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Each year, the Emmys' tribute to stars who've passed away is always a moving moment, however this year's "In Memoriam" segment seemed especially sombre.

As well as paying tribute to the late Catherine O'Hara, Rob Reiner, Tim Curry, Robert Duvall, Isiah Whitlock Jr., James Van Der Beek, Anthony Head, Hayden Panetierre, and sadly many more, the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards honoured a bright light missing from this year's ceremony: Dolly Parton.

Following the screen and music icon's death in August, the Emmys saw two of Parton's friends honouring her on stage: her Steel Magnolias co-star Sally Field and country music star Reba McEntire performing Parton's 1983 ballad "Appalachian Memories."

SEE ALSO: The complete list of 2026 Emmy winners

"If there are truly angels on earth, then we just lost one: Dolly Parton," said Field in her speech, seen in the video above. "Over the years, I never stopped loving her. Though we lived very far apart, I adored her from day one. How could you not? She was genuine and humble, supportive and blisteringly funny, with a bawdy sense of humor that would send any rude guy looking for a place to hide. I couldn't see then what a real giant Dolly was — not just as an artist, but as a human."

For everything that happened at the 2026 Emmys, we've got you covered.

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Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 15, 2026 Caboose meaning

A railroad car attached to the back of a freight train to shelter and house the train crew.

December meaning

The last month of the year.

Dessert meaning

A sweet treat typically eaten after dinner.

Epilogue meaning

A final section or speech at the end of a book, play or film.

Handle meaning

To manage or control something.

Lid meaning

A removable or hinged cover used to close the top of a container.

Spout meaning

A small pipe on a container used to pour liquids.

Whistle meaning

A clear high-pitched sound made by blowing air.

Coach meaning

A person who trains a sports team or teaches a skill.

Direct meaning

Doing something with any intervention.

Guide meaning

A person or thing that leads, directs or gives information to help find or understand something.

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Train meaning

A connected line of railroad cars running on tracks..

Asset meaning

Something owned by a person or company tha has monetary value.

Mole meaning

A hidden spy who works for an organization or government for a long time.

Plant meaning

A living organism that grows in the ground.

Sleeper meaning

A spy who moves to another country and lives undercover for years before taking action.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 the latest Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a tea drinker.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. 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 today's 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?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. 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 Pips hints, answers for September 15, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: To lead

• Green: A good cuppa

• Blue: A spy

• Purple: Finish line

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Instruct

• Green: Parts of a whistling kettle

• Blue: Undercover operative

• Purple: Things that appear at the end

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 #1191 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Instruct: COACH, DIRECT, GUIDE, TRAIN

• Parts of a whistling kettle: HANDLE, LID, SPOUT, WHISTLE

• Undercover operative: ASSET, MOLE, PLANT, SLEEPER

• Things that appear at the end: CABOOSE, DECEMBER, DESSERT, EPILOGUE

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 the latest Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're handy.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

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

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 15, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: If you build it

The words are related to fixing things.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe tools.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Hardware

NYT Strands word list for September 15

• Bolt

• Nail

• Knob

• Joist

• Hinge

• Hardware

• Screw

• Bracket

• Anchor

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and 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 the latest Strands.

SAVE $400: As of Sept. 15, the Roborock Qrevo S5V is on sale for $499.98 at Amazon. That's a 44% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: roborock Roborock Qrevo S5V $499.98 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $400.01   Get Deal

Robot vacuum deals are always something to get excited about, especially when they take hundreds of dollars off the list price, like this latest Amazon deal on the Roborock Qrevo S5V.

Normally $899.99, this model is currently on sale for $499.98, taking $400 off the list price. Not only that, but this is the lowest-ever price for this robot vacuum, so you know you've landed a great deal.

This robot vacuum has 12,000Pa of suction power to lift dirt and stubborn debris from carpets, rugs, and hard floors. It has a Zero-Tangle system that prevents hair from wrapping around the brushes, making it a great option for homes with pets.

And it doesn't just pick up dirt. This model also has a built-in mop with dual spinning mops that rotate at 200 RPM, so even the toughest floor stains are no problem to clean. After vacuuming and mopping, the all-in-one dock automatically empties the dustbin into a 10-week storage bin, washes the mops, dries them with warm air, and refills the water tank, so it's ready to go for its next clean with no assistance required.

This robot vacuum deal is available at Amazon right now.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're good under pressure.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. 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 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 15, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 15, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Handled.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

DEALT

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle 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.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 the latest Wordle.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Want more tech and digital culture 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.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Speeds.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

ZOOMS

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Diameter.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

GIRTH

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Stranger.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 15, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Sept. 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

ODDER

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Problem.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

ISSUE

Final Hurdle hint

Another sense.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

SIXTH

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

SAVE $300: As of Sept. 15, the Shark AV2511AE AI robot vacuum is on sale for $299.99 at Amazon. That's a 50% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark AV2511AE AI $299.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $300   Get Deal

A robot vacuum won't make your entire chore list go away, but it can keep vacuuming off it entirely. Instead of having to dig out the vacuum every time the floors need attention, you can let a robot handle the regular dirt and dust for you. And if you've been looking for a deal on a great model, Amazon currently has an impressive discount on the Shark AV2511AE AI.

As of Sept. 15, this model is half off at Amazon, down from $599.99 to just $299.99.

SEE ALSO: iRobot unveils its most powerful vacuums yet — everything to know about the Roomba Max 875 and Plus 678

This robot vacuum features powerful suction that picks up dirt and pet hair on both carpets and hard floors. It even has a self-cleaning brushroll that helps prevent hair wrap.

Its Matrix Clean technology uses a precision grid pattern to make multiple passes over messes, and the 360° LiDAR navigation maps your home and detects objects, even in the dark.

When the battery runs low during a clean, the vacuum will return to the dock to recharge before picking up where it left off. However, with up to 90 minutes of runtime, you'll get a good amount of cleaning done in one go. The bagless self-emptying base can also hold up to 60 days of dirt and debris, so there's no need for disposal bags.

Get this Shark robot vacuum deal at Amazon now.

SAVE $60: As of Sept. 15, the DJI Neo is on sale for $139 at Amazon. That's a 30% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Neo $139 at Amazon
$199 Save $60   Get Deal

Drones can be intimidating when you're just getting started, but the DJI Neo is a great option if you want to keep things relatively simple. It's a small, lightweight drone designed for beginners, and it's currently on sale on Amazon.

Normally $199, this drone is now $139. Not only are you saving $60, but according to camelcamelcamel, that's the best-ever price for this drone.

There's been plenty of discussion around the new U.S. restrictions affecting DJI drones, but you can still buy (for now). The changes apply to future imports, while DJI drones already in stock with U.S. retailers can still be purchased and used. If you've been considering the DJI Neo, you've still got time.

This drone comes packed with a range of beginner-friendly features and tools. It has eight QuickShots modes for capturing different types of footage, which is handy if you don't want to manually control every shot. You can also fly it using voice commands, the DJI mobile app, an RC controller, or without a controller at all.

For video, the Neo captures 4K footage with DJI's stabilization technology and has level 4 wind resistance for flying in less-than-perfect conditions. Full-coverage propeller guards also add another layer of protection when you're navigating around obstacles.

Get this DJI drone deal at Amazon now.

Stratospheric infrastructure company Sceye has crossed the Pacific for the first time, taking its reflective, balloon-like High-Altitude Platform System from New Mexico to Japan. It's the latest milestone on the road to commercialization for a platform that can deliver phone service and observation.

Read more about alternative space and flight technology: New floating internet infrastructure takes flight
World's largest gun for shooting satellites into space

Timecode chapters
0:00 Intro
0:26 A fiber-optic cable from the stratosphere
0:35 Latest mission
1:27 Services offered
2:00 Quantum key distribution
2:20 ‘Landlords in the stratosphere’

Video credits
Host: Jesse Orrall
Scripted by: Jesse Orrall
Producer: Jesse Orrall, Jon Gomez
Camera: Sceye
Video editor: Jon Gomez
Thumbnail designer: Tharon Green

SAVE $1,502: As of Sept. 15, the TCL 85-inch Class QM8L Series TV is on sale for $2,497.99 at Amazon. That's a 38% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 85-inch Class QM8L Series TV $2,497.99 at Amazon
$3,999.99 Save $1,502   Get Deal

If you want your living room to feel like a movie theater, a huge TV is about as close as you can get. Movies, games, whatever you're watching are all infinitely better on not just a big screen, but a huge screen.

If you've been waiting for a big-screen TV to come down in price, there's currently a great deal on the TCL 85-inch Class QM8L Series TV at Amazon.

Normally priced at $3,999.99, as of Sept. 15, you can save a huge $1,502 on this TV. That brings the cost down to $2,497.99. Not only is this a huge saving, but it's also the lowest this TV has ever been priced.

This TV uses the TCL Deep Color System and Halo Control System to ensure detailed picture quality for everything you watch. It also has an Ultra Color Filter that uses 5-nanometer particles for more precise color. Plus, audio is provided by Bang & Olufsen, so everything will sound clear and immersive. There's also support for an optional wireless subwoofer and satellite speakers, so you can personalize the audio to suit you.

It's a great option for gamers, too. The TCL Game Pack includes Game Accelerator 288 VRR, Game Bar, and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro for smoother motion.

Get this TV deal at Amazon now.

With Law & Order SVU star Mariska Hargitay hosting the 2026 Emmys, rumours had been swirling about the possible appearance of Taylor Swift — a famous fan of the show, who even named her cat after Hargitay's character Olivia Benson and included Hargitay in her 2015 "Bad Blood" video.

Fortunately, the Emmys did not disappoint. In the sketch above, Hargitay stars in a Law & Order SVU-style parody in which she tries to "Think like a Swiftie" and put clues together on a crime board. The whole thing is basically one Swift pun after another, during which the artist herself appears to help them solve the case.

We also get the joy of seeing two Olivia Bensons on screen at the same time!

For a full list of the 2026 Emmys winners, we've got you covered.

Want more film and TV news and reviews delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts.

Each year, the Emmys pays tribute to stars who've passed away within the last year, and this year's "In Memoriam" segment was especially moving.

Presented by Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy, and Dan Levy, the tribute began with the Home Alone and Schitt's Creek stars honouring the late Catherine O'Hara, who died in January.

"She always showed up when I asked her to, because that was Catherine," said Culkin. "That's what she did. She showed up, and this is the best that we can do for her tonight. We're showing up for her. So she may have forgotten me...twice, but we will always remember her. "

"The greatest lesson I learned from Catherine, both professionally and personally, was to always say yes," said Levy. "Say yes to her instincts, all of them, as radical as they may sometimes seem. She is miles ahead of you, and you will learn to catch up. Say yes to helping her build a TV character over the age of 60 that wears leather miniskirts and eight-inch heels and speaks in a strange, sometimes unintelligible transatlantic accent, and know that she will not scare an audience away. Say yes to that rewrite she emails you sometimes the night before, 'Dear Dan, some thoughts.' It will always improve the story. Say yes to the concept of a wig wall. Say yes to her asking to wear a wig as a hat. Say yes to her naming that wig. Say yes to giving her space to experiment and create. It will amaze you on a daily basis, and it will change your life."

SEE ALSO: The complete list of 2026 Emmy winners

With Noah Kahan performing Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water," a song covered by the late Dolly Parton, the Emmys paid tribute to the music icon and O'Hara, as well as James Van Der Beek, Tim Curry, Bob Mackie, Robert Duvall, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Anthony Head, Hayden Panetierre, Kiki Shepard, Eric Dane, Vincent Pastore, Maria Riva, Hal Williams, and sadly many more.

To conclude this year's segment, Jamie Lee Curtis also paid deeply moving tribute to directors James Burrows and Rob Reiner.

"He was generous and kind, and funny as hell, and a friend to all," she said of Reiner. "We all miss Rob and Michele, and all those we lost this year."

For everything that happened at the 2026 Emmys, we've got you covered.

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Mariska Hargitay hosted the 2026 Emmys on Monday, and it's probably fair to say she crushed it.

Following an entertaining opening song, the host took to the stage to joke about everything from arresting most of the audience at one point or another on Law & Order SVU ("You guys have done some unspeakable things," says Hargitay. "I'm talking to you, Martin Short.") to not being able to pronounce the word "finale" ("I'm sorry guys, it's just that I never had one!").

The highlight? Hargitay finishing with a parody of Nicole Kidman's highly memed AMC Theatres ad, that gets interrupted by Kidman herself. "Zip it, movie lady!" grins Hargitay. "It's TV's turn tonight."

For a full list of the 2026 Emmys winners, we've got you covered.

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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 from Sept. 15, just days before fall officially starts on Tuesday, Sept. 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 obviously the Snoopy Glass Cold Cup. He's wearing a pumpkin-colored beanie, a green scarf, and 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 featuring the whole gang, 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 cup featuring 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

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is on sale for $83.44 at Amazon, down from its $89.99 list price — provided your invite request is accepted.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box $83.44 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $6.55   Pre-order Here

The Pokémon TCG’s 30th anniversary expansion finally arrives on Sept. 16, but there’s still time to get the Elite Trainer Box below list price before release. Amazon has knocked a few more dollars off its already competitive preorder price, although actually buying something still depends on getting through the retailer’s invite system. 

As of Sept. 15, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is $83.44 at Amazon, taking $6.55 off its $89.99 list price for a 7% saving. It’s shipped and sold directly by Amazon, with the retailer even applying its preorder price guarantee, which means you could save more if the price drops again during this final presale window. 

That makes today the final chance to secure the box at Amazon’s preorder rate before the 30th Celebration releases in the trading card market. This is essentially a second price drop, since its current list price matches its previous sale price after being reduced from $200+ last week, and it is far lower than its current TCGplayer market price of $168.03.

There is still no guarantee you’ll actually get one, however. Because this is a high-demand item, Amazon requires potential buyers to submit an invitation request via its "request invite" button rather than checking out normally. 

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If you are randomly selected, you’ll then get an email letting you know that you’re now able to buy Pokémon’s 30th Celebration ETB for a limited time (usually 24 hours). Amazon won’t be able to grant every request, but yours will be kept registered for the foreseeable future, so you could get an invitation after a potential restock, too. 

Inside the Elite Trainer Box are nine titular Pokémon 30th Celebration boosters, a full-art foil Nidorina promo, 16 foil Basic Energy cards, 65 sleeves, dice, a coin, dividers, a player’s guide, and a Pokémon TCG Live code. 

If your priority is just getting one of these boxes right now rather than the cheapest deal possible, Pokémon’s 30th Celebration ETBs are readily available to buy right now for $167.94 at TCGplayer — much more expensive than Amazon, but still under market price. If there are any chase cards you’re after from this special anniversary expansion, including the $1,800 Mew ex, single Pokémon 30th Celebration cards are also available to preorder at TCGplayer. 

In an Emmys speech simmering with Sir Ian McKellen in Extras energy, John Mulaney successfully showed the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards what it's all about: raising awareness for the historical lack of representation of men onscreen.

Presenting Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series — no disrespect to The Pitt's Noah Wyle, who won the award — the comedian used his couple of intro minutes to rally for the cause.

"This is the best part of the night: Lead actor in a drama. This award is for the guys. Just men being men. Finally, something for the fellas. And what a crop of prom kings we have. They're not soft like the dad on Bluey. Guy's a joke," Mulaney said onstage.

SEE ALSO: The complete list of 2026 Emmy winners

"Since the creation of television, men have been historically unrepresented. For the first three years TV existed, there were no men on it. It was just beauty contests and children talking to hand puppets until the early '60s, until a man walked out and said, 'Enough! My name is Fonzie, and the president's been shot.'

"But let's talk about these bros tonight. These sweathogs. Some of the men in this category do method acting, and some do regular, less annoying acting. But no matter what, when these fellas hit their mark, they know all their lines. Why? Because they started looking at their sides earlier that morning. These men give it all in every single take, unless the coverage is on the other actor, and then they might bounce early, but that's OK."

Watch the speech above, and if you need to catch up on the full list of Emmys 2026 winners, we've got you covered.

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Mashable has been testing laptops for over 10 years. Over the past two years alone, the team and I have researched dozens of models and tried over 90 of the most promising configurations available. We use a meticulous testing procedure involving real-world stress tests and artificial benchmarks to evaluate our contenders on the basis of performance, battery life, design/build quality, and value.

This regularly updated guide serves as our laptop trophy case, highlighting the best-in-class models we've tried across different subcategories. For even more recommendations, check out my dedicated guides to the best MacBooks, the best Windows laptops, the best cheap laptops, and the best Chromebooks.

Why are laptops so expensive right now?

Laptop prices have skyrocketed in 2026 for several reasons. One is the recent boom in AI data center construction, which has caused a global shortage of RAM and SSD storage chips (often referred to as "RAMageddon"). As a result, many consumer tech devices that use these components, including the best laptops, have become vastly more expensive than they would've been otherwise. Most PC makers have been affected, including Apple, Dell, Lenovo, and Acer.

The memory crisis is expected to worsen and could last into 2028, driving up prices even further and making good values in the budget and mid-range tiers even scarcer. On top of that, the Trump administration is reportedly mulling new tariffs on semiconductors that would apply to laptops and other electronics.

SEE ALSO: RAMageddon is reportedly causing a MacBook Air shortage

Further complicating things is that Microsoft reportedly raised its Windows 11 licensing fees by higher-than-usual percentages. In other words, both hardware and software prices have gone up for PC makers this year, forcing them to pass on the extra costs to consumers. Lucky us.

The Mashable team is taking the current state of the market into consideration as we assess and select laptops to recommend to our readers. Moreover, we've gone back and re-evaluated several models that have gotten more expensive since we first tested them.

At the time of writing, only two previous top picks have gotten so pricey that we think they're no longer worth buying. That would be the Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14, which jumped from an already-high $750 to $1,000, and the Acer Chromebook Plus 516, which went from $479 to $649. We're currently testing some other Chromebook options and will update this guide with a new top pick soon.

Recent updates to this guide

• September 2026: I added more information about the various factors affecting laptop prices right now. I also added a new section about some new laptops that shoppers can look forward to in the coming months. Finally, I updated three of our picks in the wake of recent pricing and availability changes. I removed the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 as our top Chromebook because of its value-zapping $170 price hike, and I'm now looking for its replacement. The Asus Zenbook A16 got a $300 price bump, but I'm keeping it as our best 16-inch laptop (for now) because it's still not a rip-off in the current market. Lastly, the Acer Swift Edge 14 AI was out of stock at the time of writing, but may not be sold out for good. I'll continue to monitor its listings over the next few weeks and will swap it for another model if it turns out it's actually been discontinued. In the meantime, a refurbished Swift Edge 14 AI is readily available.

• July 2026: The Acer Swift Edge 14 AI is officially the most portable laptop we've ever tested: It only weighs 2.18 pounds and measures 0.37 inches thin at its slimmest point. I added it as a new pick.

• June 2026: I made the Asus ExpertBook Ultra our new favorite business laptop and named the Asus Zenbook A16 the best 16-inch laptop. I also removed the Alienware 16X Aurora as our top gaming laptop because the configuration we tested has been discontinued. We're currently testing potential replacements.

What to look forward to

In early September, PC makers showed off a slew of new Windows laptops at IFA, an annual tech trade show in Berlin. Among them are the ultralight Acer Swift Blade 14, the very repairable Acer Swift Vero 16, two new Lenovo creator laptops running on Nvidia RTX Spark, and a pair of colorful MacBook Neo competitors: the Lenovo IdeaPad Vibe and the pared-down Dell 14S. The IdeaPad Vibe is confirmed to arrive this October, starting at $699.99, but most other IFA debutants don't have set prices or release dates just yet.

On the MacBook side, Apple is rumored to be working on a refreshed MacBook Pro with an M6 chip (first seen in this summer's new Mac mini), as well as a higher-end MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen. The latter might be called the "MacBook Ultra," if the gossip mill is correct. The M6 model is reportedly coming this fall, while the Ultra could debut at the end of this year or early next.

Read this before you buy a Windows laptop

Many great Windows laptops we've tried run on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X and X2 series chips, which use ARM-based architecture instead of standard x86 architecture like Intel and AMD chips. The Zenbook A14 and A16 are two great examples of outstanding ARM laptops.

These Qualcomm chips are great because they offer amazing performance and battery life, but they're not compatible with some specialty software and PC games. Having said that, ARM support is getting better and should dramatically improve in the near future. Right now, I would only avoid ARM laptops if you're a student or if gaming is the main thing you do on your PC. You can read more about this in my dedicated guides to the best Windows laptops and the best laptops for college.

For music that sounds as complicated as YOASOBI's, the tech behind it is surprisingly simple.

The Japanese pop duo's songs are built to move. Ayase's productions pile bright piano melodies over electronic beats and unexpected sonic flourishes, often changing direction before you've had time to settle in. Then there's ikura's voice, gliding through even the most densely packed arrangements.

That relationship between music and technology predates YOASOBI. After spending his teenage years chasing rockstar dreams in a band, Ayase turned to Japan's thriving Vocaloid scene, where a laptop and voice-synthesizing software like Hatsune Miku could effectively turn one person into an entire production studio. He could compose, produce, and give voice to his songs largely on his own — a practice he continues today.

SEE ALSO: Le Sserafim on tech, style, and staying connected in a digital world

When he began working with ikura, the voice became human, but the ambition of his compositions didn't necessarily shrink with it. Ayase's intricate melodies can sometimes sound as though they were written without worrying about the limitations of human lungs. Luckily, ikura is more than capable of keeping up.

And yet, the bigger YOASOBI has become, the more compact Ayase's toolkit seems. When Mashable asked the duo during a Los Angeles press day to name the five pieces of technology essential to making their music, Ayase's list included just five items. In fact, after naming the first four, Ayase struggled to come up with a fifth.

"I don't really use anything other than these," he said.

It's a lean setup for the producer behind songs as maximalist as "Idol," the dizzying Oshi no Ko theme that's racked up over 688 million views on YouTube and ricochets between musical ideas with seemingly little interest in obeying the conventions of pop structure. But that's also what makes Ayase's list interesting. There isn't one mysterious piece of technology responsible for the YOASOBI sound. The tools themselves are mostly things available to anyone with a laptop and an internet connection. It's what Ayase does with them that makes the music unmistakably his.

Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/Getty Images/Apple/Sony

Even the most specialized piece of equipment on the list — the high-end Sony microphone now used to record ikura's vocals — sits alongside technology considerably more ordinary. Splice gives Ayase access to a vast digital library of sounds. Logic Pro is where he puts everything together. And then there are the EarPods. Yes, EarPods. Not AirPods.

The wired Apple earbuds, which feel increasingly like a relic of the pre-AirPods era, remain one of Ayase's essential production tools. And he doesn't use them because he's stubbornly holding onto the headphone-jack days of yore. For Ayase, their relative simplicity makes them useful. Expensive studio speakers can tell him how good a YOASOBI song can sound. His EarPods help him understand how it might sound to everyone else.

That's ultimately the through-line of YOASOBI's straightforward setup. The duo may make some of the most meticulously constructed pop music around, but Ayase doesn't need an endless arsenal of technology to do it.

He just needs the right five tools.

MacBook Pro Apple 2023 MacBook Pro Laptop M3 Pro chip with 11‑core CPU, 14‑core GPU: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR Display, 18GB Unified Memory, 512GB SSD Storage. Works with iPhone/iPad; Space Black $1,774.95 at Amazon
$1,999 Save $224.05   See It at Amazon

Ayase didn't need much time to think about his first essential. "The first thing that's absolutely necessary is a MacBook," he said. More specifically, a MacBook Pro.

It's the center of his production setup, the place where the many moving parts of a YOASOBI song begin coming together. For a producer whose music can sound so densely constructed, there is something almost funny about how quickly the answer arrived. There are no secret weapons in Ayase's tech arsenal, just a laptop.

Of course, what's on that laptop matters just as much.

Logic Pro Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Logic Pro   Learn More

Inside Ayase's MacBook Pro is the second thing he considers indispensable: Logic Pro, Apple's music-production software. "The software I use to compose is Logic Pro," he said. "That's absolutely essential."

Logic is where Ayase builds the songs that eventually become YOASOBI tracks, layering together the melodies, rhythms, samples, and electronic elements that characterize the duo's sound.

It's also a setup that feels connected to how Ayase learned to make music in the first place. Long before YOASOBI, he was producing Vocaloid tracks on his computer, part of an internet-native music culture built around people composing, uploading, remixing, and discovering one another online.

Years later, the scale is considerably bigger. The basic relationship between producer and computer remains.

Apple EarPods Apple EarPods $15.99 at Amazon
$30 Save $14.01   See It at Amazon

Then came the most unexpected item. "I have a particular preference for wired earphones rather than headphones," Ayase said. Specifically, Apple's wired EarPods.

They're essential enough that Ayase said he makes music with them. And when Mashable asked why a producer with access to professional studio equipment would rely on one of Apple's most basic listening devices, his answer revealed a surprisingly practical philosophy.

"I think they have the most basic sound," Ayase explained.

Of course, he listens to YOASOBI's music on high-end speakers when he's making final adjustments. But that's not how most people are going to hear it. "There aren't actually that many people who can listen to music on really good speakers," he said.

So, Ayase tries his songs in different environments. He'll listen through a car stereo. He'll play them through good speakers. He'll listen directly from an iPhone. The EarPods function as his baseline.

"Of all the different environments people listen to music in, I think they're closest to the middle," he said. "They give me the most basic sound, so I use them as a reference."

And no, swapping them for AirPods wouldn't accomplish the same thing.

"AirPods are different," he said. "Whether noise cancellation is on or off changes the sound a lot."

The humble wired EarPods remove some of those variables. Ayase isn't using them because they provide the most pristine possible listening experience. He's using them precisely because they don't. For a producer making music that will eventually travel through everything from expensive headphones to phone speakers, that's useful information.

Splice Opens in a new window Credit: Splice Splice Music   Learn More

Ayase's fourth essential is less tangible but gives him access to considerably more sounds: Splice.

"There's a site and app called Splice that has tons of different sounds," he said. The subscription-based platform offers producers a massive library of samples, loops, and other sounds to incorporate into their music. "That's absolutely necessary, too," Ayase said.

For YOASOBI, it's easy to understand the appeal. Ayase's productions rarely sit still for long. Percussion, electronic flourishes, instrumental layers, and other sonic details constantly move in and out of the mix, giving even a single song the feeling of containing several different musical worlds.

Splice gives him a library to pull from while building them. The platform is subscription-based for full access, though a free account offers a limited selection of samples. And after naming it, Ayase again tried to think of what else he regularly relied on.

"What else?" he wondered. The answer, apparently, wasn't much. "I really don't use anything besides these."

Well, almost.

Sony C-800G microphone Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony C-800G Studio Tube Condenser Microphone with Power Supply   Learn More

There was one final essential: the microphone that captures ikura's crystal-clear vocals.

"When we're focusing specifically on making music, there's the Sony C-800G microphone," Ayase said. It's also, by far, the biggest investment on his list. The high-end studio microphone costs nearly $15,000 new — and, importantly, it wasn't always part of YOASOBI's setup.

"I didn't care that much about it before," he said. "But recently I've gotten more particular about it, so I bought one myself." Now, he said, "We've been using it to record YOASOBI songs."

In other words, don't take the C-800G as a prerequisite for making great music. Even Ayase made the investment later, after YOASOBI had already found enormous success. It's less a secret ingredient than an upgrade, one he could make once he knew exactly what he wanted from his recording setup. And if you're after a similar style of tube condenser mic without the five-figure price tag, there are cheaper alternatives.

Still, for all the software, samples, and digital production that go into a YOASOBI track, the C-800G plays an important role in capturing the voice that has to cut through everything Ayase has built.

And that is the entire toolkit. A MacBook Pro. Logic Pro. Splice. A pricey Sony microphone. And a pair of wired Apple EarPods. For music that can sound as though it requires an entire command center to assemble, YOASOBI's essentials are remarkably compact. The complexity isn't necessarily coming from the number of tools Ayase uses. It's coming from what he does with them.

Maybe that's the more useful lesson for creators: You don't need a room full of tech to make something sound enormous. You just need to know exactly what to do with what you have.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage and meet The Mashable 101 to discover the internet’s most exciting voices.

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How to choose the best headphones

We won't beat around the bush: There's no definitive "best" product here. Sure, elite audio brands put out high-quality products across the board, but even within each of those brands, you'll find different tiers of products. Some will deliver better value, and some will deliver better hardware and active noise cancellation.

All this to say, the best pair of earbuds or headphones largely comes down to personal preference and how you plan to use them. Some listeners swear by over-ear headphones, while others prefer the minimalism of earbuds — one is not necessarily better than the other. Athletes who like to use headphones at the gym will appreciate waterproof materials and the best open earbuds, while frequent fliers will prefer devices with long battery life, comfort, and portability. Finally, music lovers and audiophiles will want to invest in premium features like a custom equalizer, spatial audio, or best-in-class active noise cancellation.

To help you pick your pair, we tested all of the headphones in this guide (and a lot that didn't make the cut). Here, you'll find the top headphones of 2026 for noise cancellation, music, price, and wired connections.

What about wired headphones?

We focused primarily on the best wireless headphones for this guide. While wired headphones have their fans, wireless headphones are just more convenient for most of us. If we had to pick, we'd recommend the Marshall Mode earbuds as our top wired pick. Some of us are also fans of Apple's EarPods.

Other headphones we've tested

Most recently, we tested the Marshall Monitor III, JBL Tour One M3 headphones and the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC, and though they had their merits, fell short of winning the best of the best spot on this guide.

We've also tested the Sonos Ace headphones and Dyson OnTrac headphones. And while we loved them both for sound quality and noise cancellation, they fare in the way of AirPods Max — left out of our recommendations for their high price points.

In the testing pipeline

For our future updates, we're testing out more budget noise-cancelling earbuds and headphones.

Recent updates to this guide

• March 2025: We've designated the Bose QuietComfort Ultra 2 earbuds as the most comfortable ANC earbuds and crowned the Sony XM6 earbuds as the new best noise cancelling earbuds.

• December 2025: We replaced the Jabra Elite 8 Active Gen 2 earbuds, which are no longer available, with the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 sports earbuds.

• December 2025: We removed the Marshall Mode wired earbuds, as they're frequently out of stock.

• December 2025: We added the Sony WH-CH720N Noise-Canceling Headphones as the best headphones under $100.

• December 2025: We added the Sony XM5 headphones, originally released in 2022, as our new honorable mention pick.

• August 2026: We replaced the Sennheiser Momentum 4 with the Nothing Headphone (a) as our best battery life pick.