Strands Archives

Winsage

April 16, 2026

Windows 11 vs CachyOS in gaming: Has Linux finally caught up to Windows?

Serious gaming on Linux has become a reality, with modern games showing impressive performance. A performance comparison was conducted between Windows 11 (25H2 build) and CachyOS (March 2026 build), a Linux distribution optimized for gaming. The test system specifications included a Cooler Master GA27127-inch monitor, Intel Core i5 12400F CPU, 24GB DDR4 RAM, 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD, 1TB HDD, AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT GPU, and the respective operating systems with their drivers. In gaming performance benchmarks, CachyOS outperformed Windows 11 by an average of 8.6% across five tested games. Specific game performances included: - Dead Space Remake: 70 FPS (Windows 11) vs 76 FPS (CachyOS) - Resident Evil 4 Remake: 84 FPS (Windows 11) vs 95 FPS (CachyOS) - Scorn: 118 FPS (Windows 11) vs 120 FPS (CachyOS) - Silent Hill 2 Remake: 53 FPS (Windows 11) vs 54 FPS (CachyOS) - The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Next-Gen: 95 FPS (Windows 11) vs 111 FPS (CachyOS) In ray tracing (RT) enabled games, performance varied: - Resident Evil 4 Remake: 77 FPS (Windows 11) vs 83 FPS (CachyOS) - Silent Hill 2 Remake: 30 FPS (Windows 11) vs 24 FPS (CachyOS) - The Witcher 3: 51 FPS (both systems) Most PC games are designed for Windows, while Linux games require the Proton compatibility layer, which can complicate performance. Multiplayer titles often face compatibility issues on Linux, particularly due to anti-cheat systems. Linux has matched or surpassed Windows 11 in single-player scenarios for users with AMD GPUs, while NVIDIA users face challenges due to proprietary drivers.

Winsage

August 6, 2025

OpenAI open weight models now available on AWS

AWS has introduced two new OpenAI models with open weights, the gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b, available through Amazon Bedrock and Amazon SageMaker JumpStart. These models are designed for text generation and reasoning tasks, excelling in coding, scientific analysis, and mathematical reasoning, with performance comparable to leading alternatives. They support a context window of 128K and adjustable reasoning levels (low, medium, high). Users can access these models via an OpenAI-compatible endpoint in Bedrock, utilizing the OpenAI SDK or Bedrock APIs for integration. To access the models in Amazon Bedrock, users must request access through the console and can evaluate them using the Chat/Test playground. The process for using the OpenAI SDK involves configuring the API endpoint and authentication with an Amazon Bedrock API key. Users can build AI agents using frameworks that support the Amazon Bedrock API or OpenAI API, with deployment facilitated by Amazon Bedrock AgentCore. The OpenAI models are available in the US West (Oregon) region through Amazon Bedrock and in the US East (Ohio, N. Virginia) and Asia Pacific (Mumbai, Tokyo) regions via SageMaker JumpStart. Each model provides full chain-of-thought output capabilities for enhanced interpretability. They can be modified and customized to meet specific needs, and security measures are in place to ensure robust evaluation processes. Compatibility with the standard GPT-4 tokenizer is also included. For cost details, users can refer to the Amazon Bedrock and SageMaker AI pricing pages.

AppWizard

June 23, 2025

Death Stranding 2 cements Hideo Kojima’s legacy as a PC game designer still living in the console world

In Death Stranding 2, players are tasked with delivering a pizza to an anime VTuber who has withdrawn from society. The game emphasizes the character's belief in the simple pleasure of hot pizza. Game director Hideo Kojima notes that the sequel allows for greater player freedom, including the option to avoid combat. The game combines immersive sim elements with a focus on delivery mechanics, offering various approaches to challenges. Players navigate diverse environments, including dust storms and blizzards, using new gear like the coffin surfboard. The balance between combat and delivery is maintained, with a versatile arsenal and attention to detail enhancing the experience. The day/night cycle introduces strategic elements, and the character Dollman serves both narrative and gameplay functions. The game encourages exploration and personal storytelling within its expansive world.

AppWizard

June 5, 2025

Playdate Season 2 unearths the best game about digging since Minecraft

Dig Dig Dino is a game from Playdate's Season 2 that allows players to excavate dinosaurs and treasures using a team of anthropomorphic animals. Players dig through layers of soil with limited energy, using a shovel and drill to overcome obstacles like rocks. After each excavation, players can use their finds to purchase upgrades that enhance gameplay. The game features multiple areas to explore, offering a variety of skeletons and artifacts, and incorporates puzzle elements that require strategic thinking. It is designed to encourage repeated play and showcases the potential of the Playdate handheld device.

AppWizard

April 4, 2025

South of Midnight

South of Midnight is a video game developed by Compulsion Games for PC and Xbox Series X/S, set to release in early 2025 at a price of .99. It features a coming-of-age story centered around Hazel Flood, a teenage track star who embarks on a quest to rescue her mother after a hurricane separates them. The game incorporates elements of Southern Gothic folklore, including characters like a talking catfish and the child thief Huggin' Molly. Hazel, an African-American teenager, navigates themes of generational poverty and historical struggles faced by Black individuals in the South. The gameplay includes platforming, puzzles, and combat, reminiscent of action-adventure titles from the PlayStation 2 era, with a total playtime of around 10 hours. The game showcases a rich visual style with detailed environments and a stylized aesthetic, supported by a soundtrack composed by Olivier Deriviere. South of Midnight has received the Editors' Choice accolade and is noted for its narrative depth and cultural significance.

AppWizard

February 3, 2025

GeForce NOW celebrates 5 years of cloud gaming, library grows to over 2000 PC games

NVIDIA's GeForce NOW is celebrating its fifth anniversary since exiting Beta in February 2020, now supporting over 2,000 titles and featuring high-performance options like 4K resolution, DLSS, and ray-tracing. In February, it will introduce 17 new titles, including: - Kingdom Come: Deliverance II (Feb. 4) - Ambulance Life: A Paramedic Simulator (Feb. 6) - SWORN (Feb. 6) - Sid Meier's Civilization VII (Feb. 11) - Legacy: Steel & Sorcery (Feb. 12) - Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered (Feb. 14) - Avowed (Feb. 18) - Lost Records: Bloom & Rage (Feb. 18) - Abiotic Factor (Steam) - Alan Wake (Xbox) - Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation (Xbox) - The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance Tactics (Xbox) - HUMANITY (Steam) - Murky Divers (Steam) - Somerville (Xbox) - Songs of Silence (Steam) - UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes (Steam) Additionally, in the last week of January, games like Space Engineers 2, Eternal Strands, and Dead Island 2 were added to the platform.

AppWizard

December 6, 2024

The Biggest Announcements From PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted 2024

Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault is scheduled for release in 2025 on PC, Xbox, and PlayStation. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown features turn-based battles and a Paper Mario-style aesthetic. Sol Mates will enter early access on Steam next year. Cairn has a free demo available on Steam, with a full release planned for next year. The Legend of Baboo is set for release in 2025. MainFrames will launch on Steam on March 6, 2025, with a demo available. Merchants of Rosewall is set to release on Steam in the first quarter of 2025. Starlight Re:Volver will enter early access on Steam in 2025. SpaceCraft is expected to have early access next year. Abyssus is planned for release next year on Steam. Orcs Must Die! Deathtrap will be released on January 28, 2025. Robots at Midnight is set for release on January 29, 2025. Blue Prince will release in Spring 2025, with a demo available for early access. Eriksholm: The Stolen Dream is planned for release in 2025. Eternal Strands is set for release on January 28, 2025. Copa City is anticipated for release in 2025. Drivers of the Apocalypse has no announced release date. Legends of Awen: Rise of the Fianna has an unspecified release date. Spine does not have a revealed release date yet. The entire showcase is available on the official PC Gamer YouTube channel, and a dedicated PC Gaming Show page on Steam allows gamers to wishlist the newly announced titles.

AppWizard

December 6, 2024

Eternal Strands: Official Release Date Trailer | PC Games Show: Most Wanted

Eternal Strands is a third-person action-adventure game set to launch on January 28, 2025, available on PC via Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Players will engage in battles against towering creatures using magical abilities and powerful weapons.

AppWizard

December 5, 2024

How to watch the PC Gaming Show Most Wanted 2024 for another look at Avowed, The Thing: Remastered, and more

The PC Gaming Show Most Wanted is scheduled for December 5 at 12pm PST / 3pm EST / 8pm GMT / 9pm CET. It will be streamed on platforms like Twitch and YouTube, featuring localized subtitles in Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic. Highlights include a Q&A with Avowed game director Carrie Patel, insights into Citizen Sleeper 2: Starward Vector, a look at Killing Floor 3, details on The Thing: Remastered, and information about Mike Laidlaw's title, Eternal Strands. A group called "The Council," consisting of over 80 industry figures, will vote on 25 PC games to spotlight for the upcoming year. Notable members include John Romero and Brian Fargo.

AppWizard

November 15, 2024

Here are the nominees for PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted

The PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted will be broadcast on December 5 at 12 pm PST / 8 pm GMT across platforms like Twitch and YouTube. The show will feature a countdown of the 25 Most Wanted games, selected by a panel called The Council, which includes game developers and content creators. The selection process begins with a long list of over 100 unreleased games, narrowed down based on criteria such as game profile, premise, and creative direction. Only games set to release before January 1, 2025, or currently in Early Access are eligible. The final list is determined through a voting process using a 1-5 scale, factoring in Release Certainty and total votes. The nominees for the Most Wanted 2024 include titles such as Path of Exile 2, Deltarune, Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines 2, and Grand Theft Auto 6, among others.