research Archives

Winsage

September 19, 2025

GPU sales skyrocketed 27% last quarter — tariff jitters sparked an odd gaming hardware spending surge in Q2 ’25

In 2025, there has been an unexpected surge in CPU and GPU shipments, contrary to the typical summer lull in PC hardware sales. This increase is attributed to fears of new U.S. import tariffs, leading both manufacturers and consumers to purchase proactively. The client PC industry experienced a "panic-build quarter," with retailers and consumers, especially gamers, rushing to secure hardware before potential price hikes. Discrete desktop graphics cards saw a 27% rise quarter-over-quarter and a 22% increase year-over-year, driven by new offerings from major vendors. Nvidia captured a 94% share of the add-in board market. This surge is atypical for the second quarter, which usually sees a decline, and is influenced by the threat of tariffs, prompting consumers to buy now to avoid higher future costs. JPR termed this phenomenon "buying ahead of tariffs," warning that it could lead to weaker performance in Q3 and Q4. The buying frenzy coincided with the launch of Nvidia's Blackwell cards and AMD's RDNA 4 GPUs, with flagship GPUs experiencing rising prices and shortages. The current consumer behavior reflects panic buying rather than natural growth, raising questions about the sustainability of this momentum as the year progresses.

Winsage

September 19, 2025

PC gaming hardware market skyrockets

The global market for PC-based gaming hardware is projected to reach .5 billion by 2025, marking a 35% increase. This market includes desktops, notebooks, DIY setups, and various peripherals. A significant challenge for gamers is the need for a forced hardware migration, requiring CPU upgrades for over 100 million gamers, which may also necessitate motherboard and RAM upgrades. Dr. Jon Peddie forecasts a 13% decline in entry-level PC gaming over the next five years, potentially resulting in over 10 million individuals leaving the PC platform, although many are upgrading to midrange and high-end hardware. Jon Peddie Research offers a comprehensive PC Gaming Hardware Market Models and Consulting Package, which is valuable for industry stakeholders, providing insights for product launches and market analysis. The latest edition of JPR’s PC Gaming Hardware Market Study includes market size data, segment breakdowns, and forecasts, covering 31 countries.

Winsage

September 19, 2025

Windows 11 responsible as PC gaming hardware sales surge by 35%, research concludes

Recent surveys from Steam indicate that the percentage of users still on Windows 10 has decreased from nearly half in February to 35% today, coinciding with the end of support for Windows 10 on October 14. Jon Peddie Research (JPR) reports a 35% growth in the PC gaming hardware market in 2025, reaching a valuation of .4 billion, driven by consumers upgrading their hardware for Windows 11. Many gamers are purchasing new prebuilt systems due to the need for CPU, motherboard, and RAM upgrades. The DIY gaming community is also building new computers instead of retrofitting existing setups. JPR anticipates a 13% decline in entry-level PC gaming over the next five years. While Windows 10 will still function, the lack of technical support and updates makes upgrading advisable, especially for those with older hardware. Additionally, there has been an increase in Steam users exploring Linux alternatives, with Valve's SteamOS being the leading Linux-based operating system on the platform.

Winsage

September 19, 2025

End of Windows 10 support might mean a sizeable shrink in the entry-level PC gaming market according to new research

The global PC gaming hardware market is expected to grow by 35% in 2025, reaching .5 billion, according to Jon Peddie Research (JPR). However, a projected reduction of about 13% in the entry-level PC gamer population is anticipated, equating to over 10 million individuals potentially leaving the PC platform. The end of support for Windows 10 will require over 100 million gamers to upgrade their CPUs, motherboards, and likely RAM to transition to Windows 11. Many gamers are choosing to purchase new prebuilt systems instead of upgrading existing setups. Upgrading to Windows 11 is not strictly necessary, as some modifications can bypass the TPM requirement. JPR forecasts a significant decline in gaming on entry-level systems as users are compelled to invest in midrange and high-end hardware.

AppWizard

September 19, 2025

$1B DEI slush fund: Minecraft extremism study & “intersectional” virtual reality

The Canadian government has invested over billion in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives since 2016, with funding exceeding 4 million across 29 departments and agencies. Notable expenditures include a ,522 grant from Public Safety Canada for a study on radicalization linked to gaming communities, a .2 million award to the Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce for developing virtual reality software for women entrepreneurs, a ,000 grant for research on gender and race in Canada’s space program, and a ,595 grant to the University of British Columbia for establishing a research network on parks and protected areas. Concerns have been raised by lawmakers about the effectiveness and transparency of these expenditures, with calls for clear metrics to evaluate outcomes. Harvard cognitive scientist Steven Pinker cautioned that DEI mandates might inhibit free inquiry and stifle dissenting voices.

Winsage

September 18, 2025

Refurbished Windows 10 PCs on the ‘Back Market’ combat Microsoft’s programmed obsolescence with ChromeOS and Linux

Microsoft will officially end support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, affecting approximately 400 million PCs that cannot upgrade to Windows 11. The Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) warns this could lead to a significant increase in discarded computers. Microsoft is offering Extended Support Updates (ESU) but critics view these as temporary solutions. Companies like HP and Dell report that about half of the global PC market still relies on Windows 10, leading to accusations of planned obsolescence. Back Market is addressing this issue by offering refurbished laptops pre-installed with Google’s Chrome OS Flex, although only 50 units are available. They emphasize the environmental impact of planned obsolescence and suggest users consider alternative operating systems or participate in repair communities to extend the lifespan of their devices.

BetaBeacon

September 17, 2025

You can play Nintendo Switch games on Android again thanks to Eden

The Eden Emulator for Android allows users to play Nintendo Switch games on their mobile devices. Users will need a device running on at least Android 11 and a powerful phone for smooth gameplay. The emulator is a forked version of the Yuzu emulator and focuses on high performance, aesthetics, compatibility, and stability. It does not contain any ROM files or necessary game files, so users will need to set that up themselves. The emulator is available for download on the Play Store.

AppWizard

September 17, 2025

38 Million Downloads Across 224 Malicious Android Apps on Google Play Deliver Harmful Payloads

Researchers from HUMAN’s Satori Threat Intelligence and Research Team discovered a digital advertising fraud operation called “SlopAds,” which involves 224 Android applications that have over 38 million downloads across 228 countries. SlopAds employs a multi-layered obfuscation strategy to deploy fraud modules that siphon ad revenue. The applications connect to Firebase Remote Config to retrieve an encrypted configuration that conceals URLs for PNG images containing fragments of an APK, which are reassembled to create the core fraud component known as FatModule. SlopAds generates approximately 2.3 billion bid requests daily, primarily targeting users in the United States (30%), India (10%), and Brazil (7%). Google Play Protect alerts users and blocks known SlopAds applications, and Google has removed these applications from the Play Store. Users who installed these apps from off-market sources remain vulnerable until they uninstall them.

AppWizard

September 17, 2025

Google dismantles huge Android ad fraud network distributing malware through 224 apps

Security researchers from HUMAN’s Satori Threat Intelligence and Research Team, in collaboration with Google, dismantled an ad fraud scheme called SlopAds, which involved over 224 AI-themed applications designed to generate fraudulent ad views and clicks. The scheme had over 38 million downloads across 228 countries and was responsible for 2.3 billion ad bid requests daily, with most traffic originating from the United States (30%), India (10%), and Brazil (7%). The apps used hidden browsers to load attacker-controlled websites, simulating ad clicks and impressions. Google removed the identified apps from the Play Store and advised users to uninstall them. Experts warn that the perpetrators may adapt their tactics to continue exploiting the digital advertising ecosystem.

Winsage

September 16, 2025

Consumer Reports asks Microsoft to keep supporting Windows 10

Consumer Reports opposes Microsoft's October 14th deadline to stop free security updates for Windows 10, arguing it will leave millions of users without support due to hardware limitations preventing upgrades to Windows 11. As of August 2025, about 46.2 percent of global users are still on Windows 10, equating to 200 to 400 million PCs unable to upgrade. The organization criticizes Microsoft for promoting Windows 11 for better cybersecurity while leaving Windows 10 devices vulnerable. They also mention a fee for a one-year extension of security support as an inadequate solution. Consumer Reports urges Microsoft to continue free support for Windows 10 until more users can transition to Windows 11, a sentiment echoed by the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), which warns that many usable computers may be discarded.