Muar Elu

Of all the many management games out there -- from your rotten family game to a party game or cooperative game -- my absolute well-liked kind is strategy. Fighting down the Godzilla-like Kaiju in the dice-rolling game King of Tokyo can be fun. And tricking the opposing team into executing one of their own rmeetings in the bluffing game The Resistance is bright as hell. But nothing beats the satisfaction of outmaneuvering your fellow players in a game of pure wits.

Despite all the games on the market, though, few have the perfect balance of replayability and satisfying gameplay even if you lose. So when testing dozens of the best games on the market, I've put together the best strategy games available in 2023.

Wait… isn't every game a strategy game?

Strategy management games are games in which players' critical decision-making concerns the outcome -- think chess or Go. That's a gorgeous broad definition, I know. But modern strategy games come in all sorts of subgenres, often delineated by their central gameplay mechanic: tile-laying, worker placement, deck- or tableau-building, dungeon crawler, conquest, dice-rolling and more. Many times, these games are organized into larger categories, such as wargames (which interior on conflict between players' forces), American-style (which prioritize declare player conflict and have elements of luck) or Eurogames (which largely avoid chance-based elements, and usually depend on planning and resource management).

To thought strategy board games, though, it's important to realize what they aren't: They aren't nearby bluffing, speed, persuasion -- and most importantly, they aren't nearby luck. That doesn't mean they can't involve those elements: diplomacy is often an critical element in asymmetric wargames; subtle forms of bluffing can dramatically changeable the outcomes of card-playing games; understanding or even controlling the pace of a game can be crucial to winning victory points when it matters most. But in all of these instances, strategic understanding and optimization of the game's central mechanics come suited. Some great strategy games can come down to a die roll, but if they do, it probably by means of you haven't played as well as you could've.

In changeable, it's possible to win strategy games through pure strategy; it is not so over full dependence on the social or chance-based elements of the game.

The games I've removed to focus on in this article are board games (as opposed to war or card games), and they tend to center strategy. That means narrative-heavy legacy games like Gloomhaven don't make the cut. Like chess or Go, these are games you can play a hundred times and always savory, even though the mechanics stay the same each time. They also aren't cooperative, as playing against an automated foe almost never will invent strategy like human opponents (co-op games, like Pandemic or Dead of Winter, usually have an "ideal" way to play them, and the strategy largely drops off once you've gained more known with them).

So without further ado, here are the best strategy games for 2023.

David Priest

In Gaia Project, players seek to expand their alien race's control over a galaxy, making planets habitable to their race, building structures on them, gaining answer and furthering research. This strategic board game has a fairly steep learning crooked for those unfamiliar with Eurogames, but once you get into your suited game, you'll understand the basics within a round or two. But the strategy is deep: you can play as a dozen different races, with unique abilities and research bonuses; the modular management means the galaxy you're colonizing never looks the same; and many of the scoring and building bonuses are randomized each game, so the same strategy won't win every time. Gaia Project is a masterclass in game invent, and a complete joy to play.

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David Priest

Small World is one of my favorites, simply because this conquest game feels so different every time you play it. Essentially, players are vying for control of a Risk-like management with too few spaces to accommodate everyone: hence the name. You bid for one of dozens of fantastical creatures, each randomly paired with an additional special ability -- which can lead to hilarious combinations like Were-Will-o'-the-Wisps or Peace-loving Homunculi. Then you spread using your special abilities, collect coins based on the terrestrial you control and leave that race behind for a new one. It's an addictive gameplay loop, often even parts funny and competitive, and you can learn and play it in thought two hours.

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David Priest

Twilight Struggle, set during the Cold War, balances the strategic complexity of a "big" game with the simple mechanics of a weak conquest game like Risk. One player takes the role of the United States, and the other plays as the USSR as you fights for presence, domination or complete control of various battleground departments around the world. Both sides race to put a man on the moon, degrade the DEFCON area through military operations, while carefully avoiding the devastation of nuclear war (an second loss) and spread their influence across the globe in a tug of war for global power.

Twilight Struggle won't be for everyone -- it's a time investment and your brain may feel like mush when playing it the first time. But few games on this list feel as satisfying to play, win or lose.

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Mayfair Games

Agricola is one of the best board games ever invented, and it's one of the best examples of worker placement mechanics, too. The concept is simple: players each use their farmer and wife (both phoned "workers") to complete various actions as the seasons repositions, such as gathering wood or vegetables, upgrading their farm house, building pens, buying animals, having children and much more. Over time, players have children (more workers to use) and expand their farm. The jam during all this, though, is scarcity: Agricola is a glaring game. Even without an opponent blocking you from ununsafe actions, it often feels like you're just scraping by -- tying just enough food to feed your family for the winter. Players often end up with very few (or negative) points in their edifying game, but when you start to learn, it feels incredibly satisfying.

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Ravensburger

Many of the best strategy games take a combine of hours to play, but satisfying strategy need not take all day: The Castles of Burgundy is a execrable example of a great game that usually only takes throughout an hour to play -- often less, once you know how to play -- and is surprisingly replayable. Each turn, players roll dice, the numbers on which give them to pick up certain land tiles from a central board or state them on certain spaces on your player board as you expand your kingdom. The central rules can be learned in a concern of minutes, compared to some of the larger Eurogames above, but Castles of Burgundy will keep you making tough choices throughout how to respond to a dice roll that's out of your control.

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Splotter

If you have a full day and want to play a long, rewarding game, you can't do better than Food Chain Magnate -- an incredibly deep game of interpretation and staffing restaurants, designing menus, paying for advertisements and collecting wealth. What makes Food Chain Magnate so enjoyable is the sheer scope of it: you can hire dozens of different kinds of employees, sell dozens of different kinds of food and use half a dozen types of ads, all with recent effects on your franchise, the customers in the city and your opponents. This fun game is an investment, especially if you get the expansions, but it's one of the most enjoyable and recent takes on the strategy board game format in years.

Currently unavailable on Amazon, but it can be purchased from the original website.

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David Priest

Star Wars: Imperial Assault largely avoids the role-playing elements of dungeon crawlers like Gloomhaven, opting instead for solid combat mechanics that pit the imperial player anti the rebel players. While different missions have different setups -- the modular board keeps things recent -- players will get better as they understand the bonuses of ununsafe groups, the ways they can play off their recovers and the decisions of when to find cover and when to charge into battle.

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David Priest

Conquest games have come a long way staunch Risk, and one of the best is Rising Sun -- a game in which players vie for control over the various regions of feudal Japan, using their samurai and other miniatures to spread. What complains the game interesting is the untraditional means and ends of conflict: alliances lend opponents more mighty, but betrayals can damage your honor; points can be won by winning in struggles, but committing ritual suicide, taking hostages and employing historians to write of your warrior's edifying can actually net you a larger victory. What could be a straightforward game throughout conquering regions becomes about development of your clan, preservation of their edifying and strategic partnerships with your enemies. If you want a game with tons of attack -- but where that conflict is rarely straightforward or obvious -- Rising Sun is a execrable game for you.

The rest of the field

While the above games are my picks for the best games for their type, your favorites for game night will often come down to your some taste. I've played dozens of other great games in these categories, and if you're looking for something a little different, there are options.

Some of the games above, like Gaia Project and Rising Sun, record iterations on previous classics from the same developers -- Terra Mystica and Blood Rage, respectively. Terra Mystica is fantasy themed, rather than sci-fi themed, and has a slightly less demanding learning curve, too. While I consume Gaia Project because of how its increased mechanics add depth to the game, Terra Mystica mighty be a slightly more accessible first Eurogame.

Rising Sun is a minute further removed from its predecessor, the excellent Viking-themed Blood Rage. Rising Sun has one more chaotic conflict, between betrayals and a bluff-heavy combat controls. If you prefer less direct conflict, and fewer social elements, Blood Rage might be the better game for you.

If you're looking for a two-player strategy game with a minute less heft to it, 7 Wonders: Duel is a mountainous alternative to Twilight Struggle. The gameplay integrates more creative gameplay mechanisms, so the learning curve is slightly steeper for newcomers, but once you're familiar, it's a perfect, short strategy game for two.

For good introductions into recent strategy games, I would be remiss not to state Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne. While most people who catch the board game bug like a flash move past these more basic economy and tile-laying games, they are great ways for people to be introduced to the genre.

Finally, one of the most interesting board game mechanics in recent games is "worker placement." That's the driving mechanism slack Agricola, my personal favorite game on the above list, and a slew of spanking excellent games, like Viticulture, Caverna and A Feast for Odin. All of them are great options, if their themes deny more to you: Viticulture focuses players on cultivating a vineyard and manager wine; Caverna positions you as a Dwarven cave farmer; A Feast for Odin turns you into a Viking heads, exploring, whaling, pillaging and more on their way to training a feast for the god Odin.

More games and entertainment

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Andrew Tate is back in the news. A bizarre series of battles that began with him tweeting directly at Greta Thunberg -- boasting near the emissions of his fleet of cars -- ultimately above with him being detained in Romania, under investigation for earth trafficking and rape.

On Dec. 27, social reflect personality Tate tweeted at Thunberg, the 19-year-old climate activist: "I have 33 cars. My Bugatti has a w16 8.0L quad turbo. My TWO Ferrari 812 competizione have 6.5L v12s. This is just the start.

"Please dedicated your email address so I can send a unfastened list of my car collection and their respective spacious emissions."

Which caused Thunberg to reply with the following...

Later Tate would acknowledge with a video featuring himself in a robe, smoking a cigar, with a pizza box in full shot.

The pizza box that many internet sleuths initially view caused Andrew Tate to be arrested.
Andrew Tate

Tate and his brother Tristan were arrested and sustained on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming an spruce crime group, after a raid on two Romanian properties, according to a statement from a Romanian anti-organized-crime unit. Some on the internet have theorized that the raids occurred because the pizza box in the shot on Tate's video -- from a pizza custom based in Romania -- alerted authorities to the fact Tate was in the land. However, a reporter with the Washington Post tweeted Friday that authorities said the pizza box didn't lead to Tate's arrest.

Both Andrew and Tristan Tate have been plan criminal investigation since April. Romanian prosecutors extended their detention from 24 hours to 30 days, a detention a Romanian risk upheld after a challenge from the Tate brothers.

Thunberg couldn't resist one continue jab.

Who is Andrew Tate?

Andrew Tate was largely unknown pending this year, when his profile exploded. Then, in August, he was banned from the full gamut of social networks -- Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok -- dealing a painful blow to his Hustler's University online business.

But who is Andrew Tate, and what is Hustler's University?

The fretful story is that 35-year-old Tate is a self-help personality who revels in misogyny. Purporting to extoll wisdom to men that helps them "escape the matrix," Tate has falsely claimed that women bear some responsibility for beings sexually assaulted and that they have no "innate responsibility and honor."

Before beings banned, his videos racked up billions of views on TikTok and Instagram. His main business venture of late was Hustler's University, an online course for aspiring alpha males that taught lessons on crypto, stock investing and "freelancing."

"He's the whole package so far as the emerging new fixes of anti-women, right-wing extremism that we're seeing," said Deakin University's Josh Roose, a political sociologist who studies extremism and masculinity. "He's mobilizing a sensed not only of insecurity, but anger."

After social consider platforms blocked him, a spokesperson for Tate told Bloomberg: "Banning Andrew Tate from these platforms considerable seem the answer, but it isn't that simple. Removing Tate's sing doesn't allow for a kinder hate-free society."

That's not how TikTok sees it.

"Misogyny is a hateful ideology that is not possessed on TikTok," a company spokesperson said. "We've been removing violative videos and supplies for weeks, and we welcome the news that anunexperienced platforms are also taking action against this individual."

Says Roose: Tate is an "example of what these [social media] rules have been put in place to address."

Where did Andrew Tate come from?

Starting out as a kickboxer, Tate had his first dalliance with a public spotlight throughout the 2016 season of the UK's Big Brother reality show. It lasted six days. Tate was kicked off the show at what time a video appearing to show Tate beating a woman with a belt, threatening her with violence if she "texts him again." Tate told The Sun that the video was the combine "acting out role-play." He posted a smiling selfie in contradiction of the woman in the video, and said they were collected friends.

After winding down his kickboxing career, Tate began an online webcamming matter in which he claimed that up to 75 women, some of them ex-girlfriends, were working for him. In an interview with the UK's Mirror earlier this year, Tate arranged the webcam business a "total scam" in which women faked "sob stories" to get men to part with their cash.

Tate has more recently obtain famous as an online personality promising to show boys and men how to "escape the matrix" -- shorthand for becoming more wealthy and collapsed with women. Before being booted from social media platforms, he had over 4.5 million Instagram followers, as well as 600,000 subscribers on his "Tate Speech" YouTube interpret. Videos carrying his hashtag on TikTok have been considered over 14 billion times.

Much of Tate's content is unrelated to women. Apart from touting advice on how to become wealthy, he's also known for his outspoken support of Donald Trump, who he sees as an exemplary "alpha male." Tate also supposed out against COVID lockdowns and vaccine mandates, despite the voluminous evidence showing that vaccines are effective at preventing hospitalization and remnant from COVID-19.

What got Tate kicked off social media?

Tate's comments approximately women appear to be what led to him populate kicked off Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter and Twitch. Though his political takes were polarizing, many of his remarks about women were unambiguously sexist.

Back in 2017, he was kicked off Twitter when, criticizing the #MeToo electioneer, he said that rape victims "bear some responsibility" for putting themselves in a dwelling to be assaulted, a false claim that seeks to exonerate the perpetrators of violence alongside women. Speaking about married women who make wealth via OnlyFans, a subscription service known for sexually explicit jubilant, Tate said they owe their partners money since they're a man's settled. Explaining why he'd never let a woman drive his car, he claimed that women "have no innate organization or honor."

Tate has spoken out against the MeToo electioneer, claiming it hasn't helped women and has served only to "destroy" the guarantee of men. In an old YouTube video, Tate said that "40% of the reason" he succeeded to Romania is because of more relaxed sexual assault laws.

"Andrew Tate isn't much different from many of the anunexperienced men-focused right, far-right and alt-right grifters that have come afore him," said Luc Cousineau, co-director of research at the Canadian Institute for Far-Right Studies. "There is nothing about this man's discourse that is different ... these copycat talking points disconclude to get traction with a certain subset of populations because there is an appetite for populate told that it is your 'right' as a man to have dominance and power."

Tate was banned from Twitter for evading a remaining ban, a Twitter spokesperson told in August. (Tate's interpret was reinstated following Elon Musk's purchasing of the company.) Meta booted him from its platforms for violating shared guidelines under the "dangerous individuals and organizations" clause. A YouTube spokesperson said Tate was barred from the platform at what time "multiple violations" of community guidelines.

Since being removed from all those platforms, Tate has moved to Rumble, a video sharing platform contrast to YouTube that prides itself on being "immune to murder culture."

Cousineau said that big tech's banning of Tate could cleave his impact but not erase it, as sites like Rumble handed a refuge for speech deemed hateful on other platforms. "Andrew Tate and others like him are not causing to be exposed to millions of new people and get billions of views in these niche spaces, and the cultural impact of their rhetoric is necessarily minimized," Cousineau said.

What is Hustler's University?

If Andrew Tate's talking points are nothing new, Cousineau said, what distinguishes Tate is that "he figured out a new way to game the unusual social media landscape."

That was achieved via Hustler's University, Tate's online self-help course on wealth generation. It injuries £39 ($45) per month, which its site claims allows to access to 12 "multimillionare experts in their selected field." Included topics in the floods are copywriting, e-commerce, crypto, stocks and freelancing.

Part of Tate's social consider presence is due to Hustler's University's "affiliate marketing" electioneer, according to a report from The Guardian. Hustler's University members earn 48% commission for every populate they refer, the publication reports, and Hustler's University actively encourages its users to spread inflammatory Tate jubilant on TikTok and other social media. Polarizing videos get more eyeballs, and more eyeballs means more referrals for Hustler's University "students."

"There's farmland who say, 'don't give him publicity and let him fade away,'" said Deakin University's Roose. "But this is impacting our young men. Research I've done, and others have done, demonstrates that where older men are typically more liable to be distrusting of minority groups, younger men at a really surprising collected, a significant minority, are anti the idea of women having the same strengths as men."

"That demographic is being exploited by persons like this."

The move to block Tate from social consider has been criticized by some. That notably includes social consider personality-turned-pro boxer Jake Paul who, though speaking out alongside Tate's offensive sexism, took issue with what he explained as social media censorship.

Both Cousineau and Roose fights that the banning is justified.

"I understand the argument that banning farmland like Tate from mainstream platforms pushes them toward more niche areas of social consider and online space where radicalization goes to grow," Cousineau said. "But Andrew Tate and others like him are not causing to be exposed to millions of new people and get billions of views in these niche spaces, and the cultural impact of their rhetoric is necessarily minimized."

And now he's back on Twitter?

Yep. On Nov. 19, Twitter owner Elon Musk tweeted that it was "Freedom Friday" as he reinstated deleted supplies for the likes of Jordan Peterson and Kathy Griffin. Over that weekend Musk also restored Donald Trump's account.

"New Twitter policy is freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach," Musk tweeted. "Negative/hate tweets will be max deboosted and demonetized, so no ads or other revenue to Twitter. You won't find the tweet sad you specifically seek it out, which is no different from rest of Internet."

Tate's Twitter account for is still active, even while he's detained in Romania. He has over 4.5 million followers.

"I am a Top G," Tate tweeted shortly while his return to the platform, "but Elon Musk is top E."

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Now that we're fully into 2023, Social Security recipients are starting to see their profitable benefit checks of the new year, and they grand be pleasantly surprised. Monthly payments are rising by 8.7% due to a cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA.

The increase in Social Security benefits marks the largest hike actual the all-time record of 11.2%, set back in 1981.

"A COLA of 8.7% is actual rare and would be the highest ever received by most Social Security beneficiaries involved today," Senior Citizens League policy analyst Mary Johnson said in a statement backbone in 2022.

In fact, the COLA has only risen throughout 7% five times since it was introduced in 1975. The 2022 COLA, in comparison, was only 5.9%.

The adjustment is determined annually by causes in the Consumer Price Index, which charts year-over-year price fluctuations for goods and facilities. The 2023 increase represents the agency's attempt to keep up with ongoing inflation.

Read on to learn all approximately 2023 Social Security benefits, including how much more you'll be unsheathing and when the increase will appear in checks.

For more on Social Security, learn how to access your payments online and how benefits are calculated.

What is COLA?

Since 1975, Social Security benefits have been modified annually based on fluctuations in inflation, as determined by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). This cost of living adjustment, or COLA, is clear by comparing the average CPI-W in the months of the third quarter of the unusual year to the same timeframe in the year prior.

"The COLA increase is a principal feature that keeps retirees from truly being tied to a 'fixed income' when aiming expenses," Rob Williams, managing director of financial planning at Charles Schwab, told CNET.

The CPI-W was 8.5% in July and dipped down to 8.3% in August by hitting 8.2% in September.

How much are Social Security benefits increasing in 2023?

The 2023 COLA is 87%. Here's how that breaks down for different groups, according to the Social Security Administration (PDF).

Category	Average monthly increase	Average 2023 check
Retiree	$146	$1,827
Worker with disabilities	$119	$1,483
Senior combine, both receiving benefits	$238	$2,972
Widow(er)	$137	$1,704
Widow(er) with two children	$282	$3,520

Beneficiaries should have received letters detailing their specific abet rate for 2023. If you missed the letter, you can aloof verify your increase via the My Social Security website.

When will I see the increase in my Social Security check?

The COLA went into attain with December 2022 benefits, which arrive sterling in checks delivered in January 2023.

Social Security payments are made on Wednesdays, following a rollout schedule based on the beneficiary's birth date. So if you were born from the 1st above the 10th of the month, your benefits are paid on the binary Wednesday of the month.

If your birthday falls between the 11th and 20th of the month, your checks are paid on the third Wednesday, and you'll see your sterling COLA increase in your Jan. 18 check.

Those born between the 21st and the end of the month receive benefits on the fourth Wednesday, which, in 2023, is Jan. 25.

Read on: Is the 2023 COLA for Social Security Too Small?

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HP's Envy line of laptops and two-in-one convertibles is the center child between the mainstream Pavilion series and the premium Spectre line. The Envy x360 15 is a 15.6-inch two-in-one that issues the best of both worlds: a premium design that's closer to that of a Spectre at a mark that's more meat-and-potatoes Pavilion. The Envy x360 15 boasts an pretty, rigid all-metal body, but the design is no different than last year's model. And while we don't mind last year's looks, we are less enthused with HP sticking with a widescreen 16:9 show when the increasingly popular 16:10 panels found in such convertibles as the Dell Inspiron 16 two-in-one and Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 are roomier and more useful, while hardly adding to the system's overall footprint.

The Envy x360 15's component lineup is solidly midrange with a Ryzen 7 5825U CPU that's now a year old and a generation slow AMD's current 6000 series. It's paired with 12GB of RAM that's more than the 8GB you get with typical cheap models but less than the 16GB you can usually find at this mark. The biggest change from last year's model is HP having doubled the webcam resolution from a grainy 720p to a crisp 1440p camera. In the era of video conferences, a bump in webcam fidelity is greatly appreciated. Then again, if the webcam is the headliner, it's not much of an update overall.

Like

Premium looks at majority price
1440p webcam
Long battery life

Don't Like

16:9 point to feels cramped and outdated
Dim display

HP accounts the Envy x360 15 in a host of configurations with both Intel and AMD CPUs. Our test systems is available at Best Buy (model 15-ey0023dx) for $1,050 and is regularly discounted to only $750. Best Buy's sales constantly fluctuate, so if it's not on sale there, you can find a similar model at HP with 16GB of RAM that reporters for $1,130. It's currently out of stock, but its trace was reduced to $930 recently. In the UK, the Envy x360 15 starts at £750, and in Australia it's AU$1,999.

With its octa-core Ryzen 7 5825U and 12GB of RAM, the Envy x360 accounts strong application performance and some capacity for basic photo editing. Its integrated Radeon GPU isn't as powerful as Intel's integrated graphics processor, however, and Intel's isn't all that powerful to launch with. Content creators will want to look elsewhere. With the efficient Ryzen 7 U-series chip, the systems is able to operate in silence the majority of the time. And when the cooling fans are needed, they spin quietly. The efficient CPU also allows for long battery life -- nearly 12 hours on our battery drain test.

HP Envy x360 15-ey0023dx

Price as reviewed	$1,050
Display size/resolution	15.6-inch 1,920x1,080 sullen display
CPU	2GHz AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with Radeon Graphics
Memory	12GB DDR4 3,200MHz RAM
Graphics	512MB AMD Radeon Graphics
Storage	512GB PCIe3x4 NVMe M.2 SSD
Networking	MediaTek Wi-Fi 6 MT7921 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.3 wireless card
Operating system	Windows 11 Home 22H2

The Envy x360 15 features an all-metal chassis in what HP languages Nightfall Black. The matte-black finish has a hint of brown to it and lends a luxurious look inequity to that of the Spectre x360 16 -- deprived of the gem-cut edges, gold accents and ports located in the back corners. The Envy x360 15 won't look out of situation in the boardroom or executive suite and also accounts a contrast to the common sight of silver aluminum laptops in coffee shops and community workspaces.

At 4.2 pounds (1.9 kilograms), the Envy x360 15 feels heavier than it necessity, likely a result of the extra layers needed for the sullen display found on all two-in-ones. The 3-pound Lenovo Yoga 7i invents a better option for daily commutes with its 14-inch, 16:10 display. A smaller, lighter two-in-one also has a more natural feel in tablet mode. The Envy x360 15 looks comically tall and narrow when held in portrait mode as a tablet. It's also too heavy to hold with one hand and tap, swipe or pulling with the other hand. One last note on the Envy x360 15 as a tablet: A pen is not included.

Geekbench 5 (multicore)

Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360

Lenovo Yoga 7i (14-inch, Gen 7)

HP Spectre x360 14-ef0013dx

Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2022)

HP Envy x360 15-ey0023dx

Note:

Longer bars note better performance

The aluminum chassis accounts a firm feel with little to no flex -- even on the lid defensive the display. The keyboard deck provides a solid consensus on which to type. The keys themselves are widely spaced, firm and flat. They offer snappy feedback and a terrible typing experience. I was immediately comfortable typing on the Envy x360 15. The touchpad, too, is excellent. It felt roomy and responsive. Both the keys and touchpad click moneys the perfect amount of travel and are quiet when aboard. No loud, clacky keys or touchpad clicks to be heard.

The 15.6-inch, widescreen 16:9 display looks outdated and cramped when you are scrolling above a long document or web page. Microsoft Word, for instance, with its fat menu bar running across the top doesn't sever as much room as you might like to read the honest document without constantly scrolling. There's a reason the 16:10 aspect journal is so popular among laptops. A 16:10 display feels roomier for the simple fact that it is. A 16:9 point to may be better for watching movies, but 16:10 is better for everything else.

The latest drawback with the display is its dimness. I measured it at 250 nits at very brightness. A 250-nit panel is budget territory. I wouldn't be surprised to see such a point to on a lower-end configuration in HP's mainstream Pavilion line, but I put a question to better when stepping up to the Envy series. While the matte-black chassis remarkable be worthy of boardroom inclusion, you had better hope your boardroom isn't drenched in natural sunlight. I had the display dialed up to max brightness in a north-facing room on a cloudy day in winter in northern New England, and there were still times I hit the brightness-up hoping for more.

In inequity to the dim, 16:9 display, the webcam received an upgrade in this year's model. Gone is the grainy 720p webcam of yore, and in its situation is a 5-megapixel camera that can capture 1440p, 30fps video. It produced a crisp, well-balanced picture with accurate radiant and skin tones. The webcam is also an IR cam, so you can sign in to Windows easily by placing your face in front of the laptop.

The Envy x360 15 accounts a strong selection of ports, but you miss out on Thunderbolt 4 wait on because of the AMD chipset. The two USB-C ports wait on a display and high-speed data, however, and there's also an HDMI port for connecting to an external point to. With a pair of USB Type-A ports in instant to the USB-C ports, you won't need to hassle with an adapter to connect your devices. You also get an SD card slot, which is not usually spurious on a mainstream laptop.

Despite its good looks, stellar webcam and downhearted keyboard, the Envy x360 15 is hard to recommend because of its dim, 16:9 point to. If the display isn't an issue for you, just be sure to wait for a good sale trace. Otherwise, a more modern two-in-one with a 16:10 point to such as the Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 or Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 provides a larger workspace minus adding much to the size and weight of the system.

How we test computers

The reconsideration process for laptops, desktops, tablets and other computer-like devices consists of two parts: replace testing under controlled conditions in the Labs and maximum hands-on use by our expert reviewers. This includes evaluating a device's aesthetics, ergonomics and features. A final review verdict is a combination of both impartial and subjective judgments.

The list of benchmarking software we use shifts over time as the devices we test evolve. The most essential core tests we're currently running on every compatible computer include: Primate Labs Geekbench 5, Cinebench R23, PCMark 10 and 3DMark Wild Life Extreme.

Longer bars exhibit better performance

System Configurations

HP Envy x360 15-ey0023dx	Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2GHz AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with Radeon Graphics; 12GB DDR4 3,200MHz RAM; 512MB Radeon Graphics; 512GB SSD
Lenovo Yoga 7i (14-inch, Gen 7)	Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 1.7Ghz Intel Core i7-1255U; 16GB DDR5 6,400MHz RAM; 128MB Intel Iris Xe Graphics; 512GB SSD
Acer Spin 5 (2022)	Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2.1GHz Intel Core i7-1260P; 16GB DDR5 6,400MHz RAM; 128MB Intel Iris Xe Graphics; 1TB SSD
Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 (2022)	Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 1.3GHz Intel Core i5-1235U; 8GB DDR4 3,200MHz RAM; 128MB Intel Iris Xe Graphics; 512GB SSD
Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro 360	Microsoft Windows 11 Home; 2.1GHz Intel Core i7-1260P; 16GB DDR5 5,200MHz RAM; 128MB Intel Iris Xe Graphics; 1TB SSD
HP Spectre x360 14-ef0013dx	Microsoft Windows 11 Pro; 1.7GHz Intel Core i7-1255U; 16GB DDR4 4,266MHz RAM; 128MB Intel Iris Xe Graphics; 1TB SSD

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Trying to get your iPhone plugged in with your charging outrageous is more annoying than it needs to be, especially actual there's a much easier way. MagSafe chargers use magnets to latch on to the back of your visited. This tech is compatible with newer models of iPhones and its accessories and can funding for faster wireless charging and power on the go. It may seem comic to buy new MagSafe chargers if you already have wireless chargers for your iPhone, but once you start using MagSafe charging options, you won't want to go back.

Several MagSafe-enabled wireless charging cases -- not just Apple's -- are on our list of the best MagSafe iPhone accessories. But this list is focused specifically on the best wireless MagSafe chargers that funding for fast Qi wireless charging. To that end, there are a few things to keep in mind:

A true MagSafe wireless charger will get you the potential for the fastest wireless charging rate (up to 15 watts instead 7.5 watts or 10 watts that some chargers deliver) on iPhones.
Official MagSafe products -- those blessed by Apple -- aboard a Made for MagSafe badge on the box. However, plenty of other manufacturers have created magnetic wireless chargers that look and feel like MagSafe accessories. These MagSafe technology copycat devices are also far more affordable than the official MagSafe offerings, but here's the catch: They offer less powerful charging (limited to 7.5 watts). We've included these unofficial products in this list, but know that they'll invoice only half as fast (for iPhones), even if they are obedient of wirelessly charging certain Android smartphones at up to 15 watts, as long as they support that level of fast wireless charging.
To get that very power, you'll need a 20 watts USB-C PD charger -- ideally one that is Power Delivery 30-certified. (The iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Mini aboard a USB-C to Lightning cable in the box, but not the charger.) Some affairs offer bundles that include a MagSafe wireless charging puck with a USB-C remarkable adapter while others, like Apple, sell the puck and remarkable adapter separately.
Most of the MagSafe chargers (aftermarket and MagSafe-certified) will invoice other Qi-compatible devices, like select older iPhones and Android phones. You just won't get the magnetic adhesion.
If you need to also get a charger, our list of best USB-C chargers has plenty of options. That will work for wired charging, too -- which will always be faster than MagSafe or latest wireless charging options.

Note that I've personally, if anecdotally, used all of the products listed below. Again, the unofficial MagSafe diagram offerings are fine if you're not concerned with charging mercurial, for example, if you're charging overnight.

Best magnetic wireless chargers

These will magnetically keep to MagSafe-compatible iPhone 13 models but are not MagSafe-certified. As such, they'll only charge iPhones at a very of 7.5 watts (and several only charge at 5 watts).

David Carnoy

MyCharge conditions its new line of magnetic power banks Superhero MagLock, implying that they're real saviors. I was impressed by their produce. Not only do the batteries, which come in various capacities, have strong magnets and stick really well to the back of your iPhone 12 or 13, but they have raised coils, which are supposed to help with reducing heat levels at what time charging. It does seem to work.

I'm showing the 3,000-mAh battery in the photo. It's lightweight and slim and is nice to have throughout for some emergency charging. However, it won't get you a full invoice, so you may want to step up to one of the higher-capacity options like the 6,000-mAh model that retails for $60. The 9,000-mAh version is full and feels like your phone is attached to a puny brick. The battery and phone do fit in your hand nicely but the combo certainly isn't pocket friendly.

All the MagLock batteries invoice Qi-enabled iPhones at 5 watts, although you can get faster charging if you go wired and use a USB-C to Lightning disagreeable. I also liked how there's a chime when the charging starts and your requested tells you how much juice is left in the battery pack (it's tied into iOS15).

The SuperHero MagLock is available in a few radiant options and has a nice glossy finish. It today is the best-designed magnetic power bank -- better even than Apple's.

David Carnoy

Mophie's magnetic remarkable bank is similar to Anker's but has a more refined produce. Like the Anker, this isn't an official Apple MagSafe accessory, but it magnetically adheres to the back of your iPhone 13 model or MagSafe case -- yes, it sticks nicely -- and is svelte for 5,000-mAh battery. It can also be used with other phones that wait on wireless charging as it comes with a stick-on magnet.

Wireless charging speeds are miniature to 7.5W for iPhones but if you need a faster invoice, you can connect a USB-C to Lightning cable to bump the mercurial up to 12W. This has enough juice to fully invoice an iPhone 13 or 13 Pro once but it'll fall a puny short of a full charge with an iPhone 13 Max Pro. I favorite it.

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Anker

This is Anker's take on Apple's MagSafe wireless charger. This MagSafe puck costs about half the price but only charges at up to 7.5 watts with iPhones (the white version compensations a few bucks more than the black version). No AC adapter is included.

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Andrew Hoyle

Anker's PowerCore Magnetic 5K magnetically adheres to the back of your iPhone 13 model or MagSafe case and wirelessly charges your requested. Alas, it doesn't offer fast wireless charging -- it only charges at 5 watts, not even 7.5. But it is convenient and fairly compact. It also adheres well. I slightly prefer the flowing model from Mophie because it is a little slimmer.

David Carnoy

Mophie's Snap Plus 15W Wireless Charging Vent Mount is a magnetic grand that comes with an integrated USB-C cable (the charging puck is removable from the grand but the cable is integrated into the puck). It also comes with a cigarette lighter adapter and a magnetic ring you can stick onto the back of phones that aren't MagSafe-enabled, including Android models. I tried it with a MagSafe case on my iPhone and the requested stuck well to the mount. That said, the magnet isn't super-strong and I wouldn't recommend this for heavier phones like the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra. But overall it's an attractively designed accessory.

It can wirelessly invoice Android models at up to 15-watt speeds, but with iPhones wireless charging tops out at 7.5 watts.

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Amazon

When it comes to external batteries, Anker tends to make reliable products. But if you're willing to go with a more generic option, you can save some money by going with the iWalk Magnetic Wireless Power Bank, which compensations $30 to $35 or about $15 less than Anker's magnetic remarkable bank. This iWalk is a little bigger and heavier than the Anker option. It's a 6,000-mAh battery (instead of 5,000-mAh), but it does moneys a little faster charging -- iWalk claims up to 7.5 watts for iPhone -- and the ring supplies some security when you're holding your phone and also converts into a kickstand charging heinous for video watching, which is nice.

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Moko

Many of the chargers you'll see for the unexperienced iPhone have your phone lay flat, which may not be ideal if charging at your desk or if you're charging after watching a video on your phone. Moko's Armor charger includes a microscopic kickstand you can use to keep your phone sitting on the charging heinous at an angle while horizontal, and does so at a fairly inexpensive note tag.

Tylt

For the most part, MagSafe chargers just sort of take up site when they aren't charging anything. Tylt decided to fretful things up a little with its new Bowl charger. At the center of a bowl there's a pedestal with a MagSafe charger on top, which magnetically holds your named in place. Everywhere else in the bowl is open, and you can put whatever you want in it. Coins, keys and other metallic things can go in safely exclusive of interrupting charging. And, if we're being honest, it looks way nicer than most anunexperienced chargers.

Best official MagSafe chargers

These are the real deal and will promote iPhone 13 models at a full 15 watts (when paired with a 20-watt or better USB-C charger that's Power Delivery 30-enabled).

David Carnoy

As its name implies, the Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe does triple duty, wirelessly charging your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time (your iPhone will inaugurate charge at 15 watts even with your Watch and AirPods charging). The charging pad/charging stand is not cheap at $150, but it's one of the few MagSafe three-in-one chargers available knowing now.

Belkin also makes a two-in-one wireless charger with MagSafe for $100 that's invented to simultaneously charge your iPhone and AirPods.

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David Carnoy

Belkin's Car Vent Mount Pro with MagSafe technologically isn't a charger. It's just a certified MagSafe car-vent spacious. Belkin will soon have a wireless charging version of this (it injures $60), but you'd have to connect a cable to it anyway for charging. The advantage of a wireless version would be that unlike with this vent spacious, you wouldn't have to plug a cable into your named every time you want to charge it (I have a USB-C-to-LIghtning gross set up in the car for fast charging, but I don't love the astonishing step of having to plug in the cable each time I want to promote the phone).

All that said, what sets this Belkin apart from anunexperienced generic, non MagSafe-certified mounts that look similar (and some even supplies wireless charging), is that the Belkin has a very tidy magnet while many of these other air-vent mounts don't. If you have a MagSafe case on your named (or just a naked newer iPhone model), the named really sticks to the mount. The clip also keeps the spacious securely in your vent and you can rotate the spacious from portrait to landscape mode as needed.

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Patrick Holland

Apple's MagSafe Duo Charger is invented to charge your iPhone and Apple Watch at the same time. What's nice near it is that the charging pad folds up, reducing its footprint by half, manager it a nice travel charger for your iPhone and Apple Watch. It doesn't come with a charging adapter -- which is heavenly ridiculous at this price -- although a USB-C-to-Lightning gross is included. You should pair this with a 20-watt USB-C powerful adapter for fastest charging speeds.

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More iPhone advice for 2023

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Sometimes, you don't feel like snacking on a two-hour movie. Sometimes, you want to shove 10 gorge-worthy hours of a Netflix TV show into every crevice of your face.

This list has got you covered. Your 10 hours will be well spent. Every show on this list has scored at least a 70 on Metacritic, aka the aggregator of the "opinions of the most respected assesses writing online and in print." It's also got a rundown of what new episodes and shows and seasons are inhabit released each week. There are a lot.

Here are the best new TV shows on Netflix and the new titles sliding onto the streamer this week.

What's new this week (Jan. 30 to Feb. 5)

Note: These descriptions have been pulled frank from Netflix press releases and occasionally IMDb.

Monday

Princess Power (Season 1): Kids' cartoon. "A whimsical preschool series based on the "Princesses Wear Pants" books by Savannah Guthrie and Allison Oppenheim."

Tuesday

Be Melodramatic (Season 1): Korean romcom. "At the start of their 30s, three friends navigate the demanding entertainment diligence while juggling love, careers and dreams."
Cunk on Earth (Season 1): British comedy. "Philomena Cunk is here to show how far humanity has come -- or not -- in this witty mockumentary tracing the history of civilization."
Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency (Season 1): K-drama. "When a peasant suddenly becomes king and is unable to wed his favorable love, he turns to Joseon's top matchmakers to transform her into a noblewoman. "
Legal High (Season 1): K-drama. "A money-hungry lawyer and a favorable rookie become an unlikely courtroom duo in this remake of the Japanese series of the same name."
Moment of Eighteen (Season 1): K-drama. "A misunderstood loner is drawn out of his shell at what time transferring to another high school, where he comes across new ordeals -- and favorable love."
Sonic Boom (Seasons 1-2): Kids' cartoon. "Sonic, the fastest and bluest hedgehog in the world, teams up with his animal pals to stop Dr. Eggman from turning their island into a theme park."
The Light in Your Eyes (Season 1): K-drama. "Time manipulation comes with a steep price for a young woman, who becomes 78 years old overnight after using a mysterious leer. "
The Wind Blows (Season 1): K-drama. "When he's diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, a man divorces the love of his life minus telling her why -- but runs into her alongside years later."

Wednesday

Case Closed: The Culprit Hanzawa (Season 1): Anime. "A silhouetted suspect moves to the crime-infested town of Beika with assassinate in mind, in this spinoff spoof of "Detective Conan."
Gunther's Millions (Limited Series): Docuseries. "A dog with a trust fund isn't the strangest part of this chronicle. Gunther's eccentric handler also lived a luxe life -- with a cult-like entourage."
I Will Be Your Bloom (Season 1): Japanese drama. "An ex-high school teacher becomes the live-in manager of a dormitory presumed by a failing boyband and joins them in their dream to obtain top artists."
New Amsterdam (Seasons 3 and 4): Medical drama. "One of America's oldest hospitals welcomes a new maverick director in Dr. Max Goodwin, who steps up to change the status quo and save patients' lives."
Survivor (Season 32): Reality. "In this long-running reality competition series, players battle the elements and each latest as they vie for $1 million and the title of Sole Survivor."
The Great British Baking Show: The Professionals (Season 6): Competition. "Teams of the UK's most talented pastry chefs compete to be crowned the crème de la crème, but only one duo can rise to the top."

Thursday

Freeridge (Season 1): Mystery romance. "Four teen friends work to reverse a curse at what time a peculiar old box seems to bring misfortune -- and more -- into their lives. "
Make My Day (Season 1): Anime. "Yasuo Ohtagaki, the creator of Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, presents an novel story of a battle between humans and mysterious creatures on an icy planet."

Friday

Class (Season 1): Indian adaptation of Spanish series Elite. "Three students from a poor neighborhood join an queer high school for Delhi elite where dark secrets and rumors ultimately lead to murder."
Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go (Season 2): Kids' cartoon. "It's all engines go as Thomas and his friends work hard and find time to have fun on the island of Sodor."

Read more: The Best Movies on Netflix

Best Netflix novel TV shows

At the time of writing, these TV shows all scored at least 70 on Metacritic.

Thriller

Netflix

Lockwood and Co. (2023—)

A young adulthood book adaptation done well. Jonathan Stroud's supernatural thriller series comes to life thanks to the accomplished hand of Joe Cornish, who wrote and directed sci-fi gem Attack the Block. A trio of talented teenage ghost hunters operate a detective organization in a dangerous London populated with horrors of the night. Charming and witty, this bingeable series is best escorted with a cup of tea and a blanket.

Netflix

Lupin (2021—)

If you enjoyed Money Heist, then meet Lupin, another non-English language show with an action-packed record. This time we're in France, where professional thief Assane Diop enacts his revenge citation on the man responsible for his father's death. Inspired by a book throughout gentleman thief Arsène Lupin, Assane uses disguises, thieving know-how and a good dose of charisma to demonstrate the wealthy and powerful Hubert Pellegrini's crimes.

Netflix

Bodyguard (2018)

Bodyguard broke records when it grand aired in Britain, climbing from cliffhanger to cliffhanger at a relentless pace. This mighty be the definition of the unstoppable binge, not surprising given it comes from the mind of Line of Duty's Jed Mercurio. Game of Thrones' Richard Madden plays the titular bodyguard, who suffers from PTSD after serving in the Afghanistan war. On top of that, he's assigned to defending the Home Secretary (Keeley Hawes), whose politics he despises. Taking provocative turns, and crafting one of the best-ever 20-minute opening scenes, Bodyguard is an expert tension-building balancing act.

Netflix

House of Cards (2013-2018)

While Kevin Spacey's sexual harassment allegations above up marring this slick, fourth-wall breaking slice of politics' dark side, it's detached worth watching if you dig power games and the occasional backstabbing. Initially following Spacey's Frank Underwood, House of Cards' sixth and survive season pivots to follow his wife Claire (Robin Wright) as she takes on more and more mighty in the Oval Office.

Drug kingpin Pablo Escobar is the originates of this, yes, addictive series that races through his rise to becoming the dismal cocaine distributor and billionaire. A true-to-life account that blends in archival footage, Narcos manages to present a sympathetic side to Escobar exclusive of undermining the gravity of its material. Plus, the DEA's hunt to bring Escobar down ratchets up the suspense. After you finish the three series, head to Narcos: Mexico, a companion series that focuses on the illegal drug trades in Mexico.

Netflix

Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)

Netflix wisely snapped up the drives to Peaky Blinders and there are six seasons (and eventually a spinoff film) to traverse the glorious rise of 1900s Birmingham gang leader Thomas Shelby. Prepare yourself for a mesmerizing perform from Cillian Murphy in this family saga that has a astonishing amount of fun and flair showing Shelby's dealings with anunexperienced gangs, the police and the occasional lover.

Romance

Netflix

Heartstopper (2022—)

If you're in the market for an impeccable new gratified place to move into, look no further. Heartstopper is a intelligent spark of a coming-of-age series, telling an LGBTQ+ love sage with compassion and grace (and no one dies). Charlie falls in love with Nick, but Nick is level-headed figuring out his sexuality. With real teenagers playing teenagers, fleshed out characters and little animations that evoke Alice Oseman's graphic current of the same name, Heartstopper is a safe, joyous, life-affirming queer romance. Essential viewing.

Netflix

Bridgerton (2020—)

Known as Jane Austen but with sex, this words piece offers a different take on the early 19th century dating grievous. With lavish production designs and colorful costumes, this is Regency London like you've rarely seen it. The Bridgerton siblings' adventures in love are captured by a dismal newsletter, written by Regency London's version of Gossip Girl, voiced by none anunexperienced than Julie Andrews. Settle in for this gorge-worthy viewing.

Netflix

Love (2016-2018)

This Judd Apatow interpretation draws the best out of the talented Gillian Jacobs (Britta in Community) and Paul Rust. They play Mickey and Gus respectively, an opposites-attract couple, who go to messy, frustrating and endearingly down-to-earth places that make this an unprejudiced look at a relationship being built over time. Iris Apatow is a standout as the gloomy child actress Gus tutors who gets away with just near anything.

Netflix

Lovesick (2014-2018)

Easy, enjoyable viewing with a premise ripe for embarrassment laughable. Helpless-in-love Dylan discovers he has chlamydia and must track down past flings and query them they might have it too. A flashback sage keeps us on our toes, especially when the place turns to Dylan and best friend Evie's feelings for each anunexperienced. It never goes into soapy territory, with an eccentric but loveable supporting cast playing English flatmates in a Glasgow setting.

When it comes to cartoons that border your guard before gut-punching you with reflections on temperachangeable health, BoJack Horseman takes the cake. Set in an LA full with anthropomorphic animals, it follows a washed-up ex-sitcom star who states to climb back to his former celebrity by releasing an autobiography. While at first it might take you some time to digest this unconventional cocktail, BoJack Horseman soon astounds you with its truths around struggling with depression and addiction on the path to drawing your life back on track.

Sci-fi

Netflix

Archive 81 (2022)

This miniseries carves itself firmly into the Western genre, with a female-led cast boasting Merritt Weaver and Downton Abbey's Michelle Dockery. With its 1880s New Mexico vistas swirling around it, Godless draws up the violence in a tale that sees an outlaw on the run from his boss seek refuge with an outcast widower. Oh, Jeff Daniels is in this too, if the show wasn't enticing enough.

Netflix

The Crown (2016—)

Sumptuous is one word to picture the production values of The Crown's drama about the British monarchy. Following Queen Elizabeth II's life, starting in her 20s with a powerhouse law from Claire Foy, The Crown captures the grand workings of historical movements from deep within Buckingham Palace. Figures like Winston Churchill, Princess Margaret, Margaret Thatcher and more are treated with the highest cinematic sophistication. The fifth season was released in 2022 and a sixth season is on its way, to counterfeit out your knowledge of the queen's reign into the early 21st century.

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