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AppWizard
April 26, 2026

NVIDIA Neural Texture Compression: AI-powered compression aims to alleviate VRAM pressure in PC games

NVIDIA's Neural Texture Compression (NTC) improves memory efficiency in PC gaming by using small neural networks to compress texture data, achieving up to eight times better memory efficiency compared to traditional methods. In a technical demo, NTC reduced a scene's VRAM requirement from 6.5 GB to approximately 970 MB, an 85 percent reduction. The RTX Neural Texture Compression SDK has seen enhancements, including a 20 to 40 percent increase in inference speed. NTC is compatible with RTX hardware and Tensor Cores, but its real-world performance impact is yet to be determined. Microsoft is developing Cooperative Vectors and DirectX methodologies to support machine learning in graphics, which may facilitate broader adoption of NTC. The successful integration of NTC will depend on its stability, documentation, and economic viability for developers.
Intel VP claims up to 30% of CPU performance is untapped by modern games — software optimization is critical to unlocking full potential of hybrid CPUs
AppWizard
April 25, 2026

Intel VP claims up to 30% of CPU performance is untapped by modern games — software optimization is critical to unlocking full potential of hybrid CPUs

Intel's transition to a hybrid architecture for its CPUs began with the Alder Lake series in 2021, combining performance and efficiency cores. Intel's Vice President, Robert Hallock, noted that while the hybrid architecture has matured, a "unified core" is still in development. He mentioned that many users disable efficiency cores (E-cores) to enhance performance, but the performance difference between using only performance cores (P-cores) and both types of cores is minimal, around 1%. Hallock explained that early implementation of Intel's Thread Director improved performance with only P-cores, and the Windows task scheduler struggles without it. He emphasized the importance of software optimization for enhancing performance, stating that a significant portion of potential performance—estimated between 10% to 30%—remains untapped due to suboptimal game optimization. AMD's approach includes integrating additional SRAM through its 3D V-cache technology, while Intel's upcoming Nova Lake will introduce a Big Last Level Cache (bLLC). Hallock indicated that developers have primarily optimized for AMD's silicon, limiting the full potential of Intel's hybrid architecture.
Steam Giviving Away 3 PC Games for Free for Very Limited Time
AppWizard
April 25, 2026

Steam Giviving Away 3 PC Games for Free for Very Limited Time

Steam is offering three free games for a limited time: Nocturnal, 8AM, and Burning Skies Arcade. Nocturnal can be claimed until April 27 and is Steam Deck Verified, with a Metacritic score of 81 and 425 user reviews (90% approval). 8AM is available until April 27, has an 82% approval rating from 106 user reviews, and was released in 2024. Burning Skies Arcade is perpetually free but will be delisted on April 27, has a 77% approval rating from 86 user reviews, and was released in 2024. All games are full versions and can be retained if claimed within the specified timeframe.
Intel VP says PC games would run up to 30% faster if they were properly optimized for its CPUs
AppWizard
April 24, 2026

Intel VP says PC games would run up to 30% faster if they were properly optimized for its CPUs

AMD has gained a larger share of the CPU market with its Ryzen series and X3D lineup, leading to perceptions that Intel is falling behind in CPU performance. Intel's Vice President Robert Hallock stated that a significant part of the performance gap may be due to software optimization rather than just hardware limitations. He noted that many games are not optimized for specific CPUs, resulting in untapped performance potential of 10 to 30 percent. Hallock indicated that game developers often focus on optimizing for mainstream graphics cards and may prioritize AMD hardware, affecting the performance of Intel's Core Ultra 200 Series CPUs.
Top-rated Steam PC Games Released Last Week (13–19th of April)
AppWizard
April 21, 2026

Top-rated Steam PC Games Released Last Week (13–19th of April)

- PRAGMATA: 96% positive reviews from 8,155 ratings, Developer: CAPCOM Co., Ltd., Publisher: CAPCOM Co., Ltd., Genre: Action, Adventure, Release Date: 16 Apr, 2026. - MOUSE: P.I. For Hire: 95% positive reviews from 3,026 ratings, Developer: Fumi Games, Publisher: PlaySide, Genre: Action, Indie, Release Date: 16 Apr, 2026. - Scriptorium: Master of Manuscripts: 99% positive reviews from 308 ratings, Developer: Yaza Games, Publisher: Mythwright, Genre: Casual, Indie, Simulation, Release Date: 16 Apr, 2026. - Lucky Tower Ultimate: 94% positive reviews from 1,643 ratings, Developer: Studio Seufz, Publisher: AMC Games, Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie, Release Date: 16 Apr, 2026. - ShantyTown: 100% positive reviews from 111 ratings, Developer: Erik Rempen, Publisher: Kinephantom Games, Genre: Casual, Indie, Simulation, Release Date: 16 Apr, 2026. - Gecko Gods: 97% positive reviews from 157 ratings, Developer: Inresin, Publisher: Super Rare Originals, Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie, Release Date: 16 Apr, 2026. - Moves Of The Diamond Hand: 100% positive reviews from 50 ratings, Developer: Cosmo D Studios, Publisher: Cosmo D Studios, Genre: Adventure, Indie, RPG, Release Date: 13 Apr, 2026. - Fishing Inc: 92% positive reviews from 307 ratings, Developer: BigBonk Studio, Publisher: BigBonk Studio, Genre: Casual, Indie, Simulation, Release Date: 14 Apr, 2026. - Nekokami - The Human Restoration Project: 100% positive reviews from 50 ratings, Developer: Rocket-in-Bottle, Publisher: Rocket-in-Bottle, Genre: Adventure, Casual, Indie, Release Date: 13 Apr, 2026. - Warhammer: Mark of Chaos - Gold Edition (Classic): 96% positive reviews from 82 ratings, Developer: Black Hole Entertainment, Publisher: SNEG, Genre: Strategy, Release Date: 13 Apr, 2026. - Atomic Heart - Blood On Crystal: 93% positive reviews from 308 ratings, Developer: Mundfish, Publisher: Focus Entertainment, Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG, Release Date: 16 Apr, 2026. - Loot Loop: 91% positive reviews from 319 ratings, Developer: BitBrew, Publisher: BitBrew, Genre: Casual, Indie, Simulation, Release Date: 13 Apr, 2026. - BUNNY GARDEN 2: 93% positive reviews from 161 ratings, Developer: qureate, Publisher: qureate, Genre: Adventure, Casual, Indie, Release Date: 13 Apr, 2026. - Airborne Empire: 89% positive reviews from 665 ratings, Developer: The Wandering Band LLC, Publisher: Stray Fawn Publishing, Genre: Action, Adventure, Casual, Release Date: 17 Apr, 2026. - Windrose: 86% positive reviews from 13,030 ratings, Developer: Kraken Express, Publisher: Kraken Express, Genre: Action, Adventure, RPG, Release Date: 14 Apr, 2026. - The Angel's Devil Tail - One More Question 2: 90% positive reviews from 21 ratings, Developer: 橘音, Publisher: 橘音, Genre: Adventure, Casual, Indie, Release Date: 14 Apr, 2026. - OPUS: Prism Peak: 91% positive reviews from 391 ratings, Developer: SIGONO INC., Publisher: SHUEISHA GAMES, Genre: Adventure, Indie, Release Date: 15 Apr, 2026. - Cozy Sanctuary: 100% positive reviews from 34 ratings, Developer: OverPowered Team, Publisher: Isolated Games Publishing, Genre: Casual, Simulation, Release Date: 16 Apr, 2026. - PRAGMATA: Shelter Variety Pack: 98% positive reviews from 59 ratings, Developer: CAPCOM Co., Ltd., Publisher: CAPCOM Co., Ltd., Genre: Action, Adventure, Release Date: 16 Apr, 2026. - Portal 2: Community Edition: 89% positive reviews from 277 ratings, Developer: P2:CE Team, Publisher: P2:CE Team, Genre: Action, Adventure, Casual, Release Date: 17 Apr, 2026. - Electrogical: 94% positive reviews from 67 ratings, Developer: kinjo, Publisher: Phoenixx Inc., Genre: Casual, Indie, Simulation, Release Date: 17 Apr, 2026.
Now you can run Steam games in Linux on some handhelds that ship with Android
BetaBeacon
April 20, 2026

Now you can run Steam games in Linux on some handhelds that ship with Android

- Valve has released Proton 11 beta 1, which allows you to run Windows games designed for x86 architecture on devices with Arm processors running Linux. - ROCKNIX, a Linux-based gaming operating system, has added support for Steam on handheld game consoles, allowing you to play PC games on these devices. - Not all PC games will work on these devices, especially those that require NVIDIA RTX graphics or use DirectX 12. - ROCKNIX can be installed on an SD card to use on Android handhelds without overwriting the original operating system, but performance may be better if installed on the internal storage.
This week in PC games: the "final" Molyneux game, Game Boy horror, ski resort management, and a glamcore heist sim
AppWizard
April 20, 2026

This week in PC games: the “final” Molyneux game, Game Boy horror, ski resort management, and a glamcore heist sim

Returning from a holiday, the author feels invigorated and is excited to explore new PC game releases. The new games include: - Space Drilling Station: An early access vertical outpost builder set in a magma pool. - TownsFolk: A hexagonal survival strategy game focused on rebuilding a home in the wilderness. - The Third Shift: A nostalgic horror game where players patrol a museum. - Vampire Crawlers: A game combining turn-based strategy, dungeon exploration, and deckbuilding roguelite mechanics. - Legendary Pilots: A flight simulator with sepia pixel art inspired by the golden age of aviation. - Tides of Tomorrow: A "plasticpunk" game with online features for shared storytelling in a post-apocalyptic setting. - Masters of Albion: An early access god simulation game from former Lionhead and Bullfrog developers, including Peter Molyneux. - Factory 95: A factory management game set in a nostalgic Windows OS environment. - Titanium Court: A surreal strategy game for clowns and criminals. - Offering App: A violent introspective journey with minigames and hand-drawn art. - Rollick N Roll: A collection of 3D marble runs involving toy trains. - Above the Snow: A management game focused on designing hiking trails for an alpine ski resort. - Snap & Grab: A game where players, as a burglar disguised as a fashion photographer, plan heists by capturing images. The RPS team is engaged in hands-on impressions and discussions about upcoming titles, including a focus on god sims and a recurring pirate theme in games.
silver Android smartphone
AppWizard
April 20, 2026

I tested 5 PC games on the ASUS Zenbook A16 with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme: Is Windows on ARM improving?

ASUS launched its Zenbook A16 on April 7, featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme processor, marking a shift in the Windows on ARM ecosystem. The Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme is a System-on-Chip (SoC) with a high-performance "Oryon" CPU and a "Hexagon" NPU for AI tasks, achieving up to 80 TOPS, along with an "Adreno" GPU for graphics. The laptop's gaming performance varies by title: 1. World of Warcraft: Midnight - Verdict: ✅ Perfect; maintained 60 FPS in demanding scenarios. 2. Cyberpunk 2077 - Verdict: 🟠 Playable; performance around 30–40 FPS on low settings, not ideal for casual gameplay. 3. Minecraft: Bedrock Edition - Verdict: ✅ Great; ran smoothly at 55–60 FPS without ray tracing. 4. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II - Verdict: ❓ TBD; lacks an ARM64 build, making it challenging to run. The findings highlight the need for native ARM64 game versions and the potential for growth in the Windows on ARM gaming sector.
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