HDMI Archives

Winsage

July 30, 2026

ThinkPads from 2008 are some of the hottest used laptops right now — Here’s how (and why) they’re being turned into Windows 11 PCs

The ThinkPad X210Ai is a modified laptop that combines the chassis of older ThinkPad models (X200/X201) with a modern mainboard from TP Art, featuring Intel Core Ultra processors, DDR5 RAM support, dual M.2 SSD slots, Thunderbolt 4, and HDMI 2.1. The modification allows users to retain the original display and keyboard while requiring some chassis adjustments. TP Art offers a kit starting at 9, with complete builds beginning at 9, excluding RAM and storage. The popularity of the X210Ai has surged due to rising RAM prices and the demand for reliable, customizable machines. The modified board allows compatibility with Windows 11 and various Linux distributions. Processing times for orders can take up to six months, and cancellations are not allowed once placed.

Winsage

July 27, 2026

I tested this HyperX OMEN 15 gaming laptop and its RTX 5070 graphics inside, but the OLED display stole the show

The HP OMEN brand has rebranded to HyperX, introducing the HyperX OMEN 15 gaming laptop. It features a mid-range NVIDIA RTX 5050 GPU and a 120Hz OLED display. The laptop is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 9 386H processor and has 32GB of RAM. It weighs 5.02 lbs and is designed for stationary use with extensive cooling vents. Connectivity options include HDMI, USB-C, and USB-A ports, as well as an Ethernet port. The keyboard has a four-zone RGB backlight, and the audio experience is adequate but may benefit from external speakers. The OLED display achieves a brightness of 503 nits and scores 100% in color accuracy for both P3 and sRGB gamuts. In gaming performance, it averages 47 FPS in Cyberpunk 2077 at high settings without ray tracing, and can reach up to 111 FPS with NVIDIA's DLSS technology. The specifications include a 15.3" 3K OLED display, 1 TB SSD, and a 70WHrs battery. The pricing strategy has raised questions about its value, especially with recent discounts.

BetaBeacon

July 24, 2026

Red Magic Astra 2 Android Tablet Runs Cyberpunk 2077 Without Cloud Streaming

The Red Magic Astra 2 tablet is powered by a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 processor, up to 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage. It features a 9-inch 2.4K OLED display with a 185 Hz refresh rate and 1,600 nits of peak brightness. The tablet includes a liquid cooling system to manage heat buildup during intensive use. It can emulate PC games locally, supports external peripherals, and offers customization options for a complete gaming experience. The tablet excels in delivering high-performance gaming but may experience thermal throttling during extended sessions.

Winsage

June 30, 2026

Is SteamOS ready to replace Windows? I installed it so you don’t have to

The Steam Machine was announced with a starting price of 9 in the U.S. and £879 in the U.K. SteamOS is currently in beta and primarily supports the Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and Lenovo Legion Go S, with only about 19.13% of Steam users utilizing AMD GPUs compared to 72.42% using Nvidia. AMD provides broad support for Linux through open-source drivers, while Nvidia's proprietary drivers complicate SteamOS installation. Installing SteamOS requires a complete wipe of the NVMe SSD, and there is limited support documentation from Valve. Users have created guides to assist with installation, which involves adjusting BIOS settings and partitioning drives. Networking issues were encountered during installation, requiring command line updates and workarounds. SteamOS offers a console-like experience and a user-friendly interface for gaming, but it presents challenges for users who are not experienced with DIY setups.

AppWizard

June 22, 2026

Steam Machine review: Valve’s underwhelming living-room PC has a serious price problem

The Steam Machine is a compact gaming system measuring 16.5 × 15.5 × 15.3 cm, designed to run SteamOS and provide access to the Steam library while offering a user experience similar to consoles. It features a custom AMD CPU with six cores and twelve threads, 16 MiB of L3 cache, and a maximum clock speed of 4.86 GHz. The system includes 16 GiB of DDR5 memory and a discrete Radeon graphics unit with 8 GiB of GDDR6 video memory based on the Navi 33 architecture, operating with 28 compute units and a power budget of 110 watts. Storage consists of an NVMe drive with approximately 1.9 TB of space and a zram swap of around 7.6 GiB. The Steam Machine runs SteamOS 3.8.9 in its x86-64 version, allowing it to function as either a Linux PC or a gaming interface. Connectivity options include one HDMI 2.0 port, one DisplayPort 1.4 port, four USB-A ports, a USB-C port, Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth 5.3. Its hardware is aligned with PC architecture but lacks the customization options of a bespoke system.

AppWizard

June 5, 2026

Now There’s Finally a Way to Get Apple CarPlay in Your GM-Built EV

General Motors plans to phase out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto in its electric vehicles. In response, EVPlay has introduced the EVPlay LT, a device that allows users to continue using these smartphone integration features in GM-built EVs. The EVPlay LT costs , requires no subscription fees, and offers both wired and wireless connectivity. It is compatible with various GM electric vehicles, including the 2024–2026 Chevy Equinox EV, Blazer EV, Silverado EV, GMC Sierra EV, Hummer EV, and Cadillac Escalade IQ. The setup involves downloading an app to the vehicle's infotainment system and connecting the device via USB, which takes about two minutes. EVPlay also offers a premium version, the EVPlay Max, priced at 9, which includes additional features like video streaming and gaming. However, EVPlay has noted the risk that GM could disable the software after installation.

Winsage

June 1, 2026

Introducing Surface Laptop Ultra: Made for world makers

The Surface Laptop Ultra is designed for creators and innovators, engineered in collaboration with NVIDIA. It features a powerful NVIDIA Blackwell RTX GPU, up to 128GB of unified memory, and delivers 1 petaflop of AI compute capability. The device is optimized for RTX Spark and built on the Windows platform, catering to demanding workflows. It includes a 15-inch mini-LED PixelSense Ultra touchscreen with a peak HDR brightness of up to 2,000 nits and high-precision color accuracy. The haptic touchpad is the largest on a Surface device, and it includes essential ports: HDMI, USB-C, USB-A, SD card, and headphone. The Surface Laptop Ultra is designed for high performance, quiet operation, and all-day battery life, and it will be available later this year.

AppWizard

May 26, 2026

This retro games console is capable of playing AAA PC games alongside the classics – looks like an NES but runs like a Ferrari

The AceMagic Retro X5 is a mini PC that combines a nostalgic design reminiscent of the 1985 Nintendo Entertainment System with modern performance capabilities. It features the AMD Ryzen 9 AI HX 370 chipset and 32GB of RAM. The device is available for purchase on Amazon in various European regions, with discounts of up to 32% in Germany and Spain, and 28% in Italy and France, using the code RETROX5T3 until May 31, 2026. The Retro X5 is designed to complement gaming consoles and operates quietly, although users may face challenges with audio output, particularly achieving 5.1 audio through HDMI with certain operating systems.

AppWizard

May 19, 2026

I self-host my PC game library with Moonlight instead of paying for a second PC or GeForce Now

A gamer sought to enhance his couch gaming experience without purchasing a second gaming PC due to high hardware costs. Initial attempts with Steam Link were unsatisfactory because of frame rate limitations and stuttering. He discovered Moonlight, a game streaming solution, which, when combined with Apollo for virtual resolutions, allowed him to stream his entire Steam library to his TV with improved performance. This setup provided higher frame rates and a more immersive experience compared to Steam Link. The introduction of DLSS 4.5 enabled high-quality 4K gaming at over 100fps. The gamer plans to experiment with VibeApollo for better encoding efficiency, having spent only a fraction of the cost of a traditional console on this setup.

AppWizard

May 9, 2026

Steam Machine release window, specs, and price estimate

The Steam Machine is a compact gaming system developed by Valve that allows users to access their Steam library from a living room setup. It features a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 six-core CPU, an AMD RDNA 3 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and options for 512GB or 2TB NVMe SSD storage. The device supports 4K gaming through AMD's FSR upscaling technology and includes various connectivity options such as DisplayPort, HDMI, and USB ports. Its dimensions are 156 x 162.4 x 152mm, and it weighs 2.6 kg. Valve has hinted at a release window of "early 2026" and is targeting a price around 9 for the 512GB model and 9 for the 2TB version, although market conditions may affect final pricing.