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TL;DR: Get a powerful MacBook Pro, complete with 1TB of storage, for just $439.99 (reg. $1,999).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro 13-Inch 2020 (Refurbished) $439.99
$1,999 Save $1,559.01 Get Deal

Looking for a laptop that can keep up with your storage demands? As we continue to accumulate more photos, videos, and important files, investing in a laptop with massive storage capacities is a smart move. And the only thing smarter would be making it one of Apple’s most powerful portable devices, the MacBook Pro.

Right now, you can snag a feature-packed 13-inch MacBook Pro, complete with 1TB of SSD, for just $439.99 (reg. $1,999), while supplies last.

SEE ALSO: This MacBook Air is under $200 for a limited time

There’s a reason the MacBook Pro has amassed such a massive fan base — this laptop has a lot to offer. A 13.3-inch Retina display features Apple’s True Tone Technology, which automatically adjusts depending on your lighting and helps reduce eye strain.

Everything you see on that vibrant screen is powered by the 10th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, which offers a 2GHz base speed that makes multitasking smooth and steady. With 1TB of storage, you can save all of your important files locally, without shelling out extra for cloud storage or hard drives.

A Magic Keyboard with Touch Bar offers a comfortable typing experience and easy access to shortcuts to save you time on this MacBook Pro. There’s Touch ID to keep your device safe, and four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Ports for easy connectivity. This model also offers 10 hours of battery life, so you don’t have to worry about frequent charging.

You’re securing a massive discount due to this model’s grade A refurbished rating. That means you’ll receive a device in near-mint condition, with minimal to zero amounts of scuffing on the case.

Bring home a MacBook Pro for just $439.99 (reg. $1,999) while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Upgrade an old PC with this lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro, now just $12.97 (reg. $199) through Sept. 28.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $12.97
$199 Save $186.03 Get Deal

If you’re not in the market to shell out hundreds of dollars for a new laptop, a new operating system is the next best thing. Right now, you can dust off an old PC and make it feel good as new for just $12.97 (reg. $199) with this deal on a lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro — but you’ll need to act fast. This deal only runs for five more days through Sept. 28.

Windows 11 Pro was made with the modern professional in mind, so you can rest assured your PC will be sleeker and more efficient with this upgrade. It offers a seamless interface, snap layouts, improved voice typing, and a more powerful search experience, just to name a few perks. You can also take advantage of touchscreen functionality for added flexibility.

SEE ALSO: Score Microsoft Office for Windows as a lifetime license for under $50

Ditch the expensive AI subscriptions. With Windows 11 Pro, you’ll have access to Copilot, your own AI-powered assistant, right on your desktop. When it’s time to get back to work, Microsoft Teams, Azure AD, Hyper-V, and Windows Sandbox are all ready to help. And if you’re a gamer, you can also take advantage of DirectX 12 and take your gaming to the next level.

There are plenty of cybersecurity improvements, too. Enjoy biometric logins, encrypted authentication, and enhanced antivirus protection.

Act fast to secure this lifetime license to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for only $12.97 (reg. $199) through Sept. 28.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: TerraCycle is an alternative recycling platform that recycles post-consumer items that are considered non-recyclable by mainstream municipal-level waste management facilities. More people need to know that TerraCycle has a huge free mail-in recycling program, through which consumers can collect and send in "trash" from Tide, Swiffer, Brita, Yankee Candle, and more. It's all funded by the brands themselves, which means it's free to you.

Recycling rules are often so convoluted that many people just give up on recycling altogether. Coincidentally, most recycling centers have given up for similar reasons.

Our lackadaisical efforts are evidenced by the troves of plastic waste taking over landfills, piling up on beaches, or floating in the ocean. We've all seen the photos or watched a documentary (my personal experience is the classic "watch A Plastic Ocean" to "learn how to recycle everything" pipeline that's been evolving for almost a decade now). The problem is, while we have documentation that the earth isn't a bottomless pit, we haven't been thoroughly taught how to recycle tricky materials past straightforward paper and aluminum, or conditioned to care about creating so much trash.

In-person drop-off locations for recycling of items like batteries and beauty empties do exist in some places. But that still leaves the fate of a ton of everyday items up in the air.

One of the coolest recycling hacks I've discovered is TerraCycle, a New Jersey-based company that's rewriting the script on what can actually be recycled — and putting more power into the hands of the individual consumer. I hopped on a video call with Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle, to find out more about the organization's evolution and the past, present, and future of our epic trash problem.

What is TerraCycle?

The genesis of TerraCycle stemmed from Szaky's interest in entrepreneurship, but through the lens of making society or the planet better — not just making money. "Garbage is filled with all of these anomalies. Isn't it odd that everything we possess will one day be legal property of a garbage company?" Our current waste system seemed like a problem to solve that no company had ever tried to tackle. 25 years later, TerraCycle is an innovative multi-country recycling platform that recycles items that we've always been told aren't recyclable.

SEE ALSO: The Mill food recycling bin is the easiest indoor composter alternative, and my all-time favorite appliance

What started as a niche volunteer-based operation has grown into a system that corporate donors want in on. Through them, TerraCycle offers a free way to recycle just about all of the shitty plastic stuff we encounter on a daily basis. If it's marketed as disposable, that's TerraCycle's wheelhouse.

After a meticulous sorting, aggregating, and cleaning process, the end result of items recycled through TerraCycle is raw material used to make a ton of stuff: outdoor furniture, shipping pellets, flooring tiles, bike frames, athletic field turf, and more.

TerraCycle creates raw material from plastic that would be trashed otherwise. Credit: TerraCycle This playground's ground covering is made from recycled raw material from TerraCycle. Credit: TerraCycle Why is recycling so hard?

When you Google TerraCycle, a rather nebulous query appears in the "People also ask" section: "Why aren't we recycling?" I don't know whether they meant consumers or waste management companies by "we," but yeah, why aren't we?

On the consumer end, there are too many logistical hoops to jump through. What can and can't be recycled depends on local guidelines, and curbside recycling or nearby recycling centers aren't a thing in some areas. Plus, it's not common knowledge that the number inside a triangle doesn't automatically mean the packaging it's on is recyclable. (It's just a resin identification code for the trash center.) People are confused and just start tossing whatever in the recycling bin, just in case. I mean, it's 2025. We're in the midst of an AI boom. Surely we've figured out how to recycle everything. Right? That blissful assumption is called wishcycling, and it gives far too much credit to the US recycling system.

The thing is, most materials can technically be recycled, in terms of the material having the physical possibility of being repurposed. Waste management companies just don't want to pay for it. "All recycling in the world is operated by for-profit companies," Szaky said. "So really what makes the cardboard box recyclable is that it's profitable to recycle it. And what makes the toothbrush not recyclable is because it's not profitable to recycle."

SEE ALSO: Glacier’s AI robots tackle recycling crisis, cutting waste and emissions

Plastic is a particularly formidable and costly mess. There's a longer process involved with sorting the different types of plastic and inspecting tiny pieces out of pounds and pounds of crap, all while trying to avoid contamination from food residue or plastic bags clogging the machines. It requires paying more people, and selling the sorted plastic isn't as lucrative as, say, selling straightforward recycled aluminum or glass. Our economy's shift to plastic was never rooted in ensuring its recyclability — it's rooted in being cheap.

As bleak as it is, Szaky says plastic has very low recycling rates in the U.S. because, outside of companies like TerraCycle, there is no money to be made.

One thing that Szaky said really stuck out to me: "Recycling is not a public service. It's urban mining for your garbage." According to Szaky, one-third of Americans live in a "recycling desert" — a place where the local municipality hasn't put money into recycling. And even in many places where recycling is available, the insurmountable load of discarded items in recycling bins still don't wind up where they should. The ol' "Apple AirTag in the recycling bin" test has been used by regular people and news outlets alike to track recycling, often finding heaps of plastic just waiting around landfill-style.

What can you recycle with TerraCycle?

TerraCycle is one company offering a legitimate alternative to relying on your local half-assed recycling program. It offers several outlets for recycling "non-recyclable" items, with the most accessible route for most people being free mail-in recycling programs.

This is a very welcome, affordable alternative to TerraCycle's Zero Waste Box system, which originally put TerraCycle on my radar during my inaugural spiral about recycling in 2018. You can order a Zero Waste Box to act as a receptacle for non-recyclable categories like snack and candy wrappers or plastic bags and packaging. It's an amazingly flexible system, but those boxes are expensive for one person to take on. I was so pumped to find out that TerraCycle has free options now.

SEE ALSO: As tariffs invade the apparel market, selling your clothes online is the move — here's how

I've gathered that way fewer people know that free recycling options like this exist, especially ones that don't require Googling any local regulations. With TerraCycle, all you have to do is separate your former trash by brand. Here's how it works:

• Scroll through the 106 brands that have set up a mail-in program with TerraCycle. You can send back Gillette and Venus razors, Colgate toothbrushing gear, Takis bags, Brita pitchers and filters, Tide laundry supplies, Swiffer pads, Yankee candle jars and air fresheners, Gerber baby food packaging, and so much more. TerraCycle even has free programs for cigarette butts and Taco Bell sauce packets.

• Clock the ones you use regularly and save that trash somewhere. Try to collect enough recyclables from one brand to fill a box — you can reuse any box that you may have lying around, like a Prime package.

I have an embarrassing number of Late July tortilla chip bags in my closet, waiting to be sent to TerraCycle. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

• Create a free TerraCycle account.

• Download a shipping label (or a QR code) and drop the box in the mail. Some brands cover shipping costs for their program, while others require the consumer to pay. That may not technically be "free" anymore, but a shipping label often doesn't cost more than $10 or $15.

To be honest, my low-waste lifestyle journey is already in a stage where many of my daily products are already reusable. I don't go through toothpaste tubes or disposable toothbrushes because I use chewable toothpaste (don't knock it 'till you try it) and have a recyclable electric toothbrush. I do laundry with dissolvable detergent sheets and ditched my Swiffer forever ago for a robot vacuum that mops. But I only started taking the reusable route once I subconsciously started paying attention to how much junk I was throwing out on a daily basis. The habit of saving some of your trash with TerraCycle could snap you out of your dependence on disposable stuff, too.

Who's paying for the free recycling programs?

As we now know, recycling such complex mixed materials ain't cheap. So how can TerraCycle afford to accept so many items for free? The brands themselves are paying for it. Unlike the Zero Waste Box, which are pricier because the consumer is footing the bill, these brands have partnered with TerraCycle to cover the steep costs involved with recycling their products. Cost is one of the main factors playing into the average person's decision-making or daily routine, so ensuring that recycling is actually affordable chips away at that barrier.

But are people actually incentivized to buy a certain brand if they think it's "more recyclable" than another? Szaky informed me that TerraCycle has overwhelmingly found that consumers lean toward brands that tote the "Recycle with TerraCycle" logo. Whether these mega brands actually care about the environment or are just in it to look socially aware, I don't know. Either way, they took action after hearing that customers actually do care about the environmental impacts of their shopping.

What else does TerraCycle do?

Zero Waste Boxes are still a core facet of TerraCycle's model. You can order a Zero Waste Box (between $105 and $241) or smaller Zero Waste Pouches (between $34 and $48) to recycle items from old action figures to office supplies to plastic gloves. Because waste from any brand can be put into these packages, no singular brand is funding this side of things — the consumer who wants to recycle has to cover the cost. The bigger variety that the selected box accepts, the more expensive the box.

Schools can even fundraise through TerraCycle by setting up recycling stations to earn points that can be redeemed for cash.

Several schools have set up TerraCycle bins for recycling snack wrappers, drink pouches, and even old school or office supplies. Credit: TerraCycle The end goal? To create less waste in the first place.

The end goal, of course, is to distance ourselves from our reliance on single-use packaging and create less waste in the first place. TerraCycle has already implemented its reusable packaging program, Loop, at grocery stores in France and Japan, but has paused Loop's expansion to the U.S. until laws or subsidies might support its reboot. "This is where regulation is really valuable to further environmental work," Szaky said. So, in other words, use your vote to advocate for climate change action.

Divesting in plastic would also require financial incentives for manufacturers to stop using plastic to make every damn thing. Maybe we'll finally see funds allocated to the type of robust recycling that TerraCycle does, so that a consumer's willingness to recycle doesn't hinge on so much extra effort or money spent. I couldn't not ask Szaky about the future of the Taco Bell sauce packet situation — and hopefully you'll see a TerraCycle bin in a Taco Bell sometime soon.

In the meantime, TerraCycle is an easy, affordable way to make the best out of an abandoned waste crisis.

TL;DR: Live stream Steelers vs. Vikings in the NFL for free on TVNZ+. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with IPVanish.

The NFL is back with another batch of exciting matchups, including Steelers vs. Vikings in Ireland. Both teams come into this matchup with 2-1 records, with all eyes on how Aaron Rodgers fares this weekend.

If you want to watch Steelers vs. Vikings in the NFL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Steelers vs. Vikings?

Steelers vs. Vikings in the NFL starts at 9:30 a.m. ET on Sept. 28. This game takes place at Croke Park.

How to watch Steelers vs. Vikings for free

Steelers vs. Vikings in the NFL is available to live stream for free on TVNZ+.

TVNZ+ is geo-restricted to New Zealand, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in New Zealand, meaning you can unblock TVNZ+ from anywhere in the world.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the NFL online for free

Live stream Steelers vs. Vikings for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like IPVanish)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in New Zealand

4. Visit TVNZ+

5. Live stream Steelers vs. Vikings for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: IPVanish IPVanish (2-Year Plan) $52.56 at IPVanish (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Steelers vs. Vikings in the NFL without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream select fixtures from the NFL before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites to follow the whole season, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for unblocking streaming services is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for TVNZ+?

IPVanish is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on TVNZ+, for a number of reasons:

• 3,100 servers in 145+ locations including New Zealand

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• AES 256 encryption and operates with a zero-logs privacy policy

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Unlimited simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to IPVanish is on sale for just $52.56 — 83% off for a limited time. This plan includes advanced privacy features, threat protection, unlimited connections, 24/7 support, and the 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Steelers vs. Vikings in the NFL for free with IPVanish.

Editor's Note: IPVanish is owned by Ziff Davis, Mashable's parent company. Any products featured on Mashable are covered independently by our editorial team.

We're just a day away from a new lunar phase, which means we're close to seeing the moon half-lit up once again.

What is a lunar phase, you ask? Lunar phases make up the lunar cycle, a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. According to NASA, these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth.

Keep reading to see what you can see when you look up tonight, Sept. 28.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Sunday, Sept. 28, the moon phase is Waxing Crescent, and according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation, 36% of its surface is illuminated tonight.

There's plenty to see tonight, so adjust your gaze and look upwards. With just your naked eye, you'll see the Mare Crisium, Mare Tranquillitatis, and the Mare Fecunditatis. If you're in the Northern Hemisphere, these are all positioned towards the right of the moon, from the middle upwards. If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, look to the bottom left.

If you've got a pair of binoculars, pull them out to see the Posidonius Crater, the Endymion Crater, and the Mare Nectaris. With a telescope, you'll see all this and the Apollo 17 and 11 landing spots and the Descartes Highlands.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Oct. 6. The last full moon was on Sept. 7.

What are moon phases?

NASA tells us that moon phases are part of a 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit. This changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us; sometimes it looks full, sometimes it looks like it's disappeared entirely, but we always see the same side of the moon, it's just how much of it is lit up by the Sun that changes depending on where it is in its orbit.

This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side.

Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Happy Saturday and welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 20, 2025

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for September 19, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 28 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 28 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed vertically; 5-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 4-1, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this orange space must add to 2. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 1-6, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-0, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 28 Pips

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 1-5, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 5-0, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically

Number (5): Everything in this space must add to 5. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add to 10. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add to 10. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add to 9. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition requires some knowledge on golf and one of the great American cities.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a 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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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: Thrown for sport or entertainment

• Green: Playoff tree

• Blue: Athletic siblings

• Purple: Under this

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: Things One Throws

• Green: MLB Playoff Rounds, with "Series"

• Blue: Famous NFL Brothers

• Purple: Under____

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 #370 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Things One Throws - BEANBAG, DART, FOOTBALL, HAMMER

• MLB Playoff Rounds, with "Series" - CHAMPIONSHIP, DIVISIONAL, WILD CARD, WORLD

• Famous NFL Brothers - BARBER, MANNING, MCCOURTY, WATT

• Under____ - ARMOUR, DOG, PAR, RATED

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

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.

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

To set aside.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

REMIT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A dark, narrow pathway.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ALLEY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To replicate.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

FORGE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A swamp.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 4 Hurdle Word 4 answer

MARSH

Final Hurdle hint

Spotless.

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

CLEAN

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

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today shouldn't be hard to solve if you're a football fanatic.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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 2, 2025 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: Defense

• Green: Computer bugs

• Blue: Sticky and chewy

• Purple: Football mascots

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

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

• Yellow: Backing

• Green: Malicious software

• Blue: Gum brands

• Purple: N.F.L. team logos

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 #840 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Backing: AEGIS, GUARD, PROTECTION, SHIELD

• Malicious software: BACKDOOR, TROJAN HORSE, VIRUS, WORM

• Gum brands: EXTRA, ICE BREAKERS, ORBIT, TRIDENT

• N.F.L. team logos: BUFFALO, FLEUR-DE-LIS, HORESHOE, LIGHTNING BOLT

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 2, 2025

Are you also playing NYT 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.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands 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.

Today's NYT Strands puzzle should be easy to solve, provided that you're not talkative.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 2, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 2, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Hit the deck!

The words are related to games.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe casino games.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is In the Cards.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for September 28

• Clubs

• Hearts

• Spades

• Diamonds

• In The Cards

• Jack

• Queen

• King

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 today's Strands.

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.

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

Brief.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

SHORT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Prompt.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SWIFT

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To scrub.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SCOUR

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Deprived.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 4 Hurdle Word 4 answer

NEEDY

Final Hurdle hint

Waste.

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

TRASH

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

Symbols and signs in Microsoft Excel are crucial for data manipulation, data analysis, and high-quality formulas. In this guide, I'll run through all the key symbols (listed alphabetically), explain how you can use them, and show you some examples to make things clearer.

Raspberry Pis are usually associated with light-weight Linux operating systems, like Raspberry Pi OS, but they don't have to. You can use heavy desktop variants, or, if you're feeling especially bold, old versions of Windows. Here's why I've started using Windows 3.1 on my Pi.

With macOS 26, Apple has quietly ended support for FireWire. For many, it’s a footnote in a changelog. But for those who lived through the late 90s and early 2000s, FireWire was the high-speed, forward-thinking port that felt like the future. And in many ways, it should have been.

TL;DR: Make your life even easier with this handy platform that puts multiple AI models in one place, 1min.AI, now $99.99 (reg. $540) for a lifetime subscription.

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New to the world of AI? If you’re just discovering the way this new technology can make your life a little easier, get ready to save even more time with 1min.AI.

This platform lets you access multiple AI models in one convenient spot — from ChatGPT to Gemini and Mistral. And right now, you can score a lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan for just $99.99 (reg. $540).

SEE ALSO: The 7 best Windows laptops of 2025 will make Apple fans jealous

If you’ve been intimidated to start working with artificial intelligence, 1min.AI makes it totally accessible and a lot more convenient as a central hub for the popular models. This handy tool lets you input your request in one place and enjoy the fruits of multiple AI models’ labor, with no tab-hopping required.

Need to create AI-generated images? Looking to whip up some content for social media? Since all the AI models have different strengths, 1min.AI takes the guesswork out of which service to use. Take advantage of all the perks that ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, Mistral, and more models have to offer, without having to pay multiple subscription costs. Just make sure to check 1min.AI’s output and make sure no light editing is required.

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Are you building a new PC and want to install Linux on it? Don't settle for the timid Linux distributions that prioritize stability over everything else. Distros that pack the newest hardware support are all around if you know where to look.

I cut the cord years ago. My cable and internet bill was almost $300 a month with tons of channels I wasn’t watching. Meanwhile, I was paying for Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu. It was out of control, so I decided to drop my cable and move to a streaming platform like Fire TV Stick or Roku. After some research, I decided Roku was a better fit for my needs. The Roku TVs I had seen looked good, and the price was right. Today I have a handful of Roku streaming sticks and TVs around my house.

The best soundbars of 2025 Best Overall Sonos Arc Ultra $999 Shop Now Budget Pick Roku Streambar $129.99 Shop Now Best Compact Soundbar Bose Smart Soundbar $549 Shop Now Best Mid-Range Soundbar Klipsch Flexus Core 200 $549 Shop Now More Affordable Sonos Pick Sonos Beam (Gen 2) $499 Shop Now Ultimate Upgrade Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Max $2,997.99 Shop Now Honorable Mention Marshall Heston 120 soundbar $1,299.99 Get Deal

“Sound is 50 percent of the movie-going experience.” So said Hollywood titan, George Lucas, a man who arguably knows a thing or two about delivering genre-defining cinematic experiences.

The meaning is clear: part of what makes going to a commercial cinema so much fun is the theater-sized sound system. But the same is true of our home theaters: you may own a brilliant big-screen TV, but if you rely on your flat-screen's built-in speakers, you’re missing out. At the very least, you need a soundbar.

The best soundbars will make explosions more lifelike, enhance dialogue intelligibility, and immerse you in your movies and shows. In short, it makes the whole experience more cinematic. 

But with all of the tech jargon and hype, the odds of picking the best soundbar can feel as likely as picking the next Oscar winners.  From Dolby Atmos to room correction to subwoofers, you can save yourself a lot of time by seeing what the experts have to say. Not only have Mashable tech reporters tested some of the top soundbars from brands like Samsung, Sonos, and Bose, but we've also consulted a bevy of audio experts.

Ty Pendlebury tests and researches TVs and home entertainment tech for CNET, a sister site of Mashable, also owned by Ziff Davis. He's been testing audio-visual equipment, including soundbars, for over 20 years.

"I reckon I’ve reviewed over 100 soundbars in my time," Pendlebury wrote to Mashable.

When creating CNET's guide for the best soundbars, he tested soundbars in the CNET AV Lab, using several different types of media, including movies, music, and games, to determine which soundbars sound the best.

Below, we've combined Pendlebury's testing results and expertise alongside Mashable's most recent soundbar reviews to select the best expert-tested soundbars available in 2025.

Is it worth getting a soundbar?

Built-in speakers on newer TVs are typically located at the back, pointing down, which isn't the best position for optimal sound quality. Soundbars fix the issue by directing the sound outward toward the room, and they do a better job with the all-important center channel, the cornerstone of clear dialogue.

So what does that fix cost? 

Soundbars can run anywhere from as low as $75 to over $1,500, and up. Obviously, that's a wide range, but most of the soundbars we recommend fall in the $200 to $700 range. Our picks sit roughly in the low, middle, and high points of that range, to give you a variety of options for most budgets.

The best soundbar: Sonos Arc Ultra Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Arc Ultra $999 at Amazon
Shop Now

Check out our full review of the Sonos Arc Ultra.

Who it's for

Those who want the very best Dolby Atmos experience in a single-speaker soundbar, with lots of options to grow as their space and budget allow.

Why we picked this

We know — this soundbar sits firmly at the high end of the price spectrum, but we wouldn't be including it if we didn't think it was worth the price. The Sonos Arc Ultra is a truly impressive speaker, offering some of the highest-quality sound for under $1,000 you can get. As Mashable contributor Timothy Beck Werth put it in his review: "While a single soundbar can't compete with the booming speakers you'll hear in a movie theater, this speaker gave me the closest match to that experience I've ever had in my living room."

The Arc Ultra achieves that feat through its impressive hardware, which includes 14 drivers and 15 Class-D digital amplifiers. It can effortlessly handle the 3D requirements of Dolby Atmos and the brand's Sound Motion technology is responsible for the most powerful bass we’ve ever heard without a separate subwoofer. 

Even without peripheral speakers, Beck Werth said he could "feel the bass in my chest. It really felt like sandworms were exploding out of the desert all around me," as he watched Dune.

This encapsulates why we love the Arc Ultra so much. You can spend more on a single-speaker soundbar (see Sennheiser’s epic Ambeo Soundbar Plus and Ambeo Soundbar Max), but most people won’t feel the need to do so.

Despite delivering top-of-the-line performance, it's also incredibly easy to use, plugging and playing via HDMI just as well as our less expensive picks. With "a single tap on my phone screen," Beck Werth was able to sync the soundbar to his TV and remote, with the Sonos app helping him connect Spotify, Amazon Music, and Alexa with just a bit more effort.

Beyond the initial setup, the Sonos app can also be used to activate Trueplay, which helps you get the most out of your speaker by adjusting the audio based on the layout and acoustics of your room. And when your TV is off, you can use the Arc Ultra as a smart speaker via voice control. But if you'd rather not have the mic on 24/7, a physical switch disables it.

In the unlikely event that you feel the need for even more cinematic power, you expand the Arc Ultra with a variety of subwoofer and surround sound speaker options from Sonos. Speaking of expansion, Sonos’ main claim to fame is its wireless multiroom software. You can add up to 32 speakers in your home, connect them to virtually any streaming service (plus your own library), and control them all from a smartphone app. Not many soundbars can claim to do that.

So what's the catch? We would have liked at least one (but preferably two or more) HDMI inputs, which would compensate for the one you give up on your TV. A volume display would also be handy (especially when using the Arc Ultra as a music speaker), but these are small knocks against an otherwise exceptional soundbar.

Best compact soundbar: Bose Smart Soundbar Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose Smart Soundbar $549 at Amazon
Shop Now

Check out our full review of the Bose Smart Soundbar.

Who it's for

Those who want a small-footprint, well-priced, great-sounding, do-it-all speaker for medium-sized rooms.

Why we picked this

The Bose Smart Soundbar isn't the cheapest option out there, but for folks who want more than the bare minimum features, it's a great option with powerful sound that doesn't demand a ton of space on your media console. "For most users, I think this soundbar hits the sweet spot in terms of features, sound, and value for the dollar," wrote Mashable Tech Editor Beck Werth in his review of the soundbar.

Beck Werth tested the soundbar with TV shows, music, and movies, and found that the Bose soundbar offered a far superior experience than the built-in speakers on his TV. The bass sounded pronounced without losing clarity, while everything from music to F1 races sounded balanced. Perhaps best of all, Beck Werth reported, "For TV shows, I was able to turn off closed captions for all but the most accent-heavy shows." Bose's AI Dialogue Assist feature also helped clarify vocals even more, offering hope to anyone who's become a little more reliant than they would like on closed captions.

This performance is thanks to the five different transducers (including two that point upwards to bounce sound off the ceiling) and central tweeter. Again, if you're looking for more than the bare minimum, you'll find that in the inclusion of Dolby Atmos, which Beck Werth said made the sound quality "really [sing]," where it was available. While there's a lot to praise, it is worth noting this soundbar doesn't come with a subwoofer, but Bose offers two wireless subs (as well as two sets of surround speakers) that you can purchase down the line, giving it some solid upgrade potential.

As for your connection options, this mid-range pick offers plenty, with connectivity available through HDMI, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, and Spotify Connect. And as it's a smart speaker, you can use the mics to speak directly to Amazon Alexa. If you have a Google Assistant device in your home, it can control the Smart Soundbar, too.

The previous generation of this soundbar, the Bose Smart Soundbar 600, was CNET's top pick for the best compact Dolby Atmos soundbar. As it was phased out last fall with the release of this soundbar, we recommend opting for the newer version, which is easier to find in stock. It also has two features the older model lacks: AI voice enhancement and Personal Surround Sound, which lets you use a set of Bose Ultra Open Earbuds for rear channel audio — a very effective alternative to buying rear wireless speakers.

Best midrange soundbar: Klipsch Flexus Core 200 Opens in a new window Credit: Klipsch Klipsch Flexus Core 200 $549 at Amazon
Shop Now Who it's for

Those who are laser-focused on getting the most cinematic sound from an affordable, single-speaker solution.

Why we picked this

The Klipsch Flexus Core 200 is midrange only in terms of price. Its size, weight, and stunningly powerful performance all scream high-end. This 18.7-pound behemoth is one of the few single-speaker soundbars you can buy that will fill a room with cinema-grade sound, all by itself.

The secret to its success is its Onkyo-designed amplification and the Core 200’s bass delivery. We don’t often recommend expanding a soundbar with surround speakers (Klipsch has two models you can add) before buying a dedicated subwoofer, but in this case, you could totally get away with it.

Thanks to the Core 200’s analog subwoofer output, when that time comes, you can add your own wired sub, or one of Klipsch’s wireless models. In fact, you can run both simultaneously if you wish.

Other ports include HDMI eARC and optical, but no HDMI inputs for passthrough. And though it has Bluetooth for smartphone audio streaming, the Flexus Core 200 lacks Wi-Fi or Ethernet, so you won’t be able to use it with AirPlay, Google Cast, or apps like Spotify Connect or Tidal Connect. That somewhat hampers the Core 200’s streaming music capabilities, but savvy folks can overcome this limitation by connecting an inexpensive music streamer like the $99 Wiim Mini to the soundbar’s optical port.

Your TV remote will easily control volume and muting on the Core 200 via the HDMI connection, but we’re still thrilled that the speaker ships with a dedicated, backlit remote for adjusting other settings. Another feature we love: the big, bright, front-facing alphanumeric display that shows up when you need it and disappears when you don’t.

Best budget soundbar: Roku Streambar Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Streambar $129.99 at Amazon
Get Deal

Check out CNET's full review of the Roku Streambar.

Who it's for

Those who want better TV sound on a budget and 4K streaming access, too.

Why we picked this

The Roku Streambar is CNET's top pick overall for the best soundbar (and an Editors' Choice award recipient), but despite the accolades, it's available at an incredibly budget-friendly price. If you're shopping for your first soundbar or simply looking to upgrade your sound system while spending less than $150, the Roku Streambar is your best bet.

Alongside an upgraded sound system, opting for this soundbar will give you access to the 4K Roku streaming interface, giving you an easy way to watch all your favorite streaming services, from Netflix and YouTube to Disney+ and Hulu. The included remote makes navigating the Roku interface especially easy, and it can work to turn your TV on and off.

While combo products often mean that something is sacrificed in the process, Pendlebury called the Roku Streambar the answer "if you want to be able to hear your TV better, particularly vocals, and also enhance its streaming capabilities," especially if you don't already have a streaming device in your setup. (If you do already own a streaming device, the Vizio SV210M-08 2.1 soundbar is another great option that clocks in under $200 and comes with a subwoofer.

The four internal speakers may not offer absolute top-of-the-line sound (the bass could be better on this soundbar), but you'll find that it offers a noticeable boost to the quality and depth of the sound from your TV, especially with dialogue. The Streambar's compact size (it clocks in at 14 inches wide) means that while it can't compete with soundbars that simply have the space to create a fuller sound, it's not a bad trade-off for folks who are short on real estate for speakers in their TV setup. Plus, if you decide you want to upgrade the sound profile, you can purchase a Roku subwoofer for $130 (and still be spending nearly $250 less than you would on the also subwoofer-less Bose Smart Soundbar).

Alongside the HDMI connection that works with your TV's HDMI ARC or Optical outputs, the Roku Streambar is also compatible with Bluetooth, Apple AirPlay, Google Home, Alexa, and, of course, Roku Smart Home.

A more affordable Sonos pick: Sonos Beam (Gen 2) Sonos Beam Gen 2 Dolby Atmos Soundbar $499 at Best Buy
Get Deal Who it's for

If you're firmly in the Sonos ecosystem but priced out of the Sonos Arc Ultra, the popular Beam is still a worthy alternative.

Why we picked this

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 has been on the market for a while, and when it goes on sale (like it does for Prime Day), it offers impressive value for the money. For customers who are already in the Sonos smart home ecosystem, it's an easy and affordable way to give your TV setup an instant boost. The Beam is incredibly easy to set up, and because it can sync with your other Sonos products, it's easy to build a genuine home theater surround sound system.

While it will make movies and TV shows pop, you can also use this soundbar for streaming music, one of the most underrated perks of having a TV soundbar in your living room.

In CNET's guide to the top soundbars, Pendlebury noted that the more affordable Sony HT-S2000 offered stronger bass; however, on balance, we'd still recommend the Beam for Sonos fans in particular.

Honorable Mention: Marshall Heston 120 Opens in a new window Credit: Marshall Marshall Heston 120 $1,299.99 at Marshall
Shop Now

Read our full review of the Marshall Heston 120 soundbar.

Who it's for

Those who want a no-compromises, powerful home theater soundbar with plenty of wired/wireless connection options.

Why we picked this

We were all set to name the Marshall Heston 120 our "best bang for your buck" soundbar, but then Marshall raised the price. (Thank you, tariffs.) However, we still think it's a worthy soundbar.

Marshall’s guitar amp-inspired Heston 120 costs the same as the Sonos Arc Ultra, but it doesn’t have Sonos’ multiroom capabilities. And while it can theoretically be expanded with other Marshall Bluetooth speakers, we haven’t tested this. So why does it earn a place on this list?

Looks-wise, it’s utterly unique. If you like Marshall’s retro vibe, this soundbar becomes a notable part of any room’s decor. As the price suggests, it’s a powerful, full-range home theater speaker that processes both Dolby Atmos and the less common DTS:X.

Most soundbars do a good job with TV content, but music listening often feels like an afterthought. Not so with the Heston 120. It’s a great single-speaker soundbar for movies and shows, yet it might be a more accomplished music speaker. Stereo tracks sound amazing, and Dolby Atmos Music (when well-produced) sounds even better.

The Heston 120 seems to enjoy pointing out all of the little things we wish the Sonos Arc Ultra could do. It has an HDMI input and a dedicated subwoofer output, both of which are absent on the Arc Ultra. Likewise, you get an analog input, perfect for hooking up a turntable (or any other source) -- another feature the Arc Ultra lacks.

Finally, the Heston 120 has excellent support for streaming music. In addition to Tidal Connect and Spotify Connect, you can use it with Apple AirPlay or Google Cast, with hi-res audio compatibility. As a DLNA device, you can also stream music to it from a DLNA-compatible music server, e.g., Twonky.

We still think the Arc Ultra is the better overall choice for most people (especially after the price increase), but there’s no question that Marshall has found ways to differentiate the Heston 120 while still delivering great home theater sound. Plus, as of September 2025, you can add the Marshall Sub 200 subwoofer to your Heston soundbar setup.

Ultimate upgrade pick: Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Max Opens in a new window Credit: Sennheiser Sennheiser AMBEO Soundbar Max $2,997.97 at Amazon
Shop Now

Read Ty Pendlebury's full review of the AMBEO Soundbar Max.

Who it's for

Home theater aficionados who want to spare no expense for the ultimate home theater experience.

Why we picked this

If you’re looking for an even bolder Dolby Atmos performance, yet still in a single speaker, consider the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus as an upgrade. It’s twice as expensive as the Arc Ultra, but it packs a bigger cinematic punch, and it has many of the physical inputs/connections the Arc Ultra is missing, like two HDMI inputs, a wired sub output, plus DTS:X, AirPlay, and Google Cast.

You can wire your own sub or buy one (or more) of Sennheiser’s wireless subs. The only thing missing is the ability to add wireless surround speakers. But the Ambeo Soundbar Plus does such a good job of virtualizing surround speakers, you may not feel the need for them. In his full review, Pendlebury said it offered the "best Atmos sound, bar none."

How to choose a soundbar

Beyond price, soundbars have a few more features worth considering, but that doesn't mean the buying process requires you to be versed in a ton of tech terminology. In fact, Pendlebury told Mashable, "Thankfully, buying a soundbar is a lot easier now than it used to be," due in large part to most having an HDMI connection, which allows for the easiest plug-and-play experience with your TV.

Along with connections, here are a few more features you'll see highlighted with soundbars on the market these days:

Dolby Atmos

Dolby Atmos is essentially the name of a type of spatial audio designed to deliver a three-dimensional audio experience. To clear up a couple of misconceptions off the bat: In the same way not all headphones with active noise cancellation perform equally, not all soundbars with Dolby Atmos will give the same sound performance across the board.

Our upgrade pick, the Sonos Arc Ultra, comes with Dolby Atmos. Credit: Sonos

Perhaps even more important to note is that while Dolby Atmos offers a more immersive sound, it's not exactly the same experience as getting true surround sound. "The biggest misnomer about soundbars right now is that if it has a Dolby Atmos sticker, it can do surround sound, especially if the soundbar is only $200," Pendlebury explained. "It needs dedicated speakers if it’s going to do surround sound. While height is easy to replicate, sound is literally bounced off the ceiling. I’ve never heard sounds coming from behind me in a speaker that sits under the TV. Dedicated surrounds provide the best experience."

Subwoofers and surround sound

As Pendlebury explained, to achieve true surround sound or exemplary bass sound, you'll need dedicated equipment. Simply put, you'll need multiple speakers. If you want true surround sound, you'll want to take that into account when determining where your budget may sit for a soundbar. For instance, even though our upgrade pick, the Sonos Arc Ultra, provides excellent sound designed to be immersive, it can't achieve the same surround sound that it would without dedicated speakers to help it out.

The same goes for subwoofers — a soundbar on its own can have great bass playback, but the best way to achieve the home theater experience is to get a subwoofer. While none of our picks below have one included, they all have compatible ones available for additional purchase. That said, our alternative budget pick, the Vizio 2.1 soundbar, does come with a six-inch subwoofer and two wired satellite speakers.

Connection types

As mentioned above, most soundbars these days offer HDMI connections, making it incredibly easy to get your setup going. However, you might prefer to also have Bluetooth or WiFi connectivity. As with many other device types, Bluetooth offers a simple way for you to connect to a soundbar and stream audio from devices like your phone, but as Pendlebury explains, WiFi offers a distinct benefit "as it means you can stream Spotify, for example, without running your battery down -- like you would with Bluetooth." 

Smart features

Smart features, like voice assistance integration, are also relatively commonplace these days (see: our Bose pick literally having smart in the name). Still, the execution isn't all the same. While even the most budget-friendly picks can work with AirPlay, more mid-range options may give you flexibility on how your soundbar is integrated into your smart home, and even, as with the Sonos Arc Ultra, can be used independently as smart speakers, even when the TV isn't on.

We also want to note that soundbars exist for computer setups, but for the purposes of this guide, we chose our top picks based on TV selections. (If you're looking for some audio options for your computer, you can check out our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers).

Finally, the fall season is here, October is upon us, and Halloween is scratching at the door like a member of the walking dead. Lucky for us, Paramount+ is ready for action with a whole new lineup of content that’s set to thrill, chill, and fill you with entertainment, just in time for peak scream season.

Sony is the current king of headphones and earbuds. Look no further than the new flagship WH-1000XM6 headphones and WF-1000XM5 earbuds. These are two category leaders and global top sellers praised for their marvelous active noise cancellation, sound quality, and special features. However, the legacy audio brand also sells terrific entry-level and mid-range products that deliver near-flagship performance at accessible price points.

Whether you’re looking for an AirPods alternative, budget cans under $50, or a wireless headphones with a wider sound range than the best Bose headphones, Sony has you covered on all fronts. I spent the past several months testing and re-testing all of Sony's most popular headphones and earbuds (and the better part of a decade reviewing headphones) to help you find the right pair.

Now, let’s check out the best Sony headphones of 2025.

How to choose the best Sony headphones

Sony headphones and earbuds juggle several priorities, including ANC, battery life, hi-res sound, and multipoint pairing. However, you may need to compromise on some of these features if you're not willing to spend $300 or more, the minimum price for flagship headphones in 2025.

If you want audio you can tailor to your liking, look for headphones carrying Sony’s adaptive sound features: 360 Reality Audio, DSEE, and Find My Equalizer. Travelers and road warriors need a model with ANC powerful enough to eliminate sounds across the entire frequency spectrum, not just airplane engines. Those who live active lifestyles or exercise regularly can find buds with a transparency mode that keeps them aware of their surroundings. Lengthy playtimes and wireless perks (e.g., Bluetooth multipoint, mobile app) have their benefits as well. And while Sony doesn't specialize in sports earbuds like Beats (and increasingly Apple as well), the Sony LinkBuds Fit let you stay in the Sony ecosystem while you work out.

As in all shopping decisions, it all comes down to preference and budget.

Recent changes to this guide The Sony XM5 and XM6 headphones. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

• Sony WH-CH520 on-ear headphones: We added these headphones in September 2025 after re-reviewing them and having a positive experience. We've named them our new "Budget pick."

• Sony WH-CH720N noise-cancelling headphones: Previously our "Budget pick," we named them the "Best Sony headphones under $100" in our most recent update.