Tech Advisor - UK (2020-01)

JANUARY 2020 • TECH ADVISOR 67

Second, the Windows 10 November 2019 Update

also reworks a CPU’s ‘favoured cores’. Modern multi-

core processors from Intel or AMD include cores that

are ‘known’ by the manufacturer to outperform the

others. Intel brought this concept mainstream with

2016’s Broadwell-E microprocessor, the Core i7-6900K,

and its Turbo Boost Max 3.0 technology. AMD’s recent

Ryzen CPUs also flag their highest-performing core.

What the Windows 10 November 2019 Update does is

‘implement a rotation policy that distributes work more

fairly among these favoured cores’.

That probably means less thermal stress on any

one core, though we’ve been told that it’s going to

require a silicon vendor to ‘know’ which cores are

favoured, and for the BIOS to be aware of it, too.

Even after talking with sources in the silicon industry,

it’s not entirely clear how this will shake out.

Third, PC makers can now configure the inking

latency of Windows Ink based on the hardware

configurations of their devices, rather than what

Windows thinks they should be. We were unable

to test this. However, this is literally a ‘feels faster’

improvement that you may experience yourself.

Finally, Microsoft has added debugging

capabilities for newer Intel processors. That’s only

relevant to PC makers, Microsoft says.

Windows 10 S adds managed Windows apps

Windows 10 in S Mode hasn’t wandered far from its

roots in the Surface Go and other managed tablets –

the only other place we’ve seen it is in cheaper laptops.

Still, Microsoft hasn’t quite given up on its operating

JANUARY 2020 • TECH ADVISOR 67

Second, the Windows 10 November 2019 Update
also reworks a CPU’s ‘favoured cores’. Modern multi-
core processors from Intel or AMD include cores that
are ‘known’ by the manufacturer to outperform the
others. Intel brought this concept mainstream with
2016’s Broadwell-E microprocessor, the Core i7-6900K,
and its Turbo Boost Max 3.0 technology. AMD’s recent
Ryzen CPUs also flag their highest-performing core.
What the Windows 10 November 2019 Update does is
‘implement a rotation policy that distributes work more
fairly among these favoured cores’.
Thatprobablymeanslessthermalstressonany
onecore, though we’ve been told that it’s going to
requirea siliconvendorto‘know’whichcoresare
favoured,andfortheBIOStobeawareofit,too.
Evenaftertalkingwithsourcesin thesiliconindustry,
it’snot entirely clear how this will shake out.
Third, PC makers can now configure the inking
latency of Windows Ink based on the hardware
configurations of their devices, rather than what
Windows thinks they should be. We were unable
to test this. However, this is literally a ‘feels faster’
improvement that you may experience yourself.
Finally,Microsofthasaddeddebugging
capabilitiesfor newer Intel processors. That’s only
relevant to PC makers, Microsoft says.

Windows 10 S adds managed Windows apps
Windows 10 in S Mode hasn’t wandered far from its
roots in the Surface Go and other managed tablets –
the only other place we’ve seen it is in cheaper laptops.
Still, Microsoft hasn’t quite given up on its operating