I've mostly used flagship motherboards throughout the years I've built my own PCs, but I've been using a midrange motherboard for the current build, and it was a mistake. The motherboard is the part that every other part of your PC depends on, and cheaping out comes with its own issues. There might not be issues with running your CPU and GPU, but with the rest of the platform, like fewer external and internal USB ports.

Microsoft just released a long list of improvements for Windows 11 as part of its bigger patch Tuesdays, and that includes the ability to pause updates indefinitely, as reported earlier by Windows Central. This option rolled out to Windows Insiders earlier this year, allowing you to hold off on updates for up to 35 days and repeatedly extend the deadline after that.It comes as part of Microsoft's plan to revitalize Windows 11 with updates focused on addressing user complaints and improving performance. Microsoft patched a bunch of security issues with this update as well, which the company said we can expect to see more of in future releas …Read the full story at The Verge.

There has been an onslaught of useless AI apps recently. Search any app store for AI, and you will find hundreds of wrappers, questionable photo generators, and tools solving problems that never really existed in the first place. However, we have also got some genuinely useful AI apps that make everyday tasks considerably easier. I am not talking about the obvious options, like ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini. All three are useful, and I think most of us have at least one general-purpose AI chatbot installed on our phones by now.

The smaller Starlink V5 (right) next to the larger V4 dish. | Image: SpaceX SpaceX's latest residential dish - the Starlink V5 - is now available in "select areas." It's notably smaller and lighter than the V4 dish with improved power efficiency. It'll be available in more places as SpaceX ramps up production to meet global demand. The company notes that Starlink V5 is not intended for in-motion use - for that you'll have to wait for the revamped Starlink Mini teased alongside the V5 last month.The next generation Starlink Kit is designed to deliver reliable, high-speed home internet. Starlink V5 has a smaller form factor and lightweight design with greater power efficiency than the Starlink V4.With speeds up to …Read the full story at The Verge.

If you've used KDE Plasma on an Nvidia card lately and felt the animations weren't as smooth as they could be, it's not just you. Ever since October 2024, triple buffering has been disabled for Nvidia hardware due to a bug. Fortunately, the fix has just been released as part of Plasma 6.7.3, and you can grab it now.

The PlayStation Portal — not a new PS6. | Photo by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge The video game industry is in turmoil. Microsoft and Sony are starting to pivot to their next consoles, but it's not looking great: Prices are soaring, Sony is killing the video game disc, and Microsoft is jettisoning studios ahead of the transition. What could entice people to pay? On the Xbox front, we genuinely can't say. But on June 5th, Sony dropped an unusual number of hints about the future of PlayStation in an investor "business meeting" Q&A. This Q&A arrived a month before Sony announced the end of PlayStation discs. But when I reread it with the death of discs in mind… it hits differently. Let's walk through it, shall we?Pa …Read the full story at The Verge.

Back in May, Amazon officially cut support for its older Kindle models, preventing them from using the official store. While some people have found new uses for them, one person has had the brilliant idea of attaching a Raspberry Pi 4 to it. The result is a cool e-ink dashboard that re-uses the perfectly good Kindle tech.

The CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro comes in four different styles. | Image: Nothing While most fitness trackers are losing the screens to keep the price low, the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro is a bit different. The budget-friendly smartwatch with a 1.43-inch OLED display is even cheaper than usual at Amazon, where it costs $69 in every color (the price fluctuates between $79 and $99). Some notable specs include compatibility with iOS and Android, and long battery life of up to 13 days on a single charge. It’s great for workouts (with accurate, dual-band GPS, IP68 protection, and a heart rate sensor), but stylish enough to wear out to dinner. It currently costs $20 less than the screenless Google Fitbit Air.CMF Watch 3 ProNothing’s slick-looking budget watch features a 1.43-inch OLED display, 131 sports modes, dual-band GPS, and a four-channel heart rate sensor. It also delivers up to 13 days of battery life under normal use and supports all your typical app integrations (Strava, Apple Health, etc.).Where to Buy: $79 $69 at AmazonI’ve had trouble sticking with smartwatches in the past, but I picked up a Watch 3 Pro during a similar sale a few months ago, and I often reach for it over my beloved Casio GA-2100. It helps that I rarely have to worry about keeping it charged thanks to its impressive battery life. Even with the always-on display enabled, I can usually wear the Watch 3 Pro for two or three days of constant use before I have to charge it.The Watch 3 Pro has a big, eye-catching face, and is available in four different colors, each with their own bezel shape, detailing, and color-coordinated strap. The Nothing X app has a ton of different face options to choose from, with some that are heavy on complications, and others that focus on fun and style. I have the light green model and I’ve gotten quite a few compliments, although I also like the orange model for a more fitness-focused look. It’s a little large, which is my preference for watches anyway, but it does make it a little uncomfortable for sleep tracking.If $69 is a little too much, consider the CMF by Nothing Watch Pro 2, which is currently $39 (usually $55) at Amazon. The newer model has upgraded GPS, a more accurate heart rate monitor, longer battery life, and a slightly larger screen. But the older version uses the same app, and has swappable bezels to customize the look.

Command Palette is a part of the PowerToys suite, and I find it convenient to use on my Windows PC. The launcher isn't inferior to other offerings like the Flow, and because it integrates with PowerToys tools, it has become a much more sensible choice for my workflow. Command Palette’s main role is centralized file access and search, along with perks like running shell commands, integrating with the native package manager, and a few more features.

Epic Games and Google have just jointly withdrawn their attempt to retroactively settle the lawsuit that's changing how Android app stores work in the United States - and that means Google will be forced to carry rival app stores inside of its own. In fact, Google tells the court, it's ready to begin carrying third-party app stores on Wednesday, July 22nd. Does that mean it's time for Microsoft to launch an Xbox game store on Android?In October 2024, Judge James Donato originally agreed that forcing Google to carry rival Android app stores within its own Google Play store for several years, and forcing it to share its own entire catalog of …Read the full story at The Verge.

Windows 11 is getting a new recovery feature that could quietly reserve up to 50GB of storage on your SSD, and chances are you'll never notice it happening. For this update, Microsoft isn't exactly asking for permission or presenting a setup wizard the first time you boot into the update. There's a new feature that Windows wants you to have, and it simply turns itself on and gets to work in the background.

Windows 11 updates usually come with a handful of bugs, but they're not usually as nasty as the July update, which can cause specific Dell devices to overheat and randomly shut down. Fortunately, Microsoft caught the issue before the update went out, but it does mean some Dell users will need to wait for the latest Windows update.