Longevity is a good thing when it comes to software, as it generally means it’s capable and reliable. Case in point: Retrospect. PCWorld’s art department relied on Retrospect (and tape!) for backup back in the ’90s. I was the one operating it. I kid you not.
Obviously, with several decades under its belt, the already powerful Retrospect has evolved. Retrospect 18 added some very handy…
Microsoft finally found a Windows ad it doesn’t like
July 27, 2026
Microsoft is an advertising company. Not just an advertising company, true, it makes software and hardware and sells online services. But it made $10 billion in revenue from “search and news advertising” in 2025, according to its own numbers. This isn’t a new problem…
3 Windows settings that can make or break your PC
July 24, 2026
Windows 11 is chock full of options, many just cosmetic. But there are some settings which can significantly affect your PC’s productivity performance, so much that I specifically pay attention to them each time I boot up a brand new PC.
If not properly managed, some…
Microsoft is always working to modernize Windows 11’s look. To that end, the company has now replaced old system elements dating back to the Windows 95 era, according to preview leaks.
In a Bluesky post, well-known Windows leaker PhantomOfEarth unveiled a number of new features in the most recent Windows 11 preview builds. Among them is a new File Explorer properties dialog box, for which the…
I don’t like RGB gamer lights. I find them gaudy and unnecessary, and I’ve made this point many times over my writing career. I prefer to build desktop PCs that look like tiny, classy refrigerators, not stealth fighters covered in Christmas lights. But for once, I’m…
Mini PCs have long since become more than just simple office computers. They sit on your desk, behind your monitor, in the living room or in your home lab, where they handle tasks that used to require a large desktop PC. That’s precisely why it’s worth taking a look…
Microsoft recently released new preview updates for Windows 11 24H2 and Windows 11 25H2, and they include a number of new features that general users will eventually receive with future updates.
The build numbers are 26100.8942 (for 24H2) and 26200.8942 (for 25H2). Significant new features include changes to File Explorer, Windows Search, Voice Access, touchpads, and Windows Hello.
File Explorer…
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PCWorld reports that Microsoft launched Xbox Backwards Compatibility on PC, bringing original Xbox games like Crimson Skies, Blinx, Conker: Live & Reloaded, and Fusion Frenzy to Windows PCs.
Games run locally with modest…
There’s a lot to love in the Asus Zenbook A16. It boasts strong CPU performance, excellent battery life, and an absolutely top-notch multimedia experience. The 16-inch frame is surprisingly lightweight, too.
There is, however, a caveat: I received two flawed review units…
Welcome to Boost Mode, my weekly PCWorld newsletter focused on PC gaming, enthusiast hardware, and other geeky stuff centered around your desk and desktop. Fortuitously, my Steam Machine just came in last week, giving me the perfect topic for this inaugural column. I spent my own money to buy it… and I kind of wish I hadn’t. It cost a lot of money, for not a lot of hardware.
The Steam Machine…
