Category: video

My Arcade Atari Gamestation Go Review

In my latest video review, I take a look at the My Arcade Atari GameStation Go (compensated affiliate link), a portable emulation console aimed squarely at those of us who grew up in the era of wood-paneled consoles and CRTs.

It’s a self-contained handheld that plays hundreds of mostly Atari classic games from the 80s and 90s and even lets you load more through an SD card. What caught my attention was the variety of control options—there’s a built-in paddle for games like Breakout, a trackball for Centipede and Missile Command, and a solid D-pad with shoulder buttons. It doesn’t have the high-end feel of a Steam Deck or Switch, but it manages to strike a decent balance between nostalgia and functionality.

Navigating the interface is straightforward. The menus are organized by system, with sections for Atari 2600, 5200, and arcade titles. I tried Breakout first, which uses the paddle controller, and I liked that the device’s “SmartGlow” lighting highlights which controls are active for each game. The paddle isn’t a free-spinning spinner, but it has enough resistance to make gameplay feel natural. The trackball, however, felt scratchy and inconsistent, and I found myself preferring the D-pad for precision control in Centipede. The D-pad itself is surprisingly good—firm, responsive, and better than my initial impression led me to believe.

The system includes about 200 licensed games, mostly from Atari’s catalog. Activision classics like Kaboom and Pitfall! are missing due to licensing, but loading them from an SD card is simple. Once I inserted a card, a hidden menu appeared, letting me boot ROMs from different systems, including the Sega Genesis, Super Nintendo, and even PlayStation. Performance varies—Sonic the Hedgehog lagged a bit, and Dreamcast games crawl. But PlayStation and Atari Lynx emulation worked better than expected. It’s essentially running an open-source emulator framework under the hood, so there’s potential for the community to expand its capabilities over time.

Battery life felt similar to a small tablet—around four to six hours, depending on what’s running. There’s HDMI output too, but connecting it reboots the system and reduces performance. The image quality looks fine at 1080p, but frame rates dip with some of the newer “Recharged” Atari titles installed on the console. Still, older Atari games like Bowling and Breakout play smoothly both on the built-in screen and an external display.

While this isn’t a machine for hardcore emulation fans, it’s an enjoyable, self-contained throwback for casual players and gift-givers who want a plug-and-play experience without tinkering. The stand-out features here are the paddle and trackball that allow for game controls that more closely match how these games were originally played.

The Raspberry Pi 500+ Disappoints

The Raspberry Pi 500 Plus is a new take on the age-old keyboard-computer concept that combines a Raspberry Pi 5 with a mechanical keyboard and built-in NVMe storage.

In my latest video review, we take a look at this retro inspired offering from the Raspberry Pi foundation.

It’s selling for about $180 to $185 at official Pi retailers, which is roughly $100 more than the earlier Pi 400. Out of the box, it feels like the most polished of the Pi-in-a-keyboard systems I’ve tried, with better specs and a more comfortable design overall.

Inside, it has 16GB of RAM and a 256GB NVMe SSD that ships with Raspbian OS preinstalled, so it boots right up without any tinkering. You can, of course, use the microSD slot to load other operating systems.

Still, some of the frustrations from the Pi 5 carry over. The two micro-HDMI ports feel unnecessarily small given the space available on the back, and the power situation is still tricky. It requires a 5-volt, 5-amp USB-C power supply, which isn’t as common as you’d think. Most USB-C chargers top out at 3 amps in their 5 volt mode, and using one of those will trigger low-power warnings when you plug in peripherals and possibly lead to performance issues under load. Even Apple’s chargers don’t work properly with it, so it’s worth getting the official supply. I picked up one of these low cost ones at Amazon (compensated affiliate link).

Ports include two USB 3.0, one USB 2.0, Gigabit Ethernet, and the familiar GPIO header under a rubber cover. AC Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are built in, and dual 4K60 HDMI output is supported (although it’s super sluggish in 4k). During testing, I was able to get a 1080p display running at 144Hz without issue which felt pretty nice. The overall setup feels like a complete Raspberry Pi experience—ready to experiment with projects right out of the box.

Performance, however, leaves something to be desired. Running the Chromium browser at 1080p worked fine for light tasks, but the system bogged down on heavier pages with animation or video. At 4K, it felt even slower.

On the Speedometer browser benchmark, the Pi 500 Plus scored 4.54—less than half the score of an Intel N150 mini PC that costs the same or less. On the bright side, power draw was remarkably low: about 4 to 5 watts at idle and around 10 watts under load. That efficiency might make it appealing for someone experimenting with a home lab or lightweight Docker containers, but it’s not suited for media serving or anything that needs significant processing power.

The keyboard uses low-profile blue Gateron switches, and the keys are replaceable. The bright backlighting is nicely implemented, with adjustable colors and effects. There’s even a novelty game—Flappy Bird—that runs directly on the keyboard’s LEDs. The typing feel is solid, and having a dedicated power button is a welcome touch.

Overall, while the design is fun and nostalgic, the price puts it in direct competition with faster and more capable mini PCs. The keyboard is genuinely nice, but it drives up the cost of what’s still a modest performer. For light server duties or educational projects, it might find a niche, but the same money could buy more performance elsewhere.

I still like the charm of a computer built into a keyboard, but I’m hoping the next generation of the flagship Pi computer will push things further and correct some of the annoyances of the current generation. The Pi 500 Plus is a reminder of how far we’ve come since the $35 Raspberry Pi revolution—and how much the landscape has changed since then.

See more of my Raspberry Pi videos here! And my other Mini PC reviews here.

Disclosure: I paid for the Pi with my own funds. This is not a sponsored post nor did anyone review or approve this content prior to uploading.

The FCC Listened to You — NextGenTV DRM Is In the Hot Seat

The FCC has taken an important step in its ongoing review of the ATSC 3.0 television standard, and this time, encryption—or DRM—has taken center stage. After months of advocacy, travel to Washington, and countless public comments, the agency has released a draft of proposed rulemaking that directly addresses many of the issues consumers have been raising.

In my latest video, we dive into the FCC’s proposal and talk about next steps.

The most immediate change in the document would eliminate the ATSC 1.0 simulcast requirement. Broadcasters using the new ATSC 3.0 system have been required to continue broadcasting the same programming on the older ATSC 1.0 standard to ensure that no viewers lose access. If this rule change is approved, stations could transition to the new format without maintaining a 1.0 signal, effectively speeding up the shift to next-generation TV. The FCC is also considering allowing MPEG-4 encoding on 1.0 channels to make more efficient use of spectrum, something that could benefit both broadcasters and viewers with modern televisions.

But the biggest topic is DRM and how it’s currently being managed. The FCC is asking for public comment on whether the commission should establish rules governing encryption of free, over-the-air broadcasts rather than leaving control to the A3SA, the private industry group currently setting those standards. The Commission expressed concern about how that system operates and whether it aligns with the Communications Act of 1934’s definition of broadcasting. They’re also examining whether DRM is creating unfair competition or restricting which devices can receive signals—an issue that has limited tuner availability and compatibility with platforms like Roku and Apple devices.

The filing also shows that consumer feedback has made an impact. Thousands of viewer comments have been cited throughout the document, and both Tyler the Antenna Man and I were mentioned multiple times. The FCC clearly took note of the frustration from early adopters who bought new tuners only to find themselves locked out by encryption controlled by a private organization. The agency even raised questions about fair use and whether DRM could undermine consumers’ rights to make in-home recordings—something the broadcast flag controversy of the ATSC 1.0 era had already tested in court two decades ago.

As the FCC prepares to vote on these proposals at the end of the month, it’s clear they’re not ready to sign off on encryption as it currently exists. The upcoming vote will likely remove the simulcasting rule, open another round of public comments, and extend the process into next year. That gives consumers and advocates another opportunity to weigh in. My hope is that the Commission will consider a real-world test by suspending DRM to see how the market responds. If encryption has been holding back tuner adoption and consumer interest, that experiment could prove it.

So we will likely need to keep submitting comments and addressing the questions the FCC is asking that relate to our own personal experiences. Tyler the Antennaman and I also suggest attaching selfies of “encryption error” screens that block free TV could help put faces to the issue. The FCC’s draft shows that public voices are being heard, and continuing to speak up might be what ensures free, open access to the airwaves remains part of the country’s broadcasting future.

Windows 10 Is Dead – What Are Your Upgrade Options?

The end of Windows 10 is coming up, with Microsoft planning to stop support on October 14, 2025. I’ve been seeing the same warnings you probably have — those pop-ups telling you to upgrade to Windows 11 — and I wanted to take a closer look at what that really means for people still using perfectly good older computers.

Check it out in my latest video!

Windows 10 has had a long run, and I’ve always liked how well it performed even on lower-end hardware. The problem now is that Windows 11 has stricter requirements, mainly the need for a TPM 2.0 security chip and newer processors. If you’ve got an Intel 8th Gen or newer, or an AMD Ryzen 2000 or newer, you’re likely ok to upgrade.

Anything older isn’t officially supported, though there are ways around it. Microsoft doesn’t recommend circumventing the TPM chip requirement, and if they make a change assuming everyone has TPM 2.0, it could cause problems later. Business and government users also have to meet compliance standards, so running an unsupported version isn’t an option for them.

To see how this plays out in the real world, I fired up one of my older PCs — a small Shuttle box with a Celeron processor — and ran Microsoft’s PC Health Check app. It said I could upgrade for free, meaning this one squeaks by. Once Windows Update offers it, I can upgrade to Windows 11 in place. As always, it’s smart to back up first, but the process should be straightforward.

If your machine doesn’t qualify or you’re not ready to move on, Microsoft has something called the Windows 10 Extended Security Update (ESU) program. It’s available to consumers for another year, through October 2026. You can join it for free if you sync your PC settings with Microsoft, trade some Microsoft reward points, or pay $30. It’s not a long-term fix, but it buys more time for hardware that’s still working fine.

For people who’d rather try something new, Linux is worth a look. I tested Linux Mint on that same Shuttle PC, running the XFCE Edition since it’s lightweight and good for older systems. It’s surprisingly easy to get going, with a “live boot” option that lets you try it out without installing anything. Everything worked on my demo machine, and once installed, Mint has most of what you’d need — a web browser, office software, and access to more apps through its software manager. It uses about 1.2 GB of RAM sitting idle, so a 4 GB system runs comfortably.

Installing Linux does mean wiping the drive, so backups are essential, but if you’re done fighting with Windows upgrades, it’s a practical way to keep an older PC useful. I’ve noticed Linux often feels faster on aging machines than Windows 11 does, and since it’s supported well past 2029 for Mint’s current version, it’s a stable alternative.

Whether you stick with Windows 10 a bit longer, move to Windows 11, or jump to Linux, you’ve still got options. It’s interesting that after all these years, some of the oldest PCs still have life left in them — they just need a new OS to keep going.

Lenovo Legion Go 2 Handheld and eGPU Compatibility Explored

I am working on a review of Lenovo’s Legion Go 2 (compensated affiliate link) and wanted to see how well it handled an external GPU before putting together a full review. The handheld includes two USB 4 ports that are Thunderbolt-compatible, so in theory, it should support external graphics. To test it, I used the GMKtec AD-GP1 — a compact eGPU enclosure that houses an AMD RX 7600MXT with 8GB of video memory. You can find the eGPU on Amazon here (compensated affiliate link). The AD-GP1 can power itself and the Legion Go 2 through a single cable, which makes for a cleaner setup.

See it in action in my latest video!

The connection process was simple enough. I plugged the GMKtec into the top port of the Legion Go 2 and immediately saw it begin charging. Windows took a few minutes to detect everything, and I had to install AMD’s drivers for the external GPU. Once that was done, it recognized the card properly as a secondary GPU. For best performance, I disabled the Legion Go 2’s internal display and used only the monitor connected to the eGPU as pushing video through the handheld’s screen can reduce performance due to bandwidth limits.

Hot swapping between the handheld and eGPU worked on the Windows desktop, though not while gaming. You can plug and unplug the GPU while idle, but if you try to do it mid-game, it’ll crash.

Running 3DMark’s Time Spy benchmark, I saw a significant performance boost: the internal GPU scored about 3,999, while the eGPU setup hit 9,493. Power draw during the test hovered around 215 watts, leaving a little room within the AD-GP1’s 240-watt power budget.

Next, I tested No Man’s Sky at 4K with enhanced settings. The game ran smoothly most of the time, hitting around 60 frames per second with some dips. When I disconnected the eGPU mid-game, it predictably crashed, confirming that switching GPUs on the fly isn’t practical for gaming sessions. Still, for someone who wants a boost at home, an extra $500 or so for a dockable GPU setup delivers real gains.

I also tried other eGPU options, like the GT Box enclosure with a desktop RTX 4060 attached, but those setups are much bulkier. The GMKtec is smaller, cleaner, and more desk-friendly, even though it lacks extra USB ports for accessories. My only real complaint about the Legion Go 2 design is that one of its USB ports sits on the bottom, which makes docking awkward when the stand is open. You’d need an angled connector or stand to use it comfortably.

Despite its quirks, it’s satisfying to see a handheld like this handle desktop-class graphics with a single-cable setup. It’s not the most economical path to performance, but for those short on space who want one computer for both travel and desk use, it’s a workable approach. I’ll be putting together a full review of the Legion Go 2 soon and plan to focus on areas that haven’t been explored much yet — so if there’s something specific you’d like to see tested, let me know in the comments.

Blackview MP100 Mini PC Review

My latest Mini PC review takes a look at the Blackview MP100, a budget mini PC that is powered by AMD’s Ryzen 7430U — a six-core, twelve-thread chip with RDNA2 graphics. It’s not the newest processor out there, but it’s still plenty capable for light workloads and even some gaming.

See it in action in my video review.

The biggest limitation out of the box is that it only comes with a single stick of RAM, which means you lose out on dual-channel performance. That’s an easy fix, though: adding another stick of RAM dramatically improves its graphical capabilities.

When I opened it up, I found it surprisingly upgrade-friendly. It includes a 2.5-inch SATA bay for an extra hard drive, a spare NVMe slot, and upgradable RAM — you can go all the way up to 64 GB. My review unit had 16 GB in a single channel and a 512 GB NVMe SSD. There’s also decent cooling inside, which helps keep performance consistent under load.

The ports are practical: two USB-C connectors on the front (one of them full-function with DisplayPort output), USB-A ports, Ethernet, HDMI, DisplayPort, and a headphone jack. You can drive a 4K display at 144 Hz through DisplayPort, which makes it an interesting option for streaming via GeForce Now or other cloud-gaming services. The case itself is plastic, and it has RGB lighting on the top that can be customized or turned off through Blackview’s included software. That software uses a USB-to-serial driver for control, which looked a bit odd at first but turned out to be harmless after some malware testing.

Day-to-day tasks like browsing, watching 4K video, and general productivity felt smooth even with single-channel memory. YouTube playback at 4K 60 fps ran fine, and benchmarks put it in line with other mid-range Ryzen mini PCs.

Where the second RAM stick really matters is gaming and creative workloads. In No Man’s Sky, performance jumped from around 20–25 fps to 35–40 fps after installing dual-channel memory. 3DMark Time Spy scores told a similar story: 956 with one stick, 1,373 with two. Even emulation saw tangible benefits, particularly for PlayStation 2 titles.

Thermals and acoustics are well-managed for a small system. The fan isn’t loud during heavy use, though it can spin up unexpectedly when idle. Power draw hovered around 10–11 watts at rest and roughly 46 watts at full load.

Linux support was excellent — everything from networking to Bluetooth worked without issue with Ubuntu, making it a solid choice for running containers or self-hosted apps.

What stood out most was how close this system comes to being great with just a minor configuration change. Splitting that single 16 GB stick into two eights would’ve unlocked the full GPU potential without raising costs much. As it stands, the MP100 feels like a solid, efficient little computer with real potential once you make that one upgrade. It also carries a three-year warranty, which isn’t common in this price range.

Disclosure: Blackview sent the Mini PC free of charge. No other compensation was received, they did not review or approve the video or this post before publication and all opinions are my own.

Plex Pro Week Webhooks Follow-up – Free and no-code options

During Plex Pro Week this year, I contributed a video talking about Plex’s Webhooks feature that allows for a relatively easy way to link your Plex install to automation tools like N8N, IFTTT and Zapier.

In that earlier piece, I showed how Plex can fire off data whenever something happens on your server—whether it’s a play, pause, rating, or media being added. That data can then be sent to automation tools like N8N, which I’ve used in the past. But running an N8N server can be complicated and the hosted version requires a subscription.

In my latest sponsored Plex video, I demo a free, no-code path that doesn’t require hosting anything yourself using Make.com.

You can check it out here!

Make.com offers a free tier with 1,000 “credits” per month. Each credit equals a task, so something like receiving a webhook and then adding a row to a spreadsheet would count as two. For casual use, the free plan can go a long way.

I set up a simple workflow that starts by having Plex send a webhook to Make, which in turns takes some of that data and posts it to a Google sheet as a means of creating a log of watched content. That event is triggered anytime a new piece of media is played based on the state of the “event” tag in the webhook.

I then set up a second branch for when playback stops. In that case, I had the system call ChatGPT to generate recommendations for what to watch next, and then send that recommendation via email. The input for ChatGPT came directly from the webhook data, which made the recommendation specific to what I had just finished watching. It worked smoothly, and it showed how easily AI can be folded into these workflows.

For those thinking about linking Plex to home automation, the free, non-complicated options are a bit more limited. Services like IFTTT require a paid tier for webhook support, while open-source projects like Home Assistant can handle webhooks for free but require a bit more setup and complexity. Home Assistant, in particular, could be a strong option for linking Plex events with things like lights or thermostats, though it isn’t as straightforward as make.com.

There’s also Plex’s new official API, which was announced during Pro Week. The documentation is out, and I expect third-party developers will soon release connectors for platforms like make.com and N8N. That should make integration even easier, reducing the need to rely solely on webhooks. My YouTube colleague Techno Tim has already been experimenting with it, using the API to drive a dashboard for monitoring Plex server performance.

What I tried here was aimed at giving a taste of what can be done quickly without coding. Setting up webhooks with Plex and pairing them with make.com is accessible and flexible, especially for logging and basic automations. From there, it’s easy to imagine extending the idea into more complex routines, whether that means generating watch lists, building dashboards, or nudging your smart home into action when the credits roll.

I Made My Own (Mostly) Self-Hosted Content Recommendation Engine with N8N

I’ve been getting increasingly frustrated with how social media algorithms decide what to put in front of me. More often than not, what matters most to the platform are not my interests but rather content that the platform thinks will keep me glued to it.

Over the past few months, I started experimenting with self-hosted and hybrid solutions to build something I could actually control. What I ended up with is a little algorithm of my own that now emails me every morning with a curated digest of topics I care about.

You can see it in action in my latest video.

The system runs on my Synology NAS using N8N, which I’ve also been using for other projects. The content engine pulls about 150 headlines a day from RSS feeds across trusted websites, YouTube channels, and Reddit forums I follow. From there, the workflow filters, organizes, and compiles the results into an HTML email.

It works really well. For example, when multiple outlets covered handheld gaming PCs, it was smart enough to recognize the GPD Win 5 and Asus ROG Ally as belonging to the same category and group them together. That gives me a cleaner view of what’s trending and helps me decide whether something is worth reviewing.

At the core of this is RSS, which has quietly persisted even as many sites moved away from it. I use TT-RSS to merge dozens of feeds into a consolidated source for each topic area. N8N then pulls those feeds into an AI agent workflow powered by Google Gemini’s free tier. I experimented with local models, but they couldn’t handle the complexity of parsing and structuring the data effectively. Cloud models still work better for this task, and because I only run it twice a day, I’m not paying anything for API usage.

Getting the prompt right was a big part of making this work. I had to iterate with both ChatGPT and Gemini until I landed on instructions that consistently returned useful results. The agent is told I’m a YouTube host looking for new topics, and I specify what types of content to prioritize and what to ignore. I also provide it with a structured HTML template so the output is consistent. The final email includes my calendar at the top, followed by curated sections on gadgets and cord cutting. It also uploads a copy to my FTP server so I can pull it up in a browser.

The advantage of this system is that I can fine-tune it. If something irrelevant slips in, I just add instructions to exclude it. If I want to emphasize a certain category, I can adjust the prompts. Unlike the opaque systems behind social platforms, this workflow only surfaces items from sources I choose and in the way I want to see them.

Everything I’m using—N8N, TTRSS, the Gemini free tier—is either free or open source. There are limits with the Gemini free tier, like rate caps and the possibility of data being used for training, but for my purposes it’s not a problem since I’m only working with publicly available content.

I haven’t put together an N8N installation tutorial yet, but Network Chuck has a good walkthrough that can help get N8N running on a server or NAS. It’s been interesting to see how popular N8N has become for building these AI agent tasks, and I’m trying to explore ways of using it that feel practical and useful. If you’ve also been frustrated by the way platforms filter your content, experimenting with something like this might give you back some control.

Check out some more projects like this in my “How To” series!

TCL D2 Palm Vein Door Lock – Raise your hand to unlock!

My latest review looks at TCL’s D2 palm vein door lock (compensated affiliate link), which came in for review after a number of viewers asked me about this type of technology. These locks work by just lifting your hand a few inches away from the lock’s sensor.

You can see it in action in my latest video review.

Testing this was pretty easy: after assigning my right palm to the lock, raising that hand opens the lock in just a second or two. If I tried with an unregistered hand (or somebody else’s), the lock rejected it.

The D2 Pro is a full deadbolt replacement. That means both the inside and outside hardware of your existing lock need to come off, and you’ll be using new physical keys – yes a pair of physical keys are included. I would have preferred no physical key option since it’s the least secure part of the system!

Alongside palm scanning, there are several other ways to unlock it: a keypad that supports six digit pin codes, a pair of RFID key fobs also included in the box, and the companion smartphone app.

The lock runs on a rechargeable 10,000 mAh battery that charges over USB-C. TCL says it should last about eight months depending on usage, but recharging takes time, which means your door will be offline for a while. In an emergency, you can power the lock temporarily with a USB-C power bank to get inside or of course just yse the physical key. I found installation straightforward, taking under half an hour including removing my old lock, though the build quality didn’t feel as solid as the Schlage I replaced. Once installed, it felt sturdy enough and carries an IP55 weather rating.

The TCL Home app is where you manage everything. It requires Wi-Fi on a 2.4 GHz network and I recommend putting it on a guest network to isolate it from other devices. The companion app works on both iOS and Android and integrates with Google and Amazon ecosystems, but does not currently support Apple HomeKit. Inside the app, you can manage users, register palm veins, assign or revoke codes and RFID cards, and even set temporary or one-time passwords.

TCL says palm data stays on the lock and isn’t uploaded, though there’s no way to verify that independently. You can store up to 50 palms and 50 six digit codes. It also offers features like duress passwords and limited-duration codes that could be useful for rentals or security-conscious households. What you won’t find is scheduling access for specific times of day, something some competing products do offer.

The lock also includes a built-in doorbell. It’s loud enough to hear inside, and you’ll get notifications on your phone, but there’s no video or two-way communication like a dedicated smart doorbell provides. Event logs are available in the app, so you can review entries and exits. My only annoyance with the app was the requirement to type in a PIN code every time I wanted to access the lock settings. Face ID or Touch ID support would have made that process smoother.

In daily use, the palm scanning was reliable. Registered users could approach the lock and gain access quickly. It even handled different angles well, and I haven’t yet had it mistakenly grant access to someone it shouldn’t. Rejections take a bit longer than acceptances, which might be a subtle security feature. It’s worth registering both hands since it only recognizes the ones you set up, and sometimes one hand might be occupied.

As a way to enter the house without pulling out a phone, typing a code, or carrying a key, the palm vein technology worked smoothly. It’s one of the more seamless experiences I’ve had with a smart lock.

I bought the cheapest Windows laptop at Walmart: The $179 HP 14 Laptop

This weekend I bought one of the least expensive Windows laptops I could find on a retail shelf, the HP Laptop 14, which I bought at Walmart for $179 (compensated affiliate link). The goal was to see just how far a low-cost machine like this can go, and what I found is that while there are certainly compromises, there are also a few pleasant surprises.

Check out my video review here!

The biggest surprise is how easy it is to upgrade. The bottom cover comes off with just four screws, revealing a standard DDR4 RAM slot and an empty NVMe slot. Out of the box, it ships with only 4 GB of memory and 128 GB of UFS storage, but I easily swapped in 16 GB of RAM and added a 1 TB SSD, making the system far more usable without losing the warranty or HP’s one-year support. All in it’s feasible to double the RAM while still keeping the total investment here under $250 or less.

Its Intel N150 processor is the same quad-core part I’ve tested in many budget mini PCs, and while it won’t compete with a high-end laptop, it’s efficient enough to get real work done even without the memory upgrade.

The built-in storage performed better than I expected, hitting around 800 MB/s in reads and writes, but adding the NVMe drive brought things closer to 1.2 GB/s. This setup even opens the door for dual-booting Windows and Linux, which the Intel N150 chip inside handles quite effectively.

With 4 GB installed, video playback stuttered and multitasking was sluggish. With 16 GB, YouTube ran smoothly at 1080p60, Office apps opened quickly, and even some light gaming became possible. GTA V, for example, managed to hit around 30 frames per second at low 720p settings, and a PS2 emulator pushed through most titles at mostly full speed.

The biggest letdown here is the display. It’s a 14 inch 1366×768 TN panel at 250 nits, which means washed-out colors and narrow viewing angles. It’s fine for web browsing and word processing, but it’s not suited for editing photos or video. The webcam isn’t much better, but it does at least include a physical shutter.

Weight comes in at 3 pounds and the build quality is all plastic, yet sturdier than I expected for the price. The keyboard and trackpad—though springy and spongy—are functional. Ports are limited, with just two USB-A, one USB-C for data only, HDMI, and a headphone jack. Wi-Fi 6 support is built in, and in my testing it delivered 300–400 Mbps, which is enough for streaming and even cloud gaming. Services like GeForce Now ran smoothly as long as the WiFi connection was decent.

Battery life came in at about five to six hours under light use, which is reasonable given the efficiency of the processor. The fan does kick on under load, but at idle it’s quiet. Windows 11 ships in S mode by default, restricting installs to Microsoft Store apps, though switching out of S mode is quick if you need more flexibility.

Linux also ran well here – in fact it’ll run better than Windows with the base 4GB of RAM when using a lightweight distribution. I am running a few home servers on N150 Mini PCs and the performance here felt very much on par with those devices.

What stood out to me is how much you can get out of this little machine with a few inexpensive upgrades. It’s a cheap laptop from a recognizable brand, with a one year warranty and domestic support, and that sets it apart from the nameless imports that sometimes offer slightly better specs. The display holds it back from being truly versatile, but with extra RAM and an SSD, the HP Laptop 14 becomes a surprisingly capable everyday computer for not much money. It’s good to see these budget options are still available.

Disclosure: I paid for the laptop with my own funds. No one reviewed or approved this content before uploading and all opinions are my own.

Tubi’s “Boss Key” PR Stunt Encourages Workplace TV Streaming

Tubi, the free streaming TV service, has released a Chrome extension aimed at people who sneak in some streaming while at work. The extension includes what’s known as a boss key which will stop the video and instantly replace it with a productivity-looking website, giving your boss the impression you’re working.

While this is just a stupid PR stunt, the extension turned out to be more robust than I anticipated. It also got me thinking back to some of the fun boss keys that used to be included with computer games in the 80s and early 90s.

See the Tubi boss key and a few classic ones in my latest video!

Tubi promoted this with a press release that claimed 84 percent of Gen Z users watch movies or TV shows at work. That number seemed high to me. Back when I worked in an office, I might throw on a podcast while doing mindless tasks, but full shows felt like more of a commitment. Still, the extension itself turned out to be worth a closer look.

Inside the folder where the extension is stored, I found some customization options. The HTML page that appears when the boss key is triggered can be edited or replaced, so it’s possible to swap in something from a corporate intranet or a more believable screen. There’s even decent documentation included for modifying its code.

The extension only works on Tubi out of the box, but it looks possible to adapt it to work on other sites too. I ran the code through Google Gemini to see if it was sending anything back to Tubi, but it appears benign and limited to their site.

The idea of masking your screen with a fake productivity page has a long history. Back in the early 80s, computers could only display one program at a time, so a quick swap was the only way to hide what you were really doing.

The earliest example I came across was on the Apple II. A game called Bezare, written by Roger Wagner, had a boss key that displayed a fake VisiCalc screen—the spreadsheet program that was the Apple II’s killer app. Later, a DOS version of Tetris had one too, swapping to a Lotus 1-2-3 lookalike when triggered. Sierra Online built them into several of its adventure games as well. Leisure Suit Larry popped up a colorful chart of sales data for contraceptives, while Space Quest III flipped the idea on its head by ratting you out with a dialog box showing how long you’d been playing.

I spent part of my weekend firing up emulators to revisit a few of these boss keys, and it was fun to see how far back the tradition goes. For something a little more modern, the NCAA has long had a “boss button” on their March Madness website.

Channels App Beta Offers Over the Air Multiview Feature

The Channels App just rolled out one of the more interesting cord-cutting tools I’ve come across in a while: The ability to watch four separate over the air TV channels at the same time when watching on an iPad or Apple TV.

Check it out here!

The feature is still in beta, so users will need to obtain the beta app through Apple’s testflight app. A subscription to the Channels App is also required ($8 monthly or $80 annually). I tested it on an Apple TV connected to my antenna through an HDHomeRun Flex 4K, and the experience worked better than I expected. Switching between streams was quick, and I could easily bring one channel forward while keeping an eye on the other three in the background.

If you’re not familiar with Channels, it’s a DVR platform that runs on a variety of devices. It requires a server component—usually a small PC or NAS—and supports hardware transcoding and out-of-home viewing. The app costs about eight dollars a month and works with HDHomeRun tuners for over-the-air broadcasts. It also integrates TV Everywhere channels if you still have a cable subscription and even supports creating your own custom virtual channels.

The multiview feature only works with live channels, so you can’t use it with recorded shows or personal media, but it’s flexible enough to handle both ATSC 1.0 and ATSC 3.0 broadcasts. Setting it up is straightforward: choose a channel, enable the multiview option, and then fill the other slots with the stations you want to monitor. Once you’re watching, you can switch the audio and enlarge a window with a click, or replace a channel on the fly. There are some rough edges at this stage, like the occasional frame stutter, but for a beta release it’s functional.

On the server side, the number of streams you can run depends on your tuner hardware. Each channel you add uses up one tuner, so if you want four channels at once, you’ll need a device that supports four simultaneous streams. Adding an extra HDHomeRun box is one way to scale if multiple people in the household want to record or watch at the same time.

One caveat is the ongoing battle over encryption of broadcast TV signals. If broadcasters succeed in pushing for mandatory encryption, features like this could be limited or disappear entirely, since broadcasters are blocking devices like the HDHomeRun from decrypting over the air broadcasts.

This beta is a fun way to get more out of live TV and is one the coolest things I’ve seen in the cord cutting space in quite some time. It feels especially handy for sports fans who want to keep tabs on multiple games at once. I’ll keep experimenting with the feature and will update as it develops.

MeLE Overclock4C N150 Mini PC Review

My latest Mini PC review is of the Mele Overclock4C, a mini PC built around Intel’s N150 processor. Despite the name, it isn’t actually overclocked, but the cooling solution sets it apart. Unlike some of Mele’s other fanless designs, this one uses a fan paired with a sizable copper heat sink. That design choice helps it sustain performance better under load while keeping noise levels surprisingly low. Even when the fan spins up, it remains quiet enough to be unobtrusive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QCArhYDYoY

The model I tested came with 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and a 512 GB NVMe drive, both of which are accessible if you want to swap or upgrade components. The RAM is expandable up to 32 GB, and storage upgrades are straightforward. The case itself is mostly plastic with a metal base, and a VESA mount is included for attaching it to a display.

You can see all of the configurations over at Amazon (compensated affiliate link).

Connectivity is decent. There are two USB 3.0 ports, a USB 2.0 port, dual HDMI outputs, a headphone jack, an SD card slot, and a full-service USB-C port that supports video, data, and power, though it lacks Thunderbolt or USB4.

Networking is where the system feels dated, limited to gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi AC, while many similar N150 devices now ship with 2.5 gigabit Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6. Power draw is modest—about 13 watts at idle and up to 32 watts under load.

Performance is what you would expect from the N150 line. General computing tasks at 4K resolution ran smoothly, with no issues using applications like Word, Excel, or browsing the web. Video playback was reliable, handling 4K60 streams without hiccups beyond a brief stutter on startup.

Benchmark results lined up with other N150-based systems I’ve looked at. Gaming is possible if you set your expectations accordingly. Grand Theft Auto V ran at around 30 frames per second on low settings at 720p, and PlayStation 2 emulation was mostly full speed. Streaming from GeForce Now at 4K60 was smooth over Ethernet, further broadening the system’s gaming options.

Thermals are where this PC stands out. A stress test confirmed stable performance with little to no throttling, holding steady at around 47°C, lower than comparable fanless or less robustly cooled designs. The stronger cooling doesn’t make the N150 chip any faster, but it ensures consistency during prolonged heavy use.

On Linux, the system behaved as expected with one exception—the built-in Intel AC 9560 Wi-Fi chipset wasn’t recognized by the latest Ubuntu release. Ethernet worked fine, and with the right drivers, Wi-Fi should too. That small issue aside, it has the potential to serve well as a compact server, whether for Docker containers or media streaming.

The Mele Overclock4C doesn’t deliver more raw performance than other N150 mini PCs, but its cooling design makes it a better fit for those who plan to run it under sustained workloads. It’s a practical little system that can handle everyday tasks, some light gaming, and server duties without struggling to keep its performance stable over time.

See more Mini PC reviews here!

Disclaimer: Mele sent the computer to the channel free of charge no other compensation was received. They did not review or approve this content prior to uploading, all opinions are my own.

Aurzen Roku D1R Cube Smart Projector Review

In my latest video review, I take a look at a new projector from a company called Aurzen that comes with Roku built right in. When you power it on, you’re greeted with the Roku interface, and it even ships with a Roku remote. It’s not a stick or an add-on—it’s fully integrated.

The projector is on the lower tier price-wise – this is one of those devices that sees frequent price fluctuations and sales so take a look over at Amazon (compensated affiliate link).

At 330 ANSI lumens, it isn’t very bright, so in a well-lit room the image can be hard to see. It performs better in a darkened room with blinds drawn. Resolution is capped at 1080p, though it will accept 4K input and downscale. There’s no HDR support, but the major streaming services negotiate resolution correctly, and Netflix plays back at full 1080p, which is notable since many budget projectors don’t have a Netflix certification.

The hardware is compact, with a built-in power supply and stereo speakers that sound decent. There are options for connecting external audio via Bluetooth or the analog output. On the back you’ll find a USB port for loading in media files, an HDMI input, and minimal physical controls. The included remote works reliably, and because it’s a Roku device, the Roku mobile app is also supported. For positioning, there’s a small kickstand and a standard tripod mount. An 85-inch screen requires about 8 feet of throw distance, and that’s close to the maximum usable size in my testing.

In practice, the image looks sharp enough and color reproduction is consistent with expectations for the price. Brightness, however, remains a limitation, especially with darker content. There’s no manual brightness control, though autofocus and auto-keystone work well. These adjustments, along with orientation settings, are accessed through the Roku menu rather than physical dials. You can manually adjust the focus and keystone through the interface.

Streaming performance feels similar to a Roku stick. Apps like Disney+ and YouTube run at 1080p, and casting via Apple AirPlay or Miracast works smoothly. I tested AirPlay with a Keynote presentation with my iPhone, and the projector was able to carry the presentation while my iPhone displayed the next slide and presenter notes.

Gaming was a different story. While HDMI inputs displayed a sharp, fluid 60 fps image, input lag was severe—around a quarter second. For casual presentations or watching content, it’s fine, but fast-paced gaming is not something I can recommend with this one.

For someone who already likes Roku’s ecosystem and needs a simple, low-cost projector, this fits the bill. It’s best suited for smaller screen sizes in dark rooms. The biggest drawback is brightness and input lag, but for straightforward streaming use, it works as advertised.

Disclosure: Aurzen provided the projector to the channel free of charge. However no other compensation was received, they did not review or approve this content before it was uploaded and all opinions are my own.

ATSC 3.0 Update: Broadcasters Contradict Themselves in Recent Filing

The nation’s largest broadcasters are continuing to push an over the air encryption plan that will make it harder for people to record content or use gateway devices to watch TV around the house. What has been a free and open system is moving toward a locked-down approach unless the FCC steps in.

As it becomes clearer that encryption—and the market gatekeeping it enables—are holding back both tuning device availability and adoption, broadcasters are now demanding a government mandate to push it all through. But just a short time ago they were advocating for government to stay out of the process.

In my latest video, I take a look at how broadcasters are contradicting themselves in a recent FCC filing.

After Tyler the Antenna Man and I met with the FCC, the nation’s largest broadcasters quickly followed with their own meeting and filed an ex parte letter about it. In the letter, the broadcasters say:

“We emphasized that all parts of the broadcast ecosystem – from CE manufacturers to developers of converter boxes to retailers and smaller market broadcasters – are waiting for a signal from the FCC that there is a plan to bring the transition to ATSC 3.0 to an end.”

In a response, the Consumer Technology Association reminded the FCC in a meeting and a follow-up ex-parte filing that all parties to the transition, including the broadcasters, never wanted the government stepping in on the transition as it was supposed to be a voluntary, market-driven one. But the CTA stopped short of saying what is obvious—that DRM has been the real barrier to adoption.

But the CTA was joined by Public Knowledge in their meeting with the FCC, and that organization very strongly pointed out the pitfalls in allowing a select group of broadcasters to essentially regulate consumer electronic devices.

Check out my interview with Public Knowledge’s lead attorney here.

Looking back at their own public statements shows how much the broadcasters have shifted in their position. In 2019 Pearl TV, the organization comprised of the large broadcast owners, was promising great new technology and choice for consumers under this voluntary transition strategy. In 2021 they touted gateway devices like the HDHomeRun, even though they later denied that device certification. By mid 2023 they were boasting about adoption and asking a rhetorical question “where’s the problem?” in regards to tuner adoption. They urged the FCC to stay out of the market, but now they want a mandate to force adoption.

They even contradicted statements they made just a few weeks ago. In their letter they state:

“We discussed A3SA’s uniform set of policies that applies equally and objectively to all manufacturers of a particular device type. Finally, we explained that A3SA does not certify hardware components or chips within devices.”

Yet in July, these very same lawyers told the FCC that the HDHomeRun was being blocked because of its chips. They CC’d the industry press and just about every relevant department with it too.

Conversations I’ve had with broadcast executives suggest they don’t really understand the technology they’re trying to bolt onto broadcasting. Encryption designed for the web doesn’t translate cleanly to over-the-air TV. Yet they continue to dig in, convinced it’s necessary. Much of their industry today is built on retransmission fees rather than actual viewers, and DRM protects those business interests.

And this goes beyond just the encryption. Another feature, signal signing, gives this small group of large broadcasters the ability to take a channel off the air. Even stations that don’t want encryption still need to pay for a certificate from the major broadcasters just to appear on certified tuners. Engineers like Weigel’s Kyle Walker have raised these concerns, but the executives pushing this system seem more interested in invoking flawed analogies—like comparing broadcast encryption to SSL on websites—than in engaging with real technical risks. Here’s an example of that from a recent LinkedIn exchange from one of those executives:

The examples they cite don’t hold up. The 1987 Chicago “Max Headroom” hijacking and the more recent Russian satellite hijacks were both upstream feed compromises that encryption and signing would not have prevented. Yet they continue to argue that certificates protect against threats that have nothing to do with the broadcast signal itself.

For consumers, the result is fewer choices and fewer freedoms. Encryption blocks devices, limits how recordings can be made, and puts unnecessary restrictions on how people watch the signals they’re legally entitled to receive. The broadcasters are not tacitly acknowledging that this market has failed, but it’s their own system that created the failure.

If they really want adoption, there’s a simple solution: stop encrypting. Remove the DRM and devices will appear, consumers will buy them, and the market they keep talking about will actually materialize. Instead, they’re asking the FCC for a mandate to force this system into place. I think the better mandate would be the opposite—no encryption and no private regulation of public airwaves. That’s the kind of order I’d get behind.

GeForce NOW Game Streaming Service with Nvidia RTX 5080 – 2025 Review

It’s been a while since I did a deep dive into Nvidia’s GeForce Now streaming service, so in my latest video I take a look at where things stand in 2025.

The idea behind GeForce Now remains the same: for a monthly fee, you’re effectively renting time on high-end Nvidia hardware in the cloud, which lets you play games at higher settings and frame rates than you could manage on a low-end or aging PC. It also works on mobile devices, gaming handhelds and TV boxes.

The service does not include any games, however. GeForce Now syncs with accounts from popular PC game stores such as Steam, GOG, and Microsoft’s PC Xbox store. Games you’ve purchased on those platforms are playable on GeForce Now, provided the game’s publisher allows streaming—though not all do.

Games directly supported on the service are already downloaded and ready to go with optimized settings. Your saved games will also sync up automatically. Nvidia has also added a new “install to play” feature. Alongside its usual “ready to play” optimized titles, you can now allocate up to 500 GB of cloud storage to install games that allow streaming but haven’t yet been optimized for the GeForce Now service. Those titles require manual graphics tuning, but it does expand the potential catalog quite a bit.

Another recent update to the service allows users on the “Ultimate” subscription tier to play a select number of games with new RTX 5080 hardware. Most games will spin up on the RTX 4080 servers, since not every title is yet supported on the 5080. In my video I demoed streaming Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K on a cloud 5080 with variable refresh rate and G-Sync enabled. The game stayed well above 100 frames per second with excellent image quality and minimal latency.

The GeForce Now statistics overlay provides helpful realtime data such as real-time bandwidth consumption and latency. My connection to Nvidia’s New Jersey datacenter held steady at 11–12 milliseconds of latency on Comcast’s Gigabit Pro service, which helped the experience feel close to native PC gaming. Ethernet proved essential here; Wi-Fi isn’t reliable enough can’t keep up with the bandwidth demands of 4K 120fps streaming.

I also ran the service on very low-end hardware. My budget GMKtec mini PC, which costs under $200, had no trouble streaming Doom Dark Ages at 4K 60fps. As long as I used Ethernet, the experience was smooth with minimal lag. GeForce Now also supports mobile platforms including a native Steam Deck client. On handhelds, where resolution demands are lower, Wi-Fi worked well and only needed about 20 megabits per second.

Pricing spans three tiers. The free tier provides one-hour sessions on 1080p/60 servers—useful for testing whether your connection can handle it. The Performance tier steps up to 1440p/60, while the Ultimate tier unlocks RTX 4080 and 5080 access, 4K streaming, and frame rates up to 360 fps. At $200 annually, the ultimate plan gives you eight-hour gaming sessions, which for most people is more than enough time per play.

Geforce Now works equally well on a tricked-out desktop with a G-Sync display or a bargain mini PC that could never manage these games locally. The key variable remains your proximity to Nvidia’s datacenters and the quality of your ISP’s routing. For me in Connecticut, it is a seamless way to play, and it’s clear Nvidia has continued to refine the experience since the last time I tested it thoroughly.

DJI Mic 3 Review

In my latest review, I took a look at the new DJI Mic 3, which is the latest iteration of DJI’s wireless microphone system. In this review I focus more on the casual user, who is looking for a simple “run and gun” system.

Like the previous iterations, it does work as advertised for those looking for a simple solution. Plug it into a phone, camera, or computer and it pops up and works with little fuss.

I bought the two-microphone kit (compensated affiliate link), which comes with two transmitters and a receiver, though the receiver can handle up to four mics. In certain setups you can even record each mic onto its own track, which is useful for editing later if your gear supports it. This new version doesn’t require the receiver unit at all – in fact you can just buy a transmitter and link it directly via bluetooth to a phone. But that’s probably not the ideal configuration.

The included USB-C dongle locks securely into place, which is a big improvement over the earlier version where it would slip out easily. It works with newer iPhones thanks to the switch to USB-C, but anyone with a lightning-based iPhone will need to purchase an adapter from DJI.

The carrying case doubles as a charger, and DJI rates the mics for about eight hours of use and the receiver for about ten. Enabling advanced features like 32-bit float recording will drain the battery faster, and the batteries aren’t replaceable, so longevity may diminish over time. The receiver now has a scroll wheel for navigating menus, which I found more precise than the older tiny touchscreen taps.

Connectivity is broad. Beyond USB-C, there’s also analog TRS mic output and a headphone jack for monitoring, making it usable with cameras, computers, and phones. Each transmitter can also record internally, which is a safeguard in environments with heavy interference. DJI says they’ll store about 57 hours in standard mode or 42 hours in 32-bit float, automatically overwriting the oldest files when full. Audio is downloaded by docking the transmitters in the charging case, and connecting the charging case to a PC, phone or tablet via USB-C.

Speaking of interference, the DJI Mic 3 works across the 2.4 ghz and 5 ghz spectrum, occupying the same frequencies that Wi-Fi uses. It will “frequency hop” to keep the signal steady, but there may be environments with a lot of Wi-Fi and other devices using the same spectrum that could result in diminished performance. My advice would be to always enable the transmitter recording feature just to be safe.

In practice, the microphones sound better than the first-generation set I used before. They are omnidirectional, so they’ll pick up surrounding noise, but there are new noise reduction settings. In testing at a trade show, the basic noise reduction helped cut down background chatter, while the strong mode made the audio sound a little too processed. These settings only apply to the live wireless signal, not the onboard recordings, so any recorded files still need software cleanup if conditions are noisy. There are also voice presets labeled standard, rich, and bright. They’re subtle changes, but I found “rich” gave a touch more warmth to my voice.

Mounting options are flexible. The transmitters have clips and magnets strong enough to hold through clothing, though there are plenty of small accessories to keep track of. For outdoor work, the included furry “dead cat” wind screens snap on securely and help tame wind noise. Through the companion app, I was able to configure professional features like timecode synchronization, lossless recording, adaptive gain, and 32-bit float capture. Timecode is especially useful when syncing multiple tracks in editing. The advanced modes aren’t really plug-and-play and require more post-production work, but they’re there if you need them.

Overall, I see the DJI Mic 3 as both approachable for those looking for a basic mic set but with some additional features that pros will appreciate. While I use a higher-end Sennheiser set for my remote shoots, it’s nice to have something that’s quick and easy for the times I need a quick solution with minimal hardware to get the job done.

Apple Already Told Us Their AI Plan in 1987 with the Knowledge Navigator concept?

I just finished watching Apple’s keynote, and like most years, it was a predictable lineup of iPhones, AirPods, and Apple Watches. The hardware got its annual refresh, but there wasn’t anything that felt new or unexpected. The biggest topic of conversation was what Apple didn’t show: updates on its lagging AI strategy.

The “Apple Intelligence” feature set still feels underwhelming, and it made me think back to the Knowledge Navigator AI agent concept video Apple made in 1987 that might give us a clue about what they might be working on today.

I explore that and show you my own AI agent workflows in my latest video.

I first saw the Knowledge Navigator video as a kid in the early ’90s, when some friends and I formed an Apple user group that received promotional videos like this from Apple.

At the time, the Knowledge Navigator seemed like science fiction, but watching it now, it feels like a plausible direction for Apple’s AI ambitions. The video depicts a professor interacting with a digital assistant that not only responds to commands but anticipates needs—pulling up articles, reminding him of events, leaving messages, and even coordinating schedules with presumably other people’s agents.

What struck me most was how the agent handled tasks on the professor’s behalf, like trying to reach someone by phone, leaving a message, and then being ready to relay instructions when she called back. It even set up meetings.

If both parties had agents, they could negotiate directly without human back-and-forth. That kind of invisible efficiency is something I’d welcome—scheduling meetings is one of the biggest time sinks I deal with. With language models as capable as they are now, this no longer feels like far-off science fiction.

I suspect Apple is quietly working on this agent model. Their recently released Apple Invites app caught my attention because it seemed like such an odd standalone product, but it would make sense as a building block in a future where AI agents manage more of our day-to-day logistics.

When Apple is finally ready to make their big AI push, I think it will be around agents. “I’ll have my Siri call your Siri and we’ll do lunch” might be in our near future.

I’ve been experimenting with this idea myself. Using an open-source tool called N8N, I’ve built a few agents that automate parts of my routine. One sends me a daily morning email with my calendar and curated stories from the gadget and cord-cutting sites I follow. It uses Google’s Gemini API model to filter through RSS feeds and highlight what I might want to cover on my channel. The setup works well enough that it reminds me of the professor’s morning briefing in that Apple demo.

Scheduling is trickier. I’ve tried building an agent that can handle booking meetings based on my availability, and while it sometimes works, it’s far from reliable. Getting the models to properly parse my calendar was a challenge until GPT-5 came along, but even then, the success rate isn’t high enough to trust it with real interactions. Still, the framework is there, and it feels like a glimpse of what’s possible once the technology matures.

Right now, most consumers are engaging with AI through search-like interactions, asking questions and getting quick answers more efficiently than searching on their own. But the real leap will come when agents can act on our behalf, working with other agents to complete tasks without constant human oversight. That’s the vision Apple hinted at nearly 40 years ago, and it may be the key to making their AI efforts feel truly impactful when they finally step into this space.

Linux Gaming Part 2 : AMD to the Rescue?

In my latest video, I revisit my Linux gaming experiment with AMD hardware after the feedback I received on my first attempt. You can see the results here!

In that earlier video, I installed a Linux distribution called Bazzite on a gaming laptop with an Nvidia GPU and the results were disappointing compared to Windows. Many of you suggested that the real problem was Nvidia’s drivers and recommended I try an AMD GPU instead. That’s what I did this time.

For this follow-up, I set up a GMKtec Evo T1 mini PC (compensated affiliate link) with an Intel Core 9 285H paired with GMKtec’s external GPU unit, the AD-GP1 (affiliate link), on top. Inside that enclosure is an AMD RX 7600M XT with 8 GB of VRAM connected over Oculink. This is essentially the same as plugging a card into a desktop. It’s the only AMD setup I had on hand, but it seemed like a good test case, especially for those interested in eGPUs.

Bazzite installed without issues. The hardware, including the GPU, was detected automatically with no manual intervention. I should note that both the mini PC and GPU were provided free of charge by GMKtec, but they had no role in this video’s content or opinions.

For benchmarking, I started with Cyberpunk 2077 on medium settings at 1080p. On Windows, the same setup averaged 131 frames per second. On Linux with AMD, the benchmark came in at 127.77 frames per second, essentially within the margin of error. On the prior video we saw about a 20% reduction in performance running similar tests. What impressed me most was that I didn’t have to touch the command line or tweak anything—it simply worked out of the box.

Next up was No Man’s Sky. Running at 1080p with enhanced settings, the game hovered around 60 frames per second, sometimes higher. The performance felt on par with Windows, without the performance hit I saw on Nvidia.

Not everything worked perfectly. Red Dead Redemption 2, which I own on Steam, wouldn’t boot at all. Others in the Bazzite community reported similar issues, so it seems like a known compatibility problem. On the other hand, Terminator Resistance, a fun first person shooter, ran at 4K medium settings at about 60 frames per second, again comparable to Windows.

Overall, using AMD hardware brought me much closer to a plug-and-play Linux gaming experience. Many of the games I tested ran just as well as they do on Windows.

All of this reminds me of the Linux based Alienware Steam Machine I tested about a decade ago, where the promise was there but the compatibility wasn’t. Proton has changed that equation, and while not every title works, most do, and they work well. This experiment showed me that with the right hardware, Linux gaming can feel nearly turnkey similar to how it does on the Steam Deck.

Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to try AMD hardware. It made a big difference, and if you have an AMD GPU, you might find that Linux gaming works better than expected. The progress in just ten years is remarkable, and it raises the question of whether we might soon see purpose-built Linux gaming machines make a comeback.

A Tech Dispatch from IFA in Berlin, Germany!

I just got back from Berlin, Germany where I attended Showstoppers, a companion event to IFA which is Europe’s version of CES. And just like CES I produced a dispatch from the event!

Check it out here!

Lenovo sponsored my trip again this year, covering travel but not influencing what I covered, and I was able to see a wide mix of concept ideas, shipping products, and quirky tech that you don’t always come across in the U.S.

At Lenovo’s press event I saw a few different concepts and new products. One that stood out was a concept laptop with a pivoting hinge that gives the display extra vertical space, potentially useful for editing, coding, or browsing. Lenovo’s new Legion Go 2 handheld is about to ship with detachable controllers, an OLED display, and robust ports, while their Legion Pro OLED gaming monitors push into high refresh rates and slim designs. Other Lenovo highlights included affordable Idea Tab Plus tablets, higher-end Yoga Tabs, a new aluminum-clad ThinkPad X9 line, and even some concept gear like a Smart Motion dock that physically tracks your face and keeps the laptop pointed at you.

Over at Showstoppers, I came across a number of smaller companies showing interesting devices. DigiEra had a chunky handheld tablet PC called the HoloMax with 3D display capabilities and powerful specs. BlackView showed off a rugged smartphone with built-in VHF and UHF radios, essentially combining a walkie-talkie and phone into one device. Momax introduced inexpensive Find My-compatible trackers with some extra safety features like a loud siren. Ugreen displayed a six-bay NAS powered by Intel’s Core Ultra processors and outfitted with Thunderbolt. Anker had a massive $5,000 portable projector and sound system called the Nebula X1 Pro, clearly aimed at outdoor movie nights.

There were also plenty of niche gadgets and fun experiments: a waterproof point-and-shoot camera for kids from Agfa Photo, keyboards from Epomaker with detachable screens and unusual switches, a SwitchBot robot that plays tennis with you, and the Hover Air camera that autonomously follows you around with no need for a remote control. Belkin had some new budget-friendly earbuds, car chargers, and magnetic wireless chargers, while Charge showed an SSD with integrated cooling and hub functionality.

This event is much more fun to watch than read. Check out the video and see all of my previous dispatches here!

I’ll have a mini-dispatch coming up in late October from a Pepcom event. Stay tuned!