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15 Apr 2025

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Microsoft shares several reasons to leave Windows 10 for Windows 11
This year, things are finally picking up for Microsoft as Windows 10 users are starting to switch over to Windows 11. But the pace isn’t fast enough for Microsoft’s liking, apparently, and the company really wants people to upgrade to Windows 11 sooner than later. Get Windows 11 Pro for cheap Windows 11 Pro In addition to sending out reminder emails about Windows 10’s impending doom and nudging users to recycle their old Windows 10 PCs while buying newer Windows 11 systems, Microsoft has recently published a new support page in an attempt to persuade users to switch over ASAP, reports Windows Latest. Published earlier this month, the article in question is titled “7 tips to get the most out of Windows 11” and includes seven reasons why you should switch from Windows 10 to Windows 11: New Start menu Snap layouts Multiple desktops Widget board Focus sessions Windows Hello Improved dark mode A lot of these productivity-boosting features in Windows 11, and we’re honestly surprised they stopped at seven. There are actually plenty of other lesser-known Windows features only available in Windows 11, which could further tempt Windows 10 users to hop over. But the biggest reason to make the upgrade? Well, Microsoft is officially ending support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, after which the operating system will grow more vulnerable to security flaws and miss out on whatever features and improvements come to Windows 11. If you’re still on Windows 10, you can upgrade to Windows 11 free of charge if you have a compatible system. Otherwise, you’ll have to seek out one of these other solutions to save your Windows 10 PC. Further reading: Windows 10 vs. 11: The main differences, explained

This triple 4K mini PC with 16GB RAM is dirt cheap right now
These days, what’s the most affordable way to set up a home computer that won’t have you tearing out your hair due to slow performance? A mini PC! Mini PCs are way more cost-effective than both laptops and full-blown desktop rigs, especially when you can snag one on sale—like this Acemagic AD15 that’s only $230.30 on Amazon (was $329), a solid 30% discount with promo code BWKAXHBR at checkout. The beauty of this dirt-cheap mini PC is that it does NOT have dirt-cheap components. Sure, the Intel Core i5-12450H processor launched in 2022, but it still performs well enough for basic work, everyday browsing, and video streaming. It also has 16GB of DDR4 RAM—the minimum we’d recommend for Windows 11—and a 512GB SSD, both of which are user-upgradeable (up to 32GB and 2TB, respectively). With Intel UHD Graphics 630 integrated graphics, you can do some light gaming on modest settings at modest frame rates, just make sure to keep your expectations in check. More importantly, it can support triple 4K output via two HDMI 2.0 ports and a USB-C video port. Add in another four USB-A 3.2, Gigabit Ethernet, 3.5mm headset jack, and both Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6, and you have a full-blown home office setup packed into a compact little mini PC form factor. At this price, it’s a no-brainer if you’re on a tight budget. Don’t miss out on the chance to snag the Acemagic AD15 for $230.30 on Amazon! Be sure to use discount code BWKAXHBR at checkout. This budget-friendly triple 4K mini PC is now cheaper than everBuy now at Amazon

Kingston DataTraveler Max review: A nifty SSD disguised as a USB drive
At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Good 10Gbps light-duty performer Affordable Clever, flick-to-open Type-A design Cons Slows drastically during very long writes Plastic-y tactile sensation Our Verdict Though not the drive you want for super-long writes, this thin, flick-to-open USB stick from Kingston is aces for small file sets. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Kingston DataTraveler Max 10Gbps USB stick Retailer Price Kingston $37.99 View Deal $56.39 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Increasingly, vendors are upping the ante when it comes to the performance of their USB sticks. It’s now commonplace to see 10Gbps, as employed by the Kingston’s DataTraveler Max reviewed here. I have no doubt that a USB4 thumb drive will soon make an appearance. Okay, maybe not soon, but they will arrive at some point. For now, I can make do with 1 gigabyte-per-second transfers. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best external drives for comparison. What are the Kingston DataTraveler Max’s features? The DataTraveler Max is a 10Gbps (USB 3.2) USB stick/SSD sporting a Type-A connector. It’s around 3.63 inches long, 0.85 inches wide, and a mere 0.32 inches thick. Weight is hardly worth mentioning at 0.5 ounces. The Kingston DataTraveler Max with the Type-A USB connector exposed. The 1TB DataTraveler Max that Kingston sent me was black with a maroon sliding cover that clicks into place. As the cover is only a clamshell, when you slide it forward to cover the Type-A connector, it leaves the bottom half of said connector still exposed. Basically, don’t drop it into water. Also, the light weight and hard material makes the drive feel a bit flimsy, though it held up well in my hands-on evaluation. Beyond that, I quite like the design. Because you push on the actual drive portion for insertion, there’s no frustration of a lever or switch slipping. I also got a kick out of holding the drive between my fingers and my thumb, and using my thumb to slide the cover back and forth. Much like you’d flick a Bic. (Look it up.) How much does the Kingston DataTraveler Max cost? Though the DataTraveler Max retails at $38 for the 256GB capacity, $68 for the 512GB, and $120 for the 1TB, I found it on sale on Amazon for $32.95, $56.39, and $92.43, respectively. At one point, the 1TB version was as low as $80 on Amazon — that’s pretty darn affordable for a 1TB external SSD, USB stick or no. The Kingston DataTraveler Max with the Type-A USB connector retracted. But as always, look around. There are competitors such as the significantly newer and faster-with-large-files PNY Pro Elite V3 that are priced even lower than the DataTraveler Max’s sale prices. Because of that, I’m guessing that Kingston’s sale prices on this item won’t disappear anytime soon. (Don’t hold me to that.) I got a kick out of holding the drive between my fingers and my thumb, and using my thumb to slide the cover back and forth. Much like you’d flick a Bic. How fast is the Kingston DataTraveler Max? For light duty, the Kingston DataTraveler Max compares nicely to other 10Gbps USB drives. But it’s absolutely not the drive for long writes. While it placed 63rd among all drives and fourth among eight thumb drives in overall performance, it finished dead last in our 450GB write (69th place). It wasn’t close either — almost 9 minutes behind the next worst performer. Ahem. In CrystalDiskMark 8 the DataTraveler Max performed well below par with the 64GiB data set we normally employ while writing. Much like the Teamgroup X1 Max. Maybe stop naming your USB sticks “Max”? Just saying, folks. With CrystalDiskMark 8 using a much smaller 8GiB data set, the DataTraveler Max performed more on par with its peers. I’ve included both results here, but the 64GiB results are the official ones. Note that AS SSD 2.0 showed the drive with very good numbers using its 10GB data set. In CrystalDiskMark 8 the DataTraveler Max perfromed well below par with the 64GiB data set while writing. With the 8GiB data set it performed more on par with its peers. With the lighter data set it’s largely competitive. Random performance was much the same story — good, but not on pace with the most excellent SK Hynix Tube T31. The DataTraveler Max’s random performance was much the same story, good, but not on pace with the most excellent SK Hynix tube T31. The DataTraveler Max turned in decent, if not top-tier 48GB transfer times. The DataTraveler Max turned in decent, if not top-tier 48GB transfer times. Where the DataTraveler Max really fell apart was in our 450GB write test. Not to pile on, but again, it finished dead last in this test, at 69th place, almost 9 minutes behind the next worst performer. Where are theDataTraveler Max really fell apart was in our 450GB write test. Below you can see where the issue with the Kingston DataTraveler Max’s long writes falls. It slows to around 80MBps (Yowser!) once it runs out of secondary cache. That almost surely means that the NAND is QLC. I just complained about the PNY Pro Elite V3’s 1,800 second write time, so you can guess how I feel about this one. Note that the slowdown occurs at around the 12 percent mark, or after around 50- to 55GB. Note that the DataTraveler Max did recover well after this long write. Subsequent 48GB writes proceeded at their normal (for the DataTraveler Max) 700MBps pace. Hence, with smaller data sets you should get good performance even as the drive fills. Should you buy the Kingston DataTraveler Max? Given the right price, the Kingston DataTraveler Max easily meets the needs of most users — I don’t hesitate recommending it for relatively light loads. I also love the way the cover flicks and clicks in place. However, if you’re looking for something that’s fast with really large files, look to anything else. How we test Our storage tests currently utilize Windows 11 (22H2) 64-bit running on an X790 (PCIe 5.0) motherboard/i5-12400 CPU combo with two Kingston Fury 32GB DDR5 modules (64GB of memory total). Intel integrated graphics are used. The 48GB transfer tests utilize an ImDisk RAM disk taking up 58GB of the 64GB total memory. The 450GB file is transferred from a Samsung 990 Pro 2TB, which also contains the operating system. Each test is performed on a newly formatted and TRIM’d drive so the results are optimal. Note that as any drive fills up, performance will decrease due to less NAND for secondary caching, and other factors. The performance numbers shown apply only to the drive we were shipped as well as the capacity tested. SSD performance can vary by capacity due to more or fewer chips to read/write across and the amount of NAND available for secondary caching (writing TLC/QLC as SLC). Vendors also occasionally swap components. If you ever notice a large discrepancy between the performance you experience and that which we report (systems being roughly equal), by all means — let us know.