creative applications Archives

Winsage

February 26, 2025

9 reasons why Windows is still better than macOS for most people

Windows OS offers extensive customization and upgradability, allowing users to personalize their systems and easily replace components like RAM and storage. It has vast software compatibility, supporting a wide range of applications not available on macOS. Windows is the preferred platform for gaming, with extensive support for games and hardware compatibility. It supports a variety of hardware components, making it more accessible and affordable compared to macOS, which is limited to Apple devices. Windows devices are easier to repair and maintain, with widely available and affordable replacement parts. Additionally, Windows provides better support for power users, allowing advanced control and flexibility in system settings and applications.

Winsage

December 1, 2024

The Ultimate Mac vs Windows Battle: Can Apple’s M4 Pro Reign Supreme?

The MacBook Pro features the M4 Pro chip and excels in CPU performance, outperforming the Asus ProArt StudioBook 16 by 50% in Cinebench multicore tests. It is particularly beneficial for creative professionals in photo and video editing due to its efficient hardware-software integration. The Asus ProArt StudioBook 16, equipped with an AMD HX 370 CPU and RTX 4070 GPU, excels in GPU-intensive applications such as 3D rendering and gaming. It offers up to 64GB of RAM compared to the MacBook Pro's base configuration of 24GB, which is advantageous for memory-intensive tasks. The MacBook Pro has three Thunderbolt 5 ports, while the Asus provides a broader array of ports, including USB-A, USB-C, HDMI, and SD card slots. The MacBook Pro operates cooler and quieter under load, while the Asus tends to run hotter and louder. For gaming, the Asus ProArt StudioBook 16 delivers higher frame rates and better compatibility with modern games. The MacBook Pro is known for its premium build quality and long-term reliability, often retaining better resale value, but it comes at a higher initial cost. The Asus offers better value for users focused on gaming or GPU-intensive workflows.

Winsage

November 9, 2024

Update for Windows PCs with ARM chips could improve compatibility with x86 games and applications

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X processors are the fastest ARM-based chips for Windows laptops, making ARM-powered PCs viable alternatives to Intel and AMD. Microsoft has introduced an emulator named Prism to facilitate the execution of x86 applications on Windows PCs. The latest version of Prism enhances performance by supporting additional CPU features during emulation and simulates a virtual x86 CPU, allowing non-natively compatible software to run. It adds support for several x86 instruction set extensions, including AVX, AVX2, BMI, FMA, and F16C, improving compatibility for PC games. The updated Prism is accessible in Windows 11 24H2 and supports any 64-bit x86 application, enabling previously blocked games and creative applications to operate on ARM processors. The new version is currently available to Windows Insider program members, with no details on a broader release timeline.

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.

Winsage

October 24, 2024

Snapdragon X finally brings MIDI 2.0 and native ASIO to Windows 11!

The Snapdragon X platform supports ASIO and MIDI 2.0, enhancing audio performance and reducing latency for musicians using Windows 11 on ARM64 systems. It enables seamless integration of older plug-ins with digital audio workstations (DAWs) like Cubase, Nuendo, and Reaper, which have ARM64 preview versions available. Snapdragon X-based Co-Pilot PCs, starting at approximately €899, are designed for professional musicians and will feature native drivers developed by Microsoft in collaboration with Qualcomm and Yamaha, expected to be fully integrated by late 2025. Industry leaders Focusrite and Steinberg/Yamaha will launch optimized ARM64 drivers for their audio hardware in 2025. The native ASIO support allows for easier use of audio hardware and software, improving the workflow for musicians and producers on Windows systems, with future support planned for x64 systems as well.

Winsage

October 22, 2024

These 6 NPU-friendly creative apps prove Microsoft was right about Windows on Arm

Qualcomm showcased several creative applications optimized for Neural Processing Units (NPUs) at the Snapdragon Summit in Hawaii. Applications such as Blender, Affinity Photo 2, Capture One, Moises, Cubase, and Nuendo are either currently leveraging or will soon leverage Snapdragon X processors. Blender has introduced an NPU-powered feature for rendering, available for free on GitHub. Affinity Photo 2 is being optimized for Copilot+ PCs, with enhancements expected to roll out by November 2024. Capture One has been adapted for Windows on Arm, introducing AI cropping and color grading. Moises has been optimized for Windows on Arm, enhancing its audio isolation capabilities. Cubase and Nuendo now support Snapdragon X Elite and Snapdragon X Plus PCs due to Microsoft's MIDI stack overhaul. Qualcomm hinted at the upcoming 2nd Gen Oryon CPU, promising significant performance improvements with lower power consumption.