Xbox PC Game Pass update breaks family setup
Xbox A quiet policy shift has broken a long-used family setup on PC, risking parental controls and wiping saves without warning.
Features
Windows 11’s Start menu gets a major redesign in 25H2 and 24H2 — here’s what’s new
Windows The new Start menu in Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 brings category and grid views, Phone Link integration, and the ability to hide the Recommended section.
When the Lumia 950 and 950 XL were threatened by Surface's success
Flashback Will the Surface's success cause fans to pass on the Lumias 950 and 950 XL during the critical launch of a new OS? Time and how these devices sell will tell.
Why Satya Nadella thinks Xbox competes with TikTok (and why he’s not entirely wrong)
Xbox Microsoft’s CEO raised eyebrows by saying Xbox competes with TikTok — but the real story is about attention, not consoles.
I've never had as much fun with a preview as ARC Raiders
Gaming ARC Raiders launch is finally almost here, but before that, I had one last chance to try it in preview. And it's the most fun I've had all year.
Windows & Software
Nostalgia meets danger: Windows 95 emulator runs in your browser
Windows A web‑based emulator lets you boot Windows 95 in your browser, complete with Solitaire and Paint — but it’s riddled with bugs and potential security risks.
Beware: Dangerous clone of Windows 11 bypass tool spreading malware
Windows 11 Flyoobe's developer has issued a warning about a suspicious website and an update for the tool, which could make Windows 10 users susceptible to malicious attacks.
Windows 11’s Start menu gets a major redesign in 25H2 and 24H2 — here’s what’s new
Windows The new Start menu in Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 brings category and grid views, Phone Link integration, and the ability to hide the Recommended section.
PC Hardware
Sapphire's new mini PC has a simple, but brilliant feature
PC I'm easily pleased, and Sapphire's simple, but brilliant feature on its new mini PC definitely ticks the box.
HP’s Victus RTX 4050 laptop is the affordable gaming rig you’ve been waiting for
Deal Walmart and other retailers are hosting discount sales for the budget-friendly HP Victus 15.6-inch 144Hz gaming laptop, just a few weeks before the biggest sales event of the year: Black Friday.
This $250 Razer keyboard is so fast you’ll never be able to blame lag again
Review The Huntsman V3 Pro 8KHz is absurdly quick, ultra‑responsive, and designed to give gamers zero excuses. This $250 keyboard is built for esports pros, with 8,000Hz polling and near‑instant response times, but normies could benefit from it, too.
The best Windows laptops out of 70+ recent reviews
Laptops The Windows Central team has tested and reviewed more than 70 Windows laptops in the past year, and I've curated this list with the 9 best options as well as several honorable mentions.
Handheld Gaming PCs
Windows 11 adds handheld gaming mode to new Insider build
News The newest Insider build of Windows 11 is bringing the new handheld gaming mode to other handheld gaming PCs, and you can try it right now.
Gaming
USPTO Director steps in after public outcry over Nintendo patent
Gaming The Director of the USPTO has personally ordered a reexamination of the controversial Nintendo patent
Viral superhero game Dispatch already sold over 1 million copies
PC Gaming AdHoc Studio's superhero-focused game Dispatch has already sold over a million copies across PlayStation 5 and Windows PC.
Pillars of Eternity's promised turn-based mode will be available for testing quite soon
Xbox Obsidian Entertainment's isometric role-playing game Pillars of Eternity is finally getting a turn-based mode, and players can test it starting Nov. 5, 2025.
Artificial Intelligence
Forget GPT‑6: why OpenAI is already joking about GPT‑6‑7
AI Sam Altman recently revealed the company's tongue-in-cheek plan to rename GPT-5's successor from GPT-6 to GPT-6-7.
The Microsoft–OpenAI partnership was mocked at first. Now it defines the AI era.
AI OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently revealed how Microsoft's early bet and investment in the company played an instrumental role in its success in the ever-evolving AI landscape.
Microsoft’s latest filing hints at a $11.5 billion OpenAI loss
AI Microsoft's latest financial report seemingly suggests that OpenAI might have incurred a $11.5 billion loss in the quarter that just ended.
Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates says we're in an AI bubble
AI Microsoft's co-founder compared today’s AI bubble to the dot-com bubble, citing investor enthusiasm and overvalued companies.
Microsoft
Here are the differences between Copilot and Copilot+
AI Microsoft's AI assistant, Copilot, can help generate text and imagery. Meanwhile, Copilot+ offers even more AI features. Here's how they differ from each other.
Azure outage causes widespread issues across Microsoft services
News Microsoft's widely used Azure cloud computing platform is experiencing an outage, leading to Office 365, Teams, Xbox, and more going down.
Microsoft confirms Satya Nadella is skipping this year's Ignite conference
Microsoft Microsoft has confirmed that Satya Nadella will be skipping Ignite 2025, with newly appointed CEO of commercial Judson Althoff leading the main keynote instead.
Microsoft ends Office Online Server in 2026
News Microsoft has officially ended Office Online Server, leaving enterprises with one option: embrace the cloud or get left behind.
Peripherals & Accessories
Forget dual monitors — Samsung’s 49‑inch OLED G9 is $700 off right now
Deal Best Buy's early Black Friday Sales event is in full swing, and it has snagged a gigantic 41% discount for the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, dropping it below $1,000.
Deals
Forget dual monitors — Samsung’s 49‑inch OLED G9 is $700 off right now
Deal Best Buy's early Black Friday Sales event is in full swing, and it has snagged a gigantic 41% discount for the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9, dropping it below $1,000.
Best Buy's got an early Black Friday deal for one of the most reliable gaming headsets
Deals Best Buy and other retailers have jumped the gun on Black Friday discounts as they are hosting a 30% discount for the highly acclaimed HyperX Cloud III gaming headset.
HP’s Victus RTX 4050 laptop is the affordable gaming rig you’ve been waiting for
Deal Walmart and other retailers are hosting discount sales for the budget-friendly HP Victus 15.6-inch 144Hz gaming laptop, just a few weeks before the biggest sales event of the year: Black Friday.
DOOM: Eternal is better than DOOM: The Dark Ages, and not just because it's on sale
Gaming Loaded has a limited-time Halloween 87% discount for the PC version of DOOM: Eternal, one of the greatest first-person shooters in modern gaming, and my all-time favorite DOOM game.
