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© 2025 BBCWorld 11:55pm I tested a $7 app that boosts FPS and resolution in any PC game. It’s amazing!
The newest graphics cards by Nvidia and AMD have been the talk of the PC gaming town since the start of the year, with big claims about boosted performance and better ray tracing. But the biggest gains in recent years have come in the forms of AI upscaling and frame generation.
Unfortunately, both Nvidia and AMD have locked their exciting new technologies behind expensive graphics cards. If you can’t get your hands on one, you can’t enjoy the enhanced resolutions and bumped-up frame rates they offer… unless…
Turns out, if you’re missing out on Nvidia’s DLSS 4 or AMD’s FSR, you can get most of the way there with a simple $7 app on Steam! I’ve been using it for a while and I love it. Here’s what you need to know.
What is Lossless Scaling?
Lossless Scaling is a standalone app that grants upscaling and frame generation with just about any graphics card in just about any PC game. You don’t need the latest Nvidia or AMD cards to use it.
It’s been in development for a number of years and was originally used to increase resolution in older pixel graphics games via integer scaling. In the years since, however, its capabilities have grown and it’s now used to make games look and play better in more ways than that—just like what DLSS and FSR do for Nvidia and AMD card owners, respectively.
Lossless Scaling has several built-in upscalers that are able to leverage different algorithms like FSR, LS1, Integer, and more. These are mostly for use in games that don’t support more advanced versions of FSR or DLSS, but they’re nice to have as fallback options.
But the real game changer is the introduction of Frame Generation support. With the latest LSFG algorithm, you can boost frame rates by 2x, 3x, 4x, or any combination you want. (2x works best for me, but if you can make gaming hay with more, then enjoy the extra frames!!
Lossless Scaling is still excellent for upscaling pixel graphics games.Lossless Scaling
It also has the same downsides as AMD and Nvidia’s frame generation techniques, though. Latency is slightly worse when using Frame Generation, and some of those frames aren’t “real,” so it isn’t advisable to use Frame Generation in competitive multiplayer games. But in single player? It’s a game changer.
I’m a big space nerd and I love Kerbal Space Program. But even with a 7950X3D CPU and RX 7900 XTX GPU, the game really slows down once you’ve got 100+ mods installed. (The dynamic clouds really are worth paying for, but I digress.) With Lossless Scaling, though, my Space Center goes from around 90 FPS to a rock-solid 140 FPS. Huge spaceships with hundreds of parts go from low 50s to high 90s. The game looks and feels so much more responsive when rotating the camera.
Lossless Scaling has also been really useful when playing console ports with capped frame rates. In Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered, the frame rate is hard-restricted to 60 FPS. That’s better than the 30 FPS of many other console racing ports, but with Lossless Scaling, I can turn on 2x Frame Generation and enjoy a buttery-smooth 120 FPS. It’s not as good as native, and I still have to deal with some input lag, but it looks much smoother with those generated frames.
At 120 FPS, Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered feels extra smooth.Jon Martindale / Foundry
Again, it’s not perfect. Frame Generation does some funny things when KSP first loads and only has a couple of FPS to work with. The VAB looks like a Dalí painting for a split second before going back to normal. The scaling options can be overwhelming, and it’s annoying having to tab in and out of games to make adjustments.
But if you take the time to learn how to use Lossless Scaling properly, it can make a real difference in your PC gaming experience.
How to use Lossless Scaling
First, you need to buy it on Steam. I know it can feel weird to spend money on Steam for something that isn’t a game, but trust me, this one’s worth it—and it often goes on sale for a mere $3.50.
Install it, run it, and then boot up the game you want to apply it to. Once that game is up and running, make sure it’s set to “borderless window” or “fullscreen borderless” mode. (Lossless Scaling doesn’t currently support Fullscreen Exclusive.) Set the graphics settings to whatever you want, including enabling any in-game upscaling you want to do, and make sure your FPS cap is at least as high as your monitor’s refresh rate.
Use the Alt + Tab keyboard shortcut to switch to the Lossless Scaling window, then create a new profile using the left-hand menu if you wish. You can also simply adjust the Default profile if you don’t care to have more than one.
Jon Martindale / Foundry
There are quite a few settings to consider with Lossless Scaling, but the ones we’re most interested in are “Scaling” and “Frame Generation,” along with “Rendering” in some cases.
With Scaling, if the game doesn’t have its own upscaling feature and you want to use Lossless Scaling for it, use the drop-down menu to select your preferred algorithm. There’s a great Steam thread here that showcases the different upscaling modes and their effectiveness.
With Frame Generation, select the Type as LSFG 3.0, which is the best of the available options as of this writing. Set the Mode as Fixed if you want Lossless Scaling to stick with a fixed number of AI-generated frames to double whatever your native rate is. Or set the Mode to Adaptive to have the algorithm try to meet your target frame rate, even if the native FPS falls below a 2x or 3x multiplier of your target.
With Rendering, you might want to enable V-Sync as well as HDR and G-Sync support, if applicable. Enable Draw FPS if you want a simple FPS tracker at the top left to show native and output frame rates with Frame Generation. If you run into issues with multiple displays and GPUs, tweak the other Rendering options to get it behaving properly.
Once you’ve got all the settings as you’d like, click the Scale button at the top right of the window, then use Alt + Tab to return to your game. After a few seconds, Frame Generation and Scaling will kick in and you should see your frame rate jump along with it.
A few final thoughts before you go
Lossless Scaling is amazing. It’s given me frames I never knew I could have in older games that weren’t designed to run the way I want to play them in 2025. With Lossless Scaling, I can have old Need for Speed console games running at 120 FPS and more than a slideshow in Kerbal Space Program when launching gargantuan ships.
When FPS is particularly low, like when first loading up the Space Center in Kerbal Space Program, the frame generation can produce some weird artifacts.Jon Martindale / Foundry
But Lossless Scaling is no panacea. Just like Nvidia’s and AMD’s frame generation, you’ll see more artifacts when the gap between native and target frame rates are greater—more AI frames means more smearing and choppiness—so it’s better to be conservative with these settings. Play around and see what you’re comfortable with.
I’ve managed to find my own sweet spot with this tool and it has immeasurably improved some of my favorite games. And it’s only getting better with every iteration and every new feature. (Adaptive Frame Generation is brand new and not even offered by AMD or Nvidia yet.) For those of us without the latest graphics cards, Lossless Scaling is a fantastic alternative to Nvidia’s and AMD’s exclusive tech.
Further reading: Why I never buy the best PC gaming hardware
© 2025 PC World 11:35pm  
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Windows 10 support ends soon. Here’s how to upgrade to Windows 11
Windows 10 has been one of the best and most stable versions of the operating system from Microsoft, and it is no wonder that many users have waited to update to the new Windows 11. Despite its release in 2021, there are still significantly more people running Windows 10.
But now the clock is ticking for the system. In October 2025, the very last regular update of the system will come. After that, Microsoft will only make security updates available to customers who pay extra for the Extended Security Update (ESU) program.
Are you one of the many people who have reluctantly realized that it’s time to update? You’re not alone, but I can also tell you that it’s not nearly as bad as you might think. Windows 11 is mostly the same, and while Microsoft has made some questionable changes, it’s not a repeat of the disaster that was Windows 8.
Join me as I walk you through how to safely update and get started with Windows 11.
Further reading: Windows 10 will hit end of life in 2025. Here’s what to expect
Check that your computer is up to scratch
Before you can install Windows 11, you can check that your computer actually meets the system requirements. An easy way to do this is to install all available updates in Windows 10. The Windows Update section in Settings will then offer you to upgrade to Windows 11 as long as your computer meets the requirements.
Foundry
You can also install the PC Health Check program. If your computer does not meet the system requirements, the program will show you what is missing and you can then see if it’s something you can fix without having to get a new computer to run Windows 11. It can be as simple as the TPM module in the processor not being enabled in the BIOS settings.
The minimum requirements are a 64-bit processor of at least 1GHz, 4 GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, UEFI with support for Secure Boot (though it doesn’t have to be enabled), TPM 2.0, a screen with at least 720p resolution, and an internet connection.
Since Microsoft released version 24H2 of the system, slightly higher requirements are placed on the processor. For Intel, it requires the eighth-generation Core or later, or the equivalent of Celeron/Atom/Xeon. For AMD, at least second-generation Ryzen or third-generation Threadripper, or the equivalent of Epyc, is required. Also a bunch of Zen-based Athlon chipsets are supported.
Back up so you can roll back if disaster strikes
Jan Van Bizar
Before you start upgrading to the newer system, it’s a good idea to make a full backup of the current system, a so-called clone backup. This makes it much easier to roll back to Windows 10 if something goes wrong during the installation (or if you simply can’t stand Windows 11).
There are a number of different programs that can clone your hard drive. R-Drive Image has long been one our favorite full-featured program. For a free version, it’s hard to beat EaseUS.
I have seen some reports of problems getting the computer to boot from a ready-made clone, so don’t forget to test before you proceed.
Further reading: How to save your older PC when Windows 10 hits end of life
Update from Windows 10 or reinstall?
Foundry
Now the question is: Should you install Windows 11 as an update to your existing Windows 10 system, or should you spring clean your computer with a fresh install? This question comes up every time Microsoft releases a brand new version of Windows.
You can find users who swear that the system will be faster and suffer from fewer bugs with a brand new installation. But there are also users who believe that this is pure nonsense and that an update is faster and easier as you don’t have to reinstall all your programs and other things.
My recommendation if you are unsure is to have a solid backup (see above) and start by testing an update. If all goes well, you will be up and running in Windows 11 considerably faster, and in the unlikely event that you run into any difficulties, you can always do a reinstallation afterwards. If you run the update and go and do something else in the meantime, you’ll lose almost no time.
Update in place – keep files, programs, and settings
To perform a regular update without having to redo anything after installation, there are two options. The easiest is to go through Windows Update in Settings and let the system itself take care of the update. Then it works much like a major regular update, for example when Windows 10 22H2 was released. The computer will restart a few times during the installation, but otherwise it is just like a regular update.
If for some reason you are not offered to update in Windows Update, or you just prefer it, you can download an iso file with the latest version of the system and install from it. You don’t need to create installation media on a USB stick, just double-click the .iso file in Explorer, go to the mounted disc image, and run the Setup.exe program.
Foundry
After a few steps where the installer checks the computer and a few other things, you will get to a dialog box where you can choose what you want to keep. The default option is to keep everything — that is, files, installed programs, and settings.
You can also choose to keep only files, but since you then have to reinstall programs and redo system settings, I think it is better to do a total reinstallation and then move back personal files from the backup.
Blow out and start from scratch
Foundry
If you have a weekend to spend on the update, it can be a great opportunity to spring clean your computer. Over the years, Windows accumulates a lot of junk that never gets cleaned up. Old programs you’ve forgotten you ever installed. Settings, caches, downloaded updates, and much more can gradually fill up your disk.
Reformatting and starting from scratch will free up space and make your system more stable. If you then start by removing all the pre-installed programs you don’t need and then installing only the ones you actually want, you’ll end up with a system that feels airier.
If you do this, it is particularly important that you have a full backup. Make sure you can boot from it, and that all important files and other things are there.
Then use an .iso file of the latest version of Windows 11 and Microsoft’s installation media creation tool on a USB stick. Boot your computer from that and when you get to the step where you choose where to install the system, you can reformat the disk.
If you have more than one SSD or hard drive, it is important that you choose the right one, and you may have to disconnect all the drives except the one you are installing on first. The Windows installer is a bit finicky about this.
Further reading: The Windows 11 upgrade checklist
First acquaintance with Windows 11
Foundry
Once the update is complete and you start Windows 11 for the first time and log in, you’re greeted by a full dialog box you need to go through before you get to the desktop. It’s about location services and various features related to how Microsoft collects analytics data and the like. You can always change your mind later in Settings.
Next, the system will suggest you “complete the installation,” which is Microsoft’s slightly sneaky attempt to get you to choose Edge as the default browser, enable backup to OneDrive, and a few more things. You can click through but only select the things you actually want. (If you don’t want to see this “helpful” dialog box again, you can open Settings > System > Notifications > Additional settings and tick off the various options.)
Nothing more, and you are now greeted by the desktop with the Taskbar in its usual place at the bottom. The Start menu and application icons have moved to the center of the screen instead, but you can move them back to the left if you prefer.
One major change is the Start menu itself, which has a new look and layout. Microsoft has made some changes since Windows 11 was first released, and version 24H2 finally has the option to display all installed programs in a list instead of a grid. Click on the All apps button at the top right. Unfortunately, there is no way to open that view by default.
Foundry
The taskbar also behaves differently than before. If you have multiple windows open in a program, these are not shown as separate icons, but you have to hover the pointer over the program icon to see the different open windows. If you want to go back to the way it was before, you can go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors and select Never for Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels on other taskbars. In the same menu you can also left align the Taskbar.
Here are some other things that have become different and may confuse or require some time to get used to:
Copy and Paste
Both the toolbar and the context menu in Explorer have changed, and the most common commands, like copy and paste, have become icons. Fortunately, Microsoft has listened to user feedback and the context menu also shows the title next to each icon.
Action Center is gone
Joel Lee / IDG
On the far right of the Taskbar used to be the Action Center, which brought together notifications, quick settings, and shortcuts to various functions. The whole feature is gone in Windows 11 and instead there is a new notification view.
Default programs
Foundry
Microsoft has changed how you set up default programs for different file and link types. Open Settings > Apps > Default apps. Here you will find a list of installed programs. Click on an application and a list of file types for which that application is the default application will appear. You can also search for file extensions or link types in the search bar at the top and change the default application for that type.
Better Microsoft Store
Microsoft
In the past, it was almost always best to download programs directly from the developers, and the Microsoft Store didn’t have standard desktop programs. In Windows 11, the store has gotten better and today many of the major programs can be found here. It’s often worth checking the store first and going via the web if you can’t find it.
Copilot replaces Cortana
As long as you’re signed into a Microsoft account, you’ll have access to the company’s AI chatbot directly in Windows, and the old assistant Cortana is long gone.
New design on Settings
Foundry
Finding your way through all your system settings just got easier. The program now has a permanent list of categories on the left. There are still very deep hierarchies for some settings, but the search function often works well to find a specific setting.
How to restore to Windows 10
Foundry
If you have installed Windows 11 as an update with Windows Update, you can roll it back directly in Settings. Go to System > Recovery and click Go back. Follow the instructions. Wait for it to finish (it may take as long as installing the update).
If this option is missing, it’s either because you didn’t update with Windows Update, you’ve run System Cleanup after the update, or it’s been so long that Windows has automatically cleaned up the files needed.
In that case, you can restore your old installation by cloning back the system from the clone backup you made before updating. Keep in mind that this will overwrite any newer files, so it’s best to make another backup of the system as it is now so you can copy back everything new when you’re done. Of course, this requires an additional hard drive that is large enough.
The fact that it’s much easier to roll back with the Go Back feature is another argument in favor of updating to Windows 11 instead of reformatting and reinstalling.
© 2025 PC World 11:35pm 
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