ChatGPT is being rolled out as a Windows app for paid subscribers, OpenAI announced last week. The artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot could earlier only be used via the web client, but with this move, users can access a dedicated app to use all the generative AI functionalities. Currently, the app is available as an early beta version to ChatGPT Plus, Enterprise, Team, and Edu users. The AI firm stated that a public version of the app will be released later this year.

ChatGPT App for Windows

In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), the official handle of OpenAI announced the roll out of the ChatGPT desktop app for Windows. The company said that the app is being rolled out to Windows operating system (OS) to enable a faster access to the chatbot for their daily use cases. Additionally, users will be able to quickly launch the app using the Alt + Space shortcut on the keyboard.

The app is currently available to only paid subscribers of ChatGPT, which includes the ChatGPT Plus, Enterprise, Team, and Edu users. It is available in an early beta version. OpenAI plans to introduce the public stable version sometime later this year. Notably, those using the free tier of the AI chatbot will not get access to the app at present.

However, unlike the macOS version of the app, the company did not announce any new features for the desktop app. As such, it is not clear whether users will get the quick screenshot feature which can capture either the entire screen or a part of it and automatically upload it to the app.

Users should be able to use all the standard AI features including generating text and images, asking queries that require web search, as well as having conversations with the chatbot. They will also be able to upload files and have it be processed by ChatGPT.

To access the app, one can head to the Microsoft app store and search for ChatGPT. Alternatively, they can also click here to directly go to the app listings page. To install the ChatGPT for Windows app, users will need to have 283MB of free storage. It supports Windows 10 version 17763.0 or higher.

ChatGPT is being rolled out as a Windows app for paid subscribers, OpenAI announced last week. The artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot could earlier only be used via the web client, but with this move, users can access a dedicated app to use all the generative AI functionalities. Currently, the app is available as an early beta version to ChatGPT Plus, Enterprise, Team, and Edu users. The AI firm stated that a public version of the app will be released later this year.

ChatGPT App for Windows

In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), the official handle of OpenAI announced the roll out of the ChatGPT desktop app for Windows. The company said that the app is being rolled out to Windows operating system (OS) to enable a faster access to the chatbot for their daily use cases. Additionally, users will be able to quickly launch the app using the Alt + Space shortcut on the keyboard.

The app is currently available to only paid subscribers of ChatGPT, which includes the ChatGPT Plus, Enterprise, Team, and Edu users. It is available in an early beta version. OpenAI plans to introduce the public stable version sometime later this year. Notably, those using the free tier of the AI chatbot will not get access to the app at present.

However, unlike the macOS version of the app, the company did not announce any new features for the desktop app. As such, it is not clear whether users will get the quick screenshot feature which can capture either the entire screen or a part of it and automatically upload it to the app.

Users should be able to use all the standard AI features including generating text and images, asking queries that require web search, as well as having conversations with the chatbot. They will also be able to upload files and have it be processed by ChatGPT.

To access the app, one can head to the Microsoft app store and search for ChatGPT. Alternatively, they can also click here to directly go to the app listings page. To install the ChatGPT for Windows app, users will need to have 283MB of free storage. It supports Windows 10 version 17763.0 or higher.

Microsoft is rolling out new artificial intelligence (AI) features to Copilot, the company’s native chatbot. The tech giant is now adding both voice and vision capabilities to the chatbot, after announcing them on Tuesday. Microsoft claims that the new Copilot features are aimed at offering an intuitive design along with “speedy and fluent answers”. The Copilot Voice feature is similar to Gemini Live and ChatGPT’s Voice Mode. Meanwhile, the much-criticised Recall feature will finally be expanded to all Windows Insider users this month.

Microsoft Copilot Updated With AI-Powered Features

In a blog post, Microsoft has shared several details of the new AI features coming to Copilot. These features will be available on the Copilot app on iOS and Android, the web client, as well as the Copilot assistant on Windows. The latter will only be available on the Copilot+ PCs, which are currently powered by the Snapdragon X series chipsets.

Copilot Voice

With four voice options, users can now experience a hands-free voice conversation with Microsoft’s chatbot. The company said it could be used for brainstorming, asking a quick query, or just to have a friendly conversation.

Notably, while the feature will offer a speech-to-speech experience, the company has not highlighted whether the output generation would be in real-time, or if it would support an emotive voice.

Copilot Vision

Copilot Vision is also being added. This is a new way to interact with the AI. Once enabled, the feature will be able to see what the user sees on the screen. The feature also supports voice mode, letting users ask verbal queries about the content. For instance, users can show the AI a picture of furniture and ask about its colour palette, material, and more.

Since this feature can be perceived as invasive to user privacy, Microsoft has also added several layers of security measures. The feature is opt-in and will not work till the user explicitly activates it.

Even after activating it, the feature currently only works with a limited number of websites. Further, the tech giant added that the data processed by the chatbot will not be collected or used to train the AI.

Windows Recall

Microsoft’s Recall feature, which takes passive screenshots of a user’s laptop or desktop and can keep track of the user’s activity locally, is now rolling out to a wider user base. Microsoft highlighted in a blog post that the feature will be rolled out to Windows Insiders using Copilot+ PCs this month.

For now, it will only be available on the Snapdragon-powered PCs. In November, the tech giant will roll it out to the AMD-powered PCs as well.

The Asus ROG Ally laid down the gauntlet for Windows-based gaming handhelds when it arrived in 2023. While it had its flaws, including an SD card reader that was unpardonably prone to malfunction, the Ally established itself as the device to beat in the category despite subsequent competition from Lenovo and MSI. Earlier this year, Arnold Su, Vice President of the company’s consumer and gaming PC business, told me that the company didn’t believe in waiting. The Taiwanese firm’s strategy to be the first to market across device categories has paid dividends in India, so why wait when you bring something new?

And Asus has struck the iron when it’s hot, doubling down on its handheld bet. The ROG Ally X was unveiled in June ahead of Computex Taipei 2024 and launched in India last month. It’s available in a single 1TB SSD storage variant that now comes with 24GB of RAM. It still runs on the same AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chipset as its predecessor and sports the same 7-inch display. However, there are many changes — both within and without. The Asus ROG Ally X is also more expensive than the original Ally, coming in at Rs. 89,990 in India.

But are the upgrades packed in this refresh worth the higher price? At Computex, when I first got a hands-on opportunity to try the Ally X, I felt that Asus had made all the right choices for a mid-gen refresh of the ROG Ally. After spending some time testing the device, it’s clear that the company took no half-measures. 

The ROG Ally X dwarfs the Nintendo Switch

Asus ROG Ally X Design: Ergonomic improvements

• Dimensions – 280mm (width) x 111mm (height) x 24.7 ~ 36.9mm (depth)
• Weight – 678g
• Colour – Black

Asus returned to the drawing board to make the new Ally more ergonomic. While the handheld retains the visual language of its predecessor — barring the Black colourway, there’s little that differentiates the Ally X from the Ally at first glance — there are studied design tweaks all over to make the handheld more comfortable and natural to, well, hold in your hands. Most notably, the grips feature a more pronounced curve than the original ROG Ally — taller by 4.5mm, so the rear side nestles into your palms rather than digging against them. The grips are also textured to resist slips, but these are a little more prominent than necessary. The ROG-themed textures on the rear ended up creating a bit of friction against my palm during longer playing sessions, making them sweat more than usual.

On the other hand, the textured rubber on the joysticks feels really good and prevents your thumbs from slipping off during intense play. The thumbsticks also sport deeper concave grooves on top for your thumbs to settle in comfortably. Asus also claims that the joysticks on the ROG Ally X are twice as durable as the ones on its first handheld — rated for 5 million rotation cycles. The RGB halo effect around the sticks also adds a bit of flair to the handheld.

The ROG Ally X has a more ergonomic design than its predecessor

The hall-effect triggers are wider and sport a slightly more curved contour. The D-pad has been redesigned to be less sticky and floaty, resulting in satisfyingly crisp feedback. This is one of the best D-pads I’ve used on a contemporary controller or gamepad. The left and right bumpers and the ABXY buttons are quite clicky, too. The two rear macro buttons are now smaller to reduce the chance of accidental presses while playing.

There’s a change in the port selection, too. Asus has dropped the proprietary ROG XG Mobile Interface from the original Ally for a second USB Type-C port. This is appreciated, but it would have been better if one of the USB ports was placed on the bottom side of the handheld rather than both positioned side-by-side on the top spine. The ROG Ally X is also a bit thicker and 70g heavier than its predecessor, but it feels right at home in the hands. The construction is solid, and the handheld has a robust presence while maintaining a slick and clean design aesthetic.

The grips feature a slip-resistant texture that is a bit coarse for my liking

Asus ROG Ally X Display: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it

• Size – 7-inch “IPS-level” touch display
• Resolution – Full-HD (1920×1080 pixels)
• Refresh rate – 120Hz

The ROG Ally X retains the display from the Ally. The 7-inch multitouch LCD panel goes up to 500nits of peak brightness. It’s crisp with accurate and vivid colour reproduction. Asus also claims the Corning Gorilla Glass DCX coating on the panel reduces reflections, which improves visibility in bright and outdoor environments. However, the best feature of the display is the variable refresh rate support, which reduces screen tearing and stuttering to provide smoother framerates while gaming.

Asus, however, missed a trick by not upgrading the Ally X with an OLED panel. The handheld’s LCD display is excellent, but an OLED screen makes a big difference in the viewing experience, especially while gaming.

The ROG Ally X sports two USC Type-C ports on the top

Asus ROG Ally X Software: Close the Windows

• OS – Windows 11 Home 
• Proprietary app – Armoury Crate SE 

The ROG Ally X runs on Windows 11 Home, and there’s nothing really new to add to the conversation about Microsoft’s OS on gaming handhelds. Windows is far from ideal on a 7-inch touch display, and the OS experience on Windows-based handhelds like the Ally, Lenovo Legion Go, and MSI Claw remains consistently frustrating. At this point, Microsoft should work with its partners to optimise its OS for the handheld form factor, but that’s unlikely. Valve has recently confirmed that it would allow third-party handhelds to run its Linux-based SteamOS, but it’s also unlikely that manufacturers would ditch Windows and run Valve’s OS out-of-the-box.

Here’s where the improved Armory Crate SE comes in. Asus’ software brings an intuitive console-like interface that is a hub for all your games and your portal to dive deep into handheld settings. There are plenty of refinements that make Armory Crate smarter and more efficient. The game library can be customised to your preferences and gets a favourites tabs to quickly jump into your go-to games. A deeper level of customisation comes to settings, too. Now, you can adjust custom TDP values and assign additional memory to GPU — the Ally X allocates 4GB of its memory to the integrated graphics by default, but with the bumped-up RAM, I increased it to 8GB. You can also manually adjust the fan curve for both fans.

Overall, Armoury Crate SE adds a hassle-free interface to Windows, and I found myself working off the software most of the time, whether to access games across services like Steam and Xbox or to tweak performance settings and personalise the Ally X. The Command Centre, which can be brought up by tapping the dedicated button that hugs the left side of the display, is also a handy way to quickly select power profiles, switch between Gamepad and Desktop control modes, take screenshots, and more. Contrary to the quick settings overlay on the MSI Claw A1M, the command centre on the Ally is responsive and free from stutters and touch input issues.

The joysticks feel sturdy, with a textured rubber top preventing slips

Asus ROG Ally X Performance: Consistency is key

• Processor – AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme
• RAM – 24GB LPDDR5
• Storage – 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD + M.2 SSD (2280) slot for additional storage
• Graphics – AMD Radeon Graphics (RDNA 3, up to 8.6 teraflops)

The ROG Ally X comes with the same Ryzen Z1 series processor seen on its predecessor that works across a TDP range of 9-25W (it can further go down to a minimum of 7W TDP in Manual settings) on DC power (on battery). Power limit values can be adjusted to your liking in the Manual power profile, or “Operating Mode,” as Asus calls it. Aside from Manual, there are three pre-defined operating modes — Silent (13W), Performance (17W), and Turbo (25W). On AC power (while charging), Turbo mode goes up to 30W TDP even though it’s the same AMD chipset, the Ally X’s abundant and faster memory, its efficient utilisation of power and the VRR-supported screen results in some of the smoothest gameplay I’ve seen on a handheld.

Playing a demanding title like Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 1080p resolution and Medium graphical preset at 17W (Performance mode) resulted in very respectable frame rates in the range of 35-45fps, with densely forested areas, heavily populated settlements and intense combat sections seeing frame rates on the lower side of that range. The average frame rate registered in the in-game benchmark stood at 39fps.

Playing Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the Ally X

At 25W Turbo mode, the game performed in the 40-50fps range, with the average frame rate coming in at a slightly improved 42fps. On AC power with Turbo mode boosted to 30W TDP, the average frame rate on Shadow of the Tomb Raider showed a marked improvement at 44fps. And since it’s a small screen, you can easily lower the resolution to recover more frames without a noticeable hit to image quality. For instance, with the same Medium graphical preset at 720p, the average frame rate in the game shot up to 63fps.

On Forza Horizon 5, at Medium present and 1080p resolution, the average frame rate registered at 76fps on 30W Power mode while charging. When unplugged at 25W TDP, the racing title performed at an average of 72fps. And on the 17W Performance profile, the average came in at 68FPS. These are really good performance numbers on fairly demanding titles.

Windows remains a frustrating experience on gaming handhelds

Handhelds, however, lend themselves to smaller, less demanding titles, even if they perform admirably and adequately on triple-A games. The smaller screen, too, is more suited to platformers and 2D side-scrollers, as expansive vistas of open-world 3D titles can feel diminished on a 7-inch display. On older and indie games, the Ally X predictably shines. On Hollow Knight, for instance, playing at 1080p resolution with High settings on the 13W Silent operating mode yields framerates consistently above 110fps.

On Hades, I got similar results, with consistent framerates nearing 120fps with negligible dips during intense combat encounters. And while playing, Jusant, a slightly more demanding puzzle platformer, I saw framerates in the range of 45-55fps. At 1080p with Medium settings, while playing in the 17W Performance mode, I noticed some minor dips. On 25W Turbo mode on DC power, the framerates climbed up to 55-60fps range. And with the charger plugged in with 30W TDP, I saw a slight improvement, with performance topping out at around 65fps.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider on the ROG Ally X

Asus ROG Ally X Battery: Best in the business

• Battery capacity – 80Whr
• Charger – 65W AC adapter

The Asus ROG Ally X’s biggest upgrade comes in the battery department, with the handheld doubling the 40Whr cell of the original Ally. It’s a truly transformative improvement that makes the Ally X a legitimate portable device. Most Windows-based handhelds, including the first-generation ROG Ally, top out at around an hour or an hour-and-a-half of playtime on demanding games. The ROG Ally X, with its massive 80Whr battery and efficient power management, can easily last up to two hours while running modern titles. I got just above two-and-a-half hours of gameplay on Shadow of the Tomb Raider before the battery died. Most of my playthrough was unplugged using Turbo mode, but I switched to 13W TDP once the battery reached the 20 percent mark.

On less demanding older and indie games, you can stick to the Silent operating mode at 13W or set it even lower manually to reduce battery drain and get excellent performance and extended play sessions of up to four hours. On low wattage, with brightness set to a minimum, you could go above and beyond on titles like Celeste, Hades and Spiritfarer. The excellent battery life on the ROG Ally X puts it convincingly above its competition. The handheld stays cool and silent during extended play sessions, too, with Asus bringing improvements to its thermal management.

Verdict

When it launched in 2023, the Asus ROG Ally set a high baseline for Windows-based gaming handhelds. It couldn’t touch the Steam Deck OLED in terms of battery efficiency, but its impressive performance on modern games, its compact and lightweight design, and its 120Hz display made it the handheld to beat. With the ROG Ally X, Asus has clearly kept what already worked well and improved what was lacking. The device’s bigger battery, faster (and more) memory, and better cooling results in an efficient and consistent performer that beats out the competition on nearly every metric.

The cost of those crucial upgrades, however, is rather steep. At Rs. 89,990, the ROG Ally X is nearly double the price of the AMD Z1 Extreme model of the original Ally, which currently sells at Rs. 49,990 after price cuts. That vast gap makes it a bit difficult to recommend Asus’ latest handheld; an OLED screen would have definitely sweetened the deal. But if you’re looking for the best Windows-based handheld in the market right now, it’s even more difficult to recommend anything else but the ROG Ally X. With its best-in-class battery and considerable performance gains, the Ally X is your all-weather friend.

Pros

• Excellent battery life
• Consistent performance
• Ergonomic design changes
• Clicky, tactile buttons
• Improved thermal management
• Smooth Armoury Crate SE experience

Cons

• No OLED display
• Windows OS
• Steep pricing

Ratings (out of 10)

• Design: 8
• Display: 7
• Software: 7
• Performance: 9
• Battery Life: 9
• Value for Money: 6
• Overall: 8

Microsoft on Thursday announced plans to make Windows more resilient to incidents caused by security firms, such as the global outage caused by CrowdStrike earlier this year that took millions of Windows computers offline for more than a day. At a security summit hosted by the company, the Windows maker said it would assist these security vendors in modifying their solutions to operate outside kernel mode on Windows, which provides an elevated level of access to the system along with more advanced functionality.

In a statement issued after its recently concluded Windows Endpoint Security Ecosystem Summit, Microsoft said that it discussed the creation of new platform capabilities on Windows that would enable security vendors to offer more features outside of the Windows kernel, which in turn would improve security on the operating system. 

Existing security solutions for Windows involve the use of software that runs at the Windows kernel level, which provides these apps with a greater degree of access to the system compared to regular applications. They can also scan other apps that are loaded into memory in order to intercept security threats or modify system files if necessary.

While kernel level access offers benefits for security vendors, a badly configured software update can adversely affect systems — such as the one rolled out by CrowdStrike in July that led to a massive global outage. In order to keep customers’ devices protected from these incidents, Microsoft would need to make sure these security vendors operate outside the Windows kernel.  

At Microsoft’s security summit, the company discussed the requirements of security vendors and the key challenges to implementing a more secure Windows environment, while allowing these firms to continue offering security features. These include potential performance issues and challenges outside kernel mode, sensor requirements, and anti-tampering protection, according to the Windows maker.

“As a next step, Microsoft will continue to design and develop this new platform capability with input and collaboration from ecosystem partners to achieve the goal of enhanced reliability without sacrificing security,” Microsoft said on Thursday.