How to set up the ASUS Chromebook CX9 for working from home

The new ASUS Chromebook CX9 is the perfect machine for working from home. With an 11th generation Intel Tiger Lake processor and up to 16GB of RAM, you’ve got all the power you need in a business laptop. This is definitely the best ASUS Chromebook in quite some time. If you’re planning to do business from the comfort of your home, you’ll need a few things to get started.

First, it’s important to start with the right hardware. An external monitor, keyboard, and mouse can really improve your workflow. A desktop setup not only makes work more comfortable, it also increases productivity. You might also need a dock for connecting additional peripherals, depending on the nature of your work.

After you get the necessary hardware, it’s time to get all the software and apps you need for work on your ASUS Chromebook Cx9. Google’s Chrome OS has matured quite a bit over the past few years. There’s an app available on Chrome OS for just about every task you need to accomplish. Let’s get started on everything you need to set up the CX9 for working from home.

Setting up hardware needed to work from home

If you’re looking to work from home, it’s important to have the right tools. The spacious digital canvas provided by a large display can make a world of difference. To use that display, you’ll also need a quality keyboard, mouse, and docking station to take full advantage of everything your Chromebook CX9 offers. Here are the best options in each category.

External monitor

Monitors come in a variety of sizes, and span the price spectrum from fairly cheap to incredibly expensive. When choosing an external monitor to use with your ASUS Chromebook CX9, you should carefully consider your use-case as well as your budget. Below, we’ve rounded up the best monitors for 4K performance, creative professionals, and those looking to get the best overall bang for their buck.

HP 24MH

Best budget

The HP 24mh is a 24-inch budget monitor that offers a good set of features for the asking price. It uses an IPS panel which means better colors and viewing angles and also offers great sRGB coverage. The monitor also features three inputs (HDMI, DisplayPort, VGA), a functional stand with height, pivot, and tilt adjustment, as well as built-in speakers.

View at Amazon

Lenovo ThinkVision M14

Best portable

Looking for an external monitor you can carry with you? Lenovo offers its customers the ThinkVision M14 that features a 14 inch full-HD panel and dual USB-C ports for a seamless connectivity experience.

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Dell Ultrasharp U2719DX

Best overall

This monitor offers great color accuracy and sharp visuals with 1,440px resolution. It also comes with a great industrial design with slim bezels and a good set of I/O connectivity.

View at Amazon

HP U28 4K

Best 4K

HP's U28 features a factory-calibrated 4K HDR IPS panel which is great for studio work and also features a host of I/O ports.

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LG 29WP60G-B

Best ultrawide

The LG 29 inch ultrawide monitor should be great for users looking for loads of screen real estate. It comes with a 29 inch wide IPS panel offering a full-HD (2560 x 1080) resolution, 21:9 aspect ratio, 99% coverage of sRGB color gamut, HDR10, and AMD FreeSync.

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ASUS ProArt Display 27

Best for creative use

The ASUS ProArt PA279CV is suited for customers looking for an external display for the purpose of photo or video editing. It features a 27 inch 4K resolution IPS panel that offers 100% sRGB coverage, factory calibrated for Delta E < 2 color accuracy and a USB-C port for seamless connectivity.

View at Amazon

External keyboard

Using an external monitor can provide more screen real estate, and docking stations can offer additional ports for multi-tasking. With your new mouse at the ready, you’ll need a quality keyboard to complete your workstation. When choosing a keyboard for daily use, you’ll want to have both comfort and reliability. There are a range of ergonomic designs, key layouts, and advanced features to consider when shopping for a keyboard. In this list we’ll take a look at the best keyboards to use with your Chromebook, at a variety of price points.

As a preliminary note, there aren’t very many keyboards designed specifically for Chrome OS. In order to offer a variety of options, we’ve also included keyboards designed for PC and Mac in this list. Keep in mind any of these keyboards can still work with your Chromebook, using F1-12 as a replacement for function keys. In addition, remember Chrome OS can run on a variety of hardware, so these keyboards will work for your tablet or Chromebox as well.

Logitech K580 Chrome OS Edition

Best Chrome OS integration

If you're looking for a keyboard built for Google, this is the one. Chrome OS function keys line the top of the keyboard, with a spacious number pad on the side. You also get a built-in Google Assistant key and easy switch capability for use with multiple devices.

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Brydge C-Type wireless keyboard

Sleek Design for Chrome OS

The Brydge C-Type wireless keyboard is a very stylish option with Chrome OS integration. As with the Logitech K580, you get a row of Chrome function keys at the top. The key travel on this keyboard is excellent and provides an enjoyable daily typing experience. On top of all those features, you get great battery life and a lifetime warranty.

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Brydge C-Type wireless keyboard

Keyboard and mouse combo

Perhaps you want a keyboard bundled with a wireless mouse? This slim wireless keyboard from Jelly Comb also comes bundled with a travel mouse. Both devices feature an ergonomic design and automatic sleep mode to preserve battery life. At just $25, this is a great bundle to consider.

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Havit backlit mechanical keyboard

Mechanical keyboard lovers

For those that enjoy the typing experience of a mechanical keyboard, Havit has a great option under $50. The Kalith Blue Switches offer nice key travel and a satisfying click. A unique ice blue LED color completes the look of this beautiful and sleek design.

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Logitech K380

Compact design

If you want your keyboard to take up less space on your desktop, consider the Logitech K380. This compact wireless keyboard also offers easy switch capability for up to three devices at once. This keyboard works with virtually any operating system, including Chrome OS.

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Jelly Comb folding keyboard

Frequent travelers

Folding keyboards are a thing, and they're pretty awesome. If you travel constantly for work, you may want to check out Jelly Comb's folding keyboard. In addition to wired and wireless connection modes, you also get a built-in touchpad mouse as an added bonus.

View at Amazon

Mouse

When shopping for a new mouse to pair with your favorite Chromebook, comfort is king. In this list, we’ll prioritize the comfortable operation of each mouse over other advanced features. After considering day-to-day usage, we’ll look at battery life, price point, and of course integration with Chrome OS. Mice come in all shapes and sizes, so it’s worth viewing a large volume of options before reaching a final decision.

Seenda 2.4G wireless mouse

Best budget mouse

If you need a wireless mouse on a budget, Seenda has you covered. This mouse lacks some bells and whistles, but costs under $6 and has a comfortable design. Battery life is excellent on this device. For those who only use a mouse on occasion, this is the way to go.

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Logitech M355

Best slim and flat design

Some mice require you to choose whether you are left or right handed, but not the Logitech M355. This mouse has a slim and flat design, perfect for ambidextrous users. In addition, the slim profile and ultra-quiet clicks make this a great mouse to use at work.

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Jelly Comb dual mode mouse

Best bluetooth and 2.4GHz combo

The Jelly Comb dual mode mouse features both bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless connectivity. With this, you can connect to two devices simultaneously. Jelly Comb has a number of great color options to choose from, with a price under $15.

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Logitech M570

Best for trackball fans

Logitech's M570 has a distinct and instantly recognizable form-factor. The giant teal trackball is easily spotted while the mouse is in use. If you do a lot of scrolling for work, and find a trackball comfortable, this is the best option by far. This is one of the most comfortable mice to use for long periods of time.

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Jelly Comb mouse and keyboard combo

Best mouse and keyboard bundle

Bundles are never a bad thing in terms of value. Jelly Comb packages an excellent wireless keyboard and mouse combo for under $25. Both devices feature excellent battery life, and an auto sleep mode when not in use.

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Geyes Silent Wireless Mouse

Best noiseless mouse

Keeping quiet while at work is sometimes important. If you're looking for a mouse that's virtually silent, Geyes has you covered. This lightweight mouse is also rechargeable and features a comfortable honeycomb design. Friends and family will surely notice the eye-catching design on your new mouse.

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Docking station

If you’re looking to use your Chromebook with an external monitor, you’ll likely want to add a docking station to increase the number of available ports. With a good docking solution, you can greatly expand your Chromebook’s versatility. You can use it to connect a mouse, a mechanical keyboard, external storage devices, multiple monitors, or all of them at once.

On top of that, with some docking stations, you can even keep your Chromebook charged as long as it has a compatible USB Type-C port or Thunderbolt port. Docking stations are great for students as well as business users that dock their machine at the office.

Tiergrade USB-C Docking Station

Best overall

The Tiergrade USB C Chromebook docking station is perfect for power users. It offers the widest selection of ports, including two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, two USB 3.0 Type-C ports, two HDMI ports, a DisplayPort port, an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port, 3.5mm headphone and mic jacks, a S/PDIF audio port and a USB 3.0 Type-C port with 60W power delivery. On top of that, the dock also includes a full-sized SD card reader and a microSD card reader.

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Baseus 16-in-1 Docking Station

Best budget alternative for power users

The Baseus 16-in-1 Chromebook docking station is a cheaper alternative to the Tiergrade dock with a slightly different port selection. It includes three USB 3.0 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, two USB 3.0 Type-C ports, a USB type-C port with pass-through charging support, an RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port, a 3.5mm headphone/mic combo jack, a microSD card slot, and an SD card slot. For display connectivity, it features a VGA port and an HDMI port. However, it only supports screen mirroring for dual external displays.

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NOVOO 8-in-1 USB-C Dock

Best portable

The NOVOO 8-in-1 USB C dock is the tiniest Chromebook Docking Station on this list, earning it the most portable title. Despite its tiny size, it packs 3 USB 3.0 Type-A ports, an Ethernet port, a USB Type-C port with up to 100W passthrough charging, an HDMI port, and an SD card reader. That's a lot of ports for something as tiny as this. Makes me wonder why some fruity OEMs can't offer more than two USB Type-C ports on their laptops.

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Anker PowerExpand+ 7-in-1 USB C Hub

Best budget portable

If you're not willing to spend $40 on a tiny USB C hub, then the Anker PowerExpand+ should be a better option. It's slightly larger than the NOVOO USB C dock, but features the same number of ports. This includes two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, a USB Type-C port for data, a USB Type-C port with pass-through charging support at up to 100W, an HDMI port, and an SD card reader. It should get the job done if you have basic needs.

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Sabrent Universal Laptop Docking Station

Best for Chrome OS tablets

The Sabrent Chromebook docking station is a good choice for Chromebooks with a detachable keyboard as it features a stand that you can use to prop up your Chromebook when you're not using the included keyboard. In terms of ports, it offers two USB 3.0 Type-A ports, two USB 2.0 Type-A ports, two USB Type-A 2.4A fast charging ports, an HDMI port, a DVI port, a USB 3.0 input, 3.5mm headphone and mic jacks, and a RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port.

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Targus USB-C Universal Docking Station

Best with built-in stand

The Targus Chromebook docking station is a good 2-in-1 option that not only offers a decent selection of ports but also doubles up as an ergonomic stand. It includes 4 USB 3.0 Type-A ports, two DisplayPort ports, 2 HDMI 2.0 ports, a USB Type-C port with 60W pass-through charging support, a headphone / mic combo jack, and a RJ45 Gigabit Ethernet port.

View at Amazon

Apps and software needed to work from home

With your new hardware ready to go, it’s time to get the apps and software you need to get down to business. First, you’re probably going to need attend a few video meetings if you’re working remotely. Thankfully, Chromebooks have access to the Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet platforms. Google and Zoom recently teamed up to create an improved Progressive Web App (PWA), to improve the Zoom video call experience on Chrome OS. Here are all the productivity apps you need to know about for your ASUS Chromebook CX9.

Video meeting apps

Google Meet is now a default web app, installed on all Chromebooks as of Chrome OS 92. This makes it the best choice for video meetings on your CX9. Of course, you may work somewhere that prefers to use Microsoft Teams or Zoom. The good news is both of these apps are also available as web apps. You can simply access the Teams web app at teams.microsoft.com.

On the other hand, Zoom’s PWA is available on the Google Play Store. To install the app, simply visit the link below and install as you would any other Android app.

Zoom for Chrome - PWA (Free, Google Play) →

Android productivity apps

Android apps run on all modern Chromebooks, and that includes the new ASUS Chromebook Cx9. The Google Play Store is the largest app marketplace in the world, providing plenty of productivity apps to use on Chrome OS. Below are some of the more popular picks you might need for working at home. For even more Android app suggestions, check out my full guide to Android apps on Chrome OS.

Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom - Photo Editor & Pro Camera (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Lightroom is a photo editor with a fairly intuitive interface. If you’re not quite ready for the endless options in Photoshop, Lightroom might be the app for you. Easy image editing tools like sliders and filters for pictures simplify photo editing. Retouch full-resolution photos, apply photo filters, or start photo editing wherever you are. Experiment with and compare photo edits without losing the original and pick your favorite look.

Photoshop

Adobe Photoshop Express：Photo Editor Collage Maker (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Professional creators need the power of Photoshop on the go. Adobe’s Photoshop Express app for Android puts that power on your Chromebook. Photoshop Express delivers a full spectrum of tools and effects at your fingertips. Remove noise, instantly correct crooked images, or just use this pro tool to make sweet memes for Instagram.

Microsoft Office

Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint & More (Free⁺, Google Play) →

Microsoft Office is the most popular productivity suite, offering Android apps for Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and so on. Overall, the Android version of each Office app runs quite well on Chrome OS. Basic editing features are free in all of the apps, but on devices over 10 inches in size — which accounts for most Chromebooks — you’ll need a Microsoft 365 subscription to enable all the features. Unfortunately, the Android version of OneDrive doesn’t work properly on Chromebooks. You can now download Word, Excel, and Powerpoint in a single app, making organizing your app drawer a bit easier.

Linux productivity apps

Linux apps offer even more functionality than the basic Android apps discussed above. If you’re a professional content creator or developer, you’ll definitely want to make use of Linux on your CX9. If you’re unfamiliar with running Linux apps on Chrome OS, see my full guide for details on how this works.

GIMP

• Download using:

sudo apt-get install gimp -y

GIMP is a full-featured photo editing suite, similar to Photoshop but without the high price. If you’re a graphic designer transitioning to Chrome OS, you’ll find that GIMP is an indispensable tool. The functionality and file types are precisely aligned with what you would expect in other photo editing software. There are many advanced tools like layers, lasso and plenty of brushes to keep advanced users satisfied. If you need a photo editing app on your Chromebook, this is the only way to go.

Libre Office

• Download using:

sudo apt install -y libreoffice libreoffice-gtk3

Microsoft Office is the king of word processing on both PC and Mac, but your Chromebook comes with Google Docs as the default word processor. Perhaps you’d like a more robust program for editing documents and spreadsheets? If you need all of the functionality that Microsoft Office offers, Libre Office is a solid replacement. You also get a presentation app, similar to Powerpoint. Libre Office supports a large number of file formats ranging from Microsoft Word to Apple Pages and Keynote. With Libre Office, you’ll easily be able to continue business as usual on your Chromebook.

Visual Studio Code

• Download by visiting the Visual Studio Code download page and downloading the Debian file.

If you’re going to use your Chromebook for coding applications, Visual Studio Code is an excellent code editor. With support for several popular coding languages, you get auto-complete functionality and Git support for version control. With a slick UI, optional extensions, and theme support, this is a robust code editor that developers need on Chrome OS. Frequent coders might also consider picking up a nice docking station for their Chromebook, to enhance productivity.

Audacity

• Download using:

sudo apt-get install audacity -y

For the creators out there, you might need a nice app to record or edit audio. This is an advanced audio editor and recorder that comes in handy when you want to play around with various audio files. Audacity has a lot of features that allow you to create your own unique tracks or remix other songs. There are also many plugins available for Audacity which will allow you to connect to sound equipment and other audio programs. Overall, this is the best audio editing app you can get on your Chrome OS device.

Windows apps

While Android and Linux apps cover most of the bases for working from home, you may have a few Windows apps you need to run for work. There isn’t a native way to run Windows apps on Chrome OS, but Parallels Desktop for Chrome OS offers a solution for enterprise customers.

Parallels Desktop is a full-featured Windows container that runs on Chrome OS. This software allows you to run the full version of Windows, but there are a few important things to be aware of.

The Parallels Desktop software is currently only available at scale to business customers, making this option of little use to individual users at the present time. With Parallels Desktop for Chrome OS, IT departments can enable proprietary and full-featured Windows applications — including native Microsoft Office — on Chrome OS devices, online and offline. You’ll need a Chrome Enterprise upgrade to run Parallels (see screenshot above).

If you’re an IT manager or have an enterprise Chromebook managed by your organization, check out my full tutorial on running Parallels Desktop on a Chromebook.

That’s everything you need to get up and running on your ASUS Chromebook CX9 at home. With the correct hardware and software, this machine is truly amazing for productivity. If you’re using the CX9 for remote work, tell us about your setup in the comments.

The post How to set up the ASUS Chromebook CX9 for working from home appeared first on xda-developers.

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ASUS Chromebook CX9 vs Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2: Which should you buy?

Back in January, ASUS rocked the Chrome OS world by announcing their upcoming hero device, the Chromebook CX9. Samsung also released an incredibly premium sleek Chromebook earlier this year with the Galaxy Chromebook 2. Both manufacturers are clearly targeting the high-end Chromebook aficionados out there. It’s a common misconception Chromebooks only come with basic specs and these two devices are perfect counterexamples.

The i3 models of the CX9 and Galaxy Chromebook 2 are also similarly priced. The Core i3 model of the Galaxy Chromebook 2 retails for $699, while the Core i3 model of the CX9 checks in at $749. Of course, the similarities don’t stop there. Both devices feature bright displays, plenty of RAM and storage, as well as excellent build quality. In this comparison, we’ll take a look at the key differences between these Chromebooks and see which device comes out on top in each category. We’ll discuss display quality, performance, battery life, and more.

ASUS Chromebook CX9 vs Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2: Specifications

Specification	ASUS Chromebook CX9	Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2
Dimensions & Weight	12.7″ x 8.1″ x 0.7″ 2.5 lbs	12.0″ x 8.0″ x 0.55″ 2.7 lbs
Display	14″ FHD NanoEdge (1920*1080) 16:9, Glossy 400nits Touchscreen on $1149 model	13.3″ FHD QLED Display (1920*1080) MAX 1920 x 1080 @60Hz 390nits Touchscreen
Processor	Up to Intel Core i7-1165G7 Processor 2.8 GHz 12M Cache, up to 4.7 GHz, 4 cores (Core i7) Intel Iris Xe Graphics ($1149 model)	Intel Celeron 5205U (base model) Intel Core i3 10110U ($149 upgrade) Intel UHD graphics
RAM & Storage	8GB or 16GB LPDDR4X RAM 128 or 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD storage	4GB or 8GB LPDDR3 RAM 64 or 128GB eMMc storage
Battery & Charging	Up to 14 hours 50WHrs, 3S1P, 3-cell Li-ion	Up to 10 hours 45.5 Wh (5920 mAh)
Security	Titan C Security Chip Kensington lock slot Fingerprint scanner	Trusted Platform Module (TPM)
Front camera	720p HD camera with privacy shutter	1 MP camera
World-facing camera	None	None
Port(s)	HDMI 2.0b Audio Jack USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A 2x Thunderbolt 4 supports display / power delivery	micro SD slot Audio Jack 2 USB-C ports
Audio	Built-in array-speakers powered by Harman Kardon	2 speakers x5 Watt Peak Power with enclosure each
Connectivity	Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax)+BT5.0 (Dual band) 2*2 Bluetooth 5.0	Wi-Fi 6(802.11ax)+BT5.0 (Dual band) 2*2 Bluetooth 4.0
Software	Chrome OS	Chrome OS
Other Features	MIL-STD-810H tested USI pen support LED NumberPad built-in	Comes in Fiesta Red and Mercury Gray USI pen support 2-in-1 design

About this comparison: I personally own the Core i7 model of the CX9 and the Core i3 model of the Galaxy Chromebook 2. For this comparison I’m drawing on my own experiences using these two devices at home and in the office. Keep in mind when it comes to performance-specific tasks, the Core i3 CX9 will be closer in benchmarks to the Galaxy Chromebook 2. Build quality, keyboard comfort, display quality, and other aspects aside from performance, are directly comparable on all models of each device. You can view the differences among different models of each Chromebook in the table above.

Design and build quality

The CX9 pokes out slightly on the right side of the Galaxy Chromebook 2 in an overlay.

Both of these Chromebooks have a premium look and feel. I personally love Samsung’s design language throughout their product lineup. From smartphones to TVs to Chromebooks, Samsung knows how to make something that looks great and stands out. The Galaxy Chromebook 2, particularly in Fiesta Red, is no exception. On the other hand, ASUS really stepped up their design game for the CX9. You can tell they put considerable thought into the packaging with the CX9.

Most Chromebooks, including the Galaxy Chromebook 2, come in a bland brown recyclable box, but the CX9 box is a bit bigger. When I received the package in the mail, I was wondering what they had included to require such a large box. As it turns out, the brown exterior box was just protection for the sleek navy blue product box holding the CX9. You also get a separate smaller navy blue box, holding the charging brick and cable.

On the Galaxy Chromebook 2, the aluminum chassis feels sturdy and substantial, and is a pleasure to carry around. There’s something about the feel of cold metal that makes a plastic-bodied Chromebook feel less desirable. If you like to stand out in a crowd, the Fiesta Red color on the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is a head-turner for sure. The red is so bright it looks nearly orange in several photos I took in the bright Arizona sun.

The CX9 official product sheet calls the device color Star Black, but it’s quite clearly more dark blue than black. Either way, it’s a really unique color to see on a Chromebook, just like the Fiesta Red for Samsung. Picking up the CX9 for the first time, it’s almost shocking how light, yet sturdy, the design really is. At under 2.5lbs, this is one of the lighter 14 inch Chromebooks out there. But at the same time, the rigidity of the chassis is unparalleled.

While both devices have well-built frames, the CX9 is the clear winner when it comes to rigidity. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 has some degree of flex to the chassis and if you hold it by a corner it can bend a bit too much for my liking. You can pick up the CX9 by any side or corner and not feel the slightest bit of flex. This is somewhat of an anomaly when it comes to Chromebooks, something that makes the CX9 stand out in my mind.

One of my favorite tests when comparing laptops is the one-hand open test. You know, can you open the lid with just one hand? It seems like a small thing, but it’s a usability consideration you’ll experience every day. Unfortunately, with the Galaxy Chromebook 2, you need both hands to open the lid. The ASUS Chromebook CX9 fares a bit better — you can open it with one hand, but you need to lift the lid slowly to avoid lifting the light base off the table or desk. Given the light frames on each laptop, these results aren’t that surprising.

Another key difference is the 2-in-1 functionality of the Galaxy Chromebook 2. You can fold the keyboard back entirely and use this device as a tablet. The CX9 screen actually lays flat with 180 degree rotation, but it can’t be folded completely back into a tablet form factor. This is really just a design difference, so you have to decide whether you need the 2-in-1 functionality or not. I would guess part of the rigidity advantage for the CX9 is it does need to adapt to tablet mode with a more substantial hinge.

Moving along to available ports. On the CX9, you get two Thunderbolt 4 ports, with power delivery capability. A single HDMI 3.0b port and a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack. A Kensington lock slot rounds out the ports available on the sides of the device. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 features 2 USB-C ports, microSD slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The CX9 has a clear connectivity advantage. The lack of an HDMI or USB-A port is a big detractor for me on the Galaxy Chromebook 2. Thunderbolt 4 is of course the highlight of the CX9, but that’s more of icing on the cake here.

Overall, the CX9 has the better build quality and port availability. While the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is a bit thinner, it’s not quite as light and has a bit of flex. The build quality battle is close, but the CX9 really takes the lead on port availability alone. The forward-thinking Thunderbolt 4 ports are awesome, but offering up HDMI and USB-A as well is a bigger deal for most consumers.

Display and audio

Brightness on the CX9’s display is every bit of the 400 nits advertised on the specs sheet. I wouldn’t be surprised if the panel gets over 400 nits in outdoor conditions. I used my CX9 outside for a short while in the Arizona sun and had no problems viewing everything on my screen.

It was pretty difficult to do extensive outdoor testing in the 115 degree heat, but I’m more than satisfied with the brightness on this Chromebook. Putting it side-by-side with my Galaxy Chromebook 2, the panels are at least equally bright. Given Samsung’s reputation for exceptionally bright displays, ASUS really accomplished something in this category. The CX9 honestly has a slight advantage which it comes to brightness, something that’s a bit shocking.

The 13.3” QLED 1920 x 1080 is undoubtedly the standout component on the Galaxy Chromebook 2. While you no longer get a 4K display like the original Galaxy Chromebook, the first-ever full-HD QLED display on a Chromebook is very impressive. It also covers 100% DCl-P3 color gamut, useful if you want to do light photo editing on your laptop. Streaming content from Netflix and playing games on Stadia is an absolute joy on this Chromebook. Vibrant colors and impressive black levels bring to life illustrated content online as well.

When you compare the devices for color quality and black levels, this is where the CX9 comes up a bit short. To my eye, the Galaxy Chromebook 2 display looks more appealing and has much deeper blacks. The CX9 also looks a bit fuzzy  or at least not as sharp, when compared to the Galaxy Chromebook 2. Of course, when it comes to color profiles, preferences vary. Still, I think the display quality category (brightness aside) goes to Samsung in this battle.

Aspect ratio is another differentiator when comparing these displays. The CX9 has a fairly wide 16:9 aspect ratio, which I’m not a huge fan of for productivity purposes. The slightly taller 16:10 aspect ratio on the Galaxy Chromebook 2 actually feels quite a bit more spacious. If you edit a lot of documents or write for a living, this is a serious consideration when selecting a new laptop.

Audio quality is fairly disappointing on both the CX9 and Galaxy Chromebook 2. The speakers on the CX9 are touted as being tuned by Harman Kardon, but the sound output is fairly mediocre. They get the job done for watching Netflix or YouTube, but they don’t get nearly loud enough for me.

Samsung boasts the “Smart amp audio” included in the Galaxy Chromebook 2 on their website and promotional materials, but it’s hard to appreciate the louder amp with such poor speaker positioning. Overall, you’ll need headphones for any serious audio sessions on either of these Chromebooks.

Keyboard and touchpad

If you’re using your Chromebook for work, the keyboard and touchpad are two of the most important aspects. While writing my full reviews, I spent two weeks each with the CX9 and Galaxy Chromebook 2 as my main work laptop.

Most of my work here at XDA consists of composing articles, editing images, and interacting with team members via Slack and Asana. I used the CX9 and Galaxy Chromebook 2 for all of those tasks, but also did some light coding in Python/MATLAB and typesetting in LaTeX.

For a 13.3″ Chromebook, the keyboard on the Galaxy Chromebook 2 feels relatively spacious. Key travel is rather shallow, but that’s to be expected considering the thin and light body. I was able to type accurately and quickly on this keyboard.. Backlighting on the keyboard is fairly bright and even. I didn’t notice any substantial light bleed in my use. The black keycaps offer a stunning contrast to the red chassis, providing a very nice looking device when open as well.

The keyboard on the CX9 is simply phenomenal. Not only do the keys have the right amount of travel, you also don’t feel any mushiness due to the rigid nature of the frame. You can type on this keyboard for hours with no finger fatigue. My typing experience was incredibly fast and accurate. The NanoEdge design also lifts the keyboard up ever-so-slightly when you open the CX9. The look of this isn’t something everyone enjoys, but I think it provides a more ergonomic typing experience. Backlighting is also excellent, the darker keycaps provide for nice contrast and have excellent visibility in the dark.

At the end of the day, the CX9 keyboard is more enjoyable to use for long periods of time. I felt much more comfortable at the end of a long typing session on the CX9. The Galaxy Chromebook 2 isn’t bad, but it also isn’t a keyboard I would recommend for those writing for several hours a day on a laptop.

I’m happy to report the touchpad on the CX9 is equal to the keyboard in quality. This is one of the larger glass touchpads available on a Chromebook. The extra real estate makes UI navigation a breeze. If you enjoy a satisfying click and quality haptic feedback, the CX9 touchpad does not disappoint.

As for the touchpad on the Galaxy Chromebook 2, it’s just okay. Scrolling and gestures are fine, but the touchpad is a bit mushy on my unit when it comes to clicks. Perhaps this is just bad luck, but I’m also spoiled from using the Pixelbook Go and MacBook Pro touchpads for quite a long time. In addition, the touchpad seems a bit small for daily use.

If the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is your regular work machine, I would recommend grabbing an external mouse or trackpad for sure. Samsung also removed the fingerprint sensor in their second generation device, another bonus feature located just below the keyboard on the ASUS Chromebook CX9.

Performance and battery life

The performance on the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is at least partially impacted by which model you buy. On the low end, the Celeron model with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage is likely not ideal for handling high-end tasks like video editing. On the other hand, the Core i3 model I’m using has been fairly impressive at handling everything I throw at it.

With the Galaxy Chromebook 2 I ran several demanding Linux apps like GIMP, MATLAB, and Kdenlive. Basic photo and video editing are seamless. Fans rarely kick in, and were only audible when I was exporting 4K video in Kdenlive or running a demanding script in MATLAB. Navigating around the UI is of course nearly flawless on Chrome OS. No lag in laptop or tablet mode and all of the various tent modes function as you would expect.

Day to day performance on the CX9 is stellar, which you’d expect with the Tiger Lake i7 and 16GB of RAM. Running Android and Linux apps is buttery smooth on this device. I even ran very intensive Linux apps like MATLAB with absolutely no problems. The fans do kick in occasionally if you’re doing a large amount of resource-heavy stuff in Linux and have around 50 Chrome tabs open, but that’s fairly reasonable in my opinion. Even so, the fans were never incredibly loud in any of my usage the past two weeks.

I spent quite a bit of time playing several Android games, Stadia, and Minecraft, hoping to test the gaming limits on the CX9 as well. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I never hit a wall with the CX9. No dropped frames, no lag, no issues whatsoever. The true potential of the Iris Xe graphics inside will come to fruition when Borealis brings official Steam support to Chrome OS later this year. Until then, if you buy a CX9, you can take solace in the fact this is the first Chromebook intentionally built for gaming applications.

Keep in mind that benchmarks heavily favor the CX9 in my comparison, with a much beefier Tiger Lake Core i7 vs the 10th generation Core i3 in the Galaxy Chromebook 2 in the machines I personally own. The Core i3 model of the CX9 is a bit closer competitor to the Galaxy Chromebook 2 in this area, but I don’t have an i3 model of the CX9 on hand to test. These benchmarks also probably don’t mean too much to users just running a bunch of Chrome tabs or composing documents. On the other hand, if you want to do a lot of computing in Linux on your Chromebook or eventually play Steam games with Borealis, the $1,149 model of the CX9 is the certain winner.

Both Chromebooks have fairly similar battery life in practice. ASUS claims 14 hours on the CX9 and Samsung promotes 13 hours on the Galaxy Chromebook 2. Neither of these estimates are even close. You can safely expect about 7-8 hours of daily use if you open a large number of Chrome tabs and work in other basic productivity apps. With more demanding gaming or Linux computing with Kdenlive, I was able to get around 4-5 hours on both of these machines. The battery performance is fairly middle of the road, nothing to get excited or upset about in this category.

Advanced features

When it comes to bonus features, the CX9 has a clear advantage. In addition to the aforementioned fingerprint scanner below the keyboard, you also get a built-in LED NumberPad, webcam privacy shield, not to mention Iris Xe graphics inside.

All of these items work flawlessly. The fingerprint scanner is very fast, just as you’d expect. It’s very nice to have a fingerprint login option — every premium Chromebook should have biometric security. The removal of the fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy Chromebook 2 (coming from the original Galaxy Chromebook) was a disappointment to me.

Let’s discuss perhaps the most unique feature of the CX9, the built-in LED NumberPad. This was a big selling point for me, since I do quite a bit of number crunching in my academic day job. It’s incredibly convenient to have a dedicated NumberPad, in such a compact form factor. The activation of the backlighting is also seamless. You can also use the touchpad itself for clicking around while doing spreadsheet work with the NumberPad. I applaud ASUS for innovation and bringing a feature many power users need to a Chromebook.

One area the Galaxy Chromebook 2 does excel at is note-taking. The 2-in-1 design is much more accommodating when taking notes with a USI pen, supported by both of these Chromebooks on the more expensive models. It’s tricky taking notes on the CX9 device. The CX9 is not a 2-in-1 convertible, but it does lay flat thanks to the hinge design. It’s still not an ideal writing experience though. The keyboard can get in the way of resting your palm when taking serious notes.

Conclusion: Which Chromebook should you buy?

The Samsung Galaxy Chromebook 2 is by far the best Samsung Chromebook out there. There’s also no doubt the CX9 is the best ASUS has to offer. Both Chromebooks have some best-in-class features. The display on the Galaxy Chromebook 2 is a winner for me. Not only does it look better, the 16:10 aspect ratio lends itself to easier use for work or school applications.

Galaxy Chromebook 2

With the Galaxy Chromebook 2, Samsung removed a few premium features but also drastically reduced the price. As the first Chromebook with a QLED display, this machine still packs plenty of power and style for most users.

View at Samsung

Aside from the display, the CX9 is the winner in several other key categories. Not only do you get newer Intel chips inside, you also get a more durable design, faster SSD storage, superior keyboard, and a much more spacious trackpad. Indeed, the CX9 also has a number of advanced features not found on the Galaxy Chromebook 2. The high-end i7 model of the CX9 is future-proof too, as we prepare for the future of Steam gaming on Chrome OS.

ASUS Chromebook CX9

The ASUS Chromebook CX9 is the best overall Chromebook you can buy today. With an amazingly light and sturdy build, impressive specs, and numerous advanced features. If you want a Chromebook for serious work or play, the CX9 delivers.

View at ASUS

Both of these devices are excellent options and the Core i3 models of each should be plenty for most users. I would recommend the Galaxy Chromebook 2 if you watch a lot of media on your Chromebook and use it primarily for content consumption and light productivity. If you plan to create content, use your Chromebook as a primary work device, or want to do some serious gaming, opt for the ASUS Chromebook CX9.

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Galaxy Fold: How far have Samsung’s foldables progressed?

Samsung has introduced the Galaxy Z Fold 3, its third-generation foldable smartphone, and the lineup has come a very long way. When the original Samsung Galaxy Fold first shipped, screens started breaking on reviewers. The Korean firm had to go back to the drawing board to make further improvements before it even shipped.

It was far from the mature product you see before you today. Indeed, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is set to be one of the best foldable phones on the market now. That’s the benefit of being first.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Fold Specs

	Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3	Samsung Galaxy Fold
Processor	5nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor (2.84GHz + 2.4GHz + 1.8GHz)	7nm 64-bit Octa-Core Processor (2.84GHz + 2.41GHz + 1.78GHz)
Display	Cover Screen: 6.2-inch HD+ Dynamic AMOLED 2X Display 24.5:9 aspect ratio 2268 x 832, 387 ppi 120Hz refresh rate Inside Screen: 7.6-inch QXGA+ Dynamic -AMOLED 2X Display, 22.5:18 aspect ratio, 2208 x 1768, 374ppi, 120Hz	Cover Screen: 4.6″ HD+ Super AMOLED Display (21:9), 720×1680, 399ppi Inside Screen: 7.3″ QXGA+ Dynamic AMOLED Display (4.2:3) Infinity Flex Display (2152×1536), 362ppi
Body	Folded: 67.1 x 158.2 x 16.00mm Unfolded: 128.1 x 158.2 x 6.4mm Weight: 271g	Folded: 62.8 x 160.9 x 17.1 mm (Hinge)–15.7 mm (Sagging) Unfolded: 117.9 x 160.9 x 7.6 mm (Frame)–6.9 mm (Screen) Weight: 276g
Cameras	Main: 12MP wide f/1.8 (Dual Pixel AF, OIS) + 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2 + 12MP 2x telephoto Front: 10MP f/2.2 + 4MP f/1.8	Main: 12MP wide f/1.5 (OIS, Super Speed Dual Pixel) + 16MP ultra-wide f/2.2 + 12MP 2x telephoto (OIS, PDAF) Front: 10MP f/2.2 + 8MP RGB Depth Camera
Battery	4,400mAh	4G model: 4,380mAh 5G model: 4,235mAh
Memory	12GB RAM with 256/512GB UFS 3.1 storage	12GB RAM with 512GB internal storage
Water resistance	IPX8	Not rated
Network	LTE: Enhanced 4X4 MIMO, 7CA, LAA, LTE Cat. 20 5G: Non-Standalone (NSA), Standalone (SA), Sub6 / mmWave	LTE model: Enhanced 2X2 MIMO, 6CA, LAA, LTE Cat.18 Up to 1.2Gbps Download / Up to 150Mbps Upload 5G model: Non-Standalone (NSA), Sub6
OS	Android 11	Shipped with Android 9
Colors	Phantom Black, Phantom Green, Phantom Silver	Space Silver, Cosmos Black
Price	Starts at $1,799	$1,980 at launch

Design and Display: The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is refined

As I said, the original Samsung Galaxy Fold was a disaster and was delayed by months as Samsung worked on improving its durability for the second revision. Now when you buy a Galaxy Z Fold 3 today, you’re not wondering if the screen will break in a week. We don’t have to ask that question anymore. If you want one giant thing that’s changed between then and now, that’s it.

Galaxy Fold vs Z Fold 2 vs Galaxy Z Fold 3

Looking at the actual design, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is thinner, smaller, and lighter, although not by much. You’d have to put them side-by-side to tell the difference between the chassis themselves. The Z Fold 3 is only 5g lighter, and when folded, it’s 1.1mm thinner (1.2mm when unfolded). It’s 1.7mm shorter, and it’s 4.3mm wider when folded.

The inside screen is a bit bigger at 7.6 inches instead of 7.3 inches. The aspect ratio is larger on the Z Fold 3 as well, so it’s significantly bigger. The refresh rate is 120Hz now, making for smoother motions and animations.

One big change with this year’s model is S Pen support. With a big mini-tablet-sized screen, it would seem that the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the S Pen are made for each other, making for a nice, easy way to take notes or draw. It took some time to get the pen right for the softer display though, so you have to get either the S Pen (Fold Edition) or the S Pen Pro.

Another significant change in the display is the external/cover display, the one you see when it’s folded. It’s 6.2-inches now at a 24.5:9 aspect ratio, compared to the 4.6-inch 21:9 screen that was seen on the original Galaxy Fold. This screen is always going to be your first interaction with the device, and while we like to talk about the big internal folding screen, the external screen is going to be the one you see any time you use it without unfolding it.

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 comes in new colors like Phantom Black, Phantom Silver, and Phantom Green, the former two of which have already been seen on the Galaxy S21 Ultra. You remember Phantom Black, right? That’s the one where the company went into detail about how it came up with a shade of the most common smartphone color in existence, black. Notably, the original Galaxy Fold only came in Space Silver and Cosmos Black. More colors are a sign of a more mature product since it’s not experimental anymore and Samsung understands what kind of supply it needs.

Camera, Performance, and Battery: All incremental improvements

As you can see from the spec sheet above, most of the improvements in these departments are about what you’d expect. Indeed, when it comes to a device with a foldable display, the thing that matters is, you guessed it, the folding display.

The camera updates are pretty incremental, keeping up with the rest of the Galaxy lineup. The resolution of the main sensor is still 12MP, but it’s bigger and should be better in low-light. It’s about what you’d expect from two generations of Galaxy cameras. There’s still an ultra-wide sensor and a 2x zoom lens.

Galaxy Z Fold 2 and Galaxy Z Fold 3

The battery is 4,400mAh now, just a bit bigger than the 4,380 mAh in the 4G model of the Samsung Galaxy Fold. Of course, the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 has 5G now, something that was only an option two years ago. Now, every Snapdragon 888 smartphone comes with a Snapdragon X60 5G modem.

Speaking of the Snapdragon 888, there’s a massive performance bump there. Keep in mind the Galaxy Fold came with a Snapdragon 855, so like there are two generations between the phones, there are also two generations between the chipsets. The Snapdragon 888 has the new Cortex-X1 core, which is powerful and comes alongside the Adreno 660 GPU. You can combine that with the Hexagon 780 for the Sixth Generation Qualcomm AI Engine. Along with the massive performance gains, there’s also the Spectra 580 ISP, which is the first triple ISP in a Qualcomm chipset. That means the ISP can handle taking pictures from three sensors at once.

But again, all of this is incremental. That two-generational journey is nearly identical to plenty of other devices. The camera keeps up with modern devices, the battery is almost the same size if not slightly bigger, and the chipset used is the one from this generation.

Conclusion: How far has Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold lineup come?

Most of the changes have been moderate and incremental over the years. That’s no surprise; welcome to the world of smartphones. For a few years now, foldable devices have represented the most exciting change in the smartphone landscape that we’ve seen in a while. Everywhere else, we just have a rectangular slab where every year, we get a slightly better display, a slightly better camera, slightly better performance, slightly better battery life, and so on.

But since this is the third generation of the foldable screen device, now what? Indeed, it’s time for those incremental changes to happen. To be clear, incremental changes are fantastic; they’re just not as exciting.

To revisit my original point, the biggest thing that’s changed is this is a mature product. After the original Galaxy Fold fell apart in the hands of reviewers, I wouldn’t have bought it in a million years, even after it was fixed. That’s not a concern anymore. The foldable OLED screen technology, once a cause for concern, is now tested and true. You can buy the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 without worrying if you’re wasting a couple of thousand dollars now, and that’s a big difference.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 is the flagship foldable smartphone from the Korean firm, now packing an IPX8 rating and a 120Hz display

See at Samsung.com

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Bypass FRP Lock on any Samsung with UnlockJunky

One of the more common issues with Samsung phones, is users encountering an FRP lock. This lock will usually appear after a user attempts to perform a factory reset on their device. Once you are presented with this lock, it may seem as if there are no immediate solution to get around it. Let’s talk about what an FRP lock is, and how to bypass it.

What is FRP Lock

FRP lock stand for Factory Reset Protection. This is a security measure put in place that is designed to prevent a thief from conducting a factory reset of a stolen phone. This is usually done in an attempt to reset a phone with a lock screen password. This will trigger the FRP lock, which will essentially disable the phone entirely. Once the lock is in place, you will not be able to boot into the phone’s operating system at all.

The FRP lock message will read: “This device was reset. To continue, sign in with a Google Account that was previously synced on this device.”

The FRP will ask for the Google account information that was most recently used on the device. If you know it, you can enter it and unlock your phone again. However, if you do not know this information, or have forgotten your password, you’re stuck at the FRP lock.

How to Bypass FRP Lock

You can easily get locked out of your own phone just by misplacing your account information. So to unlock your phone, you can use a service that is able to bypass this sort of security lock.

For this method, we are going to look at the FRP unlock services provided by UnlockJunky. This website has been unlocking phones since 2015 and has a high success rate. This is one of the most reliable and quickest ways to get control over your phone again. The best part is that you do not need any sort of advanced computer skills to use this service.

Using UnlockJunky to bypass the FRP has the following benefits:

• Average unlock time of five minutes
• Live chat support
• Works with any Samsung device
• Effortless process

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Step 1 – Submit a request

Use the simple request form on the website and include your phone’s information.

Step 2 – Payment

Complete the payment with the secure PayPal checkout.

Step 3 – Quick Setup

Install the remote client program, USB Redirector, onto a Windows PC or Mac. Enter the tech address provided in your order email, and plug in your device.

Step 4 – Connect with the Technician

When you have completed the above steps, open the live chat and let the technician know that you
are ready to proceed.

Step 5 – Wait for Unlock to Complete

Now you just wait for the technician to complete the unlock process.

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If you are not in a rush and don’t mind trial and error, we would suggest checking out this article from Bypass FRP Lock. Here you can find many methods that may help you FRP unlock your Samsung device for Free! Please keep in mind that some of these methods may not work or have become outdated.

Now you should be able to use your phone without any locks again. To prevent this from happening in the future, make sure you take note of the Google account information tied to the main account on your phone. Get started with UnlockJunky here.

We thank UnlockJunky for sponsoring this post. Our sponsors help us pay for the many costs associated with running XDA, including server costs, full time developers, news writers, and much more. While you might see sponsored content (which will always be labeled as such) alongside Portal content, the Portal team is in no way responsible for these posts. Sponsored content, advertising and XDA Depot are managed by a separate team entirely. XDA will never compromise its journalistic integrity by accepting money to write favorably about a company, or alter our opinions or views in any way. Our opinion cannot be bought.

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Windows 11 is coming – Here’s everything we know about the new Windows

After what seemed like ages of waiting, Microsoft has finally announced what it’s calling “the next generation of Windows”. Windows 11 is a major, major change. It’s representative of a big shift in how Microsoft delivers Windows, but it’s also a big UX overhaul as well. On top of that, it’s getting Android app support, a new Store, and much more. Here’s what we know so far!

Navigate this page:

• • When is Windows 11 coming out?
  • But wasn’t Windows 10 the last version of Windows?
  • Is Windows 10X dead?
  • Can my PC run Windows 11? Is it a free update?
  • Is Microsoft going to force me to upgrade to Windows 11?
  • What’s new in Windows 11? Is this the Sun Valley update?
    • Android apps
    • A big visual overhaul, with rounded corners
    • An updated Calculator app
    • Gaming improvements
    • A new Microsoft Store
    • Snap Layouts
    • An all-new Snipping Tool
    • Teams integration
    • Virtual Desktop wallpaper
    • Widgets
    • x64 emulation for Windows on ARM

When is Windows 11 release date?

The official Windows 11 release date is this holiday season. The timeline is just very different from a normal Windows feature update.

Normally, new features arrive in the Dev channel of the Windows Insider Program over the course of six months to a year. Insiders test them out, they give feedback, and things evolve. Once the Windows 10 feature update RTMs, it goes to the Beta channel. It sits there for servicing for a few months, and then it goes to the Release Preview channel shortly before release.

This is different because Microsoft hasn’t been letting people test this as features have been developed, aside from the few missing from the public previews. How can Microsoft announce something on June 24 and have it ready in time to ship this fall?

There are a few answers, one of which is that Windows 11 has been ready for a while and Microsoft hasn’t told you. Windows 10 Insider Previews have continued to ship, but the Redmond firm is stripping out the Windows 11 shell. There are a few parts that won’t be ready in time for Windows Insider testing, such as the new Microsoft Store, Android apps on Windows, and Teams integration.

The preview is available in the Dev and Beta channels of the Windows Insider Program now. OEMs are already installing on new laptops and desktops. This holiday season, Windows 11 will be available to everyone with a compatible PC as a free update. Windows 11 won’t have a specific release date until we get pretty close to it.

If you want to try out the preview, you’ll need a PC that meets the minimum requirements. Check out our guide for getting started with Windows 11 here. If you want to try out some workarounds for getting it installed on unsupported PCs, we’ve got a guide for that too.

But wasn’t Windows 10 the last version of Windows?

Back when Windows 10 was announced, it was going to be the last version of Windows. After that, we’d have Windows on a service, and the plan was to let it evolve over time. In fact, I’m sure Terry Myerson knew that there would have to be a big design overhaul at some point, and he thought that would be a Windows 10 update.

Also, to be clear, a developer evangelist named Jerry Nixon was the only one that actually said that Windows 10 was the last version. Microsoft just sort of didn’t correct it, seemingly confirming Nixon’s remarks. Still, this was absolutely Microsoft’s internal mindset at the time.

Here’s the big issue though. Everyone that said Windows 10 would be the last version of Windows doesn’t work there anymore. Panos Panay is in charge of Windows now, and he’s something of a showman.

A good way to think of this is a rebrand, but a rebrand that’s coming at a time where there’s a big UX overhaul. Under the hood, this is the same Windows 10 that we’ve known for years, and it could have shipped as a Windows 10 update. The new brand is about creating excitement around the idea that this is brand-new.

This is not what Windows 10X would have been, because that was only going to arrive on new PCs. Windows 10X was never going to be sold as retail licenses either. With Windows 11, there won’t be any technical reason that you can’t go ahead and install it on any PC.

Microsoft will continue on with Windows as a service, so this will be a free upgrade. But also, don’t expect this to be confirmed as the last version of Windows or anything. We’ll probably get Windows 12 in a few more years. We actually asked how version numbers will work with Windows 11, since it’s going to be updated once a year now instead of twice a year. There’s no need for H1 and H2 anymore. Microsoft wouldn’t comment.

Is Windows 10X dead?

Windows 10X was supposed to be the real next generation of Windows. Along with a complete visual overhaul, it had a lot of under-the-hood changes like running all apps in containers. Microsoft recently announced that it’s dead, and a lot of its features are being folded into Windows 11.

Windows 10X Start Menu

While it had been rumored long before that as Windows Lite, Windows 10X was actually unveiled alongside Microsoft’s Surface Neo as a dual-screen OS. It eventually abandoned its dual-screen ambitions, promising to deliver it on single-screen devices, like cheap laptops. Panos Panay actually wrote in a blog post that he wanted to meet customers where they’re at, even though you’d have to buy a new PC to get it.

Things pretty much fell apart from there. There were some Windows 10X emulators that came out when Microsoft has big plans, but when the single-screen build leaked, it couldn’t even run Win32 apps anymore. Instead, we’re getting Windows 11, which will have the UX elements from Windows 10X.

Can my PC run Windows 11? Is it a free update?

Windows 11 will be a free update for Windows 10 users this holiday season. Unfortunately, the system requirements are higher for Windows 11. There’s no more 32-bit support, and older CPUs won’t be supported. You also need at least 4GB RAM and 64GB storage. The biggest roadblock for many seems to be the requirement of TPM 2.0.

Here’s the list:

Processor:	1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC)
RAM:	4 gigabyte (GB)
Storage:	64 GB or larger storage device Note: See below under “More information on storage space to keep Windows 11 up-to-date” for more details.
System firmware:	UEFI, Secure Boot capable
TPM:	Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
Graphics card:	Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
Display:	High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9” diagonally, 8 bits per color channel
Internet connection and Microsoft accounts:	Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account to complete device setup on first use. Switching a device out of Windows 11 Home in S mode also requires internet connectivity. Learn more about S mode here. For all Windows 11 editions, internet access is required to perform updates and to download and take advantage of some features. A Microsoft account is required for some features.

Microsoft also changed the CPU requirements. Seventh-gen and older Intel CPUs are out, as are some older AMD Ryzen chips, but we’ll have to wait and see if that actually restricts people from installing Windows 11. The company said it may revise its position on seventh-gen Intel CPUs and AMD Zen chips, but anything older than that is confirmed to be out.

Note that it is possible to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. But if you do that, you’re on your own, since you could be putting your PC in a state where it won’t receive updates.

Is Microsoft going to force me to upgrade to Windows 11?

The short answer is no, Microsoft isn’t going to force anyone to upgrade to Windows 11. Starting with Windows 10 version 1903, the Redmond firm stopped forcing people to install feature updates. This came after a disastrous Windows 10 version 1809 that actually deleted some users’ files.

It uses its newer ‘seeker’ method. When you check for updates in Windows Update, it simply tells you that a feature update is available if you want it, and you can opt into taking it. The only time Microsoft forces a Windows 10 feature update is if the one you’re on is nearing the end of support, but that’s not even going to happen with Windows 11.

Windows 11 is going to be offered as a free update to seekers this holiday season. If you don’t want it, there’s actually going to be a new Windows 10 update as well, called version 21H2. Microsoft wouldn’t commit to whether or not version 21H2 will be the last Windows 10 update, but it’s definitely going to support the OS until 2025, so if you don’t want Windows 11, you’re good to go for a while.

What’s new in Windows 11? Is this the Sun Valley update?

You might have heard the term Sun Valley tossed around for the last few months before Windows 11 was announced. That’s the codename for the big UX overhaul that’s coming with Windows 11. It’s meant to make the OS more touch-friendly, something that Windows 10 has struggled with.

Here’s everything that we know is coming:

Android apps

The rumors of Project Latte were true. You’re going to be able to run Android apps in Windows 11. You’ll be able to get them through the Microsoft Store too, but notably, Microsoft has partnered up with Amazon to bring the Amazon Appstore to the Microsoft Store. That means that yes, there will finally be a touch-friendly Kindle app coming to Windows.

The company mentioned that Amazon was the company that it partnered with, but the Appstore isn’t the only place you’ll be able to get Android apps from. In fact, Microsoft said it wants to be able to run all Android apps one day, including those that require Google services. Note that it’s just a goal to support all Android apps, not a commitment.

Now that Teams Chat is available in preview, Android app support is the only thing missing from the Windows 11 Insider Preview.

A big visual overhaul, with rounded corners

Windows 11 is going to be visually different from Windows 10. Because as Windows 10 has had some subtle changes to the design over the years, it hasn’t gotten a whole new look, like the kind of new look we typically get from a new version of Windows.

And yes, there will be rounded corners. Windows has been focused on sharp corners ever since Windows 8, and those squared-off tiles made their way into Windows 10 as well. Windows 11 will follow suit with more modern operating systems like iOS and Android now.

There’s a brand-new Start Menu, which is centered and floating. In fact, it’s just like Windows 10X was. The taskbar is centered as well.

There are also new, more colorful icons throughout the operating system. You’ll find these in the more modern File Explorer, Device Manager, and pretty much anywhere else. These are available in Windows 10 previews, and they make for a pretty big visual change on their own.

It’s not just about a new look though. The way you interact with the UI will be different as well. A big focus here is making Windows better for touch, something that Windows 10 has struggled with. Indeed, while Windows 8 was all-in on touch, Windows 10 felt like it scaled back a bit too much. Windows 11 will support more swipe gestures and such, but more importantly, it should be more consistent with what happens when you tap on something.

Microsoft said that the touch gestures are going to be the same as when you’re using a Precision touchpad. That way, you’ll be using gestures that you’re already familiar with.

An updated Calculator app

Microsoft has begun the process of updating inbox apps to include Windows 11 visuals. That means that it’s adding a whole bunch of rounded corners to things like Calculator.

It also includes things like programmer mode, graphing mode, and support for over 100 units and currencies.

Gaming improvements

Microsoft is laser-focused on gaming, and why shouldn’t it be? It has the only viable PC gaming platform, a console play, and a cloud back end that’s second to none. And as we know, if there’s an Azure play to be made, Microsoft is going to make it.

Windows 11 has a bunch of gaming improvements. One of them is Auto HDR, a feature first included in Xbox Series X|S consoles, and now coming to Windows. It automatically adds HDR to older games, as you can probably guess from the name.

Another feature being borrowed from the firm’s latest consoles is DirectStorage. You’ll need a “DirectStorage Optimized” PC for this one, as you’ll need the kind of SSD that was engineered as part of the Xbox Velocity Architecture, but it’s going to allow for super-fast loading times and better performance.

Finally, Xbox Cloud Gaming is going to be built-in. It’s going to be part of the Xbox app on Windows 11, although to be clear, there’s no reason that that app update shouldn’t come to Windows 10 as well. We’ll have to wait and see if Windows 10 users get the feature.

A new Microsoft Store

One thing that Satya Nadella said at the Build keynote is that the new OS will “unlock greater economic opportunity for developers and creators”. That leads us to a new Microsoft Store. Make no mistake; this is a big part of the update.

Desktop apps still haven’t made it to the Store in the same way that Microsoft would have liked. With Windows 11, there are some big changes. Developers will be able to submit their apps without packaging them, and they can also host them on their own CDN, meaning that they won’t actually have to be distributed by Microsoft, just through the Microsoft storefront.

This is opening up the Microsoft Store in a big way. Previously, big-time apps like Google Chrome were left out because of Microsoft’s own rules. Now, it’s a whole lot easier to put your app in the Store.

The big point is that Microsoft doesn’t care what kind of app you made. It can be Win32, .NET, UWP, Xamarin, Election, React Native, Java, a PWA, or something else, and Microsoft wants it in the store.

Microsoft announced that Adobe Creative Cloud, Disney+, TikTok, and Zoom are all coming to the Store. Moreover, it’s bringing Microsoft Teams and even Visual Studio to its virtual storefront. That’s a big deal, especially Visual Studio.

The company also just wants to make a better store. It’s adding collections to help you to find more apps, and there’s a “pop-up store” that will manage installations when you try to install apps that come from the web.

Not only that, but developers can use their own commerce platforms. That means that your app can use the platform that earns you the most money, and your app can still be in the Store.

Snap Layouts

Windows 10 brought us Snap Assist, and Windows 11 is bringing us Snap Layouts. This is a cool one. In Windows 11, you can hover over the maximize button, and you’ll be presented with layout options.

You can select one of the tiles in the layouts, and your app will snap to that position on the screen. Snap Assist will help you fill in the rest.

While this is useful for everyone, it should be particularly useful for those that use ultra-wide monitors. Microsoft has never supported three apps side-by-side before.

An all-new Snipping Tool

You might recall that with Windows 10, Microsoft spent a lot of time trying to revamp old apps. It had a plan to replace Paint with Paint 3D, it did replace Internet Explorer with Edge, the OneNote saga still isn’t over, and Snipping Tool was replaced by Snip and Sketch. As it did with Paint 3D, this approach is getting rolled back with Snipping Tool. Instead of replacing Snipping Tool with Snip and Sketch, it’s just going to replace both of them with a new Snipping Tool.

The product is a lot like if you combined the classic Snipping Tool and Snip and Sketch into one redesigned UWP app. You have options like Rectangular Snip, Freeform Snip, Window Snip, and Fullscreen Snip, and you can use the Win + Shift + S shortcut to get started. After that, it also provides editing tools so you can mark them up and more. And of course, it has dark theme support.

Teams integration

Microsoft is integrating Teams into the OS. You’ll now find Teams Chat right in the taskbar, so you can easily talk to friends. It’s also going to work with SMS, just in case those friends haven’t downloaded Teams yet. The company specifically referred to it as “two-way SMS”, so don’t expect MMS group texts to work.

There’s also a mute/unmute button that’s going to show up in the taskbar, along with an option to start presenting.

Teams Chat is the latest feature to arrive in preview for Windows 11. Right now, you can only use chats, with video and audio calling coming later.

Virtual Desktop wallpaper

This is a pretty small change, but if you’re a virtual desktop user, it’s probably a big one. You can set the wallpaper on each of your virtual desktops now, helping you to define the look of each one that might have its own purpose.

Widgets

Microsoft is adding a widgets panel, which will slide in from the left. The company seems to like to compare it to a pane of glass sliding out. As it stands right now, it’s pretty much News and interests but in a new form. At some point, it will likely open up to third-party developers.

x64 emulation for Windows on ARM

You remember Windows on ARM, right? Windows 10 devices with ARM processors have struggled with a lack of apps, since they’ve only supported 32-bit emulation. With Windows 11, those devices will finally get support for 64-bit app emulation. This is something that’s been in testing with Insiders for a while.

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