Copilot+ PC Archives

Winsage

November 8, 2024

Windows Central’s highest-rated laptops are already on sale ahead of Black Friday — save up to $640 with my shopping advice

As the holiday shopping season approaches, discounts on Windows laptops are becoming available, including high-end Copilot+ PCs and budget-friendly options. A curated list of the best deals for 2024 is being compiled, which will be updated as Black Friday nears. Windows laptops are categorized into three primary types: 1. Notebook: A classic clamshell design, often used for gaming. 2. Convertible: Heavier, pricier laptops with 360-degree hinges and touch displays, suitable for media and creative tasks. 3. 2-in-1: Devices with a detachable keyboard, allowing tablet-like use. AI PCs, equipped with processors that include a Neural Processing Unit (NPU), are gaining attention in 2024. Examples include Intel Core Ultra and AMD Ryzen AI 300. Microsoft's Copilot+ PC program enhances the AI experience for laptops with NPUs. However, for most users, having an NPU may not be essential, and focusing on overall performance is recommended. The evaluation process for Windows laptops includes testing hinge strength, chassis durability, port speed, camera quality, speaker performance, fan noise, display quality, and battery life. All laptops in the Black Friday collection have ratings of four stars or higher. Black Friday 2024 is scheduled for November 29, 2024, with many retailers already offering deals. Cyber Monday will follow on December 2, 2024, focusing on online shopping, with some tech deals continuing from Black Friday.

Winsage

November 7, 2024

Windows 11 Canary Build 27744 returns the Gamepad keyboard, and fixes old dGPUs

Microsoft has released Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744 in the Canary Channel, providing a unified experience and eliminating the previous dual-experience model. This build enhances the Prism emulator for Windows on Arm, allowing a wider range of 64-bit x86 applications to run, including support for additional CPU features. The update enables previously incompatible games and creative software to function on Arm devices. Key changes include the simplification of the Start menu, a new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard, and updates to Task Manager and Settings. Several fixes have been implemented, addressing issues with NVIDIA GPUs, the Emoji Panel, Windows Sandbox performance, and various graphics and app-related bugs. Known issues include potential problems with Windows Hello PIN on new Copilot+ PCs and desktop background display across multiple monitors. Users are encouraged to provide feedback on their experience.

Winsage

November 6, 2024

Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744 (Canary Channel)

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27744 has been released to the Canary Channel. This build introduces enhanced support for 64-bit x86 applications in the Prism emulator, allowing previously incompatible applications, including Adobe Premiere Pro 25, to run on Arm devices. The virtual CPU for x64 emulated applications now supports various x86 instruction set architecture extensions, such as AVX and FMA. Changes include the simplification of the "All apps" section in the Start menu, a new Gamepad keyboard layout for the on-screen keyboard, redesigned Task Manager dialogs, and the return of the detach virtual hard disk button. Fixes address issues with NVIDIA GPUs, the Emoji Panel, Windows Sandbox performance, and various bugs affecting graphics and application stability. Known issues include potential loss of Windows Hello PIN and biometrics for new Copilot+ PC users joining the Canary Channel and desktop background display problems across multiple monitors. Insiders are reminded that features in the Canary Channel may not be released and can change during development.

AppWizard

November 4, 2024

Best Android app price drops and freebies: High Sea Saga DX, Dungeon Village 2, more

- ASUS Snapdragon X Plus Copilot+ PC is now available for [openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Android Games and Apps Collection This Monday afternoon brings an exciting array of Android games and applications ready for exploration. Among the highlights is a significant price reduction on the ASUS Snapdragon X Plus Copilot+ PC, now available for just 0. This marks a noteworthy opportunity for those in the market for a powerful new device. In addition, the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE has made its debut with the first cash deal, enticing tech enthusiasts eager to upgrade their devices. For those interested in home entertainment, there are impressive offers on Google smart TVs, including: TCL’s 2024 frame-style 120Hz Google smart TVs Hisense’s 2024 144Hz frame-style Google Smart TVs A massive 98-inch 120Hz TCL QM7 model On the gaming front, several applications are capturing attention this week. Notable mentions include: High Sea Saga DX Dungeon Village 2 Pocket Stables Mega Mall Story Candy Disaster TD For those looking to enhance their digital experience, a closer look at these offerings is certainly worthwhile." max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.3" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"]. - Samsung Galaxy S24 FE has debuted with a cash deal. - Offers on Google smart TVs include: - TCL’s 2024 frame-style 120Hz Google smart TVs - Hisense’s 2024 144Hz frame-style Google Smart TVs - 98-inch 120Hz TCL QM7 model - Notable Android games and applications this week include: - High Sea Saga DX - Dungeon Village 2 - Pocket Stables - Mega Mall Story - Candy Disaster TD

Winsage

November 2, 2024

Microsoft: Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs are 5x faster than popular 5 year old PCs

Microsoft's Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs are faster and offer increased battery life compared to older Windows machines. Recent benchmarks show that these devices, powered by Snapdragon processors, can be up to five times faster than popular Windows PCs that are five years old. The evaluation used the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark, comparing Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon X Elite 12 core and Snapdragon X Plus 10 core configurations against older models. The Copilot+ PCs provide up to 2.3 times more battery life for local video playback and up to 3 times more battery power for web browsing compared to five-year-old Windows devices. Testing was conducted under controlled conditions with specific settings for Wi-Fi and screen brightness.

Winsage

November 1, 2024

Microsoft delays rollout of the Windows 11 Recall feature yet again

Brandon LeBlanc, Senior Program Manager for Microsoft Windows Insider, stated that Microsoft is committed to delivering a secure experience with its upcoming feature, Recall, and is taking additional time to refine it before previewing it with Windows Insiders. Recall will utilize Windows' Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) features and Windows Hello authentication for enhanced user data protection. The feature will be opt-in by default and fully removable. Recall will require a Copilot+ PC, which must have at least 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of at least 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS). Users must enroll in the Windows Insider Program to access Recall, and speculation suggests that non-Windows Insider PCs may not receive it until 2025.

Winsage

November 1, 2024

Microsoft again delays Recall feature, says it will arrive for Windows Insiders on Copilot Plus PCs in December

Microsoft has postponed the launch of its Recall feature for Copilot+ PCs, now aiming for availability to Windows Insiders by December. Originally set for a June release, the feature captures screenshots of activity on a Copilot+ PC display but has faced delays due to privacy and security concerns. Recall will be an opt-in feature, allowing users to uninstall it if desired. Key security enhancements include data encryption and restricted access through Windows Hello authentication. Recall will not be mandatory or enabled by default on Windows 11 24H2 PCs. Technical issues have also contributed to the delays.

Winsage

October 31, 2024

Microsoft fixes Super Resolution incorrectly appearing on non-compatible Windows PC

Microsoft introduced the Super Resolution feature for Windows Insiders using Copilot+ PCs powered by Qualcomm, Intel, and AMD processors. This feature, which allows users to enlarge photos by up to eight times, was initially designed exclusively for Copilot+ PCs but mistakenly appeared on traditional x86-based systems. Microsoft confirmed this was a bug and has since fixed it. Super Resolution utilizes Neural Processing Units (NPUs) in Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processors for local processing without cloud uploads. To access Super Resolution, users must enroll in one of four Insider channels and update the Photos app to version 2024.11100.17007.0 or later.

Winsage

October 30, 2024

Best use cases for an NPU in your Windows 11 laptop

In 2024, many Windows laptops are equipped with dedicated Neural Processing Units (NPUs) to enhance computing capabilities by efficiently handling AI workloads. Laptops featuring Intel Core Ultra processors, Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, or AMD 7040 series or later utilize NPUs. Windows Studio Effects allows users to enable features like background blur and eye contact during video calls, utilizing the NPU for energy-efficient processing. Amuse 2.1 is a generative AI application that performs text-to-image generation on-device using an NPU, although it currently lacks support for Intel's NPUs. Adobe Premiere Pro incorporates AI-driven features leveraging Ryzen AI hardware, and GIMP offers text-to-image generation through the OpenVINO plugin for Intel Core Ultra CPUs. Users with Snapdragon-powered laptops have access to features like live captions and image enhancements, with more AI capabilities expected in Windows 11 by 2025.

AppWizard

October 29, 2024

Best Android app price drops and freebies: PARANORMASIGHT, Point, Teslagrad, more

This afternoon, there are various deals for Android users, including discounts on top-tier games and applications. Notable hardware markdowns include Lenovo's Chromebook Duet 11, a price cut on Google's 512GB Pixel 7 Pro, and a return to an all-time low for Samsung's Galaxy Book 4 Edge with Snapdragon Copilot+ PC. An early Samsung Black Friday sale is also happening. Featured games include PARANORMASIGHT, Point, Teslagrad, Arrog, and Crashlands.