Russian scientists develop plasma engine prototype promising Mars trips in 30-60 days - Related to plasma, prototype, entry-level, unveils, identify

Fastest VPN 2025: We identify the speediest performers

When looking for a top-notch VPN, the two most significant things to look for are privacy and speed. While privacy is crucial to a good VPN, speed shouldn’t be overlooked. Faster speeds mean quicker file downloads and website load times, higher-quality streaming, and just a advanced all-around experience.

I’ve tested numerous VPNs and. Run their servers through countless speed tests to determine the fastest services based on network averages. My picks showcase the very best with the fastest download speeds, the fastest upload speeds, and more. Read below to see PCWorld’s curated list of the fastest VPNs available now.

Why you should trust me: Here at PCWorld we’ve been testing computer hardware, software. And services since the 1980s. I’m continually testing all of the major VPNs on the market and. Many lesser-known services in order to curate a list of the very best VPNs across a variety of categories. Below you’ll find my favorite lightning-fast VPNs and, below those, helpful advice about what to look for when choosing a fast VPN on your own.

If you’re looking for even more VPN options, check out my comprehensive roundup of the best VPNs in all categories.

NordVPN – Fastest VPN Pros Loaded with tons of VPN configuration options.

Included antivirus and password manager Cons Expensive Best Prices Today: Retailer Price NordVPN (Monthly) $ View Deal Product Price Why I like NordVPN Nord regularly appears at the top of many VPN rankings. And it’s no surprise to see it here. In my tests, NordVPN retained a blazing fast 72 percent of the base download speed easily taking the checkered flag in a VPN race. It’s also inside the top 10 for upload speeds, maintaining an impressive 80 percent of the base. Of all the VPNs here, NordVPN also has to be the most feature-packed. It supports multi-hop connections, TOR over VPN, ad- and tracker-blocking at the server level, and a variety of other options. Who should buy NordVPN With all of the great functions included with NordVPN, it can appeal to a wide audience. Thankfully, you won’t need to sacrifice any speed for those functions either. Other competitors might win out on a good day, but NordVPN has the most (and best) consistent speeds. If speed is what you’re seeking, NordVPN has it — in droves. Read our full NordVPN review ExpressVPN – Second-fastest VPN Pros Excellent speeds.

Great security and privacy practices Cons More expensive than other VPNs.

A little light on extra security aspects Why I like ExpressVPN One of the best VPNs overall is, surprise. Also a good choice for speeds. It ranks second overall in both my download speed tests, retaining more than 70 percent of the base speed, and. Uploads with 80 percent scores in testing. ExpressVPN is one of the more costly VPNs out there with monthly subscriptions coming in at close to $13. For that money, however, you get solid speeds, a promise to work with Netflix, split tunneling, and unrivaled device support. The app is also extremely easy to use and there are a wide range of country locations to choose from. Who should buy ExpressVPN ExpressVPN is a truly great VPN for everyone. It gives you everything you could want from a top-tier service including privacy, security, and speed. It might not be as fast as my top pick on this list, but. It’s still plenty fast enough to handle all of your online activities without any noticeable disruptions. Read our full ExpressVPN review Windscribe Pro – Fastest free VPN Pros Good free plan.

Unlimited device connections Cons Streaming unblocking is inconsistent.

No independent audit Why I like Windscribe Pro Windscribe Pro is one of my favorite free VPNs. Period. But in terms of speed, there’s no contest. In my testing, Windscribe achieved a thoroughly impressive 64 percent of the base download speeds and 70 percent upload speeds. That’s good enough to warrant a place on the fastest VPNs list regardless, but considering that the service comes with a free plan with no speed restrictions means it’s a no-brainer if your looking for a fast VPN at no cost. The free version does come with a maximum 10GB per month data restriction, so you’ll need to be cognizant of your bandwidth usage. And the server network is smaller. But otherwise you pretty much get the full feature-set of the premium subscription. And did I mention those speeds? Who should use Windscribe Pro Windscribe Pro’s free plan is a great option for anyone who needs a speedy VPN but. Doesn’t want to pay a premium price. Plus, it’s not only the fastest, but it’s also one of the best free VPNs in general. Read our full Windscribe Pro review CyberGhost VPN – Fastest upload speeds Pros Independently verified no-log policy.

Generous 45-day money-back guarantee Cons Server speeds can be hit-or-miss.

Lacks some extra security attributes offered by competitors Why I like CyberGhost VPN The winner for best upload speeds is CyberGhost VPN. While I found that the service had rather average download speeds, I was absolutely blown away by its upload speeds. CyberGhost retained an unbelievable 89 percent of the base upload speed across all of my tests — the VPN’s servers might as well have been in my backyard with those numbers. CyberGhost VPN also has extra attributes that may interest some, such as streaming optimized servers and. A dizzying 9,000 plus servers to choose from all over the world. If the super-fast upload speeds and large server network aren’t enough, the service also offers good privacy with an independently verified no-logs audit and. Seriously affordable pricing on its long-term plans. Other honorable mentions for upload speeds include NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and Private Internet Access. Any of those VPNs will do the job nicely if upload speeds are a bigger concern than downloads. Who should buy CyberGhost VPN If you want something that offers a huge server network, and. Has top-rated upload speeds, then CyberGhost is a good option. Particularly if you work from home and need to connect to a remote work server or you’re looking to upload data securely over a VPN connection. CyberGhost VPN should be at the top of your list. Read our full CyberGhost review Mullvad – The most private speed demon Pros Good speeds.

Open-source Cons Struggles with unblocking streaming services.

Lacks some extra functions that other VPNs offer Why I like Mullvad If you don’t want to compromise on privacy and anonymity. While still getting solid speeds, then Mullvad is the best choice. This super-simple VPN supports connections via 41 different countries, and it costs just 5 euros per month (around $ at this writing). Mullvad should be considered the “Swiss bank account” version of a VPN, as it actively resists obtaining any of your personal information and. Provides premium service. Instead of signing up for an account with the standard email and password, Mullvad assigns you a random account number and that’s it. No birth date or anniversary passwords to give you away. One number and that’s it. In my tests, Mullvad performed well in download and upload speeds, maintaining around 48 percent of the baseline with each. That puts it firmly in the top half of all VPNs I’ve ever tested and. It’s plenty fast enough to do just about everything you’d want to do. There may be a few faster VPNs on the market, though they won’t provide the same amount of anonymity as you’ll get with Mullvad and. Sometimes it’s worth sacrificing a little speed for a whole lot of privacy. Who should buy Mullvad Mullvad is ultimately designed for the privacy-conscious user. That being expressed, it does offer good speeds, so even if privacy is your main concern. You need not sacrifice speed in order to enjoy your anonymity. Read our full Mullvad review Hotspot Shield – Honorable mention Pros Very fast.

Large country selection and plenty of servers Cons Domain visits are recorded, though not tied to you.

Building on these developments, the first thing to consider in a fast VPN is. Of course, speed. This may be tricky to do since you aren’t likely to be able to test connection speeds without paying to use the service. That’s where online reviews come in. Look for reviews, like ours, that give you a relative average of connection speeds rather than direct Mbps speed comparisons.

Next, you should look at a VPN’s server network including the number of servers and. Locations. It’s difficult to judge any VPN by just one feature, but a semi-reliable way to tell if a VPN is even worth your time is to look at the server spread. Anything with 1,000 or more servers and 30 or more country locations will do.

You’ll also want to read up on a VPN’s privacy protections. Does it have a no-logs policy? Has it undergone any independent audits of its servers? Where is the VPN firm located? All of these will give you an idea of whether or not a VPN is transparent with its data collection policies and if it’s subject to government data sharing requirements.

Other factors you’ll want to take into consideration are the overall ease-of-use, user experience. And any additional aspects. Some of these aspects, such as split-tunneling and kill switches, can be extremely useful for certain purposes and might sway your subscription decision one way or the other.

Finally. As with all subscription services, you’ll want to review the price of a VPN service. Do you want a monthly or yearly subscription? Some top VPNs might be pricey month-to-month, but actually become quite affordable with long-term plans.

My method for testing VPN speeds is rather straightforward. I average the connections between different global locations for any given VPN and then compare them to a baseline internet speed to get a good picture of the overall connection speeds.

I continue this process over multiple days of testing and. Then average the daily speeds together to get an overall average. I test a total of three days at different times of the day to account for any variation. That overall average is then expressed as a percentage of the base speed. That way the test results provide a sense of how much speed a VPN retains versus hard numbers, which can vary based on internet service providers, routers, and other equipment. Time of day, and so on.

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At a Glance Expert's Rating Pros Very fast.

Streaming supported servers Cons Smaller feature set.

Russian scientists develop plasma engine prototype promising Mars trips in 30-60 days

Something to look forward to: Scientists have created a laboratory prototype of a plasma electric rocket engine that could revolutionize space travel. Based on a magnetic plasma accelerator, this propulsion system promises to significantly reduce interplanetary travel time, potentially enabling trips to Mars in just one to two months.

Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation. Rosatom, in recent times developed a new spacecraft engine with impressive specifications. It far surpasses the capabilities of traditional chemical rocket engines, capable of generating at least 6 N of thrust and a specific impulse of at least 100 km/s.

"Currently, a flight to Mars using conventional engines can take almost a year one way, which is dangerous for astronauts due to cosmic radiation and. Exposure to radiation," Alexey Voronov, First Deputy Director General for Science at the Rosatom Research Institute, explained. "Using plasma engines can shorten the mission to 30-60 days, meaning it will be possible to send an astronaut to Mars and. Back."

The engine operates on a fundamentally different principle than traditional rockets. Junior researcher Egor Biriulin explained that a plasma rocket engine is an electric propulsion system with two electrodes. When charged particles move between them and a high voltage is applied, an electric current generates a magnetic field. This field propels the particles out of the engine, giving the plasma a directed motion that produces thrust.

This approach has a power output of about 300 kW. Allowing for unprecedented speeds. While traditional power units have a maximum matter flow velocity of about km/s due to fuel combustion conditions, the new plasma engine accelerates charged particles – electrons and. Protons – to a speed of 100 km/s (62 miles/s).

Engineers will test the technology using a large-scale experimental stand assembled in Troitsk. The stand's key equipment is a vacuum chamber measuring four meters in diameter and 14 meters in length. Rosatom will equip the test unit with systems for high-performance vacuum pumping and heat removal. Allowing scientists to simulate the conditions of deep space.

One notable advantage of this new engine design is its efficiency. Biriulin noted that the plasma does not need to be intensely heated, which means that the parts and. Components of the engine do not experience temperature overloads. Additionally, the engine converts nearly all the generated electrical energy into motion.

The spacecraft's initial launch into orbit will still rely on traditional chemical rockets. However, the plasma engine takes over once it reaches its designated orbit. Future spacefaring could incorporate the technology into space tugs to transport cargo between planets.

Before getting too excited. It's significant to note that the research comes with several caveats come with the research. For one, the engine is still in the prototype stage, and significant development work remains before Rosatom can use it in crewed space missions. Also, while the group proposes that its estimates of the engine's capabilities are "justified" through more than 2400 hours of testing, this may be optimistic since Rosatom has not tested the engine in space-like conditions for long durations.

Additionally. The potential use of space tugs for cargo transport between planets is speculative at this stage. It's critical to remember that this is an early-stage technology, and the dramatic reduction in travel time to Mars should be viewed as a potential long-term goal rather than an imminent reality.

The development of this plasma engine is part of a broader initiative by Rosatom to advance space exploration technologies. The enterprise is also involved in developing new nuclear power plants for various space applications, onboard systems, and automatic control and. Navigation systems for spacecraft.

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Volkswagen unveils $20,000 entry-level EV to take on Chinese competitors

The big picture: Volkswagen has teased a new entry-level EV that it plans to launch in a few years as an all-electric successor to the now-discontinued Up hatchback. Rumored to be named , it will be positioned below the Volkswagen , which debuted as a concept in 2023 and is expected to be launched in 2026.

Volkswagen presented that the entry-level EV will have a €20,000 (around $20,500) base price to make it attractive to "a wide variety of user groups." The enterprise also expressed hope that the "high-quality" electric hatchback will add to the enterprise's profitability. The automaker will unveil the vehicle in March, with the commercial launch provisionally set for 2027.

Unfortunately for buyers in North America and other global markets. Volkswagen seems to have no plans to release this model outside of Europe. The corporation described the vehicle as being "from Europe for Europe," which points to it will be sold only in the old continent, at least initially. However, China is one of the biggest markets for VW, so it won't be a major surprise if this car makes it to the Asian nation at some stage.

The new model is expected to rival Chinese electric cars that are flooding the global markets with cutting-edge elements at attractive prices. The leading China-based EV maker, BYD, in recent times surpassed Tesla's market share in some European countries. In the UK, the enterprise sold 1,614 passenger cars last month, while Tesla sold just 1,458, (SMMT).

Low-cost electric cars are an integral part of Volkswagen's future plans, which include the and. The newly presented model, both based on a tweaked version of the modular electric drive (MEB) platform. VW's existing ID models have shown strong momentum in recent years, selling million units globally since 2019. Last year alone, the corporation sold 383,100 EVs, making it the sixth-largest EV-maker in the world.

Volkswagen is planning major changes to its premier European factory to support the production of its next-gen affordable EVs. , the firm's historic plant at Wolfsburg, Germany, will undergo substantial renovation and retooling to enable EV manufacturing. The automaker will reportedly relocate the production of its Golf hatchback to Mexico, making room for next-gen EVs like the electric Golf and T-Roc models.

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