Technology

For families who need extra space without overspending, the mid-size three-row SUV segment remains one of the most competitive, and 2025 brings more value-packed options than ever. These vehicles offer the ideal blend of passenger room, cargo capacity, and modern tech, all while keeping prices within reach for budget-conscious buyers.

How do you like to unwind? Plenty of my friends love to read, hike, and watch movies. I love all that, too, but there is sometimes only one thing that rings my bell: watching true crime documentaries.

The suffix "phile" means "lover of", and so a cinephile is someone who really loves cinema. But, everyone who likes watching movies loves cinema, don't they? No, to rise to the level of cinephile, you need to really love the movies.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for August 8, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Ways to throw a baseball

• Green: Hockey fouls

• Blue: Women's hockey

• Purple: Roll Tide QBs

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Baseball Pitching Arm Slots

• Green: Hockey Penalties

• Blue: PWHL Teams

• Purple: Former Alabama QBs

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #320 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Baseball Pitching Arm Slots - OVERHAND, SIDEARM, SUBMARINE, THREE-QUARTERS

• Hockey Penalties - BOARDING, CROSS-CHECKING, HOOKING, INTERFERENCE

• PWHL Teams - CHARGE, FLEET, FROST, SIRENS

• Former Alabama QBs - NAMATH, STABLER, STARR, YOUNG

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Despite the many advances in technology and the widespread presence of AI that can answer almost any question, there are still dozens of myths about Windows computers that continue to shape how people use their PCs. Whether a myth has real grounds in reality or is a common misconception present even among enthusiasts, many just aren’t true anymore, or are only partly true.

Debian Linux 13, nicknamed "Trixie" after the Triceratops character who first appeared in Toy Story 3, releases August 9, 2025. If you're curious what the release holds in store, here a few of the big changes you can expect in Debian 13.

Even as EVs begin to encroach on ICE cars, the development of fuel-burning engines hasn't stopped. With almost 150 years of development in the Otto cycle internal combustion engine, you may think there's not much left to do—but you'd be wrong.

Did you know that your Chromebook can install apps from the Google Play Store? The Play Store has come built into ChromeOS for nearly a decade now, and that means you can install Android apps on ChromeOS.

Microsoft is quietly winding down its Lens scanning app for iOS and Android, the company confirmed in a support document.

Formerly known as Office Lens, the app lets users convert images into PDFs, PowerPoint slides, and Excel files, handling both handwritten and printed documents with ease. It was simple, reliable, and widely used — but it’s now on the chopping block. Microsoft plans to officially retire the app on Sept. 15, 2025.

SEE ALSO: Apple will soon be ending support for Intel-based Macs

Support will end on Nov. 15, 2025, when Lens will be pulled from both the App Store and Google Play. Users will still be able to create scans until Dec. 15, 2025, but after that, the feature will be disabled. Existing scans will remain accessible as long as the app stays installed on the device.

The move marks the end of an app that’s seen more than 50 million downloads on Google Play and nearly 136,000 ratings on Apple’s App Store.

Microsoft is pointing users toward Microsoft 365 Copilot, which carries over most of Lens’s scanning capabilities. However, Copilot lacks some of Lens’s biggest perks, including direct saving to Microsoft Suite apps and accessibility features like read-aloud support and Immersive Reader integration.

LibreOffice Writer can build fillable PDFs from scratch. You don’t need a template or a plugin. You just start with a blank document, place form fields by hand, and export it the right way. The tools are already built in, just hard to find.

If you’re like me and want to time-travel to an era where physical media dominated the AV space, you’re not alone. While streaming music, movies, and TV shows across popular platforms like Spotify and Netflix is certainly convenient, there's something about the tangibility of physical media that's hard to replace. It also becomes rather mind-numbing to get caught in the endless scrolling of playlists, suggested content, and advertisements; not to mention the constant price hikes for these services. So, I threw caution to the wind and told myself I'd try to live without Internet-powered media as a means of giving my brain a break from buffering and subscriptions.

Finding the right tool for the job can sometimes be challenging, but it doesn't have to be. Ryobi tools might not be the "best" according to the pros, but whenever I need something new, I keep buying Ryobi tools, and here's why.

Do you think Docker is only for developers? I’ve heard that saying, but it couldn’t be more wrong. I’m not a developer, and I use Docker to run dozens of services and apps in my homelab.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, August 9, 2025:

AcrossFriendly and pleasant

• The answer is Amiable.

Irritatingly self-important

• The answer is Pompous.

Cheerleaders' accessories

• The answer is Pompoms.

Barely ___ out a living

• The answer is Eke.

"We haven't decided yet," on schedules

• The answer is TBA.

Radio exposure for a song

• The answer is Airplay.

___ of two evils

• The answer is Lesser.

Pancake mix ingredient

• The answer is Egg.

DownChallenge to a court ruling

• The answer is Appeal.

Dodgers slugger Betts

• The answer is Mookie.

Deeply involve oneself (in)

• The answer is Immerse.

Smartphone download

• The answer is App.

Illegal copy

• The answer is Bootleg.

Kind of support for the lower back

• The answer is Lumbar.

English class assignment

• The answer is Essay.

French soccer club that won its first Champions League title in 2025, for short

• The answer is PSG.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.

Electric SUVs are no longer just about efficiency, they can now deliver thrilling performance and true luxury. In 2025, one compact EV stands out as the perfect blend of speed, refinement, and cutting-edge technology, earning its spot as the best in its class.

Another week in the Android world is behind us, and this one was just as eventful as any other. A couple of Android phones did not score well in iFixIt's repairability test, Google Messages had a nasty bug, and One UI 8 started rolling out to last year's Galaxy phones.

And just like that, I found myself thinking: I want the lives of those YouTubers.

See, I'm a millennial raised in the infancy of the internet — the iPhone was still a novelty during high school — and there are times I feel the generational chasm spanning myself, Gen Z, and, more extremely, the children of Gen Alpha. Our digital worlds are just different, and naturally so.

Younger folks want to be influencers more than any other career, polling has shown, which is a job that simply did not exist for a good portion of my life. It's an impulse I didn't fully comprehend, really, until I stumbled upon the channel Bob Does Sports. I get it now. Because, as a man in his 30s, I can safely say without a little bit of shame, I want the life those YouTubers have.

SEE ALSO: KallMeKris and Celina Spooky Boo talk making a horror film after a career as creators

If I could succinctly summarize what the channel does, I'd go with something like: It's three dudes (and a few producers) who play golf together, mess around, play golf and mess around, gorge on copious amounts of food, travel across the globe, and did I mention mess around and play golf? To quote the parlance of our times: my dream date, cute.

Along the way, it’s turned into a lucrative career — over 1 million YouTube subscribers, major sponsorships, hangouts with famous athletes, and life as parasocial celebrities to, well, mostly dudes in my demographic.

"We never want to lose that feeling of how crazy it is," Robby Berger, the Bob behind the eponymous Bob Does Sports channel, told Mashable in an interview over Zoom. "Because, 'til this day, it's very, very hard for us to wrap our heads around — seeing [the channel] grow and seeing it get bigger, and going to golf courses and seeing how many fans are coming up [to us]."

Robby — aka Bob, aka Bobby Fairways, aka the D Man or Da — is the bandleader of the main trio, which is rounded out by Joseph Demare — aka Joey Coldcuts, aka Cutsy, aka the D man or Da (don't ask) — and Nick Stubbe, aka Fat Perez, aka FP. But real BDS heads know and love the producers Jet, Big Ticket, and J Bone, too. It's a carnival of characters, and the videos do a good job of highlighting their quirks. Watching the videos feels like being a silent participant in a buddies' trip — there's golf, inside jokes, and general fooling around from guys in their 30s. Typically speaking, each video features the group playing golf with some kind of challenge. That could be a score, a win-or-lose match-up, an amount of food to eat, a number of drinks to drink, or some combination of those goals. The golf matters — you root for these guys — but it's more about the comedy of the group.

And it might feel like a buddies trip because everyone involved is — or was, really — a normal guy. Berger and Demare met years ago working at the Four Season in Beverly Hills. Stubbe was a desk jockey working an accountant gig. Now, even if you're not a golf fan, you might recognize Berger from his funny TikTok account. He's been working toward being a creator for a while, but it was golfing with Coldcuts — and later FP — that really skyrocketed things.

So, where are they now?

• A channel with 1.1 million subscribers.

• A sponsorship deal with Callaway, one of the biggest names in golf.

• Their own alcoholic drink line (Have A Day) and clothing line (Breezy).

• Videos with some of the biggest names in sports, including Josh Allen, Jon Rahm, a few Yankees, and more.

• Alongside Barstool, leading the upcoming Internet Invitational, a newly created YouTube golf tournament with a $1 million prize pool.

A few years ago, Berger was a part-time comedian who'd show up to sporting events to heckle the pros (playfully). Now, golf magazines write about his every move.

"It feels like these little moments," Perez told Mashable. "It's like a step ladder of things that's just like: That's wild, that's wild, this is crazy, how are we here?"

They all talked about experiencing moments like that, but perhaps none more than their match against popular pro Max Homa. That video has racked up more than 3 million views and was an amazing, funny, and suspenseful golf match. It was also a sign that the golf world saw BDS as legitimate.

A rising tide lifts all boats, and it's not like the BDS crew are the only YouTube golf creators spiking in popularity. Counterparts and frequent collaborators like Grant Horvat and the Bryan Bros, for instance, are super popular. YouTube golf, in general, has become a genre in and of itself — this amid golf's post-2020 rise in popularity online and otherwise — and has led to creators getting invited to participate in both PGA Tour and LIV Golf events.

SEE ALSO: Online, golf is for everyone

What separates BDS, however, is that they're genuinely funny while playing the stuffiest sport known to man. Horvat might be YouTube golf's "golden boy" — he seems to draw his biggest crowd from younger golfers — but he simply could not crush an entire large pizza while playing like the BDS guys. Nobody else in golf is quoting deep internet lore. Nobody else in golf is fervently debating the merits of chili in hot weather. And nothing in the world is making me laugh as hard as Cutsy — who famously runs a bit hot — melting down as everyone else watches.

"If Bob had his way, I'd be the sequel of The Truman Show... He would just have eyes on me at all times. I think I would just be living in a simulation or something." - Joseph Demare

In some ways, that's the magic of the group. Between their videos, social presence, podcast, and more, you start to feel like you know these guys. You're hanging out with them. And all of them are one-of-a-kind, Coldcuts maybe most of all.

"If Bob had his way, I'd be the sequel of The Truman Show," Cutsy told Mashable. "He would just have eyes on me at all times. I think I would just be living in a simulation or something."

So when they're out in public, people playfully give them shit because they feel like old pals. It's a funny phenomenon. People love to rib FP for struggling in their food challenges, despite, you know, the word Fat being in his name.

"At the golf course or airports, [I'll get], 'You've got to step up your game with the donuts,'" FP said while laughing.

Bob, poor Bob, gets a lot of shit or even unsolicited advice about his golf game. FP is a genuinely good golfer, Cutsy can smack the hell out of the ball and is improving, while Bob...Bob sometimes fights demons out there. So, yes, like every golfer knows, other golfers can't help themselves but step in and share their tips.

"My mistake is, I'll listen to everything. I'll take whatever they give me," Berger said.

Still, talking to these guys, you get the feeling that they understand how fortunate they are to do what they do. For dudes our age, one golf buddies' trip a year is an amazing luxury. They do it for a living. It's a career path that didn't exist five years ago, let alone something they could've dreamt up as kids.

"I'm pretty sure my grandparents have no idea what I do," FP said. "We'll have 2-million-viewed videos. And then I make, like, Virginia Golfer Magazine, some free magazine, and they're like, 'Oh, look! You've made it!.' I'm like, 'Grandma, you gotta look over here, like, turn the computer on.'"

SEE ALSO: Why 'College Football '25' means so much to its long-suffering fans

To see such a quick rise in popularity — and to see their lives shift entirely — it makes sense that the trio said they expect to keep doing more of the same. They emphasized that as they grow, they know fun golf videos are the bread and butter. But that doesn't mean they don't think about stepping it up. Late nights at Airbnbs often end with producers pitching more and more outlandish ideas.

"Jet wanted to do a food and drinking challenge, combined, for 18 holes," Coldcuts said, noting the idea got vetoed. "It's just like, 'Yo, we're gonna get stretchered out and airlifted to the ER."

There was also a Jet-pitched idea of eating an entire Thanksgiving meal...in a golf cart...in nine holes.

"One Turkey in Nine Holes, like, what's the title?" FP joked. "It feels like the guy just wants to see us suffer sometimes, which, you know, I don't blame him."

So yes, things might get weirder on the channel, but don't expect the formula to change. Berger said doing what they do has opened unimaginable doors. They'll keep at it and see what slides open next.

"Right now, we don't really want to change anything," Berger said. "Because we're having so much fun, and we're able to make a business out of it."

Battery life on the devices we use every day is never enough. We’re always scrambling for solutions to increase it when running low on power, be it a portable charger or tethering ourselves to the nearest wall outlet with an adapter plug in hand. But every now and then, we’ll lose track of the energy levels on these products. 

Our devices often die at the most inopportune times, like on the way to the gym or when driving to pick up a toddler from daycare. It sucks not having battery life when you need it most. Well, lo and behold, there is a workaround for this predicament. 

Ever heard of reverse charging? You’ve probably stumbled upon the term when reading Mashable’s latest headphones reviews (it’s been our priority to highlight releases that support the technology). This is one of the more underrated features of modern devices like smartphones and earbuds that everyone should know about, especially those who are terrible with battery life management. 

I’m here to give you a crash course on the topic and explain how it can be a lifesaver. All that is needed for the most part is a USB-C charging cable, and we have three solid options to look at once the lesson is over.

What is reverse charging, and how does it work?

Reverse charging is the ability of a smartphone (or another device) to transfer power to another device without using a charger, wall outlet, or power bank. In other words, you can charge up your AirPods using your iPhone. This can be done wirelessly, or more often, with a compatible charging cable.

I do this all the time when my fitness headphones are almost dead and require extra juice to get through lengthy workouts (they’ll be connected to my Google Pixel 9 when performing pre-workout stretches).

The one misconception about reverse charging

Reverse charging isn’t exclusive to smartphones. In fact, most portable devices employ this feature. You can use a laptop to recharge a smartphone or wireless earbuds. An iPhone can even be used to recharge a portable speaker (*cough* the Beats Pill cough). 

Some of the best portable Bluetooth speakers come with a built-in power bank to recharge smaller devices. For the ones that don’t, they can rely on a smartphone for an electric surge.

What’s this about wireless reverse charging?

Samsung deserves credit for popularizing wireless reverse charging. The company’s PowerShare technology debuted on Galaxy smartphones several years back, allowing users to wirelessly charge a secondary device by placing it on the back of the phone. This includes Samsung smartwatches and wireless earbuds, as well as other Android- and Apple-based devices (iPhone, AirPods). Mobile manufacturers like Google, Huawei, and Xiaomi also offer this feature on their latest smartphones. It’s something to keep in mind when your buds are near depletion and that brand-new Galaxy Z Fold 7 is sitting in your pocket with plenty of power to spare.

Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable Our three favorite charging cables for reverse charging

Beats USB-C to USB-C Cable

Beats just launched a variety of charging cables that pair perfectly with its popular wireless audio releases, such as the Pill portable speaker and Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds. The cable length is adequate, and its charging strength is superior to what the standard iPhone cable delivers. Furthermore, the USB-C version grants lossless audio playback for the AirPods Max and current Beats headphones (e.g., Solo 4, Studio Pro). | Read our full Beats charging cable review.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats USB-C to USB-C Cable $18.99 at Amazon
Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats USB-C to Lightning Cable $18.99 at Amazon
Get Deal

Anker Prime USB-C to USB-C Cable

Designed to “boost a 16-inch MacBook Pro (M3 Pro) to 50% in just 26 minutes,” Anker’s flagship charging cable comes in three lengths (1 ft, 3 ft, and 6 ft.) and has extreme temperature resilience to maintain ultra-fast 240W charging without overheating devices. It’s a super-thick cable covered in flexible hard-woven material that can bend up to 300,000 times before breaking. Not to mention it comes with ridiculously fast transfer speeds; you can send four 3-minute songs to another device in one second. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Prime USB-C to USB-C Cable $18.19 at Amazon
$25.99 Save $7.80 Get Deal

UGreen 240W PD3.1 USB-C to USB-C Cable

This budget alternative charges slightly faster than Anker’s cable and can be used with a vast number of devices. This includes laptops, phones, tablets, and even handheld gaming consoles (e.g., Nintendo Switch 2, Steam Deck). It works best when paired with brand accessories like the Uno Charger, which is a cool-looking power adapter with an LCD screen that informs you of charging statuses via facial expressions. 

Opens in a new window Credit: UGREEN UGREEN USB-C to USB-C Cable $9.67 at Amazon
$11.99 Save $2.32 Get Deal

Microsoft started name-dropping laptops called Copilot+ PCs in the middle of 2024, hyping them like the second coming of the IBM PC Model 5150. They're "the fastest, most intelligent Windows PCs ever built" and "the most significant change to the Windows platform in decades," it declared. But if you shear away the marketing fluff, what does the term "Copilot+ PC" mean on a practical level? What is a Copilot+ PC, anyway?

Here's a little secret: A Copilot+ PC is essentially just a newer Windows laptop with several unique AI features. There's a little more to it, but it's not as complicated as it sounds.

Below, I've compiled a simple guide for shoppers who want to know exactly what they're getting when they buy one of these so-called AI PCs, including their spec minimums.

First off: What is Copilot?

Copilot (formerly Bing Chat) is an AI assistant developed by Microsoft and powered by a custom version of ChatGPT by OpenAI. The Copilot app comes pre-installed on every new Windows 11 laptop, and you'll see it pinned to the taskbar or on the Start menu when you boot up your machine. All models released since 2024 also come with physical keyboard shortcuts for Copilot. You can remap that hotkey if you don't use it, but there will always be a little Copilot logo on it.

If you don't have a Windows laptop, you can access Copilot on the web at copilot.com or install the Copilot app yourself for free. It's available for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android.

So what does 'Copilot+ PC' mean, exactly? Nine different laptop manufacturers make Copilot+ PCs. Credit: Microsoft

A Copilot+ PC is a Windows laptop with a certain kind of newer processor that enables some exclusive AI-powered software features. They're often called "AI PCs."

Microsoft announced the Copilot+ PC category in May 2024 and the first wave of devices launched a month later, so the genre is still pretty fresh. Beyond Microsoft's own models, Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, LG, MSI, and Samsung all make Copilot+ PCs, too. They currently start at $699.99 and are sold at Best Buy, Amazon, and Costco, as well as on their manufacturers' websites.

Copilot+ PC features The "Click to Do" tool on Copilot+ PCs is like a smarter right-click menu. Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft's suite of Copilot+ PC features (or "experiences," as it likes to call them) isn't available on other Windows laptops:

• Click to Do suggests various actions when you highlight text and images (beyond your standard "Copy"). If you select a paragraph on a website, for example, Click to Do will offer to summarize it, turn it into a list, and rewrite it in different tones.

• Improved Windows search can find files and settings on your computer without needing their exact names or correct spelling.

• Live Captions translates video and audio into English from over 44 languages in real time. It's virtually identical to Google's Live Caption tool for Chrome and Android devices.

• Cocreator is an image generator in Microsoft Paint.

• Image Creator and Restyle Image are an image generator and a photo-filtering tool in Microsoft Photos, respectively. Some Copilot+ PCs have an additional image enhancement feature in Photos called Super Resolution, and the full lineup will get it later this year.

• Recall takes constant screenshots of your on-screen activities and makes them searchable. It's controversial for security reasons; in order to use it, you have to opt in to saving screenshots and enable a biometric sign-in option.

• Windows Studio Effects are webcam tools. They can keep you in frame, make your face appear better-lit, blur your background, add filters, minimize background noises, and adjust your gaze to make it look like you're making direct eye contact. (I've tried that one, and it's kind of freaky.)

Copilot+ PC requirements A Copilot+ PC has to have an NPU — but not just any NPU. Credit: Microsoft

In order to run these features, Copilot+ PCs have to meet some spec standards. Microsoft notes that these could change over time, but at present, they include:

• At least 16GB of RAM

• At least 256GB of SSD or UFS storage

• A processor with a decent NPU (or neural processing unit, an extra bit of hardware for handling AI tasks)

More specifically, a Copilot+ PC's NPU has to be capable of performing at least 40 TOPS (or Trillion Operations Per Second, a metric that quantifies AI performance). Forty TOPS is on the high end among modern laptops' NPUs, which typically max out at 50 TOPS. To boil this down, it that means Copilot+ PCs are some of the fastest laptops when it comes to AI processing.

There are currently three types of laptop processors that tick this box of having an NPU with at least 40 TOPS:

• Qualcomm Snapdragon X series processors (Snapdragon X, X Plus, and X Elite)

• Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors, aka Intel Lunar Lake (Intel Core Ultra 5 226V, 5 228V, 5 236V, 5 238V, 7 256V, 7 258V, 7 266V, 7 268V, and 9 288V)

• AMD Ryzen AI 300 series processors (AMD Ryzen AI 5 340, 7 350, 9 365, 9 HX 370, and 9 HX 375)

An important aside: Snapdragon X series processors are ARM-based chips, which means they work differently than x86-based Intel and AMD processors. Because of this, they're not compatible with certain apps that are only designed to run on x86 systems — mainly specialty apps like AutoCAD and some school software. Many top public universities actively discourage their students from getting Snapdragon-powered laptops for this exact reason. Keep that in mind if you're shopping for a new Windows laptop; your main use case could disqualify a third of your options.

Copilot+ PC reviews: Models we love

Mashable has been testing Copilot+ PCs since the category launched, and we've found that they tend to score especially well on battery life — outlasting even newer Apple MacBooks. Some of our favorite models include the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, a polished-looking powerhouse that's our top Windows laptop overall; the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition, our No. 1 convertible (and our reigning battery life champ); and the Asus ZenBook A14, an ultraportable that comes in under $1,000.

For more info, check out our guide to the best Windows laptops.

Shop our favorite Copilot+ PCs: Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,399.99 Shop Now Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,749.99 Shop Now Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $999.99 Shop Now

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Starting college comes with a lot of tough choices: which dorm to live in, which major to pursue, when to pull an all-nighter, and how many parties to attend on the weekend. But picking the right laptop for school shouldn't be one of them.

Here at Mashable, we're constantly testing laptops based on an exhaustive in-house methodology that combines real-world use with performance benchmarking. With this intel in my back pocket, I sought to determine which of our top-reviewed laptops fit the bill for college students this coming semester, prioritizing value and portability.

I also researched leading universities' hardware recommendations to identify the processors, RAM, storage, and software compatibility you'll need. (More on that in the "What to look for in a college laptop" section.)

I settled on five winners across a range of price points, and they should last until graduation or longer. I'm confident they'll all perform well, fit easily into a backpack, and endure long days on campus.

What's the best laptop for college students? Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

To answer this question, you have to answer another one first: Windows or Mac?

The new M4 MacBook Air gets the nod as the best MacBook for college. It offers quiet power; a premium, portable design; an above-average webcam; and all-day battery life for a stellar price. Power users pursuing majors that involve intensive specialty software (such as graphic design, engineering, and computer science) should upgrade to a MacBook Pro with an M4 Pro chip. We tested and loved the 16-inch model, a gorgeous beast of a machine, but a cheaper 14-inch version is also available with nearly identical specs.

Windows users will do well with the Acer Swift X 14 (2024), a 14-inch clamshell laptop with plenty of power, including a dedicated GPU for more demanding coursework, plus a good mix of ports and a vivid OLED display. And if you want a Chromebook for note-taking and other basic tasks, the Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is the best model we've tried. And in one of the best back-to-school laptop deals I've spotted so far, a lesser version of it is on sale for under $400 at Best Buy.

What to look for in a college laptop Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Credit: Sarah Chaney

Among the 20 top-ranking public universities whose recommendations I read, half tell their students to purchase lightweight Windows 11 laptops or MacBooks that are less than two years old. (Some say you can go even older, but I wouldn't for the sake of future-proofing.) Most schools advise students to purchase laptops with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage at a minimum, but note that more is always better if your budget allows. I'd approach your processor options in the same way. For Windows laptops, start with a mid-range option, like an Intel Core Ultra 5 or 7 chip, and work your way up if possible. For MacBooks, I suggest the M4 chip for value reasons, but more on that in each product breakdown.

Students pursuing humanities majors might be able to get away with just 256GB of storage, but I would supplement that with an external hard drive. In contrast, those enrolled in engineering, graphic design, animation, or computer science programs should default to high-end configurations with at least 24GB or 32GB of memory and 1TB of storage to accommodate their heavier workloads. Some schools also recommend tacking on a dedicated GPU (i.e, Nvidia GeForce RTX graphics) for such coursework.

A few schools noted that ARM-based Windows laptops with Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors may not work with certain software and peripherals that students will need to use. That includes AutoCAD, a popular 2D and 3D design app. We like a lot of Snapdragon-powered laptops, as they tend to be fast and long-lasting, but I've kept them off my list of picks to help students avoid potential compatibility issues. Anything with an Intel or AMD CPU is a go.

Along similar lines, a couple of the schools tell their students not to buy Chromebooks, which are web-based laptops with lesser specs and lower price tags. I've included one great Chromebook on my list for any shoppers looking for a cheaper laptop for note-taking and sending emails, but know that it shouldn't be used as your primary computer, and that it may also be incompatible with certain specialty software.

No matter what kind of laptop you choose, be sure to budget for an extended warranty with accidental damage protection, as suggested by half of my research pool. For reference, AppleCare+ for Mac costs $69.99 to $149.99 a year (or slightly less with education pricing), depending on the MacBook model.

Finally, I don't recommend purchasing a laptop for college without first checking to see if your major or program has any specific hardware requirements, as they might differ from your school's broader guidance. For example, Purdue University approves MacBooks for its general student population but tells certain engineering majors to steer clear of them.