integrated graphics Archives

Winsage

December 4, 2025

A new discrete gaming GPU evidently supports Windows on ARM for the first time — and it’s not from NVIDIA, AMD, or Intel

China's Lisuan Technology, founded in 2021, has launched the 7G106 GPU, the first discrete graphics card compatible with Windows on ARM, aimed at disrupting the consumer gaming hardware market. Released in July 2025, the 7G106 is China's first 6nm GPU for gaming, featuring 12GB of GDDR6 VRAM and support for DirectX 12. A demonstration video shows the GPU running on a 12-core CP8180 v9 ARM chip, confirming its compatibility with Windows on ARM. Qualcomm announced a refresh of its Snapdragon line with the Snapdragon X2 in September 2025, which enhances performance for ARM-based Windows 11 PCs but lacks compatibility with discrete GPUs from major manufacturers.

Winsage

December 2, 2025

Gamers confirm frame drops after Windows 11 update that Microsoft won’t acknowledge, but Nvidia has fixed it

Windows 11's October update (KB5066835) has caused significant performance issues for gamers, particularly those using Nvidia GPUs, leading to a drop in frame rates from 120–140 FPS to 40–70 FPS. The update has primarily affected systems running Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, while users on Windows 10 and those using Linux or Steam Deck reported no issues. Affected Nvidia models include the RTX 5000 series and RTX 4080 and 4090. In contrast, AMD graphics card users maintained normal performance levels. The cause of the frame rate drops is unclear, but it may involve conflicts between Windows updates, Nvidia drivers, and game engine interactions. Nvidia released a hotfix driver on November 19, which reportedly restored and even improved performance for some users.

AppWizard

November 28, 2025

Grab an Nvidia gaming laptop for just $579 and save $170 in this incredible Black Friday deal from Acer

Acer's gaming laptop, the ANV15-52-586Z, is priced at 9 and features an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 GPU, enabling modern gaming with ray tracing and DLSS. It runs Cyberpunk 2077 at 1080p with high settings at over 60fps and Fortnite at over 120fps. The laptop is powered by an Intel Core i5-13420H CPU and has 8GB of DDR5 RAM. It includes a 15.6-inch 1080p IPS LCD display with a 165Hz refresh rate and a 512GB SSD for storage. Connectivity options include three USB-A ports, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, Ethernet, and HDMI. The laptop emphasizes functionality over design and is noted for being an affordable option in the gaming laptop market.

Winsage

November 21, 2025

Qualcomm says 90% of top Windows games will run on Snapdragon X2 laptops — is Windows on Arm gaming finally here?

Qualcomm has introduced the Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Extreme, which are expected to significantly enhance the performance and efficiency of Windows laptops. Initial benchmarks show that the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme performs well in single-core, multi-core, and GPU metrics, making it suitable for both productivity and gaming. Over 90% of the most played Windows games will be compatible at launch on devices using these new processors, which offer up to 2.3 times higher efficiency than previous models. Qualcomm has also launched the Snapdragon Control Panel to optimize game performance and ensure up-to-date drivers. The Snapdragon X2 Elite supports AVX2 emulation for running certain games via Microsoft's Prism Emulator, and there is ongoing development of kernel-level anti-cheat support for Windows on Snapdragon. Microsoft reports that 90% of user activity on Windows 11 on ARM involves native applications, indicating improved compatibility. New laptops featuring these Snapdragon processors are expected to debut in the first half of 2026, with previews potentially at CES in January.

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.

AppWizard

November 5, 2025

I’d pay $1,500 for an Xbox Ally X with 2.5x the performance, and this leaked AMD CPU could nudge that dream closer to reality

AMD is rumored to be developing the Ryzen AI Max+ 388 chip, featuring the largest integrated GPU it has produced, built on the Strix Halo design. This chip has a streamlined architecture with eight CPU cores and 40 compute units (CUs) based on RDNA 3.5 architecture, distinguishing it from its predecessor, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395, which has 16 CPU cores. The Max+ 388's GPU is expected to be significantly more powerful than existing models like the Steam Deck and Xbox Ally X, potentially offering 2.5 times the performance of the Xbox Ally X. The current market for handheld gaming chips includes devices like the Steam Deck and Xbox Ally X, with the Max+ 388 anticipated to set a new benchmark for portable gaming performance. The only current handheld using the Strix Halo architecture is the GPD Win 5, priced around ,000.

AppWizard

October 18, 2025

My Xbox Ally X testing shows why gaming laptops suck, and why Intel x Nvidia CPUs are such a big deal

Gaming laptops struggle to balance portability, power, and battery life, while the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X gaming handheld demonstrates superior battery performance. The Xbox Ally X provides just under three hours of gaming time, surpassing the battery life of tested gaming laptops by over an hour, and lasts 17 hours and nine minutes in general desktop tasks compared to the Razer Blade 16's eight hours and 28 minutes and the Razer Blade 14's four hours and 24 minutes. The Razer Blade 14 offers higher graphical performance with an average of 97fps at 1080p in Cyberpunk 2077, while the Xbox Ally X achieves only 49fps. The design of gaming laptops, such as the Razer Blade 14, limits battery capacity, and the use of dual GPUs complicates usability. Future developments from Intel and Nvidia may improve integrated GPU performance and streamline the user experience.

AppWizard

October 13, 2025

Your Intel GPU could see a 4x frame rate boost soon, thanks to this new tech

Intel has announced its new XeSS 3 technology, which enhances graphics for existing games that use XeSS 2. This technology introduces multi-frame generation (MFG), allowing Intel GPUs, especially integrated graphics, to generate up to three additional AI-driven frames between hardware-rendered frames. Gamers can choose frame generation modes of 2x, 3x, or 4x through the Intel Graphics Software app, with a recommendation for a base frame rate of over 60fps to avoid graphical issues. XeSS-MFG will be supported across Intel's entire Xe GPU lineup, starting with Intel Core Ultra 200 series CPUs with Xe2 cores and Intel Arc A and B-series GPUs, with plans for future support for older Xe1 GPUs. Performance tests showed significant frame rate increases in games like Painkiller and Dying Light The Beast when using the new technology.

Winsage

October 13, 2025

Time’s Up on Windows 10. Upgrade to Windows 11 With One of These Laptops

To select the right laptop, identify your needs and consider a 13-inch or 14-inch model with a budget of approximately 0 to ,000. Within this range, expect good battery life, satisfactory display, reliable performance, and a comfortable keyboard and touchpad. Key specifications include at least 16 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage. The Dell 14 Plus is a recommended model, and laptops under 0 may compromise on quality. For optimal performance, lightweight laptops should use Snapdragon X chips or Intel Core Ultra 7 258V. For gaming, consider Nvidia RTX 50-series GPUs, with significant upgrades between the RTX 5070 and RTX 5070 Ti. Aim for a minimum of 16 GB RAM, with 32 GB recommended for gamers and creators. Storage should be at least 512 GB, with one or two terabytes preferred. Consider screen size, resolution, refresh rate, and panel type when choosing a display. Portability is influenced by the laptop's thickness and weight. Modern laptops often have limited ports, primarily USB-C and headphone jacks, so ensure necessary connectivity options are available.

AppWizard

October 10, 2025

Intel Panther Lake to “set new standard” for gaming performance, due to new GPUs

Intel is set to launch its Panther Lake CPUs, which will utilize the 18A semiconductor manufacturing process and feature advanced Xe3 GPUs. These processors will include multi-frame generation technology, enhancing gaming performance. The Panther Lake lineup will consist of four Xe3 core variants with 32 XMX engines, 4MB L2 cache, and four ray tracing units, and twelve Xe3 core variants with 96 XMX engines, 16MB L2 cache, and twelve ray tracing units. Intel claims a 50% performance improvement over the previous Xe2 GPUs while maintaining the same power consumption and achieving 40% better performance per watt compared to Arrow Lake-H processors. The reintroduction of E-cores aims to enhance multi-threaded performance by up to 50%. Intel will also introduce the multi-frame generation feature through XeSS-MFG software, which generates three AI-assisted frames for every actual frame. The Panther Lake series is expected to launch at CES 2026 in January.