Component companies are constantly upgrading their protocols and AMD is no different. The brand, known for its graphics cards, is transitioning its latest 9000 series GPUs to the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) firmware standard. This means shifting away from the pre-boot BIOS setup that has been the customary way of performing various system tasks for many years.
PC World noted that many computer enthusiasts may believe that UEFI and pre-boot BIOS are interchangeable. However, AMD detailed in support documentation that it is moving forward with UEFI as its sole firmware standard for graphics cards including the Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT, for several reasons. These include improved security, interoperability for different interfaces, swift firmware updates, support for large hard drives, support for new PC hardware, Windows Secure Boot compatibility, as well as faster shutdown, startup, sleep, and resume times.
Though AMD is secure in its decision, some PC users could find themselves in a sticky situation, especially if they are still running Windows 10 and have a computer with an older motherboard. PC World noted that most computers that are at least 10 years old should have motherboards that support UEFI. Even so, many Windows 10 users seem content to ride the legacy OS support wave until well after October 14, 2025, when Microsoft is set to end support for the system.
The publication noted that stats conducted by the gaming platform Steam indicate over 40% of users are operating PCs running Windows 10, which could put them at risk of having their computer hardware incompatible with Windows 11. There’s no way of testing whether a PC motherboard is up to standard with UEFI or is BIOS per Steam’s statistics.
This may be AMD’s effort to help promote the push to Windows 11. However, the publications noted that users can employ a workaround by upgrading their PC motherboards and continuing to run Windows 10.
However, down-with-the-ship users can expect more efforts to urge them to abandon the legacy software. Notably, Microsoft has indicated that it plans to charge a fee for Extended Security Updates (ESU) to those who maintain Windows 10 beyond the end-of-service date.
The absolutely absurd idea of putting a touchscreen display on a mouse isn't exactly new. Turtle Beach already did it with its Command Series MC7, which features a 2.25-inch control screen. But apparently, even that wasn't ridiculous enough for Arctic Fox Technologies. Its new Super Mouse looks like someone took the chunky old Atari ST mouse, slapped a touchscreen and scroll wheel on it, and called it an upgrade.
The result is a rather unusual-looking mouse that is now on Kickstarter, starting at $199. And as ridiculous as it looks, some of its features are genuinely intriguing.
Apple is less than a day away from launching its highly anticipated OLED MacBook Pro with a touch-sensitive screen. But it appears that the upgrade is going to cost a pretty penny. According to a report by Bloomberg, Apple is reportedly eyeing a starting price of $2,899 for the 14-inch MacBook Pro, while the 16-inch version could start at $3,399 in the US.
"At $2,899, the 14-inch model would mark the highest starting price for a new MacBook Pro model, surpassing the $2,799 Apple charged for a 17-inch version introduced in 2006," says the report. The report claims that Apple is targeting a minimum price hike of $400 for its upcoming redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
I've spent a good amount of time digging into the spec sheet of the new M6 MacBook Pro (14-inch), and for all intents and purposes, this is a classic Apple "chip and connectivity" refresh. It's not a full redesign. The chassis, Liquid Retina XDR panel, speakers, ports, and battery, all of them carry over unchanged.
However, the M6 brings more cores, stronger on-device AI, higher memory bandwidth on the larger configs, and modern wireless. Here’s the practical rundown of what actually improved, and whether those gains are worth your money.