Apple has confirmed a product launch on February 19th, and we think it’ll be the new iPhone SE. That could mark a major shake-up to the company’s affordable iPhone line, adding in Face ID and killing off the classic home button.
Technology
Everything we think we know about the next iPhone SE
We don’t expect Apple to hold a full launch event for the new SE, instead simply announcing the phone on its website. When the company has done this in the past, it’s tended to favor announcements at 9AM ET, so set your alarm clock now if you don’t want to miss the news.
We have a pretty good idea of what’s coming after months of leaks and rumors, so here’s everything we expect to see next week.
There won’t be a home button…
The biggest change is that Apple is upending the iPhone SE’s design, after leaving it broadly unchanged since the series’ inception in 2016. The 2022 SE is the last iPhone still using a home button, with a thick bezel around the top and bottom of the screen. But rumors say Apple will now ditch the button, slim the bezel, and add Face ID.
The result will be a phone that looks like the iPhone 14 from the front. Like that phone, it’s expected to place its Face ID sensors in a notch, rather than using the less obtrusive Dynamic Island design that was introduced in the 14 Pro and has been used in every iPhone since then. Apple can’t resist keeping its SE series just a little behind the times.
We’ve seen the notched design in a video shared by the leaker Majin Bu, which shows them handling what is likely a nonfunctional dummy unit, used by case manufacturers to design and test their accessories.
Case manufacturer Spigen also showed off renders of the phone when it accidentally published a listing early for one of its cases for the phone. The product page has been taken down, but not before GSMArena grabbed images that closely match the device shown in the video above.
…but there will be an Action button
Bu’s video and Spigen’s images both suggest that the SE 4 will include a customizable Action button, but not the Camera Control introduced on the iPhone 16.
Like other SE models, it also appears to stick to a single rear camera. One leaked spec list suggests that the SE will use a 48-megapixel sensor on the rear, with a 12-megapixel selfie camera on the front, but this is an area where there have been few reports so far.
It’s not going to be a small phone
The redesign will allow the 2025 SE to have a larger screen than the 4.7-inch panel used by the 2022 model. It’s expected to instead use a 6.1-inch display, the same size as the standard iPhone 16, and will also upgrade to OLED.
The bigger screen means the phone as a whole will be larger than any previous iPhone SE, and there will no longer be any iPhone smaller than the standard model. If we assume the new phone will have similar dimensions to the iPhone 16, then it could be 9mm taller than the 2022 SE and weigh about 25g more.
Lightning is out, USB-C is in
It’s pretty much certain that the phone will have a USB-C port rather than Lightning, allowing it to once again be sold in the EU. The previous SE model was discontinued in EU markets, along with every other iPhone using a Lightning port.
It’ll be one of the most powerful iPhones around
On the inside, Bloomberg reports that the phone will use the same A18 chip as the iPhone 16 and 16 Pro models. That’s the same approach Apple has used for its last two SE phones, which have paired the latest silicon with more dated designs. The A18 is expected to be combined with an increase to 8GB of RAM, the minimum required to run Apple Intelligence, the company’s AI tools that provide notification summaries and other functionality and are now enabled by default. That would all make it more powerful than 2023’s iPhone 15.
It will even beat this year’s iPhone 17 series to feature Apple’s first in-house 5G modem, replacing the Qualcomm components that iPhones have used in the past. Apple has been developing its own modems for over half a decade, but Bloomberg warns that the first iteration is a “downgrade” from the modem in the latest flagship iPhones and won’t support mmWave 5G, only sub-6 — though that was true of the last iPhone SE, too.
Tim Cook has teased a new “member of the family,” arriving on February 19th, and we’re pretty sure that’s the new SE.
Bloomberg predicts a price of “roughly $500,” higher than the 2022 model’s starting price of $429. That may be offset by a default storage spec of 128GB, meaning there would no longer be any 64GB iPhone on the market.
There’s also a possibility that it won’t be called the iPhone SE after all. Two leakers have predicted that it will instead be called the iPhone 16E, though, since the SE name has popped up more often, we think that’s still more likely.
We won’t have long to wait to find out for sure. The SE would be the first of several big iPhone launches this year, with Apple tipped to reveal a slimmer iPhone 17 Air as well as “major updates” to the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro.
Update, February 13th: Added mention of Apple’s teaser for an announcement on February 19th.
To close out its February 2026 State of Play presentation, Sony revealed God of War Sons of Sparta, a new prequel 2D side scroller in the God of War franchise, and announced that it’s out right now on PlayStation 5.
”God of War Sons of Sparta is a 2D action platformer with a canon story set in Kratos’ youth during his harsh training at the Agoge alongside his brother Deimos,” Sony says. Over the course of the game, Kratos will “learn deadly skills using his spear and shield, as well as harness powerful divine artifacts known as the Gifts of Olympus to take on a wide array of foes.”
Sony’s Santa Monica Studio collaborated on the game with Mega Cat Studios. It costs $29.99, with a Digital Deluxe version available for $39.99.
Sony also announced that it’s working on a remake of the original God of War trilogy, with TC Carson set to return as the voice of Kratos. However, the project is “still very early in development, so we ask for your patience as it will be a while before anything else can be shared,” according to Sony. “When we can come back with an update, we aim to make it a big one!”
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Logging into your bank, retirement or investment accounts is now part of everyday life. Still, for many people, it comes with a knot in the stomach. You hear about hacks, scams and stolen identities and wonder if simply checking your balance could open the door to trouble. That concern landed in our inbox from Mary.
“How do I protect my bank accounts, 401K and non-retirement accounts when I view them online?”
Mary’s question is a good one, because protecting your money online is not about one magic setting. It comes down to smart habits layered together.
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DATA BREACH EXPOSES 400,000 BANK CUSTOMERS’ INFO
Securing your device with updates and antivirus software is the first step in protecting your financial accounts online. (REUTERS/Andrew Kelly)
Secure your device before logging into financial accounts
Everything begins with the device in your hands. If it isn’t secure, even the strongest password can be exposed. These essentials help lock things down before you ever sign in.
Start with these device security basics:
- Keep your phone, tablet and computer fully updated with the latest operating system and browser versions
- Use strong, always-on antivirus protection to block malware and phishing attempts. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
- Avoid public Wi-Fi when accessing financial accounts, or use a trusted VPN if you have no other option. For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at Cyberguy.com.
Protect your bank and investment account logins
Your login details are the front door to your money. Strengthening them reduces the chance that anyone else can get inside.
Strengthen your account logins by:
- Using strong, unique passwords for every financial account
- Avoiding saved passwords on shared or older devices
- Relying on a password manager to create and store credentials securely. Our No. 1 pick, includes a built-in breach scanner that alerts you if your information appears in known leaks. If you find a match, change any reused passwords immediately and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.
- Checking whether your email or passwords have appeared in known data breaches and updating reused passwords immediately. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.
- Turning on two-factor authentication (2FA) wherever it’s available
Avoid common online banking scams when logging in
Even well-secured accounts can be compromised through careless access. How you log in matters.
Reduce your risk when accessing financial accounts:
- Typing website addresses yourself or using saved bookmarks
- Avoiding login links sent by email or text, even if they look official
- Checking for “https” and the lock icon before entering credentials
- Logging out completely after every session, especially on mobile devices
Add extra layers of protection to financial accounts
Strong, unique passwords and two-factor authentication help stop criminals even if one login is exposed. (Photo by Neil Godwin/Future via Getty Images)
DON’T LET AI PHANTOM HACKERS DRAIN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT
Think of these as early warning systems. They help catch problems quickly, before real damage is done.
Enable financial account alerts and safeguards:
- Setting up alerts for logins, withdrawals, password changes and new payees
- Requiring extra confirmation for large or unusual transactions
- Freezing your credit with the major credit bureaus to block new accounts opened in your name. To learn more about how to do this, go to Cyberguy.com and search “How to freeze your credit.”
Protect your identity beyond your bank accounts
Your financial accounts are only part of the picture. Identity protection helps stop problems before they ever reach your bank.
Go beyond basic banking security:
- Monitoring for identity theft involving your Social Security number, phone number and email
- Using an identity protection service that alerts you if your data appears on the dark web or is used fraudulently. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft at Cyberguy.com
- Removing your personal information from data broker websites that buy and sell consumer data. A data removal service reduces risk before identity theft happens. Check out my top picks for data removal services, and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com.
Review bank and credit statements for early warning signs
Review your bank, credit card and investment statements regularly, even when nothing looks suspicious. Small red flags often appear long before major losses.
Everyday security habits that prevent financial scams
Many successful scams rely on pressure and trust, not advanced technology. Good habits close those gaps.
Practice smart daily security habits:
- Never allow anyone to log into your accounts remotely, even if they claim to be from your bank
- Avoid storing photos of IDs, Social Security cards, or account numbers on your phone or email
- Stop immediately if something feels off, and contact the institution directly using a verified phone number
Logging in the right way, by typing web addresses yourself and avoiding suspicious links, reduces phishing risks. (Martin Bertrand / Hans Lucas / AFP via Getty Images)
Kurt’s key takeaways
Checking your bank or retirement accounts online should feel routine, not risky. With updated devices, strong logins, careful access and smart habits, you can keep control of your money without giving up convenience. Security is not about fear. It is about staying one step ahead.
Have you ever clicked a financial alert and wondered afterward if it was real or a scam? Let us know your thoughts by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Business laptops are typically dull computers foisted on employees en masse. But higher-end enterprise workstation notebooks sometimes get an interesting enough blend of power and features to appeal to enthusiasts. HP’s ZBook Ultra G1a is a nice example. It’s easy to see it as another gray boring-book for spendy business types, until you notice a few key specs: an AMD Strix Halo APU, lots of RAM, an OLED display, and an adequate amount of speedy ports (Thunderbolt 4, even — a rarity on AMD laptops).
I know from my time with the Asus ROG Flow Z13 and Framework Desktop that anything using AMD’s high-end Ryzen AI Max chips should make for a compelling computer. But those two are a gaming tablet and a small form factor PC, respectively. Here, you get Strix Halo and its excellent integrated graphics in a straightforward, portable 14-inch laptop — so far, the only one of its kind. That should mean great performance with solid battery life, and the graphics chops to hang with midlevel gaming laptops — all in a computer that wouldn’t draw a second glance in a stuffy office. It’s a decent Windows (or Linux) alternative to a MacBook Pro, albeit for a very high price.
$3499
The Good
- Great screen, keyboard, and trackpad
- Powerful AMD Strix Halo chip
- Solid port selection with Thunderbolt 4
- Can do the work stuff, the boring stuff, and also game
The Bad
- Expensive
- Strix Halo can be power-hungry
- HP’s enterprise-focused security software is nagging
The HP ZBook Ultra G1a starts around $2,100 for a modest six-core AMD Ryzen AI Max Pro 380 processor, 16GB of shared memory, and basic IPS display. Our review unit is a much higher-spec configuration with a 16-core Ryzen AI Max Plus Pro 395, 2880 x 1800 resolution 120Hz OLED touchscreen, 2TB of storage, and a whopping 128GB of shared memory, costing nearly $4,700. I often see it discounted by $1,000 or more — still expensive, but more realistic for someone seeking a MacBook Pro alternative. Having this much shared memory is mostly useful for hefty local AI inference workloads and serious dataset crunching; most people don’t need it. But with the ongoing memory shortage I’d also understand wanting to futureproof.
- Screen: A
- Webcam: B
- Keyboard: B
- Trackpad: B
- Port selection: B
- Speakers: B
- Number of ugly stickers to remove: 1 (only a Windows sticker on the bottom)
Unlike cheaper HP laptops I’ve tested that made big sacrifices on everyday features like speaker quality, the ZBook Ultra G1a is very good across the board. The OLED is vibrant, with punchy contrast. The keyboard has nice tactility and deep key travel. The mechanical trackpad is smooth, with a good click feel. The 5-megapixel webcam looks solid in most lighting. And the speakers have a full sound that I’m happy to listen to music on all day. I have my gripes, but they’re minor: The 400-nit screen could be a little brighter, the four-speaker audio system doesn’t sound quite as rich as current MacBook Pros, and my accidental presses of the Page Up and Page Down keys above the arrows really get on my nerves. These quibbles aren’t deal-breakers, though for the ZBook’s price I wish HP solved some of them.
The big thing you’re paying for with the ZBook Ultra is that top-end Strix Halo APU, which is so far only found in $2,000+ computers and a sicko-level gaming handheld, though there will be cut-down versions coming to cheaper gaming laptops this year.
The flagship 395 chip in the ZBook offers speedy performance for mixed-use work and enough battery life to eke out an eight-hour workday filled with Chrome tabs and web apps (with power-saving measures). I burned through battery in Adobe Lightroom Classic, but even though Strix Halo is less powerful when disconnected from wall power, the ZBook didn’t get bogged down. I blazed through a hefty batch edit of 47-megapixel RAW images without any particularly long waits on things like AI denoise or automated masking adjustments.
The ZBook stays cool and silent during typical use; pushing it under heavy loads only yields a little warmth in its center and a bit of tolerable fan noise that’s easily drowned out by music, a video, or a game at normal volume.
This isn’t a gaming-focused laptop any more than a MacBook Pro is, as its huge pool of shared memory and graphics cores are meant for workstation duties. However, this thing can game. I spent an entire evening playing Battlefield 6 with friends, with Discord and Chrome open in the background, and the whole time it averaged 70 to 80fps in 1920 x 1200 resolution with Medium preset settings and FSR set to Balanced mode — with peaks above 100fps. Running it at the native 2880 x 1800 got a solid 50-ish fps that’s fine for single-player.
Intel’s new Panther Lake chips also have great integrated graphics for gaming, while being more power-efficient. But Strix Halo edges out Panther Lake in multi-core tasks and graphics, with the flagship 395 version proving as capable as a laptop RTX 4060 discrete GPU. AMD’s beefy mobile chips have also proven great for Linux if you’re looking to get away from Windows.
HP Zbook Ultra G1a / Ryzen AI Max Plus Pro 395 (Strix Halo) / 128GB / 2TB |
Asus Zenbook Duo / Intel Core Ultra X9 388H (Panther Lake) / 32GB / 1TB |
MacBook Pro 14 / Apple M5 / 16GB / 1TB |
MacBook Pro 16 / Apple M4 Pro / 48GB / 2TB |
Asus ROG Flow Z13/ AMD Ryzen AI Max Plus 395 (Strix Halo) / 32GB / 1TB |
Framework Desktop / AMD Ryzen AI Max Plus 395 (Strix Halo) / 128GB / 1TB |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU cores | 16 | 16 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 16 |
| Graphics cores | 40 | 12 | 10 | 20 | 40 | 40 |
| Geekbench 6 CPU Single | 2826 | 3009 | 4208 | 3976 | 2986 | 2961 |
| Geekbench 6 CPU Multi | 18125 | 17268 | 17948 | 22615 | 19845 | 17484 |
| Geekbench 6 GPU (OpenCL) | 85139 | 56839 | 49059 | 70018 | 80819 | 86948 |
| Cinebench 2024 Single | 113 | 129 | 200 | 179 | 116 | 115 |
| Cinebench 2024 Multi | 1614 | 983 | 1085 | 1744 | 1450 | 1927 |
| PugetBench for Photoshop | 10842 | 8773 | 12354 | 12374 | 10515 | 10951 |
| PugetBench for Premiere Pro (version 2.0.0+) | 78151 | 54920 | 71122 | Not tested | Not tested | Not tested |
| Premiere 4K Export (shorter time is better) | 2 minutes, 39 seconds | 3 minutes, 3 seconds | 3 minutes, 14 seconds | 2 minutes, 13 seconds | Not tested | 2 minutes, 34 seconds |
| Blender Classroom test (seconds, lower is better) | 154 | 61 | 44 | Not tested | Not tested | 135 |
| Sustained SSD reads (MB/s) | 6969.04 | 6762.15 | 7049.45 | 6737.84 | 6072.58 | Not tested |
| Sustained SSD writes (MB/s) | 5257.17 | 5679.41 | 7317.6 | 7499.56 | 5403.13 | Not tested |
| 3DMark Time Spy (1080p) | 13257 | 9847 | Not tested | Not tested | 12043 | 17620 |
| Price as tested | $4,689 | $2,299.99 | $1,949 | $3,349 | $2,299.99 | $2,459 |
In addition to Windows 11’s upsells and nagging notifications, the ZBook also has HP’s Wolf Security, designed for deployment on an IT-managed fleet of company laptops. For someone not using this as a work-managed device, its extra layer of protections may be tolerable, but they’re annoying. They range from warning you about files from an “untrusted location” (fine) to pop-ups when plugging in a non-HP USB-C charger (infuriating). You can turn off and uninstall all of this, same as you can for the bloatware AI Companion and Support Assistant apps, but it’s part of what HP charges for on its Z workstation line.
You don’t need to spend this kind of money on a kitted-out ZBook Ultra G1a unless you do the kind of specialized computing (local AI models, mathematical simulations, 3D rendering, etc.) it’s designed for. There’s a more attainable configuration, frequently on sale for around $2,500, but its 12-core CPU, lower-specced GPU, and 64GB of shared memory are a dip in performance.
If you’re mostly interested in gaming, an Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 or even a Razer Blade 16 make a hell of a lot more sense. For about the price of our ZBook Ultra review unit, the Razer gets you an RTX 5090 GPU, with much more powerful gaming performance, while the more modest ROG Zephyrus G14 with an RTX 5060 gets you comparable gaming performance to the ZBook Ultra in a similar form factor for nearly $3,000 less. The biggest knock against those gaming laptops compared to the ZBook is that their fans get much louder under load.
And while it’s easy to think of a MacBook Pro as the lazy answer to all computing needs, it still should be said: If you don’t mind macOS, you can get a whole lot more (non-gaming) performance from an M4 Pro / M4 Max MacBook Pro. Even sticking with Windows and integrated graphics, the Asus Zenbook Duo with Panther Lake at $2,300 is a deal by comparison, once it launches.
1/7
At $4,700, this is a specific machine for specialized workloads. It’s a travel-friendly 14-inch that can do a bit of everything, but it’s a high price for a jack of all trades if you’re spending your own money. The ZBook piqued my interest because it’s one of the earliest examples of Strix Halo in a conventional laptop. After using it, I’m even more excited to see upcoming models at more down-to-earth prices.
2025 HP ZBook Ultra G1a specs (as reviewed)
- Display: 14-inch (2880 x 1800) 120Hz OLED touchscreen
- CPU: AMD Ryzen AI Max Plus Pro 395 (Strix Halo)
- RAM: 128GB LPDDR5x memory, shared with the GPU
- Storage: 2TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 NVMe SSD
- Webcam: 5-megapixel with IR and privacy shutter
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4
- Ports: 2x Thunderbolt 4 / USB-C (up to 40Gbps with Power Delivery and DisplayPort), 1x USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, 1x USB-A 3.2 Gen 2, HDMI 2.1, 3.5mm combo audio jack
- Biometrics: Windows Hello facial recognition, power button with fingerprint reader
- Weight: 3.46 pounds / 1.57kg
- Dimensions: 12.18 x 8.37 x 0.7 inches / 309.37 x 212.60 x 17.78mm
- Battery: 74.5Whr
- Price: $4,689
Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
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