Words can't describe how much I despise scalped GPU prices
What File Explorer alternative are you using?
We've talked about File Explorer alternatives quite a bit here on XDA, and I've personally already found one of my favorites in OneCommander, which I wrote about in the article I've linked here. But there are surprisingly a ton of options available if you want to change your file manager on Windows 11. From Total Commander to Directory Opus, I've heard of a ton of options mentioned by our readers and while looking around for myself. So, if you've replaced the default File Explorer, what are you using? Or are you one of the people who feel that Microsoft's solution does everything it needs to do just fine? I'd love to hear people's thoughts.
What was the first laptop you ever owned?
I may call myself a hardcore desktop user, but there's no denying that a laptop was responsible for my downward spiral into the world of tech. As a kid, I loved tinkering with the Dell Inspiron 8500, which was more of a family laptop than something I had full sovereignty over. After going through similar non-gaming laptops for almost a decade, I finally made the switch to a desktop, as I wanted the extra oomph that my laptops were unable to provide. And I haven't looked back ever since. What about you? What was the laptop that kickstarted your journey into the computing landscape?
What's your favorite Linux distro?
Unlike Windows and macOS, the Linux landscape is teeming with countless distributions that bring their own set of unique features to the table. But with so many options, you're bound to have a distro or two as your favorites. Personally, I find it quite difficult to hone in on one distro. Instead, I have several options that I cycle through depending on my needs. For example, I love NixOS' unique (and downright eccentric) nature in my coding-oriented projects, while Pop_OS! is my go-to choice when I want to use an Nvidia GPU inside Linux. However, I'm also quite fond of Debian's stable nature, and even prefer it over Ubuntu. Then there's Q4OS, which can rejuvenate any old PC when combined with the ultra-light Trinity desktop environment. But that's just me being indecisive after years of distro-hopping. What about you?
Do you disable OneDrive backups in Windows 11?
Microsoft has been trying increasingly hard to push Windows users to try its other services, and OneDrive is a big example. After introducing the ability to backup entire folders from your PC, the company started enabling this feature by default on Windows 11 computers, which I personally hated. One of the first things I did when I learned of this was write a guide on how to disable it. Basically, OneDrive backs up your Desktop, Pictures, and Documents folders to the cloud by default, so they're accessible everywhere, but in my opinion, it causes more trouble than anything. You end up with a bunch of duplicate icons on your desktop, most of which don't work. But I also disable it for other folders to save space in OneDrive. What about you? Do you leave these backups on or do you also find them to be a nuisance?
What's you favorite Linux desktop environment?
Linux distros are known for their endless customization options, and for good reason. Not only can you modify the widgets, dock, and taskbar, but you can also fine-tune the appearance of the terminal emulator, file manager, and other desktop apps to your liking. Heck, you can even choose from a variety of desktop environments to further enhance the UI to your liking. Personally, I'm a fan of KDE's aesthetics - to the point where I'd call it the prettiest desktop environment in the Linux space. What about you?
I experienced QD-OLED burn-in this week and I'm gutted
After over a year of using a static image on my QD-OLED Alienware gaming monitor, the worst possible thing happened. Yep, burn-in, with the swirly flame-like design from the iconic Windows 11 wallpaper showing up in other apps. I caught it early, so it only shows up on some colors, mostly grays, and it's fading after using the Windows spotlight wallpaper, which changes every few hours, but it's still frustrating. Then again, it took a year, it's still in warranty, and I've had monitors fail more spectacularly. It still won't dissuade me from how good QD-OLED or OLED is for gaming use, although I'll be picking up a newer generation panel next time.
How do you usually capture screenshots of your PC?
As someone who frequently writes how-tos and guide posts, taking screenshots (and editing them) is one of my everyday tasks. Over the years, I gave the Print Screen method a lot of chances, but I found it to be rather finicky and unreliable, as Windows would often fail to take screenshots even after using the Windows and Fn combos. So, the Snipping Tool was my primary application for taking screenshots until a certain Windows Update in 2022 broke the functionality for me. In desperation, I tested a handful of apps before eventually settling down on Greenshot. And let me tell you, it was the best decision I ever made! Sure, there may be better apps with more features out there. But Greenshot has the holy trifecta of a simple UI, responsive performance, and open-source nature, which makes it my preferred companion when working on long tutorial posts. But enough about me. What's your favorite app or method of capturing screenshots?
What do you use to listen to music?
Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Deezer, Soundcloud, there are a lot of options out there for listening to music. I'm a Spotify user and have been since a year or so after its launch, but I'm considering switching to another platform in the future. YouTube Music has a lot of features that I'd like, and I already have a YouTube Premium subscription as well. I'm just so used to using Spotify that it would be hard to switch!
Do you type with all ten fingers?
As someone who writes for a living, you might think I'm someone who's learned the most efficient method for typing quickly, but I have to admit, I can't manage typing with every finger on my hands. I remember having some typing lessons back in college where we learned how to type more quickly by using all fingers, and I did try back then, but today, I simply can't do it without feeling like I have way less coordination. Maybe it would be worth adapting to it, but the time it would take to learn would significantly hurt my productivity. I mostly type with just four fingers, those being the index and middle fingers on both hands. I occasionally use other fingers for accents or to press the Shift key, but that's about it. Does that sound crazy to you, or do you also type with just a few of your fingers?
Have you installed Windows 11 version 24H2 yet?
Microsoft released Windows 11 version 24H2 starting yesterday, October 1st, and it's making its way to PCs across the world gradually. Of course, you can install it manually by going to the Windows 11 download page and using the Installation Assistant to force your computer to upgrade. The question is: did you do that? What features, if any, prompted you to upgrade right away? Of course, I upgraded my main PC immediately because I always want to be on the latest thing, but realistically, there isn't a lot about this update that would get me to install it. It's a relatively light one in terms of new features, though things like sudo support are pretty cool to see. But I suspect many people will probably wait until a broader rollout or even until the update is forced. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
What was the first GPU you ever purchased?
Despite being a huge hardware nerd since childhood, I had to wait until 2014 before I could finally purchase a discrete GPU. After a lot of internal debates, I ended up choosing the GTX 760. Of course, I'd used my fair share of PCs before I got my hands on the GTX 760, but most of them were laptops that lacked a dedicated GPU, and I had to wait for years before I could finally build my own GTX 760-powered desktop. It's not something I'm proud of, because I feel like I missed out on the golden age of multi-GPU setups that began in the early 2000s and ended with the GTX 600 series in 2012. Eventually, I moved on to better GPUs after realizing the limits of my budget-friendly GTX 760, and my trusty RTX 3080 Ti is currently the most powerful graphics card in my arsenal. But what about you? Which graphics card did you start your PC-building journey with?
Web UI or CLI: How do you manage your containers?
As someone who has spent a lot of time messing around with containerization projects, I'm torn between CLI and web-based GUI tools to manage my Docker setups. Personally, I started my Docker journey by cramming terminal commands, and while self-hosting maestros prefer the feature-laden nature of CLI setups, I'll admit that learning new keywords can get exhausting. However, there's no denying that terminal commands are extremely versatile in their utility, and are objectively better if you're pursuing a career in the DevOps or sysadmin fields. Meanwhile, web UIs like Portainer (or even the menu-based Docker Desktop) are a lot easier to pick up. Having used Portainer for the last couple of weeks, I daresay this neat tool has all the features an average home labber will ever need for their self-hosting workloads. What about you? Do you swear by powerful terminal commands? Or are you content with the simpler interfaces provided by Portainer, Yacht, and other web-based management tools?
Have you upgraded to Windows 11 version 24H2?
It's now been just over a month since Microsoft made the initial release of Windows 11 version 24H2 available to the public. It's rolling out gradually to compatible PCs, and the company has put a compatibility hold on some devices, so I'm sure a lot of people don't have it yet. For myself, I installed the update early on all the PCs I've used, and I've been liking it so far. I haven't noticed a ton of differences in terms of overall performance, but I also haven't noticed any major issues, so I'm pretty happy with it so far. One of my PCs seems to have lost the ability to manage device encryption, though, which is odd. What about you? Have you upgraded? What's your experience like so far?
The 12VHPWR cable needs fixing (properly this time)
If you're using an Nvidia GeForce RTX 40 or 50 series GPU, there's a good chance you've come across the 12VHPWR cable that has found itself in the news for all the wrong reasons. This cable, developed by the PCI-SIG standards organization, was originally designed to replace the 6-pin and 8-pin PCIe cables that would need to be bundled together to provide enough power for the beefier GPUs of today. The idea is sound but the execution leaves much to be desired. Although revised, even the newer 12V-2x6 cable included with the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 is still encountering issues.
I don't know what to use tablets for
I love convertibles and 2-in-1 laptops. Whenever I think of buying a laptop, I feel like it has to have that form factor. I love using the touchscreen for little things occasionally, and the idea of using it as a tablet sounds great... but that's about it. I'm currently reviewing what I would say is one of the coolest laptops ever, the Lenovo ThinkBook Plud Gen 5 Hybrid. I love everything about this idea, and I really want Lenovo to make more of these products, but when it comes to using the tablet portion of the device, I just don't know what to use it for. I installed my usual browser on it, and I have YouTube, of course, but I rarely stream proper shows, and I don't do much reading, either. I've been forcing myself to use it to keep up with some online forums or watching some YouTube while I eat, but it never really feels like something I'm doing because it's convenient, I'm just trying to use the tablet for something. I'm never lounging around with nothing but a tablet. If I'm on
Opera Air has been helping me with stiffness and neck pain
After I wrote about it last week, I've been using Opera Air as my main browser for a few days now, and I've found that I like it for the most part. It's a fairly basic browser, but that's all a browser needs to be most of the time. What's really kept me in it, though, are the unique Boosts and Breaks features. Breaks in particular have been pretty nice. I sit at a chair all day, and I would be lying if I said I watch my posture the entire time. Back pain has become frequent, and my neck muscles get pretty stiff. The neck exercises have been helping me quite a bit, even though I only do them once or twice a day. I will say, though, the voice guidance is totally broken, which the team really needs to pay attention to. Hopefully we'll see more updates sooner rather than later.
Satechi's Stand & Hub seems to be perfect for my Mac Mini
Satechi formally announced the Stand & Hub accessory for the Mac Mini late last year shortly after I wrote my review, and ever since then, I've been incredibly excited to test it. Adding an SSD slot and multiple USB ports without sacrificing the tiny form factor and compact design just seems perfect, especially when you have the entry-level Mac Mini like I do. I have been surviving on 256GB of storage since my initial review, but it's making me very uncomfortable to have under 20GB of free space. Granted, it's mostly because I record and edit a lot of videos that are taking gigabytes of space, but I could really use some extra space. I do have a review unit on the way, so here's hoping it lives up to my expectations.
What's your favorite self-hosted service?
I self-host a lot of services on my NAS, and I've recently been playing around with Vaultwarden to migrate my password management to a local solution. It's been an interesting endeavor and one that largely proved to be surprisingly easy to do. Now it's all about securely locking things down and ensuring that everything is kept safe. My favorite is still Jellyfin though, especially when paired with WireGuard so that I can access my media streaming library from anywhere in the world.
I'm struggling with time management this week
This week has been a struggle, with the rest of my household down with flu. My time management skills and structure for a normal week have all gone out the window. That's got me thinking about how to optimize my schedule further so that I can build a safety net. So, what are your best time management tips, tricks, and tools, particularly those that build enough leeway for when things go wrong?
Proximity voice chat is perfect for co-op horror games
From grim environmental story-telling to spine-chilling sound design, horror games use plenty of tricks to immerse you in their worlds. However, the proximity voice chat remains my favorite feature in multiplayer horror games, with Lethal Company providing the best implementation of this facility. Yelling for your teammates when you're separated from the group adds to the feeling that you're inside a building inhabited by, pardon the pun, lethal monsters. While hearing your squadmate's muffled screams when a Bracken grabs them or as they plummet down the factory after a failed jump is hilarious, the proximity chat is what truly enhances the gameplay, and I hope other horror titles pick up this neat feature.
