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Microsoft reveals why 32-bit Windows was limited to 4GB RAM, and it wasn't a technical limit
Winsage
September 13, 2026

Microsoft reveals why 32-bit Windows was limited to 4GB RAM, and it wasn’t a technical limit

32-bit Windows is commonly thought to be limited to 4GB of RAM due to its 32-bit address space, but this overlooks the role of Physical Address Extension (PAE), which allows access to more than 4GB of RAM on compatible processors. PAE enables 32-bit x86 processors to use 36-bit physical addresses. Windows allocates a 4GB virtual address space to each 32-bit application, with 2GB reserved for the application and 2GB for system use. Windows Server 2003 SP1 Enterprise can support up to 64GB of RAM, while the Datacenter edition can handle 128GB. Microsoft did not extend this capability to consumer editions due to the complexities and potential issues with hardware drivers, which often assume a 32-bit framework. Modifying drivers for PAE can be challenging, as incorrect assumptions about physical and virtual addresses can lead to memory corruption. To mitigate risks, Microsoft capped physical address space at 4GB in Windows XP SP2 and Windows Server 2003 SP1 Standard Edition. Server environments typically have more controlled hardware selections, allowing for the use of drivers that are tested for compatibility with addresses exceeding 4GB. Microsoft began discouraging the production of 32-bit systems in 2020 and ended 32-bit edition production with Windows 11.
GAMES Nintendo Switch can now be statically recompiled for PC
AppWizard
September 12, 2026

GAMES Nintendo Switch can now be statically recompiled for PC

Enthusiasts in the emulation community have acquired a toolkit for the static recompilation of Nintendo Switch games on PCs, following the final update of the suyu emulator, which introduced Recompiler mode. This tool pre-compiles static code from the ARM AArch64 architecture into instructions for modern 64-bit x86 chips, allowing game logic to operate natively and reducing CPU overhead. The implementation is about 50% complete, focusing on code execution, while the graphics and audio components still rely on high-level emulation. Fully functional native ports will require third-party developers to create their own renderers for the Tegra GPU's graphics calls. The codebase allows the community to explore game structures, develop modifications, and create semi-native executables for PCs.
ReactOS Dev Gets FEX Running For x86_64 Games On This "Open-Source Windows" OS Under ARM
Winsage
September 10, 2026

ReactOS Dev Gets FEX Running For x86_64 Games On This “Open-Source Windows” OS Under ARM

Ahmed Arif, known as "SidiHmeed," has made significant advancements in the ReactOS project, achieving an experimental ARM64 build that runs on 64-bit ARM hardware, including Raspberry Pi. He successfully integrated the FEX emulator with ReactOS ARM64, allowing Windows x64 games and applications to run on ARM hardware. ReactOS has been operational on actual ARM64 hardware since the beginning of the year, and recent developments have shown improvements in this area. Ahmed has demonstrated ReactOS running on both the Raspberry Pi 5 and the older Raspberry Pi 3, complete with custom Ethernet and WiFi drivers.
Onimusha: Way of the Sword PC Performance Analysis
AppWizard
September 4, 2026

Onimusha: Way of the Sword PC Performance Analysis

Tomorrow marks the official release of Onimusha: Way of the Sword, and Capcom has provided a PC benchmark tool for gamers. Benchmark tests were conducted using an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor, 32GB of DDR5 RAM at 6000MHz, and various graphics cards including AMD’s Radeon RX 6900XT, RX 7900XTX, RX 9070XT, and NVIDIA’s RTX 2080Ti, RTX 3080, RTX 4090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5090, on Windows 10 64-bit with specific drivers. The game includes customizable graphics settings such as Textures, Meshes, Sky, Foliage, Shadows, Ray Tracing, NVIDIA’s DLSS 4.5, and AMD’s FSR 3.1. At 1080p with Max Settings, the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 showed a bottleneck but achieved an average framerate exceeding 220FPS, with all tested GPUs maintaining over 60FPS. At 1440p with Max Settings, the top five GPUs also performed well, with the NVIDIA RTX 3080 providing a smooth experience, and the AMD Radeon RX 6900XT averaging 68FPS. At Native 4K with Max Settings, the NVIDIA RTX 4090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5090 maintained framerates above 60FPS, while the AMD Radeon RX 9070XT and RX 7900XTX offered satisfactory performance. The game's graphical fidelity does not match the latest Resident Evil titles, with noticeable visual shortcomings despite being powered by the RE Engine. The Ray Tracing feature does not significantly enhance visuals. The PC demo and benchmarking process showed no stutters or performance issues, even with Denuvo anti-tamper technology in use. Overall, Onimusha: Way of the Sword runs well on PC without requiring high-end specifications, although its visuals may not impress players.
The Blood of Dawnwalker Suffers From Major Stutters and a 30FPS Cinematic Cap
AppWizard
September 3, 2026

The Blood of Dawnwalker Suffers From Major Stutters and a 30FPS Cinematic Cap

Bandai Namco has released a new game titled The Blood of Dawnwalker, developed using Unreal Engine 5. Players are experiencing significant stuttering issues, particularly in the village area, which affects gameplay in this third-person action RPG. The game features a 30FPS cap on cinematic cutscenes, although some decision-based cutscenes run at an unlocked framerate. The prologue area runs smoothly, but performance deteriorates in the village, with frame rates dropping to 45-50FPS at Native 4K resolution. Enabling DLSS Quality allows for a consistent frame rate above 60FPS. The game's visual fidelity does not meet expectations for titles using the same engine, indicating potential optimization issues. A comprehensive performance analysis is forthcoming, testing various AMD and NVIDIA GPUs.
Whatever happened to Minesweeper and 3D Pinball on Windows?
Winsage
August 31, 2026

Whatever happened to Minesweeper and 3D Pinball on Windows?

Microsoft included the Solitaire Collection with Windows 10 and Windows 11, while many classic games required separate downloads. The company has shifted focus towards its Xbox platform, leading to the discontinuation of games like 3D Pinball: Space Cadet due to technical challenges. Raymond Chen noted that the transition from 32-bit to 64-bit architecture caused significant issues for 3D Pinball, including a bug where the ball would pass through objects. Ultimately, the decision was made to exclude Pinball from the product lineup to avoid the complexities of porting its code.
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