from Nov. 23 through Nov. 26, so in-store shoppers will have to wait until Black Friday proper. Walmart's Cyber Monday sale will take place from Monday, Nov. 30 through Wednesday, Dec. 2 online only.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about Walmart's Black Friday 2026 sale: Store hours, early access, best deals

During both the early and official Black Friday events, select online-only deals will be reserved for Walmart+ members exclusively for the first 24 hours, while supplies last. If you're not a Walmart+ member and want early access to these doorbusters, you can sign up for $12.95/month or $98/year. Trial members are not eligible for early access.

Walmart Black Friday hours

Walmart stores will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. local time on Black Friday. They'll be closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Black Friday at Target

Target launched its first holiday savings event on Nov. 5, with early deals on holiday decor, kitchen appliances, and toys. Its Deal of the Day program also kicked off on Nov. 1 and will run through Dec. 24. Shoppers can score a new featured deal every day of the week until Dec. 24. So far, we've seen 50% off Stanley tumblers and $30 off Apple AirTags.

The official Black Friday shopping event, however, has not properly been announced. If Target follows a similar schedule as last year, we speculate that it'll kick off on Sunday, Nov. 22, and run through Saturday, Nov. 28. The best deals will likely drop exclusively from Nov. 26 through 28 for Black Friday proper. We'll update this with the latest information once it's revealed.

SEE ALSO: Everything to know about Target's Black Friday 2026 sale: Store hours, early access info, best deals

Target Circle 360 members will likely get early access to select deals, as in years past. The savings season will wrap up with Target's Cyber Monday Event from Nov. 29 through Nov. 30 (most likely), featuring online-only deals.

In 2025, Target made the in-store shopping experience worth it by offering the first 100 guests in line a free limited-edition iridescent tote bag, some with gifts inside valued up to $350. We'll be on the lookout for an in-store shopping incentive this year — stay tuned.

Target Black Friday hours

Target stores will open at 6 a.m. local time on Black Friday. Closing times vary by location (check your local store). They'll be closed on Thanksgiving, as is company policy.

Black Friday at Amazon

As in years past, Amazon is hosting a "Black Friday Week" savings event that will kick off on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 3:01 a.m. ET and run through Cyber Monday on Nov. 30. Banners will probably change over from Black Friday to Cyber Monday on Saturday, Nov. 28.

Daily themed deals will drop throughout the event, with "double drops" on Black Friday and Cyber Monday proper at 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. ET.

SEE ALSO: Everything to know about Amazon's extra-long Black Friday sale: Dates, daily deal drops, and more

You don't need to be a Prime member to shop Amazon's Black Friday sale, but it certainly doesn't hurt. There will likely be Prime-exclusive discounts sprinkled here and there throughout the event.

Amazon will also air its fourth annual Black Friday NFL game on Nov. 27 via Prime Video. (The Pittsburgh Steelers host the Denver Broncos, with kickoff slated for 3 p.m. ET) New discounts on toys, electronics, and apparel will be up for grabs during the game. Fans can shop simultaneously as they watch with an enhanced "Shop the Game" experience. There will also be an NBA on Prime doubleheader to follow (Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs).

Adobe Acrobat offers plenty of useful PDF tools, but paying a recurring subscription just to edit, sign, or convert documents can feel excessive. Especially when a self-hosted alternative can handle most of the same everyday tasks.

Opens in a new window Credit: De'Longhi De'Longhi Magnifica Duo Automatic Espresso Machine $699.95 at Amazon
$999.95 Save $300   Get Deal at Amazon

The chaos of the holiday season is here. Early Black Friday deals are coming in hot, the neighbors have the Christmas lights up, and it's time to plan the Thanksgiving menu. If you're feeling like you could use a hand in getting it all done, rest assured we have coffee. If you're feeling like your kitchen could use a coffee machine upgrade, check out this deal.

As of Nov. 11, the De'Longhi Magnifica Duo automatic espresso machine is on sale at Amazon for $699.95, down from the list price of $999.95. That's a 30% discount and the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

With a single touch, the Magnifica Duo can make 20 barista-style recipes like an iced latte, cappuccino, and cold brew. The built-in conical burr grinder means you'll be able to use freshly-ground coffee for each drink.

SEE ALSO: Early Black Friday kitchen deals from Ninja, De'Longhi, and Viking are already live

While plenty of espresso machines come with milk frothers, De'Longhi made this model especially convenient since the spout delivers milk into the cup without any help from you.

The automations on the machine mean you won't have to put in extra work to have a treat during the busy holiday season. It's also convenient if you'll be hosting guests. Instead of teaching them all how to use your coffee maker, they'll be able to follow the machine's prompts on the display to figure it out without any help.

Since this is the lowest price we've seen at Amazon on the De'Longhi Magnifica Duo, it might be worth shopping today instead of waiting for Black Friday. Plus, shopping this week means you'll have the machine ready to go well before Thanksgiving.

GIGABYTE’s boosted AI gaming laptop lineup is here — and gamers, creators, and power users alike should buckle up. Launched at COMPUTEX 2026 this past summer, the machines ship with the latest evolution of GIGABYTE’s on-device AI assistant, GiMATE, under the hood. 

Unlike an external AI agent or chatbot, GiMATE is a unified control hub powered by the company’s exclusive, fine-tuned LLM that's built into the system for seamless, hands-on hardware control. The upshot: GiMATE helps you get more from your laptop across gaming, creation, coding, entertainment, and everyday productivity.

While GIGABYTE's AI gaming laptops are all configurable, portable powerhouses, they do have their differences, and GiMATE features vary by model and configuration. Here’s a roundup of GIGABYTE AI gaming laptops to help you score the perfect one.

For power users and top-end gaming: AORUS MASTER 16 GEN 2 Credit: GIGABYTE

If extremes are your thing, the AORUS MASTER 16 GEN 2 will melt your face off. The premium AI gaming laptop pairs a blistering AMD Ryzen 9 9955HX3D processor with up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU, dominating the HDR1000 OLED gaming arena, especially if you want high-texture settings, ray tracing, and sky-high refresh rates.

Opens in a new window Credit: GIGABYTE GIGABYTE AORUS MASTER 16 GEN 2 $4,599.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

All this flagship-class hardware is packed into a surprisingly slim 19mm chassis, with four Dolby Atmos-powered speakers, and topped with a 16-inch, 240Hz OLED display with a 0.2ms response time that doesn’t flinch during gameplay. WINDFORCE INFINITY EX thermals let you go long and strong, while keeping your cool.

In addition to the full suite of updated GiMATE, this laptop also features Customize Mode, which lets you dial in the GPU power and cooling even more, for sessions that feel seriously personal.  It’s also the only model in this lineup with AI Visual Technology, which offers scenario-based display modes: Cinema Mode for richer color, Racing and FPS modes for sharper visuals in fast-paced play, an RPG mode, and E-Paper Mode for more comfortable reading.

For creators and AI productivity on the go: AERO X16; Copilot+ PC Credit: GIGABYTE

As the first-ever GIGABYTE Microsoft Copilot+ PC, the thin-and-light AERO X16 crushes AI workflows and mid-range gaming. And with over 14 hours of battery life, you can do it all off-plug, without having to hunt for an outlet.

Opens in a new window Credit: GIGABYTE GIGABYTE AERO X16; Copilot+ PC $1,768.22 at Amazon
$2,099.99 Save $331.77   Get Deal at Amazon

For gamers, up to the latest AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 400 Series processor and an RTX 5070 Laptop GPU with 12GB of VRAM easily tear through your fave AAA titles. Thanks to updated GiMATE Creator quantization and that 12GB of VRAM, the machine also runs larger language models (LLMs) more efficiently. GiMATE Creator now supports Qwen-Image for generating visuals from English or Chinese prompts, and on RTX 50 Series Laptop GPUs it taps NVIDIA NVFP4 quantization to run generative AI models faster. And as a Copilot+ PC, it’s your launchpad for Microsoft’s suite of AI image-generation, translation, and day-to-day productivity tools. The 16-inch, 2560 x 1440 IPS display is a dazzler, and a 165Hz refresh rate easily passes muster for both work and play.

The cherry on top? This AI-loaded creator-gamer hybrid starts at 16.75 millimeters thick and weighs 4.19 pounds. You’ll barely feel it in your pack.

For GPU power hounds on a budget: GIGABYTE GAMING A16 PRO Credit: GIGABYTE

This GiMATE-stacked laptop is an excellent pick for AI gamers and creators who want the high-tier graphics of an RTX 5080 Laptop GPU without the flagship price tag.

Opens in a new window Credit: GIGABYTE GIGABYTE GAMING A16 PRO $2,199 at Amazon
$2,649.99 Save $450.99   Get Deal at Amazon

Powered by an Intel Core 7 240H processor and high-performance graphics capabilities, the feisty machine easily handles your library of AAA games at high to ultra settings. For creators, the power-packed GPU accelerates your video editing, 3D rendering, and AI workflows across the board, thanks to its NVIDIA Blackwell architecture and dedicated GDDR7 VRAM. And if you code, GiMATE Coder is a local AI assistant that helps you generate, debug, and refactor code in Python, JavaScript, C++, and more, right inside Visual Studio Code. Need to present your renderings or marketing deck to the team? The 16-inch, 165Hz IPS WQXGA 2560 x 1440 display lays flat on a 180-degree hinge, making sharing a snap.

All of this GPU firepower, GiMATE’s AI toolkit, and over 12 hours of battery life are squeezed into a trim 19.45mm chassis you can easily tote around to offsite meetings and coffee shops.

For newbie AI gamers and light creators: GIGABYTE GAMING A16 Credit: GIGABYTE

Just starting your AI journey? GIGABYTE’s mainstream AI gaming laptop is priced right and plays hard. The stealth GIGABYTE GAMING A16 ships with an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor and up to an RTX 5070 Laptop GPU with a full 115W TGP, delivering hair-raising performance out of the box. Bonus points for the upgradable memory and storage options that offer growing room as you level up.

Opens in a new window Credit: GIGABYTE GIGABYTE GAMING A16 $1,899.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

A 16-inch 2560 x 1440 IPS display with a 16:10 aspect ratio and a fast, 165Hz refresh rate makes for smooth sword fights and crisp visuals for creative work. Among the bundle of baked-in GiMATE, MUX switching really comes in handy here, letting you flip between dGPU-only mode, which runs everything through the dedicated graphics for max performance, and hybrid mode, which leans on the integrated graphics (iGPU) to stretch battery life up to 12 hours, all with a quick restart instead of a trip into the BIOS.

GIGABYTE has boosted its AI gaming laptops with GiMATE AI assistance, putting them on the shortlist for anyone getting, or gifting, a laptop this year. Nab your perfect GIGABYTE AI machine before the holiday rush hits.

SAVE $12: As of Nov. 11, get the Lego Pokémon Eevee set for $47.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $59.99. That's a discount of 20%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Lego Pokémon Eevee $47.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12   Get Deal at Amazon

If you're a Lego fan, there are plenty of early Black Friday deals popping up that you can take advantage of. One set in particular is well worth making some space for in your budget if you're a Pokémon lover, as one of the most adorable monsters from the original 151 is up for grabs to immortalize out of the colorful bricks right now for a great discount.

As of Nov. 11, get the Lego Pokémon Eevee set for $47.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $59.99. That's $12 off and a discount of 20%.

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This Eevee building set comes with a whopping 587 pieces so you can bring the cute little Normal-type, which can evolve into a variety of elemental 'mons, to life. It has a movable head and set of limbs with ears you can pose, as well as an angled tail, so when you build it, you can make it look like Eevee is wagging at you or tilting its head in an adorable manner.

When finished, you'll also find a special hidden Easter egg as part of Eevee's build that's a nod to all of its possible evolutions like Flareon, Vaporeon, and Glaceon. That makes it a great pick for fans of Pokémon in general or just this sprightly little guy, who's bound to put a smile in your (or a friend's or family member's) day. It's a short and sweet build, but if you love this Pokémon, it's well worth picking up.

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