Mashable

Dr. Mary Anne Franks gets why people may be upset by a recent court ruling on possessing AI-generated child sexual abuse material.

The decision, issued in late August by a federal appeals court panel, found that the First Amendment protects the possession of child sexual abuse material, or CSAM, in the home if it was created using artificial intelligence and does not depict an actual child.

"A lot of people have quite understandable intuitions about how wrong this sounds, or how it sounds like there's something radical going on here," said Franks, the Eugene L. and Barbara A. Bernard Professor in Intellectual Property, Technology, and Civil Rights at the George Washington University Law School.

SEE ALSO: Grok CSAM lawsuit expands as more step forward

Instead, Franks said the panel adhered to Supreme Court decisions issued decades ago, before AI could render hyper-realistic images of fake people and fake images of real people.

"I do think it's a really straightforward reading of prior precedent, but I also understand why it's really upsetting to hear," Franks told Mashable.

But that's not the end of the story. The judges made clear their discomfort with the conclusion by signaling to the Supreme Court that it might reconsider the precedent. Franks called the move "unusual."

"[G]iven the significant advances in computer-generated image technology, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence, we would benefit from additional guidance from the Supreme Court regarding the intersection between the First Amendment and virtual CSAM if an appropriate case should arise," wrote Judges John Z. Lee and Joshua P. Kolar.

What is the AI CSAM case really about?

The three-judge panel, which is part of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, considered the facts of a federal case against Steven Anderegg, a software engineer who used generative AI tools to create "hyper-realistic" CSAM.

Not only did he allegedly produce, distribute, and possess the material, but he also sent it to a minor via Instagram direct messages in Oct. 2023. Meta, Instagram's parent company, detected and reported the image and reported it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children's CyberTipline.

A law enforcement investigation subsequently led to Anderegg's arrest. He was charged with multiple crimes, including knowingly possessing "at least one visual depiction that depicted a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct and was obscene."

Anderegg moved to dismiss the possession charge, arguing that conviction for possession of CSAM would violate his First Amendment rights as defined by past Supreme Court decisions. A district court agreed. Prosecutors appealed that decision, landing the case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, which ultimately dropped the possession charge.

Anderegg still faces charges for producing and distributing CSAM.

Why is this kind of CSAM protected by the First Amendment?

A combination of past Supreme Court cases led to the dropping of Anderegg's CSAM possession charge, Franks explained.

Namely, in 1969, the Supreme Court ruled in Stanley v. Georgia that individuals have a right to possess obscenity in their own home.

By 1990, however, the Supreme Court carved out an exception when it addressed the possession of "child pornography" in Osborne v. Ohio. The decision recognized that, possession of CSAM, even if viewed only in the home, serves both as a permanent record of a child's abuse and as a potential lure for other victims. Prohibiting possession of this material could help decrease the demand and production of CSAM, the justices reasoned. 

Then, in 2002, the Supreme Court considered a federal law provision that prohibited the possession of virtual CSAM. The ban was broadly written to include any visual depiction or computer-generated image that appeared to be of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

The court struck down the provision and effectively declared that entirely computer-generated CSAM is protected by the First Amendment.

The Court did not address another provision of the federal law that banned "morphed" CSAM, or computer-generated CSAM created using images of real children.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit judges who recently relied on the 2002 ruling to decide Anderegg's appeal acknowledged the difficulty of doing so.

"Given the relentless advancement in artificial intelligence models, we have some concerns about the lines these cases draw, but we are not free to redraw them ourselves," Judge John Z. Lee wrote in his opinion.

What happens next with AI CSAM

The government has not yet appealed the 7th Circuit's decision, but Franks said it has the option to do so. In that scenario, the Supreme Court would consider taking up the case in the October term.

Franks said the conclusion that fully virtual CSAM is protected by the First Amendment could be successfully challenged. In particular, the government could argue that AI models have indeed been trained on CSAM imagery.

As a result, even if a particular AI-generated CSAM image doesn't depict a real child, it may have been produced using an image of a real child being victimized.

Franks does believe that prohibitions of virtual CSAM must be very narrowly and carefully defined to avoid "weaponization by moralistic crusaders with anti-LGBTQ+, misogynist, and/or anti-sexual education agendas."

The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, for example, argues that porn should be outlawed and those who produce and distribute it should be imprisoned. Project 2025 links porn to "the omnipresent propagation of transgender ideology and sexualization of children."

Still, Franks said the risks of AI CSAM are real and present, not hypothetical possibilities.

In her opinion, AI CSAM normalizes the sexualization of children by adults and by other children, undermining their bodily autonomy, self-esteem, and flourishing.

"The question we should be asking is what possible benefit AI CSAM provides that justifies such harms," Franks said.

If you are a child being sexually exploited online, or you know a child who is being sexually exploited online, or you witnessed exploitation of a child occur online, you can report it to the CyberTipline, which is operated by the National Center for Missing Exploited & Children.

TL;DR: A BJ’s 1-year Club Card Membership is now only $15 (reg. $60).

Opens in a new window Credit: BJ's Wholesale Club 1-Year BJ's Club Membership with BJ's Easy Renewal® $15
$60 Save $45   Get Deal

Buying in bulk is one of the simplest ways to spend less on the stuff your family runs through every week. Warehouse clubs like BJ’s let you grab groceries, household staples, and a whole lot more in one trip, so you save both money and time. Right now, a BJ’s Club Card Membership is on sale for just $15 (normally $60).

BJ’s Wholesale Club is a place to shop for family essentials, including fresh foods, produce, deli items, household staples, and more. BJ’s members can save up to 25% off grocery store prices, but that’s not the only reason to shop there. You can also look out for new clothes, seasonal décor, toys, tech, and furniture.

Tank running low? Fill up on your way out, and don’t forget you could get extra savings through the BJ’s Fuel Saver Program when you buy eligible products in the club. That’s a whole lot easier than making one more stop on top of all your other errands.

You don’t have to shop in-store to use the membership. BJ’s has an app that lets you shop online and choose curbside pickup or same-day delivery when it’s available in your area. You can also add digital coupons directly to your membership card, so the discount applies automatically at checkout.

This deal is for new members only and gives you a code you can redeem directly on BJ's.com to create your membership. Your membership comes with auto-renewal enabled, but you can switch it off in your account settings if you want to control when you re-up.

Try a new way to shop. Get a one-year BJ’s Club Card Membership for $15.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

For a dating site that launched at the dawn of the new millennium, eharmony has remained relevant, largely by focusing on a more substantive, personality-based approach to online matchmaking. Of course, it's still far from perfect. While users consistently appreciate the depth of its matchmaking algorithm, they also have numerous complaints about the cost of the service and the proliferation of fake profiles, especially since artificial intelligence became widely available. 

Opens in a new window Credit: eharmony eharmony   Learn More

Here's what real eharmony users had to say about the site, from the best features to the worst experiences: 

Pro: The screening process weeds out unserious daters

If you're looking for substance in your dating life, one of the first challenges can be filtering out the seemingly overwhelming number of people who are in it for short-term fun. But eharmony largely bypasses that problem, first by its reputation (it began as a Christian dating site!) and next by its rather involved signup process, which includes filling out their proprietary compatibility questionnaire. 

Reddit reviewers consistently lauded this focus on substance in the screening process ("it forces you to focus on depth over pure visuals") and found the compatibility scores, assigned based on your answers to the personality quiz you take when you sign up, to be a useful way of evaluating matches before starting a conversation. 

SEE ALSO: The best hookup apps for 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt

Here's a story from one older gentleman: "My mindset was that I really needed to be fully honest in my answers, because why would I pay for a service and not be honest? After a few days, I got my matches. A day later, I got a nice message from a woman 10 years younger than me. We exchanged some messages, and then I looked at our match score after she prompted me about it. We were 126 out of 140. I decided to go with it because she and I were really vibing on each other. A year later we got engaged and will marry next year."

For reference, a compatibility score of 126 on eharmony is incredibly rare. As one Redditor responded, "When I was on there, I never had greater than 105 with any match." 

Con: Expensive membership fees

A recurring complaint about eharmony was the cost of a premium membership, which is non-negotiable if you want to get the most out of the site (you can't even see photos without upgrading!). There are three premium membership tiers (Light, Plus, and Unlimited), with pricing varying somewhat by your location, but you should expect to pay at least $15 per month for a membership, which makes it more expensive than a standard Netflix membership and in line with some of the cheaper gym memberships you can get. 

Users consistently complained not only about the price but also about the cancellation process: "I’ve tried eHarmony and found it way too expensive for what it offers, and to top it [off], the process of cancellation is so complicated," said one Reddit reviewer. Other users were outraged by the automatic membership renewals or the difficulty of canceling a subscription, even within 12 hours of signing up. 

On the other hand, eharmony regularly offers steep discounts of up to 50 percent off its membership price, so if you time your signup right, you can enjoy substantial savings. 

Pro: eharmony caters to older daters

It isn't necessarily by design, but it's also glaringly obvious that different age demographics tend to gravitate towards different dating sites or apps, which becomes very apparent if you've ever used Tinder as a middle-aged adult. Older daters, divorced daters, and anyone looking for a more mature partner should definitely give eharmony a try (we named it the "gold standard" for daters over 40 for a reason!)

Here's a typical experience from an older male dater: "45 yo divorced guy here. I signed up with eHarmony and Bumble 2 months ago based on recommendations from co-workers. I've had much better luck with eHarmony than Bumble. My highest compatibility ratings are in the 110 to 116 range, and these comprise about 33 percent of my daily feed. The other 33 percent are in the 100 to 105 rating scale, and the final 33 percent are in the 89 to 99 rating scale. [...] In contrast, I have connected with zero women in Bumble Premium after 2 months."

Con: Proliferation of fake profiles

In the age of agentic AI and cheaply produced fake photos and videos, all dating sites are having a hard time distinguishing between real and fake members, but eharmony users were particularly concerned with the number of fake dating profiles they would have to sift through before finding a real human being to engage. 

In fact, one of the top-rated posts on the /r/eharmony subreddit in the last year decries, "The fake profile problem has got noticeably worse," complaining that of the 14 likes their account received, 11 came from obviously fake accounts. 

How big a con is this, really? For older daters unaccustomed to filtering out fake profiles and obviously enhanced photos, it can be a pain in the butt, but if you're even remotely internet-savvy, you shouldn't have too much trouble distinguishing real from unreal users, and we guarantee you'll encounter this problem, to some degree, on almost every dating platform currently in use. And because eharmony is so restrictive of free members, it's a problem you can largely side-step if you upgrade your account and only interact with other paying members. 

TL;DR: Watch Valencia vs. Barcelona in La Liga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

La Liga has started with Barcelona and Real Madrid dominating the standings. What's new?

It's the biggest rivalry in Spanish football, by some margin. We know it's only early days, but it's already shaping up to be a pretty epic battle between Spain's biggest clubs. Can Barcelona continue to top the standings after the fourth round of fixtures? They'll need to overcome Valencia at the Mestalla.

If you're interested in watching Valencia vs. Barcelona in La Liga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Valencia vs. Barcelona?

Valencia vs. Barcelona in La Liga kicks off at 10:15 p.m. ET on Sept. 6. This fixture takes place at the Mestalla.

How to watch Valencia vs. Barcelona for free

Valencia vs. Barcelona in La Liga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, 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 Brazil, meaning you can live stream Valencia vs. Barcelona for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Valencia vs. Barcelona for free by following these simple steps:

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Valencia vs. Barcelona 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 generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Valencia vs. Barcelona without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for La Liga?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Valencia vs. Barcelona for free from anywhere in the world 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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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 Bostonian hockey player.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

BRUIN

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To cause.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

BEGET

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To swindle.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 6, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Sept. 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

GRIFT

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Come together.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

UNITE

Final Hurdle hint

Allocate.

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

ALLOT

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

TL;DR: Watch Everton vs. Manchester United in the Premier League for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It doesn't really matter whether Manchester United are the best or worst team in the Premier League. Either way, they are going to get a lot of eyes on them. That's just the way it goes for one of the biggest clubs in the world.

Manchester United started this campaign with a shock defeat to Hull City, but bounced back with a home win over Ipswich Town. Now they face a tricky matchup with Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. David Moyes's team are unbeaten after two games.

If you're interested in watching Everton vs. Manchester United in the Premier League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Everton vs. Manchester United?

Everton vs. Manchester United in the Premier League kicks off at 9 a.m. ET on Sept. 6. This fixture takes place at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

How to watch Everton vs. Manchester United for free

Everton vs. Manchester United in the Premier League is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, 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 Brazil, meaning you can live stream Everton vs. Manchester United for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Everton vs. Manchester United for free by following these simple steps:

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Everton vs. Manchester United 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 generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Everton vs. Manchester United without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus more Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the Premier League?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Everton vs. Manchester United for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you're a fan of the Houston Texans.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.

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

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Defense

• Green: Meet the Joneses

• Blue: Houston football players

• Purple: Sounds like an NFL player

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Defend

• Green: Joneses

• Blue: Houston Texans

• Purple: NFL QBs with the First Letter Changed

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #713 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Defend: BLANKET, COVER, GUARD, SHIELD

• Joneses: DANIEL, DEACON, JONQUEL, MAC

• Houston Texans: DELL, MARKS, STINGLEY, STROUD

• NFL QBs with the First Letter Changed: CART, COVER, DODGERS, THOUGH

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 6, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for September 6, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 6 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 6 Pips

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 6 Pips

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this red space must add up to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this red space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this red space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically; 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally.

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

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 6, 2026 Card slot meaning

A port in a computer meant for a memory card.

Headphone jack meaning

A port in a tech device that allows for a listening device to connect.

Optical drive meaning

A slot in a computer meant for CDs.

USB port meaning

A slot in a tech device that allows data to be transferred.

Blank check meaning

Giving someone freedom to take action.

Carte blanche meaning

Complete authority to make a decision.

Free reign meaning

Unrestricted liberty or control.

Full authority meaning

Having complete power to make decisions.

Court scribe meaning

A person responsible for recording legal proceedings.

Director's cut meaning

Restored video content including deleted scenes.

Pizza slice meaning

Piece of a pie.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

SAT score meaning

A college-entry test score.

ATM machine meaning

A device that dispenses cash.

LCD display meaning

A flat screen technology used in digital devices.

PIN number meaning

A secret code used to verify one's identity.

UPC code meaning

The scannable barcode on a retail item.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a computer geek.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 6, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: All-access

• Green: PC slots

• Blue: Shortened

• Purple: Dig in

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Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Unrestricted permission

• Green: Places to insert something on a computer

• Blue: Abbreviations followed by redundant word

• Purple: Ending with ways to carve a surface

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1178 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Unrestricted permission: BLANK CHECK, CARTE BLANCHE, FREE REIGN, FULL AUTHORITY

• Places to insert something on a computer: CARD SLOT, HEADPHONE JACK, OPTICAL DRIVE, USB PORT

• Abbreviations followed by redundant word: ATM MACHINE, LCD DISPLAY, PIN NUMBER, UPC CODE

• Ending with ways to carve a surface: COURT SCRIBE, DIRECTOR'S CUT, PIZZA SLICE, SAT SCORE

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're just right.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 6, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: I've seen better

The words are related to mediocrity.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe being ordinary.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Nothing Special.

NYT Strands word list for September 6

• Adequate

• Alright

• Okay

• Nothing Special

• Mediocre

• Average

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like to stay neutral.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 6, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 6, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Tan.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

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Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

BEIGE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

TL;DR: Get the InstaHeadshots Premium Plan for $59.99 (reg. $200) and receive 50 AI-generated headshots, five styles, and 50 edit credits.

Opens in a new window Credit: InstaHeadshots InstaHeadshots AI Headshot Generator Premium Plan: One-Time Purchase $59.99
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Upload your images, choose from five styles, and let the AI generate a collection of headshots for your LinkedIn profile, résumé, website, or other professional needs.

The Premium Plan includes 50 AI-generated headshots in five different styles, giving you more options than a single studio portrait. Uploading photos from different angles and lighting conditions can help the generator create results tailored to your appearance. The plan also includes 50 edit credits, which you can use to request changes such as a different outfit, background, setting, or hairstyle.

The resulting images are generated in 4K resolution and come with full commercial usage rights, so you can use them for professional profiles, business cards, websites, speaker bios, team pages, and résumés. Your headshots are stored permanently and can be re-downloaded, while your account access isn’t tied to a particular device.

If you’re actively job searching, building a personal brand, or just need updated photos for several professional profiles, having a batch of different looks could save you from booking separate photoshoots. The service is also available to all users, and product improvements are included at no additional cost.

If AI-generated photography fits what you’re looking for, this deal offers a sizable collection of professional headshots. Get the InstaHeadshots Premium Plan for $59.99 (reg. $200) while it’s on sale.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

What looked, on the surface, like a clear case of copyright infringement has taken a surprising turn in court, as a judge for the District Court of Delaware has ruled that, because X abandoned both the term "tweet" and the blue bird logo, both are now fair game.

In deference to the judge's decision and to pre-empt any further potential legal action, Operation Bluebird has re-rebranded, transforming Twitter.now into Tweet.app, under the tagline "The square is back. And this time, it's yours."

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk found liable for defrauding Twitter investors

Back in 2023, Elon Musk rebranded the platform entirely, nixing the Twitter name and iconic blue bird logo in favor of a simplified X. And now a brash startup, originally named Operation Bluebird, has attempted to swoop in and pick up the abandoned iconography, creating a social media platform called Twitter.now that recycles both the concept of a "tweet" and the blue bird logo of the OG Twitter. 

What looked, on the surface, like a clear case of copyright infringement has taken a surprising turn in court, as a judge for the District Court of Delaware has ruled that, because X abandoned both the term "tweet" and the blue bird logo, both are now fair game. Chief Judge Colm F. Connolly did draw the line at the use of "Twitter" in the name, however, arguing that because X still owns the Twitter.com domain name, and because the site is still referred to as Twitter by many of its users, a dual-use authorization would create confusion. 

They go on to take a direct shot at both X.com and Elon Musk: "The richest man alive bought the town square, renamed it, and threw the bird away on his way out. Three years and a great deal of money later, people still say tweet. So we went back and picked up what he dropped, and rebuilt the square on the thing that got sold off first: Trust."

As of this writing, Tweet.app is not yet live, but you can become an early subscriber as either a Founder ("You were here at the start") for a one-time payment of $20 or a Fighter (“You didn't just show up — you stood up”) for $40. According to Tech Crunch, more than 170,000 people have already signed up. 

Is Tweet.app destined to supplant X.com or will it fizzle out in costly legal disputes? Only time will tell. 

The District Court of Minnesota has rejected the efforts of Elon Musk's xAI to seek an injunction to suspend the law until a court could hear its constitutional challenge to the law itself, according to a report by Reuters. Judge Donovan W. Frank, in his Conclusion, argued that "xAI has not demonstrated irreparable harm and the balance of harms tips steeply in favor of the State."

The bill Musk is trying to fight was recently passed into law by Minnesota, becoming the nation's first anti-nudification law. Companies found in violation of this law would be subject to fines of up to $500,000 every time artificial intelligence is used to alter images to depict the "intimate parts" of a person in such a way that "a reasonable person would believe that the intimate part belongs to the identifiable individual."

SEE ALSO: Minnesota's nudification ban takes effect after judge rejects xAI's bid to pause it

xAI is alleging that the Minnesota bill is a First Amendment violation of not only itself, as a corporate entity, but also a violation of the rights of its users. That larger lawsuit has yet to go to trial, but Attorney General Keith Ellison has already given his unvarnished opinion: "I would argue that there is no First Amendment right to falsely exploit somebody’s image and make them appear naked."

Meanwhile, xAI is already being sued by a "Jane Doe" in Arkansas, alleging that xAI "chose to release and monetize a product that they knew, or at minimum should have known, could and would be used to digitally exploit children for commercial gain." 

Interestingly, xAI's own Acceptable Use Policy explicitly forbids "[u]ndressing or nudifying real persons, or otherwise altering a real person’s image or likeness to depict them in an intimate or sexual context," so it isn't clear why they are simultaneously taking the state of Minnesota to court for a law that would criminalize behavior they already ostensibly prohibit, unless their Acceptable Use Policy is little more than an attempt to indemnify them against legal repercussions. 

In the meantime, xAI's lawsuit will be allowed to continue, and anyone concerned about the future use and regulation of artificial intelligence should pay very close attention to the findings.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you watch college football.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.

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

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: East coast conference

• Green: Southern cities

• Blue: Pro Tigers

• Purple: School icons

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: ACC Schools

• Green: SEC School Locations

• Blue: LSU Alumni in NFL

• Purple: Live College Football Mascots

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #712 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• ACC Schools: CLEMSON, LOUISVILLE, STANFORD, VIRGINIA

• SEC School Locations: BATON ROUGE, COLUMBIA, NORMAN, STARKVILLE

• LSU Alumni in NFL: BURROW, CHASE, DANIELS, JEFFERSON

• Live College Football Mascots: RALPHIE, REVEILLE, SMOKEY, UGA

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 5, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for September 5, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 5 Pips

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-5, placed horizonally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 5 Pips

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 5 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this red space must add up to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this red space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 4-5, placed vertically.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

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

In the latest incident of AI malfeasance, rogue AI agents were caught taking control of a German-language wiki site, DseWiki, and using it as a kind of messaging board to communicate with other rogue AI agents, according to reporting from Reuters.

The full investigation, conducted by four independent AI safety researchers, was only published yesterday, but it reveals a troubling loss of oversight.

"We found ~18,000 posts from autonomous AI agents (self-identifying as from OpenAI) using the public internet to communicate during a web-retrieval task," the report reads. "These AIs colluded to share answers, research their environment, and bypass sandbox restrictions."

Another troubling discovery about both the AI agents is that while the safety researchers are convinced that the AI agents originated from OpenAI, the company itself has taken no responsibility for the breach.

"OpenAI has not acknowledged any involvement in the breach, nor disclosed any kind of agentic breach of this nature," reports The Verge. Four company insiders, who spoke to Reuters on the condition of anonymity, have even claimed that both the company and its legal team have resisted internal efforts to probe the breach. 

This incident isn't even the first of its kind. In a much more troubling and aggressive breach, rogue AI agents colluded to hack Hugging Face, the AI platform commonly described as "GitHub for AI," lately purchased by NVIDIA for more than $12 billion. The MIT Technology Review described it as "the first time outside of a simulation that LLMs escaped what was thought to be a secure sandbox, accessed the open internet, and attacked another organization," setting an extremely troubling precedent for what they might be capable of doing in the future. 

What both the DseWiki and Hugging Face incidents reveal is the problem-solving nature of artificial intelligence as well as how far it can go in service of its goals. In both cases, rogue AI agents managed to escape the impositions of their handlers, discover new repositories of knowledge, and call on other agents to collude in both learning and applying the new-found knowledge to expand their operating scope.

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.

Here at Mashable, we're constantly reviewing the best laptops based on an exhaustive in-house methodology that combines real-world use with performance benchmarking. In the past two years alone, we've tried over 90 different models across a range of price points.

To determine which of them fit the bill for college students, specifically, I researched the top 10 public universities' hardware recommendations for the fall 2026 semester and honed our pool of contenders based on the common threads I noticed for different majors.

I also gave special preference to laptops that are long-lasting and portable enough to be toted around campus, and those that are competitively priced for the current market. Laptops aren't cheap right now, but a solid splurge can last you well past graduation. Take advantage of student discounts whenever possible.

I eventually settled on six top picks that make the best laptops for college students. Whether you're a humanities student, a STEM major, or still undeclared, I'm confident that at least one of my options will be your ideal machine. Here's a quick overview of my recs for popular majors:

• Best for communication, fine arts, education, humanities, and healthcare majors: 13-inch Apple MacBook Air

• Best for business and economics majors: Acer Swift Edge 14 AI and Dell 14S

• Best for liberal arts majors with tight budgets: Apple MacBook Neo

• Best for engineering, computer science, and architecture majors: Acer Swift X 14 or Acer Swift X 14 AI, based on availability

• Best for graphic design, animation, and video production majors: 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro

Read on to find out why these laptops made the cut.

What to look for in a college laptop, based on my research A Windows laptop with a mid-tier Intel Core or AMD Ryzen 7 processor is suitable for most college students. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Six of this year's 10 top-ranking public universities tell their incoming students to purchase Windows 11 laptops or MacBooks that are less than two years old. I wouldn't go any older than that for the sake of future-proofing.

Most of those schools tell their students to purchase laptops with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage at minimum. (Liberal arts majors might be able to get away with 256GB of storage, but you'll probably have to supplement that with an external hard drive.) More RAM and storage is better if your budget allows; more is mandatory if you're an engineering, design, or computer science major. Students in those fields are generally advised to get a laptop with at least 24GB to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

SEE ALSO: Laptop specs explained: A jargon-free guide to what's inside your computer

Your processor options are a similar story. For Windows laptops, most schools suggest a mid-range CPU like an Intel Core/AMD Ryzen 5 at minimum, and a mid- to high-end Intel Core/AMD Ryzen 7 or 9 chip for more demanding workloads. Several schools recommend tacking on a dedicated GPU for such coursework, too (i.e, Nvidia GeForce RTX/Radeon RX graphics). On the Apple side, the MacBook Air and Pro with the base M5 chip are go-to recs for most students.

Two schools tell their students not to buy ARM-based Windows laptops (with Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors) because they can't run certain software natively. One software example is AutoCAD, a popular 2D and 3D design app that engineering and design students rely on heavily. I love a lot of ARM laptops because they're fast and long-lasting, and I will say that their compatibility is improving every year. Still, I've opted to keep them off my list of 2026 picks out of an abundance of caution; stick with Intel and AMD CPUs for now.

Be sure to budget for an extended warranty with accidental damage protection, as suggested by over half of the top 10 public universities. For reference, AppleCare+ for Mac costs $67.99 to $139.99 a year for students, depending on the MacBook model.

What type of laptop should college students buy? Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

This is a question that only your college can answer for sure, as laptop type recommendations can vary by major. For example, the University of Virginia and the University of California, Davis approve MacBooks for their general student populations, but their engineering departments tell certain tracks to avoid them. Likewise, UCLA's Anderson School of Management hardware requirement page says, "Mac computers are acceptable to use as primary computers for study at Anderson. However, please note that some elective course software is only available for Windows. Students are responsible for ensuring compatibility and configuring their Macs accordingly."

I can say for sure that you probably shouldn't buy a Chromebook. Three schools in my research pool discouraged them for some or all majors, and one school — the University of Florida — only recommended them "as supplemental devices." I included a Chromebook in a previous version of this guide as a secondary option for note-taking, but price increases amid the ongoing RAM shortage have made many of them just as expensive as Apple's budget MacBook Neo (if not more so), which is a much nicer and more powerful computer, relatively speaking.

Do you need your own laptop for college?

Yes, you should have your own laptop at college. Most universities let students temporarily borrow laptops through their libraries and/or tech desks. However, these loaners are available on a first-come, first-served basis and wiped upon return (i.e., you can't save anything on them long-term).

I wouldn't rely too heavily on your school's computer lab, either, because you can't take bring those desktops to class or your dorm. Ultimately, owning your own laptop is way more convenient and ensures you'll have the exact specs needed for your major's coursework.

Recent updates to this guide

• Sept. 3, 2026: I updated this guide to reflect recent pricing and availability changes for three of our picks. The Acer Swift Edge 14 AI was out of stock in new condition at the time of writing, but could return. (I'm monitoring retailers' inventories closely and will remove it from this list if it's sold out for good.) If it's unavailable when you go to buy it, you could snag a refurbished model or fall back on the Dell 14S. The latter just got an $80 to $130 price hike at different retailers, which isn't disqualifying, but you should wait to buy it on sale if possible. Finally, the Acer Swift X 14 was also out of stock when I went to check its listings. The Acer Swift X 14 AI is still a good secondary option if you can't find it.

• July 30, 2026: I added the results of the Dell 14S' battery life test. It was able to loop a video for 34 hours and 29 minutes before dying — very impressive!

• July 25, 2026: My preferred configuration of the Acer Swift X 14 is back in stock, so I added it to this guide in place of the Acer Swift X 14 AI. They're both smart buys, but the non-AI version is more powerful and lasts much longer.

• July 18, 2026: I overhauled this guide to the best laptops for college students ahead of the start of the 2026 school year. I added fresh picks from Apple, Acer, and Dell based on all-new testing and research.

Google didn't really bring the heat with most of the Pixel 11 lineup this year. The base Pixel model and the foldable Pixel 11 Pro Fold are both totally fine, but they don't stand out among the competition thanks to minor and unremarkable changes.

That's mostly true for the flagship Pixel 11 Pro as well, but what it lacks in incredible innovations, it makes up for in being a very good, very easy-to-use Android device with excellent cameras. Photography is fun on the Pixel 11 Pro, which is not something I feel about many handsets these days. A combination of hardware and software makes your images consistently look nice, even in challenging lighting conditions.

Between that and acceptable levels of performance and battery life, the new Pro is the smartphone I recommend getting in the Pixel 11 lineup. Just don't buy it for HiLight.

SEE ALSO: Review: Google Pixel 11 is sleek, but you might be happier with a cheap Pixel 10 Google Pixel 11 Pro review: The inevitable price increase Nice display. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

Despite filling the lede for review with a bunch of praise for the phone, I'm going to pivot right away into something I dislike about it: the starting price. At $1,099, it's $100 more than the Pixel 10 Pro was at launch. There are some caveats to that, as I'll cover momentarily, but the fact of the matter is that you can't get a Pixel 11 Pro for (technically) less than $1,000 anymore. That stinks.

But at least the colors this year are nice: Canyon, Olive, Fog, and Obsidian. I reviewed the Canyon model and I found it pretty easy on the eyes. Here are the basic specs for the Pixel 11 Pro:

• Display: 6.3 inches with 1280x2586 resolution, 1-120Hz refresh rate, and 3,600 nits peak brightness

• Processor: Google Tensor G6

• RAM: 12/16GB

• Storage: 256/512GB/1TB

• Battery: 4,850mAh

• Rear cameras: 50MP main, 48MP ultra-wide, 48MP telephoto

• Front camera: 42MP

Alright, so, there are a few things to clarify here. The display's size and resolution haven't changed at all since the Pixel 10 Pro, but the peak brightness has, with an extra 300 nits on this year's device to boost daytime performance. In outdoor usage, I had no problem clearly seeing what was on the screen, so I'd say that little boost did its job. The base Pixel 11 didn't get the same upgrade, so that's one of the things you get for the extra money.

Camera bar is a little thick. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

One major drawback, though, is that Google has cut the RAM on the lowest-end model to 12GB. Last year, you could get a Pixel 10 Pro with 256GB of storage and 16GB of RAM. This year, the 256GB model is tied to 12GB of RAM, while the 512GB and 1TB models get those four extra gigs of memory. I totally get that we live in the world of RAMageddon, but it still blows to see a phone downgrade year-over-year like that. I guess I should get used to it.

HiLight doesn't impress me much

HiLight is a little light module built into the camera bar on Pixel 11 Pro devices. This is supposed to be the one major hardware innovation this year, but I just don't see it. It only lights up when Gemini is in use or when someone calls you on the phone, two use cases that almost never happen in my life (aside from spam calls). It's theoretically a decent way to notify the user that something is up when the phone is turned over, but as it is right now, HiLight is a dud.

Lastly, I'll mention that the camera bar on the Pixel 11 Pro is much bulkier than on the base model. That's not a huge deal, especially if you put a case on the phone, but it is noticeable if you happen to have used both phones.

HiLight stinks. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable Google Pixel 11 Pro: Performance

I would describe the Pixel 11 Pro as "performant." Everything loads quickly and smoothly, and on-device AI tasks process in just a few seconds. It's not outstanding among other flagship smartphones, but these days, it's almost impossible for everyday performance to do that. Every phone is fast now. It's great.

Weirdly, the Geekbench 7 benchmarking software didn't agree with my IRL assessment. The Pixel 11 Pro got stunningly low scores on the test I ran: 1,448 for single-core CPU testing and 4,642 for multi-core testing. That's multiple thousands of points worse than the base Pixel 11, but I swear there is not a meaningful difference in practical use. Google's Tensor chips have always underperformed in Geekbench tests, so I'm guessing there's just something odd happening here that isn't really reflective of reality.

Google Pixel 11 Pro: AI features

One nice thing Google does is provide AI feature parity across its entire device lineup each year, and the Pixel 11 series is no different. As with the base Pixel 11 and the Pro Fold, the Pixel 11 Pro will use contextual on-screen prompts, such as a text message someone sent about a restaurant reservation, to surface relevant information or create calendar entries for you. These aren't exactly life-changing features, but they might save you a little bit of time.

The real AI juice this year is in Magic Capture and Rambler. Magic Capture is a new capture mode built into the Camera app that works the same as recording video, but once you're done recording, the phone will slice up the video into several clear, pristine still images for you, complete with automatic cropping and unblurring. I have found this great for getting good photos of pigeons around New York City, as they're fidgety and quick to scatter if you move too suddenly or get too close.

This guy really didn't want to be my friend. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable

I'm as big an AI skeptic as there is, but Magic Capture works for me because it's genuinely useful and isn't really trying to replace any of your cognitive functions. It's not creating new information; it's just giving you usable still images from videos.

Rambler, meanwhile, is a new function built into Gboard that's able to clean up your speech-to-text recordings. If you're prone to "umms" and changing direction mid-sentence, Rambler does a nice job of turning whatever nonsense you give it into a readable sentence. I imagine this will be a godsend for people who like to dictate their text messages.

Google Pixel 11 Pro: Battery life Who among us doesn't like lying flat on our faces? Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

Google rates each Pixel 11 device for 30 hours of battery life, and in my testing, that's about what I got out of them. The Pixel 11 Pro is no different.

Our testing method involves playing an HD video in full-screen on the device until it dies. Using that rubric, I got about 29.5 hours of juice out of the Pixel 11 Pro. As always, there are plenty of ways to squeeze even more life out of a phone, such as turning off 120Hz support and using battery-saving modes. I am confident you can go more than a full day without charging this phone.

Google Pixel 11 Pro review: The camera test

The real reason to get a Pixel 11 Pro (and this is true most years of the Pixel Pro phones) is the camera array. The rear cameras may not wow you with giant megapixel counts, but between the hardware and Google's patented software magic, it's so easy for even someone like me who knows nothing about photography to get great photos on a Pixel 11 Pro.

Every photo I took came out looking roughly like this, with clarity, vividness, and great color accuracy.

These won't be in bloom for long. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable Fall is almost here. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable

Night Sight is excellent, too. These plants are nigh-invisible at night, but with Night Sight, it looks like I photographed them during the day.

Left: No Night Sight. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable Right: Night Sight. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable

I'm always a fan of macro photography, and the Pixel 11 Pro takes pristine shots of things like plants up close and personal.

Macro rocks. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable

I'd also like to shout out the digital zoom, which Google upped to 120x this year after it topped out at 100x on Pixel 10 Pro. This has been my favorite parlor trick on Pixel phones for a few years now. It's really amazing how good photos taken from super far away can look on this device. In the image on the left, you can't even see the church steeple that's the subject of the image on the right, but I was standing in the same place, looking in the same direction for both shots.

Nothing to see here, right? Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable It's not perfect, but for 120x zoom, that's really good. Credit: Alex Perry / Mashable

Between all of that and the addition of Magic Capture, this is a great phone for photography.

Google Pixel 11 Pro: The verdict

In case it wasn't clear, if you absolutely must have a phone from the Pixel 11 series and the extra money is not a hurdle for you, I'd recommend the Pixel 11 Pro. It's just a rock-solid Android phone with a really great photography suite. Sure, HiLight is a bust, and the camera bar is a little bulky relative to the base Pixel 11, but those are compromises that are worth living with if you want the best Pixel 11 phone.

Google Pixel 11 Pro $1,042.31 at Amazon
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