performance tests Archives

Winsage

January 15, 2026

This distro makes it easy to switch from Windows to Linux

VailuxOS is a Linux distribution built on a Debian foundation, featuring a user-friendly interface with the KDE Plasma desktop environment. It resembles Windows 11 in layout and includes a Computer icon for easy access to the Home directory. The installation process is straightforward, and it has a minimalist approach to preinstalled applications, allowing customization through the KDE Discover software center with Flatpak support. VailuxOS offers a graphical interface for setting up shared folders via Samba. A minor issue during setup involved a default German keyboard layout that affected password entry, which was resolved by switching to US English. Performance tests showed that VailuxOS can handle tasks like running the llama3.2r language model efficiently, demonstrating its capability for programming tasks.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

AppWizard

September 11, 2025

Borderlands 4 launches to ‘mostly negative’ reviews on Steam thanks to widespread performance problems and crashes

Borderlands 4's Steam user review average is currently "mixed," with a "mostly negative" rating primarily due to performance issues such as low frame rates, stuttering, and crashes, even on high-end hardware. Players have reported that upscaling technologies like DLSS may be necessary for better gameplay. A 2.7GB post-launch patch has been released, but no separate hotfix has been mentioned. Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford advised players with older hardware to have realistic expectations regarding performance. Despite the performance concerns, the game has over 192,000 concurrent players on Steam, surpassing previous titles in the series.

AppWizard

September 10, 2025

HAVN HS 420 VGPU review – pure elegance in PC case form

The HAVN HS 420 VGPU is a premium PC case priced around 0, featuring a minimalist design, a large dual-side glass panel, and strong cooling capabilities. It supports E-ATX, ATX, mATX, and Mini-ITX motherboards, has a CPU cooler clearance of 185mm, and can accommodate graphics cards up to 470mm in length. The case lacks included fans but supports various cooling options, including air and liquid cooling systems with space for radiators up to 420mm. Its dimensions are 260mm x 541mm x 547mm, and it weighs 19kg (41.9lbs). The front panel includes USB Type-C, USB Type-A ports, and a 3.5mm audio jack. The case is constructed from steel, tempered glass, and ABS, and comes with extras like Velcro cable ties and a VESA display mount. Performance tests showed CPU temperatures at 76°C and GPU temperatures at 69°C under full load, with sound levels reaching 53dBA at full fan speed. The case is designed for vertical GPU mounting and includes components like a PCIe 5.0 riser cable.

AppWizard

September 5, 2025

Cronos: The New Dawn PC Performance Analysis

Bloober Team will release its third-person action horror game, Cronos: The New Dawn, using Unreal Engine 5. Benchmarking tests were conducted on a setup with an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D and various high-end graphics cards. The game offers customizable graphics settings and supports technologies like NVIDIA DLSS 4, AMD FSR 3.1, and Intel XeSS 2.0. At 1080p with Epic Settings, the top five graphics cards achieved over 60 FPS. At Native 1440p, only the NVIDIA RTX 4090, RTX 5080, and RTX 5090 maintained fluid performance, while no GPU reached 60 FPS at Native 4K. Lowering settings from Epic to High can improve performance by 18–25%. The game features impressive visuals but has minor imperfections and fewer stutters without Hardware Lumen enabled. It outperforms Silent Hill 2 Remake in stability and aligns with typical Unreal Engine 5 performance expectations.