powerful hardware Archives

AppWizard

April 8, 2025

Team Ninja says ‘we sincerely apologize’ for Rise of the Ronin’s PC version being a mess, promises imminent fixes

The action role-playing game, Rise of the Ronin, launched on Steam has received a "Mixed" rating from users due to performance issues. Originally a PlayStation 5 exclusive released in March 2024, it had a Metacritic score of 76. The development team has acknowledged the problems and is working on a patch scheduled for release on April 10. Team Ninja, the studio behind the game, has faced criticism for previous PC ports like Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty and Ninja Gaiden: The Master Collection, raising concerns about their optimization for the PC platform.

BetaBeacon

April 4, 2025

Google will require new Android 16 devices to support this game-changing graphics feature

Most Android devices now support Vulkan, with the latest version, Vulkan 1.4, introducing a feature called Host Image Copy that can greatly improve game performance on upcoming Android 16 devices. Host Image Copy allows for faster app loads, reduces stutter, and lowers GPU memory usage by enabling the CPU to copy image data directly between host memory and GPU image memory.

BetaBeacon

March 14, 2025

RTX Remix leaves beta, boosting classic games with new AI tools

RTX Remix brings AI-powered upgrades for modders to enhance classic games, including tools like DLSS 4, RTX Neural Radiance Cache, and PBRFusion 3. PBRFusion 3, created by modder NightRaven, upscales textures and generates high-quality maps for materials. NVIDIA claims that with RTX Remix, older games can have their low-resolution textures upscaled up to 4x, making them look more modern and visually appealing on newer hardware. This enables smaller modding teams to extensively remaster classic games with less effort.

AppWizard

March 6, 2025

TSplus Introduces Major Update for Remote Control to Android from Any Device

TSplus has released a major update to its Remote Support Android app, now available on the Google Play Store. This update enhances the app's features, which originally allowed users to remotely view and control devices in Full HD resolution at 24 frames per second, with functionalities including keyboard and mouse control, user chat, and device management. The update fully operationalizes the Sharer feature for seamless remote control of Android devices from various platforms. Enhancements include improved performance with upgraded screen encoder and decoder, new settings for optimizing app performance on older devices, shortcuts for quick actions, and improved debugging for easier issue reporting.

AppWizard

March 1, 2025

Monster Hunter Wilds – we can’t recommend the PC version

Monster Hunter Wilds has been released on PC, but users with lower-end graphics cards are experiencing significant performance issues. Initial impressions were positive, but players face a lengthy shader compilation process, with times varying from six minutes on a Ryzen 7 9800X3D to over 13 minutes on a Ryzen 5 3600. The graphical settings menu is detailed, but a prompt to enable frame generation appears misplaced for low-end machines. Players reported PS3-level texture quality and stuttering during gameplay, particularly when turning the camera. Adjusting texture settings from high to medium alleviated some stuttering, but texture quality remained poor. Performance issues may stem from aggressive texture streaming and decompression processes, affecting cards like the RTX 4060. Users with 8GB of VRAM or less should approach the game cautiously, as similar performance issues were noted on other mid-range GPUs. Higher-end GPUs like the RTX 4070 also experienced stuttering, raising concerns about performance with higher-resolution texture packs. Overall, the game’s optimization across various hardware configurations appears lacking.

AppWizard

February 13, 2025

Avowed may run on a 9-year-old GPU, but Steam Deck looks like a no-go unless you like sub-30fps upscaled at minimum settings

Avowed, Obsidian's latest role-playing game, faces significant performance issues on portable devices. It crashes on the ASUS ROG Ally and has an "unknown" compatibility rating on the Steam Deck. The game's minimum GPU requirement is the GTX 1070, which is higher than that of many recent RPGs. Testing on the Steam Deck resulted in a disappointing frame rate of 20-25 fps, making combat unfeasible. While the game is designed to target 30fps on Xbox Series consoles, it performs better on more powerful hardware, such as the RTX 3070, where it runs smoothly at medium-high settings and 1440p resolution.

AppWizard

February 7, 2025

5 PC gaming myths you might still believe (and shouldn’t)

PC gaming does not have to be expensive; entry-level options are accessible and can handle many popular titles. Many modern games run on lower-tier hardware, allowing players to enjoy them without needing powerful systems. Assembling a gaming rig is no longer overly complicated due to the availability of prebuilt PCs and simplified software management. It is rare for gamers to upgrade their PCs every year; many maintain their systems for several years with incremental upgrades. PC gaming is not limited to hardcore gamers; it offers a wide range of titles for all types of players, with support for controllers and frequent discounts available.

AppWizard

December 22, 2024

The Best PC Games to Play in 2025

The PC gaming landscape in 2025 will feature major AAA releases such as Grand Theft Auto VI, Avowed, Assetto Corsa Evo, Stalker 2: Heart of Chornobyl, Frostpunk 2, and Indika. Technological advancements like ray tracing and DLSS will enhance graphical quality and performance, while cloud gaming services will offer new ways to access games. Players can expect a variety of genres, including RPGs, FPS, simulation, and strategy, each with unique pros and cons. The most anticipated games include Grand Theft Auto VI, Avowed, Assetto Corsa Evo, Stalker 2, Frostpunk 2, Indika, Death Stranding 2, Homeworld 3, Broken Roads, and Pacific Drive. Popular PC-exclusive titles include Valorant, League of Legends, Crusader Kings III, and Factorio. The most played PC games currently are Counter-Strike 2, Dota 2, PUBG: Battlegrounds, Apex Legends, Grand Theft Auto V, Baldur’s Gate 3, Naraka: Bladepoint, Team Fortress 2, Rust, and Cyberpunk 2077. Counter-Strike 2 has the highest concurrent player count on Steam.

BetaBeacon

December 22, 2024

Android XR could be Google’s Daydream redemption, and VR games can help

Daydream had issues such as draining phone batteries and lack of smartphone support. Google abandoned Daydream just as Quest began to take off. Google could potentially regain ground in the XR market by focusing on gaming, offering a curated selection of apps, supporting hand-tracking and controllers, and utilizing powerful hardware like Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2. The success of Android XR will depend on how well Google can differentiate itself from competitors like Meta and Apple.

AppWizard

November 3, 2024

You Can Get Minecraft: Java and Bedrock Editions on Sale for A$38 Right Now

Gamers can currently purchase a digital download of Minecraft: Java and Bedrock Editions at a promotional price, reduced from the regular price. The Java Edition is designed for desktop environments (Windows, macOS, Linux) and is known for its customization options through mods and skins. The Bedrock Edition offers cross-platform compatibility, allowing play on consoles, mobile devices, and PCs, and is optimized for less powerful hardware. It also includes access to the Minecraft Marketplace and supports controller play and Chromebooks. Worlds and saves from the Java Edition cannot be transferred to the Bedrock Edition.