Professional Documents
Culture Documents
WINDOWS 10
ANNIVERSARYUPDATE
WHAT USERS WANT MOST
Business ready
http://budurl.me/pcwo
2016 Fujitsu Computer Products of America, Inc. All rights reserved. Fujitsu and the Fujitsu logo are registered trademarks of Fujitsu Ltd. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
AUGUST 2016
DEPARTMENTS
TABLE OF
CONTENTS
FEATURES
7 News
125 What users want in the Windows 10 Anniversary Update
139
Headphones
buyers guide
COLUMNS
172 Hassle-Free PC
176 Answer Line
33 Consumer Watch
About Us
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NEWS
8 Yes, Windows 10
subscriptions are
coming, at least for
enterprise
23 Nintendos releasing a
miniature NES console
packed with 30 classic
games
17 Conrmed: Only
Microsoft Edge will play
Netflix content at
1080p on your PC
20 A smaller version of
Raspberry Pi 3 is
coming soon
Tech and trends that will affect you today and beyond.
NEWS
Yes, Windows 10
subscriptions are
coming, at least
for enterprise
I M AG E : M I C ROS O F T
BY MARK HACHMAN
Windows 10
Enterprise E3
oers what
customers have
been wondering
about for some
time: whether
Microsoft would
make Windows
10 a subscription
service.
functionality on a per
monthly/per seat cost, a
Microsoft spokeswoman
said via email. This new
subscription model is not
associated with our
current upgrade oering
or applicable to the
Windows 10 consumer
edition.
Up to now, Windows 10
has been a free upgrade
for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users. That ended July 29, 2016. After
that, Microsoft charges $119 (go.pcworld.com/win10pricing) for
Windows 10 Home, $199 for Windows 10 Professional, and $99 for a
Windows 10 Pro Pack to jump from a licensed copy of Windows 10
Home to the Professional version. A one person business who
bought the subscription would receive about 28 months of Windows
10 before paying the equivalent price of Windows 10 Professional.
We know that Microsoft wants to encourage consumers and
businesses alike to pay for its services like you pay the electricity bill,
forking over a bit each month to keep the power on. Right now,
Microsofts flagship subscription oering is Oce 365, its collection of
Oce applications that Microsoft patches and adds new features to
each month. Microsoft vice president of corporate marketing
Kirk Koenigsbauer told partners in July that 70 million people pay to
use Oce 365 every month. When Microsoft reported its rst-quarter
earnings in April, Microsoft said about 22.2 million of those subscribers
were consumers, and total Oce commercial users were up 57
percent from a year ago.
Microsoft has also indicated it wishes to extend that same model to
Windows. A year ago, when chief executive Satya Nadella booted
Stephen Elop from the Windows and Devices Group and handed the
reins over to Terry Myerson, Nadella penned a very interesting rationale
The deadline
for Windows
10s free
upgrade is July
29, 2016.
NEWS
Microsofts
subscription
model for Oce
365 has been an
unqualied
success, even
extending to
non-Windows
platforms like
Apples iOS.
Welcome to Greenbot,
a website for
Android enthusiasts.
I M AG E : LG D I S P L AY
BY AGAM SHAH
At CES 2016 in
Las Vegas, LG
showed a
display that
can fold.
NEWS
Manufacturers are
trying to launch
them in devices like
tablets that can fold
into a smartphonesize device.
Samsung
YOUM flexible
display.
NEWS
NEWS
A close-up of
the Netflix
menu running
on Microsoft
Edge: note the
higher
1920x1080
resolution.
A smaller version of
Raspberry Pi 3 is
coming soon
BY AGAM SHAH
I M AG E : R A S P B E R RY P I.O RG
few months.
Raspberry Pi is developing a new version of its Compute Module, a
single-board computer that plugs into specic on-board memory
slots. The new Pi will be more like a mini-computer inside a computer,
and it wont come with a power supply.
The Compute Module will have similar circuitry to that of Raspberry
Pi 3, a wildly successful computer that can be a PC replacement. But it
will be smaller, with the memory, CPU, and storage embedded tightly
on a board.
The dierences between the Compute Module and the Raspberry Pi
I M AG E : R A S P B E R RY P I.O RG
NEWS
3 will be subtle. While the Compute Module will have a 64-bit ARM
processor like the Pi 3, it wont have Wi-Fi, Eben Upton, founder of
Raspberry Pi, said in an interview with IDG News Service.
The Compute Module could ship as soon as this quarter, Upton said.
It will be priced similar to its predecessor, the two-year-old Compute
Module, available (go.pcworld.com/computemodule) from reseller RS
Components for about US$24. The older Compute Module is based on
the original Raspberry Pi.
Like Raspberry Pi 3, the new Compute Module will work with Linux
and Microsofts Windows 10 IoT Core, Upton said.
A Compute Module Development Kit, in which the Compute Module
can be slotted for testing, may also be sold. The Development Kit
could have multiple connectivity and port options, much like the
Raspberry Pi 3.
The Raspberry Pi 3 has sold millions of units and has evolved from a
gadget development tool into a PC. The Compute Module could also
appeal to businesses that want to put computers inside electronics or
industrial equipment.
Small computers are being used to operate factory equipment, and
Raspberry Pis
Compute
Module
released in
2014 is smaller
than a regular
Raspberry Pi
board.
Raspberry Pi is already
successful among
computing enthusiasts
and tinkerers, but Upton
wants to break into that
industrial market.
NEWS
Nintendos releasing
a miniature NES
console packed with
30 classic games
BY IAN PAUL
ITS APPARENTLY
RETRO month for
Kirbys Adventure
Mario Bros.Mega Man 2
Metroid
Ninja Gaiden
Pac-Man
Punch-Out!! Featuring Mr. Dream
StarTropics
Super C
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Bros. 2
Super Mario Bros. 3
Tecmo Bowl
The Legend of Zelda
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
NEWS
DJI Phantom 3
Professional
NEWS
A drone flies
through the air
during a flight
test at
Carnegie
Mellon
Universitys
Silicon Valley
campus on July
27, 2015.
law two days before the existing authorization was set to expire. It was
earlier passed by the House of Representatives.
But Senator Edward J. Markey, a Democrat from Massachusetts and a
member of the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee,
said that the new bill, called the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security
Act of 2016, was a missed opportunity. It does not include drone
privacy provisions that he authored and were included in the Senate
version of the FAA reauthorization bill that
passed in April this year, the senator said in
a statement.
Civil rights groups have demanded drone
privacy regulations, in the wake of moves
to liberalize the use of the unmanned
aircraft for commercial and other
purposes. Recently, the Electronic Privacy
Information Center said that the reauthorization had grounded
privacy safeguards, though its proposal to require remote
identication of drones had been included in the new bill.
The provisions in the bill passed by the Senate in April would require
P H OTO : I N T E L CO R P O R AT I O N
An Intel
Corporation
Yuneec
unmanned
aerial vehicle at
2016 Mobile
World
Congress.
NEWS
unfeasible.
The bill passed in July would prohibit drones from interfering with
emergency response activities, such as wildre suppression and law
enforcement, and provides for civil penalties of not more than
US$20,000 for those found in violation. Drones are also to be used for
reghting and restoration of utilities.
The legislation also has provisions for the setting up of a pilot
program for mitigation of airspace hazards at airports and other
critical infrastructure using unmanned
aircraft detection systems.
The FAA in consultation with other
agencies shall also convene industry
stakeholders to arrive at consensus
standards for remotely identifying
operators and owners of unmanned aircraft.
The FAA extension will provide short-term
stability for the commercial drone industry,
said Brian Wynne, president and CEO of drone advocacy group,
Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, in a
statement. Its provisions will help expand commercial operations,
advance research and keep the airspace safe for all usersmanned
and unmanned, Wynne added.
The National Telecommunications & Information Administration
released in May a list of voluntary privacy best practices (go.pcworld.
com/droneprivacypractices) for commercial and non-commercial
drone users, which were arrived at by drone organizations and
companies like Amazon and Googles parent Alphabet. It was
recommended, for example, that drone operators that collect
personal data should explain in a privacy policy what personally
identiable information they will collect, for what purpose, and if it
will be shared with others, including law enforcement agencies.
NEWS
there, it was only a short hop to running the Linux desktop on Windows
without using a virtual machine.
GitHub user Guerra24 (go.pcworld.com/guerra2unity) recently
posted a screenshot online showing Ubuntu with the Unity desktop
running natively inside Windows 10, as rst reported by OMG Ubuntu
(go.pcworld.com/unityinstalled). The GitHub user also tested the
Xfce24 desktop on Ubuntu (on Windows 10).
As this is a bit of a hack, its not a perfect
setup. Guerra24 says that dbusa Linux utility
that lets computer programs communicate
with one anotherhad some performance
issues, and sometimes the window server
inside Linux would crash. You also cant exit
Ubuntu the normal way. Instead you have to
close Compiz, the window manager, to get rid
of the desktop.
The actual use of Ubuntu is also limited. The only applications that
will run are the ones sitting in the launcher. The terminal also will not
open without a little extra trickery.
Why this matters: Running Ubuntu natively inside Windows 10 may
seem a little silly when a virtual machine would be far more stable. But
it shows just how close you can get to truly running a Ubuntu Linux
system right inside Windows without a VM. A properly congured
Linux system may also run far better as a native Windows application
compared to a virtual machine, which could help IT pros and others
more easily manage Linux and Windows resources on the same
machine.
Besides, the idea of running a full Linux desktop natively inside
Windows is just plain awesome. If theres enough demand for this, who
knows? In the future, Microsoft and Canonical might x up the current
WSL to make running an Ubuntu desktop on Windows 10 a more
seamless experience.
YOUR BIKE
CAN HELP OTHERS
MOVE FORWARD.
YOUR DONATIONS TO GOODWILL HELP
FUND JOB PLACEMENT AND TRAINING
FOR PEOPLE IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
DONATE STUFF.
CREATE JOBS.
CONSUMER
WATCH
Ranscam ignores
conventional
ransomware
behavior, however,
and deletes the
victims content long
before they have a
chance to pay up.
CONSUMER
WATCH
way, if you ever do get hit with ransomware you still have your les
safely stashed away in a backup. The key, however, is to make sure you
have a backup utility that uses versioning where les are saved at
dierent points since its creation, so that if your backup les are also
encrypted, you can rollback to versions from a few days previous,
when everything was ne.
Check out Lincoln Spectors earlier discussion on the ins and outs of
backups that protect (go.pcworld.com/ransomwarebackup) against
ransomware.
And dont forget to make sure you have a double back-up plan that
includes a local backup to an external hard drive, as well as a cloudbased backup service such as Backblaze or Carbonite.
CONSUMER
WATCH
suggestive and outrageous clauses in its Terms of Service (ToS). But
surprise! Nearly everyone joined anyway, as rst reported by Ars
Technica.
The study takes its title from a common refrain about the phrase I
have read and agree to these terms.
How it worked
The study took 543 undergraduate students from a large communication
class at a university in the eastern United States. The students were told
that their university was working
with NameDropthe fake social
networkand the students would
be participating in a pre-launch
evaluation of the website.
As with any other service you
sign up for online, you are shown the sign-up page and are asked to
read the policies. Though there was a quick-join option that allowed
you to skip the privacy policy without reading it.
Unbeknownst to the students, the terms of service contained two
questionable clauses. The rst said NameDrop may be required to
share your data with the government, including the National Security
Agency (NSA).
That clause is concerning when you really think about it, but its
close enough to what youd see in a real ToS. Twitters terms (go.
pcworld.com/twittertos), for example, says, We also reserve the right
to access, read, preserve, and disclose any information as we
reasonably believe is necessary to (i) satisfy any applicable law,
regulation, legal process or governmental request.
NameDrops second crazy clause shouldve stopped most users in
their tracksor at least clued them in that the service wasnt real. The
second clause said all users agree to give their rst-born child to
NameDrop. If the user didnt have children yet, their rst baby would
still have to go to NameDrop until 2050.
In the end, the study says 74 percent of the participants skipped
reading the privacy policy. Those who did read the privacy policy
didnt spend longer than 73 seconds, even though it shouldve taken
around 30 minutes to read the whole thing.
The average reading time of the ToS, meanwhile, was 51 seconds
when it shouldve been closer to 16 minutes.
Perhaps the most surprising nding, however, is that those who
actually did read the crazy
clauses signed up for the
social network anyway.
The impact on you at
home: Even if you were a
conscientious user who
wanted to read all the
various terms and privacy
policies, you probably
couldnt do it. An older
study from 2012 found that it would take you about a month every
year to read all the privacy policies for every website the average
person visits in a year. Its simply impossible.
But that doesnt mean all is lost. A browser add-on for Chrome,
Firefox, Opera, and Safari called Terms of Service; Didnt read (ToS;DR)
aims to at least help you get the gist of what youre agreeing to. You
can download it directly from ToS;DRs site (go.pcworld.com/tosdr).
CONSUMER
WATCH
I was one of our nations hungry kids growing up. Today, 1 in 5 children in America
struggle with hunger. But when they get breakfast, their days are bigger and brighter.
Learning, attention, memory and mood improve. Together, we have the power to
get breakfast to kids in your neighborhood lets make it happen. Go to hungeris.org
and lend your time or your voice.
Viola Davis, Hunger Is Ambassador
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
44 AMD Radeon RX 480:
Redening whats
possible with a $200
graphics card
99 Best wireless
keyboards: Cut the
cord with Bluetooth
and USB models
80 Lenovo Thinkcentre
X1: All-in-one design
done right
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
AMD
Radeon RX
480: Redening
whats possible with
a $200 graphics card
BY BRAD CHACOS
Watch the
video at
go.pcworld.
com/radeon
rx480vid
PROS
t%JUDIFBQQSJDF
t/PDPNQSPNJTFTQ
gaming, good 1440p
gaming
t$BOQPXFSWJUVBMSFBMJUZ
headsets
t#JHMFBQJOQPXFSFJDJFODZ
over past AMD cards
CONS
t4UJMMOPUBTQPXFSFJDJFOU
as GeForce cards
t4UBCJMJUZBOEQFGPSNBODF
issues with slick new
overclocking software
$240
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
both started with 2GB of onboard RAM,
though pricier 4GB versions were also
available. But the Radeon RX 480s $200
version contains 4GB of memory, while
an 8GB versionthe model tested
herewill sell for $240.
Thats traditional GDDR5 memory, by
the way, not the exotic high-bandwidth
memory found in the Radeon Fury series
or the newer GDDR5X memory found in
Nvidias GTX 1070 and 1080. Sticking to
GDDR5 no doubt helps AMD keep costs
downcrucial in a $200 graphics card
and to be honest, it still holds up just
ne for in-game performance. Its
important to note that the two RX 480
variants are clocked at dierent
memory speeds: The 4GB model tops
out at 7Gbps, while the 8GB model hits
8Gbps. AMD says the memory specs in
custom cards by partners such as
VisionTek, Asus, and Sapphire might vary,
Radeon RX 480
GCN Architecture
4th Generation
Compute Units
36
Stream Processors
2304
Peak Performance
Up to 5.8 TFLOPS
Memory Size
4/8 GB
Memory Bandwidtch
Memory Interface
256 bit
Memory Type
GDDR5
Board Power
150W
Yes
DirectX 12 Support
Yes
Vulkan Support
Yes
VR Premium
Yes
DisplayPort Version
but will hit a 7Gbps minimum. Custom boards should be available now.
Considering all the shader processors and RAM that AMD stued
into this thing, its remarkable how small the cards circuit board
actually is, as we mentioned in our visual preview of the RX 480. While
this is a full-length card (just under 9.5 inches in order to
accommodate the cooling systems heat sink and single blower-style
fan), the PCB itself is only an inch or so longer than the diminutive
Radeon Nano, and that card benets from high-bandwidth memorys
extreme space savings. The RX 480s memory chips must be laid out
on the board itself. Custom mini-ITX versions of this card could be
exciting.
The Radeon RX 480 also swipes the Radeon Nanos and the Radeon
Fury Xs sense of style, mimicking their sleek black exterior and
prominent Radeon branding, though the RX 480 feels a bit more
lightweight and plasticky in hand. But youll only hold it in your hand
to install it anyway. The Radeon RX 480 looks flat-out stunning
though as with the Nano, theres no backplate on the reference
version.
Youll get stunning visuals out of this thing, too. Polaris supports high
dynamic range video via its singular HDMI 2.0b port and trio of
DisplayPort 1.3/1.4 connections.
Note how
much smaller
the Radeon RX
480s PCB is;
the back third
of the card is
just shroud and
fan.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
software launches, but its rolling out a great new tool alongside the
RX 480: AMD WattMan. WattMans essentially a supercharged version
of the OverDrive overclocking tool AMD has included in its control
panel for a while now, with some cool new capabilities and a highly
The AMD
WattMan
interface in
Radeon
Settings.
unfortunate name that brings old Sony Walkman cassette players and
crappy superheroes to mind. Seriouslywho thought WattMan
sounded better than OverDrive?
If youre the overclocking type, WattMan (found in Gaming > Global
Settings > Global WattMan) delivers everything you need to tweak your
RX 480s power limit, fan-speed minimums and maximums, targettemperature minimum and maximums, GPU and memory clocks, and
individual GPU and memory voltage levels. Its pretty comprehensive,
and AMD took things one step further with the introduction of GPU
frequency-curve controls, which let you customize the overclocks for
various dynamic power management states (DPMs).
The RX 480 ships with a default frequency curve that aects clock
speeds across the various DPMs, and you can apply an overclock by
increasing that curve by a set percentage. Alternatively, you can
manually set the overclock limits for each DPM using AMDs new
dynamic GPU frequency curve controls. That will let you tailor the
overclocking prole to better t your specic GPUs potential, but the
lack of an automated tool to nd your cards limits may restrict its
A histogram
tracking the
Radeon RX 480s
behavior in Far
Cry Primal.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
usefulness in real-world scenarios. (To be fair, there are scanning tools
to nd your GPUs limits for the Nvidias GTX 10-series cards, but
theyre buggy as hell and irritating to use.)
Increasing the power limit is vital to the RX 480 overclocking
process, AMD representatives said. You can boost the RX 480s power
limit by up to 50 percent.
Youll nd another handy tool at the top of the Global WattMan
settings page in the form of a histogram that tracks your cards
current peak and average GPU activity, temperature, fan speed, and
engine/memory clock speeds, and then displays the results as a graph
over time. Studying the histogram can really help you hone in on how
your cards behaving, which is crucial to the overclocking process. Pergame histogram tracking can also be enabled in the new Prole
WattMan tab in your proles.
Dorky name aside, the new WattMan tools, combined with the
existing per-game overclocking options in the Radeon Settings app,
provide GPU tweakers with a seriously robust, easy-to-read set of tools
for boosting game performance across the board or in specic games.
Its wonderful to see what Radeon
Settings, AMDs sleek new control
panel (go.pcworld.com/radeon
hubtour), is evolving into.
Unfortunately, our test system
was alicted by an issue that
prevents us from being able to
include overclocking results in our
performance section. We
managed to push our card to a
ve-percent simple frequency
increase on the GPU clock, or a 1,335MHz max, which AMD engineers
said was higher than their own sample. We also eked out an additional
150MHz in memory clock speeds.
But applying the overclock actually caused performance to
decrease, sometimes drastically. The more we increased the power
Shader Utilization
Asynchronous Compete
Time
Graphics
Compute
Heres an AMDsupplied
diagram that
illustrates how
asynchronous
compute,
standard
preemption,
and the new
Quick Response
Queue behave.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
AMDs using to push the RX 480. It feels a bit weird, since the Oculus
Rift and HTC Vive are still new, niche gadgets with $600 to $800 price
tags that are anything but mainstream. AMDs $200 card helps make
the PCs you need to power the headsets much more aordable, at
least. Think of it as laying the groundwork for wider adoption down
the road.
The Radeon RX 480 delivers the raw repower needed to certify as
Capable in Valves SteamVR performance test (go.pcworld.com/
steamvrtest), but the VR readiness doesnt end there. AMD says the
card oers lower latency and smoother overall frame times. That will
pay dividends in traditional gaming and is doubly important to
maintain a feel of immersion in VR. If frame rates start sputtering in
VR, youll start spewing in real life. The 8GB of RAM in the $240 version
helps ensure games that gobble up memory will stay smooth, too.
Another key weapon in the Radeon RX 480s VR arsenal (go.pcworld.
com/vrarsenal) is its dedicated asynchronous compute engine (ACE)
hardware. If your card does have trouble maintaining smooth frame
rates in a VR game, the Oculus Rift uses a technique called
Asynchronous Timewarp. Asynchronous Timewarp checks your
headsets position right before displaying an image, and if your head
position has moved since the last frame was rendered, Timewarp will
adjust the image slightly to match your current orientation. It reduces
judder and keeps you from hurling.
The GCN architecture that Polaris is based on includes ACEs that
basically act as trac cops, directing myriad graphics tasks to take
best advantage of all available Radeon graphics resources
DOTA 2 FPS
4k Ultra
1440p Ultra
0
OpenGL
20
40
60
80
100
Vulkan
120
140
160
The Radeon RX
480s ACE hardware
can also deliver big
benets in the latest
games, just now
trickling out, that tap
the all-new DirectX
12 and Vulkan APIs.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
Testing the RX 480 in 6 benchmarks
As ever, we tested the RX 480 on PCWorlds dedicated graphics card
benchmark system (go.pcworld.com/diygamingpc), which is loaded
with high-end components to avoid potential bottlenecks in other
parts of the machine and show unfettered graphics performance. Key
highlights of the build:
t Intels Core i7-5960X ($1,016 on Newegg) with a Corsair Hydro
Series H100i closed-loop water cooler ($105 on Newegg).
t An Asus X99 Deluxe motherboard ($380 on Newegg).
t Corsairs Vengeance LPX DDR4 memory ($65 on Newegg), Obsidian
750D full tower case ($140 on Newegg), and 1,200-watt AX1200i
power supply ($308 on Newegg).
t A 480GB Intel 730 series SSD ($250 on Newegg)
t Windows 10 Pro
To see how hard the 8GB Radeon RX 480 punches, we compared it to
some obvious rivals. The current crop of $200-ish graphics cards are
represented in the form of EVGAs GTX 960 SSC, VisionTeks Radeon R9
380, and Sapphires Radeon R9 380X. Youll also nd results for more
potent cards: The Sapphire Nitro R390, EVGA GTX 970 FTW, MSI Radeon
390X Gaming 8GB, and the reference Nvidia GTX 980. Were not including Radeon RX 480 overclocking results for the reasons stated earlier.
I would have liked to pit the reference AMD RX 480 against reference
versions of each of those cards; but well, I simply didnt have any on
hand. Of particular importance for comparison purposes: note that
the EVGA GTX 970 FTW is a highly overclocked version of the GTX 970,
which puts its overall performance midway between that of the stock
GTX 970 and stock GTX 980. Read Anandtechs EVGA GTX 970 FTW
review (go.pcworld.com/atgeoforcegtx970) if you want deeper details
on how the custom card compares against its stock counterparts.
Beyond the hardware, we test each game with the default graphics
settings unless otherwise noted. But we disable all vendor-specic
special featuressuch as Nvidias GameWorks eects, AMDs TressFX,
and FreeSync/G-Syncto keep things on an even playing eld.
Got it? Good. Lets go.
Next: Testing The Division, Hitman, and more
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
EVGA GTX
960 SSC
26.2
40
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
29.7
43.7
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
33.1
55.4
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
37.5
57.5
AMD Radeon
RX 480
41.4
52.8
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
40.7
57.2
45.5
60
48
0
10
20
30
40
50
1440
60
70
EVGA GTX
960 SSC
44.69
70.99
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
52.21
57.85
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
46.15
60.79
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
47.48
69.95
AMD Radeon
RX 480
57.72
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
57.14
69.27
77.42
65.73
65.51
51.38
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1440
HIGHER = BETTER. SEE PROGRAMMING NOTE ABOUT GTX 960 AND RADEON 380 ON PAGE 62.
80
90
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
EVGA GTX
960 SSC
44.69
44.45
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
52.21
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
47.02
46.15
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
46.4
47.48
60.75
57.72
AMD Radeon
RX 480
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
EVGA GTX
960 SSC
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
60.13
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
59.82
57.85
70.99
61.58
60.79
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
76.29
69.95
AMD Radeon
RX 480
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
DX11
HIGHER = BETTER. SEE PROGRAMMING NOTE ABOUT GTX 960 AND RADEON 380 ON PAGE 62.
80
90
Hitman
The Radeon RX 480 walks into Hitman with a default advantage,
because IO Interactives Glacier engine heavily favors AMD hardware.
Programming note: Hitman automatically caps the games Texture
Quality, Shadow Maps, and Shadow Resolution at medium on cards
with 2GB of onboard memory. The EVGA GTX 970 FTW and VisionTek
R9 380 were thus tested with those lower graphical settings. Ive still
included them in the graphs so you can see the comparative DX11 vs.
EVGA GTX
960 SSC
27.52
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
28.19
38.47
44.76
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
37.1
57.3
52.57
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
56.65
51.22
AMD Radeon
RX 480
59.64
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
50.82
61.05
55.21
66.03
59.25
10
20
30
40
50
Very high
60
70
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
EVGA GTX
960 SSC
42.58
51.91
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
38.03
62.32
50.98
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
81.98
74.63
AMD Radeon
RX 480
81.14
73.41
78.59
69.09
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
85.59
75.05
101.46
90.43
20
40
60
80
100
Very high
DX12 performance on those cards, but note that their results arent a
direct apples-to-apples comparison with the others.
Surprise! The Radeon RX 480 solidly outpunches the overclocked EVGA
970 FTW, and it nishes in a dead heat with the overclocked Sapphire R9
390. That lead increases slightly if you use Hitmans DirectX 12 support,
which results in slightly lower average frame rates for GeForce cards, and
higher average frame rates for AMD cardsbut only if the card has 4GB of
memory or more. Frame rates absolutely tank in DX12 with the 2GB cards.
120
EVGA GTX
960 SSC
42
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
35.1
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
35.6
46
54.5
53.8
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
56.4
AMD Radeon
RX 480
38.8
61.2
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
40
62
41.4
58.3
56.6
10
20
30
40
50
DX11
60
70
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
EVGA GTX
960 SSC
10.7
9.6
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
23.3
20.9
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
27.9
29.3
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
29.3
AMD Radeon
RX 480
24.8
33.4
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
26.7
36
27.9
28.4
29.4
10
15
25
20
30
35
DX11
HIGHER = BETTER
40
$200 card delivering essentially the same frame rates as the GTX 980
and Radeon 390X. Performance gaps widen a bit at 1440p, though.
And the competing $200 graphics cards never once came close to
hanging with the RX 480.
EVGA GTX
960 SSC
34.8
32
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
40.2
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
32.5
45.8
47.2
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
50
AMD Radeon
RX 480
37
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
37.4
54.5
58.3
40.2
49.4
47.9
10
20
30
40
DX11
HIGHER = BETTER
50
60
70
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
like FRAPStheres only a single game with a stellar DX12
implementation to test: Ashes of the Singularity, running on Oxides
custom Nitrous engine.
Ashes was an early standard-bearer for DirectX 12, and its still the
premier game. (Its fun, too!) The performance gains it oers with DX12
over DX11 are eye-openingat least when running on Radeon cards.
The Radeon RX 480 cant compete with the EVGA 970 FTW in
standard DirectX 11 mode. But as with all the rest of AMDs cards,
flipping over to DirectX 12 causes performance to skyrocketso
EVGA GTX
960 SSC
21.1
6.4
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
20
28.2
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
24.3
33.8
35.5
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
35
AMD Radeon
RX 480
28.8
39
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
29.9
40.5
32
35.7
37.4
10
15
20
25
30
DX11
35
40
45
much so that the Radeon RX 480 suddenly nudges out even the
mighty GTX 980 in most tests. Why wouldnt you use DX12 if you
owned this card?
Ashess DX12
implementation makes
heavy use of
asynchronous compute
features, which are
supported by dedicated
hardware in Radeon GPUs,
but not in the older GTX
900-series Nvidia cards. In
fact, the software preemption workaround that Maxwell-based Nvidia
cards use to mimic the async compute capabilities tank performance
so hard that Oxides game is coded to ignore async compute when it
detects a GeForce GPU. Those cards actually perform worse when
running Ashes in DX12.
Speaking of poor performance, the $200 2GB graphics cards from
last generation really cant handle playing at 1440p (or even 1080p, in
DX12) on Ashes crazy preset.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
3.3
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
3.7
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
5.2
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
AMD Radeon
RX 480
6.6
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
7.1
7.9
8.3
0
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
7751
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
7696
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
8377
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
10788
AMD Radeon
RX 480
10451
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
10914
11784
12737
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
EVGA GTX
960 SSC
77.9
308
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
112.3
28.2
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
84.5
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
82
244
247
AMD Radeon
RX 480
90.9
421
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
108.6
483
94.6
256
81.5
0
100
200
300
WATTS
LOAD
IDLE
LOWER = BETTER
400
500
600
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
71
VisionTek Radeon
R9 380
73
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 380X
76
EVGA GTX
970 FTW
72
AMD Radeon
RX 480
82
Sapphire Nitro
Radeon 390
69
86
80
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
DEGREES CELCIUS
100
Radeon RX 480
Fan % setting
RPM
dBA
Fan % Setting
RPM
dBA
40%
1680
31.7
40%
1370
31.7
1890
34.8
1520
32.5
50%
2100
37.6
50%
1780
36.2
55%
2300
40.3
55%
2030
40.5
60%
2500
42.8
60%
2315
45.1
65%
2730
44.9
65%
2590
47.4
idle
1100
25.2
idle
947
26.2
ambient
23.2
ambient
23.1
We dont have
the equipment
to test noise
levels, but
heres an AMDsupplied chart
that compares
the RX 480
with the
reference GTX
970.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
congurations? Yes, DX12 could very well wind up being a major boon
for Radeon cards. But until DX12 and Vulkan games hit the streets in
larger numbers and were able to observe wider trends, buy the RX
480 because it kicks ass today, not for what it mightor might not
do in the future.
Again: Buy the Radeon RX 480 for what it can do today, and consider
all these future-proong technologies a bonus cherry on top.
And I denitely recommend weighing the risks before you pick up
two of these over a $380 GeForce GTX 1070. I only had a single card on
hand, so I couldnt test CrossFire performance, but Radeon chief Raja
Koduri made waves when he ran a demo that
showed dual RX 480s beating a GTX 1080 in the
Ashes of the Singularity benchmark in DX12. But
multi-GPU support has waned over the past
couple of years, with numerous big-name games
patching in CrossFire/SLI late or not at all. DirectX
12s multi-GPU support is being heralded as the
future for extreme system setups, but that puts
the onus on time- and money-deprived
developers to dedicate money and time to
coding in and supporting multi-GPU
congurations.
Frankly, Im skeptical about the future of multi-GPU systems (and
sad about it). Something to keep in mind.
What Im not skeptical about is whether you should buy the Radeon
RX 480. The answers an absolute, unequivocal yes. This is an
unprecedented amount of performance in the $200 price range, and
unprecedented power eciency for AMDs recent GPUs. Even if Nvidia
slashes the price of remaining GTX 970 stocks to $200 to match the
Radeon RX 480s price, Id still recommend AMDs card.
Really, there are only three graphics cards worth considering right
now. If youve got deep pockets, Nvidias $380 GTX 1070 and $600
GTX 1080 oer mind-blowing performance for high-end gaming rigs.
For anything under that, the Radeon RX 480s the only game in town.
What Im not
skeptical about is
whether you should
buy the Radeon RX
480. The answers
an absolute,
unequivocal yes.
unrestricted access to the surface they reside on. None that Ive seen
have fully realized such design goalsuntil now. Lenovos ThinkCentre
X1 (go.pcworld.com/thinkcentrex1) hits those targets dead-on.
This all-in-one is also easy to use and fast enough that if I had to use
it for my everyday computing, Id be perfectly happy. And thats
despite the handful of changes that the ThinkCentre X1 could benet
from, like dierent color-coding for the always-on USB 3.0 port and
the power jack, and options for a 4K UHD display or a touchscreen.
Watch the
video at
go.pcworld.
com/think
centrex1vid
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
Design, ports, and style
5IF5IJOL$FOUSF9DPNFTTUZMFEJOUIFVTVBM-FOPWPDIBSDPBMHBZ
DPMPSTDIFNF
XJUIBJODI
YOPOUPVDIEJTQMBZ
GFBUVSJOHBOBOUJHMBSFDPBUJOH4BJEDPBUJOHXPSLTQSFUUZXFMM
CVUUIJT
particular type reminds me of the haze you get on
NJSSPST5IF9XPVMECFCFUUFSXJUIBGVMMNBUUF
QBOFM
MJLFUIFPOFPO5PTIJCBT;U$ go.
Lenovo
QDXPSMEDPNUPTIJCB;U) laptop. That doesnt
ThinkCentre X1
EFUBDUGSPNUIF5IJOL$FOUSF9TFYDFMMFOUEFTJHO
though.
AT A GLANCE
5IFLFZBTQFDUPGTVDITVDDFTTJTUIF9TTUBOE*UT
This all-in-one doesnt sport
base is so thin that you can treat it as part of the
bleeding edge technology, but
XPSLTVGBDF:FUUIF9HJWFTOPGFFMJOHPG
it performs well. Its also the
best AIO weve seen when it
instabilityit should withstand being pushed around
comes to saving space,
for repositioning without falling over.
reducing clutter, and
Another two factors are the units wide range of
maximizing desk access.
tilt, and the low amount of pressure needed to adjust
it. The result is hassle-free access to anything youve
stored behind the machine, and less frustration when
connecting cables or dongles to the rear ports.
"GVUIFSTJHOPGUIF9TUIPVHIUGVMEFTJHOJTUIF
BSBOHFNFOUPGJUTQPUTBOETXJUDIFT&WFZUIJOH
youre likely to leave plugged in connects to the back
of the system: gigabit ethernet, Kensington lock
QPU
QPXFSKBDL
BCJEJSFDUJPOBM%JTQMBZ1PUQPU
BOEUISFF64#QPUT'PSNPSFEBJMZVTF
ZPVMMmOE
UXP64#QPUT POFPGXIJDIJTBMXBZTPO
GPS
charging purposes), a combination headphone/
microphone jack, and a media card slot on the lower
left-hand side.
0OUIFMPXFSSJHIUIBOETJEFPGUIF9BSFUIF
power button, mute button for the microphone, and
computer/display switch. The latter is there because
UIFCJEJSFDUJPOBM%JTQMBZ1PUDPOOFDUPSHJWFTUIF
PROS
t4VQFSTQBDFTBWJOHEFTJHO
t$PNQBUJCMFXJUI7&4"NPVOUT
t(PPEQFGPSNBODFXJUI44%
configuration
t&YDFMMFOUQPUBOEGFBUVSF
arrangement
CONS
t"MXBZTPO64#QPUDBOCF
confused with power jack
t/P64#
5ZQF$
PS1$*F
M.2
The ThinkCentre
X1 is thin, and
quite light at
8.8-pounds sans
stand.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
thin, youll likely be able to see the cords, especially as its chrome.
Black might have been a better choice for the wire-haters out there.
The ThinkCentre
X1 tilts to far
greater angles
than the average
AIO, and doing so
doesnt take a lot
of force.
desktop tower with a full socketed part (and three years old, at that.)
Gaming on the ThinkCentre X1 is slightly below what youd expect
for its integrated HD 520 graphics. In 3DMarks Cloud Gate
benchmark, which is a synthetic DX11 test designed for typical
home desktop systems and laptops, the X1 netted an overall score
of 4,946. While thats a little surprising, it again likely has to do with
how Lenovo tweaked the fan proles.
However, even if the X1 had matched other Core i5-6200U systems
scores, that wouldnt change the fact that this all-in-one is only good
enough for lightweight games. As for video playback, 4K UHD les
played quite smoothly, as long as they were H.264 and not HEVC
(H.265) or 60 frames per second
The Thinkcentre X1s SSD, a Samsung MZ7LN256HCHP-000L1, has
a middling write speed of a little less than 300MBps, but it reads at
a reasonable pace of 500MBps. To be fair, while faster SSDs are
available, this kind of throughput speed is still light years better
than a hard-disk drive.
One aspect of the X1 that could be better is its speakers. Theres
Dolby software on board to enhance the sound, but its still a bit
weak. Youll denitely want to use headphones or hook it up to a
sound system.
The ThinkCentre
X1s ports are
perfectly
arranged and
situated, though
we wish the
always-on USB
port (not shown)
werent the same
yellow as the
power jack.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
2720
HP Spectre x2
(Core m7-6Y75)
2385
3618
Lenovo ThinkCentre X1
(Core i5-6200U)
2615
3893
Samsung Notebook 9
(Core i5-6200U)
2642
Surface Pro 4
(Core i5-6300U)
2353
0
400
800
1200
1600
2000
2400
2800
3200
3600
4000
6839
HP Spectre x2
(Core m7-6Y75)
9898
2880
Lenovo ThinkCentre X1
(Core i5-6200U)
7707
3059
Samsung Notebook 9
(Core i5-6200U)
11818
Surface Pro 4
(Core i5-6300U)
6428
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
14000
5609
HP Spectre x2
(Core m7-6Y75 / HD 515 Graphics)
4507
11999
Lenovo ThinkCentre X1
(Core i5-6200U / HD 520 Graphics)
4946
Samsung Notebook 9
(Core i5-6200U / HD 520 Graphics)
5658
Surface Pro 4
(Core i5-6300U / HD 520 Graphics)
5668
0
2000
4000
6000
8000
10000
12000
Input ergonomics
The keyboard and mouse provided by Lenovo are usable. They likely
wont beat out anything you already love, but they have enough heft
that they dont feel cheap. Theyre also wireless, so there are no cables
to litter the clean desktop space generated by the X1s design.
14000
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
who dislike warranties that make you surrender defective hardware.
One more plus for the ThinkCentre: The users guide shows you how
to repair and upgrade the X1, which is quite easy. Im a little tired of
vendors who say there are no user-serviceable parts when a mere halfdozen screws would allow access. Kudos to Lenovo.
Conclusion
To be perfectly honest, Id like to see Lenovo take the outstanding
basic ThinkCentre X1 design and realize it to the max: a 4K UHD
display, a PCIe-NVMe SSD, Type C USB 3.1, anda red (not yellow)
always-on USB port.
As it stands, however, 1080p is all most users need. The ThinkCentre
X1 is easily fast enough, and forking over one $1,000 bill (instead of
two) for a computer is more in line with the average budget. So lets
forget the wish list and just say that if youre looking for a solidperforming, exceptionally well-designed all-in-one, this machine
should be your starting point. And probably ending point.
Look Ma! No
wires. Actually,
you will see
some such as
the power cord
and ethernet
cable, which
are not shown
here.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
Time Spy isnt Futuremarks rst DirectX 12 benchmark; that honor
goes to the API Overhead Feature Test (go.pcworld.com/
apioverheadtest) released in March 2015. But the Overhead Feature Test
merely measured draw call performance in DirectX 11 versus DirectX 12
(or the now-defunct Mantle). Time Spy is a full-blown benchmark
composed of several subtests that factor into an overall combined score.
Its the DX12 equivalent of Fire Strike, basically.
And it lets you test with asynchronous compute both enabled and
disabled, which leads to some interesting insights. More on those in a bit.
Better yet: Time Spys coming to all versions of 3DMark, including the
Basic Edition thats free for personal, noncommercial use. (You can
download it on Futuremarks site, go.pcworld.com/3dmarkgamers
benchmk, or by clicking the Download demo button on 3DMarks Steam
page, go.pcworld.com/3dmarksteampg.) Time to start your engines,
folksat least if you have Windows 10.
Vertices
3DMark Fire Strike
Graphics test 1
3,900,000
2,600,000
30,000,000
40,000,000
Triangles
5,100,000
5,800,000
Tessellation
patches
Computer shader
invocations
500,000
240,000
1,500,000
8,100,000
13,500,000
800,000
70,000,000
14,000,000
2,400,000
70,000,000
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
in the linked-node conguration, which essentially performs similarly
to SLI or CrossFire, but allows the benchmark to pool the resources of
the two graphics cards; explicit synchronization between CPU, GPU,
multiple GPUs, and multiple GPU queues; and several other underthe-hood tricks like resource binding and data heaps, all running in a
custom engine.
Time Spys actually broken up into a trio of tests running at
2560x1440 resolution in the ocial benchmark conguration. It starts
o with two graphics-focused tests that stress your GPU in diering
ways while minimizing the CPU load, to get as much of a pure GPU
result as possible.
The rst graphics test (pictured below) stars the titular time spy
wandering through a museum that features artifacts and weapons
from throughout time and space, complete with easter-egg-style
nods to other 3DMark benchmarks and games like Halo, Far Cry, and
Deus Ex. This rst test focuses more on rendering of transparent
elements, according to Futuremark.
The second graphics test pans and zooms throughout the same
museum, showing dierent areas illuminated by dierent light sources
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
experience. For
W graphics + W cpu
Time Spy Score =
example, doubling the
W graphics W cpu
CPU speed in a system
+
S graphics S cpu
with an entry-level
Where:
graphics card doesnt
W graphics = The Graphics score weight, equal to 0.85
help much in games
= The CPU score weight, equal to 0.15
W cpu
since the system is
S graphics = Graphics test score
already limited by the
= CPU test score
S cpu
GPU. Likewise for a
system with a highend graphics card paired with an underpowered CPU.
Got it? Good. Lets see how several modern graphics cards compare
in Time Spy.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
hardware inside Radeon graphics cards shines in this test. Excluding
the ridonkulously powerful GTX 1070, Radeon hardware dominates
Nvidias GeForce cards in this DirectX 12-focused test, lending yet
more credence to the idea that AMDs cards have an advantage in
next-generation graphics technologies. Even the $200 RX 480
thoroughly trounces the GTX 980. (Note that Nvidia tends to hold an
advantage in DirectX 11 performance, however, which still accounts
for the vast majority of game releases.)
The CPU scores are largely similar across the board, but were using a
$1,000, eight-core Core i7-5960X. Theres a decent chance wed see
more variance in a system with a weaker processor, as closer to the
metal APIs like DirectX 12 show larger performance increases in
systems that are CPU-bound.
Heres the thing, though: Time Spy leans heavily on asynchronous
compute to overlap rendering passes to maximize GPU utilization,
which naturally favors the dedicated hardware in Radeon graphics
cards. While many DX12 games will feature async compute, its not a
3611
3971
7334
3674
4299
7451
4001
4554
7211
4276
4837
7342
4563
5742
7199
5545
0
GPU
1000
CPU
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
OVERALL
8000
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
with async compute both enabled and disabled.
Now isnt that interesting.
Nvidias GTX 970 and GTX 980 see very minor graphics score
decreases running Time Spy with async compute disabled, but remain
static for the most part. Meanwhile, the GTX 1070 sees a larger
decrease (while still dominating overall), indicating that the async
improvements Nvidia built into the Pascal GPU indeed make a
dierence.
But the graphics scores for AMDs cards positively plummet, driving
home just how important the dedicated async shaders are for Radeon
graphics cardsat least in DX12 games that take advantage of asynchronous compute. With async compute disabled, the Radeon cards
tumble back down to relatively equal scores with their Nvidia counter-
3590
7364
3647
7431
3598
7358
3692
7355
3944
7356
5221
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
CPU
6000
7000
8000
3647
3674
3598
4001
3692
4276
3944
4563
5221
5545
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
Async disabled
parts, similar to what wed see if testing these cards in DirectX 11.
Also compare the CPU scores between the two runs. Its clearly
dependent on the GPUs async compute scheduling in some way,
resulting in a fairly big dierence when async compute is disabled.
6000
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
A WIRELESS KEYBOARD frees you from more than a cable. It frees you
from the crummy slab you got for free with your Windows PCdoes
anyone like that one?and it gives you options. The models weve
reviewed vary in size, weight, key design, and compatibility with other
operating systems and devices.
This is one category where it really pays to head to a store and try
out a model youre interested in. When we had our stack of keyboards
in for review, people couldnt help but touch and play with them. They
all came with dierent needs and biases. Theres truly no one size to
t all, but our reviews aim to give you enough specics to make a
sound decision. See the next page for more on how we tested.
Iogears Quietus RF Desktop (go.pcworld.com/
quietusrf) was quieter than some of the models we
tested, though not all of them, so dont focus on that
BEST WIRELESS KEYBOARD
selling point as much as the overall package: a nicely
Quietus RF Desktop
designed, well-equipped keyboard with the bonus of a
This keyboard is, indeed, fairly
wireless mouse, all for a very reasonable price.
quiet, but we appreciated the
Typing on this chiclet-style model, we enjoyed
terrific travel and satisfying
terric travel and a satisfying (and fairly quiet)
feedback of the keys even
clicking sound. The 12 hotkeys, including instant
more. The bundled wireless
access to track management, volume handling, and
mouse is a nice bonus. Read
sleep mode, are especially handy.
PCWorlds full review (go.
It uses just one AAA battery, which is supposed to
pcworld.com/quietusrev).
last for up to a year.
$40
Despite its higher list price compared to the Iogear
Quietus RF Desktop, Microsofts Wireless 900 Desktop
(go.pcworld.com/mswireless900) costs basically the
same if you shop around. Like the Iogear model, this
RUNNER-UP
one also bundles a wireless mouse.
Wireless 900 Desktop
Its the runner-up primarily because it doesnt have
The Wireless 900 offers an
as many hotkeys as the Iogear model, although it does
impressive amount of
have eight programmable keys. The other downer for
customization via software, and
us is the spacebar, which emits a loud thwack when
its also nice to type on save for
pressed. Considering this buttons constant use, that
one key. Read PCWorlds full
thwack could get annoying fast.
review (go.pcworld.com/ms
Wed criticize the Microsoft keyboards use of two
wireless900rev).
AAA batteries versus the Iogears one, but those
batteries are supposed to last twice as longfor up
$50
to two years.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
How we tested
It was hands-on all the way with our keyboard testing. We spent at
least one full workday typing exclusively on each model we tested,
with follow-up time to allow for a learning curve. We assessed the
primary typing experience: key design, typing feel, and even noisiness.
We also tried the secondary features: hotkeys, switches and dials on
multi-platform models, and even the ability to adjust the angle or
other comfort characteristics.
Iogear Quietus
RF Desktop
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
even programmable keys, are great bonuses, especially for power users.
Adjustability: Some keyboards oer no adjustment for angle or
height. Look for models with adjustable legs or feet. We havent
included ergonomic models in this round of reviews.
Battery needs: All wireless keyboards use batteries. Check closely
for the type and number of batteries you need, and whether a starter
set is included. We note the vendors specied battery life at the top
of each review.
Price: When its so easy to get a keyboard for free, it can be hard to
justify actually buying one. The good news is, you can get a solid
model for as little as $40, including some of the ones weve reviewed.
We show the MSRP for each model, but of course you can often nd it
for less at online or brick-and-mortar stores.
AT A GLANCE
Logitech K380
Multi-Device Bluetooth
Keyboard
HP K3510 Wireless
Keyboard
(go.pcworld.com/k380rev)
(go.pcworld.com/hp
k3510rev)
$60
$40
$30
Microsoft Designer
Bluetooth Desktop
Kensington KP400
Switchable Keyboard
Adesso Keyboard
Model WKB-2200UB
(go.pcworld.com/
msdesignerrev)
(go.pcworld.com/kp
400rev)
(go.pcworld.com/wkb
2200ubrev)
$100
$60
$30
Watch the
video at
go.pcworld.
com/acer
chromebook
14vid
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
The Chromebook 14s best features
The Chromebook 14 (go.pcworld.com/acerchromebook14) is Acers
rst all-aluminum model, with a brushed nish.
Acer touts the all-aluminum chassis on the
Chromebook 14, and for good reason. Amid a pile of
Acer Chromebook 14
plastic competitors, the brushed-metal shell looks
rened and feels great. Of course, the material is also
CB3-431-C5FM
durable and light, making the Chromebook 14 a
AT A GLANCE
comfortable 3.42 pounds by Acers specication. The
Acers Chromebook 14 has a
AC adapter (the typical black brick) and cables weigh
few things to brag about: Its
an additional 0.55 pounds. The laptops dimensions
brushed-aluminum chassis and
are a trim 13.3 x 9.31 x 0.67 inches.
high-resolution display make it
Encased within the lids slender bezel is an
stand out among other
JNQSFTTJWFJODI
Y-&%CBDLMJU*14EJTQMBZ
affordable models, even if
Chromebooks have a reputation for mediocre screens,
other features remain pretty
with limited brightness and viewing angles. Most have
basic.
a resolution of just 1366x768, which suces on an
PROS
11-inch display but starts to look ridiculous when
stretched over a 14-inch display. The Acer
Chromebook 14s screen looks crisp and has a good
maximum brightness (236 nits by our measurement).
The 170-degree viewing angle means its readable
from all sides, and the anti-glare coating is another
big plus.
A higher-resolution display does use more battery.
We logged 8.82 hours of life from the Chromebook
TDFMM
N"IQBDL
VTJOH$S9135T
benchmark. Thats a good amount of time, though
not as long as Acers promise of up to 12 hours.
I never expect to like a laptops speakers, which is
why those in the Acer Chromebook 14 deserve
mention for being surprisingly good. The dual set,
nestled underneath the left and right sides, provide
t4UVSEZ
CFBVUJGVMBMVNJOVN
shell
t)JHISFTPMVUJPOEJTQMBZXJUI
wide viewing angles
t4VSQSJTJOHMZHPPETQFBLFST
CONS
t,FZCPBSEJTIBSEQMBTUJDXJUIB
harsh throw
t-JNJUFEQFGPSNBODFXJUI
graphics-intensive
applications
$299
good bass and stereo eects. You might still plug in external
headphones, but at least your laptop wont sound like a cyberchipmunk if you have to use its speakers for a presentation.
You also cant argue with the Chromebook 14s connectivity. It has
Bluetooth 4.2 for the latest in close-range performance and privacy.
Wi-Fi covers every available flavor with dual-band 2x2 MIMO
802.11ac/a/b/g/n.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
Direct connectivity is limited to just two USB 3.0 ports (rstgeneration, meaning a 5Gbps transfer rate) and an HDMI port. While
the 32GB of eMMC storage is nice, I think a lot of users will miss an SD
card slottheres none on this machine.
The Chromebook
14 has an IPS
display of
1920x1080 with
170-degree
viewing angles.
The Acer
Chromebook
14 has dual
speakers on
either side of
the bottom
panel. They
provide
surprisingly
good sound.
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
comprehensive browser benchmark. The tests cover web-based
technologies including WebGL 1.0.2 and WebGL 2.0 real-time graphics,
as well as JavaScript. All three Chromebooks posted close scores, but
the Chromebook 14 was a tad slower despite having a faster chip.
(Note: We couldnt add the Dell to the Basemark chart, as it was
tested with Basemarks predecessor, Browsermark.)
Googles Octane 2.0 JavaScript benchmark simulates advanced
browser-based activities, including productivity applications, games,
and interactive content. The Chromebook 14 posted slightly lower
scores than its cohort, basically a certicate of attendance. Look at
97.54
100.61
Acer Chromebook 14
(Celeron N3160 @ 1.6 GHz)
95.83
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
8,004
8,701
Dell Chromebook 13
(Celeron 320U @ 1.5GHz)
14,739
Acer Chromebook 14
(Celeron N3160 @ 1.6 GHz)
7,995
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
4,070
4,060
Dell Chromebook 13
(Celeron 320U @ 1.5GHz)
5,130
Acer Chromebook 14
(Celeron N3160 @ 1.6 GHz)
4,010
0
1,000
2,000
3,000
4,000
5,000
6,000
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
The Room 2
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
Layers of Fear
Duskers
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
Deadbolt
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
Shardlight
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
Goetia
10
Infra
REVIEWS
& RATINGS
BONUS!
Okay, one more. A bonus pick! And I shouldnt even put the game on
this list because it already cracked into our best PC games of 2016
(so far) (go.pcworld.com/bestpcgames2016) list.
Damn it, thoughStephens Sausage Roll ($30 on Steam [store.
steampowered.com/app/353540]) is great. And theres also a good
chance you missed it, because it looks like a crappy Shockwave game
from fteen years ago. Yes, Shockwave. Not even Flash. If you want a
puzzler thatll twist your brain into knots and also make you
strangely hungry for sausages though? Pick this game up.
AdoptUSKids.org
IN
THE
WANT
USERS
WINDOWS
ANNIVERSARY
UPDATE
B Y
M A R K
H A C H M A N
FEATURE
WINDOWS 10:
UNIVERSAL
DARK THEME
FEATURE
WHY CANT
CORTANA
SHUT DOWN MY PC
About 8,000 people want Cortana to exert more
ne-grained control over their PCs, namely the
ability to shut down a machine via voice
command.
Its not quite clear whether Microsoft plans to
bring such control to Windows 10 with the
Anniversary Update. Several
Cortana improvements have
already appeared as part of the
Insider Build, including voiceactivated assistance from the
lock screen.
But consider this: We all know
the frustration of having
Windows shut down a PC
unexpectedly to apply updates;
this feature could compound
that. True, the action would be
tied to a voice command, but
imagine that capability in the hands of a
pranksteran obnoxious coworker, for instance,
or even a YouTuber who might suddenly order
your PC to shut down at the end of a video. Orally
waking up the PCas Microsoft has done with
the Xbox One and which Intel showed o last
year (go.pcworld.com/w10cortana)is probably
a more desirable trick.
DRIVERS
WITHOUT
WITHOUT EXPRESS USER PERMISSION
More than 7,000 people believe that Windows 10 should never,
ever update drivers (especially graphics drivers) without a users
permission.
Normally, a driver update happens automatically: Windows scans
your system, and if it detects a new, certied driver, it downloads and
installs it, no questions asked. We generally consider this to be a good
thing, as updated drivers typically provide upgraded performance.
Some gamers, though, feel
dierently. Certain drivers
work best for certain hardware,
device congurations, device
BIOS congurations, and
certain games, accordng to
user Toni F. When playing an
online fast-paced action game,
the user wants the best
experience possible. No
glitches, no lags etc...There is
NO WAY one driver version can
solve all problems for every
conguration there is. The
LATEST is most often NOT THE GREATEST!
Comments on the Feedback Hub suggest that most users
actually wouldnt mind having driver updates turned on by
default; but they at least want a toggle to disable the feature (or
possibly revert to an older driver) if they so choose.
Unfortunately, theres been nothing in the Insider previews to
indicate this is coming.
FEATURE
PAGE HISTORY
IN MICROSOFT EDGE
In 1987, IBM unveiled its
next big step in the IBM PC
space, the Personal
System/2 (PS/2) line, which
introduced innovations
such as 3.5-inch floppy
support, VGA graphics,
OS/2, the Micro Channel
bus, 72-pin RAM SIMMs,
integrated mouse support
(through the now-famous
PS/2 mouse/keyboard
ports), and most
importantly, IBMs rst 386based PC. The 386 arrived in
the highest-end PS/2 unit, the Model 80, which
shipped in a hulking tower-based conguration
that could support up to 2MB of RAM and two
115MB hard drives (consumer hard drives were
typically about 20MB at the time, and still very
expensive).
Like all IBM PCs back then, the Model 80 was
built like a tank (out of high-quality components
and materials) and carried with it a tank-like price
to match: $10,995, which could quickly go up to
$20,000 or more depending on the conguration.
To add insult to injury, customers had to buy an
operating system (PC-DOS 3.3) for their Model 80
as an add-on item. Thatll be $120 extra, please.
NO MORE FORCED
UPDATES!!
FEATURE
UNIFIED EMAIL
INBOX
MAKE CORTANA
PERSONAL, AND CONTEXTUAL
FEATURE
A BUILTIN PASSWORD
DOWNLOAD LOCATIONS
IN MICROSOFT EDGE
Over 8,500 users requested greater control over where Edge downloads
are stored, and Microsoft has complied.
Its not easy to nd, though: To congure it, youll need to access the
Downloads tab via the three uneven blue lines (see the screenshot
below). Then click the Downloads icon. From there, select the blue
hyperlink, Open Folder. That will open the Downloads folder itself. Rightclick on any white space, select Properties, and youll have the option of
selecting where any downloads are automatically stored. That doesnt
seem to include OneDrive, but could be an external drive. You can also
right-click on a link from within Edge and manually select the location to
which its saved.
FEATURE
ONEDRIVE
PLACEHOLDERS
digital edition
FEATURE
FEATURE
ROUNDING THINGS UP
For this roundup, I focused on headphone models priced less than
$300. I then solicited some advice from Harman Internationals
Director of Acoustic Research, Dr. Sean Olive (seanolive.blogspot.com),
who is also a former president of the Audio Engineering Society (aes.
org/aes/seanolive). Dr. Olive and his colleagues have been at the
forefront of headphone research, and Harman provided a number of
headphones for this evaluation.
After auditioning them, I settled on the JBL Reflect Mini in-ear
monitors (IEMs), the AKG N60 NC (noise-cancelling) on-ear
AT A GLANCE
JBL Everest
Elite 700
headphones
JBL Reflect
Mini in-ear
headphones
AKG N60
NC on-ear
headphones
MSRP $300
MSRP $60
MSRP $249
Harman provided a
wide variety of
headphones from
its AKG, Harman/
Kardon, and JBL
brand portfolio.
FEATURE
P H OTO G R A P H BY T H EO N I CO L A K I S
INEARMONITORS
In-ear-monitors t into your ear with either a silicone or foam tip. As
with most IEMs that I own or have tried, the JBLs were light and
comfortableto the point where Id forget I was even wearing them.
My biggest complaint with IEMs at this price point is that you get a
smaller sound stage and concede some of the dynamics, richness, and
sweetness youll typically get with on-ear or over-the-ear models. Bass
can also be hit or miss.
Getting a tight seal with IEMs is very important because the bass
response youll get is dependent on that seal. If the seal is too loose,
bass will sound anemic. While IEMs are great for orchestral, jazz, and
even certain kinds of pop and rock, they wouldnt be my go-to phones
I M AG E : T H EO N I CO L A K I S
AKGs N60
headphones
fold for easy
travel
ONEAR HEADPHONES
For me, on-ear headphones (also called supra-aural) can be hit or miss.
FEATURE
Some models are too tight and others far too loose. While tight-tting
models can help block out external noise, they can become fatiguing
and painful to wear for extended periods. The AKG N60s (go.pcworld.
com/akgn60nc), however, felt just right. They were super light and
comfortableeven for very long listening sessions.
Another advantage of on-ear headphones is that they give you close
to the sound quality of over-the-ear headphones in a more compact
form factor. In fact, many models,
including the AKG N60, fold for travel.
Whether it was Adeles Hello,
U2s Songs of Innocence, or Holly
Coles Best of, the AKG N60s
eortlessly reproduced just about
any artist or genre I threw at them.
NOISECANCELLING
HEADPHONES
On-ear-headphones tend to be at
a disadvantage in noisy environments. For that reason, some models, including the N60, feature active
noise cancellation: They generate
background noise thats roughly an
inverse sound wave to the noise you
want to eliminate.
Not all noise cancelling
Noise cancellation isnt just for on-ear models. Some
techniques are the same. Aimed at
over the ear models, such as JBLs Everest Elite 700s
air travelers, the AKG N60s noise
feature active noise cancellation, too.
cancelling targets lower frequencies
to cancel out most of the aircrafts engine noise. I can say from rsthand experience that the eect is quite impressive. In contrast, the
JBL Everest Elite are focused on a broader commuting and at-home
audience, so they employ a wider noise-cancellation spectrum.
P H OTO G R A P H BY T H EO N I CO L A K I S
Over-the-ear
headphones,
such as those
of the JBL
Everest Elite
700 pictured
here, typically
feature plush,
large ear cups
that seal out
ambient noise
for a lower
noise floor
when listening
to music.
While the eects might at rst seem magical, there are denite
drawbacks that I noticed immediately. First, enabling active noise
cancelling on any headphonenot just the AKG N60 or JBL Everest
Elite 700created a noticeable pressure on my ears. While this
sensation might not bother some, it certainly bothered me and
reminded me why Ive never liked noise-cancelling headphones.
Second, active noise cancelling eects the soundstage and
(depending on the model) the musical presentation. For example,
activating active noise cancellation immediately recessed the
soundstage, making the overall presentation more relaxed. I found that
it also thinned out the music. The eect was far more noticeable (and
bothersome to me) in quiet environments as opposed to noisy ones.
All in all, while I know many people love active noise-cancelling
headphones, I much prefer a good seal (aka passive noise cancellation).
OVERTHEEAR HEADPHONES
Over the ear headphones (also known as circumaural or full-sized
headphones) are an audiophile gold standard for good reason. This
P H OTO G R A P H BY T H EO N I CO L A K I S
FEATURE
type of headphone fully covers your ear. Open-back designs let you
hear your surroundings. Closed-back models help seal out ambient
noise and prevent sound from leaking into the environment (and
nearby microphones, if youre in a recording studio). Several times
while I was wearing the JBL Everest Elite 700s (go.pcworld.com/
jbleverest700), I was completely unaware that someone was speaking
to me. I just didnt hear them. Circumaural headphones signicantly
lower the noise floor, allowing you to hear more details and get
deeper into the music.
On a nearly 11-hour transatlantic flight I recently took, for example,
I measured 94dB of cabin noise using a SPL (sound-pressure level
meter). The JBL Reflect Minis (with the Comply memory-foam tips)
and the JBL Everest Elite 700 did the best job of isolating my ears from
that cabin noise. I preferred listening to music and movies, however,
through the over-the-ear JBLs because of the superior overall sound
quality.
Music comes from a wide, expansive soundstage with either openor closed-back circumaurals. Instruments take on a larger, more lifelike
feel. This was certainly the case with the JBL Everest Elite 700.
Orchestral works in particular benet, but so does R&B. The larger
Over-the-ear
headphones are
typically far
larger than
on-ear models.
WE RECOMMEND
While they arent the best for travel or an active lifestyle, over-the-ear
headphones deliver the best balance of sound quality, noise isolation,
and comfort. In-ear monitors deliver the best overall price/
performance ratio, and they can be great for jogging or workout
sessions. A good pair of on-ear headphones, which let your ears
breathe, can be worn comfortably during long listening sessions, and
models with active noise cancellation go a long way to making up for
the reduced isolation those models typically provide.
Each type of headphone comes with its own pros and cons; and in
an ideal world, wed all be able to have all three types at our disposal.
Everything else being equal, if your budget limits you to one type,
wed recommend circumaural cans over anything else.
F]Xcck_\k_`e^jJ_\Xj[f^`jkiX`e\[kf[f#
k_\dfjk`dgfikXek`jfg\e`e^[ffij%
For more than 30 years, Canine Companions for
donation, volunteering,
www.cci.org or call
1-800-572-BARK.
HERES
HOW
150 3 hidden Android
customization
settings you need
to try
155 How to use AMDs
WattMan, the
powerful new
overclocking tool
for Radeon graphics
cards
172 Hassle-Free PC
When browser
cookies go bad: How
to avoid bad header
problems on favorite
websites
176 Answer Line
The hidden
challenges of
booting from a
USB flash drive
HERES
HOW
3 hidden Android
customization settings
you need to try
Unlock the System UI Tuner to hide and reveal status-bar icons,
rearrange the Quick Settings buttons, and more.
BY LINCOLN SPECTOR
IF YOUVE EVER been annoyed by the clutter of icons along the top of
your Android home screen, good news: Theres something you can do
about it.
Turns out theres a trio of secret settings for customizing the
Android user interface, and one of them will let you hide or reveal
icons in the status bar. You can also rearrange the buttons on the
Quick Settings pull-down on Android as well as make a small but
important tweak to the Android battery meter.
You wont nd any of these settings by poking around the standard
Settings screen. Instead, youll need to unlock the hidden System UI
Tuner rst. Heres how to do it.
Hold the Settings button for long enough, and a little wrench icon
will appear next to the Settings button. Once you see the wrench, tap
the Settings button again, then scroll all the way down to a new
Settings sectionthe one marked System UI Tuner.
When you rst launch the System UI Tuner, youll see a warning that
reads (in part) that these features may change, break, or disappear in
future releases and to proceed with caution. Tap on Got It to
continueand dont worry, you can always disable the System UI Tuner
if youd rather not mess with such experimental Android settings.
After you dismiss the warning, youll have access to the System UI
Tuner settings. Lets take a tour, shall we?
Tap Quick Settings from the main System UI Tuner screen, and youll
see the standard panel of Quick Settings buttons.
To move a button, tap and hold it, then drag it over another button
to make the two switch places. To hide a button from the Quick
Settings panel, tap and hold it, then drag it to the Delete icon. To put
any deleted buttons back, tap Add Tile, then tap the name of a button.
If you want to revert to the old Quick Settings buttons, tap the
three-dot menu button in the top right corner of the screen, then
tap Reset.
You can
rearrange or
hide any of the
Quick Settings
buttons you
wish, all with a
little help from
the System UI
Tuner.
HERES HOW
A simple System
UI Tuner setting
will add a
percentage
reading on the
Android battery
icon.
HERES HOW
I M AG ES : T H OM A S RYA N
HERES HOW
Best of all, if you see something weird on the graphlike a big clock
speed drophovering your mouse over the issue will bring up the
stats for that specic point in time. If youre trying to troubleshoot a
cooling or performance problem, WattMans graphing feature is a
godsend.
A thoughtful twist on this performance-tracking feature is the ability
to use it globally or with only specic applications. AMDs per-app
Prole settings allow you to use WattMan to prole performance while
a specic game is running for up to 20 minutes at a time. Select the
game you want to prole, enable the Histogram option for it, and
A histogram
tracking the
Radeon RX 480s
behavior in Far
Cry Primals
specic Prole
WattMan
settings.
For most people, that means overclocking the top clock state into
the highest possible stable speed, up from the RX 480s normal
1,266MHz boost state. But before you do that, youll want to increase
the cards power limit as much as possible.
The power limit slider dictates the amount of power that your
graphics card will allow itself to draw. If you increase it, you can reduce
power consumptionrelated throttlingwhich can lead to higher
stable overclocksand if you decrease it you can reduce overall power
consumption. During our testing, we found that the RX 480
HERES HOW
Chill out
So now you know how to overclock the Radeon RX 480, and what to
expect when using the tools. But WattMan tinkering with the goal of
improving power eciency shouldnt be overlooked, especially given
the unorthodox power consumption (go.pcworld.com/rx480x) of RX
480 reference cards.
Merely setting the PowerTune limit to 20 percent transforms the
RX 480 into a signicantly more ecient graphics card, with only a tiny
hit to performance, as I detailed in an examination of the RX 480s
HERES HOW
Memory boost
With a power-sipping under-volt or perhaps even a bit of an overclock
Fine-tuning
Finally, AMDs WattMan lets you dene the RX 480s most noticeable
characteristics. You can manually set minimum and maximum fan
speeds, a minimum acoustic limit, and maximum and target
temperatures.
AMDs stock settings for all of these are actually pretty good, but
you can tweak them to your hearts content. If youre overclocking,
youll probably want to increase the RX 480s target temperature by
three to ve degrees to reduce potential thermal throttling while the
card cranks away at higher clocks.
Likewise, youll want to raise the target fan speed from the default
2,200 revolutions per minute (rpm) maximum to ensure your RX 480
stays cool under the increased heat. But dont take this too far, because
the RX 480s blower-style cooler sounds like a ferocious hair dryer when
its spinning at 100 percent fan speed. Our recommendation: Set the
HERES HOW
Bottom line
AMDs WattMan is a major step forward for Radeon overclocking, and
a stellar in-driver tool for gamers looking to get the most out of their
new RX 480 graphics cards. If youve picked up AMDs new mainstream
champion and havent played around with WattMan yet, the only
thing I have to say to you is, U Watt Man?
Because I just had to make a joke about that horrendous name.
Importing &
parsing data
If you copy a block of data
from a webpage, a word
processing le, or other
text le, then paste into
Excel using the Paste >
Special > Text command,
all the data is dumped
into a column of single
cells. This means the
records are copied into
separate rows, but all of
the elds are in one cell.
What a mess! Now what?
1. Copy paste data from
external source into Excel.
Note: It looks like the
data spills over into the
adjacent columns, but
only the rst column
contains the pasted
information.
2. Select Data > Text To
Columns. In the Convert
Text To Columns Wizard
HERES HOW
HERES HOW
HASSLE-FREE PC
HERES
HOW
BY IAN PAUL
Have you ever been refused service at a website you frequent with
an error message that says, 400 Bad Request. Request Header or
Cookie Too Large?
Chrome
Open a new tab and then type the following into your address bar:
chrome://settings/cookies and hit Enter.
A small window will appear called Cookies And Site Data. Type the
name of the website you need to target into the search bar in that
window. In my case its blogs.microsoft.com.
Once the oending site appears in the main part of the window,
highlight it, and then press the red X on the far right. Now try going to
the problematic site again.
If that still doesnt work, go back to the cookies tab and delete any
entries for the parent site (in this case its Microsoft.com). Now go
back to the oending site one last time and everything should be
working ne.
Firefox
To delete specic cookies on Firefox, type about:preferences#privacy
into the address bar and hit Enter. Now from the privacy tab that
Internet Explorer
Click the Settings cog in the upper right corner of the browser
window and select Internet Options from the drop-down menu. In
the small window that opens go to General > Browsing History >
Settings > View Files.
This little trick will open a File Explorer window at the location where
IE saves its cookies. Now search the folder you just opened in File
Explorer for the site in question. Then delete the cookies you need to
get rid of just like you would any other le: Click and drag the les into
the Recycle Bin, or right-click the les and select Delete.
Microsoft Edge
Microsofts newest browser doesnt have the same granular options that
the other browser doat least that I could nd. In this case, youll have to
delete all your cookies and saved website data to get rid of the problem.
Firefoxs
cookies
window.
HERES HOW
Deleting
cookies in Edge
is currently all or
nothing.
ANSWER LINE
HERES
HOW
BY LINCOLN SPECTOR
and the only alternative boot media we have uses USBusually a flash
drive. And that can cause trouble.
Todays PCs come with a lot of protectionwhich is goodbut it
can get in the way. Somewhere in your BIOS setup screen, youll almost
certainly nd a Secure Boot option. If you cant boot from a flash drive,
turn it o. (The method varies from PC to PC, but Chris Homan oers
some general guidance (go.pcworld.com/linuxsecureboot) in his
article on installing Linux on a PC with Secure Boot.)
Another issue: Most of todays motherboards use UEFI instead of the
old-fashioned BIOS, and an operating system that doesnt support
UEFI may not boot. Most motherboards support a legacy boot, but
some PCs lack that option.
Finally, most of todays PCs boot immediately from the internal hard
drive or SSD, without looking for bootable external media rst. You
have to do something special to make them look, and what you have
to do depends on your PC.
For instance, on my Lenovo X220 laptop, I press the power button,
then repeatedly press and release F12 until the boot menu comes up
and I can pick the appropriate option. But before I could make that
work, I had to enter the BIOS Setup (F1), make sure that the UEFI/
Legacy Boot was set to Both, and that the UEFI/Legacy Boot Priority
was set to Legacy First.
I have two other Windows PCs, and each has its own unique way of
doing essentially the same thing. One of them, a ASUS Transformer
Book T100, lacks legacy boot capabilities. I can boot a Windows 10
recovery drive, but not most Linux distros.
So what should you do? Go to your favorite search engine and look
up the name and model of your PC (such as Lenovo X220) and either
"usb boot" or DVKGULYHERRW including the quotation marks.
Youll likely nd useful instructions. I strongly recommend that you
do this search, and test the instructions, when your PC is healthy. Then
save the instructions where they can be easily accessed even when
your PC wont boot.
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