PC experience Archives

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.

Winsage

November 27, 2025

Give the gift of more time with these Microsoft Office apps for less than $3 each

Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows is available for .97, reduced from its regular retail price of 9.00, offering a savings of 9.03. The suite includes seven applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Access, and Publisher, each redesigned with enhanced features. It offers improved cloud connectivity for collaboration and instant delivery upon purchase, along with complimentary customer service.

Winsage

November 20, 2025

2025 Windows 11 PC holiday buying guide: Best devices and deals

The holiday season is an ideal time to gift a Windows 11 PC, which can enhance gaming setups, assist with creative projects, and simplify daily tasks. Windows 11 PCs now feature Copilot, an AI-powered assistant that streamlines tasks through voice commands. A survey shows that over half of Gen Z and Millennials use generative AI weekly. Various Windows 11 PCs are available for different users, including: - Lenovo Legion 5 15": A gaming laptop with AMD Ryzen 7 260 processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 graphics, starting at ,249.99 MSRP, currently ,169.99 at Walmart. - ROG Xbox Ally: A portable gaming device starting at 9.99, available at Microsoft.com and Best Buy. - Dell 16 Plus Laptop: Designed for students, starting at ,149.99 MSRP. - Samsung Galaxy Book5 360: A versatile 2-in-1 PC starting at ,349.99 MSRP. - Acer Aspire 14 AI: A portable laptop starting at 9.99 MSRP at Costco.com. - ASUS Zenbook 14: Lightweight with multi-day battery life, starting at 9 MSRP at Walmart. - Lenovo Yoga 7 2-in-1 Copilot+ PC: Starting at ,199.99 at Best Buy. - Surface Pro 12-inch: A portable 2-in-1 device starting at 9.99 MSRP at Best Buy. - HP OmniBook 5 14-inch: Offers long battery life, starting at 9.99 MSRP. - Surface Laptop 13-inch: Lightweight with AI features, starting at 9.99 MSRP at Best Buy. Retailers like Microsoft, Best Buy, and Costco offer significant holiday deals on these PCs, with discounts and promotions available. Microsoft.com features exclusive deals, price protection, and free shipping until January 31, 2026. Xbox deals include discounts on games and accessories, with Xbox Game Pass Premium subscriptions and Microsoft gift cards available as gift options.

Winsage

November 3, 2025

Make your dusty old PC feel brand new for just $15 with this upgrade

Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is currently available for .97, reduced from its regular price of 9, offering a savings of 9.03. The upgrade enhances older PCs with a new interface and features such as a powerful search experience, improved voice typing, snap layouts for multitasking, and seamless redocking. It integrates tools like Microsoft Teams, Azure HD, and Windows Sandbox, and includes BitLocker device encryption for data security. Gamers benefit from DirectX 12 Ultimate for improved graphics, while the OS also features biometric logins and enhanced antivirus protection. Additionally, it includes an AI-powered assistant, Copilot, on the desktop.

Winsage

October 30, 2025

A YouTuber claims they’ve had two Windows 11 local account and hardware bypass videos taken down because of supposedly ‘harmful or dangerous content’

YouTube has tightened its content moderation policies regarding videos that provide workarounds for installing Windows 11, leading to the removal of two videos by YouTuber CyberCPU Tech. These videos included tutorials on bypassing Windows 11's requirements, such as installing the OS without a Microsoft account and on unsupported hardware. YouTube's rationale for the removals was that the content promotes "dangerous or illegal activities," a claim that has been met with skepticism from the community. CyberCPU Tech initially believed Microsoft was not involved but later attributed some responsibility to them. Despite the removals, similar videos remain on the platform, indicating inconsistent enforcement of policies. The ambiguity in YouTube's moderation practices has caused creators to self-censor, and the appeals process remains unclear, with automated systems flagging content while human evaluators make final decisions. Tools like Rufus are still available for users seeking alternatives for customizing their PC experience.

Winsage

October 28, 2025

Next-Gen Xbox Will Reportedly Play PlayStation Games Like God of War and Spider-Man Because It’s a Console / PC Hybrid That Runs Steam

Microsoft is developing a next-generation Xbox console that will feature a console/PC hybrid model, allowing support for PlayStation titles available on PC through Steam, including games like God of War, Spider-Man, and Ghost of Tsushima. Users will have the option to stay within the Xbox ecosystem or switch to a traditional Windows interface, enabling access to games from Blizzard's Battle.net and Riot's launcher. Xbox president Sarah Bond indicated that the new console will offer a premium, high-end experience and confirmed an agreement with AMD to enhance its capabilities. The next-gen Xbox aims for next-level performance, cutting-edge graphics, and compatibility with existing Xbox game libraries. Microsoft plans to release the next-gen console in 2027, while also distancing itself from exclusivity by announcing the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved for PS5 in 2026.

AppWizard

October 27, 2025

AppContext To Keep Apps Alive In Android

Google is set to enhance tablet multitasking in the upcoming Android Q release by introducing a new gesture that allows users to create a compact floating "bubble" window for any app. This feature will enable users to drag an app icon from the taskbar to the screen's bottom corners, facilitating a more seamless app-switching experience. The floating windows will allow various applications, such as browsers and note-taking tools, to float above the main workspace, enabling users to engage with multiple applications simultaneously, particularly on larger devices. This enhancement aims to improve the user experience on Android tablets and foldable devices by providing a more intuitive multitasking environment. The feature will utilize the Bubbles API and is expected to be rolled out for user testing as part of Google's quarterly platform release schedule.

Winsage

October 17, 2025

Microsoft Unleashes AI Revolution: Windows 11 Transforms Every PC into an ‘AI PC’ with Hands-Free Copilot as Windows 10 Support Ends

Microsoft has launched a significant update for Windows 11, coinciding with the end of free support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. This update integrates artificial intelligence deeply into the operating system, transforming Windows 11 machines into 'AI PCs' with hands-free interaction capabilities through the intelligent assistant, Copilot. Key features include "Hey Copilot" voice activation, Copilot Vision for analyzing on-screen content, and Copilot Actions for performing multi-step tasks autonomously. These advancements are available to all Windows 11 PCs, democratizing access to AI technology. The update is expected to drive a migration from Windows 10 and reshape the competitive landscape for AI and computing. Microsoft aims to make AI a fundamental part of the user experience, setting new standards for interaction and potentially impacting various device categories. Future developments will focus on enhancing AI capabilities and ensuring privacy and security measures are in place.

AppWizard

September 29, 2025

Can you play Black Ops 7 on the Steam Deck?

Black Ops 7 currently lacks an official rating for Steam Deck compatibility, but it is expected to receive an Unsupported rating due to the Ricochet anti-cheat system's requirements for secure boot and TMP 2.0 activation, which are not feasible on SteamOS. These changes were introduced with the launch of Season 5 Reloaded in Call of Duty Black Ops 6 in September 2025. Windows-based handhelds, like the ROG Ally X, should have no technical challenges running Black Ops 7, but playability will depend on whether the device meets the game's system requirements.

Winsage

September 21, 2025

You Can Get Microsoft Office 2021 and Windows 11 Pro on Sale for A$83 Right Now

A bundle featuring Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office 2021 is available for a reduced price of A, down from A3. The Windows 11 Pro activation key allows users to upgrade one compatible PC with a minimum of 4GB of RAM and 64GB of available storage. This upgrade includes a new user interface, productivity tools, and Windows Copilot for generating text, code, or images. The bundle also includes the latest non-cloud-based versions of eight Microsoft Office applications, which can be installed on a single computer with at least 1GB of RAM and 4GB of free hard disk space. Prices on StackSocial may change, making this a timely opportunity to purchase the software package.