Articles by Allisa James, Computing Staff Writer

Named by the CTA as a CES 2023 Media Trailblazer, Allisa is a Computing Staff Writer who covers breaking news and rumors in the computing industry, as well as reviews, hands-on previews, featured articles, and the latest deals and trends.

Before she delved into tech, she was a writer and editor in the gaming industry for several years, with bylines at DualShockers, Gampur, TheGamer, Uppercut, Tom's Guide, and much more.

In her spare time you can find her chatting it up on her two podcasts, Megaten Marathon and Combo Chain, as well as playing any JRPGs she can get her hands on. She also loves to play and write about her favorite indie games, especially indie horror titles.

Articles by: Allisa James

Apple student discount: how to save money for back-to-school 2025

By Matt Hanson last updated 6 August 24

Students, teachers, and even parents can take advantage of Apple's excellent student discount - and there's even a seasonal back-to-school sale available right now.

Google's new AI feature for Chromebooks could do the impossible and fix your Bluetooth issues

By Allisa James published 6 August 24

Google's new AI feature for Chromebook, BlueBuddy, could do the impossible and fix Bluetooth issues.

The best time to buy a laptop

By Allisa James published 4 August 24

If you're looking for the best price for your dream laptop, we'll break it down for you when it's the best time to buy a laptop.

two black PC handhelds against pink and blue background

Steam Deck vs Asus ROG Ally X: which is the best PC gaming handheld?

By Allisa James published 3 August 24

Which is the superior PC gaming handheld, the Steam Deck or the Asus ROG Ally X? We compare both to find out which reigns supreme.

Lenovo Legion Go review: this is the true Steam Deck rival

By Allisa James last updated 2 August 24

Recommended

The Lenovo Legion Go manages to balance incredible performance with a truly flexible and well-designed form factor.

A laptop vs desktop against a two tone background

Laptop vs desktop: which should you buy for back to school in 2025?

By Allisa James last updated 31 July 24

We pit laptop vs desktop to see which one comes out the ultimate computing champion.

The Apple M1 vs M2 logos over a black and white bifurcated background

M1 vs M2: which one should be in your next MacBook?

By Allisa James last updated 30 July 24

If you're wondering whether the Apple M1 or M2 chip is the right choice for your next MacBook, we break down what we know to make your decision easier.

An Acer Nitro 5 (2022) sitting on a desk

Acer Nitro 5 (2022) review

By Allisa James last updated 30 July 24

If you’re looking for a good quality budget gaming laptop, the Acer Nitro 5 (2022) is a solid option to consider.

An AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D held between a man's fingers

Intel better watch out, as AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X has just broken a benchmark performance world record

By Allisa James published 30 July 24

Intel's strongest CPU doesn't stand a chance now, after AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X broke a benchmark performance world record.

Steam Deck modders rejoice: Valve is bringing third-party display mod support, which could open up more modding in the future

By Allisa James published 29 July 24

Steam Deck gets support for a third-party display mod - which is excellent news for future hardware and software mods.

HP may have plenty of AI software and hardware to show off, but accessibility is AI's best and only future

By Allisa James published 27 July 24

After seeing what HP's Imagine AI has to offer, the best use of AI is still for accessibility.

Cartoon retro woman screaming in horror at HDMI cables

How to connect your laptop to a TV

By Christian Guyton last updated 26 July 24

Want to know how to connect your laptop to a TV for some big-screen viewing goodness? We'll guide you through the process.

Ultrawide gaming monitors don't need to cost an arm and a leg, not with this LG monitor on sale for less than $300

By Allisa James published 23 July 24

The LG Ultrawide 34-inch curved gaming monitor is currently on sale in both the US and UK for less than $300 and for its lowest price ever, respectively.

Lenovo Legion Go on orange background and price cut sign

One of the best PC gaming portables, the Lenovo Legion Go, is on sale now

By Allisa James published 23 July 24

Lenovo Legion Go, one of the best gaming PC portables, is discounted in both the US and UK for at least $70 and £100.

an iphone, ipad, and mac on a wooden table

I've demoed plenty of games on Apple devices – here's why I believe the future of Mac gaming has never been brighter

By Allisa James published 20 July 24

After trying out several games running on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, I can now see that Mac gaming's future has never been brighter.

Want a foldable keyboard that doubles as a PC? This one even squeezes in AMD's latest Ryzen 7 processor

By Allisa James published 8 July 24

This foldable keyboard computer shows us the mini PC's potential as it even comes with the AMD Ryzen 7 8840U.

The best MSI gaming laptops 2024: our pick of the gaming powerhouses

By Allisa James last updated 7 July 24

Buying Guide We're rounding up only the best MSI gaming laptops from budget picks to midrange offerings, and leading options.

the Surface Laptop 7 and MacBook Air (M3) against a split background

Surface Laptop 7 vs MacBook Air (M3): we tell you which laptop is the best

By Allisa James published 6 July 24

What laptop is the best choice to invest in? We pit the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 and Apple MacBook Air (M3) against each other to find out which is superior.

the MacBook and Galaxy Book4 against a green background

I'm a laptop expert and these pre-Prime Day deals are the best you can find

By Allisa James published 5 July 24

Prime Day is coming soon,, and we already have some great deals on the MacBook Pro and Galaxy Book4 Pro models.

A hacker typing on a MacBook laptop with code on the screen.

How to record audio on a MacBook

By Allisa James published 3 July 24

We'll show you how to record audio on a MacBook like a pro

An Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 Super on a desk

Sorry, gamers: memory prices could be on the way up, which means you'll pay more for that Nvidia RTX 5090

By Allisa James published 1 July 24

Memory prices could rise soon, which means you'll be paying more for that Nvidia RTX 5090 GPU.

Watch out, Apple: Microsoft's Surface Laptops match MacBooks for performance and beat them on repairability

By Allisa James published 29 June 24

Microsoft's Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 are the current gold standards for both performance and repairability.

Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024) review: a great, if not mind-blowing, refresh

By Allisa James published 28 June 24

Recommended

If you're looking for a budget gaming laptop, the Acer Chromebook Plus 516 GE (2024) is a great pick.

Dell XPS 15 (2023) review: a well-rounded Ultrabook that pales to its predecessor

By Allisa James last updated 28 June 24

The Dell XPS 15 (2023) is a solid Ultrabook that accomplishes everything it sets out to do but falls short of the 2022 model.

Robots star in an innovative musical show written by an artificial intelligence for a vision of the future of entertainment

YouTube may be planning to give us new AI song generators this year – and this time the music labels could let it happen

By Allisa James published 27 June 24

YouTube is reportedly looking to partner with record labels, by paying them to train AI on their songs.

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