Modern PCs run fast, with more powerful CPUs, GPUs, RAM, and storage dropping every year. With that, the focus on acoustics has become increasingly important. GPUs, for instance, have had "silent" modes for over a decade, where the fans remain off when the load is low. Some PSUs have adopted this as well, with a Hybrid or Zero RPM mode keeping the PSU silent when the load is low. But this design can be problematic in some cases.

The tides are turning in the AI race, and the pressure is getting to OpenAI. Chief executive Sam Altman reportedly declared a “code red” on Monday, urging staff to improve its flagship product ChatGPT, an indicator that the startup’s once-unassailable lead is eroding as competitors like Google and Anthropic close in.  In the memo, reported by the Wall Street Journal and The Information, Altman said the company will be delaying initiatives like ads, shopping and health agents, and a personal assistant, Pulse, to focus on improving ChatGPT. This includes core features like greater speed and reliability, better personalization, and the ability to answer more questions, he said.There will be a daily call for those tasked with improving the chatbot, the memo said, and Altman encouraged temporary team transfers to speed up development. The newfound urgency illustrates an inflection point for OpenAI as it spends hundreds of billions of dollars to fund growth and figures out a path to future profitability. It is also something of a full-circle moment in the AI race. Google, which declared its own “code red” after the arrival of ChatGPT, is a particular concern. Google’s AI user base is growing — helped by the success of popular tools like the Nano Banana image model — and its latest AI model, Gemini 3, blew past its competitors on many industry benchmarks and popular metrics.  

You can’t make this up. Microsoft shipped a Windows 11 update yesterday that is supposed to make dark mode more consistent, with dialogs in File Explorer finally getting a dark mode for actions like copying, moving, or deleting files and folders. You get all that, but Microsoft will also treat you with a giant white flash every time you open File Explorer.“After installing KB5070311, you might experience issues when opening File Explorer in dark mode,” admits Microsoft in the known issues section of its new Windows 11 update. “The window might briefly display a blank white screen before loading files and folders.”The white flash is like a flash bang if you’re working in the dark with dark mode enabled, and Microsoft says it’s now working on a fix for the problem. If you don’t want to wait for an official fix, you can also use a Windhawk mod to return File Explorer dark mode to normal.It’s odd that Microsoft didn’t catch this very obvious bug in testing, especially as the company has committed to a more “consistent dark mode experience” generally across Windows 11. The Run dialog in Windows 11 is also getting a dark mode soon, as well improvements to progress bars and charts views, and confirmation and error dialogs.

It's no secret that the price of RAM has skyrocketed in recent weeks. If you ask an expert why, they'll likely point to the adoption of AI and the demand for hardware as the primary cause, although not everyone will believe it. Regardless of the reason, the truth is that RAM has gotten expensive, and this has put pressure on companies that sell pre-made hardware to either take the financial hit or up their prices.

The Steam Controller. It's a big deal that Valve is making a game console. But I'm beginning to think the Steam Machine may end up a footnote in gaming history. What if Valve could bring PC games not just to its own living room consoles, but also to the Arm chips that billions of people have in their phones? What if you no longer had to wait for game developers to do the hard work of porting PC games to your phone, Mac, or other Arm hardware, because games built for desktop PCs could just work?If you wrote off the Steam Frame as yet another VR headset few will want to wear, I guarantee you're not alone. But the Steam Frame isn't just a headset; it's a Trojan ho …Read the full story at The Verge.

Ever since the new Outlook app arrived on people's computers, it hasn't received the warmest of welcomes. Even when Microsoft tries to tempt people with new features, people still haven't gelled with it. Reports come in that the performance of the new Outlook isn't great, and it fails to add some features that the old version used to have.

Between its well-documented nature, beginner-friendly collection of tools, and thousands of first and third-party images, Docker has a large following in the self-hosting and home lab communities. Although I’ve started using Podman as of late, I still rely on Docker and its utilities for many containerization projects – and that’s largely because of Docker Compose.

Once you start adding smart products to your home, it can really start to make the space come alive. And while I love simple solutions from brands like Amazon, Google, Hue — a Power over Ethernet network (PoE) is going to be the way to go if you're looking for something that's a bit more versatile and powerful.

There was a time, just a few years ago, when SSD and RAM chips used to be pretty cheap. You could afford to really max out your system without feeling the strain on your wallet. It felt like something that would last forever, but then things started to change.

People often use the Raspberry Pi Pico for practical projects, but some of the most entertaining ideas come from those who simply want to experiment. These builds stretch the Pico far beyond what anyone would reasonably expect, yet they remain charming because of how unnecessary they are. They also highlight the creativity of a community that enjoys turning simple hardware into something memorable. Once you see how far some makers take their ideas, you start to look at the Pico in a completely different light.

One of the biggest surprises of Cyber Monday was the excellent discount we saw on the Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World console bundle, which dropped in price by $50. We expected the price to return to normal once the shopping holiday ended, but — surprise, surprise — it’s still going strong. Several major retailers are offering the gaming bundle for $449.99 ($50 off), including Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. Since it’s a high-demand item, Walmart and Best Buy require that you add the bundle to your cart before seeing the discounted price. In the case of Walmart, you must create an account in order to go through the checkout process.Nintendo Switch 2Where to Buy: $499.99 $449 at Amazon (Mario Kart World bundle) $499.99 $449.99 at Walmart (Mario Kart World bundle) $499.99 $449 at Best Buy (Mario Kart World bundle)The current promo effectively gets you a free digital copy of Mario Kart World, which typically retails for $79.99 on its own. Given that tariff-induced price hikes have recently made consoles like the original Switch, Xbox Series X, and PlayStation 5 to become more expensive, this deal is a welcome reprieve. However, we don’t anticipate it sticking around, so if you or someone you know is on the hunt for the Switch 2, now’s the time to pick one up.The Nintendo Switch 2 offers a nice upgrade over the original, with an expansive 7.9-inch 1080p LCD screen, magnetic Joy-Con controllers, and improved performance. It can play most original Switch games, and the system’s library of must-play titles continues to grow, with big releases like Donkey Kong Bananza, Mario Kart World, Kirby Air Riders, and the forthcoming Metroid Prime 4: Beyond.Read our Nintendo Switch 2 review.Update, December 2nd, 2:48PM ET: Added the Best Buy discount. The retailers listed above have wavered on offering this deal, but for now, it’s back on.

Arch Linux is a curious beast. If installing other operating systems is like purchasing a cake from the store, installing Arch Linux is like learning how to go from nothing to creating a completed cake all by yourself. Well, okay, there are YouTube tutorials and a unique, in-depth Cake Wiki you can consult, but you still have to manually go through the steps of making it.