For a while, I genuinely believed my system was just aging, and the solution was maybe a new upgrade. On paper, it didn’t make sense at all because I was running an AMD Ryzen 5 5600X on an MSI B550M Gaming Plus, which is still a very capable combination for modern gaming. Yet the experience didn’t match the specs. Games would run fine, then suddenly dip. Not in a predictable way like thermal throttling after long sessions, but randomly after minutes or sometimes even immediately. It wasn’t a crash, not a freeze, just a drop in smoothness that would make you get angry and wish it had just crashed instead of feeling inconsistent.

Google's next round of Pixel phones could be a downgrade compared to the Pixel 10 lineup due to the ongoing RAM shortage. Leaked specs for the Pixel 11 lineup shared by MysticLeaks include a possible starting configuration with only 8GB of RAM, rather than the current 12GB, as Android Headlines reports. According to MysticLeaks, Google may also add a second configuration for the Pixel 11 Pro, Pro XL, and Pro Fold with 12GB of RAM, down from the current 16GB in each model. There will be 16GB configurations available for each, but adding a lower-spec model could mean the 16GB version is getting a price hike. However, the silver lining is tha …Read the full story at The Verge.

If 2025 was all about Microsoft adding features (including Copilot) to all of its apps, then 2026 seems to be the year where Microsoft begins rolling back those features (including Copilot) to a more sensible level. We've already seen the company go back to the drawing board with Windows 11 as it pulls back on Copilot's integration while also working on core parts of the OS, like File Explorer.

When we discuss operating systems here at XDA, we're usually covering the big three: Windows, macOS, and Linux. However, those aren't the only OSes out there. For instance, ReactOS is a Windows clone that uses none of the major OSes as its base and is its own thing.

I have refined my note-taking workflow across various platforms, yet there was always a friction between capturing information and actually making it useful. That changed with the arrival of Gemini’s new Notebooks feature.

I'm an old-school emulation head with a fairly meticulously cataloged collection of my favorite titles. But despite tracking the latest and greatest emulation software and front-ends, most of my files have just stayed right there on external storage media.

May the Fourth be with us all on this Star Wars Day. While things have been relatively quiet with the multimedia gold mine that is Star Wars, with just some murmurs about upcoming movies (The Mandalorian and Grogu excluded), a lone live-action show on the horizon, and a long way to the release of the Fate of the Old Republic game, it’s nevertheless a day to celebrate the franchise. And by that, I mean it’s time to save money on some Star Wars goodies.Whether you celebrate Star Wars Day by hosting a movie marathon, or you just have a mild appreciation for the franchise, the power of the force will compel you to buy everythi — whoa, sorry about that. We’ve rounded up deals on video games, Lego kits, movies, and more. If you’re buying for a superfan, Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy are all offering deals on all sorts of Star Wars merchandise, from toys and Band-Aids to water bottles.Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is steeply discounted at multiple retailers for all platforms right now. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X physical editions are down to $19.99 (previously around $30) at Best Buy, GameStop, and Walmart, while the game costs just $10.75 on Steam. Sadly, the digital console versions are still full price at $69.99.Star Wars Jedi: SurvivorStar Wars Jedi: Survivor is the captivating sequel to 2019’s Fallen Order, one that continues the story of Cal Kestis and his little droid, BD-1. It’s an action-adventure game blending elements of games like Tomb Raider, Metroid, and God of War with Dark Souls — except you’re a Jedi with a lightsaber. Read our review.Where to Buy: $69.99 $19.93 at Walmart (PS5) $69.99 $19.99 at Best Buy $69.99 $10.75 at Steam (PC)Fans of third-person Star Wars games have had plenty to feast on the past couple of years, with Ubisoft’s Star Wars Outlaws being another one worth checking out, especially now that it’s cheaper than usual. You can grab the physical version on PS5 and Xbox Series X for $20.99 (previously $29.99) at Best Buy, or for $19.93 at Walmart. The more recent Nintendo Switch 2 version is also going for $35.97 (about $42 off) at Amazon, though it has recently sold for about $5 less.Star Wars OutlawsStar Wars Outlaws is an original open-world adventure set in the vast universe of the iconic film series. It stars Kay Vess, a protagonist looking to steal from criminal overlords to gain her freedom. Read our review.Where to Buy: $59.99 $35.99 at Amazon (Switch 2) $69.99 $19.99 at Walmart (PS5) $69.99 $20.99 at Best BuyOwala Star Wars FreeSip water bottle (24-ounce)Sometimes, you want your Star Wars fandom to be low-key, noticeable just to super fans. Thankfully, Owala’s limited edition FreeSip bottles come in a slew of hues modeled after the signature looks of Boba Fett, Darth Vader, and the iconic Imperial stormtrooper.Where to Buy: $34.99 $27.99 at Amazon (Boba Fett) $34.99 $27.99 at Amazon (Darth Vader) $34.99 $27.99 at Amazon (Storm Trooper)Star Wars: A New Hope (4K Blu-ray)The best price we’ve seen in more than a year is happening at Amazon. The discounted set includes the original film on 4K Blu-ray, as well as a 1080p Blu-ray and digital copy.Where to Buy: $27.45 $20.99 at Amazon $27.45 at WalmartMoving on to toys, Lego is offering deals on select Star Wars sets through May 6th for those who have a free Lego Insiders account. You can get similar prices at Amazon, though you’ll be missing out on some free gifts you’ll get with select purchases (not to mention extra loyalty points). Orders of $40 or more for Lego Star Wars sets will include a miniature Razor Crest, which is a $5 value. If you buy more than $160 worth of Lego gear, you’ll get the 278-piece Darksaber set (a $30 value).Getting into the limited-time deals, the 1,138-piece C-3PO with articulating arms and a movable head is currently on sale for $111.99 ($28 off) at Amazon and Lego’s online storefront (for Insiders). It includes a C-3PO minifigure, too, and was designed for ages 18 and up.The 700-piece, brick-built Star Wars logo for ages 18 and up is great for displaying on a shelf, and it’s down to $47.99 for Lego Insiders. Alternatively, you can grab it for $2 more at Amazon.Lego and Amazon are both offering the same price on The Mandalorian Helmet, a 584-piece set aimed at ages 18 and up. It’s $55.99 for Lego Insiders, or you can get it for the same price at Amazon. If you’re really into Mando, check out the new Lego-exclusive N-1 Starfighter set, which just launched. Through May 6th, the $249.99 set includes a free lenticular display inspired by the upcoming movie, The Mandalorian and Grogu.There are several other Lego Star Wars sets available for less than usual, even though they don’t include freebies like the ones above. The classic 525-piece AT-AT walker is down to $51.99 ($13 off) at Amazon and Target, which is a new low price. If you or a loved one is into Ahsoka, you can also get a set that includes the Ghost and Phantom II ships, plus a set of five Ahsoka minifigures, for $111.99 (was $159.99) at Amazon.Lego Dark Falcon setThe Dark Falcon set is a 1,579-piece kit that lets them re-create the dark version of the Millennium Falcon, complete with a removable cockpit, bunk beds, and even a throne. The set also includes minifigures like Darth Jar Jar, Beach Luke, and Bounty Hunter C-3PO.Where to Buy: $179.99 at Walmart $179.99 $143.99 at Amazon $179.99 at LegoIf you have $70 to spend on an Amazon smart speaker, we recommend the new-ish Echo Dot Max because it offers great sound quality. But our recommendation changes if you’re a Star Wars fan. Amazon still sells its fifth-gen Echo Dot speaker with a Grogu stand for $71.98. While a deal compared to buying the speaker and stand separately (it’d be about $80), the sale price isn’t new for Star Wars Day.If you’d prefer your Grogu-skinned Echo Dot not to have eyes, Amazon sells a stand that’s all ears with an Echo Dot for $67.98.Amazon Echo Dot with Grogu StandWhere to Buy: $89.99 $71.98 at Amazon While there are no deals on the 4K Blu-ray set of Andor’s first season (it’s still around $50, with its second season still streaming exclusively on Disney Plus), you can save on a cute little holiday ornament of protagonist Cassian Andor brandishing a blaster. It’s going for $15.99 ($16 off) at Amazon and Hallmark.Star Wars: Andor Cassian Andor OrnamentWhere to Buy: $31.99 $15.99 at Amazon $31.99 $15.99 at HallmarkA couple of years ago, we surfaced some Nanoleaf multi-panel kits that, when assembled, put a cute Grogu (I mean, “Baby Gu,” since this isn’t a licensed product) on your wall. The prices have come down on both the big and small bundles, letting you pick the one that best suits your budget and room size. The company’s 17-panel “Small Baby Gu” kit is on sale for $199.98 (originally $249.99), while the 53-panel set, which allows for a more detailed recreation of our little green friend, is available for $499.98 directly from Nanoleaf (originally $674.92).The company is offering several other unlicensed Star Wars-inspired kits on sale today, too. And, just in case you weren’t aware, you can change the colors or layout of the Nanoleaf panels at will. When you aren’t feeling the Star Wars look, just rearrange them as you see fit.Nanoleaf Small Baby Gu BundleNanoleaf’s light panels come in distinct shapes that make it easy to connect them in a variety of fun patterns. The panels support up to 16 billion colors and a number of lighting scenes, which can react to music, touch, and your monitor. This set is designed to depict Grogu’s head.Where to Buy: $299.98 $224.98 at Nanoleaf

ESP32 projects come in all shapes and sizes. Some are useful tools, some solve a problem with an existing product or solution, and some of them are just plain fun. The microcontroller is a really powerful piece of kit, so you'll often find it in all sorts of homebrewed projects that crop up on the internet every week.

SwitchBot’s Bot Rechargeable can be attached to pretty much anything with a button, including monitors. | Image: SwitchBot If you want to give mom something that helps lighten the load, the SwitchBot Bot Rechargeable makes for a great, inexpensive gift. And now through May 10th, you can buy it for around $26.99 ($7 off) from Amazon and SwitchBot (with code FORHER20) as a part of its ongoing Mother’s Day sale, which drops the gadget to its best price to date. The original, battery-powered SwitchBot Bot is also on sale at Amazon for $22.99 ($7 off) in black or white, if you’re looking to spend less.SwitchBot Bot RechargeableWhere to Buy: $33.99 $27.19 at SwitchBot (with code FORHER20) $33.99 $26.99 at Amazon (with on-page coupon)SwitchBot’s tiny helper is easy to set up, and once attached to a button or rocker switch, it uses a small arm to press buttons on your behalf — no rewiring necessary. You can control it from your phone or set it on a schedule, which makes it a little easier to stay on top of everything during a busy day. You can, for example, use it to turn on your coffee maker or PC while getting ready, or pause the washing machine mid-cycle without getting up and interrupting what you’re doing. The USB-C gadget also doesn’t require disposable batteries like the first-gen model, and can last up to six months on a single charge with light use.Additionally, if you buy the SwitchBot Hub Mini at Amazon for $28.99 ($11 off), you can also control everything with your voice using Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. It’s also compatible with Matter, as well, though you’ll need the $59.99 SwitchBot Hub Mini Matter or SwitchBot Hub 2 for that.

The first “Familiar” from Colin Angle’s new startup, Familiar Machines & Magic, is a robot that is designed to live in your home and interact autonomously with family members. | Image: Familiar Machines and Magic Colin Angle, the maker of the Roomba and the man who helped put 50 million household robots into people's homes, is back with a new robot. But this one is designed as a companion, not a cleaner.The first robot from Angle's new company, Familiar Machines & Magic, is a dog-sized robotic pet that resembles a cross between a bear, a barn owl, and a golden retriever. It has an expressive face, with movable eyebrows, ears, and eyes, and the company calls it a "Familiar," a name meant to evoke folklore around the idea of a supernatural companion. Based on a demo video I saw ahead of its appearance at the WSJ Future of Everything conference this w …Read the full story at The Verge.

When Raspberry Pi 5 got a price hike, my first reaction was to pause and re-evaluate my plans. I’ve been running a Pi 4 as my home lab for years, and I've always wanted to upgrade to the Pi 5. After waiting for stock availability, I decided to take my requirements more seriously.

Your TV remote is probably older than your smartphone. The AC remote might be a bit younger, but it still sits on a shelf collecting dust. Neither of these remote-operated devices received any firmware updates, a companion app, or Wi-Fi support. Until now, a smart plug was the closest thing to controlling them, but only to control their power state.