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Younger generations weren’t around when the best-selling desktop computer of all time launched. Officially recognized by Guinness World Records, the Commodore 64 (C64) arrived amid much intrigue in 1982 as an affordable desktop computer for home users. After becoming something of an ’80s sensation with millions of sales, the C64 helped turn home computers into everyday appliances, normalizing the idea of having a personal computer in the living room for activities such as gaming, learning, creative experimentation, and even early online communication.

Manufactured by the U.S. firm Commodore International and launched for $595 (around $2,000 in today’s money), the C64 had a distinctive look, with its chunky, beige plastic case and red power button, giving it a simple but unmistakably ’80s home‑computer appearance. The name derived from its 64 kilobytes of RAM — powerful at the time but measly by today’s standards when you consider that, say, Apple’s current MacBook Air packs 16GB of RAM.

While it’s widely agreed that the C64 sold in the millions to become the best-selling home computer of all time, there is some confusion over exact numbers. While Commodore founder Jack Tramiel claimed the C64 sold between 22 and 30 million units before the company folded in 1994, Commodore officially listed the number at 17 million. Guinness, however, puts the number at around 12.5 million units, describing the figure as a “credible modern estimate.” While modern-day computers like the MacBook Pro have sold in greater numbers as a product line, the C64’s sales performance was astonishing for a single computer model.

What made the Commodore 64 so popular?

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What was so special about the C64 that helped it to become an ’80s icon? Competitive pricing was clearly a factor, with its main rival in the U.S., the Atari 400/800 line, sold at a significantly higher price point. It was also helped by the fact that you could hook it up to your TV, eliminating the need to fork out extra for a pricey monitor. It packed a punch in its day, too, with its powerful VIC‑II graphics and SID sound chips marking it out from the competition.

Everything was in place for the C64 ecosystem to grow rapidly, and it soon offered a large selection of games, educational titles, and productivity tools to everyone from curious parents and kids to creative types and hobbyists. The cultural impact of the C64 should not be underestimated, either. For starters, the computer’s built‑in BASIC programming language, which let users write and run simple programs directly on the machine, created a generation of home‑based coders.

The C64 was also a trailblazer for PC gaming and became the catalyst for a vibrant demo scene where enthusiasts pushed the computer to its limits in public competitions. It’s certainly not an exaggeration to say that the culture surrounding the C64 directly influenced later indie‑game and creative‑coding communities.

The Commodore 64 is back … sort of

Anyone who remembers and loved the C64 is likely aware that the popular machine recently returned … sort of. After acquiring the Commodore brand in 2025, a new team built the Commodore 64 Ultimate, available in three styles — including its traditional look — for $300. More powerful than the original (thank goodness!), the revamped machine is capable of running classic software on a faithful replica of the original motherboard.

To bring it well and truly into the 21st century, the C64 Ultimate features HDMI and USB ports, Wi‑Fi connectivity, and extra memory. Buyers also receive a spiral-bound user guide and a 64GB USB “cassette” drive with more than 100 classic and new games. The C64 Ultimate has been very warmly received by tech reviewers, with TechRadar, for example, giving it a 4.5/5 rating, praising it as a “near-perfect replication of the original system.”

However, it added that the machine could be “daunting” for some who come to it for the first time. We don’t think it’s going to break the sales record of its predecessor, but the C64 Ultimate could prove a hit with nostalgic C64 fans and retro-gaming enthusiasts, as well as curious folk who just want to see what all the fuss is about.

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Apple is steadily improving all its products. The gap between the base models of the iPhone, MacBook, and iPad and the Pro versions of these devices is much smaller than it ever was. Today, with the M4 chip, an iPad Air’s performance is already more than enough for most people, making the iPad Pro more suitable for power users. 

However, just like your iPad can do many things your iPhone can’t, there are many things your iPad Pro can do that your iPad and iPad Air can’t. Sure, the iPad Pro has stronger hardware and so will perform much better during heavy tasks and benchmarks, but there are also many other advantages it has over the other models even if we put aside the performance.

These include additional sensors that make existing features and apps better and allow for newer ones, hardware implementations that let you transfer data faster, and just general, subtle quality-of-life additions that you can only truly appreciate once you start using the iPad Pro.

1. Have better visuals and a variable refresh rate

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Before you get into any of the specifications or the features inside any device, the first thing you notice is its visuals. While the base iPad, the iPad Air, and the iPad Pro all have stunning, high-quality displays, there are some major differences. The iPad Pro has something that the other two don’t, which can be very important to certain users.

The latest iPad Pro comes with a 120 Hz display with ProMotion that appears smoother in almost all tasks. If you’re used to seeing higher refresh rates, the 60 Hz display on the iPad Air can seem slow or clunky — despite it being backed by a powerful processor.

ProMotion technology allows the iPad Pro to have a variable refresh rate. This means that your iPad Pro can contextually adjust its refresh rate based on what you’re doing, whereas the iPad Air can’t. For instance, when your iPad Pro is idle or displaying a static image — such as your home screen or a text document — it lowers its refresh rate to as low as 10 Hz. This leads to an improvement in battery life and performance, without you even noticing.

2. Use Apple ProRes and other advanced camera features

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One of the main reasons power users opt for the iPad Pro over the base iPad or the iPad Air is for content creation and videography. Part of this is because the Pro does a much better job with editing, rendering, and exporting high-resolution content as compared to the iPad Air. But the camera is another area where the Pro outshines the other iPads.

Both the front and the back cameras in the iPad, the iPad Air, and the iPad Pro are all the same; they each feature a 12-megapixel back camera with Apple’s Smart HDR for better color contrasts and a similar camera at the front that also supports Center Stage. However, only the iPad Pro supports Portrait Mode and Portrait Lighting. Moreover, the iPad Pro having a LiDAR sensor means that it has faster autofocus compared to the iPad Air, which doesn’t have one.

For videos, each tablet can record 4K videos at 60 FPS, but only the iPad Pro supports Apple ProRes. Having ProRes means that your iPad Pro will produce much higher-quality videos that are easier to edit. The iPad Pro is also the only Apple tablet that supports Audio Zoom, which focuses the audio on whatever the camera zooms in on, alongside Stereo Recording, which allows your videos to have directional audio.

3. Allow facial recognition features with Face ID and TrueDepth

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Apple unveiled Face ID in 2017 with the iPhone X models, giving you the convenience of unlocking your device without a password or fingerprint. The feature is also available on the iPad Pro – neither the base iPad nor the iPad Air comes with Face ID.

Another related feature that exists in the iPad Pro but is absent from other models is TrueDepth. This uses the iPad Pro’s enhanced scanning capabilities to create a spatial render of your face and is the reason why Face ID only exists on the iPad Pro. Apart from enabling Face ID, TrueDepth has many additional applications as well. For example, you can only create and share Animojis on the iPad Pro but not on the iPad Air.

Additionally, TrueDepth allows your iPad to detect whether you’re looking at its screen and act accordingly. For example, if you’re reading an article, the TrueDepth sensor will know you’re looking at your iPad and it won’t turn the screen off, even if you’re not touching it. Similarly, if you accidentally leave your iPad Pro’s screen turned on and go somewhere, it will detect that you’re not actively using the device and dim its screen.

4. Support Thunderbolt and USB4 for faster transfer speeds

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While the iPad Air and the iPad Pro both feature a USB-C port, they are different in terms of their capabilities. The iPad Air’s USB-C port supports USB 3 technology, which can have data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gb/s and supports 20 W charging. The iPad Pro uses Thunderbolt 3 — a stricter standard of USB 4 — which can transfer data at a rate of 40 Gb/s and allows faster charging. The faster data transfer doesn’t mean much for the average user, as the iPad Air’s 10 Gb/s is enough for most casual uses. However, if you’re a professional content creator who deals with large video files daily, this much faster speed becomes necessary. The faster charging is a big advantage for all kinds of users as well.

The iPad Pro’s Thunderbolt port has one more big advantage over iPad Air users who use external displays. With your iPad Air, you can use its USB-C port to connect to an external 6K resolution 60 Hz display. With an iPad Pro, you can do the same but can also use lower-resolution displays up to 5K at 120 Hz. This makes the iPad Pro much better for productivity, especially if it’s your main computer.

5. Accurately measure distances and make 3D renders with LiDAR sensors

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At the back of your iPad Pro, right beside the camera, there is a black circle that is absent from the base iPad and the iPad Air. This isn’t an additional camera, but rather a Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) sensor. This sensor functions by emitting light and then mapping the distance it travels before it returns, essentially creating an accurate 3D spatial map of space up to 16 feet away.

The Measure app on the iPad Air and iPad already allows for measurements based on the camera alone, but the LiDAR sensor on an iPad Pro greatly improves the accuracy of these measurements. It can tell you how tall someone is, the distance between two walls, or the length of pieces of furniture. This makes it very easy to figure out how a certain item you’re planning to buy — such as a TV or a new table — might fit in your home.

Beyond simply measuring distances, your iPad Pro’s LiDAR sensor can do a lot more by using third-party apps. These include making accurate floor maps of your entire house, creating 3D renders of specific objects or even entire rooms, and also enhanced AR (augmented reality) capabilities.

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Even with component shortages raging in 2026, you can buy a one-terabyte solid-state drive for less than $200, and that’s no fluke — there are a ton of options out there for around that price range. Storage has become much more capable over the years, in capacity and read-write speeds, and much cheaper, too. You can now find an ultra-compact drive solution that plugs right into your smartphone to back up photos. That wasn’t always the case. In the early 1980s, when computers were still in their infancy, hard drives were not only ridiculously expensive, but they also had a limited storage capacity. Apple’s first hard drive, called the ProFile, was released in 1981 and held only five megabytes of data for a price of $3,499.

If you do the math, that’s about $700,000 per gigabyte of storage back then. What’s most alarming, however, is that the drive would barely hold the average smartphone photo from today. A two-megapixel HD photo, at a 1920 by 1080 resolution, would be about two megabytes in size — most phones take photos at a significantly higher resolution, which means Apple’s drive would hold two photos, if that.

Storage has largely been governed by something called Kryder’s Law, which is not unlike Moore’s Law, a principle you may already recognize. By comparison, Moore’s Law states that processing and memory power doubles via improvements to semiconductors or transistors per chip every eighteen months. Kryder’s Law addresses the exponentially larger and faster growth of storage capabilities, with disk density doubling every 13 months. Kryder’s Law has purportedly slowed since about 2012, but compared to the original costs and capabilities of storage, that matters little.

What does the future of storage look like?

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While solid-state drives in varying formats have shrunk considerably in size, including small drives with flash storage, they still have their limits. That’s why you can’t just buy a petabyte hard drive and may not be able to for quite some time. To increase the capacity of physical drives, manufacturers need to increase the platter size or the number of platters in an enclosure. The bigger the platter or drive, the more heat generated and the larger the overall size of the device. The same applies to adding many hard drives to a single system to increase capacity, like in a server rack. They can’t just keep making hard drives bigger and bigger physically, and it has slowed progress. Conversely, reducing platter size to accommodate stacking more of them together without expanding physical size or overheating runs into the diminishing returns of Kryder’s Law.

That doesn’t mean nothing is happening behind the scenes or that there are no innovations going on. For large data centers, and AI data centers especially, more storage is going to be necessary. Companies like Seagate, Toshiba, and Western Digital — the only current hard drive manufacturers — are working towards bigger and better solutions. Energy-assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) technologies are one focus, with each company adopting its own methods to achieve larger drive capacities. Heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR), for example, will be used by Toshiba and Western Digital, with platters made of glass and material alloys like iron-platinum (FePt). Seagate has achieved a 6.9-terabyte per-platter capability in a research setting with HAMR. Estimates claim 100-terabyte drives will be achieved between 2030 and 2031 if everything stays on track.

Data centers are built on physical infrastructure

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While using cloud storage can feel somewhat magical, storing your photos, videos, and files online and enabling accessibility from any device, its foundation is still physical infrastructure. Somewhere remote is a data center with servers, and in those servers are physical hard drives, which is where all that data is being stored or backed up. When you use iCloud storage, for instance, your data is being backed up to Apple’s data centers, which may offload some of their storage capacity to physical drives somewhere else. That is precisely why there are some files you should never upload to cloud storage.

But what this also means is that, as cloud services and online platforms become bigger and more capable, so too must the data centers powering them — they’ll need more storage and computing power to keep up. The demands for more storage are being spurred by the overall market, which is why hard drives will likely continue improving in capabilities and capacity for years to come. That’s also why storage may become a problem for new phones, new devices, and future computers — the competition for storage chips, and thus their prices, looks like it will continue to grow.

The largest and most advanced drives will likely only be available to commercial and enterprise customers, which has really always been the case. Prices may continue to climb as overall demand increases, but the good news for consumers is that today’s enterprise-level tech will likely become standard (or substandard) fare for tomorrow’s everyday gadgets … just like that $3,500 Apple HDD from 1981.

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The Always-On Display (AOD) for the Apple Watch was introduced with the Apple Watch Series 5. Since then, Apple has improved this feature by making the dimmed screen brighter. And with the highly-rated Apple Watch Series 10, and newer models, the company offers a display that can constantly show the time without significantly disrupting the battery. But how much power does the Apple Watch’s AOD use in comparison to this feature being turned off? 

According to Macworld’s testing of two identical Apple Watch Series 10 models, with Always-On Display enabled, the battery lasts more than 30 hours versus 10 to 12 hours longer with the feature turned off. So even though Apple tells users to take advantage of AOD, turning it off can be a great way to reduce the need to charge. And, considering Apple touts up to 18 hours of battery life for its Series 10 smartwatch, MacWorld’s tests suggest that the Series 11, with a published life of 24 hours in regular usage, could run even longer on a full charge. 

For comparison, a Redditor shared detailed testing results that show their Apple Watch Series 7’s Always-On Display decreased battery life by 26 percent. Still, they believe this is not the main issue why some Apple Watch users experience poor battery life.

Suggestions for preserving Apple Watch battery life

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There is more than one way to improve your Apple Watch’s battery life, including turning off Always-On Display. According to Apple, users can preserve battery while working out by turning on Power Saving Mode, which disables the heart rate sensor. This is available on the iPhone’s Apple Watch app under My Watch > Workout, and for longer workouts, users can pair their watch with a Bluetooth chest strap instead. 

The company also suggests users who often turn on their displays inadvertently, while active, change a key Wake Screen option on their Apple Watch. To do so, go to Settings > General > Wake Screen, and toggle Turn Wake Screen on Wrist Raise to off. You can always just press the Digital Crown to see the display as needed. Apple also recommends keeping Bluetooth turned on to preserve the watch’s battery life, as it offers more power-efficient communication with an iPhone. 

Last but not least, consider activating the yellow circle on your Apple Watch as part of Low Power Mode to further reduce trips to the charger. This is available under Settings > Battery, and when enabled, the Apple Watch turns off AOD and background sensors for heart rate measurements, heart rate notifications, and irregular rhythm notifications.

Should you turn off Always-On Display?

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Despite what Macworld’s findings suggest, you might not want to turn off the Apple Watch Always-On Display. After all, what’s the point of having a watch where you can’t see the time at a glance? For example, when reading a book, working on a computer, or commuting, you can easily see what time it is without raising your wrist. 

After owning most of the Apple Watch models since the Series 3, I would only suggest turning off AOD if your battery has degraded beyond 90%, as a way to save as much life as possible. Other online reviewers agree, noting better battery life with AOD turned off, but finding it’s not enough of a difference to avoid having their Apple Watch always on. 

Another method for conserving the battery is skipping notifications that pop up even if you don’t move your wrist. To do so, open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone, go to Notifications, and turn off the Show Notifications on Wrist Down option. Considering Apple updated the Apple Watch in 2024 to be 40% brighter than its predecessor when viewed from an angle, and more power efficient for a faster refresh rate in Always-On mode, it seems worthwhile to enjoy this feature instead of having a blank display on your wrist.

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The Nintendo Switch 2 launched on June 5, 2025. Within four days of release, it became the fastest-selling Nintendo console ever, shipping 3.5 million units worldwide, according to Nintendo itself. Games like “Mario Kart World,” “Donkey Kong: Bonanza,” and “Pokémon Pokopia” have been major hits for the console, proving that there is an appetite for handheld gaming.

However, the Switch 2 currently costs $449.99, but that will change in September 2026 because that is when Nintendo will hike its price to $499.99. If you’re not too particular about your handheld gaming needs, Android-based handheld consoles provide a cheaper alternative. They won’t be among the handhelds that are more powerful than the Switch 2, so it helps to set realistic expectations that the most you’ll be doing with them is emulating games that you legally own (do not pirate them), essentially making them great retro gaming machines.

With some of them, you can even play AAA Android games from the Play Store or cloud streaming PC and console games via Xbox Cloud Gaming, Steam Link, or PS Remote Play (you need a PS5 for this). With that said, you have a diverse range of options from well-known brands, including Retroid, Ayaneo, and Anbernic. You get a modern handheld with a good amount of RAM and storage, as well as all the buttons, bumpers, triggers, and analog sticks found in premium handhelds. Some even have unique designs (one even looks like a Nintendo 3DS).

Anbernic RG 477V

For many gamers, the Nintendo Game Boy was their first foray into the wondrous world of gaming. That’s why vertical handhelds or “bricks” like the Anbernic RG 477V might be appealing. It’s considered to be one of Anbernic’s most powerful handhelds due to its Dimensity 8300 octa-core chip. It’s capable of pushing AAA Android games, such as “Fortnite” and “Genshin Impact,” at medium-to-high settings, so don’t be fooled by its retro aesthetic.

The RG 477V has a 4.7-inch screen, which is considered large for these types of handhelds. With an aspect ratio of 4:3, PS2 and GameCube games will look great on its LTPS in-cell display when using popular emulators like Dolphin and NetherSX2. Since it supports touch, the big screen is also great for on-screen controls in games that don’t allow physical input. It also supports gyro aiming, which helps when trying to pull off precise shots in shooters like “Call of Duty: Mobile” and “Delta Force.”

You can get the RG 477V starting at $239.99 for the 8GB RAM and 128GB internal storage version. It has a microSD card slot that allows you to expand its storage up to 2TB. You can purchase the handheld in black for a more modern look or in retro gray if you prefer that Game Boy aesthetic. It also has customizable RGB lighting effects on the Hall Effect thumbsticks for immersive gameplay.

Retroid Pocket 6

The Retroid Pocket 6 offers great overall performance for an Android handheld that starts at $244 for the 8GB model. If you want something horizontal, but with the same powerful processor as the Anbernic RG 477V so you can enjoy playing games from the sixth console generation and below, the Pocket 6 can serve you well. Of course, you can also still play modern Android games, as long as you don’t max out the settings. The upscaling makes the textures look crisp on the 5.5-inch 1080p AMOLED touchscreen display.

The Pocket 6 has a design similar to the PS Vita, which would also make it a great place to emulate games from this classic Sony handheld, especially with its 16:9 aspect ratio. And you can choose whether you want the joysticks on top with the analog sticks down or vice versa. There are also several colors to choose from, including silver, black, gray, light pink, and orange. Other notable features include a 6,000mAh battery for hours of play, active cooling to prevent overheating, Wi-Fi 7 for low-latency online gaming, and a TF card (microSD card) slot for expanding the handheld’s storage.

AYN Thor

Nintendo made dual-screen gaming popular with the Nintendo DS and 3DS consoles. It was a novel way to interact with games by having one screen for action and another for other tasks and features like maps, inventory management, and touch-based actions. Such an idea can translate well to modern handhelds, with the AYN Thor being one of the best clamshell Android handhelds around. It has a 6-inch AMOLED touchscreen at the top and a 3.92-inch AMOLED touchscreen at the bottom.

This could be a great handheld for playing DS and 3DS. There are various Android emulators that do a good job of replicating the dual-screen setup, including Cemu, MelonDS, and Citra. With a powerful chip like the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, you can even play Nintendo Switch games. It has impressive compatibility, but don’t expect everything to run smoothly, especially if you’ll be playing those Switch titles.

For non-DS games, the second screen can be used for reading guides, watching tutorials, or chatting with friends as you play the game. Pricing for the AYN Thor starts at $249 for the Lite version. This comes with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. Just keep in mind that the handheld comes with no pre-installed games — you will have to load everything yourself, including the frontend.

Ayaneo Pocket Micro

If you want an Android handheld that begs to be carried in your pocket for impromptu gaming sessions while commuting or waiting for a doctor’s appointment, the Ayaneo Pocket Micro is a good option. It’s the size of a standard smartphone, though, so it won’t fit in small pockets. It’s built to look like an NES candy bar controller, but with the inclusion of analog sticks and bumpers. Ayaneo even evokes nostalgia with the tagline, “Childhood dream handheld console back in your hand.”

The Pocket Micro is a great mini console for revisiting the classics from the 80s and 90s with crisp visuals. This is all thanks to its 3.5-inch IPS screen with a 960 x 640 resolution and pixel density of 330 PPI. Game Boy Advance titles benefit the most due to the native 4K GBA resolution. Its 3:2 panel is the exact shape of a GBA screen, making the enhanced visuals shine. Its Helio G99 chip allows it to handle retro gaming up to the PS2, although it might struggle with some demanding 3D games from that era.

The Pocket Micro starts from $219 for the 6GB RAM and 128GB SSD version. For $249, you can get the version with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD. It’s also worth mentioning the build quality of this handheld, as it comes with an aluminum frame that makes it feel premium and durable.

MagicX Mini Zero 28

The MagicX Mini Zero is another mini Android handheld, but for those who are on a budget. It’s as big as a small remote, and is quite affordable, too, starting at $61 for the base version with no TF card. So if you’re still hanging on to your old microSD card, this would be the best time to use it. If you need more space without purchasing a TF card separately, you can buy the version with a 64GB or 128GB TF card for $64 or $79, respectively. The Mini Zero has a 640 x 480 resolution, which makes sense for its small form factor.

However, it does not have a touchscreen, meaning you will have to use the controls for navigation; even though that can be unintuitive. As for the games you can play with its Allwinner Cortex-A53 chipset and 2GB RAM, you’re looking at something up to the PS1. You can try playing PSP games, but you’d have to turn on frame skip to make that a viable option. Also, with PSP games having a 16:9 aspect ratio, you’ll get vertical bars on the screen.

The graphics will look crisp on its IPS screen. It also has stereo speakers, supports Wi-Fi, and has a 2,900mAh battery that allows for seven to nine hours of play. So if you’re on a budget and looking for an Android handheld with multiple custom firmware (CFW) options available for D-pad gaming, the Mini Zero might be a good choice.

How we picked these Android gaming handhelds

While anything under the current price of the Switch 2 was up for consideration, we wanted to add some variety — clamshell, brick, and horizontal — to cover a wide range of retro gaming scenarios. Running AAA Android games is nice, but not a must-have. All the options we found managed to be under $250 in terms of the starting price. At a minimum, we wanted to find options that would support multiple emulators while offering solid D-pad gaming. Also, keep in mind that you can turn your phone into a gaming handheld if none of the options appeal to you or if they are still outside your budget.

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The Galaxy S26 series was launched in the first quarter of 2026, but the highest-end model in the series was not the best-selling Samsung phone during the period. The Galaxy S26 Ultra is the most feature-rich flagship model of the Galaxy S26 series, featuring an S Pen stylus and an exclusive Privacy Display feature, but it’s also the most expensive, starting at $1,299.99. According to Counterpoint Research’s market analysis for the first quarter of 2026, Samsung’s cheapest Galaxy A phones outsold the Galaxy S26 Ultra during the period.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra “narrowly missed the top 10 list” according to the analysts. The top 10, led by three iPhone 17 series models, contained five other Samsung phones, including the Galaxy A07, Galaxy A17 5G, Galaxy A56, Galaxy A36, and Galaxy A17 4G. The sales performance of Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra may seem surprising, but it’s not an exception. This isn’t the first year that Samsung’s flagships have failed to outperform the more affordable Galaxy A handsets.

Counterpoint Research also showed that the Galaxy A16 and Galaxy A06 outsold the Galaxy S25 Ultra in Q1 2025. The Galaxy S24 Ultra was an exception, ranking higher than the Galaxy A15, Galaxy A54, Galaxy S24, and Galaxy A05 a year earlier. In Q1 2023, the Galaxy S23 Ultra ranked sixth in the same top 10, with the Galaxy A13 series coming in fifth. That top 10 included the Galaxy A04e, the Galaxy A14 5G, and the Galaxy A53. Counterpoint Research released figures for the month of April in 2022 that showed the Galaxy S22 Ultra was the most popular Samsung Android phone of that period, without sharing a report for the first quarter of that year. In Q1 2021, the Galaxy S21 Ultra wasn’t in the top 10.

Why do Galaxy S Ultra flagships sell worse than Galaxy A models?

Like Apple, Samsung doesn’t disclose smartphone figures by model when reporting quarterly earnings. But market research reports like the ones Counterpoint Research releases regularly reflect Samsung’s broad strategy. Unlike Apple, Samsung releases a variety of Galaxy smartphones at various price points to meet the needs of a broad market. The Galaxy A07 that outsold the Galaxy S26 Ultra costs under $100, targeting users in emerging markets like India. Counterpoint Research notes that the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America were the main markets contributing to the Galaxy A07’s popularity during the quarter.

Comparatively, Apple manufactures only high-end iPhones each year, many of which usually outsell all competitors during the Q1 quarter, including those affordable Galaxy A models that sell better than Samsung’s best Galaxy S handsets. Apple doesn’t cater to the same buyers Samsung does, which may be another reason why Samsung is able to capture a large share of the market with affordable Galaxy A handsets. Samsung is pursuing consumers who will ignore expensive iPhone and Galaxy S devices.

Other factors may also influence those Q1 rankings, including Samsung’s launch timing. The Galaxy S26 series was unveiled in late February, about a month later than its predecessor. While the Galaxy S26 Ultra outsold the Galaxy S25 Ultra initially, according to Counterpoint Research data, it was on sale for a shorter time during the first quarter of 2026 than the Galaxy A07, which was launched in August 2025. The Galaxy S24 Ultra was launched in mid-January 2024, which can explain why the handset outsold Galaxy A models in the first quarter of 2024. Also, the Galaxy S24 series was the first to feature the Galaxy AI platform, which may have generated extra interest.

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One of the cornerstones to Amazon’s commanding presence in the tech sector is its Alexa smart assistant, allowing you to network smart tech devices in your home into a seamless setup. Naturally, you need Alexa-compatible devices to use the assistant, and while there are plenty of cool third-party devices that are compatible, the simplest approach would be to use Amazon’s own Alexa-ready devices. While some Alexa devices can be a bit expensive, you can find gadgets like smart plugs, streaming sticks, and smart speakers on Amazon for more reasonable prices if you know where to look.

Many Alexa-ready devices sold by Amazon can be on the pricey side, with the major standbys like smart displays and smart speakers easily exceeding $100 if you go for the latest and greatest models. If you don’t mind downgrading a little bit, though, you can find a variety of first-party Alexa devices worth buying that don’t cross the $100 threshold in just about every smart device category, all without sacrificing overall quality or usability.

Amazon Smart Plug

Setting up any kind of smart, Alexa-powered tech in your home naturally requires Alexa-compatible devices, and not everything you own is going to be. Luckily, one of the cheapest Alexa devices you can get at $24.99 is also one of the most generally useful: the Amazon Smart Plug.

The Amazon Smart Plug can be plugged into any regular outlet in your home, then have any other device or small appliance plugged into it. When the plug is plugged in, it can be detected by your Amazon Alexa app, allowing you to add its functions into your smart home framework. You can use your phone or a smart speaker to issue commands to Alexa, allowing it to control the plug and, by extension, whatever’s plugged into it. It’s great for simple devices like lamps, fans, and anything else that would normally begin running as soon as it’s turned on.

As Amazon users in the reviews attest, setting up one of these plugs is very easy, as it’s simple to sync them up to the Alexa app right out of the box. Besides controlling your home with your voice and phone, they’re also useful for remotely disabling devices when you’re out of the house.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD

Alexa can be used via an Amazon Fire TV, allowing you to not only sync and manage your Amazon Prime Video preferences, but get recommendations from Alexa itself on new shows to watch. If you don’t have a standalone Fire TV, you can add Alexa functionality to any regular TV with an open HDMI port. All it takes is an Amazon Fire TV Stick, the HD version of which only costs $34.99.

While this particular model doesn’t provide quite the same visual fidelity as the 4K Fire Stick models, that’s the only department where you’d be compromising. The HD model has all of the other important features, giving you access to a massive library of streaming apps in a compact, portable package. More importantly, you can access all of Alexa’s functions via the included voice remote. Just press the microphone button on it and you can issue commands and make requests, whether you want to run something on a different device or just want Alexa to recommend you something to watch.

Users agree this particular model makes a great budget replacement for an older Fire Stick. That’s especially true if you’ve got a smaller TV with a lower resolution that wouldn’t be able to effectively use the more expensive models.

Amazon Echo Pop Smart Speaker

Smart speakers are one of the signature devices of the Alexa ecosystem. They’re what allow you to issue commands to Alexa from just about anywhere in your home, even if you don’t have a screen handy. Compared to some other Alexa devices, smart speakers aren’t especially expensive, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with saving some cash wherever you can. To that end, the cheapest Alexa smart speaker you can get is the Amazon Echo Pop, which costs just $39.99.

The Echo Pop is the smallest smart speaker in Amazon’s repertoire, designed to be compact and inconspicuous enough to suit small rooms like bedrooms. While its audio isn’t as powerful as the higher-end Echo Dot speakers, it’s still perfectly good at its primary job: listening for your commands to Alexa. You can have Alexa set alarms and reminders, play music, give you the news, and just about anything else with a quick vocal command, with the small light bar at the top indicating when the device is and isn’t listening.

An Amazon user in the reviews explained that, compared to the Echo Dots, the Echo Pop doesn’t have as much sound projection ability. However, what sound it does have comes through crystal clear, and its small size makes it great for finding a spot on a shelf in an otherwise cramped room.

Amazon Echo Spot Smart Alarm Clock

The regular Alexa smart speakers can set alarms to help wake you up in the morning, but they’re still just speakers, with no display functionalities. If you need your bedside or desktop smart speaker to have an actual clock face you can read, but don’t want to go all the way up to a full smart display yet, there is a middle ground. That middle ground is Amazon’s sole smart alarm clock, the Amazon Echo Spot, which will run you $79.99.

The Echo Spot boasts all of the same features as the Echo Pop and Echo Dot smart speakers, but with a small, yet healthy pinch of smart display functionality mixed in. The customizable clock display can show the current time, of course, but it can also display the current date, the weather, the titles and artists of whatever music is playing, and the names of any other smart devices it’s currently networked with. It’s also handy for helping you to wake up in the morning, as the display can gradually illuminate alongside your programmed alarm.

If you’re in the market for an alarm clock that’s just bright enough to read at night without flash-frying your eyes, plus all of the functions and sound quality of an Echo speaker, the Echo Spot is a sound choice. That’s especially true if you’re not looking for the full smart display experience yet.

Amazon Echo Show 5 Smart Display

Smart displays are Alexa’s most advanced and, naturally, most expensive department. The majority of Amazon Echo Show smart displays will easily exceed $100 at the bare minimum, if not significantly more than that. However, don’t think you’ve been priced out of this particular sector just yet. You’ve still got an attractive option: the Amazon Echo Show 5, which is a comparatively affordable $89.99.

The Echo Show 5 may be the lowest-end model of Echo Show currently available, but it’s no slouch, packing a variety of hidden Alexa features you can utilize. From its 5.5-inch display, you can make video calls, check feeds from connected video doorbells, display weather and news headlines, and even stream music and shows. Naturally, it doubles as a smart speaker in its own right, allowing you to issue commands to Alexa in order to easily facilitate all of those functions. The Echo Show 5 even has its own built-in camera, allowing it to double as a security or pet camera you can connect to from other Alexa-compatible display devices or your smartphone.

The addition of a screen helps make checking information and keeping tabs on your smart home setup easier than relying on sound alone. In the reviews, one user noted enjoying its convenient assistance for everyday tasks like answering questions and setting reminders.

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Smartphone camera technology has come a long way since the days of blurry pics captured via flip phones. There’s even an argument to be made that, given the strength of most smartphone cameras (which can vary depending on your particular brand of smartphone camera), there’s no need for a separate budget-friendly digital camera any longer. Thus, it may come as a surprise that consumers (and particularly teen and Gen Z tech users) have begun to re-embrace the compact digital cameras that millennials previously used out of necessity. However, upon closer inspection of this trend, it’s clear there are a few valid reasons younger amateur photographers have given digicams another moment to shine.

First, let’s address one of the more obvious factors likely driving the resurgence of compact digital cameras: nostalgia. Just as vinyl is making a comeback at least in part due to a desire to recapture the magic of the past, digicams are becoming a must-have accessory again because they directly remind users of the early 2000s. Some even point out that the look of digicam photos tends to differ from that of most smartphone photos, evoking the not-too-distant past in a way that may simply appeal to those who prefer pics with a slightly retro feel.

Shooting with a digicam may also add a ritual to the experience of taking a photo. Sometimes, an album “feels” more special on vinyl because you didn’t just select it on Spotify. The process of taking photos with a digicam may offer a similar experience.

Taking photos with a compact digital camera keeps you off your phone

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Guarding against distractions and allowing budding photographers to truly be in the moment is another reason digicams are seeing renewed popularity. When you take out your phone to snap a pic, you’re suddenly tempted to open other apps, check email, post on social media, doom scroll, and so on. That’s not something you need to worry about when you’re taking pictures with a device designed to do just one thing.

Similarly, and perhaps ironically, some of the limitations of compact digital cameras may account for their unique cachet among Gen Z. With a smartphone, you can snap a virtually unlimited number of photos. This flexibility may prevent you from taking photos with real intention. On the other hand, when the number of photos you can take is restricted, you may be more conscious about everything from framing to deciding which moments are worth capturing.

It’s certainly too early to tell whether the return of digicams is a fad or if it represents a long-term shift in how consumers approach photography. That said, while fads tend to be rooted in novelty, the digicam renaissance reflects certain practical advantages these retro cams offer. It’s entirely possible tech companies will take notice by releasing their own improved compact digital cameras that offer the appeal of the old with the capabilities of the new.

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The idea of drawing power from huge machines floating high in the sky may at first sound fanciful, but China is taking the technology seriously and is already making some big claims about its potential. These are giant airborne wind turbines capable of reaching stronger and more consistent winds than the more common ground-based turbines that can take a decade to pay off that people are increasingly seeing on land and in coastal waters.

Hardware for China’s Stratospheric Airborne Wind Energy Systems (SAWES) initiative is being developed by Tsinghua University and technology startup SAWES Energy Technology Co., Ltd., both based in Beijing. Touted as a low-impact alternative to conventional wind turbines, engineers unveiled their first design in late 2024. The latest one, the SAWES Type S2000, was announced in early 2026 and is hailed as the first airborne wind power system capable of generating power at the megawatt scale, equal to a million watts of power. SAWES claims the S2000’s hourly output “can fully charge approximately 30 electric vehicles from zero to full.”

Flying wind turbines could be a game-changer, but there are challenges

These tethered aerostats are filled with helium and lift wind turbines as high as 2,000 meters (about 6,500 feet). With the elevated winds stronger and steadier than at ground level, the spinning turbines are able to efficiently generate electricity and send it to a ground station via a cable. The S2000 aerostat is 60 meters (197 feet) long and 40 meters (131 feet) in both height and width, and holds 12 turbines with a power capacity of three megawatts. By comparison, the average U.S. turbine has a capacity for 2.75 megawatts.

The aerostat enjoys a major advantage over ground‑based turbines as it can ignore ground-level height restrictions. It also eliminates the need for land use, utilizes stronger and more reliable winds, and offers a far wider range of deployment locations. China’s huge size also gives it an edge, as it has vast remote regions with few people, making it perfect for tethered aerostats to do their work.

But the technology also comes with challenges. For example, stormy weather can pose a problem, with severe weather potentially forcing the aerostat to land until calmer conditions prevail. Also, the tether can suffer considerable wear and tear, leading to damage that requires repair work, which can disrupt power generation. Consideration also has to be given to low-flying aircraft, with the tethered high‑altitude aerostats potentially creating hazards for helicopters and emergency-response aircraft that operate at similar altitudes.

China’s green-energy push

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China’s growing interest in harvesting energy from high-altitude winds is part of a broader green-energy push that also includes increasing investments in solar power and electric vehicle production. It’s the world’s dominant battery producer and a global leader in lithium‑ion manufacturing, too, and the government is also pushing renewable hydrogen infrastructure as part of efforts to reduce the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels. If China can scale its flying turbines reliably and affordably, it will gain access to high‑altitude winds that conventional ground‑based turbines are physically unable to tap, turning what is still a niche technology into a new pillar of its expanding green‑energy strategy.

In contrast, the U.S. has so far focused its wind‑energy plans on offshore windfarms as well as those onshore, while airborne systems similar to China’s remain largely in the R&D phase. President Trump is well known for his hostility toward conventional wind power setups, repeatedly criticizing their appearance and impact on the landscape. Such a viewpoint suggests that aerostats, which are quieter and less obtrusive, might face fewer of the same political objections if they find their way into the U.S. energy debate.

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Warm weather is here, and for many that means doing a bit of spring cleaning. Going through everything and deciding what to keep, what to donate, and what to toss out. If you have grandparents, you might even find yourself up in the attic helping them clean out old boxes that have been collecting dust for decades. And hiding inside those boxes might be a treasure trove of retro gadgets that are making a comeback, but could also be worth a pretty penny because of it. 

From early cellular devices and game consoles, to throwback audio players and wacky cameras, there could be some interesting old tech grandpa still has that’s more valuable than you think. We searched high and low online to find out what vintage tech treasures are worth some serious money. According to sold listings from online auction sites, these old gadgets are the ones you might just want to keep your eyes open for next time you’re helping your grandparents sort through their stuff.

Sony TPS-L2 Walkman

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The Sony TPS-L2 Walkman is a fantastic piece of retro tech that was released in 1979, and has received a dose of modern attention thanks to its inclusion in films such as “Guardians of the Galaxy.” It truly changed the face of music, as it was the first commercially available personal stereo cassette player. Units on the secondhand market today can sell for hundreds of dollars, like a Walkman that was listed as broken and best for parts, selling on eBay for $361 in May 2026. 

That’s a pretty large sum of money for something that isn’t working, showing just how popular these devices still are. If you have one in good working condition, be aware that completed sales in 2026 range from $565 to as much as $1,800. And if you find other Walkman models laying around grandpa’s house, chances are they’re worth something too, with vintage units from the 80s and 90s selling for $100 and up, even in non-working condition.

Commodore Amiga 500

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People of a certain age will most likely remember the Commodore 64 computer. It was a staple of the home and classroom in the 1980s before Apple arrived. And while the Commodore 64 can be worth something on the secondhand market in good condition, its the later Commodore Amiga 500 where the real value is. Perhaps not as popular as the Commodore 64 in the United States, the Amiga 500 was a final effort by Commodore to stay relevant in the growing computer market as losses racked up. 

It struck a chord with music producers thanks to an impressive audio processing chip, and some artists still use the machine to this day. Gaming also benefited, with titles such as “Lemmings”, “Dune II: The Building of a Dynasty”, and “Worms” hitting the machine. Complete Commodore Amiga 500s have sold online for $350, with units featuring music sampling software going for more than $600. 

Sony Trinitron television

There was a time where you could walk into a thrift store and find a CRT television selling for a couple of dollars. In 2015, major thrift retailers stopped accepting these types of TVs because the volume was overwhelming. In fact, I snagged a few for free, as my local Goodwill was going to simply toss them. But recently, the demand for CRT televisions has increased as younger generations get into retro video gaming. They are also popular with kids from the 1990s who are now adults with money to spend on rebuilding their collections. 

Good CRT televisions can be worth a pretty penny, but none more so than the Sony PVM line. These televisions sell for hundreds of dollars, with some units of the smaller PVM line selling online for over $1,000. That’s a lot of money for an old TV that might simply be hiding away in a garage. My parents owned a massively heavy 36″ Sony Trinitron that’s now the centerpiece of my own game room. These models can sell online for over $150, making saving it from the scrapheap one of the best investments I made as a teen. 

Nokia 9110i Communicator

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Nokia is still making smartphones in 2026, even though some are cheap Android phones you should steer clear of. But older devices like the Nokia 9110i Communicator can be worth some serious money. A Nokia Communicator, from 1996, sold online for nearly $500 in February 2026. Others have sold for upwards of $300 in untested condition, and even upgraded models from the era have retained impressive value. This cellphone line from Nokia was popular with the business crowd of the day, as the face flipped open to expose a full keyboard and screen. 

The Communicator series came with a lot of tech for the time, including an MMC card slot and a web browser. But the main thing that made these retro Nokia gadgets unique was the GEOS operating system that ran as a layer on top of Embedded DOS-ROM. This meant the phone could run MS-DOS applications, and was one of the reasons it became sought after in the business world as it helped blur the line between a cellphone, PDA, and laptop.

Polaroid 600 Tasmanian Devil Instant Camera

Not every retro gadget that grandpa still has remains valuable today. Sure, old film cameras are popular again, but a vintage Polaroid 600 camera can be found online for less than $100 in 2026. But if you have a specific model of the camera, you might be able to translate that into a bit more money. Like the Polaroid 600 Tasmanian Devil edition that has traded hands for several hundreds of dollars. Released in 1999 and shaped like the head of the Tasmanian Devil, this retro camera is sure to draw attention. 

Polaroid even sold matching film that featured a Looney Tunes branded frame. Boxed versions of the camera have sold on eBay for as much as $350 in 2026, no doubt driven by its popularity among instant camera and Looney Tunes collectors. Seeing someone whip out the head of the Tasmanian Devil, only for it to open its mouth and take a Polaroid picture would surely be entertaining, and goes to show that modern technology feels like it’s lost a step in terms of simple fun features.

Methodology

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When researching retro gadgets that could be valuable today, we looked to what has been selling recently on the secondhand market. This included eBay and other online shopping platforms such as OfferUp, Facebook Marketplace, and Mercari. We avoided general speculation on pricing and overvaluation by collectors, relying solely on the final sale value of retro gadgets sold on these sites within the last year.

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