Windows

If you are running Windows 11 on an incompatible machine, then you are at the end of the road as far as the Insider Preview Programme goes. For some reason, Microsoft is informing people that they must revert their devices to Windows 10. There is a workaround, albeit with limitations.

Microsoft has sent out invitations to a launch event that will take place in three weeks. The event may be a chance for the company to showcase the Surface Duo 2 and a next-generation Surface Book 4, among other devices.

Microsoft has now confirmed that Windows 11 will officially become available and rollout in a phased manner from October 5 with all eligible PCs expected to be updated by mid-2022. Android app support is not a part of this initial release but will be made available for Insiders to test out in the coming months.

Dell is ready for Windows 11's arrival and has already announced its upgrade plans. The list of devices to get the free upgrade from Windows 10 includes the Dell XPS 13, Alienware x15/x17, and more. Starting October 5th, new devices will come loaded with Windows 11, but business users will get Windows 10 Pro with pre-installed licenses.

The technical specs of the current SureView panel sound great: 1,000 nits of brightness, a matte surface, and viewing angles are narrowed at the press of a button. But the impact on image quality shouldn't be underestimated, though; the EliteBook 830 G8 would make a better overall package with a different display.

The new feature should allow technically less inclined users to easily recognize whether their PC is compatible with Windows 11 and prepare them for the upcoming release of Microsoft's new operating system. This would render the inconvenient compatibility test in the PC Health Check application obsolete.

The next-generation Microsoft Surface Book laptop has been appearing in some expertly crafted fan-made concept renders. The name of the future Surface is still unknown, with one designer calling his creation the Surface Book 4 while another artist went with Surface Book Studio. The images are based on drawings from a patent filing.

Samsung’s Snapdragon-based Galaxy Book Go with 5G connectivity is now available for purchase in the US. The new model is the most powerful of the Arm-based Galaxy Book Go series and is fitted with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 2 octa-core processor.

Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 Insider Preview Build to devices on the Beta and Dev channels. The changes and improvements for Build 22000.168 are inconsequential, but there are a few quality of life improvements new this week.

The technical specifications of the successor to Microsoft's Surface Go 2 have been unveiled in a Geekbench entry. The new tablet is expected to be announced this fall alongside the Surface Duo 2 and Surface Book Studio and will allegedly be powered by Intel's Amber Lake processors.

For a while, it looked like the end of the line for many older PCs: The hardware requirements of Microsoft Windows 11 were going to leave many older systems behind. Now, Microsoft has made it clear that older PCs will be able run Windows 11 - with the caveat that the users have to upgrade them manually.

After missing its March release date, tactical RPG King's Bounty II is now available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, as well as PCs (via Steam). The game is available in three editions (regular, Duke's, and Lord's) that feature additional weapons, skins, units, and media content.

Lenovo's slim all-rounder offers a well-rounded feature set: A Core i5 processor, the GeForce MX450 GPU, 16 GB of RAM (dual-channel mode), and an NVMe SSD. This is complemented by good battery life, and a 16-inch display (2560x1600, IPS, 120 Hz) in the 16:10 format.

The Ryzen 7 5800H APU and the GeForce RTX 3070 laptop GPU bring all modern games smoothly onto the matte 15.6-inch display (2560x1440 pixels, IPS, 144 Hz). Due to the low TGP, the GPU performs below its potential. The laptop offers room for three storage drives (2x M.2 SSD, 1x 2.5-inch).

You should have a closer look at the ThinkPad E15 G3 AMD if you are looking for a solid office laptop with a 15-inch screen and a very good keyboard. Thanks to the AMD Ryzen processor, you also get plenty of CPU performance, which can rival many slim workstations.

The Envy 17 cg1356ng would really be well-suited for its targeted usage, if it weren't for the very reflective display causing some limitations in where it can be used.

In just three days, Windows XP will turn 20. Released to manufacturing on August 24, 2001, Microsoft's (now ancient) operating system is still being used by millions of people today (although the market share is below 1 percent), just a few months away from the release of Windows 11.

The prospect of Windows 11 is strongly linked to mixed feelings at present. However, a study based on approximately 11,000 survey responses from participants who currently use the OS found that over 50% of this group would install the update without delay. Accordingly, 17% of the respondents are now in the Insiders program on the strength of Microsoft's latest launch.

The MeLE Quieter2D is a particularly compact and fanless mini-PC. The machine is now available in a new variant with an Intel Celeron N4020 processor with 4 GB of RAM and up to 128 GB of storage.

Microsoft has published another Windows 11 Preview Build, albeit one with hardly any changes compared to its predecessor. Nonetheless, this week marks the publication of Windows 11 ISOs for consumers, enterprise and those in China.

With DDR5 memory set to go mainstream over the next couple months, TeamGroup announced the launch of the world’s first RGB-lit DDR5 memory module, running at up to 5600 MHz.

According to a new leak, Intel is currently developing a gaming laptop called the NUC X15. The machine will feature up to a 1440p and 240 Hz display, powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 or RTX 3070 GPUs. The NUC X15 will have two M.2 SSDs drive bays, too.

The Lenovo IdeaPad 5 15ALC05 excels in our review with long battery life and solid performance, but it also has some surprising disadvantages compared to its 14-inch counterpart.

We just reviewed the brand-new Dell XPS 15 9510 with Intel's Tiger Lake-H processor. The performance is not bad, but AMDs current Ryzen CPUs are just more efficient and would leave more headroom for more powerful GPUs.

The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7 Pro 14ACH5 scores points with its powerful Ryzen 9 5900HX APU, 16 GB of RAM, and a 14-inch display (2880x1800 pixels, 90 Hz, IPS) in the 16:10 format. This is accompanied by good battery life as well as low noise and heat development.

Microsoft's strict hardware requirements for Windows 11 are expected to increase the demand for new compatible devices, which will supposedly lead to extended shipping times for notebooks and PCs due to the continuing worldwide semiconductor shortage.

With the EliteBook Folio 13.5, HP shows how good a Windows-on-ARM convertible can look. Its performance is suitable for office use, but other things apart from the high price are also irritating.

Microsoft is distributing another Windows 11 Insider Preview Build, a week on from Build 22000.120. Build 22000.132 refines a few features, including the Snipping Tool, and addresses half of dozen bugs to boot.

Panasonic has launched a new version of its rugged Toughbook 55 laptop with updated specs and I/O. They include 11th-gen Intel CPUs - which also of course makes one of its ports Thunderbolt 4. However, the PC is still fully compatible with the user-swappable xPAK modules that can customize a unit to a customer's specific professional or public service needs.

According to a new report, Microsoft is readying a next-generation Surface Book, albeit one that could be unrecognisable from the Surface Book 3. Reputedly, the next Surface Book may not be called a Surface Book at all, and will not have a detachable display. It will have a high-refresh-rate 14-inch screen, though.

A long video showing extensive gameplay from Age of Empires IV has been leaked. The upcoming real-time strategy (RTS) title is the latest addition to the storied Age of Empires franchise and is being developed by Relic Entertainment. The closed beta testing phase for Age of Empires IV began on August 5.

Chuwi has released initial details and pictures of its latest laptop, the LarkBook X. The device has a 2K and 16:10 display, along with a 10 mm thick chassis. A 6 W processor will probably hold the LarkBook X back, though.

Logitech has developed its first set of TWS earphones targeted at the growing work from home market. The new Logitech Zone TWS earphones can also simultaneously pair to a smartphone and a computer.

Microsoft has started rolling out its fourth Windows 11 Insider Preview Build, and the first for the Dev and Beta channels simultaneously. Build 22000.120 is light on new features, but it addresses countless bugs from Build 22000.100.

With the Aero 15 OLED XD, Gigabyte introduces a solid laptop with an excellent display that is intended for both creators and gamers.

There is a clear distinction in Lenovo's ThinkPad lineup as to which series is more premium: The ThinkPad T-series ranks ahead of the ThinkPad L-series. Nevertheless, there's one area where the ThinkPad L-series scores better, because the Lenovo ThinkPad L14 Gen 2 AMD can be upgraded more than all other current 14-inch ThinkPads.

The new Prestige 14 Evo looks just like the old Prestige 14 Evo. However, an Intel Core i7-1195G7 inside shows what we can expect from Intel's Tiger Lake improvements.