Several days ago, AMD released the Ryzen 8000G series of APUs. The AMD Ryzen 8000G APUs are similar to Ryzen 7000 CPUs, but with relatively powerful built-in GPUs. The AMD Ryzen 8000G series lineup includes AMD Ryzen 8700G, Ryzen 8600G & Ryzen 8500G series of processors.

While Ryzen 8700G has a high MSRP of $329, Ryzen 8600G sells at much lower, at $229. Ryzen 8500G is even cheaper, at $179. But Ryzen 8500G isn’t recommended for gaming due to it containing smaller Zen 4c cores and even lower powered iGPU.

When the reviews for the Ryzen 8000G series were out – mostly Ryzen 8700G and 8600G, most reviews praised how powerful the iGPUs inside them were. It was seen that the GPUs inside the Ryzen 8700G and Ryzen 8600G were performing twice or double the speed of what was found in the previous-gen Ryzen 5000G series.

In fact, it was found that these Ryzen 8000G series were as good as the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti in gaming performance. An APU equaling a discrete graphics card is something which is not heard of before.

But what about the sales. How much are these processors actually selling. Now we have some idea about them.

Bad Ryzen 8000G Sales

Twitter (now X) based poster @TechEpiphanyYT is well known for posting weekly sale details for CPUs, mainboards and graphics cards sold on Germany’s top retailer Mindfactory.

In the latest Mindfactory CPU retail sales data shared by @TechEpiphanyYT, the Ryzen 8000G series seems to be hardly selling.

The most selling CPU remains AMD Ryzen 7800X3D with 1140 units sold in a week. For the record, Ryzen 7800X3D is dominating the CPU charts since almost a year. The second on the list is AMD Ryzen 5600X with 390 unit sales, thanks to the value it offers. The third on the list is the timeless AMD Ryzen 5800X3D with 350 unit sales.

But what about the newly released AMD Ryzen 8700G APU? It’s lamenting way back at thirty number in that list, with just 25 unit sales in a week.

Now, this may not seem a big deal. However, its predecessor, the AMD Ryzen 5700G, has sold 50 units as per the same list. The even cheaper AMD Ryzen 5600G has sold 120 units during the same period.

Also, where is AMD Ryzen 8600G. Its sales are so less that it’s not even in the top 45 list. This could be a point of concern for AMD.

Another thing to look at is when @TechEpiphanyYT shared a preliminary list a week ago. In it, the list showed both Ryzen 8600G and Ryzen 8500G lamenting way back, in among the worst selling CPUs.

Conclusion

There could be many reasons why AMD Ryzen 8000G isn’t selling much in Germany – a country in which AMD is doing good these days.

It can be that it’s a new product and people aren’t aware about it. It could also be that AMD has priced it too high – something which have spoken about before. The Ryzen 5000G series can be too attractive for the buyers, thanks to its current price.

For example, the Ryzen 5700G is available for just $169 on Amazon.com. Compared to that, Ryzen 8700G is selling for $329.

One more thing to mention is that these charts are just from Germany. We don’t know how these new APUs are doing in other countries. These APUs usually do better in developing countries in Asia.

Whatever it could be. AMD might need to take a look at it properly.

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TechCrunch reports that one of the projects that will see an investment reduction will be its Online Footprint Scrubber feature, which was introduced just a week ago as part of its Mozilla Monitor Plus service. It will also be reducing its efforts for its VPN Relay products and services.

In addition, Mozilla stated in a memo sent to its remaining employees that it will slowly wind down the development of the Hubs virtual world services that it launched a few years ago. Mozilla added it will "communicate a graceful exit plan to customers" at some point, but there's no word on when that might happen.

The memo also stated the company would scale back its Mozilla.social service that it launched in 2023 in collaboration with Mastodon. Finally, the company will merge its Pocket, Content, and its AI/ML teams into the Firefox Organization.

In a statement sent to Bloomberg (via Yahoo), a spokesperson said that with these changes, Mozilla will "prioritize resources against products like Firefox Mobile, where there's a significant opportunity to grow and establish a better model for the industry."

Mozilla's Firefox browser remains its most popular software product. The organization recently launched version 122, which added improvements to its built-in translation feature and search suggestions.

Mozilla is also home to the Thunderbird email client. In July 2023, Mozilla began a major revamp of the app, renaming it to Thunderbird Supernova, with a new Card video for messages, a new toolbar, and even a new logo, among other changes.

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We reviewed the Core i9-14900K and the Core i5-14600K, and although we were quite impressed with the performance, we also realized that Intel was pushing a lot of power through these chips to keep up or get past AMD's 7950X3D, as the Ryzen is generally much more efficient.

In our review, we noted that the 14900K consumed 253W during Cinebench 2024. Even the i5 was more thirsty than the 7950X3D despite being slower, though it is far more affordable too (currently retailing at $300).

As is the tradition with Intel, the company is now planning to launch its KS part, which is a pre-overclocked, pre-binned SKU that runs at 5+ GHz out of the box. The alleged specifications of the i9-14900KS have leaked and apparently, Team Blue is looking to release this part at 6.2GHz, which is higher than the max turbo thermal velocity boost (TVB) frequency of 6GHz on the 14900K.

The leak was picked up by Twitter (now X) bot Benchleaks from the OCCT base.

As you can see in the image above, the processor has put on a score of 2383.50 and has a global rank of 1577. However, the score for this chip is not the interesting part. As stated above, it is the specifications of the upcoming chip that are more interesting.

According to HWiNFO data picked up by the OCCT website, the i9-14900KS reports a maximum turbo clock of 6.2GHz on its fastest two P-cores (Performance cores). Meanwhile, the rest of the P-cores report a multiplier of 59 or 5.9GHz. Meanwhile, the 16 E-cores or Efficiency cores are all rated at 4.5GHz, which is 100MHz higher than the E-cores on the 14900K.

Meanwhile, the maximum power draw reported under CPU package power shows nearly 410W and even the average power is over 330W, which is nearly 30% more than the 14900K's and over twice that of the Ryzen 7950X3D.

Hence, a user who buys this is probably going to struggle to cool it down with traditional cooling. Even a 420mm AIO (All in One) liquid cooler is likely not going to be enough, and custom and exotic cooling may be necessary.

Source: OCCT via Benchleaks (X / Twitter)

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The RTX 2000 delivers breakthroughs in speed, efficiency, and power for everyday workflows, enabling creators, designers, and engineers to achieve new levels of productivity and innovation from the desktop.

As you can tell by the graphics card's name, the RTX 2000 Ada Generation is powered by the same architecture as the latest consumer-grade GPUs in the RTX 4000 Series. It features third-generation RT cores, fourth-generation Tensor cores, and 16GB of GDDR6 video memory. Interestingly, the card does not feature the latest DisplayPort versions. Instead, there are four mini DisplayPort connectors for display output (four 2160p at 120Hz, four 2880p at 60Hz, or two 4320p at 60Hz).

According to information published by Nvidia, the RTX 2000 Ada Generation outperforms its predecessor by 30% in graphics, 50% in rendering, and 50% in generative AI tasks.

Here is the complete spec sheet:

The Nvidia RTX 2000 Ada Generation graphics card is available now at Nvidia's global distribution partners, such as Arrow Electronics, Ingram Micro, Leadtek, PNY, Ryoyo Electro, and TD SYNNEX. It will also be available from Dell, HP, and Lenovo starting April 2024. The MSRP for the GPU is $625.

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The event will feature Spencer, Microsoft's president of Game Content and Studios Matt Booty, and president of Xbox Sarah Bond. The podcast episode will be made available on the official Xbox YouTube channel.

There's been a ton of rumors, alleged leaks, and speculation on what might be revealed by Spencer, Booty, and Bond as part of this special presentation. Some have claimed Microsoft will be allowing some of its first-party Xbox and PC games to be made available on other gaming platforms in general, and on Sony's PlayStation 5 console in particular.

One thing that reportedly won't be on the table is Microsoft's exit from the game console hardware business. A recent but unconfirmed report claims Spencer told an Xbox employee town hall last week that it has no plans to stop making consoles.

There's also been a lot of talk and chatter online about the future of Activision Blizzard since Microsoft acquired the game developer and publisher in October 2023. In late January, the company laid off 1,900 employees from its various gaming divisions, and they hit the Activision Blizzard team members and studios particularly hard.

The matter-of-fact tone of the Xbox podcast announcement also seems to suggest this won't be a typical "everything's great" hype session for the Xbox team and that some very serious news could be waiting in the wings.

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Table of contents:

1. Windows 11 news
2. Windows Insider Program
3. Updates are available
4. Gaming news
5. Reviews
6. A blast from Microsoft's past
7. Random fact about Microsoft

Windows 11

Here we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And of course, you may find a word or two about older but still supported versions.

Windows 11 version 24H2 is now official. The exact release date and a list of new features are currently a mystery, but at least the company confirmed that 24H2 is coming as this year's annual update. This aligns with the recent claim from Qualcomm's CEO about the next-gen Windows release in the second half of 2024.

That is not the only update Windows 11 will get this year. The smaller "Moment 5" update is coming as soon as this month. Still, we are pretty far from Windows 11 version 24H2, so let's talk about the current releases and their fixes, known issues, and quirks.

Microsoft published a fix to resolve desktop icons jumping from one display to another when using Copilot on multi-monitor systems. That means affected Windows 11 users can finally update to version 23H2 and use Copilot. However, Windows 10 users are still waiting for a similar patch.

What will not be patched is the inability to activate Windows 10 and 11 with older keys. And if you are using a local account, reinstalling Windows 10 or 11, activated previously with a Windows 7/8/8.1 license, will most likely fail miserably. The best course of action is to sign in with a Microsoft Account and link your activation before it is too late and you are forced to purchase a new key.

This Spring, Microsoft is expected to hold its annual developer conference called Build. Although the company has yet to announce it officially, we already have alleged dates. The Walking Cat, a prolific Microsoft leaker, said the main developer event would happen from May 21 through May 23.

Windows Insider Program

Here are the new builds and fresh features Microsoft announced for Windows Insiders this week:

As usual, we took a closer look at some of the most interesting features, changes, and updates released in the Windows Insider Program and the latest builds:

• As spotted before, the Snipping Tool app has been updated with the ability to add shapes. Notepad, on the other hand, received the ability to send the highlighted text to Copilot for some explanation.
• There is a new Settings page for managing color profiles. Although it is there to replace the legacy Control Panel UI, the old variant is still accessible alongside the new settings section.

  

   

• The taskbar finally has modernized thumbnails with new animations and File Explorer tab counters.
• A new utility in the Settings app lets you test your microphone and different processing modes.

  

   

• Microsoft is working on a feature that lets Windows 11 speak using your voice.
• Copilot actions now let you quickly send stuff to the AI assistant. Windows 11 will plan neat Copilot animations when you copy text or drag a picture, indicating that you can ask Copilot about the selected items.

  

   

It is also worth noting that build 26052 is the first Windows 11 version without Windows Mixed Reality support. These headsets no longer work with Windows 11 version 24H2 and onward, so you better stick to version 23H2 if you want to keep using them. As a reminder, Microsoft plans to end Windows Mixed Reality support in November 2026.

To finish the Windows section, here is an interesting story about high-speed trains from Germany that are still running with the help of Microsoft's 30-year-old operating system. Moreover, Siemens still needs administrators capable of managing this ancient piece of code, so maybe you can put your old-school OS skills to some good use in Europe.

Some tinfoil hats are also spreading ridiculous hoaxes about Microsoft disabling computers for users sharing "non-mainstream content," but that nonsense has nothing to do with reality.

Updates are available

This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.

Plenty of apps received updates this week. Apple, for one, updated its entire suite of apps for Windows 10 and 11. Apple Music, Apple TV, and Apple Devices are now out of beta. In addition, iCloud for Windows has been updated with a new design and fresh features.

Brave joined the list of browsers optimized for Windows on ARM. You can now download this privacy-focused browser on your Surface Pro 9 5G or another Windows computer with an ARM processor and enjoy improved performance, better energy efficiency, and other benefits of natively running apps.

On the first-party side, Microsoft quietly released its PC Manager app for all users globally. This app promises to improve your computer's performance, clean it from unnecessary files, and give access to various convenient tools. However, users also noticed some odd stuff inside, such as questionable optimization methods and affiliate links to third-party websites. Think twice before adding this app to your Windows maintenance toolset.

Copilot for Microsoft 365 is now available on Windows 10 and 11, allowing users with eligible subscriptions to switch from the "regular" Copilot to the one for business customers. Microsoft also announced a bunch of new Copilot features, namely for the image generator, as the service marked its first birthday. In addition, Windows users can make the Copilot window larger if they want to enjoy more screen real estate when having conversations with AI.

And if you thought Microsoft was not serious about its AI efforts, here is the official commercial the company will show during this year's Super Bowl. It is all about AI, all about Copilot.

There was also some good news for those missing the old Windows Mail app. Without any announcement, Microsoft brought back the ability to toggle between the new Outlook and the old Mail app (and even run them side-by-side). With that said, the latter is still on its way out, with Microsoft planning to shut it down on December 31, 2024.

Here are the new drivers released this week:

• Nvidia pushed a hotfix for all sorts of micro-stutters in the recently released drivers.
• Intel 31.0.101.5194 and 31.0.101.5252 non-WHQL with Skulls & Bones, Helldivers 2, and other games support.

Other updates released this week include the following:

• ReactOS, an operating system some call "open-source Windows," received an improved setup UI.
• Logitech has released a new version of the Options Plus app, adding support for Copilot and the new Teams app.
• Microsoft Edge is now up to 20% faster on Apple Silicone Macs thanks to profile-guided optimization. And do not worry, Windows users; Microsoft added this feature to Edge on Windows 10 and 11 four years ago.
• Microsoft Clipchamp received a new update with audio recording and text-to-speech editing improvements.
• Intel is working on Thread Director optimizations for Linux to make Windows 11 virtual machines run better on Linux hosts.
• Microsoft launched Universal Print support for macOS in public preview.
• Extension support is now available in Edge for Android as a part of this week's Dev update.
• The new Outlook will soon let you join chats in Microsoft Teams meetings.
• Windows 365 has a new set of standard wallpapers. You can get them in high-res here.

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Finally, here are the latest additions to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, a website where you can track new features coming soon to Office, Teams, OneDrive, and other productivity apps from Microsoft.

On the gaming side

Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts and more.

The gaming section kicks off with a review of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The game has a fun story spiced up with Suicide Squad's chemistry and good jokes. However, there are also repetitive missions, a bit uninspiring boss fights, and a few questions performance-wise. Check out our full review here.

The ill-fated Forza Motorsport, which was launched in 2023 in a rather undercooked state, will soon get improved car progression. Turn 10 plans to ditch the locked part mechanic feature, meaning users will be able to upgrade their cars from level 1. In addition, the studio will let you purchase car points for in-game credits.

On Monday, Xbox fans suddenly felt a great disturbance in the force when a leak revealed that Microsoft would allegedly bring its Xbox exclusives, such as Starfield, the upcoming Indiana Jones game, and more titles to PlayStation 5. Shortly after that, Phil Spencer said the company would reveal its "vision for the future of Xbox" next week. A flood of bittersweet Windows Phone jokes followed immediately. Now, we are waiting.

This week's additions to the Xbox and PC Game Pass catalogs include Resident Evil 3 remake, Madden NFL 24, PlateUp, and other titles. Check out the full list here. Speaking of Xbox Game Pass, US-based Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers can get 30 free days of Paramount+.

New games are also coming to Nvidia's GeForce NOW cloud streaming service. Look out for The Inquisitor, Aragami 2, art of rally, dotAGE, and more.

Valve launched Steam Next Fest, a regular event during which Steam users can play hundreds of demos of upcoming PC games. Those who missed it still have one day to participate and try some of the future titles.

Deals and freebies

This week's Weekend PC Game Deals series covers plenty of discounted games and bundles, so be sure to visit it here if you are looking for something new to play. Those who do not want to spend money on new games but do not mind adding something to their collections can try Doki Doki Literature Club Plus from the Epic Game Store. This psychological horror is now available for free until the next Thursday.

Here are other gaming-related stories from this week:

• Minecraft received a new free DLC to teach kids to behave while playing online.
• FSR 3 frame generation support for Starfield is now available in beta on Steam.

Hardware and software reviews

Here is hardware and/or software we reviewed this week

Robbie Khan published a review of the recently launched Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra. The smartphone has an amazing display, outstanding battery life, good cameras, and solid customization. However, there are some minor irritations, such as soon-to-be-paywalled features and slow charging. Those looking to upgrade to Samsung's latest flagship should check out Neowin's review here.

A blast from Microsoft's past

John Callaham's weekly "Look back" series provides throwbacks into the past, detailing the company's products, partnerships, mishaps, and successes from years ago.

February 5, 2024, marked 23 years since the official announcement of Windows XP, one of the most beloved and famous Windows releases. Almost one-quarter of a century later, Windows XP still has a decent user base (for better or for worse), so here is our look back article commemorating this legendary operating system and its launch 23 years ago.

The second look-back article from John this week is about gaming, namely the infamous Rings of Death on Xbox 360. With the dark clouds gathering over the Xbox divisions, we decided to look back at the problem that nearly tanked Microsoft's young gaming division back in 2006.

Random fact about Microsoft

And here is a randomly selected piece of trivia about the company, Windows, and other Microsoft-made things.

Did you know that during the Windows 95 development, a Microsoft engineer drove to a local Egghead store and purchased one copy of every program available? The aim was to ensure Windows 95 was compatible with existing apps, so the development manager invited every member of the team to take up to two applications and check if they worked well with the operating system.

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Some people have even speculated that Microsoft will stop selling Xbox consoles, becoming a software-only game developer and publisher. This has happened with other companies that have sold game hardware consoles and later moved away from that business, including Atari and, more significantly, Sega.

However, a new but unconfirmed report claims that Microsoft will not be going that route. It comes from noted game journalist Shannon Liao in her Substack newsletter (via VGC). The newsletter stated that earlier this week, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer held an internal town hall with Xbox employees.

Spencer reportedly told those assembled team members that the company has no plans to stop making Xbox consoles. He also allegedly said that Xbox hardware will still be part of the company's video game strategy, alongside other kinds of devices.

It's worth noting that Microsoft already offers games beyond its Xbox consoles and PC. A few of its titles, like Minecraft, have been on Sony and Nintendo's consoles for years. Of course, the purchase of Activision Blizzard in October 2023 means Microsoft offers games like Diablo IV, Overwatch 2, and the Call of Duty series on the PS5 as well.

That also doesn't even cover the devices that are supported by Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is part of Microsoft's Xbox Games Ultimate subscription plan. It allows hundreds of games to be streamed and played on iOS and Android devices, and also on Samsung smart TVs, without the need for an Xbox console or PC.

Spencer has already publically announced that there will be more info on the company's Xbox future revealed later this coming week. Hopefully, we will get more clarity on how Xbox consoles will fit into this strategy.

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Many Xbox gamers have posted messages they no longer support Microsoft's gaming efforts because of the rumors that its first-party games may be heading to other consoles. In response, Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer stated on his X (formerly Twitter) account that sometime in the next week, users should learn some more information "about our vision for the future of Xbox."

This does feel like a new and major turning point for Microsoft's gaming efforts that didn't seem to be in the cards until just recently. However, with all the gloom and doom speculation about the future of Xbox, it's perhaps important to point out that the division has suffered through much worse times.

Indeed, it's hard to believe that the Xbox business survived through the early years of the release of the Xbox 360 console. It launched in the US on November 22, 2005, and, as expected, it was a fast seller out of the gate.

However, there were reports even in the first few days of the console's launch that people were encountering some issues with the Xbox 360. Our own forums had people reporting about games crashing on their console and even overheating hardware. Over the next year, more and more online posts from early Xbox 360 owners claimed that their consoles were encountering what became known as the "Red Ring of Death."

It refers to the original Xbox 360's power button that had four lights surrounding it. They were all supposed to be green to indicate a working console, but many owners later saw three red rings, which meant a complete hardware failure. Some console owners reported they had gone through as many as three Xbox 360 consoles before they got one that worked. In September 2006, Microsoft announced that people who bought the console before January 1, 2006, would be able to get one year of free repairs, even if the original warranty had expired.

In February 2007, the BBC's Watchdog investigative show ran a story about the growing number of Xbox 360 failure reports. In response, Microsoft sent a statement to Gamesindustry.biz, stating that it had encountered "a few isolated reports of consoles not working as expected." However, it claimed that the number of hardware failures for the console was "significantly lower" than the 3 to 5 percent amount that was the norm at the time for consumer electronics products.

However, the hardware failures indicated by the Red Ring of Death continued to start showing up on more Xbox 360 consoles. In April 2007, Microsoft announced it would expand the warranty for the console from 90 days to one year. It would also offer free shipping for any console that needed to be repaired.

Even with that warranty change, it didn't seem to be enough as the hardware failure reports continued to come through. In early July 2007, one report surveyed a lot of retailers who sold Xbox 360 consoles and asked how many extended warranties they sold to people with defective consoles. The survey results hinted strongly that Xbox 360 failure rates were well beyond the normal 3 to 5 percent numbers.

Just a few days later, on July 5, 2007, Microsoft's Xbox leader at the time, Peter Moore, posted a message on the Xbox website. While he continued to claim that "the majority of customers who own Xbox 360 consoles have had a terrific experience from their first day", Moore also admitted that Microsoft had "identified several factors that can cause a general hardware failure" and had " made certain improvements to the console."

Moore then announced that all previously sold and current Xbox 360 consoles would be covered by a new three-year warranty specifically covering the hardware issues indicated by Red Ring of Death. He wrote:

If a customer has an issue indicated by the three flashing red lights, Microsoft will repair the console free of charge -- including shipping -- for three years from the console’s purchase date. We will also retroactively reimburse any of you who paid for repairs related to problems indicated by this error message in the past. In doing so, Microsoft stands behind its products and takes responsibility to ensure that every Xbox 360 console owner continues to have a fantastic gaming experience.

In a 2020 interview with Edge magazine, Moore said that it cost Microsoft $1.15 billion to fix the Red Ring of Death failures with this extended warranty. That might have bankrupted most companies, but Steve Ballmer, Microsoft's then-CEO, signed off on the plan. The final result was that the Xbox business in general, and the Xbox 360 console in particular, got through this very rough time.

In 2021, Microsoft released a multi-part documentary on the history of the Xbox on YouTube, and one of the six chapters discussed the Xbox 360 Red Ring of Death. The documentary offered a more specific explanation for the original Xbox 360's hardware problems. In short, the console got very hot and then cooled off very fast when it was turned off. That caused internal components in the console to get overstressed and finally break.

Even today, Microsoft still has not revealed how many of those original Xbox 360 consoles were replaced due to the Red Ring of Death. It remains perhaps the darkest chapter of Microsoft's gaming history.

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Another week gone by means another wave of stories. This week we saw a surprise game surpass Palworld on the Steam Top Seller list, received confirmation that Microsoft will not ship Windows 12 this year, and laughed at a funny video comparing Microsoft HoloLens and Apple Vision Pro. It wasn't all laughs, however, as we also saw debates rage about how Microsoft should handle Xbox exclusivity on consoles.

Here are all the biggest stories from the last week, plus a roundup of our reviews and the best deals that are still live.

No Windows 12 this year

Windows PCs will receive a major update this year, but it will not be Windows 12. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)

Microsoft will release a new version of Windows in 2024, but it will not be Windows 12. Instead, the major update rolling out in autumn (in the northern hemisphere) will be called Windows 11 version 24H2. This name convention aligns with previous major releases from Microsoft, but it also confirms that we won't see Windows 12 any time soon.

"Starting with Build 26-xx today, Windows Insiders in the Canary and Dev Channels will see the versioning updated under Settings > System > About (and winver) to version 24H2. This denotes that Windows 11, version 24H2 will be this year’s annual feature update." said Microsoft in the notes for Windows 11 Build 26052 (emphasis Microsoft's).

Some had speculated that Windows 12 would come out this year, but Microsoft's build notes clarify that not to be the case. Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden explained why the next release won't be Windows 12 last week. Bowden appeared to hit the nail on the head, as less than one week later Microsoft confirmed Windows 11 version 24H2 will be the next major update to the OS.

Palworld loses top spot on Steam

Helldivers 2 was the highest game on Steam's top seller list for most of this week. (Image credit: Arrowhead Game Studios)

Palworld has been the talk of the town since it launched, but a lesser-known title beat out Palworld on Steam's Top Sellers list. Helldivers 2, a co-op third-person shooter, worked its way all the way up to the number two spot on that list, only trailing Valve's Steam Deck.

It's important to note that Helldivers 2 did not surpass Palworld in terms of total installs. Rather, the revenue generated by Helldivers 2 over the last 24 hours compared to Palworld's revenue in the same timeframe is what's being compared. That figure includes all sources of revenue driven by a game, including base game purchases, DLC content sales, and in-game transactions. Steam explains how its top sellers chart works in an FAQ page:

"For each game, we roll up all the player spending from the trailing 24 hours, and then add extra weight to spending in the last 3 hours. That extra weighting of the most recent spending helps Steam to more quickly reflect changes, like a popular new release or a game trending upward."

Helldivers 2 is also notable because it is the first PlayStation exclusive that launched on PS5 and PC simultaneously. While popular titles such as God of War, Marvel's Spider-Man, and Death Stranding are available on PC, they were exclusive to PlayStation for either months or years depending on the game.

While Helldivers 2 is near the top of Steam's top seller list, the game has mixed reviews due to matchmaking issues and crashes. Those issues occur on both the console and PC version of the game. A hotfix already rolled out, but problems remain.

Apple Vision Pro vs HoloLens

On the lighter side of things, a funny satirical video about Apple Vision Pro and HoloLens made the rounds this week. YouTuber SAMTIME pokes fun at all big tech companies, and his latest video compares Microsoft's HoloLens to Apple Vision Pro. In it, he pretends to be a Microsoft employee complaining about how Apple Vision Pro copied HoloLens.

• Related: Apple Vision Pro vs. XREAL Air 2 Ultra

While SAMTIME's video is playful and entertaining, it does raise some good points. Microsoft had a fully functional augmented reality headset years ago but has since abandoned it. Windows Mixed Reality is being deprecated. In fact, the latest Windows 11 Insider build is the first to not support Windows Mixed Reality.

Xbox exclusivity drama

Reports of Hi-Fi Rush coming to other consoles sparked debate about Xbox exclusivity. (Image credit: Tango Gameworks)

Following rumors of Hi-Fi Rush and Sea of Thieves potentially launching on PlayStation or Nintendo Switch, Xbox fans and the gaming industry as a whole started asking questions about the future of Xbox. Some are worried that a shift away from console exclusivity could lead to Microsoft abandoning its gaming hardware efforts. Others believe Microsoft is trading short term gains for long term issues. The noise got so loud that Microsoft announced a "business update event" to clear things up.

"We're listening and we hear you," said Microsoft Gaming CEO Phil Spencer. "We've been planning a business update event for next week, where we look forward to sharing more details with you about our vision for the future of Xbox. Stay tuned."

While that event should answer some questions, it hasn't happened yet, so debates continue. Of course, even if that question answers what Microsoft's plans are, it won't end arguing about if those plans are good.

Reviews

The HYTE Y70 Touch gaming PC has a screen built in. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)

From a game console that looks like a slider phone from 2004 to a gaming PC with a screen built in, we look at some fun gadgets each week at Windows Central. Toss in some reviews of the Halo TV series and a controller and you have a lot of reviews to catch up on!

• AYANEO Slide review: A full keyboard for portable interaction with text-heavy games, chats, and browsers
• GameSir G8 Galileo controller review: Taking the lead for Xbox cloud gaming on mobile
• JSAUX Carrying Case for Legion Go review: A safe way to travel with your gaming handheld and its accessories
• Halo TV series Season 2, Episode 1 review: Successfully shifting the balance of power
• Halo TV series Season 2, Episode 2 review: Slow and steady healing
• HYTE Y70 Touch review: A 4K 60Hz screen built into an extravagant PC case let down by bloated software

Deals

(Image credit: Turtle Beach)

Tech is great. Spending too much on tech is not. That's why each week we keep an eye out for the best deals. Recently, we spotted a huge discount on the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro Xbox Headset and a great deal on the Surface Laptop Studio 2. There are also some older deals that aren't quite as good as when they launched but that are still live.

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OPINION I know people who even today donate to the Mozilla Foundation and swear by the Firefox web browser. Their numbers are declining by the day.

And when I see Mozilla Corp's CEO Mitchell Baker stepping down, I wonder if it's really because she'll be more useful devoting all her time to the foundation than overseeing Firefox's decline into a web browser afterthought.

Yes, I know some of you love, love, love Firefox. In 2004, I was championing the browser when Firefox was a wet behind-the-ears beta. For years, it was my favorite web browser. Not because it was open source but because it was so much better and more secure than Internet Explorer. 

That was a long time ago. 

Today, only a relative handful of Firefox users are left. According to the US federal government's Digital Analytics Program (DAP), which gives us the running count of the last 90 days of US government website visits, only 2.2 percent of visitors use Firefox.

2024's top web browser is – surprise! surprise! – Chrome with 48.2 percent. It's followed by Apple Safari, thanks to America's love affair with iPhones, with 35.6 percent. Then comes, believe it or not, Edge with 8.5 percent. Firefox is in fourth place and continuing to fall.

This isn't new. In 2022, Firefox dropped to 2.6 percent from 2021's 2.7 percent. In 2015, when I first started using DAP's numbers, Firefox had an 11 percent market share. By 2016, Firefox had declined to 8.2 percent.

Why? Well, it was Chrome. Yes, I know many of you spit at the very name. Get over it.

Even Mozilla finally figured that out. Almost ten years after Chrome appeared, in 2017, Mozilla CEO Chris Beard admitted, "Firefox did not keep up with the market and what people really want. A lot of hardcore Firefox fans are now happy Chrome users." 

Another side issue that I've brought up before is that while Mozilla poses as a virtuous open source group, the corporation is another story. Mozilla states, "The things we create prioritize people and their privacy over profits."

So, why was Baker's departure exclusively announced in Fortune Magazine instead of the corporation or foundation website? Why, according to the company's filings, did Baker's compensation jump from $5,591,406 in 2021 [PDF] to $6,903,089 [PDF] in 2022? I might add that during this same period, Mozilla's revenue dropped from $527,585,000 to $510,389,000 [PDF].

It wasn't from you. Your donations amounted to $15.5 million in 2021. 

So, where is all that money coming from? Google.

Mozilla only stays in the black because Google pays Mozilla hundreds of millions of dollars in royalties annually. According to Mozilla's 2022 financial report, Mozilla received $510 million from Google. Mozilla still claims to be "Internet by the people, for the people" and that it seeks to "counterbalance the entrenched tech companies." 

Me? I just look at the numbers. 

Baker told Fortune she decided to step down as CEO because she wants to draw attention to our increasingly malicious online world "and how humans are engaging with each other and technology."

I don't know what that has to do with the Mozilla Foundation. It's not like she was running Xitter.

In Baker's subsequent blog post, she announced that Laura Chambers, a Mozilla board member and entrepreneur with experience at Airbnb, PayPal, and eBay, will step in as interim CEO to run operations until a permanent replacement is found.

And, what will Chambers be doing? Well, not taking over Mozilla in the long run.

Instead, the generic pablum of Chambers' future works will be "refining the company's vision and aligning the corporate and product strategy" and "Doubling down on our core products, like Firefox." In Fortune, Chambers was more forthcoming: She'll "focus on building out new products that address growing privacy concerns while actively looking for a full-time CEO."

And Baker's future? "More consistently representing Mozilla in the public... with a focus on policy, open source, and community" and "representing Mozilla as a unified entity." Somehow, all this will be meant to help Mozilla in "restoring public trust in institutions, governments, and the fabric of the internet." 

That sounds good, but what does that have to do with Firefox? How can Firefox, or any Mozilla project, help with these nebulous feel-good goals?  It's hard to buy that all's well with Mozilla, given Baker's poor results at shepherding Firefox forward and the lack of a real replacement CEO. The truth of the matter is that Mozilla is a business, and it's one that isn't growing.

Can it right itself? Can Firefox come back? Honestly, I don't see it, and this management change gives me no reason to believe otherwise. ®

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Chambers will fill the role as interims CEO until the end of the year or until a permanent replacement is found. Baker continues to work for Mozilla as Mozilla Corporation Executive Chairwoman.

Baker says that Chambers is "well-equipped to guide Mozilla through this transitional period". The focus in the 10 months to come will be on "delivering successful products" and "building platforms that accelerate momentum" according to the announcement.

Chambers will refine "the company's vision" and align "the corporate and product strategy behind it" according to the post. She will also double down on core products like Firefox.

Whether that is even possible in the few months that she has as CEO remains to be seen.

Baker was criticized in the past for her salary as CEO at Mozilla. While her salary doubled several times in the past years, Mozilla Firefox's marketshare dropped.

Mozilla also let go of hundreds of employees in 2020 as part of a restructuring of the company.

Firefox, Mozilla's core product and main money maker, is mentioned once in the announcement. It is listed as one of several of Mozilla's core products.

Mozilla makes most of its revenue from search deals in Firefox. In particular, from promoting Google Search in Firefox.

The organization created several products in the past to diversify its revenue sources. Most of them are web-based services, like the recently announced Mozilla Monitor Pro, Mozilla VPN or Firefox Relay.

These, as well as project such as Mozilla AI, have helped Mozilla diversify revenue. Royalties still make up more than 80% of the organizations overall revenue.  Mozilla's non-Firefox products are growing, but the organization needs more of them to be prepared for a time when revenue from search engine deals may fall significantly.

Closing Words

Others, closer to the matter, will evaluate Baker's years as a CEO at Mozilla. Facts are that Firefox lost market share in that time and that Mozilla pivoted to other products to prepare for the future. Currently, Mozilla seems to pivot away from naming all of its new products "Firefox". The organization renamed some of them, for instance Firefox Monitor, to Mozilla Monitor.

Firefox is not neglected, but it may still feel as if Mozilla could have done better earlier. The unlocking of full extensions support for Firefox for Android happened just a month ago. It could have been introduced earlier. Now, even Microsoft is bringing extensions support to its Edge browser for Android.

Now You: if you'd be Mozilla's CEO, what would you do next?

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According to a report by The Wall Street Journal (Paywall), Sam Altman is looking to kickstart a new AI initiative which will focus more on the hardware side including custom made chips for AI. As per the report, Altman is in talks with various investors including the UAE government to source funds and may need up to a whopping $7 trillion.

The OpenAI chief executive officer is in talks with investors including the United Arab Emirates government to raise funds for a wildly ambitious tech initiative that would boost the world’s chip-building capacity and expand its ability to power AI, among other things, and cost several trillion dollars, according to people familiar with the matter. The project could require raising as much as $5 trillion to $7 trillion, one of the people said.

The plan aims at addressing the current problems faced by the industry including the scarcity of AI chips that are required to train Large Language Models (LLM) like ChatGPT. While in theory this could lead to advancements in generative AI, the report does addresses the elephant in the room.

The project requires an estimated investment of around $5 trillion to $7 trillion which is significantly more than total sales made by all of semi-conductor industry. Not only that, but the sum would be more than the total market capitalization of Microsoft and Apple combined, and would be out of this world in terms of corporate fund raising.

A spokesperson for the company gave the following statement to The Wall Street Journal:

OpenAI has had productive discussions about increasing global infrastructure and supply chains for chips, energy and data centers—which are crucial for AI and other industries that rely on them. We will continue to keep the U.S. government informed given the importance to national priorities, and look forward to sharing more details at a later date.

Altman has proposed bringing various players, including investors, chip makers, power companies and more to build dedicated chip foundries to produce the hardware required to run the next generation of AI. He reportedly also said that OpenAI will be a big customer of these chips but the discussions are still in the early stages.

In the recent weeks, Sam Altman has met with the UAE’s Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed al Nahyan, CEO of SoftBank Masayoshi Son and representatives from the TSMC. Microsoft, who has a large investment in OpenAI is aware about the company's efforts to raise funds and Altman has reportedly shared his plans with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott.

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Starfield was one of the most wanted game a from the time it was announced by Bethesda. Despite being delayed many times, people eagerly waited for its release.

However, when it got released, it got rather mediocre reviews from the critics. It currently has just 83 points on Metacritic – relatively lesser than other Bethesda games like Skyrim and Fallout 4. The user score is even lesser, at 6.9 out of 10.

Metacritic isn’t alone in this. On Steam, it’s even worse for the game. Steam is continuously getting bad reviews for Starfield. Currently, Starfield has just 62% good reviews overall on Steam. Recent reviews stand at just 40%.

Most complained about how empty the game feels. It’s vast but shallow. Making it not enjoyable for the players. For example, there are many complaints that the planets in the game feel completely empty.

If that is not enough, then the officials from Bethesda have blamed the gamers rather than the game. Saying that planets are meant to be empty. Suggesting that players should have fun on empty planets.

All this doesn’t seem to go well with the players, it seems. The numbers prove it.

Less than 10,000 players

As per SteamDB, Starfield these days is getting less than 10,000 players per day. Which is way lesser than the peak of 330,723 players it had on a single day, which just four days after its release.

While it’s understood that single player games do not continue to get high amount of players months after their release. It’s also expected that the number of players for a single player game do decrease over time. However, the amount of decrease of players that Starfield has seen is massive.

Compare that to Baldur’s Gate 3, which has 133,749 peak daily players currently. Even a 9-year game, Grand Theft Auto V gets 142,262 peak daily players. Likes of Red Dead Redemption 2 too, which was released 4 years ago, gets a peak of almost 35,000 peak players daily.

Forget about other developers. Bethesda’s own games, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition gets near 26,000 thousand peak players every day. Even Fallout 4 is getting 17,500 peak players per day.

Point being, single player games do get some amount of players even years after their release. This should especially be the case for big games. However, Starfield isn’t able to attract players.

Conclusion

It’s not that Bethesda isn’t doing anything to improve Starfield. It’s releasing update after update for the game. Players are reporting how the game looks better and even performs better.

Today it was announced that Starfield is getting FSR 3 support in the Beta version of the game, something that gamers were asking from months now after DLSS was added. Though we don’t know when the FSR 3 will come out of Beta and get available in the release version.

Having said, despite all the improvements, not many are playing the game on Steam. Yes, it’s possible that it’s being played on subscription on Xbox for PC. But those numbers are usually not that high.

So it’s quite possible that Bethesda isn’t doing enough to convince the gamers. Maybe it needs to improve the gameplay further to make sure planets and game itself doesn’t feel empty.

Many games in the past have improved themselves after a bad launch. There’s no reason it cannot happen to Starfield. But, Bethesda needs to better to improve the game and bring back the gamers playing it. Maybe a massive update with a complete overhaul in the game too can help it a lot.

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While FSR was a launch feature for Starfield, only version 2 with upscaling was available for PC players. Later, when Nvidia's own frame gen tech DLSS 3 was being introduced to the game last year, Bethesda revealed FSR 3 was incoming too, but without a launch window.

"Those of you playing on Steam can opt into the Beta to see the improvements brought to the game before this update becomes available to all our PC Starfield players," says Bethesda in a blog post announcing the beta launch. "This new feature allows for a combination of upscaling as well as advanced frame generation, boosting your framerate for better performance."

Steam users who have purchased Starfield can jump into the beta using the instructions below:

• Open your steam Library and navigate to Starfield
• Right click on "Starfield" and select "Properties"
• In the new properties pop-up window, select "Betas"
• In the beta drop down to opt into, select "[beta]"
• Wait for app to download new build and launch

After switching to the beta version, the in-game Display Settings page will now show FSR3 in the Upscaling section. Being a platform agnostic technology unlike DLSS 3, FSR 3 will be usable across AMD, Nvidia, and Intel graphics. Bethesda recommends using the tech with Vsync enabled and using a VRR-ready display for an optimal experience.

The beta release of FSR 3 should be arriving to all PC players across Steam and Microsoft Store (PC Game Pass) within February following the studio's testing.

The latest Steam beta update lands only a couple of weeks after Bethesda pushed out its biggest update yet for Starfield. Carrying over 100 bug fixes and changes, the 1.9.51.0 releases' patch notes can be found here. Bethesda expects to have a major patch to land for its sci-fi RPG every six weeks or so, though FSR 3's addition will be a special update coming earlier than usual.

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AMD's RyzenAI NPUs aren't yet supported by DirectML, nor do they appear in the Task Manager as Intel's NPUs currently do. AMD Public Relations Manager Matthew Hurwitz told Ars that AMD's GPUs already support DirectML, and that the company is "actively engaged with Microsoft to discuss potential NPU support as well." Hurwitz also said that we would "hear from [AMD] very soon" about adding Task Manager support for its NPUs.

 

All of that said, while NPUs will be much more widely available in 2024 than they have been previously, they're still coming almost exclusively to brand-new and high-end chips. These days, Intel and AMD regularly rebrand older CPU architectures as new ones, or serve the mainstream-to-budget PC market with previous-generation chips rather than new ones. Intel's brand-new non-Ultra Core processors don't include their own NPUs, and only the top-end Ryzen 7000 and Ryzen 8000 laptop chips do. If you're buying a high-end laptop, your next PC is pretty likely to have an NPU in it. If you're shopping for a mid-range or budget laptop or desktop, you're still going to have to wait a year or two before NPUs become standard equipment.

 

The absence of NPUs from those kinds of high-volume systems means that NPUs will remain relatively niche, and software adoption tends to follow hardware adoption—if developers can't assume that most systems will have an NPU, there's less incentive to try to support them. Still, Intel, AMD, and Microsoft all seem committed enough to the idea that we may look back on 2024 as a minor turning point in the PC's development, the same way that widespread TPM availability became a minor turning point when Windows 11 began requiring them. Now we just need to wait and see what kinds of things they'll actually be used for.

 

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One of the big efforts at Microsoft for improving Copilot is its image creation tools, which recently has come under some scrutiny due to the claim that its Designer AI service was used to make explicit images of Taylor Swift that later went viral. Today, Mehdi stated that Copilot's image generation features can now blur the background of an AI-made image. It can also highlight some objects and can even add some different effects like pixel artwork.

According to Mehdi:

Image creation is one of the things that’s really resonating. I think it’s the first step in unlocking the ability for people to feel like they can be a creator again.

Microsoft stated today that since its AI chatbot launched to the public a year ago it has generated 5 billion chats. Mehdi told The Verge that about 70 percent of those chats were for searching for information.

Medhi also says that while Copilot branding has been added to a number of services in the past year, eventually users will only see one Copilot. He stated that if people wanted to pay for Copilot Pro or Copilot for Microsoft 365, then Copilot could just "add capabilities as you subscribe to them." Indeed, earlier this week, Copilot for Microsoft 365 changed so users can now simply access it via Copilot on Windows desktops.

He added:

So the notion of a personal Copilot that is yours, we want to get to one idea, and we want that to unlock everything you’ve got with your IDs, with your personal IDs and work IDs.

The future of Copilot on Windows could allow for owners of PCs with AI-based NPUs to possibly run local large language models on their systems. Mehdi also says AI could allow Windows PC owners to use more of the features on their personal computers that they have not accessed before. He said::

It sounds cliche, but what I think that will unlock in terms of people’s ability to use computers to do amazing things will be quite profound.

While the first year of Microsoft's AI efforts has been extremely busy we should see even more Copilot and other generative AI features from the company in its second year and beyond.

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Unfortunately, Microsoft and its founder Bill Gates are often the targets of various hoaxes, and the latest one, debunked by Snopes.com, is truly silly.

A few days ago, a website called The People’s Voice published an article claiming that Microsoft will disable computers of users who share “non-mainstream content” online. The false claim is presented as a measure aimed to combat misinformation in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election.

The article or screenshots of its title were shared thousands of times across various social media platforms. However, the claim is a complete fabrication.

The author of the article bases his wrong conclusion presented in the title on a recent interview with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella for NBC’s Nightly News. The hoax article included an excerpt from the interview – a video from NBC’s official YouTube channel – discussing the risks of artificial intelligence when it comes to the political race. However, Nadella was at no point talking about specific measures which his company plans to implement – and he definitely didn’t mention anything remotely close to “turning off users’ computers”.

You can watch the short segment, that the hoax article refers to, in the video below:

In the interview, Satya Nadella was asked about the threats of AI as opposed to its benefits. CEO of Microsoft didn’t seem to be worried, though, as he dodged the question about AI and the presidential campaign by claiming it is not the first election where we have to deal with disinformation or propaganda:

“I think we are doing all of the work across the tech industry around watermarking and detecting deepfakes and content IDs. There’s going to be enough and more technology, quite frankly, in order to be able to identify the issues around disinformation and misinformation.”

It is no surprise that the false conclusion was fabricated by The People’s Voice. The website is a well-known source of fake news and the recent article about Nadella – which also featured a picture of Bill Gates, completely unrelated to this story – was just the latest of many other examples.

Anyway, if you are interested in the actual topic of NBC’s interview – the risks of artificial intelligence – you can read our recent editorial in which we essentially argue against Nadella’s opinion that the technology safeguards and government regulation will be enough to provide sufficient protection against the misuse of AI.

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Today, on the first anniversary of its public reveal of its AI plans, Microsoft announced it will run an ad during the TV broadcast of the NFL championship game, otherwise known as Super Bowl XVIII, on February 11. However, you can check out the one-minute version of that commercial right now on YouTube.

The "Game Day" ad shows a number of people in various locations, with captions that indicate these folks can't do the kinds of projects or job accomplishments they want to do. The second half of the ad shows some of those same people using Copilot to help them accomplish their lofty goals.

They include someone asking Copilot on their phone to create storyboard images for a fantasy movie script around a dragon and also to help another person write code for a video game. Another person requested Copilot to quiz them in organic chemistry.

One interesting thing about this commercial is how many people were using Copilot on their smartphones. Microsoft definitely wants people to know they can access Copilot on their iOS and Android devices as well as their PCs. Microsoft also stated that today it is rolling out a new "cleaner, slicker" look for Copilot on its website and also on its mobile apps.

Microsoft will be spending a ton of money on this Super Bowl Copilot ad. The current estimates from USA's Ad Meter site claims a 30-second ad will cost a company $7 million to pay to CBS. If Microsoft does run the full one-minute ad it will cost them $14 million just for purchasing the time, not including the cost of actually making the commercial.

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Toyota's factory in Georgetown, Kentucky, is getting an additional $1.3 billion investment, the automaker says. Last year it announced that the Georgetown plant would build its forthcoming three-row electric SUV; now it says it's also adding a battery pack assembly line, among other improvements.

"Today's announcement reflects our commitment to vehicle electrification and further reinvesting in our US operations," said Kerry Creech, president of Toyota Kentucky. "Generations of our team members helped prepare for this opportunity, and we will continue leading the charge into the future by remaining true to who we are as a company and putting our people first for generations to come."

Toyota has lagged behind industry rivals in its electrification plans; here in the US, its sole battery EV offering is the stolid bZ4x electric crossover. The company's slow-rolling of EVs led to a change of leadership in 2023 as Akio Toyoda was replaced as CEO by former Lexus head Koji Sato.

Following Koji's appointment as CEO, Toyota published a roadmap laying out how it plans to sell 3.5 million EVs by 2030, which depends upon a range of different battery chemistries, including cheaper lithium iron phosphate cells for some applications, faster-charging lithium-ion chemistries for others, and a relative handful of cars powered by solid-state batteries, assuming that technology pans out.

For his part, Toyoda—who remains as company chairman—thinks that EVs will only reach 30 percent market share.

Ironically, Toyota's continued reliance on hybrid EVs to meet fleet emissions targets is now being copied by automakers like Ford and General Motors, who have found their EV ambitions did not line up with car buyers' expectations in terms of affordability or size.

Building its three-row EV in Kentucky (and the batteries in North Carolina) should mean the forthcoming Toyota will be eligible for the IRS clean vehicle tax credit when it goes into production next year.

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Enshrouded may have only just launched in Early Access this January, but the size of its map is already an impressive 24 square kilometers. That's just as big as Cyberpunk 2077's, and nearly as large as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's, too — and while tools like the Ghost Glider (or any Glider) help make exploring the vast realm of Embervale easier, it can still be difficult to find everything that this world has to offer.

Indeed, many of the best Enshrouded weapons, armors, and items are tucked away in hidden or hard-to-reach locations, as are collectibles like lore pages and special dungeons that reward treasure to those fortunate enough to find and brave them successfully. Tracking all of these down is worth the time and effort, and in big open world games like these, doing so yourself is a huge part of what makes exploration so satisfying. With that said, there are some useful online resources you can use if you're strapped for time or would prefer to get your hands on a specific item as soon as possible.

The best of these is this excellent Enshrouded interactive map from the folks over at Map Genie. With this, you can quickly look over a full, complete map of Embervale and learn precisely where anything and everything in the game is.

Enshrouded interactive map

You can easily find whatever you're looking for in Enshrouded with this interactive map. (Image credit: Map Genie)

Map Genie's Enshrouded interactive map is the only mostly complete one I've found since the game's release, and features a clean, readable interface that's easy to use. You can scroll your mouse wheel to zoom in or out and click and drag the map to move your view, and by toggling the categories on the side of the page, you'll display icons that show exactly where every location, quest, loot chest, and lore collectible is. This includes important structures like Ancient Spires, Ancient Obelisks, Flame Shrines/Sanctums, and Elixir Wells, as well as smaller points of interest like abandoned camps and the places where you'll find some unique gear.

There's also a search bar you can use to narrow things down, should you wish to do so. For example, there are 15 different "Survivor Camps" located throughout the map, but if you specifically want to find ones that have supplies the Hunter can use, just type in "Hunter Camp" and you'll be shown the icons for Abandoned Hunter Camps.

The map isn't perfect, of course — Enshrouded just came out, after all, and its community is still hard at work documenting the exact locations of specific objectives, dungeons, pieces of equipment, and resource types. But the vast majority of what's in the game is on it, and it's the best interactive map you'll find right now by far.

If you're just starting out, I encourage you to give finding things on your own a shot, as the joy of discovery is a major part of what makes Enshrouded fun. If you don't care about that or don't have much time to play, though, exploring aids like this awesome interactive map will be massively helpful to you.

Enshrouded is available now on PC through Steam Early Access for $30. It's rapidly become one of the best PC games to play right now, especially if you're a fan of fantasy worlds, survival gameplay, and action RPG combat.

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Mesh routers promise dependable Wi-Fi throughout your home, and most of them follow through, so it's not surprising to see them growing popular. Instead of a single router to wash your whole home in Wi-Fi connectivity, a mesh system combines the main router with one or more nodes that appear as a unified Wi-Fi network. Your devices will connect to the nearest option automatically to get the best speeds.

Most of us are stuck with placing a router in a less-than-optimal spot, depending on where the internet connection comes into our home. By placing a second or third node, you can extend Wi-Fi coverage where you need it. Whether you want to fix a dead spot, deliver a stronger signal into the back bedroom, or have great Wi-Fi in the backyard, a mesh system could be the answer.

Before you dive into our lineup, it’s a good idea to consider whether a mesh system is right for you. Our guide on how to choose a router will help you answer that question and figure out what features you need. If you don't want to switch to a new system, we also have advice on how to upgrade your existing Wi-Fi and, as always, ways to secure it and protect your home network.

Updated February 2024: We added mesh routers from Linksys and Eero, added some details to our existing picks, and updated prices throughout.

• Best Overall: Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8, $300
• Best Budget Mesh Router: TP-Link Deco X20, $180
• Best for Smart Homes: Eero 6, $200
• Best Value: Asus ZenWiFi XD5, $300
• Best for Simplicity: Google Nest Wifi Pro, $400
• Best for Large Homes: Netgear Orbi RBK753, $500
• Affordable Wi-Fi 6E: TP-Link Deco XE75, $309
• A Wi-Fi 7 Mesh: TP-Link Deco BE85, $1,500
• Best for Gamers: Asus ROG Rapture GT6, $430
• Best Outdoor Mesh Router: TP-Link Deco X50, $150
• Honorable Mentions
• Things to Consider: Shopping Tips
• How We Test

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more.

Photograph: Asus

Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8 (2-Pack)

 

The combination of speedy performance, impressive range, and lots of extra features earns the Asus ZenWiFi AX XT8 the top spot. (Even if it's a bit of a mouthful.) I tested the 2-pack, and the straightforward setup through the mobile app took minutes, though you have to keep the node close by during setup and then move it. This is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6 system with one 2.4-GHz band and two 5-GHz bands (one is reserved for wireless backhaul). Available in black or white, these units are fairly large. But they're unobtrusive and look quite classy, with side vents to help dissipate heat. Each router offers three gigabit Ethernet ports, which is very generous, as well as a 2.5 gigabit WAN port and a USB 3.1 port.

At short, medium, or long-range, the XT8 was consistently one of the fastest systems I tested, and speeds never dropped. The inclusion of AiProtection Pro, which adds anti-malware and parental controls powered by Trend Micro, is very welcome, especially since it doesn’t require a subscription, unlike most competitors. I like the parental controls, too. You can set up and reuse profiles, schedule bedtimes, filter by age group, and review activity. The Quality of Service (QoS) option lets you prioritize activities like working from home, gaming, or streaming, and you can limit bandwidth for specific devices.

The mobile app has a wealth of options, and the web interface is even more in-depth. It’s easy to split bands or set up a guest network. I also found that the app recognized most devices correctly (sometimes, it’s difficult to identify devices from the attributed hardware names in router apps). And there's support for AiMesh, which means you can easily add other Asus routers to expand your Wi-Fi system. The dedicated backhaul channel, the way the router speaks to its nodes and vice versa, is extremely fast, ensuring you get the full speed of your internet connection even from that node you placed near the backyard.

On the downside, my XT8 node initially refused to update its firmware, which took a couple of attempts to fix. I also had an issue with my Sonos speakers disappearing, but resolved it with a factory reset. Overall, using the XT8 has been a smooth experience. It’s easy enough for just about anyone to operate, but the depth of options will satisfy power users.

Photograph: TP-Link

TP-Link Deco X20 AX1800 (3-pack)

 

This affordable Wi-Fi 6 package folds in parental controls and antivirus protection while delivering decent coverage and performance, making it ideal for an average family home. I tested the AX1800 3-pack, and it was very easy to set 'em all up. The three routers are quite small and sport a cylinder design that blends in well. This is a dual-band system (2.4-GHz and 5-GHz). There are two gigabit Ethernet ports on each router.

Coverage and speeds are OK, falling well short of the Asus XT8 but beating the Eero 6 (below). The app is straightforward, and it’s easy to set up a guest network. TP-Link’s HomeCare is free, and it enables antivirus protection powered by Trend Micro and robust parental controls. It’s a breeze to set up profiles with time limits and scheduled bedtimes, there are basic filters by age, and you can review activity on both the app and website.

The Quality of Service feature lets you prioritize activities like gaming or streaming or set priority devices. Importantly, you can split the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands to show as two separate Wi-Fi networks. This is handy, as some smart home devices only operate on the former band. Similarly, there's a mixed mode for WPA2 and WPA3 security. Only a few devices work with the newer WPA3 standard, and some routers force you to choose one or the other, which can lead to issues. This mode ensures all your gadgets are on a compatible standard.

The web interface is basic and doesn’t add much, so I preferred using the easy-to-use app. However, it’s a little slow to update, and settings are still limited. It didn’t recognize many devices and listed obscure hardware manufacturer names, making it tough to figure out which devices to add to my kid’s profiles.

It wasn’t the speediest performer, but this system is fast and dependable enough for the average home. If you have a connection that's 500 Mbps or better, it might be worth upgrading to the Deco X60 AX3000.

Photograph: Eero

Eero 6 Mesh System (3-Pack)

 

Amazon’s Eero 6 mesh system is one of the easiest to set up, offers fairly wide coverage, and delivers stable connectivity. It’s an elegant system, available as three identical routers or (a bit cheaper) as a main router and two small nodes. The Eeros blend in on a table or shelf, though the compact design leaves no room for any ports. (There are just two gigabit ports on the routers and none on the nodes.)

Although the basic Eero 6 was one of the slower systems I tested, particularly at longer distances, the speeds from the nodes were close to what I got from the main router. There were no drops, and it proved adept at sharing limited bandwidth. The mobile app is straightforward, giving you an overview of connected devices with the option to pause the internet and set up a guest network. I was also able to create profiles, group devices, set schedules, and fix bedtimes. Unfortunately, content filtering, other parental controls, advanced security, ad blocking, and activity insights require an Eero Plus subscription at $10 per month or $100 per year.

Eero is an Amazon company, and its routers come with Alexa support. Enable the Eero skill and you can pause the internet with a voice command through your Echo device, which is handy when your child won’t get off the computer to eat dinner. The Eero 6 router supports Matter and Thread and can pull double duty as a ZigBee smart-home hub in the same way Echo devices can, allowing you to directly connect some smart lighting, smart locks, and other ZigBee devices.

There are two other tricks that make Eero 6 systems attractive. If you have an Echo (4th Gen), Echo Dot (4th or 5th Gen), or Echo Dot with clock (4th or 5th Gen) smart speaker, it can act as a Wi-Fi extender, offering an extra 1,000 square feet of coverage at speeds up to 100 Mbps for up to 10 devices. Eero also recently added an Internet Backup option, so you can add multiple backup networks (Wi-Fi or hot spot) to keep you online if your main wired network goes down.

Eero’s simplicity will appeal to anyone who hates digging into settings, but there’s a cost. You won’t find any Quality of Service features for prioritizing activities, and you can’t separate bands. One final con with the basic Eero system I tested was comparatively slow transfer speeds, though this was not an issue for the higher-end systems.

Currently, there are four Eero 6 systems on the market, offering a broadly similar experience. The first two are dual-band systems (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz). Folks with internet connections up to 500 Mbps can go with the regular Eero 6. If you have a faster connection, up to 1 Gbps, and your home is smaller than 4,500 square feet, then the Eero 6+ ($300) is the system to pick. Folks with larger properties or above-average demands (lots of devices and people simultaneously using the internet) should consider the Eero Pro 6 ($400), a tri-band system (2.4-GHz and two 5-GHz bands) that came in upper-mid-tier in my speed tests. The Eero Pro 6E ($550) (7/10, WIRED recommends) is a tri-band system that supports the 2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, and 6-GHz bands.

The Eero Max 7 ($1,700) (7/10, WIRED Review) is its top-of-the-line, Wi-Fi 7 option, boasting four Ethernet ports, two rated at 10 Gbps and two at 2.5 Gbps, but it will be overkill for most folks right now. You can dig deeper into the differences in our Eero buying guide. But whichever model you choose, keep an eye out for frequent discounts. All Eero systems are compatible with each other, which makes it easy to expand your network.

Photograph: Asus

Asus ZenWiFi XD5 (3-Pack)

 

Affordable and compact, the ZenWifi XD5 is a solid alternative to our top pick for more limited needs or budgets. Refreshingly, you don’t have to create an account to set up and use this system. Each of the three units features two gigabit Ethernet ports and can be wall-mounted. Basic security (AiProtection Classic) and parental controls come at no extra cost, and there is support for AiMesh, so you can mix and match other Asus routers.

Performance was smooth and reliable during my testing, with some impressively fast results for the price. I downloaded a 30-GB game in less than eight minutes. While this is a dual-band system, there is support for 160-MHz channels on the 5-GHz band. Asus says a 3-pack can cover up to 5,000 square feet, but speeds drop off as you move away from a router. To squeeze the best performance from the XD5, or any mesh system, connect the main router and nodes with Ethernet for wired backhaul.

The Asus mobile app is straightforward and enables you to schedule downtime and filter content for your kid’s devices via parental controls, split bands, and set up a guest network. Access more options, including basic QoS and VPN support, via the web interface. Folks with 1 Gbps or slower connections who prefer not to have a subscription will find this dependable system great value.

Photograph: Google

Google Nest Wifi Pro

 

Mesh systems don’t come much simpler than this one. You don’t even need to install an app to use Google’s Nest Wifi Pro (7/10, WIRED recommends) because you can add it via Google Home, which you might already have installed if you use Google Assistant-powered smart home devices. These shiny pill-shaped routers come in packs of one, two, or three. There are four colors, and they are small enough to sit unobtrusively on a shelf. This is a tri-band (2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, and 6-GHz) Wi-Fi 6E system, and each router sports two 1-gigabit ports.

Setup is super simple, as you scan QR codes and follow feedback on positioning for a strong signal. The backhaul employs the 6-GHz band, and you must keep your router and nodes relatively close together because it has limited range. Each router is supposed to cover up to 2,200 square feet and can connect up to 100 devices. Coverage and performance were solid and consistent, and testing was refreshingly free from glitches and buffering. But the Nest Wifi Pro came mid-table in raw speed at short, mid, and long range.

The Wi-Fi section in the Google Home app is barebones. Scant options include guest network support, parental controls (Safe Search, scheduled downtime, adult website blocking), and prioritization for specific devices. But this is chiefly a mesh system for folks who don’t want to have to configure anything. Nest Wifi Pro also has built-in Thread and Bluetooth LE, and supports Matter, so, like the Eero, it’s a good choice for folks with smart home devices.

Disappointingly, it is not backward compatible with older Nest routers, and the Nest Wifi Pro does not have any special security software. With gigabit ports, this system is no good for anyone with a faster internet connection. But for folks pulling down 1 Gbps or less, this is a reliable, straightforward mesh system that you can set and forget.

Photograph: Netgear

Netgear Orbi AX4200 RBK753 (3-pack)

 

The enormous Netgear Orbi range has a strong reputation, but the company's many similar models make it tricky to choose the right one for you. The AX4200 RBK753 (I swear they're just mashing the keyboard at this point) mesh system I tested falls somewhere in the middle of the range and proved suitable for a large home. The setup was surprisingly tricky, taking more than an hour and several restarts to complete, as the app kept sticking on a loading screen. The router and nodes are large, but I like the curved design. I also appreciate the LED light turning off when things were working and displaying different colors to flag issues; every router should work this way. There are three gigabit Ethernet ports on the main router and two on each node.

Once up and running, the coverage, speeds, and stability proved to be worth the wait, and each node was able to deliver similar speeds as the main router. Speeds were a hair behind the Asus XT8, with some limitations at longer distances for individual units. But with two nodes, this system offers expansive coverage. The simple mobile app allows you to pause the internet entirely or by device or profile, see what devices are connected, check speed, analyze Wi-Fi (see the connection strength as you move around), set up a guest network, and a few more things. It’s very good at recognizing devices, which makes dividing them into profiles easier. You must access the web interface for advanced features.

The parental controls and Netgear Armor security powered by Bitdefender require a subscription, and it's pricey at $100 per year. This includes scanning for potential vulnerabilities on your network and the option to install Bitdefender on supported devices to prevent potential hacks. The parental controls are comprehensive and easy to configure. Unfortunately, I noticed Netgear Armor caused a slight lag when web browsing, and when new devices join the network it triggers an automatic scan and a notification on your phone, which gets old fast. These services start out free for 30 days, but you need to pay up afterward, which can be annoying.

The mobile app is straightforward, but it often takes a few seconds to load. Settings are also limited; there’s no mixed mode for WPA2 and WPA3 security like on the TP-Link above, you can’t split bands, and there’s no option to prioritize traffic for specific activities or devices. This is also a pricey system with the need for a subscription on top if you want the parental controls and added security (though you don't need it). There is a free tier for parental controls, but it's severely limited.

Having said all that, the Orbi AX4200 does deliver fast, reliable Wi-Fi over a large distance, and I didn’t have a single connectivity issue or dropout while testing it. For faster performance, you might also consider the Netgear Orbi RBK863 (7/10, WIRED Review), or go all out with the Netgear Orbi RBKE963.

Photograph: TP-Link

TP-Link Deco XE75

 

Support for Wi-Fi 6E, which operates on the 6-GHz band, is growing more common, and with Wi-Fi 7 arriving, 6E routers and mesh systems like this one are falling in price. A 2-pack of this tri-band mesh system is relatively affordable. These cylindrical routers sport the vaselike Deco family design, blending into rooms. Setup is quick and easy, and the main router automatically detected the second one when I powered it on. Each has three gigabit ports. (Sadly, there are no multi-gig or USB ports.)

Performance was consistently good throughout my home, with some of the fastest speeds I have recorded close to the routers, but the range is relatively limited. My top pick, the XT8, outperformed the XE75 in most scenarios. By default, the 6-GHz band is reserved for wireless backhaul, but you can open it up for devices. I joined with my Pixel 6 Pro, and after multiple speed tests at close range (up to 8 feet away), I generally got download speeds around 50 Mbps faster than on the 5-GHz band, but this dropped sharply with distance. The range of 6 GHz is significantly shorter, and just one room over, the signal strength was visibly weaker than 5 GHz. If you use the 6 GHz for wireless backhaul, you can’t have the routers too far apart or with too many obstacles or you will have dead zones.

Disappointingly, this TP-Link system has HomeShield onboard. The free tier offers only limited security and parental controls, and you pay $6 per month or $55 for the year to get HomeShield Pro. Confusingly, TP-Link offers HomeCare for free on other routers, which includes security from Trend Micro and comprehensive parental controls. Quality of Service allows you to prioritize specific devices and set bandwidth allowances. There is also a mixed-mode security option for WPA2 and WPA3. You can also split the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands and create guest networks.

The Deco app and web interface are functional with limited options and feel a little clunky to navigate. The app failed to identify many of the devices on my network. I was also disappointed in the lack of an option to run a speed test on the router to see what my ISP delivers. Ultimately, the inclusion of that 6-GHz band won't make a difference for many people, but this is an affordable way to dip your toe in 6E waters. If you are prepared to spend a bit more, the Deco XE200 ($800 for a 2-pack), listed in other routers we have tested below, is an excellent performer and one of the best Wi-Fi 6E mesh systems you can get. The MSRP is high, but keep an eye out for price drops.

Photograph: Linksys

TP-Link Deco BE85

 

If you are an early adopter desperate to sample the delights of Wi-Fi 7 and don’t mind paying for the privilege, the TP-Link Deco BE85 (7/10, WIRED Review) is likely on your radar. There are few Wi-Fi 7 devices available today. The BE85 is fully backward compatible with previous Wi-Fi versions, but only devices that support Wi-Fi 7, like the OnePlus 11 5G, can take full advantage of this system.

TP-Link has stuck with the vase-like design that marks its Deco range, but these are by far the largest mesh routers it has released, and each has a stylized 7 on the front, lest you forget this is a Wi-Fi 7 system. Each router boasts four auto-sensing WAN/LAN Ethernet ports, two 10-Gbps ports (one is an SFP combo), two 2.5-Gbps ports, and a USB 3.0 port. Setup is quick and easy with the Deco app on your phone.

It is a tri-band system, and by default there is one SSID for the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands, a separate SSID for the 6-GHz band (your network name with “-6-GHz” appended), and an optional SSID for multi-link operation (with “-MLO” appended). MLO is a new Wi-Fi 7 feature that allows devices to connect on multiple bands simultaneously. Wi-Fi 7 also enables wider channels (up to 320 MHz from the current high of 160 MHz) and a handful of other improvements, but automated frequency coordination (AFC), which should boost range on the 6-GHz band, is not yet available.

You can expect fast Wi-Fi on any band and excellent coverage from this system (TP-Link says up to 9,000 square feet for a 3-pack). There's potential for stable, low latency, multi-gigabit speeds if you have Wi-Fi 7 devices. But you may also encounter bugs, since Wi-Fi 7 is still so new. The Deco app is decent, though you only get basic network security and limited parental controls included. You need HomeShield Pro, at $6 per month or $55 for the year, to unlock the full set of options.

Unless you have a large home, multi-gig internet connection, and at least a couple of Wi-Fi 7 devices, you should save your money and buy one of our other recommendations. By the time Wi-Fi 7 rolls out more widely, Wi-Fi 7 routers will have dropped in price. The Deco BE85 is one of a few Wi-Fi 7 options today, but you might also consider the Eero Max 7 and the Netgear Orbi 970 Series.

Photograph: Asus

Asus ROG Rapture GT6 (2-Pack)

 

You know this mesh system is for gamers because it says so prominently on the side. It also features an LED grid on the front that you can customize (it glows red by default). Gaming routers are commonplace, but this is the first gaming mesh system I have tested. Truth be told, there’s no reason that gamers need a special gaming router. A good router is a good router. But, aside from the look, Asus touts game modes that boost performance and prioritize related traffic. My 2-pack of black routers (they come in white too) was simple to set up, and each sports a 2.5 Gbps WAN port, three 1 gigabit LAN ports, and a USB 3.2 Gen 1 port.

The tri-band Asus ROG Rapture GT6 finished near the top of the table in most of my tests. It has a single 2.4-GHz band and two 5-GHz bands (one is used for backhaul unless you connect the routers with an Ethernet cable). While the 2.4-GHz band performance was very good, the 5-GHz results were among the best I have recorded, and this system supports the wider 160-MHz channels and WPA3 for security. You also get AiProtection security software and comprehensive parental controls free for the lifetime of the product. The GT6 has VPN support, too, and you can use it as a VPN server when you are out.

Dive into the game prioritization to single out gaming devices and optimize related network traffic to ensure uninterrupted online gaming. We ran four simultaneous gaming sessions, and performance was silky smooth with no detectable lag. You can even find a map of world servers for popular titles and ping them to get a latency graph. The GT6 also proved adept in everyday use for everything from streaming movies to video calls, and it was one of the fastest systems I’ve tested at transferring files across the local network.

Some folks may be puzzled by the lack of Wi-Fi 6E support, but this is as fast as Wi-Fi 6 gets, and it outperformed several Wi-Fi 6E systems in my tests. The GT6 is undeniably pricey, and the bold gaming aesthetic won’t suit everyone, but for gamers craving low latency and high speed, it’s easy to recommend.

Photograph: TP-Link

TP-Link Deco X50 Outdoor

 

This large, cylindrical router comes with fixings to enable you to wall or pole mount, or you can simply set it on a table. It is waterproof and dustproof, with an IP65 rating, and has been coping with a typically wet Scottish summer without any issues. TP-Link suggests it can cover around 2,500 square feet, and it certainly has no problem filling my backyard with speedy Wi-Fi.

The base screws open to accommodate the power cable with a rubber seal, but you will need an outdoor socket or extension within reach. Even better, this router supports Power-over-Ethernet (PoE), so you can hook it up to your network and power it with a single Ethernet cable. It has two gigabit Ethernet ports.

I tested it in conjunction with the Deco X50 4G and it formed a mesh with no problem. It delivered decent speeds on the 2.4-GHz and 5-GHz bands, despite a large distance between it and the main router and the fact it was relying on wireless backhaul. It also supports TP-Link's HomeShield for security and parental controls, though you really need to upgrade to the Pro version at $6 per month or $55 for the year to unlock all the features. There is also support for Amazon Alexa and Google Home, so you can use voice commands with this router.

Whether you want to watch a movie on your phone while you sunbathe or crank the tunes up at your barbecue, this router is a great way to get a better Wi-Fi signal in your backyard.

Mesh systems are growing rapidly more popular, so you have a lot of choices. Some of these mesh systems narrowly missed out on a place above, but may still be worth looking at for some folks, some are best avoided.

Photograph: Linksys

Linksys Velop Pro 7 (3-Pack) for $900: The first Wi-Fi 7 mesh from Linksys proved easy to set up, and this tri-band system (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) delivered stable Wi-Fi throughout my home. Weirdly, the Velop Pro 7 only offers a single 2.5-Gbps Ethernet port, flanked by four gigabit LAN ports. That makes it impossible to fully enjoy multi-gig connections through Ethernet to devices or wired backhaul. Tests revealed significantly slower speeds than Wi-Fi 7 mesh systems from TP-Link and Amazon Eero (though both are more expensive). In fact, aside from Wi-Fi 7 clients at short range, the Velop Pro 7 scored similar results to the Velop Pro 6E, which is less than half the price. The Linksys app is barebones, which may suit some folks, although the parental controls are limited. We are already seeing some discounts on this system, which started out cheaper than the Wi-Fi 7 competition, but it’s still too early and too expensive for most people to consider upgrading.

Linksys Velop Pro 6E (3-Pack) for $350: Once up and running, this tri-band (2.4-GHz, 5-GHz, and 6-GHz) Wi-Fi 6E system offers impressive range and decent speeds. It is competitively priced with quite a few dips in cost (don't pay full price), comes with basic parental controls, and offers handy features like device prioritization and a guest network. But I had a terrible time with the installation. The app continually failed partway through the process, and I had to factory-reset the routers. Even then, it took multiple attempts to add the nodes. It’s also not backward compatible with older Velop “Intelligent Mesh” systems, because this is a “Cognitive Mesh” system.

TP-Link XE200 (2-Pack) for $600: This tri-band mesh system (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz) scored some of the fastest speeds I have seen, offered consistently wide coverage, and blew away all the competition at close range. I downloaded a 50-GB game in 20 minutes and didn’t encounter any issues during testing. As it uses the 6-GHz band for backhaul, you have to think about placement and try to keep routers in sight of each other and within 50 feet (or better, connect them via Ethernet cable). The app is simple and offers most of the features you will want, but there’s no internet speed test, and HomeShield, which gives you real-time security and proper parental controls, requires a subscription. While the XE200 improves on the XE75 above, the reason it appears down here is the price. It’s simply too expensive for most folks.

Vilo 6 (2-Pack) for $155: The original Vilo system impressed with an impossibly low $60 price for a 3-pack, but it did not support Wi-Fi 6. Vilo’s latest release does, and, in theory, that means better coverage, faster speeds, and connectivity for more devices. Unfortunately, in practice, it was a different story. I found the system difficult to set up. While performance was good at times, it proved inconsistent. The network dropped altogether and required a reboot several times in the first three days. File transfer speeds were slow. Each unit has three gigabit Ethernet ports, and the Vilo app offers parental controls, a guest network, and various network settings. But weighing up the price and performance, this is impossible to recommend.

D-Link Eagle Pro AI M32 (3-Pack) for $200: This might be the ugliest mesh system I have tested. The relatively large, cheap-feeling, white and blue plastic routers are passable, but what possessed them to put an X on top to house the LED? On paper, the specs for this dual-band Wi-Fi 6 mesh are solid. Unfortunately, the performance proved erratic, the setup required multiple attempts, one of the nodes refused to connect despite close proximity to the main router, and it dropped the network completely several times on the first day. The built-in AI did not improve matters, and it scored below average results in my speed and coverage tests.

TP-Link Deco X50 4G for £150 and Deco X50 5G for £300: These routers operate just like regular dual-band routers (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), but they also have Nano SIM card slots for folks who live in areas with fast mobile networks, want some fallback option for patchy internet service, or need Wi-Fi temporarily or somewhere they can’t put in a fixed line. Setup is simple, they feature TP-Link’s HomeShield subscription service for security and parental controls, and each unit has one 2.5 Gbps WAN, two gigabit LAN, and two external antenna ports. The performance will depend on your local mobile network, and you need an external antenna to get the best speeds. Testing with a gigabit internet connection, they proved fast and reliable and can cover up to 2,500 square feet. They are only available in the UK and Europe for now.

TP-Link Deco X50 PoE (3-Pack) for $300: This inconspicuous puck-sized router can be wall or ceiling-mounted for rooms where a mesh with wireless backhaul just won’t cut it. You must run an Ethernet cable to the router, but because it supports PoE, the cable delivers power too. This dual-band router (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) has a 2.5 Gbps WAN port and 1 gigabit LAN port and can cover up to 2,500 square feet.

TP-Link Deco S4 (3-Pack) for $130: Our previous budget pick, the Deco S4 is a dual-band system that offers pleasingly wide coverage and stable connectivity, but we recommend Wi-Fi 6 support as a minimum now, and this is a Wi-Fi 5 mesh. It is easy to set up and use, and each router has a pair of gigabit ports. The app offers basic parental controls and QoS, but it is distinctly barebones. That said, this could still be a good pick if money is tight and your internet connection is below 500 Mbps.

Netgear Orbi RBK863 (3-Pack) for $990: As good as the Netgear Orbi 860 (7/10, WIRED Review) series is, the high price will repel most people. Opt for a 3-pack, and the range of this system is unsurpassed at up to 8,000 square feet. It’s also very fast (though there’s no support for Wi-Fi 6E), and proved rock solid during my testing, with zero glitches and no downtime. These routers are among the largest in the mesh market. You get a year of comprehensive security software, Netgear Armor, with your purchase, but it costs $100 annually after, and if you want parental controls, you’re looking at another $70 a year on top. It is a dependable Wi-Fi 6 system, but there’s no need to spend this much.

Wyze Mesh Router (2-Pack) for $180 and Wyze Mesh Router Pro (2-Pack) for ($284): More affordable mesh systems can only be a good thing, and the dual-band (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) Mesh Router from budget security camera brand Wyze looks promising at first glance. Each router has two 1 gigabit ports, covers up to 1,500 square feet, and can connect more than 50 devices. Setup was a breeze through the regular Wyze app. While it mostly worked well for day-to-day video streaming and online gaming, I found that speeds were inconsistent (with fluctuations of more than 100 Mbps). I also encountered a few complete drops with my iPhone 14 Pro, where it switched to cellular. Features-wise, there is free security provided by Firedome, but not much else. The parental controls are limited (just a domain blocker), though Wyze tells me more comprehensive controls are in the works. The tri-band Wyze Mesh Router Pro adds Wi-Fi 6E support and performed far better (7/10, WIRED Review), but failed to match some of our picks above.

Plume SuperPods with Wi-Fi 6 (3-Pack) for $546: The Plume SuperPods (7/10, WIRED Recommends) are one of the simplest mesh systems to set up, and the HomePass app is very accessible. SuperPods deliver fast, reliable Wi-Fi, and they outperformed the Eero Pro 6 system in my testing. The essential HomePass subscription is a hefty $99 per year but provides solid security features, parental controls, ad-blocking, and motion alerts. The cloud service handles firmware updates automatically and is continually assessing your Wi-Fi and making tweaks to improve performance, without the need for any input from you.

Motorola MH7603 Mesh WiFi 6 System (3-Pack) for $80: This system performed slightly better than the Deco X20 in my testing, delivering consistently good mid-table speed and coverage, but you have to use the Motosync mobile app (there’s no web interface). I like the free built-in security, ad-blocking, and parental controls, but there’s no support for 160-MHz channels, QoS, or WPA3. I’m also a little wary of the fact that Minim has licensed the Motorola brand, and the privacy policy allows it to track your location through the mobile app (though you can opt out).

TP-Link Deco X55 (3-Pack) for $180: The X55 is similar to the X20 system on paper, but it’s capable of significantly faster speeds for not much more money. Sadly, it is a HomeShield system, which means paying $6 per month, or $55 for the year, if you want comprehensive security and parental controls (you can get basics for free). In everyday usage, we barely noticed a difference between this and the X20, or even the much cheaper S4, beyond faster transfer and download speeds. The main router was also a bit wobbly, occasionally going red for connection issues with no obvious cause. A software update also took multiple attempts to complete.

TP-Link Deco X4300 Pro (3 Pack) for $280: If you like Deco systems but want a Wi-Fi 6 system that’s faster than the X55, this dual-band offering is worth a look. I found it easy to set up, and the X4300 Pro worked reliably, offering solid coverage and stable, fast speeds throughout my home. It is very similar to the X60 but has improved 5 GHz and a 2.5 Gbps port. This is a good pick for busy homes with connections up to 1 Gbps.

Gryphon AX (2-Pack) for $499: After some trouble setting up this tri-band Wi-Fi 6 system, we found it performed well and coped with multiple streams and devices without complaint. The app is a little glitchy, but it boasts comprehensive parental controls. If you want enhanced security, ad-blocking, and the option to route traffic through your router when you or your family are out of the home—which allows for 24/7 monitoring of your kids’ online activities—you need to purchase Gryphon’s Premium plan for an extra $8 per month or $90 per year. But unless you require that level of oversight, this system is just too expensive, and it didn’t match our top pick for speed or coverage.

Linksys Atlas Pro 6 (MX5503) (3-Pack) for $300: Slightly cheaper than the tri-band Velop series, the Atlas Pro 6 looks very similar. I found the speed mostly solid and the range good, and it scored middle-of-the-pack performance overall. But sometimes the system struggled, likely because this is only a dual-band system, and the 5-GHz band is shared between devices and wireless backhaul. The Linksys app feels bare-bones, and you need a Linksys Shield subscription ($50 a year) to unlock all the features. But if you plan to set up a wired backhaul in a large home with fewer devices, this is a system worth considering.

Vilo Mesh (3-Pack) for $116: The Vilo Mesh is not a Wi-Fi 6 mesh system, and it’s not especially fast. It was our budget pick for a while, but the price has climbed from $60 to over $100 since the original release, and we recommend Wi-Fi 6 at a minimum now. That price is also too close to superior systems, like the TP-Link Deco S4 ($130). This mesh is easy to set up and use and offers most of the options an average person is likely to need. If you just want an affordable alternative to the crappy router your ISP rents you, and you have modest needs, this could be it.

Linksys Velop Wi-Fi 6 (MX4200) (3-Pack) for $380: This mesh system was easy to install and generally offered solid coverage and speeds, but the performance was inconsistent. It did well at long range but fell way behind the Asus XT8 and Netgear RBK753 at close range. All three Velop units are routers with generous 3-gigabit LAN ports and a USB port, but they’re also big and chunky. There’s a good range of features and options, but the sparse mobile app was a little glitchy and slow, and you need a Linksys Shield subscription ($50 a year) to get the handy age-range filters for parental controls.

Here are a few points to keep in mind when you are buying a new mesh Wi-Fi system.

• Many devices support Wi-Fi 6E now. (Some of the best laptops and phones do, and it’s only growing more common.) Only a few support Wi-Fi 7 yet. All the mesh routers we recommend as main picks support at least Wi-Fi 6, and they are backward compatible with older Wi-Fi standards. While you might consider Wi-Fi 6E, most folks don't need to worry about Wi-Fi 7 yet. Our router shopping guide goes into more depth.
• There are many ways to upgrade your Wi-Fi, but your internet speed is limited by your internet service provider (ISP). If the maximum speed of data coming to your modem is 100 Mbps, that’s the fastest possible connection that any router can provide.
• The top speed that router manufacturers claim on the box is all of the bands added together, which is disingenuous since you will only ever connect to one band at a time.
• While it’s good to have an idea of a router’s coverage and speed, understand that your mileage may vary. The construction materials in your house, your neighbors’ proximity and Wi-Fi networks, the devices you have with wireless connectivity, and the position of routers and nodes in your home are just some of the factors that can impact the performance of your Wi-Fi.
• Backhaul channels are reserved for one mesh router or node to talk to another. It’s common for mesh routers to have a fast backhaul channel, enabling the main router to provide speeds as close to your full internet speed as possible to any node. This is also important for local network speed and may impact the performance of network-attached storage (NAS) systems, remote console play, and how quickly you can copy a file from one wireless device on your network to another.
• QoS, or Quality of Service, allows you to prioritize specific activities and their related apps. You can use it to ensure gaming, streaming, or video calls take precedence, which can be very handy in any household with limited bandwidth.
• Ports and cables can help establish more stable connections. They may be essential if you have smart home hubs for lights and security cameras or network-attached storage that needs to plug into your main router. But they can also be useful on nodes to plug in streaming devices or game consoles and get the full benefit of any dedicated backhaul channel speeds your chosen system might offer.
• Although mesh systems are tempting, many homes will be better served by a single, well-placed Wi-Fi router. Check out the Best Wi-Fi Routers for options. Some of the routers I tested in my two-floor 1,600-square-foot home performed just as well or better than mesh systems.

To test these mesh systems, I used each one for at least a week (usually longer) in a busy family home of four with lots of video streaming, gaming, and video calls. I ran speed tests (downloads and uploads) and transferred files on the network on multiple devices in different spots around my home. I also used NetSpot to survey signal strength throughout the house, create heat maps for comparison, and ran the TamoSoft Throughput Test.

Source

Table of contents:

1. A lot of money
2. Windows 11 news
3. Updates are available
4. Gaming news
5. Reviews are in
6. A blast from Microsoft's past
7. Random fact about Microsoft

A lot of money

Check out how much money Microsoft earned during the last fiscal quarter.

On January 31, 2024, Microsoft announced the results of the second quarter of 2024 fiscal year. The company generated a whopping $62 billion in revenue and $21.9 billion in net income. Xbox reported one of the biggest revenue jumps, primarily due to the recent Activision-Blizzard acquisition.

Windows 11

Here we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And of course, you may find a word or two about older but still supported versions.

Every month begins with a fresh batch of Windows stats from Statcounter and Valve. According to the January 2024 report, Windows 11 is now installed on almost 28% of all Windows computers (there is also a separate report about browsers, where Microsoft Edge is hitting its all-time highs). On the gaming side, the operating system practically caught on with its predecessor, reaching an impressive 44%. That makes Windows 11 only less than 8% away from Windows 10.

Speaking of Windows 10, some of its users are having a hard time launching apps, even basic ones like Calculator. A lengthy tread on Microsoft's official forums gathered a lot of complaints from frustrated customers, most of whom use the operating systems on old and outdated hardware. There is no official word from Microsoft about the situation, so we can only guess what is actually going on.

Other not-so-exciting Windows news includes a new ad coming soon to Windows 11. The Settings app will soon start advertising the Copilot Pro subscription on its Home page, the section that opens by default when you want to change some options on your Windows PC.

Windows Insider Program

Here is what Microsoft released for testing this week:

Do you remember the new setup experience Microsoft announced for Windows 11 last week? Well, it turned out that that thing is anything but new. Users noticed you could get this shiny "new" UI on ten-year-old builds from the pre-Windows Insider Program era. That might explain why the redesign looks nothing like Windows 11.

There were no new Canary builds this week, but sharp-eyed insiders spotted a massive jump in build numbers in the internal Canary Channel. Build 277547 is now a thing, and some believe that it is one of the first Windows "12" builds.

Before we get to Windows "12," Windows 11 should get a few more feature updates. The upcoming "Moment 5" update is not expected to bring big surprises, unlike version 24H2 and its new AI-powered features. This week, users discovered that the official documentation had already mentioned version 24H2.

To finish the Windows section, here is a concept imagining Windows 7 in 2024.

Updates are available

This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.

Not a single Microsoft service is safe from Copilot. In May 2024, the company plans to integrate Copilot into OneDrive, which is now getting a major redesign for its web interface. Microsoft says Copilot in OneDrive will let you ask questions and find more information about your files without opening them. In addition, Copilot will generate summaries for one or multiple files.

Microsoft Edge for Android is getting extension support. A recent update in the Canary Channel added a flag that lets you turn on extensions and install some of the approved picks.

Speaking of Edge, there is another controversy about it (what else is new). This time, users discovered that the browser was shamelessly stealing data from Chrome, copying your open tabs, history, and other data and then launching itself automatically.

PowerToys 0.78 is now available with four new localizations and a sleeve of fixes for existing utilities. One of the future releases may also add a new "File actions" menu to give you quick access to various commands to perform with selected files.

Calendar Flyout, a third-party replacement for the stock flyout in Windows 11, received a big update to version 2.0. It now supports work and school accounts, Microsoft Teams for Business, canceled meetings, a taskbar badge, and more. The update is now available for download from the Microsoft Store.

Here are the new drivers and firmware updates from Nvidia, AMD, Intel, and Microsoft:

• AMD Chipset Driver 6.01.25.342 with support for new APUs and fresh drivers, such as broken Modern Standby in Windows 11.
• Nvidia 551.31 WHQL with the initial support for the RTX 4080 SUPER graphics card.
• Nvidia 551.32 WHQL with the initial support for the RTX 3050 6GB graphics card.
• AMD Adrenalin Edition 23.40.02.03 with support for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
• A firmware update for the seventh and eighth-generation Surface Pro with fixes for pen, keyboard, and graphics.
• A firmware update for the original Surface Laptop Studio with graphics, inking, and USB-C improvements.
• A firmware update for the Surface Pro 9 5G with audio improvements.

Other notable updates released this week include the following:

• Start11, everyone's favorite alternative for the stock Start menu in Windows 11, has been updated with a feature that lets you pin websites to the Start menu.

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• Microsoft, Google, Mozilla, Apple, and other companies announced Interop 2024, a new joint effort to improve browser interoperability for consistent web.
• Microsoft Beta is now available in the Beta Channel. The latest update deprecates image-enhancing capabilities and fixes multiple bugs under the hood.
• Microsoft launched a preview of Intel NPU support in DirectML API to supercharge AI tasks in Windows computers with compatible hardware.
• Here is an update on installing Windows on a ReFS partition. Spoiler: it is still very raw.
• Microsoft Office and Teams apps are coming to the Apple Vision Pro.
• Skype received a big update in its Insider program, adding PDF previews, media composer improvements, and new features for the calling interface.

Finally, here is a recap of everything Microsoft added to Teams in January 2024 and the latest addition to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap.

On the gaming side

Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts and more.

Apple recently announced new App Store policies to comply with the EU's Digital Markets Act. Although they now allow more freedom for developers and users (Microsoft can now launch its dedicated Xbox Store on iOS), Microsoft still thinks Apple is moving in the wrong direction.

Microsoft Flight Simular received a new free content update with plenty of Caribbean islands, over 100 new points of interest, fresh discovery flights, and a new helicopter to try. You can download the latest Microsoft Flight Simulator content update from the in-game marketplace.

Starfield is another Microsoft-owned title that has been updated this week. Version 1.9.51.0 is now available in the Microsoft Store and Steam with multiple animations, creatures, enemies, crews, graphics, and other fixes to improve your gaming experience. Another thing that will make Starfield players happy is FSR 3 frame interpolation support. Look out for it in a beta release on PC next week.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III and Warzone will soon get a Season 2 update. Activision plans to release it on February 7, 2024, adding three new maps, a new act for the Zombies mode, new operators to play, and more.

Fans of the Age of Empires franchise will get plenty of news this year. Microsoft has scheduled a big reveal for February 23, promising to showcase a lot of what is lined up for 2024.

Finally, Nvidia GeForce NOW received several high-profile games, such as Overwatch 2, Diablo IV, Rage, and more. February 2024 will bring even more games for those playing on Nvidia's cloud streaming service, so be sure to check them out in the announcement post.

As expected, Microsoft announced new Vapor special edition controllers in five new design variants. They are now available for preorder from the Microsoft Store.

Other hardware news includes the full spec reveal of the MSI Claw, a new handheld console powered by Windows 11 and Intel's new Core Ultra processors. If you are in the market for a Windows handheld, check out MSI Claw's full specs here.

Deals and freebies

The latest episode of Weekend PC Game Deals features chaos-themed bundles, a free indie game on the Epic Games Store, Xbox Lunar sales, and plenty of other discounts on big and not-so-much games across multiple stores and platforms.

Here are other gaming stories published this week you may find interesting:

• A new report says retailers in Europe are no longer selling Xbox game disks.
• Minecraft received a new Godzilla DLC based on the Monarch Monsterverse.
• Palworld reached seven million players on Xbox, thus becoming the biggest third-party launch on Xbox and PC Game Pass.
• Sony held its State of Play presentation, where it revealed many game trailers for its console (some are coming to PC too). Check out our recap to catch up.

Finally, we have updated our picks for the most anticipated games coming to Xbox Series X|S in 2024.

Reviews are in

Here is the hardware and/or software we reviews this week.

Robie Khan published a review of the ThunderX3 CORE Black Edition, a gaming chair with high-quality materials, good ergonomics, plenty of adjustments, and a decent price tag. There are some sharp corners (literally and figuratively), so be sure to check the review if you are looking for a solid gaming chair.

A blast from Microsoft's Activision's past and more about Linux

John Callaham's weekly "Look back" series provides throwbacks into the past, detailing the company's products, partnerships, mishaps, and successes from years ago.

This week's blast from the past is about Activision, a now Microsoft-owned studio and publisher. It was recently hit with a massive wave of layoffs, resulting not only in a lot of people losing their jobs and a new president but also in canceling entire projects. Of course, for a company this size, ditching unreleased games (including announced ones) is nothing extraordinary. This "Look Back" article tells you about three previously revealed and never-released Blizzard games from different franchises.

If gaming is not your thing, here is a story about another Linux distro that tried to rival Windows by mimicking its capabilities and looks. Check out this story about Core Linux OS, a name you probably never heard of.

Random fact about Microsoft

And here is a randomly selected piece of trivia about the company, Windows, and other Microsoft-made things.

Did you know that SkyDrive, the former name of what is now OneDrive, was initially just a codename? Microsoft's cloud storage launched in 2007 in a limited beta in the United States under the "Windows Live Folders" name. Later on, Microsoft renamed Windows Live Folders to Windows Live SkyDrive. Eventually, the company ditched the Windows Live part, leaving only SkyDrive.

In 2013, following a lawsuit from a British television broadcaster, Sky UK, Microsoft renamed SkyDrive to OneDrive. As of right now, a new rename is not planned.

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In 2024, we are looking forward to playing a ton of great PC titles, some of which were supposed to be released last year. Our list includes quite a few strategy titles of many different styles, which is a genre that has proven itself highly successful on the PC platform.

We will mention that all of our games on the Xbox 2024 list are planned for a PC release as well. We didn't want to duplicate our Xbox list for our most anticipated PC games, so we picked some more upcoming titles, many of which will be released either exclusively for PC or will likely be the prime platform for that game.

Update: February 4 - We have added two more games to this list: Life By You and Nightingale.

Helldivers 2 - February 8, 2024

• Developer: Arrowhead Games
• Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
• What's it about: It's once again time to fight for Super Earth against a variety of alien threats.
• Why we want to play it: The first game in the Helldivers franchise was a top-down sci-fi shooter, but developer Arrowhead decided to make the sequel a third-person shooter with ground-based gameplay. The visuals in the trailers already look pretty amazing and we hope the game will play as good as it looks.

Nightingale - February 22, 2024 (Early Access)

• Developer: Inflexion Games
• Publisher: Inflexion Games
• What's it about: In a Victorian-like fantasy world, you travel via portals to various lands in order to survive, build, and fight off a number of monsters in these lands/
• Why we want to play it: Inflexion Games, formed by a number of former BioWare Teamam members, looks to offer a survival game with some steampunk elements, and that alone makes us want to try it out.

Homeworld 3 - March 8, 2024

• Developer: Blackbird Interactive
• Publisher: Gearbox Publishing
• What's it about: The Hyperspace Gateway Network is falling apart, and you and your fleet must find out what's causing it while also fighting off enemies
• Why we want to play it: The long-awaited third game in the space-based 3D RTS series is finally just a few months away from release. In addition to its single-player campaign, there will also be a rogue-like War Games co-op mode, a skirmish mode, and support for mods out of the box.

Pre-order Homeworld 3 Collector's Edition at Amazon

Life By You - June 4, 2024 (Early Access)

• Developer: Paradox Teutonic
• Publisher: Paradox Interactive
• What's it about: You are in charge of this game world, as you create humans and put them in homes and settings that you build and see how they interact.
• Why we want to play it: Life By You is Paradox's attempt at a game that seems similar to Elecoonic Arts' The Sims but with perhaps even more control for gamers via mods. Will it be enough to make Sims players switch sides?

Ara: History Untold - TBD 2024

• Developer: Oxide Games
• Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
• What's it about: You control your "civilization" from the beginning until the present, unlocking new tech, new challenges, and more.
• Why we want to play it: Oxide Games has a number of people who worked on the Civilization strategy games, and they want to expand that 4x gameplay in new directions, including support for crafting and more.

Stormgate - TBD 2024 (Early Access)

• Developer: Frost Giant Studios
• Publisher: Frost Giant Studios
• What's it about: Earth has to fight demonic-like alien threats with big units like mechs and even robot dogs.
• Why we want to play it: Former Starcraft developers at Blizzard form Frost Giant Studios to make a three-faction RTS game that looks an awful lot like what we would imagine StarCraft III might be like. You can check out Stormgate's Kickstarter campaign now so you can play in the early beta tests.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024- TBD 2024

• Developer: Asobo Studio
• Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
• What's it about: It's time to get on board your plane and fly around the world, but this time you can participate in different aviation jobs.
• Why we want to play it: In addition to updated graphics and aviation physics, this update to the 2020 revival of Microsoft Flight Simulator will let you assume different roles, like air rescue, private charter flight, and much more.

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2 - TBD 2024

• Developer: The Chinese Room
• Publisher: Paradox Interactive
• What's it about: Vampires are out and about in modern-day Seattle, and you have to deal with the various clans of the Kindred.
• Why we want to play it: Here's another game that's been a long time coming, but with the new developer The Chinese Room, this game looks like it's finally coming together to become the sequel to the Vampire: The Masquerade RPG title.

MechWarrior 5: Clans - TBD 2024

• Developer: Piranha Games
• Publisher: Piranha Games
• What's it about: The Smoke Jaguar clan is ready to go to war against the tyrants of the Inner Sphere with their big, big mechs to handle the job.
• Why we want to play it: After releasing MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries several years ago, Piranha Games will launch a more linear single-player game with some updated Unreal Engine 5 graphics.

Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred - TBD 2024

• Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
• Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
• What's it about: Mephisto has some evil, demonic plans for Sanctuary, and it's up to you to stop them. It will require you to visit a previously unseen region called Nahantu.
• Why we want to play it: Blizzard had a big hit on its hands with Diablo IV in 2023, and it looks like it will continue to give players even more monsters to slay in the first expansion pack for the game in 2024.

That's our list of our most anticipated PC games of 2024. Again, we will be updating this list every so often as more games are announced and other games get release dates.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Another week gone by means another week of news to catch up on! Across the worlds of Windows, Xbox, and gaming we saw dozens of stories hit our news desk this week, and I've highlighted the biggest ones right here. From the YouTube app on Windows Phone being set to receive an update to someone cramming an AirTag inside a Steam Deck, here are all the most interesting Microsoft and Xbox stories from this week.

YouTube for Windows Phone

The YouTube app for Windows Phone may get updated this year. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)

Here's a story I didn't expect to see in 2024, the YouTube app on Windows Phone is apparently set to receive an update. Microsoft killed Windows Phone years ago, so it's certainly strange to see an app get updated, but that's supposedly exactly what will happen.

Google infamously did not release a YouTube app for Windows Phone and even revoked Microsoft's YouTube API keys to prevent a Microsoft-made YouTube app from working. But Windows Phone fans are a resourceful bunch, and there's a chance that the YouTube app for Windows Phone will receive an update in 2024.

A Reddit post explains that several people are working to bring back the old version of YouTube that was once available on Windows Phone. The post explains that since the Windows Phone YouTube app uses the same APIs as Android YouTube apps, it could be restored.

The project is about 20% completed and the goal is to have it done by March 15, 2024.

Oddly, this isn't the first we've heard of late regarding Windows Phone and YouTube. Last year, it was discovered that switching the user agent strings of a browser to Windows Phone would bypass pop-ups telling you to turn off ad-blockers.

Suicide Squad

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is off to a rocky start, even before officially launching. (Image credit: Warner Bros. Games)

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League? More like Warner Bros. kills the Suicide Squad. The game had poor early impressions from several media outlets and things only got worse when the title entered paid early access. One bug was so bad that the entire game was taken offline. Searches on Google related to getting a refund for the game spiked almost 800%, according to Google Trends data.

That particular bug would give new players a 100% completion of the entire game without having to do anything. As a result, much of the game was spoiled online.

To get early access to the game, you need to have the Suicide Squad: To Kill the Justice League Deluxe Edition, which costs $100. The poor reception of the game by news outlets as well as the rocky paid early access period drove many to look into getting a refund. Searches for "Suicide Squad refund" went up 791% after the game went down for maintenance.

If you're looking to get a refund, you can do so through Steam's refund page here. If you purchased the title through the Microsoft Store, you can look at refund options on the Microsoft account page. Your results may vary, since there's no guarantee that companies will give refunds if you've played the game for a certain amount of time.

AirTag inside Steam Deck

One user placed an AirTag inside a Steam Deck OLED. (Image credit: u/thetax45 via Reddit)

The Steam Deck is a lovely gaming handheld that lets you play many of your favorite titles on the go. So, it may seem reasonable to want to add a way to track the device in case it's stolen or misplaced. That's what one Steam Deck owner did when they put an AirTag inside their Steam Deck. Specifically, they placed an AirTag inside a Steam Deck OLED to prove that it's possible.

Before you get any ideas, you should not put an AirTag inside your Steam Deck. Doing so will make you lose access to a button, require you to open up your gaming handheld at least once a year, and could potentially cause other damage. The setup that went viral cannot use the L4 button, which is quite the sacrifice to place an AirTag inside the console.

While I don't recommend emulating this setup, I understand the temptation. The Steam Deck doesn't have a find my device feature like many phones, or even some laptops, have.

Windows gets old feature

(Image credit: Windows Central)

 

(Image credit: Windows Central)

 

(Image credit: Windows Central)

 

Did you hear? Windows 11 is getting a new default installation UI! Well, kind of. When Microsoft announced Windows 11 Insider Build 26040, the company highlighted a new installation UI in the operating system. But the "new' experience isn't all that new after all. It's actually a UI that's been available since 2021. Insiders have been able to enable it since 2014! The new UI just hadn't been enabled by default until now.

As you would expect from a component that has been around in some form since 2014, the new installation UI doesn't fit in on Windows 11. Microsoft will have to come up with an actually brand new UI to align with its latest operating system.

Windows Central Podcast

In this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, hosts Dan and Zac discuss if Windows 12 will ship in 2024, Google adding Arm64 support to Chrome on Windows, and the Apple Vision Pro.

Xbox News Recap

Each week we recap the biggest Xbox and gaming news as well. Make sure to check out the latest info on Enshrouded, Dragon's Dogma 2, and Hi-Fi Rush.

Reviews

The AVerMedia Live Streamer MIC 350 earned a near-perfect score in our recent review. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)

Each week our experts go hands-on with the latest gadgets and games. Our team checked out AMD's new Ryzen 8000 Series CPUs, played around with the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro gaming keyboard, and took a look at plenty of other tech.

• RIG 600 Pro HX Xbox headset review: An awesome value with multiplatform connectivity and Dolby Atmos
• Alienware AW2725DF: An impressive 360Hz QD-OLED gaming monitor fit for eSports
• AMD Ryzen 5 8600G review: The ultimate CPU for a budget-friendly custom gaming desktop is here
• AMD Ryzen 7 8700G review: Skip that graphics card for now, this CPU is the new meta for budget PC gaming
• Razer Huntsman V3 Pro review: The world's most advanced gaming keyboard, but you probably don't need it
• Persona 3 Reload review: An amazing remake that honors the legacy of the original
• AVerMedia Live Streamer MIC 350 (AM350) review: A dependable premium microphone that challenges the best
• This Bree AI Chatbot app has a 4.7-star rating, showing that sometimes all people want is somebody to talk to
• NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Super Founders Edition review: Finally, a great value RTX 40-Series card
• AYANEO Slide review: A full keyboard for portable interaction with text-heavy games, chats, and browsers
• GameSir G8 Galileo controller review: Taking the lead for Xbox cloud gaming on mobile

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