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Windows 11 (Preview) Review: first 48 hours with the latest version Intro Initially (as I'm sure most of us experienced), there was a bound of excitement and interest when the preview build for Windows 11 was leaked not too long ago. After we took a closer look however, excitement quickly faded for some of us. We still had some hope that Windows 11 would be something special (and I'm sure it is), it's just not quite there yet. After enabling fTPM in my BIOS, joining the Windows Insider program, and checking for updates, the preview build was easily installed. The original files downloaded took up less than a Gig, but after unpacking only took up an extra 5GB on my boot drive. Seemed a little small for an entire Operating System, but then again this is when updating from Windows 10, not from a clean install. I guess that just goes to show how much of Windows 10 was carried over to the new version OR how much wasn't overwritten (because after all this is just a preview version, they wouldn't intentionally completely overwrite your Windows 10 install for a buggy and unreleased to public version, right?). Overall though, I'm curious about what everyone else's thoughts/experiences with the Windows 11 preview build are so far. My initial thoughts & Rating: 6/10 +Newer & smoother animations between windows +More visually appealing UI & Icons (arguably) +Easily navigateable, better/updated layout in settings menus ~... Not much else, other than that the Windows 11 preview build is mostly just Windows 10 with a UI overhaul/facelift, missing features, and common broken Windows behavior. Here are some problems that I encountered on my 24hr journey with the new build Priority levels: HIGH - Needs to be fixed immediately MEDIUM - Basic issue, inconvenience, or frustrating change LOW - Simple suggestions or observations, weird behaviors, and new things to consider LEGACY - Issue has been prominent since previous versions of Windows _________________________________________________________________________ The ability to drag and drop files between programs is broken. This bricks the basic functionality of windows and can deem certain programs either completely unusable or inconvenient to maneuver. In certain programs this bug can be overridden by simply resizing certain windows, but when trying to drag and drop through your taskbar, this is currently impossible. _________________________________________________________________________ Individual drives are no longer shown independently by default in the ‘File Explorer’ side-panel; they now have to be manually pinned to ‘Quick access’. Hiding basic functionality deep within menus to make the UI look more modern is not attractive to power users. I suggest reimplementing this by default, as all other Windows versions have. _________________________________________________________________________ Downloads folder is no longer linked to the libraries folder; now has to be manually pinned to ‘Quick access’. *insert above text here* _________________________________________________________________________ Right-click taskbar customization function has been removed, and now reverts to the ‘Taskbar Settings’ window. This particular change can’t even be justified as a modernized UI implementation, it is a complete feature removal and can’t be accessed deeper within the settings. _________________________________________________________________________ ‘Control Panel’ is still using the same outdated UI with a minor makeover in terms of icons. Also is forced into light-mode. Minor oversight, not really an issue, just a tad hard on the eyes when digging through mostly dark-themed and modernized programs to be then confronted with it. _________________________________________________________________________ Poor responsiveness when swapping between themes, freezes for about ~5 seconds. Windows 10 did not have this issue. Low-level bug and/or lacking optimization within the new (as of recorded) Windows 11 version. _________________________________________________________________________ Windows desktop tab has been removed. Doesn’t seem like an issue until you notice how often you actually used it on previous versions. Win + D is arguably just as quick, but requires some getting used to if you've never used it. _________________________________________________________________________ Alt. + PrtSc cannot be used to screenshot your main display when viewing the Windows desktop, only within programs. I actually just noticed this while still creating this posts, very weird behavior, not entirely sure why this issue persists. _________________________________________________________________________ File explorer remains unresponsive/fails to sort when dealing with folders containing a large substructure of files. Folders with more than a few hundred files at a time can fail to sort by all variances. When the sort functionality is disabled, this behavior ceases, and the folder regains responsiveness. This has been an issue with previous versions of Windows, dating to before the release of Windows 11. _________________________________________________________________________ Windows still continues to restrict themes in certain programs, forcing light-mode / restricting certain colors. As far as I can tell, this has been an issue since every version after Windows 7. _________________________________________________________________________ When searching the web from the Windows search tab, your default browser reverts to Bing. Mostly just frustrating, barely anybody likes or uses Bing (some unlucky people do). _________________________________________________________________________ [Version: 10.0.22000 Build: 22000] To be continued... Feel free to share your thoughts below, and add to what's here if you've tried it for yourself or I've missed anything!

Alienware has the FIRST Threadripper-based system on the market - Does it live up to the hype? Buy an Area 51 Threadripper Edition direct from Dell: http://geni.us/IHGiC

I am planning on adding an ssd for storing my premiere pro and after effects cache/previews, and I was wondering if 250gb is enough? I don't use after effects that much and most of my videos are 4k and under 10 minutes. What would happen if I ran out of space?

Singularity Computers Core Mount comes in 2 pack (Available in variety different colours) Assembling is very straight forward. Removes the screw from the 4 handles. Allign them and just screw them together. Next screw the back bracket Now lets have a look at singularity computers reservoir and its accessories The reservoir box have measurements of the reservoir which is helpful in case u wan to refer to the dimensions Once open the box you are greeted with singularity computers stop fittings Reservoir is placed inside a protective plastic cover The beauty about this res after u dismantle the the black ring u can move the top facing any direction you want. Remove the top and there is a white o ring to go with the frosted top. Once u fix a position. U can just screw down the black ring to hold its position. Same goes to the bottom Now lets have a look at the D5 top (Frosted version) U will see the top is packaged in an anti static bag Come with a white oring and some screws that can be used to mount the top. (Bottom VIEW) Top VIew Can be used as a standalone unit or can be used as an upgrade kit with existing protium res to make it into a single unit. To use it with protium res just unscrew the top unit. There is an oring inside that u dont have to remove. Leave it as it is. To mount protium res to the d5 top. Remove the bottom unit and attached it with the top. Before that unscrew the flow channel tube and screw it to the d5 top Keeps the rest of these accessories save back into the box if u wanted to use it back in the future After combining the res and d5 top Next is the D5 cover. Is covered in the anti static bag once u opened the box Inside you have the D5 cover and bottom plate. The rubber which is provided is removed and placed on the plate which helps to cushion the d5. Once assembled with the res of the unit To use the reservoir core mount to mount the res to the radiator are as follows. FInd the small screws which can be find in the radiator box that you have bought. Use these screw and mount the core to the radiator. If u dont have these small screws. Just get them from ur local hardware shop. Next remove the 4 screws holding the core highlighted in yellow and place the res u prefer and screw it back. Fully assembled Last but not least for the protium d5 cover. Due to its modular design. If u have a manual pump and u want to change the speed. U can just remove the bottom cover without the need to bleed the entire loop and remove the cover. Thanks for having a look. A very modular design for this reservoir and the accessories. Enthusiast or even beginners will love this. Current offerings by ekwb, bitspower or alphacool have limitation and arent this flexible in design. Not to mention the quality is solid due to aluminium cnc parts. The frosted version looks incredible but they also offer other choice like polished aryclic and acetal.

So I've been using my El Gato HD60s to simply view my PS4 in a window on my pc. This is effectively PiP for me, I can watch a video while playing any ps4 game. But the el gato software isn't great. And OBS doesn't play the sound. The biggest draw back to both these softwares is the bulk of the window increasing the size it takes up on screen. Below, attached, is an example of this. What I'm looking for is a lightweight video input device viewer. Preferably one that scales to window size and has popout preview window options. Does anyone else do this? Also, protip, add HD Game Capture to your steam library, then use it with steam link! I was playing PS4 on my Note 8, although I was close enough to still be wirelessly directly connected to my PS4. I played dreams in my bed it was amazing

We have some new stuff from professional Overclocker der8auer from Germany - a preview video of the upcoming 32-core Threadripper 2990X CPU using the EPYC 7601. Enjoy the video with hitting over 5k points in Cinebench R15:

When you hover over a topic it gives a quick preview of the post/latest response. In this scrollable popup, when you scroll to the end it starts scrolling the whole page thus making you unhover the popup and it goes away. IMO this is pretty unintuitive and annoying. A nice (and easy) change would be to just hide the scroll bar of the main page while you are hovered on the preview div or while the preview is visible.

The guys over at ultrabookreview managed to get their hands on a early version of the Asus NovaGo TP370QL laptop running on Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. They took it for a quick test drive and this is what they found out. At stock specs the Asus NovaGo comes with just 4GB of onboard LPDDR4x memory and a 64GB SSD with a MSRP of $599. Going with the one with the better specs with 8GB of onboard LPDDR4x and a 256GB SSD will set you back a extra $300 dollars with a MSRP of $799. Connectivity, there is Wireless AC, Bluetooth, USB 3.0 Type A, a HDMI, combo audio jack and a MicroSD reader. The system is preinstalled with Microsoft Windows 10 S, which is almost like Windows RT and it can only run Windows Store apps. Asus does allow a free limited time upgrade Microsoft Windows 10 Professional. Battery life is advertised at 22 hours, but this wasn't tested out cause their battery life testing utility will not run on it. Early performance benchmarks. By the time the laptop officially launched into the retail market and drivers are more optimized, scores should improve. https://www.ultrabookreview.com/19015-asus-novago-impressions/

Please enlarge the preview window on the forums, at least for the floatplane section. The width is fine, just the height needs to be larger. It's one of those little things that shouldn't matter but do, a lot. PS. if anyone knows of or has created a greasemonkey / tampermonkey script to do this on my end that would be good too. Thank you

I have recently gotten into streaming, I use OBS Studio and a Canon EOS 750D DSLR camera for a webcam, I have learned how to use the EOS utility software for a window preview that is then used for OBS as a webcam (Connected via USB), the problem is, you have to keep the preview tab open at all times (1920x1280) which gives me a big amount of lag spikes in any game, I have very capable hardware yet it is still an issue, (I ran the games without the preview on and I get a smooth gameplay.) Is there any way to use the camera as an actual webcam input?

Hi, I'm thinking about is it good to be Windows Insider. I mean probably it will affect some drivers and new features could be confusing and strange. So I'm going to install it on my daily used system is it good or less good because maybe after installing new build I will be ,might, needed to reset my OS.

How do I change the photo slideshow's duration time in Macbook Air? Im using preview to view my photo and the photo is from external hard drive... Please help me... Thanks ! ! !

Looks like the WP 10 preview is gaining more devices, and not just one or two; a LOT more. This is great for users who have older devices and more lower end devices, MS is really pushing the notion that WP10 is going to show up on as many devices as can be expected. I'm excited to give this a go when it comes out later for my 920, I've always liked WP devices for how well they run in almost every scenario, even ones packing half the RAM and clock speeds of the conventional devices from anyone else. http://www.windowscentral.com/next-windows-10-phones-build-will-expand-massive-number-devices?utm_source=related&utm_medium=module&utm_campaign=next

This could be under the wrong category but so be it Anywho, I have been using Sony Vegas 12 pro for a while now and really like it! It's efficient and streamlined for basic editing, but can also be very useful for complex stuff. But my problem is the preview screen lag. It has been like this since i got it but only now asked why. My Specs: AMD FX-8320 OC @ 4.2 AMD Radeon R9 290 Gigabyte windforce X3 edition 16 Gb GSkill RAM @ 1334Mhz I have seen people with less ram and worse processors preview with no lag. Any suggestions? Thanks, Daze.

Hello. I'm currently dual booting Windows 10 and Windows 7 - or, well, that was the plan. Basically, I had a previous build of Windows 10 on a separate partition from my Windows 7 installation and everything was chugging along smoothly. The build was acting a bit sluggish, so I decided to nuke the whole thing and install the latest build from an ISO. In order to remove the previous build, I followed the following instructions and either because they were wrong, the software was bonky or I simply made a mistake (the most likely), I deleted Windows 7 from my boot order and now I only get Windows 10 Technical Preview in my boot menu: The Windows 7 installation is still intact. I just need to know how to add it back... Thanks.

Hey, I cant wait to swap to windows 10 on the 29th of july so I was wondering if I get the windows 10 insider preview, will my free version of windows 10 (because im on windows 7 right now) be lost (aka go). Because if it will I wont upgrade to the windows 10 insider preview. Please help me asap Thanks, Jacob

Microsoft preview program is currently taking time to process everyone as of a big demand because of E3 if anybody part of the preview program can you send me an invite my Gamertag is TAHIRMIA it's also in my bio. I need it to test windows 10 game streaming.

I just installed android M on my Nexus 6!! So far I can say.....it hasn't blown up yet! And I did the easter egg and it's hilarious! Wilkl post video soon So I finally got some applications installed, everything seems to be fine as far as compatibility wise with M. The new photos application is really cool, reminds me a lot of Apple's iOS one.

Rejoice OS X users, for you are no longer stuck in the barren wasteland of shitty Office releases of past. Thats being too kind. Office on Mac was a goddamn nightmare of nightmare proportions. Awful, truly awful. Maybe this time around, MS is going to give it the TLC that users would actually enjoy instead of making us want to claw our eyes out, fire up Bootcamp and run the better version of Office. Which is what I do now, since its really the last piece of software I use that is just disgustingly bad for OSX. This suite is fully updated for all the Retina products and has the OneDrive support baked in, it will receive updates up until its release later this year. Its a less than 3GB download, so if you want to give it a go by all means do so and let us know what you think.

So I have this problem and I'm pretty much an amateur with Adobe Software. Can anyone help me? Do I need any specific drivers or something? Thanks. (Check the picture)

Windows 11 is out of the dev channel and officially beta software now. The final release is close, so let’s see what new features are in Microsoft’s biggest operating system update in a long, long time.

I just installed Windows 8 on my primary drive and started it up, everything was working, but there was a missing icon in the notifications bar. Then, the computer started getting laggy, and the Start screen showed nothing. Then, the computer restarted on it's own. Fast forward a few days (and flawless reboots) later, I had to restart the computer. This usually takes 10 seconds, but the computer screen went black after the Windows loading screen, when, 20 seconds later, it turned grey. It won't boot now. I should let you know that I have three drives, one for a main OS, a second for secondary OSes, and a third for storage. The problem was on the primary one (and also applies to the secondary one), and I am currently running on the third drive, which temporarily has Windows on it as well. The secondary drive has Windows 10 Technical Preview on it, and for some reason, the first two OSes were acting as if they were dual-booting (the OS selection menu at boot). Also, the Tech Preview won't boot either.

I think I am personally going to try it out when it comes out tomorrow or maybe thursday. I will install it on a seperate drive. It looks SO nice to me. What is everyone else's thoughts on the matter?

Hi everyone, Though id quickly show my builds to see what you guys think, Will be doing a full build log of all 3 when i have chance.

2014 RULES CHANGES Formula 1 has always been about technical innovation; now however, with the automotive sector turning towards higher efficiency, it’s not unusual to see motorsports do the same (even if it means losing the signature acoustic sound that has been synonymous with a Formula car). To sum up 2014’s rules changes: smaller engine, stronger dependence on energy recovery systems, heavily revised aerodynamics, stronger emphasis on efficiency, etc. First and foremost, the most significant change this year is the change of engine platforms. Starting in the 2014 season, all F1 contenders are required to implement a 1.6L turbocharged V6 engine (now limited to 5 engines per driver per year) in addition to a slew of changes designed to address the Energy Recovery System (ERS) as well as changes to fuel delivery / capacity / efficiency regulations. Slowing down at the end of a race to conserve fuel is now a violation against the regulations and is no longer justifiable. Minimum vehicle weight limit (without fuel) for the 2014 competitive year is set at 691kg, an increase of 1kg over the limit set for 2013 (to account for changes in tire design); the minimum weight limit is set to increase to 701kg for the 2015 competitive year. Also an amendment for the 2015 competitive year is the banning of all tire-heating apparatuses. A more detailed and thorough analysis is available in the technical section located below. Pretty much every component of a 2014 Formula 1 car is brand new and engineered from scratch, meaning that all 11 participating teams will be unable to rely on the majority of the data points recorded over the past few seasons. The new engine and increased reliance on ERS has presented teams with a major reliability issue, so don’t be surprised of a lot of these cars don’t make it to the ends of races. For ONLY the year of 2014, all teams are permitted more curfew “jokers”, whatever that means, to account for the brand new engines and cars. Pirelli remains the official tire supplier for Formula 1 through to 2016, and in a collaboration with the FIA has implemented changes to the updated sporting regulations. As far as testing days, one of 12 official pre-season testing days will be dedicated exclusively to wet tire testing; each team must dedicate one of 8 in-season test days for tire testing with Pirelli’s engineers. In regards to 2014 sporting regulations, race stewards may now impose a five-second time penalty during a pit stop but prior to any work commencing. All team personnel are also required to wear helmets during both qualifying and the race. On a less important note, drivers are now allowed to pick their own car numbers as opposed to being assigned numbers as they were the past few years. NOTE: the final day of the Jerez testing session (January 31, 2014) will be devoted to wet weather testing on an artificially wet track as per Pirelli’s announcement (thus fulfilling the FIA requirement that one of 12 total test days must be for this purpose). This condition stands unless it rains in Jerez prior to the previously announced date. As for the tires themselves, they have all been given revised compounds and thus weigh more, in order to cope with the new engine characteristics and output dynamics. Pirelli has provided three tire compounds for the Jerez pre-season tests: medium compound, hard compound, winter (cold weather) compound (also the wet compound but for only the above mentioned purpose). Pirelli has also limited each car to 25 sets of tires during the pre-season test. 2014 TEAMS (ENGINE SUPPLIERS) AND DRIVERS Caterham (Renault) Kamui Kobayashi (TBA) Marcus Ericsson (TBA) Ferrari (Ferrari) Kimi Raikkonen (#7) Fernando Alonso (#14) Force India (Mercedes) Sergio Perez (#11) Nico Hulkenberg (#27) Lotus (Renault) Romain Grosjean (#7) Pastor Maldonado (#13) Marussia (Ferrari) Jules Bianchi (#17) Max Chilton (TBA) McLaren (Mercedes) Kevin Magnussen (#20) Jenson Button (#22) Mercedes (Mercedes) Nico Rosberg (#6) Lewis Hamilton (#44) Redbull (Renault) Sebastian Vettel (#1) Daniel Ricciardo (#3) Sauber (Ferrari) Esteban Gutierrez (#21) Adrian Sutil (#99) Scuderia Torro Rosso (Renault) Jean-Eric Vergne (#25) Daniil Kvyat (#26) *NEW* Williams (Mercedes) Felipe Massa (#19) Valtteri Bottas (#77) 2014 FORMULA 1 CALENDAR Rnd#1: Australia (Melbourne) – March 14-16 Rnd#2: Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) – March 28-30 Rnd#3: Bahrain (Sakhir) – April 4-6 Rnd#4: China (Shanghai) – April 18-20 Rnd#5: Spain (Catalunya) – May 9-11 Rnd#6: Monaco (Monte Carlo) – May 22-25 Rnd#7: Canada (Montréal) – June 6-8 Rnd#8: Austria (Spielberg) – June 20-22 Rnd#9: Great Britain (Silverstone) – July 4-6 Rnd#10: Germany (Hockenheim) – July 18-20 Rnd#11: Hungary (Budapest) – July 25-27 Rnd#12: Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps) – August 22-24 Rnd#13: Italy (Monza) – September 5-7 Rnd#14: Singapore (Singapore) – September 19-21 Rnd#15: Japan (Suzuka) – October 3-5 Rnd#16: Russia (Sochi) – October 10-12 Rnd#17: USA (Austin) – October 31-November 2 Rnd#18: Brazil (Sao Paulo) – November 7-9 Rnd#19: Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina) – November 21-23 2014 FORMULA 1 CARS (Team Name, Car Title, Launch Date) Caterham (CT05, January 28) First off, the CT05 was designed in collaboration with Toyota’s Wind Tunnel program in Germany. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get onto what this green Hulk of a car is capable of. The usual penis-nose is present on this one, and it sits proudly at the front of the car. Just behind that is the Renault F1 engine and Red Bull Technology sequential gearbox. The Leafield team that is Caterham says that the CT05 was designed around the need to maximize both aerodynamic and mechanical performance, with emphasis on weight reduction and reliability (mainly cooling ,exhaust, heat management, etc). Their drivers showed promise last season; let’s hope they’ve improved since them. Ferrari (F14 T, January 25) The F14 T (Ferrari 2014 T) name comes from Ferrari’s online fan vote, of which over 1 million fans submitted their input; the F14 T moniker edged out the F166 by just 1.6%. What sets this Italian stallion apart from the other 10 horses is that its nose resembles neither a male nor female phallus, but rather an anteater with its low hanging snout and all. The F14T is the 60th vehicle destined for Formula 1 competition to come out of Maranello, with this project starting life approximately 2 years ago similar to their competitors). The most challenging aspect of this year's car is the packaging of both the energy recovery systems and increased cooling requirements, along with the reduction in aerodynamic downforce (though arguably the overall 2014 regulations make this season the most channeling in the last decade).As for what has carried over from last year's F138, pretty much just the pull-rod suspension setup; managing the airflow around the car is now as crucially important as ever, in addition to more thorough integration of Pirelli's 2014 tire compounds into the vehicle's design. Two-tone with black liveries on these cars do look fantastic, if I say so myself. And in case you’re wondering, here’s a GIF of Ferrari’s F1 cars over the past decade: Force India (VJM07, January 22) The only change from 2013 to 2014 is that they changed their livery to include more black, green, and orange. That’s it, job done. Just kidding; aside from the obvious aerodynamic changes and the updated Mercedes powerplant, Andrew Green (technical director for Sahara Force India) has stated that nearly every single part is new; however, the VJM07 shares the same DNA as the VJM06. First pre-season test is scheduled for January 28 in Jerez, Spain. Lotus (E22, Unannounced) Other than the fact that the E22 is powered by a Renault engine, not much is known about the car; the main points being that it is one of the teams that uses a distinctively unique front nose unit (split nose) and that it will not run until the second pre-season test (Bahrain) in February. NOTE: due to the unconventional nose design (really, every team has an unconventional design) there has been quite the stir in the motoring community as to whether this violates the FIA design regulations or not. It is now confirmed that Lotus’ split nose is legal and complies with regulations as it has passed all safety and crash tests. "We have just taken an innovative direction, and one that’s different to the other teams" – Nick Chester (Lotus technical director) Marussia (MR03, Unannounced) No information other than it is now powered by Ferrari and is en route to the Jerez test late due to a technical glitch at their UK base of operations. UPDATE: having arrived in Jerez two days into the test and debut on the third day, Marussia is happy to present their new MR03 which is, surprisingly, one of the best looking cars in this year’s 22 car field. The significant changes this year in regulations has presented a huge challenge for a small team like Marussia; according to their technical director, only a handful of the 11,212 components are retained from going to the MR03 from the MR02. The team claim that this year’s car is the “best-ever optimisation of performance versus innovation versus design integrity” Among the items which were emphasized was the management of weight and reliability from a cooling perspective. New suspension layouts have resulted in new aerodynamic regulations placing greater emphasis on mechanical performance. Partner Scuderia Ferrari is supplying Marrusia with the new V6 turbo engine, their Energy Recovery System (ERS), full transmission and all supporting hardware. McLaren (MP4-29, January 24) In typical McLaren fashion and following in the development of the 12C, the MP4-29 is “a sensible and calculated response to the new regulations.” McLaren failed to score a single point in the 2013 season, a feat that hasn’t occurred since the 1980 season; they hope to change that this year. Consistency far outweighs performance in the first few races of the 2014 season, with reliability and adaptation to the new regulations on every team’s minds. Quoting Jonathan Neale (managing director for McLaren), “…this year, more than ever, will come down to a developmental race.” Mercedes (W05, January 28) It’s another sensible offering from our friendly Germans; if the 2014 season was won based on aesthetics alone, then thee W05 would be leading the pack from the get go because oh gosh it’s pretty. The new Silver Arrow is the most complex car the team has built to date; incidentally, the 2014 F1 regulations make this season the start of a new and immensely interesting era, both from a technical and racing perspective. Hopefully the boys are able to perform better this season, as they were so close last year. Constructors championship could be interesting this year. (EDIT: the W05 is the first car to see a retirement on the first day of public testing; see Jerez Highlights for details). Redbull (RB10, January 28) Alas, it is that time of year again. The time of year where Adrian Newey bestows upon us a magnificent machine destined to be an expression of pure speed and adrenaline. The RB10 is an unbelievably pretty mistress (can’t wait to see what kinky nickname Seb gives this gal) and as we all know, things that look pretty are known to go fast. Fact. Redbull Racing has been unbeatable for the past 4 consecutive years, and this year they’ve brought on a fresh face. If you’re doing any fantasy league stuff this season, this bundle of goods is a safe bet. RBR says that the 2014 regulations changes have presented them with some interesting challenges: doubling in radiator size from the outgoing V8 due to turbos and batteries; more complicated electrical package; dramatic changes in airflow management from infront of the wing all the way down the rest of the car. Renault has also done a good job designing the powertrain, and RBR believes they have packaged it effectively. “It’s been the most intense winter we’ve ever had - we’ve produced the car in the shortest possible amount of time through the design and manufacturing process. It’s been fantastic to see the team work operating the way it has.” – Adrian Newey Sauber (C33, January 26) Just like the cars unveiled previously by McLaren and Williams, the Sauber C33 features a nose that resembles that of the male phallus (arguably the most striking design element of the C33). At this point, I’m really hoping that it does yield some performance gains and doesn’t look silly for the point of being silly, or else it’ll be a repeat of the DeltaWing Coupe. The C33 uses Ferrari’s turbo V6 but beyond that, there are no plans to set any season goals until the first of two preseason tests are complete. Both Sauber drivers are starting to build up their skill sets as well as confidence, and the Sauber team are confident that they will be able to perform this season. “Due to the radical changes in the technical regulations, predictions are simply impossible to make at this stage,” – Monisha Kaltenborn (Sauber team principle). Scuderia Torro Rosso (STR9, January 27) Surprise! It’s another phallus-nosed car, only this one has wings (sort of)! In all seriousness, the requirement for additional cooling because of the turbocharging systems on this car is probably the main factor behind these leading-edge aerodynamic features, but they look so silly in every angle. But you’ve got to give these teams huge balls for having the sisu to leave it hanging out like that (okay, I’m done. Really). Just like their sister team, STR has decided to switch engine suppliers and will now be powered by the same Renault F1 engines found in Redbull Racing's RB chassis. Torro Rosso also chose to place a high priority on aerodynamics for this season, as evident in the increased funding for that particular department. STR have said that the largest hurdle was in fact the switch from Ferrari to Renault due to the differences in power unit design and characteristic, as well as actual supplier-client relationships. Williams (FW36, Unannounced) Rendered in the “heritage blue” livery, the Williams FW36 is a good example of the transition from a slightly hybridized naturally-aspirated V8 to a fully integrated turbo hybrid V6. Confirmed is the brand new 8 speed gearbox, which has to cope with higher torque output compared to the outgoing engine. Speaking of outgoing engines, the new V6 is a heavier unit compared to the old V8, so there’s that. 2014 TECHNICAL As mentioned before, all new cars are required to use the downsized 1.6-litre turbocharged V6 (with unlimited boost), a replacement for the old 2.4-litre naturally aspirated V8. The new V6 comes with both direct injection and fuel flow limits to address efficiency, as well as a rev limit of 15,000 RPM. Total power output is approximately 860 horsepower (600hp via the engine and 160 through an electrical support system). The Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) has been revised to increase auxiliary power delivery, now encompassed in two separate motor devices; MGU-H draws energy from the exhaust and MGU-K draws energy via the traditional braking method. In comparison to the V8 KERS system, the turbo V6 MGU-K is rated for approximately three times as powerful and is crucial to the car’s full power delivery. MGU-H converts heat energy from the turbines and exhausts; it also serves as an internal wastegate to regulate both turbo pressure and speed, along with the air / fuel ratio (to address efficiency and turbo lag; think of it kind of like an anti-lag system). Batteries for the 2014 KERS system will have a minimum weight of 22kg and is ridiculously complex (due to the interference of electromagnetic components with sensors). Although the turbos have unlimited boost, teams will have to restrict turbo performance in order to maintain their fuel efficiency yet remain inside the 100,000 RPM limit of the turbine. In addition to restricted fuel delivery (100 kg/h as opposed to unlimited in 2013), there is also now a restriction in fuel capacity with the fuel tank being reduced to a 100kg capacity (35% less than 2013). Engine development is restricted during the course of a competitive season as usual, but changes believed by the FIA to be “fair and equitable” will be permitted. In addition to the carbon-consuming power delivery, there are also changes being made to aero packages to significantly reduce downforce; front wing width is going to be reduced to 1,650mm (150mm less than the 2013); nose height is being reduced to 525mm (100mm less than 2013); crash structure in the nose is also being changed to remove the dreaded duckbill and streamline the aero. As turbocharged engines require increased cooling, the sidepod cooling ducts have been increased to accommodate the increased capacity. With the changes to the nose being lowered, the driver position has also had to be altered to accommodate; on-board cameras are not allowed to provide any aerodynamic advantages, but despite this have also been moved to a lower position. What happens to the front, you have to do the rear as well; the rear exhaust system has been reworked resulting in new bodywork to combat any aerodynamic benefit. Along with the exhaust bodywork, the rear wing is being revised to include support for central supporting beans (including accommodation for a Y75 winglet… whatever that means). Lastly but not leastly, all 2014 chassis are required to use a gearbox with 8 fixed forward gears; overall vehicle weight is supposed to meet a minimum of 690 kg. Jerez Pre-Season Testing Highlights (JAN 28 – JAN 31) Teams present: Red Bull Racing RB10, Mercedes AMG F1 W05, Ferrari F14 T, McLaren MP4-29, Force India VJM07, Sauber C33, Scuderia Rosso STR9, Williams FW36, Marussia MR03, Caterham CT05 (Lotus will not be present until the Bahrain round of pre-season testing) Testing has always been important for every Formula 1 season, though this time around it will probably be as important as ever due to the completely new cars. The times posted on these days should be taken with a grain of salt as (though impressive every year) they are not accurate predictors of actual team performance when the Australian round starts in March. In addition, the Jerez track surface is not like anything the teams will race on during the 2014 season and drivers will most likely not b revealing their cars’ full potential. Regardless, all teams have surely done a lot of simulator work and hopefully something interesting and materialistic happens over the next few days. Jerez will most likely be spent getting used to a new chassis that houses a drastically different power unit and unfamiliar 8-speed gearbox, in addition to the reduced aerodynamics. It should be a good chance to see how these teams address the obvious reliability issues regarding efficiency and heat management. DAY 1 - http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/108234-2014-formula-1-preview/?p=1447129 DAY 2 - http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/108234-2014-formula-1-preview/?p=1452964 DAY 3 - http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/108234-2014-formula-1-preview/?p=1459300 DAY 4 - http://linustechtips.com/main/topic/108234-2014-formula-1-preview/?p=1464473 Bahrain Pre-Season Testing Highlights (FEB 19 – FEB 22) -UPDATES TO COME- The 2014 season is going to be a fun one for sure, regardless of whether you like the changes to the very things that made Formula 1 unique. But as history will tell you, we eventually got over the change from V10 engines to V8; we can do it again now. I look forward to having some interesting conversations with those on LTTF who share the same admiration for motorsport as I do. Nothing is set in stone at the moment, but chances are I will be attending the 2014 Canadian Formula 1 GP. Anywho to finish off (for now), how many of you are going to be following this year’s Formula 1 season? I’m personally following more than one discipline, but Ferrari has always been my pic for open wheel racing. Discuss. PS. For those of you who read through the thread, a gift: Credit: FIA (F1), Jalopnik, AP