SSD Archives

AppWizard

September 21, 2026

Google Unveils Googlebooks: Premium Laptops Built for Android and Gemini Intelligence

Google is launching its new line of premium laptops called Googlebooks in Australia, with pre-orders starting today and devices available from manufacturers like HP, Dell, Lenovo, Acer, and ASUS. The laptops will start at an RRP of ,299 and are set to be available on October 5th. They feature the new Googlebook OS, built on the Android technology stack, and include advanced functionalities powered by Gemini Intelligence. The devices will support over 20,000 games and allow seamless integration with Android phones, enabling users to transfer settings and access apps easily. The Googlebooks will have a premium build quality, powered by Intel and Qualcomm processors, with battery life exceeding 14 hours, and will come standard with 16GB of RAM and SSD storage starting at 256GB. Various models will be offered, including different form factors and specifications. Additionally, users will receive a 12-month subscription to Google AI Pro, which includes cloud storage and access to advanced tools.

Winsage

September 20, 2026

The hidden Windows feature quietly filling up your SSD—and how to rein it in

Microsoft introduced a feature called point-in-time restore in Windows 11, which creates snapshots of the system every 24 hours to enhance recovery options. This feature began rolling out in late June 2026 and is typically enabled by default for boot drives of 200GB or larger. It uses the Volume Shadow Copy Service to generate restore points that are available for 72 hours before being purged. The feature can consume significant storage space, initially occupying 3.9GB and potentially increasing to over 18GB within two months, reaching a maximum of 2% of the total disk space. Users can adjust the storage usage settings or disable the feature entirely to reclaim space. The default maximum usage can be modified to as low as 0.2%. There are concerns that this feature should have been opt-in rather than opt-out due to its storage implications.

Winsage

September 19, 2026

Microsoft Surface Pro 13″ (12th Edition) Review: Is ARM Windows Finally Good?

The 13-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 12th Edition is the first model to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2. The review unit has an X2 Plus processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB SSD. It runs Windows 11 Home in its ARM variant, allowing for the installation of applications like Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Pro, which now run natively. However, some limitations exist, such as missing features in Premiere Pro and longer export times. The device is available in two configurations, with the higher-end variant featuring the X2 Elite processor. Benchmark results show improved performance over its predecessor, particularly in Geekbench 6. The easily swappable SSD is a notable feature, and the device can become warm during intensive tasks. The gaming performance is mixed, with some titles running well while others struggle. The display is a 13-inch PixelSense LCD with a resolution of 2,880 x 1,920 pixels and a brightness level of 600 nits. The audio features stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos. The build quality is premium, with a weight of 895 grams and a thickness of 9.3 millimeters. Connectivity includes two USB-C ports with USB4 and DisplayPort capabilities, but lacks USB-A and a headphone jack. The device has an IR scanner for face recognition and a front camera that captures 1440p video. It offers three keyboard options and includes the Slim Pen 2 in some bundles. Battery life is approximately 7.15 hours while looping an HD YouTube video at maximum brightness, with efficient charging options available.

Winsage

September 17, 2026

Windows Search’s default indexing mode could be writing gigabytes to your SSD every day for a feature almost nobody uses

The search index on Windows 11 can contribute to storage bloat, with reported sizes varying significantly among users. The search index database, named Windows.db, is crucial for delivering quick search results and can grow dramatically, with some users experiencing sizes exceeding 200GB. A PowerShell script can be used to check the size of the Windows.db file. If the file size is unusually large, users can rebuild the search index through the Indexing Options in the Control Panel. Windows 11 has two indexing modes: Classic and Enhanced, which affect the size and number of indexed items. Classic mode indexes specific folders, while Enhanced mode indexes the entire PC. Excluding certain directories can help manage index size. Performance issues may arise on PCs with over 400,000 indexed items.

AppWizard

September 16, 2026

The MSI Codex Z2C RTX 5070 Prebuilt Gaming PC Drops to $1399 and Includes an Upcoming PC Game

B&H Photo is offering a limited-time deal on the MSI Codex Z2C RTX 5070 gaming PC for ,399 with free shipping. Buyers will receive a download voucher for the game Control: Resonant, releasing on September 22. The PC features an AMD Ryzen 7 8700F CPU, GeForce RTX 5070 12GB GPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 SSD. The Ryzen 7 8700F has an 8-core, 16-thread architecture with a boost clock speed of 5.1GHz. The GeForce RTX 5070 is designed for 1080p and 1440p gaming, typically retailing around 0. It can run most titles at 4K, but upgrading to a 5070 Ti may provide better performance at that resolution.

AppWizard

September 13, 2026

Stunning RTX 5060 Ti gaming PC gets a decent price cut on Amazon

CyberPowerPC's Game Master gaming PC features a Ryzen 7 8700F processor with 8 cores and 16 threads, a base frequency of 4.1 GHz (turbo boost up to 5 GHz), and an RTX 5060 Ti GPU with 8GB of GDDR7 VRAM. It includes 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD. The Game Master is currently available at a 10% discount on Amazon for ,349.99.

AppWizard

September 6, 2026

Pterodactyl Multi-Game Cloud Server: 13 Steps [2026]

In 2026, hosting game servers has become more efficient, allowing multiple game servers to run on a single cloud VPS using Pterodactyl Panel, which utilizes Docker containers for isolation. Pterodactyl is a free, open-source game server management panel that gained popularity due to its user-friendly interface and robust architecture. The latest stable release, v1.12.0, was launched in January 2026, with newer deployment templates available as of August 2026. To set up Pterodactyl, prerequisites include a cloud VPS with specific CPU and RAM requirements, Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, PHP 8.3, MariaDB 11.8.8 or newer, Redis 8.10.0 or newer, Docker Engine, a registered domain for SSL, SteamCMD dependencies, and at least 80 GB SSD storage. The installation process involves provisioning the VPS, installing necessary software, configuring Pterodactyl, setting up Nginx with SSL, and deploying game servers. Common pitfalls include under-provisioning RAM for resource-intensive games, neglecting firewall settings, and allowing backup retention to grow uncontrollably. Troubleshooting may involve addressing PHP-FPM issues, connection problems, and ensuring proper resource allocation. Advanced scaling may require multiple VPS nodes, and security measures like two-factor authentication can help protect the server. Pterodactyl is free to use commercially and can run multiple game containers on a single node.

Winsage

September 5, 2026

Valve’s Steam Machine Proves a Capable Windows PC, But 128GB RAM Upgrade Offers Little Value

Valve's Steam Machine has been tested for its versatility beyond gaming, with two notable upgrades: installing 128GB of RAM and converting it to run Windows 11. The 128GB RAM upgrade involved installing a 2x64GB SO-DIMM kit, which required extensive BIOS adjustments and presented challenges such as system instability and difficult access to RAM slots. Despite the technical success, performance improvements in gaming were minimal, as most applications do not utilize that much memory, making the upgrade cost-prohibitive. In contrast, converting the Steam Machine to Windows 11 was more straightforward. The process involved creating bootable USB drives and navigating BIOS settings. Once installed, the Steam Machine performed well as a Windows PC, with productivity tasks showing better efficiency than other portable devices. Benchmark tests indicated slight performance drops compared to SteamOS, but real-world usage, such as video editing, proved effective. Overall, the Steam Machine is capable of functioning beyond its intended purpose, but users should consider practical memory configurations and the limitations of dual-boot support when choosing how to optimize the device.

Winsage

September 3, 2026

Microsoft is auto-enabling Memory Integrity on Windows 11 PCs from October. Why you shouldn’t turn it off

Starting in October 2026, Microsoft will automatically activate memory integrity for eligible Windows 11 devices through the Patch Tuesday update on October 13. Memory integrity, or Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI), protects the core of Windows by ensuring that kernel-mode drivers are verified before execution, preventing malware from exploiting vulnerable drivers. Eligible devices must have an Intel 8th-generation processor or newer, AMD Zen 2 or newer, Qualcomm Snapdragon 8180 or newer, at least 8GB of RAM, a 64GB SSD, virtualization enabled in firmware, and compatible drivers. Secured-core PCs already have this feature enabled. Windows will assess device readiness before activation and will respect user settings if memory integrity has been intentionally disabled. Users can check memory integrity status in Windows Security under Device security. Incompatible drivers may cause issues, and conflicts will be logged in the Event Viewer. Microsoft is pushing this update due to increased security threats and aims to protect users who have upgraded their systems without performing clean installs. If issues arise with memory integrity enabled, users can identify problematic drivers in the CodeIntegrity event log.

Winsage

September 3, 2026

Windows 11: Memory Integrity enabled automatically from October

Microsoft plans to automatically activate Memory Integrity on a broader range of eligible systems starting October 2026, rolling it out through standard Windows quality updates. Prior to activation, Windows will assess hardware, drivers, and performance to ensure compatibility. Memory Integrity, part of Virtualization-based Security (VBS), uses the Windows hypervisor to create a secure environment for integrity checks on kernel code. Compatibility with drivers is crucial, as many older applications may not meet the stricter standards required for HVCI. Potential compatibility issues may arise with anti-cheat solutions, third-party input methods, and banking protection programs, which could lead to software malfunctions or boot failures. A readiness check will evaluate hardware compatibility, with eligible systems including Intel processors from the 8th generation, AMD processors from Zen 2, and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8180 or newer, along with specific RAM and storage requirements. The rollout will be gradual, and users who previously disabled HVCI will not face unexpected reactivation. Microsoft recommends updating affected applications or drivers in case of compatibility issues.