Brian Westover

2 weeks ago | pcmag.com | Brian Westover

If there's one complaint I've heard most often in my years of reviewing laptops and providing laptop buying tips, it's this: "Why are they so expensive?" Whether due to the roller-coaster of tariffs, general inflation, or the march of progress, as manufacturers keep up with the latest components and features, the best laptops cost a pretty penny.

2 weeks ago | pcmag.com | Brian Westover

PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing. Soon, you won't be able to run supported macOS versions on Intel x86-based PCs. How long before someone finds the next clever hack to merge the Mac and PC universes? The OpenCore Velociraptor was released in 2020 with a macOS Catalina option but disappeared shortly thereafter.

2 weeks ago | pcmag.com | Brian Westover

Apple's WWDC macOS Tahoe 26 reveal drives home the notion that your old Intel-based Mac won't last forever. But do you need to upgrade right now? Here's my best advice on when to jump to Apple Silicon. (Credit: René Ramos; Apple; Getty Images/Yuji Sakai) Maybe it's frugality, nostalgia, or a reluctance to switch from Intel's familiar architecture that has you holding onto your old Mac. But if you were looking for a sign that the end is nigh, Apple's WWDC 2025 keynote was it.

3 weeks ago | pcmag.com | Brian Westover

It's not perfect, but the Plaud Note is the best AI hardware product I've seen so far. And it's helping me work faster, stay organized, and keep my home projects on track. (Credit: René Ramos, Brian Westover; Vegorus, Lutfar / Adobe Stock; Studio Romantic/Shutterstock.com) I'm something of a productivity addict. Whether it's a new life hack or the latest device or app, I'm always on the lookout for ways to work faster, write better, and level up my life.

3 weeks ago | pcmag.com | Brian Westover

There's no escaping spreadsheets. Tools like Excel and Google Sheets are ubiquitous these days, and learning how to use them more effectively will quickly enhance your daily work. But spreadsheets aren't always the easiest thing to work with. Grids of numbers, obscure menus, arcane formula syntax—it can leave you feeling lost and overwhelmed. That's the bad news. The good news? I've figured out how to harness AI to make Excel and Google Sheets much easier to work with.