If you’ve been waiting to snag a deal on the Apple Watch 4, then you’re in luck. Amazon has a rare price cut on the Apple Watch Series 4 with cellular and GPS technology. For a limited time, you can get the Series 4 smartwatch on sale for $429. That’s a $70 discount and the best price we’ve found for latest Apple watch. If you’re not interested in LTE connectivity, Amazon also the Apple Watch 4 without cellular on sale for $349.
The Apple Watch 4 is the latest model smartwatch from Apple that features an upgraded design and additional health features. The Series 4 smartwatch features a 30% larger display making it easier to see health stats, messages, and notifications. The bonus health benefits include a built-in ECG, fall detection, and emergency SOS. The smartwatch also tracks popular workouts, calories, and offers heart rate monitoring.
The Series 4 includes basic smartwatch features such as the ability to make calls, play music, and receive notifications. This particular model comes with LTE connectivity, which allows you to get internet and phone connectivity on your watch even when your iPhone is far away.
Price cuts on the Apple Watch 4 are rare, and this particular deal is only $5 more than the record-low Prime Day price. We don’t know how long Amazon will have the smartwatch on sale, so you should take advantage now before it’s too late. We don’t see prices getting any lower for a while, but the Amazon Black Friday deals might be worth a shout.
Amazon also has the Apple Watch 4 with a silver aluminum case and white sport band on sale for $349. The smartwatch includes GPS technology but lacks LTE connectivity.
The Huawei P30 has been out for a good couple of months now and has managed to secure itself as one of our favourite mid-range phones. And if like us, you’ve been eyeing up this impressive device, we have the perfect contract for you.
Thanks to an exclusive code just for you readers of TechRadar, you can cut the upfront costs of this deal down by £25. Simply enter the code TECH25OFF at the checkout and watch as the upfront cost drops to just £60.
That paired with the 12GB of data you’re getting and the monthly bills of £29 makes this a pretty impressive Huawei P30 deal. And a pretty great overall price for a phone that graces our top 10 best smartphones list.
Making this deal even better, if you order before September 4, you can even claim £80 in cashback from Huawei.
You can see this offer in full down below or if it doesn’t quite match what you need from a phone, check out our guide to the best mobile phone deals to see what else is currently available.
The Huawei P30 is one of Huawei’s most recent launches and one that has us very impressed. With a 6.1-inch OLED display, a 3650mAh battery and some impressive internal processing power, the Huawei P30 is a premium device both inside and outside.
It’s not often that a smartphone comes along that packs in all the bells and whistles we’ve come to know and love – err demand – in a smart device, that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. But, that’s exactly what the Axon 10 Pro – the latest flagship smartphone from ZTE – does!
The Axon 10 Pro features a sleek, elegant design and brilliant display. It has a 3D-curved Corning Gorilla Glass display on the front and back and is encased in a high-strength aluminum alloy frame. There’s a triple rear camera, and the whole device measures just under 8mm thick.
The 6.47” screen is the first smartphone to integrate AMOLED and touchscreen into a quad-curved display. They’ve also – very smartly – integrated Chip on Pi into the device, which has helped to reduce the bottom bezel allowing the device to have a larger screen and provides more antenna room under the display for a stronger network signal.
The Axon 10 Pro screen has an in-display fingerprint sensor, front camera facial recognition and an RBG sensor to adjust the temperature of the screen when inside, outside, or in reading mode.
On the inside, you’ll find a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 octa-core processor, which as it happens is the same processor you’ll find in the new Samsung Galaxy Note 10. What that means is you’re going to get a fast phone that has smooth multitasking and provides a great user experience.
It comes with 8GB of RAM, or you can upgrade to the 12GB model, and 256GB of memory. There’s also a MicroSD slot that can hold up to 2TB of additional data!
The Axon 10 Pro has a large 4,000mAh battery and uniquely customizable battery software, which means you’re not going to lose juice!
Supporting the F2FS file system, combined with the smarts to learn your behaviors, this highly intelligent device will get smarter over time. It’s ready to launch with Android P OS and ZTE is promising it will provide an update to the next major release of Android before the end of the calendar year.
Today’s smartphones are known more for their stunning picture quality and ability to take amazing video. Good for us, ZTE thought of that too. With AI Portrait Lighting Adjustment, AI Motion Capture and AI scene recognition, the Axon 10 Pro brings all the benefits of AI to picture-taking.
And with optical and digital zoom, 20x smart tracking, new portrait types and other modes all optimized by artificial intelligence – your selfie game will be on point.
As if that wasn’t enough, it also features DTS:X Ultra 3D sound, which provides a stunning on-the-go concert experience through the in-ear headphones included in the box.
Alternatively, you can hear and optimize the sound through its dual speakers, for a center-stage experience in the comfort of your own home. Either way the Axon 10 Pro offers exceptional sound quality for videos and music.
It’s also been optimized to enhance your gaming experience, ensuring games load quickly and play smoothly.
The Axon 10 Pro is the ideal device for those of us who are increasingly frustrated by the rising cost of smartphones that feature only minor performance enhancements. And when it comes to what really matters in a smartphone: speed, performance, memory, clarity and camera – you can’t deny you’re getting the best bang for your buck.
The Axon 10 Pro is available for preorder in the US now! Get yours online at zteusa.com and through participating retailers Newegg Inc. and B&H Photo.
And the best part, the 8GB model is only $549 while the 12GB versions is $599. That’s a fraction of the cost of what other smartphone manufacturers are charging! ZTE may be onto something with the new Axon 10 Pro.
Labor Day sales have officially begun, and that means it’s a fantastic time to find record-low prices on top-brand TVs. Labor Day TV sales include massive savings on a wide range of television sets from retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon, and more. To help you find the best deals we’ve combed through each retailers site to find the best prices on TVs that include a variety of different sizes and features.
Our top Labor Day TV pick is the Sony 70-inch 4K smart TV that’s on sale for $998. That’s a whopping $1,000 discount and the best price we’ve found for the big-screen TV. The 70-inch TV delivers a premium viewing experience with an ultra HD picture that features 4K X-Reality PRO to provide a life-like picture. The smart TV works with Amazon Alexa so you can use your voice to control your TV. The Android TV also has the Google Assistant built-in, so you can use your TV as a hub to control compatible smart home devices.
Shop more of the best Labor Day TV deals below and keep in mind these offers are limited-time promotions so you should take advantage while you can.
There has never been a better time to be on the market for the best graphics cards. Whether you’re updating an older PC or researching the upgradable options on that new PC you’re about to buy, you’re going to be looking at options like the RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 2060, powered by Nvidia Turing architecture or AMD’s recently unveiled next generation of AMD Navi GPUs or even the new Super RTX cards.
However, the best graphics cards for some people might not be the best for you. Do you want to drop the equivalent of a new PC on just the GPU, like top-of-the-line flagships, or do you want a budget card that will just get the job done, like the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660? It all depends on what your priorities are. Whatever that might be, the best graphics cards will still handle the best PC games from Rage 2 to Sekiro Die Twice.
And yes, finding that perfect GPU available right now can be a confusing process so let us make it a bit easier. Each of the best graphics cards we’ve listed has been thoroughly tested here at TechRadar. So take a look at our recommendations for the best graphics cards before you break open that piggy bank.
Image credit: TechRadar
This absolute behemoth of a graphics card is still basically brand new, and it’s already topping our list of the best graphics cards, booting former reigning champion and its direct rival, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060, off the top spot. At $349, this powerful mid-range card brings 1440p gaming at Ultra or Max settings to the masses, making it affordable and accessible to everyone. At that price point, it doesn’t need to be perfect – those looking for ray tracing will have to wait. But, for what it offers and how much it costs, it’s well-deserving of its title as the best graphics card of 2019 for most people.
If you need the best graphics card, and you don’t want to settle, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti may be one of the best graphics cards for you. This is the most formidable graphics card you can buy without jumping for a professional graphics solution. And, now that games like Battlefield V, Metro Exodus and Shadow of the Tomb Raider actually implement the RTX features, there’s never been a better time to jump on the ray tracing bandwagon. Just prepare yourself for that sky-high price.
The souped up Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 Super isn’t just remarkable because it’s a supercharged version of the very popular RTX 2070, offering exceptional 1440p gaming. It’s also striking because it offers all that power at a very reasonable price, making it a compelling buy for most users, even for those on a budget. Plus, if you’re wondering about ray tracing, here’s the best card to jump in – you don’t have to break open that piggy bank for the RTX 2080 or RTX 2080 Ti anymore.
While the GeForce RTX 2060 Super is now taking the 1440p gaming world by storm, its predecessor, the RTX 2060, is still king of 1080p gaming. This mid-range GPU will get you in the door with ray tracing maxed out at 1080p. Plus, it is more than capable of handling 1440p experiences, as well as 4K ones, if you don’t mind the less remarkable frame rate of 30 fps. And, while this card was more expensive at launch than the one it replaced, its fantastic 1080p performance should be enough to make that price tag irrelevant.
We’ve been longing for a new top-of-the-line graphics card from AMD since 2017’s Radeon Vega 64, but things have drastically changed in the graphics market since then – most notably Nvidia Turing. With the AMD Radeon VII, Team Red has attempted to reclaim a piece of the high-end graphics market, and it largely triumphed. The AMD Radeon VII holds its own in 4K gaming, but it particularly excels in content creation. Packed with 16GB of HBM2 memory, the AMD Radeon VII can keep up with much more expensive creative-focused competitors, making it one of the best graphics cards 2019 has on offer.
If you’re all about the best VR games, you’re going to need the best graphics cards to do that job. And, nowadays, that honor goes to the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Super. VR-ready and filled with the latest Turing architecture, you won’t have to worry about a rough VR experience that will make you sick. Outside of VR, it should also be able to handle all your favorite PC games at 1440p and 4K without any issue. The best part might just be that it’s a lot cheaper than the RTX 2080, offering a much better value.
Looking to put together a microATX or a mini-ITX gaming PC? You shouldn’t need to settle for a low-end GPU. Take a look at mini graphics cards like the Zotac GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini instead. It’s not the latest and greatest GPU out there now, but the 1080 Ti still has a lot of juice, and it’s among the best graphics cards to power your microATX. And, when you can get that power in a card that’s only 211 x 125 x 41mm, the tiny loss in performance is absolutely worth the beautiful mini PC you’ll get.
Image credit: Gigabyte
With all those fancy (read: expensive) graphics cards cornering the market, the budget-friendlier ones sometimes fly under the radar. That’s unfortunate, particularly since cards like the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 deserve a spot in the limelight for delivering excellent 1080p performance at a very affordable price. With the Gigabyte GeForce GTX 1660 OC 6G, you’re also getting a healthy factory overclock and all the outputs you’ll ever need, so you can play all your favorite games with several monitors attached. We’d call that a bargain, maybe even the best we’ve ever had, and it certainly warrants a spot in our best graphics cards list.
When Nvidia first revealed its Turing lineup, it was hard to find a model that didn’t cost an arm and a leg. Nonetheless, with the launch of the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti – especially the PNY XLR8 Gaming OC model – next-generation performance became accessible to everyone. You won’t have access to 4K 60 fps gaming with this card, but it’s one of the best graphics cards for anyone still using a 1080p display, and it can handle most esports games well above 60fps. At that resolution, you’ll have trouble running into any title that it can’t handle.
Having one of the best routers in your home is more important than you might think. It’s essential in fact. Whether you’re working, gaming or just connecting with friends, our computer lives exist almost entirely online. Having a less than stellar router can really hold you back.
You don’t want to experience constant buffering with your favorite programs on Netflix, or to not be at your full potential when playing the best PC games. And while your first impulse might be to call up your internet provider, consider picking up one of the best wireless routers. After all, it doesn’t matter how fast the internet service is if the wireless router can’t keep up. You’ll want to get the best wireless router you can get your hands on.
That might mean different things to different people. The best routers might look like the most cutting edge wireless mesh router pumping signal into every corner of the house or an epic gaming router providing the signal. It might mean upcoming Wi-Fi 6 capabilities that may make this list in the near future.
So if you’re looking for the best router on the market right now, you should keep a couple things in mind. MU-MIMO is a must for anyone with multiple devices, and considering that most homes will have multiple people with multiple devices, that’s probably everyone on the market for the best router. Check out the speed rating of the router as well as a rated speed of AC1900 should cover all your bases.
There are so many wireless routers to choose from, hundreds in fact, that getting the one that does everything you need might not be easy. Therefore, we’ve collected the best routers we’ve tested recently. You might be looking at the Good WiFi or maybe the TP-Link Archer C5400. Either way, know that you’ll be getting a quality router, possibly the best router for your home and your needs.
The days of traditional wireless routers is basically over – the age of the wireless mesh routers is here. Google Wifi, alone, is proof that we are in the midst of this mesh revolution. You can finally say goodbye to the days when the only way to attain wireless freedom was to install a bunch of wireless extenders. The idea of Google Wifi is simple – buy a set of points and position them in strategic places around your home. Then, simply scan a QR code, and you’re good to go. It’s no coincidence that this wireless mesh router tops our best routers list of 2019, as it’s also the one that’s easiest to set up and get going.
If you’re acquainted with Asus, especially its gaming products, you’ll know what to expect with the Asus RT-AC86U. This wireless router may look like the lovechild of Doritos and Mountain Dew, if they spent a night together in a router manufacturing machine. But inside that gaudy gamer-centric design is a piece of hardware that, for its price, easily beats out almost all the wireless routers on the market. You’re also not paying a premium here for a gaming device, so if you’re in the market for a high-speed connection with a reasonable price tag, the Asus RT-AC86U is an exceptional option.
When the Netgear Orbi was first unveiled, it completely reshaped the wireless routers scene. Then, in 2019, Netgear unleashed the Netgear Orbi AC2200 RBK23, a cheaper option for casual users who don’t have a stately manor to cover, making it a worthy contender for the best wireless routers. Sure, it comes with fewer antennae and ethernet ports than its forerunner, but it also offers more than enough to provide very solid network coverage. Plus, the small form factor means that it will easily blend in, and you won’t feel the need to hide it.
Now that smart homes are quickly becoming standard, more and more people need wireless routers that also double as smart home hubs. This doesn’t only make things much more convenient, but it also helps reduce all the clutter created by having multiple routers, modems and hubs. The Samsung Connect Home isn’t the most feature-rich wireless router out there today, but it can definitely hold its own against the Google Wifi, while also packing in the SmartThings hub. It’s still easily one of the best routers – especially if your home is filled with smart devices.
This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Google Wifi.
Are you in the market for one of the best routers of 2019, with a quirky aesthetic to boot? If a ‘90s-inspired sci-fi design sounds like it’s right up your alley, then the TP-Link Archer C5400 v2 might be a fantastic choice for you. It’s not really the most modern-looking mesh router. Despite that, it’s unique in that it can bridge consumer and enterprise users by offering high-end functionality at a reasonable price point and with an easy setup. It’s odd looking, yes; but if you’re searching for a wireless router that can cover a largish home, you can’t go wrong with this.
If you’re wanting to bring your office’s networking into the modern age with one of the best routers of 2019, then you should sincerely consider the Netgear Orbi Pro. It’s a modular Wi-Fi mesh router that takes some design and performance cues from its business-grade counterparts. It’s on the more expensive side, but if you run a business where you can’t afford to have anyone slow down due to poor Wi-Fi, it’s definitely worth every cent.
The market is now flooded with wireless mesh routers, but it’s hard to complain when the level of coverage these routers offer tops anything we’ve experienced in the past. With devices like the TP-Link Deco M9, one of the best routers of 2019, we can see how they only keep improving. By incorporating IoT smart home support, on top of industry standard speeds and coverage, the TP-Link Deco M9 is, undoubtedly, an excellent choice for a smart home supporter. Fair warning, it is a little pricey. However, you’re also getting all these features and excellent performance in exchange.
Hoping to jump on the mesh wireless router bandwagon without going broke? You’re in luck with the affordable D-Link Covr C1203. It’s among the best wireless routers for you, if you’re wanting to upgrade and save at the same time. Not only does it offer similar coverage to that of the Google Wifi while being less expensive, but it also looks futuristic in a good way. It’s a little slower than Google’s legendary router, but it will still be fast enough for the typical user. And, that’s why the D-Link Covr C1203 gets our vote for one of the best routers of 2019.
If you’re looking for a wireless mesh router that gives you a lot of control over your network, then the Eero Home Wi-Fi system might just be the ticket. It’s more expensive than your standard router, yet it offers users complete control over their network, while still touting a secure connection through AI. Even better, the Eero Home Wi-Fi System comes with subscriptions to 1Password, MalwareBytes and Encrypt.me VPN, which should keep everyone connected to your network secure.
The Amplifi HD is one of the most expensive wireless routers on this list. Yet, thanks to its clean, modern look, it should find a dedicated audience without a problem. While aesthetic doesn’t top everyone’s priorities when choosing the best router for them, it does help encourage users to install and showcase it in central locations, which will help boost the router’s signal. This wireless router boasts excellent performance and a stylish design to match, as long as you’re willing to spend a little more than necessary.
The US Department of Justice has indicted dozens of individuals for their involvement in a massive business email scam and money laundering operation.
Over a dozen individuals were arrested during raids carried out in the Los Angeles area but a total of 80 defendants are allegedly involved in the scheme.
The 145-page indictment which was recently unsealed, revealed that 80 people have been named and charged with conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud in addition to aggravated identity theft and money laundering.
While arrests were made in the US, most of the people alleged to be involved in the scheme are based in Nigeria. At this time, it is still unclear as to whether the Nigerian nationals will be extradited to the US but the two countries do have a treaty that would make extradition possible.
Combating online fraud
US authorities are taking a hard stance on business email scams and other fraudulent activities online according to US Attorney Nicola Hanna who explained how this indictment is intended to send a message to fraudsters, saying:
“Today, we have taken a major step to disrupt criminal networks that use [business email scam] schemes, romance scams and other frauds to fleece victims. This indictment sends a message that we will identify perpetrators — no matter where they reside — and we will cut off the flow of ill-gotten gains.”
Prosecutors said that Valentine Iro and Chukwudi Christogunus Igbokwe have been accused of running the operation. The indicted individuals allegedly carried out acts of fraud against over a dozen victims which generated millions of dollars worth of stolen funds over the course of several months.
The operation’s leaders acted as brokers of fraudulent bank accounts according to the prosecutors who allege that they fielded requests for bank account information and then laundered the money obtained from their victims. Several of the fraudsters’ bank accounts also contained over $40m in stolen funds.
The case will still need to go to trial before anything is decided but the indictment is a step in the right direction when it comes to showing cybercriminals that they can be held responsible for their crimes online no matter where they reside.
It’s been six long years since Nintendo last released a game in the Luigi’s Mansion series, and with fans beginning to give up hope of another, the announcement that a sequel will hit Nintendo Switch in 2019 is very welcome news indeed.
Announced with a trailer during a Nintendo Direct on September 13, 2018 the tentatively named Luigi’s Mansion 3, is set to be released on Switch this Halloween – very spooky indeed.
During Nintendo Direct at E3 2019, we got a bunch of new details about what we can expect from the next game in the spooky series. Here’s everything we know so far about Luigi’s Mansion 3.
[Update:Gamescom 2019 has truly brought the Luigi’s Mansion 3 goods. Not only has 30 minutes of brand new footage of the game been released, we managed to get some hands on time with the game too. Keep scrolling to see the new footage.]
Cut to the chase
What is it? The third entry in Nintendo’s spooky series
When can I play it? October 31st, 2019
What can I play it on? Nintendo Switch
Image credit: Nintendo
Luigi’s Mansion 3 release date
Luigi’s Mansion 3 will launch for Nintendo Switch on October 31st, 2019 (AKA Halloween!). It’s a very fitting release date for such a spooky title.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 trailers
Gamescom 2019 brought us our longest look at Luigi’s Mansion 3 yet. 30 whole minutes of gameplay showing both single-player and co-op in a brand new garden-themed level. Watch it for yourself below.
Nintendo dropped a more in-depth gameplay trailer for Luigi’s Mansion 3 during E3 2019. Check it out below:
Although the first trailer doesn’t give away much, it does give us a sneak peek at the high quality graphics and gameplay. Check it out below:
Luigi’s Mansion 3 news and rumors
Puzzles There are plenty of puzzles in the haunted hotel to keep you occupied (as well as a few hidden secrets). It’ll take a combination of Luigi’s Poltergust, plungers and Gooigi to solve them.
Gamescom 2019 We got a short amount of time with Luigi’s Mansion 3 at Gamescom. Check out our hands on: Luigi’s Mansion 3 review. If you want a further in-depth look at the game, don’t forget to check out the brand new 30 minutes of footage released during Gamescom above. It gives a look at single-player and co-op in a brand new level of the game.
Releasing this Halloween Nintendo has confirmed Luigi’s Mansion 3 will launch on October 31st, 2019 (AKA Halloween).
ScareScaper mode This co-op and competitive mode sees you clearing rooms, taking on ghosts and completing challenges to collect coins. Can be played online or couch co-op.
Lots of rooms in the hotel Including a greenhouse, film studio, and theatre stage.
Gooigi
Luigi can now summon a flubber-like version of himself that can slip through bars and walk over spikes. Even better, a friend can control Gooigi and you can co-op.
Image credit: Nintendo
New functions Including Slam (which slams ghosts on the ground), Suction Shot (which attaches the plunger to an item before pulling it away, destorying it), and Burst (an air pressure group attack).
Story Luigi’s Mansion 3 sees Luig being invited to stay in a hotel alongside his friends Mario, Peach and co. But unfortunately the hotel isn’t quite what it seems and things take a dark turn when he arrives. There are some ghost guests who refuse to check out and they’re not exactly friendly.
Poltergust G-00 Luigi’s got a brand new vacuum, in the form of the Poltergust G-00. This new super sucker can fire plungers, use jet propulsion to increase jumping, and use the Strobulb.
Getting hold of an email account is easy – sign up with an ISP, register with Google, buy a web hosting account – but free and standard packages won’t always deliver the quality that professional users need.
Email hosting plans are an easy way to get a more efficient and reliable service. Exactly what’s included depends on the provider, but you might get support for larger attachments (up to 50MB), 50GB or more storage space for your inbox, online storage for easy file sharing, bundled apps like Microsoft Office online, Exchange and Active Directory support for business users – not to mention 24/7 support if anything goes wrong.
Your email will work with a custom domain (address@yoursite.com), and it’s typically straightforward to set up. You can use an email hosting plan to effectively replace your web host’s service, or you can try one without having any hosting at all.
With quality services priced under $1 per month per user, and free trials available, it’s easy for anyone to check out the email hosting market. Whether you’re after an individual account or would like to cover your entire business, read on for five great providers that you might want to check out first.
Bluehost has an exclusive email hosting offer for TechRadar readers
If you are a small business with a small headcount and don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on email accounts, then consider this. From EIG-owned Bluehost comes an exclusive business email package for TechRadar readers where you get unlimited email accounts and email storage for as little as $2.95 when paying for three years; that’s a mere $106.20 for the duration of the term. Is it truly unlimited though?
Bluehost says that they do not enforce any official limitations. Furthermore, they add “while email account creation is unlimited, these rely on the file storage available on the account. Therefore customers need to be operating within the Terms of Service to ensure resources are available to fully enable email functionality. Customers operating within the Terms of Service have yet to come up against technical boundaries for email, domains, or websites”.
What’s the catch then? For a start, while you get POP3 and IMAP4 plus 24/7 support, this is more of a barebone solution. You get to choose between three webmail applications (the equivalent of Outlook.com or Gmail.com); Horde, Roundcube or Squirrelmail.
You can of course configure an email client like Mail for Windows 10 or Mozilla Thunderbird to read your emails offline. Creating a new email address is a doddle thanks to an easy user interface.
Rackspace remains one of the top email hosting providers in the market
Texas-based cloud computing giant Rackspace has a wealth of hosted business-oriented email products for all levels of users.
Even the bottom-of-the-range Basic plan is well-specified, with 25GB mailboxes, spam and virus filters, and it’s accessible via Outlook, webmail, or by mobile users. Mailboxes are priced at $2.99 each per month with a minimum of four required per order, but there are no long-term contracts, just monthly bills which you can cancel whenever you like.
The next-step-up Plus account brings 30GB of cloud storage, ActiveSync support, Office-compatible apps and instant messaging for $3.99 a month, which is also better value than most.
An extended Plus account adds unlimited storage space via archiving. That might be handy if you think a 25GB inbox is too small, but we’re unsure if it’s really worth the $6.99 price tag.
More demanding users can check out Rackspace’s Hosted Exchange 2016 plans. Specs include 100GB inboxes and support for 50MB attachments, and the starting price is $10.99 per mailbox per month.
There are cheaper services around, but quality matters, too, and Rackspace does better than most. All plans include a 100% uptime guarantee, and top-quality 24x7x365 support via chat, ticket or phone to quickly solve any issues that might crop up.
Fasthosts is part of the formidable United Internet family which also includes 1&1
Email hosting can seem expensive, and that’s largely because the big companies are forever competing to offer the largest amounts of inbox and file storage space. That’s great if you need it, but not so much for light email users looking for a bargain.
Fasthosts Standard Email plan is a stripped-back email hosting plan which offers the bare essentials for a very low price.
Signing up gets you five Mail Lite accounts with a tiny 100MB inbox and a maximum of 10MB attachments, and two Mail Extra accounts with 4GB inboxes and support for attachments of up to 15MB. Both products give you webmail access only. That’s limited, but look at the price: just $2.60 (£1.99) a month on the annual plan (at the time of writing, you can get 50% off). If your users genuinely don’t need the gigabytes available elsewhere, Fasthosts more basic package could make a lot of sense.
Fasthosts also offers a more capable Exchange Email product with a 50GB inbox, access via Outlook’s web app, and even a free domain for the first year. It’s priced at $5.8 (£4.49) per month for 5 or more users with the annual contract. You can also choose a 100GB inbox for $13 (£9.99). As before, Fasthosts is focusing on price more than power, but if you only need a basic Exchange account, there’s plenty of value here.
Office 365 BE is a surprising third in our email hosting provider shortlist
Microsoft Office 365 isn’t just a powerful suite of productivity apps. It also throws in a very capable email package, and for less money than some providers charge for email alone, which could make the service worth a place on your shortlist.
Microsoft Office 365 Business Essentials offers support for 150MB attachments, for instance, three times the size allowed with even some premium competitors. 50GB of storage per user (and a custom email domain address) means you’ll be able to keep your messages for a very long time, and there’s 1TB of online storage available in your OneDrive account.
Access to Office Online enables working with Word, Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint documents from within your browser, and there’s a whole range of business-friendly extras: calendars, online conferencing, intelligent search, workflow automation and more.
If you don’t have Office 365 already, the Business Essentials price of $5 a month (for annual billing) looks like good value to us. If you’re solely interested in business class email, though, Microsoft’s Exchange Online Plan 1 provides Exchange accounts for $4 per user per month on the annual plan.
India-based Zoho might not be a household-name but its offerings pack a lot of punch.
Zoho Mail – now known as Zoho Workplace – is a hosted email service with a bundled online office suite, and a stack of other extras.
A free plan gives you 25 mailboxes with up to 5GB per user, a 20MB attachment limit and webmail access. A referral scheme could get you support for a further 25 mailboxes (at the time of writing the referral program wasn’t available due to remodeling).
If that’s too basic, the Standard plan gets you IMAP and POP support, 30MB attachments and 30GB of storage, 5GB file storage space, and support for working with multiple domains. That’s more capable than some of the premium competition, and includes the same productivity tools as the free suite, yet still only costs $3 per user per month, billed annually.
Zoho’s Professional plan gets you 100GB of storage (per user), 40MB attachments, support for Active Directory groups, and more. It’s yours for $6 per user per month (billed annually), not bad at all for the storage space and features you’re getting. Also, Lite plan is available with less features, but it’s only $1 per user per month, billed annually.
Liquidweb is based in the US and provides with an attractive low price for its offering.
Liquid Web is probably best known for its comprehensive managed and dedicated server packages, but the company also provides an interesting email hosting service for what could be a very low price.
Note that you will need to buy LW’s Premium Web Hosting in order to get their email service. They do not sell it as a stand alone service.
The baseline Standard plan offers POP, SMTP and IMAP access, supports 50MB attachments and gives you a decent 25GB of storage space. The ability to import contacts from Gmail, Outlook and more gets you set up quickly, spam protection is handled via top quality Cloudmark technology, and you’re able to set up custom email filters and rules as required.
Liquid Web charges a flat $10 a month fee for your account, but after that, each Standard plan mailbox costs only $1 more. If you need five or more mailboxes, that’s going to be very good value, especially for the high level of support on offer.
The Plus plan enhances the service with 30GB of cloud storage, mobile sync for contacts and calendars, and online editing of spreadsheets and documents. This also includes a one-off $10 service fee and is $3 per mailbox, potentially a very good deal if you’re catering for a lot of people.
A final Microsoft Exchange plan gets you 100GB mailboxes, ActiveSync compatibility and Active Directory support, and even throws in a free copy of Outlook.
Its price of $10 a month isn’t quite as impressive value as its low-end cousins, but Liquid Web does allow you to include Exchange and Starter or Plus accounts in the same order. You could have 10 Starter mailboxes and two Exchange for only $40 a month, for instance, and that competes well with even big-name budget providers.
10 things to look for in your next email hosting
If you want to host email accounts together with your website, then you should look at these email features before signup.
Most hosting companies will offer the ability to host your own email (something like email@yourdomain. com). Your package will include a number of email accounts – usually between 1-10 for basic hosting.
You’ll be given access to your own email control panel to set up your accounts. Using email requires two things: an email server and an email application, this could be an email client such as Outlook, or alternatively access to Webmail like Gmail or Yahoo.
The email server is a piece of software that runs on the server and is constantly connected to the internet. It receives and processes any mail sent to it and sends out any mail you send.
The email client is an app that runs on your PC, phone or tablet and enables you to send, receive and organise your emails, e.g. Microsoft Outlook. The client checks the mail server for messages and downloads them for viewing. It is a control panel for reading and writing messages.
The good news is that most email clients can connect with most email servers, you can even connect multiple email servers to work with multiple email accounts.
So your work and personal emails can be accessed from the same email client. The more popular email clients such as Outlook give you more features (calendars, tasks etc.) than using webmail.
Webmail is a web-based email interface that can be accessed in a web browser is often faster and more convenient because it accesses the stored data more directly without the user having to download software locally.
Emails can be checked from any device with access to the internet. Email protocols are a set of rules that help the client to send the information to or from the mail server. Two of the most common email protocols are POP and IMAP:
1. POP (Post office protocol) Applications like Outlook will use POP to download emails from the server to your computer and then delete them on the server.
2. IMAP (Internet message access protocol) IMAP is more advanced than POP, with IMAP, emails are stored in the mail server and can be accessed from any clients anywhere if they all use IMAP.
Mail data is kept on the server as well as your computer, until you delete the mail. When comparing hosting packages, be sure to choose one with full IMAP support.
Exchange Exchange is the gold standard email protocol – the most expensive option of the three, but for good reason. It’s a Microsoft protocol that gives you the power to sync tasks like IMAP does, but with the added ability to share contacts and calendars among employees.
If you can afford to pay the extra cost (around $9.99 per month per mailbox), you will reap the benefits of its advanced functionality and tools which can be used even when you are on the move.
You might also want to check out our other website hosting buying guides:
Carphone Warehouse has just released a Samsung Galaxy S10 deal that has really impressed us. To get the virtual cash registers ringing over the Bank Holiday weekend, it’s dropped in an S10 tariff that ticks all the boxes.
Big data, tick. Reasonable bills, tick. Free upfront, tick. Loads of storage, tick tick tick. Being a sceptical bunch, we’ve looked for a weak point in this S10 deal and just can’t seem to find one.
You can scroll a little further down this article for full details on the deal. But basically you get the superb 512GB Samsung Galaxy S10 handset with 30GB of data each month, unlimited calls and texts, all for £39 per month. For people without a head for sums, that’s a little over £900 over the course of the next two years – aka pretty darn reasonable. Unsurprisingly, Carphone Warehouse has confirmed that this limited time offer is its “lowest ever price”.
Not sold on Samsung? Check out our general guide to the best mobile phone deals
Here’s that Carphone Warehouse Samsung S10 deal:
Why go for the Samsung Galaxy S10?
Fitting perfectly between Samsung’s affordable S10e and its mammoth S10 Plus and Note 10 devices, this phone is the perfect middle ground. You’re getting a high-quality screen, in-screen fingerprint scanner and a powerful battery/processor combo. A quick glance at our best smartphone guide shows we currently rank it as the third best phone in the world.
Everyone knows the name ‘Carphone Warehouse‘ but what is it that makes the retailer really standout?
Providing ‘text to switch‘ features – allowing you to easily change over your number when you switch contracts – as well as phone trade-ins to save money with your old handset, Carphone is working to make your purchase as easy as possible.
Combine that with Carphone’s next day delivery guarantee and click and collect options from 850 stores and the high-street retailer is looking like a strong option – discover its latest prices and offers with our Carphone Warehouse deals guide.
