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Chase and Capital One are leaders in the credit card space. If you're looking for your next travel rewards credit card , the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees ) and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card are both great options to consider.

The Sapphire Preferred is a mid-tier travel card, while the Venture X is positioned as a premium card. Their annual fees reflect that difference: the Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, and the Venture X has a $395 annual fee.

While the Venture X carries a much higher annual fee, it isn't automatically the better choice.

Both cards have their own transferable currencies and travel-related benefits. With the Sapphire Preferred, you'll earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, while you'll earn Capital One miles with the Venture X.

Here's how they stack up.

Quick verdict: Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture X

Choose the Sapphire Preferred if you want valuable transfer partners, strong travel protections and excellent value for a $95 annual fee.

Choose the Venture X if you'll use the $300 annual Capital One Travel credit, airport lounge access and anniversary bonus miles to help offset its $395 annual fee.

Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture X comparison

Feature Chase Sapphire Preferred Venture X

Annual fee $95 $395

Welcome bonus Earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

Earning rates

5 points per dollar spent on travel booked through Chase Travel℠

5 points per dollar spent on Lyft purchases (through Sept. 30, 2027)

5 points per dollar spent on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $150 or more (through Dec. 31, 2027, with a limit of 25,000 bonus points)

3 points per dollar spent on dining (including eligible delivery services and takeout) as well as select streaming services, gas and electric vehicle charging, vacation homes at top brands* and online groceries (excludes Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs)

2 points per dollar spent on all travel not booked through Chase Travel

1 point per dollar spent on everything else

*Airbnb, Vrbo, Plum Guide, HomeAway, Homestay.com and Vacasa

10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

5 miles per dollar spent on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel

2 miles per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases

Statement credits

$100 Chase Travel hotel credit

Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus credit

Complimentary one-year Apple TV subscription (activate by Dec. 31, 2026)

$300 annual credit on Capital One Travel bookings

Up to $120 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit

Other card benefits

DoorDash DashPass membership (activate by Dec. 31, 2027)

10% anniversary points boost (available only to cardholders approved before June 15, 2026; ends Oct. 1, 2026)

Travel and purchase protections

No foreign transaction fees

Complimentary Capital One and Priority Pass lounge access (for the primary cardholder and up to two guests)

10,000 bonus miles every card anniversary

Complimentary Hertz Gold Plus Rewards President's Circle status*

Travel and purchase protections

Four authorized users (at no additional cost)

No foreign transaction fees

Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture X welcome offer

New applicants for the Chase Sapphire Preferred can earn 100,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

TPG's July 2026 valuations peg the value of Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents apiece, making this welcome offer worth $2,050.

THE POINTS GUY New applicants for the Venture X can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. TPG's July 2026 valuations peg Capital One miles at 1.85 cents apiece, making this offer worth $1,388.

Winner : Sapphire Preferred. Its welcome offer is worth 48% more.

Related: Best credit card welcome offers this month

Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture X benefits

Both cards offer similar benefits, such as no foreign transaction fees , shopping and travel protections , and primary rental car insurance .

In addition, the Sapphire Preferred offers cardholders:

Up to a $100 hotel credit annually : Receive up to a $100 statement credit for eligible hotel bookings made through Chase Travel.

Anniversary points bonus : Get 10% bonus points on the total spending made on your card in a given year. (Benefit is being discontinued for cardholders who apply on or after June 15; if you applied prior to June 15, eligible purchases made through Oct. 1 continue to earn the 10% bonus. The points will be awarded by Jan. 31, 2027.)

Complimentary DoorDash DashPass membership : Olivia Mittak , a TPG credit cards editor, values this benefit since she frequently uses DoorDash to get meals delivered (must enroll by Dec. 31, 2027).

Baggage delay protection

Up to $120 Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus credit

Complimentary one-year Apple TV subscription (when activated by Dec. 31)

RGSTUDIO/GETTY IMAGES Meanwhile, the Venture X offers:

Annual $300 Capital One Travel credit : Ben Smithson , TPG's senior points and miles writer, used this credit to book a flight over a long weekend when he couldn't find great value from award flights.

10,000-mile anniversary bonus : These bonus miles are worth $185 based on TPG's valuations.

Lounge access : Receive access to Capital One lounges and landings and a complimentary Priority Pass membership .

Hertz Gold Rewards President's Circle status *

Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cellphone protection

Ride-hailing protection

While the Venture X's travel credit can't be used outside Capital One Travel , it should still be relatively easy to use.

The Venture X provides excellent lounge access via entry to more than 1,300 Priority Pass lounges and Capital One's small but mighty network of five lounges (four lounges and one Capital One Landing ).

The card also includes cellphone protection, something the Sapphire Preferred lacks. However, the Sapphire Preferred offers baggage delay insurance, which the Venture X does not.

Winner : Venture X. It provides substantially more value with the $300 Capital One Travel credit on bookings through Capital One Travel, anniversary bonus miles, lounge access and automatic elite status, but that's to be expected, as it has more than quadruple the annual fee of the Sapphire Preferred.

Related: Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders: Why the Venture X is worth adding next

Earning rewards with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture X

Both cards earn at least 5 points or miles per dollar spent on eligible travel booked through their respective portals; however, this may not be particularly useful to most, as I generally don't recommend booking through travel portals for travelers who prioritize elite benefits or booking flexibility.

EVA KATALIN/GETTY IMAGES While the Sapphire Preferred has more bonus-earning categories, some are rather niche. It does earn 3 points per dollar spent in a few select bonus categories, including dining, which is a strong everyday bonus category, but others (like online grocery purchases or select streaming services) may not move the needle for everyone.

Meanwhile, the Venture X offers unmatched simplicity. You'll earn at least 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases and won't have to remember bonus categories

Winner : Tie. The Sapphire Preferred has more bonus categories, but some are niche; the Venture X offers simplicity in its earnings.

Related: Why I love my Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — and will always keep it in my wallet

Redeeming rewards with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture X

Your best bet for redeeming your rewards with either card is to use transfer partners . However, there are other redemption options for each card.

Both cards' rewards can be redeemed for a fixed value in each issuer's respective travel portal, as well as for gift cards and cash back (though the latter two options provide the worst redemption value).

ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY With the Sapphire Preferred , your points are worth up to 1.75 cents each through the Points Boost feature when redeemed for eligible travel booked via Chase Travel (see your rewards program agreement for full details). While this is still below TPG's July 2026 valuation of Ultimate Rewards points, it's a solid backup redemption option if you're having trouble finding award availability.

With the Venture X , you can redeem miles at a fixed rate of 1 cent per mile for all travel-related purchases made on your card or for travel booked through Capital One Travel.

Winner : Sapphire Preferred. When redeeming points through Chase Travel, points are worth up to 1.75 cents each, whereas redeeming miles via Capital One Travel or for travel purchases are only worth 1 cent each.

Related: Value simplicity? Why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is now the only card you need

Transferring rewards with the Sapphire Preferred vs. Venture X

Transferring rewards you earn from either card provides maximum redemption value.

With the Sapphire Preferred , you'll have access to Chase's airline and hotel partners .

Stephanie Stevens , credit cards writer at TPG, regularly transfers Chase points earned on her Sapphire Preferred to partners like United MileagePlus and Air France-KLM Flying Blue. Recently, she transferred 28,200 United miles for two nonstop economy flights from San Francisco to Lihue in Hawaii. The cash price for the flights was around $550 each.

HYATT With Capital One, you'll have access to 15-plus airline and hotel transfer partners . However, not all partners (like EVA Airways ) transfer at a 1:1 ratio. Chase still has an edge here thanks to valuable partners like World of Hyatt and its two U.S. airline partners, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines , while Capital One has just one: JetBlue .

That said, both programs have airline partners in each of the three major alliances: Oneworld , SkyTeam and Star Alliance — which can also be used to book domestic flights.

Winner : Sapphire Preferred. Despite Chase's reduced transfer ratio to World of Hyatt for new cardholders , it still offers one of the strongest transfer partner lineups, including two U.S. airline partners.

Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for maximum value

Should I get the Sapphire Preferred or Venture X?

If you prefer solid travel protections for a lower annual fee and more U.S. airline transfer partners, then the mid-tier Sapphire Preferred is the way to go. However, if you're after a premium card with perks like lounge access, I recommend the Venture X .

Related: Is the Capital One Venture X right for you? How to decide

Bottom line

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card both deliver excellent travel value, but they serve different types of travelers.

If you're looking for premium perks like airport lounge access, an annual travel credit and simple earning rates, the Venture X is worth its higher annual fee.

But if you'd rather keep costs low while still getting outstanding travel protections, flexible redemption options and one of the strongest transfer partner lineups available, the Sapphire Preferred is hard to beat.

Frequent travelers may even find that carrying both cards offers the best of both worlds, with the Venture X covering premium travel benefits and the Sapphire Preferred complementing it with valuable bonus categories and access to Chase's transfer partners.

To learn more, read our full reviews of the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Capital One Venture X .

Apply here: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

Learn more: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g., at hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program, and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Cloud Rebuild installs a fresh version of Windows straight from... the cloud

It'll even work on PCs where Windows is damaged or files are missing

Now available in preview, it's being tested ahead of general availability

Microsoft has introduced a new Windows 11 recovery feature that installs a full version of Windows directly from cloud servers, without users having to rely on separate installation media.

The new tool is designed to work even when PCs have become corrupted, giving users a completely fresh install.

Although existing PC resetting tools can already download Windows from the cloud, recovery can fail if local Windows files are damaged or missing, making this a much more comprehensive tool.

Cloud Rebuild

With Cloud Rebuild designed to work even when Windows won't boot at all, it includes everything from the latest compatible Windows image to device-specific drivers, meaning users can skip the faff of downloading drivers from PC manufacturers.

As for the user experience, it eliminates the need for users to configure bootable USB installers and handle complex ISO files.

The upgrade is currently available as a Windows 11 Insider preview, but Microsoft has plans to extend its reach after testing. "Remote initiation from an enterprise endpoint management solution, such as Microsoft Intune, will be available in a later release," the company added in a support page .

Being a preview product, Microsoft also noted that some features, UX and command-line options may change before it hits general availability.

While the two OSs operate differently, with Apple controlling hardware and software and creating a different driver landscape altogether, Microsoft's Cloud Rebuild does bring Windows closer to a recovery model and user experience that macOS users have enjoyed since the company launched Internet Recovery in 2011.

Microsoft hasn't provided any further timeline information for Cloud Rebuild's full release as yet.

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Halloween: The Game just revealed a special Limited Collector's Edition with an exclusive, and chilling, Michael Myers action figure by Trick or Treat Studios.

This special edition is crammed with goodies like a trick or treat bag of candy. Aside from the game itself, it features in-game skins and cosmetics, an exclusive poster, lenticular art, and "more surprises" still to come. However, all eyes are likely to be on the exclusive Scream Great Shape Jump Michael Myers 8-inch variant action figure. This gives the villain an ethereal, ghostly glow that really helps it pop. Personally, I love that it comes with a teeny pumpkin given the same finish. That alone gets it my vote as one of the best toys I've seen this week.

Nighthawk Interactive

Halloween: The Game Limited Collector's Edition (Playstation 5)

You can now pre-order this special edition ahead of its October release, but I don't think it'll be as slow and steady as Michael Myers himself; according to the official site , limited quantities are available.

In terms of the team behind that action figure, it's being made by Trick or Treat Studios – an outfit known for its masks, yes, but also its highly detailed action figures. That includes everything from Terrifier toys to Mr. Myers himself, but they're perhaps best known for their 1:1 scale Chucky Doll (which you can see here at Mad About Horror , because it needs to be witnessed). That kind of reputation makes me sit up and pay attention to this little Michael Myers, even if he is admittedly a fraction of the size of that Chucky masterpiece.

Halloween: The Game and its Limited Collector's Edition will land on October 6, 2026.

Want collectibles that are a little less creepy? It's worth dropping in on the best Lego sets . If you're still in a spooky mood, though, here's how, after 47 years, Halloween: The Game answers "burning questions" about John Carpenter's 1978 classic .

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The United States is preparing for cyber conflict with a military structure that still treats cyberspace as a secondary supporting function.

We have soldiers for land, sailors for sea, airmen for air, and guardians for space. But in cyberspace, a borderless domain where American forces are engaged with adversaries every day, we still do not have a military service whose central purpose is to build a quality, expert force, equipped with the most cutting-edge capabilities, for war-fighting in the cyber domain.

For more than a decade, Washington has tried to patch this problem instead of fixing it. Congress has granted U.S. Cyber Command new authorities. The Pentagon has adjusted organizations, budgets and training pipelines. Senior leaders have made the current structure work better than it should. But those reforms have not changed the basic fact that there is no military service that sees organizing, training and equipping forces for the cyber domain as its first and primary priority.

Cyber Command’s job is to employ cyber capabilities in military operations. But it still depends on the existing services to recruit, train, retain, and develop the people who carry out those missions and equip them with the capabilities to do so. In the rest of the military, that division of labor is clear: services build forces, and combatant commands employ them.

Cyber remains the exception. The Navy must build fleets, the Army must build land power, the Air Force must attain air superiority, and so on. Each service has cyber responsibilities, but each also has core missions that naturally, and appropriately, come first. Cyber matters to all of the services, but it is not the central organizing mission of any of them.

The result is a weaker cyber force than the country needs. The military’s cyber enterprise still struggles with inconsistent recruiting and retention problems. A young American who can write code, spot weaknesses in software or understand how digital systems break may be exactly who the country needs, even if that person does not fit the standard mold the existing services were built to recruit, promote and retain.

Cyber talent does not grow by accident. It must be recruited deliberately, trained continuously and retained through a career model that rewards technical mastery, instead of forcing top operators to move into command or management roles just to advance. The country needs people who can spend years becoming experts in offensive and defensive cyberspace operations, not personnel forced through systems that were never built for the mission.

The threat is evolving too quickly to justify continuing marginal fixes to the current system. China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and criminal actors are targeting U.S. networks, critical infrastructure and military systems. Artificial intelligence will only increase the speed and scale of cyber operations. The United States cannot keep relying on a cyber force stitched together across multiple services, each with different priorities, incentives and personnel rules.

A new report from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and the Center for Strategic and International Studies shows how to build a Cyber Force with a clearly defined mission, not a sprawling bureaucracy. Its job should be to organize, train and equip forces for offensive and defensive cyberspace operations. It should not take over every military information technology network or absorb every technology function inside the Department of Defense. The existing services should continue to operate and secure the networks and systems tied to their own missions.

A Cyber Force would also strengthen Cyber Command. Too much of this debate treats a new service as a judgment on Cyber Command’s performance. It is not. Cyber Command houses some of our nation’s most talented cyber warriors. What they need is a better force-generation system behind them.

The U.S. military has adapted before when new domains became central to warfare. The Air Force was created because airpower became too important to remain secondary to another service’s priorities. The Space Force was created because space needed its own culture and focus. Cyberspace has reached the same point: American forces are already in daily contact with adversaries online, cyberattacks can disrupt military operations and civilian infrastructure alike, and artificial intelligence is making the domain faster and more dangerous.

For too long, cyber has been treated as everyone’s responsibility, and therefore no one’s first priority. Our adversaries are not waiting for us to get organized. They are building capabilities, probing our defenses, and preparing for the next conflict. The United States should not enter that fight with cyber forces generated as a side mission by services built for other domains.

If cyberspace is truly a domain of warfare, it deserves its own service built to fight in it.

Dr. Erica Lonergan is an assistant professor in the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University and previously held several positions at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery served for 32 years in the U.S. Navy and is now the senior director of the Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.

They both served on the CSIS-FDD Commission on U.S. Cyber Force Generation.