Articles by Chris Hoffman
Norton 360 antivirus: 5 settings to change first
Make the most of PCWorld’s top-rated antivirus software with these quick tweaks.
Dell Inspiron 16 Plus review: A well-rounded content creation laptop
The Dell Inspiron 16 Plus is a powerful 16-inch laptop with a nice combination of performance, battery life, and build quality. It’s a good alternative to gaming laptops for people who want more power than the average laptop offers.
Yawn. Windows' Copilot+ AI features feel like early tech demos at best
At launch—and without Recall—there's just not much here to get the blood pumping for Windows Copilot+ PC's.
7 warning signs your computer has been hacked — and what to do
If something seems off with your PC or laptop, there's a chance you've been hacked. Here are the warning signs to look out for.
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 2-in-1 review: A ThinkPad with a pen
Lenovo delivered a 2-in-1 ThinkPad with great build quality, a nice pen, and serious battery life. But you may want to wait for a next-generation model powered by Intel’s Lunar Lake hardware.
Windows Defender antivirus: 5 settings to change first
All Windows PCs use Microsoft’s antivirus by default.
Lenovo ThinkBook 13x review: All-day battery life
Lenovo’s ThinkBook is a better business laptop for most people than a top-of-the-line ThinkPad, but the lack of ports may be a problem.
Intel's Lunar Lake is what the first AI PCs should have been
Intel wants you to compare Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite to its upcoming Lunar Lake platform — not its current Meteor Lake chips, inside first-gen AI PCs.
Intel and AMD need to deliver better laptop battery life - fast
Everyone’s talking about AI performance, but Qualcomm’s battery life promises are the real threat.
Your 'AI PC' is already obsolete: The curse of early adoption strikes again
Microsoft Copilot+ rendered first-gen AI PCs obsolete, illustrating yet again the risks of being an early adopter.
Alienware x16 R2 review: High-end gaming at a premium price
The Alienware x16 R2 is a premium 16-inch gaming laptop at a premium price. But its mechanical keyboard and the highest-end hardware will cost you extra.
Do you really need a password manager as part of your antivirus software?
Password managers are essential for online security, but you have a lot of options.
Microsoft's Copilot+ PC push leaves existing 'AI PCs' behind
Today's AI-capable NPUs and GPUs are being left in the dust when it comes to Windows 11's new Copilot+ AI experiences.
Do you really need a VPN as part of your antivirus software?
A bundled VPN can offer great value and convenience.
Gigabyte Aorus 16X review: Another powerful gaming laptop
The Gigabyte Aorus 16X is a solid gaming laptop that offers competitive performance for its price range, although the power adapter is lacking some polish. If you can find it at a price that beats the competition, it’s a fine choice.
Buying a laptop? Here's why you need to shop the sales
Last year’s laptop might be nearly as fast as this year’s model — and half the price.
The ultimate free digital security guide: Stay safe without spending a dime
Excellent security tools are available to everyone. You don’t have to pay a single cent to protect yourself.
Gigabyte G6X review: A value-packed gaming laptop
The Gigabyte G6X delivers a great GPU and CPU at a good price — and it comes with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, too! Everything else is fine, but it’s not flashy or premium feeling.