By ckasprzak | TkOut
| May 29, 2026 |
Hardware
The Hot Take: Definitely want to give this puppy a try, though I'm leaning towards the higher end unit.
Fosi Audio officially launches its first externally focused audio solution with a stronger emphasis on e-sports and gaming, the C3. According to the press release available, the compact USB-C sound card is scheduled to be available from 28 May 2026 and is aimed primarily at players who want not just any louder sound in shooters, [âŚ]
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The Hot Take: OH look at that, suddenly we're getting more performance out of windows. Like they were handy capping it or something to push lets say something like mid-range hardware of the ARM variety....
Microsoft recently released Windows 11 KB5089573 (Build 26200.8524) optional update, and buried inside the lengthy release notes is a major performance upgrade. While the company simply calls it a â[General Performance]â improvement, we know this is the highly anticipated CPU boost feature internally codenamed âLow Latency Profile.â
According to the official changelog released on May 26, 2026, Microsoft notes: â[General Performance] This update accelerates app launch and core shell experiences such as Start menu, Search, and Action Center.â
We already reported that Windows 11 Low Latency Mode is rolling out in June 2026 with the mandatory security update. But as we said, the CPU boost feature will be available in the optional May update as well, so if youâre eager enough to enable it, go to Settings > Windows Update > Advanced options > Optional updates and just select the update to install it.
However, due to Microsoftâs Controlled Feature Rollout (CFR) strategy, the new performance boost may not be activated straightaway even after you install the Windows 11 KB5089573 optional update. Your PC has definitely downloaded the underlying code, but Microsoft often keeps the activation switch turned off for a subset of users to monitor stability.
Fortunately, you do not have to wait for Microsoft to flip the switch remotely. You can manually force the feature on right now using a popular third-party utility called ViveTool.
Note: The Low Latency Profile currently only makes OS flyouts, such as the Start menu, Notification Center, right-click menu, and other areas, load faster. It does not allow your apps to launch faster. That change will roll out in the next update.
How to enable Low Latency Profile in Windows 11
Before you proceed, you need to be sure you have already installed the May optional update.
To verify if the May 2026 optional update is installed, open Settings > System > About, and check the build number. If itâs Build 26200.8524 / 26100.8524 or newer, youâre eligible for Low Latency Profile improvements. Also, the Low Latency Profile does not require any special hardware, but itâs more impactful on budget/low-end PCs.
Now, follow these steps to activate Windows 11âs CPU boost feature:
Get ViveTool by going to the official ViveTool GitHub repository and downloading the latest .zip release.
Extract the contents to a convenient folder. For ease of use, I created a folder called ViveTool directly on my C drive and extracted the files there.
Click the Start menu, type âcmdâ, right-click on Command Prompt, and select Run as administrator.
Type cd C:\ViveTool and press Enter.
Type the following command to activate the feature and press Enter:
vivetool /enable /id:58989092
Restart your PC to apply the changes.
Note: The command uses /enable to turn the feature on. If you ever want to revert the changes, you can repeat the process using /disable instead. This only works for now, and once the feature officially becomes default on your device, you wonât be able to turn it off.
Ideally, we shouldnât have to enable features manually. Since Microsoft already has a vibrant Insider community, all testing should occur earlier, and deployment should begin now. Many users have complained that they still havenât received features rolled out in the April 2026 updates. And since Low Latency Profile is, by definition, just a CPU boost, it should have already arrived by now.
How do you verify if the Low Latency Profile is working?
Windows 11 does not include a toggle to enable or disable the Low Latency Profile. Instead, the feature is enabled by default on all PCs once it rolls out with the May 2026 Update, or if you enable it using the bypass method mentioned above.
As a result, the only way to verify that itâs working is by comparing performance before and after the feature is enabled. Check if the Start menu, Action Center, and Search load faster than before.
We canât rule out a placebo either, so you can also try checking CPU usage before and after Low Latency Profile is enabled:
No CPU boost before Low Latency Profile is enabled:
https://www.windowslatest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Low-Latency-Profile-CPU-boost-feature-is-disabled.mp4
On the top right side of the screen recording, you can see that the CPU has not reached peak utilization while opening the Start menu or Action Center. I have checked it multiple times to be sure.
After enabling Low Latency Profile using the bypass method given above, I opened the Start menu and Action Center:
CPU utilization peaks while opening the Start menu after Low Latency Profile is enabled:
https://www.windowslatest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CPU-jumps-to-100-while-opening-Start-menu-after-enabling-Low-Latency-Profile.mp4
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As you can see on the top right side, CPU utilization jumps to 100% in the P cores on my Intel Core i5 13420H, and then falls to normal levels in a second or two, which essentially confirms the presence of Low Latency Profile.
CPU reaches 100% while opening the Action Center after Low Latency Profile is enabled:
https://www.windowslatest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/CPU-Boost-while-using-Action-centre-after-enabling-Low-Latency-Profile.mp4
Here, too, you can see that the CPU utilization reaches 100% while opening the Action Center and then falls to normal levels almost immediately.
I have done these tests several times, and after seeing the CPU boost for the Start menu and Action Center only after enabling the feature, it is clear that my system has Low Latency Profile enabled.
Microsoft mentioned General Performance improvements to only the Start menu, Action Center, and Windows Search, so as of now, there is no speed boost while opening inbox apps or third-party apps.
Hands-on: UI smoothness over raw speed (for now)
I previously tested Low Latency Profile in a highly constrained environment, and the CPU Boost feature worked well enough that I felt it could make budget PCs usable. It was a dual-core virtual machine limited to 4GB of RAM. But even then, some actions felt surprisingly responsive because the OS was no longer waiting for the CPU to slowly ramp up to the required speeds.
Before enabling Low Latency Profile CPU boost:
https://www.windowslatest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Before-Low-Latency-Profile-in-Windows-11.mp4
Yes, you have to be eagle-eyed enough to see the micro-strutters and occasional jitters. But itâs safe to say that most people have first-hand experience with the stuttery Start menu!
But now, after running before-and-after screen recordings on a regular, full-powered daily-driver PC with this new May optional update, the results are slightly different, but I like it.
After enabling Low Latency Profile CPU boost:
https://www.windowslatest.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/After-Low-Latency-Profile-in-Windows-11.mp4
The changes may look minute in the screen-recording, but it is definitely noticeable in the real world.
Opening the Start menu is less choppy than before. The Action Center glides onto the screen smoothly, and the notorious rendering delay when bringing up the right-click context menu looks to be significantly reduced. As the official release notes specifically highlight âcore shell experiences,â it appears the Low Latency Profile is currently prioritizing OS fluidity over speeding up inbox or third-party app launches.
Either way, since my regular PC wasnât slow in the first place, it now feels more premium because of the extra smoothness. Also, I didnât notice any heating or battery drain during my testing.
The needless controversy behind Windows 11âs CPU boost
When news of this CPU-spiking feature first broke, several users on social media heavily criticized Microsoft, claiming that artificially boosting the processor was a âlazy fixâ to cover up poorly optimized code.
Microsoft Copilot reaches 97% CPU
However, Microsoft stepped in to clarify the engineering behind it, and we agree. Scott Hanselman defended the technology by explaining the concept of âRace to Sleep.â By instantly spiking the CPU to its maximum frequency for a brief 1 to 3 seconds during a UI interaction, the processor completes the heavy lifting in a fraction of the time, allowing it to return to its low-power idle state much faster.
Hanselman pointed out that Apple uses similar hardware-level scheduling tricks on macOS to make the operating system feel buttery smooth.
Because of this initial public backlash, it makes sense that Microsoft chose to quietly label the feature as âGeneral Performanceâ in the changelog rather than explicitly announcing the âLow Latency Profileâ by its internal codename or sharing specific speed improvement metrics.
Whatâs next for Windows 11 performance improvements?
Windows 11 desktop still hasnât quite reached the flawless 120fps smoothness of modern-day smartphones. This update is a massive step in the right direction. And most importantly, this CPU boost is just one half of a much larger strategy.
As Microsoft commits to native UI for Windows 11, the company is replacing heavy web frameworks with lightweight native code, including in the Start menu. So, when you combine native optimizations with the immediate power delivery of Low Latency Profile, pretty soon, Windows 11 will feel as fast and premium as we expect.
The post Microsoftâs Windows 11 CPU boost is rolling out, and hereâs how to enable it right now appeared first on Windows Latest
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The Hot Take: Was wondering why it was saying I didn't have Nvidia Control Panel! LOL
The interface lived for nearly two decades and served us well, but now it's time to switch to the latest NVIDIA App. NVIDIA Announces the Official Retirement of Control Panel, One of the Most Popular Tools for NVIDIA GPU-Based Systems The popular NVIDIA GPU tool, NVIDIA Control Panel, launched in February 2026. It has been just over two decades since the tool went live and has remained the most used utility on NVIDIA GPU-based systems. From offering simple settings to change refresh rate, resolution, and multiple-display setups to manage 3D settings, the Control Panel remained one of the easiest to [âŚ]Read full article at https://wccftech.com/nvidia-control-panel-is-officially-dead-after-two-decades/
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The Hot Take: We'll see where glass takes us, it's an interesting change for sure.
Intel Foundry is leading the race towards Glass Substrates with its Rio Rancho facility, aiming to become the world's first to initiate mass production. Glass Substrates Are The Future of Semiconductors & Intel Foundry is Well on Its Way To Become The First To Initiate Mass Production Glass Core substrates have been gaining interest, as they have several benefits over traditional organic substrate solutions. The current substrates are also facing shortages due to the AI supercycle, leading one of the biggest substrate suppliers, Ajinomoto, to raise prices. These supply constraints are pushing the industry to look into new advanced packaging solutions, and [âŚ]Read full article at https://wccftech.com/intel-foundry-rio-rancho-facility-crown-jewel-in-production-of-glass-substrates/
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The Hot Take: They're getting bad.
Nvidia finance chief Collette Kress says rivals moaning about memory prices should have ordered the stuff ages ago.
Kress has blamed other firms for being caught short in the ongoing memory squeeze. She said Nvidia saw the price surge coming and acted before everyone started clutching their pearls.
In an interview with Tae Kim, Kress said her firm ordered memory in advance because it understood prices were about to go north. That is not the sort of line which will calm customers now paying more for DRAM.
The surge in memory prices has been driven by huge demand from AI chip companies. It has reshaped the industry, handing workers at SK hynix chunky bonuses while Samsung staff have been protesting.
AI GPUs have created chaos in high-bandwidth memory and DDR memory markets. These chips are greedy little beasts, and the supply chain is not enjoying the feeding frenzy.
Estimates suggest demand for Nvidiaâs Rubin AI platform alone could exceed the combined memory needs of the Fruity Cargo Cult Apple and Samsung. Jobâs Mob is expected to need 2.9 billion gigabytes of LPDDR memory in 2027, while Samsung may need 2.7 billion gigabytes.
Rubin AI chips could need as much as six billion gigabytes of LPDDR memory in 2027. That is the kind of number which makes procurement departments stare sadly at spreadsheets.
AI GPUs need DDR memory as well as HBM. Since both are made using the same machines, increased HBM demand pushes manufacturers to shift capacity away from DDR.
That capacity shift creates shortages in DDR too. Chinese firms are now believed to be eyeing the gap as a chance to become more important players in the memory market.
Nvidia has managed to stay ahead of the supply mess. Kress said the company had foreseen the disruption and lined up supply before the scramble began.
Discussing other firms complaining about high prices, Kress said many companies âare sitting here going, oh my gosh, the memory price went up⌠Nvidia knew that was going to happen. It was something everybody should have, at least we did, ordered a long time ago.â
That is a fairly blunt way of saying Nvidia thinks the rest of the industry failed its homework. It is probably true, though it is easier to say when your company is minting cash from the AI gold rush.
Kress said Nvidia was not simply buying chips off the shelf. It has been working directly with memory suppliers to design and build what it needs.
âTheyâre designing it with us. And then they go, now how much supply do we need? And weâre not just doing it with one. Weâre doing it with all three memory suppliers. We say, hereâs what weâre building. And then weâve got to get them all in line and working with us. I donât see another company doing that.â
The memory shortage is now another AI tax on the rest of the tech world. Nvidia gets first-class treatment because its GPUs are driving the boom which caused the mess in the first place.
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The Hot Take: Lets see if they are able to catch up GPU wise. I hope they aren't dropping Discrete GPUs like I've been hearing.
Intel is reportedly preparing a specialized Nova Lake processor aimed at edge AI and local inference workloads, according to information shared by leaker @GoldenPigUpgradePack.
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The Hot Take: Only time will tell on this one. I don't think so but we'll see here soon enough.
A new report from GF Securities (via SeekingAlpha) claims NVIDIA is gearing up to use its June 1st Computex keynote to pitch its upcoming Arm-based Vera CPU as an x86 killer. The financial analysts claim NVIDIA will boast that Vera delivers up to "1.5x faster speeds, 2x the performance, and 4x the density per rack," as compared to traditional
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The Hot Take: Linux becoming a target with people migrating over to it for sure.
Qualys's Threat Research Unit (TRU) has discovered and published a logic flaw in Linux kernel "that permits an unprivileged local user to disclose sensitive files and execute arbitrary commands as root on default installations of several major distributions." Friday their blog pointed out "The bug has resided in mainline Linux since November 2016 (v4.10-rc1)."
"Upstream patches and distribution updates are already available."
Working exploits are circulating publicly, and administrators should apply vendor kernel updates without delay. During ongoing research into Linux kernel privilege boundaries, TRU identified a narrow window in which a privileged process that is dropping its credentials remains reachable through ptrace-family operations even though its dumpable flag should have closed that path. By pairing this window with the pidfd_getfd() syscall (added in v5.6-rc1, January 2020), an attacker can capture open file descriptors and authenticated inter-process channels from a dying privileged process and re-use them under their own uid. The primitive is reliable and turns any local shell into a path to root or to sensitive credential material [including host private keys under /etc/ssh ]
CVE-2026-46333 is local-only, but the impact is severe... Any unprivileged shell on a vulnerable host is enough to read /etc/shadow, exfiltrate SSH host private keys, or execute arbitrary commands as root through hijacked dbus connections to systemd. In practice, the distinction between an unprivileged foothold and full host compromise collapses: a phished developer account, a constrained CI runner, a low-privilege service account, or a shared multi-tenant host all become direct paths to root. With the vulnerable code shipping in mainline kernels since v4.10-rc1 (November 2016), the historical exposure spans nine years of enterprise fleets, cloud images, and container hosts.
Qualys followed responsible disclosure throughout. Qualys reported the vulnerability privately to the upstream Linux kernel security contact on 2026-05-11. Over the following three days the kernel security team developed and reviewed the fix, CVE-2026-46333 was assigned, and the patch was committed publicly on 2026-05-14. We then engaged the linux-distros mailing list, the standard pre-disclosure channel for downstream coordination. A short time later, an independent exploit derived from the public kernel commit appeared.... Qualys is releasing the complete advisory today because the underlying technique is novel, the public picture is now incomplete and uneven, and independent researchers have already achieved local root and published exploit material. Doing so gives defenders, detection engineers, and downstream maintainers a single authoritative reference for the flaw, the race against do_exit(), the role of pidfd_getfd(), and the four exploitation case studies.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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