Windows 11 and Microsoft in 2026 — features to like (and one to dread)
Windows 11 As 2025 wraps up, we look ahead at the Windows 11 and Microsoft features arriving in 2026.
Features
Cloud gaming isn’t optional anymore — 2026 might prove it
Hardware RAM prices are so high that 2026 being a year cloud gaming finally breaks out into the big time might not be a crazy idea.
Dispatch is one of my favorite superhero stories in years
PC Gaming AdHoc Studio's Dispatch is one of the best narrative-focused games in years, cutting through superhero malaise to deliver a funny, hopeful story.
This cozy‑chaotic Xbox indie is packed with personality and strange creatures
Xbox Keeper is the latest game from Double Fine Productions under Xbox Game Studios, and it's filled with adorable little guys.
Diablo 4’s best season ever puts Lord of Hatred under immense pressure
Blizzard Diablo 4 is at its peak in Season 11, which makes the massive changes coming in Lord of Hatred feel exciting and terrifying.
Windows & Software
Get started managing Fast Startup on Windows 11
Power Settings In this guide, I'll show you how to enable or disable the Fast Startup feature in Windows 11 to speed up the boot process or troubleshoot startup issues.
Get started crafting PowerShell scripts on Windows 11
Scripts On Windows 11, you can use these steps to create and successfully run your first PowerShell script file.
I dual-booted Windows and Linux in 2025 — Microsoft is in no danger
Windows Is Microsoft's AI push driving users away? Linux can handle gaming and daily work, but the deep-rooted familiarity of Windows still prevents any permanent switch.
PC Hardware
Why your devices feel less helpful and more intrusive lately
Opinion It seems like people aren't as devoted to their tech as much as they were a few years ago. But it's hard to love a device when it keeps changing and treating you like a consumer.
HP's new mini PC could be the perfect fit for your desk
Review The HP EliteDesk 8 Mini (G1a) is a great alternative to the Z2 Mini (G1a), especially when you can get it at a discount.
The best thing I did in 2025 was start using a mini PC
Mini PCs This year, I discovered how an impressive mini PC delivered the performance, efficiency, and surprising gaming power I needed, and I'm sold.
This petition asks to revive Windows Phone, and dozens are signing up!
Phones Has a Change.org petition ever resulted in any meaningful, actual change? I have no idea, but here's one new petition that I thoroughly expect to deliver maximum results.
Deals
Every Fallout game just got a massive sale to go with Season 2 of the TV show
Deals Right now, you can get every Fallout game for a rock-bottom price thanks to a new sale that's gone live after the premiere of Season 2 of the TV show.
This Minecraft holiday bundle is the easiest gift you’ll buy in 2025
Deal Mojang Studios is discounting Minecraft for the remainder of the holidays, giving everyone a rare chance to save on the world's best-selling video game.
This $36 Xbox controller is better than the official one — seriously
Deals Walmart has procured a special 19% Christmas discount for the GameSir G7 SE Wired Controller, one of the best budget Xbox controllers we'll always recommend event at full price.
Begin your PC gaming journey with Walmart’s sub‑$1,000 laptop discounts
Deals Things are looking bleak for PC gaming hardware in 2026, but Walmart's here to offer a Christmas reprieve with two discounted gaming laptops outfitted with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5050 GPUs, along with some extra accessories.
Handheld Gaming PCs
Lenovo's Legion Go update improves Xbox Full Screen Experience
Handhelds A new Legion Space update brings a variety of improvements and optimizations to Legion Go handhelds, especially for the Xbox Full Screen Experience.
Gaming
Cloud gaming isn’t optional anymore — 2026 might prove it
Hardware RAM prices are so high that 2026 being a year cloud gaming finally breaks out into the big time might not be a crazy idea.
Dispatch is one of my favorite superhero stories in years
PC Gaming AdHoc Studio's Dispatch is one of the best narrative-focused games in years, cutting through superhero malaise to deliver a funny, hopeful story.
This cozy‑chaotic Xbox indie is packed with personality and strange creatures
Xbox Keeper is the latest game from Double Fine Productions under Xbox Game Studios, and it's filled with adorable little guys.
Artificial Intelligence
OpenAI CEO says AGI may have already "whooshed by"
AI OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says we might have already achieved AGI, whooshing by with no significant change in the world as expected.
OpenAI will let you recap your year with ChatGPT
AI OpenAI has rolled out an annual review feature, "Your Year with ChatGPT," to users in select markets, including the United States, Canada, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand.
OpenAI’s CEO says public‑company leadership doesn’t appeal to him
AI OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently indicated that he isn't excited about becoming CEO of a public company amid reports suggesting that the company.
Firefox joins the AI browser race — with an off switch
News Mozilla is pushing Firefox toward AI, but long-time users will still be able to disable every AI feature completely.
Microsoft
Comment: What did YOU get for Christmas 2025? 🎅❄️🎄
Merry Christmas! We want to hear from you! Did you get any cool tech for Christmas? Did you buy any loved ones cool tech? Let's talk about ... cool tech! Happy Holidays and a Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Microsoft didn’t lose momentum overnight — it lost the people who used to care. That’s the part you can’t patch.
Opinion Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Amazon enter 2026 with fading hype and shrinking fanbases as frustration replaces enthusiasm.
Microsoft 365’s UK price hike is the latest blow in a year of rising subscription costs
Apps Microsoft has reminded UK Microsoft 365 users of an upcoming price increase, leaving just enough time to cancel or explore cheaper alternatives.
CEO Nadella says Microsoft's size is a "massive disadvantage"
AI CEO Satya Nadella recently indicated that Microsoft's size "has become a massive disadvantage" as it tries to establish dominance in the AI space against startups.
Peripherals & Accessories
The ROG Falcata is a clean, quiet, surprisingly classy gaming keyboard
Review The ASUS ROG Falcata is a unique, ultra-premium wireless gaming keyboard with hardcore specs and a controversial split design. Does anyone actually want this?
