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If you prefer Windows, the 2025 Acer Aspire 16 AI is pretty easy to recommend. It has an impressive battery life, a backlit keyboard, a good mix of ports, and a healthy amount of RAM. It's the fastest sub-$900 laptop for multi-core tasks like video editing (by a hair).

For those who can spend a little more, last year's ultraportable Asus Zenbook A14 is my favorite laptop under $1,000. Conversely, if you're trying to spend less than $500, go with the Acer Chromebook Plus 516.

What's new

I revisited this guide in May 2026 to verify our top picks' pricing and availability, which remain stable.

What's on deck

Acer announced a new cheap laptop called the Swift Air 14 at Computex 2026, a tech trade show in Taiwan. It has an all-metal build and starts at just $699 with Intel's new Core Series 3 processors, 8GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and a 120Hz display, making it a very strong MacBook Neo competitor. It's set for release this August.

IMO, a Windows laptop or Chromebook is doing a good MacBook impression if it has above-average performance, battery life, and build quality. (Again, those are the main hallmarks of a modern Apple laptop.) I'll add some extra qualifiers depending on the exact Mac model:

• MacBook Air alternatives should be super lightweight and portable

• MacBook Neo alternatives should cost well under $1,000

• MacBook Pro alternatives should have a crisp, rich 120Hz display and enough power for intensive tasks like video editing

I've been reviewing laptops for Mashable since 2023, so in compiling this guide, I combed through my testing database to see if any recent models fit the bill. I also called in several newer releases that looked promising and spent several weeks reviewing them this spring.

In the end, I selected six options from Asus, Acer, and Dell that make the best MacBook alternatives for 2026 buyers. I also included a fallback for those who want to stay within the Apple ecosystem.

Other contenders to consider The Asus ExpertBook Ultra is so pretty — and sooo expensive. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The Asus ExpertBook Ultra is a stunning and shockingly thin ultraportable. It has tons of ports, an 18.5-hour battery life, and MacBook Air-level multi-core performance (with incredibly quiet fans). It also has the best display I've ever seen on a Windows laptop: It's a 14-inch 2.8K OLED touchscreen with a 30 to 120Hz refresh rate, 1,400 nits of peak HDR brightness, and a matte finish. So what's the issue? It costs $3,599.99 (!) with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and its build quality doesn't match its premium price. When I gently squeezed the right side of my review unit's base, it made a questionable clicking noise.

Not giving the ProArt GoPro Edition a 120Hz display was an odd choice on Asus' part. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The special-edition Asus ProArt GoPro Edition bundles MacBook Pro-rivaling multi-core performance and 128GB of RAM in a rugged convertible design. But at $2,999.99, it's expensive for a creator laptop without a 120Hz display and dedicated graphics (though its iGPU is pretty powerful). A standard Asus ProArt PX13 with the same processor but half the RAM retails for $2,799.99, which is still a hard sell compared to your other options. Fingers crossed that both models go on sale for way cheaper later this year.

I haven't tested it yet, but the new Framework Laptop 13 Pro is a repairable MacBook Pro alternative. I'll update this story once I or one of my colleagues try it.

One is allied with Anthropic. The other is tied to OpenAI. They’re both spending millions to influence the midterms, and they’re leaving a trail of fearful candidates and canceled ads in their wake.

Marshall’s Heston 60 is a good soundbar for smaller rooms, especially if you want your speaker to make a visual statement. Marshall’s styling is, after all, in a category of its own, with its guitar amp-inspired looks and timeless Marshall flair. However, thanks to its surprisingly powerful output, plus an optional wireless subwoofer, this snazzy speaker can easily fill larger spaces, making it a great option for those on the fence about buying a full-size soundbar.

Like its much bigger sibling, the Marshall Heston 120, the Heston 60 commands a premium price ($699) compared to its nearest competitors, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 ($499), and the Bose Smart Soundbar ($549). In return for that bigger spend, you can expect a unique combination of features, style, and performance.

SEE ALSO: Marshall Heston 120 soundbar review: Massive TV sound from a rock’n’roll legend

The Heston 60 isn’t my go-to choice for a small-footprint Dolby Atmos experience, but for everything else, it rocks.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Design Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

Depending on the product, Marshall’s amp-inspired design can go from wild to mild. The Heston 120, with its top-mounted, knurled knobs, has a real look-at-me vibe, while the Heston 60 is a little more demure: it trades the knobs for nearly flush brass-toned buttons.

You still get the black (or cream), faux-leather cabinet, the distinctive Marshall logo, and a salt’n’pepper fabric grille (the ‘fret’ in Marshall-speak), and it still looks great.

SEE ALSO: The Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar is the closest I've gotten to movie theater sound at home

The lack of knobs is partially a proportional thing — they’d look a little odd on the Heston 60’s smaller frame — and partially a practical thing. When wall-mounted (which you can easily do thanks to the included wall-mount grommets), the Heston 60’s controls face forward, not up, and sit at the bottom edge, where knobs would just look weird, poking out into space. Another benefit to going knobless: fewer visual distractions.

Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

Speaking of distractions, the Marshall Wi-Fi app lets you alter the brightness of the control panel LEDs. That’s not a big deal when the Heston 60 is sitting on a surface, but when wall-mounted, it’s essential, as those little lights will be shining right at you.

Cleverly, both the control panel and the Marshall script logo are magnetic. When you swap from flat to wall-mounted, you can reposition both pieces so the Heston 60 retains its looks.

Yes, you can decide not to affix the Marshall logo, and no, it doesn’t have magnets.  They’re behind the grille (I mean fret), so you won’t be able to stick the logo to your car, your fridge, or any other metal surface unless you use glue.

Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

Another clever feature for wall-mounting is the removable back compartment cover. It acts as a cable guide, ensuring you always get a clean install, regardless of which way you place the speaker.

At just over 2.5 inches tall, it should tuck under almost any stand-mounted TV. Partially blocking the top of the speaker shouldn’t be a problem, but leave the sides unobstructed — the angled, side-firing drivers need room to do their job. 

Repairability didn’t strike me as being very important on the massive, 15.5-pound Heston 120 — I figure most folks won’t be moving it once they set it in place — but the Heston 60, at just six pounds, is a relative featherweight. You might well want to move it from room to room, in which case, being able to replace the fret, end caps, drivers, and even the circuit boards could be a bonus.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Set up Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

If all you want is TV sound, setting up the Heston 60 is dead-simple: plug the speaker into your TV via an HDMI cable and then plug it into the wall with the power cord (both are included in the box). You can control the volume using your TV’s remote.

To get the most out of the Heston 60, however, you’ll need the Marshall Wi-Fi app (gold icon, not silver). It will walk you through the process of connecting the Heston to your Wi-Fi network (vital for Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, Tidal Connect, etc.), download any required software updates, and prompt you to complete the soundbar’s built-in room correction process, which takes less than two minutes.

Credit: Marshall Credit: Marshall

Because the Heston doesn’t ship with its own remote, the app is also the way you’ll control the speaker’s source (HDMI/Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/Aux-in), EQ, and sound modes (music/movies/night/voice) from your sofa.

While the app is easy to use, it can suffer from long communication lags. If I left the app (say to start a stream from Spotify or Tidal) and then returned, it could take the Marshall app up to 10 seconds to reconnect to the Heston 60.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Connections and controls

On the back panel, you’ll find an HDMI-ARC/eARC port — standard for soundbars these days — and two far less common connections: a 3.5 analog input and a wired subwoofer output.

I’ve gotta give props to Marshall here. Most compact soundbars are treated as TV speakers with Wi-Fi and/or Bluetooth if you want to play music. With the 3.5mm input, the Heston 60 can be connected to a turntable or literally any audio source that has an analog output.

The sub-out is even more beneficial. While the Heston 60 is designed to pair wirelessly with the Heston Sub 200 ($599), the sub output lets you use any powered subwoofer with an RCA input. This could save you a lot of money, as used powered subs are readily available for far less than the price of Marshall’s wireless unit.

The port that baffles me somewhat is the USB-C. On the Heston 120, it’s a handy power supply for stick-style streamers that plug into that speaker’s HDMI inputs. Since the Heston 60 doesn’t have any HDMI inputs, I’m not sure what you’ll use it for. Maybe recharging your phone?

Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

The Heston lacks an Ethernet jack, but it supports Wi-Fi 6. With Apple AirPlay, Google Cast, UPnP, Tidal Connect, and Spotify Connect, the Heston 60 can connect to almost any music source. And with native decoding of AAC, Mpeg4, ALAC, FLAC, LPCM, Ogg Vorbis, WMA, and WMA9, it will play almost any content you throw at it.

Bluetooth 5.3 with support for SBC, AAC, and LC3 codecs provides ad-hoc audio streaming from a mobile device.

The top controls are intuitive and easy to use, with dedicated buttons for source, play/pause/track skipping, volume, and sound mode. Then there’s the “Prog.” button, which I assume is short for “programmable.” No idea why Marshall labeled it that when, in reality, it’s how you access your stored preset. And yes, I mean preset, singular. In the Marshall app, you can pick a currently playing source from Spotify or an internet radio station from the embedded Airable feature to be associated with that programmable button.

There’s no power button. Once you plug it in, the soundbar is on all of the time. It will switch to a low-power standby mode when it hasn’t been actively used in a while.

Marshall Heston 60 review: For movies and shows Credit: Simon Cohen / Mashable

Under the hood, the Heston 60 sports 7 discrete drivers (five full-range, plus two woofers) and amps. That’s more than both the Sonos Beam Gen 2 and Bose’s Smart Soundbar, which only have five powered drivers apiece. The key difference is Heston 60’s ability to process low-frequency effects (LFE) in a 5.1-channel arrangement (Beam is a 5.0 system and the Smart Soundbar is 3.0.2).

When it comes to watching movies, this translates into a much more gutsy sound than you’d expect from a compact bar. Marshall sent me the Heston Sub 200 to try out, and there were times when I’d forget that the Sub 200 was unplugged from the wall — such is the Heston 60’s low-end punch.

There’s excellent energy and presence throughout the rest of the frequency range as well. The Heston 60 excels at creating big, cinematic sound. It’s not perfect, however. The speaker seems to struggle to keep soundtrack elements from overlapping and interfering with each other. This is most noticeable with dialogue. In scenes where two characters are speaking, without much background sound, voices are clear and intelligible. When the background gets busy, like in the bombing run scene from Unbroken, speech can get muddied. You can use Voice mode to help with this, but the higher you boost this setting, the more you lose the lower frequencies that make movies so enjoyable.

Credit: Marshall

I’m not sure, but I suspect this is tied to Marshall’s use of five full-range drivers and no tweeters. The Sonos Beam Gen 2 uses a central tweeter and offers better overall dialogue clarity.

There are also times when the Heston 60 seems confused about how to process that amazing low-end. During the Aston Martin chase scene from No Time To Die, there were moments when I expected to hear a thump or thud (and didn’t) and moments where I heard them and hadn’t been expecting any.

Speaking of No Time To Die, that same clip is one of my go-to references for Dolby Atmos testing, along with select scenes from Dune and Ford v Ferrari. All of these scenes demonstrated that the Heston 60 can fully deliver on the emotion of these movies, but spatial effects — most notably height channel sounds — are limited.

This isn’t unusual for a compact speaker with no dedicated height drivers. The Heston 60 (like the Beam Gen 2) has to virtualize any height channel content, a tough challenge, especially when the same drivers are being used to generate all of the other sound you’re hearing. It also means there’s no way to goose the height channel levels to help out.

Still, even though there’s not much in the way of added height, the Heston 60 generates a decently wide soundstage, which goes a long way to creating a sense of immersion.

Marshall Heston 60 review: For Music

Like its bigger sibling, the Heston 120, the Marshall Heston 60 is a great music speaker. The energy, bass response, and overall emotional impact it imparts to movies translates beautifully to music.

Once again, the Heston’s dual woofers are the main ingredient, lending a resonant quality to all music styles. The warmth and tone remind me a lot of the Sonos Beam Gen 2, but with an extra level of musicality. 

I really like the Heston’s default Music mode tuning, which sounds better the louder you play, but each mode can also be tweaked using the Marshall app’s equalizer.

Credit: Marshall

Unfortunately, the Heston 60’s music performance can be like Jekyll and Hyde, depending on the format and connection method. Normally, Google Cast is the most reliable way to stream high-quality audio, but doing so from Amazon Music on an iPhone produced abnormally low volume levels.  

Direct streaming (Tidal Connect/Spotify Connect), AirPlay, and Bluetooth were all more reliable and sounded great.

Dolby Atmos Music is another quirky situation: make sure the Heston 60 is set to Movie mode. Atmos Music has an extremely low level in Music mode. The soundbar defaults to Music mode when the source is set to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or line-in, so if something sounds amiss, check the mode and try one of the other settings.

The Heston 60 will play Dolby Atmos Music tracks, both from TV or streamer-based apps like Apple Music, Tidal, or Amazon Music, or directly via Tidal Connect. Ordinarily, Atmos Music on a capable soundbar is a treat, with an expanded soundstage and (depending on the mix) intriguing use of 3D space. Similar to the Heston’s Atmos performance with movie content, you just don’t get the same level of immersion that you would with a higher-end speaker like the Heston 120. Moreover, on the Heston 60, Atmos Music tends to exhibit sharper, more sibilant highs than conventional stereo.

It’s worth noting that, as great as the Heston 60 is as a standalone music speaker, it can’t compare to either Sonos’ or Bose’s multiroom functionality, and the lack of any music management within the Marshall app means the Heston is simply an endpoint for your favorite streaming apps. Still, if you want a soundbar that can do vinyl, the choice is clear — neither the Beam Gen 2 nor the Smart Soundbar can connect to turntables.

Marshall Heston 60 review: Sound adjustments

Built-in room calibration is another bonus for such a small speaker like the Heston 60, though don’t expect to be wowed by the result. Depending on your room size, shape, and furniture, you may get a new EQ curve that keeps the bass levels from becoming overbearing (or may give them a slight tweak). In my TV room, it didn’t make any difference at all.

If you’re not happy with the calibration, you can repeat the process or disable it entirely.

Each sound mode gives the speaker a different tuning. Music tends to be the most neutral, while Movie emphasizes highs and lows. Night reduces dynamic range for low-intensity viewing, and Voice de-emphasizes lows and lower-mids while boosting speech frequencies.

If you don’t love the sound of a specific mode, you can tweak it using the custom EQ feature. These tweaks then become associated with that mode and will stick around even as you move from one mode to another.

Is the Marshall Heston 60 worth it?

At $699, the Marshall Heston 60 is one of the most expensive compact soundbars you can buy. Its closest competitors, the Sonos Beam Gen 2 and Bose Smart Soundbar are priced up to $200 lower (and get regular discounts throughout the year).

An up to 40 percent premium over these two excellent speakers is a lot to justify, and I’m not sure that the Heston 60 does so.

For its size, it produces big, bold sound for both movies and music, and its built-in woofers deliver stronger bass than the Beam or the Smart Soundbar. I really like the flexibility of being able to add any subwoofer, and having an analog input increases the Heston’s versatility. It’s also hard to deny that Marshall’s iconic design makes a classy addition to any room — it doesn’t look like your average soundbar.

And yet, the Heston’s Dolby Atmos effects aren’t significantly better than the Beam or Smart Soundbar, and for some things, notably dialogue clarity, expandability, and multiroom audio, these two competitors have the edge.

To seriously consider the Heston 60 over these alternatives, you need to value all of its unique features, not just some of them. If that sounds like you, the Heston 60 is very easy to recommend. It may not be the perfect compact soundbar, but no other speaker offers its particular mix of style, sound, and features.

Marshall Heston 60 soundbar $699.99 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon See It at Best Buy See It at Marshall Headphones Opens in a new window Credit: Marshall Marshall Heston Sub 200 $599.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now Marshall Heston 60 review: Just the specs

• Dimensions: 28.74 x 2.68 x 4.88 inches

• Wall-mountable: Yes, wall-mount included

• Remote included: No

• Number/type of drivers: 7 (5 full-range, 2 woofers)

• Number/power of amps: 7 class D (2 x 25 watts, 5 x 5 watts)

• Channels/configuration: 5.1

• Ports: HDMI eARC, 3.5mm AUX-in, sub-out, USB-C

• Wired/Wireless networking: Bluetooth 5.3, Wi-Fi 6

• WiFi streaming platforms: Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, DLNA

• Bluetooth codecs: SBC, AAC, LC3

• Audio codecs: MPEG-4, ALAC, FLAC, LPCM, Ogg, Vorbis, WMA, WMA9 

• Audio formats: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, DTS-X

• Expandable: via Auracast

• In the box: soundbar, HDMI cable, power cable, Quick-start guide

• Colors: Black, Cream

Seven months after Heated Rivalry debuted on HBO, Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody has opened Off-Broadway. Catering to fans who can't get enough of Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander, the musical hits the biggest beats of the TV show, with the occasional half-hearted jabs at its quirks. But overall, this parody is less about Jacob Tierney's wildly popular adaptation of Rachel Reid's smut hockey novel, and more about playing to the fans — and not just fans of Heated Rivalry itself. 

Theater adults will likely chuckle at nods to Gypsy, Little Shop of Horrors, The Full Monty, and more. For instance, the book by Dylan MarcAurele begins by taking a page from Titanique.

Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody focuses on a diva, not the hockey dudes. Cherry Torres, Ryann Redmond, and Ryan Duncan play Susans in "Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody." Credit: Matthew Murphy

This parody begins not by introducing the rival hockey pros but three fans of Heated Rivalry, all named Susan. They sing about how watching "gay hockey players with big butts having sex" gives their boring home lives much-craved spice. And they can't wait to welcome you into the fandom. 

The structure of this parody seems pretty clearly cribbed from the Off-Broadway parody of Titanic, which is now a four-time Tony-nominated Broadway show. Both center on a female narrator who is eccentric, passionate, and can sing like a pop diva rather than the lovers at the heart of the story. In Titanique, that's the musical's co-creator Marla Mindelle. In Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody, it's Ryann Redmond, who plays the Main Susan. 

Redmond delivers a delicious drag performance that exaggerates the stereotypical Heated Rivalry fan that's gotten a lot of attention since the show came out. Susan is middle-aged, white, straight, loves gay smut, and has a Midwestern accent as thick as ambrosia salad. Like the show itself, Susan is a parody done with great affection. And Redmond is remarkable in the role, giving plenty of heart to deeply silly original songs, as well as references to other musicals, like Gypsy ("It's Rose's turn!").

Bolstering her are fellow Susans, played by Cherry Torres and Ryan Duncan; the latter seems to be channeling John Roberts' internet icon mom, down to the frizzy red wig and penchant for sweat suits. Together, this trio plays most of the supporting roles in the musical, including Shane's mom, Ilya's dad, smoothie-maker Kip, movie star Rose, and Kip's co-worker Maria. What about Shane's dad? Well, there's a joke that he's so boring he's been cut, but the other excuse is he's off looking for his phone charger! (IYKYK.) 

Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody gives one audience member a chance to be a star.  Cherry Torres and Ryan Duncan play Maria and Kip in "Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody." Credit: Matthew Murphy

You might have clocked I didn't mention Scott Hunter, the closeted captain of the New York Admirals whose big moment of kissing Kip after winning the Stanley Cup gives Ilya the courage to say the line: "I'm coming to the cottage." 

Well, in this parody, he's not played by one of the cast. Instead, they pull an audience member up on stage to play Kip. As Susan, Redmond declared, "Tonight, the role of Scott Hunter will be played by one of you." And the night I attended, the "you" selected was New York Times contributor Tim Teeman.

He was handed a script and thrust into the meet-cute where Kip (Duncan) meets Scott at the smoothie shop, while Maria mostly says "girl" over and over. Teeman was game to play out seven pages of dialogue, as Duncan flirted and swooned. And it was a charming gambit that reflects the popularity of working in the audience on Broadway shows like Titanique, Every Brilliant Thing, and Cats: The Jellicle Ball. 

However, the sheer goofiness of this bit reflects how every bit of Ilya and Shane's romance is handled.

Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody has sex but no heat.  Jay Armstrong Johnson and Jimin Moon play Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander in "Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody." Credit: Matthew Murphy

Perhaps it's too much to expect a swiftly made musical parody to capture the uniquely thrilling onscreen chemistry of Heated Rivalry's Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams. But Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody doesn't really try. 

The couple's meet-cute over a cigarette feels stiff in the hands of their Ilya (Jay Armstrong Johnson). And while the show gets sillier from there — including a song number about how Ilya's big butt has been a burden he's carried and been ostracized for all his life — Johnson fails to rise to the level of Storrie's cheek. 

Jimin Moon fares better as Shane, heightening the hockey pro's social awkwardness to comical proportions that feel reflective of rom-com daffiness. The song "This Fuck Felt Different from the Last Fuck" plays hilariously because of Moon's earnestness, treating the spicy lyrics as if they are a Disney princess "I wish" song. But he's better paired with Redmond, who plays his bawdy beard Rose. Together, they score laughs with his wide-eyed shock at her frankness, which is bolstered by Redmond's sensational pipes. 

Ryann Redmond and Jimin Moon play Rose and Shane in "Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody." Credit: Matthew Murphy

In scenes of sex and seduction, Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody favors cheap laughs, employing dummies to act out frantic fucking. The actors may look the part of Ilya and Shane, but they can't recreate their chemistry. So, what we're left with are jokes about douching and zany reenactments of the show's most pivotal scenes. 

Curiously, the one song from Heated Rivalry's soundtrack the parody uses is t.A.T.u.'s "All the Things She Said," with Johnson and Moon singing a bit before the full track blares in the small theater, turning the vibe to night club. This club scene that drove fans wild is treated with some reverence, aside from two Susans playing bump-and-grinding party girls who seem oblivious to their dancing partner's disinterest. Yet the intensity of this moment is lost, even with the familiar song, because of an abundance of silliness and a lack of heat between its leading men. 

Frustratingly, the bits of Heated Rivalry that the fandom loved for their charming silliness — like Shane's pain-killer-addled plea for Ilya to come to his cottage — are not memorably interpreted. So the final act falls flat, despite the best efforts and intense enthusiasm of the Susans. 

While some parodies can give a fun new spin on the source material (see Puffs), others can get too caught up in their own cleverness to appease fans (Exorcistic: The Rock Musical). Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody falls in between.

Jimin Moon plays Shane Hollander in "Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody." Credit: Matthew Murphy

The audience on the night I attended howled with laughter throughout, whether the jokes were about sex, the show, hockey, or just playing the audio from Storrie's early days on YouTube.

Admittedly, I struggled to enjoy the show because of some horrendous technical issues. First off, my seat on the right-hand side of the Culture Club theater was not listed as an obstructed view. However, between the columns in the tight space, the compact size of the stage, and the very tall man who sat in front of me, I spent much of the musical craning my neck and wiggling around trying to see what was going on. For instance, during the show's climactic cheeky moment, a seeming nod to The Full Monty's Broadway finale, I couldn't see anything — despite seeing plenty being the whole point. 

The other issue was a loud, mechanical humming that came from a massive in-room air conditioner. I did go see this on an abruptly scorching day. But letting this unit run throughout the show meant the performers were in a battle against the shockingly loud, droning white noise. With no intermission and sold-out shows, I had no option but to sit and try my hardest to see and hear as much as I could. Admittedly, this might be why the only song whose lyrics stuck with me is the opening about "gay hockey players with big butts," which is reprised at the end. 

Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody is now playing Off-Broadway.

TL;DR: Watch Canada vs. Finland in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships final is calling to Canada and Finland, but only one team can make that showpiece event. Canada have looked like the team to beat for much of this tournament, but Finland will pose a serious threat in this semi final.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Canada vs. Finland?

Canada vs. Finland in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 2 p.m. ET on May 30. This fixture takes place at the Swiss Life Arena.

How to watch Canada vs. Finland for free

Canada vs. Finland in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Canada vs. Finland plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Canada vs. Finland in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE $500: The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That's $500 off the list price of $1,599.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo $1,099 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $500   Get Deal

We're constantly tracking the best deals from the world of tech, but it's quiet out there at the moment. It's rarely like this, but we're in a weirdly peaceful period between Memorial Day and Prime Day right now. So should we give up on securing huge price drops? Absolutely not.

There are still some truly impressive deals to consider, especially if you're shopping for a drone. For a limited time, the DJI Mini 5 Pro is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That's $500 off and really close to the record-low price for this premium model.

There are ongoing conversations surrounding DJI imports in the U.S., but current retail stocks are cleared for consumer purchase. And it looks like retailers are trying to shift stock ahead of the summer.

If you're looking to jump into aerial content creation without a steep learning curve, the DJI Mini 5 Pro is a smart entry point. This drone's omnidirectional obstacle sensing radar with ActiveTrack automation gives beginners the freedom to capture cinematic shots without the worry of crashing your $1,099 investment.

Secure a massive price drop on the DJI Mini 5 Pro at Amazon.

TL;DR: Get the iPhone 17e, iPhone 17, or iPhone 17 Pro for free with T-Mobile.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone 17 Free when you switch and bring your number on an Experience Beyond or Better Value plan. Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone 17 Pro Free when you trade in an eligible phone in any condition on an Experience Beyond plan. Shop Now

Motorola is dominating the headlines in the mobile world after releasing "the first new foldables of 2026 in the U.S. market." Will Apple come back with its own foldable design? We're deep in the weeds of leaks, rumors, and renders, but until that time comes, we're focused on the latest iPhone 17 lineup.

And specifically, we're trying to showcase the best deals on the latest tech from Apple.

If you're looking to switch networks or upgrade a device you’ve been holding onto for longer than you should, T-Mobile has dropped a fresh batch of deals to help you get a new iPhone for free:

• Apple iPhone 17e — free when you port your number over from a competitor and activate a new line on almost any T-Mobile postpaid service plan.

• Apple iPhone 17 — free when you switch and bring your number on an Experience Beyond or Better Value plan.

• Apple iPhone 17 Pro — free when you hand over an eligible smartphone in any condition on an Experience Beyond plan.

The total retail cost of your iPhone is offset by 24 consecutive monthly bill credits. Your monthly statement will show a charge for the financing of the phone, immediately followed by an equal credit balancing that charge to $0. That means you are entering a 24-month commitment with the network.

If you decide to cancel your service or switch provider before the end of the contract, the remaining unpaid balance on the phone will be due immediately.

You will need to pay taxes and a $35 activation charge, but that's a small price to pay for a new iPhone that delivers a "great camera, beautiful display, 256GB of storage, fast performance, and long battery life."

Score the latest iPhone 17 lineup for free with T-Mobile.

TL;DR: Verizon is offering customers the chance to win free tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup through Verizon Access in the My Verizon app on June 1.

The countdown has begun for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on June 11.

Of course it's going to be great to watch the matches unfold from the comfort of your home, but experiencing the hype live is unmatched. If you've been hoping to attend the World Cup in person, Verizon is offering an incredible opportunity for its customers to score free tickets.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile is giving away the Apple iPhone 17 for free — how to claim this offer

On June 1, Verizon is holding a massive ticket drop for its customers. Over 2,500 free tickets across 64 matches are set to drop in every single U.S. host city. If that's caught your attention, you'll want to make sure you have the My Verizon app. According to Verizon's press release, "All tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis exclusively through Verizon Access in the My Verizon app."

And it's not just regular tickets up for grabs. Verizon notes that "Hundreds of extra lucky winners will get to score “Golden Tickets” to watch a portion of the game pitchside." This kind of opportunity doesn't come around often.

Select matches and times include:

Pacific time cities at 12 p.m. PT:

• Seattle, WA: M16, M32, M52, M63, M82

• Los Angeles, CA: M4, M15, M26, M39, M59, M73, M84

• San Francisco Bay Area, CA: M8, M20, M31, M44, M60, M81

Central time cities at 2 p.m. CT:

• Kansas City, MO: M19, M34, M58, M69, M87

• Dallas, TX: M11, M22, M43, M57, M70, M78, M88

• Houston, TX: M10, M23, M35, M47, M65, M76

East coast cities at 3 p.m. ET:

• Boston, MA: M5, M18, M30, M45, M61, M74

• Atlanta, GA: M14, M25, M38, M50, M72, M80

• New York and New Jersey: M7, M17, M41, M56, M67, M77

• Miami, FL: M13, M37, M49, M71, M86 

• Philadelphia, PA: M9, M29, M42, M55, M68

The press release also notes that, "Since travel and accommodation is not included, this drop is optimized for customers to win tickets to the games closest to home." Verizon adds that accounts can only claim tickets "to games that fall within 150 miles of their home address."

Verizon customer? Why not take advantage of this opportunity to win free tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Make sure to mark your calendar for June 1 and set a timer for the drop closest to you.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

TL;DR: 1min.AI gives you lifetime access to AI models like GPT, Claude, and Gemini, but instead of charging you every month, it’s only $70 for life if you buy before May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription $69.97
$540 Save $470.03   Get Deal

Most AI tools do one thing well. The problem is that most workflows need more than one thing, and paying separately for a writing tool, an image editor, an audio platform, and a video tool adds up to a lot of monthly bills fast. 1min.AI new all-in-one AI platform that gives you access to the same popular AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, but instead of paying for them every month, you can get them all for life for $69.97 (reg. $540).

1min.AI gives you access to a wide range of AI models so you’re not locked into one tool’s strengths or blind spots. On the writing side, you’ll get access to AI for blog generation, keyword research, rewriting, summarizing, paraphrasing, grammar checking, and social media comment generation across LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Image tools go well beyond a basic generator, with editing and manipulation capabilities that cover tasks even a professional designer would reach for a separate app to do. Audio handles voice, music, and translation work. Video covers both creation and editing, including tools specifically for YouTube content. Documents can be chatted with, translated, or turned into presentations without leaving the platform.

The Advanced Business Plan includes 4,000,000 credits per month, which works out to roughly 1,112,500 words, 1,186 images, or 37 videos monthly. On top of that, you can earn up to 450,000 additional free credits per month through daily logins, reviews, and referrals, and those credits never expire.

Stop paying every month for apps you can get for life.

Through May 31, it’s only $69.97 to get a 1min.AI advanced Business Plan.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Through May 31, you can get Microsoft Office 2024 for Mac or PC for life for only $129.97.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC Lifetime License $129.97
$249.99 Save $120.02   Get Deal

Microsoft 365 costs $99.99 a year at minimum, and that bill never stops. Ever. Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business is the one-time alternative, giving you Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote for a single payment with no subscription attached, and a lifetime license is on sale for $129.97 right now (reg. $249.99).

Compared to older versions of Office, this one is a significant upgrade. Excel now handles large datasets and multiple open workbooks without the slowdowns older versions are known for, and the new dynamic arrays let formulas return multiple results across adjacent cells, which simplifies a lot of complex data work. AI Data Insights can analyze trends and suggest visualizations, so you’re not building every chart from scratch. PowerPoint can now record presentations with voice, video, and closed captions, which makes it useful for remote presentations and async communication. Word adds Focus Mode for distraction-free writing and Smart Compose for AI-assisted text suggestions. Outlook’s updated accessibility checker catches unclear formatting before it goes out.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The suite runs directly on your Mac or PC, works offline, and doesn’t depend on a cloud connection to stay functional. Real-time co-authoring lets multiple people work on the same document simultaneously, and the built-in version history makes it easy to track changes or roll back to an earlier draft.

This version does have a few differences from Microsoft 365. Mostly, the app selection is more focused on the core productivity suite, and you don’t get the extra cloud storage. Considering how common and affordable cloud storage has become, that’s not a big loss.

Stop paying every year for software you can just own. Get a Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business Lifetime License for $129.97.

Offer ends May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The major standout feature of AdultFriendFinder isn't their millions of users or their free-wheeling stance on nudity, nor is it their massive, searchable database of kinks. What truly sets them apart, in fact, is their Live Action tab, where AFF users can communicate in real-time across webcams and chat rooms.

In this area of the site, accessible to both paying and non-paying members, users can communicate in real-time via both text and video, and things definitely get wild. Here are the four main sections of the Live Action tab, and what you need to know about them:

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More Member Webcams

The first of four sub-tabs, Member Webcams is the place AFF users go to let loose on camera, for an audience. The camera feeds appear in a grid format, organized in order of viewer count, and as with the on-site dating profiles, you'll be able to see, at a glance, who has a verified account or who is a paying member. Other details visible immediately include the model's age, gender and location.

If you can't find what you're looking for right away, you can start to apply filters: Men, Women, Couples, Trans, as well as Nude or Non-Nude. You can even use the Sort By button to arrange the models in order of their proximity to you.

Best of all? This entire section of the website is accessible to free accounts, although if you want to actually interact with the models, either via public-facing comments or by sending gifts or emoji reactions, you will need to upgrade your account.

SEE ALSO: AdultFriendFinder vs. Tinder: How they compare as hookup apps

And pro tip: if you come across a particularly attractive model or manage to have a good conversation with someone, click the Star icon in the upper right-hand corner of the webcam feed to Favorite them, which will make it easier to find their feed when they next come online. 

Pro Models

The Pro Models section resembles a bigger-budget version of the Member Webcams area, except instead of camming for the love of the experience or to make new connections, the Pro models are explicitly there to make a bug. 

Free users are able to view these cams, but if you want to chat, tip or engage a model in a private, one-on-one cam session, you'll need to pull out your credit card. 

To our mind, this is the least interesting part of the AFF Live Action experience, and the most transactional. Their Pro Models section doesn't offer anything that competing adult webcam sites don't, and most of the competition offers more models and a better interface.

Chat Rooms

If you're not necessarily looking for visual stimulation but happy to use your words to titillate, check out the Chat Rooms area. Here, you can enter into chat rooms based around specific interests and topics, or look to join a regional chat room based in your country or state. 

SEE ALSO: Confide is shutting down — could AdultFriendFinder be the best sexting alternative?

While words, stories, and shared experiences form the basis of this section, people often do also share photos. Best of all, there are very few restrictions on non-paying members in these areas, so you can build a following or interact with other people without having to create a paid subscription. 

Activity Feed

The Activity Feed is the fastest way to catch up on what's trending on the site, usually populated by new images and videos uploaded by members. The default view is Global, showing you the hottest content from members across the world, but you can also sort by Near You to find more local posts, or even restrict the list to your Friends & Hotlist, helping you keep up with what your mutual friends or followers are doing on the site. 

TL;DR: Live stream Mexico vs. Australia in a 2026 International Friendly for free on Canal 5 Televisa. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 World Cup is right around the corner, so Mexico vs. Australia takes on greater significance as both teams look to build momentum before the start of the tournament. A defeat here doesn't really mean anything, but it's all about confidence building before that all-important first group-stage game.

If you want to watch Mexico vs. Australia in a 2026 International Friendly for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Mexico vs. Australia?

Mexico vs. Australia kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on May 30. This fixture takes place at the Rose Bowl Stadium.

How to watch Mexico vs. Australia for free

Mexico vs. Australia is available to live stream for free on Canal 5 Televisa.

Canal 5 Televisa is geo-restricted to Mexico, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Mexico, meaning you can access free live streams on Canal 5 Televisa from anywhere in the world.

Lve stream Mexico vs. Australia for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Mexico

4. Visit Canal 5 Televisa

5. Stream Mexico vs. Australia for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Mexico vs. Australia without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select games before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Canal 5 Televisa?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Canal 5 Televisa, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Mexico

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Mexico vs. Australia for free with ExpressVPN.

Dark closets and creepy attics are all very well and good, but after you've seen Backrooms you'll know that cavernous, office-like spaces have the power to be just as unnerving.

Kane Parsons' movie, which is based on his series of YouTube shorts, which was in turn inspired by a 4chan creepypasta, takes us into a nightmarish other world that plays with the eerie concept of liminal space.

But what exactly is the liminal space the characters encounter? Where does it come from? What, if anything, does it want? We've broken down the ending of Backrooms below, along with some theories.

SEE ALSO: The best horror movies of 2025, and where to watch them What is Backrooms about? Credit: A24

Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an aspiring architect turned furniture shop owner, is trying to manage his drinking problem and process his recent separation through sessions with his therapist, Mary (Renate Reinsve).

Due to his separation, he's been sleeping on the floor of his shop. Clark quickly notices that the store's lights flicker on and off after dark. One night, when he's investigating down on the basement level, he spots a thin slither of light that appears to shine through the wall. This turns out to be a doorway to another dimension — the titular Backrooms, which are made up of misshapen and cavernous rooms that appear to stretch on and on... and which may well be occupied.

It's a disturbing concept, but Clark does the only thing a good horror protagonist can: He starts aggressively exploring despite multiple good reasons to leave the doorway well alone.

What happens at the end of Backrooms? Credit: A24

Clark tells his therapist about the discovery before drafting two of his employees, Kat (Lukita Maxwell) and Bobby (Finn Bennett), to go on a mission with him. He wants them to film a journey into the Backrooms as a kind of proof for Mary, who he rightfully suspects doesn't believe him. But that mission soon goes badly wrong, with Bobby being dragged through a doorway by something unseen and Kat and Clark becoming separated.

While running through a maze of rooms, Clark encounters a lurching woman with a misshapen face, before putting down his camera when he hears Kat calling to him through a wall. The camera is picked up by something unseen, and Clark's fate is left undetermined — until we switch to Mary's perspective as she follows his trail of breadcrumbs and finds the doorway herself.

Inside the Backrooms, Mary is attacked by Clark and wakes bound to a chair. He's sitting at a table with her alongside three other creatures that look like misshapen people. Clark explains to her that the Backrooms is "everything that ever was," and that the distorted man sitting at the table next to him is like a copy, or a memory, of a person that exists somewhere in the real world. Their conversation is interrupted by another creature that comes lurching into the room; it's a giant, distorted version of Clark dressed as the pirate mascot of his store. It kills Clark and chases Mary, who runs into some men in biohazard suits while trying to escape.

The final scene of the movie sees Mary sitting down opposite a scientist (Mark Duplass), who hints that he and a large team are working full-time to try to understand what the Backrooms are. Just before the credits, we jump back to the other world, where a misshapen version of Mary sits alone in an empty room.

So, what exactly is the world beyond the door? Credit: A24

Okay, let's start with what it's not. Although the Backrooms seems be created — or at least influenced — by the experiences and memories of those who encounter it, the place isn't just a psychological figment of the imagination. It's a real world, as is evidenced by the scientists exploring and mapping it out.

The place also isn't a kind of hell or purgatory, at least in the literal sense. Director Kane Parsons confirmed this during an A24 podcast with producer and horror legend James Wan.

"It's a maze-like world that doesn't have an inherent point to it. And I think the idea, what I always appreciated, is it's just described like it's a natural phenomenon. There's nothing, like, spiritual, or there's not morality to it," says Parsons. "It's not hell, it's not even like purgatory because you don't do anything to end up there."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Parsons goes on to describe the Backrooms as "playing into the feeling of getting stuck in a video game."

This segment from the interview offers our best clue into what the world really is, meaning a naturally occurring alternate dimension. It can change and grow, expanding and adapting to its environment in a way that's reminiscent of artificial intelligence.

Backrooms is in theaters now.

First, we had inflation. Then came the Trump tariffs. Now, it's RAMageddon, the memory-related price hikes affecting laptops, smartphones, gaming consoles, and any product that requires memory. And if that wasn’t bad enough, fuel prices are going up because of the Iran conflict.

In the post-COVID era, the price increases have been relentless, and supply chain experts told Mashable the global memory crisis will get worse before it gets better.

RAMageddon also has a simple explanation: the AI industry. "It’s definitely the AI industry and the demand for AI rollouts that's driving this," Jitesh Ubrani, a research manager with the International Data Corporation, told Mashable.

"The memory supply will remain tight from a device's perspective for the remainder of 2026 and well into 2027," Ubrani said. "We will see some alleviation in 2028, but keep in mind that prices will continue to rise throughout. And even in 2028, assuming this new [memory] capacity comes online and is able to provide some alleviation, we don't see device prices dropping significantly."

AI-generated image. Credit: Mashable

So, could consumers weary of price increases ultimately sour on the AI industry?

"I do think there is a backlash risk," said Tinglong Dai, a professor with the John Hopkins Carey Business School. "People may not care about memory supply chains in the abstract, but they do care when laptops, phones, and gaming PCs get more expensive. That kind of price frustration can turn a vague discomfort with AI into something much more concrete."

Dai warned that Big Tech may be blind to the potential backlash.

"I'm not sure AI leaders fully appreciate that risk. Jensen Huang calling the scarcity 'fantastic for us' may be true from NVIDIA's standpoint, but it is exactly the kind of quote that can look terrible in a policy debate. I do not think the main risk is a consumer boycott. Most AI infrastructure companies do not sell directly to consumers. The bigger risk is that policymakers in Seoul, Brussels, and eventually Washington decide AI infrastructure needs to be taxed, rationed, or regulated more aggressively."

Economist and author Shawn DuBravac also told Mashable that "AI and data centers should be worried about backlash generally." He added, "Memory prices are just one part of a much bigger narrative about consumer perception of AI and data centers."

Mashable reached out to Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI for comment on recent price increases; they all declined to answer.

Tech price increases so far this year

Tech prices vary based on a product's configuration. That means Microsoft Surface and Dell XPS 14 laptops don't have a single price. The processor, graphics card, RAM, and storage all affect pricing, and retailer pricing also varies. In compiling this list, we looked at announcements from device manufacturers, our previous reporting, reporting from other tech sites, and the Wayback Machine.

The prices in this guide are representative of price increases as of May 28, 2026. Prices can vary by retailer and date.

• Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 — Prices increased up to $150 in May

• Acer Predator Helios — Prices increased $125 to $200 year over year

• Asus — Announced general price increases starting Jan. 5, with laptop prices increasing $150 to $300

• Dell — Business Insider reported that Dell was increasing commercial laptop and PC prices up to 30 percent beginning in December 2025 due to higher RAM costs

• Dell XPS 14 — Starting prices increased from $1,599.99 to $1,899.99 in May

• Fortnite V-Bucks — Starting in March, $8.99 will only buy players 800 V-Bucks, compared to 1,000 previously

• Framework DDR5 — A 1 x 8GB DDR5-5600 module from Framework increased from $40 to $160 year over year

• MSI — In March, MSI announced plans to increase prices of gaming products from 15 to 30 percent due to the RAM shortage

• Lenovo Chromebook Plus 14 — Prices increased up to $250 year over year

• Lenovo Legion Go 2 — Prices increased from $300 to $650 and up this year (the 2TB configuration briefly soared from $1,370 to $2,849.99, a 92 percent increase, per PCMag)

• Lenovo Legion Tower 5 Desktop — Prices increased up to $220 year over year

• Lenovo LOQ Gaming Laptop — Prices increased up to $179 year over year

• HP — In February, HP confirmed it was increasing prices across the board due to a 100 percent increase in memory costs, with increases varying by product and country

• Microsoft Surface Laptops — Prices increased $100 to $500 in April

• Motorola Moto G — Price increased from $200 to $300 in April, a $100 increase over the 2025 version

• Motorola Moto G Play — Price increased from $180 to $250 in April, a $70 increase over the 2025 version

• Motorola Moto G Power — Price increased from $300 to $400 in April, a $100 increase over the 2025 version

• Motorola Moto G Stylus — Price increased from $400 to $500 in April, a $100 increase over the 2025 version

• Motorola Razr (2026) — Price increased from $699.99 to $799.99 in May, a $100 increase over the 2025 version

• Motorola Razr Plus (2026) — Price increased from $999.99 to $1,099.99 in May, a $100 increase over the 2025 version

• Motorola Razr Ultra (2026) — Price increased from $1,299 to $1,499.99 in May, a $200 increase over the 2025 version

• Nintendo Switch 2 — Prices increasing from $449.99 to $499.99 on Sept. 1

• Oura Ring 5 — The new smart ring costs $50 more than the Oura Ring 4

• PlayStation 5 (Disc Edition) — Prices increased from $499.99 to $649.99 on April 2

• PlayStation 5 (Digital Edition) — Prices increased from $449.99 to $599.99 on April 2

• PlayStation 5 Pro — Prices increased from $699.99 to $899.99 on April 2

• Samsung Galaxy S26 — Price increased from $800 to $900 in March, a $100 increase over the 2025 version

• Samsung Galaxy S26+ — Price increased from $1,000 to $1,100 in March, a $100 increase over the 2025 version

• Steam Deck OLED — Prices increased from $240 to $300 in May

Based on this sampling of products, the price of gaming consoles has increased 32.77 percent on average in 2026. Phone and laptop prices have increased on average 23.27 percent and 25.27 percent, respectively.

Some of the products listed in this article are new versions of products from 2025. Sometimes, brands offer slightly different specs, such as more or less memory, along with a price increase. In these cases, we've looked at the lowest starting price for the new model.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple is especially known for softening the blow of price increases by offering consumers more memory.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Streaming app price increases in 2026

Streaming apps are also getting more expensive, for a variety of reasons. On top of that, streaming services are also showing more ads to users.

AI-generated image. Credit: Mashable

• Amazon Music Unlimited — Individual plans rose from $10.99 to $12.99 (or $11.99 for Prime members) in February

• Amazon Prime (Ad-Free "Ultra" Tier) — The monthly surcharge to remove ads increased from $2.99 to $4.99 in April

• Crunchyroll (Fan Tier) — Increased from $7.99 to $9.99 in February

• Netflix (Standard Plan) — Increased from $15.49 to $19.99 in March

• Netflix (Ad-Supported Plan) — Increased from $7.99 to $8.99 in March

• Spotify Premium (Individual) — Increased from $11.99 to $12.99 in February

• Paramount+ (Essential) — Increased from $8 to $9 per month in January

• Paramount+ (Premium) — Increased from $12.99 to $13.99 in January

• Plex (Lifetime Pass) — Increasing from $250 to $749.99 in July

• YouTube Premium — Increased from $13.99 to $15.99 in April

Bellwether products

Gas and delivery costs are also going up in 2026, putting even more upward pressure on tech prices.

• Gasoline — The price of gas increased from $3.164 per gallon to $4.426 year over year, per AAA

• Crude oil — The cost of oil increased from $59 per barrel in May 2025 to a peak of $113 this month (currently $93 per barrel)

• FedEx — FedEx implemented a 20-25 cents per pound import demand surcharge starting May 7

• UPS — UPS is charging a $ 0.32-per-pound surge emergency fee for most international shipments and a $ 1.34-per-pound surge fee for shipments to and from the Middle East

When will shoppers get some relief?

We put this question to experts on economics and the tech industry. In general, they were skeptical that prices will come down to pre-crisis levels.

"I'm sure you remember the time we used to pay less than $1,000 for a phone, right?" asked Urbani. "Yeah, that's never going to happen again."

However, Willy Shih, a supply chain expert and professor at the Harvard Business School, said that in hyper-competitive markets, brands may have to lower prices eventually.

"For things like consumer PCs, that’s a pretty competitive space, so if you’re a company that tries to keep prices high and capture more profit, your competitors will undercut you and gain market share, so I think companies will largely have to pass on savings," Shih said. "Some might try to sell you more memory at the same price. But DRAMs are a globally priced commodity (just like oil!), so it will be hard to not pass on savings."

Ultimately, tech supply chain experts say the market will adapt, and the memory crisis will end.

"Component shortages do get resolved eventually," said Ubrani. "While I expect this one to last longer than many probably expect, eventually supply will catch up with demand or demand will slow. Component prices will eventually come down. Though it will likely take a little more time for those price declines to materialize into lower consumer prices."

However, Professor Dai also said he doesn't expect prices to come back down.

"Companies are quick to pass higher costs along, but slower to pass savings back. More likely, consumers will see more RAM at the same price point, or worse specs in the lower tiers, rather than cheaper laptops," Dai said.

Disclosure: PCMag and Mashable are both owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Is it any surprise that young people often forget Father's Day? There are just so many distractions at this time of year. Seriously, whose bright idea it was to cram Father's Day between graduation and dance recital season?

No need to panic though, even if you've left it to the very last minute (just to be clear, Father's Day is on June 21) — dads and father figures don't have to miss out. We've handpicked a selection of last-minute Father's Day gifts — from subscriptions that keep on giving and digital gifts to physical items that will ship overnight — so he'll never know you (almost) forgot his big day. Indeed, there's zero excuse to show up empty-handed.

Take a deep breath and scroll through these last-minute gift ideas for Father’s Day 2026.

TL;DR: Watch Switzerland vs. Norway in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships are slowly reaching their dramatic conclusion. Switzerland vs. Norway meet in the first semi-final matchup, and it looks like a really difficult one to predict.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Switzerland vs. Norway?

Switzerland vs. Norway in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 9:20 a.m. ET on May 30. This fixture takes place at the Swiss Life Arena.

How to watch Switzerland vs. Norway for free

Switzerland vs. Norway in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Switzerland vs. Norway plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Switzerland vs. Norway in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A card.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

SPADE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Kentucky has a big one.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 30, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

DERBY

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Hurdle Word 3 hint

Goo.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 30 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 30, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SLIME

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A songbird.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

FINCH

Final Hurdle hint

Foundation.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

FLOOR

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Tomorrow is the Full Moon, and it's also a monthly Blue Moon, the occurrence of two Full Moons within one month.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Saturday, May 30, the Moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. Tonight, 99% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

Tonight, with just your naked eye, you'll be able to spot the Mare Vaporum, Aristarchus Plateau, and the Mare Fecunditatis. If you have binoculars you'll also be able to catch a glimpse of the Mare Frigoris, Apennine Mountains, and the Clavius Crater. Finally, if you really want to see more, a telescope will help you see the Apollo 12 and 17 landing spots, and the Rima Ariadaeus.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes around 29.5 days to orbit Earth, passing through a repeating pattern of eight distinct phases. Although the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the portion illuminated by the Sun changes as it moves around the planet. This is what creates the different shapes we see in the night sky, from thin crescents to half Moons and the full Moon. Together, these phases form the lunar cycle:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

May is an exciting month for Moon watchers, as it features two Full Moons instead of the usual one. The first occurred on May 1, the Flower Moon, and the second is set to appear on May 31.

When a month contains two Full Moons, the second one is known as a “Blue Moon." Don't worry, you're not going to look up and see a literal blue colored moon in the sky, the name just refers to its rarity.

Intrigued? Keep reading to find out more about the second of this month’s Full Moons.

When is the May full moon?

The Full Moon will occur on Sunday, May 31. Time and Date estimates it will peak at 4:45 a.m. ET.

What is the May full moon called?

This Moon is simply known as a Blue Moon, perhaps a nod to the famous saying...

These occur when there are two Full Moons in the same month. Because the lunar cycle is just under 30 days, the timing occasionally lines up like this, with one Full Moon at the start of the month and another at the end. It’s fairly rare, only coming around every couple of years, NASA says. This is known as a monthly Blue Moon.

There’s also something called a seasonal Blue Moon, which is when a season has four Full Moons instead of the usual three.

When is the next full moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on June 29.

What are the lunar phases?

The Moon goes through eight phases as it orbits Earth over about 29 and a half days. At each point, the Sun lights up a different part of it from our perspective, even though we always see the same side. As it moves along its path, the lit portion grows and shrinks, shifting from full brightness to partial glow and back again.The phases are:

• New Moon — The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (so, we don't see anything).

• Waxing Crescent — A small sliver of light appears on the right side

• First Quarter — Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

• Waxing Gibbous — More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

• Full Moon — The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

• Waning Gibbous — The moon starts losing light on the right side

• Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) — Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

• Waning Crescent — A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

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