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French AA gaming developer and accessory manufacturer Nacon has filed for insolvency after its majority shareholder Bigben failed to make a loan repayment, the company said in a press release. "To date, the company reports available assets do not allow it to meet its liabilities," Nacon wrote. The objective with insolvency, it said, was to allow "continued operation, protect employees and maintain jobs while renegotiating with its creditors." 

Nacon is behind the games Styx: Blades of Greed and was set to publish Terminator: Survivors before that title was delayed. It published Hell is Us last year to some praise, but Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown was buggy on release and failed to find much of an audience. The company will stream its next Nacon Connect presentation on March 4, and will supposedly show off some new games and footage for previously revealed games like Endurance Motorsport Series and Cthulhu: The Cosmic Abyss. 

The company also makes hardware like controllers and headsets and racing sim accessories via its Revosim brand. Those products never really caught on with mainstream gamers but did have some success with the pro gaming crowd. 

With Nacon's insolvency, the future of those games and accessories is now in question. A court will decide on the company's insolvency request at a hearing in early March, but in the meantime, trading of its shares is suspended. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/gaming-accessory-maker-and-publisher-nacon-files-for-insolvency-104832702.html?src=rss

If you experience discomfort after long hours behind a desk, simply slapping an ergonomic mouse and keyboard on your desk won’t solve the problem. First, you have to address the root issue of sitting still for too long by standing up and walking around each hour or so. But after that, it’s worth considering your workstation ergonomics. An ergonomic keyboard can prevent the hunching, twisting and contorting that leads to discomfort. With split, tilt and angled keys, these boards help keep your shoulders and chest more open and your forearms and wrists more aligned. One ergonomic board won’t work for everyone, so I tested out 15 different models. I found my personal favorite and hope this guide will help you find the best ergonomic keyboard for you, too.

Best ergonomic keyboards for 2026

What to look for in an ergonomic keyboard

You might be looking into ergonomic accessories to help with a specific problem, such as carpal tunnel or tendonitis. Or maybe you’re simply looking for a way to make long hours at your desk more comfortable. It can help to know some of the terminology and reasons behind various features, which we explain below. Just keep in mind that new equipment alone won’t solve the problem. Changing positions, doing regular stretches and taking walk breaks will all go a long way towards making you feel better while you work.

Alice vs split

Most ergonomic keyboard layouts fall into two categories: unibody (or Alice) and split. The former is a single board with the two halves of the keys rotated about 30 degrees apart at the bottom. The separation forms an A-shaped space between the keys — which has nothing to do with why it’s called an Alice layout, it’s just a happy coincidence. This subtle tweak pushes your elbows away from your ribs while keeping a straight line from your forearm to your middle knuckle. Using one, I pretty instantly felt more open along the front side of my body. This layout more closely resembles a traditional keyboard, so it should be easier for most folks to get used to than a fully split option.

Speaking of, split boards break the keys into two separate parts you can position individually. You can put them shoulder distance apart, bring them closer together or angle them as much as feels comfortable. You can also put your mouse between the halves, which may feel like an easier trip for your cursor hand and could potentially help with conditions like repetitive strain injuries (RSI). Personally, I like being able to put my current snack between the two parts. I've also found that pairing a split keyboard with a good ergonomic mouse has helped me even more, particularly a vertical mouse.

Tenkeyless

You can find ergonomic keyboards with and without number pads. Not having those number keys on the right hand side lets you keep your mouse closer in, minimizing overall reach. But if you work with numbers a lot, you’ll likely want that pad included. Some programmable boards allow for the use of layers, which temporarily repurpose keys and can provide you with a ten-key option through clever remapping of letter keys.

Tenting and negative tilt

Tenting raises the middle of the keyboard up, so your hands move closer to a “handshake” position. Alice keyboards usually angle up towards the middle and always to a fixed degree, since the two sides are connected. Split boards often let you adjust the degree of tenting, going from flat to subtle to extreme lift.

You may have encountered keyboards with an optional lift at the back of the board, raising the top keys higher than the space bar. Every set of hands is different, but for most people, pulling the backs of the hands towards the forearms increases strain. Negative tilt has the opposite effect by sloping in the other direction, lowering the top number keys while raising the edge with the spacebar. Many Alice and some split keyboards offer an optional negative tilt. I found it was more comfortable to enable that feature when I’m standing, and I preferred to have the keys flat when sat at my desk.

Staggered vs columnar

This decision seems to be one of the more hotly-contested among ergo enthusiasts. A conventional keyboard has staggered keys, with each row slightly offset to the rows above and below it — so the A key is about halfway between the Q and W above it. This is a holdover from vintage mechanical typewriters, in which each press activated a hammer that smashed ink onto paper in the shape of a letter. To fit the hammers as close together as possible, while still allowing for finger pads, the keys were staggered.

Columnar or ortholinear keyboards stack the keys in orderly columns, often with rows that are not linear. Proponents claim this makes the keys easier to reach. Whether that’s true will be up to your fingers to decide, but I can say for certain that if you learned to type on a staggered keyboard, switching to a columnar layout is tough. It will take days, possibly weeks before you instinctively hit the C key. The N, M and B keys don’t fare much better.

Programmable keys

With a few exceptions, most ergonomic keyboards will work with PCs or Macs as a standard typing input, but the use of function and hot keys may require some remapping. It can be as easy as an onboard switch to toggle between Mac and PC layouts, or as involved as downloading software to change up the keys. Some boards even include (or let you buy) extra keycaps to change, say, the Mac’s Command and Option keys to PC’s Start and Alt buttons. Those are what's called hot-swappable keys, meaning you just pull the old key off (usually with a provided key puller) and stick the new one on, no soldering required.  

For some boards, remapping or programming keys using software is a crucial feature. Gaming peripherals have extra keys that you can set to execute a series of keystrokes with the push of a single button, and we cover the best gaming keyboards in a separate guide. Keyboards that work with layers, in which a single button can perform several functions, typically allow you to change what those are. Some ergo keyboards have non-standard layouts, like thumb clusters with multiple keys near the space bar that you operate with your thumb. You’ll also be able to program those.

Other considerations

Ergonomic keyboards come in mechanical, membrane, and scissor switch versions. Which works best for you is, again, up to your preference. I won’t get too deep into the particulars here, as we have an entire guide devoted to the best mechanical boards, but the short of it is that membrane and scissor switches are less customizable than mechanical and typically cheaper. Typing on them tends to be quieter and softer. Mechanical switches are more customizable, offer a more responsive typing experience and are usually pricier.

You’ll also have the option of wired or wireless ergonomic boards. All other things being equal, wired models are less expensive. Competitive gamers who rely on split-second responses may prefer the zero-lag of wired keyboards. Wired models also never run out of battery life and have fewer connectivity issues. But wireless keyboards keep your desk less cluttered.

Some ergonomic keyboards come with permanent or removable wrist or palm rests, which can be cushioned or hard. This is another area where opinions diverge: proponents claim they help you maintain a neutral hand position, while detractors say they put pressure on the tendons and can cause wrist pain or even exacerbate conditions like carpal tunnel. Ideally, your palms should be resting, not your wrists, and you might find you like having that support or you may find the pressure uncomfortable.

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget How we tested ergonomic keyboards

All our guides begin with extensive research to figure out what’s out there and what’s worth testing. We consider brands with good reputations that we’ve heard good things about from colleagues and look at keyboard reviews in forums and other trusted publications. For this guide, I looked for keyboards with ergonomic features like tenting, split keys, palm support and so on. I also zeroed in on boards that didn’t require a deep amount of familiarity with the vast and exhaustive world of custom keyboards.

Once I settled on ten boards, I acquired them and used each one for anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. I tried out the remapping and macros software and considered the comfort, design, price and durability of each model before arriving at picks I think will work best for the most people out there. For subsequent updates to this guide, I have continued to acquire and test out new keyboards as they come on the market, adding and replacing the top picks as warranted. If and when Microsoft ergonomic keyboards, like the Sculpt, come back on the market, as a collaboration with Incase has promised, I'll try those models, too. 

Other ergonomic keyboards we tested Naya Create

I first tried out the Naya Create during CES 2025 and was immediately smitten with the design. It’s a deliriously well-made fully-split keyboard with built-in modules at each thumb. You can swap in a trackball, dial, trackpad and the Float module — a dial/joystick combo for manipulating 3D imagery.

Each half of the board hinges in two places for minutely customizable center tenting. It has low profile keys with responsive yet quiet mechanical switches. It works wirelessly or corded, has thumb cluster keys and, of course, it’s all fully programmable. It's lovely to type on and the thumb clusters and modules make it easy to keep your fingers in the home position to minimize repetitive travel.

I’m still in the process of testing the board, and working with Naya’s co-founder to get the modules customized to my liking. At $500 to $700, it’s not cheap. It’s also a still very new device from a small company, so I’m waiting to give it a proper assessment until the board is fully set up properly. In the meantime, batches of the Naya Create keep selling out, so it’s apparent I’m not the only one who sees this board’s potential.

Kinesis Advantage 360

If you want something fully split with thumb clusters and a columnar layout but that’s a little less minimal than the Zsa Voyager— and wireless to boot — the Advantage 360 from Kinesis, makers of the popular Advantage 2 is a good one to check out. It looks like it comes from an ‘80s-era IBM office, but is somehow also from the future. The tenting goes from low to intense and the key well curves concavely to meet your fingers where they naturally land. The 360 is per-key programmable, works with layers and has four macros keys.

Periboard 835

For a mechanical Alice keyboard with both wireless and wired capabilities, the Periboard 835 is a good pick. The Mac and Windows-compatible board has a solid build, low profile switches, RGB lighting, comfortable tenting and a few extra programmable keys.

Goldtouch Elite Adjustable

I remember wondering if something like the Goldtouch Elite Adjustable existed when I first started testing ergonomic keyboards. It didn’t at the time, as far as I could tell, but now a connected yet adjustable split board is indeed a product you can buy. It’s a solidly-built board and the ball joint connecting the two halves feels like it will put up with a lot of use. A squeeze of the lever at the top of the keys lets you set the board just how you like, adjusting both the vertical tenting and the angle between the two halves. There’s no programming to speak of, just the ability to swap a few function keys like print screen and home.

Unfortunately, the tenting doesn’t work for me. Because of the extra keys at the outer edges, raising the middle edges upwards lifts the center keys considerably, which brings my wrists and forearms off the desk instead of letting them rest. Holding them like that created extra neck and shoulder strain on my part, which is sort of the opposite of the goal. But if you’re not into tenting anyway and want a flat, Alice-split board with an adjustable splay, this works quite well.

Kinesis Form Split Touchpad Keyboard

The idea behind the Kinesis Form Split Touchpad Keyboard is pretty ergonomic: put the trackpad between the two halves and minimize travel for your mouse hand. The distance between the two puts your elbows at a comfortable distance and keeps your wrist nearly in-line with your forearms. The build is excellent, with low profile mechanical switches that feel smooth and just the right amount of clacky. The trackpad is responsive, but gestures only work with Windows computers. Even dragging and dropping doesn’t work on a Mac here, so I don’t see Apple users getting much use out of the board. I also found myself wishing for the slightest rotation of the keys — though they’re a good distance apart, a slight angle would keep my wrists fully unbent. There’s no tenting or negative tilt either, both of which could help a bit more, ergonomically speaking.

Logitech Wave Keys

While it's a perfectly fine and affordable Bluetooth keyboard, the Logitech Wave has minimal ergonomics. The keys rise up slightly in the middle and there's a comfortable wrist rest attached, but the layout is the same as any other keyboard, with no splitting of the keys to open up your arms or keep your wrists straight.

Ergonomic keyboard FAQs What kinds of ergonomic keyboard styles are there?

Most ergonomic keyboards fall into two categories: fully split which separates the board into two pieces, and unibody split, also known as an Alice design, which angles the keys outward at the bottom. When the keys are rotated outward or split into two halves, it allows for a wider spread between your elbows for a more relaxed typing position. Other ergonomic features, such as thumb clusters, center tenting and negative tilting are sometimes added to either type of board.

Which keyboard layout is the most ergonomic?

Since every person is different, there’s no one best ergonomic keyboard layout. The standard QWERTY layout is what most people are used to. The Dvorak, Colemak and Workman layouts rearrange the board to put the more commonly used letters closer to the home-key position. All three are intended to minimize your finger movements. That may indeed feel more comfortable and less fatiguing, but people used to the QWERTY layout will likely need to relearn how to type.

When do I need a split keyboard?

You might feel some relief with a fully split keyboard if you find yourself tensing up at the shoulders as you type on a standard board. Putting some distance between your hands may allow your chest to stay more open, which for some is an easier position to maintain. You may also appreciate being able to place your mouse or trackpad between the two halves of the board to minimize the distance your cursor hand needs to travel.

How long does it take to adjust to an ergonomic keyboard?

That depends on the type of keyboard. Since the Alice-split design simply rotates the keys apart, typing on it feels fairly similar to the regular keyboards you’re already used to. A fully split board will take a little more adjustment, particularly if it uses thumb clusters. The enter, shift and control buttons may now be operated by your thumbs instead of your other fingers and that can be tough to get used to. It took me a full month to get completely comfortable with a fully split keyboard with thumb clusters. But now, I prefer it to typing on regular boards.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-ergonomic-keyboard-130047982.html?src=rss

It's always a fun day for the space nerds when a NASA team has new images to share from the James Webb Space Telescope. Today's pair has brains on the brain, with a look at the fittingly named Exposed Cranium Nebula. More officially, this cloud of space dust and debris is known as Nebula PMR 1. The images shared today may capture a moment in the final stages of a star, as well as giving hints as to how the nebula got its brain-like shape.  

"The nebula appears to have distinct regions that capture different phases of its evolution — an outer shell of gas that was blown off first and consists mostly of hydrogen, and an inner cloud with more structure that contains a mix of different gases," NASA's blog post reads. The dark line that runs vertically through the nebula, giving it the cranial appearance, could be the result of "an outburst or outflow from the central star, which typically occurs as twin jets burst out in opposite directions." Both Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and its Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) were used to document the nebula.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/new-webb-telescope-photos-show-off-the-exposed-cranium-nebula-235609619.html?src=rss

It seems like any and every industry can have its own awards show these days. And why not? Most of us appreciate a chance to bust out the sequins and satin from time to time. If you can celebrate excellent work or make some extra biz dev bucks at the same time, all the better. Snap is the latest social media company to launch its own take on the glitz and glam. The Snappy Awards Show will be held at the company's headquarters on March 31. Comedian and content creator Matt Friend will host the event.

Snapchat has been adding more tools for influencers to build audiences, most recently launching individual creator subscriptions. An awards show seems to be part of that same agenda, spotlighting popular personalities from many different fields. There will be Snappys handed out for categories such as Spotlight MVP, Best Storyteller and Breakout Creator of the Year, plus awards for collaboration, cultural impact and success in single subjects.

Snapchat isn't the first social media platform to honor the personalities using it. TikTok hosted its inaugural awards show in the US last year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/snap-is-hosting-its-own-creator-awards-show-221859681.html?src=rss

Full Circle, the developer behind the new Skate game, has announced that it is restructuring and laying off staff. It's not yet clear how many roles will be impacted by the changes, but the restructuring is happening less than six months after skate. launched in early access on September 15, 2025.

"We’re reshaping Full Circle to better support skate.’s long-term future," Full Circle says. "These shifts mean making changes to our team structure, and some roles will be impacted. The teammates affected are talented colleagues and friends who helped build the foundation of skate. Their creativity and dedication are deeply ingrained in what players experience today. This decision is not a reflection of their impact and we’re committed to supporting them through this transition."

Engadget has contacted Full Circle's owner EA for more information about the layoffs. We'll update this article if we hear back.

EA originally formed Full Circle in 2021 with a staff of development talent from the original Skate team. Skate was often positioned as a more realistic competitor to the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series, but the new studio has ultimately taken the franchise in a slightly different direction than fans may have expected. Previous Skate games were paid experiences with single-player and multiplayer modes, while skate. is a free-to-play live-service game supported with microtransactions.

Recent history, both the failure of Concord and the ongoing struggles of Highguard, serves as a testament to how hard it is to launch a live service game in the 2020s. Full Circle's announcement notes the "tens of millions" of players that have tried the new game, but it's possible a struggle to keep players interested and spending on microtransactions could be why it's restructuring.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/skates-developer-is-laying-off-staff-before-the-game-leaves-early-access-220916797.html?src=rss

Ubisoft's shakeups continue unabated. The creative director of the next Assassin's Creed game, codenamed Hexe, has left the company. The departure of Clint Hocking, a 20-year veteran of the company over two stints, was reportedly announced in a staff meeting this week.

Hocking's resume at Ubisoft included serving as creative director on Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, Far Cry 2 and Watch Dogs: Legion. The details of why he's leaving the company haven't been reported.

Ubisoft told VGC, which first reported on Hocking's exit, that development on Hexe will continue. Jean Guedson, one of three new leaders of the Assassin's Creed franchise, will take over as the upcoming title's new creative director. Guedson had the same role for Assassin's Creed Origins and Black Flag, two of the franchise's most well-received entries.

To say sailing hasn't been smooth of late at Ubisoft would be an understatement. Last year, the company reorganized its corporate structure under a system of "creative houses." The first, Vantage Studios, is partly owned by Tencent and now oversees Assassin's Creed. Then in October, franchise head Marc-Alexis Côté left the company. He later claimed he was "asked to step aside" and is suing his former employer.

All of these changes came in the wake of layoffs, big-name flops, more layoffs, studio closures, even more layoffs, strikes and (yep) layoffs again. Earlier this month, Ubisoft even fired an employee who criticized the company’s return-to-office mandate.

But have no fear; some aspects of the company are doing quite well. Take, for example, nepotism. The future is looking bright indeed for a rising company star who is now co-CEO of Vantage Studios. That title belongs to Charlie Guillemot, the son of Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-next-assassins-creed-game-loses-its-creative-director-210119005.html?src=rss

Canadian officials summoned leaders from OpenAI to Ottawa this week to address safety concerns about ChatGPT. The crux of the government concerns was that OpenAI did not notify authorities when it banned the account of a user who allegedly committed a mass shooting in British Columbia earlier this month. 

"The message that we delivered, in no uncertain terms, was that we have ‌an expectation that there are going to ⁠be changes implemented, and if they're not forthcoming very quickly, the government is going to be making changes," Justice Minister Sean Fraser said of the company and its AI chatbot. It's unclear what those government-led changes or rules might be. There have been two previous, unsuccessful attempts to pass an online harms act in Canada.

A recent report by The Wall Street Journal claimed that in 2025, some OpenAI employees flagged the account of the alleged shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, as containing potential warnings of committing real-world violence and called for leadership to notify law enforcement. Although Van Rootselaar's account was banned for policy violations, a company rep said that the account activity did not meet OpenAI's criteria for engaging the local police. 

“Those reports were deeply disturbing, reports saying that OpenAI did not contact law enforcement in a timely manner," said Canadian Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon ahead of the discussion with company leaders. "We will have a sit-down meeting to have an explanation of their safety protocols and when they escalate and their thresholds of escalation to police, so we have a better understanding of what’s happening and what they do."

OpenAI has been implicated in mulitple wrongful death suits. The company's ChatGPT was accused of encouraging "paranoid beliefs" before a man killed his mother and himself in a December 2025 lawsuit. It is also at the center of one of several wrongful death lawsuits against the makers of AI chatbots for helping teenagers plan and commit suicides.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/canadian-government-demands-safety-changes-from-openai-204924604.html?src=rss

Microsoft has announced that its rolling out support for streaming games at 1440p on Xbox consoles. Game streaming is a key benefit of paying for a Game Pass subscription, and as of 2025, now also includes games players own that aren't part of the larger Game Pass library.

The higher bitrate streaming option will let subscribers with an Xbox Series X or S, Xbox One X or Xbox One play their games at a higher resolution, provided the game and their display supports it. Microsoft previously only offered 1440p streams on select Fire TVs, LG TVs, Samsung TVs, web browsers and the Xbox PC app. At least for now, 1440p is only available to Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.

Beyond the new streaming option, Microsoft is also making improvements to the Xbox PC app and the Xbox experience on ROG Xbox Ally handhelds. On PC, the Xbox PC app now includes "navigation sounds" that play when you use the app's interface with a controller. These new sounds are supposed to make controller input feel more responsive and intuitive. On the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, meanwhile, Microsoft is making it even easier to format removable storage like microSD cards, and updating drivers to improve compatibility on select games.

The last week has been particularly tumultuous for Microsoft's gaming division. Former Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer announced his retirement on Friday, alongside the appointment of Asha Sharma, the President of Microsoft's CoreAI division, as his replacement. Opinions differ as to whether Sharma's new position will be good or bad for Xbox, but more changes are likely on the way.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-consoles-now-support-1440p-streaming-204115304.html?src=rss

Tecno just unveiled a rather intriguing modular smartphone concept design at MWC 2026. The standout feature here is likely the size. Most modular smartphone concepts start bulky and only get bulkier once attaching accessories. Tecno's base smartphone is just 4.9mm thin, which is significantly thinner than a pencil and the iPhone Air.

Of course, the size increases with each attached module. However, snapping on the power bank module makes the thickness comparable to a standard modern smartphone. Another key feature here is how these various modular components stick together. Tecno has developed new interconnection technology that uses both magnets and pin connectors. This should make it easy to both attach and remove components.

The company says this phone has been designed to grow with the user through hardware expansion. To that end, Tecno has developed 10 modules. There are various camera lenses and something that looks like a dedicated gaming controller.

Tecno

While the magnets are for attaching, the pin connectors assist with power delivery. Data transmission between the phone and the modules is handled wirelessly, with the ability to switch between Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mmWave depending on where the user is located.

There are two colorways for both the phone and the ecosystem of accessories. There's a silver-aluminum edition and a nifty-looking grey version. This doesn't matter to actual consumers because, well, it's just a concept design. It does look like the company's magnetic attachment technology could make it to some actual products down the line.

Tecno has always been a company that marched to the beat of its own drummer. It has developed a surprisingly affordable foldable phone, a model with a pop-out portrait lens and a foldable with a novel circular display on the exterior.

The industry hasn't quite embraced modular smartphones just yet, even though there have been some nifty concept designs. Google's Project Ara prototype goes back more than a decade, and the same can be said of other concept designs that never saw the light of day.

There have been some modular phones released to the real world, but they weren't nearly as ambitious as Tecno's concept. LG launched a semi-modular phone called the G5 back in 2016, but it didn't move too many units. Moto has also released a couple of semi-modular smartphones, but they didn't set the world on fire.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/tecno-just-unveiled-a-ridiculously-thin-modular-smartphone-concept-design-194741776.html?src=rss

The cost of PC components has been skyrocketing as AI infrastructure buildout creates extraordinary demand amid limited supply. HP says that squeeze is now hitting PC memory especially hard, with RAM now accounting for 35 percent of a system’s overall cost.

"We did share last quarter that memory and storage costs made up roughly 15 percent to 18 percent of our PC bill of materials, and we now currently estimate this to be roughly 35 percent for the year," said CFO Karen Parkhill on the company's latest earnings call. She also confirmed that part of the company's response will be price increases. Samsung similarly warned of potential price increases due to AI-induced memory shortages.

Higher prices have unfortunately become the norm for PC shoppers, especially in 2026, and the RAM crisis is playing a major role. HP interim CEO Bruce Broussard said that while he "believe the market will rationalize over time" the company is doing its best to add new suppliers as well as expand lower cost-sourcing for memory.

HP executives also said they are seeing stronger AI PC demand, saying 35 percent of HP’s PC sales are coming from AI PCs. This comes as the industry is seeing mixed signals, like Dell saying that consumers don't really care about AI PCs.

AI has been eating up the world's supply of memory and companies like Micron have even abandoned their consumer brands to focus entirely on B2B supply. Other components like GPUs have also been feeling the pressure.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/hp-says-ram-now-accounts-for-more-than-a-third-of-its-pc-costs-192914150.html?src=rss

Kalshi, one of several online prediction markets that have exploded in popularity in the last few years, has suspended one of YouTube MrBeast's video editors for insider trading, NPR reports. Besides being suspended from the platform for two years, Kalshi says the editor will also be required to pay a financial penalty that's five times his initial trade size.

The editor, Artem Kaptur, traded in markets related to YouTube and specifically, MrBeast. Kalshi says his transactions were initially flagged because of his "near-perfect trading success on markets with low odds, which were statistically anomalous." Because trades are public on Kalshi, multiple users also flagged the trades as suspicious. Kalshi learned Kaptur was an employee of MrBeast during its investigation and determined he "likely had access to material non-public information connected to his trading." Perhaps unsurprisingly, trading with insider information violates Kalshi's rules.

Kalshi says that it reported the insider trading to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and plans to donate the over $20,000 Kaptur has been fined to "a non-profit that provides consumer education on derivatives markets." In a statement provided to NPR, Beast Industries, MrBeast's production company, said it has a zero-tolerance policy for insider trading. "We have a longstanding policy in place against employees using proprietary company information in order to safeguard the highest standards and ethics throughout our organization," Beast Industries said. 

Separately, Kalshi has also suspended and fined a politician who was running to be Governor of California. "In May, our Surveillance Department saw an online video by a candidate for Governor of California that appeared to show him trading on his own candidacy," Kalshi says. "We immediately froze his account and opened an investigation. The candidate was initially cooperative and acknowledged that this violated the exchange rules. As a candidate in a race, you can (and probably should) follow and use Kalshi’s market forecast, but you should not trade on it."

Like other prediction markets, Kalshi lets users make trades based on a variety of different subjects and events. For example, you could participate in a market focused on the results of a basketball game, or something more unusual, like who'll win the current season of Survivor. Despite resembling gambling, online predictive markets aren't currently regulated by state gambling laws, and instead classify bets as a type of futures contract, placing them under the purview of the CFTC. That hasn't stopped states from trying to regulate prediction markets anyway. For example, Nevada sued Kalshi for operating a sports gambling market without a permit earlier in February.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/kalshi-fined-a-mrbeast-editor-for-insider-trading-191027814.html?src=rss

Two stories about the Claude maker Anthropic broke on Tuesday that, when combined, arguably paint a chilling picture. First, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is reportedly pressuring Anthropic to yield its AI safeguards and give the military unrestrained access to its Claude AI chatbot. The company then chose the same day that the Hegseth news broke to drop its centerpiece safety pledge.

On Tuesday, Anthropic said it was modifying its Responsible Scaling Policy (RSP) to lower safety guardrails. Up until now, the company's core pledge has been to stop training new AI models unless specific safety guidelines can be guaranteed in advance. This policy, which set hard tripwires to halt development, was a big part of Anthropic's pitch to businesses and consumers.

“Two and a half years later, our honest assessment is that some parts of this theory of change have played out as we hoped, but others have not,” Anthropic wrote. Now, its updated policy approaches safety relatively, rather than with strict red lines.

Anthropic's quotes in an interview with Time sound reasonable enough in a vacuum. "We felt that it wouldn't actually help anyone for us to stop training AI models," Jared Kaplan, Anthropic's chief science officer, told Time. "We didn't really feel, with the rapid advance of AI, that it made sense for us to make unilateral commitments… if competitors are blazing ahead."

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei (Photo by David Dee Delgado/Getty Images for The New York Times)David Dee Delgado via Getty Images

But you could also read those quotes as the latest example of a hot startup’s ethics becoming grayer as its valuation rises. (Remember Google’s old “Don’t be evil” mantra that it later removed from its code of conduct?) The latest versions of Claude have drawn widespread praise, especially in coding. In February, Anthropic raised $30 billion in new investments. It now has a valuation of $380 billion. (Speaking of the competition Kaplan referred to, rival OpenAI is currently valued at over $850 billion.)

In place of Anthropic's previous tripwires, it will implement new "Risk Reports" and "Frontier Safety Roadmaps." These disclosure models are designed to provide transparency to the public in place of those hard lines in the sand.

Anthropic says the change was motivated by a "collective action problem" stemming from the competitive AI landscape and the US's anti-regulatory approach. "If one AI developer paused development to implement safety measures while others moved forward training and deploying AI systems without strong mitigations, that could result in a world that is less safe," the new RSP reads. "The developers with the weakest protections would set the pace, and responsible developers would lose their ability to do safety research and advance the public benefit."

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth (Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)AAron Ontiveroz via Getty Images

Neither Anthropic's announcement nor the Time exclusive mentions the elephant in the room: the Pentagon's pressure campaign. On Tuesday, Axios reported that Hegseth told Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei that the company has until Friday to give the military unfettered access to its AI model or face penalties. The company has reportedly offered to adopt its usage policies for the Pentagon. However, it wouldn't allow its model to be used for the mass surveillance of Americans or weapons that fire without human involvement.

If Anthropic doesn't relent, experts say its best bet would be legal action. But will the Pentagon's proposed penalties be enough to scare a profit-driven startup into compliance? Hegseths' threats reportedly include invoking the Defense Production Act, which gives the president authority to direct private companies prioritize certain contracts in the name of national defense. The military could also sever its contract with Anthropic and designate it as a supply chain risk. That would force other companies working with the Pentagon to certify that Claude isn't included in their workflows.

Claude is the only AI model currently used for the military's most sensitive work. "The only reason we're still talking to these people is we need them and we need them now,” a defense official told Axios. “The problem for these guys is they are that good." Claude was reportedly used in the Maduro raid in Venezuela, a topic Amodei is said to have raised with its partner Palantir.

Time's story about the new RSP included reactions from a nonprofit director focused on AI risks. Chris Painter, director of METR, described the changes as both understandable and perhaps an ill omen. "I like the emphasis on transparent risk reporting and publicly verifiable safety roadmaps," he said. However, he also raised concerns that the more flexible RSP could lead to a "frog-boiling" effect. In other words, when safety becomes a gray area, a seemingly never-ending series of rationalizations could take the company down the very dark path it once condemned.

Painter said the new RSP shows that Anthropic "believes it needs to shift into triage mode with its safety plans, because methods to assess and mitigate risk are not keeping up with the pace of capabilities. This is more evidence that society is not prepared for the potential catastrophic risks posed by AI."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-weakens-its-safety-pledge-in-the-wake-of-the-pentagons-pressure-campaign-183436413.html?src=rss

Sony just divulged the list of PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for March, and there's a little something for everybody. These will all be playable on March 3 for subscribers on any tier. After downloading, the games will stay in a player's library as long as the subscription remains active.

First up, there's Monster Hunter Rise. This was initially a Nintendo Switch exclusive before making the jump to other platforms. This is a decent Monster Hunter game with a focus on verticality. There are tools to quickly scale large cliffs and engage in aerial combat. It can be played solo or via a four-person squad. The gameplay loop is as addictive here as ever. Fight monsters. Gather materials. Upgrade weapons and armor. Rinse and repeat.

Slime Rancher 2 just hit consoles last year, after some time in early access. This sequel improves upon everything that made the first game great, which included capturing and farming various slimes. There's a fresh location to explore and an absolute boatload of new slimes to capture. Sucking up dozens of slimes at once is a simple pleasure akin to completing a level in PowerWash Simulator.

The Elder Scrolls Online Collection: Gold Road is the definitive version of the game, offering access to all zones, biomes and quest arcs. This online game can be played cooperatively, but there's also a lot of PvP content. It's set 1,000 years before Skyrim, but there are many iconic locations from that game to explore.

Finally, PGA Tour 2K25 is the latest entry in 2K's long-running golf sim. This one has an expanded solo mode, in addition to a course designer tool. It's also cross-platform.

As new games enter the catalog, old titles vanish. Subscribers have until March 2 to download Undisputed, Subnautica: Below Zero, Ultros and Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/marchs-ps-plus-monthly-games-include-monster-hunter-rise-and-slime-rancher-2-182644562.html?src=rss

Following Samsung’s Unpacked event, the Samsung Galaxy S26 is available for pre-order, and it looks very familiar. That is not necessarily a bad thing. Like recent updates in the Galaxy S line, Samsung is refining its flagship rather than dramatically reinventing it.

Both phones share a lot of core DNA, including compact designs, high-refresh AMOLED displays and similar camera hardware. The S26 does introduce a handful of meaningful updates, however, including a slightly larger battery and newer software out of the box. Those changes also come with a higher starting price: the Galaxy S26 begins at $899.99 compared to the S25’s $799.99 launch price. The entry model now includes 256GB of storage instead of the S25’s base 128GB. Here's how the Galaxy S26 compares with last year’s Galaxy S25 on paper and whether the newer model is worth your attention.

Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: Design, display and performance

Physically, the Galaxy S26 stays very close to the design Samsung established with the S25. You still get a compact handset with flat edges, an aluminum frame and IP68 water and dust resistance. The overall look and feel should be immediately familiar to anyone who used last year’s phone.

The display story is similarly steady. Both phones use Samsung’s Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz, and the S25 is rated for peak brightness of up to 2,600 nits. In everyday use, whether you are scrolling, gaming or watching video, the viewing experience should feel broadly similar between the two devices.

Under the hood, the Galaxy S25 is powered globally by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy chipset paired with 12GB of RAM. The Galaxy S26 continues to target flagship-class performance. While Samsung has made internal refinements, overall speed should remain firmly in high-end territory for routine tasks, multitasking and mobile gaming.

On the software front, the S25 launched with Android 15 and One UI 7, while the Galaxy S26 ships with a newer version of Samsung’s software out of the box. As usual, the older model is expected to receive updates over time, which may narrow the long-term software gap.

Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: Cameras

Samsung has not dramatically reshuffled the base Galaxy camera hardware. The Galaxy S25 features a triple-camera setup built around a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom, along with a 12MP front camera.

The Galaxy S26 largely sticks with the same proven approach, which suggests image quality should remain broadly consistent in good lighting. As is often the case with Samsung’s year-to-year updates, any meaningful gains are likely to come from image processing improvements rather than brand-new sensors.

For most people, that means the S26 should deliver the punchy, reliable photos Samsung flagships are known for, but Galaxy S25 owners should not expect a dramatic leap in camera hardware.

Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: Battery life and charging

Battery capacity is one area where the Galaxy S26 makes a measurable change. The Galaxy S25 uses a 4,000mAh battery, while the Galaxy S26 increases that to 4,300mAh. That modest bump should translate into slightly longer endurance in day-to-day use, though real-world gains will depend on efficiency improvements and individual usage patterns.

Charging speeds remain largely unchanged. The Galaxy S25 supports up to 25W wired charging, up to 15W wireless charging and 4.5W reverse wireless charging, and the Galaxy S26 stays in the same general range.

Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: Software and AI

This year, Samsung is putting more emphasis on Galaxy AI, even on the base Galaxy S26. While many of the headline features are aimed at the Ultra and Plus models, the standard S26 still picks up several practical upgrades.

One of the more useful additions is Document Scan, which uses AI to clean up scans by automatically removing distortions, fingers and creases. It can also bundle multiple images into a single PDF, making it easier to digitize receipts, notes or forms without extra editing.

Samsung is also expanding its proactive assistant features. Now Brief becomes more personalized on the S26, surfacing reminders and updates based on your activity throughout the day, while the new Now Nudge system can suggest relevant content at the right moment. For example, if someone asks for photos from a recent trip, the phone can proactively surface matching images from your gallery instead of making you search manually.

Search is getting smarter as well. Circle to Search with Google now supports enhanced multi-object recognition, allowing you to identify several items in an image at once. Samsung is also upgrading Bixby into a more conversational assistant, and the S26 supports third-party agents such as Gemini and Perplexity for handling more complex, multi-step tasks through voice commands.

Security and privacy features are expanding in the background too. The Galaxy S26 introduces AI-powered Call Screening to summarize unknown callers, along with new Privacy Alerts that warn when apps request sensitive permissions. Samsung is also extending its post-quantum cryptography protections deeper into the system, backed by the company’s Knox security platform and seven years of promised security updates.

Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: How to choose

If you already own a Galaxy S25, the Galaxy S26 looks like a fairly iterative update. The core experience, including performance, display quality and camera hardware, remains very similar.

The main tangible upgrade is the slightly larger battery, along with newer software out of the box. For most S25 owners, that alone probably is not a compelling reason to upgrade. However, if you are coming from an older Galaxy phone or buying fresh, the Galaxy S26 is the more future-proof pick simply because it starts one generation ahead in Samsung’s update cycle and packs the larger battery.

As usual with Samsung’s yearly refreshes, the real decision may come down to pricing and discounts. If the Galaxy S25 sees significant price cuts, it could remain the better value. But at similar prices, the Galaxy S26 is the safer long-term buy.

Galaxy S26 vs. Galaxy S25: Specs at a glance

Specs

Samsung Galaxy S26

Samsung Galaxy S25

Price (MSRP)

$899.99

$799.99 (128GB), $859.99 (256GB)

Dimensions

5.88 x 2.82 x 0.28 inches

5.78 x 2.78 x 0.28 inches

Weight

5.9 ounces

5.7 ounces

Screen size

6.3 inches (FHD+)

6.2 inches (FHD+)

Screen resolution

2,340 x 1,080

2,340 x 1,080

Screen type

Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz adaptive refresh (1–120Hz), Up to 2,600 nits peak brightness, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 3

Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz adaptive refresh (1–120Hz), Up to 2,600 nits peak brightness, Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2

SoC

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy

RAM

12GB

12GB

Battery

4,300mAh

4,000mAh

Charging

Up to 25W (wired), 15W (wireless)

Up to 25W (wired), 15W (wireless)

Storage

256GB, 512GB

128GB, 256GB

Rear camera

50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto

50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto

Front camera

12MP

12MP

Video capture

Up to 4K 60fps, 8K 30fps

Up to 4K 60fps, 8K 30fps

Water and dust resistance rating

IP68

IP68

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 7

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 6.0

Bluetooth 5.4

OS

Android 16 with One UI 8.5

Android 15 with One UI 7

Colors and finish

Cobalt Violet, White, Black, Sky Blue, Pink Gold*, Silver Shadow* (*Samsung.com exclusive)

Navy, Icyblue, Mint, Silver Shadow, Blueblack*, Coralred*, Pinkgold* (*Samsung.com exclusive)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s26-vs-galaxy-s25-whats-changed-and-which-one-should-you-buy-181515367.html?src=rss

Samsung has officially unveiled the Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+ and Galaxy S26 Ultra, and the company is once again leaning heavily on AI, camera upgrades and refined hardware to move the lineup forward. While the overall design remains familiar, there are some meaningful differences between the three models, particularly when it comes to display tech, charging speeds and camera hardware.

Across the board, the S26 family is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip and runs Android 16 with One UI 8.5. Samsung is also doubling down on Galaxy AI features like Now Brief, Now Nudge and upgraded Circle to Search, positioning the new phones as more proactive assistants than before.

As usual, though, the Ultra model is where Samsung is pushing the envelope the furthest. It gains the most advanced camera system, faster wired and wireless charging and the company’s new built-in Privacy Display tech. Pre-orders are available now, with official sales starting on March 11. If you’re trying to decide which model makes the most sense for your needs (and budget), here’s how the three devices stack up on paper.

Samsung Galaxy S26 vs. S26+ vs. S26 Ultra: Specs compared

Specs

Samsung Galaxy S26

Samsung Galaxy S26+

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

Price (MSRP)

$899.99

$1,099.99

$1,299.99

Dimensions

71.7 x 149.6 x 7.2 mm

71.7 x 149.6 x 7.2 mm

78.1 x 163.6 x 7.9 mm

Weight

167g

190g

214g

Screen size

6.3 inches (FHD+)

6.7 inches (QHD+)

6.9 inches (QHD+)

Screen resolution

2340 x 1080

3120 x 1440

3120 x 1440

Screen type

Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz adaptive refresh (1–120Hz), Up to 2,600 nits peak brightness

Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz adaptive refresh (1–120Hz), Up to 2,600 nits peak brightness

Dynamic AMOLED 2X, 120Hz adaptive refresh (1–120Hz), Up to 2,600 nits peak brightness

SoC

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy

RAM

12GB

12GB

12GB or 16GB

Battery

4,300 mAh

4,300 mAh

5,000 mAh

Charging

25W (wired), 15W (wireless)

45W (wired), 20W (wireless)

60W (wired), 25W (wireless)

Storage

256/512GB

256/512GB

256/512GB, 1TB

Rear camera

50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto

50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto

200MP main, 50MP ultrawide, 10MP 3x telephoto, 50MP 5x periscope telephoto

Front camera

12MP

12MP

12MP

Video capture

Up to 4K 60fps, 8K 30fps

Up to 4K 60fps, 8K 30fps

Up to 4K 120fps, 8K 30fps

Water and dust resistance rating

IP68

IP68

IP68

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 7

Wi-Fi 7

Bluetooth

Bluetooth 6.0

Bluetooth 6.0

Bluetooth 6.0

OS

Android 16 with One UI 8.5

Android 16 with One UI 8.5

Android 16 with One UI 8.5

Colors and finish

Cobalt Violet, White, Black, and Sky Blue / Pink Gold and Silver Shadow (Samsung exclusive)

Cobalt Violet, White, Black, and Sky Blue / Pink Gold and Silver Shadow (Samsung exclusive)

Cobalt Violet, White, Black, and Sky Blue / Pink Gold and Silver Shadow (Samsung exclusive)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s26-vs-s26-vs-s26-ultra-comparing-the-three-new-phones-181047172.html?src=rss

During its Unpacked event today, Samsung announced three new Galaxy S-series phones as well as the latest generation of its earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 4 and Galaxy Buds 4 Pro. Pre-orders are now open and the new devices are set to ship March 11. As expected, this year’s models aren’t drastically different from last year’s, but all the phones are equipped to better handle the Galaxy AI experiences such as Now Nudge that offers suggestions based on your activities and a more conversational assitant in Bixby (or Gemini or Perplexity depending on your preferance).

Engadget’s own Sam Rutherford is on-site in San Francisco for the new hardware launch and will have hands-on impressions. We’ll follow that up with official reviews in the next week. But if you can’t wait for our final verdict, here’s how to pre-order Samsung’s Galaxy S26 phones and the Galaxy Buds 4 today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/how-to-pre-order-the-samsung-galaxy-s26-phones-and-galaxy-buds-4-180500976.html?src=rss

Google unveiled a new batch of Android updates, including more Gemini-powered tools and improved scam detection features at Samsung’s Galaxy S26 launch on Wednesday.

A new feature in the Gemini app will let users hand off multi-step tasks, like ordering a rideshare or building a grocery cart. The feature, which will first arrive in beta, runs in the background while users perform other tasks. Gemini's progress can be monitored live via notifications, so users can see what it's doing and jump in at any time.

Google

Google says this feature will initially be limited to certain food, grocery or rideshare apps. It will be available first on select devices, including the Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10, in the US and Korea.

Android is also getting an upgrade for Circle to Search, enabling it to search for multiple objects seen on screen at once. One implementation of this is full-outfit searches using "find the look." Once the app has found all the individual pieces of the circled outfit, users can try them on virtually. This will be available on Galaxy S26 and Pixel 10 devices. The beefed-up feature can also be used to gain insights into multiple objects in an image.

Google

The company is also using Gemini to bring on-device Scam Detection for calls to Samsung’s Phone app. The tool alerts users if someone on their call is using speech patterns commonly heard from scammers. Google says the feature is never used while on a call with someone in your contacts and is off by default.

Google

The same technology and approach will also be used to detect scams in Google Messages. For now, scam detection on phone calls is only available on the Galaxy S26 in English in the US, while detection in messages is supported across various markets.

All of these new features are available now on the Pixel 10 and Galaxy S26 lineups, with availability in select markets varying by feature.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-announces-new-android-ai-features-coming-to-the-galaxy-s26-and-pixel-10-series-180039674.html?src=rss

As we prepare to leave the winter months, Samsung announced another family of Galaxy S flagships for those looking to upgrade. As usual, the company put its best components and features into the Galaxy S26 Ultra, but it also added more to the base S26 and S26+. The company has hit its groove with its smaller (and cheaper) flagships, delivering solid devices with increasingly better cameras, occasionally even offering feature parity with its most expensive smartphone.

In 2026, that’s what we’re getting, with the 6.3-inch S26 ($899) and 6.7-inch S26+ ($1,099). Both phones are more expensive than last year, and it’s often a game of spot-the-difference when it comes to showing what’s new.

Fortunately, the best parts have been retained, too. Samsung has unified the design style across the entire S26 series, with the same corner ratios, curved edges and other design touches. While I tested both phones, I’ll focus on the S26. Barring screen differences and battery size, they’re identically specced.

This year’s S26 color selection has a premium Samsung ‘mood’ to it that I can’t quite explain. Does purple mean Samsung to my brain? Maybe. Cobalt Violet is the particular shade I’m talking about, but there are also blue, black and white colors. Additional silver and pink-gold options will be available as online exclusives. There’s not much else to say about the design: it’s another Galaxy S flagship, and if it ain’t broke…

Mat Smith for Engadget

Samsung has increased the battery capacity to 4,300 mAh on the S26, while somehow maintaining the same thickness as last year’s S25. However, the S26+ has the same 4,900mAH battery as its predecessor. All S26 devices will launch with 256GB of storage and 12GB of RAM, with bigger storage options available. With the S26, Samsung has slightly increased the screen size to 6.3 inches, up from last year's 6.2-inch S25.

The S26 comes with a familiar camera trio: a 50-megapixel main sensor, 12MP ultrawide, and 10MP telephoto with up to 3x optical zoom. On paper, that’s identical to last year’s base S25. However, Samsung has improved performance with its ProScaler technology for upscaling images and an MDNIe chip, which the company says provides four times the color precision compared to previous devices.

There are software improvements too, with video features being the most tangible upgrade, among more AI-assisted photo editing tools. Super Steady video has been upgraded to a 360-degree horizontal lock. This camera mode uses the S26’s gyroscopes to maintain a consistent horizon even as you rush to chase a pet or family member while recording, or to capture snowboarding buddies. (There’s always a snowboarding example when a company mentions horizontal lock.) It’s nice to see a feature we’re used to finding on gimbals and action cams built into an unashamedly mainstream phone like the S26.

Auto Framing is another new feature coming to both 4K and 8K video capture. It uses AI to lock onto subjects and automatically tighten framing to what you want to capture. Even during brief testing, I was intrigued and liked the dramatic punch-in effect as I recorded nearby people. It creates a faux-panning effect as it tracks moving subjects, something you might have experienced with Center Stage on Apple devices.

Samsung has also upgraded image processing on its front-facing cameras with a new Object Aware Engine for improved portrait mode shots, hair textures and more accurate skin tones. Based on my early testing, images seemed sharper than on my older Samsung devices, even though this is (again) largely the same 12MP camera as last year.

With processors, it's getting a little more complicated. In the US, Samsung's entire S26 series will use the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy, but in Europe, both the S26 and S26+ will be powered by the company’s own Exynos 2600, apparently the world’s first 2nm chipset. Comparing it to Snapdragon’s top mobile processor, however, will have to wait until review time.

With more power for AI functions, Samsung has continued to evolve and expand its AI software, although it seems less of a priority this year. Only one AI feature stood out during my briefing: Audio Eraser. While this launched on the S25, it only worked on audio and video you captured yourself. Now, Samsung expanded it to most major video platforms, including Netflix, Instagram and YouTube, adding the ability to strip out noise and distractions and amplify the volume of voices. It was especially effective with a rowdy replay of an Arsenal football soccer match, and sounded like I was listening to a dedicated commentary channel. Interestingly, unlike many sound editing apps and features, it will work on downloaded videos on those platforms without an internet connection.

Elsewhere, Now Nudge will attempt to suggest actions based on what’s happening onscreen, such as sharing contact numbers with someone or suggesting calendar times while dealing with work emails. Samsung’s Now Brief can pull information and notifications from a wider array of apps and sources to deliver in its daily briefings. However, again, that’s hard to assess at this early stage.

There are several more quality–of-life software updates, too, like the ability to sift through all those screenshots after they’ve been automatically categorized into sections like barcodes, events and more. If you can’t get enough AI image generation, you can now use Photo Assist to edit your photos using descriptive prompts. Elsewhere, Circle-to-Search now supports multiple, well, circles, if you’re looking to tag and search for multiple objects at once.

Mat Smith for Engadget

It’s not the most exciting year for Samsung’s smaller flagship phones. While the S26 Ultra can boast a new Privacy Display that’s the first of its kind, the rest of the S26 family have a little too much in common with their predecessors. The new video features seem useful and intuitive, so there’s more to explore there. We’ll have more to say in our full reviews soon.

Both the Galaxy S26 and S26+ launch on March 11th and are available to preorder now.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s26-hands-on-launch-date-price-180005654.html?src=rss

The wait is over. At its Unpacked event today, Samsung took the wraps off its new S26 family of phones. Unlike the S26 Ultra, the S26 and S26+ represent mostly iterative updates. Samsung has tweaked the design of the two devices, making it so they share the same rounded corners of their more expensive sibling. Additionally, the S26 has a slightly larger 6.3-inch AMOLED display and a higher capacity 4,300mAh battery inside. As for the S26+, it still has a 6.7-inch screen and 4,900mAh battery. 

Like in years past, Samsung is depending on new and expanded software capabilities rather than updated hardware to give the S26 and S26+'s cameras an edge over the competition. As before, both phones feature a 50-megapixel main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide and a 10MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom.  For selfies, they’re equipped a 12MP front-facing camera.

The company says its new Object Aware Engine will allow the front-facing cameras to deliver more pleasing portrait mode shots, with better rendering of skin tones and hair textures. For videos, Samsung has updated its Super Steady tech, making it capable of maintaining a 360-degree horizontal lock. The upgraded feature should make it easier to maintain a consistent level horizon while trying to record a video of a moving child or pet. A new feature named Auto Framing uses a machine learning algorithm to automatically tighten the frame while filming 4K and 8K clips.      

The S26 will be available in six different colorways, with the four pictured here available in store. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

And if you're a Snapdragon fan, you can rest easy. While some pre-release reports suggested Samsung was planning to use its new flagship Exynos chipset across the entire S26 line, North American and Japanese variants of the S26 and S26+ will once again ship with Qualcomm silicon instead. Specifically, the two phones come specced with the speedy Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, which debuted alongside the OnePlus 15 in November 2025. It will be interesting to see how the new Exynos 2600 compares with its Snapdragon counterpart; the former is the world's first 2nm chipset. 

Over on the software front, Samsung has upgraded its suite of AI features. For instance, the company has made Now Brief capable of pulling from a wider variety of apps to generate more comprehensive daily summaries. Similarly, the company's handy Auto Eraser feature now works across streaming services like Netflix, allowing you to make it easier to hear dialogue in a greater variety of videos. 

The two phones will retail for $899 and $1,099, making them both $100 more expensive than their predecessors. They come standard with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Samsung will also offer 512GB variants, alongside six different colorways of each phone. In-store, you'll find the S26 and S26+ in purple, blue, black and white, with silver and rose gold being online exclusives.  Pre-orders open today, with general availability to follow on March 11.    

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsungs-s26-and-s26-offer-familiar-designs-snapdragon-8-gen-5-chips-and-new-software-features-180000224.html?src=rss

Last year, it felt like Samsung relied a bit too much on AI when trying to convince people to upgrade to its flagship phone. And while there’s no shortage of features that utilize machine learning on the new Galaxy S26 Ultra, it feels like Samsung has done a much better job of filling out the rest of the phone’s kit with fresh hardware, faster charging and a more cohesive design. It’s still rather expensive, but its price has stayed flat year-over-year at $1,300, which when combined with everything else makes it a much more attractive package than its predecessor. 

Design and display

Samsung’s Ultra phones are always going to be somewhat boxy and that’s OK. However, for the Galaxy S26 Ultra, the company’s top-of-the-line handset is getting a slightly curvier appearance thanks to rounder corners. There’s also a very (and I do mean very) small reduction in size that technically makes this version the thinnest and lightest Ultra to date (214 grams and 7.9mm thick). That said, considering the previous model weighed 218 grams and measured 8.2mm, it’s incredibly hard to feel a difference even when you know what you’re looking for. 

The two biggest changes to the S26 Ultra's exterior design are more rounded corners and an aluminum chassis instead of titanium like we got on the S25U. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

In reality, the biggest exterior change is that Samsung has ditched the titanium frame from last year’s phone in favor of an Armor Aluminum chassis with Corning Gorilla Armor 2 panels in front and back. Samsung says this new design is meant to make the Ultra fit in better with its less expensive siblings while also making it easier to do things like color match the phone’s body to the rest of the device. Also, for anyone who keeps track of Samsung’s palette, the hero color for the S26 Ultra is a rather fetching shade of purple called cobalt violet, with sky blue, white and black available as well (plus silver shadow and pink gold being Samsung’s online exclusive hues).

If you look closely at the top of the phone, you can see where a notification has been blacked out by the S26 Ultra's Privacy Display. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

However, my favorite new thing on the S26 Ultra is its Privacy Display. When activated, it functions a lot like HP’s Sure View tech, which prevents people from peeking at your screen from acute angles. It works both when viewed from the side or up and down and has a surprising amount of customization. Not only can you set it to turn on automatically when the phone asks you for a password or PIN, it can also be triggered by specific apps or whenever you receive a notification. But perhaps the most impressive thing is that there’s almost no impact on image quality. When Privacy Display is active, there is a minor reduction in overall brightness, but aside from that, it’s really hard to tell when it’s on (at least from the front). Furthermore, the S26 Ultra’s 6.9-inch AMOLED screen has the same underlying specs as last year, including its 120Hz variable refresh rate and 2,600 nit peak brightness, so there are pretty much no trade-offs for the added functionality. 

Performance and chargingThe S26 Ultra still comes with an included S-Pen and a built-in storage slot, but it still doesn't have Bluetooth connectivity like on some of Samsung's older models. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Inside, the S26 Ultra features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chip along with either 12GB or 16GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. Compared to its predecessor, Samsung claims the NPU’s performance has made the biggest leap with it being 39 percent more powerful year-over-year with respectable increases for its CPU (19 percent faster) and GPU (24 percent faster) as well.

As for charging, both wired and wireless speeds have gotten a big boost with the former now rated at up to 60 watts (up from 45 watts) or 25 watts (up from 15) for the latter when using compatible Qi2 pads. Samsung says buyers will even get a three amp cable in the box, so all you need to do to get those peak wired speeds is to hook it up to the right adapter.

A small quirk with the S26 Ultra's S-Pen is that because the end of the stylus is curved to match the corner of the phone, if you put it in "wrong," it'll stick out a bit. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Unfortunately, we’re still not getting a magnetic ring inside the phone, which means if you want to use the S26 Ultra with magnetic accessories, you’ll need to pair the phone with a case that supports that functionality. This is super frustrating because Samsung says this decision was made in part to keep the handset as thin as possible, but when you consider the difference between the S26 Ultra and the S25 Ultra is 0.3mm, that choice feels rather misguided. 

Cameras

One of my biggest complaints about last year’s S25 Ultra is that the only new hardware was an updated 50MP sensor for its ultra-wide lens, which is the camera I (and probably most people) use the least. Thankfully, it seems Samsung took note of that because while the resolution of its 200MP main cam, 10MP 3x telephoto and 50MP 5X telephoto are the same as before, the S26 Ultra’s main and 5x zoom lenses now have significantly wider apertures (from f/1.7 to f/1.4 and f/3.4 to f/2.9, respectively). This results in as much as 47 percent more light reaching the phone’s primary sensor (or 37 percent for the 5x telephoto), which should result in some major gains in photo quality and low light sensitivity. That said, I wasn’t able to properly test this during my hands-on session, so I’m going to reserve final judgement for a proper review. 

The S26 Ultra's 200MP main and 50MP 5x zoon lenses feature significantly larger apertures, which should deliver much improved image quality in low light conditions. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Meanwhile, for video capture, Samsung is adding support for the APV codec at up to 8K/30 fps to the S26 Ultra along with a new horizon lock feature that will keep your footage level no matter how much you rotate the phone. Now I will admit that the latter didn’t impress me much when I first heard about it, but after testing it out and spinning the phone a full 360-degrees while recording a clip, I was shocked when the resulting video showed no hint of being whirled around. Samsung also says the handset’s improved Nightography processing uses AI to recognize noise patterns in low light to improve image quality. But similar to the wider apertures bringing in more light, I’ll believe it when I see it. 

Finally, there’s a new AI-powered Photo Assist tool that lets you edit or adjust images using natural language prompts. From what I experienced, it’s effective and works as you’d expect. However, with the proliferation of services and devices offering similar functionality over the past year, this feature feels more like Samsung’s attempt to keep up with the Joneses. 

AI features

When it comes to AI, the S26 Ultra is getting the same batch of new and improved features as the rest of the S26 family. So if you’re big into machine learning, there’s no need to pay extra for this model. Furthermore, many of the updates for 2026 are tweaks or refinements of existing things like the Gallery app, which now uses AI to automatically sort screenshots into eight different categories so they’re easier to find later. There’s also what Samsung is calling Now Nudge, which functions a lot like Google’s Magic Cue. It’s built into the Samsung keyboard and it can do things like suggest relevant photos based on your conversations. 

One of the S26's most powerful new AI features is Automated App Actions, which allows the phone to do things like book a car ride via Uber while you continue to use other apps in the foreground. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

To me, the most impressive of the bunch is the S26’s Automated App Actions, which allow you to ask the phone to do slightly more complicated tasks like ordering an Uber to a specific location. After your initial prompt, Gemini can even complete the task in the background while you go back to doomscrolling or watching videos. When it’s done, you’ll get a notification so you can manually review and confirm the command. Unfortunately, Uber will be the only supported app at launch, though Samsung says it’s working on expanding the feature to others like Instacart. 

Early thoughtsThe Galaxy S26 Ultra will be available in four main colors: sky blue, black, cobalt violet and white, along with two more online exclusive hues in silver shadow and pink gold. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Look, there’s no getting around it: $1,300 is a lot to spend on a phone. That said, considering the RAM shortage that’s going on right now, keeping the S26 Ultra’s price the same as last year’s phone feels like a small blessing. And when you get that on a handset with a more refined design, a beefier chip, a fancy Privacy Display, faster charging and an updated generation of AI-powered tools, Samsung’s latest flagship feels like a much better deal than its predecessor. Really, the only thing that hasn’t been improved is the Ultra’s S-Pen, which as time goes on, is starting to feel more and more like a consolation prize for people who are still nostalgic about the Note line than a true tentpole feature. 

Now this doesn’t mean that people with an S25 Ultra or even an S24 Ultra should run out and upgrade. But for anyone with something older than that who’s in the market for a true do-everything phone, the S26 Ultra has quite a bit to offer. 

Pre-orders for the Galaxy S26 Ultra are live now, with official sales slated for March 11. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s26-ultra-hands-on-meaningful-tweaks-plus-a-slick-new-privacy-display-180000057.html?src=rss