Microsoft is keen to see as many users as possible upgrade to Windows 11, something we’ve highlighted before. But even though Microsoft just extended Windows 10 security updates for another year, the company still wants you to upgrade to Windows 11 sooner than later. In a Windows Experience blog post from earlier this week, Yusuf Mehdi—Executive Vice President and Consumer Chief Marketing Officer at Microsoft—wrote that “Windows 11 PCs are up to 2.3x faster than Windows 10 PCs.” The claim is based on benchmarking results from the Geekbench 6 Multi-Core measurement tool, which could be seen as misleading as it doesn’t entirely reflect real-world usage. For example, it’s been shown that Windows 10 has better gaming performance than Windows 11, which is a common argument for sticking with the older operating system. Meanwhile, the blog post also argues in favor of upgrading to Windows 11 by highlighting increased security due to solutions like TPM 2.0 and Smart App Control. Microsoft claims a 62 percent reduction in security incidents with Windows 11, but that’s comparing new computers running Windows 11 to older computers running Windows 10. Further reading: Upgrading Windows 10 to 11: All you need to know Read...

Computers aren’t really known for smelling like…anything. Maybe a whiff of new device plastic, or a bit of burning dust if you don’t have good cleaning habits. But at Computex 2025, we’re finally getting scented thermal paste. Adam already checked it out with a hands-on (nose-on?) investigation, but now we’re getting input from Steve of Gamers Nexus. So apparently the idea is that scented thermal paste won’t just smell when you apply it to the CPU. It’ll off-gas (oof, what an unappealing term) when the PC heats up. So the more you’re pushing it, the more it’ll smell…in a good way. That’s the theory, anyway. But it’s not just for CPUs anymore — Yeston, of the anime waifu graphics card designs, apparently makes a Radeon RX 9070 XT with an “ocean-themed fragrance module.” I suppose it could have been worse. Hyte is thinking about doing something similar for packaging, apparently. Adam’s all for this. But however you feel about scents in your PC parts, it’s not going to be free — the extra hardware and engineering in this stuff will cost extra. Should you pay for it? Steve says no. Adam says he wants a scratch-and-sniff PC case. Well okay then. For hot, smelly takes like that, be sure to subscribe to PCWorld on YouTube and watch our weekly podcast The Full Nerd. Read...

Vibe coding is programming by gut feel. You have an idea for a tool, a website, or a repetitive task you want to automate… but instead of enrolling in a coding boot camp or slogging through YouTube tutorials, you fire up an AI chatbot and have it write the code for you. This AI-driven approach to creative coding has exploded in popularity over the past year or two—chiefly because it works. People are building genuinely useful stuff without even knowing what a variable is. I’ve been vibe coding my own apps with AI and I’m absolutely loving it, despite being a relative newbie to coding. But most advice about AI-assisted programming still assumes you want to become a “real” programmer eventually. Because of that, the advice tends to steer you towards professional tools that are overkill for simple projects. You need a different—easier—approach. PROMOTIONLaunch in minutes by vibe coding Turn your ideas into reality with Hostinger Horizons. Build web apps, websites, and custom tools by chatting with the AI – no coding required. Get everything you need to launch and grow including web hosting, domain management and email. Start now Here’s what you really need to start vibe coding your own stuff right now, without any of the BS that only complicates matters. Use an AI chatbot, not an AI-assisted IDE Your first instinct might be to use an AI-assisted integrated development environment (IDE), one that you’ve heard is good for vibe coding, like Windsurf, Cursor, or even Claude Code (which technically isn’t an IDE, but that’s besides the point). All of these tools are built for AI coding, so they’re the best place to start, right? Well… no. These tools are designed to make highly productive programmers even more productive, and that means they assume a level of knowledge that amateur coders—like you and me—lack. Diving into these programs straight away is likely to leave you confused and discouraged. An AI-driven code editor can be powerful, but it’s overkill for an amateur vibe coder. This one starts at $15 per month after a two-week trial.Windsurf Not to mention that AI-powered IDEs are pretty darn expensive, too. While most offer a bit of free use, it’s easy for even uber-casual vibe coders to find themselves in need of a paid plan. Many such IDEs charge based on usage instead of a flat monthly rate, too. As an amateur vibe coder, you’re better off using an AI chatbot. The downside here is that you’ll need to copy-paste code back and forth between the chatbot and your code editor. It’s a bit of a nuisance, but it’s not too bad if your project is small. Choose your AI chatbot carefully When it comes to AI chatbots with programming proficiency, there are several you can choose from. All of the popular ones are good enough to get started, but even so, I have a couple recommendations. Don’t want to spend a dime? Try Google’s AI Studio. This chronically under-appreciated AI tool provides free and effectively unlimited access to Google’s latest Gemini Pro models, which many consider the best in the business without paying a cent. Google AI Studio does have a few downsides. Google will train on your data (most paid services promise they don’t), the interface isn’t the best, and there’s no desktop or mobile version. None of these are serious obstacles for amateur vibe coding, though. A screenshot of a quick data visualization tool I created using Claude.Matt Smith / Foundry But if you’re willing to pay a bit and want an attractive interface with desktop and mobile apps, I recommend Anthropic’s Claude Opus. I like Claude’s Artifacts feature, which breaks code out in a separate interface pane. It can even execute some code (like HTML or JavaScript) to provide a preview in Claude itself, and you can download code to your PC from this pane. Competitors have emulated it with similar features, but I think Anthropic’s implementation remains the best. Stick to popular programming languages Choosing a programming language is a major obstacle for both amateur and experienced programmers. There are hundreds to choose from, dozens of them are mature, and promoters of each tend to have strong opinions, so it’s easy to fall into analysis paralysis. When it comes to vibe coding, though, I recommend that you stick with languages that are both popular and forgiving. That means the usual suspects of JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, HTML, and perhaps C# if you’re feeling saucy. AI does best with these languages because AI models are trained on data from across the web. The more popular the language, the more examples there are to train on—and the more source data to work with, the better the generative results. As for how forgiving a particular language is, it’s an important aspect to consider because you’ll be quicker to get a program up and running even when it has bugs. Some languages, like Rust and C++, have strict syntax and architectural demands that can be a nightmare to debug. Veteran coders are likely to recoil at the idea of willingly accepting bugs in a program, but for beginners, it’s better to have a buggy-yet-functional program than a program that was abandoned because it never worked. Alternatively, you could let the AI choose your language for you. Describe the program you want to create and ask the chatbot to make it in whatever language seems most appropriate. Choose a simple code editor Once you have a chatbot and coding language picked, you’ll need to choose the software you use to edit code. You may feel pushed towards a full-blown programming IDE like Visual Studio, which is admittedly powerful but, again, designed for people who have some knowledge of programming. For casual vibe coding, I recommend a simpler code editor like Notepad++, Sublime Text, or UltraEdit. (My bias is towards Notepad++.) A screenshot of my vibe coded personal website in Notepad++.Matt Smith / Foundry Code editors lack the comprehensive terminal, debugging, and remote development features found in many IDEs. However, code editors still provide a fast, functional, and approachable interface that looks more like the barebones text editors you’ve likely used (e.g., Notepad), and they still provide handy features like code auto-completion. Think small (and reinvent the wheel) Scope creep is a common problem that all programmers face, and it can stop you cold. Big projects are more difficult than small projects, and vibe coding grows more difficult as the size of a project increases. So while it might be tempting to try vibe coding your way to a full-blown 3D game or world-class accounting software, you might want to hold your horses and start small. Very small.  A screenshot of me asking Claude about some enhancements to my tabletop game web app, which is relatively simple and small in scope.Matt Smith / Foundry Here are some great entry-level project examples for vibe coding: Python scripts that automate specific tasks, like scraping web pages for data or filtering documents by various criteria. A single-page personal website or app in HTML and JavaScript. A single-feature app programmed in Python or C#. My first vibe-coded project was a dice-rolling tool with text-to-speech capability for the tabletop strategy game Battletech. It can roll dice and announce the results of a roll, speeding up play. I also vibe-coded my own personal website, a single page of HTML with some JavaScript. Use AI to troubleshoot issues, answer questions, and generate documentation You might be surprised by how quickly AI can help you vibe code basic tools and programs. It’s so easy to pop out a quick Python script, you may find yourself doing it several times a day at one point. However, heavy reliance on vibe-coded projects can lead to another problem: losing track of how each script and program works, and becoming confused by dependencies. For example, Python programs typically don’t work right out of the box. You’ll need to install Python as well as the various libraries that are used to accomplish different things in a script. Not only do you have to figure that out, but if you ever move to another computer, you’ll also have to set up Python and those dependencies on that computer as well. Fortunately, AI is great at solving this problem. Just ask and it’ll provide you with instructions on how to install a new programming language and any related libraries on your computer. This will typically involve a handful of command-line prompts. I also recommend ending every vibe coding session by asking the AI to create documentation that teaches new users how to use the generated program. And when you use AI to modify existing scripts or programs, it’s a good idea to ask for a changelog of everything it does. Documentation will help you remember how your program works and help you get it working when you switch computers. Pick up Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi Python scripts and web pages can be useful, but they lack pizzazz… and that can be discouraging for any new vibe coder. If you want to try programming something that feels more tangible and exciting, then I recommend picking up an Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi. Going this route is likely to increase your starting costs and will make your vibe coding journey more complicated. You’ll need to buy some hardware and most likely a soldering iron. You’re also going to need to pick up some skills that AI can’t help with, like soldering. A Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W hooked up and ready to tinker with.Raspberry Pi While you can use AI to suggest Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi projects, I recommend picking a tutorial that already exists, like this Raspberry Pi Pico W weather station by ExplainingComputers. The tutorial explains the basics, of course, but the AI chatbot can further explain concepts that you don’t quite understand and handle edge cases. For example, I had a different temperature sensor than the one in the tutorial, so I had to wire it differently than how it was shown and make changes to the code to identify my sensor. With the help of AI, I was able to make the required changes in just 15 minutes. Further reading: Practical Raspberry Pi projects anyone can do PROMOTIONLaunch in minutes by vibe coding Turn your ideas into reality with Hostinger Horizons. Build web apps, websites, and custom tools by chatting with the AI – no coding required. Get everything you need to launch and grow including web hosting, domain management and email. Start now Read...

If you’re running Windows 10 or 11, you’re probably familiar with Night Light, the system feature that reduces the amount of blue light in the screen display. The idea is that by filtering blue light, you might be able to sleep better and ease on eye strain. However, if you have one of those newer computers with Snapdragon chips, you won’t be able to run Night Light on an external display. Why? It’s due to hardware limitations in Arm-based chips. Specifically, it’s “a limitation of the Qualcomm Oryon chipset” as confirmed by Dell. Fortunately, according to Windows Latest, these limitations will disappear in the next-generation Arm-based chip to be unveiled in September. For now, if you want a blue light filter on an external display while using a Windows 11 PC with a Snapdragon chip, use a third-party app. That’s just one reason for growing anticipation over the Snapdragon X Elite 2, the powerful chip from Qualcomm that’s expected to end up in new computers from Dell starting next year. Further reading: How to work on a laptop with a migraine Read...

Vibe coding is programming by gut feel. You have an idea for a tool, a website, or a repetitive task you want to automate… but instead of enrolling in a coding boot camp or slogging through YouTube tutorials, you fire up an AI chatbot and have it write the code for you. This AI-driven approach to creative coding has exploded in popularity over the past year or two—chiefly because it works. People are building genuinely useful stuff without even knowing what a variable is. I’ve been vibe coding my own apps with AI and I’m absolutely loving it, despite being a relative newbie to coding. But most advice about AI-assisted programming still assumes you want to become a “real” programmer eventually. Because of that, the advice tends to steer you towards professional tools that are overkill for simple projects. You need a different—easier—approach. PROMOTIONLaunch in minutes by vibe coding Turn your ideas into reality with Hostinger Horizons. Build web apps, websites, and custom tools by chatting with the AI – no coding required. Get everything you need to launch and grow including web hosting, domain management and email. Start now Here’s what you really need to start vibe coding your own stuff right now, without any of the BS that only complicates matters. Use an AI chatbot, not an AI-assisted IDE Your first instinct might be to use an AI-assisted integrated development environment (IDE), one that you’ve heard is good for vibe coding, like Windsurf, Cursor, or even Claude Code (which technically isn’t an IDE, but that’s besides the point). All of these tools are built for AI coding, so they’re the best place to start, right? Well… no. These tools are designed to make highly productive programmers even more productive, and that means they assume a level of knowledge that amateur coders—like you and me—lack. Diving into these programs straight away is likely to leave you confused and discouraged. An AI-driven code editor can be powerful, but it’s overkill for an amateur vibe coder. This one starts at $15 per month after a two-week trial.Windsurf Not to mention that AI-powered IDEs are pretty darn expensive, too. While most offer a bit of free use, it’s easy for even uber-casual vibe coders to find themselves in need of a paid plan. Many such IDEs charge based on usage instead of a flat monthly rate, too. As an amateur vibe coder, you’re better off using an AI chatbot. The downside here is that you’ll need to copy-paste code back and forth between the chatbot and your code editor. It’s a bit of a nuisance, but it’s not too bad if your project is small. Choose your AI chatbot carefully When it comes to AI chatbots with programming proficiency, there are several you can choose from. All of the popular ones are good enough to get started, but even so, I have a couple recommendations. Don’t want to spend a dime? Try Google’s AI Studio. This chronically under-appreciated AI tool provides free and effectively unlimited access to Google’s latest Gemini Pro models, which many consider the best in the business without paying a cent. Google AI Studio does have a few downsides. Google will train on your data (most paid services promise they don’t), the interface isn’t the best, and there’s no desktop or mobile version. None of these are serious obstacles for amateur vibe coding, though. A screenshot of a quick data visualization tool I created using Claude.Matt Smith / Foundry But if you’re willing to pay a bit and want an attractive interface with desktop and mobile apps, I recommend Anthropic’s Claude Opus. I like Claude’s Artifacts feature, which breaks code out in a separate interface pane. It can even execute some code (like HTML or JavaScript) to provide a preview in Claude itself, and you can download code to your PC from this pane. Competitors have emulated it with similar features, but I think Anthropic’s implementation remains the best. Stick to popular programming languages Choosing a programming language is a major obstacle for both amateur and experienced programmers. There are hundreds to choose from, dozens of them are mature, and promoters of each tend to have strong opinions, so it’s easy to fall into analysis paralysis. When it comes to vibe coding, though, I recommend that you stick with languages that are both popular and forgiving. That means the usual suspects of JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, HTML, and perhaps C# if you’re feeling saucy. AI does best with these languages because AI models are trained on data from across the web. The more popular the language, the more examples there are to train on—and the more source data to work with, the better the generative results. As for how forgiving a particular language is, it’s an important aspect to consider because you’ll be quicker to get a program up and running even when it has bugs. Some languages, like Rust and C++, have strict syntax and architectural demands that can be a nightmare to debug. Veteran coders are likely to recoil at the idea of willingly accepting bugs in a program, but for beginners, it’s better to have a buggy-yet-functional program than a program that was abandoned because it never worked. Alternatively, you could let the AI choose your language for you. Describe the program you want to create and ask the chatbot to make it in whatever language seems most appropriate. Choose a simple code editor Once you have a chatbot and coding language picked, you’ll need to choose the software you use to edit code. You may feel pushed towards a full-blown programming IDE like Visual Studio, which is admittedly powerful but, again, designed for people who have some knowledge of programming. For casual vibe coding, I recommend a simpler code editor like Notepad++, Sublime Text, or UltraEdit. (My bias is towards Notepad++.) A screenshot of my vibe coded personal website in Notepad++.Matt Smith / Foundry Code editors lack the comprehensive terminal, debugging, and remote development features found in many IDEs. However, code editors still provide a fast, functional, and approachable interface that looks more like the barebones text editors you’ve likely used (e.g., Notepad), and they still provide handy features like code auto-completion. Think small (and reinvent the wheel) Scope creep is a common problem that all programmers face, and it can stop you cold. Big projects are more difficult than small projects, and vibe coding grows more difficult as the size of a project increases. So while it might be tempting to try vibe coding your way to a full-blown 3D game or world-class accounting software, you might want to hold your horses and start small. Very small.  A screenshot of me asking Claude about some enhancements to my tabletop game web app, which is relatively simple and small in scope.Matt Smith / Foundry Here are some great entry-level project examples for vibe coding: Python scripts that automate specific tasks, like scraping web pages for data or filtering documents by various criteria. A single-page personal website or app in HTML and JavaScript. A single-feature app programmed in Python or C#. My first vibe-coded project was a dice-rolling tool with text-to-speech capability for the tabletop strategy game Battletech. It can roll dice and announce the results of a roll, speeding up play. I also vibe-coded my own personal website, a single page of HTML with some JavaScript. Use AI to troubleshoot issues, answer questions, and generate documentation You might be surprised by how quickly AI can help you vibe code basic tools and programs. It’s so easy to pop out a quick Python script, you may find yourself doing it several times a day at one point. However, heavy reliance on vibe-coded projects can lead to another problem: losing track of how each script and program works, and becoming confused by dependencies. For example, Python programs typically don’t work right out of the box. You’ll need to install Python as well as the various libraries that are used to accomplish different things in a script. Not only do you have to figure that out, but if you ever move to another computer, you’ll also have to set up Python and those dependencies on that computer as well. Fortunately, AI is great at solving this problem. Just ask and it’ll provide you with instructions on how to install a new programming language and any related libraries on your computer. This will typically involve a handful of command-line prompts. I also recommend ending every vibe coding session by asking the AI to create documentation that teaches new users how to use the generated program. And when you use AI to modify existing scripts or programs, it’s a good idea to ask for a changelog of everything it does. Documentation will help you remember how your program works and help you get it working when you switch computers. Pick up Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi Python scripts and web pages can be useful, but they lack pizzazz… and that can be discouraging for any new vibe coder. If you want to try programming something that feels more tangible and exciting, then I recommend picking up an Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi. Going this route is likely to increase your starting costs and will make your vibe coding journey more complicated. You’ll need to buy some hardware and most likely a soldering iron. You’re also going to need to pick up some skills that AI can’t help with, like soldering. A Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W hooked up and ready to tinker with.Raspberry Pi While you can use AI to suggest Arduino and/or Raspberry Pi projects, I recommend picking a tutorial that already exists, like this Raspberry Pi Pico W weather station by ExplainingComputers. The tutorial explains the basics, of course, but the AI chatbot can further explain concepts that you don’t quite understand and handle edge cases. For example, I had a different temperature sensor than the one in the tutorial, so I had to wire it differently than how it was shown and make changes to the code to identify my sensor. With the help of AI, I was able to make the required changes in just 15 minutes. Further reading: Practical Raspberry Pi projects anyone can do PROMOTIONLaunch in minutes by vibe coding Turn your ideas into reality with Hostinger Horizons. Build web apps, websites, and custom tools by chatting with the AI – no coding required. Get everything you need to launch and grow including web hosting, domain management and email. Start now Read...

A few years ago, Microsoft introduced the Feedback Hub, an app that allows users to suggest various improvements for Windows 11. Those suggestions are public, and BleepingComputer took a closer look at them to identify the five features that users want most right now. First and foremost is the ability to move the taskbar to the top or side of the screen, a suggestion that has received 24,046 votes as of this writing. One user writes, somewhat resignedly: “The move taskbar feature is missing now for years. Why has this not been changed yet?” Currently, the Windows 11 taskbar is firmly cemented at the bottom of the screen. So far, Microsoft has remained silent on whether they might implement this change in the future. Second, there’s the desire to completely disable recommendations in the Start menu. Currently, it’s only possible to reduce the number of recommendations, not to disable them completely (although this option is already available in test versions). However, this obviously doesn’t meet the needs of many users, as one summarized: “No, I don’t want to reduce the size, I want to hide it, forever, for good.” Third is the proposal to change the default search engine in Windows 11. As of now, Windows still uses Bing as its preferred way to answer queries, and it opens those searches in Edge. This isn’t the case in the European Economic Area, where Microsoft has been forced to allow users to change the default search engine. So far, Microsoft has shown no intention to make the same change for US users. Fourth is a reduction in Windows 11’s system requirements, which would allow the operating system to run on older computers. This affects not only compatible CPUs, but also—and most importantly—the requirement for TPM 2.0. The strict hardware requirements currently prevent many Windows 10 computers from upgrading to Windows 11, which is becoming a real issue with Windows 10 reaching end of life later this year. Microsoft recommends users buy a new machine that’s capable of Windows 11, but that isn’t a viable choice for everyone. Lastly, users want more options for the taskbar icons, primarily for more efficient use of the space. Windows 11 already has a “never combine” mode for taskbar icons, but the mode’s behavior has quirks that annoy users. The Feedback Hub has dozens of posts about taskbar behavior. Four of the five suggestions could potentially become reality, but it’s extremely unlikely that Microsoft will ever lower Windows 11’s system requirements. Ultimately, users should upgrade to Windows 11 or find another way to safely keep using Windows 10. Read...

Last week, a day after releasing update KB5060842 on Patch Tuesday, Microsoft also released the out-of-band update KB5063060 that was meant to replace and fix issues raised by the previous patch, most notably an incompatibility issue with games using Easy Anti-Cheat. However, Windows Latest reports that the new KB5063060 update is also causing errors of its own, including error codes 0x800f0922, 0x80070002, 0x80070306, and 0x800f0991 during installation, with installation appearing to freeze on affected computers and the boot process no longer working afterwards. In other words, both the original update KB5060842 and its replacement KB5063060 are causing affected Windows 11 users to sweat. Fortunately, rolling back the update is still possible. If you have trouble installing the update, Windows Latest advises that you download and install update KB5063060 directly via the Microsoft Update Catalog. This should make the installation go through, but keep in mind that additional issues may occur after installing the June 2025 Update. Potential issues after installing KB5063060 Users who successfully installed KB5063060 are also reporting issues of their own, including poor performance, graphical issues, and crashing games. One user complains that the June update corrupted their taskbar. Windows Explorer can also crash. Furthermore, installing KB5063060 doesn’t seem to have resolved all Easy Anti-Cheat problems. Meanwhile, other users are reporting that their Windows 11 computers no longer recognize Bluetooth devices after installing KB5063060. Microsoft hasn’t yet commented on issues raised by KB5063060. For some users, the best solution seems to be to simply uninstall KB5063060 (via Windows Settings, Windows Update, Update History, Uninstall Updates) and give the older KB5060842 another chance. Read...

Ancient technologies like Windows XP, Commodore 64, and legacy COBOL programs are still being used for all kinds of critical functions, and here’s another example to add to the list. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) still relies on Windows 95 and floppy disks for air travel, though hopefully not for too much longer. NPR reports that the FAA wants to finally bring the United States’ aviation control system up to 21st century standards—and that means getting rid of floppy disks. The legacy storage format is still used in many air traffic control towers, in computers that still run on Windows 95. In some cases, paper flight strips are still used. The 1990s control air traffic in the USA The lives of millions of passengers and crew members depend on software and hardware from the 1990s. Back then, Bill Clinton was still President and Bill Gates was still head of Microsoft. According to the FAA, this antiquated technology is used on about one-third of all flight control systems, and some of these systems are now starting to fail. A recent example is the radar and communication failures that led to significant delays and cancellations at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. On top of this, maintaining such old IT equipment requires a lot of money and arcane knowledge. The US Secretary of Transportation now wants a brand new air traffic control system (PDF). So far, there’s been no official word on costs, but it could surpass tens of billions of dollars. The switch to a modern air traffic control system (PDF) could be completed in four years if all goes well, but it does sound like a very ambitious plan. Further reading: Yes, you can still use floppy disks with Windows 11! Read...

Graphics cards are getting so big that they’re bigger than some computers now. A tired joke, perhaps, but it’s absolutely true. There’s plenty of room inside a modern desktop GPU (at least in terms of pure volume, with the chunky cooler) to fit all the parts you need to run a full PC… and one company did just that. Weird, but fascinating. Gamers Nexus took a break from their hard-hitting investigation work to check out this goofy little one-off project. Boutique desktop builder CherryTree (who are clearly fellow Star Trek fans, living their best, longest, and most prosperous lives) hollowed out a Gigabyte RTX 5070 card. Then they stuffed it full of Asus mini PC parts, re-assembled the shroud and working fans, and got all the necessary ports to go where you usually stick your monitor cables. The thing runs, all by itself, and with the fans and RGB lights still working. As Steve points out, you could install this PC inside a regular desktop PC, since all the power and connection stuff comes out the back. It’ll mount into a regular PCI Express slot, though it won’t draw power or interact with the “host” PC in any other way without some further modification. If you’re wondering, the mini PC runs a Core i7-1360P processor, 64GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage in the M.2 slot. This “graphics card PC” is a one-off design, not for sale and presumably made just so the builders could see their goofy little project on Gamers Nexus. (Mission accomplished!) But my favorite bit is that they designed and made a GPU-style retail box for it, christening the computer the “GEEFARCE 5027 POS.” It also gets “UC” and “OR” suffixes, for “underclocked and overrated.” I like these folks. They’re fun. Check out the Gamers Nexus video for a full and exhaustive benchmark of this thing. Read...

Arm-powered Windows devices, based almost entirely on the Qualcomm Snapdragon family of processors so far, are pretty neat. They can be thinner and lighter than Intel- and AMD-based setups, and they last considerably longer on battery power. Yet while most of the Arm compatibility issues are solved either with native apps or good emulation, gaming is still a very visible weakness. That might be going away soon, according to Chris Bergey, a senior VP of Arm Holdings. In an interview with PC Gamer, Bergey says the core compatibility issues are largely resolved, even if the performance gap that gamers are so keenly observing hasn’t been closed. Most users spend approximately 90% of their time in apps that are available with a native Arm version. A notable and extremely visible exception is anti-cheat programs for some popular online games. Lack of compatibility with these complex (and often controversial) systems can make a game simply refuse to launch, whether or not it runs well on a processor from Qualcomm or another Arm licensee. The software is “actually looking for some registers… well those registers don’t exist in the architecture,” explains Bergey. Though Arm and Microsoft are working on the issue, problems persist. There are some indicators that major developers, like Fortnite maker Epic, are looking to expand compatibility with Arm-based Windows laptops. Anti-cheat compatibility issues are also one of the most frequent reasons why Windows-based games can be incompatible with the Steam Deck, which runs an AMD processor but the Linux-based SteamOS doesn’t have native versions of some popular anti-cheat systems. It’s an illustration of how complex many modern games have become, especially when online multiplayer is thrown into the mix. Bergey thinks that as Arm-based Windows devices become a larger part of the market, game developers will put in the work to support them. With more and more games being made available on consoles, PC, and mobile, not to mention systems like Unreal and Unity working for all of them, it makes sense. I’ll add that getting a game up and running on Arm for Windows might help with macOS compatibility too, since all new Apple computers have used Arm-based chips for years. I’d be interested to see what an Arm-based Windows handheld would look like. Almost every device that’s followed in the Steam Deck’s footprints has used AMD guts, but mobile Arm-based chips are used for smaller emulation-focused devices, often running Android on the higher end. Throwing Windows and Steam on one of these things, especially with a long battery life and perhaps a slimmer, more efficient version of Windows 11, could be a game changer. Read...