Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 on October 14th, 2025. It will mark just over 10 years since the operating system was first introduced. Microsoft revealed the retirement date for Windows 10 in an updated support life cycle page for the OS. Thurrott reports that this is the first time Microsoft has ever described the end of support for Windows 10.
It’s not clear exactly when the support document was updated, but Thurrott reports it only previous documented “when specific Windows 10 versions would leave support,” and not the entire OS. It could be another hint that a new version of Windows is on the way.
Microsoft has been dropping lots of hints that it’s ready to launch Windows 11. The software maker is holding a special Windows event to reveal the “next generation” of the OS next week. The event starts at 11AM ET, and the event invite includes a window that creates a shadow with an outline that looks like the number 11. Microsoft execs have also been teasing a “next generation of Windows” announcement for months, and one even described it as a “new version of Windows” recently. Microsoft also teased Windows 11 during an 11-minute video last week.
We’re expecting Microsoft to announce a new version of Windows with significant user interface changes, and an overhaul to the Windows Store. Microsoft has been working on something codenamed “Sun Valley,” which the company has referred to as a “sweeping visual rejuvenation of Windows.” There will be many other changes, so read our previous coverage for what to expect.
We’re expecting to see a new version of Windows soon.
Microsoft originally committed to 10 years of support for Windows 10, with an original mainstream end of support date set for October 13th, 2020. That mainstream end of support has not yet commenced, as Microsoft has been introducing regular updates and extending active Windows 10 support.
We’re still not in the extended support phase of Windows 10 yet, which is the period when Microsoft doesn’t add new features to an operating system and simply maintains support with bug fixes and security patches.
Windows 10 has been an unusual release for Microsoft, as it moved away from its typical cadence of releasing a new version of the OS every few years. Instead, Microsoft moved Windows to more of a service, updating it twice a year with new features. Microsoft may have described Windows 10 as “the last version of Windows,” but it has now been nearly six years since its release and Microsoft looks ready to move on to something new.
Google is announcing some changes to its Workspace suite of apps and services today, including availability for anybody who has a Google account. Google says that there are over three billion users of its Workspace apps — though it’s probably a safe bet that Gmail accounts for a healthy chunk of that userbase.
A lot of people will soon have the option to switch over to Google’s more modern system for Gmail, Docs, and Chat. All of them can be integrated in a single tab more easily, for example with chats sliding over to the left to reveal a shared spreadsheet. It’s also related to the company’s new “smart canvas” push, which is also designed to interlink its various apps via “smart chips.”
To get started, Google is now officially offering the setting to turn on Google Chat to all users. It’s a new setting within Gmail.
With the switch, Google Chat messaging should be an option for all now, which can include direct messages and chat Rooms. But Google is also introducing a new terminology to go along with the announcement. It is announcing the “evolution of Rooms in Google Chat to Spaces.”
A Space is essentially the same thing as a chat Room, but Google wants to separate them out into their own top-level form of communication next to Gmail, Chat, and Meet. Google is layering on a few new features like improved message threading, more emoji reactions, user roles, moderation tools, and “discoverable” spaces. In that sense, it seems that Spaces wants to serve both as a Slack competitor and as a competitor for public Discord groups and, well, maybe as an optional replacement for email groups.
It’s a little confusing — but that’s par for the course for Google’s messaging strategy.
Google SpacesGoogle
The key idea, according to Sanaz Ahari, senior director of product, is that users can more easily switch between “modalities” of communication. The intent is to “keep the context,” Ahari says. “If you start something with an email and then you want to upgrade it into more real-time interaction between a group — or even for a project — you’re able to do that and you can keep the context. Then you can all seamlessly upgrade into a meeting at the same time.”
Google is promising it will “launch a streamlined and flexible user interface” for Spaces this summer.
Those aren’t the only announcements getting bundled into today’s Workspace news. The company is launching a new tier called “Google Workspace Individual” at $9.99 per month, which gives users more Workspace tools without requiring them to set up their own domain or custom email address.
When Workspace users say yes to a meeting, they will be able to indicate whether they’ll be attending remotely or in the reserved meeting room. Google also provided a date for the Companion Mode feature, which encourages people in the meeting room to also turn on their cameras so that remote workers don’t feel quite as left out — it should be coming in September to desktop and “soon” to mobile.
Google also snuck in an announcement that it will finally offer a progressive web app for Google Workspace in September. In theory, it could make it much easier for Gmail users to have their email and other Google apps feel more like actual desktop apps and not just tabs in the browser. That’s possible now via various Electron apps and Single Site Browser windows, but it requires more work than it should.
Finally, Google is adding enterprise options that are going to be necessary if it really wants to have a shot at going after larger companies. Corporations will be able to use their own client-side encryption for data, add more “trust rules” for various Drive files to simplify access and permissions, and label files based on their sensitivity.
Google Workspace has been rapidly updating and iterating over the past few months, a sign perhaps that the company really does intend to seriously compete with Microsoft. Google’s strategy goes beyond just improving its products — it’s more tightly integrating them together. Gmail users will soon find more prompts than ever to bring them into Google’s other Workspace products — and some no doubt will be looking for ways to avoid all that. Putting buttons for Chat, Meet, and Rooms (soon to be Spaces) at the bottom of the most popular email app in the world is sure to raise usage — and potentially some antitrust eyebrows.
The biggest question mark is whether Google can coherently explain the switchover to Chat, why it’s worth it, and what this new Spaces thing really is. Now that Workspace is going to be available to over three billion regular people, the company is going to need to work hard to clearly communicate with all of them.
Twitter user Kepler has discovered a new AMD patent that details moving tasks (threads) between different types of cores in a heterogeneous processor. In other words, the patent lays the groundwork for a microarchitecture that resembles Arm’s big.LITTLE design that uses clusters of ‘big’ high-performance cores paired with ‘little’ efficiency cores.
AMD files over a plethora of patents every year, so there’s no guarantee that all of them will manifest as real products. That said, there are plenty of reasons to think that we could see a hybrid AMD design come to market. Intel has already embraced a hybrid design on its desktop parts with the upcoming 12th-Gen Alder Lake family. It’s reasonable to assume that AMD will eventually hop on the hybrid bandwagon at some point in time.
Although the Method of Task Transition Between Heterogeneous Processors patent was just published a couple of days ago, AMD filed it back in 2019. This patent may be an extension of a similar patent that AMD also filed in the same year about implementing instruction set architecture (ISA) in a heterogeneous processor.
There’s an ongoing rumor that AMD’s Ryzen 8000 (reportedly codename Strix Point) APUs could arrive with a hybrid setup. The chips allegedly feature high-performance Zen 5 cores and low-powered Zen ‘4D’ cores. Unless AMD has been diligently working behind the scenes, it’s unlikely that Strix Point will make it to the market in time to compete with Intel’s Alder Lake chips that may launch in late 2021 or early 2022. However, the APUs will probably go head-to-head with Raptor Lake, the alleged successor to Alder Lake.
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Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
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Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
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Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
The patent explains that the process to relocate a task or task from the first processor to the second processor will be based around performance metrics based on certain thresholds or some other trigger. AMD didn’t specify which cores are which, but for the sake of conversation, we can assume that the first processor refers to the big cores and the second processor refers to the power-efficient cores.
Obviously, the whole point behind a hybrid configuration is to optimize performance-per-watt while also improving performance. To achieve this goal, tasks must be moved quickly and efficiently between the big and small cores. AMD’s method consists of comparing one or multiple metrics to a threshold on a checklist to determine whether or not to pass the task from one processor to another. Once the assessment is complete, the first processor essentially pauses operations while the information is transferred over to the second processor.
AMD mentions numerous examples of the type of metrics that the chipmaker could leverage for the task relocation process. The chipmaker mentions task execution time, core utilization, memory usage, idle state of a single core, or duration of a single-core execution – just to mention a few scenarios.
In one example, AMD measures the period of time that the small cores are running at the maximal clock speed and compares it to a threshold. If the duration is greater than the established time threshold, the task shifts over to the bigger cores. In another example, AMD takes into account an external factor: memory. If the memory utilization is less than the threshold established on the small cores, the task will remain on said cores.
Hybrid processors won’t succeed unless there is proper software support. Recent rumors point to a new, more efficient scheduler in Windows 11 that’s optimized for hybrid setups. That new update is rumored to land later this year at the same time as Alder Lake, which should pave the way for better support for hybrid processors.
The number of keystrokes we record in a day is huge. From messaging apps to coding or writing that next novel, the sheer number of key presses is hard to calculate. But what if we could save a little time and our aching joints by creating a shortcut keypad?
Pimoroni’s Keybow 2040 is a 16-key keyboard which can be programmed in CircuitPython to act as a USB keyboard. Each single key can be programmed to launch an application, control audio levels, switch scenes in OBS or paste funny cat pictures to Twitter.
In this how-to, we will set up Keybow 2040 to be a general purpose keyboard with page navigation keys, OBS shortcuts and two hot keys to launch common applications.
Our shortcut keyboard was designed to scratch an itch. To augment our existing keyboard, and add extra features such as OBS scene switching and application launchers. Your layout will be a reflection of your needs, so use this guide as a foundation from which to build a personalized layout.
For This Project You Will Need
A Pimoroni Keybow 2040
Setting Up Your Keybow 2040
Pimoroni has a full guide on how to set up your Keybow 2040, and the build process is fantastically simple, requiring only a screwdriver and a few minutes of effort. Keybow 2040 comes with CircuitPython and all of the necessary libraries pre-installed. Should you need to install CircuitPython and the libraries, then Pimoroni has a tutorial that you can follow.
Rather than use the included keycaps we sourced some MX compatible caps from a spare keyboard. We then placed the caps on the keyboard to our desired layout.
The top row is basic navigation, home, arrow up, end and page up. The second row is the remaining arrow keys, and page down. Third row controls our volume, up and down, launches the screenshot tool and opens a terminal / command prompt. The final row is reserved for OBS, moving between four scenes. Obviously, if you’re trying this at home, you can use whatever keycaps you want and assign them to whatever functions you want, whether that’s launching an app, performing an action in a program like OBS or controlling media playback.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Keybow 2040 uses a numbering system which sees key 0 at the bottom left of the board, and key 15 at the top right. When using the Keybow CircuitPython library we will use these numbers to set up what each key will do, and how it will light up.
Programming Your Keybow 2040 Shortcut Keys
The code for this project is written in CircuitPython which is very similar to MicroPython and Python 3.
1. Connect your Keybow 2040 to your computer via a USB-C cable. A new device, CIRCUITPY will appear.
2. Using your preferred editor, open code.py found in the CIRCUITPY drive. We recommend Microsoft’s Visual Studio Code, Thonny or Mu code editors.
3. Delete any text in the file.
4. Import four libraries. The first is board, which enables us to use the GPIO on the RP2040 chip. The second is Keybow2040 which is an abstraction to make controlling the Keybow 2040 easier. Import time to control the pace of the code. Finally import usb_hid which will allow us to send keyboard shortcuts as if we had a USB keyboard.
import board
from keybow2040 import Keybow2040
import time
import usb_hid
5. Import three libraries to enable Keybow 2040 to act as a keyboard, with a US layout, and enable keystrokes to be generated by code.
from adafruit_hid.keyboard import Keyboard
from adafruit_hid.keyboard_layout_us import KeyboardLayoutUS
from adafruit_hid.keycode import Keycode
6. Import two libraries that will enable the Keybow 2040 to send Consume Control codes, typically used for media keys.
from adafruit_hid.consumer_control_code import ConsumerControlCode
from adafruit_hid.consumer_control import ConsumerControl
7. Keybow uses I2C to communicate with the RP2040. We need to tell the code that we are using I2C, and create an object keybow that we can easily reference. Then we use that object to create another object, keys which makes interacting with the keyboard much easier.
8. Create three objects, keyboard, used to create a USB human interface device (HID) and layout which sets the keyboard to use a US layout. The third object is consumer and enables us to send special key presses, typically assigned to media keys such as volume control.
9. Create two lists: default and wasd. These lists will store the key numbers that will later be used to light specific keys. As you may have guessed, wasd refers to movement keys, in our case they map to the cursor keys.
10. Create a loop to constantly run the main code.
while True:
11. Inside the forever loop create a for loop that will iterate through the default list, setting the LED for each numbered key to green. Each time the for loop iterates, the value of i changes to the next item in the list, from 0 to 1,3…15. Note that Keybow 2040 uses G R B (Green, Red, Blue) LEDs so bright green is 255,0,0.
or i in default:
keybow.keys[i].set_led(255,0,0)
12. Create another for loop. This time to set the color of the cursor keys to red, so we can easily locate them.
for i in wasd:
keybow.keys[i].set_led(0,255,0)
13. Use a conditional test to check if a key is pressed. The first key is key 0, located in the bottom left corner. When this key is pressed we want it to press the SHIFT + A keys, releases the keys, then light the key red for 0.1 seconds. This shortcut changes scenes in OBS when we present The Pi Cast show.
if keys[0].pressed:
keyboard.send(Keycode.SHIFT, Keycode.A)
keybow.keys[0].set_led(0, 255, 0)
keyboard.release_all()
time.sleep(0.1)
14. Set a condition for key 1, located one key up from the bottom left. When this key is pressed it sets all of the LEDs to purple (red and blue mixed) then sends a media key command to lower (decrement) the volume. The keys are released and a short sleep reduces the risk of key debouncing. Repeat this process for all of the keys that you wish to map. If you need a template, the complete code for this project is at the bottom of this how to.
15. Key 9 on the keypad has a PrtSc keycap, and this key will trigger the Windows Snipping Tool. Configure this key to set all of the LEDs blue when pressed, and then we instruct CircuitPython to press three keys at once. These keys are Control, ALT and P. We then release the keys, and pause the code for a moment.
16. Repeat the conditional process for all 16 keys. The process of identifying a key and setting the actions to be taken when it is pressed are repeated for all sixteen keys. The final key is key 15 (we started at 0) and when this key is pressed it sets all the LEDs to blue, then sends a Page Up key press before releasing the keys and pausing for a moment.
17. In order to keep keybow looking for input we need to tell it to update at the end of each loop. If this is missing, the code will not work as expected.
keybow.update()
Save the code.py file and Keybow 2040 will restart and run your code, in a few seconds you can press the keys and make short work of most tasks but we still have a little work to do.
Adding Keyboard Shortcuts to Launch Windows Apps
If you’re using Windows, you’ll need to create keyboard shortcuts so that when you hit one of the keys on the keypad, the OS knows to launch a program such as the Snipping Tool (for pressing the Prtsrc key on our keypad) or the CMD prompt after we hit the Terminal key on our keypad. Note that Windows’ built-in keyboard shortcut method wants CTRL+ALT + [a letter or number] so the Prtsrc key on our keypad will actually be firing CTRL+ALT + P, for example. Repeat these steps for any keyboard keys that launch programs.
1. Search for the app (ex: “snipping tool”) in the Windows search box. Don’t launch it.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
2. Right click on the program icon and select “Open File Location”
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
3. Right click on the l shortcut icon and select “Properties.”
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
4. Click on the Shortcut Key field and enter the keyboard combo (CTRL + ALT + P in our case for Prtsrc). This will set the shortcut key for that command which matches the code for that key.
Setting Up OBS Shortcut Keys
To set up OBS shortcuts we need to open OBS, and then click on Settings >> Hotkeys to assign a keypress to a Scene.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Complete Code Listing
Note that this code includes shortcuts for all 16 keys, which you may want to use for different functions in your project.
Thermaltake’s Argent H5 Stereo boasts solid build quality, clear sound and a no-nonsense approach that will either meet your needs or leave you wanting more.
For
+ Very comfortable, snug fit
+ Affordable
+ Excellent sound out of the box
+ Attractive, minimalist design
Against
– 3.5mm only
– Mic doesn’t filter out background noise well
– No way to adjust mic volume levels on the fly
– Hi-res performance could be better
The Thermaltake Argent H5 Stereo is a no-frills headset aimed squarely at gamers on a budget who want to just plug in and play instead of spending time tweaking settings. It looks to compete with the best gaming headsets with a detachable 3.5mm cabling and a detachable mic for easy portability. With an MSRP of $65, the Argent H5 is also an affordable way to experience hi-res audio with great speakers and an impressively wide frequency response.
The Argent H5 Stereo’s sleek, minimalist, stealthy aesthetic does a great job of communicating a commitment to simplicity, and these cans are also very comfortable for long gaming sessions. The question, then, is whether or not this alone is enough to satisfy your needs.
Thermaltake Argent H5 Stereo Specs
Driver Type
50mm neodymium
Impedance
32 Ohms
Frequency Response
Speakers: 20 Hz – 40 KHz
Mic: 100 Hz – 10 KHz
Microphone Type
Bidirectional, detachable
Connectivity Options
3.5mm (single TRRS and split TRS)
Cables
6 feet (2m) 3.5mm cable
Weight (with mic)
0.8 pounds (370g)
Lighting
None
Software
none
Design and Comfort
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Thermaltake Argent H5 Stereo is fairly large in size and decked out in sleek, matte black. It’s a stealthy pair of cans, save for the Thermaltake logo in white on the outside of each earcup. The metal frame is stained a matching black, and the leatherette headband shows off the stitching, where it meets the memory foam padding underneath. The detachable mic matches the stark black finish of the rest of the unit, completing a minimalist overall look that will be at home in a wide variety of gaming setups and won’t look out of place in a professional setting.
The cabling is, likewise, very simple. A single cable that houses the headset controls and ends in a single 3.5mm TRRS plug attaches to the headset via a mini USB connector. Thermaltake also includes an adapter that splits into two 3.5mm TRS connectors for devices that don’t support audio input and output through a single TRRS jack. The controls consist of a single volume wheel and a switch that turns the microphone on and off.
Despite its imposing appearance, the Argent H5 may weigh less than you think at just 0.8 pound. There are lighter wired cans in this price range, and I have a couple of them on hand. The HyperX Cloud Core + 7.1 is 0.7 pound, and SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless is 0.6 pound, but the Argent H5’s weight still allows it to be comfortable to wear for long periods of time. The earcups swivel, letting you rest the headset on your neck when not actively in use. Adjustments to the headband are easy to make too, as the Argent H5 employs the industry standard push/pull mechanism.
The headband and the earcups both feature soft memory foam padding, with the latter offering just the right amount of depth to ensure that your ears are cradled but not crushed against the drivers. Ultimately, the Argent H5 has a tight, comfortable fit. It took minimal adjustment to get it to sit just right on my head, and its grip is firm but not suffocating. The Argent H5’s mic also features a flexible boom arm that’s easy to bend into the optimal position.
I came away from my time with the Argent H5 impressed by how comfortable it was for long gaming sessions. Simplicity seems to be the word used most often during the Argent H5’s design process, and this yielded good results from a comfort and useability standpoint.
It’s unfortunate, however, that Thermaltake opted for 3.5mm connectivity alone. While this does cut down on the amount of cables and adapters that have to be used with the headset, it also limits the overall utility of the device. It would be nice to also have USB connectivity, considering most phones have dropped the 3.5mm headphone jack entirely and gamers with a full sound system hooked up to their PCs will need to unplug some cables to be able to use the headset with the mic if their PC doesn’t support audio input and output via a single 3.5mm cable.
Audio Performance
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Argent H5 boasts oversized 50mm drivers that support hi-res audio with an impressively wide frequency response of 20 – 40,000 Hz. For comparison, HyperX’s Cloud Core is specced for 15 – 25,000 Hz, and SteelSeries’ Arctis 1 Wireless for 20 – 20,000 Hz.
For testing purposes, I loaded up 24bit .WAV (I also tested with some of my own mixdowns that were exported as 32bit .WAV files at 96K) and .FLAC files with sample rates of 96K and 192K and listened side by side using both the Argent H5 Stereo and the Steelseries Arctis 1 Wireless, which doesn’t support hi-res audio. I also did side-by-side comparisons with in-game audio and movies. I immediately noticed a much clearer, brighter frequency response. The Argent H5 definitely makes the jump to hi-res audio noticeable, especially if you’ve never experienced that type of audio before.
But when it came to other, pricier hi-res headsets, the Argent H5 Stereo couldn’t quite compete. Hi-res performance wasn’t in the same league as the HyperX Cloud Mix ($197 as of writing) or Asus ROG Theta 7.1 ($290 as of writing) in terms of richness and fullness of tone. And it can’t compete with the Asus ROG Delta S, our favorite hi-res gaming headset, which is more beefed out with a Quad DAC and MQA renderer. That said, the Argent H5 Stereo still sounds markedly cleaner than many headsets in its price range.
Compared to many gaming headsets, the Argent H5’s audio is very well-balanced, lacking the overwhelming bass that is de rigueur in the field. There’s a tightness to the bass response that enhances clarity, alongside a well-defined midrange and clean treble frequencies. The overall frequency response is natural and flat, with good separation between lows, mids and highs that allows audio mixes to sound as they were intended. The drivers do a great job of retaining clarity when they are pushed. Maxing out the volume didn’t produce any notable distortion, and these cans get quite loud.
Gaming audio gets high marks. The flat default EQ curve of the Argent H5 Stereo made sure that details weren’t lost in frantic firefights in FPS titles, like Doom Eternal and CS:GO, while more claustrophobic aural experiences, like Outlast, dripped with menacing atmosphere. True to its namesake, this headset does not offer virtual surround sound natively.
If you insist on surround sound, you’d have to enable Windows Sonic or some other third-party software. While the Argent H5 Stereo does play nice with Windows Sonic, thanks to it being outfitted with speakers that are up to the task, gamers who focus on competitive play may balk at not having native positional audio out of the box.
Music, meanwhile, pops through these speakers with excellent clarity, even at high volumes. The Argent H5 stereo rendered dense material, like Opeth’s Blackwater Park album, and more sparse, punchy mixes, like Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle, equally well . At no point during my testing did low end overwhelm the mix, which can be a problem with gaming-grade headphones.
Movies likewise played well over the Argent H5 Stereo. The Battle of Helm’s Deep in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers Helm’s sounded thunderous without sacrificing clarity, and the sparse, subtle and eerie mix of The Witch shined.
The overall audio performance of the Argent H5 Stereo is impressive and with no way to tweak it natively, that’s a good thing. Gamers who like to adjust audio settings, however, may be turned off by the lack of options.
Microphone
The Argent H5 Stereo’s bi-directional mic is serviceable but not great. The frequency response is a respectable 100 – 10,000 Hz, cutting out boomy lows and shrill highs. But the mic doesn’t do a very good job of filtering out ambient noise. During gameplay and test recordings using OBS, the sound of my air conditioner was clearly audible, despite it being on the far opposite side of my room. Keyboard chatter was much louder than it should be too.
Additionally, the mic level by default is on the quiet side — about 3-5dB short of where I want it to be, based on my measurements of other headset mics I have on-hand in OBS software. Because of this, my teammates in competitive titles had trouble hearing me. Unfortunately, there’s no way to adjust the mic level on the headset itself. The inline controls only function as a means to adjust the headphone volume and turn the mic on and off. Adjusting the mic volume would require you to play with settings in Windows or the audio software supplied by your laptop or motherboard vendor.
Features and Software
Unlike many gaming headsets today, there’s no software for the Argent H5 Stereo. This is great for gamers who just want to plug in a headset without installing software to adjust settings. Most importantly, by default, the headset’s audio is mostly good enough to not require any further tweaking. This does cut both ways, however.
The mic volume is not adjustable via the inline controls and will require third-party software to manipulate. The mic itself is also unremarkable – clear enough to prevent complaints but not good at filtering out room noise.
Bottom Line
(Image credit: Thermaltake)
Thermaltake’s Argent H5 Stereo is a solidly built, attractive and great sounding headset that hits the mark when it comes to simplicity and ease of use. It also scores highly when it comes to comfort. These cans provide ample padding and have a snug fit that is free of wobble without feeling constrictive. The Argent H5 Stereo retails for only $65, so it’s also a great value.
Unfortunately, the minimalist approach the Argent H5 Stereo exemplifies also means sacrifices. Connectivity is limited to either a single 3.5mm TRRS or dual, split 3.5mm TRS plugs. Of course, many smartphones have ditched 3.5mm, and it’ll be an annoyance if your system’s 3.5mm jacks are already taken by your 5.1 setup. Without an adapter, you’d have to unplug your external audio system to use the headset.
And tweakers will want to look elsewhere, as there’s no native software for the headset. If you want more control over EQ and mic levels in the same price range, consider the SteelSeries Arctis 1 Wireless or the HyperX Cloud Core instead, which also offer more connectivity options. But you’ll have to forego hi-res audio.
The Argent H5 Stereo’s hi-res abilities make it a nice introduction for those new to the format, but for those serious about hi-res, it’s worth investing in something like the Asus ROG Delta S or the more affordable HyperX Cloud Mix.
But if you’re looking for a gaming headset that looks and sounds great out of the box for a very fair price, the Argent H5 Stereo is easy to recommend.
Nvidia is planning to drop support for Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 later this year. Nvidia drivers will be exclusively available for Windows 10 in October, with only critical security updates available on Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 through September 2024.
Microsoft has already dropped support for Windows 7 and Windows 8, and even the extended support for Windows 8.1 will end in January 2023. “The vast majority of our GeForce customers have migrated to Windows 10 OS,” reads a support note from Nvidia. “In order to ensure GeForce owners experience the best possible security, support, and functionality, Nvidia will now focus on Windows 10 operating system.”
There are now 1.3 billion active Windows 10 devices, but Windows 7 is still in use in many parts of the world. Statcounter estimates that Windows 7 still accounts for 15 percent of all Windows versions. Windows 10 dominates Steam usage though, making up nearly 93 percent with Windows 7 at just under 2 percent. Microsoft is also expected to launch a new version of Windows, likely to be named Windows 11, in October.
Nvidia’s last driver to officially support these old versions of Windows will be made available on August 31st, with an October 4th release being the first to only support Windows 10.
It may look like the unlikely outcome of teleportation experiment involving a Sega Bass Fishing controller and a Game Boy Micro, but Playdate is a tiny, handheld games console with a novel form of input.
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(Image credit: Panic)
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(Image credit: Panic)
In case this is your first contact with the boxy yellow machine, it’s an extremely low-powered attempt to bring bite-sized games to a dedicated system instead of a cellphone. The crank on the side is a gameplay tool, and doesn’t charge the system or act as a Van de Graff generator. The only hair-raising will, hopefully, come from the games.
The specs are lower than a Raspberry Pi Zero W, but much more than a Raspberry Pi Pico. Playdate is powered by an Arm Cortex M7 CPU running at just 180MHz, 16MB of RAM, 4GB of flash (up from an initial 2GB), and a 2.7-inch, 400 × 240 1-bit Sharp Memory LCD that creates images in pure black and white, no shades of gray which means dithering is required to add texture and tone to a game. The screen lacks a backlight, relying on the reflective nature of the screen to illuminate your games. Anyone who had a Game Boy will be familiar with these principles, as the reflective screen and dithered graphics were part of Nintendo’s classic handheld. There’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on board, along with a headphone jack and a USB-C port for charging.
US software publisher Panic Inc. (that recently moved into games with titles like Firewatch and Untitled Goose Game) and Swedish industrial designer Teenage Engineering are the brains behind this quirky and interesting device.
Games, which are being made by the likes of Bennett Foddy, Zach Gage and Katamari Damacy creator Keita Takahashi, will arrive as a ‘season’, with 24 (recently doubled from 12) of them delivered wirelessly to the handheld, two a week, for no extra charge. The platform is open source and will allow games that aren’t part of an official ‘season’ to be side-loaded. An SDK will be available for Windows, Linux and Mac OS, which will include a simulator and debugger, and will be compatible with the C and Lua programming languages.
In an in-depth interview with Edge magazine, reproduced by Gamesradar+, Panic Inc. co-founder Cabel Sasser describes the device’s inception: “The first question from the CEO was, ‘Do you really think anyone’s going to buy this?’ I was like, ‘I’m not sure. But it’s something we really want to do, if you can help?’ And then the consultants were like, ‘It’s going to cost you, bare minimum, a couple million bucks to even remotely get this thing off the ground.’”
The pre-order price has recently been raised (hence the increase in specs and number of games) and currently sits at $179. Pre-orders begin in July from play.date.
The time has finally come. Nvidia announced earlier today that it would stop supporting its Kepler-based graphics cards on older Windows operating systems with its next GeForce R470 driver. You won’t find Kepler on the list of best graphics cards, but plenty of gamers still own one. As a result of the change, they’ll no longer have access to new day-zero drivers.
The GeForce R470 driver, scheduled for August 31, is the last driver to support Kepler graphics cards that debuted back in 2012. Owners of Kepler graphics cards will continue to receive critical security updates until September 2024. However, they will lose out on Game Ready driver upgrades, including performance uplifts, new features and/or bug fixes.
Additionally, the GeForce R470 driver also marks the end of support for Microsoft’s Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 operating systems. The same conditions apply to users of the aforementioned operating systems. They are eligible to receive critical security updates through September 2024 but do not qualify for Game Ready driver updates.
Therefore, the future GeForce R495 driver, which goes public on October 4, will be the first GeForce driver to arrive without support for Kepler-powered products and pre-Windows 10 operating systems.
We’ve attached a list of Kepler GeForce gaming graphics cards that are affected by Nvidia’s latest move.
Apple has extended an olive branch to Windows-using Mac owners. The company recently updated its Boot Camp utility to support the Windows Precision Touchpad feature on certain devices, as spotted this morning by Reddit user “ar25nan.”
Windows Precision touchpad drivers offer a variety of gestures you can use to switch between windows, access the action center and open Cortana, among other things. It also enables basic functionality, such as two-finger scrolling and pinch-to-zoom. Most of those features have a macOS equivalent, many of which use the same gesture.
Yet, until now Mac owners running Windows 10 via the Boot Camp utility were unable to take advantage of Windows Precision Touchpad. That’s always been a notable omission, especially since Apple places such emphasis on touch-based interactions with its devices. Even the company’s basic mouse was designed with gestures in mind.
That situation has finally been rectified…for some people.
Macs That Support Windows Precision Gestures
Apple said in a support document that Windows Precision gestures support is limited to Boot Camp users running macOS Big Sur on an Intel-based Mac that features its T2 Security Chip. Anyone using an older version of macOS or an M1-equipped Mac is out of luck.
The list of Macs that meet these criteria is pretty short:
iMac (Retina 5K, 27-inch, 2020)
iMac Pro
Mac Pro (2019)
Mac Pro (Rack, 2019)
Mac mini (2018)
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2020)
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2019)
MacBook Air (Retina, 13-inch, 2018)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2020, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Two Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2019, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2018, Four Thunderbolt 3 ports)
That might seem like a fair number of devices, but that’s only because of the way Apple is counting them. The actual list is just “Macs that were released between 2018 and early 2020.” Every other device—and versions of macOS released prior to Big Sur—will be stuck with the limited tracked options available before this update.
Here’s the good news: The limitation to Intel-based Macs almost certainly stems from the fact that Boot Camp doesn’t even support Apple’s custom silicon yet. Apple has said that it’s up to Microsoft to make sure Windows 10 on Arm runs on its new chips. Hopefully, support for Windows Precision touchpads will be there to greet it.
Either way, this should be a welcome change for the subset of Mac owners it affects, and it shows that Apple hasn’t completely abandoned its Intel-based Macs just yet.
If evidence for Windows 11 hasn’t been apparent enough this week, Microsoft has officially listed an end of life date for Windows 10 Home and Pro. A Microsoft documentation officially states that support will end on October 14th, 2025. The company will continue to support at least one Windows 10 semi-annual channel until that date.
The document only mentions Home and Pro, but a header on the page says it also applies to Pro Education and Pro for Workstations.
If this is correct, it suggests that all development and security updates for Windows 10 will be dropped completely by 2025. No word has been mentioned for Windows 10 Enterprise or Windows Server builds based on Windows 10 (like Server 2016 and Server 2019), but presumably, these versions will have longer lifespans due to their usage in the enterprise and prosumer markets.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Tom’s Hardware reached out to Microsoft for clarification, but did not hear back prior to publication. We will update if we get more information on the matter.
This heavily points to a new version of Windows. The company has an event on June 24 about the future of the operating system. While Microsoft previously said Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows, all clues, including a bunch of Microsoft’s own teases, point to Windows 11.
If that comes to pass, Microsoft will then have to get the people running 1.3 billion active devices on Windows 10 to update. This would give Windows PC owners 3 to 4 years to migrate to the new version.
Apple is finally adding support for Windows Precision Touchpad drivers in its latest Boot Camp update. The new 6.1.15 update includes support for Windows Precision Touchpad, including single tap to click, lower-right corner to right-click, down motion to scroll up, and three or four finger gestures.
Various Reddit users noticed the surprise update went live yesterday, and it apparently works better than third-party solutions like Trackpad++ and mac-precision-touchpad that people have had to use for years. “Works way better than both of them with better palm and thumb detection too,” says one Reddit user.
Microsoft first started introducing Windows Precision Touchpad with Intel in 2013, in an effort to fix what were notorious PC trackpad issues at the time. It has taken Apple a long time to enable Windows Precision Touchpad in Boot Camp, but not every MacBook is supported. An Apple support document notes that only Mac computers with a T2 chip will be able to access Windows Precision Touchpad, which is most MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models from 2018 onward (full list here).
The timing of such a significant update to Boot Camp is also surprising and could hint that Intel-based Macs will coexist with Apple’s M1-based Macs for a while yet. Apple discontinued Intel-based MacBook Airs last year, but you can still buy a 13-inch MacBook Pro with an Intel CPU for now. Apple has said that its “transition to Apple silicon will take about two years to complete.”
Apple’s upcoming iOS 15 and macOS Monterey will preview a new feature called “Passkeys in iCloud Keychain,” which is an attempt to help replace passwords with a more secure login process. Instead of logging into an app or website using string of text, a WWDC presentation showed how you could instead use Face ID, Touch ID, or a security key, to gain access. The Passkeys are then synced across your Apple devices using iCloud.
Although passwords are currently the most popular way to secure accounts, they’re plagued with a host of problems. Passwords can be phished, forgotten, and they’re insecure if not used properly (think about the number of times you’ve been tempted to re-use one across multiple accounts). But Apple thinks its new Passkeys solution can solve these problems, as shown by the comparison table below.
Apple argues its new system is more secure than regular passwords, and more convenient than security keys.Screenshot: Apple
In a demonstration, Apple showed how the new feature could remove the need to ever create a password to sign in to an app or website in the first place. Instead of creating a username and password during the sign-up process like normal, Apple authentication experience engineer Garrett Davidson just enters a username and allowed the app to register his Face ID as a Passkey. Then he showed how he could use Face ID to log into the app in future, or even log into his account via the service’s website. It works on Macs with Touch ID, too.
The functionality rests on the WebAuthn standard, which Apple, Google, Microsoft, and others have been slowly adding support for over time. Last year Apple added support for it to offer password-less logins in Safari in iOS and macOS. But the new approach goes deeper, integrating WebAuthn into an app’s sign-up process, and syncing your credentials across Apple devices via iCloud.
Behind the scenes, WebAuthn uses public key cryptography to let you log in without your private credentials ever having to actually leave your device. Instead, your phone or computer is only sending a “signature,” which proves your identity without having to share your secret private key.
WebAuthn’s process means your most sensitive information never leaves your device when you log in.Screenshot: Apple
Apple admits that the feature is in its early stages. It’s only releasing in preview this year, and will be turned off by default in iOS 15 and macOS Monterey. Developers can enable it, but it’s not meant for widespread use. There’s also the obvious limitation that the feature relies on iCloud to function, so you’re out of luck if you need to log in to the same service on a Windows or Android device. Apple admits this is a problem, however, suggesting it’s working towards improving cross-platform support in future. Apps and websites will also need to enable support for the new process.
But the move is another sign of the growing momentum behind ditching passwords. Microsoft has announced plans to make Windows 10 password-less, and Google has been working to make it possible to sign into its services without passwords.
Microsoft is back teasing Windows 11 again. In a new video on YouTube, the software giant has published an 11-minute (ahem) collection of startup sounds from various versions of Windows. They’re all slowed down by 4,000 percent, and Microsoft positions this as a relaxing video for those far too excited by the Windows event on June 24th.
“Having trouble relaxing because you’re too excited for the June 24th Microsoft Event?” asks the YouTube caption. “Take a slow trip down memory lane with the Windows 95, XP, and 7 startup sounds slowed down to a meditative 4,000 percent reduced speed.”
I think this is very much teasing a new startup sound for Windows 11, or whatever the next version of Windows will be called. Microsoft has been teasing “a new version of Windows” recently, and has dropped a number of hints that it could in fact be called Windows 11.
Among those hints is the event starting at 11AM ET and the event invite that has a window that creates a shadow with an outline that looks very much like the number 11. Microsoft execs have been teasing a “next generation of Windows” announcement for months, and it’s clear from this latest video that these 11 teasers will continue in the weeks ahead.
We’re expecting Microsoft to announce a new version of Windows with significant user interface changes. Microsoft has been working on something codenamed “Sun Valley,” which the company has referred to as a “sweeping visual rejuvenation of Windows.” There will be many other changes, including some significant Windows Store ones, so read our previous coverage for what to expect.
We’ll find out on June 24th whether Microsoft is ready to dial the version number of Windows up to 11, simply name it Windows Sun Valley, or something else entirely. The Windows elevent (as we’re now calling it) will start at 11AM ET on June 24th, and The Verge will be covering all the news live as it happens.
Ahead of E3 Microsoft and Xbox are putting a heavy emphasis on cloud gaming and its Game Pass subscription program alongside its existing console ecosystem. This includes new, dedicated streaming hardware for any TV or
monitor
. It is also updating its cloud datacenters to use the
Xbox Series X
, so that gamers who stream are getting the company’s most powerful hardware.
Xbox’s announcement
comes ahead of Xbox’s joint E3 games showcase this Sunday with its recent acquisition, Bethesda, and also comes with a slew of new attempts to push Xbox onto just about any device you might already have. The Xbox division is moving to get its software embedded into internet-connected TVs, which would require no additional hardware other than a controller to play cloud games.
Additionally, the company is looking into new subscription offerings for Game Pass. (though it didn’t get into specifics), and is looking into new purchase options for Xbox All Access, which lets people buy the console and Game Pass for a monthly fee, rather than paying up front. (This is similar to how many pay for smartphones in the U.S.).
Building its own streaming devices, however, is a bigger push to make Xbox an ecosystem outside of consoles and even moves Xbox into competition, to a degree, with Chromecast, Roku and Apple TV for the living room. (Chromecast is scheduled to get
Google Stadia
support later this month).
Still, the company sees its consoles, the Xbox Series X and Series S, as its top-notch offering, even while it expands in mobile, on PC and in streaming. In fact, that’s the other major piece of hardware Xbox is working on: the next console.
(Image credit: Xbox)
“Cloud is key to our hardware and Game Pass roadmaps, but no one should think we’re slowing down on our core console engineering. In fact, we’re accelerating it,” said Liz Hamren, corporate vice president of gaming experiences and platforms.
“We’re already hard at work on new hardware and platforms, some of which won’t come to light for years. But even as we build for the future, we’re focused on extending the Xbox experience to more devices today so we can reach more people.”
This isn’t exactly surprising. Consoles start getting designed years in advance, and these days, the mid-life cycle refresh cycle is common. Microsoft has also positioned the latest consoles as a “series” of devices, so it’s possible there will be new entries in the line that remain compatible with the current options.
Cloud gaming in Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is set to launch in Brazil, Japan and Australia later this year. Meanwhile, cloud gaming in a web browser, including support for Chrome, Edge and Safari, will go live to Game Pass Ultimate subscribers “in the next few weeks.” The Xbox app on PC will also get cloud gaming integrated this year.
Hamren said that Game Pass has more than 18 million subscribers, though that wasn’t broken down between the console, PC and ultimate plans, (which include game streaming).
The Series X and S haven’t seen a ton of new titles from Microsoft Studios yet, but it sounds like that will change.
“In terms of the overall lineup, we want to get to a point of releasing a new game every quarter…” said Matt Booty, the head of Xbox Game Studios. “We know that a thriving entertainment service needs a consistent and exciting flow of new content. So our portfolio will continue to grow as our service grows.”
Xbox has more than 23 studios and also recently acquired ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Bethesda Game Studios, as well as id Software, ZeniMax Online Studios, Arkane, MachineGames, Tango Gameworks, Alpha Dog and Roundhouse Studios.
Game Pass games are released simultaneously on PC and Xbox, which Xbox Head Phil Spencer used to poke at its competitors, namely Sony and its
PlayStation 5
.
“So right now, we’re the only platform shipping games on console, PC and cloud simultaneously,” Spencer said. “Others bring console games to PC years later, not only making people buy their hardware up front, but then charging them a second time to play on PC. And, of course, all of our games are in our subscription service day one, full cross-platform included.” (PlayStation brought Horizon Zero Dawn and Days Gone to PC but long after their PlayStation 4 releases.)
Tim Stuart, the chief financial officer for Xbox, said “we’ll do a lot more in PC for sure.” There have been rumors of big changes to the Microsoft Store on Windows, including making it easier for developers to sell games. That’s another avenue we may see explored soon, as Microsoft explores
what’s next for Windows
later this month, after E3.
The Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase will take place on Sunday, June 13 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET and will stream on YouTube, Twitch, Facebook and Twitter.
Virtual private networks (VPNs) can offer an additional layer of security and privacy for your online activity. Whether you’re working on a public Wi-Fi network and want to escape prying eyes, or you’re worried about privacy in general, a VPN can offer a lot of benefits.
In a nutshell, a VPN establishes a secure, encrypted connection between your device and a private server, hiding your traffic from being seen by others. Of course, the VPN itself can still see your traffic, which is why you should choose a VPN from a company you trust. (A good rule of thumb is to avoid free VPNs, because if they’re not charging you a fee, they may be monetizing in some less desirable way.) In addition, law enforcement can get its hands on your information through the VPN company. However, for the most part, a VPN offers you a way to hide your online activity from others.
Note that getting a VPN is only one of the measures you can take to make your web browsing more secure. Others include enabling two-factor authentication and using a password manager.
In addition to their security benefits, VPNs can be handy when you’re trying to access sensitive information, or if you’re traveling in Europe and want to stream Netflix or Amazon Prime titles only allowed in the US. Some even claim they can allow you to jump firewalls in heavily regulated countries such as China.
At home, you can set up your VPN through your router, which takes a few more steps, but then any devices connected to your router won’t need to be configured individually; this can also slow down all traffic that goes through. However, for this article, we’re going to concentrate on VPN apps that you can load on your laptop or phone so you can use the internet safely while away from your home base.
Most VPN apps these days support the OpenVPN protocol, making setup a simple matter of allowing the app access to configure the settings for you. But whether your device uses macOS, Chrome OS, Windows 10, iOS, or Android, if you’d like a quick overview of what’s involved before selecting a service, or if you prefer to do a manual setup, we’ve broken down the steps into straightforward instructions for you.
Setting up a VPN in Windows 10
The first step is to create a VPN profile, which you’ll fill out with details from your particular VPN service.
Add a VPN profile in Windows 10.
Click on the Windows button, then head into “Settings” > “Network & Internet” > “VPN.” Click on “Add a VPN connection.”
In the fields on the menu, select “Windows (built-in)” for your VPN provider. Give your VPN a name under “Connection name.” Enter the server name or address, the VPN type, and the type of sign-in info, such as a username and password.
Click “Save.”
To connect to your VPN, go back to “Settings” > “Network & Internet” > “VPN.” Click on your VPN name.
If you want, you can select “Advanced Options” to edit the connection properties, clear your sign-in info, or set up a VPN proxy. You can also add a username and password in this section for extra security (optional, but recommended).
Select “Connect” and enter a password if you’ve set one.
Setting up a VPN in Chrome OS
While using a VPN with a Chromebook used to be a problem, these days, there are several (like ExpressVPN or NordVPN) that have versions specifically for Chrome OS. To get started, you can head to the Google Play store and get the VPN app from there, or download one from the VPN’s website. No matter which you choose, after opening your VPN app, it should prompt you with instructions on how to fully set it up.
If you need to do it manually, you can. Chrome has native support for L2TP / IPsec and OpenVPN. To install a VPN that works with one of these formats:
Chrome OS has native support for L2TP / IPsec.
Click on the time in the lower-right corner of your screen, then click on “Settings.”
Click on “Add connection” and then on “OpenVPN / L2TP.” (You may also find the name of your VPN in the “Add connection” list, which will make things easier.)
Add all of the necessary information, which may include server hostname, service name, provider type, pre-shared key, username, and password. You can save your identity and password if you like. When finished, click on “Connect.”
Some VPNs, especially those issued from a workplace, demand a certificate, which you will need to import first. If that’s required:
Enter chrome://settings/certificates into the address bar.
Go to the “Authorities” tab. Find the correct certificate in the list and click “Import.”
Then follow the instructions above for setting up the VPN.
Setting up a VPN in macOS
As with the other formats here, there are apps that automatically guide you through the setup process, but you can also do it yourself manually.
Open the drop-down menu and choose “VPN” so you can enter your VPN’s details.
To start, head into “System Preferences” and then choose “Network.”
From there, the process is straightforward. Click the Plus-symbol button on the bottom left, and use the Interface drop-down menu to choose your VPN. You’ll need the details from your VPN of choice to fill out “VPN Type” and “Service Name.”
Click on “Create.” Fill out the server address, remote ID, and local ID in the appropriate fields. Then click on “Authentication Settings.”
Enter the username and password for your VPN, which you can set through your VPN app.
Click “OK” and then “Connect.”
Setting up a VPN in iOS
Setting up a VPN on an iOS device is fairly simple. Again, if you download an app from the App Store, select it and it should guide you through configuration. Here’s how to do it manually, though:
Just head into “Settings” and tap on “General.”
Scroll down to select “VPN.” (The iPhone will indicate whether you are currently connected to one or not.)
Tap on “Add VPN Configuration” and then on “Type” to select a security protocol. (Follow the instructions provided by your chosen app.)
Go back to the “Add Configuration” screen, where you will add the VPN’s description, server, remote ID, and local ID.
Enter your username and password. You can also use a proxy if you like.
Tap “Done.” You will then be brought back to the VPN screen. Toggle the “Status” switch to on.
Setting up a VPN in Android
As with iOS, setting up a VPN on an Android device shouldn’t be too difficult. Here’s the manual process if you’re not letting an app automatically configure things for you. (Keep in mind that, because some vendors like Samsung tweak their Android versions, your process may vary slightly.)
Head into “Settings” > “Network & Internet” > “Advanced” > “VPN.” If you don’t see “Network & Internet” in the Settings menu (which may depend on your Android overlay), then do a search within Settings for VPN. Press the “Add” button.
If you happen to be setting this up on a new phone, or if you haven’t yet set a screen lock or password, Google will prompt you to set one for your phone first. Do so.
Now create your VPN profile. Add the VPN name, type, and server address. Click on “Save.”
You’ll be taken back to the VPN screen, where you should now see the name of your VPN. Tap on it, and put in your name and password for the VPN. You can also choose to save your account information, and you can optionally set the VPN to be always on. When finished, tap “Connect.”
Enter the VPN name, type, server address, username, and password.
Then tap “save.” You’re done!
Once you’ve got your VPN up and running, you might notice that web browsing isn’t as fast as it used to be, especially if you’ve configured traffic to go through another country. Stronger encryption, or more users connected to one VPN, can also slow down your internet speeds. Downloads might slow to snail speed, and your League of Legends screen lag might be absurd. But those aren’t big problems compared to the security that you’ve added.
And anyway, now that you know how to set up a VPN, toggling it off is easy in comparison. You just have to remember to do it.
Update June 1st, 2021, 10:20AM ET: This article was originally published on March 1st, 2019, and now features a few updates related to changes in the Windows 10 interface.
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