After teasing its z15 successor earlier this year, IBM has unveiled its new z16 mainframe which features an integrated on-chip AI accelerator.
With the inclusion of an on-chip AI accelerator, the new IBM z16 enables clients to analyze real-time transactions at scale for mission-critical workloads including credit card, healthcare and financial transactions.
AI inferencing is made possible using the IBM z16’s built-in Telum Processor that allows banks to analyze for fraud during transactions on a massive scale for the first time. In fact, the new mainframe can process 300bn inference requests per day with just one millisecond of latency.
The new capabilities of the IBM z16 also open up new use cases for other industries and the device could be used to speed up approval of both business and consumer loans, determining which trades or transactions have a high-risk exposure before settlement and federated learning for retail to better model risk against fraud and theft.
SVP of IBM Systems, Ric Lewis provided further insight in a press release on how businesses across industries can leverage the power of the IBM z16, saying:
"IBM is the gold standard for highly secured transaction processing. Now with IBM z16 innovations, our clients can increase decision velocity with inferencing right where their mission critical data lives. This opens up tremendous opportunities to change the game in their respective industries so they will be positioned to deliver better customer experiences and more powerful business outcomes."
A quantum-safe system
In addition to AI inferencing, the new IBM z16 is also the industry’s first quantum-safe system.
IBM designed its new mainframe in such a way that it is protected against today’s cyber threats as well as future threats. One particularly concerning future threat is how cybercriminals have begun to steal data now so that they can decrypt it later using the power of quantum computing.
As such, the IBM z16 is underpinned by lattice-based cryptography which builds security primitives that help protect data and systems against both current and future threats. The device’s quantum-safe cryptography allows businesses to future-ready their applications and data today as opposed to waiting to do so in the future.
Meanwhile, IBM’s secure boot feature prevents cybercriminals from injecting malware into the z16’s boot process in an attempt to take over the system during startup. At the same time, the Crypto Express 8S (CEX8S) hardware security module in the device provides clients with both classical and quantum-safe cryptographic technology.
The IBM z16 will be generally available at the end of May and businesses interested in the company’s new mainframe can check out this blog post from IBM Z general manager Ross Mauri.
Is it time, again for Apple to define "Professional"?
Five years ago, I sat in one of Apple's oldest buildings on the original Apple Campus, listening as three Apple executives did the unthinkable: apologized and shared future plans.
The apology was not to me, but to all the professionals who relied on the Mac Pro for business, production, and rendering tasks. An arguably small set of users with outsized influence on the perception of Apple in the broader marketplace. Basically, the circular (often derisively called "trashcan" design of the then-current Mac Pro) was too restrictive or, as Apple SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi told me and a small set of assembled tech journalists, "We’d found ourselves a bit boxed in by a circular shape.”
Apple listens to customer feedback, media reports, and online chatter about its products but usually never tells people like me anything about it. This time, though, Apple shared - a lot.
Is Apple Silicon the new divider?
Apple's former head of Global Marketing Phil Schiller (left), and Apple SVP of Software Development Craig Federighi (right) talk to Lance Ulanoff (foreground) about the Mac Pro in 2017.(Image credit: Apple)
The upshot of all this sharing was the uncharacteristic revelation of the next phase in the Mac Pro line. Essentially, Apple told us, they were starting from scratch. The "trash can" design would end up in, yes, the trash, and a completely new Mac Pro was on the way.
The rest is history. The redesigned Mac Pro, which Apple unveiled roughly a year behind schedule in 2019, is a blend of the traditional (removable box chassis and significant upgradeability), and the fantastic with a bold aluminum design featuring dozens of carved-out spheres.
I'm not sure everyone loved it, but it was not divisive like the last Mac Pro and quite effectively brought professional users back into the fold.
Three years later, Apple is busy fracturing the Professional market with a divider it likes to call Apple Silicon.
Three years later, Apple is busy fracturing the Professional market with a divider it likes to call Apple Silicon.
Apple's custom SoC, which it introduced a year after the new Mac Pro, is quickly becoming the go-to processor for virtually every Apple product (even iPhones are being roped into the mix now that Apple insists on calling its A-series chips Apple silicon, as well).
With four distinct flavors - the M1, M1 Max, M1 Pro, and M1 Ultra - there's little these powerful chips can't do. They live in everything from the consumer-friendly iPad Air to the exciting, new Mac Studio.
For the moment the Mac Pro still runs Intel Xeon processors and powerful AMD Radeon GPUs. It is a monster performer and clearly for the "Pro-est" of the Pro.
But for how long?
Apple looks to define Pro... again
For professionals looking across a range of Apple gear - and Apple itself will tell you it sees products like the iPad Pro and Mac Pro as "complementary" - the picture is getting muddier, not clearer.
This isn't all bad. Who doesn't love choice? And the Apple of the last two decades is all about choice, as it slices every category into three or more options all designed for a different user or use case. Have small hands? The iPhone 13 mini or iPad mini is for you. On a budget? Look at the Macbook Air, iPad 9.7, and iPhone SE.
It's smart, but Pro users who perhaps understood their go-to products by measures of horsepower must be getting a little confused.
There are other clear differences in storage, ports, and screens that help define the MacBook Pro as a professional system over the Air, but the differences keep shrinking.
They were thinking of buying the iPad Pro 11-inch but then noticed that the 10.9 iPad Air is just as powerful. They were thinking about the Mac Pro but then noticed the Mac Studio with a pair of M1 Maxes slammed together to make an insanely powerful M1 Ultra.
MacBook Pros and MacBooks run the same M1 chips and its variants. There are other clear differences in storage, ports, and screens that help define the MacBook Pro as a professional system over the Air, but the differences keep shrinking.
A little clarity wouldn't hurt
This is not a misstep or an Apple mistake worth apologizing over, but I think we could use some clarity.
Where, Apple, does the Apple Professional look? Are you offering her incremental upgrades, tiny, creek-sized differences, like a bit more performance, upgradeability, maybe LiDAR, and a slightly better camera or can she still expect a river of change between consumer and pro-level hardware?
I have no illusions about Apple ever conducting another once-in-lifetime roundtable to discuss misgivings and product futures. Mainly because Apple didn't change on that day. It had something to say, needed to reassure a key market, and found the canniest way of doing so.
Apple's in no need of that level of reflection and sharing, anyway, but it should communicate that it still understands the needs of the professional, knows they are special, and will build for them in a way consumers can scarcely imagine or afford.
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If you're looking for cheap TV deals, then you've come to the right place. We've scoured all the best retailers in the UK to bring you the hottest TV sales on everything from small budget sets to massive 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 cheap TV sales available now
The best TV deal of the week
TCL C72 55-inch 4K HDR QLED TV:£799£499 at Amazon
Save £300 – The main advantage of choosing a QLED screen is that they offer wider viewing angles and superior brightness, so if your TV is going into a big room that receives a lot of light you will be able to get a much clearer picture. Today's deal is the best deal you can find and a fantastic price for a mid-size QLED display.
32-49 inch cheap 4K TV deals
JVC 32-inch HD LED Fire TV:£249£229 at Amazon
Save £20 - This week's cheapest TV deal is this 32-inch HD TV from JVC that's on sale for just £229. This budget set includes the Fire operating system, which allows you to seamlessly stream your favorite movies and TV shows from the home screen of your TV.
JVC 40-inch Smart Full HD Android TV:£319.99£299.99 at Currys
Save £20 - If you're looking for a 40-inch budget set, this JVC HD TV is a fantastic option, and it's on sale for £299.99. The HD TV comes with smart capabilities and the Google Assistant built in so you can use your voice to control your TV.
Toshiba 43-inch 4K HDR Smart TV:£379£249 at Very
Save £130 – This Toshiba is excellent value for money if you need a small screen on a budget. Support for 4K resolution and HDR ensures a crisp and clear picture, while access to Freeview Play and all the major streaming apps means you won't lack films and TV to watch.
Samsung 43-inch TU7020 Smart 4K UHD TV:£369£299 at Argos
Save £70 - Argos has this Samsung 43-inch 4K TV on sale for a record-low price of £299 - $30 less than last week's deal. The 43-inch set from Samsung delivers a bright, bold picture with life-like images thanks to the Crystal processor and 4K HD resolution.
Sony 32-inch HDR TV: £449£340 at John Lewis Save £109 - This 32-inch HDR TV from Sony is well worth a look, especially with this £100+ saving. It makes do with 720p resolution, Freeview Play, a capable Android TV platform, and support for HDR – despite the lack of 4K Ultra HD. A great buy for budget shoppers.
(Image credit: Samsung)
50-59 inch 4K TV deals
Samsung TU7020 50-inch 4K Crystal UHD Smart TV:£549£379 at Very
Save £170 - This stunning Samsung 50-inch 4K TV is on sale for just £379 at Very. That's the lowest price we've seen for the 4K set that delivers bright, bold colors thanks to the powerful Dynamic Crystal technology and works with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant for hands-free control.
Hisense 55-inch R55A Roku 4K TV: £499£349 at Argos Save £150 - You can snag a £150 discount on this 55-inch Hisense TV which brings the price down to a new record-low. As far as budget 4K TVs go, Hisense still manages to create affordable sets without compromising too far on picture and audio quality – as we found in our review. It's definitely not going to compete with the high-end OLED and QLED TVs, but it'll offer a satisfactory viewing experience when streaming films, watching TV shows, and more.
LG 50-inch 4K UHD HDR Smart LED TV:£599.99£379 at Amazon
Save £220 - Amazon has this 2021 LG 50-inch 4K smart TV on sale for £379 at Amazon - just $9 more than the record-low price. You're getting 4K Ultra HD resolution, AI Sound, smart capabilities for seamless streaming, and voice control with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant.
Hisense 58-inch 4K UHD Smart TV:£549£449 at Very
Save £100 - Very has this Hisense set on sale for just £449 which is the lowest price we've seen and a fantastic deal 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.
Philips 50-inch 4K UHD Smart TV:£749£499 at Amazon
Save £250 - You can snag this 50-inch 4K smart TV from Philips on sale for £499 at Amazon - $60 less than last week's price. This Android TV packs smart capabilities with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant built-in, plus HDR 10+, Dolby Vision, and Atmos Sound.
TCL C72 55-inch 4K HDR QLED TV:£799£499 at Amazon
Save £300 – The main advantage of choosing a QLED screen is that they offer wider viewing angles and superior brightness, so if your TV is going into a big room that receives a lot of light you will be able to get a much clearer picture. Today's deal is the best deal you can find and a fantastic price for a mid-size QLED display.
LG NanoCell 816PA 50-inch Smart 4K UHD TV:£649£549 at Currys
Save £100 - Currys has this LG 50-inch 4K smart TV on sale for £549 at today's sale. LG's NanoCell display delivers bold, bright colours thanks to the quad-Core 4K processor, and the ThinQ AI technology allows your TV to become a smart home hub.
Sony Bravia X85JU 55-inch 4K UHD Smart TV:£799£699 at Currys
Save £100 - You can score a £100 price cut on Sony's Bravia 65-inch 4K TV at Currys' latest sale. That's the lowest price we've seen for this 2021 set that features Sony's powerful X1 processor and Dolby Atmos for a cinema-like picture experience. You're also getting smart capabilities with the Google Assistant built-in for hands-free control.
(Image credit: LG)
60-85 inch 4K TV deals
JVC 65-inch 4K Ultra HD Fire TV:£599.99£449 at Currys
Save £150 - If you're looking for a big-screen budget display in today's TV deals, Currys has this 65-inch 4K TV on sale for just £449. The 4K Ultra HD TV comes with the Fire operating system for seamless streaming and works with Amazon Alexa for hands-free control.
LG UP75 65-inch 4K UHD Smart TV:£749£499 at Amazon
Save £250 - Amazon has this 65-inch 4K smart TV from LG on sale for £499. That's the lowest price we've ever seen and an incredible deal for a big-screen 4K TV. The 65-inch display features 4K HD resolution and smart capabilities and works with Amazon Alex and the Google Assistant for hands-free control.
Hisense 65-inch QLED TV:£999£649 at Very
Save £350 – Hisense has established itself as a maker of quality TVs for budget prices - and that also extends to its range of high-end QLED sets. This TV tech delivers bright and pristine picture quality that is better suited to lighter rooms in the house. Today's deal is the lowest price we've seen and an incredible deal for a big-screen QLED display.
Samsung 65-inch Q80A QLED 4K Smart TV:£1,399£939 at Amazon
Save £460 - If you're looking for a premium display, you can get this stunning Samsung 65-inch QLED TV on sale for £939, thanks to today's massive £460 discount at Amazon. You're getting a premium viewing experience thanks to the QLED display coupled with the Object Tracking Sound for an immersive audio experience.
Sony Bravia A84J 65-inch Smart 4K UHD OLED TV:£1,899.99£1,799 at Currys
Save £100 - Sony's brilliant Bravia XR OLED TV is now on sale for £1,799 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.
Crime drama Tokyo Vice hits the Warner Bros. streamer Thursday. Glance at what else is coming this week and peruse our list of great shows to watch now.
The US State Department has announced the launch of its new cyber bureau which will be staffed by almost 100 government employees.
The newly created Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP) will “address the national security challenges, economic opportunities, and implications for U.S. values associated with cyberspace, digital technologies, and digital policy” according to a press release from the State Department.
The bureau itself will be led by a Senate-confirmed ambassador though it already has over 60 staff members with the majority coming from the State Department’s cyber coordination and international communications offices. However, the State Department plans to add 30 new positions to the bureau later this year.
The CDP could grow even larger next year though as the State Department also plans to request funding to support additional positions in its 2023 budget.
Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy
The creation of the CDP is a key piece of US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s modernization agenda.
The bureau includes three policy units: International Cyberspace Security, International Information and Communications Policy and Digital Freedom.
While the CDP will eventually be led by a Senate-confirmed Ambassador-at-Large, the Senior Foreign Service’s Jennifer Bachus will serve as the bureau’s first Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary until the Ambassador-at-Large is confirmed.
Meanwhile, Michele Markoff will serve as its Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Cyberspace Security, Stephen Anderson will serve as the Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Information and Communications Policy and Black Peterson will serve as the Acting Digital Freedom Coordinator.
We’ll likely hear more regarding the newly created Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy once the US Senate confirms an Ambassador-at-Large for the bureau.
