While we’d just heard a rumor that the Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro will be revealed on September 13, potentially launching ahead of the iPhone 13, a new rumor claims Google will unveil both phones in mid-October, with a Google Pixel 6 release date on October 28.
The new dates were announced by leaker Jon Prosser via Front Page Tech; he cited his own sources for both the Google Pixel 6 release date of October 28 when the phone is available in stores and when both are open for pre-order on October 19. While he wasn’t sure when the expected #MadeByGoogle launch event would be, he guessed that the latter date would be a good guess.
EXCLUSIVE: NO. The Google Pixel 6 is NOT launching the day before the iPhone 13 event 😂Here’s when it’s actually coming 👇https://t.co/1vitXLfLMTAugust 31, 2021
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In the post, Prosser admonished media (and by inclusion, TechRadar) for repeating the previous claim of a September 13 launch date, which came from leaker Bald Panda on Weibo. Per Prosser, it makes little sense for Google to try to beat Apple to market, especially since it goes against both companies’ typical launch windows.
Analysis: Google Pixel 6, reclaiming the October launch window?
Yes, it would make sense for Google to keep its usual October launch window, especially if Apple is rumored to launch on September 14. Google has launched every flagship Pixel phone in October, though it bounced between both months when releasing its later Nexus phones.
While Apple has consistently launched iPhones in September, last year’s Covid-related delays resulted in the larger iPhone 12 Pro Max and smaller iPhone 12 mini releasing later in October. We haven’t heard much about whether Apple’s expecting the same supply issues this year, but either way, Google would have an uphill battle trying to steal the spotlight from the latest iPhone.
We wouldn’t sell the Pixel 6 short, though: the new Google-built Tensor chipset bundled with its eye-catching new (officially revealed) design and Android 12 features will probably make it a contender among flagship phones – but we’ll have to wait and see how they all combine for a top phone.
South Korea has passed a new bill that forces app stores to let developers use payment systems of their choice. Essentially, this means app devs can sidestep Apple and Google’s up to 30% cuts by transacting directly with consumers or using a service that takes a smaller cut.
The Telecommunications Business Act bill passed by South Korea’s National Assembly will become law when it’s signed by President Moon Jae-in, Bloomberg reported, which could be as early as next month.
The bill has obvious implications for Apple and Google’s businesses, as well as the ongoing legal suits Epic Studios brought against both companies. Epic would now be able to secure payments from users directly by using its own pay system and avoid giving Apple or Google any cut of the revenue.
Apple has used its App Store as a gatekeeper for software, requiring developers to run through its approval process to release apps intended to run on iPhones (on iOS) and iPads (on iPadOS). Google permits ‘side-loading’ apps for phones and tablets running its Android operating system, but both it and Apple have forced apps to pay through first-party stores: if you’re making money on your app, the tech giant that owns the OS and associated app store will take its cut.
While this rigid control hasn’t been popular with app developers, it’s gone largely unchallenged until Epic engaged in simultaneous legal battles with both Apple and Google. Epic wants to put its own software store on iOS and Android devices, presumably but not officially to pay less or none of the revenue cuts to both tech giants.
But the South Korean bill wasn’t passed specifically to advocate for expanding software availability on mobile platforms – it only frees up developers to use a different payment service if they choose. Korean lawmakers reportedly passed this legislation to get ahead of Google closing a loophole that exempted the country from needing to use its payment system (and apply its 30% revenue cut) to non-gaming apps, per Bloomberg.
Should Apple, Google or other companies fail to comply, they could be fined up to 3% of revenue made in South Korea, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Analysis: the first domino to opening up app store payments worldwide?
Both Apple and Google have claimed that restricting software through their app stores has kept users safe, with Apple claiming its efforts prevented a supposed $1.5 billion in fraud. But maintaining their hold on iOS, iPadOS and Android revenue is very lucrative: the Apple App Store and Google Play Store brought in a combined $64.9 billion in revenue in the first half of 2021, per a June report by analyst firm Sensor Tower.
The big question is: what does this mean for app markets outside South Korea? While we knew that South Korean lawmakers were going to make a decision about Apple and Google’s app stores, other countries have not introduced similar legislation – at least on a national level.
The US state of Arizona’s lawmakers proposed a bill in March similar to South Korea’s that would free developers from being forced to use Apple and Google’s payment systems. While the bill died in committee before the month’s end, reportedly due to heavy lobbying by both tech giants just before the votes according to The Verge, it shows that some legislators elsewhere in the world are interested in the issue.
That interest could reignite now that South Korea’s efforts have become law – especially showing that legislation can succeed despite pushback from Apple and Google. We’ll have to see whether laws succeed where Epic’s legal trials have not.
As the pandemic has left SMBs short on funds at a time when cyber threats are increasing, Kaspersky has unveiled a new free platform with tips and tricks to help them quickly improve their organization's security posture.
According to the cybersecurity firm's “How small businesses got through 2020-2021” report, more than half (52%) of all businesses surveyed said that financial difficulties seen during the past 12 months will likely become permanent. At the same time, 47 percent of SMBs said they struggle with funding cybersecurity improvements even if they realize the importance of protection from cyber threats.
As a result, organizations are less likely to spend more on cybersecurity going forward despite increased risks from malware and ransomware.
This is why Kaspersky has created its new Kaspersky Cybersecurity On a Budget platform that provides a set of short but actionable recommendations that are relevant for any company as well as specific tips for different verticals and business needs.
Kaspersky Cybersecurity On a Budget
In the main three sections of Kaspersky Cybersecurity On a Budget, visitors can learn best practices around most general routines and processes in any business like how to safeguard client databases, reports and other important data, how to spend less on IT and how to organize a company's internal and external communication.
The platform also includes guidelines for specific business needs such as organizations operating in the healthcare sector, those working with intellectual property and businesses that hire freelancers. These 'to-dos' are presented in an interactive format where a user must answer a short question before getting a tip to help them quickly receive the recommendations they need.
All of the advice including on the Kaspersky Cybersecurity On a Budget platform is short but actionable with instructions that can be implemented quickly and don't require difficult IT or cybersecurity skills.
EVP of corporate business at Kaspersky, Evgeniya Naumova provided further insight on how SMBs can benefit from the company's new free cybersecurity-focused platform in a press release, saying:
“At Kaspersky, we are confident that by following basic rules, organizations can achieve an essential level of cyber protection in a short time and without additional resources. Be it a small construction company, a cafe or a marketing agency, the platform works for anyone. The pandemic hit small businesses hard so finance and resources may be limited today. This is one more argument towards investing a few minutes to read and a few hours to implement recommendations that will then help to keep your business protected."
In just the past few years, 4K TVs plowed through the market with a ton of features and technologies that made them almost irresistible. The best 4K TVs for gaming are offering high refresh rates and adaptive sync technologies to contend with gaming monitors, but the wide color gamuts and staggering peak brightness levels for HDR on these TVs put most gaming monitors to shame — even our favorite one, the LG UltraGear 38GN950.
A select few gaming monitors borrow TV tech like 10-bit color depths and full-array local dimming to keep up, but these “monitors” are just as large as the TVs they’re competing with. And even smaller monitors do boast HDR specs to compete with TVs, they often cost as much or more than those TVs. This leaves PC gamers who want the best visuals at their desk in a pickle: stick to a smaller monitor without the latest TV tech, pay big-screen prices for a smaller monitor, or just go big. But, how practical is it really to use a TV-sized display as a PC gaming monitor? We decided to find out the hard way.
(Image credit: Future)
The setup
We didn’t want to let a poor choice of panel or features skew the results of our experiment against the big display, so we picked up a 55-inch LG CX OLED TV to get one of the most compelling, large gaming screens on the market. The display offers a 120Hz variable refresh rate at 4K with a wide color gamut, high peak brightness, and a contrast ratio no gaming monitor can match. This left its size as the main variable as to how well it worked in our setup.
We mounted the LG CX on our 52-inch wide desk, of which it took up almost the entire width, but we still had space for a desk-size mouse pad for our mouse and keyboard in front of the display. That’ll be a warning flag for some – not every desk is going to be able to hold such a large display.
Setting up a desk space with such a large display is also harder. It’s not easy reaching around to the back of such a big display to plug in HDMI cables or to route USB cables for peripherals. And, of course, hoisting the TV onto the desk can present its own difficulties. If you’re regularly changing things around in your setup, a big screen just makes it harder.
With the TV in position, we were able to use our gaming PC either seated up close at the desk or we could roll our chair back and play at a distance. Since our focus here is how well a large display can serve in place of a gaming monitor and not for couch gaming, though, the ability to play at a distance is just a perk to note.
(Image credit: LG)
The experience
The presence of a 55-inch display on our desk was almost immediately overwhelming and took some getting used to. It effectively fills the majority of our field of view. A 34-inch ultrawide gaming monitor might seem fairly expansive, but it pales in comparison to the scale of a 55-inch TV sitting the same distance from our eyes.
As a workspace, it’s almost magical. The ability to move windows to just about anywhere and fit plenty on the display at once can’t be overlooked. But, we quickly found the drawbacks adding up.
4K is for farther away
For one thing, the much-praised 4K resolution that has become ubiquitous in TVs doesn’t hold up so well from the usual viewing distance at a desk. To put things into perspective, a 55-inch 4K TV is akin four 27-inch 1080p monitors, which isn’t the paramount of sharpness. At even arms length, we noticed individual pixels clearly enough. This would be less of an issue on a 48-inch display or 43-inch like Gigabyte’s Aorus FV43U. But even in the case of a 43-inch display, you’re looking at a pixel density of 102 PPI that falls short of the 27-inch 1440p monitors that are almost a staple in PC gaming.
The ability to peep pixels on that granular level hurts the gaming experience some, too. Though having a lot of graphics in motion helps distract from each pixel, it still stands out when we stop to appreciate the fine details in games. If you hate seeing jagged edges because of weak anti-aliasing, you won’t stand for this.
Bright for our eyesight
While there’s no knocking a wider color gamut, the high peak brightnesses of big screens is also a different experience up close. The LG CX isn’t the brightest TV you can get, as OLEDs are more about contrast ratio where QLED TVs are doing more for peak brightness, but the display is still a lot brighter than the many VESA DisplayHDR 400 monitors popping up on the market. Despite not being the brightest, the LG CX can be a strain on our eyes, and we even went as far as dialing down the brightness levels, which definitely helped with usability.
But, limiting the brightness may defeat the purpose for some. The main thing smaller PC monitors fall behind on (besides size, of course) is brightness — just have a look at how few monitors below 43 inches earned the DisplayHDR 1000 certification. If the reason for buying a massive display for your PC gaming setup is so you can enjoy higher peak brightnesses but the actual brightness is so high you have to turn it down, is there actually a point in buying that bigger display?
Framing things differently
It’s not all bad, though. We found some perks to the massive size of the display. Playing shooters, the area for scoped fire was so huge, it was incredibly easy to make out targets and keep them in the crosshairs. What might have been a 2X scope gave us the viability of a 4X scope. Similarly, distant details were easier to perceive. That said, the size of the display also meant some part of the scene would be out in our peripheral vision, making those bits harder to see in the heat of the moment.
Since our field of view was so full, the experience was almost like VR — but the motion sickness-inducing kind. Running animations that bring a lot of camera movement were dizzying.
There are some options to tweak the display, though. If the full expanse of the display is useful in some games and a hindrance in others, you don’t have to use the whole display. It’s possible to output video at a different resolution and aspect ratio from the display’s native specs, such as going for a 21:9 or 32:9 area. This could still take full advantage of the display width without expanding so much into the vertical area, and it can be a lot cheaper than ultra-wide options like the Samsung Odyssey G9. It will result in letterboxing, but on a premium display with a high contrast ratio or local dimming, those black bars may not be too distracting (or will be pure black, in the case of an OLED display like the LG CX).
(Image credit: Future)
Is it practical or worth it?
While it was an interesting experiment, the up-close-and-personal nature of gaming made a TV-size display feel more absurd than anything. For the few cases where it showed utility, it wasn’t achieved practically. For example, setting up a bunch of windows to work on was still held back by the low sharpness and the reality that only one or two of them would be anywhere close to ergonomically centered. And running at a different aspect ratio and resolution just illustrates that the screen is too large otherwise.
Price comes into the practicality equation, too. The bigger displays that offer high-end features tend to cost a lot. Gigabyte’s Aorus FV43U is on the smaller side and costs $1,100 (£1,000 / AU$1,699), and our review still found it too big for up-close use. The best gaming TVs don’t come cheap either.
None of this is to say you can’t go for a big screen to enjoy PC games on. If you’re setting up your gaming PC in the living room or plan to play at some distance, it can be a great setup. But, for traditional PC gaming at a desk, you’re better off waiting for some of these premium features to eventually make it to the gaming monitor market rather than opting for a big TV or a display acting like a monitor despite having the proportions of a TV.
Welcome toTechRadar’s PC Gaming Week 2021, our celebration of the greatest gaming platform on Earth. Despite the global pandemic and ongoing GPU shortages, PC gaming has never been more vibrant and exciting, and throughout the week we’ll be reflecting this with a selection of in-depth articles, interviews and essential buying guides.
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The Labor Day TV sales event has arrived early with fantastic deals on a range of 4K TVs from retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, and more. To help you find all the top offers, we're rounding up the best early Labor Day TV sales that are happening right now.
The Labor Day sales event is the perfect opportunity to score massive discounts on a wide range of 4K TVs from brands like Samsung, LG, Sony, and more. You'll find summer clearance prices on last year's sets as well as record-low prices on newer models, so whether you're looking for a budget HD TV or a premium OLED, our Labor Day TV sales will have you covered.
While Labor Day takes place on Monday, September 6 this year, retailers like Best Buy and Walmart have already kicked off their official Labor Day sales, and we've included those top bargains below. We should start to see more deals popping up in the coming days, and we'll be updating this page with all the latest offers leading up to the holiday weekend event.
TCL 32-inch Smart LED Roku TV:$199.99$173 at Walmart
Save $26 - You can get this budget 32-inch smart TV from TCL on sale for just $173 at Walmart's Labor Day sale. That's the best price we've found for the LED TV that includes the Roku experience, which allows you to stream your favorite content from the home screen of your TV.
Toshiba 32-inch Smart HD Fire TV:$199.99$179.99 at Amazon
Save $20 - This 32-inch Toshiba is a great TV if you're looking for something that'll cover the basics for the kid's rooms, studies, or bedrooms. While it's not a 4K display, it does come with Fire OS and Amazon Alexa built right in for handy smart assistant support and is on sale for $179.99.
Toshiba 43-inch 4K UHD Fire TV (2021):$369.99$349.99 at Amazon
$20 - Amazon has cut this 2021 Toshiba Fire display price down to $349.99 this week. The 43-inch set comes with the Fire OS and an Alexa voice remote so you can use your voice to adjust the volume, change the channel, browse for movies, and more.
Labor Day TV deals: 50-59 inches
Hisense 50-inch A6G Series 4K UHD Smart TV:$429.99$369.99 at Best Buy
Save $60 - Best Buy has this Hisense 50-inch TV marked down to $369.99, which is a fantastic price for a feature-packed 4K TV. The A6G series set comes with Dolby Vision HDR, DTS Virtual: X, Chromecast, and a voice remote that works with the Google Assistant.
TCL 55-inch 4-Series 4K UHD Smart Roku TV:$499.99$449.99 at Best Buy
Save $50 - One of our favorite early Labor Day TV deals from Best Buy is this TCL 55-inch 4K that's on sale for $449.99. While this isn't the lowest price we've seen, it's the best deal you can find right now and a fantastic price for a 4K Ultra HD set that includes the Roku experience for seamless streaming.
Samsung 50-inch 4K Crystal UHD Smart TV:$899.95$567.99 at Walmart
Save $331 - You can score a massive $331 discount on this stunning Samsung 50-inch 4K TV at Walmart. That's the best price you'll find for the 4K set that delivers bright, bold colors thanks to the powerful Dynamic Crystal technology.
Labor Day TV deals: 60-75 inches
TCL 65-inch 4-Series 4K Smart Android TV:$699.99$529.99 at Best Buy
Save $170 - This TCL 65-inch 4K TV is on sale for just $529.99 thanks to today's massive $170 discount at Best Buy's Labor Day sale. You're getting Google Assistant and Chromecast built in, excellent smart capabilities, plus an easy-to-use remote that features voice search and control.
Hisense 65-inch A6G Series 4K UHD Smart TV:$599.99$539.99 at Best Buy
Save $60 - At just $539.99, this Hisense 65-inch smart TV is offering an excellent budget price point in Best Buy's latest TV deals. Featuring HDR, DTS studio sound, and a massive range of channels thanks to the Fire operating system, this already cheap TV is offering a particularly compelling discount this week.
Sony 65-inch X85J Series 4K UHD Smart TV:$1,599.99$1,099.99 at Best Buy
Save $500 - This stunning Sony 75-inch 4K TV gets a massive $500 discount at Best Buy. That's the best price we've found for the X85J series set, which delivers a gorgeous picture with rich colors and detailed contrasts thanks to the powerful X1 4K HDR processor.
LG C1 48-inch 4K UHD Smart OLED TV:$1,499$1,296.99 at Amazon
Save $203 - Pick up TechRadar's best-rated OLED TV of 2021 for its lowest ever price this week at Amazon. Available at a hefty discount in all sizes, the LG C1 series is a fantastic choice if you're looking for something that's the perfect balance of features, picture quality, and price. With an industry-leading 4K upscaling processor, excellent WebOS platform, and four HDMI 2.1 ports, this is a versatile premium TV that's great for both content and games.
Kingston has announced that its new high performance USB-C flash drive the DataTraveler Max is now available.
The DataTraveler Max (DT Max) is one of the fastest USB drives on the market with read speeds of up to 1000 Mbps and write speeds of up to 900 Mbps.
According to Kingston, the company designed the DT Max with portability and convenience in mind. However, the flash drive also features a unique ridged casing that protects its USB-C connector when its not in use and is easily moved in a single motion.
Flash product manager at Kingston, Carissa Blegen provided further details on the DT Max in a press release, saying:
“DT Max offers industry-leading speeds and uncompromised storage space to enable consumers to create and keep up with today’s content demands. We deliver unparalleled performance that our customers have come to know and expect, and with this launch we are proud to set a new bar for USB-C flash drives.”
Kingston DataTraveler Max
Kingston's DT Max flash drive features the latest USB 3.2 Gen 2 Standard to provide record-breaking performance when it comes to read and write speeds.
In addition to a convenient one-handed sliding cap, the device also has a LED status indicator to let you now when its reading or writing data as well as a functional keyring loop so it can easily be attached to a laptop bag.
The DT Max, which is compatible with Windows, macOS, Linux and Chrome OS, is available in three storage capacities and interested users can pick up Kingston's latest flash drive with either 256GB, 512GB or 1TB of storage. The device also ships with a five year warranty with free technical support in case you run into any issues.
Even if you're using a cloud storage service to store your files online, having a hard copy of your most important data that you can bring with you can help you work from anywhere.
Standard shared web hosting packages are cheap and user-friendly, but they're also slow, inflexible, and don't have the power or functionality that professional and business users often need.
If you need more than a basic host but can't afford a dedicated server or don't want to deal with the complexity of these beasts, VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting could be a smart choice.
Buying a VPS plan means that you get your very own virtual server environment. You have full control over the operating system, the extensions and apps you install, and all their settings. Each physical server will still host multiple VPS customers, but not as many as with shared hosting, and typically each VPS will be allocated a share of key resources – RAM, storage space, CPU cores – for their use alone.
This can be easier to manage than you might think. Many VPS plans include standard tools like cPanel to help monitor and configure your site. Some hosts will manage the service for you, monitoring for problems like a crashed service, and fixing them as soon as they're detected.
VPS prices and specs vary from a few dollars a month to hundreds, depending on your requirements. There's a lot of choice out there, but don't panic – our list of five best VPS providers will point you in the right direction.
Exclusive: This cheapest VPS starts from $0.50 per month
Save an incredible 90% on yearly plans. Starts from only $6 per year for one CPU core with 1GB of RAM, 40GB NVMe disk capacity (SSD) and 1TB bandwidth transfer. Note that the offer is applicable for the first year only. For subsequent years, normal charges are applicable.
Hostgator delivers an impressive range of hosting services, ranging from domains to dedicated servers at very competitive prices and backed by a 99.9% uptime guarantee. This applies as much to their VPS hosting as any of their other hosting options.
Hostgator offer three specific VPS hosting plans, starting with the Snappy 2000, which comes with 2GB RAM, 2 cores of CPU, and 120GB of diskspace. The allocations are generous and should accommodate all but the most demanding websites.
An upgrade from that, if required, is the Snappy 4000, which upgrades RAM to 4GB and storage to 165GB. For more demanding sites that don't yet require their own server, you can opt for the Snappy 8000, which comes with 8GB RAM, 4 cores CPU, and 240 GB storage.
Pricing depends on whether you pay monthly or commit to one of their annual plans. For example, the Snappy 2000 VPS hosting plan costs $29.95 if you only want to pay from month to month, but if you commit to a 3-year contract it comes down as low as $19.95 a month.
Additional benefits include a 45-day money-back guarantee, not to mention free transfers for new accounts within the first month after you’ve signed up. There’s lots to like here considering the minimal impact on your wallet, if you're happy to commit.
Bluehost has been around for quite some time and always offered powerful plans for a variety of users, and their VPS range is no different.
You have three plans to choose from, with the cheapest plan starting at $17.99 per month for the first term and $29.99 per month on renewal. That gets you 2 CPU cores (2x Xeon Gold 5220), 30GB SSD storage, 2 GB RAM, 1 TB bandwidth and one IP address. The top-tier plan called Ultimate, gives you 4 CPU cores (2x Xeon Gold 5222), 120GB SSD storage, 8 GB RAM, 3 TB bandwidth and two IP addresses, and it’s priced at $57.99 per month for the first term and $119.99 per month on renewal.
All plans come with a free SSL certificate and a 1-year domain. You also get unlimited subdomains and email accounts, and cPanel is included too. Domain privacy and protection, and SiteLock are categorized as optional add-ons, so you’ll have to pay extra if you need them.
Support is available 24/7 so if you encounter any difficulties you’ll be able to call them at any time of the day. All in all, Bluehost is a capable provider for both newbies and experienced users so they are definitely worth a try.
iDrive is an amazing cloud storage provider and with iDrive Compute, the company has a great VPS offering as well.
There are shared CPU plans and dedicated CPU plans. Naturally, shared is less powerful but more affordable and it’s a good choice if you don’t need too many resources. The least powerful configuration you can get with a shared CPU is 1 CPU, 1 GB RAM, 40 GB NVMe storage, and 1 TB bandwidth. The most powerful configuration available gives you 32 CPU, 64 GB RAM, 1280 GB NVMe storage, and 12 TB bandwidth. The pricing starts at only $6 for the first year.
On the other hand, dedicated CPU plans are more expensive but you get more resources and you’re not sharing it with anybody. Dedicated CPU pricing starts from $48 for the first year, renewing at 480$ per year. The packages range from 2 CPU, 4 GB RAM, 25 GB NVMe storage, and 72 TB bandwidth, to 8 CPU, 32 GB RAM, 480 GB NVMe storage, and 480 TB bandwidth.
The company has servers in over 20 locations, and all plans come with secure backup, user management, block storage, and on-demand snapshots. If you encounter any problems the customer support can be contacted via email, 24/7 live chat, and phone. Unfortunately, the phone support isn’t available 24/7.
VPS poetry? InMotion is certainly a strong provider…
Good hardware
Generous resource allocations
Smart features
Check out a few VPS hosting providers and it's easy to be tempted with low headline rates, but don't be fooled – companies use a range of tricks to keep their charges down.
The hardware specs of a starter product are often kept unrealistically low, for instance, to keep the price right down. Important items – backups, cPanel – may be expensive extras. And even then, the headline rate may only apply if you pay for two or three years upfront, increasing dramatically on renewal.
InMotion Hosting is refreshingly different. Its baseline VPS 2GB plan has a special 6 month term price of $17.99/mo! The product has a better specification – 2GB RAM, 45GB SSD storage, 4TB bandwidth, 1 dedicated IP – than some high-end plans from other providers, backups and a cPanel licence are included for free, and there's a 90-day money-back guarantee.
A recent VPS refresh from InMotion Hosting brings dedicated CPU cores to their VPS plans. The 2GB VPS offers two full CPU cores with options ranging up to 14 Cores!
Welcome bonus touches include a feature called Launch Assist, which essentially means you get two hours of free time with one of InMotion's server administrators. Whether you need to change domain settings, configure cPanel, migrate WordPress or database files, they can help you get the job done.
Put it all together and you're getting a very capable set of VPS hosting plans. If you'd prefer a package that comes with unexpected surprises, rather than hidden catches, we'd give InMotion a try.
Some VPS hosts focus on first-time users, others go for big business, but Hostwinds does its best to appeal to everyone. This means offering both managed and unmanaged plans.
Additionally, along with support for the usual Linux variants – CentOS, Ubuntu, Fedora, Debian – you can choose Windows Server 2008, 2012 or 2016 for only a $5 a month premium. That's very good value, and if you're more familiar with Windows than Linux, it could save you from lots of management hassles later on.
Managed Linux VPS plans start from $8.24 for 1 core and 1 GB RAM, which is a little low but decent for starter websites, with plans increasing resource allocations at a reasonable pricing rate.
For unmanaged Linux, plans start from just $4.99 for the same 1 core and 1GB RAM spec. However, there are far more VPS hosting plans available for unmanaged Linux, with the top tier offering as much as 16 cores and 96 GB of RAM.
Windows plans follow a similar pattern, though for managed VPS with a single core and 1 GB RAM pricing starts a little more at $12.74. Unmanaged options are similar in terms of specs to the unmanaged Linux, though pricing again is a little higher at $10.99 a month.
Whichever you're after, Hostwinds offers plenty of choices.
An outfit that focuses on quality, albeit at a cost
Top-notch configuration options
Quality service and support
On the expensive side
Liquid Web is a premium web hosting provider which has been offering top quality managed solutions for more than 20 years, and now handles 500,000 sites for more than 32,000 customers worldwide.
The company doesn't try to beat the competition on price, instead focusing on delivering comprehensive products which will deliver quality results.
The cheapest Liquid Web plan may cost $59 a month (you can reduce that to $15 a month by paying for 2-years), for instance, but that gets you 2GB RAM, 40GB storage, a very generous 10TB of bandwidth, and 100GB backup.
There are lots of configuration options. Instead of just telling you that you're getting CentOS 7, Liquid Web allows you to select CentOS 6, Debian 8, Ubuntu 14.04 or 16.04, and often with multiple options of their own: cPanel, Plesk, CloudLinux and more.
This is a managed product, too. Liquid Web fully supports the base operating system, and the support team will proactively restore failed services as soon as they're detected. Getting a managed VPS with other providers could cost you an extra $30 a month, or more.
If your VPS still has issues, there's speedy 24x7x365 support from knowledgeable professionals who will do their best to solve your problems at speed.
Liquid Web may not have the most appealing headline prices, but it's still cheaper than many others considering the features you get, and the excellent support will help keep your site running smoothly down the line.
It might be time to upgrade to the best 4K monitor. Although arguments can be made for 1080p and 1440p displays, UHD is now having its moment in the sun. 4K content and internals that support them like some of the latest graphics cards (the Nvidia Geforce RTX 3080, to name one) are fast becoming the norm. And, having the right hardware – more specifically, the right computer monitor – is the only way to experience them the way they’re meant to be experienced.
UHD (ultra-high definition) technology has been rapidly improving and becoming more accessible over the last few years, providing a tempting upgrade opportunity. In fact, while there’s a lot of 4K displays that will break the bank, more and more affordable yet still excellent options cheaper than 4K TVs are becoming available as well. A handful of these budget options also come with that curved monitor goodness for good measure.
Beyond future-proofing your rig and getting a better viewing experience, such monitors also deliver extra screen real estate, making them ideal for multitasking and for creative workflows. If you're on the hunt for the best 4K monitor, there's never been a better time to buy. And, we’re here to help you choose with these picks below. Be sure to check out our included price comparison tool while you’re at it to see the best monitor deals.
If you’re in the cinematography or photography business, you'll want the BenQ SW321C PhotoVue.(Image credit: BenQ)
‘Paper Color Sync’ needs refining to be truly useful
Pro-level displays are no longer the premium priced, inaccessible purchase they started out to be. At least as far as the BenQ SW321C PhotoVue is concerned. This 32-inch 4K photo monitor is up a step or two in terms of both performance and usability, featuring an incredibly wide color gamut of 99% of the Adobe RGB color space and 95% of DCI-P3. If you’re in the cinematography or photography sphere, that’s exactly what you need. And, that’s on top of all the other features this monitor boasts. This is among the best 4K monitors for photo editing you’ll find, and the best part is you’re getting it for cheaper than all others.
Dell’s 4K monitor is stunning inside and out. We love it’s woven arctic white design that lends to its unique elegant look, allowing it to stand out against the sea of black and gray monitors out there. Its display is impeccable as well. On top of that 4K resolution is a contrast ratio of 3,000:1, support for 1.07 billion colors, up to 4ms response time, and a 178/178 viewing angle that altogether produce stunning, crisp and vibrant visuals that are just as excellent for gaming as they are for media consumption and productivity. It isn’t the cheapest 4K option out there, but the price of entry isn’t bad either. And, considering what you’re getting, you’ll be glad to spend just a little more.
Screen size: 28-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 350 cd/㎡ | Response time: 5ms | Viewing angle: 178/178 | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | Color support: 90% color gamut, 1073.7M (10bit) | Weight: 7.6 kg
Incredibly affordable
Extremely flexible in viewing positions
Gorgeous, accurate colors
Some stuttering at higher settings
Not true HDR
With the Asus TUF Gaming VG289Q, you’re getting a lot of value for your money – especially considering the small price of entry. One of the most affordable 4K gaming monitors right now, this 28-incher can swivel, pivot and tilt practically however which way you need it (within reason, naturally) to serve your purpose. It also has deliciously thin bezels and a nifty cable management solution, as well as a few display settings to boost your viewing experience. Thanks to its rich vibrant colors, super sharp image quality and a design that is only subtly gaming-centric, this is among the best 4K monitors not only for gamers but for regular users who consume a lot of visual media as well.
As both 4K panels and HDR technology become more ubiquitous, we’re starting to see more affordable monitors take on the market, and the Philips Brilliance 328P does just that. This 4K monitor combines a 4K VA panel with decent HDR performance at a price point that won’t force you to break open the piggy bank. Its brightness doesn’t quite reach its lofty HDR 600 rating, but at this price, it’s hard to complain. The Philips Brilliance 328P really is one of the best 4K monitors out there.
4K fans will find a lot to love in the LG Ultrafine 24MD4KL, especially if they’re photographers or videographers who need all that prime real estate and high resolution. From its 4K resolution and color accuracy, to its plethora of USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports and buttonless design, this 4K display is the perfect match for your Mac or ultrabook. And, despite those bizarrely thick bezels and high price tag, this display might be hard to resist.
If you’re on the market for one of the best 4K monitors for everyday computing and productivity, without all the fancy bells and whistles, you’ll want the BenQ PD2700U. This monitor doesn’t feature fancy Quantum Dot tech, or Adaptive Sync, it doesn’t even have USB-C input! But, when you get the BenQ PD2700U, you are getting a lot of pixels, which is all you really need. It’s not the cheapest 4K monitor on this list, but it’s color accurate, has plenty of desktop real estate, and will comfortably fit in any office environment.
While 4K monitors are becoming more and more common, even without particularly powerful hardware, we still run into the kind of monitor that changes everything. The Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ is one of these. Asus has managed to craft a 4K gaming monitor with HDR and the kind of color support you see in professional displays – and render that all at 144Hz with G-Sync no less. There are only a few monitors out there that packs as many features as this Asus screen, and that’s why it’s one of the best 4K monitors. But, keep in mind, you’re going to have to pay for something this advanced – and we mean pay.
The LG 32UN880 UltraFine Display Ergo has done something cool. Instead of going for the same homogeneous mount and stand that all monitors have, it has opted for a C-Clamp, One Click Mount that allows it to extend, retract, go high, go low, tilt and pivot like no other. That’s versatility turned up to 11. It also boasts incredible color accuracy and beautiful picture quality. The best part is that you’re getting all that without burning a massive hole in your pocket. This is, without a doubt, among the best 4K monitors out there.
Screen size: 28-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 300 cd/m2 | Response time: 1 ms | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | Color support: 1.07 billion
Very low price for a 28-inch monitor
FreeSync technology
No VESA mount
4K monitors aren't going to be as cheap as their TV counterparts, but some of them do try. Take a look at this offering from AOC whose 28-inch TN panel boasts some terrific extras that add even more value to its already affordable price. FreeSync technology, excellent color accuracy, and a Picture-in-Picture feature make it a great proposition for mainstream users who like to dabble in different things, from gaming to photo editing. Of course, it also makes for a great business monitor – and you can't beat that price if you have to buy a few for the office.
Screen size: 27-inch | Aspect ratio: 16:9 | Resolution: 3,840 x 2,160 | Brightness: 1,000 cd/m2 (peak) | Response time: 4 ms | Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 | Color support: 16.7 million
Great HDR
High refresh rate
Very expensive
If you have an absolute beast of a gaming computer – think two Nvidia RTX 2080 Tis in SLI – and you need a monitor that can keep up, you might want to take a look at the Acer Predator X27. Not only is it a 27-inch 4K monitor with HDR, but it also has a refresh rate of a whopping 144 Hz. If you have the horsepower, you can play games in 4K competitively without losing an edge to the person playing in 1080p. But, as you may expect from a spec sheet like this, it’s very expensive – but if you need the tech, it’s definitely there.
If you're looking for cheap TV sales, then you've come to the right place. We've scoured all the best retailers in the UK to bring you the hottest TV deals on everything from cheap TVs to more premium displays. That means you can relax with your favourite show in style, and your wallet can breathe a sigh of relief as well.
We've done all the searching, so you can simply browse the TV sales below for a size and price that suits you. That means no more obscure model numbers to look up and no more wondering if you've really got the best TV deal around. We've done all that legwork and brought all the need-to-know information right here.
We've organised all the latest cheap TV sales by size here, but it's worth checking out the prices throughout because you might be surprised how large a display you can get for your cash these days. We've also picked out a TV deal of the week, which represents the best outright value for most people.
That means all of these top brands are competing to offer the best tech for the money, so even if you're on a budget, you can still bag yourself some top-shelf features in a cheap TV. Between their powerful upscaling processors, full smart home integration, and, in some cases, Dolby Atmos support, all these 4K TV deals are fantastic value.
The best cheap smart TV deals in this week's roundup all offer awe-inspiring HDR and streamlined 4K upscaling to make everything shine. If you're looking to push the budget, you can also take a look at the best OLED TV prices and deals available right now.
The best TV deal of the week
Samsung The Frame 2020 65-inch 4K QLED TV:£1,799£1,499 was at Currys
Save £300 – Score a massive $300 off this stunning 65-inch model of Samsung's The Frame TV. With Art Mode for displaying artworks and photography, customizable bezels, and a QLED display, this is a TV for those who think form should match the picture. Includes HDR10+ too.
The best cheap TV sales available now
(Image credit: Toshiba)
32-49 inch cheap 4K TV deals
JVC 39-inch Smart Full HD Android TV:£299.99£229.99 at Currys
Save £70 - If you're looking for a 39-inch budget set, this JVC HD TV is a fantastic option, and it's on sale for just £229.99. The HD TV comes with smart capabilities and the Google Assistant built in so you can use your voice to control your TV.
43-inch Hisense Roku 4K TV:£349£299 at Argos
Save £50 - This £50 price cut does mean you're still getting a lot for just £300. This is a terrific choice if you want a simple budget Smart TV that can access all the major streaming apps and is the lowest price you can expect to pay for a 4K TV of this size.
Samsung 43-inch TU7020 Smart 4K UHD TV:£429£379 at Argos
Save $50 - Argos has this Samsung 43-inch 4K TV on sale for a record-low price of £379. The 43-inch set from Samsung delivers a bright, bold picture with life-like images thanks to the Crystal processor and 4K HD resolution.
Samsung 43-inch AU8000 4K TV:£549£444.50 at Amazon Save £104.50 – This cheap Samsung TV packs in 4K HDR, HDR10+, and built-in Alexa, and it's on sale for a record-low price of £444.50. It had already seen a bit of a discount on Amazon, and now with a $100 price cut, that's hard to pass up on a screen this size.
(Image credit: Samsung)
50-59 inch 4K TV deals
55-inch Hisense Roku 4K TV:£499£399 at Argos Save £100 - You can snag a £100 discount on this 55-inch set which is a record low price on this Hisense model - a cost we have seen a few times throughout the year. It's definitely worth considering if your budget stretches that far as you'll get the best and most immersive viewing experience when watching films, TV shows, and more.
Hisense 58-inch 4K UHD Smart TV:£549£499 at Very
Save £50 - Very has this Hisense set on sale for just £449 - a fantastic price for a feature-rich 58-inch 4K TV. You're getting 4K HD resolution, DTS Studio Sound, Freeview Play, and Amazon Alexa built in for hands-free control.
TCL 50-inch QLED 4K UHD Smart TV:£599£576.09 at Amazon
Save £22.91 - Amazon has this stunning TCL 55-inch QLED on sale for £576.09, which is the best price you can find right now. Packed with premium features, this TCL set includes Quantum Dot technology, HDR 10+, Dolby Vision, and works with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant for voice control.
Samsung TU7020 50-inch 4K Crystal UHD Smart TV:£549£479 at Very
Save £70 - This stunning Samsung 50-inch 4K TV is on sale for £479 at Very. That's the best price you'll find for the 4K set that delivers bright, bold colors thanks to the powerful Dynamic Crystal technology.
LG 55-inch Smart 4K UHD TV:£699£479 at Amazon
Save £220 - An incredible price for a feature-packed 4K TV, AO has this LG 55-inch set on sale for a record-low price of £479. You're getting bright, bold colours and sharp contrasts thanks to the 4K HD resolution, and the smart capabilities allow you to stream your favorite movies and TV shows seamlessly from your home screen.
Samsung TU8300 55-inch Crystal Curved UHD 4K TV:£699£599 at Very
Save £100 - The Samsung TU8300 55-inch 4K TV is £100 off at Very right now. This Samsung set features a curved screen for an immersive experience and a stunning 55-inch crystal display that delivers pure colors and sharp contrasts.
Sony Bravia KD55XH81 55-inch 4K Smart TV:£999£679 at Amazon
Save £320 – This 55-inch TV from Sony is at a great price right now. Not only will you get a 4K image with HDR but it comes with Chromecast and AirPlay built into the TV, so whether you prefer Android or iOS you should be able to connect and stream content from your smartphone to the big screen.
(Image credit: LG)
60-85 inch 4K TV deals
JVC 65-inch Smart 4K Ultra HD Fire TV:£649.99£519 at Currys
Save £130 - Currys has the JVC 65-inch 4K TV on sale for just £519 - £60 cheaper than last week's price. This budget set comes with the Fire OS, so you can easily stream content from apps like Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and more from the home screen of your TV.
Samsung 65-inch Crystal 4K UHD Smart TV:£699£628 at Amazon
Save £71 - One of our favorite TV deals this week, you can get this brilliant Samsung 65-inch 4K TV on sale for £628 at Amazon. The 65-inch set delivers a premium picture experience with stunning colours and deep contrast thanks to the powerful 4K crystal processor.
Samsung 2021 75-inch AU7110 Crystal UHD 4K Smart TV:£999£899 at Amazon
Save £100 - For a limited time, Amazon has a £100 discount on this stunning Samsung 75-inch 4K TV. The 2021 set features PurColour technology and a 4K Crystal processor which delivers a premium-picture experience with life-like images and bold, bright colours.
Samsung 65-inch Smart 4K UHD TV:£1,099£899 at Currys
Save £100 - Currys has this feature-rich Samsung 65-inch 4K TV on sale for £899 - £100 cheaper than last week's price. The 4K Ultra HD TV delivers a stunning picture thanks to the dynamic crystal colour technology and works with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant for hands-free control.
Samsung The Frame 2020 65-inch 4K QLED TV:£1,799£1,499 was at Currys
Save £300 – Score a massive $300 off this stunning 65-inch model of Samsung's The Frame TV. With Art Mode for displaying artworks and photography, customizable bezels, and a QLED display, this is a TV for those who think form should match the picture. Includes HDR10+ too.
Sony Bravia A84J 65-inch Smart 4K UHD OLED TV:£2,699.99£2,199.99 at Currys Save £500 - Sony's brilliant Bravia XR OLED TV gets a massive £500 price cut at Currys. That's the lowest price we've found for the Sony set that packs a 65-inch OLED panel, Dolby Vision, HDR10 and works with the Google Assistant for hands-free control.
More cheap TV sales from your favourite retailers
Not found the right cheap TV today? Or maybe you'd prefer to directly browse the offers at your favourite retailers instead of our highlights of the best smart TV deals? We're updating this page on a regular basis, so you may have better luck another day. If you want to take a look for yourself now though, here are the direct links to a the full collection of TV sales at multiple stores.
Argos - the best place for cheap TVs but regionalised stock
Large screen smart TV deals
If you're after larger smart TV deals, we should warn you, they don't come cheap. However, if you're after 65 to 85-inch TVs- we'd recommend heading over to John Lewis,Currys and Amazon as they seem to stock more models than most UK retailers.
If you'd like a headstart on some of the very finest TVs money can buy, be sure to take a look at our guides for the best 55-inch TV or if you're going large we've got the best 65-inch TV models covered too.
How to tell if cheap TVs are worth it
Cheap TVs can often wow with price tags but disappoint once they're at home and plugged in, however there are ways to find 4K TV deals that bring premium experiences down to lower price ranges. Sacrificing a few features you won't use to prioritise the ones you will is an easy way to get started, but finding that perfect mix might prove difficult.
On the other hand, even displays costing between £300 and £400 are often considered to be cheap TVs, so you'll want to make sure you're getting your money's worth with your new setup. That's where these TV deals come in handy - you can easily get features well above your price range included in your new cheap smart TV if you know when and where to deal hunt.
Nowadays, you'll want to be picking up a 4K TV if you're looking to spend within this price range. Straight HD and HD-ready TV deals are still kicking around some retailers and, for the price you're paying for the previous wave of technology, you could well be picking up a 4K display instead. As the price scale rises, you'll be picking up higher pixel density, better colour differentiation, deeper dynamic range, and better upscaling from pricier units. It's worth checking out the various display specifications to make sure your cheap TV matches up to what others are offering at that particular price point.
Or, you could let us do all of that for you with the 4K TV deals listed here.
(Image credit: Hisense)
Are 4K TV deals getting cheaper?
As the technology progresses, and even leaps into the world of 8K, 4K TV deals are getting cheaper and cheaper, meaning more households than ever are able to afford premium displays like the ones highlighted here. Not only does that show just how cheap these 4K TV deals have become in recent years, but it also means there's more content being made to be displayed on these 4K TVs available as well. So, not only are these sets getting cheaper, but there's also plenty more to watch on them as well.
How to find the best TV deals
We've found that the best TV deals usually come from a few retailers in particular - Very regularly discounts their cheaper models, Currys holds excellent prices on Philips Ambilight displays, and John Lewis can offer up invaluable peace of mind with their extensive warranty guarantees.
So, you know where to shop but if you're not seeing any particularly enticing offers -you might be searching at the wrong time. The best TV deals are usually between November and January, when Black Friday and holiday sales are discounting premium displays left and right. However, you'll also find the summer sales fruitful as well.
What to look for in smart TV deals
The vast majority of TV deals on offer right now will offer Smart TV functionality. It's now become the norm for your TV to offer at least a limited selection of streaming and on demand apps, but the quality of this experience will vary between models. Cheap smart TVs will typically send you home with preset apps like Netflix, YouTube, BBC iPlayer, All 4, and UK TV Play among other everyday streamers.
However, if you spend a little more you'll start finding Alexa compatibility, more niche app options like Disney Plus, CrunchyRoll, and NowTV, and a faster, slicker operating system. You'll find more options for connecting extra services on more premium smart TV deals.
