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Windows Security review: Basic but effective protection built into Windows
The days of scoffing at Windows free, built-in virus protection are long over. It's good to see Windows Security get even more refined over time.
Reviews
Tested: Microsoft's DirectStorage signals the sunset of SATA SSDs
We test the DirectStorage performance of various SSDs and find SATA drives finally falling behind NVMe in games.
Updated
Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2) review: Subtle but weird
Windows 11 2022 Update (22H2) bold strides in accessibility, but the latest feature release of Windows 11 really doesn't address the Start menu, Taskbar, or other areas where consumers have been asking for improvement.
Reviews
Windows 11 at 6 months: still playing catchup
What's changed about Windows 11, six months in? Microsoft continues to make changes, some for the better. But there's still not enough reason to upgrade from Windows 10, and here's why.
Updated
Ivacy VPN review: How much do you value transparency?
Ivacy offers average speeds, a cleanly designed app, and a few helpful features like split tunneling, but it's also frustratingly tight-lipped about who runs the company.
Reviews
Stardock's Fences 4 keeps your desktop tidy so you don't have to
Stardock's utility, Fences 4, adds a "peek" feature that quickly brings up your Fences, which are regions of your Windows desktop that can organize your file icons.
Reviews
Windows 11 review: An unnecessary replacement for Windows 10
Windows 11 reorganizes Windows, but not to great effect. Several new features improve upon Windows 10, but technical limitations, feature delays, and some functional downgrades leave us thinking that it needs more development time to be be truly useful.
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Reviewed: Windows 10 October 2020 Update inches in the right direction
Microsoft's fall update to Windows 10, the Windows 10 October 2020 Update (20H2), improves the Alt+Tab functionality, makes the Start menu less attractive, and makes the new Edge browser official.
Reviews
Gatekeeper Two-Factor Authentication review: Needs a consumer-grade overhaul
The Gatekeeper login and 2FA system from Untethered Labs is an interesting device, but this product needs consumer-grade modifications.
Updated
Windows 10 May 2020 Update review: Microsoft boosts Linux and Your Phone, but Cortana slips hard
Microsoft's Windows 10 May 2020 Update, aka Windows 10 20H1 or version 2004, pumps up Linux and the Your Phone integration to Android phones. But Microsoft also fumbles Cortana's transition to a standalone app.
Reviews
Microsoft ‘new’ Edge review: Microsoft’s Chromium-based browser gets the job done
Microsoft's new Chromium-based Edge will show up soon on your Windows 10 PC. It performs adequately and has a few unique features, but it faces an uphill battle against Chrome.
Reviews
Windows 10 November 2019 Update review: Fewer features now, bigger changes later
Microsoft's goal with its Windows 10 November 2019 Update is to fix bugs, not push features. A Windows Search-powered File Explorer offers one of the few improvements.
Updated
Windows 10 May 2019 Update review: Sandbox and a better Windows Update improve your PC
Microsoft's latest Windows 10 May 2019 Update (aka 19H1) offers one key feature, Windows Sandbox, plus a number of minor improvements, including changes in Windows Update.
Updated
Windows 10 October 2018 Update review: Many small improvements make a better experience
Microsoft's Windows 10 October 2018 Update includes a few nifty tricks, such as the PC-to-PC cut and paste, and the Your Phone app to grab photos from your phone. But there's more under the hood than on the surface.
Reviews
Avira Antivirus Pro 2019 review: Solid performance, better prices
Avira Antivirus Pro isn't worth the price given how it doesn't differ from Avira Free, but the Avira Prime subscription with its recently lowered price makes it competitive with top suites from companies like McAfee and Symantec.
Reviews
MicroWorld eScan Total Security Suite review: A suite not big on change
MicroWorld's eScan Total Security Suite offers enough features for most people, but the interface needs some work.
Reviews
Windows 10 April 2018 Update review: Small fixes now hint at better things for later
The Microsoft Windows 10 April 2018 Update offers innovations such as Timeline and Nearby Sharing, but most of the improvements are more modest.
Reviews
Buffered VPN review: It gets the job done
Respectable speeds and helpful tools make Buffered a solid choice for VPN users.
Updated
Windows 10 Fall Creators Update review: This could be Microsoft’s biggest Windows yet
Microsoft's Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is its most ambitious ever, betting big on mixed reality while using pen, dictation, and a trio of excellent 3D apps to satisfy existing Microsoft Windows users.Updated
HP Elite x3 review: Yep, this was the last great Windows phone
HP's Elite x3 combines amazing hardware, tremendous battery life, a stellar Continuum experience, and support for older Win32 apps. Whether that's enough to buoy Microsoft's vision remains to be seen.