If you’re running both Windows Phone and Windows you’re probably like us in that you love seeing the same app for both platforms. There’s something about that unified design and similar functionality that just makes us giddy. So even if we’re late to the party, we’re happy to see Microsoft Research’s Network Speed Test app on Windows 8.
A handful of weeks back we saw Network Speed Test hit the Windows Phone Store. You can now grab the app in the Windows Store. They both share a similar design and feature set. Which is a good thing if you’re looking for a simple app to check the speed of your network. Here’s what you can measure with the app:
- Network Delay
- Download Speed
- Upload Speed
In snap. Or whatever you call it in Windows 8.1
In addition to those three variables. You can also see some more info about your current network. Things like connection type, network name, internet status, host name, access point BSSID, authentication, encryption, and a history of your results.
The app is put out by Microsoft Research. Using servers around the globe they’ll check your connection speed. It’s a good way to help keep your ISP and carriers honest about their advertised service. It’s also handy because Microsoft collects a few characteristics of the data that they’ll hopefully use to improve their understanding of network quality and availability. And to all the folks out there with tinfoil hats on, Microsoft can’t connect the data the app sends to you.
If this is something you want on your Surface or desktop be sure to head on over to the Windows Store to grab it. It's a free app so you've got nothing to lose.
P.S. I'm at a coffee shop. My speeds are normally a little faster than that ;)
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Microsoft's Surface Duo is not 'failing up'
Microsoft announced this week that it was expanding Surface Duo availability to nine new commercial markets. While Surface Duo is undoubtedly a work in progress, this is not a sign of a disaster. It's also doesn't mean that Surface Duo is selling a ton either. Instead, the reason for the expansion is a lot more straightforward.

Here's what you can do if Windows 10 update KB5001330 is causing issues
In this guide, we'll show you the steps to get rid of the update KB5001330 to fix profile, gaming, and BSoD problems with the Windows 10 October 2020 Update and May 2020 Update.

Review: NZXT made its first AMD motherboard and it's brilliant
NZXT made its first motherboard with an AMD chipset. The N7 B550 supports the latest AMD Ryzen processors and there's plenty to love about this platform. To differentiate the N7 B550, NZXT made notable changes to the layout of the motherboard to make it easy to create a clean PC build.

These tools will help you keep your PC's drivers updated
Windows 10 does a good job of updating your PC's drivers, but third-party tools can help you clean up and optimize your system. Here are the best tools to keep your Windows 10 PC's drivers up to date.