Tag: Mass media technology

The OnePlus 12 could be one of 2024’s best Android phones | Digital Trends

tech FranklinWilbur

The OnePlus 12 could be one of 2024’s best Android phones | Digital Trends

Prakhar Khanna / Digital Trends

OnePlus has had a brilliant year thanks to some great devices. The OnePlus 11 emerged as a comeback in terms of value for money, with high-end features for just $699. It offered a big and bright display, good-quality cameras, excellent performance with clean software, and all-day battery life.

But it still had two omissions, which seem to be fixed by the OnePlus 12 that was unveiled in China today. If the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 is anything similar to the Gen 2 in terms of efficiency, the OnePlus 12 could be one of 2024’s best Android phones.

A truly impressive camera system

OnePlus 12 camera module in green.
OnePlus

I used the OnePlus 11 as my daily driver for a while, and I was impressed with the overall performance and design. While the OnePlus 12 doesn’t offer a complete overhaul in terms of looks, it’s been upgraded under the hood to offer two key features – one that I dearly missed having, plus one that appeals to the U.S. market, in particular.

Despite the presence of three cameras on the OnePlus 11, I missed having 3x optical zoom. The OnePlus 12 sports a new triple camera setup, which not only adds a better telephoto sensor, but also shares the overall camera DNA with the OnePlus Open. The OnePlus 12’s triple rear camera setup is led by a 50MP Sony LYT-808 primary camera with optical image stabilization (OIS). It is accompanied by a 48MP Sony IMX581 ultrawide angle camera and a 64MP OV64B periscope lens with 3x optical zoom.

It’s the exact configuration of the lenses as the OnePlus Open, which houses the most versatile camera setup on a foldable phone. I’ve been using the OnePlus foldable phone since its launch, and it has only improved the cameras with each update.

The 50MP Sony LYT-808 sensor is impressive on the OnePlus Open. As you can see from the above images, the skin tone is good and there’s ample dynamic range, with no overblown highlights in the cloud — the overall image looks pleasing. The camera wasn’t very well-tuned for lowlight at launch, but OnePlus has fixed that, too, to some extent.

While the 50MP primary camera captures detailed photos, I was more impressed with the 64MP periscope camera. And that’s because it not only takes good 3x shots, but also performs well up to 15x digital zoom, with great 6x zoom images. When compared to the digital zoom on my iPhone 15 Pro, the OnePlus Open performed better on 6x and up to 15x.

The above images show great details and good dynamic range on 3x as well as 6x zoom. Those are some big expectations to have after experiencing the OnePlus Open. But with it having the same camera setup (now tuned with “4th Gen Hasselblad Camera for Mobile”), I’m pretty confident that the OnePlus 12 will be a step up from the OnePlus 11 in terms of camera quality.

OnePlus brought back wireless charging

A photo of someone holding the white/silver OnePlus 12.
OnePlus

Both the OnePlus 11 and OnePlus Open had one glaring omission – no wireless charging. While I didn’t have an issue (because I mostly work remotely in cafes or from sofas), I get the argument of how convenient wireless charging can be for some people. It’s also beneficial when you have several wireless charging pads set up in various places inside your home.

The OnePlus 12 brings 50-watt wireless charging to the table. It’s reminiscent of the OnePlus 10 Pro, which was the fastest wireless charging phone in the U.S. at the time of launch. The OnePlus 12 will soon take that mantle as it’s rumored to launch in the U.S.in January.

The addition of better cameras and wireless charging makes the OnePlus 12 a complete phone. You should expect a price bump, for sure, but I expect it to be one of the phones to look out for in 2024 given the company’s recent track record and my experience with OnePlus Open’s camera system. The OnePlus 11 was already a great phone, and the 2024 flagship seems to take it up a notch.

What else does the OnePlus 12 offer?

OnePlus 12 in Black.
OnePlus

The OnePlus 12 features a 6.82-inch QHD+ 2K OLED LTPO display that supports a 120Hz refresh rate. The screen is rated to reach 4,500 nits of peak brightness, which is one of the highest numbers we’ve ever seen. You’ll normally see the phone reach around 1,600 nits, but it can get a lot brighter when it needs to. The 4,500 nits level is meant for HDR content; some areas of the screen can go up to that number when required in HDR videos. Like the OnePlus Open, the OnePlus 12 display supports Dolby Vision, 10Bit Color Depth, and ProXDR.

The OnePlus 12 is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset, which I’ve yet to test, but I hope it’s at least as efficient as the Snapdragon Gen 2. The OnePlus 12 now starts at 12GB of LPDDR5X RAM instead of 8GB and comes equipped with the same base 256GB of UFS 4.0 storage. It goes up to 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

The 2024 OnePlus flagship packs a 5,400mAh battery that supports 100W wired and 50W wireless fast charging. To prevent it from overheating, it sports Oppo’s SuperVOOC S power management chip, which was first introduced on the OnePlus 11R. The OnePlus 12 is rated IP65 for dust and water resistance, which is a step up from the IP64-rated predecessor.

In terms of design, the OnePlus 12 doesn’t feature an overhaul, but still has some noticeable changes. First, the alert slider is now on the other side of the phone, so you now get the volume rockers and power button on one side and the alert slider on the other. Second, the green color variant features a wavy pattern on the back. It sure looks good in pictures. The OnePlus 12 comes in three color options — white, green, and black.

OnePlus 12 price and availability

OnePlus 12 in green and white.
OnePlus

The OnePlus 12 price starts at 4,299 yuan ($607) in China for the base 12GB/256GB variant, whereas the top-end 24GB/1TB model will sell for 5,799 yuan ($818). It’s a 300 yuan increase from the OnePlus 11, and you should expect a price bump on the OnePlus 12 when it goes global in “early 2024.” As per previously leaked information, the device is expected to be launched in other markets by the end of January.

It’s unclear how much the OnePlus 12 will cost when it eventually comes to the U.S., but if it’s China pricing is anything to go by, it should be quite competitive.

Editors’ Recommendations






I traded the best gaming monitor for something better | Digital Trends

tech FranklinWilbur

I traded the best gaming monitor for something better | Digital Trends

Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Call me insane, but I traded the best gaming monitor money can buy.

I’m talking about the Alienware 34 QD-OLED, of course, which I bought about a year ago. I’ve been in love with it ever since, immediately recognizing why it’s widely considered one of the most important gaming monitors released in the last few years. The most recent holiday barrage of deals got me, though, and I sold the monitor, which often tops lists and review charts, in exchange for something completely different.

I picked up the KTC G42P5. I understand if you don’t know who KTC is — I didn’t, either — but I rolled the dice on the display after I found an Amazon deal that was too good to pass up. I’ve had the monitor for about a week now, and I’ve already put it through its paces. And I’m floored.

Hitting the right price

Desktop background on the Alienware 34 QD-OLED.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Let’s start with why I chose this particular monitor, though. It’s a 42-inch OLED display, which, yes, I recognize sounds like a massive size for a computer monitor. It is, but I’m certainly not the first one to put a 42-inch display in front of my PC. And in practice, a 42-inch 16:9 monitor is a lot closer in size to a 34-inch 21:9 monitor like the Alienware 34 QD-OLED than it sounds.

There are several reasons I wanted to switch back to 16:9. I wanted to be able to play console games on my main display without black bars, and I wanted to be able to take 4K screenshots for the performance guides I write here on Digital Trends. More than anything, though, I was just done messing around with the problems 21:9 brings.

The Alienware 34 QD-OLED is great, but I was fed up with playing Elden Ring with black bars or getting sucked out of Alan Wake 2 whenever a cutscene played. At the same time, I didn’t want to give up the perfect black levels of OLED or the massive screen real estate the Alienware 34 QD-OLED offered me. The KTC G42P5 checked all of my boxes, and at a price I could actually justify.

Cyberpunk 2077 running on the Alienware 34 QD-OLED.
Digital Trends

There are a few other options if you’re interested in this form factor. It uses an LG OLED panel, so naturally, you could pick up the 42-inch LG C3 OLED. There are a couple of problems compared to KTC, though. For starters, it’s a TV, so it lacks DisplayPort, and it’s more expensive. I spent $800 on the KTC display, while the LG TV sells for $1,000, or $900 on sale. The LG has some upsides like image processing if you’re not worried about latency, but that didn’t tip the scales for me.

The main competition is the Asus ROG Swift PG42UQ. It’s a 42-inch monitor just like the KTC, and it’s overclocked to 138Hz (also just like the KTC). It’s a near-perfect monitor, but there’s one big problem. It’s $1,400. Even during holiday sales, I’ve never seen it sell for cheaper than $1,200 — that’s a full $400 more than what I spent on the KTC for what is essentially the same display.

An OLED demo on the Asus ROG PG42UQ.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Those are your only two options if you want this form factor. Older LG TVs like the C2 OLED are available, but for above $1,000, and the Gigabyte Aorus FV43U is cheaper, but it’s not OLED. I picked up the KTC G42P5 on sale for $800, but even now, it’s available for $1,000 at the time of writing. That’s still $400 cheaper than the Asus display at list price.

The natural question is, why? If this is the same panel with the same features, why is it so much cheaper than the competition? There are actually a couple of reasons.

Why is it cheaper?

Hollow Knight on the KTC G42P5.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

I’ll assume you’ve never heard of KTC. It’s a Chinese company that started pushing out displays in 2021, and the brand has only recently started making the rounds on Amazon. KTC as a company, though, isn’t new. KTC says it’s been around for 27 years, serving as a manufacturer of displays for companies like Samsung, ViewSonic, and LG. You probably haven’t seen a KTC-branded monitor, but there’s a decent chance you actually have seen a KTC monitor.

The idea here is that the middleman is becoming the seller with KTC, which pushes down prices a little bit. That’s not a crazy idea in the world of tech. Even AMD, Intel’s biggest competitor in the world of processors, started out as a supplier for Intel before breaking off into its own standalone brand.

There’s a practical reason for this particular monitor being cheaper than the competition as well: It doesn’t include a stand. It’s easy to forget how expensive a solid stand for a 42-inch display can be — $125, at least for KTC’s G42P5 stand — and KTC cuts that cost out.

Monitor arm for the KTC G42P5.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

That could be a downside depending on what you’re wanting to do with the display. For me, it was a positive. I was able to save some money because I already had a monitor arm — about $50 on Amazon — and for a display this large, there’s a good chance you’re going to mount it on your wall. There are also TV stands available for the 100 x 100 VESA mount for about $15. Regardless, there are several situations with a display this large where you might not use the included stand, and at least you have the option to skip it with the KTC G42P5.

It’s worth noting that, even with the stand, the G42P5 comes in $200 cheaper than the ROG PG42UQ, so the savings aren’t only reliant on the stand.

The monitor itself

The Digital Trends website on the KTC G42P5.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

Now, we need to talk about the monitor itself. The KTC G42P5 uses an LG OLED RGBW panel, which is the same panel in later versions of the LG C2. All of that is to say, it looks great. OLED offers perfect black levels for infinite contrast, while brightness, although low compared to LCD, is still enough to overcome most ambient lighting conditions.

Digging into the numbers, I measured brightness at around 400 nits for 10% of the screen in SDR, and that shot up to above 600 nits for a 3% windows in HDR. Those numbers don’t sound high, but remember that this is a 42-inch screen. You don’t want it blasting 1,000 nits at you as a computer monitor.

In practice, I have two windows directly pouring light into my office, and I’ve never struggled with brightness issues, and that’s while running the panel at 30% of its maximum. Unless you have extremely bright ambient lighting conditions, the brightness of the monitor shouldn’t be an issue.

For colors, this OLED panel offers a wide gamut. That means it exceeds 100% of the sRGB gamut, pushing into wider gamut like DCI-P3. In that color space, I measured an excellent 97%.

Color accuracy was a different matter. KTC calibrates each monitor at the factory and includes a report, but the calibration is off, specifically for the DCI-P3 and Adobe RGB color modes. I measured a color error of 6 for Adobe RGB and 4 for DCI-P3, neither of which is great. On the standard mode, the color error was over 3. Ideally, you want to see a color error of under 2.

That’s nothing a little calibration can’t fix. Using the free DisplayCal, I calibrated the monitor, and it was able to achieve a color error of 0.6, which is very good.

It’s always nice when colors are perfect out of the box, but at least you can pull the KTC back if you need great color accuracy. That doesn’t always matter in practice, though. Sure, the colors were off out of the box, but the display still looked great for games and movies before calibration.

Some downsides

OSD on the KTC G42P5.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

There are some downsides here. For starters, the OSD (on-screen display) isn’t great. All of the options are there, but it looks a little janky. For instance, “overclock” is “over clock” in the menu, and some settings just randomly don’t capitalize letters. None of this actually matters for the performance of the monitor, but it certainly makes it feel like you’re getting a cheaper product.

The bigger issue is the Auto-Brightness Limiter (ABL). If you’re unfamiliar, all OLED displays have an ABL that limits the brightness when you reach certain thresholds. In practice, this plays out as the monitor quickly dimming itself when you pull up something very bright like a white webpage, and it gets brighter when you pull up something darker, such as a website in dark mode.

Ideally, ABL should be invisible on a display as it was on my Alienware 34 QD-OLED, but it’s very aggressive on the G42P5. I constantly see the display light up and limit itself as I’m swapping between browser tabs. It’s particularly annoying when I pull up the Windows search bar with a website open, as the screen immediately lights up with my dark mode Windows theme.

This would normally be a deal-breaker, but there are a couple of reasons it’s not for me. First, it only applies with HDR. There aren’t issues in SDR, even if I crank the screen to its maximum brightness. ABL still kicks in, but it’s far less noticeable, and it’s fast enough that you won’t catch it most of the time.

Second, it’s never become an issue in games or movies. There are situations where ABL can kick in and become distracting in media, but it’s not common enough to become a problem. Based on my testing, it looks like ABL kicks in when about 60% of the screen is white, dimming to its lowest point when pure white reaches about 70% of the screen. It’s not enough to turn me off of the G42P5, but it’s my biggest complaint coming from the Alienware 34 QD-OLED.

The final issue is the OLED maintenance feature, but it’s more of an annoyance than a problem. It kicks in automatically, giving you a 20-second countdown before the pixel refresh starts. This has already caught me a couple of times, locking me out of using my PC for a few minutes. Thankfully, you can turn off the automatic pixel refresh if you want.

Trading the best

Lies of P on the KTC G42P5.
Jacob Roach / Digital Trends

The KTC G42P5 is a perfect answer for me. As much as I loved the Alienware 34 QD-OLED, I’ve been feeling the squeeze of 21:9 for a while, but I couldn’t justify spending $1,400 on the PG42UQ or over $1,000 on a 42-inch OLED from LG. The KTC G42P5 hit the right price with the right features, and with little in the way of sacrifices.

It’s not as seamless as the Alienware 34 QD-OLED, with disappointing color accuracy out of the box and annoying ABL in HDR. Thankfully, those issues are easy to correct, making the KTC G42P5 a suitable replacement. It nails the screen real estate and the excellent picture you get out of OLED, and it comes in at a price that puts monitors like the PG42UQ to shame.

Editors’ Recommendations






Best 85-inch TV Deals: Save on Samsung, Sony, TCL, and More | Digital Trends

tech FranklinWilbur

Best 85-inch TV Deals: Save on Samsung, Sony, TCL, and More | Digital Trends

While many large TVs can get the home theater job done, if you want to bring some head-turning action to the experience you need to go with an 85-inch TV. Many of the best TV brands makes models up to 85 inches, and there’s a lot to choose from if you’re hoping to land some savings. Discounts are out there on 85-inch TV models by Samsung, TCL, and Sony, and we’ve done the heavy lifting of tracking them down. So whether you’re shopping to upgrade your home theater or start one from scratch, these are the best 85-inch TV deals for doing so.

Our favorite 85-inch TV deal

85-inch TCL S4 4K TV — $800, was $1,000

TCL / TCL

TCL has grown in popularity the last few years, as it makes TVs with features that generally outperform their price point. You’ll find an excellent 4K image with the TCL S4. It boasts HDR PRO technology that provides enhanced contrast, accurate colors, and includes the fine details in all of your favorite content. This is a great TV for gamers, movie lovers, and sports fans as it utilizes a feature known as Motion Rate 240 to create exceptional motion clarity, even during fast-paced action.

This should be a particularly enticing TV if smart TV features matter to you. The TCL S4 uses the Google TV smart OS platform. This is one of the better smart platforms, particularly if you watch movies and TV shows across several different streaming services. You’ll get built-in access to things like the best new movies to stream on Netflix, Hulu, Prime, Max, and more, and the Google TV interface does a good job of organizing your favorite content from all of your streaming service, as well as present new content from places you may not otherwise think to look.

More 85-inch TV deals we like

A Samsung 85-inch 8K hangs on a living room wall.
Samsung

But there’s plenty more shopping to do, particularly if TCL isn’t your brand or you prefer one of several other smart OS platforms in your smart TV. Samsung using its own Tizen smart OS, and you’ll find some great Samsung 85-inch TV deals available. You’ll also find the likes of Sony, LG, and other name brands with discounted 85-inch models, including some that can compete with the best QLED TVs.

  • LG 85-inch UR7800 4K webOS TV —

  • Samsung 85-inch CU7000 4K Tizen TV —

  • TCL 85-inch Q6 QLED 4K Google TV —

  • LG 85-inch UQ75 4K webOS TV —

  • Samsung 85-inch CU8000 4K Tizen TV —

  • Sony 85-inch X80K 4K Google TV —

  • Samsung 85-inch Q60C QLED 4K Tizen TV —

  • Samsung 85-inch Q80C QLED 4K Tizen TV —

  • Sony 85-inch Bravia XR X90L 4K Google TV —

More Unmissable Deals






This pocket-sized portable smart projector is 28% off today | Digital Trends

tech FranklinWilbur

This pocket-sized portable smart projector is 28% off today | Digital Trends

Anker

A projector doesn’t have to be big and bulky — there are portable options like the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser smart projector. You can easily set it up in any room of the house, and even outdoors. If that sounds appealing to you, the good news is that you can get the device at 28% off from Amazon, which brings its price down to $580 from $800. We’re not sure how much time is remaining on the $220 discount, so you’re going to have to secure your purchase if you don’t want to miss out on the savings.

Why you should buy the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser smart projector

The Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser smart projector is portable with its soda can design and a weight of just 2 pounds, but that doesn’t mean it sacrifices power — it’s equipped with laser technology that enables brightness of 300 ANSI lumens, up to 1080p resolution, and a projection size of 40 inches to 120 inches. The projector also comes with an 8W speaker, so it can deliver crisp audio even when you’re outdoors, and it can last up to 2.5 hours on a single charge, which is enough for a full movie or multiple TV show episodes.

Operating on Android TV, the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser smart projector works with Google Assistant for voice commands and Chromecast to stream content from your mobile devices. You’ll also be able to play streaming services like Netflix on the projector, so you’ll never run out of things to watch. The projector’s setup is easy — it will auto-focus and auto-keystone your image once it’s playing your movie or TV show via HDMI, USB-C, or Bluetooth.

In one of the most interesting projector deals that we’ve come across recently, Amazon is selling the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser smart projector for $580, which is equivalent to $220 in savings on its original price of $800. If you’re already thinking about all the situations when such a feature-packed portable projector will come in handy, then you may want to proceed with the purchase right now to make sure that you get the 28% discount. Watch your favorite shows and movies anytime and anywhere with the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser smart projector — buy it now while it’s cheaper than usual.

Editors’ Recommendations






This Lenovo 2-in-1 laptop is discounted from $860 to $500 | Digital Trends

tech FranklinWilbur

This Lenovo 2-in-1 laptop is discounted from $860 to $500 | Digital Trends

Lenovo

Lenovo continues its reign of offering some of the best laptop deals at the moment with the Lenovo Yoga 6 13-inch AMD model down to $600 from $860. A saving of 30% or $260 sounds pretty great although it’s always good to be a little cautious of Lenovo’s overly optimistic estimated value system. Still, what we do know for sure is that $600 for a stylish 2-in-1 laptop is a pretty sweet deal. If that immediately sounds like your kind of thing then hit the buy button otherwise, take a look below at what else we have to say about it.

Why you should buy the Lenovo Yoga 6

Lenovo is one of the best laptop brands out there with that reputation particularly extending to its 2-in-1 range. This particular model has an AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor along with 8GB of memory and 512GB of SSD storage. As with the other best 2-in-1 laptops, it also has a great touchscreen. The display is a 13.3-inch WUXGA IPS panel with 1920 x 1200 resolution, 100% sRGB color, and 300 nits of brightness.

Above the display is a full HD IR Hybrid webcam with dual microphones and a privacy shutter. The Lenovo Yoga 6 13-inch AMD also comes with a Lenovo digital pen so you can be more accurate with your movements on screen while the backlit keyboard has a fingerprint reader for added security.

Adding to the useful features, the Lenovo Yoga 6 13-inch AMD also promises an all-day battery life like the best laptops along with rapid charge technology. There’s also support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos so you get vibrant colors and great audio, whether you’re watching a movie or calling someone. Combined with the laptop’s 360-degree hinge, it’s perfectly versatile for work or pleasure. Think of it as the ideal addition if you can’t decide if you need a tablet or a laptop.

Packed with more features than you’d expect at this price, the Lenovo Yoga 6 13-inch AMD is normally $860 at Lenovo. Right now, you can buy it for $600 so you save $260 off the regular price. A great 2-in-1 laptop for many different purposes, check out this doorbuster deal before it ends very soon.

Editors’ Recommendations






Best Apple TV VPN for 2022 | Digital Trends

tech FranklinWilbur

Best Apple TV VPN for 2022 | Digital Trends

An Apple TV is a great way to transform your normal television into a smart TV, but whenever you have the capability to connect online, it’s imperative you install and use an Apple TV VPN. A lot of smart TVs come with Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+ subscriptions already built-in to the device, but what about those who have an older TV? Using the Apple TV device, you can hook up your streaming subscriptions and watch in Ultra HD as you relax on your couch. Make sure you stay safe and protected with a VPN for Apple TV so that none of your information or personal data leaks or is compromised.

If you’re interested in which Apple TV VPN is for you, this list will be perfect for you as we’ve researched and compiled all of the VPNs that we think are right for our readers. Alternatively, you can check our best VPN list for a broader range of choices. If you’re on the fence about purchasing a subscription and committing to it, we’ve got you covered with our list of the best free VPN services. You can give any of them a go and test them with your Apple TV to see if it’s right for you.

NordVPN

NordVPN
  • Country of registration: Panama
  • Clients supported: iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Apple TV
  • Monthly cost: Standard: $13 / Plus: $14 / Complete $15
  • Number of servers: 5,237+
  • Simultaneous connections: 6

Perhaps the biggest and most popular Apple TV VPN, NordVPN has cemented itself in the industry as the go-to option for customers both new and old. It’s more than likely that you’ve heard of this VPN, regardless of if you have an active subscription yourself. The company flexes its marketing prowess in so many corners of the internet, which brings in a lot of newcomers and brings more attention to the benefits of VPNs.

NordVPN is famous for its sturdy servers and its commitment to user data and protection. Its NordLynx protocol in conjunction with OpenVPN and IKEv2/IPsec means that you can connect to its servers safely, and more importantly, completely anonymously. When connected, NordVPN’s AES 256-bit encryption ensures stability and prevents any intruders from accessing your precious information.

If you feel safe investing in a subscription from the most popular product in the VPN industry, then there should be no other option for you except NordVPN. It has everything you need, like lightning-fast servers for streaming, world-class security, and great all-around service.

ExpressVPN

Image used with permission by copyright holder
  • Country of registration: British Virgin Islands
  • Clients supported: iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Apple TV
  • Cost: $13 per month
  • Number of servers: 3,000+
  • Simultaneous connections: 5

While typically you could claim that the VPN industry is wide open with only a few titans in the scene, it seems as if ExpressVPN has marketed itself as one of the most complete solutions as an Apple TV VPN. It has a dedicated section of its website regarding connecting your Apple TV to a VPN which is a great way of educating the mass market and making the product accessible.

If you want to unblock geo-locked content, you can do so with ease through ExpressVPN’s 3,000+ servers. If you can’t watch a highly anticipated or popular TV show due to where your location in the world, you are free to bypass that with a VPN for Apple TV. Never worry about buffering and lag when you’re connected to ExpressVPN’s servers, as they are configured specifically for Ultra HD streaming.

Although many feel that having security on your Apple TV device may not be necessary, it’s still important to have. While it’s true that it’s extremely uncommon for a hacker to target your device, it can and has happened, and any digital platform where your personal information is stored should be treated with utmost caution. That’s why ExpressVPN’s revolutionary security features like Lightway and TrustedServer are worth the subscription — so you can stay safe without doing any of the work!

Surfshark

Surfshark
  • Country of registration: British Virgin Islands
  • Clients supported: iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Apple TV
  • Monthly cost: Starter: $11 / One: $17 / One+: $22
  • Number of servers: 3,200+
  • Simultaneous connections: Unlimited

Surfshark is an amazing VPN for Apple TV, but it’s also excellent for all smart devices because you can connect your single subscription plan to unlimited devices. Yes, for $13 per month, you can connect an unlimited amount of devices to unlimited global bandwidth. Stream your favorite media without any worries about data caps or bandwidth.

This Apple TV VPN is quickly becoming a fan favorite and, while it’s not as popular as the other titans like NordVPN and ExpressVPN, we can expect that to change soon if Surfshark continues to offer great value to its customers. Connect to a server anywhere in the world with the click of a button, or in the case of an Apple TV, by simply turning on your device.

The 3,200+ servers are optimized especially for streaming capabilities, so you should expect extremely high-quality streams constantly (assuming you have a good enough internet connection in the first place, of course). Gone are the days of VPNs throttling speeds and leaving you on an endless buffer — Apple TV VPNs like Surfshark are changing the way we consume content digitally.

Hotspot Shield

Image used with permission by copyright holder
  • Country of registration: United States
  • Clients supported: iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Apple TV
  • Monthly cost: Basic: free / Premium: $13
  • Number of servers: 1,800+
  • Simultaneous connections: 5

Hotspot Shield is the most budget-friendly option on this list, but its price isn’t an indicator of its quality. This VPN for Apple TV is mostly seen advertised on smartphone app stores, but not many people know that it can be used for your TV as well. As long as you have your DNS IP Address (see the relevant section at the end of this article), you can hook Hotspot Shield up to your Apple TV.

Admittedly, this VPN doesn’t come with as many global servers as the others on this list, but if you’re using it solely for the purpose of watching shows without geo-blocking and you’re on a budget, we encourage you to use this service. If you’re still unsure, feel free to use its generous 500Mbps of free data per day on a different device to grab a feel of the service.

Hotspot Shield is an amazing choice for beginners in the VPN world due to its generous free data plan, so if you want to dip your toes into the ocean of this industry, you might want to start here! After your introduction to VPNs, Hotspot Shield is an accessible choice for a premium plan due to its cheap price point.

CyberGhost

CyberGhost VPN
Cyberghost
  • Country of registration: Romania
  • Clients supported: iOS, Android, Windows, MacOS, Linux, Apple TV
  • Cost: $13 per month
  • Number of servers: 7,300+
  • Simultaneous connections: 7

Last but not least, CyberGhost is a unique and trailblazing Apple TV VPN that has burst onto the scene looking like a serious contender for the throne. Through its unique branding and company motif, this VPN looks to catch the attention of customers with its visuals first, then retain them with its reliable product. The cute ghost logo may look playful and charismatic, but the security that is implemented in each server is serious business.

Connect your DNS IP Address to your Apple TV, and then forget about it. Installation is easy, and the unlimited global bandwidth ensures you never have to worry about data caps, but more importantly, you’ll never experience significant lag or buffering. With over 7,300+ servers all over the world, you’ll be able to access content in whatever country you wish!

$13 per month isn’t cheap, but you can connect up to seven devices simultaneously, and you can access thousands of global servers with a click of a button. Whether you’re streaming your favorite shows on your Apple TV, browsing on your smartphone, or conducting business on your laptop, CyberGhost is a valuable and solid VPN no matter the occasion.

Can you use a VPN with Apple TV?

Although there are significantly fewer options for you to choose from, there are still plenty of Apple TV VPNs circulating the internet! The problem many consumers face is choosing the right one. You may see VPNs touting Apple TV support, but some may be scams, so it can be hard to determine the best VPNs from the scams. It’s wise to do your own research on anything you’re spending hard-earned money on, and listening to experts while forming your own opinion with the guide of websites like Digital Trends is a surefire way to find the product that’s right for you. Installing a VPN on your Apple TV isn’t as easy or straightforward as installing it on your smartphone, though, so check out the next section for installing a VPN for Apple TV.

How to install VPN on Apple TV

For this tutorial, we’ll be using ExpressVPN as an example, but this method of installation is applicable to all of the VPNs in the list above.

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Express VPN joins the growing ranks of VPNs on Apple TV | Digital Trends

tech FranklinWilbur

Express VPN joins the growing ranks of VPNs on Apple TV | Digital Trends

Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

One of the bigger features added to tvOS 17, at least on paper, was the ability for Apple TV to run a VPN application. That’s a big deal because folks don’t tunnel their entire home network traffic through a virtual private network, both because they’re probably normal human beings who don’t attempt such things and because routers don’t always make that an easy thing to do.

And the news today is that ExpressVPN — one of the bigger players in the space — is now available for Apple TV. It joins a growing cadre of tvOS-capable VPN apps, which at the time of this writing includes VPNify, X-VPN, IPVanish, PureVPN, hide.me, LeapVPN, US VPN, and Anycast, for starters.

It’s been virtually impossible to be anywhere online in recent years without running into a VPN somehow — most prominently through extremely heavy marketing. That’s in part because VPNs allow you to make it look as if your device is based in some other country, which can allow you to watch something that’s, say, on Netflix in the U.K., but not available on Netflix in the U.S. It’s also because VPN providers have spent a ton of money on affiliates, getting websites and podcasters and other influencers to hit folks where display ads don’t. (Yes, we also have our list of the best VPNs for Apple TV.) They’re marketed as must-have services for privacy, though their necessity — even on public Wi-Fi networks — can definitely be debated. And to be fair, they’re a simple method to do some basic masking of where you are and what you’re doing online.

In any case, the floodgates have opened for tvOS and Apple TV. The VPN apps have arrived. There will be more. Fortunately, for now, they’re constrained inside the App Store, and you have to seek one out if you want to use it.

Subscriptions, available via in-app purchases, run from $13 a month to $117 a year.

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This 50-inch 4K TV is discounted to $220 for a limited time | Digital Trends

tech FranklinWilbur

This 50-inch 4K TV is discounted to $220 for a limited time | Digital Trends

Best Buy

You don’t need to spend several hundreds of dollars to upgrade your home theater setup from a basic screen because there are affordable TV deals like the Pioneer Xumo Series 4K TV. Its 50-inch model, which was already pretty cheap at its sticker price of $300, is currently down even further to just $220 following an $80 discount from Best Buy. We’re not sure how much time is remaining before this bargain ends though, so if you want to take advantage of it, you’re going to have to proceed with your purchase right now.

Why you should buy the 50-inch Pioneer Xumo Series 4K TV

The Pioneer Xumo Series 4K TV comes with all of today’s basic features for 4K TVs, including 4K Ultra HD resolution on its 50-inch display so that you can enjoy your favorite shows and movies with sharp details and vivid colors, and support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Audio for high-quality images and sound that will make you feel like you’re inside the theaters. You may have to consult our guide on what size TV to buy though, in case you’re not sure if you have enough space for a 50-inch TV.

Further elevating your viewing experience is Xumo TV, which is Pioneer’s smart TV platform that will give you access to all of the most popular streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. You’ll also be able to consume the content from more than 300 free channels, and you can use voice commands through the included voice remote for functions such as searching for a specific show or movie so you won’t have to go through all of your subscriptions to find it.

If you’re still using an outdated display in your living room or bedroom, it may be time to finally replace it through this offer from Best Buy for the 50-inch Pioneer Xumo Series 4K TV. From its original price of $300, it’s on sale at $80 off so you’ll only have to pay a very affordable $220. We think this deal will draw a lot of attention from shoppers, which means stocks may get sold out quickly. If you don’t want to miss this chance at the 50-inch Pioneer Xumo Series 4K TV for an even cheaper price, it’s highly recommended that you add it to your cart and check out as soon as you can.

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One of Samsung’s Best Curved Monitors is $600 off Right Now | Digital Trends

tech FranklinWilbur

One of Samsung’s Best Curved Monitors is $600 off Right Now | Digital Trends

Samsung

Samsung has one of the best monitor deals for avid gamers who want their games to sparkle on screen. Today, you can buy the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 DQHD QLED Curved Gaming Monitor for $900, saving a huge $600 off the regular price of $1,500. A fantastic investment for anyone keen to enjoy a truly immersive gaming experience, it’s part of Samsung’s cyber week deals season so don’t count on it sticking around for long. Here’s what we know about it.

Why you should buy the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 DQHD QLED Curved Gaming Monitor

Keen to rival the best gaming monitors, the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 DQHD QLED Curved Gaming Monitor is perfect for immersive gaming. It’s Samsung’s largest 1000R gaming monitor, matching the curve of the human eye while offering the screen space of two 27-inch panels.

The monitor uses Samsung QLED technology to offer pixel perfect picture quality with more vivid colors too. There’s 125% more color space compared to sRGB while Samsung HDR 1000 provides fantastic depth and level of detail in every scene.

It can also handle speed with a 240Hz refresh rate which sets it apart from the best monitors thanks to its focus on fast-moving action. A response time of just 1ms means you can react quickly to anything that unfolds. There’s also Nvidia G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro support so the monitor matches every frame from your graphics card without missing a beat.

It makes sense to hook the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 DQHD QLED Curved Gaming Monitor up to one of the best gaming PCs so you reap the full benefits. Also, thanks to the 32:9 aspect ratio, you can easily open many windows at once for those times where you need to do plenty of multi-tasking. If you work from home and love to game, you’ll look at your monitor often so the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 DQHD QLED Curved Gaming Monitor is a great investment to ensure maximum comfort and efficiency every time.

Usually priced at $1,500, the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 DQHD QLED Curved Gaming Monitor is currently down to $900 for a limited time only when you buy direct from Samsung. Unlikely to be $600 off for long, it’s a smart move to buy sooner rather than later if this is the gaming monitor for your needs.

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Samsung’s Massive 98-inch QLED 4K TV is $2,000 off Today | Digital Trends

tech FranklinWilbur

Samsung’s Massive 98-inch QLED 4K TV is $2,000 off Today | Digital Trends

Samsung

Looking for the cheapest TV deals? This isn’t it. However, if you’re looking for a genuinely huge investment, consider the Samsung 98-inch Q80C QLED TV which is currently on sale for $2,000 off when you buy direct from Samsung. It usually costs $8,000 but it’s been reduced to $6,000. While this is still only going to be of niche appeal, it is an incredibly impressive TV for the price. If your living space has enough room for such a huge TV and your bank balance can cover it, keep reading while we tell you all about this phenomenal TV.

Why you should buy the Samsung 98-inch Q80C QLED TV

So, you’ve figured out what size TV to buy and determined you can stretch to a 98-inch model. Good job! It’s a smart move to buy from one of the best TV brands like Samsung. With the Samsung 98-inch Q80C QLED TV, you get some great features. Its 98-inch QLED panel is a Direct Full Array TV so you get incredibly precise LEDs to light the way. There’s also 100% Color Volume with Quantum Dot technology so you can enjoy vivid and lifelike colors at any brightness level encompassing a billion shades of color. Dual LED technology further helps by automatically adapting the contrast to match your content for a realistic image every time. Quantum HDR also does this so you don’t have to spend time finding the right settings.

Gamers and fans of fast-moving action will appreciate the Motion Xcelerator technology going on too so you get smooth motion and improved clarity. Even if you’re not watching 4K content, you can enjoy 4K upscaling thanks to the Quantum Processor Lite which provides enhanced clarity and depth to all your shows and movies thanks to its 20 specialized networks.

Audio is also better here thanks to Object Tracking Sound Lite which ensures you hear 3D sound that follows the movement on screen. Hook it up to a Samsung Q-Series or S-Series soundbar and the TV speakers can work in conjunction with the soundbar for optimal audio quality. It all comes together to form one of the best TVs as well as one of the largest you can buy right now.

One of the best QLED TVs around, the Samsung 98-inch Q80C QLED TV is currently on sale at Samsung for $2,000 off the regular price. That means it still costs $6,000 so it won’t be accessible for everyone but if you’re one of those lucky few, you’re going to adore how immersive it is.

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