Spotify can now sort playlists by BPM and key

Spotify can now sort playlists by BPM and key

Spotify is launching a new feature that can make transitions between songs even smoother. Premium users can now automatically sort and rearrange their playlists based on BPM (tempo) and key, allowing songs to flow together more naturally. If you’re a Premium user, you can activate the feature by visiting a playlist and selecting Mix > Edit > Smart Reorder , upon which Spotify will analyze and sort the songs with a single tap. You only need to save the change for it to take effect. The new feature builds on the custom transitions feature that came out last year, and the goal is to allow you to craft more DJ-like listening experiences. According to Spotify, users have already streamed over 220 hours of such mixed playlists.

Spotify can now sort playlists by BPM and key

Spotify can now sort playlists by BPM and key

Spotify is launching a new feature that can make transitions between songs even smoother. Premium users can now automatically sort and rearrange their playlists based on BPM (tempo) and key, allowing songs to flow together more naturally. If you’re a Premium user, you can activate the feature by visiting a playlist and selecting Mix > Edit > Smart Reorder , upon which Spotify will analyze and sort the songs with a single tap. You only need to save the change for it to take effect. The new feature builds on the custom transitions feature that came out last year, and the goal is to allow you to craft more DJ-like listening experiences. According to Spotify, users have already streamed over 220 hours of such mixed playlists.

We Were All Wrong About Honkai Star Rail 4.0

We Were All Wrong About Honkai Star Rail 4.0

Honkai Star Rail 4.0’s livestream reveal at the beginning of February concerned players, including me. A reduction in the number of events--being replaced with more minigames--the absence of an impressively produced music-video-style trailer, the already disappointing 3.X phase of the game, and the version being split across two worlds--Planarcadia and Astropolis--led to the reveal feeling a little underwhelming. However, having spent some time in 4.0 now, I can swallow my pride and say my apprehensions were for nothing. This update is the most fun I’ve had in Honkai Star Rail for a long time. Planarcadia as a world leans into the lighthearted side of Honkai Star Rail. HSR has long mixed serious narratives with funnier ones, but the previous setting of Amphoreus was mostly the former. Planarcadia is immediately charming, funny, and drew me in from the off. It’s a sprawling city with multiple different areas full of advanced technology, but doesn’t resemble 2.0's Penacony despite also being a city setting. Different new characters caught my eye and added to the humorous aspect of the narrative, too. Caustide--a large boss with open-neck purple shirt, fur-lined jacket, oversized shades, and pink quiff hairstyle--is the perfect depiction of a mobster villain, only he’s a chicken. The “Narrator” is a tiny cross-eyed monkey who banters with the other characters in an endearing yet still comical manner. Continue Reading at GameSpot

Best gaming laptop under $1,000

Best gaming laptop under $1,000

Want a gaming laptop that delivers the goods without blowing your budget? We tested a bunch of gaming laptops under $1,000 and a couple of them absolutely crushed it. Smooth gameplay, easy portability, and enough ports to power your whole setup. These laptops usually hit that sweet spot thanks to ongoing deals, so make sure you check out our laptop deals roundup for the latest prices. Why should you trust PCWorld for laptop reviews and buying advice: It’s in our name! PCWorld prides itself on laptop experience and expertise. We’ve been covering PCs since 1983, and we now review more than 70 laptops every year. All of the picks below have been personally tested and vetted by our experts, who’ve applied not only performance benchmarks but rigorous usability standards. We’re also committed to reviewing PC laptops at every price point to help you find a machine that matches your budget. Acer Nitro V 16 AI – Best overall Pros Large touchpad compared to alternatives 16-inch 1200p display at a low price Lots of physical connectivity Good battery life for a budget gaming laptop Cons Sub-par CPU performance Terrible audio quality from built-in speakers Wireless connectivity stuck on the Wi-Fi 6 standards Slightly more expensive laptops offer better value Price When Reviewed: 1249 Euro Best Prices Today: Retailer Price NBB 1.099,00 € View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who should buy the Acer Nitro V 16 AI? If you want to get the most gaming performance possible for under $1,000, the Acer Nitro V 16 AI hits all the right notes. It frequently drops as low as $629 (sometimes lower!) and delivers excellent 1080p gaming performance for the price. The RTX 5050 GPU outpaces older entry-level GPUs like the RTX 4050, averaging around 72 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 –that’s impressive for a budget gaming laptop! The battery life is also unusually strong for a gaming laptop, lasting around eight to 12 hours with light use. Acer Nitro V 16 AI: Further considerations The 16-inch 1920×1200 IPS display gives you a little more vertical space than the standard 1080p variety, and the 180Hz refresh rate keeps gameplay snappy in faster paced titles. The audio quality is just OK, so you’ll probably want to use headphones or external speakers. That said, small nitpicks aside, the Nitro V 16 AI truly offers the best bang for your buck. Read our full Acer Nitro V 16 AI review Other products tested The Dell G15 is a solid pick if you want to game without spending a ton. Like our top pick, it doesn’t come with all the fancy extras you’d see on pricier gaming laptops, but it still plays games just fine. How we test gaming laptops The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we’ve tested. Chromebooks, on the other hand, go through a series of web-based tests. For a much deeper look at our review methodology, check out how PCWorld tests laptops . Who curated this article? Hi, I’m Ashley Biancuzzo , and I oversee all laptop and Chromebook coverage at PCWorld. While you’ll see me review Chromebooks on occasion, I’m also really into the broader world of consumer tech. I spend a lot of time writing and thinking about where laptops are headed–from AI and sustainable designs to long-term trends. When I’m not deep in the world of tech, you’ll probably find me gaming, getting lost in a good book, or chilling with my rescue greyhound, Allen. How to choose the best gaming laptop under $1,000 The first question you should ask yourself is this: What type of games are you into? Do you like relaxing games like Stardew Valley ? Or are you pushing pixels in Cyberpunk 2077 ? Maybe you also need something that can handle school or work. The good news is you c an get a great machine for under $1,000; you just have to be smart about where your money goes. GPU (graphics card) The GPU’s like the gaming laptop’s heart—it powers all the graphics. You usually can’t upgrade it, so make sure you pick one strong enough for your games. RTX 4050 – Good for 1080p gaming on Medium to High settings. RTX 4060 – Even better. Smooth gameplay on High or Ultra settings. RTX 3060 – Older, but still handles 1080p like a champ. RTX 3070 / 3070 Ti – Rare under $1,000, but a steal if you can snag one. RTX 3050 / 3050 Ti – A step up from entry-level, but starting to show their age. GTX 1650 – Very basic. Okay for older or lighter games, but not great for anything demanding. CPU (processor) If the GPU is the beating heart, then the CPU is most definitely the brain, as it’s responsible for the decision making. The CPU also isn’t typically upgradeable, so it’s worth getting one that’ll hold up over time. When comparing options, go for the chip with newer architecture or higher boost clock speeds, as it’ll usually offer better long-term performance. Spring for at least an Intel 13th- or 14th-gen Core i5/i7 or an AMD Ryzen 7000 series chip. Newer Ryzen models with RDNA 3 integrated graphics (like the 7840HS or 8845HS) are great if you’re skipping a dedicated GPU. More cores and threads help with multitasking, streaming, and heavier games. AMD’s latest Ryzen AI chips (part of the Strix Point and Hawk Point families) bring a few extra perks: Offers strong multi-core performance, ideal for more demanding workloads. NPUs (Neural Processing Units) are designed to exclusively handle AI-related tasks like background effects. The offloading of those tasks from the CPU and GPU helps to improve overall performance. RAM 8GB is the minimum, but 16GB is ideal and usually worth the upgrade. RAM is often upgradable later, but not always, so check before you buy. Storage Aim for at least 512GB SSD. SSD also load games faster and many laptops let you add more storage later. Display Most budget gaming laptops come with 1080p screens, usually 60Hz or 144Hz. 144Hz is preferred for smoother gameplay. If the built-in screen is dim or lacks color punch, an external monitor is always an option. Battery life Gaming laptops aren’t known for marathon battery life. Expect four to six hours tops. They’re heavier too due to all that cooling hardware. FAQ 1. What is the best gaming laptop under $1,000? PCWorld’s top pick, the Acer Nitro V 16 AI , offers an RTX 5050, a 16-inch 1920×1200 180Hz display, and long battery life in a system that can handle modern games without costing an arm and a leg. 2. What’s the difference between a gaming laptop and a regular laptop? A gaming laptop is basically a regular laptop on steroids. It’s built with stronger graphics, faster processors, and better cooling to handle intense games, while a regular laptop is more for everyday stuff like browsing and work. So, gaming laptops can run games smoothly, but regular ones usually can’t keep up. 3. When is the best time to buy a gaming laptop? The best time to grab a gaming laptop is during big sales like Black Friday or back-to-school deals when prices drop and you can score some sweet discounts. 4. Can Chromebooks handle gaming? Chromebooks can handle web games and Android apps just fine, but AAA titles? Uh, not really. At least not locally. However, cloud gaming lets you play those AAA titles on a Chromebook via a streaming service. You’ve got to sign up for a streaming service like GeForce Now to play those types of games, though. 5. Can you play games on integrated graphics? You totally can! Intel Iris Xe and AMD RDNA 3 can handle newer games at 1080p on low settings pretty smoothly. 6. What’s the best laptop size for gaming? If you’re always on-the-go, spring for a lighter 13- or 14-inch. If you plan on keeping your laptop most of the time, 15- or 17-inch laptops give you more power and a larger screen—just a bit heavier. Easy! Related content PCWorld laptop reviews The gaming laptop I’m drooling for has no GPU (and it’s not a laptop) 5 unusual PC gaming accessories you need to know about Optimize your gaming laptop with these must-have programs Sick of your gaming laptop’s awful battery life? Here’s how to extend it How to lower your ping and latency in competitive online games How to prevent Windows Defender from ruining your gaming performance 7 settings every PC gamer should tweak immediately

Turn your wall outlet into 9 ports with this cool $9 extender

Turn your wall outlet into 9 ports with this cool $9 extender

What if I said you could immediately upgrade your home office, living room, or even bedroom with something really useful for less than $10? Wherever your “charging station” happens to be, you should consider leveling it up with this Addtam outlet extender . It’s now on sale for $8.99 (was $14.99) and it’s so dang practical! What makes this awesome gadget worth getting? Well, it plugs right into your regular outlet plate and effectively turns 2 outlets into 9 ports: 5x AC outlets, 3x USB-A ports, and 1x USB-C port. Instead of hogging it up with bulky power adapters or old-school power strips, this outlet extender is all you need for a convenient, decluttered charging station. I like that it has a built-in night light (which you can turn off with a quick tap), and I also like that it has both a screw and a stability rod so it stays firmly mounted to your receptacle. The USB-C maxes out at 15 watts while the USB-As max out at 12 watts, and the whole thing has safety guards against short-circuits, surges, hot temperatures, and more. Go ahead and get yourself one of these for 40% off and instantly upgrade any room in your house! It’s a small price to pay for a big step up—much bigger than you’d expect. Save 40% on this 9-port outlet extender for charging your devices Buy now at Amazon