PCWorld的November 2025目录

Nvidia is on top of the world right now, riding waves of investment in artificial intelligence and becoming one of the most powerful and most profitable companies on the planet. Intel? Not so much. The company has been struggling in sales and performance for more than a year. So color me shocked when Nvidia and Intel announced a joint venture this morning that could be huge for both. Nvidia is investing $5 billion into Intel stock—a comparatively small slice for both companies—and approximately half of what the U.S. government invested in it after President Donald Trump and other politicians demanded action on Intel’s CEO. But the bigger news coming from the press release is that Nvidia and Intel will partner on new chips for both data centers and consumer PCs. The…

Google said Tuesday that it’s testing a new experimental search app for Windows that will search your PC as well as the web, applying Google Lens when needed. Google classified its new app as an “experiment,” relegating it to its Labs program for now. The app is simply called “Google app for Windows,” and was explained in a terse blog post on Google’s site. “Now you can search without switching windows or interrupting your flow,” Google said. “Whether you’re writing in a doc or in the middle of a game, just press Alt + Space to instantly search for information from your computer files, installed apps, Google Drive files—and of course, the web.” Interestingly, Google did not brand the search app as a “Gemini” project, the name associated with its AI efforts.…

Surprise! We woke up this morning to a blockbuster mashup between Intel and Nvidia (see page 84). Team Green invested a cool $5 billion into Intel, and in exchange, the two companies will be co-creating consumer and data center x86 processors interwoven with Nvidia’s RTX graphics. Human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together…mass hysteria! It’s simultaneously a shocking shakeup of the PC chip triumvirate (AMD must be fuming), a much-needed lifeline for struggling Intel, and a recipe for a potentially exciting future—the world’s foremost graphics pioneer joining forces with the company formerly known as Chipzilla. Imagine the possibilities! But I also have to ask myself at the same time: What does this mean for the future of Arc, Intel’s own in-house graphics project? INTEL ARC’S SHORT HISTORY SHOWS PROMISE… Arc…

Last year’s NV2 from Kingston delivered great bang-for-your-SSD-buck. This year’s NV3 is still wonderfully affordable, yet massively improved — even setting a record writing our 450GB single file. Who would’ve thought? Editor’s note: This article was edited on September 18, 2025 to correct the TBW ratings and add info about a new 2230 version. FEATURES The NV3 is a PCIe 4.0 x4 (four lane), M.2 NVMe SSD using a DRAM-less (Host Memory Buffer/HMB) design to cut down on costs. The controller is a Silicon Motion SM2268XG and the NAND is Kingston-labeled, stacked QLC. At least that’s my assumption given the performance off cache and TBW rating. The actual type of NAND and the number of layers wasn’t specified by Kingston, and the company says that will vary from capacity to capacity.…

Plugable’s 11-in-1 Thunderbolt 5 (TBT-UDT3) docking station is a moderately priced Thunderbolt 5 dock that can future-proof your PC for years to come. While it might not offer the dedicated display ports of older docks, its integrated Thunderbolt Share delivers file sharing and a KVM-like experience for free. What Plugable doesn’t offer is integrated storage or active cooling, saving your wallet some additional cash. Just keep in mind that you may have to make up for that by buying some additional display cables. DESIGN AND BUILD Plugable calls this dock the Plugable Thunderbolt 5 Dock with 3× Thunderbolt 5 ports, 140W Laptop Charging, or TBT-UDT3. It’s a rather compact Thunderbolt 5 docking station, measuring 6.9×1.6×3.1 inches. I’ve always been somewhat partial to docks which utilize vertical space, such as the…

If you told me 25 years ago that Intel would end up in decline, that Nvidia would buy a chunk of the ailing company, and that the two would partner to build chips that integrate Intel x86 CPU cores with Nvidia’s RTX GPU cores, I would’ve called you crazy. But here we are. Nvidia has acquired a $5 billion stake in Intel—roughly 5 percent of the company. “For personal computing, we’re going to create new Intel x86 SoCs that integrate Nvidia GPU chiplets, fusing the world’s best CPU and GPU, to redefine the PC experience,” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on an investor call following the announcement. The announcement made headlines and for good reason. This alliance will create a monster that Intel and Nvidia’s competitors—namely, AMD and Qualcomm—will struggle…

When it comes to performance tweaks, we tend to think of slight changes we can make to our CPU or GPU settings that will make a difference. But it’s also possible to squeeze more performance from your SSD. Here are some awesome ways to get more throughput from your SSDs. KEEP THE CAPACITY TO LESS THAN 80 PERCENT FULL Solid-state drives tend to slow down considerably when more than 80 percent capacity is used up. For that reason, you’re going to want to keep capacity below that limit. For example, if you have a 1TB SSD, don’t have more than 800GB of files loaded on it. ADJUST THE POWER PLAN IN WINDOWS Adjusting your PC’s power plan prevents the SSD from going to sleep, removing the wait time for it…

Windows 11’s annual “big” update is here! But while the “25H2 update” (dubbed so because it’s being released in the second half 2025) builds the foundation for a year of new Windows features, you might not even notice when it slips onto your computer. That’s because Windows 11 25H2 is a so-called “enablement package.” Here’s how Microsoft VP John Cable describes the setup in his announcement post: “Windows 11, version 25H2 will be delivered as an enablement package (eKB). This means that it contains all the recently announced features in Windows 11, version 24H2. Both versions use a shared code base and servicing branch, streamlining the update. It also means that you’ll continue to see new features released to Windows via monthly updates as part of our continuous innovation model.”…

Yes, round is still in when it comes to Amazon’s refreshed Echo smart speakers, with the high-end Echo Studio and the smaller Echo Dot both getting big Alexa+ makeovers at Amazon’s fall hardware event in New York. Also on tap were new versions of Amazon’s Echo Show 8 and 11 displays, which chopped the chunky design of previous-generation Echo Shows in favor of slimmed-down screens mounted in front of oval-shaped rear speaker components. Available for pre-order now, the new Echo devices pack Amazon’s new AZ3 and AZ3 Pro chips allowing for “on the edge” Alexa+ processing, ideal for getting speedier replies while enabling advanced sensors that allow the new Alexa to sense what’s going on in the immediate area. First comes the new Echo Studio—pictured on the next page—that’s switching…

Had it up to here with commercials that crank the volume during your favorite streaming shows? Relief is on the way thanks to a new California law that seeks to dial down the intrusive ads. Signed on Monday by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, SB 576 mandates that commercials broadcast by streaming services shouldn’t be any louder than the programs they’re accompanying. If the language of the new legislation sounds familiar, you might be thinking of Congress’s Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation (or CALM) Act, which was passed in 2010. That law also sought to curb annoyingly loud commercial breaks, but it only applied to broadcast and cable TV operators, not streaming services. “We heard Californians loud and clear, and what’s clear is that they don’t want commercials at a volume any…

Razer’s Blade 18 is the limo you take to the airport: probably way too much laptop for your daily needs, sure. But why not simply enjoy it? Someone who buys an 18-inch laptop simply wants the best and biggest laptop around, a desktop replacement capable of playing any game at maximum frame rates. That’s fine for most people. Smart buyers, however, will consider the Blade 18, since its aesthetics have a purpose. For 2025, the laptop brings several notable updates: Intel’s latest Arrow Lake architecture, Nvidia GeForce GPUs up to the RTX 5090, and a new dual-mode screen that combines a 4K creator-class display with a high-resolution e-sports monitor. Fantastic performance, smart design, even weight that won’t burn out your biceps—there’s very little I didn’t like about the Razer Blade…

First we ditched our housekeys for a numerical code that unlocked our doors, then we moved up to sometimes balky fingerprint readers. The TCL D2 Pro Palm Vein Smart Lock ups the ante with an amazing palm vein reader that takes just 0.3 seconds to unlock your door once you present your hand in front of its tiny scanner. TCL, best known for its budget-friendly TVs, moves further into the home security market with its second generation of smart door locks that hit the market alongside its B1 Security Camera. The D2 Pro is the top of the line and TCL’s only lock to feature a palm vein reader. The D2 Pro also features a built-in doorbell (but not a camera). Pressing the doorbell button a sounds a chime on…

If the storage space on the C drive is running low, every free gigabyte counts. Windows often occupies more than 25 GB of space for things such as updates, restore points, and cache files. Plus, pre-installed bloatware further increases memory utilization. Freeing up memory can quickly become critical on notebooks with 128 GB SSDs or devices with soldered memory. But even on well-equipped systems, it’s worth decluttering Windows as it can lead to fewer processes, a faster startup, and a lower CPU load. Caution: Not every measure is risk-free. If you remove system components or libraries too aggressively, Windows may become unstable, updates may fail or programs may refuse to work. You should therefore always work with a restore point, back up your Windows installation, and choose your methods carefully.…

As I’ve said before, passwords suck. Microsoft agrees—last year, it announced a goal of getting one billion users to embrace passkeys instead. As part of that effort, setting up a passkey for a Microsoft account is very easy. You might not have noticed, though, since most people don’t often go into account settings. You’ve likely only seen Windows asking to create and store passkeys for other services and sites you visit on your PC. Here’s how to do it: 1. Go here. 2. Under Account, click on “Manage how I sign in.” 3. Under “Ways to prove who you are,” choose “Add a new way to sign in or verify.” 4. Select Face, fingerprint, PIN, or security key. 5. A new screen will appear in your browser tab, along with a…

Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite is once again threatening to upend the PC CPU market. About two years ago, Qualcomm debuted the Snapdragon X1 Elite, an Arm chip that replaced the company’s mediocre 8-series Snapdragon chips and performed impressively. Now it’s the Snapdragon Elite X2’s turn, and the 18-core X2 Elite Extreme is ready for the spotlight. The performance is genuinely impressive. Intel’s Panther Lake and AMD’s successor to its Strix Point chips certainly will have to deliver to keep up with Qualcomm. Qualcomm didn’t allow journalists to “review” the chip in the traditional sense. Like the “tests” that were run on the first Snapdragon X Elite, Qualcomm provided test laptops, loaded them up with benchmark software, and allowed reporters to monitor the results afterwards. Naturally, this setup assumed Qualcomm supplied…

I’ve often considered that Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass is the best deal in gaming, if you’re looking to get a huge amount of variety and access for a small monthly fee. I might have to recalculate after the latest price hike. On October 1 Microsoft announced prices going up in the U.S. by quite a lot, rising from $19.99 to $29.99 USD for the all-you-can-play Ultimate package. That still includes hundreds of local and streaming games (heavily featuring titles published by Microsoft’s various studios, of course) across Xbox and PC, and sometimes jumping between them. Microsoft is also trying to convince players that the increased price comes with extra incentives, including a new selection of “classics” from the Ubisoft+catalog of digital games. There’s also a new partnership with Epic, which…

The Lenovo Legion Go 2 is a high-end handheld gaming PC that outshines the Asus ROG Xbox Ally X in many ways. The huge 8.8-inch OLED display is beautiful, and you’re getting everything from a built-in kickstand to detachable controllers for flexibility. For a handheld gaming PC, this is great hardware. There are two huge elephants in the room here, so let’s get them out of the way so I can review the Lenovo Legion Go 2 for what it is. THE ELEPHANTS First, Windows 11 still isn’t ready for a gaming handheld. When I reviewed the Lenovo Legion Go S, I noted how much of a mess the interface is compared to the Steam Deck I own. For example, Windows 11 has a gamepad keyboard layout that lets you…

Private Internet Access (PIA) has seemingly been around since the advent of third-party VPNs. Since that time, it’s been a favorite VPN service for many users thanks to its excellent pricing and good privacy guarantees. Recently the service has made some truly promising improvements by lifting the device connection limit and undergoing a third-party audit. So, with these new updates, how does PIA stack up against the other titans of the VPN market? Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best VPN services for comparison. Private Internet Access in brief: P2P allowed: Yes Simultaneous device connections: Unlimited Business location: U.S. Number of servers: 35,000-plus Number of country locations: 91 Cost: $11.95 per month, $39.95 for a one-year plan, or $79 for a three-year plan FEATURES AND SERVICES…

Phishing is alive and well in 2025, as even with robust antivirus and anti-malware protections, the weakest link in the security chain is often the human element. We all make mistakes, skim an email, and think it’s probably fine to click that link. But wait! Don’t do it! Phishing scammers rely on you not using due diligence to protect yourself, your data, and your devices with good personal security practices. The best way to spot phishing emails is to know what to look for. Here’s a list of some of the big phishing red flags that should send you running when you spot them. ASKING FOR ANYTHING For a scam to be worth doing, the scammers need to make money. For that, they need to get you to send them something…

Google seems to be all-in on its artificial intelligence search results, to the detriment of the web at large and no small number of users. It seems to be the end result of years of diminishing quality for search results, and a search page that’s more and more crowded by ads and other junk meant to keep you from…well, what you’re actually searching for. If you want the old Google back, there’s an extension that might help. Bye Bye, Google AI is an extension for Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers (Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, and so on) that makes me start humming a certain Don McLean song. It does exactly what you think it does, stripping out the AI Overviews panel from the top of almost all current Google searches. It’s a…