OpenGL Archives

BetaBeacon

October 25, 2025

Genshin Impact stuck on “compiling shaders” screen for some Android users

miHoYo has officially stopped supporting PowerVR GPUs, particularly on some Dimensity 7000 series SoCs, causing Android players with affected devices to be unable to access Genshin Impact after the Luna II update.

Winsage

October 13, 2025

RIP Windows 10 – Winux ‘W10EOL’ is the Windows 11 clone that runs on Linux and makes your old PC feel new again

Windows 10 is reaching its end of life, and users will no longer receive security updates, making their systems vulnerable. Winux 11.25.10 “W10EOL” is a Windows-style Linux distribution based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, designed to provide a familiar interface for users unable to upgrade to Windows 11. It features a KDE Plasma 5 desktop, a new “Redsand” theme, and an upgraded system kernel 6.14 for better hardware compatibility. Winux includes PowerTools 1.8.3 to replicate popular Windows utilities, supports .exe and .msi installers via Wine, and allows access to Android apps through an integrated PlayStore. It also provides native OneDrive access, Microsoft Teams Preview, the Edge browser, Mozilla Thunderbird for email, and OnlyOffice 9 for document editing. The OS includes live wallpapers, a revamped login screen, and over 1GB of updated packages. Winux 11.25.10 is available for download.

BetaBeacon

October 12, 2025

Tested: Google’s new GPU is a disaster for Pixel 10 game emulation

The Google Pixel 10 series struggles with higher-end emulators, with frame rates dropping significantly during PlayStation 2 and Dolphin emulation tests. The switch to the Tensor G5 chip has resulted in performance and API issues compared to its predecessor, making it a risky choice for gamers.

Winsage

September 9, 2025

5 apps that are way better on Linux than they are on Windows

GIMP and Krita perform better on Linux due to their native integration with system libraries (GTK for GIMP and Qt for Krita), resulting in a more responsive user experience compared to Windows. Kdenlive, a video editing software, is more stable on Linux, with fewer crashes and better performance due to its native MLT framework, while the Windows version often experiences issues. OBS Studio benefits from direct access to hardware resources on Linux, leading to lower latency and reduced CPU/GPU load, while capturing per-application audio is easier on Linux. VLC Media Player on Linux comes with full codec support out of the box, unlike the Windows version, which requires additional downloads. Linux's package management system allows for centralized software distribution and efficient dependency tracking, making it more secure and streamlined than Windows' fragmented approach to software management.

Winsage

August 30, 2025

This updated Windows 11 clone is Linux underneath and makes your old PC run faster – get it now

Linuxfx has released version 11.25.09 “NOBLE,” a Windows-style Linux distribution aimed at revitalizing older laptops and desktops. It replicates the look and functionality of Windows 10 and 11, built on Ubuntu 24.04.3 LTS, and offers five years of free updates. The operating system uses KDE Plasma as its desktop environment and includes a new Redsand theme, kernel 6.14.0-29 for improved hardware compatibility, and over 1GB of package updates. It supports Wine Stable for running Windows applications and includes pre-installed applications like Microsoft Teams and Oracle Java 24. PowerTools version 1.8 is available without a license key, with additional features accessible through donations. Linuxfx requires only 2GB of RAM and a dual-core 64-bit CPU, making it less demanding than Windows 11, which has higher hardware requirements.

AppWizard

August 13, 2025

Hands-on: We ran full desktop Linux apps on an Android phone!

The Linux Terminal app on Android is set to support graphical Linux applications, requiring a Pixel 6 or newer device and the latest 2507 Android Canary release. Users must enable the Linux Terminal by navigating to Settings > System > Developer options > Linux development environment and toggling it on. To enable hardware acceleration, users need to create an empty file named virglrenderer in the /sdcard/linux directory. After launching the Terminal app, users will download necessary files to boot Debian and can install Flatpak to run graphical applications. Users can launch apps by initiating a graphical environment or installing XFCE for a desktop experience.

AppWizard

July 31, 2025

This emulator lets you run PC games on your Android phone — and it works

Brunodev85’s open-source toolkit, Winlator, allows users to play Windows games on Android smartphones by using a compatibility layer called Wine, which translates Windows system calls for Android. It incorporates Box86 and Box64 to convert x86 instructions to ARM commands and uses DXVK and D9VK for graphical acceleration. Winlator supports classic titles like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Mass Effect 2, Gothic, and Fallout 3, running smoothly on mid-range devices. The toolkit features customizable on-screen buttons for touch controls and enables offline gaming without the need for a constant internet connection or subscription fees. Users must sideload the APK and install necessary components, but the setup offers substantial rewards for those willing to tinker.

AppWizard

July 17, 2025

Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast RTX Remix Demo Released

A new Path Tracing Mod for Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast, originally released in 2002, has been developed by modder ArjaanAuinger using the QindieGL wrapper, marking the first RTX Remix Mod for an OpenGL-based game. Currently a tech demo, it enhances one level of the game with Path Tracing capabilities, but is not fully polished and has visual issues, performing around 50 FPS at 1080p on an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070. The mod is available for download, and videos showcasing its capabilities have been released. In 2024, several RTX Remix Mods have been announced for various titles, including Tomb Raider 2 and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The modding community has also released Path Tracing Mods for older games like Deus Ex and Call of Duty 4, with ongoing innovations in RTX Remix Mods for other titles.

AppWizard

June 24, 2025

Mario Kart 64 races onto PC with unofficial port, no emulation necessary

UltraHLE enabled players to run commercial Nintendo 64 games at playable frame rates on Windows 9x. The Harbour Masters collective has developed SpaghettiKart, an unofficial PC port of Mario Kart 64, by decompiling and recompiling the original game code for contemporary platforms, including Windows, Linux (Ubuntu 22), and Nintendo Switch. Players must provide their own Mario Kart 64 ROM and use "Spaghettify.exe" to load the game. SpaghettiKart currently supports only the US version and offers three rendering APIs: DirectX 11 for Windows, Metal for macOS, and OpenGL for other platforms. The port allows for custom assets and mods, although it is still in development and may have occasional crashes. Mario Kart 64 is the second-best-selling title for the Nintendo 64, with nearly 9.87 million copies sold globally. SpaghettiKart utilizes Libultraship, a library that reimplements Nintendo 64 SDK functions on modern machines.

AppWizard

May 3, 2025

Minecraft runs on 8MB of VRAM using a 20-year-old GPU

The gaming community has revived underperforming hardware, successfully running Minecraft on a 20-year-old GPU, the 3D Phantom XP-2800, with only 8MB of VRAM. A video from Budget-Builds Official details this achievement using an antiquated desktop with Windows XP. Initially, Minecraft Alpha 1.2.6 faced OpenGL compatibility issues, which were resolved by using Microsoft-provided SiS drivers for the card, allowing it to display the game on a CRT monitor. After updates, the game ran, but attempts to run Minecraft 1.6.4 resulted in it loading at one frame per second before crashing. The team optimized performance by removing visual effects, lowering the resolution, and hosting the world server on a nearby laptop, along with using an 8x8 texture pack to stabilize the game.