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7 Jul 2025

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Jessie J reveals cancer operation success
Singer says tests following surgery to remove her breast show no spread of the disease

Capaldi says therapy played 'massive part' in comeback
Scottish star says his performance two years ago "was the worst moment of his life" but therapy helped.

Drag racing-loving teen Katie Iti dies from flu complications
Katie Iti's passion was drag racing and she had completed her first season of racing her own car.

Gynaecological cancer patients forced to travel from Wellington to Christchurch for surgery
Wellington Hospital's sole gynaeoncologist - who left in November - is not being replaced.

Why you absolutely need a mini PC
Mini-PCs have been experiencing a real boom in recent years. No wonder, because these small desktop computers are powerful, space-saving, and flexible. This guide shows what a mini-PC actually is, where its strengths lie, and who can benefit the most from buying one. Also, be sure to check out the PCWorld deals page where we highlight the best deals from around the web on mini-PCs, like the latest stellar deal on a GMKtec M3 Plus mini-PC, and more. In fact, mini-PCs are constantly going on sale for staggeringly low prices, so keep your eyes peeled while shopping and keep checking back with us to see the latest and greatest deals. (If you’re reading this article the day it goes live, we’re also tracking the best Amazon Prime Day mini PC deals.) What is a mini PC? A mini-PC is a fully-fledged computer in a small format. In contrast to laptops, mini-PCs do without a battery and screen, which saves weight on the one hand and makes the small housing possible on the other—many models have a volume of less than one liter. At the same time, flexibility remains high: a monitor, mouse, keyboard, or external drives can be freely selected and easily replaced if necessary. If you like it neat and tidy, mount the mini-PC behind the monitor to save space or integrate it discreetly on the desk. Despite their compact design, modern mini-PCs offer enough power for everyday tasks such as office work, surfing, streaming and even gaming. If you know your way around, you can even build your own mini PC with the right components. Mini-PCs come with some advantages over classic desktop PCs The most obvious advantage of mini-PCs compared to a classic tower PC is their compact dimensions. They take up hardly any space, can be tucked away unobtrusively on the desk or behind the monitor and are still powerful enough for many typical applications. Mini-PCs also have clear advantages when it comes to energy consumption: thanks to the use of energy-saving components, they often only require a fraction of the energy of a large desktop. This not only has a positive effect on the electricity bill, but also reduces heat waste and noise levels. Another plus point: mini-PCs often have a modular design. Although they do not offer the same scope for upgrades as large tower cases, many models allow the SSD, RAM, or WLAN module to be changed. This makes them more flexible in the long term than many laptops. Mini-PCs are also attractively priced with many solid models available for less than $400. However, the best overall package of performance, features, and efficiency is usually offered by mid-range builds which will set you back a bit more. Limitations and disadvantages of mini-PCs A mini-PC is not a laptop replacement because it always needs external peripherals such as a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and possibly speakers or a webcam. So if you’re looking for a device with which you can flexibly transition between the living room, office, and café, you’ll unfortunately need to look elsewhere. There are also limits to their performance. While many mini-PCs can easily cope with office tasks, media playback, or light multitasking, they reach their limits with graphics-intensive applications such as 3D games, video editing, or CAD. Although there are some models with a dedicated graphics card, these are usually significantly more expensive and often cannot keep up with classic gaming or workstation PCs in terms of performance. Last but not least, there are also thermal aspects to consider. Compact housings mean smaller fans and less air circulation—which can lead to heat problems and performance-reducing throttling under continuous load. Although many mini-PCs are surprisingly quiet, some models use an audible fan during intensive use to keep the heat in check. What are the best use-cases for mini-PCs? Mini PCs show their strengths wherever space, energy efficiency, and a tidy desk are required. In the home environment, they are usually used as office computers, streaming stations, or compact gaming alternatives for simple games. While they may lack the portable utility of a laptop and the power capabilities of a full-size desktop, they shine when you need something in-between—small enough to save precious desktop space, but powerful enough to do all but the most intensive tasks. Tip: If you want to set up a small workstation for your desk, you can operate a mini-PC with several monitors and use common office software such as Microsoft Office or Google Workspace without any problems. The performance of many mini-PCs is easily sufficient for casual gaming or less computing-intensive games.GMKtek What you should look out for when buying a mini-PC Not all Mini PCs are the same. Depending on the intended use, you should pay specific attention to certain technical features, otherwise you could end up with frustration instead of flexibility: 1. Processor (CPU):The heart of the system determines its performance. An Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 is usually sufficient for office, web, and streaming. If you frequently edit photos or tackle light video editing projects, you should opt for a Core i5/Ryzen 5 or higher. Pay attention to the specified TDP (Thermal Design Power): Models with a higher wattage deliver more power, but generate more heat waste and require more active cooling. Variants with less than 35 watts are particularly quiet and efficient, but generally offer slightly less computing power. 2. Working memory (RAM):8 GB RAM is sufficient for basic applications, more is recommended for multitasking or memory-intensive programs. Ideally, the RAM in the mini-PC is replaceable or expandable—taking the time to look at the technical data or check out tests will help here. 3. Memory:An SSD ensures fast loading times and smooth processes. 256 GB is considered an entry-level size, 512 GB or more is better—especially if you want to locally store a lot of programs or media files. Some mini-PCs also offer space for a second SSD or a 2.5-inch HDD.

Best Prime Day PC computer deals: Gaming & mainstream desktops
Amazon’s Prime Day 2025 sales event is here and there are tons of great deals on desktop PCs. This year, Prime Day runs from July 8 to July 11, and includes solid discounts on everything from gaming PCs to all-in-ones to traditional mainstream desktop computers. You’ll need to be a Prime member to take advantage of Amazon’s steep discounts. If you aren’t a member already, check out our guide for how to get Amazon Prime for free. I’ve been tracking and writing about the best computer deals year-round for a long time now, and at PCWorld I’ve used this knowledge to curate a list of the best available computer deals across the internet specifically for this Prime Day. Other retailers have jumped in on the Prime Day action, and some of the best desktop PC deals can even be found outside of Amazon, so I’ve included those deals too. Best Prime Day deals on gaming desktop computers Skytech Shadow, Core i5-13400F/RTX 5060/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,029.99 (9% off with coupon on Amazon) Alienware Aurora, Core Ultra 7 265F/RTX 5070 Ti/32GB/1TB SSD, $1,899.99 (17% off on Dell) Alienware Area-51, Core Ultra 9 285K/RTX 5090/32GB RAM/2TB SSD, $4,699.99 (15% off on Dell) Skytech Azure, Ryzen 5 7600X/RTX 5070/16GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,749.99 (17% off on Amazon) MSI Aegis ZS2, Ryzen 7 7700/RTX 5070/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $1,699.99 (15% off on BestBuy) Ningmei Gaming PC, Ryzen 7 5700X/RTX 4060/32GB RAM/1TB SSD, $949.59 (21% off on Walmart) My top picks: The budget-friendly Skytech Shadow is a solid deal at $100 off on Amazon with the included coupon. The Core i5-13400F CPU and RTX 5060 GPU combo will have you running good framerates at 1080p for most games and it also comes with a generous 1TB of SSD storage to locally store your game library. Dell is running a great deal on the Alienware Aurora for $400 off on its website. Rocking a Core Ultra 7 265F and RTX 5070 Ti, this is a killer value for a strong midrange build with a latest-gen GPU. Best Prime Day deals on all-in-one & mainstream computers All-in-one desktop computers combine a PC’s hardware with a modern display to make a desktop computer that has both form and function. Since everything is built together, you can save precious desktop space with an all-in-one. They make capable work computers and they can also be excellent home computers with the wide range of features appealing to the whole family. Dell 24 AiO, Core 5 120U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 1080p touch display, $849.99 (24% off on Dell) HP OmniStudio X AiO, Core Ultra 7 155H/16GB RAM/1TB SSD/27-inch 1080p touch display, $979.99 (31% off on HP) HP AiO 24, Core Ultra 5 125U/8GB RAM/512GB RAM/24-inch 1080p display, $629.99 (32% off on HP) Dell 24 AiO, Core i5-1334U/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 1080p display, $699.99 (18% off on Dell) Lenovo 24 AiO, Intel N100/32GB RAM/1TB SSD/24-inch 1080p display, $594.99 (15% off on Amazon) iMac M4, M4/16GB RAM/512GB SSD/24-inch 5K display, $1,541.88 (9% off on Amazon) My top picks: Dell’s reliable 24 AiO is $200 off on its website right now. The always dependable all-in-one comes loaded with the latest-gen Core 5 120U and a handy 1080p touch display. Alternatively, the new HP OmniStudio X AiO model for $460 off on HP’s website is a step up from the Dell if you prefer spending a tad more for more power. The latest all-in-one from HP still comes with a nice 1080p touch display but is powered by the beefier Core Ultra 7 155H CPU and twice the onboard SSD storage. FAQ 1. What type of desktop computer should I get? You’ll see a ton of options when searching for a desktop computer, but they all mainly fit into four main categories: gaming PCs, mainstream PCs (towers or mini PCs), and all-in-ones (AiO). Which you should end up buying is entirely dependent upon what your needs are and what you want to do with your computer. If you’re looking for something that will work in a home office or family room, then a mainstream PC or AiO with a solid CPU and a decent amount of RAM and storage is probably the way to go. If gaming is your main concern, a gaming desktop PC can offer a lot more bang for your buck than a laptop and you should prioritize getting the best GPU possible. 2. How much processing power will I need in a desktop computer? If you’re after CPU power, look for processors with higher numerical labels. Intel processors are available in the newer Core Ultra 3, 5, 7, or 9, and the older Core i3, i5, i7, and i9. AMD processors are available in the Ryzen 5000, 7000, 8000, and 9000 versions. Generally speaking, the higher the number, the more powerful the CPU for both manufacturers. If you don’t need a ton of power, Intel Core Ultra 5 or Core i5 processors are your best bet, as they offer good performance at a decent price. You can get along just fine with a Core Ultra 3 or Core i3 for basic office and web browsing. A Core Ultra 7 or Core i7 is more suited to gaming and more intense work than everyday tasks. Also, if gaming is your concern, you may want to consider opting for the older Core i-processors as the newer Core Ultra processors are optimized for AI performance rather than gaming. As for AMD options, the Ryzen 5000 chips rival Intel’s Core i5 as solid all-arounders. If you need more power, the Ryzen 7000 or 8000 chips are well suited for content creation like video editing. Finally, if you’re dealing with 4K video or want peak gaming performance, spring for a Ryzen 9000. 3. What GPU should I get for a desktop computer? If you don’t intend to do any gaming on your computer, then feel free to save some money by going with integrated graphics. However, if you are looking to get your game on, then we recommend at least an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 or RTX 5060 as these are the least expensive discrete graphics cards that can handle 1080p gaming on High graphics settings in most games. For 1440p gaming you’ll typically want to aim for an RTX 4070/5070, and for 4K gaming you’ll need to shell out for at least an RTX 4080/5080 or upgrade to the RTX 4090/5090 Thankfully, the latest-gen GPUs have dropped significantly in price in pre-built systems so opt for those if you have the money and want a performance boost. But if you’re on a tight budget, then opting for a rig with a previous-generation card can allow you to save some money while still providing decent graphics quality. 4. How much memory do I need in a desktop computer? As for RAM, nowadays I think it’s best to shoot for 16GB at the minimum for all systems. If you’re on a budget or just need a basic browsing machine then 8GB may suffice but you’ll likely notice a performance drop if you tend to have multiple applications or browser tabs open. Those looking to do heavy content creation such as video editing should aim for at least 32GB or go for 64GB for 4K editing. 5. What is a good amount of storage for a desktop computer? Storage size is dependent upon your personal needs, but it is generally a good idea to opt for an SSD over a standard HDD as they are much faster and don’t significantly affect the price of a desktop. Before deciding, it’s best to consider what your intended use of the computer will be. Are you just storing documents or doing web browsing? Then something like 512GB will be plenty. If you want to load up a lot of large files such as games or content creation projects, then you’ll need at least 1TB to 2TB of storage. However, just remember that even if your computer doesn’t have enough storage built-in you can always upgrade your SSD or go with an external drive to increase your available storage options. 6. Will tariffs affect desktop computer prices? Yes, it’s likely that any tariffs on foreign imported computer materials or products is going to lead to an increase in prices for the consumer. As the U.S. still heavily relies on China and other Asian countries for the production of desktops and computer hardware, a tariff on imports from these countries will mean someone has to pay more. Companies typically don’t want, or can’t afford, to eat these increased costs so they shift the burden to consumers. At this point it’s still hard to tell how much prices will increase; just because a 20 percent tariff is imposed doesn’t mean computers will become that much more expensive. Every company will adjust prices differently and products with many individual components—such as computers—will vary due to the tariff effects on each component. That being said, a recent independent Consumer Technology Association study concluded that desktops may see price increases of up to 24% or an average of $287 per computer if the latest round of tariffs hold. 7. Is now a good time to buy a desktop computer? While the prospect of tariff-induce price increases may seem daunting to consumers, I believe the timing on this Prime Day may actually make for a great time to buy a new desktop if you time it right. Currently, tariffs have been paused until July 9 with many countries scrambling to make deals exempting technology products. This means that you might have a small window to get in and snag a good deal on a desktop PC during Prime Day before any additional tariffs take effect.