Microsoft is finally updating its long-standing kernel policy, which previously allowed old drivers with expired certificates to run and be trusted by the Windows 11 NT Kernel. This change means that Microsoft's early 2000s program for cross-signing root programs as valid will no longer function. This program had enabled NT Kernel-trusted code signing programs to execute even after their certificates expired. As a result, third-party driver developers, such as printer makers with their old printer drivers, could run old drivers on Windows 11 without a valid security certificate. However, this is coming to an end, as Microsoft will use its April update to instruct the Windows NT Kernel to only accept new drivers signed through the Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP).

The WHCP will ensure that each driver receives a valid security certificate that meets Microsoft's security standards. This update will be implemented with OS versions Windows 11 24H2, 25H2, 26H1, Windows Server 2025, and future releases. Despite this change, Microsoft will still allow Windows to load older, trusted drivers to maintain backward compatibility and its long-standing plug-and-play feature. The April 2026 Windows update will begin enforcing the new policy in evaluation mode on supported systems. During this period, Windows will monitor driver activity and only fully activate the policy once it determines that doing so will not cause compatibility issues. Microsoft is also maintaining a curated allow list of reputable cross-signed drivers, ensuring that widely used software and hardware can continue to function where necessary, easing the transition.

Following Intel's recent launch of the Core Ultra 200S Plus desktop CPUs, Maingear has announced three new MG-1 series pre-built desktop PCs based on the new Intel Arrow Lake Refresh CPUsf. All three PCs feature the same Maingear Epic 360 AIO cooler, MG-1 case, and case fan setup, consisting of 3× 120 mm RGB intake fans, 2× 120 mm exhaust fans, and 1× 120 mm RGB rear exhaust fan. Front I/O is also identical across all three models, featuring dual USB 3.2 Type-A ports, a single USB 3.2 Type-C port, and a 3.5 mm combo audio jack, and the MG-1 PCs all come with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4. All three MG-1 systems also come with the same 32 GB of DDR5-6000 memory running in dual-channel configuration and a 2 TB T-Force A440 Gen 4 M.2 NVMe SSD, and are preloaded with "Bloatware Free" Windows 11 installations. Gamers also receive a free copy of Resident Evil: Requiem and the Intel Holiday Bundle, which offers the choice of Battlefield 6, Assassin's Creed: Shadows, Sid Meier's Civilization VII, or Dying Light: The Beast.

[Editor's note: Our in-depth review of the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus CPU is now live]

The Maingear MG-1 Emerald is the least expensive version of the Intel Core Ultra 200S series PCs, coming in at $2,549, and is powered by an Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus with 18 cores (6 P-Cores, 12 E-Cores) and 18 threads in an MSI Z890 Gaming Plus WiFi motherboard, paired with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 12 GB GPU and an MSI 850 W I + Gold PSU. The $3,549 Maingear MG-1 Sapphire gets the Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus with 24 cores (8 P-Cores, 16 E-Cores), an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 16 GB, and the same motherboard as the Emerald. The top-end Maingear MG-1 Amethyst keeps the same Intel Core Ultra 7 270K but bumps up the GPU to the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 32 GB, with an MSI MEG Z890 Ace motherboard, a 1250 W 80+ MSI PSU, and a whopping $5,199 price tag. The MG-1 case used in the Amethyst, Emerald, and Sapphire pre-built PCs is compatible with Maingear's MG-1 Panels, which are themed front panels that can change up the look of a PC build.

Microsoft's Windows 11 operating system officially has a dark mode, but many UI elements, menus, and applications from Microsoft still lack proper dark mode support. Microsoft is working to address this issue in the world's most widespread operating system. Since the introduction of WinUI, many releases and versions have been shipped with the operating system. For example, Windows 10 retains many UI elements from the Windows 7 era and earlier versions. However, Microsoft plans to modernize the entire UI ecosystem with more WinUI 3 for a modern look and feel, which will also enhance dark mode support. According to Marcus Ash, who leads Microsoft's Windows Design and Research team, the overhaul is near. When a user on X asked when dark mode support would come to Regedit, Marcus Ash responded:

We are pushing to get our tools and techniques to the point where we can implement the dark theme in more areas across Windows. No timelines to commit to yet for Regedit. As we make progress in various legacy system panels and dialogs, we will keep improving consistency.

Durabook, the global rugged mobile solutions brand owned by Twinhead International Corporation, today announced the launch of its new Z14I-HG fully rugged mobile workstation. Powered by Intel Core Ultra processors with integrated AI Boost NPU and NVIDIA RTX Ada Generation GPUs, the Z14I-HG delivers up to 682 TOPS of AI performance and workstation-class graphics acceleration directly at the edge. This enables demanding workloads such as real-time 3D rendering, AI inference, computer vision, digital twin simulation, and advanced data analytics to be performed on-site without reliance on cloud infrastructure.

The Z14I-HG is built to operate in environments where conventional laptops cannot function reliably. Combining rugged durability with workstation-level graphics and AI computing, the Z14I-HG is designed for defence operations, industrial automation, field engineering, AI-powered inspection, geospatial analysis, and mobile command applications.

Intel today announced the Arc Pro B70 and Arc Pro B65 graphics cards for advanced AI compute workloads on workstations, and professional visualization. The two primarily target local inferencing, software development, and deployments in multi-GPU configurations for rack scale AI GPU compute acceleration. The Arc B70 GPU in particular stands out, because it is the most powerful discrete GPU based on Intel Xe2 "Battlemage" graphics architecture, with 32 Xe cores, and a 256-bit wide GDDR6 interface. If you recall, the Arc B580 gaming GPU only comes with 24 Xe cores and a 192-bit interface, and we for long wondered if Intel would ever max out the silicon for a more powerful SKU. The Arc B70 is that SKU.

The Intel Arc Pro B70 is configured with 32 Xe cores (Xe2-HPG), 256 XMX engines, and 32 Ray Tracing Units. It comes with 32 GB of GDDR6 memory across a 256-bit wide memory interface, with 608 GB/s of bandwidth on tap. The card comes with a PCI-Express 5.0 x16 host interface. The Arc B70 offers a peak throughput of 367 TOPS (INT8). On the graphics side of things, it supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.3. Compute APIs include Intel's own oneAPI, OpenCL 3.0, and OpenVINO. Its media engine supports AV1, HEVC, VP9, and H.265 hardware-accelerated encode and decode. Display outputs include four DisplayPort 2.1 ports. The card comes with power draw ranging between 160 W to 290 W depending on partner implementation (230 W for the Intel reference card). Intel will provide certified drivers for Windows 11, Windows 10, and Linux.

Microsoft is renaming its Xbox Full Screen Experience (FSE) to the simpler "Xbox mode" to make the feature more appealing to a broader audience. Announced at this March's GDC 2026 conference, Microsoft confirmed that Xbox FSE is gradually being rebranded as Xbox mode, branded with a lower-case "m". This mode has been shown to enhance performance and reduce RAM usage, making it attractive to handheld console gamers and enthusiasts who plan to use it on their PCs to boost performance by minimizing background task load. In CPU-intensive games, this mode can provide a few extra frames per second and overall lower RAM usage, resulting in a smoother experience. According to the ASUS ROG Ally Life account on X, this feature has started rolling out to the Xbox Insider program with application version 2604.1000.30.0.

We have already observed that Xbox FSE, now called Xbox mode, enhances performance by using less system RAM than the standard Windows 11 desktop mode, as confirmed by MSI. Recently, Microsoft introduced this feature to regular Windows PCs, allowing them to play games using Xbox mode. MSI has confirmed that its handhelds running Windows 11 can significantly benefit from this feature. In standard Windows 11 desktop mode, the system uses 8.6 GB of RAM. However, with Xbox mode enabled, RAM usage drops to 7.8 GB, a 9.3% reduction. MSI describes this as a 5% difference based on the total system capacity of 16 GB, rather than the difference between the two usage figures. This reduction in background usage is what Microsoft is aiming for on a larger scale with the regular Windows 11 operating system, promising a smoother user experience and lower RAM usage. Xbox mode demonstrates that this is possible.

Microsoft has quietly removed a registry hack workaround that enabled faster NVMe SSD speeds by activating a native NVMe software stack. Late last year, Microsoft gradually introduced native NVMe SSD support in Windows Server 2025 as an opt-in feature. This was significant news for Windows Server users who had been dealing with non-native NVMe SSD processing, which was emulated through a series of commands. For instance, Windows converted NVMe drive commands into SCSI commands, resulting in processing latency and overhead, which slowed down read/write speeds in typically high-performing storage configurations. With native NVMe support, the entire stack and I/O processing have been redesigned to achieve optimal SSD performance, running at native speeds.

Within the Windows enthusiast community, there were a series of registry hacks that allowed the system to run native NVMe processing through various unofficial OS modifications. Below is the old method, which Microsoft has now blocked. Perhaps the reason for blocking this hack is that Microsoft is preparing to launch native NVMe SSD processing with the upcoming Windows 11 25H2 update for everyone and the 26H2 update for Windows-on-Arm devices. For now Windows 11 doesn't support the native NVMe SSD processing, and instead relies on the older drive commands conversion into SCSI.

One of the biggest pain points for Windows 11 users in recent years is Microsoft's insistence to log into an online account to access Windows 11. Seemingly as part of the Windows team's recent initiative to address community feedback, Microsoft may be moving towards a Windows 11 that no longer requires that online account login at the initial setup. While no official plans have been confirmed, Scott Hanselman, a Microsoft Partner Product Manager and VP of Developer Community, recently hinted at the change in a post on X. This announcement comes after Microsoft revealed plans to improve Windows 11 memory management and the overall user experience.

"Ya I hate that. Working on it," reads Hanselman's response to a comment on a post asking about removing the login requirement on Windows 11. While it's unclear what exactly "working on it" means—it could mean he's actively working on the code to remove the login requirement, or that he's working on convincing higher-ups to commit to the change. Either way, in a recent blog post Microsoft announced that it would be making changes to Windows 11 in the name of delivering a quality user experience, such as returning the ability to move the task bar and removing much of the recent flood of Copilot integrations from certain apps. Microsoft removed the known mechanisms to bypass the online account sign-in requirements in October 2025, citing issues that arose because users would accidentally skip setup screens when using those methods, "causing users to exit OOBE with a device that is not fully configured for use."

Microsoft recently announced a plethora of changes coming to Windows 11 to reshape the operating system into a completely stable and enjoyable experience. Today we learn that Microsoft plans a major background usage overhaul with future updates, focusing on RAM usage and overall memory management, so even configurations with less RAM can enjoy the benefits of a smooth operating system. For example, the minimum requirement for Windows 11 is a system with 4 GB of memory, while Copilot+ PCs require a minimum of 16 GB. When a PC has 8 GB of RAM installed, standard Windows 11 versions like Home or Pro will take up a majority of that, leaving only about 2 GB free. Even with 16 GB installed, regular Windows allocation goes beyond 10 GB.

However, Microsoft plans to change this with better background memory management. For example, OS overhead is a significant performance and memory hog, which impacts the user's overall experience on the PC. Apple recently launched a MacBook Neo with 8 GB of memory, and reviews confirmed that users will be able to get a relatively smooth user experience with only 8 GB, while a comparable Windows-based machine would struggle. This has pushed Microsoft to think about memory management more, and the company now promises that the entire operating system will implement new background policies that will help with resource management. While the exact implementation is unknown, we suspect that doing something like Xbox Full Screen Experience, which is proven to increase performance and lower RAM usage, will be implemented on a wider scale. When the numerous background tasks disappear, memory is freed for other things like excessive Chrome browser tabs.

Microsoft has released the KB5085516 out-of-band (OOB) update to address sign-in issues caused by the Windows 11 March update on certain applications. These issues included sign-in failures in the free version of Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Microsoft Edge, Excel, Word, and Microsoft 365 Copilot. In Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 with the March update KB5079473, OS Build 26100.8037, users experienced problems when trying to sign in to their Microsoft accounts. Now, the company is distributing the OOB update for OS Builds 26200.8039 and 26100.8039. Microsoft claims there are no known issues with this OOB update, suggesting that most concerns have been resolved and users can safely apply the update again.

The problem originally occurred when a device entered a specific network connectivity state that the Windows 11 March update did not handle well, causing some Microsoft applications to mistakenly identify the device as offline. Initially, Microsoft advised users to simply restart their devices to fix the issue, but the connectivity state where Microsoft accounts wouldn't sign in would often return. There was a significant chance that the device might revert to this specific networking state, resulting in repeated sign-in errors. However, now this has been resolved with the KB5085516 OOB update, which fixes networking states, so your device can continue running smoothly.

With every Windows 11 update seemingly introducing a new bug or somehow breaking some core functionality, it seems as though trust in Microsoft and Windows is at an all-time low, with the recent "Microslop" insult popping up in online tech circles as a sort of culmination of the recent spate of issues. Microsoft has apparently been following the backlash against Windows 11, with Pavan Davuluri, President of Windows + Devices, stating in a new Windows Insider Blog post that "over the past several months, the team and I have spent a great deal of time analyzing your feedback," and subsequently laying out a plan that walks back many of the contentious changes that have been made in recent Windows 11 updates and promising to add highly requested new features and return features from older Windows versions that likely shouldn't have been removed in the first place.

One of the earliest complaints about Windows 11—before Copilot launched—was that the task bar could not be relocated to other screen edges, but Microsoft will soon introduce more taskbar customization, including moving it to the top, left, or right screen edges as needed. Microsoft will also walk back many of the Copilot integrations, stating that it will be "more intentional about how and where Copilot integrates across Windows." It specifically calls out removing Copilot from Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets, and Notepad. The other two important changes that will come from the new plan for Windows 11 is giving users more control over updates to reduce interruptions—essentially allowing users to go longer without restating without an update and skipping updates during device setup, and restarting and shutting down without updating. Microsoft also plans to address File Explorer and speed up launch times in order to deliver "smoother navigation and more reliable performance for everyday tasks," as well as polishing the user experience overall.

Microsoft's Windows 11 March update has a confirmed issue affecting Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2 with KB5079473. This issue causes sign-in failures in some Microsoft applications, including the free version of Microsoft Teams, OneDrive, Microsoft Edge, Excel, Word, and Microsoft 365 Copilot. After installing the Windows 11 March update, you might encounter a message saying, "You'll need the Internet for this. It doesn't look like you're connected to the Internet," even when your device is connected. This problem occurs when a device enters a specific network connectivity state that the Windows 11 March update does not handle well, causing some Microsoft applications to mistakenly identify the device as offline. It's important to note that this issue only affects Microsoft accounts.

To resolve this issue, Microsoft recommends simply restarting your device. This should fix the connectivity state that causes the connection to Microsoft accounts to fail. However, there is a significant chance that the device might return to this specific networking state, resulting in repeated sign-in errors. Microsoft is working on a fix, which is expected to be released in the coming days. As the week ends, the release will likely be early next week. No server platforms are affected by this issue; it only impacts Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2 with the March update KB5079473, OS Build 26100.8037.

GMKtec today announced a major feature update to its flagship mini PC, the NucBox K13—Ultra-Integrated Workstation, introducing two powerful new capabilities: Windows + Ubuntu dual boot and OpenClaw pre-installation (or one-click setup). These enhancements further position the K13 as a versatile, AI-ready platform for developers, creators, and power users worldwide. With growing demand for flexible computing environments and local AI deployment, the NucBox K13 now delivers a seamless experience across operating systems while simplifying access to cutting-edge AI tools.

Microsoft has reportedly decided not to automatically install its Microsoft 365 Copilot App on Windows 11 by default, following significant user backlash against its AI integration into the operating system. What seemed to be a major initiative by the Redmond giant is now being reined in by a group of power users and enthusiasts who are resisting the "Copilot everywhere" strategy that Microsoft has recently promoted. According to a new update on the Admin 365 dashboard, Microsoft states, "Automatic installation of the Microsoft 365 Copilot app on Windows devices with Microsoft 365 desktop apps, planned for December 2025, is temporarily disabled. Existing installations remain unaffected. Admins can deploy the app via other methods and should await further updates."

For those who may not remember, the Microsoft 365 Copilot App is the rebranded version of what was originally called Microsoft 365 / Office Hub. This app version was introduced alongside the regular Copilot app on customers' Windows 11 systems. Back in September 2025, Microsoft planned to automatically install the Microsoft 365 Copilot App on Windows 11, along with the regular Copilot App, which meant users would receive two "AI-enhanced" applications automatically. This move sparked a significant backlash from the community, particularly from enthusiasts who saw little to no added value in Microsoft's AI integrations. Users made it clear that they wanted this enhancement to be optional, if not stopped altogether. Microsoft has recently commented that the company is focusing on what truly matters to consumers, such as fixing the bug-prone operating system and enhancing core features for a smoother user experience in Windows 11. They also mentioned stepping back from the "AI-everywhere" approach.

Industry-leading embedded solutions provider AAEON (Stock Code: 6579) has announced the release of the ATX-Q870A, an ATX industrial motherboard supporting Intel Core Ultra Series 2 Processors (formerly Arrow Lake-S) and up to 256 GB of dual-channel DDR5-6400 system memory. Designed to accommodate up to 125 W CPUs from the new Intel CPU platform, the ATX-Q870A can leverage up to 24 cores and 24 threads of computing power alongside up to 36 TOPS of AI performance through the series' integrated CPU, GPU, and NPU. As such, AAEON has positioned the product as a foundation upon which compute-intensive applications such as industrial automation systems and high-performance workstations can be built.

Despite its impressive processing capabilities, it is the expandability offered by the ATX-Q870A that is most likely to catch attention. Of particular note are the board's two PCIe Gen 5 and five PCIe Gen 4 slots, which allow it to support high-spec GPUs and AI accelerators, NVMe storage, and task-specific modules like serial cards, sensor interfaces, and low-speed NICs simultaneously.

Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced the launch of the next-generation IronKey Locker+ 50 G2 (LP50 G2) hardware-encrypted USB flash drive. The drive provides enterprise-grade security with FIPS 197 and AES 256-bit hardware encryption in XTS mode. It also safeguards against BadUSB with digitally signed firmware and against Brute Force password attacks.

LP50G2 features a premium space grey metal casing and supports both Admin and User passwords with options for Complex or Passphrase modes. Complex mode allows 6-16 character passwords using at least three of four character sets. Passphrase mode supports PINs, sentences, word lists, or other memorable phrases from 10-64 characters. Admin can enable or reset User passwords as needed. To aid in password entry, the "eye" symbol can be enabled to reveal the typed-in password, reducing typos leading to failed login attempts. Brute Force password attacks protection locks the User password after 10 failed password attempts in a row and crypto-erases the drive if the Admin password is entered incorrectly 10 times in a row. Additional safeguards include virtual keyboard to protect against keyloggers and screenloggers and anti-fingerprint coating on the casing which helps with resisting scratches.

Microsoft has experienced a few months of relatively smooth Windows 11 updates, but the March update has reportedly caused inaccessible C: drives, widespread system BSODs, and freezing. According to multiple reports from Reddit and other online communities, including Microsoft's Q&A forum, the Windows 11 March 2026 KB5079473 update is causing headaches for users. They are encountering issues such as being unable to access their C: drives, system freezing, random reboots, and an overall laggy user experience. While the official March update page shows no known widespread issues, users report that the update is indeed causing trouble in everyday use and increasing the risk of instability. Some Samsung Galaxy Book owners have reported that this update completely blocked access to the C: drive on their devices.

Microsoft has confirmed that the "C:\ is not accessible - Access denied" issue has been acknowledged, and the company is working on a solution. Microsoft reportedly claims that the Samsung Galaxy Connect application is responsible for the inaccessible C: drive and the issue didn't occur solely because of the Windows 11 March update but coincidentally happened at the same time as other issues that had accumulated earlier. Windows maker claims that the problem affects Samsung Galaxy Book 4 and Samsung Desktop models with Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2, including models with codenames NP750XGJ, NP750XGL, NP754XGJ, NP754XFG, NP754XGK, DM500SGA, DM500TDA, DM500TGA, and DM501SGA. For now, it is unclear if all affected users with inaccessible C: drives are Samsung Galaxy Book owners. It's possible that users experiencing issues are using other OEMs for their laptops or desktop PCs, so we are still waiting for more information. For now, Microsoft claims that only Samsung user are affected, and both are working on a fix.

Microsoft has released its latest Windows 11 builds, 26100.8106 and 26200.8106 (KB5079387), to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel. This update notably introduces support for monitor refresh rates exceeding 1,000 Hz, marking the first time Windows 11 officially supports four-digit refresh rates. Over the years, gaming monitors have rapidly progressed from double-digit to triple-digit refresh rates. However, reaching four-digit levels so quickly was unexpected, as the general gaming audience has been limited by current technology's ability to output such high frame rates. With modern GPUs capable of running hundreds of frames per second in FPS titles, it's logical for Windows to prepare for future advancements.

For instance, Philips and AOC have introduced the first gaming monitors capable of supporting 500 Hz at 1440p and 1,000 Hz at 720p. The Philips Evnia 27M2N5500XD and AOC AGON Pro AGP277QK monitors were showcased in China on December 6 and appear to be built around the same 27-inch panel. Both models are QHD 500 Hz displays that can switch to a lower-resolution 720p mode, doubling the refresh rate to 1,000 Hz. Generally, this resolution is required to achieve frame rates above 500 FPS, but modern GPUs like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 can easily reach these numbers in games like Counter-Strike 2. At 1080p, we observed about 726 FPS, indicating that 720p gaming can fully utilize the 1,000 Hz display.

For the past half-decade, PC enthusiasts and audiophiles like me have been fighting a phantom war inside our systems. The enemy isn't audio fidelity, which has been democratized by Realtek by serving up codecs with SNRs well above 110 dBA; it is Deferred Procedure Call (DPC) latency. As the industry rapidly shifted toward complex, heterogeneous CPU architectures, and motherboard vendors simultaneously abandoned robust audio interfaces for cheaper USB routing, we inadvertently built a latency trap.

We are currently relying on brute-force host processing and software band-aids to fix a hardware routing problem. But there is a way out. It is entirely possible to build discrete sound cards with native signal processing to bypass these DPC gremlins once and for all.

Asha Sharma, the new CEO of Xbox, recently announced that the next-gen Xbox gaming console is called the Xbox Helix—at least for the time being—and hinted that more information would be revealed about the upcoming Xbox at GDC 2026. Now, GDC is here, and Xbox has delivered on that hint, with Xbox VP of Next Generation, Jason Ronald, divulging more information about Project Helix in a panel. The most notable piece of information that emerged about the console is that alpha versions of Helix dev kits would start shipping to customers as early as the end of 2027. This more or less confirms the recently rumored 2027-2028 launch window of the next-gen Xbox.

Ronald also reiterated that the next-gen Xbox is "designed to play your Xbox console and PC games," although it's still somewhat unclear if Helix will be a full-fledged console-PC hybrid à la Valve's Steam Machine—although rumors suggest that this will be the case. The executive also confirmed that it is working with AMD on a slew of new machine learning-powered tech, including FSR Diamond, which AMD also announced at GDC, and that the new AMD SoC would be designed around upcoming DirectX versions for improved ray tracing, performance, and efficiency. He also confirmed that the Helix will continue the backwards compatibility trend that Xbox has become known for, promising that Xbox will continue to play games made for the last four generations of consoles. Presumably, this means that the Helix will be able to play games from the Xbox Series, Xbox One, and Xbox 360 generations as well as games designed for the Xbox Helix.

Following the recently launched InfinityBook Max 16 - INTEL with Core Ultra 9 275HX, the AMD-based variant of the thin and light Linux gaming workstation is now ready to hit the market.

Despite its robust high-quality full-metal chassis, the InfinityBook Max 16 weighs just over 2 kg and is powered by up to a Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 or 5070, and a 99 Wh battery, while the 500 nits, 100 % DCI-P3 display qualifies the Linux ultrabook workstation for software development, professional media design, and gaming.

EA posted a job listing seeking an engineer to port its Javelin Anticheat, a kernel-level anticheat solution, to the Windows-on-Arm (WoA) platform. This is a significant indicator of where the industry is headed, confirming that the biggest game developers are officially porting their game engines, games, and anticheat solutions to Arm-based PCs running the Windows 11 operating system. Interestingly, this coincides with NVIDIA's introduction of its N1/N1X SoCs with Arm-based CPU cores, which are expected to launch in the first half of this year. These will offer consumers 20 CPU cores, consisting of 10 Cortex-X925 and 10 Cortex-A725 CPU cores based on the Armv9.2 ISA, along with a "Blackwell" GPU optimized for low power settings with 6,144 CUDA cores. Adding to the growing ecosystem of WoA solutions, NVIDIA will be competing with Qualcomm's recent Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Plus SoCs.

If readers recall Valve's efforts to port regular Windows games to Linux, one of the biggest issues was the use of kernel-based anti-cheat solutions that simply couldn't work on the non-standard Windows 11 platform. A similar situation is now occurring even between Windows versions, as EA needs to develop a specialized solution that will work on non-x86 deployments like the standard Windows-on-Arm. It will likely be a few months before the official deployment is released, but the job listing suggests that some internal work is in progress. This means that the senior engineer EA is looking for could arrive to quickly bring these pieces together and make the new platform work without any issues.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is slated to launch on March 19 for PC after almost nine months as a PS5 exclusive, and Nixxes and Kojima Productions just revealed the minimum PC hardware requirements, as well as the supported upscaling and graphical enhancement options, in a PlayStation Blog post. According to the blog post, the absolute minimum spec, which gets you 30 FPS as 1080p with low settings, requires an AMD Ryzen 3 3100 or Intel Core i3-10100, 16 GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT 8 GB. Medium, or 1080p with medium settings, requires an RTX 3060 12 GB or Radeon RX 6600, and an AMD Ryzen 5 5600 or Intel Core i5-11400. Stepping it up to High (or recommended specs), which gets you 1440p at 60 FPS with high settings, requires an AMD Radeon RX 6800 or NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 and an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X or Intel Core i7-11700. Very High, or 4K resolution at 60 FPS with very high settings, calls for an upgrade to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 or Radeon RX 9070 XT, while the CPU and memory specs remain the same as for the High tier. All spec tiers require 16 GB of memory, Windows 11 or Windows 10 1909 or up, and at least a 150 GB SSD.

Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will also offer PC players support for both 21:9 and 32:9 ultrawide aspect ratios, and players with 16:9 displays can simulate a cinematic experience by opting for a 21:9 aspect ratio with black bars on the top and bottom of the display—this option will also be introduced for PS5 at the same time as the PC release. PC players will also get support for upscaling tech from all three GPU manufacturers: NVIDIA DLSS 4, AMD FSR 4, and Intel XeSS 2, with both frame generation and upscaling options available. These upscaling options can be used in conjunction with Dynamic Resolution Scaling, and players will be able to adjust upscaling quality. The game will also see the debut of Pico—Progressive Image Compositor—on PC. This is the upscaling technology used by Death Stranding 2 on PS5 and developed by Guerrilla Games for the Decima engine, and it can also be used alongside all available frame generation options and on all available graphics card manufacturers. The game will also offer native AA options for those not interested in upscaling.

Microsoft's Xbox Insider program lets gamers experience the newest Xbox-related technologies, software updates, and overall improvements. Today, Xbox Insiders are getting an update for their Xbox App on Windows 11 that lets users access postgame recaps. This means that after significant gaming sessions, you can see a recap of your achievements where all the session highlights are recorded, including Xbox Game Bar screenshots and clips, which you can later check out. You also get game recommendations when you first enter a game and a quick overview of the best gaming moments/achievements you have made during your session. Microsoft notes that the feature is now only available in the preview phase to Xbox Insiders, but it is gearing up for a wide release in the Xbox App in the coming weeks.

Users can choose what they wish to see through additional customizations, and these features can be turned off completely. If you head to Settings > App > Postgame recaps, you can tailor the entire user experience and how you want the new feature to work within your PC. Interestingly, if you opt out of all postgame recap types and features, the Xbox App will not start in the system tray when you start the game, but only when you turn it on. Microsoft notes that the company has made various optimizations to minimize the memory usage of another system overlay, with little to no performance impact on the system.

Yesterday, Microsoft's insider program debuted Windows 11 Builds 26100.7918 and 26200.7918 (KB5077241). Enjoyers of the Release Preview Channel can play around with some nifty new features and improvements, within the 24H2 (Build 26100) and 25H2 (Build 26200) releases. The North American megacorp's Windows Insider blog outlines two separate rollouts: "gradual" and "normal." Within the former, a brand-new "Taskbar & System Tray" tool has attracted the most media attention over the past day. The official company description details this nice-to-have feature: "(a) built-in network speed test is now available from the taskbar. Open it from the Wi-Fi or Cellular Quick Settings, or by right-clicking the network icon in the system tray."

Continuing that line of thought, the blog proceeds with: "the speed test opens in the default browser and measures Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and Cellular connections. This feature helps check network performance and troubleshoot issues." Normally, modern-day Windows users rely on third-party apps or relevant websites for this type of diagnostic data. An official and handy integrated alternative will be welcomed by network speed demons. Last Friday (February 13), the phantomofearth social media account shared an early insight, days ahead of the official introductory blog entry's publication. The self-described "Windows Insider and older Windows beta" tester noted that the snazzy tool sends privileged previewers to (Microsoft's preferred default) "Bing to do the speed test."