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Windows 11 vs. Linux Benchmarks For Intel Arc B-Series "Battlemage" Shows Strengths & Weaknesses Review
Winsage
December 18, 2024

Windows 11 vs. Linux Benchmarks For Intel Arc B-Series “Battlemage” Shows Strengths & Weaknesses Review

Recent synthetic tests using FurMark showed comparable performance between Windows and Linux for Intel graphics drivers, with exceptions for the Arc B580 model when using Vulkan. GPUTest results indicated a need for optimization of Intel Battlemage drivers on Linux. In Blender 4.3, Linux outperformed Windows for the Arc A580 and A770 models, while the Arc B580 performed better on Windows. The Arc B580's performance sometimes lagged behind the Arc A580. The Intel open-source ANV driver on Linux showed promising results in Vulkan compute workloads, but outcomes varied across operating systems. The Arc A580 and A770 performed better on Linux due to OpenGL benchmarks, whereas the Arc B580 had improved performance on Windows 11. There is open-source driver support for Battlemage, but further optimization for Linux drivers is needed.
New Emulator Runs PC Games on Android Devices
BetaBeacon
December 1, 2024

New Emulator Runs PC Games on Android Devices

Winlator is a toolkit that combines technologies to make Windows games run seamlessly on Android. It uses Wine, Box86, Box64, DXVK, D8VK, and Mesa3D to enable PC games to function on ARM-based Android devices. Winlator is not as user-friendly as cloud gaming services but does not require an internet connection and is free to use. It allows gamers to enjoy their favorite PC games on the go, bridging the gap between platforms.
Vulkan graphics API coming to PCs running Windows 11 on Arm
Winsage
September 5, 2024

Vulkan graphics API coming to PCs running Windows 11 on Arm

The Vulkan SDK beta (v1.3.290.0) has been launched for developers creating Vulkan API applications for Windows on Arm, featuring Arm64x layers for debugging x8664 Vulkan binaries. This allows x8664 applications to run on Arm64 devices without a complete rebuild. The SDK includes a native Arm64 shader toolchain and retains existing file names and libraries for easier porting. Installation requires Windows 11 on Arm (64 bits), a Vulkan Installable Client Driver, at least 8 GB of memory, and about 1 GB of storage. Certain components are currently missing but will be added in future updates. Vulkan is a low-level graphics and compute API that provides enhanced control over GPU resources.
Windows 11 vs. Ubuntu Linux Performance For The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 Review
Winsage
July 30, 2024

Windows 11 vs. Ubuntu Linux Performance For The AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 Review

A comparative analysis of the AMD Ryzen AI 9 365 SoC's performance was conducted between Windows 11 and Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Linux on the ASUS Zenbook S16, utilizing the same hardware configuration of 24GB of RAM and consistent testing conditions. In graphics performance, Ubuntu 24.04 outperformed Windows 11 in the Unvanquished game and showed superior performance in YQuake2 with the Mesa RADV driver compared to the official AMD Windows Vulkan driver. The Furmark benchmark showed comparable OpenGL performance, but Vulkan performance favored the Mesa RADV driver. In cross-platform benchmarking, OpenJDK Java benchmarks favored Linux, while Windows outperformed in LZ4 compression tests. Linux excelled in single-threaded JPEG-XL decoding, while Windows was better in multi-threaded scenarios. Windows 11 was faster in WebP image encoding and ASTC texture compression. In 3D rendering, Blender slightly favored Ubuntu, but V-RAY was 15% faster on Linux, while Indigo favored Windows. Video encoding performance was balanced, with H.265 encoding parity and Ubuntu favored in SVT-AV1 AV1 encoding. Linux showed superiority in 7-Zip compression speed, while Windows excelled in decompression. Overall, Windows 11 achieved more wins than usual, with Ubuntu being less than 3% faster in a geometric mean across over 100 tests, indicating near parity in performance. The analysis highlighted strong Linux performance for AMD RDNA3.5 graphics, while CPU and system performance showed an advantage for Windows 11, raising questions about broader trends across the Zen 5 lineup. Continuous monitoring of Linux patches and AMD performance optimizations is necessary.
AMD just made big improvements with AFMF 2, a new version of its tech to make all PC games run more smoothly
AppWizard
July 30, 2024

AMD just made big improvements with AFMF 2, a new version of its tech to make all PC games run more smoothly

AMD has introduced AFMF 2, an updated version of its Fluid Motion Frames feature aimed at improving frame rates in PC gaming, currently in technical preview. This version enhances image quality and includes a refined fallback mechanism to reduce jitter during fast movements. It utilizes AI to optimize frame generation, with an ‘auto’ setting in Search Mode that minimizes fallback occurrences at higher resolutions (1440p and 4K), but not at 1080p. AFMF 2 features a new ‘Performance Mode’ for integrated GPUs to lower overheads and maintain higher frame rates, while discrete GPU users can use the quality setting for better visuals. The feature now supports Vulkan and OpenGL games in addition to DirectX 11 and 12, allowing for borderless full-screen gameplay. Users can also enable AMD Radeon Chill to prevent frame rates from exceeding monitor refresh rates, reducing image tearing. AMD reports an average latency reduction of 28% during testing with Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K resolution and ‘ray tracing ultra’ settings. AFMF operates at the driver level and is designed to work with all PC games that support newer AMD graphics cards.
Microsoft confirms Windows 11's Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon have some limitations
Winsage
July 7, 2024

Microsoft confirms Windows 11’s Copilot+ PCs with Snapdragon have some limitations

Windows 11 on Copilot+ ARM PCs has limitations, including lack of support for Windows Fax and Scan, certain antivirus apps, and apps that customize Windows. Games may not work if they rely on specific drivers not developed for Windows on ARM. Despite these limitations, performance and battery life are better than older versions of Windows, making Copilot+ PCs a good alternative to MacBook.
We now know how and why Microsoft added the popular 3D Pipes screensaver to Windows
Winsage
June 13, 2024

We now know how and why Microsoft added the popular 3D Pipes screensaver to Windows

- 3D Pipes and other Windows screen savers were created by the Windows OpenGL team in the mid-1990s to showcase hardware acceleration support for the API. - The screensavers were created as a way for users to experience enhanced graphics without risking system stability. - A marketing team member stumbled upon the screensavers the night before a meeting with a computer industry magazine and insisted on including them in the product, leading to their integration into Windows NT 3.5. - 3D Pipes became popular among users and was included in subsequent Windows operating systems, but was removed from Windows Vista upon release.
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