Page 900 • Windows Report

9 Best File Compression Software to Use in 2026

Posted on June 18, 2021October 5, 2025 by Madalina Dinita

Sharing large files is easier than ever nowadays, yet there are situations when users need to compress their files due to file size limitations.

Also, compressed files have a lesser impact on users’ system resources, preventing unnecessary strain on their computers.

There are plenty of compression tools available on the market and choosing the right one for you can turn into an annoying task.

To make this action time-efficient, we’ll list the best file compression software currently available for Windows 10, together with their main features, and you can choose the app that meets your needs the best.

Which are the best file compression tools for Windows 10?

WinZip

Perhaps the most popular compression tool for Windows 10 is WinZip. It currently has more than one billion active users.

This tool is more than a simple compression tool as it also allows users to share, manage, protect, and backup their files.

WinZip unzips all compression major formats, such as Zip, Zipx, RAR, 7z, TAR, GZIP, VHD, XZ, and more.

Other features include finding, opening, editing, moving, and sharing the files stored on PCs, networks, or cloud services.

WinZip also encrypts files to secure information and data and can create read-only PDFs and add watermarks to deter copying.

If you’re dealing with a lot of files, you can pin and access the favorite ones in WinZip’s Files pane. You can pin them to the Quick Access section and access them with the click of a button.

The tool is integrated with Dropbox, G-Suite, or OneDrive for complete integration and cloud back-up functions.

Let’s see what are its most important features:

Uncompresses major formats including Zip, Zipx, RAR, 7z, TAR, GZIP, VHD, XZ and others
Cloud storage integration
File encryption feature for increased security
Easy sharing and back-up options
Combine more PDF files into a bigger one

WinZip

Manage your important large files with this versatile compression tool for Windows.

Free trialVisit website

WinRAR

WinRAR is a powerful compression tool, with over 500 million users worldwide standing proof for the tool’s performance.

It compresses files for efficient and secure file transfer, faster e-mail transmission, and organized data storage. The tool is also available in over 50 languages.

WinRAR supports the following compression formats: RAR, ZIP, CAB, ARJ, LZH, ACE, TAR, GZip, UUE, ISO, BZIP2, Z, and 7-Zip.

Users can also split archives into separate volumes, making it possible to save them on several disks.

Its 256-bit password encryption and its authenticated signature technology ensure secured file transfers.

WinRAR is compatible with several operating systems in both 32-bit and 64-bit, and it is the only compression software that can work with Unicode.

WinRAR comes with a free trial and you can use it absolutely free for 40 days enough time to test it before taking a decision.

Take a look at some of the most important features:

The only compression software that can handle Unicode
Can handle all major formats, including RAR, ZIP, CAB, ARJ, LZH, ACE, TAR, GZip, UUE, ISO, BZIP2, Z, and 7-Zip
256-bit password encryption for top of the line security
Available in more than 50 languages
Over 500 million users around the world

WinRAR

Compress, encrypt, package, and backup all your large files with this all-in-one efficient tool.

Free trialVisit website

NX Power Lite Desktop

NXPowerLite Desktop is a powerful tool that allows you to compress and optimize Excel, PowerPoint, Word, JPEG, and PDF files up to 95% without losing any quality and free up disk space or send them by email.

Optimized and compressed files retain the original format and are fully editable. It’s especially effective for office work and for people who work with lots of multimedia files.

The advanced settings give you the possibility to set the desired balance between the quality and compression ratio.

Additionally, this software integrates with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word as well as email clients and automatically compress attachments when they are sent.

This tool has a 14-day trial period that gives you enough time to get it tested before considering to buy.

When you install and register the software, you can also decide what components to install, and you can set your own settings.

You can even configure the location of the options of NXPowerLite in the Microsoft Office ribbon conveniently.

Let’s review some of its most important characteristics:

Greate compression rate of up to 95% for documents, photos, and PDF files
Automatically compress files for e-mail transmission
Compress up to 10,000 files at a time
Available as a Windows Installer .MSI file for easy installation
Compress files directly from Windows Explorer

NXPowerLite Desktop

Quickly compress your files and folders with this simple, yet fully-featured tool.

Free trial Visit website

7-Zip

This compression tool is 100% free and delivers a high compression ratio. It packs and unpacks the following file formats: 7z, XZ, BZIP2, GZIP, TAR, ZIP, and WIM, and can unpack more than 30 file formats.

For ZIP and GZIP formats, it provides a compression ratio that is 2-10% better than the ratio provided by PKZip and WinZip.

You can use 7-Zip on any computer, including a computer in a commercial organization. You don’t need to register it.

The only slight downside is that it only supports 12 languages, including English but for an open source software it’s still great.

It’s good to know that if you’re looking for hardcore security, you have to go for a 7z and ZIP formats because you will be able to apply an AES 256-bit encryption to your archives.

It’s also important for developers and programmers to know that 7-Zip is integrated into Windows Shell for quick commands.

Other important features include:

Strong AES-256 encryption in 7z and ZIP formats
Self-extracting capability for 7z format
Integration with Windows Shell
Powerful File Manager
Localizations for 87 languages

⇒ Get 7-Zip

PeaZip

PeaZip is a free file archiver utility that works with more than 200 archive formats so it’s improbable that it won’t be able to find an unsupported format.

If you’re tired of ads, you’ll be glad to know that PeaZip doesn’t contain any of those, so you won’t be bothered.

This tool also deploys a powerful and complete file manager, and strong security features, such as strong encryption, encrypted password manager, secure delete, and file hashing.

The user interface is very friendly, with an intuitive design so it will be easy to get accustomed to it very fast.

Moreover, the versions for Linux and Windows doesn’t need installation. You can simply extract and use the application freely.

⇒ Get PeaZip

PowerArchiver 2021 Standard/ Professional

PowerArchiver is a professional compression utility, able to operate with all the compression formats currently available.

Apart from its compression capabilities, this tool can also encrypt files, reduce their size by 90% and back them as well.

This solution includes the Advanced Codec Pack, which is the most comprehensive compression format available today.

It comprises many filters and codecs that create the best possible compression/speed ratio for your files.

The thing is that the Smart Optimized modes will decide automatically the best compression/speed ratios based on the individual files.

So, when you’re compressing a batch with different file formats, PowerArchiver will use multiple codecs and adapt its conditions on the fly.

UAC elevation support is required when it detects the need for an admin account in order to read or write in some folder.

⇒ Get PowerArchiver

Ashampoo ZIP FREE

Ashampoo ZIP FREE compresses and decompresses files fast and easily. It supports creating and extracting ZIP, 7-ZIP, CAB, TAR (TAR, TAR.GZ, TAR.BZ2, TAR.XZ), and LHA formats.

The tool features unlimited size of the archive, unlimited size of files inside the archive and an unlimited number of files inside archive when using ZIP and 7-ZIP formats.

It comes with integrated preview that supports many different images, text and other file formats. Preview files without ever extracting them from the archive.

The solution also includes a Repair ZIP Tool that can do magic when it comes to repairing broken ZIP files.

You can apply uncompromised security to your archives with the 256-bit AES encryption for backup or transfer purposes.

Lastly, but no less important is the friendly graphical interface that it easy to understand and use to its full extent.

The tool is fully integrated with Windows 7, 8 and 10, as well as Windows Server editions with support for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

⇒ Get Ashampoo ZIP FREE

Bandizip

This free compression utility creates archived files in various formats and can open and extract them as well.

Bandizip is lightweight, has a very fast Zip algorithm for compression and extraction with Fast Drag and Drop, High-Speed Archiving, and Multi-core compression.

However, it handles only the most popular compression formats so if you’re dealing with more unusual archives, you’re not going to unpack them with this tool.

However, it makes up with an excellent, built-in password manager and a great archive repair tool.

It also features a preview for the photo archive so you can see exactly what’s inside before starting to unpack the file.

Bandisoft regularly releases updates and bug fixes for this tool and will probably add more compression formats to its tool in the future.

If you want an ad-free compression tool, with a very user-friendly interface, that costs you nothing.

⇒ Get Bandizip

Zipware

Zipware is a free compression tool that is very simple to use. This tool supports all major archiving formats including the new RAR5 format and is fast and stable to handle both small and large archives.

Zipware offers full drag & drop support with Windows Explorer. The Windows Explorer context menu can scan any files using over 50 anti-virus products via VirusTotal.com, securing your folders.

It can also calculate MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512 checksums for any file and the function is integrated into Explorer’s context menu.

For extra security, Zipware’s program files are signed by a Verisign/Symantec digital certificate to prevent any possible modification.

This compression tool also converts the supported archive formats to Zip, 7z so you can send them to others that don’t have advanced unarchive tools.

You will also be glad to know that the program comes with a password manager that helps you store passwords and other information.

⇒ Get Zipware

How to decide on the best compression software

Compression software are great for storing files effectively and creating back-ups. They are also very useful for compressing your files and sending them through e-mails.

However, these software can have a lot of other features so let’s see what are the most important characteristics to take into account when choosing an archiver software.

High compression rate is important

If you’re aiming to create a major backup for your system or files, the compression rate is paramount because when dealing with big files, you will be able to save a lot of space.

That means that you will be able to use lower space back-up solutions or fit more data on the same media.

Consider other features and integration

For example, the most popular archiver software like WinZip comes with cloud storage integration which means that you can get to store your files directly on your supported accounts.

Safety is always important, and you will notice that not all the archivers support 256-bit AES encryption. For back-ups, select the best choice.

More formats, the better

Usually, you will be encountering Zip, Rar and a couple of other type of archives but what if you get a more obscure format that you badly need to open and you can’t?

It doesn’t happen too often, maybe never, but it’s enough to face the situation once to convince you get prepared so try to pick a compression software that supports the most formats possible.

That’s it! We hope that you found the best file compression tool for your PC and they helped you create an extensive backup of your files.

You might also be interested in the best software to create and open ISO files that are also a type of compressed file.

As always, if you’ve already used one of the compression tools listed above, you can tell us more about your experience in the comment section below.

Task Scheduler not running the Python script? Try these fixes

Posted on June 18, 2021October 4, 2023 by Milan Stanojevic

Task Scheduler helps with scheduling (the same way you schedule jobs) programs, and scripts, and one of the scripting languages it is used on is Python.

Many users claimed that when it isn’t working, the Python script in Windows 10 cannot be launched at the times or intervals as planned.

Before resolving the issue, check the last time it worked, and whether you made any recent hardware and/or software changes on your computer.

Here are some helpful solutions to help you fix the Task Scheduler if it’s not running the Python script, so keep reading!

What to do if Task Scheduler is not running the Python script?

1. Start Task Scheduler from Command Line

Click Start, and type CMD in the search field box
Right-click Command Prompt, and select Run as Administrator.
When the Command Prompt opens, type net start task scheduler.

If it still doesn’t open, then you can proceed to the next solution below.

Also, you can learn to work in Command Prompt like a real technician with our comprehensive guide, so be sure to check it out.

2. Check if Task Scheduler is actually running

Click Start, and type services.msc in the search field box, and hit Enter.
Look for Task Scheduler.
Right-click it, then select Properties.
Under Startup Type list, select Automatic.
Click Start, select Apply and Ok.

A good solution is to check that the Task Scheduler is actually running by following our steps above. If you’re still not having luck, continue with the next fix.

3. Run a System File Checker scan

Click Start, and type CMD in the search field box.
Select Command Prompt.
Right-click, and select Run as Administrator.
Type sfc/scannow, and hit Enter.
Restart your PC.

A System File Checker scan checks or scans all protected system files, and then replaces the incorrect versions, with the genuine, correct Microsoft versions.

If the Task Scheduler still isn’t running the Python script, try the next solution.

4. Delete the corrupted task

Click Start, type Task Scheduler in the search field box, and press Enter.
On the left pane, click on the Task Scheduler library.
Select backup task in the middle pane, and delete it.

If you cannot find the corrupted task, do the following:

Click Start, and type CMD in the search field box.
Right-click on the Command Prompt, and choose Run as Administrator.
Type the following command: schtasks /query | findstr /i

Once the command is executed, look for either of the following errors:

ERROR: The task image is corrupt or has been tampered with.
ERROR: The task cannot be loaded: task name.

Finally, try scheduling a task or run a Python script, and check if the issue persists.

5. Restart Task Scheduler

Click Start, type services in the search field box, and press Enter.
Right-click Services, and click Run as Administrator.
Give the necessary password or permissions or click Continue.
Right click Task Scheduler service, and select Restart.

6. Change Service Configuration

Click Start, and type CMD in the search field box.
Choose Command prompt.
Right-click, and select Run as Administrator.
Choose to continue at the UAC prompt.
In the console window, type the following command: SC Comfit schedule start= auto
If you get the reply [SC] ChangeServiceConfig SUCCESS, the service will be changed to automatic once you reboot.

If these solutions are too complicated, then you can ease your work by installing one of the task scheduler tools from our list, so be sure to take a closer look.

7. Perform a Clean Boot

Go to the Search box, type msconfig, and press Enter.
Select System Configuration.
Find the Services tab, and select the Hide all Microsoft services box.
Click Disable all.
Go to the Startup tab, and click Open Task Manager.
Close the Task manager then click Ok.
Reboot your PC.

Performing a clean boot for your computer reduces conflicts related to software that can bring up the root causes of the Task Scheduler not running Python script.

These conflicts can be caused by applications and services that start up and run in the background whenever you start Windows normally.

You will have a clean boot environment after all the above steps are carefully followed, afterwards check if your Task Scheduler still doesn’t run the Python script, or if the problem is gone.

8. Create a new user account

Click Start, and select Settings.
Choose Accounts, and click on Add someone else to this PC.
Fill in the form with the user name and password.
Your new user account will be created.
Select Change account type.
Click the drop-down arrow, and choose Administrator to set the account to administrator level.
Restart your PC.
Login to the new account you just created.

You can create a new user profile then change settings to administrator privileges, and check if the issue of Task Scheduler not working persists.

If the issue goes away, then it may mean your other user profile is corrupted. Learn how to fix that by following our detailed guide.

You can try the following in case of a corrupted user profile:

On your new account, use it to downgrade your usual account.
Click Apply or Ok.
Raise back your old account to its default admin level.
Rinse and repeat a few times as this will help to remove any corruption.
Leave your account on as Administrator.

Check whether the issue of Task Scheduler not working goes away when using the newly created account. If it does, then you can either fix the old user account or migrate to the new account.

9. Perform a repair install

Insert the Windows installation DVD.
Restart your computer.
If asked to boot from your DVD drive, do so.
Choose your language.
Click Next.
Click Repair your computer.
Select the operating system you want to repair.

Also, if Windows 10 won’t install, no worries, we got the right solutions for you, just take a closer look at our comprehensive guide.

Particular troubleshooting steps on Task Scheduler

1. A task doesn’t run as and when it is expected to

If this happens, ensure the task is enabled, and check that the triggers on the task are set correctly. Check the task’s history to see when it was started and check for errors.

A task only runs if its conditions are met. Some run when a particular user is logged in depending on the security options on the task itself, so ensure the task’s security options are correctly set.

2. The task runs, but the program didn’t run correctly

If this happens, try running the program manually (not from the task) to check that it works properly. You can add a command line option to the program’s path.

Some programs need elevated privileges to run correctly, so set the task to run with the highest privileges by changing its security options on the General tab of the Task Properties dialog box.

If the program doesn’t run properly, check the task’s history for any errors.

3. You get an error when the task tries to send an email

If this happens, and the email isn’t sent correctly, ensure the settings for email action on the task are properly set.

The email action should have a valid value for the SMTP server To and From settings. Ensure the SMTP server is set up correctly.

4. A task uses 100% of the CPU

Restart in Safe Mode (Task Scheduler doesn’t run in Safe Mode).
In Windows/System32/Tasks folder, rename the task file, or delete it.
Restart in Normal Mode.
Redefine the task.

If this occurs, the system can be rendered unusable. Disable the task, then change its trigger. If the system is unresponsive because of this issue, follow the above steps.

Now that your Task Scheduler works fine and the Python script is running normally, check out our comprehensive guide to learn to use it at its full potential!

We hope that our solution were helpful and helped you to fix the Task Scheduler if is not running Python script. For more suggestions, please access the comments section below.

FIX: Computer Not Going to Sleep on Windows 10/11

Posted on June 18, 2021July 18, 2024 by Aleksandar Ognjanovic

Even though everything considerably evolved in Windows over time, Sleep mode is still something that’s there and it will be for a long time.

Its main use is to shut down HDD and computer monitor after a specified period in order to prevent unnecessary power consumption.

But, what to do when your PC just won’t go to sleep on Windows 10? You’re at the right place to find out.

In this article, we’ll list all the possible solutions to fix this problem. Make sure to take follow them in the presented order.

What can I do if my Windows 10 PC won’t go into Sleep mode?

Make sure the Sleep Mode is enabled
Scan for viruses
Remove peripheral devices
Disable Hybrid Mode
Change Advanced Power Settings

1. Make sure the Sleep Mode is enabled

Press the Windows key + I to instantly open the Settings app.
Choose System.
Select Power & sleep from the left pane.
Set preferred values under the Sleep section and exit.

Let’s start with the obvious and confirm that the Sleep Mode timeout is enabled in the first place. A lot of users are not even aware of certain, minor changes that are made after every system update.

So, if you updated Windows recently, make sure to check out your Power Plan settings. There’s a slight chance that something changed without your knowledge.

Since we know that there can be problems with the Settings app, we’ve created a useful guide dedicated to fixing the Settings app if it doesn’t open. Make sure to give it a read.

You can also restore Advanced Power Settings for the active Power Plan by following the steps below:

Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
Select System.
Choose Power & sleep from the left pane.
Click on the Additional power settings in the top right corner.
Select Change when the computer sleeps.
Now, click on Restore default settings for this plan.
Save changes.

Can’t find your Power Plans? Here’s a neat guide about enabling Windows Power Plans if they are missing from your device.

2. Scan for viruses

Open Windows Defender from the Notification area.
Select Virus & threat protection.
Click on the Advanced scan section.
Choose Windows Defender Offline Scan and then click on the Scan Now button.
Your PC will restart and the scanning procedure will commence.

In addition, some users reported that malicious software such as malware was preventing their computer from going into Sleep or Hibernation.

Allegedly, if the computer is not going to sleep, there might be harmful software working in the background, mostly adware hidden within the Chrome browser.

In order to follow through with this step, you’ll need to perform a deep system scan with either a third-party antivirus from this awesome list or Windows Defender.

This will make sure the Sleep Mode issues aren’t caused by malware. Since the procedure varies on different third-party solutions, we made sure to show you how to perform the scan.

Need additional info on how to perform a full system scan directly from Windows Defender? Find out more in this dedicated guide.

3. Remove peripheral devices

Another valid reason behind a PC’s inability to go to sleep lies in peripheral devices. Some of them, like a mouse or keyboard, shouldn’t cause any issues. However, we can’t say the same for webcam, printer, or SD reader.

In addition, make sure to remove DVD from DVD-ROM in case it’s not in use. After you unplug peripheral devices, your problem should be resolved.

On the other hand, if you’re still stuck with an insomniac PC, make sure to continue with the steps below.

4. Disable Hybrid Mode

Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
Select System.
Choose Power & sleep from the left pane.
Click on Additional power settings in the top right corner.
Select the preferred Power Plan you actively use and click on Change plan settings.
In the next window, click on the Change advanced power settings.
In the tree menu, expand Sleep.
Expand the Allow hybrid sleep and turn it OFF.
Save changes.

The Hybrid Mode is, as the name itself says, the hybrid of Sleep and Hibernate power-saving modes. Its primary use is to resemble hibernation power saving traits while keeping the loading speed of the Sleep mode.

That sounds great but not every motherboard supports this technology. Meaning, if you’re using an older PC configuration and the Hybrid mode is enabled, there’s a high possibility that your PC won’t ever go to sleep.

In order to resolve this, an obvious solution is to disable Hybrid Mode and move from there. Finally, if none of these solutions helped you, there’s still one thing you can do.

5. Change Advanced Power Settings

Press Windows key + I to open Settings.
Select System.
Choose Power & sleep from the left pane.
Open Additional power settings from the top right corner.
Select your preferred Power Plan and click on the Change plan settings.
Click on the Change advanced power settings.
Expand Multimedia settings.
Set When sharing media option to Allow the computer to sleep.
Confirm changes.

There are some minor things that are too often overlooked when it comes to Power Plans and their advanced settings. To be more precise, the Multimedia sharing option and Multimedia sharing that lies within.

This feature prevents PC to sleep when you stream something on your PC, e.g. YouTube videos. Since it’s enabled by default, we advise you to disable it and, hopefully, fix this problem once and for all.

If you’re uncertain how to do it, these steps should show you how:

With that, we can conclude this article. We certainly hope that it was a helpful read and that assisted you to finally put your PC to sleep.

Did your power icon disappear, leaving you unable to power off your PC? Here’s a useful guide dedicated to fixing the power icon if it disappeared from your device.

In case you have some dilemmas, feel free to tell us in the comments section below. We’ll make sure to provide you with additional tips.

Programs to Type Faster: Top 10 of 2026

Posted on June 18, 2021January 8, 2024 by Ivan Jenic

Do you want to learn how to type faster? Do not worry; this post is meant for you. We have compiled the best learn-to-type faster software in this post.

Typing has become an essential part of computing as most jobs require typing in one form or another. It is usually embarrassing when typing works are incomplete due to you being a slow typist, but this can be rectified thanks to the availability of several typing software.

Most programs are available for download, such as TypingClub for Windows 11, while others are browser extensions.

This software teaches users how to type quickly with all ten fingers without looking at the keyboard this technique is called the touch typing technique.

This technique gives users speed and accuracy rather than other techniques such as the hunt and peck technique, in which a person uses two or five of his fingers to type by looking at the keyboard, or the buffering technique where a person memorizes a few words and types it quickly without looking at the keyboard.

The typing software that offers to teach touch and type techniques are numerous, but these are the top typing software that teaches users in a user-friendly and effective manner with great features.

What are the best tools to learn how to type faster?

Typing Master 10 – Step-by-step approach

Typing Master is a good software for learning how to type with unique features such as diverse typing tests, reviews to fix specific typing difficulties, and typing meters. The software also comes with some fun typing games.

Users can also set the learning pattern suitable to them for quicker learning. It supports US and Canadian Multilingual, Danish, French, and Belgian keyboard layouts. Users can choose whether typing speed is displayed in words per minute or keystrokes per minute.

Pros

Good features
Good typing games
Step-by-step approach to professional keyboarding
Typing Meter to record and analyze typing habits

Cons

Poor user interface

Typing Master 10

Improve your typing skills and write faster with this progressive & customizable app.

Free Visit Website

Key Blaze Typing Software – Multiple keyboard layouts

This software is at the top of our list because it supports user profiles from kids, teen beginners or improving, adult beginners, improving or professional, and more.

It comes with various typing games that are geared toward improving typing efficiency and speed.

We should also mention that it comes with options such as games, practice, and speed tests.

Keyblaze also supports various keyboard layouts like UK English, Dvorak, German, French, US English, and many more. Users can also compare test results with friends and colleagues.

Pros

Allows for the creation of different profiles
Multiple keyboard layouts
Allows sharing of test results

Cons

Poor customer care service

Key Blaze

The Key Blaze program has the perfect methods of training your typing speed.

Check price Visit Website

KAZ Type – On-off site testing

Kaz is a versatile typing program available for users of all ages and its courses are focused on accelerated keyboard training.

The software has been designed according to the principles of Accelerated Learning, a unique approach where the information is retained in a stimulating and natural way. There’s a 90-minute course that teaches you the A-Z keys for the U.S. and U.K. keyboards.

Pros

Various editions, including one for users with special educational needs
On-off site testing
Simple and responsive interface
Versatile tools like audio narration and inline quizzes

Cons

No typing games
Only U.S. and U.K. keyboards are available

Get KAZ type

KAZ type

This awesome tool will train you as a typing specialist.

Check Price Visit Website

Typing Instructor Platinum – Nice user interface

Typing Instructor Platinum is an award-winning premium typing software that teaches users to touch typing effectively. It offers unique features such as Multi-Level, High-Quality Typing Games, and about 20 typing courses.

The typing software also takes into note the ability of users with different stages, from beginner to professional and gives real time feedback on users’ progress.

Typing instructor also gives certification after completing its various course,s which are quite unique. It is compatible with various languages, which is ideal for multilingual typing schools.

Pros

Nice user interface
Quality Typing games
Multiple language compatibility

Cons

Test exercises are few

Typing Instructor Platinum

Learn to type and speed up your skills with Typing Instructor Platinum.

Check Price Visit website

GS Typing Tutor – Keyboard layouts multi-compatibility

This typing software is one of the popular typing software with its powerful and feature-rich tools for learning touch typing. The software supports numerous language options like English, French, Spanish, and many more.

The software gives users course options such as beginner for users just new to typing to performance for users who are experts and want to test their typing skills. Users can choose to learn to type either single-handed or double-handed, which is a good feature.

It also provides an onscreen keyboard for novices to know where the keys are located and other features of this software include typing tests, diverse types of courses, statistics, and typing games.

The software also supports over 20 keyboard layouts, such as QWERTY, Latin American, Swiss-French & German, and many more. It is available for free trial, which can be purchased fully for $30.

Pros

Nice user interface
Compatible with many keyboard layouts

Cons

Poor customer support system

⇒ Get GS Typing Tutor

Typing.com – Engaging games

Typing.com is a progressive typing program that aims to help users build essential keyboarding and computer skills.

It’s equipped with robust features ideal for educational use and allows teachers to track their student’s progress in real time with specialized in-built tools. The platform offers content in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Pros

Provides coding fundamentals
Engaging games, lessons, and tests
Single Sign-On (SSO) technology and syncing with Google, Clever, and ClassLink
Highly customizable platform

Cons

Most tools are available for educational use only

⇒ Get typing.com

Rapid Typing Software – Typing flexibility

Rapid typing software has unique features that make it very popular for typists. Users can choose to learn typing either one-handed or two-handed. It allows users to configure the keyboard based on language.

It also gives users different training courses for beginners, experienced, and advanced with tests to check for users’ proficiency in typing after each course.

The software supports up to 24 languages, such as French, English, Spanish, and many more, which gives it a worldwide appeal and is ideal for multilingual typing schools or businesses.

It also comes with a unique rapid typing portable typing software this version does not require installation and can be taken anywhere using a USB stick, which is quite cool. The software is also free to download.

Pros

Typing Flexibility
Multi-level lingual keyboard layout

Cons

Lack of typing games

⇒ Get Rapid Typing

Typesy – Large amount of courses

This typing software has consistently been among the best typing software and most popular among typists and entrepreneurs. Typesy packs innovative and amazing features that give users a unique experience of touch typing with its user-friendly interface.

However, this software includes video tutorials, step-by-step lessons with an expert instructor, 7 learning strategies, and over 500 typing lessons.

Also, it provides advanced monitoring statistics such as personal help, social profile with a dashboard, smart goals, typing count per minute that gives a totally unique experience to users.

In addition, this program supports a variety of keyboard layouts like US, UK, Australian, Canadian, Spanish, and more. The software also supports cross-platform compatibility and is available on major Windows OS. It does not have free trial but is available for $30.

Pros

Large amount of typing courses
Good user interface
Entertaining games
Multiple users support

Cons

No preset goals

⇒ Get Typesy

Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing Software – Detailed reports

Mavis Beacon is one of the premiere and oldest typing software which is popular among students and typists. This software has updated learning tools, with features that make it the most comprehensive typing tutor that guarantees typing improvements in a very short time.

However, this software gives users comprehensive personal typing instruction with detailed reports to illustrate users’ overall progress and assist in identifying specific strengths and weaknesses.

Mavis Beacon’s main features help users to learn essential keyboarding skills or improve overall typing efficiency.

These features include 430 Personalized lessons, exercises, and tests, detailed tracking and progress reporting, and 16 Arcade-style games including multi-level games.

Mavis Beacon also supports multilingual keyboard layouts in English, Spanish, and French. Users can also import their own MP3 files and type while listening to their favorite tunes. It is free to download

Pros

Over 430 Personalized lessons
Good typing games
Detailed interface

Cons

Poor customer care service

⇒ Get Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing

TypeLift – Intuitive and accesible

TypeLift is a free platform designed to help users practice their typing skills and significantly increase their typing speed.

It is an online platform that runs directly in your browser to assist you in practicing your keyboard skills effectively.

TypeLift offers typing tests, learning fundamentals, and a multiplicity of free typing lessons to increase your skills cautiously.

Thanks to its statistics feature, you can follow your progress and see your newest results and long-term development.

Moreover, it has lessons suitable for everybody, and you can create up to 10 customizable typing courses to concentrate better on your personal needs.

Pros

Suitable for both beginners and advanced
Customizable typing lessons
Progress report

Cons

Additional settings are only available in the Pro version

Do share with us your experience in using any of these learn to type faster software we mentioned above. Feel free to comment below.

6 Best Speech Therapy Software to Use in 2026

Posted on June 18, 2021January 8, 2024 by Radu Tyrsina

Speech therapy software is used by patients to practice at home in between sessions. It can help them improve their language on their own.

Such digital tools are becoming more commonly accepted these days as legit forms of home practice, maximizing the benefits of speech therapy.

Speech therapy software is becoming increasingly popular because patients are presented with tons of ways to make the most of their practice time.

On the other hand, speech therapy software can help business improve their operational, clinical, and billing functionalities and efficiency.

Such tools help practices, and health centers eliminate all the time-consuming paperwork and improve clinical productivity.

Here are five of the best speech therapy tools that come with extremely useful features for both patients and businesses.

What are the best speech therapy software for your business?

1. PT Practice Pro by PT Billing Solution

This is a fully integrated Practice management program that is explicitly designed for Rehab sciences, and it can provide solutions and growth.

PT Practice Pro is a really evolved practice management software. With this program, you don’t need to manage multiple systems together.

The PT Practice Pro also comes with features including auto-posting ERAs, care plan management, insurance management, patient records, patient scheduling and registration, progress tracking, and practice management.

It is a web-based system that allows patients’ practice to handle documentation, reports, scheduling, and billing.

And it’s especially good with documentation. All the content is filtered by body part for easy access. Also, you can customize all the templates for your business.

Another huge benefit is that Practice Pro automates billing requirements specific to the patient and his or her payment options, including Medicare, Medicaid, Workers Comp, and others.

Practice Pro also fills your appeal forms and exports them as PDF documents for your convenience and it’s the best speech therapy EMR software.

Check out the program’s most important features:

The software is best used in practices that focus on the Rehabilitation Sciences
It serves all disciplines from Physical Therapy all the way to Aquatic Therapy
The program comes with fully customizable documentation
It provides scheduling features that allow doctors and staff members to schedule appointments
PT Practice Pro has an easy-to-use interface
It is one of the most robust and reliable systems in today’s market

⇒ Get PT Practice Pro

2. Double Time Docs

Double Time Docs is occupational therapy software that mainly serves Pediatric Speech-Language Specialists as well as individuals, private clinics, and schools.

It includes features such as progress tracking, assessment management, and patient records.

They currently have a couple of school and clinic-based versions that help you achieve documentation consistency among your SLP, OT, or PT teams.

The pricing starts at 5$ per month for individuals that will give you access to create, edit, and download your documents. For large teams, you will have to contact them to get a customized pricing quote.

The automatically generated result for the Standardized assessment is a huge time saver and one of the most utilized options of the app.

It actually takes about 3 hours to complete such evaluation, but the software will reduce that time to minutes.

And it will even reduce common errors like incorrect names or pronouns inherent when creating such a document.

Let’s take a look at some of its best features:

Will drastically reduce the number of common errors in the reports
Documentation consistency among SLP, OT, or PT teams in a school or clinic
Utilize DTD as a teaching tool for new SLP, OT, and PT graduates
Helps you address all aspects of your student with the comprehensive questions and format provided

⇒ Get Double Time Docs

3. CONNECT by Cedaron Medical

This is an occupational and speech therapy practice management system that comes with CPT codes, libraries of diagnosis, and assessment tools.

The tool comes with integration with hospital HER, billing and patient permanent medical records.

You can use this tool specifically for rehab with lots of features for the physical, occupational, and speech therapists as well without having any issues communicating with the central hospital system.

The automated processes will save therapists and administrators lots of time with the paperwork.

CONNECT is one of the best on-premise practice management solutions for rehabilitative practices of all sizes and it’s also a great speech therapy software for adults.

The modules in this solution incorporate all the requirements for each specialty so you can customize workflows and access an increasing library of tests, tools, and measures.

Cedaron’s CONNECT aims to maximize efficiency and it’s always updated on legislation and compliance. Of course, that will lead to profits increase of your business.

Take a look at this tool’s essential features:

It focuses on methods that provide medical services including physical therapy speech therapy, and occupational medicine
APTA Connect is built around an Electronic Medical Records app that offers procedure workflows, a patient portal, and tablet support
Entering patients’ data via point-and-click drop-down menus is effortless
The tool comes with a scheduling module that allows you to view schedules by the clinic, therapist, or clinician
APTA Connect comes with a picture archiving system
Users can upload and store any type of documents or images from a patient’s medical record
The system also includes a full library of diagnosis codes

⇒ Get CONNECT

4. Mercury Medical by CrisSoft

This is a modular medical solution that offers credential management, patient record management, appointment scheduling, and claims to process.

This solution comes with a table-driven interface to meet operational designations for any RCM process including CMS 1500 and UB04 claim requirements.

This is an excellent solution for billing companies that are looking for a reliable and proven professional Accounts Receivable solution that drastically reduces processing times, shortens payment cycles, and increases cash flow.

Mercury Medical is a practice management solution ideal for a variety of specialties and practices provided on SaaS or On-Site.

It comes with business-intelligent reporting that can offer information to negotiate contract terms and ensure compliance

The interface of this system seamlessly integrates with electronic clinical systems so that the implementation is easy and flawless.

It also comes with a great support team that will help you deal with any integration efforts along the way. It integrates well with stroke speech therapy software.

Take a look at the most impressive features of this system:

It allows users to customize solutions with an easy interface
Mercury Medical has 63 reports that are configured with filters and that provide data analytics
It lets users supplement business decisions
Users can also manage bundled payments
The program is entirely HIPAA compliant

⇒ Get Mercury Medical

5. ReDoc powered by xfit Software

ReDoc powered by xfit Software is a cloud-based rehab therapy documentation, scheduling and practice management software.

This is a fully integrated solution from Net Health, and it drives PT, OT, and SLP workflow that helps practices move through the day quickly and efficiently.

Besides software, more services are available such as the one for billing and collections and workflow optimization consulting.

This program will turn out to be all you need for scheduling, billing and electronic medical records.

The software comes with options such as integrated fax management, appointment reminders, and an integrated home exercise program.

It also features an excellent infrastructure for communication and issue resolution that will help you in any possible situation.

Moreover, ReDoc is easily adaptable to your business and very simple to operate across all your departments.

Here are the best features of this software:

It ensures compliance and boosts efficiency
It supplies enough tools to grow the revenue
It provides users access to over eleven million therapy episodes of care
The program is straightforward to use and very functional
Flexible and adaptable to your clinic procedures
The program gets regular updates and security measures
This solution includes functional assessments and configurable workflow

⇒ Get ReDoc

6. Optima Therapy by Optima Healthcare Solutions

Optima Therapy by Optima Healthcare Solutions offers streamlined workflows and compliance tools to improve clinical, operational, and billing efficiencies.

This cloud-based solution provides electronic medical records, patient scheduling, and billing to speech therapy, physical therapy, and rehabilitation practices. It is ideal for practices of all sizes.

Overall, Optima Therapy is the leading therapy management solution for contract therapy businesses and skilled nursing facilities as well.

It comes with integration with more than thirty software systems, and it will help your business thrive, and your patients get the best care.

The system is easy to deploy, and it comes with customizable and secure functionalities. It’s continuously updated in order to comply with regulatory requirements.

Optima Therapy includes integration with software such as MatrixCare, PointClickCare, and HealthMEDX.

You can use the tool to manage billings, denials and appeals, eligibility, invoicing, and e-signatures that will get you through the necessary paperwork.

Check out its essential features below:

It provides case management features
You can use this program to set up therapy plans based on various disciplines and diagnosis codes.
It comes with automated scheduling tools
The system includes configurable calendar views
It provides capacity alerts for therapists
You can enter therapy notes while you are offline and they will be synced once you go online
The business intelligence module offers reporting and role-based dashboards
Users can access features using Android, iOS and Windows devices

⇒ Get Optima Therapy

Here is where our roundup of the best services for speech therapy comes to an end. Each solution presented above comes with its unique set of features targeted at different needs and clients.

Analyze them all and choose the one that seems the best suited for your needs and for increasing your medical business efficiency and productivity and for helping your patients.

Select the best medical care software

All these software solutions provide the most necessary tools to run your practice and to help you deliver the best quality medical care.

Speech therapy software and services also help you communicate better with compliant documentation and boost workflow and efficiency between the financial and the clinical side of your practice.

If you’re in charge of the clinic’s documentation department, whether you’re dealing with 3 or 10 departments, you will need to take some important factors when choosing the software.

Assess the level of paperwork needed for each department

The software addressed in our article is focused on speech therapy and language training but you can use it in many other departments and practices.

The first step is to find out exactly what papers the clinicians need to fill and any other compliance documents and then fit the software accordingly.

Ensure security and a proper back-up system

The medical business, any healthcare business is in danger of disclosing or losing patient data and that is a liability problem with rather catastrophic consequences for your business.

Make sure that the software you’re implementing across your business is perfectly safe or secure it with backup systems and malware protection.

Pick the best level of assistance

When you decide on a software solution for your business, make sure that you will have all the assistance necessary to implement and support it within your practice.

Whether you have a capable IT department or not, there are issues that can only be solved by the developer of the software. That goes also for updating the system.

That concludes our guide and list with the best speech therapy apps for Windowse that will help your business.

If you’re also interested in tools designed specifically for clinicians, you can also check our speech therapy/language training software for Windows list.

Do you have any other suggestions that might fit our selection? Let us know in the comments section below.

To sell Windows 11, Microsoft needs to come clean

Posted on June 18, 2021 by Kip Kniskern

This week there was a bit of a kerfuffle on Twitter (now deleted) between a couple of tech pundits about previous reporting on unreleased information about the leadup to Windows 11. I won’t get into details, but the point here is that Microsoft so far hasn’t done a good job of controlling the narrative; information about Windows 10X, about Core OS, about Sun Valley, and now about Windows 11 have largely come not from Microsoft, but from reporting and speculation by a few tech writers.

And there are some problems with that. While some pundits have access to insider information, they rarely have full access. It’s like looking through the wrong end of a telescope: you’re only seeing a very small piece of what’s usually a much bigger picture.

Yet, Microsoft continues to allow the narrative to be controlled by others – not so much by locking down access and looking for ways to punish leakers (known as “a Sinofsky”), but by not taking hold of the narrative themselves, especially when leaked information leads away from what’s really going on.

It may well be that there simply hasn’t been a single story to tell. From afar we’ve seen that it’s been a journey with Windows 10X – we doubt there was a plan from the beginning to use 10X to create a set of UX changes on top of Windows 10 to market as Windows 11.

Windows Vista

There’s been some questioning too about if this “Sun Valley” update is really even worthy of a version change. This move to 11 is different. MS-DOS to Windows was obviously huge, but so was the move from Windows 3.1 to 95, from 95 to 98, and so on. The move from Vista to Windows 7 was less of a sea change, but it was necessary to sweep away the negative vibe that came with Vista (see: control the narrative).

Windows 10 to Windows 11 is much less about sea changes and much more about creating some new excitement around a nearly 6 year old OS at a time when PCs are suddenly popular again.

That’s all fine, but the “lipstick on a pig” narrative has already begun. Thanks to tech punditry along with a lack of transparency, there’s a viewpoint that Microsoft failed with Windows 10X, and shifted gears at the last moment, trying to salvage what they could.

There are good reasons why Windows 11 makes sense, but if the narrative veers off into “it’s just a coat of paint to sell more devices,” or “it’s still a mess under the hood,” then selling Windows 11 is going to be a lot more difficult.

Microsoft needs to gain back control, by coming clean, for starters. Let’s hear “here’s the story of the twists and turns we took getting from where Windows 10X started out, to where we are now. And now that we’re here, this is the path leading forward” That story needs telling, and it’s either going to be the wrong end of the telescope version, or a real, transparent assessment of why we’re where we are today. And that may be the difference between selling Windows 11, or having it go the way of Vista.

Microsoft releases Visual Studio 2022 Preview 1 with 64-bit support

Posted on June 18, 2021 by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft announced the release of Visual Studio 2022 64-bit Preview 1 yesterday, and it is available for download now. For the first time in Visual Studio history, Visual Studio 2022 marks the first release of a 64-bit version of Visual Studio. The “key goal with this preview is to test and tune the scalability of the new 64-bit platform”, Microsoft says. Because converting Visual Studio to 64 bit affects every part of the suite, Microsoft has stated that the preview’s scope is much bigger than the team’s usual previews with Visual Studio.

The idea to make build a 64-bit version of Visual Studio is to ensure better use of system resources when tasked with more complex solutions overtime. According to Microsoft, during the early testing of Visual Studio 2022, customers were able to run the VS IDE for days, even with solutions containing 700 or more projects.

However, there are a “small number” of features missing from Visual Studio 2019 in the publicly released VS 2022 Preview 1 as noted under the release notes, Microsoft has stated. Visual Studio 2022 previews can be installed side-by-side with earlier versions of Visual Studio’s existing three branches of editions – Community, Pro, and Enterprise. Previews of Visual Studio 2022 are, of course, free to use.

As part of its Visual Studio 2022 roadmap, Microsoft has shared that testers should expect new features and performance improvements showing up overtime with Preview 2. You can download the VS 2022 Preview 1 here.

Thought Organizing Tools: 13 Best to Use in 2026

Posted on June 18, 2021April 7, 2025 by Madalina Dinita

Mind mapping is a great way to visualize ideas and put them in a more realistic form. It is a great way to make a plan, brainstorm, and turn those ideas into the steps needed to make them real.

If you often get lost in the thicket of ideas or are tired of chasing after those creative words that arise from your brainstorming sessions only to disappear later, then you should consider using mind mapping software.

Thankfully, there is a universe of tools out there that can help you build and organize mind maps. Mind mapping tools can help you explore new concepts.

They will also map out new ideas in a more detailed manner than you have done before, and help you figure out and fix holes in the plans.

Anyone can use mind mapping tools to fine-tune their plans and ideas. Students can use them to organize their work, like map out how to split an essay into headings, paragraphs, etc.

If you are planning a party, you can draw the nodes with all the aspects to be covered from guests to snacks, location, etc. At a corporate level, a mind-mapped SWOT analysis can help you spot a strategy’s strengths and weaknesses.

In this article, we will introduce you to the best mind mapping tools so you can plan and organize your work effectively.

What are the best mind mapping tools?

MindMaster by Wondershare

Organizing your ideas and thoughts can be more difficult than it sounds, especially if you consider how many of them you can have at a certain point in time.

Since there isn’t always time for you to just sit back and organize yourself the old fashion way, getting a more hands-on approach to how you plan and link your ideas can be extremely helpful.

That is where MindMaster comes into play, as it is a versatile, user-friendly, and professional mind mapping tool especially designed to promote productivity.

It is available on multiple platforms, including PC, tablet, mobile, and web, you can create mind maps and access them from each platform.

Additionally, its toolset includes elements that allow the sharing of your ideas, basically turning this mind mapping tool into a collaborative tool as well.

If you love organizing things in a certain way, then you will love the customization options and templates that you can apply to your train of thought.

Choose between 12 different structures, 33 different themes, and over 700 clip arts to create an ideal path that is as unique and memorable as it needs to be.

Here are some of its core features:

Gantt chart mode
Tag and resource
Track progress
33+ themes
12 different structures

MindMaster by Wondershare

It is a versatile, intuitive and professional mind mapping tool. Easily organize your ideas in a more effective and visual manner.

Check priceVisit website

MindMeister

Hailed as one of the best and most popular mind mapping tools, MindMeister is an online mind mapping tool that boasts over 4 million registered users.

This award-winning mind mapping tool allows you to brainstorm, take notes, make detailed project plans, and perform other creative tasks.

So whether you use Windows, Linux or Mac OS, you can use MindMeister to easily access your mind maps.

Team collaboration is what it does best. Whether you are thousands of miles away or in a face-to-face meeting, MindMeister allows you to collaborate with your colleagues.

You can communicate with your coworkers in real-time and discuss changes in an integrated chat platform for ease of access.

And when your mind maps are complete, you can present them in form of slide shows using the integrated presentation mode.

You can also broadcast it live to your collaborators, or even export the slides as PNG. Pricing varies starting from $6 per month per user for personal use to $15 per user per month for businesses.

Let’s take a look at the software’s core features:

Collaborative brainstorming
Customizable Designs
Multimedia attachments
History view
Presentations

MindMeister

An onine mapping tool that allows you and your team to design, capture and brainstorm visually.

Check priceVisit website

Scapple

Scapple is not just a regular brainstorming tool. Actually, it’s main purpose is not to be a mind mapping tool, but you can use it as one.

In fact, Scapple doesn’t call itself a mind mapping tool in its documentation, but a note-taking app instead.

However, this is just a marketing trick, because more people are familiar with the term note-taking app than with the mind mapping tool.

This program allows you to create mind maps by typing anywhere on the screen. When you type your ideas, you simply connect them with branches.

After scrambling all of these ideas and structuring them properly, you got yourself a simple, yet very understandable mind map.

The software also supports images, and even allows you to make your full diagram out of images. Importing images into Scapple is easy, you simply drag and drop them.

Here are its best features:

Write notes anywhere
Connect them using drag and drop
Complete freedom
Customizable
Full-screen mode

Scapple

Put your thoughts on a piece of paper and organize your ideas creatively and interactively.

Check priceVisit website

Mind Maps Pro

Mind Maps Pro allows you to easily take notes and to change their position, interline, color and order.

It is the perfect app for note-takers that are used to create mind maps at a fast speed because the app is user-friendly and designed to quickly add on the drawing board whatever you want.

If you are using other apps in order to take notes, Mind Maps Pro fits perfectly in your inventory. We have to mention that you can save your maps as text, image, OPML, PDF, or Visio.

You can import notes from other apps as well so you can arrange all of your observations, thoughts, plans, notes in a single document.

Annotate and highlight important stuff you write down on the go with the free-hand tools, then export the result in different file formats.

Turn your thoughts and ideas into reality thanks to this awesome mind mapping tool full of features and customization options.

⇒ Download now Mind Maps Pro

Coggle

Available as a Chrome extension, Coggle mind mapping software is well known for its sheer simplicity. Coggle comes in three packages: free, awesome, and organizational.

Though the commercial versions come with premium features such as presentation modes, the free version packs all you need to create unlimited maps and do more.

You can use it to create detailed maps with colored nodes and branches as well as add detailed notes to the branches.

And if you want to embellish your maps with images, Coggle allows you to drag and drop images from your desktop.

And since Coggle maps are collaborative as well, you can invite members, see who and what was edited in real-time as well as message the team members.

The software also allows you to download the created mind maps in different types of formats, such as text, PNG, or PDF.

⇒ Download Coggle

Bubbl.us

Bubbl.us is available as a web app, so you don’t have to download anything in order to use it. Simplicity is one of its key selling points.

All you have to do is launch it in your preferred browser, click the ‘start brainstorming’ button, and off you go. And if you get stuck, you can use the help page or go through the provided tutorial.

The free version allows you to create up to 3 mind maps. You can create the mind maps, save them in your free user account, export them, and even share them with colleagues.

However, if you need more mind maps, you can sign up for the premium version at $6 per month that allows you to create unlimited mind maps, insert images and get priority support.

The app makes it easy to organize and structure your ideas visually so that you and others can follow and re-read them easily.

Therefore, install Bubbl and learn to increase productivity by focusing on certain tasks and mapping strategies with the software.

⇒ Get Bubbl.us

MindMaple

Available for Windows, Mac, and iOS, MindMaple is an amazing mind mapping tool that has a free and a paid version on offer.

This awesome software comes loaded with various templates and themes that make mind mapping easy and enjoyable.

Additionally, It comes with a clip art library that you can use to add appropriate graphics and other interesting things to your mind map.

More so, you can also add files, hyperlinks, relationships, and boundaries to your mind map to make it more interesting and detailed.

If you upgrade to the pro version, you get advanced features such as Microsoft Office exporting, password security, and PDF exporting.

You can export your mind map in a variety of file formats, such as HTML, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Image files, or XMind files.

⇒ Get MindMapple

XMind

XMind is another powerful mind mapping tool that has been around for a long time. However, despite the fact that it was built for older operating systems, XMind still perfectly works in Windows 10.

The biggest power of XMind is its flexibility, and a high variety of graphical options for creating diagrams, and other graphical designs.

You can choose various styles for putting your ideas on the screen. Whether it’s a simple mind mapping style or a fishbone flowcharts style.

As the tool allows you to customize your maps and diagrams, you can add images and icons to different parts of the project, hyperlinks, and more.

Unlike Mindjet, XMind is completely free and open-source, which makes this tool one of the most popular mind mapping software on the list.

However, if you’d like to spend some money on XMind, you can purchase Plus or Pro versions for $79 and $99, respectively.

⇒ Get XMind

WiseMapping

WiseMapping is another online-based mind mapping tool that doesn’t even require you to log in to start using it.

It’s extremely easy to understand, as you’ll need just a few minutes to get around. It works on all modern browsers, across all platforms, and uses vector graphics and HTML5 to make your mind maps possible.

However, if you’re planning to use WiseMapping more frequently, it is advisable to open a free account, because you can save your mind maps if you’re not logged in.

It uses the drag and drop principle, so all you need to do is to write down your ideas, and arrange them by your desire, with a few mouse moves.

WiseMapping allows you to save your projects as images, PDF documents, or FreeMind files, and you can also embed them into any website.

The collaboration feature allows you to share and work on your mind maps with your friends and colleagues to get the best results possible.

⇒ Get WiseMapping

Freemind

Freemind is another extremely flexible, free mind mapping software for basically any platform. As it is GNU General Public Licensed, it works on any platform you’re using.

This includes Linux, and Windows 10. Freemind owes its popularity to a big number of features, flexibility, and consistent performance.

With Freemind, you can create any mind map you want, be it a simple to-do list, or a complex diagram with tons of ideas.

When creating complex diagrams, you can add branches, graphics, and icons to differentiate notes and properly connect them. Of course, you can add hyperlinks to any part of your project.

Freemind can export your mind maps into various types of files, including HTML/XHTML, PDF, OpenDocument, SVG, or PNG.

However, if we take a general look at its design, it looks a little bit dusty, because the tool is pretty old, but it still does a marvelous job, regardless of platform.

⇒ Get Freemind

NovaMind

NovaMind is a multiplatform brainstorming software. It is available across a high variety of platforms, including Windows, iPad, Mac OS X, or Android.

Therefore, if you own more devices, you can sync your ideas between them. It has a free basic version, which is very limited, so if you’re more serious about using this tool, a commercial version is advisable.

NovaMind is fairly easy to use and understand, especially because it starts with a tutorial, and a demo mind map, to show you all of its features and concepts.

It has a unique user interface in form of a dial, that holds all needed features. NovaMind offers integration with its own cloud storage, NovaMind Cloud, where you can save up to 10 documents.

As we said, all of its main features are available in the commercial version. The free version actually serves as a demo for trying out the tool, as it doesn’t even allow you to save your projects.

You can find more details about the tool, its awesome features, and other interesting information regarding the price or the company on its official website.

⇒ Get NovaMind

Mindjet

If you want to pay for mind mapping software, and office productivity is one of your concerns, then you should go for Mindjet.

Mindjet is more than mind mapping software, it is designed to help you and your colleagues collaborate, brainstorm, and stay organized at all times.

If you have a project, you can use Mindjet to assign different tasks to all individuals, flesh out all the job requirements, and organize every arm of the project.

Whether you are organizing your own to-dos, working with a dozen, or even over a hundred members, Mindset has all you need to create and organize the mind maps.

In addition to mind mapping, it integrates well with the common tools and web services such as Box, Microsoft Office, and more.

The individual plan costs $15 per month per user while the enterprise plan cost $30 per month per user, which is pretty affordable.

⇒ Get Mindjet

Text2Mindmap

Text2Mindmap is another web-based mind mapping tool, a lot of users like because of its speed and simplicity. It allows you to create mind maps simply by creating text lists.

Once you complete your text list, each text line will be converted into a single node in the minimap. A similar technique is present in Microsoft Powerpoint’s tool for creating diagrams.

Additional features of Text2Mindmap are the ability to save your projects as PDF, use keyboard shortcuts, and access maps via a unique URL.

Text2Mind map is available for completely for free, and it is web-based, working on all browsers flawlessly, without the need to install anything.

The web version is based on the older software that is no longer support and cannot be accessed anymore. Think about this as a tribute to it.

Therefore, why don’t you try it out quickly? As we said, it’s completely free, fun to use, and simple enough for anyone to start using right away.

⇒ Get Text2Mindmap

The best mind mapping tool

There are many things that make a mind mapping app great. So how should you go about choosing the right tool then?

Some of the factors to consider include price (free or paid), ease of use, collaboration, looks, import and export options.

Obviously, it really depends on what you want to use the software for, and what you expect from it. Each user will have different needs.

Mind mapping in your office

If you intend to use the software in an office setting or with team members, then you should go for a tool that has collaboration and presentation features.

Software that can properly structure your workflow, goals, and create meaningful graphs will make your business skyrocket.

Export options like PDF are important for printing and presentation purposes. But if you are new to mind mapping, then you should probably start with a mind mapping tool that is available free of charge.

Overall benefits

Mind mapping will definitely make you a better businessman, either while being part of a team, or being a one-man-army for your own business.

Using this process, you can better organize your ideas, and keep track of them, creating branches and sub-branches filled with ideas, all transformed into a cohesive concept.

By using mind mapping software, you can improve your ability to communicate ideas. This way, an entrepreneur will be able to share his mindset with stakeholders.

Owning a small business and you’re not sure what to do to keep your data safe? Here’s a nice list of the best business software for you to choose from.

We really hope you will find this article useful. Additionally, feel free to give us any kind of back regarding the subject in the comment section below.

5 Best Dell Latitude Laptops [Ranked by Popularity]

Posted on June 17, 2021October 4, 2023 by Radu Tyrsina

Dell is a major name in the PC industry, delivering quality products at a level not many competitors can match, which is constantly involved in technological innovation, development and maintenance of PCs.

The Latitude laptop series are known worldwide for their quality and can be used for demanding business tasks, everyday home use, gaming or even video editing.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best Dell Latitude laptops you can use in different instances for all budgets, so read on to discover the proper one for your needs.

NOTE

Note: Deals are subject to change. Keep in mind that the price tag may vary, as some discounts may no longer be available by the time youu2019ve made your purchasing decision.

What are the best Dell Latitude laptops to buy?

Dell Latitude 7410 – business laptop

Compact design
Anti-glare touch display
Good battery life
IR Camera
Great keyboard

Heavier than competitors

Check price

Dell’s Latitude 7410 is a 14-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) Anti-Glare touch display, Intel UHD Graphics premium tablet that includes Intel Core 10th Generation i7-10610U processor (Quad Core, up to 4.90GHz, 8 MB cache, 15W).

You can also get the machine with up to 16 GB RAM of memory and up to 256 GB SSD of storage. The 720p front-facing camera supports Windows Hello and the rear-facing camera is 8MP.

Unlike the Surface Pro, this device features two USB Type-C ports with support for Thunderbolt 3.

The laptop comes with a 52WHr battery that should last you long enough to get the work done throughout the day.

Because the safety of your documents and files is so important, Dell has put facial recognition together with Windows Hello software to ensure maximum protection.

This particular laptop comes with infrared webcam and proximity sensors to easily detect when you’ve moved away from or near your laptop.

As for the battery, when you plug in, the ExpressCharge Boost feature will get a 35% charge in about 20 minutes or up to 80% in an hour.

Dell Latitude 7320 2-in-1 – home use laptop

Great battery life
Lightweight
Robust performance
Colorful display
backlit keyboard

Price tag

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The Dell Latitude 7320 2-in-1 is a very powerful handheld device that will be useful for happy home users who need a lightweight device with good and fast performance.

Thanks to its Core i5 processor, the laptop can handle most work or online streaming needs with flying colors for users who prefer classic Netflix and chill.

Plus, the laptop has a host of security features to make sure your important information is safe from prying eyes.

In terms of battery longevity, the Latitude 7320 2-in-1 holds up heroically for web browsing over Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness.

The full-size keyboard and clicky, backlit keyboard stroke are great for typing and crown this well-built little laptop.

So if you’re looking for a secure, lightweight 2-in-1 for working from home, you can’t go wrong with the Dell Latitude 7320 2-in-1.

Dell Latitude E7450 – video editing laptop

Robust design
Long battery life
Convenient keyboard
Solid carbon-fiber/magnesium-alloy body

Flat sound

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The Dell Latitude E7450 is a strong choice when it comes to a business Ultrabook, with its solid carbon-fiber/magnesium-alloy body.

The E7450 has passed testing for an 810G rating to military standards and withstands both high and low temperatures, shock or moisture.

As for the keyboard and touchpad, the sensitivity of the mouse, touchpad and stick pointing speed can be set individually, or turned off as desired to ensure comfort when editing a video, for example.

This great laptop features a 14-inch 1366×768 resolution screen with a matte finish that ensures productivity while keeping you from glare

With its integrated Intel HD Graphics 5500, the E7450 is good for video editing or maybe some light gaming in the off time.

Dell Latitude 9510 – gaming laptop

Slim and sleek design
15-inch display
Robust performance
Long battery life
Compact keyboard

Price tag

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Dell has managed with the Latitude 9510 an extraordinary battery life performance in addition to its very-very-slim size and a bright 15-inch screen.

The Latitude 9510 is a 2-in-1 laptop, so you can flip this machine into tent mode or tablet mode however you need.

In terms of security, the Latitude 9510 is equipped with vPro for remote management and a TPM security chip.

This great, super slim laptop has passed endurance tests, so it can handle extreme temperatures, altitude, shock, vibration or dust.

In terms of performance, it comes with an Intel Core i7-10810U vPro processor with 16 GB of RAM, which will make gaming run on perfect terms to ensure your victory.

Coming to the highlight of this model, the battery, continuously surfing the internet via Wi-Fi at 150 nits of brightness, it managed 18 hours before running out.

Dell Latitude 5490 – budget pick laptop

Great security options
Good battery life
Strong performance
Fingerprint sensor
Affordable price

Heats up quickly

Check price

The Dell Latitude 5490 is an ideal laptop option that offers security and performance at an affordable price.

This great laptop is built tough and has survived the tests that US military equipment has to pass, so you don’t have to worry about falling on the floor, sandy and dusty winds, or very low or very high temperatures.

In terms of performance, the Latitude 5490 is equipped with an Intel 1.7 GHz Core i5-8350U Quad Core CPU and has 6 GB DDR4 and 512 GB SSD, which makes it powerful enough to perform serious multitasking.

In terms of battery life, you should know that it lasted almost 10 hours in continuous website browsing tests at 150 nits of brightness.

This laptop offers a number of optional security features: an infrared webcam, a fingerprint reader and a smart card reader.

With all these features on its side, we can say it’s a great choice if you’re paying attention to both budget and performance.

What should be considered when choosing a laptop?

The Dell Latitude series of laptops is reliable and ready to help you whenever you need it, when you’re in the office or working from home or just travelling.

They’re slim and stylish yet powerful and durable laptops that will serve you faithfully when you come in need.

Once you’ve determined which Dell Latitude laptop best suits your budget and needs, it will be very important to consider the components inside the laptop that will make it run smoothly.

Most laptops also offer the possibility to customize them with new specifications, but if they are not useful to you, they just become a financial strain for you.

That’s why we recommend taking a look at the often customizable components inside a laptop:

The central processing unit (CPU), i.e. the core element of the laptop that is interdependent with all its other working components.

It plays a very important role in the speed at which your chosen laptop can operate, so if you’re going to use it for multiple tasks such as video editing or gaming, you need to invest some money in it.

The GPU, or graphics card, is responsible for the dynamic-aesthetic side of what you’ll see on your chosen laptop.

If you work in a visually creative field, or are a hardcore gamer, then you’ll really need to invest in this part in order to enjoy demanding video games.

Also, if you’re just a home user and only perform basic tasks on your laptop, then the standard video card your laptop comes with from the factory will be enough for you.

Storage: we recommend that you always consider the possibility of storing important information in the cloud.

This will save you a lot of money in the long run that you would otherwise invest in additional storage options on your laptop. You may have to choose between HDD and SSD.

For a brief overview of the two options, we inform you that HDD offers a higher storage capacity, but also has a lower performance for fast recovery of your files. That’s why a dual storage approach may be desirable.

RAM, or random-access memory, is another piece of resistance in your laptop ecosystem, on which the speed and efficiency with which your applications run depend.

So if you need to perform multiple tasks simultaneously, then you’ll definitely need 8 GB. For other, more demanding programs or tasks, you’ll most likely have to opt for a few extra GB.

And the last but not the least component to keep in mind is the display.

A screen with a resolution of at least 1080p will ensure good viewing of images and text, while gamers will choose a Full HD screen.

Of course, you also need to consider the screen size, well, those extra inches will make all the difference when you’re undertaking certain gaming activities, for example.

We hope that these Dell Latitude laptop recommendations from our list were helpful. For more suggestions or other questions, please access the comments section below.

Windows 11 runs better & faster on old or low-spec devices

Posted on June 17, 2021October 4, 2023 by Alexandru Poloboc

There are endless discussions and millions upon millions of threads about Windows 11 nowadays, everyone wanting to get their point of view across, as far as this OS goes.

While some are intrigued and have grown to like this primitive Windows 11 build, others are bashing it and saying that it’s just Windows 10 with a new skin, while nothing new is being brought to the table.

Because of this reason, we decided to ask you, the readers, what is your opinion about the new version of Windows called most likely Windows 11.

To do this as objectively as possible and then compound the results in an easy-to-understand manner, we created a thorough survey that covered the possible name choice and many other interesting elements.

Our survey was completed by 6056 users from across the globe, most of the readers’ opinions coming from the US and UK, but with great numbers in India, Canada, and Australia as well. In total, there were participants from 152 countries across the globe.

Windows 11 seems to perform better than its predecessor

This is more than normal news, considering that a company as big and tech-savvy as Microsoft wouldn’t just invest in visual upgrades for an operating system as big as theirs.

So the fact that Windows 11 actually performs better than the previous OS shouldn’t come as such a shock to us.

We can all agree that this was the number one aim for Microsoft developers while designing the future.

Users that got their hands on this early Windows 11 build are already starting to sense the differences between how this operating system performs, in comparison with Windows 10.

Windows 11 running on a 10 year old HP All in one and it runs well
by inWindows11

Some of them even tried installing this OS on some pretty old devices, which resulted in a better outcome than they have initially expected, with the system running as smooth as ever.

As you can imagine, they were more than eager to share this information with users everywhere, via social media platforms, such as Reddit.

I’ve done both a clean win10 VM and clean win11 VM as well as an image of a semi-bloated win10 and upgraded to win 11 and it seems faster and less of a resource hog than Windows 10 did. Not comparable to a clean Linux install but still way better than before

Too early to tell much about Windows 11

So a few days have passed ever since this version of Windows 11 got leaked on the internet and, although everyone has his own opinion, the truth is that it is still too early to be able to judge the new OS.

As we stated in a previous article, this version of the operating system is highly restrictive and only showcases a few of the features that will be available with the complete edition.

Just to get an idea of how many things are missing from this early Windows 11, keep in mind that even basic built-in apps such as the Microsoft Store have not been included.

Also, users that want to try this new experience must be able to login with a Microsoft account, or say goodbye to the whole situation.

Basically, Microsoft is already nudging users to do this, the only workaround for avoiding having to use a Microsoft account is by not connecting to the internet.

Only time will tell and only when the tech giant decides to release a more complete version of Windows 11, will we be able to actually judge the new OS for what it actually is.

5 Best Omegle Alternative Clean Chat Websites in 2026

Posted on June 17, 2021September 4, 2025 by Vlad Turiceanu

Omegle is one of the most well-known chatting websites in the world, allowing you to connect and talk to strangers all over the world, thus introducing you to new ideas and individuals with different cultural backgrounds.

As a result of Omegle’s popularity and traction, lots of new chatting sites were created, trying to improve and surpass it by implementing new features.

Thanks to all of these sites, we are left with a plethora of choices when it comes to online chatting.

Whether you’re interested in exploring a new chatting platform or got tired of dealing with Omegle server connection issues, we suggest taking a look at these similar sites.

What are the best Omegle alternatives?

TinyChat

TinyChat is an online chat website launched in 2009 that allows video chatting, voice calling, and instant messaging between users.

In addition, you can create separate chatrooms with friends or strangers based on specific topics of your choice.

Since 2017, TinyChat updated its layout and interface to a modernized design, adding video chat rooms with HD quality video streaming, as well as launching the app for Android and iOS.

The site allows up to 12 video feeds per room, and you can log in using your social media accounts.

⇒ Get TinyChat

ChatRandom

ChatRandom strives to become a household name like Facebook or Twitter, and Youtube. It is a webcam site that pairs you up with random strangers.

The site connects people all over the world, constantly adding new countries and languages to their mix.

You can interact randomly with one person, a group, or with a specific gender. In addition, you can select topics and chat preferences.

The site is constantly adding quality-of-life features for its users, and it is also free.

⇒ Get ChatRandom

Chatroulette

Chatroulette is a webcam-based chat service that was created in 2009. Even without advertising, the site grew in popularity fast, becoming one of the biggest in its area.

You can connect to random strangers and keep chatting or press next to move on to the next person if you wish to.

You can chat by typing and you can also use your webcam. The interface is minimalistic and retro-looking, and the site is free.

⇒ Get Chatroulette

FaceFlow

FaceFlow allows its users to have video chats with up to three people at a time.

It offers free video and chat conferencing with your buddies directly from your web browser, without the need to download any software.

Additionally, you can talk with strangers, and create a searchable profile where they can share their favorite images and videos.

Lastly, FaceFlow has released a multiplayer version of the famous and addictive Flappy Bird game.

⇒ Get FaceFlow

Paltalk

Paltalk is a video chat app that supports all major formats, including Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS.

It allows you to create your own public virtual chat room and communicate with your friends via voice or text messages. Besides, there are thousands of chat rooms available and you can join any of them based on the topic you’re interested in.

Paltalk has a simple and intuitive interface, with fun features like sticker collections and gifts you can send as a conversation starter.

⇒ Get Paltalk

There are many online chatting websites on the internet, and most of them are easy to use.

Check the aforementioned options if you are looking to make new friends and meet new cool people.

Still exploring the best Omegle alternatives? Expand your options with our guide to Ome TV alternatives for safe, reliable video chat picks.

Feel free to give us any feedback regarding the subject in the comment section below.

5 Best CPUs For RX 5704GB / 8GB [2026 Guide]

Posted on June 17, 2021January 8, 2024 by Milan Stanojevic

Radeon RX 570 is a solid graphics card, but to achieve the best possible performance in games, you need a CPU that is just as powerful.

Finding such CPU won’t be a problem, and in today’s article we’re going to show you the best CPU for Radeon RX 570, so let’s get started.

Radeon’s RX 570 tech specs:

Architecture:	Graphics Core Next 1.3
Fabrication process:	14 nm
Transistors:	5.7 billion
Bus interface:	PCI-E 3.0 x 16
Graphics clock:	1168 MHz
Boost clock:	1244 MHz
Memory size:	4096 / 8192 MB
Memory type:	GDDR5
Memory clock:	1750 MHz
Memory interface width:	256 bit
Memory bandwidth:	224.0 GB/s
Maximum digital resolution:	7680 x 4320

What is the best CPU for Radeon RX 570?

Intel Core i5-9600K

Six cores and threads
3.70GHz, up to 4.60GHz with Turbo Boost technology
95W TDP
LGA1151 socket
Unlocked and overclockable

Not intended for high-end gaming

Check price

Intel Core i5-9600K is a mid-range processor, and it’s a great CPU for RX 570. The processor comes with 6 cores and 6 threads, and it works at 3.70GHz, but that can be raised to 4.60GHz.

The processor is unlocked, so you can overclock it as you need. Regarding the compatibility, the CPU can work with the LGA1151 socket, and it’s compatible with 300 series chipsets.

Overall, Intel Core i5-9600K is a solid processor, and thanks to its overclocking ability, you should be able to get the maximum performance out of it.

It has a 9 MB cache, and you will need to cover for its 95 W power usage so keep that in mind when choosing your power source.

This pcocessor uses a lot of advance technologies like Intel Optane, Intel Turbo Boost 2.0, Intel vPro, Intel virtualization technologies and more.

It supports a maximum 4096 x 2304 pixels resolution at 60 Hz through the HDMI 1.4 specifications.

Intel Core i7-9700

8 cores and threads
3GHz, can be raised to 4.7GHz
LGA 1151 socket
12MB cache
TDP 65W

High temperature for some users

Check price

Another great CPU for Radeon RX 570 is the Intel Core i7-9700. This processor comes with 8 cores and 8 threads, and a base clock speed of 3GHz, but that can be raised to 4.7 GHz.

Regarding the socket, this model uses the LGA1151 socket and 300 Series chipset. As for the cache, there’s 12 MB of cache and TDP is 65W.

Intel Core i7-9700 offers great features, and if you’re a gamer, this processor should be enough for most gaming needs.

Moreover, it supports Intel Optane memory which is also a great thing to consider for gamers.

The CPU is made with a 14 nm architecture and it supports a maximum memory amount of 128 GB, depending on the type used.

It has a memory bandwidth of 41.6 GB/s and it supports resolutions of up to 4096 x 2304 pixels and a 60Hz refresh rate.

Intel Core i7-9700 features Intel Turbo Boost 2.0, Intel vPro and virtualization technology but it doesn’t support Hyper Threading.

Intel Core i7-10700KF

Uses LGA1200 socket and 400 Series chipset
8 cores and 12 threads
16MB cache
3.8GHz base clock, can go up to 5GHz
125W TDP

No major cons

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Intel Core i7-10700KF is another CPU from Intel, but this processor is compatible with the latest LGA1200 socket and 400 series chipsets.

Base speed is 3.8 GHz but thanks to the Turbo Boost Max 3.0 technology it can be raised to 5.1 GHz. It’s important to mention that the CPU has 8 cores and 12 threads, so it’s perfect for all resource-intensive tasks.

Intel Core i7-10700KF is a great CPU, and with a 16 MB cache, and TDP of 125 W, it’s a great choice for gamers and overlockers.

Of course, there is no surprise that it supports Intel Optane memory, but this one also comes with Intel’s Hyper-Threading technology that delivers two processing threads per physical core.

So, assuming that you also have some applications that use this technology, you will be able to crank its powers to the max.

What’s more interesting is that the CPU also features the Intel’s Identity Protection technology that protects your access to your online data from threats and fraud.

It provides a hardware-based proof of a unique user’s PC to websites, financial institutions, and network services and can be used as a two-factor authentification solution.

AMD Ryzen 7 3700X

AM4 socket
8 cores and 16 threads
4.4GHz max frequency
36MB cache
65W TDP

High temperature

Check price

If you’re a fan of AMD, and you need a CPU for RX570, then AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is a perfect choice. The processor has 8 cores and 16 threads, and the maximum frequency is 4.4 GHz.

Regarding the socket, this CPU uses an AM4 socket, so it will work with a wide array of motherboards. It’s important to mention that the CPU has 36MB of game cache and 65W TDP.

Overall, AMD Ryzen 7 3700X is an amazing CPU for gamers, and since it’s unlocked, it’s a perfect choice for overclocking as well.

It’s praised for delivering ultra-fast 100+ FPS performance in the most popular games on the market.

We also need to mention the if you mount it on an advanced socket AM4 platform, it can support PCIe 4.0 on x570 motherboards.

In its package you will also find the Wraith Prism LED Cooler which complements its power with cool LED colors and support for Razer Chroma.

AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT

6 cores and 12 threads
Max clock speed 4.5GHz
35MB cache
AM4 socket
95W TDP

Can get hot after a while

Check price

AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT is another great CPU and it comes with 6 cores and 12 threads. Regarding the clock speed, the maximum speed is set at 4.5 GHz.

The CPU has a TDP of 95W and a 35 MB cache. Regarding the socket, this CPU uses an AM4 socket, but you might need to upgrade your firmware to use it.

AMD Ryzen 5 3600XT offers great performance, and it’s a great CPU from AMD for both gaming and other resource-intensive needs.

You should also know that the CPU can support PCIe 4.0 sockets on X570 and B550 motherboards.

The AMD Ryzen Master software will provide real-time monitoring and per-core clock rates and temperatures so you know the performance situation at all times.

In the package you will also get the Wraith Spire cooler, so you don’t need to invest in a different solution for chilling your CPU.

This CPU is a great and affordable solution to pair with the Radeon RX 570 graphics card and it delivers great performance.

If you own an RX 570 graphics, any of the CPUs from this article will work nicely with it and improve its performance.

How to build around your graphics card for a gaming PC

The most important component of a gaming PC is the graphics card. The performance of that piece of technology will determine the quality of gameplay and graphics you will experience.

However, that is not all you should think about because there are more elements in the configuration of a computer that count as much.

The amount of memory is paramount

Games will use the graphics’ card memory, but it will also use a lot of RAM. So, even if you have a high-end GPU, you will still be needing at least 16 GB or RAM for a comfortable outcome.

That’s if you want to play fast-paced, action games that imply lots of movement. For less resource-hungry games, you can go with 8 GB.

Pick up a compatible CPU

If your graphics card can go with a PCI 4.0 slot and your CPU and motherboard only work with PCI 3.0, you will lose important resources.

Also, a slow CPU will also slow down the games because it addresses the memory and other processes used by the game.

Choose the right display

You can have a top-notch configuration, great GPU and lots of memory but if you have a small monitor with low resolution and low refresh rate, it will all be for nothing.

If you’re going to play action games, get a monitor with as high as possible refresh rate and low response time for optimal results.

And if you’re going to use multiple monitors, make sure they are all the same and they match your GPU.

If you’re interested in boosting your PC, we also have a selection of the best gaming graphics cards for your PC.

What is your CPU of choice? If you made a decision or have anything else in mind, let us know in the comments below.

Windows 11 multitasking features follow iPadOS in clearing up the gesture guessing game

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Kareem Anderson

As an operating system designed to maximize productivity, Microsoft’s Windows has arguably led the field in windows management to enable users to highlight the most necessary information when needed.

During Apple’s WWDC event, executives rallied around a new visual indicator in iPadOS that would help improve its multitasking, bringing its touch-first operating system closer to parity with Microsoft’s flagship operating systems windows management.

Apple introduced a visual prompt that sits atop apps helping users snap and organize apps on an iPad, with greater convenience. No longer do users need to implement the secret handshake with their devices to get access to the nuances of widow’s management on an iPad.

Across the tech divide, Microsoft’s Windows 10 has added some visual cues to help users make the most out its support for 1×1, 1×2 and 4×4 windowed management, or 1x1x1 on ultrawide displays. However, playing around with the leaked build of Windows 11, it seems Microsoft is set to bring some similar intuitive cues to its own windows management, with a big caveat.

In Windows 11, the windows resizing icon at the top left of windows can now be hovered over to normally display four different windows configurations but up to six if a widescreen monitor is involved. Going a step beyond an added visual cue, the displayed grid support acts as a placeholder for the eventual snapping of windows into desired locations on the desktop.

While the addition is less revolutionary and more evolutionary, it does add to Microsoft’s newfound focus on the usability of Windows. In Windows 10, users could grab a window and toss it into the corners of their desktops to see what their grid and groupings options were based on apps live on the computers.

Furthermore, if users made use of Power Toys, they could get a wider range of windows management when using Fancy Zones.

As intuitive as it seems for power users or long-time users of Windows to simply find a corner of the desktop to align the grouping of Windows, there is still a fair bit of guessing that goes when using gestures to group windows on Windows.

Yes, there are keyboard shortcuts that add a bit more mechanical execution of window grouping/snapping, but for those of us who navigate the desktop via a mouse or touch, grouping windows lacks precision and convenience.

From not knowing how far to drop a window into the sides of the desktop before it gets locked into place to having to manually select each app to place in a new grid grouping, windows management could use some additional refinement. Now it seems, Microsoft is addressing some of that refinement with Windows 11.

More than just adding a grouping menu when hovering over the maximize button on windows, Windows 11 users can automatically set their grouping/grip from the maximize menu. Once a grouping/grid is select, it’s just a matter of choosing the app to ‘flow’ it into place, rather than tasking the user with Tetrisizing their way into the corners of the desktop. It’s a small improvement but seconds saved could be dollars earned for some professions.

The intuitiveness extends beyond the grid prompt in the maximize button and is now an accessible feature in the new taskbar. When viewing applications in the taskbar users will now see the groups these apps are associated with. The feature really becomes useful when grouping duplicate windows of the same applications or flipping between desktops with various groups/grids in place.

via GIPHY

The multitasking features coming with Windows 11 should be roundly accepted by Windows users a clear improvement, however,at this point they’re not guaranteed to catch on. As mentioned earlier, there is a caveat to the additional multitasking features which involves developers implementing the Windows 11 supported code into their Windows apps.

As of testing this premature Windows 11 build, it seems that while Microsoft’s native apps make use of the new grouping prompt, 3rd party apps do not. Applicaitons such as Windows Mail, File Explorer, Photos, Edge and others support the new prompt while 3rd party solutions such as Filmora, OBS, and Discord do not yet implement the multitasking prompt from the maximize menu.

There does appear to be a through line between native Windows designed apps from the Microsoft Store that automatically support the new API, as well as PWAs as expected. Perhaps, the proliferation of the new multitasking feature will come with Microsoft “big news” regarding its Store upgrades and developer focus during its June 24th event.

Microsoft to hold separate digital event for Windows developers on June 24

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft has just announced a dedicated event for Windows developers on June 24, which will follow the much-anticipated Windows event at 11 AM ET where the company is expected to officially announce Windows 11. The separate developer event will kick off at 3 PM ET on the same day and will be open to everyone, and early enthusiasts can already set a reminder on the YouTube page.

???? https://t.co/kahRud18rP pic.twitter.com/1YGxj8WBvh

— Windows Developer (@windowsdev) June 17, 2021

We don’t have any more details about the developer event yet, though the “what we have in store for developers” wording hints at some important Microsoft Store changes. At Build 2021 last month, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella promised that the next version of Windows would “unlock greater economic opportunity” for developers and creators. “We will create more opportunity for every Windows developer today and welcome every creator who is looking for the most innovative, new, open platform to build and distribute and monetize applications,” Nadella boldly said.

Back in April, Microsoft made headlines by announcing that it would reduce its cut to 12% on game sales starting in August 2021, and catch up to the more generous terms that a company like Epic Games has been offering to developers. Since then, a previous report suggested that Microsoft could make some big moves to allow apps like Google Chrome on its Store by allowing developers to submit unpackaged Win32 apps that can also circumvent Microsoft’s own systems for payments and updates.

Launching a new major version of Windows is certainly a good opportunity for Microsoft to get more developers to embrace its digital storefront. After trying (and failing) to get developers to build Metro-style apps and then UWP apps, it seems like Microsoft finally ready to reboot its store as a more open platform.

5 best 3D printers to make action figures

Posted on June 17, 2021October 4, 2023 by Vladimir Popescu

From the invention of the first 3D printer in the year 1986, the technology has evolved incredibly, reducing in size and becoming more efficient and user-friendly overall.

It has never been easier to make 3D printed action figures. The most important step is to invest in a good 3D printer that allows you to create detailed action figures, is easy to use, and fits your price range.

Because the market is now full of a large range of 3D printers, it can be overwhelming to do the research required in order to make an informed decision.

That’s where this buying guide comes in handy, offering you a quick and effective overview of the best offers on 3D printers on the market. Read on to find out more details.

NOTE

Note: Deals are subject to change. Keep in mind that the price tag often varies. We recommend going on the vendor’s website to check the price. Some of the products may be out of stock by the time you’ve made your purchasing decision. So, hurry up and hit the buy button.

What are the best 3D printers for action figures?

Official Creality Ender 3 V2

Silent motherboard with strong anti-interference
Stable motion performance
Can resume printing

Customer service is not responsive

Check price

The Official Creality Ender 3 V2 printer is one of our picks for the mid-range price category printers that can make action figures from the comfort of your own home.

This printer offers a 220x220x250 mm total building volume and features a very useful technology that allows the machine to automatically fill the resin tank.

Ender-3 V2 comes with an in-house developed silent motherboard, with anti-interference features and low noise operation.

It’s important to have a power supply that can deliver fast and constant heating and this device comes with a MeanWell component that is safely enclosed in the body.

Another included innovation is a rotary knob on the extruder that facilitates the filament feeding process.

Also, the printer comes with a new operation UI and a smart, 4.3-inch color screen that will make your user experience even better.

If the printing has been interrupted about, let’s say, a power outage, you can always resume the process from the exact same moment.

ANYCUBIC Mega S Upgrade FDM 3D Printer

Easy to set up in just 3 steps
Resume print & sensor detection
Lifetime technical support

The instruction manual is not so clear

Check price

The ANYCUBIC Mega S Upgrade FDM 3D Printer is our second pick in the mid-range 3D printers category that allows you to create beautiful action figures.

This 3D printer uses FDM technology for the drying of resin layers, and the company claims that it can build models 8 times faster, and 9 times more accurately than other printers.

The manufactures states that you can assemble the printer in just three minutes by coupling only 3 cables and mounting 8 screws.

They also specify that the printer’s rigid metal frame will minimize the shaking during printing and thus improve the overall print quality.

This printer can also resume the printing from the last recorded position and also, a dedicated sensor pauses the process and sets off an alarm when you run out of filament.

The printing dimensions cannot exceed 8.27 x 8.27 x 8.07 inches but when you set up the design you won’t be able to load a higher volume 3D construction.

Mega S comes with a very responsive 3.5-inch TFT screen that will display all sorts of important information about the printing job.

ANYCUBIC Photon UV LCD

Affordable price
Photon Slicer software included u2013 offers a very user-friendly menu
Uses a carbon filtration system
A minimum layer height of 25 microns

The quality of the print could be improved, but it is good considering the price range

Check price

The ANYCUBIC Photon 3D printer, the cheapest option found in this buying guide, is a great option that allows you to build action figures easily.

This 3D printer uses a 2560 x 1440 pixels UV LCD screen that dries out each layer of material that was printed and has a volume of 115 x 65 x 155 mm.

The screen is made out of 15 pcs lamp beads that are able to carry out uniform exposure for every layer and thus ensuring great quality models.

The Z-axis guide rail structure and stepper motor have great stability and have an accuracy of 0.01 mm practically eliminating layer patterns.

Its printing speed is 2.5X faster than the regular, extruder-based 3D printers, and that means rapid prototyping and low downtimes. It only takes 1.5 seconds to cure a layer of resin.

The printer comes with a removable one-piece transparent cover that will protect your eyes from the light and will keep away any impurities to get to your resin and model.

Photon 3D printer is great for printing pieces for board games, miniatures and characters from movies and games and all sorts of other creative objects.

FabPro 3D Systems

Compact and good looking device
The company claims to produce same-quality designs 3 times faster than the competition
Very useful software that helps streamline the production of action figures
Can be adapted with a UV curing unit
Great printing quality

Small building surface but enough for making action figures

Check price

The FabPro 3D Systems is another great 3D printer that fits into the higher price range section but offers amazing print quality and fast processing speeds.

This 3D printer offers a build volume of 4.92 x 2.76 x 4.72 inches, with a minimum layer thickness of 30 microns.

The printing process implies the use of a 405-nanometer projector to imagine each layer for precise printing. You can also build several smaller parts on a single platform to increase your productivity.

FabPro 3D brings the 3D Sprint print management software that will help you optimize the material usage and waste less.

Although the printer produces high-quality, industrial-grade 3D models, it’s extremely easy to operate and to change the trays and the printing materials.

The downside is that you will also need an optional LC-3DPrint Box UV post-curing unit for cleaning and curing the models properly.

Just to give you a hint about the actual printing speed, it can be up to 21 mm/h which is not the greatest out there but on par with most affordable solutions.

LulzBot Mini 2

High-quality E3D Titan Aero extruder with .50 mm nozzle
Compatible with flexible and rigid materials
Heated print bed: borosilicate glass/PEI
281.4 inches print volume

The print volume is pretty low

Check price

The LulzBot Mini 2 desktop 3D printer is ideal for any DIY enthusiast that want to create his or her objects and express their creativity.

And the 2 sufix tells you that there has been another iteration of this printer and this is the improved version that has been created from the previous experience of the manufacturers.

As the Mini from its name suggests, the printer doesn’t have a very high printing volume but 6.3 x 6.3 x 7.08 inches is not too small either.

Although it looks very simple, it is made out of very resistant materials and quality components.

We can start with the E3D Titan Aero with .50 mm nozzle that is an excellent piece for high-end results when it comes to extruders.

It also features a heated print bed made out of borosilicate glass/PEI that will ensure quality prints right from the start.

You will get a 1-year with 7-days/week phone and email technical support for any trouble you may get yourself in although the printer is extremely easy to operate.

Owning a fast and reliable 3D printer can streamline the process of creating the best action figures you can imagine.

This list contains 3D printers from all price ranges and offers you an efficient overview of the pros and cons of each model.

How to choose the right 3D printer for your project

Nowadays, there are all sorts of 3D printers for any budget, with different technologies, speeds and precision.

The price can be a starting point but you also want to consider the user’s opinions that already tried the products. Here are some criteria to take into consideration while choosing a 3D printer.

Choose the right technology for your 3D design

In the low price, amator level devices, there are two available technologies. The extruding process is performed by heating a plastic filament and deposing a thin layer over a surface.

The other is by UV-light curing a resin in a small basin, layer by layer, progressively. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Differences between extruder and UV curing 3D printers

Extruder printers are slightly cheaper, the materials are also less expensive, and you can use a lot more materials, but they are slower, and the end product needs finishing.

That’s because you will see the lines where the layers have been deposed. You will also lose more plastic in the process.

On the other hand, the UV curing technique is faster, offers a better definition of the finished product, you lose less material, but the resin is slightly more expensive, and you don’t have too many choices.

Check the print volume

If you’re buying the printer for creating some objects with certain dimension specifications that you already know, check the maximum build dimensions of the printer.

The resin curing printers tend to have smaller volumes so check the values first. You can create an object from several components and stick them together afterward. That’s also an option to keep in mind.

After you choose the right device, you can also check our excellent selection of the best 3D printing software for PC.

Please feel free to let us know if you found this guide helpful, and what option you chose to purchase, by using the comment section below.

Microsoft brings back Xbox Design Lab for customizing its new Xbox Wireless Controller

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Radu Tyrsina

It’s finally happening, Microsoft’s Xbox Design Lab is officially back and ready to let Xbox fans customize the next-gen Xbox Wireless Controllers that made their debut with the Xbox Series X|S consoles last Fall. The customization program will once again let customers create a unique Xbox controller by personalizing its features including the colors of the body, back case, hybrid D-pad, bumpers, triggers, thumbsticks, as well as all buttons.

“With Xbox Design Lab, you can customize a controller to match your creative style, tell a story, or celebrate a special moment. From there, you can further personalize your design with laser engraving to add your name, Gamertag or custom 16-character message. We’ll then hand-make your controller and ship it to your doorstep with free shipping,” the Xbox team explained.

For now, the Xbox Design Lab is only available in the US, Canada, and most Western European Countries, and customized controllers will cost $69.99 (adding a personalized laser engraved message costs $9.99 more). Literally millions of color combinations are now available, and Microsoft said that most of the color options are made with plastics containing 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials.

“We have a bold vision for customization through Xbox Design Lab, and this update is just the beginning. Our team is hard at work developing new processes, testing new materials, and innovating so that we can continue to evolve the Xbox Design Lab experience.” The team said today. You can get started creating your customized Xbox Wireless Controller today on xbox.com.

Windows 11 SE is the first real hint at Microsoft’s newest OS

Posted on June 17, 2021October 4, 2023 by Radu Tyrsina

While every self-respecting Windows 10 user in the world was waiting for some details about the new operating system, scheduled to make an appearance at the June 24 event, something else happened.

A Windows 11 build got leaked earlier this week, much to everyone’s delight, and gave us a pretty good idea of what to expect in the near future.

The first Windows 11 build is highly restrictive

A new SKU, which is called Windows 11 SE, has been discovered recently and it seems to be a primordial version of the OS, but with some pretty tough restrictions to what users can actually do.

Judging by available information, it looks like the new Windows 11 SE is a SKU destined for enterprises.

Users have the ability to switch to other enterprise-focused SKUs as well. You can actually go ahead and change it from Enterprise to Education, Pro for Workstations, and others.

As we mentioned above, this new version of the OS is somewhat of a confining SKU, with many of the basic options that users usually have, being not available at the moment.

Just by accessing the Settings app, you can already observe that we’re not dealing with a complete version of the software yet.

Another basic feature that is missing from this version of Windows 11 is the Microsoft Store. This seems to be an odd restriction, seeing how Microsoft usually trusts its Store to be a safe space for apps.

When trying to access it, the app prompts users with an error, saying that the Store is blocked, and are urged to contact an IT admin.

NOTE

With such unquestionable issues, 26% of users wonu2019t upgrade to Windows 11, as revealed in our exclusive Windows 11 survey. The results include responses from 6056 readers, coming mostly from US inhabitants, as well as readers from India, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other 147 countries.

You need a Microsoft account for this experience

One of the other important restrictions that users have to face is that the PC has to be set up with a Microsoft account.

So, basically, Microsoft is already nudging users to do this, the only workaround for avoiding having to use a Microsoft account is by not connecting to the internet.

Take into consideration that offline account creation is also broken in this edition, according to users that have shared this information on social media.

You can convert your account to a local account after logging in, but it doesn't seem like this edition supports multiple users by default. pic.twitter.com/4oTAzXUsyo
— Sigma (@sigma_da_enigma) June 16, 2021

You can also switch to a local account after the fact, keeping in mind that it is not possible to have more than one local account through the UI, except by using the command line.

If we really think about it, some of these restrictions could be because of bugs that are plaguing this unfinished state of the build.

Some good news about this Windows 11 SE is that it seems to support Win32 apps that originate from outside the Store, which Windows 10 S didn’t.

The one possible explanation for this is that Microsoft intended for organizations to limit their employees to very specific apps needed just for work.

We will just have to wait and see how Microsoft intends to move forward with their plans, and if they can deliver a more complete version of the OS on the 24th of June.

That’s your chance to watch the Windows 11 unveiling event at 11 am Eastern time. Microsoft likely has quite a few surprises still in store.

How to fix Xbox ventilation error for a smooth gameplay

Posted on June 17, 2021October 4, 2023 by Milan Stanojevic

Your Xbox produces heat as soon as you turn it on, and sometimes you can get a ventilation error on your console due to excessive heat.

This error means that there’s insufficient ventilation, and your Xbox will shut down in order to prevent damage to the system.

This can be a major problem and prevent you from playing all games on your Xbox, but there are few ways to fix this problem.

How can I fix the Xbox ventilation error?

1. Let the console cool down

When you get a ventilator error on your Xbox it will automatically turn itself off, but if that doesn’t happen for some reason, be sure to turn it off manually.

After turning the console off, wait for a few minutes until the red light stops blinking. Turn on your console, and it should start without any problems.

2. Move your console

If you’re getting a ventilation error on your Xbox, you might want to try moving it to a different location.

Before moving your Xbox, be sure that you turn it off completely and place it in an open, well-ventilated area.

You should also try to keep it away from other electronic devices and make sure that other devices and objects don’t obstruct the airflow.

Keep in mind that even small objects near the ventilation openings can obstruct the airflow and cause this error to appear.

In addition, make sure that your console and power supply are positioned on a hard surface. Try to keep your console away from soft surfaces such as rugs.

Lastly, keep your console away from heat sources such as ventilation openings and other heat-emitting devices. If you can, try to keep your console away from direct sunlight as well.

Also, if your Xbox One games and apps won’t open, check out our comprehensive guide and fix these problems in no time.

3. Move the power supply

We already described how to position your console properly, and the same rules apply to your power supply.

Users reported this issue while having their power supply on the ground, but after moving their power supply to a different location, the ventilation error was resolved.

4. Clean your console

Few users suggested that you can fix this problem simply by cleaning your console. To do that, turn off your console and unplug the power cable.

After that, take a dry microfiber cloth and use it to clean the surface of the console. Thereafter, make sure you start it up again safely.

5. Clean the fan

Sometimes you might get a ventilation error because your fan is clogged by dust, and in order to fix it you need to open your console and clean the fan.

We have to warn you that opening your console will violate your warranty, so keep that in mind.

Also, if you encounter the error message The current profile not allowed on Xbox, you should check our step-by-step guide to fix the problem.

6. Remove X-clamps and replace thermal paste

According to users, few of them managed to fix this problem by opening their Xbox, removing X-clamps and putting new thermal paste on the GPU and CPU.

Before you apply the new paste, be sure to clean the old thermal paste completely. After doing that, return X-clamps to their position and close your console.

Some users are suggesting to replace your X-clamps with new ones, so you might want to do that as well.

We have to mention that this is an advanced procedure, therefore be extra cautious.

Keep in mind that opening your Xbox will violate your warranty, therefore it might be best that you take your console to the Microsoft repair center if you’re having this problem.

Xbox’s ventilation error can be caused by a hardware problem, and if that’s the case, you might have to take your console to the repair center.

If your hardware is working properly, you should be able to fix this error by keeping your console clean, and keeping it on a well-ventilated area.

Also, if you want to protect your console, take a closer look at our dedicated guide for the best Xbox One dust cover, and find the proper one for your needs.

We hope that these recommendations helped you to fix the Xbox ventilation error. For more suggestions, please access the comments section below.

Microsoft to hold Xbox Games Showcase Extended at 10AM PT today, watch it here

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft is getting ready to share more details about its upcoming first-party games during the Xbox Games Showcase Extended at 10 AM PT this morning. The event should be an interesting a follow-up to Sunday’s Xbox & Bethesda Games Showcase, which was Microsoft’s most viewed E3 event ever according to Xbox head Phil Spencer.

???? Tune into Xbox Games Showcase Extended for conversations with studios like:

✅ 343i
✅ Double Fine
✅ Ninja Theory
✅ Obsidian
✅ Playground Games
✅ Rare
✅ World’s Edge
✅ + our talented dev partners

Thursday June 17 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm BST: https://t.co/7Nqtp4vlo0 pic.twitter.com/OaI1YMF0RO

— Xbox (@Xbox) June 16, 2021

Today’s event will feature interviews with developers working on various upcoming Xbox Game Studios titles, including games coming later this year such as Halo Infinite, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Psychonauts 2, Age of Empires IV, and Forza Horizon 5. Rare will also be here to discuss the Pirates of the Caribbean crossover event in Sea of Thieves, and Ninja Theory will also share a behind-the-scenes update on Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II, a game that absent from last week’s Xbox E3 2021 showcase.

The Xbox Games Showcase Extended will air on Twitch, Facebook, YouTube this morning, but you can watch it below:

These past couple of days have been pretty crazy for video games fans, and Microsoft even had some big pre-E3 announcements with the expansion of Xbox Cloud Gaming to more platforms including TVs and Xbox consoles. The software giant also revealed that it’s nearly done upgrading its xCloud servers with Xbox Series X hardware, which will make it possible to bring next-gen games like Microsoft Flight Simulator to Xbox One gamers.

If E3 2021 officially finished two days ago, today’s Xbox Games Showcase Extended event is a good way for Microsoft to increase mindshare for the Xbox brand. The “Xbox has no games” memes had a pretty good run, but the Xbox ecosystem now appears stronger than ever with Microsoft showing on Sunday no less than 27 new games coming to Xbox Game Pass on day one.

Microsoft details new features coming to Teams Rooms devices, including the Surface Hub

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Radu Tyrsina

Microsoft announced this morning that it was bringing Fluid components to Teams Meetings and other Office apps, which should empower employees to collaborate more seamlessly across the Microsoft 365 ecosystem. The company also announced some enhancements to Teams Meetings and Teams Rooms devices to make the meeting experience more engaging for everyone, including people not in the room.

Later this year, Microsoft also plans to roll out a new immersive layout named “front row” on Teams Rooms devices. When enabled, the new meeting layout will move the video gallery at the bottom of the screen and surround meeting content with chat messages on the right and other contextual information such as agenda and tasks on the left.

Teams Rooms devices are also getting support for new video layouts that can split the video gallery across multiple displays when no content is being shared during the meeting. Desktop features including live reactions, spotlight, chat bubbles are also coming to Microsoft Teams Rooms devices this summer, with the ability to pin multiple video streams to follow later this fall.

Microsoft also announced today a new Teams Rooms on Surface Hub experience, which will bring several new Meeting features including a modernized meeting stage, Together Mode scenes, and PowerPoint Live. This summer, a new Microsoft Whiteboard experience will also allow coworkers to collaborate more seamlessly on the same canvas, and the new Whiteboard experience will come to Surface Hub devices later this year.

Support for Xbox 360’s GTA Online, Max Payne 3, and L.A. Noire video games to end this year

Posted on June 17, 2021 by Radu Tyrsina

Rockstar announced this week that it would be ending support for the Xbox 360 versions of the GTA Online, Max Payne 3, and L.A. Noire video games by the end of the year.

On September 16th, the sale of GTA Online’s in-game Shark Cards items will be discontinued and online support and website stat tracking for Max Payne 3 and L.A. Noire will stop. Online services for GTA Online will continue until December 16th.

These changes only affect the online functionality of the three titles. All offline content, such as the main campaigns or story modes, will continue to work as usual and Xbox Achievements should continue to be unlockable. In GTA Online’s case, this means that the main game it’s a part of, GTAV, won’t be affected.

Those hoping to transfer their GTA Online progress from Xbox 360 to Xbox One, Xbox Series X, or Windows are unfortunately out of luck. “There is no feature available to transfer character data or progress from those platforms,” the official announcement reads.

L.A. Noire launched on Xbox 360 and Windows PC way back in 2011 and was eventually re-released on Xbox One with all of the original’s DLC and a 4K visual upgrade. Max Payne 3 came out on Xbox 360 in 2012. It was the third and final entry in the Max Payne video game series.

GTA Online launched on Xbox 360 in 2013 as part of GTAV. It was soon re-released on Xbox One the following year and got an additional release for Windows PC in 2015. Yet another re-release of GTA Online is expected this November for Microsoft’s new Xbox Series X console.

FIX: flashing black box in Windows 10 [Quick Guide]

Posted on June 17, 2021September 21, 2025 by Ivan Jenic

In today’s guide, we’re going to talk about a rather unusual error in Windows 10. Namely, a couple of users reported that while they were using their computer, a flashing black box appeared on their screen.

There are a few possible causes of this problem, so be sure we’ll try to find proper solutions for them.

How do I get rid of the black box in Windows 10?

1. Use the DISM command tool

Right-click on the Start Menu button and choose Command Prompt.
When you see the User Account Prompt, simply click Yes to grant admin privileges to the CMD window.
Enter the following line and press Enter: DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-image /Restorehealth
Let the DISM scan your computer for errors and find possible solutions.

Maybe some corrupted system files are the very core of this flashing black box issue, so you can try scanning your computer for broken files and try to fix them.

If DISM failed on Windows 10, just check out this quick guide about DISM failing on Windows 10 and set things right again.

2. Check Video Adapter drivers

On your keyboard, press the Windows Key + R to invoke the run box.
Type devmgmt.msc and click OK.
Find your display adapter and right-click on it.
Go to the Update driver software option.
If the update is available, just let the wizard finish updating.
Restart your PC.

By now, Windows Updates should cover all your drivers. However, if you’re using a display driver for which Microsoft doesn’t offer any official updates, you’ll have to update the driver automatically.

By updating drivers automatically with the help of a dedicated driver updater program, you can save time and update all the drivers you need easily and safely.

However, a program like Outbyte Driver Updater not only downloads and installs drivers, but also manages them by troubleshooting, backing up, and restoring them. For this reason, it is worthwhile to use it!

⇒ Get Outbyte Driver Updater

3. Run an SFC scan

Go to Search, type cmd, and open Command Prompt (as Administrator).
Type in the following line and press Enter: sfc/scannow
Wait for the process to finish.
Restart your computer.

The next thing you’re going to try is running the SFC scan. System File Checker is a built-in feature designed to deal with various system issues, so it may help.

You’ll find detailed steps on how to run the SFC scan in Windows 10 above.

Scannow command has stopped before the process finished? Don’t worry, we’ve got an easy fix for you in this guide dedicated to fixing the problem.

4. Run the Troubleshooter

Go to Settings.
Go to Updates & Security, then Troubleshoot.
Then, click Run the troubleshooter and wait for the process to finish.
Restart your computer.

Windows Troubleshooter successfully deals with various problems, including the flashing black box problem.

However, if you’re having trouble opening the Settings app, take a look at this article dedicated to fixing the problem.

5. Disable the onboard graphics

Restart your computer while holding the SHIFT button.
The Advanced Startup menu will open on the boot. Go to Troubleshoot.
Now, go to Advanced Options then Startup Settings.
Click the Restart button.
A window with various startup options will show up.
Press F5 on your keyboard to choose Enable Safe Mode with Networking.
Wait for your computer to boot.
Now that you’re safe in the Safe Mode, open Device Manager.
Locate your onboard graphics.
Right-click it and from the menu choose Disable.
Restart your computer, and check if the black box is still there.

If you have both onboard and external graphics cards in your configuration, and both are enabled, there can be some interference. So, the best solution, in this case, is to simply disable the onboard graphics card.

Before you can actually disable your onboard graphics card, let’s boot in the Safe Mode, just to avoid any potential problems.

6. Change brightness settings

Another reason for the flashing black box on the screen could be the wrong brightness settings.

Setting display brightness to 100% when your device is plugged in causes this problem, so it’s best that you use a lower value.

In the Power Options, find your current power plan and click Edit plan settings.
Up next, click the Change advanced power settings option.
Locate the Display brightness setting and make sure that you set the display brightness to 99% or 98% when your device is plugged in.
Save changes and restart your computer.

Is the Windows Troubleshooter giving you headaches? Here’s a quick guide dedicated to fixing the Windows Troubleshooter.

If you’re aware of other solutions or need more help, don’t hesitate to contact us by using the comments section below.

MSI Driver CD Not Working in Windows 10/11 [Solved]

Posted on June 16, 2021October 4, 2023 by Tashreef Shareef

MSI is a popular gaming computer, hardware, and peripherals maker. The company offers a CD containing essential drivers to install their peripherals and hardware such as the motherboard and GPUs.

However, quite a few users have reported the MSI driver CD not working when trying to install the drivers.

This problem can occur due to several reasons, including a faulty driver disc or other glitches that may prevent the computer from installing drivers from the computer.

In this article, we show you how to easily solve the MSI driver CD not working issue on your Windows 10 computer.

What can I do if the MSD driver CD is not working?

1. Update motherboard driver using a driver updater software

If you have access to the Internet, use driver updater software to automatically download and install the required drivers.

Note that using a dedicated driver updater software is better than trying to update device drivers manually. This is because it can look for missing device drivers and determine the best version to install.

2. Clean the hard drive

Press the Windows key + R shortcut to open Notepad.
Type the following in the Notepad:
set DEVMGR_SHOW_NONPRESENT_DEVICES=1 start devmgmt.msc
Click on File and choose Save. Name the file as setdev.bat.
Click the Save as Type drop-down button and choose All Files.
Next, click OK to save the changes.
Double-click on the setdev.bat File. This will open the Device Manager with an advanced MSC version.
In Device Manager, click on View and choose Devices by type.
Click View again and choose Show hidden devices.
Device Manager will populate the screen with all the devices that have ever been installed on your computer. Devices that are currently uninstalled will be grayed out.
Expand each category under Device Manager. Locate the grayed-out devices, right-click and choose Uninstall.
Repeat this until you have removed all the non-existing devices from your system. Reboot the computer once all the devices are removed.

After the reboot, you can remove the hard drive and install it onto new hardware. Removing ghost drivers can help you fix the issue that is preventing the MSI driver disc from installing drivers.

3. Install the drives from the official website

Go to the MSI download center. It consists of all the latest drivers for MSI hardware devices.
Choose your motherboard model from the list and download the latest drivers available. If your PC does not have an Ethernet connection, download the driver using a different computer and then move it to your PC.
Run the driver installer and follow on-screen instructions to complete the installation.

If you have an active Ethernet connection, you can download and install all the required drivers through Windows updates. Microsoft bundles third-party vendor updates depending on your PC’s Windows updates.

4. Install pending Windows updates

Click on Start and open Settings.
Go to Update & Security.
In the Windows Update tab, scan for any pending updates. Download and install all the updates till no new updates are shown as available.

Installing pending updates will also install all the required drives for your motherboard. MSI driver discs can have outdated drivers depending on when the hardware was released.

If doing so did not help, try reinstalling the Windows OS. Even more, if the MSI driver disc not working issue persists, perform a clean installation of Windows 10.

We are here to also remind you that it’s essential to constantly back up your drivers. We can only encourage you to use the best driver backup software for Windows 10 in that regard.

As you can see, you may experience the MSI driver CD not working issue due to several reasons. Follow all the steps in this article one by one and let us know which method helped you in the comments.

Canon Inkjet Print Utility Driver is Not Installed [Fix]

Posted on June 16, 2021October 4, 2023 by Vladimir Popescu

Printer software allows you to configure your printer, and if the Canon Inkjet Print utility driver is not installed, you won’t be able to use your printer or scanner.

This can be a big problem since you won’t be able to print any necessary documents, so fixing this issue as soon as possible is important.

Why is my Canon printer driver not available?

You might be dealing with a corrupted driver installation, so it might be necessary to reinstall the printer software.
Your printer driver might be outdated, or Windows might use the default driver.
In some cases, the firewall can block your printer from working properly.

What can I do if the Canon inkjet print utility driver is not installed?

1. Reinstall the scanner software

Remove any cables that connect your scanner to your PC.
Next, go to Control Panel and click on Programs and Features.
Locate the printer driver and click Uninstall.
Restart your device and go to the manufacturers’ website.
In the search area, type in your product name.
Click on it and go to the Drivers & Downloads section.
Download the displayed driver and install it on your device.

2. Use Device Manager

Simultaneously press the Windows + R key to open the Run box.
Next, type in devmgmt.msc and press OK.
Search for the Imaging devices on the list and locate your scanner.
Check out if there is a yellow mark next to it and if it is, right-click on it.
Select Properties and go to the Driver tab.
Here, click on Update driver and allow for the process to finish.
Restart your device afterward.

If you’re unable to complete this process, we have a great guide on Canon printer is not installing drivers that you might want to check out.

3. Use a dedicated tool

Like all devices, printers may fail to work properly although nothing seems wrong on the surface at least. Most of the time, the malfunction of a printer has a lot to do with the existence of a faulty or outdated driver.

As you can see, there are several ways that will help you figure out what is wrong with the driver, although checking them manually can take some time.

Using a dedicated tool to help update and fix faulty or missing drivers is recommended if you get the message that the MP navigator ex-scanner driver is not installed.

4. Disable your firewall

Press Windows key + S and type firewall. Select Windows Defender Firewall.
Now choose Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off.
Select the option to turn off firewall for both private and public networks.
Save the changes.

After you disable your firewall, give the scanner another try and see if it works properly now. In case it does, then we would recommend that you add the appropriate ports as exceptions.

Keep in mind that if you’re using firewall software, the disabling process will be different.

5. Run the troubleshooter

Go to Search and type in Settings.
In here, locate the Devices option and click on it.
Next, click on Printers & scanners and from the right side, select the scanner.
In the Printers & scanners section click on Manage.
Now click on the Run the troubleshooter option.
Allow for the process to finish and follow the indicated steps.

With this last recommendation, we will conclude our list of solutions. Now you know what steps you need to take if you get the error message that this software does not support the scanner driver or is not installed.

By fixing this issue with printer software, you’ll also fix Canon printer not scanning and other matters.

In the dedicated section below, let us know what solution worked best for you. We would love to know.

Fix: Something Went Wrong Error on BBC iPlayer

Posted on June 16, 2021October 23, 2025 by Madalina Dinita

Many users reported experiencing an annoying issue when trying to use BBC iPlayer on their devices.

When attempting to play content on the BBC iPlayer, the 02001 error pops up on the screen with the following message:

Something went wrong loading this programme. This is usually a temporary problem. You can try this programme again or try a different programme.

Although the software itself is the culprit in most cases, your devices may trigger this problem as well. In order to fix the issue, we compiled a list of solutions that you can use right now.

How can I fix the BBC iPlayer 02001 error?

1. Reset your Internet connection

Firstly, reboot your PC. If that doesn’t help, refreshing your internet connection could fix this iPlayer error. Simply disconnect your device from the internet and connect it back.
If you’re using a wired connection, you can just unplug the cable and plug it back in. A wireless connection would require you to disable and enable the connection through your device settings.
Consider performing a hard reset to your modem/router as well. Turn off the modem/router and wait 10 minutes before turning it back on.

After you complete these tasks, check to see if this fixed the issue. If the 02001 error still occurs, then you can try our solution below.

2. Use a reliable VPN

BBC iPlayer is a great Internet streaming, TV, and radio service from BBC delivered to viewers based in the UK.

For those who are not UK residents but want to enjoy their content, using a VPN service seems the best solution.

Also, due to the geo-restrictions users may encounter the 02001 error which prevents them from continuing streaming. But a reliable VPN service will get rid of this problem in no time.

Private Internet Access allows you to access geo-restricted content, like BBC’s iPlayer and many others. Additionally, you benefit from the highest-grade data encryption and secure connections.

With that being said, it only remains to get informed about the best VPNs for Windows devices and rejoice in your favorite BBC productions.

3. Update the smart TV’s firmware

3.1 Update the firmware automatically

Press the Menu button on your remote control.
Select the Support menu, and choose Software Update.
Choose Update Now, and select Yes if there are updates found.

Also, if you are looking for the best browser to stream movies and TV shows, you can take a closer look at our detailed guide for the best options to choose from. This also helps with the iPlayer Error code: 02062.

3.2 Update the firmware using a USB flash drive

Find the device model on the sticker located on the back of the TV or from the device menu in the Support section.
Access the official Samsung website, input your device model, and download the updates, copying them to the USB flash afterward.
Make sure that you copy the update files after you’ve unzipped the archive and be sure to have the USB flash formatted as a FAT32 type.
Connect the USB flash to the TV, and access the Support menu.
Choose the Software Update option, and find the option to update the software using a USB flash.
The device will automatically find the updated files.
Confirm the update installation, and let the process automatically run.

Normally after updating the firmware using a USB flash drive the error 02001 on the BBC iPlayer should disappear.

4. Try to uninstall and reinstall the app

Press the Home button on your remote control, then choose APPS, and select Options.
Now you can select iPlayer, and choose to Delete.
Press the Home button on your remote control, and go to the APPS menu.
Select the app icon in order to access the Samsung Store.
There you can manually search for iPlayer, and choose to install it.
After installing it, check to see if it fixed the issue.

Many users have confirmed that after reinstalling iPlayer, error 02001 completely disappeared, and they were able to enjoy the streaming.

Before you go, don’t miss our guides on the BBC iPlayer error code 02050, and error code 02062 since they might give you more solutions.

We hope that these solutions helped you to fix the BBC iPlayer 02001 error. For more suggestions or any other questions, please access the comments section below.

How to Split Screen in Portrait Mode [Easy Guide]

Posted on June 16, 2021October 4, 2023 by Vlad Turiceanu

Split screen is a feature that allows you to use two apps simultaneously. It’s very useful for multitasking and keeping track of multiple things simultaneously. For example, you can have a video playing on one half of the screen while you browse the web on the other half.

Before Windows 11, users had to install split screen software if they wanted to split their screens. While these work great, not everyone enjoys installing third-party software, especially if you have limited space. Today, we show you how to split in portrait mode.

Can I split my portrait screen into two?

Before we get into the details of how to split screen in portrait mode, let’s talk about what portrait mode is. For those unfamiliar with this term, portrait mode refers to vertical orientation. The horizontal orientation is called landscape.

This is an important distinction when it comes to using two apps at once because most apps can only be used in one orientation or another but not both.

How do I split my screen vertically in portrait mode?

1. Use Windows keys

On the window you wish to split, press the Win + Left or Right keys.
Your main window will move in the direction you selected. Next, select another window you wish to place on the other side, then press the Win + Left or Right keys combination again. This time, press the direction that is yet to be filled up.
If you would like more than two sections, click on one of the two windows and press the Win + Up or Down keys combo to create space.
Now, your screen will be split into different sections.

2. Use Snap layout

Click on the Windows key, then open the Settings menu.
Go to System, then navigate to Multitasking.
Find the Snap windows section and turn it On.
To explore various options, you can expand this section by clicking on it.
There, checkmark whatever you need. Keep in mind that you can choose multiple options.
To split the screen into two sections, you have to open the window you want to split and hover the mouse cursor over the maximize button near the top-right corner of the window. Do not click until the layouts appear.
Select the first layout to split the window into two portrait sections.
Now, your current app window will snap into the selected half of the screen, and the other open apps will be displayed as thumbnails in the other half.
Click on the one you want to add to the other half of the screen.
You’ll now see two app windows. And the best part is that you can access and work on them simultaneously.

3. Use the mouse to resize

Another alternative to split screen in portrait mode is using your mouse. This will require a lot of manual work as you resize your windows and drag them from side to side until they are your desired size.

If they are two windows, you can easily create a balance, but any more would be too much work, and we recommend using any of the above two methods instead.

If an app or windows fails to split, it does not support the feature. Sometimes, it’s not the app, and you’ll find that the split screen is just not working. If so, feel free to check out our fix guide on how to get it to work again.

You can also enjoy the split screen feature on your Chrome browser. We have compiled a list of split-screen extensions allowing you to view multiple windows simultaneously.

And that’s how to split your screen in portrait mode on your PC. If you have any additional thoughts on this topic, leave us a comment below.

FIX: Scanner driver supporting this software isn’t installed

Posted on June 16, 2021October 4, 2023 by Milan Stanojevic

Many users reported that they are unable to use their scanner due to a repeated message. Well, this message says A scanner driver supporting this software is not installed.

It seems that this message mostly affects Canon devices, and due to this error message, users aren’t able to scan documents anymore.

This can be a big problem, especially if you need to scan documents frequently, but there are several methods that you can use to fix this problem.

What to do if the scanner driver software isn’t installed?

1. Download the latest drivers

Visit the Canon driver download page.
Select Scanners from the list of devices.
Now pick your scanner model.
Click the Download button to get the driver.
Once the driver is downloaded, just double-click the setup file to install it.

NOTE

Note: If the Windows 10 driver isnu2019t available, you can use the Windows 7 driver instead.

2. Use a specialized driver updater software

Downloading drivers manually can be a tedious task at times, therefore it might be better to use a dedicated driver updater software that can do this automatically.

3. Use Windows 7 or older drivers instead

Go to Cannon’s driver page and locate your device.
While choosing the driver, make sure that you choose a driver for Windows 7.
Extract the contents of the .exe file with WinRAR.
Press Windows Key + X and choose Device Manager from the list.
Locate your scanner on the list, right-click it and choose Update driver.
Select the Browse my computer for drivers option.
Click the Browse button and locate the files that you extracted in Step 3.
Click Next and the driver should be manually updated.

Many users reported that this method helped them fix A scanner driver supporting this software is not installed error in the past, so encourage you to try it out as well.

4. Uninstall the driver and the driver software

Open Device Manager.
Locate your device, right-click it and choose Uninstall device.
Check Delete the driver software for this device and click on Uninstall.
Now go to the Settings app and navigate to the Apps section.
Locate the scanner software, select it and click on Uninstall.
Follow the instructions on the screen to complete the uninstall process.
Press Windows Key + R and enter %localappdata%. Press Enter or click OK.
Navigate to the Temp folder. Delete all files and folders from this folder.
Go back to the Local folder and remove the HP directory. If you’re using a different scanner brand, remove the directory of that brand.
Restart your computer.

This is one way to fix this problem, but this entire process can be a lot faster if you’re using dedicated uninstaller software such as the ones we selected for you below.

Uninstaller tools are useful when the software would not remove normally, which is more often than you believe, or when you think that a program did not entirely uninstall.

Some uninstaller tools further improve the whole program uninstall process by doing things like monitoring the installation process to guarantee a full uninstall when you’re ready, providing quick remove choices to programs via the right-click menu, and much more.

Fixing A scanner driver supporting this software is not installed error doesn’t have to be complicated, and in most cases, this is just a driver issue that can be fixed by using the correct driver.

No less important, keep in mind that you need to constantly back up your drivers. We can only encourage you to use the best driver backup software for Windows 10 to make that happen.

Did you find a solution to this problem on your own? Feel free to share it with us in the comments section below.

MP Navigator EX scanner driver is not installed [Solved]

Posted on June 16, 2021September 4, 2025 by Vladimir Popescu

MP Navigator EX allows you to can scan multiple documents at the same time, or inspect images larger than the platen.

Users often reported that the MP Navigator EX scanner driver is not installed on Windows operating system. This is how they describe the problem:

My PC won’t recognize that my scanner is plugged in – it doesn’t show up under My Devices. The scanner turns on and when it’s plugged in, my laptop makes a sound as something has been plugged into a USB port.

Today’s article will show you a series of options you can try to fix this annoying issue. Make sure you read it completely, so you’ll never worry about this kind of trouble.

How can I install the MP Navigator EX scanner driver?

1. Navigate to Windows updates

Open Settings.
Go to Update & Security.
On the left side, select Windows Update, then click on Check for updates, from the right side.

2. Check your Security Software

Open Settings.
Go to Devices.
On the left side, click on Printers & scanners and, from the right side, under the Related settings, click on Print server properties.
Click on the Drivers tab and check if your scanner is listed.
If you don’t see your scanner listed, select Add, and in the Welcome to the Add Printer Driver Wizard, select Next.
In the Processor Selection dialog box, select your device’s architecture, and then click on Next.
On the left side, in the Printer Driver Selection dialog box select your printer manufacturer.
On the right side, select your printer driver, click on Next, then on Finish.
Follow the instructions to add your driver.

It is important to check your Security Software to make sure the printer software is not being blocked.

3. Set the compatible mode

Right-click the driver you want to install and then select Properties.
Select the Compatibility tab.
Under Compatibility Mode, click on Run this program in compatibility mode, and then select a compatible Windows version for the driver.
Click on OK and install the driver.

When you install drivers, it is important that they match the Windows operating system you have installed on your PC.

4. Disable your firewall

In the search bar, next to the Windows button, type Windows Defender Firewall.
Click on Windows Defender Firewall to open the Control Panel applet window.
Click on Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off to open the options shown directly below.
Select the two Turn off Windows Defender Firewall radio buttons to turn off the WDF.
Press the OK button.

This option might be extremely useful considering that sometimes an antivirus or firewall may be set too secure, preventing peripherals (such as your scanner) from communicating effectively.

5. Use dedicated software

As a time saver option, you should definitely try the support of specialized software.

Unlike the manual methods presented above, this one is able to automatically install, update, scan and fix any of your drivers.

Thus, it is able to provide the latest compatible driver for your particular hardware component, straight from the manufacturer.

Once you install and use this software, it is easy to forget about it, and you’ll probably never use it again until the next driver issue appears.

If you want to install and update your drivers like an expert, you should use the help of dedicated software.

Such a tool will save plenty of time and keep your drivers in check on a regular basis. It is light so you can let it run in the background as you carry on with more important tasks.

The tool is very easy to use. You just have to install it and let it scan your drivers. It will display all issues found, including outdated, damaged or missing drivers.

You just have to let it download and install the new drivers and wait for the process to complete. It uses its own database and is able to find the exact match for any hardware, with no exception.

⇒ Get Outbyte Driver Updater

There are a few more options you can try to install your MP Navigator EX scanner driver, but those we presented above are the best.

If you need help on how to update drivers in Windows 10, don’t hesitate to check a full guide regarding this subject.

Also, feel free to leave a comment in the section below and let us know which of the listed suggestions worked best for you.

FIX: Lenovo Flex 5 touch screen driver not working

Posted on June 16, 2021May 15, 2024 by Loredana Harsana

Lenovo Flex 5 is an awesome device, with great capabilities, offering its users a wide range of useful features. However, users complained that its touch screen is not working in some cases.

Most commonly, this issue occurs suddenly, without making any changes. The touch screen is described as not being able to respond properly.

In today’s article we’ll show you some of the best options to make your Lenovo Flex 5 touch screen driver work.

How can I fix the Lenovo Flex 5 touch screen driver?

1. Check for Windows updates

Open Settings.
Go to Update & Security.
From the left side, select Windows Update, then click on Check for updates, from the right side.

2. Use Device Manager

Open Device Manager.
Expand Human Interface Devices.
Right-click on the HID-compliant touch screen or HID-compliant device, then click on Disable device.
When the following question appears Do you really want to disable it?, select Yes.
Repeat the above steps for all the related drivers.
Restart your PC, then choose Enable to bring the touchback.

3. Roll the driver back to a previous version

Open Settings.
Select Update & Security.
From the left side, click on Recovery.
Under Go back to the previous version of Windows 10, click on the Get Started button.

NOTE

If the Get Started button is not available, you should follow the steps below:

Open Control Panel.
Type Recovery in the search bar, then choose it from the shown list.
Select Open System Restore.
Click on Next, then select the latest Restore point where the device was working.

4. Recalibrate the screen for touch input

Open Control Panel.
Select Tablet PC Settings.
Click on the Display tab, then select Calibrate.
Follow the steps shown on your screen.

5. Repair your Registry Editor

Go to Start and type Command Prompt.
Right-click on the result and select Run as administrator.
Type the following command: sfc /scannow
Wait until the scanning process is completed, then restart your PC.
All corrupted files will be replaced on reboot.

6. Use dedicated software

You should also consider the support of specialized driver updating software. Unlike the above methods, this one will automatically scan for driver issues.

Moreover, it will update your components constantly, without being necessary to bother yourself.

What’s best than knowing you have access to such a powerful ally?

These were the best options that can definitely help you to fix your Lenovo Flex 5 touch screen issue.

Before you leave, we have a general guide on what to do if your Lenovo touchscreen is not working, so don’t miss it.

If you have any other additional questions, feel free to leave a comment in the section below.

5 Best KVM Switches For Dual Monitors

Posted on June 16, 2021December 16, 2024 by Radu Tyrsina

While having multiple computers in the same place (and actually using all of them) can be a hassle. Auxiliary devices can take up a lot of space, this situation is nothing that KVM switches can’t handle.

By providing you with multiple, these small devices can make your life easier by making two computers use the same dual monitors.

Moreover, they can also let you control two different PCs with the same peripherals.

Granted, not at the same time, but it still beats plugging and unplugging mice and keyboards into and out of your computers, doesn’t it?

How we chose the best KVM switches with HDMI for dual monitors?

Our team of expert testers works to cover an incredibly wide range of capabilities and features for each of the products that we evaluate.

This in turn produces a good overview of the best KVM switches that exist at this point in time on the market, and there are a few important elements that they take into consideration before scoring the device accordingly.

The evaluation is designed to test the devices both on their own, but also while comparing them with the alternatives.

Tip

Editorial tip:

To make absolutely sure that you will make an informed decision while looking at these devices, we recommend that you take the following elements into consideration:

➡ Resolution quality and power setup
➡ Compatibility
➡ Range of switch capabilities
➡ Number and type of ports
➡ Design

Considering these elements not only ensures that you will find the right fit for your setup, but it will also help you understand what you can expect from your newly purchased device.

What to consider when choosing the best KVM switch?

Resolution and video capabilities

As you are planning on using your KVM switch to extend the capability to multiple-monitor setups, the resolution and video output of your device is of paramount importance.

In this case, more is better, as a higher resolution and video frequency (Hz) will surely make the entire experience better.

If you don’t focus that much on the video quality, and you’re more interested in the versatility and compatibility of your system, then we have that option covered below as well.

Compatibility

As no device can be of use if your system or systems are not compatible with your KVM switch, this is another important element to take into consideration.

Depending on the type of devices you own, our list will cover KVM switches that also work with iOS, Mac, Android, and Linux devices, besides the Windows option.

Range of switch capabilities

Because you’re investing your money into a switch, it is in your best interest to feel comfortable while using this device to switch between devices.

As you will see from this guide, switching capabilities will vary from one or two options, to up to 5. Choosing a device with 5 switch options is more versatile.

Beyond the number of switching possibilities, it is also very important to consider the type of switching options themselves, as some might not be very useful in your case.

Number and type of ports

We believe the number of available ports is a very important element to consider.

Because we’re talking about multiple monitor usage, then it is obvious that you will need enough HDMI ports for your situation, but beyond that, you can choose the number of USB ports, and also consider if you need ports for audio input or output.

Design

Even though it’s easy to overlook this element while focusing on features and the number of ports, it’s also good to consider how the device will look in the place where you plan to use it.

You can place some device options anywhere in your home without causing many issues, but some are bulkier and could affect the design of your living arrangements.

Of course, the importance of this element varies from person to person, but we made sure to include some slick-looking devices that don’t lack capabilities in this list as well.

Tip

Buyer’s tips:

➡ If you’re looking for a KVM switch that offers the best of all the elements described above, then you don’t have to look any further than the powerful and slick-looking T ESmart KVM Switch.

With a beautiful design and amazing features, this device is sure to impress your friends, while also offering unparalleled versatility and image quality.

➡ To get the most switch-changing capabilities, you can’t go wrong by choosing the CKL HDMI KVM Switch, or the JideTech 4 Port KVM switch.

Both of these devices offer you the capability to perform switches with up to 5 methods each, thus being more than enough even for the hardiest customization-inclined users.

➡ If you’re more inclined to choose a device based on its HDMI port number, then choosing the JideTech 4 Port KVM switch will not disappoint you.

➡ If you want a powerful device that also looks good, we recommend you have a look at the powerful TESmart KVM Switch, and also the OREI KVM Switch options.

Now that we’ve covered all the important elements and we know which of the products in the list are better, let’s explore the detailed list with specific information for all the KVM switches we selected.

TESmart KVM Switch

2 HDMI 2.0 ports with 4K resolution
3 ways to switch: hotkeys, remote control, and front push button
Great peripheral compatibility with passthrough mode
USB sharing with printers, USB headests, webcams, etc.

Price is not very accessible, but it's worth every penny

Check price

This powerful KVM switch has a multitude of amazing features and it comes packed into a beautifully designed box, with a black finish that looks strong and sturdy.

Looks are not deceiving in this case, as this device offers everything you will ever need when it comes to using a KVM switch, enabling you to easily control 2 computers with two separate screens with 2 HDMI ports.

Beyond this, the ports included on this great-looking box also include a USB 2.0 port that allows you to connect a printer, a scanner, or a camera without the need for any other device.

Offering a 4k 60Hz resolution and Smart EDID, you can get 3840×2160 resolution at the same Herz value.

To round it all up, this device has a great level of keyboard and mouse compatibility, which includes pass-through mode, and Dynamic Device Mapping features.

This device does not require software or drivers to be installed in order to work, making it truly plug-and-play. Even though it might not seem like an important element, this is extremely useful especially for very busy, or people that are not tech-inclined.

To increase its compatibility, even more, the TEsmart KVM switch works with Windows, macOS, Unix/Linux, Raspberry PI, etc. Better said, no matter what type of device you want to use it with, it will work instantly when plugged in.

Even though we mentioned the element of design before, we can’t move on from this device to the next without mentioning it again. The number of features found on this product doesn’t affect the way it looks at all, thus enabling you to place the KVM switch anywhere in your house without worrying that it will ruin your decor.

CKL HDMI KVM Switch

4k quality at 30Hz (3840×2160)
2 HDMI out ports
Switching customization
5 switch modes available

Some may find it pricy
Design is too simple

Check price

CKL is a KVM switch that was specifically designed to help dual monitor enthusiasts share their displays with two computers at the same time, eliminating the need for a second pair of display monitors for their other PC.

However, there’s a catch: all four devices (the two computers and the pair of monitors) must have HDMI connection ports since the unit doesn’t support VGA or Display Port connection types.

As the world of displays has evolved considerably in the last years, this shouldn’t be much of an impediment considering that most, if not all good monitors have an HDMI port available, or even more than one.

If you’re using an old-school monitor setup, it is good to know that to get support for VGA / DVI / DP video output, you will need to invest in an HDMI to VGA quality adapter.

The setup for this device is extremely easy, offering plug-and-play capabilities, and is compatible with Windows, Linux, Mac, and other operating systems.

This great switch enables you to use 5 switching modes, including mouse roller clicks, keyboard hotkeys, pushbuttons, auto-scan switch, and by using a wired remote.

The resolution on this CKL KVM switch has built-in EDID, and supports 4k quality at 30Hz (3840×2160).

To round up this powerful device, you also have the ability to use the extra USB port and audio support to connect more USB-enabled devices and a separate audio and microphone output.

Even though this device doesn’t amaze with its design, it still looks good because of the black box and gold details presented both on the front and on the back.

JideTech 4 Port KVM switch

4 HDMI ports
Versatile compatibility with any OS
5 switch-modes
4K at 4096x2160 of 60HZ
Supports EDID, HDCP 2.2, and HDR10

Simple design

Check price

The JideTech 4 Port KVM switch is another very powerful switch device that enables you to experience 4K quality with 2K at 60Hz resolution.

This device offers 2.0 support for a mouse and a wired keyboard and one for printers, scanners, etc.

Most importantly you can use up to 4 HDMI devices, including PCs, servers, external HDDs, NVR, gaming consoles, AppleTV, etc.

Easily supports high-quality video with 4K(HDTV) at 4096×2160@60Hz, and included support for EDID, HDCP2.2, HDR10.

A good KVM switch will always have a variety of switching capabilities, and this one provides you with 5 different ways of performing this action.

You can choose to press the button on the front panel, use mouse switching, hotkey by keyboard, a remote push-button switch, or enable the auto-scan feature which can perform this action at specific intervals.

As mentioned above, this KVM switch works seamlessly with Apple keyboards, as it allows you to change the hotkey to your preference.

Added to this, you can use it with touch screen devices, OLED screens, and works without problem on a variety of operating systems including Windows 10/7/2000/XP/Vista, Linux, Mac, Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, Raspbian.

A very useful element of the JideTech KVM switch is its capability to automatically go into BIOS mode when needed and can perform switches independently, even without a USB input.

Even though it doesn’t impress when it comes to design, this sturdy box is made of our good-looking materials and can fit any environment you choose to set it up in.

OREI KVM Switch

Dual USB + USB-C
4K x 2K at 60Hz
Supports Android, PC, Mac, iPad
YUV 4:4:4 chroma sampling
Supports PCM, Dolby True HD, DTS-HD Master Audio up to 7.1 channels

Some more HDMI ports would have helped

Check price

The OREI KVM Switch is another switch device that looks very good compared to the other mentions in this article.

Being built out of polished plastic, this device is neither as wide nor as thick as its competitors, but it still offers some great features and doesn’t act like an eye-sore while it does it.

It offers 2 HDMI input + Dual USB + 1 USB-C with EDID and a resolution of 4K x 2K at 60Hz. Added to this, you also get a Full 3D and HDCP 2.2 compliant device.

With this powerful and yet slick-looking device, you can take control of three devices like a PC, computer, laptop, Android smartphone, Streaming Box, PS4/PS5, etc.

Thanks to its USB-C port, it offers full support for Android phones, PC and Mac, iPad Pro.

The exquisite resolution offered by this device also offers YUV 4:4:4 chroma sampling, making the image on your display incredibly crisp and vivid. You can also use it with 3D devices and supports PCM, Dolby True HD, and DTS-HD Master Audio with 7.1 channels.

To wrap everything up even more, if you decide to buy this device, you also get a 1-year warranty, thus you are not only covered in the switch department, but you don’t have to worry about possible issues.

To make it one of the best KVM switches on the market, you can select and change how the switches themselves work, so you can customize it endlessly.

Steetek 2 Port Dual Monitor KVM Switch

2 X USB 2.0 Hub
Wireless Keyboard & Mouse
Hotkey Switch function
No need for an external power adapter
4K x 2K@30Hz/3D/1080P

Does not work on PCs with a single display support
Only two modes for performing switching which turns into one when using a USB peripheral
Bulky in size and heavy

Check price

With 4K and High-Res support, you are in for an amazing video experience.

Connect your mouse and keyboard for more comfort and easily switch between 2 PCs or share 2 monitors as you like thanks to the convenient Hotkey switch function.

Since it’s USB cable-powered, you can forget all about adapters or external accessories – just plug in and enjoy.

The 4K x 2K@30Hz/3D/1080P resolution support offers you everything you need when it comes to video processing, making any image look crisp and without showing any pixelation whatsoever.

When it comes to its switching capabilities, it doesn’t offer as many options as the models presented before, but it is still decent.

You can perform the switching by either using a hotkey switch or the two signal sources from the panel itself. To ensure that you always know which one is being used, the signal sources are marked by a useful light.

One very important note is that if you’re using a keyboard and mouse to connect to the device, the hotkey switching will not be available. This of course affects the overall usability of the device.

An advantage to choosing the Steetek KVM switch is the fact that it’s powered by USB cables, so that eliminates the need to use bulky power adapters that just take more of your space.

When it comes to the design of this KVM switch, the black box that protects the components looks sturdy, and the white finishing touches give it a serious but playful look. Should fit right into any home environment you decide to use it in.

How to set up a KVM switch with dual monitors

To get started with this process, first plug the docking station USB into your PC (if you have a laptop without enough HMDI ports). In case you’re using a KVM switch with a desktop, then this shouldn’t be a problem.

Next, connect the HDMI cable to your PC, and connect the KVM cable (both HDMI and USB) to the docking station or back of your desktop setup.

Connect the receiver dongle for your Bluetooth peripherals in the back of the KVM switch, then connect the KVM cable from the PC to the input socket on the KVM switch.

The next step, and the final one, is to connect the displays you want to use to the KVM switch respective ports. For color-sensitive work, it is recommended that you use some great Adobe RGB monitor budget monitors which can help considerably.

Plug in the power cable into the KVM, and you’re good to go!

Bottom runners

Added to the options presented in this guide, there have been other KVM switches that have proven useful enough to deserve a mention in our guide.

Here are the ones that stood out, even if not enough to make it into our thorough 5 best KVM switches list.

➡ TRENDnet 2-Port Dual Monitor

Besides the above-average price and compatibility issue, the TRENDnet KVM switch does the job it has been created for.

It didn’t make our list of the best options because there are many other features that other cheaper devices already contain, and besides that, it will only work with multiple displays if you have DisplayPort capabilities on your devices.

➡ GREATHTEK KVM Switch

This device, even if it’s capable of decent feats, doesn’t provide much in the department of compatibility and versatility. Added to this, the design doesn’t help either, even though it has the capability to use a dual-monitor setup using HDMI ports.

To sum it all up, if you find yourself having to use two computers at the same time and don’t want to waste a lot of space with multiple monitors, you can just turn to KVM switches with multi-monitor support.

Even more, check out the best MacBook M1 Max monitors. They all make text sharper and have an incredible color accuracy, not to mention the several display inputs, those additional features such as PowerSensor that are worthy of your attention, and the reasonable prices on top of these.

Don’t be shy to share your favorite with us via the comments section below.

Fix: Conan Exiles Won’t Launch [Full Guide]

Posted on June 16, 2021December 14, 2023 by Madalina Dinita

Conan Exiles is one of the most popular games on Steam at the moment. It received tens of thousands of players in the first minutes after launch.

This title puts your survival skills to the test, challenging you to stay alive and build your empire in a very hostile world.

Launching Conan Exiles can sometimes be quite tricky due to various launch issues. Fortunately, there are a few quick workarounds that you can use to solve this problem.

Here’s how one player describes this issue:

I goto launch the game after downloading and installing battleEye and I get this ‘performing first time setup…’ Installing: Microsoft VC Redist Package (Step 2 of 2) Then you can see that my bottom right of screen where my name is turn green to indicate I’m in game! yet I’m not! after this a few seconds later it turns blue to indicate I am not.

What can I do if Conan Exiles won’t launch?

1. Verify the integrity of Conan Exiles’ files

Restart your computer and launch Steam.
From the Library section, right-click on the game, and select Properties from the menu.
Select the Local files tab, and click the Verify integrity of game files… button.
Steam will verify the game’s files – this process may take several minutes.

After the verification process is finished, try to run the game again.

According to users, if Conan Exiles games won’t launch, you might be able to fix the problem by verifying the integrity of game files.

Your files can get corrupted and that will cause issues with the game. However, you can fix the problem simply by verifying the integrity of game files. This also helps fix the Authentication failed error; read this guide to learn more.

2. Update your Windows OS

Press the Windows key + I and go to the Settings app.
Under the Update & Security section, select Windows Update.
Hit the Check for updates button.

Conan Exiles players confirm they solved the launch issues by installing the latest updates on their computers.

If one of the Windows 10 features or apps is unavailable, make sure that you’re running the latest OS version available.

3. Install DirectXwebinstaller

The Microsoft DirectX End-User Runtime is an essential tool for gamers, providing updates to 9.0c and previous versions of DirectX.

After adjusting everything according to the suggestions above, your machine will run Conan Exiles without any setbacks, and you will enjoy your gaming experience to the fullest.

You can download DirectXwebinstaller from Microsoft’s official website.

4. Manually find and replace the faulty files

Go to C:/Program files (X86)/Steam/steamApps/common/Conan Exile/ConanSandbox/Binaries/Win64
Start ConanSanbox.exe as admin, and you’ll see which files are corrupted or bad.
Find the good version of those files on the Internet and download them.
Use them to replace the ones in Windows/system32.
Replace one, and then start ConanSanbox.exe again to see if there is another one.

We hope these four workarounds helped you to launch Conan Exiles. As usual, if you’ve come across other solutions to fix the annoying Conan Exiles launch issues, feel free to list the troubleshooting steps in the comment section below.

5 Best Cable Modems with Voice [Top-Rated List]

Posted on June 16, 2021October 4, 2023 by Milan Stanojevic

Having a good modem is important for accessing the Internet, but what if you want a modem that has support for the landline phone?

There are many great modems that support this feature, and in this article, we’ll show you the best cable modem with voice support.

NOTE

Note: Deals are subject to change.u00a0Keep in mind that the price tag often varies. We recommend going on the vendor’s website to check the price. Some of the products may be out of stock by the time youu2019ve made your purchasing decision.u00a0So, hurry up and hit the buy button.

What are the best cable modems with voice to buy?

Netgear Nighthawk C7100V

DOCSIS 3.0, 24u00d78 channel bonding
Works best with cable plans with download speed up to 400Mbps
AC1900 Wi-Fi
4x Ethernet ports, 2x USB ports, 2x phone ports

Issues with Port Scan and DoS Protection during initial setup

Check price

This is a Comcast for Xfinity certified device, so it will work only with Xfinity Internet and voice service.

The device supports DOCSIS 3.0, 24×8 channel bonding and it works best with cable plans up to 400 Mbps.

Additional features include built-in AC1900 Wi-Fi, four Ethernet ports and two USB ports.

There are two ports for the same number of phone lines, and the phone service supports caller ID, conference calls, call forwarding, etc.

What is important to specify is that this equipment replaces your cable modem and Wi-Fi router too so you will be saving money from day one.

And the wireless hotspot is not just average. It covers up to 1800 square feet and connects 30 devices simultaneously.

The device even includes parental controls and supports WEP and WPA/WPA2 wireless security protocols for complete safety.

NETGEAR Nighthawk CM1150V

2Gbps speeds
4 Gigabit Ethernet ports
32u00d78 channel bonding, OFDM 2u00d72, and DOCSIS 3.1
Voice phone support for two telephone lines

Compatible only with Xfinity Internet and voice service

Check price

It’s worth mentioning that this model is compatible only with Xfinity Internet and voice service, so it won’t work with other provides.

As for the features, the modem delivers up to 2 Gbps speed and it has four Gigabit Ethernet ports.

As for additional features, there’s 32×8 channel bonding, OFDM 2×2, and DOCSIS 3.1.

Voice phone support is there, and it allows you to have 2 telephone lines with enhanced call features like caller ID, 3-way conference calling, call forwarding and more.

If you want to create a home wireless hotspot, all you need to do is connect your Wi-Fi router to this modem’s ethernet port to support all your devices.

Of course, you can use the 4 Ethernet ports to ensure ultra-fast broadband cable connection to your PC, laptop or smart TV.

Moreover, you can use the Link aggregation technology that combines two 1G ports into one 2G port for faster wired ethernet speed.

Motorola MT7711

24X8 DOCSIS 3.0
Download speeds up to 1000Mbps (recommended 650Mbps)
Dual-band AC1900 Wi-Fi
Four Ethernet ports
Two phone ports

Initial setup can be a bit tricky

Check price

This modem is certified by Comcast for Xfinity and it won’t work with other ISPs so keep that in mind if you have a purchase intent.

Motorola MT7711 offers 24X8 DOCSIS 3.0, and it supports download speeds up to 1000 Mbps, but it’s recommended to use it with Internet packages of up to 650 Mbps.

There’s also a built-in dual-band AC1900 Wi-Fi router with 4 Ethernet ports so you won’t need any additional network hardware.

The modem has two phone ports that work with Xfinity Voice service.

It’s also worth mentioning that the cable modem comes with a chipset that provides security from Denial of Service attacks so it can be ready even for your business.

The device also comes with a Wireless Power Boost feature that boosts the wireless signals to the legal limit, providing a significant increase in speed and range.

Additionally, you will benefit from the AnyBeam beamforming at both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies that focuses the signal on wireless clients to further enhance performance and range.

ARRIS Surfboard TM822R

DOCSIS 3.0
8 download and 4 upload channels
Download speeds up to 343Mbps
Two telephone ports

Minor issues with router and DHCP

Check price

Just like the previous entries on our list, this device is compatible only with Xfinity voice and Internet service.

This is a DOCSIS 3.0 device and it has 8 download and 4 upload channels. Regarding the download speeds, this modem works with speeds up to 343 Mbps.

The modem has a single Gigabit Ethernet port so you can easily connect your Wi-Fi router or any other device. Of course, two phone ports are available as well.

And if you want to bring things to the next level, you can also rely on the 2 carrier-grade Voice over IP (VoIP) lines for Internet calls.

It’s also important to specify that the device has IPv4 and IPv6 support so it’s up to date with the IP developments.

TM822R comes with a 2 year manufacturer warranty but it’s a pretty simple gadget that probably won’t need any assistance in its lifetime.

Optionally, you can also provide it with a battery backup for emergency services in the event of a power outage in the home.

ARRIS Surfboard SVG2482AC

24×8 DOCSIS 3. 0
Works best with plans up to 400 Mbps
Dual-band AC1750 router
4 Gigabit Ethernet ports, 2 phone ports

Not compatible with Xfinity Gigabit plans

Check price

This is a 24×8 DOCSIS 3.0 Xfinity certified modem, and it’s perfect for Internet plans up to 600 Mbps.

That means that you have 24 download and 8 upload channels for a total speed of up to 1750 Mbps.

Bear in mind that this device only works with Xfinity Internet and voice service.

The modem has a built-in AC1750 dual-band router with 4 Gigabit Ethernet ports, so you won’t need any additional network hardware.

In addition, there are two phone ports available for a convenient way of communication at home or at the office.

You can also add a battery backup (sold separately) for guaranteed voice service during power outages.

This product received excellent ratings from the customers and that’s a sign that it’s very reliable and trusted.

What to look for when you’re buying a modem?

Having a modem that supports phone services can be great because you can combine more features in the same device.

However, you should build a list of priorities and checklist because you don’t want to have any regrets after the purchase. Here are some things to consider.

Look for the service provider requirements

The most important aspect is to match the device with your service provider’s requirements.

A lot of modems, as you can see from our list, are not compatible with all the providers so ignoring that information can get you a useless device.

You should also match your data transfer speed with that of the modem. It’s useless to get a high-speed modem if you only have a 400 Mbps plan.

Having a high data plan and a slow modem is even worse because you won’t be able to benefit from your investment.

Check the functionalities of the modem

Some modems have a built-in router with more Ethernet ports and Wireless hotspot, others just give you a LAN port to connect your wireless router.

If you already have a good router, you won’t need more than the basic features from your modem but if you don’t, getting a modem with router capabilities can save you lots of money.

If you also want phone lines and VoIP services, check if your provider offers such services and look for a compatible modem, like the ones from our list.

Changing the modem

Buying the modem is not hard. Installing it, however, is a different story. Some providers offer you the necessary information, but others will consider it a professional service.

In any case, it’s not a job for anyone so it’s better to request assistance from your provider even if there could be a cost attached to this service. In the end, everyone must be happy, right?

If you’re looking for such a modem, be sure to consider the models from this list. You can also check our best DSL modems list to look for a match to your requirements.

Do share your choice with us via the comments section below. Use the same mean of communication if you want to suggest other products.

Windows 11 first impressions – our OnMSFT.com roundtable

Posted on June 16, 2021 by Kip Kniskern

In this article

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Last week, Microsoft announced an event coming on June 24th, to unveil “the next generation of Windows.” Then yesterday the curtains were pulled back a bit as a build of Windows 11 (and yes, that’s the name, all the hints were spot on) was leaked online. Like many of you around the world, some of us here at OnMSFT.com installed the latest version of Windows, here’s some first impressions:

Kip Kniskern

I still have questions. Windows 11 at first glance, installed on my Surface Laptop 3, looks good enough, with rounded corners and smoother animations. I’m impressed with the work to build in formerly tacked on features like Timeline, ink support, and even News and Interests (although I have my doubts about this, do we really need MSN built into the OS?). However, there’s so much we still don’t know. Microsoft hinted as much in a somewhat self-defensive Tweet yesterday:

This is just the Start. Tune in on June 24th at 11 am ET to see what's next. #MicrosoftEvent https://t.co/DM7SYVdc3j

— Windows (@Windows) June 15, 2021

We still don’t know where Windows 11 fits in – is it meant mainly for new devices and seekers? Will Microsoft push Windows 10 users to upgrade, or will 10 and 11 co-exist for the foreseeable future? And what about the new Microsoft Store? Will the “in box” apps all get a Windows 11 upgrade? Will Microsoft Teams really be built in to the OS?

While getting our hands on Windows 11 has answered some questions, there’s still lots left to learn (and I’m sure that will be true after June 24th, too).

Kareem Anderson

When the ISO and screenshots began flowing yesterday, I was an arm-over-arm nose up hold out in getting swept up in all of the Windows 11 hoopla. To me, the initial look and feel that people were reporting on seemed little improved from what we got back in 2020 this time last year.

However, because I’m a fan of tech and was developing a growing sense of FOMO as my peers bathed in all the new news from early versions of Windows 11, I begrudgingly installed it on two devices last night. Since installing it on a Surface Pro 7 Plus and Surface Laptop 3 (Intel), these early leaked ISOs of Windows 11 have grown on me.

Above the changes to the visuals of the new taskbar, Start window, widgets pane, and multi task section, it’s the fluidity of the overall UI that’s impressed me so far. Jumping through windows and menus “feels” smoother than in previous versions of Windows. I understand it’s a relatively low bar to be impressed by fluidity of animations while there remains larger OS inconsistencies such as Outlook just giving the middle finger to the whole rounded corners move, or volume, battery, OneDrive options in the task still using the squared off edges despite sitting next to the updated ink and Wi-Fi settings. Surprisingly, these more fluid animations go a long way for me to satiate my appetite for the modernization of Windows.

We’ll see how long things like fluid animations, intuitive windows snapping and rounded corners distract me from the long work ahead the Windows team has ahead in pulling all of these disparate concepts and ideas together in fully fleshed out cohesive user experience.

Abhishek Baxi

It’s a tad too early for one’s first impressions of Windows 11 basis a leaked build but the arrival of a new generation of Windows after half a decade is an exciting time, for sure.

The highlight of the first unveil (unofficial one, that is) is the refreshed user interface with a redesigned Start menu. It looks neat and functional, and for someone like me who’s used TaskbarX to center the taskbar all this while, the layout gets a thumbs up. I quite like widgets since like Live Tiles, they offer information at a glance which is handy for things likes weather, to-dos, etc. I do hope there are better customization options than what we have on ‘News and interests’ right now. The easier discovery of features – like snapping of windows – is a welcome step. A lot of Windows features stay hidden from the plain sight and undiscoverable to casual users. This was also a problem with deep, nested menus in Office apps and Microsoft fixed it with a ribbon interface many years ago.

However, the inconsistency in the UI which has been a sore point for Windows 10 all these years, stays on. Even if one ignores the legacy Windows components like Control Panel, etc., there’s still a lot that needs to be done. I thought Windows 11 would take care of it from the get go.

There’s still a lot to unpack, and the leaked build doesn’t offer a chance to do some spelunking there. Especially the Microsoft Store experience. Let’s see what’s in store next week.

Your turn

What are your first impressions of Windows 11? Take our poll below, and let us know what you think in the comments!

Your first impressions of Windows 11?

— OnMSFT.com (@onmsft) June 16, 2021

Can’t use your Revolut card online? Try these solutions

Posted on June 16, 2021September 2, 2025 by Vlad Turiceanu

Revolut enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the most popular banking services among users.

Many people use it for currency exchange and online payments because it has small or no fees for the majority of its services.

But sometimes, certain websites won’t accept Revolut. Despite the fact that the banking service isn’t yet accepted by all merchants, the problem is with those that accept it.

Many Revolut users are getting declined payments or returns of their funds, even though the app works just fine. Let’s see how you can solve this annoying problem below.

What to do if my Revolut card is declined on certain websites?

1. Check your credentials

Make sure that your credential are properly set up. Check your account in the Revolut app and see if the phone number, address, and personal data are correct.

If you changed any of the info recently, verify that the changes were submitted to the Revolut server, and you got a confirmation of the modifications.

Also, make sure that you have sufficient funds, you entered the right card details, or you didn’t exceed your monthly spending limit for the card.

You should also be aware not to disable certain types of transactions in your card security settings.

We also have a detailed list of the best virtual credit card software you can use if you are interested.

2. Link your Revolut account with other payments services

The issue appears because some vendors simply do not accept prepaid cards.

Another reason for this problem is the fact that Revolut doesn’t support MasterCard 3D Secure Code and Verified by VISA.

No matter the account you have, depending on the BIN database the merchant uses, some prepaid cards are seen as not being prepaid while others are not.

This leads to some websites not accepting your Revolut card.

To solve the problem you can link your Revolut account with TransferWise Borderless and use their debit card, use your Revolut card through Curve, or link your card with PayPal.

If you want the best credit card reader software for your PC, take a closer look at our handy guide and choose your favorite.

While most merchants accept prepaid cards, some of them only accept debit cards. Your best bet is to link your Revolut card to another payment service like PayPal or Curve.

If you are facing similar issues with other platforms, here’s a helpful Wealthsimple not working guide that covers common fixes for finance apps.

3. Use a reliable VPN service

A reliable VPN service will always help you get over website blocking issues quickly. On top of that, it also keeps all your personal banking and PC data safe.

We strongly recommend you use one of the best VPN services for Windows 10. Most of them are really easy to use and have a great number of servers across the globe.

VPNs give great connection speeds, whether you’re browsing securely, transacting online on Revolut, or just streaming.

Cybersecurity is always very important, but especially when it comes to online transactions, and this is well known to all users.

That’s why check out our comprehensive guide for the best antivirus software for online banking, and find the proper one for your needs.

If you’re aware of another solution to solve the problem, please share it in the comments section below so that other users can try it as well.

If you want to learn more about this service, check our guide on how to change bank card on Revolut for more information.

Also, leave there any other questions you may have, and we’ll make sure to check them out.

6 Best Gaming Motherboards To Buy [Ranked by Features]

Posted on June 16, 2021October 4, 2023 by Radu Tyrsina

Picking the best motherboard will determine what kind of system you’ll be able to build around it.

Your choice in motherboards dictates how big your final PC can become, what kind of memory and processors you will be able to jam into it.

You have to choose how many graphics cards you can stretch to and also what sort of storage options you will have available as well.

Therefore, it’s really essential to make the right choice because the consequences of getting the wrong one will stick with you for a pretty long time.

There are lots of options to consider on the market when you’re choosing the best gaming motherboard, and it’s important to know a thing or two about their features before you decide what’s best for you.

When it comes to gaming motherboards, features and stability are generally more important than performance claims.

Here are the main things you should look for when getting a new motherboard:

Quality VRMs
Compatibility
Overclock capacity
Available ports

What are the best motherboards for gaming?

Asus ROG Strix B450-F

Perfect pairing for 3rd/2nd/1st Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs
Intel Gigabit Ethernet
5-Way Optimization
Aura Sync RGB

Does not have on-board built-in wireless

Check price

With the Asus ROG Strix B450-F Gaming motherboard, powered by second-generation AMD Ryzen AM4 processors, you can experience the next level of performance.

This motherboard has the most comprehensive cooling options ever, configurable via Fan Xpert 4 or the UEFI BIOS, and it offers full RGB lighting control.

The pre-mounted I/O shield is classy and has a cool look. It works really well with black-themed builds, and the RGB makes it so much more customizable.

Also, the 5-way optimization automatically tunes your hardware with cooling and overclocking profiles tailored especially for your rig.

If you’re looking for enthusiast features on a motherboard that will not empty your bank account, the ROG Strix B450-F is the right choice for you.

Take into account that you might need to update your BIOS in order to use newer generations of CPUs or GPUs after you install it.

MSI MPG Z390

Supports 9th i9-9900K, i7-9700K, i5-9600K and 8th Generation Intel Core / Pentium Gold / Celeron processors
Supports dual channel DDR4 Memory
2x TURBO M.2
16.8 million colors / 29 effects

Not enough USB headers

Check price

The MSI MPG Z390 gaming motherboard provides one of the most intuitive user experiences, and it allows you to take the lighting to the next level.

The Z270 motherboard provides some centric features such as an extended heatsink, the ATX form factor is ready for multi-GPU, and RGB or RAINBOW LED strips. This offers true and bright illuminating for the most expressive aesthetics.

Since it supports DDR4-type of memory, you can install RAM with high frequencies on it. This will provide the fastest speeds, up to 4400 MHz.

As stated above, this motherboard is made for intel CPUs, supporting processors from the 8th and 9th generations flawlessly.

Additionally, you can fully customize the RGB lighting to make it fit with your rig’s thematic. Pulsating colors? Rainbows? You got it.

When it comes to ports, this motherboard has enough for any type of PC. We’re talking about USB 3.1 and 2.0 ports, among the audio jacks, HDMI, and many others.

ASUS ROG Maximus XI Hero

Suitable for 9th 8th Generation Intel Core processors
Aura Sync RGB lighting
Pre-mounted I/O shield
Ultimate gaming connectivity

Lack of individual key lighting customization

Check price

The ROG Maximus XI Hero boasts the perfect balance for enthusiasts and gamers as well.

It provides the necessary features for gaming, ideal performance, and easy-to-use interfaces that place complex control at the users’ fingertips.

This gaming motherboard offers more personalization across your build than ever before, coming with a pre-mounted I/O shield that simplifies the installation process.

The Aura sync feature will synchronize the motherboard’s RGB with your whole system to get a uniform lightning effect on the entire rig.

Compatible with the 9th and 8th generation of Intel processors, this product is ready to deliver the best performance possible.

Yet another stylish choice, the ASUS ROG Maximus motherboard has the company’s emblem which is fully illuminated, and it’s colored in black.

Still not convinced? The product has an included AI for overclocking that is specially optimized to work flawlessly with 8-core CPUs.

MSI MAG B550 TOMAHAWK

Support for 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen processors and future AMD Ryzen processors with BIOS update
Supports dual channel DDR4 memory up to 128 GB (4866 MHz)
2.5G LAN plus Gigabit LAN
RGB LED lighting and extendable pin headers

No USB type C

Check price

If your gaming computer is powered by an AMD CPU, this MSI motherboard is the perfect combo for you. The hardware supports AMD Ryzen 1st and 2nd generation as well as two-way AMD Crossfire Technology.

Thanks to the new thermal and power design of this motherboard, your high-end gaming machine can run at full speed without any problems.

If you also use overclocking software, this motherboard creates the perfect conditions for using your CPU at max throttle. It supports a multi-core CPU for excellent gaming performance.

The flash BIOS button will come in handy when you are trying to update it with a bootable USB, booting the stick with just the press of a button.

Overheating is not an issue. The motherboard is equipped with great VRMs and heatsinks that allow overclocking without issues.

The black design with grey stripes combined with customizable RGB makes this product a must-have for those who care about aesthetics.

GIGABYTE Z370 AORUS Gaming 7

Supports 8th Generation Intel Core Processors
USB3.1 Gen2 with USB Type-C
Front USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C header
Killer E2500 Gaming Network + Intel Gigabit LAN

Complaints about RGB software

Check price

The Z370 motherboard is designed for gamers and enthusiasts who want the best performance for their ultimate gaming system.

The motherboard also includes dual-channel DDR4, front USB 3.1 Type C, Smart Fan 5 Cooling, RGB fusion lighting, ultra-durable armor, and multi-way graphics support.

The Z370 has the features and the overclocking to please most gaming enthusiasts and its price is really appealing these days.

Designed with a black theme and orange stripes, the motherboard surely doesn’t fit on any rig (aesthetically speaking), but it looks great on builds that use these colors.

It is an Intel CPU-oriented motherboard that supports the 8th generation of processors. As with all the other motherboards, we suggest updating your BIOS.

This product also comes with RGB, since it’s usually the norm nowadays, having a fully customizable multi-zone LED light show design.

ASUS TUF Z270 Mark 2

Designed for 7th generation LGA 1151 socket Intel Core processors
Integrated Dual M.2 slots
Intel Optane Memory compatibility
Thermal Armor and Thermal Radar Core PLUS

No Asus AURA connector for the case lighting

Check price

The ASUS TUF is ready for hardcore non-stop operation, and it comes with all the durability, looks, and cooling necessary. It comes with a rugged and shielded design that packs the proper features and the most fan connectors.

This motherboard is compatible with the new ASUS AURA SYNC which is a software suite that allows for more choices in additional RGB gear.

Speaking of compatibility, we should mention that this motherboard is compatible with older generations of Intel CPUs, more precisely, the 7th gen.

Additionally, the TUF Fortifier of this motherboard will make sure that it doesn’t buckle under the weight of more massive graphics cards and processor coolers.

How does it do that? By placing additional protective materials that give it a more refined look and that shelter its vulnerable parts.

Thus, It also minimizes the risk of damaged circuitry from bending and bowing, reducing the chances of physical problems and lengthening the lifetime of the product.

Motherboard compatibility

When buying a new motherboard, it is necessary that we know about the different models and their compatibility with other hardware.

Therefore, there are motherboards that are compatible with AMD CPUs, and others that work with Intel ones. They don’t work the other way around, so keep that in mind.

Additionally, even if the motherboard might have dual-channel RAM support, the memory and frequency supported are different from product to product.

Different sizes for different builts

Besides hardware compatibility, one should always make sure that the motherboard he is going to buy fits in their new/old chasis.

There are different types of motherboards:

ATX

Are the standard size that has the most space for plugins, slots, and has the most amount of ports available. They are 12×9 inches in size.

Micro ATX

These motherboards are 2.4 inches shorter than ATX ones and are made to fit in smaller cases, at the expense of space and available ports.

Mini-ITX

Great for a tiny PC that isn’t all about performance. They work well in cases that don’t take up much space, but you’ll have less RAM and GPU, or port connections.

Must have motherboard ports

When you buy a motherboard, it’s best to look for one that has certain ports. Why? Because most of the peripherals connected to the motherboard via those ports.

The most important ones include all types of USB since you’ll find that you run out of available USB ports really fast when you have lots of peripherals.

Nowadays, even headphones and microphones come with a USB anyway. For the video outputs, we suggest looking for HDMI and DisplayPort, since the VGA and DVI aren’t being used anymore.

Are you scared of updating your BIOS? You don’t really have a choice. However, if you take a look at this quick guide about updating your BIOS, you’ll realize how easy it is.

This is the point where our roundup of the best gaming motherboards ends. Check out all their features and decide which one meets all your gaming requirements.

Best Laptop for Playing WoW: 7 Cheap Picks of 2026

Posted on June 16, 2021January 8, 2024 by Matthew Adams

World of Warcraft is the biggest and best multiplayer RPG for Windows. Blizzard released the latest expansion, Shadowland, for its World of Warcraft franchise in November 2020.

These are the recommended system requirements for that game:

Processor: Intel Core i7-6700K or AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
GPU: AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 (DirectX 12 compatible)
RAM: 8 GB
Storage: 100GB

Shadowlands’ system requirements aren’t really high, but some players with laptops released about five or six years ago might need new PCs to play it.

If your PC doesn’t cut the mustard for Shadowlands, these are some of the best gaming laptops to upgrade to and play the latest WoW expansion on.

Deals are subject to change. Keep in mind that the price tag may vary as some of the discounts may no longer be available by the time you’ve made your purchasing decision.

What are the best gaming laptops for World of Warcraft?

Acer Predator Helios 300

Top-notch 10th generation Intel processor
Excellent frame rate
RGB backlit keyboard
Good value

Its four-hour battery isn’t great

Check price

The Acer Predator Helios 300 boasts a terrific 10th gen Intel Core i7-10750H 6-core processor with a max 5.0 GHz clock speed.

It also incorporates a Full HD 15-inch VDU with an excellent 144Hz frame rate, 16 GB RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060.

Aside from its impressive specs, the Helios 300 has some good additional features. Its 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard gives it a bit more shine.

The special turbo button will instantly overclock your hardware to get the maximum possible performance while playing the game.

Users can also prioritize bandwidth with Killer DoubleShot Pro, which is a handy addition for multiplayer gaming.

The laptop also comes with a Numpad on the keyboard so you have extra buttons available for all the binds and macros you create in the game.

MSI GS66 Stealth

Outstanding 300Hz frame rate
10th generation i9 or i7 Intel processor (depending on model)
Supports the latest Wi-Fi 6 standard for faster multiplayer gameplay and lower latency
Customizable RGB backlit keyboard that’s optimized for gaming
Enough RAM

It’s pricey

Check price

The MSI GS66 Stealth is a widely acclaimed laptop with even more impressive specs than the latest Helios 300.

The best GS66 model is equipped with an i9-Core i9-10980HK CPU, 32 GB RAM, one TB SSD storage, RTX 2070 Super Max-Q GPU, and a VDU with a trail-blazing 300Hz frame rate.

With such strong specifications, GS66 will certainly run World of Warcraft: Shadowlands at its very best. Like the Helios 300, the GS66 includes DoubleShot Pro to minimize lag in WoW and other titles.

It also features a customizable RGB keyboard that can provide in-game status keyboard lighting, equipped with a Numpad.

The NVME SSD will get you the fastest loading speeds possible. This is a huge plus since all the WoW players know how lengthy the loading screens are.

Additionally, the anti-glare screen will stop the sunlight from ruining your gaming experience when you’re riding in the middle of the day.

MSI GF65 Thin

9th generation Intel 9750H processor
RTX 2060 GPU that supports ray tracing
Best GF65 models include lots of RAM
Offers up to two terabytes of drive storage

Can get hot when running games

Check price

This is another laptop with a top-of-the-range Intel CPU, which can clock up to 4.5 GHz, combined with NVIDIA RTX 2060 GPU.

The GF65 has a decent enough 120Hz frame rate that ensures pretty rapid response times for WoW battles. Its various models are equipped with anywhere between 16-64 GB RAM.

One of the GF65’s most noteworthy features is its pre-installed MSI App Player. That’s an Android emulator (a refined BlueStacks) that enables players to play mobile phone games on Windows.

MSI App Player provides RGB keyboard lighting effects for some of the biggest mobile games.

This laptop also comes with an NVME SSD, which will result in lightning-speed loading times. Be the first to get to the summoning stone with your friends.

Never worry about overheating. The fans are more than capable of cooling down the entire laptop even after intensive gaming sessions.

Razer Blade 15 (Advanced Edition)

4K or 300Hz FHD 15-inch VDU
Good battery for a gaming laptop (lasts up to several hours)
High-end processor and graphics card
One terabyte storage provides plenty of space for games
Second Pro

Pricey compared with some of the alternative laptops

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The Razer Blade 15 Advanced is a laptop that packs in a 10^th generation Intel Core i7-10875 processor with eight cores that can clock up to 5.1 GHz.

That processor, combined with the Blade 15’s GeForce RTX 2080 GPU (equipped with eight GB VRAM), ensures top-notch gaming performance.

The Blade 15 has two alternative 300 Hz FHD matte and OLED 4K models. For top-notch picture quality, you can get the Blade 15 model that has a 4K (3,840 x 2,160) resolution display.

The alternative FHD Matte model has a VDU with an excellent 300Hz refresh rate and super quick response times.

This laptop’s case is made out of aluminum, which is a great heat conductor and looks very stylish. If you’re looking for something eye-candy, this laptop is for you.

More so, the display is brightly colored and has great color saturation, which will benefit during raids where you need to constantly watch for spell effects.

ASUS TUF

Affordable gaming laptop
The FX505DV’s RTX 2060 GPU enables real-time ray tracing
Its VDU’s 120Hz refresh rate is pretty good

8 GB RAM is a little limited for a gaming laptop

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The ASUS TUF is among the best budget gaming laptops for World of Warcraft. The best TUF FX505DV model packs in a four GHz AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 GPU, 512 GB storage.

Additionally, it is equipped with 16 GB RAM, and a 120Hz VDU. Those specs considerable eclipse Shadowland’s minimum system requirements.

If you want an even more economical gaming laptop, check out the ASUS TUF FX505DT model. That has the same Ryzen 7 CPU and 120Hz VDU, but it includes a GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GPU and eight GM RAM.

The eight GB RAM still meets Shadowland’s recommended system requirement, so you will be able to play with high graphics settings.

As mentioned before, the Numpad is really important for setting up macros and keybinds. There’s also RGB that will light the keyboard when you’re playing in the dark.

The NVME will provide the fastest loading times, the other hardware will make sure you have high framerates and you are fully immersed.

Alienware M15 R3

High-end processor and graphics card
Lots of RAM
Lots of drive storage
Blazing-fast 300Hz refresh rate ensures the smoothest gameplay
Supports Wi-Fi 6

Substandard battery

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The M15 R3 is a high-end laptop that’s among the best for Windows gaming generally. It’s not cheap, but seasonal discounts reduce the M15’s cost.

The top model incorporates a 10^th generation Intel i7-10875H CPU, GeForce RTX 2080 GPU, 32 GB RAM, one TB SSD storage, and FHD 300 Hz monitor.

The M15 R3’s RTX 2080 GPU is ideal for the real-time ray tracing effects that World of Warcraft: Shadowlands has.

Only players with PCs that incorporate NVIDIA Turing RTX GPUs will be able to play Shadowlands with its advanced ray tracing shadow and lighting effects.

The Alienware laptops are known and really popular among gamers. They are great laptops that can play more demanding titles than WoW.

Additionally, they are known for their futuristic design and iconic alien symbol. This laptop in particular uses a combination of white and black colors.

HP Omen 15 2020

Its FHD monitor has a top-notch 300Hz refresh rate
Expansive two TB drive storage
Command Center includes good additional configuration settings
Best models have loads of RAM
Powerful GPU

Slightly bulky design

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The HP Omen 15 is another premium gaming laptop. This PC’s Intel Hexa-Core i7-10750H CPU has a max five GHz clock speed.

The Omen’s NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (or 2070) GPU is another that can handle fancy ray-tracing effects. Its best model packs in a whopping 64 GB RAM and two TB storage.

The HP Omen 15’s Command Center also makes this laptop very flexible. Its users can configure the laptop’s fans, keyboard, and exterior lighting.

The network bandwidth and performance settings can be controlled from the Command Center. That Command Center also enables users to assign macros to keys.

You can also insert an SD card, since the laptop comes with an SD card reader. Store your addons, settings, and screenshots in a safer space.

World of Warcraft should not be a problem for such a beefy laptop. The 6GB NVIDIA GPU coupled with the powerful CPU, and the whooping 64GB of RAM will run any modern game flawlessly.

Shadowlands brings graphic improvements

As with any other expansion of the game, Shadowlands brough, among features, content, and awesome new adventures, a series of graphical improvements.

Actually, the game’s graphics have constantly been improved since its launch in 2004. This included more polygons, different lightning, etc.

Lately, with the addition of RTX, most of the current games implemented it in a way or another. World of Warcraft is no exception. You can now enable it in the video settings.

The difference an SSD makes

If you played WoW, you’re familiar with the tiresome loading screens. They take a lot of time, and when you have to travel between zones every 5 minutes, a 30-second loading screen is going to kill the mood.

Thankfully, the new SSDs don’t have this problem anymore. You can expect loading screens of 10 seconds at worst. You will notice a giant improvement in loading times on all the games, not only in WoW.

What’s better than an SSD? An NVME SSD. They are the fastest storage systems on the market at the moment, reaching speeds of 4000 mb/s!

What to expect from the expansion

Since we’re talking about the expansion’s system requirements, we should talk about the content as well, don’t you think?

Shadowlands continues the captivating story of Azeroth and its inhabitants, but this time, there is much more to explore and new mysteries to unfold.

We won’t give you any spoilers, because you should experience the story yourself. However, we’d like to mention that the game gets periodic content updates even after the expansion has been released.

Are you experiencing problems starting WoW? Here’s a guide about solving WoW not starting 3D acceleration. Take a look and learn how to solve the problem.

Those are several of the best laptops to play World of Warcraft: Shadowlands on. They generally have great CPUs, GPUs, VDU refresh rates, and enough RAM to play any game.