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Death Stranding 2: On the Beach PC impressions
AppWizard
March 20, 2026

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach PC impressions

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach features themes of connection, grief, and the transient nature of existence, set in Australia and linked to the Chiral Network. The game is noted for its engaging gameplay and visual capabilities, with performance tests showing around 60 fps in demanding environments on high settings with an RTX 4070 Ti and Intel Core i9-12900K. Lowering settings can yield up to 94 fps, while enabling frame generation can surpass 126 fps. PICO upscaling combined with DLSS frame generation provides optimal visuals. The Steam Deck struggles with performance, achieving only 24 fps on the Portable preset. The game supports various controllers, including the Nintendo Switch 2 and DualSense, with a new difficulty mode called "to the wilder" that increases challenge through tougher enemies and resource management.
Windows 11’s Gaming Gains Overshadowed by Stability Crisis: Performance Tests Reveal a Troubled Transition
Winsage
January 29, 2026

Windows 11’s Gaming Gains Overshadowed by Stability Crisis: Performance Tests Reveal a Troubled Transition

Microsoft's Windows 11 version 24H2 shows performance improvements in gaming, with frame rate enhancements ranging from 2% to 8% across various titles, particularly benefiting newer DirectX 12 games. However, users report significant stability issues, including Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors, crashes during gameplay, and compatibility problems with certain hardware and software. These issues affect a wide range of systems, suggesting systemic challenges rather than isolated incidents. The operating system's hardware compatibility requirements, such as TPM 2.0 support, have also limited upgrade eligibility for many users. Microsoft has acknowledged specific issues related to Intel and AMD processors, antivirus software conflicts, and outdated drivers. Despite ongoing patch deployments, user frustration persists due to the slow pace of fixes. The stability concerns have led some businesses to delay Windows 11 24H2 deployments, prioritizing reliability over performance gains. The driver ecosystem's lag in updates from hardware manufacturers has further complicated stability. The gaming community remains divided, with many users opting to stay on Windows 10 due to these stability risks.
2026 Shift: Professionals Ditch Windows 11 for Linux’s Speed and Savings
Winsage
January 12, 2026

2026 Shift: Professionals Ditch Windows 11 for Linux’s Speed and Savings

Professionals are increasingly moving away from Windows 11 to various Linux distributions due to dissatisfaction with performance issues and intrusive features in Windows. A 2025 analysis showed Linux distributions outperforming Windows by an average of 19.5% in everyday tasks. Performance tests indicated that SteamOS, a Linux-based platform, often matched or exceeded Windows 11 in gaming performance. Linux's lightweight nature and superior system administration tools appeal to those managing servers and virtual environments. Security concerns regarding Windows 11, including privacy issues and forced updates, have led users to prefer Linux's open-source model, which allows for greater transparency and customization. Economic factors also play a role, as Linux is free and open-source, eliminating licensing fees associated with Windows 11. User-friendly distributions like Linux Mint facilitate the transition for new users, and community support helps address common challenges. Large organizations are increasingly adopting Linux for its stability and responsiveness, while the Linux community fosters rapid improvements and adaptability. User feedback highlights privacy, performance, and customizability as key benefits of switching to Linux.
Microsoft forced slow software-accelerated BitLocker on Windows, but will nearly double storage performance with new CPU hardware-accelerated crypto — will improve battery life also, but feature requires new CPUs that aren't available on the market yet
Winsage
December 25, 2025

Microsoft forced slow software-accelerated BitLocker on Windows, but will nearly double storage performance with new CPU hardware-accelerated crypto — will improve battery life also, but feature requires new CPUs that aren’t available on the market yet

Microsoft has introduced hardware-accelerated BitLocker encryption in Windows 11 (25H2) and Windows Server (2025 with the September Update), enhancing performance and efficiency. This feature, revealed at Ignite 2025, utilizes UFS Inline Crypto Engine technology to address performance issues associated with software-based encryption, which historically reduced SSD performance by up to 45%. The new technology can deliver up to twice the storage performance in certain workloads and is compatible with TCG Opal-compliant storage devices. Future implementations will use Intel Core Ultra series 3 CPUs with crypto offloading capabilities. Supported devices with NVMe drives will use hardware-accelerated BitLocker with the XTS-AES-256 algorithm by default, resulting in up to 70% fewer CPU cycles for BitLocker workloads and improved battery life for mobile devices. Performance tests show significant improvements, with read speeds increasing from 1632 MB/s to 3746 MB/s and write speeds from 1510 MB/s to 3530 MB/s.
silver Android smartphone
BetaBeacon
December 22, 2025

I tested the Pixel 10 Pro XL’s driver upgrade — here are the real winners and losers

- The text discusses testing Android games, including Genshin Impact, Asphalt Legends, and COD Mobile's Battle Royale, at different graphics settings and frame rates. - Emulator tests were also conducted, showing improvements in average and worst-case frames for games like Mario Kart Wii and Need for Speed: Most Wanted. - The transition to Android 16 QPR3 Beta 1 resulted in an average frame rate increase of around 9% for games and emulators, with some scenarios showing up to a 15-25% performance uplift. - The update offers a significant gaming performance boost for Pixel 10 users essentially for free.
Windows 11 Notepad now lets you create tables like in Microsoft Word, and it's free
Winsage
November 27, 2025

Windows 11 Notepad now lets you create tables like in Microsoft Word, and it’s free

Windows 11’s Notepad now includes table generation capabilities, allowing users to create organized notes and lists. This feature is being rolled out and will be available to all users soon. Notepad previously received an update for rich text formatting, enabling options like bold and italic. The new table feature allows users to easily add tables by clicking a button on the formatting toolbar and selecting the number of columns and rows. Notepad supports Markdown-style tables and offers user-friendly editing options. Performance tests show that the new features do not negatively impact the application's efficiency. Users can disable new features through the Settings menu, including formatting tools and the file recovery feature. Notepad also integrates Microsoft 365 Copilot, which can be turned off in the Settings.
Your Intel GPU could see a 4x frame rate boost soon, thanks to this new tech
AppWizard
October 13, 2025

Your Intel GPU could see a 4x frame rate boost soon, thanks to this new tech

Intel has announced its new XeSS 3 technology, which enhances graphics for existing games that use XeSS 2. This technology introduces multi-frame generation (MFG), allowing Intel GPUs, especially integrated graphics, to generate up to three additional AI-driven frames between hardware-rendered frames. Gamers can choose frame generation modes of 2x, 3x, or 4x through the Intel Graphics Software app, with a recommendation for a base frame rate of over 60fps to avoid graphical issues. XeSS-MFG will be supported across Intel's entire Xe GPU lineup, starting with Intel Core Ultra 200 series CPUs with Xe2 cores and Intel Arc A and B-series GPUs, with plans for future support for older Xe1 GPUs. Performance tests showed significant frame rate increases in games like Painkiller and Dying Light The Beast when using the new technology.
Millennium edition of Windows is 25 years old
Winsage
September 14, 2025

Millennium edition of Windows is 25 years old

On September 14, 2000, Microsoft released Windows ME, the last version of Windows to rely on MS-DOS. It was intended as a successor to Windows 95, 98, and 98 SE, offering discounted updates and compatibility with existing software. Windows ME obscured DOS, making it less accessible for users, and eliminated the ability to create bootable DOS copies from formatted floppy disks. It inherited system file protection from Windows 2000 to prevent "DLL hell," where application software replaced system libraries, causing other programs to fail. Windows ME aimed to bridge the gap between Windows 98 and Windows XP, but users faced compatibility issues with programs not designed for the new version. The control panel adopted a web-like appearance, and documentation transitioned to HTML format. Windows ME had minimal system requirements of a 150 MHz Pentium and 32 MB of RAM, and performance tests showed negligible differences compared to Windows 2000. Windows XP was released a year later, marking the end of DOS's relevance in Microsoft's operating systems.
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