Windows Central Insider
Zorin OS 18.1 simplifies Windows migration
Windows 11 Zorin OS 18.1 surpasses 3.3M downloads, offering smart native alternatives to Windows apps and posing a real threat to Microsoft’s market share.
Features
People of Note brings musical turn-based RPG gameplay to Xbox Play Anywhere
ID@Xbox People of Note cranks up the volume on music puns while you jam out to its heartfelt narrative.
Join us for the LIVE Windows Central Podcast today at 2PM ET!
LIVE Daniel and Zac will be LIVE at 2PM ET on April 17 for the latest episode of the Windows Central Podcast, which will be all about what's next for Surface!
Diablo 4 expansion marketing risks oversharing
GAMING Lord of Hatred is spoiling its own secrets. Why I think Blizzard’s marketing risks killing the hype for it's own expansion by revealing too much story content.
Is Microsoft's Security Response Center broken in light of BlueHammer?
Windows A zero-day BlueHammer exploit was recently published on GitHub in response to alleged MSRC failures, and although Microsoft has released a patch, it was live for two weeks.
Windows & Software
Windows 11's Start menu set for major customization upgrades
Windows 11 Microsoft is rebuilding the Start menu from the ground up, and is adding some much needed customization and performance improvements along the way.
9 Comments
Microsoft Edge on mobile offers free YouTube background play
APPS Google hid YouTube background play behind a paywall, but Microsoft Edge Canary just brought it back for free.
Microsoft fast‑tracks Windows Dev account reinstatement
WINDOWS Microsoft has rolled out a fast‑track process to reinstate suspended Windows Hardware Developer accounts, easing recovery for critical driver publishers.
Windows emulates a macOS trick with a shortcut switch-up
Windows 11 PeekDesktop in Windows 11 gives users a reason to think twice about switching over to Apple's ecosystem.
4 Comments
Microsoft will give students a free Xbox controller and subscription when buying a new Windows 11 PC
Windows 11 In a desperate bid to win over students, Microsoft has launched a new promo that bundles a year of Microsoft's subscriptions with the purchase of select new Windows 11 PCs.
4 Comments
PC Hardware
Intel reveals new Core Series 3 mobile CPUs for "value buyers"
Hardware Intel has unveiled its new Core Series 3 "Wildcat Lake" mobile CPUs designed to be more affordable, and I'm optimistic that they'll be a decent antidote to rising PC prices.
Panasonic Toughbook 56: Rugged modular laptop for field service, public safety, and utilities
Laptops Built for the edge: modular, fast, and secure so your laptop works as hard as you do.
EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft plans OLED display upgrades and a two-stage launch for new Surface PCs in 2026
Surface New PCs from Microsoft will consist of new chips, display upgrades, and higher starting prices this spring and summer.
23 Comments
Is the lightweight Zenbook A16 a better buy than the Zenbook S 16?
Laptops Two similar PCs with Snapdragon and AMD hardware make for an interesting comparison.
Deals
480Hz at 1080p or 240Hz at 4K: There's no game this monitor can't handle
Deals The ASUS ROG Swift 32” 4K OLED (PG32UCDP) is one of the best, and it can now be yours for less with this 31% discount.
Beelink's discounted mini PC is fantastic for work and even some gaming
Deals The Beelink SER9 Pro is a capable mini-PC with smooth performance and a compact form factor, now 18% off.
Seagate's Xbox storage expansion cards are on sale and can be used on PC
Deals The Seagate Storage Expansion Cards are costly but reliable ways to expand your Xbox storage, but thanks to these discounts and a recent discovery that an accessory can make them usable on PC, their value has doubled
Our favorite Xbox headset raises the bar for sound quality with a lower price
Deals Turtle Beach's Stealth 700 (Gen 3) gaming headset is back on sale for a 33% discount, so players can enjoy its immaculate soundscapes and comfortable ergonomics at a lower price.
Handheld Gaming PCs
How the Steam Deck became an unlikely Windows handheld
PC Gaming Valve's Steam Deck is a great piece of hardware that runs SteamOS out of the box. What about Windows? Well, it's possible, but not without some help from a community of enthusiasts.
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Gaming
After Xbox's big Metro 2039 reveal, it just got the best deal on the franchise I've ever seen
Gaming To celebrate the Metro 2039 reveal, 4A Games has made the Metro games cheaper than ever on Xbox and other platforms for a limited time. Take advantage!
Xbox games head Matt Booty was asked which upcoming game stands out — here's what he said
Xbox Recently, Xbox's games chief Matt Booty was asked which upcoming projects from the brand stand out, and the RPG Clockwork Revolution came to mind for him.
People of Note brings musical turn-based RPG gameplay to Xbox Play Anywhere
ID@Xbox People of Note cranks up the volume on music puns while you jam out to its heartfelt narrative.
Artificial Intelligence
Microsoft says its faster MAI-Image-2-Efficient AI model slashes costs
AI Microsoft unveils MAI-Image-2-Efficient, a faster and cheaper AI image model designed to deliver photorealistic results at scale.
Former Microsoft Xbox VP says AI is "the big question mark" for the future of gaming
AI Microsoft's former gaming and Xbox VP Ed Fries believes AI is "the big question mark" for gaming moving forward, and says it's not going away.
Did ChatGPT just call Sam Altman a liar?
AI OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently admitted that ChatGPT doesn't have the capability to keep track of time, but the chatbot insists it does.
Lenovo Qira and HP IQ are both heading your way soon. Which one suits you best?
AI Lenovo and HP have both devised on-device AI assistants designed to make your digital life easier. I dug into the features to discover similarities and differences.
Microsoft
Join us for the LIVE Windows Central Podcast today at 2PM ET!
LIVE Daniel and Zac will be LIVE at 2PM ET on April 17 for the latest episode of the Windows Central Podcast, which will be all about what's next for Surface!
Is Microsoft's Security Response Center broken in light of BlueHammer?
Windows A zero-day BlueHammer exploit was recently published on GitHub in response to alleged MSRC failures, and although Microsoft has released a patch, it was live for two weeks.
Excel incorrectly thinks 1900 is a leap year (and it won't be fixed)
Microsoft Sure, it could be fixed. But it's a lot easier to let the false 1900 leap year live on in Excel.
Windows and Xbox shift toward user feedback, but fans are questioning the timing
Microsoft Is Microsoft's big AI push falling off the rails? Possibly, but not for the reasons you might think.
9 Comments
Peripherals & Accessories
ASUS ROG Raikiri II: build quality, input tech, and who benefits most
Review Our review of the Asus ROG Raikiri II: precise TMR sticks, crisp micro switches, and premium extras—who benefits and when it’s worth the cost.
