The bells are ringing for Windows 10, and many users who have waited are now choosing to update to Windows 11. If you’re one of them, congratulations on continued security updates and new features, but also on an operating system that has received a lot of criticism since its launch in 2021 — sometimes justified, but often exaggerated. Because when you look beyond the glassy surface with its rounded corners and the Start menu in its strict position, the differences are not that insanely big actually. It’s not like switching to Mac or Linux, not by a long shot. In many cases, these are fairly small changes that you can quickly get used to. In many cases, it’s even possible to restore or mimic old behavior, and new additions you don’t need can often be turned off or hidden. We recommend: Windows 11 Pro Relax and enjoy the ride and everything will be easier, right? Microsoft has become a bit more like Apple in one area in recent years. Where the company used to make an effort to step aside and let users choose how they want to use their computer, it now prefers you to do certain things in a certain way. Foundry The most obvious example is that you’re almost forced to sign in with a Microsoft account instead of a traditional local account. For example, it is not normally possible to choose a local account when installing the system. This can be circumvented fairly easily, but Microsoft keeps harping on about all the benefits of its account. In a way, the company is right. With a Microsoft account, for example, you don’t have to worry about registering Windows because the license key is linked to the account and it’s easy to reactivate if you make changes to the hardware. I find this very useful as I sometimes boot my Windows installation directly and sometimes in a virtual machine — even though the hardware is completely different, the system has no problem with activation. Windows 11 Home can encrypt the local storage with Device Encryption, but it requires a Microsoft account to store a copy of the recovery key — so if you want to use a local account you need a Pro license to encrypt the disk. Further reading: How to save your older PC when Windows 10 hits end of life Other benefits include synchronization of settings and applications installed from the Microsoft Store between computers and automatic authentication for all other Microsoft services and applications. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription for Office, it will be much easier if you are logged into Windows with the same Microsoft account. But if you don’t subscribe to Microsoft 365, don’t use OneDrive, have no need for disk encryption, and rarely or never change hardware, there’s no practical gain from a Microsoft account. If you prefer, you can then opt for local account anyway, even with Windows 11 Home. Create local account with Rufus Rufus The easiest way to do this when reinstalling the system and not updating from an older version is by creating an installation media with the Rufus program. Download an .iso file of Windows 11 from Microsoft and select it in Rufus. Select a connected USB stick of at least 16 gigabytes that has nothing important on it (all current files will be deleted) and click Start. In the dialog box that pops up, tick Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account. You can also tick Create a local account with username and fill in the account name you want, so you don’t have to do it during installation. The Start menu Microsoft The most visible difference in Windows 11 from its predecessor is that the Start menu and program icons have been centered in the Taskbar instead of being on the far left as in all previous versions. But it’s a quick thing to change if you prefer to have it the way it used to be (go to Settings > Customization > Start and change to left-aligned). The big difference lies in the content of the menu. As soon as you click on the Start icon, it is obvious that it is not the old familiar Start menu. There is no list of installed programs, but instead a number of preselected “favorites” are listed in a grid under the heading Pinned. Below these is an area called Recommended, where you can find recently opened and added programs, files, and more. Further reading: Windows 10 support ends soon. Here’s how to upgrade to Windows 11 You can switch off all these recommendations, but the section will still be there. Microsoft hasn’t made it easy, but at the time of writing there is a method that works in the latest version. It requires three additions to the registry. You can save the below code in a plain text file with a .reg extension and import into the Registry Editor. Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftPolicyManagercurrentdeviceStart] `HideRecommendedSection`=dword:00000001 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftPolicyManagercurrentdeviceEducation] `IsEducationEnvironment`=dword:00000001 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsExplorer] `HideRecommendedSection`=dword:00000001 After a reboot, the pinned items area fills the entire center section of the menu. Foundry With a trick, you can get rid of Recommendations and get a cleaner Start menu. What you can’t do anything about, however, is that the Start menu doesn’t show a list of all installed programs. You can still access such a list by clicking All in the top right, but there doesn’t seem to be any hidden setting to make it open that list automatically. In the narrow strip at the bottom you will see the on/off button and an icon for your account, but you can also add other shortcuts in Settings > Customization > Start > Folders. The Taskbar Aside from the default placement in the center, the big change in the Taskbar is that programs group all their windows behind one icon instead of one icon per window. But just like the placement, you can easily restore the old behavior. You can find the different settings in Settings > Customization > Taskbar (or Taskbar Behaviors). The Explorer Foundry In Windows 11, Microsoft has given Explorer an updated interface with a modern, airier design. If you have a small screen, it can be distracting to have fewer icons. You can change that by choosing View > Show > Compact view. The menu tab area that existed before has been replaced by a narrow toolbar with only a few common functions. Other functions can be accessed via the context menu — click on Show more options to display the old context menu with all options. You won’t miss the fact that functions like copy and paste have become icons. A big improvement is that the program now has built-in tab support, so you can have multiple folders open without having multiple separate windows. Ctrl+T opens a new tab just like in browsers, and you can drag and drop a tab from the tab bar at the top to detach it into its own window. Tab layouts and tab groups Foundry Hover over the maximize button at the top right of an application window and you’ll soon see a small menu of options to quickly adjust the size of the window to take up, say, half or a third of the screen. These are called tick layouts, and if you fill the screen with two or more programs using the feature, they are automatically lumped together in something called a tick group. You can quickly view such a group of programs either by hovering over one of the included programs in the Taskbar and selecting the group there, or by clicking on the new Task View button to the right of the search button and selecting there. Foundry Unfortunately, pinned groups do not save after a restart and if you switch off one of the included programs, the group disappears. A quicker way to pin a window to one half of the screen is to grab it and hold it against the edge of the screen on the side you want it. If you already have an application taking up, say, a third of the screen, the next window will be two-thirds instead of half. Widgets and Copilot Foundry On the far left of the Taskbar (if you have the Start Menu centered — otherwise on the far right before the System Tray) is a new icon which normally shows the current weather in your location. It may also show news headlines of various kinds. Hover over or click it to reveal Windows 11’s new widget feature. To be honest, it sucks, so it’s a good thing Microsoft has made it easy to switch it off. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and turn off Widgets. Another new feature that is now also included in the latest version of Windows 10 but has been included for longer in Windows 11 is Copilot, which in a way replaces the old voice assistant Cortana. Microsoft The Copilot icon is located in the Taskbar next to the Task View icon (which shows all open windows and virtual desktops), and opens a spartan web-based interface that looks exactly like copilot.microsoft.com. The company has been criticized for not developing a proper Windows application but settling for a web view. But Copilot is one of the more competent free AI chatbots, so you can still use it to brainstorm ideas, proofread texts, and more. If you have a subscription to Copilot Pro, you can log in to access the more advanced features, but otherwise you can skip it. Unlike in Word and Excel, for example, the system doesn’t automatically log you in with the same account you log in with in Windows, but that account should show up as a preset when you try to log in. Updated classics If you come to Windows 11 today and not right after the launch, you will notice a change that has come with updates to the system. Microsoft has gone to great lengths to update some of the oldest but still most used programs in Windows: Paint and Notepad. In addition to an updated, modern interface, both programs have been enriched with AI features. It’s not that the Copilot chatbot itself has been baked in, but specific features for each program. Microsoft In Paint, you can use a new tool to remove distracting objects or blur the background of images. Users with a Copilot Plus computer can also use generative fill to add new objects to images. Notes have been given more features for rewriting text. For example, you can ask Copilot to rewrite in a formal tone or in the form of a poem. The AI can also expand or shorten text. Soon, a function for writing summaries of texts will also be added. Microsoft Other examples of applications you might not recognize are Clock — which has a new design and new features — and the brand new Media Player application, which replaces the old Windows Media Player. Key settings and where to find them Joel Lee / Foundry Microsoft has redesigned the Settings application in Windows 11. Not only have many more settings that were previously in Control Center moved into the modern application, but it also has a new interface that makes it easier to browse settings. In Windows 10, Settings had a separate list of different settings on the left for each category, and to go to a different category, you had to first go to the home screen and then click into that category. In Windows 11, the left-hand column is instead filled with a list of categories, and a menu of different kinds of settings under each category appears on the right. Click on one of these to open the settings included in that sub-category. For example, Bluetooth & devices > Devices where you will find related settings. Some more advanced settings may be hidden in another level of submenus and others behind expandable groups. For example, in Display, the Color Profile and HDR settings are in submenus, while the Multiple monitors settings are expandable. The search function in Settings is really good and if you’re looking for a particular setting and can’t remember exactly where it is, it’s often the quickest way to find it. Read...

Windows 10 has been one of the best and most stable versions of the operating system from Microsoft, and it is no wonder that many users have waited to update to the new Windows 11. Despite its release in 2021, there are still significantly more people running Windows 10. But now the clock is ticking for the system. In October 2025, the very last regular update of the system will come. After that, Microsoft will only make security updates available to customers who pay extra for the Extended Security Update (ESU) program or use Microsoft Backup or 1000 Microsoft Reward Points to gain ESU access. PROMOTIONSeamless Windows 11 Upgrade with EaseUS Upgrading to Windows 11? Simplify the transition with EaseUS Todo PCTrans. This powerful tool migrates your apps, files, and settings seamlessly from Windows 10 to Windows 11, backing up everything while eliminating tedious manual transfers. The slick interface ensures a smooth upgrade, saving time and avoiding data loss – ideal for users seeking a hassle-free move before Windows 10 support ends. Use code PCWORLD for 25% off. FREE DownloadBuy Now and Save 25% Are you one of the many people who have reluctantly realized that it’s time to update? You’re not alone, but I can also tell you that it’s not nearly as bad as you might think. Windows 11 is mostly the same, and while Microsoft has made some questionable changes, it’s not a repeat of the disaster that was Windows 8. Join me as I walk you through how to safely update and get started with Windows 11. Further reading: I’m sticking with Windows 10 even after it dies. Here’s how Check that your computer is up to scratch Before you can install Windows 11, you can check that your computer actually meets the system requirements. An easy way to do this is to install all available updates in Windows 10. The Windows Update section in Settings will then offer you to upgrade to Windows 11 as long as your computer meets the requirements. Foundry You can also install the PC Health Check program. If your computer does not meet the system requirements, the program will show you what is missing and you can then see if it’s something you can fix without having to get a new computer to run Windows 11. It can be as simple as the TPM module in the processor not being enabled in the BIOS settings. The minimum requirements are a 64-bit processor of at least 1GHz, 4 GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, UEFI with support for Secure Boot (though it doesn’t have to be enabled), TPM 2.0, a screen with at least 720p resolution, and an internet connection. Since Microsoft released version 24H2 of the system, slightly higher requirements are placed on the processor. For Intel, it requires the eighth-generation Core or later, or the equivalent of Celeron/Atom/Xeon. For AMD, at least second-generation Ryzen or third-generation Threadripper, or the equivalent of Epyc, is required. Also a bunch of Zen-based Athlon chipsets are supported. Back up so you can roll back if disaster strikes Jan Van Bizar Before you start upgrading to the newer system, it’s a good idea to make a full backup of the current system, a so-called clone backup. This makes it much easier to roll back to Windows 10 if something goes wrong during the installation (or if you simply can’t stand Windows 11). There are a number of different programs that can clone your hard drive. R-Drive Image has long been one our favorite full-featured program. For a free version, it’s hard to beat EaseUS. I have seen some reports of problems getting the computer to boot from a ready-made clone, so don’t forget to test before you proceed. Further reading: How to save your older PC when Windows 10 hits end of life Update from Windows 10 or reinstall? Foundry Now the question is: Should you install Windows 11 as an update to your existing Windows 10 system, or should you spring clean your computer with a fresh install? This question comes up every time Microsoft releases a brand new version of Windows. You can find users who swear that the system will be faster and suffer from fewer bugs with a brand new installation. But there are also users who believe that this is pure nonsense and that an update is faster and easier as you don’t have to reinstall all your programs and other things. My recommendation if you are unsure is to have a solid backup (see above) and start by testing an update. If all goes well, you will be up and running in Windows 11 considerably faster, and in the unlikely event that you run into any difficulties, you can always do a reinstallation afterwards. If you run the update and go and do something else in the meantime, you’ll lose almost no time. Update in place – keep files, programs, and settings To perform a regular update without having to redo anything after installation, there are two options. The easiest is to go through Windows Update in Settings and let the system itself take care of the update. Then it works much like a major regular update, for example when Windows 10 22H2 was released. The computer will restart a few times during the installation, but otherwise it is just like a regular update. If for some reason you are not offered to update in Windows Update, or you just prefer it, you can download an iso file with the latest version of the system and install from it. You don’t need to create installation media on a USB stick, just double-click the .iso file in Explorer, go to the mounted disc image, and run the Setup.exe program. Foundry After a few steps where the installer checks the computer and a few other things, you will get to a dialog box where you can choose what you want to keep. The default option is to keep everything — that is, files, installed programs, and settings. You can also choose to keep only files, but since you then have to reinstall programs and redo system settings, I think it is better to do a total reinstallation and then move back personal files from the backup. Blow out and start from scratch Foundry If you have a weekend to spend on the update, it can be a great opportunity to spring clean your computer. Over the years, Windows accumulates a lot of junk that never gets cleaned up. Old programs you’ve forgotten you ever installed. Settings, caches, downloaded updates, and much more can gradually fill up your disk. Reformatting and starting from scratch will free up space and make your system more stable. If you then start by removing all the pre-installed programs you don’t need and then installing only the ones you actually want, you’ll end up with a system that feels airier. If you do this, it is particularly important that you have a full backup. Make sure you can boot from it, and that all important files and other things are there. Then use an .iso file of the latest version of Windows 11 and Microsoft’s installation media creation tool on a USB stick. Boot your computer from that and when you get to the step where you choose where to install the system, you can reformat the disk. If you have more than one SSD or hard drive, it is important that you choose the right one, and you may have to disconnect all the drives except the one you are installing on first. The Windows installer is a bit finicky about this. Further reading: The Windows 11 upgrade checklist First acquaintance with Windows 11 Foundry Once the update is complete and you start Windows 11 for the first time and log in, you’re greeted by a full dialog box you need to go through before you get to the desktop. It’s about location services and various features related to how Microsoft collects analytics data and the like. You can always change your mind later in Settings. Next, the system will suggest you “complete the installation,” which is Microsoft’s slightly sneaky attempt to get you to choose Edge as the default browser, enable backup to OneDrive, and a few more things. You can click through but only select the things you actually want. (If you don’t want to see this “helpful” dialog box again, you can open Settings > System > Notifications > Additional settings and tick off the various options.) Nothing more, and you are now greeted by the desktop with the Taskbar in its usual place at the bottom. The Start menu and application icons have moved to the center of the screen instead, but you can move them back to the left if you prefer. One major change is the Start menu itself, which has a new look and layout. Microsoft has made some changes since Windows 11 was first released, and version 24H2 finally has the option to display all installed programs in a list instead of a grid. Click on the All apps button at the top right. Unfortunately, there is no way to open that view by default. Foundry The taskbar also behaves differently than before. If you have multiple windows open in a program, these are not shown as separate icons, but you have to hover the pointer over the program icon to see the different open windows. If you want to go back to the way it was before, you can go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors and select Never for Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels on other taskbars. In the same menu you can also left align the Taskbar. Here are some other things that have become different and may confuse or require some time to get used to: Copy and Paste Both the toolbar and the context menu in Explorer have changed, and the most common commands, like copy and paste, have become icons. Fortunately, Microsoft has listened to user feedback and the context menu also shows the title next to each icon. Action Center is gone Joel Lee / IDG On the far right of the Taskbar used to be the Action Center, which brought together notifications, quick settings, and shortcuts to various functions. The whole feature is gone in Windows 11 and instead there is a new notification view. Default programs Foundry Microsoft has changed how you set up default programs for different file and link types. Open Settings > Apps > Default apps. Here you will find a list of installed programs. Click on an application and a list of file types for which that application is the default application will appear. You can also search for file extensions or link types in the search bar at the top and change the default application for that type. Better Microsoft Store Microsoft In the past, it was almost always best to download programs directly from the developers, and the Microsoft Store didn’t have standard desktop programs. In Windows 11, the store has gotten better and today many of the major programs can be found here. It’s often worth checking the store first and going via the web if you can’t find it. Copilot replaces Cortana As long as you’re signed into a Microsoft account, you’ll have access to the company’s AI chatbot directly in Windows, and the old assistant Cortana is long gone. New design on Settings Foundry Finding your way through all your system settings just got easier. The program now has a permanent list of categories on the left. There are still very deep hierarchies for some settings, but the search function often works well to find a specific setting. Further reading: 11 things I love (and hate) about Windows 11 after using Windows 10 How to restore to Windows 10 Foundry If you have installed Windows 11 as an update with Windows Update, you can roll it back directly in Settings. Go to System > Recovery and click Go back. Follow the instructions. Wait for it to finish (it may take as long as installing the update). If this option is missing, it’s either because you didn’t update with Windows Update, you’ve run System Cleanup after the update, or it’s been so long that Windows has automatically cleaned up the files needed. In that case, you can restore your old installation by cloning back the system from the clone backup you made before updating. Keep in mind that this will overwrite any newer files, so it’s best to make another backup of the system as it is now so you can copy back everything new when you’re done. Of course, this requires an additional hard drive that is large enough. The fact that it’s much easier to roll back with the Go Back feature is another argument in favor of updating to Windows 11 instead of reformatting and reinstalling. Further reading: It’s possible to get a Windows 11 licence cheap (or even free) Get windows 11 pro for cheap in pcworld`s software store Windows 11 Pro Read...

TechHive Editors Choice At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Lots of features for the price Fast 2.5GbE port Very advanced OS with media streaming and backup galore No hidden charges to enable features No license needed to connect IP cameras Cons Occasional interface rough spots All-plastic case Our Verdict The TerraMaster F2-425 two-bay NAS box is a good value for streaming media over your home network, handling IP cams, and backing up your computer and other device data. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: TerraMaster F2-425 two-bay NAS Retailer Price $224.99 View Deal $249.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Millions of people pay month in, month out to store their data in the cloud, seemingly oblivious to the fact they can store their data privately, in their own home, on their own network, without any recurring costs whatsoever. All you need is a NAS box (Network Attached Storage) like the TerraMaster F2-425 reviewed here connected to your router. You can keep the NAS in a physically safe location, stream movies and music to any of networked display, smart TV, or speakers, as well as back up your the photos, videos, and other data stored on any of your devices to it. And the best part is that you don’t need to trust your data to a broadband conduit and some large corporation that quite frankly–wouldn’t give a darn about your data if you weren’t paying them to store it. Specifications If you’re not familiar with a NAS box, it’s basically a tiny computer that’s designed for storing and distributing data–a file server, in the vernacular, although it can do much more. NAS attaches via an ethernet cable, or in some cases Wi-Fi (the F2-425 is hardwired only). You access the files stored on a NAS box via your operating system’s (Windows Explorer, the MacOS Finder, etc.) network browsing and administer it or access its virtual machines and apps with a Web browser. In some cases, you can attach a keyboard via the NAS box’s USB port and a display via its DisplayPort or HDMI; however, while the F2-425 has an HDMI port, it’s used for terminal (aka command line) use only. Unlike some NAS boxes, this one has no graphical desktop or direct streaming media output. The all-black TerraMaster F2-425 is constructed largely from plastic with some metal framing to secure the components inside. It measures around 9-inches long, 5.5-inches high, and 4.6-inches wide, and it weighs just a tad under four pounds unpopulated (i.e., before you add any of the drives that are needed for storage). I’d love to say it’s ruggedly constructed, but on one of the rubberized feet was falling off after only a few drags across the rough surface you see in the photos. It’ll do, but don’t set it in the back of your jeep while off-roading and expect it to survive. As you can see in the photo at the top of this page, the F2-425’s front panel is home to the power button, activity and power lights, a single a 10Gbps USB 3.2 Type-A port for quickly copying data from the NAS, and the two quick-change drive bays. There’s no drive-locking mechanism, but we’re hoping you trust everyone in your home. If you don’t, well…. The box’s rear panel features the 2.5GbE ethernet port, two more 10Gbps Type-A USB ports, the power jack, an HDMI port, and a large fan to keep things cool. There’s also a pinhole reset button that I had to use since I couldn’t remember the first password I used. Dummy. The fastest transfer rate you’ll get from a 2.5GbE network device is 300MBps–only a skosh faster than today’s high-capacity hard disk drives (HDDs) (which can transfer files at around 275MBps), but slower than SATA solid state drives (SSDs) (they can perform file transfers at 550MBps). Streaming even high-resolution 4K video, however, requires transfer speeds less than 50Mbps (that’s megabits per second), so you’ll have bandwidth to spare with the F2-425. You’ll find two quick-change drive bays inside the F2-425 that can accommodate either 2.5- or 3.5-inch HDDs or 2.5-inch SATA SSDs, and you can hot-swap drives if you so desire. While HDDs and SATA SSDs might seem quaint in the age of NVMe (Non Volatile Memory Express), you can get up to 72TB of storage with the former, but only 32TB with the latter–and then only with a pair of VectoTech 16TB V-MAX drives that cost $1,700 each! Normies can figure on 8TB with two $250 4TB consumer-grade SATA SSDs (4TB if configured as RAID 1). And in at least the case of HDDs, I would recommend that mirror them (RAID 1) if there’s anything irreplaceable on them. That halves the storage, but it reduces the chance of catastrophic data loss if one drive fails in striped RAID 0. The processor is a four-core Intel Celeron N5095 and there’s 4GB of DRAM on board–easily enough to run the Linux-based TNAS operating system that’s provided, but not powerful enough to host the Roon music server. (Roon recommends having at least an Intel Core i3 processor and 8MB of DRAM.) What are the TerraMaster F2-425’s multimedia features? Of most interest to the average home user will be the F2-425’s video, music, and photo features. For streaming video and music, there’s TerraMaster’s own Multimedia Server, which leverages DLNA. The acronym stands for Digital Living Network Alliance, a trade group Sony founded in 2003, and it’s become the baseline for even the included (and more powerful) Emby, Plex, and Jellyfin media servers. You can click on the preceding links for TechHive’s reviews of those product, but Plex is the most mainstream option. Setting up Plex on the F2-425. The Photos app features “AI”, aka pattern recognition, and it will auto-sort photos based on various criteria. Bittorrent clients and an iTunes server are also on board. Using the F2-425 for client backup TNAS’s Centralized Backup is one of my favorite NAS backup apps. You can of course install clients for it on your computers and devices, but you don’t have to. If you share the files on your devices, you can access them via Centralized Backup’s SMB (i.e., normal Windows file sharing). TNAS’s extensive support for backup includes local, network, cloud, and other remote servers. In other words, turn on file sharing on your computer or device, share the folders you want backed up, then add them as sources to a Centralized Backup file server backup. From there, you can use TNAS’s online storage backup software to sync your backed-up data to the cloud, and/or sync it from the cloud to the F2-425. The commercial services supported include BackBlaze B2, Google Drive, OneDrive, Amazon S3, Dropbox, Box Baidu Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, and others??. There’s Time Machine support for Apple users, but iCloud is not supported. Setting up the F2-425 to back up shared files on my M4 Max Studio. On a side note, I highly recommend keeping a local copy of your precious photos. There have been no huge losses of data from a major online repository, but it’s an increasingly dangerous online world. Using the F2-425 for security cameras Did you know that you don’t need to pay through the nose to have online surveillance vendors monitor your premises? Indeed, before those services were available, local security systems employing hardwired or IP cameras (Internet Protocol cameras that use your local network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi rather than an online service.) were the norm. IP cams are still readily available for not a whole lot of cash. And you can still access IP cameras remotely, although that requires configuring the ports on your router so that you can reach the F2-425 from outside your home network. Alternatively, you can use the TerraMaster TNAS Web portal/forwarding service, which is a far easier and more secure way to go about it. The TNAS Surveillance manager, though it doesn’t include a satellite for this view. To that end, TerraMaster provides its Surveillance Manager app (shown above) which will accommodate multiple ONVIF-compliant (Open Network Video Interface Forum) IP cams without expensive additional licenses as the boxes from QNAP and Synology typically require. Yay TerraMaster! What are the FS-425’s other features? While media streaming and backup will be the most important features for the average user, the TerraMaster is also suitable for SMBs (small to medium-sized businesses) and even enterprise use. It supports virtual machines, too, so you can compute over your web browser; and there’s a Docker host, so you can do the same via Docker modules. As to the basics, the F2-425 runs the BTRFS (Better File System) which features copy-on-write, snapshots, and data scrubbing. There’s also deduplication, MyBB and phpBB bulletin boards, NextCloud shared storage, FTP client, Portainer (like Docker), a web server), Java. iBos, and a lot of other stuff that IT types love. A reasonably recent (6.7/2024) version of WordPress is included (keep it updated if you decide to use it) if you want to create and host your own website. Be careful with that. I was malware-attacked hosting my own website (I was running a very outdated and vulnerable version of WordPress), and only diligent backup policies saved me. I’m not totally against hosting your own site, but do so only if there’s nothing else of importance on the box, and keep the site constantly backed up to less vulnerable external media. The open-source ClamAV antivirus engine is available as a TNAS app, though I’m not sure it would protect you from a WordPress exploit. TerraMaster F2-425 performance While not quite the fastest 2.5Gbe NAS box I’ve tested, the F2-425 isn’t far enough off the pace to worry about. Generally speaking, with a single 2TB SATA SSD inside, read and write speeds varied between 250- and 300MBps. Read speeds of 292MBps and 202MBps writing isn’t bad, although other benchmark tools I used gave the F2-425 higher write ratings. Given that 4K video requires only around 25- to 50Mbps, the the F2-425 should easily stream video to multiple clients simultaneously. And client backups, while not extraordinarily speedy, shouldn’t take more than a few minutes each. At least after the initial slog of a few hours at roughly 250GB per hour. This all, of course, depends on the amount of data involved. Fast enough aside, if you want to know what 10GbE and NVMe bring to the table, check out my review of the TerraMaster D8 SSD Plus in Macworld. Short story: Almost 1GBps best case, though larger NVMe SSDs are pricey. Disk Speed Test rated the F2-425’s reading and writing a relatively even 260- and 270MBps respectively. One thing I don’t like about TNAS is that it doesn’t multitask particularly well. For instance, I couldn’t retreat to the desktop and fire up the file manager while installing an app. That’s not a deal killer, but there are four cores. Let’s use em’! Should you buy the TerraMaster F2-425? While I’ve traditionally recommended QNAP and Synology as the go-to vendors in the consumer NAS space, TerraMaster’s TNAS OS has matured to the point where it’s every bit as capable, and the company doesn’t nickel-and-dime you for “extras,” such as security camera license fees the way those other vendors now do. So yes, I’m recommending the F2-425 as a top choice in a two-bay NAS box for multimedia streaming, backup, home file sharing, and storing video from ONVIF IP cams. Good job TerraMaster. Read...

Logitech`s MX Master 4 mouse features customisable haptics, Actions Ring shortcuts, enhanced connectivity, and eco-friendly materials, priced at AUD $199.95. Read...

After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer release any regular updates to Windows 10. The company may make exceptions if a really serious security flaw is discovered — this has happened with older, discontinued versions like Windows XP and Windows 7. get windows 11 pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro Many people who are running Windows 10 and haven’t updated to Windows 11 are doing so because their computer doesn’t support the greatly increased system requirements. So what can you do if you have one of these millions of computers? If your computer has no other faults and is not too slow for your needs, buying a new one just to get system updates probably seems unnecessary. PROMOTIONBackup, Save, and Transfer PCs with EaseUS Save your PC before support ends? EaseUS Todo PCTrans simplifies the process by backing up your data, apps, and settings – no reinstallation needed. Whether migrating from an old PC to a new PC or performing an in-place upgrade to Windows 11, it ensures a seamless transition, saving time and avoiding data loss. A must-have tool for hassle-free PC transfer and system upgrades. Use code PCWORLD for 25% off. FREE DownloadBuy Now and Save 25% Option 0: Postpone the decision – pay for extended support If you don’t have the time or energy to organize a longer-term solution and don’t mind paying a little extra, you can choose to take advantage of Microsoft’s extended support offer. The company announced last autumn that it would be offering a year of continued security updates for around $30, but that’s it. If you don’t want to spring for the money, you can also claim another year of free Windows 10 updates by activating Microsoft Backup or spending 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points. Buying yourself a year’s grace may make sense, especially if you really want to get a new computer with Windows 11, but would prefer waiting until next year. Further reading: How I finally learned to love Windows Task View Option 1: Force Windows 11 onto your old computer Perhaps the easiest way to continue using an older computer that doesn’t officially meet the system requirements for Windows 11 is to ignore the system requirements. Microsoft doesn’t recommend it, of course, and in a way it’s right. The TPM requirement tied to newer systems has to do with the ability to store private encryption keys and other secrets in a truly secure way. But if the alternative is to keep running Windows 10 without security updates, it’s obviously much better to run Windows 11 even if your computer won’t be as secure as a slightly newer machine. One way to increase security a little is to use a hardware key or just your mobile phone for two-factor authentication. In order to run Windows 11 at all, your computer must have a processor that supports the SSE 4.2 and Popcnt instructions. This basically means an Intel processor from 2009 or later, or an AMD processor from 2013 or later. If the option is available, you should also enable Secure Boot in the BIOS. What you need: An .iso file of Windows 11 from Microsoft The latest version of the Rufus program A USB stick of at least 16GB Start Rufus and select your connected USB stick under Device at the top. Locate and select your downloaded .iso file under Boot selection. Leave the other settings as they should be by default: Standard Windows installation under Image, GPT for Partition scheme, and UEFI (non CSM) under Target system. Rufus Then click Start and the Windows User Experience dialogue box will appear. Here you should tick the top option, Remove the requirement for 4GB RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0. That’s all that’s required, but if you intend to do a fresh install instead of an upgrade, you can also fill in any other options you wish, such as running local account instead of Microsoft account. Click OK and accept the warning that the USB stick will be erased (you didn’t have anything important on it, did you?). The program will then chew for quite a while it copies all the files and makes the desired changes. Upgrade Now you can open the USB stick in Explorer and start the Setup.exe program. You will first need to accept the user agreement and click through some other things, then the program will check for available updates. It may take a long time so be patient. Microsoft Finally, it will finish and you can start the installation. When you install using this method, the default choice is to keep all personal files and installed programs, so you won’t have to redo any settings (other than what has changed between Windows 10 and 11). Foundry Reinstallation If you prefer to start from scratch or to test drive Windows 11 before switching full time, you can reboot your computer from the USB stick and install the system to an empty SSD (or hard drive, but I don’t recommend this as it will make your computer slow as syrup). The Windows installer can be a bit tricky. If you have problems with more than one storage device in your computer, try temporarily removing all but the blank disc you are installing to. Option 2: Switch to Linux – how to get started Linux Mint If you’re tired of Microsoft’s shenanigans and feel ready for an adventure, try switching to Linux instead of harping on about Windows. Linux is more capable today than ever, and thanks to open source projects like Wine, Vulkan, and Proton, it’s easy to run many, if not most, Windows programs and games. Linux is not a unified operating system that looks and works in a particular way. Instead, there are a large number of so-called distributions, different flavors of Linux that may use different graphical user interfaces and different tools for basic functions like system updates. To give you an idea of what a jungle it is, I can list some of the major distributions: Arch, Debian, Fedora, Manjaro, Mint, Opensuse, Red Hat, and Ubuntu. There are many more, and often several variants of each distribution. It’s no wonder that many people who want to try Linux get decision anxiety and give up. My recommendation if you come from Windows and have never used Linux is to start with Linux Mint. It has a graphical interface that is fairly close to Windows and is designed to work well right after installation without having to tinker with settings. If you don’t like it, you can always try something else. I recommend starting by installing Linux on a separate hard drive or SSD alongside Windows, so you can easily switch back. 1. Download and create installation drive Download an .iso file of the latest version of Linux Mint from the distribution website. Then download and open the Balena Etcher application. Select the .iso file in step one and a connected USB stick of at least 4GB (without any important files!) in step two. Then click on Flash and authorize to overwrite the USB stick with the Mint installer. Linux Mint 2. Start the installation Restart your computer and press the correct key to access the start menu before Windows starts. Which key it is varies between different computer manufacturers, but it is usually, for example, the Esc key, F2, or F10. Select the USB stick and wait until Mint has started. Double-click on the Install Linux Mint icon on the desktop and the installer will start. The first thing to do is to select the language. Then select the keyboard layout and move on. In the next step, you should tick Install multimedia add-ons. Linux Mint Next, it’s time for disc formatting. Select Erase the disc and install Linux Mint and move on. The next step is important: Choose the right disc to install on. You can usually start from the size. For example, if Windows is on a 1TB SSD and you’re installing Linux on a 512GB SSD and you don’t have any other SSDs or hard drives, simply select the 512GB drive. Click Install Now and then Continue. While the installation is running in the background, select the time zone, fill in a username and password, and a few other things. Then just sit back and wait for it to finish. Further reading: Newbie’s guide to Windows BitLocker: Why you need it and how to set it up 3. Getting started with Linux Mint When you restart your computer after installation and enter the password you chose, you’ll be greeted by the Mint desktop and a welcome program to help you get started. The First Steps tab provides shortcuts to a number of important features that you can use right from the start. Here, for example, you’ll find Driver Manager, which you should run to see if there are drivers for your hardware that are not pre-installed. If you have an Nvidia graphics card, this can be particularly useful, as the system does not pre-install the company’s proprietary drivers, which often work better than its open-source drivers. To install software, you can usually use the Software Manager application, and system updates are installed using Update Manager. However, there are exceptions. For example, if you want to play Windows games from Steam, go to store.steampowered.com and click Install Steam, and do not use the version that appears in the Application Manager. Valve has made it very easy, and most games will work as long as you have enough modern hardware. Try it out! Much of the system is similar enough to Windows that you should be able to find your way around as long as you are curious. It’s easy as pie to install Steam and start playing Windows games on Linux.Foundry If you run into trouble, a quick web search is usually enough, but there are also plenty of forums with helpful members, not least on Reddit. It can help to keep in mind that Mint is based on Ubuntu, so if there are no instructions specifically for Mint, you can usually use those for Ubuntu. ‘Linux Lite’ with Chrome OS If you don’t fancy getting into Linux “for real,” Google’s Chrome OS can be an alternative. This is the system that powers Chromebooks, and although it is essentially Linux, it is greatly simplified and almost all interaction with the system is via the Chrome browser. Option 3: Keep Windows 10 – how to protect yourself Foundry If you don’t want to give up on Linux or force Windows 11 onto your old computer, you really only have two options: Buy a new computer or keep running Windows 10 without any updates. Microsoft isn’t kidding when it says you’re exposing yourself to a security risk if you choose to continue running Windows 10. It’s impossible to say how long it will take, but sooner or later someone will find a serious security flaw that can be exploited to take over your computer. If you’re lucky, such vulnerabilities will still require you, the user, to be tricked into clicking a link or opening a downloaded file. With less luck, it could allow computers to be hacked just by visiting a website with malware. That said, there are some things you can do to protect yourself from the biggest risks and avoid the worst consequences. Here are some tips: Foundry 1. Keep your programs up to dateJust because Windows doesn’t get updates doesn’t mean that other programs on your computer can’t be kept up to date. Browsers are by far the most important, but so are email clients like Thunderbird and various chat programs. 2. AntivirusPay for a good security package and make sure all antivirus features are switched on. 3. Be extra vigilant about what you do onlineAvoid visiting “dodgy” sites and only install programs that you know come from trusted sources. 4.Use your mobile phone for two-factor authenticationLog in to all your important sites with an extra code (or key/passkey) that you store on your mobile phone and not on your now vulnerable Windows computer. This way, malware or hackers cannot take over your accounts via your computer. Glasswire is a popular firewall for Windows.Skärmdump 5. A firewall can protectUse an application firewall like Glasswire or Safing Portmaster that can block individual programs’ internet access and detect when a program is trying to “phone home.” Pi-hole.Foundry 6. Protect via DNSUse Pi-hole or similar to block advertising and malicious websites across the network. 7. Minimize your exposureIf possible, use a computer or mobile device with a more secure operating system to log into important accounts and manage sensitive data. If you don’t have anything sensitive on your computer, there’s nothing for a hacker to pick up. 8. Backups are becoming even more importantPerhaps the biggest risk as an individual running an operating system with known security flaws is being targeted by an extortion program that encrypts all files on your computer. This makes it even more important to have a good backup strategy. Don’t keep all your backup devices connected to your computer at all times, otherwise an extortion program could also encrypt your backups. Other possibilities If you can’t do any of the above yourself, there are other ways to keep your old computer out of the scrapyard. One option is to give the computer away to someone else who has more energy. Another is to use it as a server in a home lab. Yet another is to use it as a gaming computer, without connecting it to the network. You can copy over new games from a newer computer using a portable hard drive. Read...

For a case study in how a once-promising technology turned toxic, look no further than ATSC 3.0. Also known as NextGen TV, the new broadcast standard promised to revolutionize free over-the-air TV with features like 4K HDR video, time-shifting, on-demand viewing, and interactive programming. For cord-cutters who get free local channels with an antenna, this was a genuinely exciting technology when it began rolling out way back in 2019. Six years later, that excitement has evaporated thanks to restrictive digital rights management (DRM) and high adoption costs. While the broadcast TV industry has failed to make ATSC 3.0 stick, they’ve succeeded in getting tech enthusiasts, consumer advocates, and even some individual broadcasters to fear and despise it. Now, broadcasters are hoping for a bailout from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which announced this week that it will consider their wishes to wind down the existing ATSC 1.0 standard and mandate ATSC 3.0 adoption. If that happens, most antenna users will need a new TV or tuner box by 2030 at the latest. Having failed in the marketplace, broadcasters now want the government to help foist ATSC 3.0 upon people instead. Sadly, it didn’t have to be this way. What’s happening with ATSC 3.0? NextGen TV broadcasts are available in more than 90 U.S. markets, covering 70 percent of the population, but accessing these broadcasts requires an ATSC 3.0 tuner, and most TVs don’t have one. If the FCC disappears ATSC 1.0, over-the-air TV viewers will need to upgrade their tuners even if they don’t need a new TV or care about ATSC 3.0’s new features. Low-cost TV makers tend to exclude ATSC 3.0 from their sets, and some bigger brands–including Samsung and LG–have either pulled back or stopped supporting the standard entirely. External ATSC 3.0 tuner boxes can bring support to existing TVs but they’re expensive at $90 and up. TV’s that don’t support ATSC 3.0 will need an external tuner box if the FCC pulls the plug on ATSC 1.0.ADTH As such, broadcasters estimate that only 14 million compatible TVs and 300,000 external tuner boxes have been sold in the United States through the end of 2024. That means only about 11 percent of U.S. households can tune into ATSC 3.0 channels today. Broadcasters argue that by winding down ATSC 1.0, they’ll have more bandwidth for features like 4K resolution (which remains largely unavailable in today’s actual ATSC 3.0 broadcasts), additional channels, or improved reception. They believe this will finally stimulate demand for NextGen TV and get more hardware makers on board. That’s one way to look at it. The other way is that if the FCC lets ATSC 1.0 support disappear, viewers will need to upgrade even if they don’t need a new TV or care about new features. Meanwhile, broadcasters would be free to repurpose additional spectrum away from free TV over public airwaves. Either way, broadcasters are hoping the FCC will force the issue. This week, the commission released a notice of proposed rulemaking that seeks public comment on what broadcasters want. That includes the ability to sunset ATSC 1.0 broadcasts for the 55 largest U.S. markets in 2028 (and every market in 2030), along with a potential mandate to force every TV maker to include a ATSC 3.0 tuner in their sets. After the public comment period, the FCC will come up with proposed rules to adopt and eventually vote on them. Doing early adopters dirty Broadcasters could have stimulated demand for ATSC 3.0 in a more organic way. Instead, they’ve stymied the groups most likely to advocate for its success. SiliconDust is a case in point: It was the first manufacturer to sell a consumer-grade ATSC 3.0 tuner in the U.S. Its HDHomeRun tuner lets you set up an antenna in one room, and then access live TV across multiple networked televisions via its streaming apps. Users can also set up DVR servers to record over-the-air channels, using either HDHomeRun’s software or third-party solutions such as Plex and Channels DVR. SiliconDust Nick Kelsey, SiliconDust’s CTO and founder, told me in 2020 that the company wanted to spur the market for ATSC 3.0 with a bleeding-edge product. But since then, broadcasters have punished both SiliconDust and its customers for their early enthusiasm. As broadcasters have started encrypting their ATSC 3.0 channels with DRM, HDHomeRun users have been unable to access that content because their boxes can’t decrypt the programming. While HDHomeRun tuners are “NextGen TV-certified” and licensed to decrypt copy-protected content, a private group of broadcasters called the ATSC 3.0 Security Authority (A3SA) has separately been certifying devices to receive encrypted channels. The group refuses to do that for HDHomeRun tuners, citing SiliconDust’s use of a chip by a subsidiary of the Chinese company Huawei as a security concern. It’s unclear why the A3SA waited five years to point out this potentially disqualifying hardware issue. It’s also a little fishy, given that SiliconDust has cited numerous other roadblocks along the way. Either way, the upshot is that not a single whole-home DVR with encrypted ATSC 3.0 channel support exists on the market today. Tablo indefinitely delayed its plans for an ATSC 3.0 product in 2022, citing DRM concerns. ZapperBox is working on a whole-home solution but it doesn’t expect full functionality for another year. Broadcasters understandably want to protect their content from piracy, but balancing that goal with all the existing use cases for over-the-air TV should have been a priority. Instead, broadcasters alienated their most enthusiastic audience and mutated ATSC 3.0 from a promising technology into a poisonous one. DRM alienated everyone Channels DVR (and its new Multiview feature) won’t work with encrypted ATSC 3.0 channels.FancyBits The downsides of DRM extend beyond just whole-home DVRs. Some NextGen TV tuner boxes won’t decrypt channels without an internet connection, and the YouTube creator Tyler “Antenna Man” Kleinle has reported that some TVs can fail to decode encrypted channels for no apparent reason. Lon Seidman has found that decryption certificates on ATSC 3.0 products will eventually expire, rendering them unable to receive encrypted channels at all. (Both creators have been encouraging viewers to complain to the FCC.) Even broadcasters that have no plans to encrypt their channels could run into problems. Weigel Broadcasting Company, which operates MeTV and several other popular digital subchannels, has told the FCC that televisions may eventually block or hinder users from viewing stations that haven’t purchased an encryption certificate. That effectively could turn the A3SA, a private entity, into a gatekeeper for the public airwaves. Meanwhile, no permission is needed to innovate on the unencrypted side of the fence. Channels DVR, for instance, just released a breakthrough multiview feature that integrates with HDHomeRun tuners, making it the first solution for split-screen viewing of free over-the-air channels. Weigel just launched a new Western-themed channel to join its stable of rerun-centric over-the-air offerings. Tablo’s $100 whole-home DVR continues to get better with a newly-launched offline mode and integration with more streaming channels. Had broadcasters not alienated these kinds of torchbearers, they might’ve fared better at convincing the public that ATSC 3.0 is essential. Now their only hope is to cry to the government about it. Sign up for Jared’s Cord Cutter Weekly newsletter for more streaming and over-the-air TV advice. Read...

Software developer Piriform has released CCleaner 7, the latest version of its popular Windows tune-up tool. The update not only brings a fresh design, but also several practical improvements designed to simplify operation and system maintenance. A modern design with dark mode CCleaner’s user interface has been completely redesigned and now looks much tidier and more responsive. Users can now choose between a light, dark, or automatic theme depending on their personal preferences and/or Windows settings. According to Piriform, CCleaner 7 improves compatibility with newer PCs. The tool now fully supports Arm64 devices, which should ensure noticeably better performance on newer Windows systems. A better approach to uninstalling apps CCleaner’s uninstaller feature now uses a new engine that removes apps more reliably than the built-in Windows uninstaller. Multiple apps can be uninstalled in one go without repeatedly clicking on confirmations. Orphaned files and remnants are also deleted automatically. An interesting bonus is that CCleaner 7 now lets users temporarily remove applications to troubleshoot issues or test system performance and stability, then restore those apps later if required. A revised Disk Analyser feature The integrated Disk Analyser now helps to better detect duplicate files on a drive. It displays thumbnails of images and allows you to decide which version (older or newer) should be kept. Files can either be moved to the Recycle Bin or permanently deleted. CCleaner 7 is a big step forward With this new version, Piriform has noticeably modernized the classic PC cleaning tool. The combination of a new look, improved system compatibility, and extended cleaning features should appeal to users who value clarity and automation. Get CCleaner 7 for free and start cleaning up your PC today. Check out our quick guide to boosting PC performance with CCleaner if you don’t know where to begin and need help getting started. Read...

The year’s second Amazon Prime Day may be done, but we’re still seeing steep discounts on all sorts of tech. Looking to mop up any loose ends on your shopping list or simply spruce up your quality of life without breaking the bank? This list of cool tech still going for under $50 is just what you need, Prime Day or not. Charge it faster: $39.99 Ugreen We don’t know what you need to charge, but we’re sure there’s something in your house with a failing battery. Well, this Ugreen Nexode GaN charger is 41% off on Prime Day and it delivers a 100W max output through the top two USB-C ports — so those are your go-to if you want to recharge your laptop — while the bottom two ports have a max 22.5W output. If you’re charging multiple devices at once, the 100W will get split between all ports. Get this 4-port charger for $39.99Buy now at Amazon Get a 2K webcam: $49.99 Anker Webcams are important if you often have to attend online meetings or want to record yourself while streaming. This Anker PowerConf C200 is not only affordable, but it also captures video in 2K, features AI-noise canceling mics, and has an adjustable field of view. Oh, and when you don’t feel like worrying about your privacy, you can just slide in the physical privacy cover. Get a 2K webcam for $48Buy now at Amazon Take the data with you: $38.28 SanDisk A long time ago, flash drives were quite large. Now they’re literally the size of your thumbnail, like this SanDisk Ultra Fit. For $38.28, you get 512GB of storage space, which is absolutely amazing. With up to 400MB/s transfer speeds, you’ll be backing up that data in a flash. Get this super tiny thumb drive for under $38.28Buy now at Amazon Alexa, get this deal: $44.99 Michael Brown/Foundry One of the best things you can get this October Prime Day is an Echo Spot — they’re cheap, they’re cute, and they give you full access to Alexa’s awesome powers. You can play music, control smart home gadgets, set alarms, and ask Alexa about that recipe you always forget. It also doesn’t hurt that the Echo Spot is cheaper than ever. Get this smart speaker for $45Buy now at Amazon Keep your things charged: $39.99 Anker We love a good upgrade of a power strip and this Anker Nano charging station is a solid model. There’s no direct discount for this thing, but there is a $10 coupon available on the page, so you just have to tick the box. There are two AC outlets, two USB-A and two USB-C ports, therefore allowing you to charge six things at once. Get the Anker Nano power strip for $40Buy now at Amazon Keep an eye on your home: $44.99 TP-Link A good security camera will make your life so much easier when you’re away and this TP-Link Tapo SolarCam C402 is one of the best ones you can get for less than $50. Not only is it a wireless camera with 1080p video, but it also comes with a solar panel so it doesn’t need any wiring. Get a wireless solar cam for $45Buy now at Amazon Stop blaming your gaming fails on your mouse: $37.99 Razer We know you’ve blamed your mouse at least once when you failed a boss fight, so it’s time to upgrade, right? The super speedy Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed wireless gaming mouse is 46% off. It has an 18K optical sensor, 9 programmable buttons, and gorgeous RGB lighting. What’s not to love? Get the Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed for $38Buy now at Amazon Read that memory card: $9.99 Acer I don’t know about your laptop, but I haven’t seen a card reader in the past two laptops I’ve owned — it’s been maybe a decade. Obviously, I’m not buying the right laptops, but what I can get is one of these Acer card readers with both USB-A and USB-C plugs. This will make transfering data off the microSD in your dashcam, security cam, and so on, an absolute breeze. Plus, it’s super cheap. Get a dual Acer SD card reader for $10Buy now at Amazon Add another screen to your laptop: $13.99 Ugreen Many laptops need a few extra ports, and you can get some for $14 with this Ugreen Revodok Pro 6-in-1 USB-C hub. There’s a 4K HDMI for another display, a USB-C with 100W power delivery, two USB-A ports, and two USB-C data ports for all sorts of peripherals and charging. Get this Ugreen 6-in-1 hub for a mere $14Buy now at Amazon Get the party started: $29.99 Anker Everyone needs a cute Bluetooth speaker in their lives because music is everything, right? The Anker Soundcore 2 is an affordable option. Not only is this thing IPX7 waterproof, but you also get an impressive 24-hour playtime on a single charge. It’s great for home use, having fun in the yard, or taking it to the beach. Get the Anker Soundcore 2 for $30Buy now at Amazon Read...

In a new support document that offers “tips to improve PC performance in Windows,” Microsoft warns that two features in Windows 10 and Windows 11 can impair system performance. Older and/or weaker PCs in particular will suffer from this. In addition to well-known tips—such as staying on top of system updates, keeping storage space free, and regularly scanning for malware—Microsoft highlights OneDrive and visual effects as performance killers. We show you how to get around these issues. Pause OneDrive synchronization Joel Lee / Foundry OneDrive’s automatic cloud synchronization feature is practical and convenient, but it consumes computing power and bandwidth. “Syncing can slow down your PC,” confirms Microsoft on the support page, and user will experience delays, especially during intensive use. The solution? Click on the OneDrive icon in the system tray, click on the Settings cog, then click on “Pause syncing.” Select a pause duration (either 2, 8, or 24 hours). Your PC should feel faster now. Turn off Windows visual effects Joel Lee / Foundry The animations, transparency effects, and shadows in Windows 11’s user interface are stylish, but they’re also demanding on RAM and GPU. “These [effects] look great, but they can also use additional system resources and can slow down your PC,” warns Microsoft. It’s particularly noticeable on devices with less RAM (under 8 GB). To disable visual effects, navigate to the Start menu, search for “performance,” and select the result titled “Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows.” There, under the Visual Effects tab, click the option labeled “Adjust for best performance,” then click Apply and OK. This will disable resource-intensive visual features. More tips for speeding up Windows Microsoft’s warning shows that even useful features can slow down overall system performance. Pausing OneDrive synchronization and disabling unnecessary visual effects can be a quick and easy way to immediately boost your PC’s responsiveness for free. This can be a game-changer for older PCs! If your system is still struggling, learn more about tweaks to make a Windows PC leaner, tweaks to make Windows 11 faster, tips for speeding up Windows boot time, and free ways to speed up a slow laptop. Read...

Panther Lake, the next generation of Intel’s Core Ultra series of laptop processors, is nearly here. But what is it, exactly? Intel spent several days explaining the fine details of Panther Lake to journalists at a recent press event, including its new compute cores, graphics cores, NPU AI, and wireless. If you’re interested, PCWorld has a deep dive into all of the technologies. But if you just want the basics, stay here. Here’s what you need to know about Intel’s “Panther Lake” chip, in brief. 1) Expect Panther Lake in 2026 Intel executives talked about some of the details of Panther Lake themselves. But the details that matter to laptop buyers (speed, price, and which laptops will have them) will have to wait for CES 2026 in Las Vegas this coming January. The actual laptops will ship soon after, perhaps even in January itself. 2) Three chip families, three CPUs Each Panther Lake chip consists of three possible types of compute cores: a “Cougar Cove” performance core, a “Darkmont” efficiency core, and a Darkmont low-power efficiency core. Performance cores handle tasks like games; efficiency cores process less challenging duties like email and Microsoft Teams. Intel Laptop makers will include one of these three Panther Lake chips inside their products: An 8-core chip, with 4 performance (P-cores), 4 low-power efficiency-cores (LP E-cores); 4 Xe3 GPU cores and 4 ray-tracing units A 16-core chip, with 4 P-cores, 8 efficiency cores (E-cores), and 4 LP E-cores; 4 Xe3 GPU cores and 4 ray-tracing units A 16-core chip, with 4 P-cores, 8 E-cores, and 4 LP E-cores; 12 Xe3 GPU cores and 12 ray-tracing units. 3) Who is each Panther Lake chip for? The 8-core chip will probably be for low-end PCs, though it’s not quite clear how everything will break down. If you’re looking for a gaming laptop with a Panther Lake chip inside, you may be surprised to learn that the middle 16-core/4 Xe3 chip will be the candidate here. The 16-core/12Xe3 chip sounds like it could be used as Intel’s answer to AMD’s Strix Halo or Ryzen AI Max: designed for gaming, local AI, and possibly handheld PCs as well. 4) A modular CPU, again Intel has built its processors from modular chiplets, or tiles, for several generations now. In Panther Lake, there is a compute tile, a GPU tile, a platform controller tile, and a “base tile” that the other tiles are mounted upon. All of the tiles are connected together via a second-gen scalable I/O fabric and use Intel’s Foveros technology to stack them. Look closely, and you can see the tiles in this Panther Lake chip.Mark Hachman / Foundry Intel built its GPU tile as a separate tile, which apparently allowed for flexibility in its graphics options. Eventually, Intel could use this disaggregated GPU tile as a way to bring the Nvidia RTX GPU tiles into its chips, but this seems like it’s a ways off for now. Still, several tiles are built at TSMC, not Intel, even though the U.S. government has invested in the company to encourage domestic chipmaking. 5) Intel’s Xe3 GPU provides a sharp jump in performance Integrated graphics continually improves, and Intel believes that the Xe3 GPU core is 50 percent faster on average than Lunar Lake just by itself. The Xe3 core now supports multiframe generation, too — probably its most controversial feature. 6) Multiframe generation: The ‘fake frames’ debate comes to laptops Perhaps the most important addition to PC graphics technology in the past decade — even more than ray tracing — has been a transition from rendered frames to AI-generated frames. It’s a bit like how your mind processes cartoon animations: It sees a still image and then another still image, and blurs them together. In this case, it’s the GPU doing the work, creating a “made up” frame between two “actual” frames. Intel is hoping that multiframe generation makes games like this revamp of Painkiller much more appealing to laptop gamers.Mark Hachman / Foundry With Panther Lake, multiframe generation adds three of these interpolated (some call them “fake”) frames. Under the right conditions, it can look fantastic, and drive up frame rates to make games look silky smooth. Under the wrong conditions, it can actually make a slowly rendered game look somewhat worse. We don’t know how it will all play out. 7) Early performance estimates are optimistic Compared to predecessors Lunar Lake and Meteor Lake, Intel’s Panther Lake offers more than 50 percent better multithreaded performance, Intel says. In single-threaded performance (often described as how “snappy” Windows feels) Panther Lake should be 10 percent better than Lunar Lake at the same power.  Intel is also claiming that the total Panther Lake system-on-chip will consume 10 percent less power than Lunar Lake, and demonstrated a trio of laptops running a Core Ultra chip from each generation to back that up. Unfortunately, we don’t have any “real world” gaming or application benchmark results yet. Expect those in January, or after our own tests. 8) Panther Lake’s NPU power is largely unchanged TOPS is how chipmakers measure AI performance. At 50 TOPS, Panther Lake isn’t much more powerful than its predecessor, Lunar Lake — though it pales in comparison to Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite. What Intel and other chipmakers are hoping for is “agentic AI”: little independent AI agents all roaming though your PC and the web, performing tasks that will suck up those available TOPS. Will it happen? Who knows. Mark Hachman / Foundry 9) Thunderbolt 4, again! For whatever reason, Intel chose again not to integrate Thunderbolt 5 technology into its mobile processor. Instead, it’s using Thunderbolt 4 and leaving laptop makers to integrate discrete Thunderbolt 5 chips themselves. Looks like we’ll be prioritizing Thunderbolt 4 inside our recommendations for the best Thunderbolt docks for another year. 10) Panther Lake will keep you looking good Intel’s integrated laptop processors include what’s called an “image processing unit” that interacts with your webcam. The IPU 7.5, as Intel calls it, includes improved HDR capabilities as well as noise reduction for improved low-light performance. Tone mapping will improve how everything looks, by using either the NPU’s AI or GPU. Mark Hachman / Foundry Incidentally, Intel’s image processing will work with either your built-in webcam or standalone webcam. 11) Some unexpectedly cool wireless technologies I don’t usually think of my laptop’s wireless capabilities as anything special. Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth, yawn. Not this time. Panther Lake supports Auracast, which basically outputs to two devices, not just one. Want to watch a YouTube video with a pal, but quietly? Now you don’t have to share earbuds. A technique called platform sounding also provides far more accurate distance modelling, so if you’ve lost your laptop (or, conversely, your earbuds) you can use the onboard Bluetooth to quickly find them. Intel’s Wi-Fi 7 even supports some unreleased features, which should improve the performance and range of your wireless Panther Lake device. We’ve now heard from Intel and Qualcomm about their upcoming laptop processors for 2026. Now AMD, what do you have for us? Read...