Before we knew it, solid-state drives genuinely became the most important component inside a modern PC. They might not be as expensive as a big, beefy GPU inside the case, but they're certainly headed there. It's the SSD that boots up our systems, runs our apps, and decides how long we look at loading screens. SSDs truly are the unsung heroes that keep everything moving, and they most definitely handle the largest amount of load every day, too. With SSD prices climbing straight into the skies over the past year, replacing one has become a far more expensive (and scary) proposition than it used to be.

While SteamOS on Steam devices definitely gets the job done, some people just prefer to run Windows on them instead. There's quite a lot of proof to suggest that SteamOS has much better in-game performance than Windows, but hey, it's their device, and they can install Windows on it if they want.

Meta might be the next company to make an always-on AI wearable. The company is working on prototype "super sensing" always-aware smart glasses that could continuously record audio and snap photos "every few seconds," according to the Financial Times. The wearer could then ask Meta AI about the captured audio and images.However, the images and audio might not be directly available to the user. Here's how the FT describes one way the glasses could use the data:In one proposed system, raw footage and audio would not be stored by Meta or made available to the user, several people said. Instead, the metadata from that audio and images would …Read the full story at The Verge.

Between their highly customizable nature, lack of privacy-intrusive services, and zero forced updates, there are plenty of reasons to love Linux distributions. I also adore the live boot functionality that many distros tend to ship with, as it lets me get accustomed to their quirks and tinker with their built-in tools without spending extra time installing them on the machine. Better yet, plenty of Linux flavors support persistent folders (and even partitions) capable of saving any changes I make to the live boot environment even after I shut down the system, making them perfect for portable setups.

Most soundbars spend their first few minutes trying very hard to impress you. They advertise huge channel counts, virtual height effects (including Dolby Atmos Height Virtualization), wireless subwoofers, room-filling audio, and preset names that sound more technical than they really are. Then you plug one in, start a movie, and run into a much less exciting problem. The most useful setting probably isn’t the one designed to make everything sound bigger.

The best NAS features usually sound important before they feel important. Better containers, better virtualization, better snapshots, and better protocol support all matter, especially when you’re running more than a few services at home. But the feature that changes the daily experience is often smaller and less dramatic. TrueNAS 26’s WebShare and TrueSearch combo looks like exactly that kind of upgrade.

For most of the last decade, the value proposition of the DIY build was considered gospel. Pick your own parts, skip the OEM's middle-man tax, and end up with a machine that outperforms anything a prebuilt manufacturer would sell you at the price. The ongoing DRAM crisis, however, seems to have changed all of that.

As part of Microsoft's big Xbox "reset," which includes layoffs affecting 3,200 staffers, jettisoning studios, and shifting investments to focus on "higher priority projects," Obsidian Entertainment is changing its plans. The studio, behind games like Grounded and The Outer Worlds, is starting work on a new Fallout title and has canceled "multiple projects," including a sequel to last year's Avowed, according to Bloomberg.Despite the success of the Fallout TV show, which is getting a third season, Xbox hasn't released a new game in the series since 2018's Fallout 76. Josh Sawyer, Obsidian's studio design director, will head up the new Fall …Read the full story at The Verge.

Google Keep is great until you need it to do anything more than simple sticky notes. I used the app for years, but I became increasingly frustrated with its organizational features and limited note-editing tools. I also became more hesitant to use the app for any sensitive information, given Google's privacy track record.

Windows is the first operating system I tried, and I've been using it for the last 20 years. Most of my colleagues, neighbors, and family members have been using PCs with Windows and subsequently upgraded to new versions. However, the OS hardware requirements increase over time, and Windows 11 is not easy on older, weaker systems. The latest version aims to look better and offer robust security, and it requires special components like TPM and Secure Boot to work. Windows 10 never required users to enable Secure Boot or TPM and could run on most systems.

Valve's latest compatibility layer, Proton 11, which allows Windows games to run on platforms like the Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and Linux-based desktops, has officially been released in a stable version after being available in beta since April.

Even though they haven’t been officially announced yet, Samsung is giving you a chance to save some cash when you preorder what we’re expecting to be the brand’s updated Galaxy Z Fold phones. The next Galaxy Unpacked event will take place on July 22nd, 2026, and features the tagline “A new shape unfolds.” In addition to seeing updated versions of the existing Flip and Fold form factors, we anticipate the debut of a new, wider foldable phone. If you register your interest ahead of time and end up preordering one of the new phones shortly after they’re announced, Samsung will give you a $30 store credit at checkout.There are some caveats to this offer. You have to use the credit when you preorder the phone. No saving it for later. Also, the credit can’t be applied to the cost of the phone either, so you’ll have to put it towards the cost of accessories or extra services. Samsung specifically calls out that select Galaxy rings, earbuds, watches, and tablets are eligible, or you can use it to help pay for Samsung Care Plus.There are no downsides to registering your interest, so if you think you might be interested in buying one of the upcoming phones, it’s worth filling out the form. As long as you use the same email during checkout, the credit will be automatically applied.