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10 Jul 2025

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Karl Jenkins concert cancelled after 'extraordinary incident'
Jenkins, a Welsh musician and composer, was due to perform at the concert on Wednesday evening.

Sidelined Silver Fern 'very relieved' to escape serious neck injury
The Central Pulse defender will be sporting a neck brace for a bit, but is thankful the injury wasn’t more serious.

Pensioners camped out at Hamilton carpark for years face uncertain future
The Classics Museum has allowed people living in campervans to park on its land for $50 a week.

Best Prime Day monitor deals: OLED, home office, and more
One of the easiest ways to enhance your PC experience is to get a better monitor. It doesn’t require any upgrades for your desktop or laptop, and it shines up the primary way you interact with almost everything: the visuals. Prime Day is upon us again, and from July 8th-11th, there are plenty of deals to be found on the best and most affordable displays. (Here’s how to get Amazon Prime for free so you can get in on the deep, deep discounts.) With U.S. tariffs affecting prices, to say nothing of general consumer trends, it might not be the smorgasbord of discounts we saw in previous years. But there are still savings to be had, on OLED monitors, gaming monitors, and standard office designs — and I’ve hunted down the best monitor deals in the list below. Even though it’s Prime Day, some of the best discounts can be found elsewhere on the web, so I’ve included those in the list as well. Best Prime Day 2025 deals on OLED monitors Samsung Odyssey OLED G93SC 49-inch, 5120×1440, 240Hz OLED gaming monitor — $899.99 ($700 off at Amazon) LG UltraGear OLED 34-inch 1440p 240Hz OLED gaming monitor — $714.99 ($585 off at Amazon) ASRock 27-inch 1440p 240Hz OLED gaming monitor — $479.99 ($166 off at Newegg) Alienware 27-inch 1440p 360Hz OLED gaming monitor — $599.99 ($300 off at Dell) Alienware 34-inch ultrawide 240Hz OLED gaming monitor — $679.99 ($120 off at Amazon) Alienware 32-inch 4K 240Hz OLED gaming monitor — $849.99 ($350 off at Dell) MSI 49-inch ultrawide 144Hz OLED gaming monitor — $749.99 ($350 off at Amazon) OLED monitors are the cream of the crop for gamers, thanks to incredible color vibrance and contrast, even if they’re not the absolute fastest on the market right now. For my money, MSI has the best deal at the moment…but then I’m an ultrawide fanboy and I love that gigantic 49-inch format. If you’re looking for an OLED upgrade at the lowest price, ASRock is leading the pack with a rare 27-inch pick under the $500 mark. Best Prime Day 2025 deals on gaming monitors KTC 24-inch 1080p 165Hz gaming monitor — $93.99 ($46 off at Newegg) Asus 25-inch 1080p 180Hz gaming monitor — $109.00 ($50 off at Amazon) ASRock 27-inch 1080p 240Hz gaming monitor — $104.77 ($85 off at Newegg) LG 27-inch 1440p 144Hz gaming monitor — $180.49 ($119.50 off at Amazon) Alienware 34-inch ultrawide 1440p 180Hz gaming monitor — $309.99 ($90 off at Dell) Gigabyte 28-inch IPS 4K 144Hz gaming monitor — $329.99 ($270 off at Newegg) LG 27-inch, IPS 1440p, 240Hz gaming monitor — $284.05 ($215.94 off at Amazon) For more affordable options for gamers, ASRock once again delivers with a 27-inch, 1080p display at just a hair over a hundred bucks. But I’d say that Gigabyte is giving the best bang for your buck with its 28-inch 4K option. Not only is it using an IPS panel for greater color accuracy, it’s packing a USB-C port for flexible video. It’s a great, affordable centerpiece to a setup that works for both, well, work and gaming. Prime Day 2025 deals on office monitors Acer 27-inch 1080p IPS 120Hz monitor — $99.99 ($50 off at Best Buy) Samsung 27-inch 1080p IPS monitor — $99.99 ($50 off at Amazon) Dell 27-inch 1440p IPS monitor — $179.99 ($40 off at Amazon) LG 27-inch 4K IPS monitor — $229.99 ($150 off at Amazon) Asus 32-inch 4K IPS monitor — $209.00 ($90 off at Amazon) Samsung 34-inch 1440p ultrawide monitor — $219.99 ($110 off at Amazon) MNN 15-inch portable USB-C monitor — $59.97 ($30 off at Amazon) I can personally recommend Dell’s 27-inch, 1440p IPS monitors, because I’ve been using them for years on either side of my ultrawide center display. It’s a perfect way to expand your desk space, but unless you need some gaming-grade speed, it works great as a primary display too. For laptop users, there’s no easier way to expand your mobile capabilities than with a USB monitor (especially since they now include power and video). And there are a bunch of affordable options now, too. Other great Prime Day deals These aren’t the only Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, hit the links for only the best expert-curated picks we’ve found. Best Amazon Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts Best Prime Day PC computer deals: Gaming & mainstream desktops Best Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more Best Prime Day deals on SSDs and storage Best USB flash drive deals for Prime Day 2025 Best monitor deals for Prime Day 2025: OLED, home office, and more Best Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs Best Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers Best Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks Best Prime Day 2025 deals on Chromebooks Best Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks FAQ 1. What size of monitor should I buy? Monitor size depends on personal preference and location. A 24-inch monitor is fine for a desk that is around 24 inches deep, or less. Its small size will still be sufficient because the monitor is closer to you. Most people, however, will want to go with a 27-inch monitor. The added size will make the monitor easy to see. This also opens up a wider range of 4K monitor options, as 4K is very rare on a 24-inch monitor. Larger monitors, such as a 32-inch widescreen or 34-inch ultrawide, are great for deep desks and people who want an immersive experience. Monitors this large can serve as a TV replacement in a small room. Displays of even larger size, such as 42-inch or 48-inch HDTVs, are best for home theater setups or an unusually large office. You’ll want to sit four to six feet away from a display of this size. 2. What display input is best? (HDMI vs. DisplayPort vs. USB-C) USB-C is the best display input for most people. It works by bundling DisplayPort into USB-C, so offers all the same features as DisplayPort. Yet it retains the features of USB-C including optional support for Power Delivery to charge external devices. This is why we recommend a USB-C monitor for most people. DisplayPort is generally second-best. It supports higher resolutions and refresh rates than HDMI. This input is particularly common on desktop computers. HDMI comes in third due to lower resolution and refresh rate support. This is improved by HDMI 2.1, but this feature remains hard to find and often adds to a monitor’s price. All three of the options above handle 1080p at 60Hz, which is the most common resolution and refresh rate available today. It’s also important to buy a monitor that has an input compatible with your PC. 3. Are all monitors compatible with Windows and MacOS? Modern monitors are compatible with all recent versions of Windows and MacOS. They’re plug-and-play, which means the monitor should display an image without the need to install driver software or mess with Windows or MacOS settings. 4. Are tariffs affecting monitor prices? Yes. Deals for monitors around this sale aren’t as good as they were during Amazon’s last big sale in October, particularly for the largest, most expensive models. That said, we have managed to avoid the complete shutdown of imported stock that seemed likely during the most tumultuous back-and-forth tariff negotiations…so that’s something. Prices are unlikely to improve later in the year, so if you find a delectable deal on a monitor you’re interested in, Prime Day may be one of your best bets of the year. Especially if you buy on day one of the event — President Trump says additional reciprocal tariffs will return on July 9, the second day of Prime Week, and could plunge prices into chaos.

Steve Coogan to lead regeneration of hometown
The comedian is appointed by Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burham to boost development in Middleton.

Homeowners warned weather-event buyouts may cease in 20 years
An independent reference group has delivered guidelines to help the government shape climate adaptation legislation.

Best Prime Day SSD deals: Big sales on fast storage
Summer means leisure time, and what better way to spend it than upgrading your PC setup? If you’re eager to jump on SSD and storage deals now, you’re in luck—Amazon Prime Day still has solid discounts on storage. Shopping now can be a smart move, too, given the potential for further uncertainty around prices. The U.S. government has stated its intention to impose additional tariffs on South Korea and Japan, which produce a sizable portion of the flash memory in SSDs. The bargains you catch between now and the end of the Prime Day sale period (July 11) could be the best you’ll find for a while. Want to know the best drives out there? Have a look at our top picks for the best SSDs of 2025 and the best external drives of 2025. Looking for even more deals, including limited-time ones? Best Prime Day 2025 deals on internal SSDs 2.5-inch SATA SSDs Teamgroup T-Force Vulcan Z, 1TB – $48 (26% off) TeamGroup T-Force Vulcan Z, 2TB – $88 (14% off) Teamgroup’s Vulcan Z line is a solid choice for expanding storage affordably. That’s especially true if you’re looking to store games, photos, and other files–these benefit from faster read/write times, but don’t usually need premium speeds. M.2 NVMe SSDs Gen 4 Crucial P3 Plus, 1TB Gen 4 – $57 (7% off) Crucial P310, 2TB Gen 4 – $94 (27% off) Samsung 990 Evo Plus, 2TB Gen 4×4. 5×2 – $114 (36% off) Nextorage NEM-PAB2TB/N, 2TB Gen 4 – $120 (52% off on Newegg) WD Black SN770M, 2TB Gen 4 (Steam Deck compatible) – $150 (40% off) Crucial P310, 4TB Gen 4 – $200 (37% off) Gen 5 Corsair MP700 Elite, 1TB Gen 5 – $100 (31% off) SK hynix Platinum P51, 2TB Gen 5 – $270 (15% off) SSD prices have largely held steady since last fall—a good thing given spring 2025’s fiscal volatility. So while the best prices now don’t match historical all-time lows, these are good prices on well-regarded drives. In particular, if you need a lot of storage, the 4TB Crucial P310 is at a sizable discount right now. Best Prime Day 2025 deals on external storage Samsung T7, 2TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 portable SSD – $120 (40% off) SK Hynix Beetle X31, 1TB, USB 3.2 Gen 2 portable SSD – $63 (28% off) WD Elements Desktop USB 3.0 External Hard Drive, 14TB – $170 (55% off at B&H) Samsung T9, 4TB, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 portable SSD – $265 (52% off) External storage sales are a bit sluggish during this year’s Prime Day, but if you need faster external SSDs, a couple of deals stand out—like the 2TB version of Samsung’s popular, fast T7, which is close to its all-time low price. Other great Prime Day deals These aren’t the only Prime Day deals being tracked by the PCWorld team. If you’re looking to supercharge your home setup with the juiciest tech sales, hit the links for only the best expert-curated picks we’ve found. Best Amazon Prime Day tech deals: Great sales chosen by experts Best Prime Day PC computer deals: Gaming & mainstream desktops Best Prime Day laptop deals: Gaming notebooks, 2-in-1s, and more Best Prime Day deals on SSDs and storage Best USB flash drive deals for Prime Day 2025 Best monitor deals for Prime Day 2025: OLED, home office, and more Best Prime Day deals on Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs Best Prime Day mini PC deals: Big savings on tiny computers Best Prime Day deals on battery chargers and power banks Best Prime Day 2025 deals on Chromebooks Best Prime Day deals on office chairs and standing desks SSD and storage deals FAQ 1. Why aren’t SSDs as cheap as they once were? The balance between demand and supply has shifted—with fewer drives on the market, prices drifted up over 2024. (Black Friday 2023 marked the end of a golden era.) The deals picked for this roundup may not always match those incredible 2023 prices, but they do hit a low for the period since the cost increases. 2. Do brands matter for SSDs and storage? Yes, but only to a point. Major manufacturers are generally reliable—think Samsung, Crucial, Western Digital (aka WD), SK Hynix, Corsair, Kingston, and even newer players like TeamGroup and Solidigm. Outside of that, you may be playing a bit fast and loose with your data’s longevity. However, everyone has that one horror story about a hard-disk drive that failed, and why they’ll never use, say, WD or Crucial again. That’s less commonly a manufacturing error, and more so a matter of luck. No drive is guaranteed to meet its life expectancy, which is why you should perform regular backups. 3. Is an SSD better than a HDD? SSDs are faster and take less room in a PC than a hard-disk drive (HDD), which gives them a strong edge. If you only have one storage drive in your PC, it should ideally be an SSD so you get faster boot times and quicker access to your files. A HDD as your primary drive will feel much slower. But HDDs still have their advantages. First, they’re much cheaper. The going price of a 2TB HDD is about the same as the sale price for a 1TB SSD. You also can get them in higher capacities than SSDs. If you work with huge files, you can pick up an 18TB or 20TB HDD (and as mentioned, since HDD cost less, you’ll spend as much or even less as a 4TB SSD). If you need secondary storage and you don’t need it to be fast, HDDs are a fantastic option. 4. How do I know if an SSD deal is good? Here’s the guideline we use for picking deals: First, it should be for an SSD that performs well (or in select cases, performs well for its MSRP), and is a reasonable price when not on sale. The discount should also be significant for that particular model. Ex: For SSDs that almost never go on sale, a reduction of $5 to $10 is already hefty. For others, that might be closer to $20 to $30. In other words, expect to pick up high-performing drives at an all-time low (or very close to that) during a Prime Day sale. Ignore the options that don’t meet this criteria. 5. Will tariffs affect SSD and storage prices? Possibly. As of this article’s publishing, the Trump administration intends to reinstate high tariffs on goods from many countries (and even impose additional ones), which could impact SSDs. If implemented, costs could increase in the second part of 2025. The smartest strategy is to buy now if you know you need the upgrade soon, especially on any discounted drives that you like.