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AMD and Nvidia have been battling it for GPU dominance and the competition has only become ever fiercer as buzzwords such as AI get thrown into the mix. Which company is best for building a PC from scratch or upgrading an older system? Most of the best graphics cards are made by AMD and Nvidia with the latter producing the world’s faster GPU, the mighty Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090.
The best Nintendo emulator on iOS just hit the App Store, and it's blowing our minds
Bust out those DS games.
Apple has opened the door for emulators on the App Store, but the road to actually getting an emulator to stick on it hasn't been so successful. We saw iGBA arrive, but it turned out that the app was someone else's emulator with ads slapped on it. Then we saw the Bimmy emulator appear, but the developer took it down a day later "out of fear." Now, Delta has made its debut on the App Store, and we hope it'll last a bit longer than what came before it.
3 things Intel needs to redeem itself in the GPU market with the upcoming Battlemage launch
Intel's redemption 'Arc' has Battlemage written all over it.
Intel's first-generation Alchemist family of Arc GPUs that landed on our test bench couldn't really leave a lasting impression on us. The Alchemist chip looked great on paper, but it turned out to be just average, at best. The driver issues truly took the GPU down, and it couldn't stand a chance as a match for Nvidia's GeForce RTX and AMD's Radeon models at that time.
Windows 11 update tracker: Download and install the latest update
We're tracking all the Windows 11 updates below
Keeping Windows up to date will ensure that you’ve got the latest and greatest version of the OS, but keeping track of all the updates can be difficult. With Windows 11, Microsoft delivers monthly cumulative updates with security and stability improvements, and we get feature updates like version 24H2 once a year. Some new features are also released with Moment updates, like the more recent Moment 5.
How to connect a Wi-Fi extender to your router
If your Wi-Fi router’s signal doesn’t reach your computer, you can either move them closer to one another or set up a Wi-Fi extender.
Wi-Fi routers let you connect to the internet without physically plugging a computer into a modem, and they also create a network that supports numerous smart home devices. So long as your router has enough bandwidth to support everything, you’re usually ok, emphasis on “usually.” While Wi-Fi is far more convenient than a wired connection, the signals generated aren’t always dependable. To compensate, you might need a Wi-Fi extender.
Windows 11 deep dive: Checking out the new Snipping Tool
Want to be ready for Windows 11? Here's everything you need to know about taking and editing screenshots in the Windows 11 Snipping Tool.
Windows 11 comes with a lot of changes, both in the OS itself and also with its many built-in apps. Specifically, it brings a major upgrade to the Snipping Tool, which has now been revamped with a modernized look and has a ton of new features that have been added over time.
How to install Windows 11 on almost any unsupported PC
Want Windows 11 but have an unsupported computer? Here's how to install Windows 11 even if your PC doesn't meet the minimum requirements.
Windows 11 is the latest version of the most popular operating system in the world, and as long as you have a supported PC, it's very easy to install. But that's the problem: Windows 11 has significantly higher system requirements compared to previous versions of Windows, so there are a lot of unsupported PCs you can't install it on.
3dfx Voodoo card makes a return in 2024 thanks to some ambitious builders
It's not going to produce stellar performance numbers, but this labor of love is one to behold
Graphic cards have evolved quite a bit over the past ten years, but those that have been around for some time will remember the true glory days, when you had multiple brands of cards with strange-looking boxes that had pretty good performance and were actually affordable. And while times have changed quite a bit, it looks like some are still happily stuck in the past, working on passion projects that involve old school GPUs.
How to check CPU temperature in Windows 11
CPU temperature is a crucial indicator of your PC health and CPU performance
Checking your CPU temperature can be an occasional or frequent activity, depending on what you put your precious processor through. Those who use their PC for everyday work and casual gaming don't have to worry about it as much as others who are into things like gaming, video editing, or anything that demands the CPU's attention. It's also particularly crucial when you're overclocking the CPU, as the last thing you want to do is put up with an overheating or an unstable processor. Modern processors tend to run quite hot, especially if you're running one of the top desktop CPUs or using the best laptops on the market.
These are the two most important ways a NAS can protect your home
See how a NAS can help keep your family safe.
A network-attached storage (NAS) system can store data and run various services. One such application is home surveillance and general security. Many of the best NAS brands such as Synology, Asustor, and QNAP have surveillance packages that can be run alongside other services to transform your general storage server into a powerful security center. Here are all the ways a NAS can help keep secure your home.
Gunnar Optiks' new glasses reduces eyestrain, preserves color accuracy, and look awesome all at the same time
The new Clear Pro lenses will save your eyes with none of the drawbacks.
Sometimes a job will ask of you to stare at a screen for extended periods of time, but all that pesky blue light that monitors output can do damage to your eyes. Companies have released glasses that block blue light in a bid to save our eyeballs, but professionals who work in editing note that wearing them tends to throw off color accuracy, meaning the color they see doesn't match up with the color they're working with. Fortunately, Gunnar Optiks is here to give us the best of both worlds with its new lens, the Clear Pro.
Best mouse in 2024
A good mouse is your gateway to a positive experience with your computer, and we've collected the best ones here for a wide range of uses.
Finding the best mouse possible isn't always an easy process; a quick search will usually produce thousands of results, and sifting through all the different models might leave you with more questions than answers. You might want a wireless connection instead of dealing with a connected cable, you might want something small enough to be able to tuck into a laptop bag, or you might want something with the right performance to keep up with PC gaming.
WindowBlinds review: Make Windows 11 (almost) look like anything you want
Stardock's coolest customization app is held back by changes to Windows 11 and some frustrating apps.
Customizing Windows has always been Stardock's specialty, and WindowBlinds has long been one of the best apps to do just that. WindowBlinds allows you to radically change the way Windows looks, from the Start menu, to the taskbar, to the app windows.
Ditch your ISP's trash router with 30% off our favorite TP-Link model
Now's the perfect time to upgrade and save big on one of the best routers on the market
For most, it's easy to stick with whatever router the service provider gives you because it works, and it's convenient. While these types of interactions are usually seamless, a recent move to Spectrum was met with headaches and faulty hardware right out of the gate, which meant it was easier just to buy a router to get things working as soon as possible.
Matte vs glossy displays: How to decide and why it matters
Displays usually feature either matte or glossy surface, and there are advantages to both. Here's how to choose between them.
Picking out the right display for your desk setup or on one of the best laptops can be quite tricky. There are a lot of factors to consider, like display type, resolution, refresh rate, and more, with all of them playing a role in your viewing experience. However, an underrated thing that differentiates great monitors and screens from one another is the kind of surface that covers their displays. You'll find two main types of surfaces: glossy and matte. More often than not, a model of monitor or laptop will come in only one surface type, either glossy or matte. In some cases, you'll be able to choose between the two — and sometimes one will cost more than the other. But what's the difference between the surfaces, and how much does surface type matter when picking your next monitor or laptop? Let's take a look.
4 reasons to buy a used laptop instead of a budget alternative
If you're on a budget, it might be easy to go for a low-end laptop or Chromebook. But don't rule out used or refurbished machines.
Budget and midrange devices are becoming more capable than ever, and our favorite cheap laptops are no exception. It's possible to get a brand-new, capable daily driver for around $500 or $600 in 2024. However, if that's above what you can spend, the buying situation gets complicated. For people that can spend just a few hundred on a laptop, you basically have three options. First, you can buy a low-end Windows laptop that is barely serviceable, usually featuring massive compromises like slow processors, eMMC storage, or older and low available memory. There's also the Chromebook route, but the best ones are still quite expensive and ChromeOS might be limiting for some. These factors are why I'd recommend exploring the third and final option, which is purchasing a used laptop.
Best Wi-Fi 7 routers in 2024
Ready for faster Wi-Fi? Get the right Wi-Fi 7 speeds without going overboard.
Wi-Fi 7 routers are finally here. The speeds are incredible, but the prices can get steep. Wi-Fi 7 increases capacity over Wi-Fi 6 by making better use of the 6GHz spectrum available in many countries. The fastest Wi-Fi 7 routers have one or more 320MHz wide bands at 6GHz, which is double what was possible on Wi-Fi 6. While multi-gig internet speeds aren't yet available to most people, fast Ethernet makes these routers a good choice for someone who shares large files between devices at home.
Heineken enters the smartphone world with a phone that's boring for all the right reasons
At least it has Snake.
Smartphones have slowly but surely taken over our attention spans. Once upon a time, they were only good for sending SMS messages and playing Snake; now, they're essentially miniature computers that you may take a call on from time to time. Whether or not this is a good thing depends on who you ask; people who were around before the smartphone revolution may lament how dates at restaurants and patrons at the cinema spend more time on their phones than living in the situation. However, give a younger person a Nokia 3210 and they'll find it totally useless for modern-day use. For those who miss easier times, Heineken and Bodega have teamed up to make the Boring Phone that brings the smartphone all the way to the 90s when things weren't so smart.
How to setup Playnite on the Asus ROG Ally
If you want a unified front-end for all of your games on the Asus ROG Ally, then Playnite is one of the best to use.
While all PC games are typically found on Steam, you likely have a distributed library of games on other platforms, too. That's where Playnite comes in, as it can consolidate all of your game platforms into one front-end. You log in to the various stores you use and download and install your games, but after that, you can just launch them all from Playnite.
Here's your first look at a real Snapdragon X laptop
Laptops with the Snapdragon X Elite aren't coming until the summer, but the leaks have already started.
We've been hearing about the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite and laptops powered by it for many months now, but in terms of actual hardware, we have yet to see anything concrete. That's because a lot of these devices are going to be unveiled at an event in May, but if you just can't wait, the leaks are starting to come in.