high-performance Archives

AppWizard

December 3, 2025

I’m fed up with gaming on Windows 11 — here’s how Valve’s Steam Machine can fix PC gaming

Microsoft's Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) was rolled out to all Windows-based handhelds on November 21, followed by a broader release for gaming rigs and laptops for Windows Insider members. The update process on Windows 11 was slow, causing frustration for users. Accessing the Xbox FSE through various shortcuts was unsuccessful, and the experience was marred by instability and frequent updates. A recent system update (KB5066835) resulted in a significant drop in gaming performance. The author expressed a preference for Linux and SteamOS due to their stability and user-friendly interface compared to Windows. The upcoming Steam Machine is anticipated for its compact design and potential for a hassle-free gaming experience.

AppWizard

December 3, 2025

More bad news for PC gamers as AMD CPU prices could soon soar

AMD is rumored to be planning a price increase for its Ryzen CPUs, with changes expected to take effect at midnight on December 1, 2025. This increase is said to be related to AMD's suppliers and may not immediately affect retail prices. The Ryzen 9000 series and some older AMD CPUs are expected to be impacted. Current prices for models like the Ryzen 7 9800X3D remain low, and consumers are advised to take advantage of existing deals before potential price hikes occur.

AppWizard

November 30, 2025

Unreal Engine 5.7 Venice Next-Gen Tech Demo Released

Scans Factory has released a tech demo using Unreal Engine 5.7, featuring the city of Venice, which is available for download. The demo includes over 500 assets, allowing players to explore various aspects of Venetian life. Performance testing on a high-end gaming rig showed 40FPS at Native 4K resolution with Cinematic Settings, and over 65FPS at Ultra settings. A walkthrough video and performance comparison between UE5.4 and UE5.7 are also provided. Additionally, various free fan-made projects in Unreal Engine 5 include remakes of popular games and other tech demos.

Winsage

November 30, 2025

How much RAM does your PC actually need in 2025? A Windows and Mac expert weighs in

Shopping for a new computer involves focusing on three key components: the processor, storage drive, and RAM. For Windows machines in 2025, 16GB of RAM is the operational minimum for new consumer laptops, while 8GB is sufficient for regular use on MacBooks, although the new MacBook Air M4 starts at 16GB. Chromebooks can operate effectively with 8GB or less. DDR5 is the latest standard for RAM, enhancing data transfer speeds, while DDR6 has been announced but is not yet widely implemented. Most users need 16GB of RAM, but gamers and creative professionals may require 32GB or more for demanding applications. For resource-intensive tasks, 48GB or 64GB may be necessary.

AppWizard

November 28, 2025

Nvidia is giving away a free, Battlefield 6-themed RTX 5090 worth $2,000, and all you need to do is grovel

Nvidia is hosting a giveaway for a Battlefield 6-themed GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card, valued at approximately ,000. To enter, participants must comment on Nvidia's post on their X page, including the phrase "GeForce Season" and explaining why they deserve the upgrade. The entry process is simple compared to previous giveaways that required video submissions. The RTX 5090 is designed for high 4K performance and is functionally similar to other models in its class, despite its unique design. No timeline for winner selection has been provided.

AppWizard

November 28, 2025

New Steam Deck rivals are getting ridiculous, with 9-inch screens and 5x the performance, and I need one right now

The Ayaneo Next 2 is a handheld gaming device featuring AMD's Strix Halo processor, which has a GPU over five times more powerful than the Steam Deck. It includes a 9-inch OLED display with a resolution of 2,400 x 1,504 pixels and a 165Hz refresh rate. The device has an ergonomic design, larger than many current handhelds, with features like touchpads, ABXY buttons, a d-pad, analog sticks, dual-mode triggers, and an extra-large battery. The Strix Halo chip has shown impressive 1080p gaming performance in previous reviews, while concerns exist regarding battery life, heat management, and noise levels. The Ayaneo Next 2 is expected to be priced similarly to other handhelds with the Strix Halo chip, which may exceed ,000. An upcoming video stream will showcase its features in more detail.

AppWizard

November 27, 2025

As Valve confirms Steam Machine will be priced more like a PC than a console, Baldur’s Gate 3 publishing lead says its decision not to sell at a loss “isn’t stupid,” but it is “peculiar”

Baldur's Gate 3 publishing lead Michael Douse discussed the anticipated price of the Steam Machine, which is set to launch next year after a decade-long hiatus. He indicated that the price will likely reflect current trends in the PC market rather than traditional console pricing. Douse expressed skepticism about Valve's pricing strategy, noting that not subsidizing hardware could impact their revenue from game sales on Steam. He mentioned that selling the Steam Machine at a loss might lead consumers to repurpose it into high-performance computers, raising questions about Valve's sales management.

AppWizard

November 21, 2025

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D’s price finally drops, making this top-tier CPU a bit more affordable

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, a high-performance gaming CPU, has recently seen a price reduction at select retailers, offering a modest 6% savings. This processor is currently available for £399.95 in the UK, down from its original price of £449.99. The 9800X3D features AMD's 3D V-Cache technology, which adds 64MB of L3 cache, enhancing data access speed and improving gaming performance. Despite not having the highest clock speeds or core count, it outperforms other CPUs in gaming applications due to its architecture and cache capabilities.

AppWizard

November 19, 2025

Abxylute 3D One Handheld PC Boasts Glasses-Free 3D Display, Puts Games in Depth

The 3D One from Abxylute is a handheld gaming PC that combines tablet functionality with gaming console features. It measures 10.2 inches wide, 6.7 inches tall, and weighs 1.92 pounds, expanding to 14.4 inches wide and 2.45 pounds with detachable controllers. The controllers attach magnetically and include buttons, Hall effect joysticks, and a touchpad. It has a 10.95-inch touchscreen with a 2560 x 1600 resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, and a brightness of 480 nits. The device features a 50-watt-hour battery, Intel Core Ultra 7 258V chip, 32 GB of LPDDR5x memory, and a one-terabyte NVMe SSD. It includes various connectivity options, Wi-Fi 6E, and Bluetooth. The Kickstarter campaign offers early bird pricing at 9 and standard pricing at 9, with shipments starting in December.

Winsage

November 17, 2025

I tried 3 Windows laptops with Qualcomm chipsets this year – and found 3 glaring issues

Last year, Microsoft introduced Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, prompting the purchase of a Surface Pro 11, which became essential for daily tasks. This led to acquiring additional devices, including a Surface Laptop and a Dell XPS 13, both with Snapdragon X Elite chips. Despite effective marketing, businesses remain cautious about these devices. Windows on Arm has improved for Office applications and web services, with devices maintaining cool temperatures and long battery life. However, there are limitations: backup software may not work effectively on Arm devices, as external drives are inaccessible during recovery, necessitating workarounds like network or cloud storage. Installing Linux on Snapdragon-powered PCs is challenging due to a lack of compatible installation images, making Intel-based PCs more practical for work tasks. Additionally, Arm-based devices have performance constraints for gaming, with Snapdragon processors unable to compete with dedicated GPUs, making high-performance gaming unfeasible.