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Sniffnet is my new go-to app for network monitoring — Free, open-source, and taking on GlassWire and Wireshark

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
I came across Sniffnet the other day, and after installing it on my PC, I can safely say it's sticking around. It's a free and open-source network monitor that's easy to use, efficient, and quite deep. Here's what you need to know.

Sniffnet dashboard with a dark blue and yellow theme displays network traffic. Graphs, numerical data, and lists of hosts, services, and programs are shown. The background is a blue abstract design.

Sniffnet's overview page displayed on a Windows 11 desktop.

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"An unmatched upgrade opportunity": Intel's new Core Series 3 mobile CPUs target "value buyers" as PC prices rise

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Intel has unveiled its new Core Series 3 "Wildcat Lake" mobile CPUs designed to be more affordable, and I'm optimistic that they'll be a decent antidote to rising PC prices.

Intel Core Series 3 Gemini

Intel Core Series 3 Gemini

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"Microsoft fired the skilled people, leaving flowchart followers": Microsoft's Security Response Center is being blamed for the zero-day BlueHammer exploit leak, but I can't tell who's right

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
A BlueHammer zero-day Windows exploit was in the wild for two weeks before Microsoft addressed it, and even then, the solution is leaving some security experts concerned. Is this a failing on the part of Microsoft's Security Response Center?

Windows 11 Blue Hammer

Windows 11 Blue Hammer

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"Users can now simply ask what happened": AppControl's optional AI integration gives you in-depth PC diagnostic history in plain English — It works with popular LLMs, but I'll use offline models for added security

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
AppControl has replaced Task Manager on my PCs, and it seems like it's just getting started. The latest update adds optional AI integration that answers questions regarding system history, which is basically like having your own private IT tech inside your system.

AppControl AI integration

AppControl AI integration

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ASUS Zenbook A16 vs. Zenbook S 16: Lots of similarities don't necessarily make for an easy choice, and it might come down to pricing and performance hardware

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
ASUS now has Zenbook A16 and Zenbook S 16 models on the market, and at first glance, they seem quite similar. But once you get inside, differences begin to appear. I've put together this comparison based on our reviews of both laptops to help you make the right decision.

ASUS Zenbook A16 vs Zenbook S 16

I'm comparing the Zenbook A16 to the Zenbook S 16.

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"The Lotus guys probably figured it didn't matter to be wrong": Excel thinks 1900 was a leap year because of a small shortcut taken in the '80s — I'll think of this next time I want to cut corners

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Microsoft Excel was originally created as competition for Lotus 1-2-3, which has had lasting effects on my favorite spreadsheet software. Here's how a small shortcut taken in the '80s has lasted through until 2026.

Excel spreadsheet with checkboxes

The upcoming checkboxes feature in Microsoft Excel makes it easy to visualize certain data.

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"I know that a lot of PC gamers are resistant to AI": SteamGPT shows up in datamined Steam files, suggesting Valve plans to add AI to help in these two key areas

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Reference to something called SteamGPT has appeared in a datamined Steam update, which could mean that Valve is bringing in AI to help speed up support requests and to buff anti-cheat. Here's what you need to know.

A Steam Deck OLED handheld gaming console on a solid purple background

<p>Helldivers 2 runs pretty well on Steam Deck, all things considered.</p>

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"Raptor Lake will continue to be abundantly available": Intel exec makes a case for its older chips as RAM prices soar, but are they actually worth buying in 2026?

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Intel's aging Raptor Lake desktop CPUs are "not going anywhere," according to an Intel exec, as RAM prices soar and PC gamers search for DDR4 alternatives. Are these chips worth buying in 2026? Let's explore.

Intel Core i7-13700K

Intel's "Raptor Lake" 13th and 14th Gen desktop processors remain a solid option for DDR4 gaming PCs.

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"I hope NVIDIA's legal team lets this slide": I dive into OpenNOW, an open-source GeForce Now alternative that's trending in cloud gaming — for good reason

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
OpenNOW is quickly gaining popularity as a quality GeForce Now app alternative, all thanks to its open-source nature. It still has some limitations compared to the official software, but it's on the right path ... assuming NVIDIA's legal team doesn't get involved.

Xbox Ally with OpenNOW app displayed edited in Gemini

Xbox Ally with OpenNOW app displayed edited in Gemini

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"This was not opportunistic. It was precision." — How North Korean hackers used Microsoft Teams and Slack to compromise Windows PCs with an elaborate ploy

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Malware ploys from bad actors are getting more elaborate, as axios maintainer Jason Saayman explains how the registry's hijacking was weeks in the making and involved a fake Teams update that delivered a trojan.

North Korean national flags are displayed outside the hall of Chongryon, the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, during its two-day-long general assembly meeting in Tokyo on May 26, 2018

A bad actor out of North Korea is suspected of setting up an axios hijacking that has potentially compromised countless Windows PCs.

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I compared Lenovo Qira to HP IQ in a battle of on-device AI intelligence — Are these finally the assistants we've been hoping for?

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Lenovo and HP have both devised on-device AI assistants designed to make your digital life easier. I dug into the features to discover similarities and differences.

Lenovo Qira vs. HP IQ

Lenovo Qira vs. HP IQ

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"The MacBook Air is no longer the best lightweight laptop": I compare the new ASUS Zenbook A16 to show how it dominates Apple's sleek notebook in key areas

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
We got our hands on the new ASUS Zenbook A16 for in-depth testing, and it's clear that the new Windows laptop is gunning for Apple's lightweight MacBook Air 15. Here's how the two devices compare in terms of design, features, displays, performance, efficiency, and pricing.

ASUS Zenbook A16 vs. MacBook Air 15 (M5)

I'm putting the new ASUS Zenbook A16 up against the MacBook Air 15 with M5.

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"If it's this easy, why don't more Windows apps use a PC's NPU?" — Microsoft MVP demonstrates how he added meaningful AI to an app in just 10 minutes

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Microsoft MVP Lance McCarthy highlights how easy it actually is to add AI to an app using Microsoft's Windows AI APIs during development. I want to see more of this type of AI and less of the unecessary bloat that's giving it a bad name.

Microsoft AI APIs on a Zenbook 14

If you're an app developer, what's stopping you from using Windows AI APIs?

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"Gameplay so good I nearly missed Age of Empires 4's new DLC announcement" — Red Bull's $250,000 Wololo Londinium tournament wraps up today, and you don't want to miss the finale

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Age of Empires 2: Definitive Edition and Age of Empires 4 are both being played at the Red Bull Wololo: Londinium tournament, with the finale set for today at the Royal Albert Hall. It's been a crazy weekend of Age gameplay, and I nearly missed the announcement for a new Age 4 DLC.

Age of Empires 4: Yue Fei's Legacy

A look at some of the new units coming with the Age of Empires 4: Yue Fei's Legacy DLC.

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I found 7 Windows apps that use your PC's NPU to improve efficiency and performance with AI — You might be surprised at what's on the list

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Your AI PC's Neural Processing Unit (NPU) is a useful piece of hardware, but are you making the most out of it? I dug up 7 apps that make good use of the NPU; which ones are you using?

Collage of apps surrounding an NPU chip

Collage of apps surrounding an NPU chip

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“This pricing changes the conversation”: HP’s first Snapdragon X2 Elite laptop arrives for hundreds less — and I’m wondering if Intel should be worried

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
HP's first laptop featuring the new Qualcomm Snapdragon Elite X2 SoC is now available to buy, and it should be the right choice for anyone who wants an ultra-thin, ultra-light PC with outstanding performance and efficiency.

Image of the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 (G2) at CES 2026.

HP's new OmniBook Ultra 14 (G2) with Snapdragon X2 Elite chip is now available to buy.

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“I didn’t expect these swings”: Steam’s March survey reveals PC hardware trends that caught me off guard

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Steam just released its March hardware and software survey, and it's clear that the PC gaming market is going through a massive flux as inflated prices force buyers into new (and old) areas.

NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti (ASUS TUF Gaming)

PC gamers are clearly settling for less as huge swings are seen in Steam's March survey.

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32GB of Corsair Vengeance DDR5 RAM is 33% off today only — This superb memory deal for PC gamers might sell out before midnight

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Memory deals are more important than ever with the current RAM pricing surges, and Woot! is currently home to today's best deal. It expires tonight (if not sooner), so don't hold out too long.

Corsair Vengeance DDR5 RAM

32GB of Corsair's Vengeance DDR5-6000MT/s RAM is 33% off today only at Woot!

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Windows 11 Task Manager is finally getting deeper insights into NPU usage in AI PCs — No more trying to guess which apps are using the specialized hardware

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Arriving now for Windows 11 Insiders is a buff to Task Manager that provides far more information about your PC's NPU usage and performance. Here's how it works and why it makes sense in 2026.

Collage of Task Manager in Windows 11 with new NPU support for AI PCs.

Collage of Task Manager in Windows 11 with new NPU support for AI PCs.

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NVIDIA’s new Dynamic MFG feature could make games smoother… or just weirder. Either way, the real GPU battleground is shifting to software.

✇Windows Central - News, Forums, Reviews, Help for Windows 10 and all things Microsoft.
Par : [email protected] (Cale Hunt)
Early tests of NVIDIA's new DLSS 4.5 features, Dynamic Multi Frame Generation (MFG) and MFG 6X, have shown positive results. It certainly seems like AI-assisted software is the new GPU frontier, and one day that won't be controversial.

BEIJING, CHINA - AUGUST 01: In this photo illustration, an Nvidia chip is seen through a magnifying glass on August 1, 2025 in Beijing, China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)

NVIDIA's Dynamic MFG and MFG 6X have arrived with DLSS 4.5, and the results are being largely applauded by testers.

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