Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission.Reviews ethics statement
Give dad a little something special, preferably with a keyboard, touch pad, or GPU.
Dan Ackerman
Dan Ackerman leads CNET's coverage of computers and gaming hardware. A New York native and former radio DJ, he's also a regular TV talking head and the author of "The Tetris Effect" (Hachette/PublicAffairs), a non-fiction gaming and business history book that has earned rave reviews from the New York Times, Fortune, LA Review of Books, and many other publications.
"Upends the standard Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs/Mark Zuckerberg technology-creation myth... the story shines." -- The New York Times
Rich BrownFormer Senior Editorial Director - Home and Wellness
Rich was the editorial lead for CNET's Home and Wellness sections, based in Louisville, Kentucky. Before moving to Louisville in 2013, Rich ran CNET's desktop computer review section for 10 years in New York City. He has worked as a tech journalist since 1994, covering everything from 3D printing to Z-Wave smart locks.
ExpertiseSmart home, Windows PCs, cooking (sometimes), woodworking tools (getting there...)
I started with CNET reviewing laptops in 2009. Now I explore wearable tech, VR/AR, tablets, gaming and future/emerging trends in our changing world. Other obsessions include magic, immersive theater, puzzles, board games, cooking, improv and the New York Jets. My background includes an MFA in theater which I apply to thinking about immersive experiences of the future.
ExpertiseVR and AR, gaming, metaverse technologies, wearable tech, tabletsCredentials
Nearly 20 years writing about tech, and over a decade reviewing wearable tech, VR, and AR products and apps
The MacBook Pro with Retina Display, while expensive, is the best all-around MacBook Apple now makes, and its super-high-res screen makes images -- even simple text -- look beautifully clear. It's the ultimate laptop status symbol right now.
A great halfway point between laptop and tablet, the Yoga 13 is a great way to introduce dad to tablets, without compromising the more-familiar laptop shape and functionality.
If dad is a technophobe and/or a luddite, a Chromebook may be the way to go. The simple browser-based OS makes it hard to screw things up too badly, and most of the basic tools he'll want -- e-mail, Netflix, news -- are all easily accessible.
The latest iMac looks fantastic sitting on a desk, and if dad isn't ready to pull the plug and go all-in on a laptop or tablet, this is still the desktop computer to beat.
Sure, the battery life isn't stellar, but the amazingly portable package that the Surface Pro offers up can't be beat. Add a comfortable Type Cover keyboard, and the Surface Pro becomes a supercharged iPad-sized PC capable of no-holds-barred Windows computing on the go. It also comes with a pressure-sensitive stylus, a feature that may be making a bit of a comeback.
Why You Can Trust CNET 
