XDA

A screenshot showing the Shell Shockers gameplay screen.
5 must-play multiplayer browser games that don't need downloads

Some lightweight games that don't need a download.

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Web browsers have evolved a lot over the years, and so have browser games. We've come a long way since the days of flash, and the current landscape of these games is exploding with some amazing titles that'll keep you hooked for hours. Granted, these games won't compete with PC games as they don't have flashy visuals, but they make up for it by being genuinely fun and completely free to play without the need for any downloads. Whether you're craving a quick competitive fix or a social gathering with friends, there's a browser game out there perfectly suited for you.

A render of the Samsung Galaxy S22 showing the XDA logo and a QR code to illustrate Wi-Fi password sharing features in Android.
How do QR codes work?

QR codes have taken over the world, but how does this 90's era technology actually work?

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QR codes have succeeded. They're in use for everything from cinema tickets to underground raves. If you need to share a link, download an app, or even validate someone's health status, you can use a QR code. But how does this technology work... and would you be surprised to learn it's been around since the 90's? We'll examine how exactly QR codes work, why they've improved so much on modern devices, and how these funny little squares came to be a staple of our everyday life.

A Raspberry Pi 5 with a USB drive attached to it
Here's how you can change the boot priority of your Raspberry Pi to a USB drive

Who needs slow microSD cards when you can launch your favorite Raspberry Pi OS from high-speed SSDs?

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Ever since the first Raspberry Pi came out in 2012, the popular SBC family has followed the tradition of primarily supporting microSD cards for storing everything from the OS to the user files. However, even the best microSD cards can’t hold a candle to the superior transfer speeds of SSDs or the high storage capacity of hard drives.

The PC full case
Starforge Systems' summit1g PC is a gaming powerhouse, and looks amazing to boot

Why doom your gaming PC to a boring box when you can go all-out on the case?

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Gaming PCs are great, but stylish-looking ones are a lot better. When you have a case that looks the part, it can turn your PC from a machine to a setpiece in a room. If you're looking for an upgrade, Starforge Systems and summit1g have teamed up to give you the PC of your dreams

Intel Core i7-14700K in a motherboard CPU socket
Best RAM for Intel Core i7-14700K

The best RAM for one of the top Intel processors

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The Intel Core i7-14700K is a powerful processor with plenty of cores for handling the most intensive games and software. To get the most out of the chip, I'd recommend using DDR5 RAM, which is the fastest available for desktop and laptop PCs. The more memory available, the faster your system will run before having to store temporary data on slower storage drives. I've rounded up the best RAM kits for use with the Core i7-14700K for you to build a great PC. I'd recommend 16GB or 32GB of RAM with a new build.

Copilot button
Windows 11 AI Explorer's search bar makes it easy to find what you want

It'll know everything you've done, for better or for worse.

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If you've used Windows' search bar a couple of times, you'll know it struggles to find what you want at times. Sometimes it'll have difficulty finding a specific app, even if you type in its name; other times, it'll swear that a specific file isn't present on the system, even if you eventually find it yourself. Fortunately, it looks like part of Windows 11's upcoming AI Explorer will have an enhanced search bar that will use the power of artificial intelligence to locate what you want.

The Raspberry Pi 5 and its accessories lying on top of a PC
Channel your inner DIY god by building these 10 complex Raspberry Pi projects

Here are ten complex Raspberry Pi projects to train your tinkering muscles

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The Raspberry Pi Foundation forever changed the world of SBC computing with the release of the first-ever RPi model in 2012. Before you knew it, these affordable yet highly capable miniature devices had amassed a large crowd of enthusiasts from all walks of life. As the community continued to grow, so did the repertoire of projects you could create with the Raspberry Pi SBCs.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max in the hand with the screen on.
How to access the hidden Field Test Mode on iOS

Field Test Mode is a hidden menu on iOS that displays some cellular-related information. Here's how to access it on your iPhone.

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Apple's latest iPhones have a few hidden features for advanced users beyond what is typically accessible in the main Settings app. iOS 17 offers some advanced options and metrics for those interested in sophisticated data, specifically when it comes to your iPhone's cellular connectivity. One of the lesser-known menus is called Field Test Mode. This section includes some detailed information regarding the cellular connection established by your iPhone. While you probably won't ever need to access this hidden menu, it's still interesting to check out. That's not to mention that it can be handy for those in bad-coverage areas. Here's how to uncover the secret Field Test Mode menu in iOS, which requires you to dial a specific combination of numbers and symbols to reveal.

Angled front view of the LG Gram +View displaying a Windows 11 desktop

Microsoft has learned that you shouldn't mess with the "Show desktop" button. In earlier previews, the button was strangely absent from the taskbar, hinting that the Redmond giant may be moving away from it. However, after much user feedback, Microsoft has re-added the button back into the Windows 11 Beta branch.

iOS and Android gaming devices.
With Delta emulator on iOS, do you even need a gaming handheld? I used both to find out

Let's uncover whether a dedicated retro gaming device is better than running emulators on the iPhone you already own.

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Apple made waves in the retro gaming community when it decided to allow game emulators on the App Store for the first time ever. Last week, the best Nintendo emulator — Delta — hit the App Store and a flurry of iPhone users tried their hand with emulation. It's true that emulation has been around for ages and retro gaming is nothing new to owners of the best Android phones, but the move is significant nonetheless. There are over 2 billion Apple devices in the wild, and emulators will now run on many of them. While Android users may be unimpressed, this is a big shift that lets iPhone users dabble in the world of retro gaming without needing to buy a separate gaming handheld.

Helldivers 2 running on the Lenovo Legion Go
5 must-have games you should play on the Lenovo Legion Go

It can handle a ton of games, but these are some of the best around.

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The Lenovo Legion Go is one of the best PC gaming handhelds, especially with updates over time that have improved performance. It has a pair of detachable controllers just like the Nintendo Switch, and a kickstand with a wide viewing range to be able to play it at any angle. Because of these unique factors, along with the powerful AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme and the beautiful 1440p display, there are a ton of great games you can play on the Lenovo Legion Go. These are some of my favorites.

Ugreen-NAS-6
8 incredible projects I completed with just my NAS

A NAS is a gateway into the world of computing, and it can teach you a lot.

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A Network Attached Storage, or NAS, is somewhat of a misnomer. as it can do a whole lot more than just store files. It's the principle usage of a NAS, but particularly if you have a more powerful one, there's quite a lot that you can actually do with it. These are some of the best projects that I've executed on my NAS!

Nintendo Switch 2 features-21
Nintendo Switch 2 leak reveals magnetic controllers and a larger size

Nintendo may be keeping its mouth shut, but some details of the Switch 2 have found their way online.

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The Nintendo Switch is over 7 years old now and fans are starting to get antsy waiting for a successor. Nintendo has kept its cards close to its chest so far, but now, a significant leak appears to reveal a key detail about the new controllers for the purported Switch 2, which will be different from the current design.

The MS-DOS logo

Before Windows got its windows, Microsoft used an operating system called DOS. It didn't look fancy, as it was about as graphically intense as the current-day Command Prompt, but it still laid the foundation for the Windows PCs we use today. Now, Microsoft, in collaboration with IBM, has released all of MS-DOS 4.0's onto GitHub, thus allowing people to archive and use this amazing piece of technological history.

ThinkPad T14s Gen 5
Best chargers for Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5

These are all the top chargers for your fabulous Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5, across every price point and use case.

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Of all the best laptops out there, Lenovo's ThinkPad line consistently makes that list. Once you decide on a ThinkPad like the T14s Gen 5, you'll probably still need to get another charger of some kind. Maybe one with enough ports for your phone and tablet, or maybe a good power bank to charge on the go. Regardless, we've got a great selection of 65W and above chargers perfect for the T14s Gen 5.

PC gaming handheld being used with external monitor.
Here's how I used a gaming handheld as a dual-screen laptop, and you can too

Your handheld packs the performance of a laptop, and that extends beyond just running games. Here's how you can make it a laptop replacement.

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With laptop-class hardware and desktop-class operating systems, the best PC gaming handhelds are incredibly versatile devices. Their handheld form factor positions them well as an excellent way to play AAA gaming titles on the go, but that is far from the only way you can use a device like the Asus ROG Ally or the Steam Deck. Simply pairing a great docking station with a PC gaming handheld allows you to connect it to monitors, USB accessories, peripherals, and other devices. However, this kind of arsenal can be used to turn a handheld into a laptop. It might not be the most polished solution, but you'd be surprised at how good a gaming handheld can be as a portable computer with the right accessories. Here's everything you need to know about using your gaming handheld as a laptop — and how I did it.

An image showing the backside of the Asus ROG PG27AQDM gaming monitor.

OLED monitors are all the rage right now, and a lot of manufacturers are rushing to put out their new models on the market these days. Asus is among the first manufacturers to send out its OLED gaming monitors to the market, and it has seen a lot of success in this space. The company's ROG Swift OLED PG27AQDM has been one of the top picks among gamers for quite some time, thanks to its striking design, a bright OLED panel, and impressive features for competitive gaming.

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Best cases for the Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5

The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s Gen 5 is here, and it's the thinnest T-series laptop in the ThinkPad line. Here are some great cases to keep yours safe.

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The Lenovo ThinkPad T14s is the thinnest laptop in the T-series ThinkPad lineup, measuring only 0.67 inches thick. ThinkPads are known for their ruggedness, and while the ThinkPad T14S is no exception, you should still get a protective case for yours. The Thinkpad T14s Gen 5 was designed to be on the move, and a premium laptop like this deserves to be cared for. We've rounded them all up right here, so you can take your laptop anywhere without worry.

Lenovo Yoga 7i 16 2023 with Microsoft Edge open
New features in Microsoft Edge want to make you use the taskbar media controls more often

Microsoft Edge wants to enhance your playback experience with taskbar upgrades.

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Many users believe Microsoft isn't doing everything right with the Edge browser to win critics over. However, on the bright side of things, Microsoft doesn't forget to introduce new features and enhancements to what's already available. In addition to making Copilot in Edge more potent for effective settings management, two interesting improvements the software giant is currently working on for Edge are all about making you want to use Windows taskbar media controls more often.

Screenshot of SignalRGB, Wallpaper Engine, and HWiNFO on desktop
These 7 things keep me busy on my high-end gaming PC, and playing games isn't one of them.

My high-end gaming PC can handle almost any game. But here's what I end up doing on it instead

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Being a PC user since the dawn of the millennium (yeah, I'm old), I always wanted to have a truly high-end gaming PC of my own. My journey from an Intel dual-core to an AMD 8-core gaming PC finally concluded with an RTX 3080 gaming PC in my possession, but once the novelty wore off, I realized I didn't end up spending as much time playing games on it as I imagined I would.

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