AMD has finally provided a response on the thermal throttling and overheating issues reported for the Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics card.
AMD Asks Users To Contact Its Support Team If They Are Facing Over-heating or Thermal Throttling Issues With The Radeon RX 7900 XTX
Earlier this week, we reported that a few users were facing issues with the Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics cards, the MBA or reference model in particular. The issues mostly had to do with the graphics card overheating and thermal throttling down to lower clock speeds, resulting in a less-than-desired performance in games.
Since our report, multiple users have shown up who are facing the same issues with their AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX reference graphics cards. AMD had previously declined to offer an RMA to a user facing the issue, stating that the card hitting 110C Junction temperature was within normal spec however what isn't normal was the lower performance that was a result of those high temps.
PowerColor stepped in a few days ago to help consumers who bought a reference AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics card and asked them to provide data regarding the card. Now it looks like AMD is also listening to customers and has provided us with the following statement on the matter
“We are aware that a limited number of users are experiencing unexpected thermal throttling on AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX graphics cards (reference models made by AMD). Users experiencing unexpected thermal throttling of an AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX should contact AMD Support.”
Another user on Reddit stated that AMD was offering a refund for the Radeon RX 7900 XTX and not a replacement unit since the MBA variant most likely has limited quantities. It also depends on the region as some get more reference models than others. For example, China got far fewer reference variants than the rest of the world. Now we have yet to see what result comes out after consumers contact customer support but it is good to see that AMD is acknowledging the issue & helping out users who are facing this issue. We will keep you updated once we get more information on the matter.
Article From & Read More ( AMD Responds To Radeon RX 7900 XTX Thermal Issues, Asks Users To Contact Support - Wccftech )
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Technology
Need a good New Year's resolution? Here's one: Clean out your iPhone's storage. Those apps, photos, playlists and videos can pile up quickly, and our phones can only hold so much. From offloading apps to transporting essential items to the iCloud, there are a few steps you can take to maximize your phone's capacity.
The best way to save local storage is to invest in a cloud storage service like Apple's iCloud, Google Drive, Box or Dropbox to offload some of your files. But there are also certain settings you can change to make sure you're using your iPhone's storage capacity to its fullest. Now that iOS 16 launched, your iPhone will also be able to detect duplicate photos, which should make it easier to keep your image library lean and organized.
See below to learn more about how to free up storage space on your iPhone.
First, see what's taking up the most space on your iPhone
To maximize your iPhone's storage, you need to know what's occupying your device in the first place. Take a look at what's eating up your storage so that you know where to get started. Launch Settings, tap General and scroll down to iPhone Storage. Choose this option to see a breakdown of the types of files and media that are taking up space on your iPhone. Apple might also make some recommendations about how to free up space, such as reviewing videos stored on your device as shown below.
Take a look at what's eating up your iPhone's storage in the settings menu.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Make sure your iPhone is optimizing photo storage
Photos are among the biggest offenders when it comes to gobbling up space on your iPhone. But the iPhone's settings menu has an option that enables your device to save smaller photo files locally if your device is low on space instead of the original versions. These full-resolution photos and videos are instead stored in iCloud, and you can download them as needed. To make sure this feature is turned on, start by opening the Settings app. Then scroll down to Photos and make sure there's a blue checkmark next to the Optimize iPhone Storage option.
Make sure your iPhone is being as efficient as possible when it comes to saving media files.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Save photos and videos to a cloud service instead of on your device
The best way to free up space on your iPhone is to remove files you don't need to store on your device. But that doesn't mean you have to downsize your photo library. Instead, try storing them in a third-party cloud storage service like Google Photos rather than on your device. It's a quick way to free up a lot of storage without requiring you to part with old memories.
But before you delete anything, make sure the photos you want to save have been backed up or transferred to Google Photos. If your photos and videos are not backed up to another service like Google Photos, Dropbox, Box or OneDrive before being deleted, they'll be permanently erased. This guide walks you through how to copy over your entire iCloud photo library to Google Photos, but just note that the unlimited free storage option is no longer available.
You might be wondering why you need to use a separate cloud service if your photos are already stored in iCloud. That's because deleting your photos from your iPhone erases them from iCloud as well, so you'll want to use another service if you plan to delete images from your device.
You can try saving photos in a cloud storage app like Google Photos.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Delete apps you no longer use
Another great way to clear out your iPhone is to get rid of apps you no longer use. If you don't know where to start, take a look at which apps you haven't used in a long time. Open your iPhone'sSettings menu, tap General and go to iPhone Storage. You'll see a list of your apps along with how much space each app occupies and the last time you used it. Scroll through the list and try deleting apps that you haven't used in a long time.
Get rid of apps you haven't used in a long time. You can see the last time you've used a specific app in the iPhone's settings menu.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Offload apps you don't use all the time
If you don't want to completely delete an app, you can offload it instead. Offloading it lets you retain the documents and data associated with that app so that you can reinstall it anytime and quickly pick up right where you left off. Navigate back to the list mentioned above by opening Settings, pressing General and choosing iPhone Storage. Tap any app in the list and select Offload App. You can also set your iPhone to do this automatically by opening Settings, tapping the App Store option and making sure the Offload Unused Apps switch is toggled on.
You can offload apps you don't use very often instead of deleting them.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Automatically delete old messages
It's not just photos, videos and apps that may be clogging your iPhone's storage. Getting rid of old text messages can be helpful as well. You can set your iPhone to automatically delete your message history by opening Settings, choosing Messages and tapping the Keep Messages option under Message History. From there, select if you'd like your iPhone to retain text messages for 30 days, one year or forever.
Stop saving text messages indefinitely by changing this setting on your iPhone.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Delete videos and music from apps
You probably have videos and music stored offline in multiple apps on your phone, and fortunately, there's an easy way to find those files and delete them. Launch Settings, choose General and select iPhone Storage. Search for an app that you've downloaded offline content from, such as Netflix. You'll then see storage information about the app, such as its size and buttons for deleting or offloading it.
If you've downloaded offline videos, you'll also see a section for this content underneath the Delete App button. Place your finger on a downloaded video and swipe it all the way over to the left side of the screen to delete it.
More from 12 Days of Tips:
There's an easy way to delete videos and music files you've saved within an app to free up space on your iPhone.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
Clear out your web browser cache
You can always try cleaning out your web browser cache if you're really scrounging for space, although deleting apps and media will make a much bigger difference. But doing so could give your iPhone a bit of a speed boost when web browsing, so it's worth trying if you're low on storage and are experiencing sluggish browser performance. But just remember that it will sign you out of websites you've logged into.
Open Settings, choose Safari and tap Clear History and Website Data.
Clear out your Safari cache to see a performance boost and save a little space.
Screenshot by Lisa Eadicicco/CNET
If you use Google Chrome, tap the three dots at the bottom of the screen, choose History and tap Clear Browsing Data. You should see a check mark next to three categories: Browsing History, Cookies, Site Data and Cached Images and Files. If you want to only delete browsing data for a certain time period, tap the Time Range option near the top of the screen before hitting Clear Browsing Data at the bottom.
You can also clear your Google Chrome cache easily within the app.
Cheap earbuds are a dime a dozen on Amazon, but they don't all deliver the best audio quality. If you just need something for phone calls, that's fine — but if you want audiophile-worthy sound, you want a company like Sennheiser. This brand has a long-standing reputation for mind-blowing audio quality across a wide range of products, from earbuds to headphones. Right now, the Sennheiser CX True Wireless earbuds are a whopping 54% off — down to $60 from $130. If these aren't quite what you're looking for, don't worry: there are a load of other Sennheiser products on sale, too.
"These headphones are seriously great. I’ve owned a pair of Bose Quiet Comfort earbuds, a few Beats earbuds, a set of Ankers, and some Apple Airpods — Seinheisser beats all of them by a mile in sound quality, comfort, and aesthetic. 10/10 would recommend these earbuds," one user said.
These headphones come with four different ear tip sizes to help ensure the best possible fit, while the Smart Control app — available for both iPhone and Android devices — lets you customize the headphones to suit your personal tastes. The app also assists in Bluetooth pairing for easy setup. Want even better audio quality? The Bass Boost feature can be activated at any time to enhance the bass and provide deeper lows to any song.
The Sennheiser CX True Wireless Earbuds are designed for the music lover in all of us. (Photo: Amazon)
One user said you can't go wrong with these. "As soon as I tried them the sound was amazing. The app is easy to use and connected easily to my phone. They aren't the newest model but are well worth it because Sennheiser is known for quality."
If earbuds aren't your jam and you want something a bit more comfortable for wearing for longer periods, consider the Sennheiser 450BT headphones instead.
"Exactly what I wanted as a mom of 2 young kids - excellent quality but at the same time can hear when one of them screams. Always a fan of Sennheiser for the clarity!" said one mom that just wanted some quiet. "As a hobbyist singer, I'm planning to start recording after a baby break and this is the perfect start to listen to high-quality, crystal clear audio! Battery lasts almost 2 days with my almost constant use (I'm obsessed). I don't currently travel but this one folds and looks easy to pack and carry if you do!"
The Sennheiser HD 450BT headphones fit over the ears and include tremendous battery life, as well as on-device controls for easily activating smart assistants (Siri and Google Assistant!) There are also different modes to pick from depending on the type of content. One is a Podcast Mode for better dialogue clarity, and there are also numerous equalization settings to customize the sound to your own tastes.
What sets Sennheiser apart? As we mentioned before, this brand is built with high-fidelity audio in mind. These are primarily for music, rather than phone calls or working out. Sure, you can use Sennheiser products for that with ease — but just be prepared to hear your tunes in a way that might have you singing along in the gym.
Article From & Read More ( 'Beats AirPods by a mile' Sennheiser CX True Wireless earbuds are more than 50% off - Yahoo Life )
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Technology
Every year, popular tech YouTuber Marques Brownlee (better known as MKBHD) holds his own Smartphone Awards, in which he chooses the best smartphones in different categories. While last year the iPhone was awarded in three different categories, Apple’s smartphone lost the spotlight to its competitors at this year’s awards.
Just like last year, MKBHD has set multiple award categories for smartphones. They are:
Best Big Phone
Best Small Phone
Best Camera System
Best Battery
The Design Award
Value Award
Bust of the Year
MVP (Phone of the Year)
Unsurprisingly, there are a lot of Android smartphones competing for the awards, while Apple currently sells only eight different iPhone models – and just five of them were released this year. Of course, although the awards are based on MKBHD’s own criteria, he considered both technical aspects and his personal experience with each device competing for the awards.
But how does the iPhone compare with all the other Android smartphones?
Best Big Phone
iPhone 14 Pro Max is certainly a big phone with its 6.7-inch screen. However, MKBHD chose Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra as Best Big Phone of 2022. According to the YouTuber, the S22 Ultra takes advantage of the massive 6.8-inch screen with the stylus combined with software optimized for the large screen, the 5,000 mAh battery, and four camera lenses on the back of the phone.
MKBHD also praised the ASUS ROG Phone 6, which is considered a gamer smartphone, in the same category for having “incredible, massive stereo front-facing speakers” and a headphone jack. The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 also got an honorable mention for having the same thickness as a regular phone when folded.
Best Small Phone
Last year, Apple won the Best Small Phone category with iPhone 13 mini. After all, there aren’t many small phones left on the market, and iPhone 13 mini was essentially an iPhone 13 with premium hardware inside a body with a 5.4-inch screen. But this year, Apple killed the iPhone mini and replaced it with the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus.
So the winner of the Best Small Phone of 2022 was the ASUS Zenfone 9. It’s certainly not as small as the iPhone 13 mini since it has a 5.9-inch screen, but it’s still considerably smaller than most smartphones today. With flagship specs, a “surprisingly great camera,” a headphone jack, and good battery life, MKBHD says the Zenfone 9 is “easily the best phone in this size.”
Oppo Find N2, which is a foldable phone, got an honorable mention in this category for looking extremely compact when it’s folded.
Best Camera System
Choosing the best camera on a smartphone can be extremely subjective, especially since there are different criteria for photos and videos, and each person has their own preferences when it comes to color level and sharpness. A few days ago, MKBHD shared the results of its blind smartphone camera test, in which Google’s Pixel 6A took first place, while the Pixel 7 Pro came in second.
But what about MKBHD’s preferences? Although he praised the photos taken with the Pixel 7 and Vivo X90 Pro+, iPhone 14 Pro Max won Best Camera System this year.
The YouTuber says that the iPhone has a more solid camera experience, which includes how fast it is to open the Camera app and take a picture, the consistency between all lenses, and how good the device is at shooting video compared to all Android smartphones.
Best Battery
The winner of Best Battery of 2022 is the ASUS ROG Phone 6. Since it’s considered a smartphone for gamers, ASUS put a 6,000 mAh battery inside the phone. At the same time, it supports fast charging up to 65W, which lets users recharges the battery from 0% to 100% in less than an hour.
Last year, iPhone 13 Pro Max won the Best Battery award, and many other reviews also praised the battery life of last year’s iPhone despite the addition of the 120Hz display. However, iPhone 14 Pro Max failed to offer the same battery experience as iPhone 13 Pro Max since Apple kept the battery the same size and added an Always-on Display.
Interestingly, Marques praised the battery life of the iPhone 14 Plus, which beats the iPhone 14 Pro Max since it has a regular 60Hz display without the Always-on feature. As a result, iPhone 14 Plus consumes less power than the Pro model.
The Design Award
The design category is also quite subjective, and even MKBHD agrees with this. And the smartphone that won The Design Award in 2022 is the Nothing Phone. Looking from the sides, the Nothing Phone reminds one of the latest iPhones. However, Nothing Phone has a transparent back full of LEDs that can be used for multiple things like notifications and flash light while you’re filming.
“It definitely skirts the line right between gimmick and feature. […] I find it really neat. I think it’s cool that you can see how much battery is as you’re charging. […] Little things like that. You don’t see a lot of phones trying new stuff.”
The Xiaomi Mix Fold 2 got an honorable mention in the design category for being a foldable phone that looks much more solid than other foldable phones.
Value Award
Last year, Google’s Pixel 6 won the Value Award, and this year the award was given to the Pixel 7. MKBHD argues that the Pixel 7 is the best in its $599 price range, and it even beats some more expensive flagships with its specs. “It’s so good that it made the [Pixel] 7 Pro kind of feel like not that good of a deal,” he added.
ASUS Zenfone 9 once again received an honorable mention, this time in the Value Award category for offering a “really unique combo” that includes a 120Hz display for $699.
Bust of the Year
The 2021 Bust of the Year was Microsoft’s Surface Duo 2, which has two separate screens and was launched at a $1,500 price tag. This year, however, MKBHD chose the OnePlus 10T as Bust of the Year for having a “pretty big delta between expectations and possibilities versus actual results.”
MVP (Phone of the Year)
Samsung’s Galaxy S21 Ultra was the 2021 winner of Phone of the Year. But what about this year? The winner for 2022 is Google’s Pixel 7. Just as mentioned before, MKBHD says the Pixel 7 has great value with its good cameras, display, and battery, plus “flagship software experience” while it costs much less than other premium smartphones.
With similar arguments, ASUS Zenfone 9 also won an honorable mention as Phone of the Year. In third place, MKBHD chose the Galaxy S22 Ultra for this category, which he defines as “boring” and “expensive,” but at the same time one of the best phones one can get in 2022.
Wrap-up
From three categories in 2021, the iPhone has now only been awarded in one of the categories in 2022. And yet, MKBHD pointed out that he prefers the iPhone camera because of its outstanding quality for shooting video.
What are your thoughts on the results? Would you have a different list than MKBHD for the best phones of 2022? Let us know in the comments section below.
Article From & Read More ( iPhone loses the spotlight to its competitors in MKBHD’s Smartphone Awards 2022 - 9to5Mac )
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Technology
The Switch Pro was heavily rumoured not so long ago as a mid-generation upgrade on the existing Switch console, which launched in 2017.
Reports suggested that Nintendo was planning to release a more powerful variant with an improved screen, but, despite numerous sources seemingly corroborating this - including developers who had apparently been told about it - no Switch Pro was forthcoming, and the arrival of the OLED edition seemed to indicate that another hardware update wouldn't be on the way for a while.
Now, the gang behind Digital Foundry are claiming that the system was in Nintendo's plans at one point, but was eventually cancelled. As of now, there are no plans to release a more powerful version of the Switch before its successor arrives.
This rumour has been confirmed to Digital Foundry by more than one unnamed developer.
As for Nintendo's next console, Digital Foundry says we shouldn't expect to see it next year.
Digital Foundry also speculates that Nintendo is "worried" about transitioning from Switch to its next system. It's a fair assumption to make, given that Nintendo went from boom (with the Wii) to bust (with the Wii U) and back again with Switch, but one would think the company is wise enough to stick with the hybrid approach, given that it has proven so successful and is essentially its own niche. But who knows?
Keeping its tradition of making several announcements before CES, LG has teased its 2023 soundbar lineup ahead of the big show. The company says the SC9 and SE6 models will be on display in Vegas, both equipped with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X for immersive sound. Details are scarce for now on the specifics, but LG did elaborate on some of the key features both soundbars will offer.
First, the company says the SC9 and SE6 will have Wow Orchestra, a tool that "utilizes every one of the two products’ audio channels to create an expanded soundstage with improved height, depth and power." That somewhat vague description is all we have to go on until we hear these in action, but LG did explain that the feature will arrive after launch via software update. The two soundbars will also use Wowcast to connect to LG TVs wirelessly over WiFi. Once synced up, you can access audio settings through the Home Dashboard on those displays (also coming via future update).
A Triple Sound Optimizer feature "boosts" the performance of the SC9 and SE6 while Smart Up-mixer turns stereo audio into multi-channel surround sound. LG says its AI Room Calibration tailors each soundbar to the place you put them, improving low-end frequency range and subdividing the front channels for better balance, clearer vocals and enhanced dialogue. The SC9 and SE6 also have an AI Sound Pro feature that can analyze content — movies, games sports or music — and automatically apply the best settings.
LG says the SC9 and SE6 were designed with a minimalist focus so that they might blend in better with a range of home furnishings. The company explains that a bracket for the SC9 attaches to LG’s 2022 and 2023 OLED C series TVs to further eliminate clutter. LG didn't elaborate much on the differences between the two units other than the fact that the SE6 is "ideal for smaller spaces" due to its compact stature. Despite the smaller size, that soundbar still packs four passive radiators for "powerful bass," according to LG, and Dolby Atmos support is still onboard.
The company didn't say whether or not either of these will come with a subwoofer or which additional speakers they'll be compatible with for a true surround sound setup. But, we expect all of the finer details on that, as well as info on connectivity and availability, when we arrive in Las Vegas next week.
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Apple is working on a new version of the iPad mini, with mass shipments expected to start towards the end of 2023 or in the first half of 2024, according to the latest information shared by TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a series of tweets today, Kuo said a new processor/chip will be the main selling point of the new iPad mini, suggesting that the device will receive only a spec bump. The current iPad mini was released in September 2021 and features an 8.3-inch display, A15 Bionic chip, USB-C port, Touch ID power button, 5G support on cellular models, and more, with pricing starting at $499 in the U.S. with 64GB of storage.
Kuo did not share additional details about the new iPad mini, but he did say that Apple is unlikely to replace the iPad mini with a foldable iPad through 2025 at least, as he believes that a foldable iPad would have a markedly higher price than an iPad mini.
(3/3)
Additionally, Apple is currently working on a new version of the iPad mini equipped with a new processor as the main selling point, and the mass shipment is expected to start by the end of 2023 or in 1H24. — 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) December 27, 2022
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Apple continues to roll out a feature that allows residents of participating U.S. states to add their driver's license or state ID to the Wallet app on the iPhone and Apple Watch, providing a convenient and contactless way to display proof of identity or age. The feature has only launched in Arizona, Colorado, and Maryland so far, but Apple shared a list of additional U.S. states committed...
Apple planned a major generational update for the iPhone 14 Pro's graphics capabilities, but was forced to scrap plans for the new GPU late in development after "unprecedented" missteps were discovered, according to The Information. In a paywalled report, The Information claimed that Apple engineers were "too ambitious" in adding new features to the graphics processor designed for the iPhone ...
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Apple recently released iOS 16.2 with many new features. Now, attention turns to additional features coming to the iPhone in 2023. We've recapped five iPhone features that Apple has previously promised to launch or expand, such as an Apple Pay Later financing option and an Apple Card savings account for earning interest on Daily Cash. At least one feature listed below will be part of iOS...
It's Christmas Eve, but that doesn't mean there hasn't been much in the way of Apple news and rumors in recent days as we've been hearing details about Apple's plans for the Mac Pro, iPhone SE, and more. In other news, Apple has detailed changes it made in a couple of recent AirTags firmware updates, while the company appears to have pulled back a new Home app architecture it began offering...
Samsung is working on making the Camera Assistant app available for more devices, according to a post made by a moderator on the company’s community forum for South Korea. The brand will try to make Camera Assistant available for as many devices as possible and also drop an announcement soon about the expansion schedule.
Launched in October this year, Camera Assistant is a module for the company’s Good Lock app. It allows you to customize the behavior or settings of the camera at a deeper level than what you can do with the stock camera app. In other words, it gives you finer control over the camera’s settings compared to the stock camera app, with some settings even making a comeback after having disappeared from Samsung smartphones in the last few years.
However, the Camera Assistant app has been available only for the Galaxy S22 series since its launch, and many users have been requesting Samsung to make it available for their devices. While the brand seems to have taken the feedback, we still don’t have a list of devices for which the app will be available or its concrete launch timeline.
Last month, the company updated Camera Assistant with the ability for the app’s icon to adapt to the color of the phone’s wallpaper, which is enabled by Android 13’s dynamic icon feature. Recently, Samsung also released the updated Expert RAW app, which allows users to capture bright photos of stars, constellations, and dark sky.
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Technology
Samsung’s two upcoming Galaxy A-series smartphones—Galaxy A34 5G and Galaxy A54 5G—have been spotted on the Bluetooth SIG website (via Mukul Sharma). The listing of the two devices (SM-A346B and SM-A546B) on the certification platform reveals that they are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3 while hinting that they are now one step closer to launch.
The Galaxy A34 5G and the Galaxy A54 5G have been in the news since July, and they are expected to launch sometime in the next quarter. Samsung was also expected to launch the Galaxy A74 5G, but apparently, that’s not happening. Over the past few months, the two devices have leaked plenty of times, giving us an idea about what to expect from them.
According to previous leaks, the Galaxy A34 5G and the Galaxy A54 5G will have a display with a 20:9 aspect ratio, similar to the company’s flagship smartphones, as opposed to the 19.5:9 aspect ratio seen on the Galaxy A33 and the Galaxy A53. Reports also suggest that both the phones will have a design similar to the company’s flagships.
Apparently, Samsung will not equip these phones with a depth-sensing camera at the rear. Instead, we could see a 5MP macro camera in its place. Reportedly, the company is going to use a 50MP primary camera for Galaxy A54 5G, a downgrade (in terms of resolution) compared to the Galaxy A53, which has a 64MP camera.
According to Geekbench, the Galaxy A54 5G will feature the Exynos 1380 SoC, a successor to the Exynos 1280 chipset that’s in the Galaxy A53 5G. Going by the processor’s specs, the Exynos 1380 seems to have much more power compared to its predecessor. Unfortunately, the details regarding the internals of the Galaxy A34 5G are still murky.
Windows 11 is becoming more popular among regular users, gaming audiences, and business customers every month. Although Microsoft has already released several feature updates with much-needed changes (more to come in early 2023), Windows 11 still has some notable shortcomings. Also, Microsoft cannot please everyone, so it is natural to expect relative discontent among those willing to ditch Windows 10.
If you are already in the Windows 11 team or just plan to upgrade, here are 11 apps (in no particular order) we consider must-haves on Microsoft's latest OS. They improve existing features or add something Windows 11 lacks (they also work perfectly fine on Windows 10).
Start11 fixes the Start menu and taskbar in Windows 11. It provides several familiar and more convenient Start menu layouts, the ability to ungroup apps, move the taskbar to the top of the screen, reposition the Start button, and personalize the experience to your heart's content. Start 11 frequently receives updates and new features, and we are convinced it should be on each Windows 11 PC.
PowerToys is the only first-party Windows app in this list. It is a popular set of advanced utilities for Windows 11 and 10 users that includes more than 15 "toys" for editing the hosts file, measuring your display, remapping keys and shortcuts, arranging apps and windows, keeping programs on top of the other, checking what processes block a file, extracting text from images, and more.
Besides providing a massive list of utilities, PowerToys is highly customizable and supports settings backups.
Twinkle Tray makes managing your monitor's brightness easier without reaching for the physical controls or installing ugly-looking OEM software. The app features beautiful Windows 11-like UI with advanced options, such as the ability to schedule automatic brightness adjustments, set custom shortcuts, sync brightness across monitors, set additional parameters (contrast or volume), change the power state, and many more. You can even adjust the brightness with the scroll wheel when hovering the cursor over the app's icon.
NanaZIP is a fork of the popular 7Zip archiver. Besides offering what the original does, NanaZIP provides a better Windows 11 experience thanks to integration with the redesigned context menus. Also, NanaZIP is slowly migrating to WinUI, so the app will eventually get a much more modern user interface.
Files App is what the stock File Explorer should be. The app has numerous features to boost productivity when working with files, archives, and folders. It supports tabs, multi-pane and tree views, tags, compact overlay, custom themes, archives, and many more. Moreover, you can set Files App as your default Windows file manager, plus it has much better and more convenient context menus.
Files is a free and open-source project with a beautiful user interface and frequent updates that deliver new features regularly. The only thing to note is that the app cannot replace windows, such as "Save as" or "Open."
Windows 11 still does not support automatic theme switching on schedule or sunset/sunrise, so here is an app that can automate the process, plus throw in several extra features. Auto Dark Mode allows creating custom schedules for mode switching, specifying custom themes for dark and light modes, toggling themes with shortcuts, personalizing backgrounds, etc.
Windows 11 has plenty of screenshot-making tools. However, they are all on a more basic side (there is still no built-in screen recorder, and the one coming is lackluster at best), so those who need more advanced and convenient features should opt for ShareX. Although mastering the app to fit your specific needs might take a little more than one minute, the result will be a robust screenshot utility with a feature-packed editor, custom actions, OCR, screen recording (GIF and video), and more.
Pepperidge Farm remembers having a quick and easy-to-use volume mixer in Windows. Unfortunately, it is now buried in the Settings app (right-click the volume indicator and select "Volume Mixer"), so here comes the EarTrumpet tool. It will place another volume indicator in the notification area, and clicking the icon will open a flyout with your audio output devices and apps playing sound. The only problem with EarTrumpet is the old Windows 10-styled UI and Windows 11's inability to remove the standard volume indicator.
This app copies one of those small neat features available in macOS by default. Apple's desktop operating system lets you preview any file by pressing the spacebar key, and you can get the same thing in Windows with the QuickLook app. Besides being small, light, and fast, the program supports various plugins for expanding its stock capabilities.
Paint.NET is something people often call "a free photoshop alternative for Windows." It's an excellent tool for those who need more advanced image editing features for free and without subscriptions. Paint.NET offers an intuitive user interface with support for layers, unlimited undo, special effects, and a wide variety of powerful tools.
Dynamic Theme is a small wallpaper tool that lets you download and set as the desktop or lock screen background Bing and Windows Spotlight images. The latter is infamous for its frequent bugs, so Dynamic Theme is here to save the day (still not immune to bugs). The app also gets extra points for its native-looking UI resembling the stock Settings app.
Of course, we cannot list every app in a single article. If you know other hidden gems for Windows 11 and 10, let us and others know in the comments below to spread the knowledge!
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