performance boost Archives

AppWizard

April 26, 2025

Oblivion Remastered PC: impressive modernisation blighted by dire performance problems

The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered utilizes an Unreal Engine 5 wrapper to enhance the original game, but it carries over some of the original's issues and suffers from significant performance challenges, including frequent stuttering. Digital Foundry analyzed the remaster against the original 2006 version, highlighting advancements in graphics but also noting that the remaster struggles with limited polygon budgets and basic effects. The remaster's performance is inconsistent, especially on mid-range CPUs, leading to poor experiences even on high-end hardware. Disabling hardware RT-based Lumen global illumination can improve performance by about 35%, but at the cost of visual quality. Lowering settings yields only marginal performance improvements, and the game fails to deliver an attractive experience compared to the original. A recent patch did not resolve the stuttering issues, indicating that fundamental CPU-related problems remain unaddressed.

Tech Optimizer

April 10, 2025

PostgreSQL vs. MySQL in 2025: Choosing the Best Database for Your Backend

In 2025, PostgreSQL has a usage rate of 45.55%, while MySQL has a usage rate of 41.09%. PostgreSQL is preferred for applications requiring complex queries and robust data management, while MySQL is favored for speed and efficiency in read-heavy environments. PostgreSQL was named DBMS of the Year 2023 for the fourth time since 2017, with its latest version released in September 2023 featuring performance and replication enhancements. Developer surveys show PostgreSQL adoption has increased from 33% in 2018 to nearly 50%. MySQL is recognized for its rapid performance and ease of implementation, particularly in e-commerce and content management systems. Performance tests indicate PostgreSQL is approximately 1.6 times faster than MySQL in complex query scenarios. PostgreSQL offers built-in row-level security and encryption, while MySQL provides a user-friendly interface and solid security measures. PostgreSQL excels in managing large datasets and complex operations, whereas MySQL uses a distributed systems approach for workload management.

BetaBeacon

March 30, 2025

I tested game emulators on the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, but found a better option instead

The Vulkan API is the future of Android gaming and provides a performance boost for modern mobile GPUs. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite is currently the best chip for emulation, offering steady frame rates across games and emulators.

Winsage

March 24, 2025

The best Windows laptop for work has one major letdown

HP’s OmniBook Ultra 14 is a premium productivity laptop priced around ,100 for a model with a 1TB drive and 16GB of RAM, and approximately ,300 for a version with 32GB of RAM. It features an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 375, a 12-core processor, and offers nearly 13 hours of battery life. The laptop weighs about 1.5kg and measures 1.5cm in thickness, with a design that combines aesthetics and functionality. It includes two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4, a 3.5mm jack, and a USB-A port. The QHD IPS touchscreen is bright for indoor use, and it has an integrated camera and microphone for virtual meetings. The AI capabilities include an AI Assistant app and a dedicated Copilot button for Microsoft’s assistant, but the practical applications of the AI technology are limited. Comparatively, the OmniBook Ultra 14 outperforms other laptops in its category, such as the Framework Laptop 13 and Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x, particularly in AI capabilities and processing power.

Winsage

March 21, 2025

Windows 11’s File Explorer will soon unzip files faster

Microsoft has released Windows 11 Preview Build 27818 to Insiders on the Canary Channel, optimizing the extraction process for zipped files in File Explorer. The update improves performance when unzipping large archives with many small files. Additionally, the update removes the "suggested actions" feature for clipboard items, which was related to Skype, as Microsoft plans to retire Skype on May 5.

Winsage

March 3, 2025

Qualcomm’s next-gen ARM chip for Windows to add 50% more cores

Qualcomm is developing the Snapdragon X2 processor for Windows PCs, featuring up to 18 Oryon V3 cores and designated as SC8480XP. It will utilize a system-in-package (SiP) design, integrating RAM and flash storage to enhance data transfer speeds and energy efficiency. Potential configurations may include up to 48GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. The Snapdragon X2 is expected to be a high-TDP variant, with thermal management innovations including an all-in-one liquid cooling solution. It is branded as “Snapdragon X2 Ultra Premium” and aims to compete with Intel, AMD, and Apple's M-series chips. Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite Gen 2 will incorporate the Oryon v3 CPU, following the Oryon v2, which offers a 30% performance boost and 57% increase in power efficiency. The Snapdragon X2 could impact the Windows on ARM ecosystem, although challenges with software compatibility and market adoption remain.

AppWizard

March 2, 2025

Monster Hunter Wilds PC players claim that fixing a random typo in the game’s files actually helps its poor performance issues

Monster Hunter Wilds attracted over a million concurrent players shortly after its launch, surpassing the previous record set by Monster Hunter Worlds and other major titles like Elden Ring. Many PC players reported performance issues, including frame rate drops and graphical glitches. A Steam user named BeepBoop discovered a typo in the game’s configuration files, where "Resolution" was misspelled as "Resoltuion." Correcting this typo reportedly resulted in a noticeable performance boost for some players, with claims of improved frame rates. Some users reported increases in their average frame rates from 120fps to 140fps, while others experienced a boost of around 20fps. However, not all players found success with this fix, leading to speculation about the placebo effect.

AppWizard

February 18, 2025

Having spent many hours testing Avowed I’ve found these three top tips are the best way to boost the game’s performance

The gaming community has been discussing Avowed, the latest title from Obsidian Entertainment, which has shown mixed performance metrics on PC. A workaround to improve performance involves launching the game, enabling ray tracing, restarting, then disabling ray tracing and restarting again. Testing was done on a Core i5 13600K gaming PC with 32 GB of DDR5-6400 RAM and a Radeon RX 7800 XT graphics card at 1440p resolution. Adjusting graphics settings, particularly switching from the Epic preset to Medium Global Illumination (GI), resulted in a 24% increase in average frame rates and a 16% improvement in 1% lows. Lowering draw distance and shadow quality from Epic to High achieved an average frame rate of 72 fps and a 1% low of 40 fps, compared to 48 fps and 34 fps on the Epic preset. Caution is advised when tweaking settings, as significant disparities between average frame rates and 1% lows can affect fluidity, and gameplay may feel disjointed if the average frame rate exceeds 60 fps by a large margin.

Winsage

February 16, 2025

12 Ways To Make Windows 11 Run Faster

Windows is a dominant operating system known for its affordability and software compatibility, but users often face performance issues. To enhance performance on Windows 11, users can: 1. Restart the device weekly and ensure it is up-to-date to resolve bugs and improve security. 2. Disable unnecessary startup applications via Settings > Apps > Startup or Task Manager. 3. Use Task Manager to monitor and terminate resource-hungry applications. 4. Uninstall unnecessary pre-installed software using tools like Revo Uninstaller or Geek Uninstaller. 5. Upgrade hardware by installing an SSD or adding RAM for better performance. 6. Regularly scan for malware using Windows Security to maintain system health. 7. Adjust power settings to "Best Performance" under Settings > System > Power & battery > Power Mode. 8. Free up disk space using built-in tools like Storage Sense or by manually deleting old files. 9. Disable unnecessary visual effects via Settings > Accessibility > Visual Effects or Control Panel. 10. Pause OneDrive or other cloud storage services to reduce resource consumption during intensive tasks. 11. Disable File Explorer search indexing if frequent searches are not needed. 12. Use the system restore feature to revert to a previous state if performance issues persist.

Winsage

February 10, 2025

Thinking about a new PC? This upgrade might change your mind

A bundle featuring Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro is available for .97, significantly reduced from its regular price of 9.99. The upgrade to Windows 11 Pro provides a modern interface, productivity tools, and enhanced security features, including BitLocker device encryption. The bundle includes a lifetime license for eight Microsoft Office applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher, and Access. This offer is available for a limited time and does not require a coupon.