A major Windows 11 update is just around the corner. Microsoft just shipped Windows 11 version 26H2 to the Release Preview Channel and general rollout of the update starts in a few weeks.

The upcoming update to Windows 11 includes UI changes such as the ability to move the Taskbar and under-the-hood improvements. It's a more substantial change than we've seen in previous years, which begs the question, "Where is the Surface to showcase all these improvements to Windows 11?"

Microsoft appears serious about its push to improve Windows 11 and listen to feedback about the operating system. The first real wave of improvements is essentially here, so why isn't there someone on stage showing them on a Surface?

Biggest News of the Week

Microsoft is a gigantic company and its teams often don’t talk to each other enough to create full unity of design. I talked about this last week in the Windows Wrap when discussing the app situation on Windows 11. While Microsoft is working to fix many of its inbox apps, it's not addressing the same inconsistencies across Microsoft 365, Teams, and other apps.

Microsoft has shuffled things around over the years, combining Surface with Windows and changing how leadership is structured. But right now it feels like Windows and Surface are distant. Microsoft does not have a unified marketing push to highlight all the changes to Windows 11. There isn’t an announced event or upcoming device that would showcase the major Windows 11 improvements that will ship to PCs in only a couple of weeks.

Surface is supposed to show the best of Windows and Microsoft will miss an opportunity unless it has an ace up its sleeve. Microsoft used to announce Surface hardware in April and October. I’d love to see Microsoft surprise us with something that showcases Windows 11.

Windows and Snapdragon

Microsoft did a good job pairing Windows 11 and Snapdragon developments. At one point the Surface Pro X showed that a Snapdragon-powered PC can be fanless. Microsoft later shifted away from that, instead emphasizing the power efficiency and unplugged performance offered by Snapdragon PCs.

But the principal remained the same; Microsoft used it’s flagship hardware to highlight improvements to Windows 11 on Arm. Microsoft's faith in Snapdragon also pushed other PC manufacturers to make laptops powered by Qualcomm's chips. Snapdragon PCs are sold side-by-side with laptops powered by Intel or AMD chips.

Of course, it’s easier to use Windows 11 to show hardware improvements when there are concrete examples such as improve battery life or better unplugged performance. Microsoft has more of a mountain to climb when it comes to marketing the ability to move the taskbar and improved start menu. Under the hood improvements are tricky to show off.

That challenge is why I asked earlier this month if the next major Windows 11 update should be Windows 12. But that’s precisely why Microsoft needs to use Surface to highlight the improvements to Windows 11. Without a major marketing push about an OS upgrade, Microsoft needs to use its other resources to make sure shoppers know that this isn’t the same old Windows 11.

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In this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden break down the latest Windows 11 insider features, focusing heavily on major overhauls coming to context menus, File Explorer polish, and options to force apps to open full-screen. They also dive into a surprising new Signal 65 processor study highlighting how Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 chips stack up against Intel and AMD, wrap up recent Windows 11 improvements from March onward, and touch on various tech ecosystem shifts.

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• 00:00 — Introduction & Welcome: Daniel Rubino and Zach Bowden kick off Episode 402 of the Windows Central Podcast.
• 03:45 — Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 vs. Intel & AMD: Analyzing the Signal 65 processor study results, showing how Qualcomm beats out Intel and AMD chips in recent laptop testing.
• 10:15 — Windows 11 Context Menu Overhaul: Breaking down new customizable, faster context menus in Windows 11 Insider builds, including default cleanups and third-party app management.
• 24:30 — File Explorer Improvements: Reviewing massive performance updates, elimination of freezing/hang delays, and better UI polish for File Explorer.
• 42:10 — Forcing Apps to Open Full-Screen: Discussing the new Windows settings toggle that allows users to automatically launch apps in full-screen mode.
• 52:00 — Recap of Windows 11 K2 Features & General State of the OS: A look back at the overall quality-of-life improvements rolled out to Windows 11 since March.
• 1:05:15 — Wrap-Up & Outro: Final thoughts, social media handles, and sign-offs until next week's episode.

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Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

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Microsoft continues to improve Windows 11. Just this past week, the company began testing new context menus with Windows Insiders and revamped the ancient AutoPlay dialog box.

The Windows K2 initiative to improve the operating system is going so well that I've asked if the next big update should be Windows 12. But fixing the Windows experience is about more than context menus and a unified user interface. Even if Windows is fixed, Microsoft needs to make better apps.

If a person logs onto a PC running a beautiful and zippy version of Windows 11, they won't care about the OS if Microsoft Teams takes too long to load. Microsoft needs to lead by example by making the best Windows apps.

Biggest News of the Week

To give Microsoft credit, work is being done to improve some apps. Rudy Huyn, a well-known Windows developer who worked on the Microsoft Store, is putting a team together to improve Windows apps. That team is still in its infancy, so we will have to wait to see the results.

But Microsoft's app issue isn't just about having a team dedicated to in-box apps or hiring good developers. It's about the direction Microsoft pushes those developers. Microsoft Teams and other Microsoft apps have been "rebuilt from the ground up" or "refreshed with performance in mind" several times over the years. But the underlying problem still exists. Microsoft made the wrong choice by going all-in on web apps, and it needs to course correct.

Huyn's team is all about native apps, but it's not clear right now how many apps will fall under its umbrella. Will we see a new native version of Outlook? What about Microsoft Teams? If Huyn's team is just focused on in-box apps, some of the most-used apps on Windows 11 will remain laggy web apps.

Plus, several of Microsoft's biggest apps aren't even in the same part of the company as Huyn's team. If Microsoft fixes the Photos app, OneDrive, and other in-box apps, but Teams is still laggy, Microsoft is still delivering a poor user experience.

Shopping with Sean

Speaking of apps, this week's top deal is on the ever-popular Microsoft 365. That software suite is massively discounted right now if you bundle it with NordVPN. You'll get the best value if you use both Microsoft 365 and NordVPN, but the bundle is more affordable than Microsoft 365 on its own.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

A Windows 11 update appears to break Microsoft Teams and Outlook on Windows on Arm PCs. Issues started popping up after the rollout of KB5121003, which began shipping this month on Patch Tuesday.

Brian Stringfellow shared details about the problem through a Microsoft Learn report. Several people in that thread have similar issues.

PCs affected by the issue, including Stringfellow's Surface Laptop 7, see Microsoft Teams and Outlook close almost immediately after being opened. Specifically, the new Outlook is affected. Classic Outlook still works on PCs affected by the bug.

The problem seems to affect a variety of Windows on Arm devices. Julius Heng shared their experience:

"I have the exact same issue on Omnibook 3 running snapdragon. After the initial setup, Ms Teams works, but next day it doesnt work. It will have a white screen on teams and it will close right after it open. I tried various method, including reinstall webview 2 etc. None of it works. I tried to roll back all the update and it doesnt work. After did a factory reset Ms Teams works again. But to my dismay, the windows update itself and it breaks Teams again. right now, i'm back to square. Really hope that there's some way to rectify this."

It's not clear at this time why the issue is occuring or why the problem is limited to Windows on Arm PCs.

User Alex-L, who is listed as a moderator and Microsoft External Staff on Microsoft Learn, reported that similar issues are occurring on a variety of Windows on Arm systems:

"At this point, very similar symptoms on different Snapdragon/ARM64 systems. While these reports suggest a possible common factor, no one in this public forum can confirm Microsoft's internal investigations, determine the root cause, or verify whether this is a known issue affecting all ARM64 devices. Microsoft does not currently list a known issue for KB5121003 in the official release notes."

While we wait for official confirmation from Microsoft and a fix for the issue, users with Windows on Arm PCs may have to fall back to other versions of Outlook and Teams that are unaffected by the bug.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows 11 has a major update on the way, and that update promises to address some of the loudest complaints about the operating system. August is traditionally a slow month for Windows news, but thanks to some previews of what’s on the way next month, we have a lot to talk about.

Microsoft’s refreshed taskbar, customizable Start menu, and other improvements are all in the final stages of testing. Microsoft confirmed that a major Windows update is on the way very soon. But my question is, should that major update have been Windows 12?

Biggest News of the Week

It’s worth asking what a new operating system even is in 2026. As opposed to historical upgrades, the kernel and underlying code base of Windows stays largely the same when jumping between major version numbers. We’re well past the days of major architectural changes or code based swaps that make old software incompatible, at least when it comes to computers.

Is a new Start menu or a revamped taskbar set of options enough to justify calling a new OS Windows 12? Perhaps a revamped Settings app or an upgraded core experience for connecting your phone to your PC is enough to do it. There’s a fine line between a UI overhaul and a fresh coat of paint when it comes to making a new operating system.

Is the Damage Already Done?

The core question about keeping the Windows 11 name or upgrading to Windows 12 is if the damage has already been done or, in other words, is it even possible to save Windows 11 in the eyes of the public?

Windows 11 launched in controversy. The minimum requirements of the operating system made millions of PCs ineligible for an upgrade. Other decisions from Microsoft, such as rebuilding the taskbar without all of the options available in previous versions of Windows, also drew criticism.

I’m among the critics of Windows 11. I’ve pointed out several of the flaws in the operating system and mistakes I feel Microsoft has made. But I’m also a newswriter for a niche website that focuses on Windows. The general public may not be so passionate.

If Windows 11 is a lost cause, Microsoft should gather together a bunch of the changes from the Windows K2 initiative and package them into Windows 12.

Learning the Right Lessons

If there ever is a Windows 12, I’m worried that Microsoft would have it focused on the wrong things. One of my favorite podcasts often says Hollywood learns the wrong lessons when a movie makes money. I think that could be the case with Windows 12.

Microsoft is trying to be better with Windows 11 and its K2 initiative shows promising signs, but part of me still worries that the higher-ups of Microsoft will think AI PCs are the future and use the sales of Copilot+ PCs to justify a Windows 12 centered around artificial intelligence.

But it’s not that Copilot+ PCs are must-have devices and that consumers are running into stores to find PCs capable of running AI. If you make the models of the best-selling PCs Copilot+ PCs and then those computers continue to sell, that’s not a sign that people want Copilot+ PCs. If you cram AI into every computer on the market, you can’t then justify making Windows 12 AI-focused by saying every PC is AI capable.

A hypothetical Windows 12 should be about moving past the stains that cover Windows 11. It will have been long enough since people bought new PCs that the TPM 2.0 requirement will not be as big of a deal. Additionally, Microsoft will have fixed the major user interface issues that have drawn so many complaints over the years.

Shopping with Sean

My top pick for shoppers this week is the XPS 14 (2025). That laptop is still on sale and is still one of the best bargains available. I love the XPS 14's design and a $1,150 discount on a PC with 32GB of RAM is rare these days.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Join Zac Bowden and Jez Corden on this week’s Windows Central Podcast as they dive deep into unreleased Microsoft hardware, AI developments, and big Xbox announcements!

• The Lost "Surface Phone" Prototype: Zach and Jez dissect newly leaked images and video of an unreleased 2013-era Microsoft-built Windows Phone prototype, reminiscing about the Lumia era, Nokia’s acquisition, and what could have been.
• Microsoft Copilot’s Super App & AI Disillusionment: A look at the rollout of the new unified Copilot experience (merging consumer and Microsoft 365 features), dropped functionalities (Group Chat, Podcast mode, Deep Research), and a frank discussion on AI hype, practical workflows, and "AI psychosis".
• Xbox Backward Compatibility Coming to Windows PC: The hosts break down the official announcement of original Xbox/Xbox 360 emulation on Windows, potential licensing hurdles, Play Anywhere integration, and upcoming achievement support.
• Gaming Rumors & Franchise Future: Updates on The Elder Scrolls VI codename rumors (Sentinel), long development cycles across Bethesda/Obsidian, and a candid critique of the state of the Halo franchise following Halo Campaign Evolved and project cancellations.
• New Xbox Console Features & Live Q&A: A discussion of the upcoming "Platinum Trophy" achievement equivalent, party/mic audio in Game DVR captures, and a live Q&A touching on Windows K2 progress, mobile shells for Windows on ARM, MSN's automation, and modern foldable vs. slab phones.

This episode of the Windows Central Podcast is sponsored by Surfshark VPN. Unlimited devices, access your content from anywhere, and auto-block malware on Windows, Edge, and other platforms from $2.50/mo, with 3 months extra FREE. Sign up today!

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Hosts:

• Jez Corden
• Zac Bowden

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Before Microsoft acquired Nokia, the company was heavily rumoured to be working on its own in-house Windows Phone device that was expected to ship in 2014 under the Surface moniker alongside its Surface Pro device. Unfortunately for Windows Phone fans, such a device never saw the light of day, but newly published images of a mysterious prototype might have just given us our first and only look at what Microsoft was exploring internally.

Possibly codenamed Raven, there isn't much information available about this prototype, other than the fact that it’s from the 2013-2014 time frame and is running an early pre-release build of Windows Phone 8.1. It’s powered by an unknown Qualcomm chip, has a 720p screen, features a Microsoft logo on the back, and a silver metal frame that matches the colour of the Surface 2 that released that same year.

We can see in the photos that it has dedicated hardware keys for navigation, which are also coated in the same silver color as the chassis. The build of Windows Phone that it’s running appears to be from September 2013, and is from an internal development branch building towards what eventually became Windows Phone 8.1.

While not viewable in the images, I understand the device features individual up and down volume buttons and a camera button on the right-hand side of the device, and a power button on the top of the device. It also features a micro-USB port and headphone jack on the bottom side, and a SIM card slot on the left side.

This is likely one of dozens of prototype designs that Microsoft’s hardware teams cooked up during this era, but it’s certainly a fascinating look at what could have been, and it does look so clean. Development on this device was likely paused once Microsoft moved to acquire Nokia in 2014.

Back in 2013, I remember hearing from sources that Microsoft was experimenting with the concept of a "Skype Phone," a Windows Phone device with mobile data that utilized Skype for calls and messaging instead of traditional carrier networks. Perhaps this device was going to be that? Who knows.

The Surface Phone we eventually got arrived as the Surface Duo, which started development in 2016 and launched to the public in 2020. In that time, Microsoft shipped Nokia designs in the form of the Lumia 430, 435, 532, 535, 540, 640/XL, 650, 950/XL, and 550 running Windows Phone, before abandoning the platform in 2017.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows 11 is finally starting to see the changes Microsoft has promised for months, except the best parts are still limited to Windows Insiders and mockups. I appreciate Microsoft's efforts to revamp Windows 11 — better late than never — but some of these improvements should have shipped years ago.

The status of Windows 11 makes me ask why Microsoft didn't aggressively start climbing the metaphorical mountain years ago. Microsoft has revamped settings and UI elements, but the big changes are part of a new initiative that honestly shouldn't need to exist.

Microsoft is updating several core parts of Windows 11 with WinUI, which improves performance and even helps Windows 11 run on PCs with less RAM. But I can't help but ask how we got here in the first place. How did we end up with a "modern" OS with legacy components and UI elements from different decades?

Biggest News of the Week

I understand that updating legacy components can be tricky. Microsoft's CVP of Design and Research on Windows, Marcus Ash, joined the most recent Windows Central Podcast and discussed the challenges of updating Windows.

Obviously, Ash knows more about Windows than I ever will. I don't question the difficulty of updating an entire OS, especially if you need to re-update components several times.

What I question is why keeping Windows up to date and unified was not a core value from the start? Why did Microsoft reach a point where user feedback became overwhelming and the tech giant finally decided to make bigger changes?

Legacy support is critical for enterprise users, so Microsoft could not just throw out old code or elements to make Windows modern. But having a unified OS could have been a priority from the beginning.

Work like this needed to start decades ago, not in 2026. Some of the groundwork has been laid for these improvements, but some projects are quite new. That's not an acceptable way to make an operating system.

Shopping with Sean

My top recommendation isn't an item on sale. Instead, it's a must-have for Xbox owners that's running out of stock. Several retailers have listed the Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S as unavailable. Best Buy ran out of stock while I was writing a piece highlighting the shortage. Below are all the listings I've found that still let you order the speedy storage card.

An excellent deal on the Dell XPS 14 slashes $1,150 off the premium PC. I love the design of the XPS 14 from last year, and the current discount makes the laptop a great choice for back-to-school shopping.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

In this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden sit down with Marcus Ash, Corporate Vice President of Design and Research for Windows at Microsoft. The discussion centers on the user experience vision for Windows 11, balancing modernization with legacy app compatibility, and optimizing system efficiency across diverse hardware configurations.

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• Design Philosophy in Windows 11: Marcus Ash discusses how design decisions are shaped by user feedback, telemetry, and modern workflow requirements.
• Optimizing Performance for Low-RAM Devices (8GB): A deep dive into full-stack optimizations—ranging from kernel memory scheduling to UI process management—to ensure smooth performance on 8GB RAM hardware.
• Modernizing Legacy Tools vs. Backward Compatibility: Discussion on how Microsoft approaches updating older OS utilities (e.g., Control Panel, Registry Editor) while protecting enterprise compatibility and muscle memory.
• Web Tech, WebView2, and Modern UI: Exploring the role of web-based interface components in Windows 11, including trade-offs between agility, feature delivery, and resource utilization.

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

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Windows 11 is being fixed, and that’s not just lip service. Microsoft is making meaningful changes to its operating system. Menus are being decluttered, legacy components are being revamped, and features like Xbox Mode are reshaping Windows 11.

Just this week, we saw that Microsoft has plans to fix context menus on Windows 11 and get rid of the page-tall menus that plague PCs. Microsoft also committed to making Windows 11 perform better on systems with only 8GB of RAM.

I’ve talked about Windows 11's improvements several times this year in the Windows Wrap. Generally speaking, I’m happy that they’re happening but confused about Microsoft's timing. On top of questions like "Why did it take several years to make Windows 11 look nice?" There are also usability questions like "Why did Microsoft start selling a Surface with only 8GB of RAM before optimizing Windows 11 to work on that machine?"

Now, don’t get me wrong, Windows 11 can run on a system with only 8GB of RAM. I think many tests performed online are done in bad faith. Some people have dozens of Chrome browser tabs open and a bunch of apps running at once and then complain about performance.

You can get work done on a PC with that amount of memory, as proven by our own Cale Hunt, who tested Windows 11’s memory optimization by limiting his PC to 8GB of RAM.

But by Microsoft’s own admission, Windows 11 needs to be better on low-memory systems. With the cost of RAM skyrocketing and not looking like it will go down at any point in the near future, it’s more important than ever for Microsoft to optimize Windows 11.

Biggest News of the Week

Earlier this year, Microsoft started selling Surface PCs with only 8GB of RAM, specifically the Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch. I appreciate the gesture. In today’s economy, getting a PC with too much RAM or too much storage for your everyday needs can cost hundreds of dollars extra.

I covered several Surface deals this week, including some options that are up to $450 off. While that is a significant savings, those deals are all on models of the Surface Pro (13-inch) with 16GB of RAM. It’s still difficult to find that type of Surface Pro under $1,200.

Many people just want a PC that’s reliable and that can handle their everyday tasks. Even those shopping in more premium categories, such as Surface, often prioritize design and form factor over getting the highest specs. For those types of customers, an 8GB RAM Surface makes sense, but not if Windows 11 is still a problem.

Microsoft put the cart before the horse with the 8GB Surface PCs. The tech giant responded to the RAM crisis with more affordable PCs, but Microsoft failed to optimize Windows 11 for lower memory first.

To me, that shows a disconnect between the Windows and Surface teams at Microsoft.

Shopping with Sean

Until Microsoft fully optimizes Windows 11 for PCs with only 8GB of RAM, you might feel a bit of a pinch in performance with that amount of memory. The current discounts on Surface Pro get you more memory without having to pay as much of a premium.

The best Surface Pro deals are spread across Amazon and Best Buy this week.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft's Surface Pro is on sale just in time for back-to-school season. The flagship 2-in-1 runs on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite or Snapdragon X2 Plus processor, both of which promise a significant performance bump over the last generation.

A bunch of Surface Pro models are on sale right now across various retailers. I've listed the biggest deals below, starting with the 21% discount on the Surface Pro with Snapdragon X2 Elite, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.

Why buy a Surface Pro

The main reason to grab a newer Surface Pro is the processor you'll get. The Snapdragon X2 Plus and Snapdragon X2 Elite offer over a 50% graphics improvement over the last gen.

That performance bump helps everything from photo editing to everyday productivity tasks feel smoother.

Microsoft refined the design of the Surface Pro over more than a decade, resulting in a premium device that defines the category. There are good reasons why Apple and other companies try to copy the Surface Pro.

While imitation is a form of flattery, the Surface Pro still stands out because of its built-in kickstand that makes it easy to prop up. That kickstand-centered design is best taken advantage of with the Surface Pro Flex Keyboard, which happens to be discounted right now.

The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard that's on sale is compatible with the new Surface Pro that launched this year. If you're worried about compatibility, you can double-check your device on Microsoft's support document about Surface Pro keyboards.

The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard can be used wirelessly or when physically attached. If you've ever tried to use a laptop or a 2-in-1 on an airplane tray table or tiny desk, you'll know the struggle of feeling cramped. The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard lets you have the keyboard on your lap or a table while the PC sits elsewhere.

Like other PCs, the Surface Pro has crept up in price over the last year or so. The high price tag of the Surface Pro was the main complaint about the PC when it was announced. The current deals on the Surface Pro alleviate that issue, at least temporarily.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Welcome back to the Windows Central Podcast! It's Daniel Rubino and Jez Corden in the driver's seat this week, tackling a massive news cycle in the Xbox and tech space. We kick things off with a frustrating trend: LG monitors forcing McAfee pop-ups, and we get a little philosophical about the "enshittification" of our hardware.

On the gaming front, we dive deep into the newly discovered OG Xbox emulation coming to Windows PCs and what it means for the future of game preservation. Jez also gives us the behind-the-scenes breakdown of his exclusive interview with Todd Howard, contextualizing the recent, devastating Bethesda layoffs with the push for Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5. We also unpack the latest reports on Xbox studio heads pushing back against Game Pass, break down that surprise 86% spike in Xbox console sales in June, and get a little bit of sticker shock over the newly announced Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8.

• [02:06] - Intro
• [07:09] - Tech News: The LG monitor McAfee controversy and the state of hardware advertising.
• [24:36] - Xbox on PC: Microsoft brings native OG Xbox backwards compatibility and emulation to Windows.
• [45:35] - Bethesda: Jez talks about his exclusive sit-down with Todd Howard amidst the brutal Zenimax layoffs.
• [01:00:26] - Game Pass: Do Xbox studio leads actually detest Game Pass? We debate Jason Schreier's latest report and pitch our own subscription tiers.
• [01:14:49] - Hardware Sales: Unpacking the surprise 86% upswing in Xbox console sales during June.
• [01:22:09] - Mobile: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8 are here, and the prices are through the roof.
• [01:33:39] - Live Q&A: Pouring one out for the Surface Duo, remembering John C. Dvorak, and the classic games we want remade.

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Jez Corden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

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• Subscribe via RSS
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LG got caught with its hand in the cookie jar this week. An investigation by Gamers Nexus revealed that plugging certain LG monitors into a Windows 11 PC silently installed a companion app without user consent.

Normally, some people would be OK with this, though others would argue that nothing should be able to install an app on your PC without permission.

But the situation escalated when it was revealed that the monitor app also showed ads for McAfee.

Microsoft was forced to step in. The tech giant reached out to LG and the McAfee ads no longer appear. But Microsoft should not have had to do anything at all. LG demonstrated that Microsoft needs to rein in accessory makers and get a tighter grip on Windows 11.

While the LG scandal dominated the headlines, we also saw major Xbox news and some Windows 11 upgrades.

Biggest News of the Week

One could argue that no company should be able to install software on your PC without explicit permission. But in a perfect world, those same companies could be trusted to only install relevant software such as a required monitor app or the drivers needed to make an accessory work.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case. LG abused the trust given by Microsoft and Windows 11 users by installing adware on people’s PCs whenever they plugged in certain monitors.

Microsoft needs to restrict these types of installs on Windows 11 and ensure that any app being installed is done so after a user has given permission. Even useful apps that help control a device should only appear when cleared by a user.

Shopping with Sean

Some retailers tried to make Black Friday in July a thing, but we all know it’s back-to-school season. That means some of the best Windows laptops are on sale. The standout this week is the HP OmniBook X Flip.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

In a new video, Microsoft Executive Vice President of Windows+Devices Pavan Davuluri, and Corporate Vice President of Surface Brett Ostrum have sat down to talk about what's next for Surface, including more details about the upcoming Surface Laptop Ultra, hints at more surprises to come this year, and even acknowledges people's want for a Surface Studio monitor and Surface Mini.

In the 20 minute video, Davuluri and Ostrum discuss the year so far for Surface PCs. They recap recent announcements around Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 with Intel and Snapdragon SoCs, along with the surprise announcements around Surface Laptop Ultra and RTX Spark back in June.

In regards to what's next for Surface, Ostrum clarifies that Surface is going to continue doing what it has always done; validate platform advancements through hardware. Just like it validated touch, pen, and Windows Hello with Surface in the past, the company is currently focused on using Surface to validate Windows on Arm, as recently seen with the RTX Spark.

"We are there to help show what is possible from an experience perspective in terms of technology and experiences and help to lead the way for the ecosystem. These days, oftentimes it shows up in the form of helping to stand up brand new platforms like the, RTX Silicon from NVIDIA. And so I think for us that work will continue."

Ostrum also reminds viewers that Surface still has the Surface Laptop Ultra and RTX Spark to come this year, and teases that there's more announcements to come, though doesn't dive into details as to what that might entail, "We have a few more surprises coming before the end of the year, so I'm looking forward to that."

In a segment answering community submitted questions, Microsoft also touches on fans' want for more Surface peripherals, including a Surface Studio monitor. Ostrum acknowledges that the Surface Studio is the most beautiful display they've ever shipped, but doesn't confirm plans to address the want for a standalone monitor.

"My history is in mouse and keyboards, and I do believe that the Surface Studio screen is the most beautiful screen we have ever shipped," Ostrum says before the video is jarringly cut to the next question. Could Microsoft be hinting that a Surface Studio monitor is finally in the works?

Another question also asks about the infamous Surface Mini, a device that Microsoft came very close to shipping in 2014 before being canceled at the last minute. The user submitted question asks if they can have a Surface Mini, and Davuluri jokingly says "We've got a few laying around somewhere, I think." Ostrum follows up with "We typically don't comment on future looking Surface roadmaps, Pavan."

If you're a fan of Surface and Windows on Arm, this month's episode of Inside Windows is a great watch. Be sure to check it out on the official Windows YouTube channel.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft's new Surface Pro pairs Snapdragon X2 processors with a 2-in-1 design that set the standard for the form factor. The new Surface Pro launched this summer, and it comes with some serious graphical improvements.

You'll see some people refer to the device as the Surface Pro 12, though it's officially known as the Surface Pro 13-inch. Pricing starts at $1,499.99 and scales up depending on the processor you want and how much RAM and storage you need.

• Shop all Best Buy Surface deals

The new Surface Pro is available in black, platinum, or dune, giving you a chance to add a bit of flair to the convertible PC.

Surface Pro

The latest Surface Pro looks a lot like its predecessor, and that's a good thing. This form factor matured through over a decade of refinements and innovation, so there's not much Microsoft could do to revamp the design.

Our Editor-in-Chief called the Surface Pro 11 a "stunning achievement" and "one of the best Windows PCs of 2024." The same design that earned a five-star review from Rubino is here in the new Surface Pro, but with a noticeable spec bump.

The Snapdragon X2 Plus and Snapdragon X2 Elite that are available in the Surface Pro promise significant graphics improvements (up to a 53% increase depending on the model you choose).

When you hear about a graphics bump in a PC, you may think about games. But in the Surface Pro it's more about productivity. Better graphics means smoother scrubbing through timelines, better video editing, and smoother performance when handling demanding tasks.

The new Surface Pro has more affordable options with LCD screens or premium-priced offerings with OLED panels. Creators should lean toward the OLED display for its pitch blacks, better HDR, and higher contrast. If you're on a budget, the LCD options are the better choice.

As is always the case, I recommend grabbing a keyboard to go with your Surface Pro. The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard provides the best experience, since it can be used wirelessly or when physically connected. It's currently on sale, which reduces sticker shock ever so slightly.

The new Surface Pro only started shipping recently, so reviews are scarce and few customers have had a chance to share their thoughts. Early buzz around the web says the Surface Pro powered by Snapdragon X2 is faster and gets better battery life than its predecessor.

If you already have a Surface Pro 11 that's holding its own and aging well, I'd suggest holding onto it. But if you want a new flagship 2-in-1 that can tackle productivity workloads all day when plugged in or unplugged, the new Surface Pro with a Snapdragon X2 chip is the way to go.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft Surface will appear prominently in front of football fans, and I don't mean "American football." Manchester United and Qualcomm have expanded their partnership, which will continue to promote Surface hardware.

Surface PCs are now available with Snapdragon X2 processors and are among the flagship devices that showcase the new generation of chips. The partnership between Qualcomm and Manchester United raises awareness of Snapdragon by attaching it to the well-known Surface family of devices.

“Seeing Microsoft Surface join the shirt is a natural next step in the collaboration we’ve built together—bringing Snapdragon-powered innovation to one of the world’s most iconic sports platforms and creating new ways for fans to engage with the club," said Qualcomm EVP and Chief Marketing Officer Don McGuire.

Throughout the 2026/27 season, Microsoft Surface will appear on the back of Manchester United kit. Specifically, the logo will appear on the shirts of the men's first team during the preseason and domestic cup games. Surface will also be featured in all Manchester United women's matches outside of European competition.

While Surface fans may be excited to see the brand appear on Manchester United kit, I imagine they're more interested in the limited-edition Surface PCs that are part of the partnership. Microsoft and Manchester United worked together to create special Surface PCs that feature Manchester United branding.

A fan program will be launched to make sure the devices end up in the hands of supporters rather than scalpers.

Unfortunately, photos of the limited-edition Surface PCs were not shared by Qualcomm or Manchester United. I think it's safe to assume the Surface PCs will feature Manchester United's shade of red alongside white and black accents.

If the special Surface PCs need to be repaired for any reason, I hope Microsoft does not lose them. When a 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop was sent in for repairs, Microsoft lost the device and initially could not return the PC to its owner.

Eventually, Microsoft higher-ups intervened and sorted things out. The 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop was repaired and returned.

That saga happened because there was a gap in Microsoft's handling of Surface devices. The special edition laptop was created for the US market, so it was not flagged in the service workflow outside the US.

Assuming Microsoft has learned from the past, its service department will have flagged the Manchester United Surface PCs in other markets in case a user outside the UK gets one.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Can you hear that? It's the sound of capitalism crumbling. After years of pushback against ads, Microsoft has finally given in and decided to make a cleaner Search experience in Windows 11.

Sarcastic quips aside, Search is genuinely going to improve. Microsoft unveiled a massive upgrade to Search this week that will improve the accuracy of results, shift away from relying on the web, and yes, remove ads and promotional material.

The improved search will prioritize local results over grabbing information from the web. You'll even be able to customize whether web and Microsoft Store suggestions appear alongside local results at all. Search should also be more forgiving of typos, which should reduce frustration.

The upcoming improvements to Search were the biggest Windows 11 story of the week, but several other topics trended as well.

Biggest News of the Week

I'd argue that Windows 11 never should have placed ads within Search in the first place. Certainly, Windows 11 Pro should have been ad-free. I'm glad to see Microsoft listen to feedback and get rid of some ads. I just think it's wild that the tech giant needs to be pushed in that direction.

I'm happy to see Microsoft did more than remove ads and call it a day. The new Search experience is better across the board. Our Zac Bowden was impressed after going hands-on with the feature.

As always with updates like this, you can focus on the fact that Microsoft should have launched Windows 11 in this state rather than be strong-armed into making search usable. Alternatively, you can choose to be happy that Windows 11 is finally getting fixed. I choose the latter.

Shopping with Sean

Laptop deals have cooled off a bit, but you can still save hundreds of dollars on the Samsung Galaxy Book6 or the HP OmniBook Ultra 14. Both are excellent laptops with gorgeous displays and snappy performance.

If you're a gamer, make sure to check out the Xbox Ultimate Game Sale that's now live. Hundreds of games are discounted in what might be one of Microsoft's best-ever sale events.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft's Surface Laptop 8 launched this summer, sporting new Snapdragon X2 chips. The flagship laptops promise a premium experience, better battery life than the previous generation, and improved graphics performance.

The bump in performance is expected considering the Surface Laptop 8 has a brand-new chip inside, so a different improvement is more noteworthy. The Surface Laptop 8 is one of the only devices to support Windows 11's new advanced haptics feature. It's the only laptop to support the feature.

• Shop all Best Buy Surface deals

Advanced haptics sends a subtle bump through a touchpad, mouse, or stylus to let you feel Windows 11. For example, rearranging windows on your screen through Snap Layouts gives a clear indication of when you've hovered over a different layout.

Our Senior Editor Zac Bowden said "Windows 11's new 'Haptic Signals' feature is a quality of life upgrade [he] didn't realize the OS needed until [he] tried it." Now, you can experience the same thing since the Surface Laptop 8 is available for purchase.

Why should I care about advanced haptics?

As a quick point of clarity, the Surface Laptop 8 with Snapdragon X2 is what recently became available. Microsoft launched the Surface Laptop 8 for Business earlier this year. The business model runs on an Intel processor and comes with features you likely do not need as a general user.

Both the consumer and business versions of the Surface Laptop 8 support advanced haptics, but I recommend the consumer model to most people.

Advanced haptics is one of those small touches that makes Windows 11 feel polished. I appreciate UI changes and other Windows 11 improvements, but I'm more interested in features like advanced haptics because it changes the hands-on experience with a PC — quite literally.

"The new advanced haptic touchpad is a joy to use. It provides subtle tactile cues that confirm your actions," said our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino in our Surface Laptop 8 review.

Our friends at Tom's Guide came away similarly impressed when reviewing the Surface Laptop 8:

"I’m also fond of the touchpad, which delivers satisfying haptic feedback when pressed. With some apps, you will even feel haptics when hovering over the X button on a window, which is quite fun and intuitive."

Right now, Windows 11 is the main way that you'll experience advanced haptics. But there's an API for the feature, so third-party developers can leverage it. Filmora, Affinity, and other third-party apps either already support the feature or will soon.

The only other way to use Windows 11's advanced haptics feature is to have a Logitech MX Master 4 or a supported stylus like the Surface Slim Pen 2. Over time, more devices should support the feature, but the Surface Laptop 8 beat everything else to the punch.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The most exciting new Surface features in years are now available on a PC with a Snapdragon X processor. The Surface Laptop 8 for Business can now be purchased with a Snapdragon X2 Plus or Snapdragon X2 Elite.

For those who prefer a 2-in-1 over a traditional laptop, the Surface Pro 12 for Business (13-inch) is also available with a Snapdragon X2 chip. Like its clamshell sibling, the Surface Pro for Business also had an Intel model launch earlier this year.

The official names of the new PCs are "Surface Pro for Business 12th Edition" and "Surface Laptop for Business 8th Edition" but I've referred to them as the Surface Pro 12 for Business and Surface Laptop 8 for Business in this piece for ease of reading.

The standout feature of this year's Surface lineup is the privacy screen seen in the Surface Laptop 8 for Business. That display can be set to obscure content on your screen when people try to view it at an angle. It's similar to Samsung's screen on the Galaxy S26 Ultra.

The built-in privacy screen of the Surface Laptop 8 for Business combats creeping eyes from all angles, as opposed to third-party privacy screen protectors that only work from the sides.

The Intel version of the Surface Laptop 8 for Business launched earlier this year and received high marks from our Editor-in-Chief. The vast majority of what makes that laptop great extends to the Surface Laptop 8 for Business with Snapdragon X2, which are now available to order.

The haptic trackpad of the Surface Laptop 8 for Business is also a key addition. Thanks to a recent update to Windows 11, you can now feel the operating system and supported apps as you interact with them. Haptic buzzes occur when you drag files in File Explorer or perform certain actions.

The Surface Laptop 8 for Business is one of few devices to support the new haptic experience.

The new Surface Pro 12 for Business is largely a spec bump when compared to its predecessor. The Snapdragon X2 chip inside delivers better graphics performance than the first-gen Snapdragon X.

The Surface Pro has matured over more than a decade of refinement, so it's hard to complain about Microsoft sticking with what works.

What's special about Surface for Business PCs?

When Microsoft first introduced Snapdragon X chips to its Surface hardware, a split was formed that saw Intel on business PCs and Snapdragon X on consumer hardware. That's no longer the case, since you can order Snapdragon X processors in consumer or business PCs.

Notably, there are no new Intel-powered Surface PCs for consumers in 2026.

There are several differences between the consumer and business models of the latest Surface devices. Here are the features seen only on the business side:

• Pre-installed Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise
• Integrated Privacy Screen option
• Advanced Exchange Warranty service
• Device Firmware Configuration Interface (DFCI) cloud management
• Windows Autopilot tenant pre-registration
• Access to the cloud-based Surface Management Portal
• Native corporate domain onboarding pathways during initial setup
• Intel models available

Most of the features seen in the Surface for Business PCs are options general consumers would never use. The exception being the privacy screen that I wish was available on consumer versions of the Surface Laptop.

One key difference between the Snapdragon X2-powered Surface Pro 12 for Business and its Intel counterpart is that you can only get 5G connectivity with the Intel model.

Anyone can purchase a Surface for Business device. You don't need to own a business or have some sort of special account. But again, you're likely paying for unneeded features compared to the consumer Surface PCs unless you really need a privacy screen.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The highly anticipated upgrades to the Surface Pro and Surface Laptop just launched. Both PCs pack the latest Snapdragon X2 processors from Qualcomm, promising better performance while still delivering great battery life.

The biggest upgrade in the lineup is performance. Microsoft promises up to 53% faster graphics performance on the Surface Pro than the previous generation. The Surface Laptop sees an even larger bump of up to 58% when compared to the last generation.

Those improvements are thanks to the Snapdragon X2 processors inside the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro.

Now, Best Buy has a wide range of configurations available for the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro. I've included a mix of various colors, storage options, and processors. But there are plenty of other configurations up for grabs if you want to mix and match.

• Shop all Best Buy Surface deals

The new chips from Qualcomm perform well and let your PC last all day. Exact performance will vary based on the full specs of a PC, but the Snapdragon X2 Elite competes with Apple's M4 Pro. The Snapdragon X2 Plus stands toe-to-toe with Apple's M3 Pro.

Benchmarks and spec sheets aside, any Surface with a Snapdragon X2 chip will handle a wide range of workloads and tackle productivity tasks easily.

While the Snapdragon X2 chips are the stars of the show, they're not the only upgrades worth checking out in the new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro.

What's new with the latest Surface Pro and Surface Laptop?

There are more display options than ever across the Surface lineup. The new Surface Pro is available with either an OLED display or an LCD screen. The new Surface Laptop 15-inch has a screen with 262 PPI, which is much higher than the last generation offered.

But the new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop are more than a spec bump. While they share much of their designs with the last generation, both offer a new way to use haptics.

The Surface Laptop now features a haptic trackpad that allows you to feel Windows 11 and supported apps. The Surface Pro delivers a similar experience when paired with the latest Surface Slim Pen.

The new experience comes courtesy of Windows 11's new haptic feedback system. That system sends subtle vibrations when you perform certain tasks, such as dragging files in File Explorer or snapping windows.

The new Surface Laptop and Surface Pro build on over a decade of refinement by Microsoft. The overall form factor has matured, but Microsoft has figured out how to squeeze innovation from designs that were already almost perfect.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Windows 11 has a new search box on the way, or at least a slightly larger one. The search box within the Windows 11 Start menu will be four pixels taller if a change that's currently in preview ships to everyone.

That's four more entire pixels of height dedicated to searching for files or using the improved search capabilities of Windows 11. The change, which was accidentally included in release notes for a preview build, was the butt of jokes. But I think it also shows something bigger (pun intended).

Windows 11 has had design inconsistencies for years. Context menus are a mess and the operating system has a mix of features that originated in different decades. The Windows K2 initiative aims to reduce the pain points of Windows 11. As part of the push, Microsoft will also iron out inconsistencies.

Biggest News of the Week

With the development of Windows 11, if design consistency is thought about at all, it's an afterthought. The OS is several operating systems in a trenchcoat, resulting in a mismatched design.

But even within individual apps or settings, Windows 11's design lacks polish. The infamous one pixel border around apps infuriates some people and has been a hot-button topic for years.

If you look hard enough, you'll find tiny issues throughout the design of Windows 11. Windows not aligning or inconsistent menus do not break the operating system, but they do make it look unpolished. If Microsoft wants to convince people it cares about Windows 11, the OS needs to look like a finished product.

Small changes like resizing the search box in the taskbar, which appears to have been done to align with Copilot Search, add up. Attention to detail matters.

While the Windows K2 initiative may be felt most through its impact on RAM usage or other elements that affect performance, it can also give Windows 11 a refreshed look that improves the overall computing experience.

Shopping with Sean

A growing number of Windows 11 laptops are on sale. If you need a budget-friendly convertible, a premium-quality clamshell laptop under $1,000, or a brand-new laptop with a Snapdragon X2 and a beautiful OLED display, there are sales worth a look.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

The tech world is sweating, and it’s not just the summer heatwave. This week on the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino, Zac Bowden, and Jez Cordon sit down to unpack a massive wave of Microsoft layoffs. We break down Asha Sharma’s internal memo revealing a staggering 14 layers of middle management at Xbox, why the gaming division has struggled to capitalize on massive acquisitions like Fallout and Minecraft, and whether turning Xbox into an independent subsidiary is the brand's last chance for survival.

Zac walks us through the shocking Discord leak of "Project Ion," an experimental, web-native Copilot Operating System built entirely inside Microsoft Edge. Finally, we break down the quiet arrival of Snapdragon X2-powered Surface devices, the new 24 GB RAM "sweet spot," and why sources tell us the Surface Go lineup is officially dead.

• Microsoft and Xbox Layoffs: An in-depth look at the 4,800 job cuts, why the brunt is hitting Xbox, and a critique of management's failure to capitalize on massive IPs like Fallout and Minecraft.
• Leaked "Project Aion" (Copilot OS): Zac reveals an internal 2024 incubation project that leaked on Discord—an experimental, platform-agnostic, web-native operating system built entirely inside Microsoft Edge where Copilot replaces the traditional Start menu.
• The Tech Industry's AI Bubble: A philosophical debate on consumer pushback against AI, the staggering cloud costs of large language models, and the lack of quantifiable productivity gains for regular users.
• Snapdragon X2 Surface Refresh: Details on the consumer launch of the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12, the introduction of a 24 GB RAM middle-tier "sweet spot," and lower-cost 8 GB configurations engineered to beat the RAM crisis.
• The Death of the Surface Go Lineup: Breaking down exclusive source info confirming that the 10-inch Surface Go and the Surface Laptop Go lines have been canceled, leaving a major gap for enterprise and ultra-portable tablet fans.

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Jez Corden
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

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LIVE Video Podcast

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Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

When life closes a door, it tends to find a way to open a window. This week the tech industry may have tried a bit too hard to make that literally the case. Sony slammed the door shut on physical media while Microsoft extended the window of support for Windows 10.

Over the last seven days, we saw the Surface Go and Surface Laptop Go retired, PlayStation announced the end of discs, Sony revoked movies people paid for, and Xbox studios pushed toward a dissatisfying end. We also received new details on a potential disc-to-digital program for Xbox and gained another year of security updates for Windows 10.

A leaked video even gave us a glimpse of Copilot OS, though the door was never open for that AI-centered operating system to ship to consumers.

Biggest News of the Week

In a week full of things ending and rumors of shutdowns, it was refreshing to see that a disc-to-digital program could finally make its way to Xbox. Microsoft laid the foundation for that program with the Xbox One over a decade ago, but the company never rolled it out.

With Sony announcing plans to shut down its production of physical discs, Microsoft went in a different direction. While the next Xbox might not have a disc drive, it may support converting discs to digital licenses.

Microsoft has not made a final decision about the disc-to-digital program. With digital ownership under threat and Sony making such an unpopular decision, it would be a major miss if Xbox fails to take advantage.

Shopping with Sean

I'm happy to share that laptop deals remain strong and plentiful this week. Right now, you can get the Dell XPS 13 at a major discount. Both the Snapdragon X Elite and Intel Core Ultra 7 versions of that PC are on sale.

The HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is $650 off despite the laptop launching recently. It's one of the first PCs with the Snapdragon X2 Elite chip and is the prettiest laptop of the year, according to our review from Zac Bowden.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

On this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Zac and senior Xbox editor Jez Corden sit down to discuss the current state of Xbox, and where the business is headed.

It has been a wild month since Asha Sharma took the reins as Xbox CEO. While the team has been working to re-capitalize the brand and bring back some big-name exclusives, the narrative over the last week has taken a sharp negative turn. Between heavy rumors of Microsoft looking to sell off or close down certain first-party studios, console price hikes hitting shelves, and a massive rethink of what the next-gen hardware looks like, we wanted to figure out what’s actually going on with Xbox as a business.

In this episode, we break down the brutal economic realities hitting the industry. From the "RAM apocalypse" destroying console profitability to how free-to-play giants like Fortnite and Roblox have completely upended the old hardware subsidy model. We also look ahead at the next-generation "Helix" console, discussing whether Microsoft can actually deliver on its open Windows/Steam ecosystem vision if the hardware costs a grand, and what Sony's shift away from physical media means for the future of discs.

• [01:34] Podcast Introduction
• [03:17] The State of Xbox Leadership & Business Health A look at the whirlwind of changes under new Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, transitioning from the strategy of Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond, and balancing last year's record profits with the harsh reality of incoming corporate cuts.
• [06:42] Microsoft-Wide Headcount Reductions & AI Capital Spending Discussion on how massive investments into Artificial Intelligence infrastructure are forcing headcount reductions and belt-tightening across all of Microsoft, including Azure, Surface, and Xbox.
• [11:34] Studio Closures, Sales, and the Fate of Big IP Jez discusses rumors regarding potential studio sales or closures (such as Ninja Theory and Undead Labs) and how Microsoft is trying to find buyers to save projects like State of Decay 3 rather than flat-out canceling them.
• [16:37] Is Xbox Becoming a Subsidiary? The hosts debate the pros and cons of Microsoft potentially spinning off Xbox into a more independent subsidiary, drawing comparisons to how LinkedIn and Skype were handled.
• [22:55] 'Ramageddon' and the Broken Console Subsidy Model How skyrocketing RAM and component prices mean both Microsoft and Sony are losing hundreds of dollars per console. The hosts explain how the rise of casual, non-monetizing players on free-to-play games has broken the traditional model of selling hardware at a loss.
• [28:32] The Death of Physical Media & Disc-less Futures Analyzing Sony’s shift away from physical disc drives and predicting whether the next-generation Xbox Helix will completely eradicate physical discs due to supply chain economics.
• [30:54] Next-Gen Consoles: Power, Pricing, and Lifespans A realistic projection of what the PlayStation 6 and Xbox Helix will look like, predicting premium price tags ($1,000+) and a much longer cross-gen lifespan for the Xbox Series X/S.
• [34:58] Xbox Helix: Open Windows Platform vs. Closed Box Jez outlines the original plan for Helix to function as an open Windows device supporting Steam, and how Microsoft's new Chief Strategy Officer, Matthew Ball, is rethinking that approach due to the financial risk of players buying the hardware but only spending money on Steam.
• [43:31] Grandfathering the Series X/S Family Exploring the possibility of the next generation skipping clean architectural cut-offs, instead grandfathering the Series S and Series X as budget tiers alongside the premium Helix.
• [52:12] The Unsustainable Cycle of AAA Game Development Zach and Jez express frustration over 6+ year development cycles, ballooning West Coast production budgets, and why smaller global studios (like Bloober Team) are building games more efficiently.
• [57:35] Code Name 'Positron': Xbox Disc-to-Digital Tech Jez details a leaked upcoming platform feature that allows users to insert a physical disc once, permanently claim a digital license to their Microsoft account, and only lose it if that physical disc is registered by someone else.
• [01:04:12] Redemption of the 2013 Xbox One Vision A retrospective on how the highly criticized 2013 Xbox One vision (all-digital, heavy DRM, licensing pools, multi-media focus) was actually correct, just poorly messaged and ahead of its time.

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Jez Corden
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

• Listen on Spotify
• Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Listen on Pocket Casts
• Subscribe via RSS
• Download the Windows Central Podcast

If you like the show, please let us know by give us a rating on your podcast platform of choice. It really helps us!

LIVE Video Podcast

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Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

It looks like Microsoft's popular Surface Go and less popular Surface Laptop Go are on the chopping block. According to my sources that are familiar with Microsoft's hardware roadmap, these devices are no longer being manufactured, and no successors are currently planned

Just like the Surface Studio, Surface Laptop Studio, Surface Duo, Surface Hub, Surface Book, Surface Headphones, and Surface Earbuds before them, the Surface Go and Surface Laptop Go are the latest Surface PCs to reach the Microsoft graveyard, and completes the Surface portfolio culling that began in 2023.

Now, the Surface portfolio consists exclusively of Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, with varying screen sizes and power capabilities spread between them. Surface Pro features a 12-inch and 13-inch model, and the Surface Laptop features 13-inch, 13.8-inch, and 15-inch models with a special Ultra model coming this fall.

Sources say that Surface Go and Surface Laptop Go stock may still exist at certain retailers and in certain regions, but once that stock has depleted, it won't be replaced. When asked for comment, a Microsoft representative pointed me to the new Surface website, which notably doesn't include Surface Go or Laptop Go anymore.

Surface Go is a particularly surprising device to be killed off, as I understood that it was very popular with enterprise customers.

In fact, it was so popular with enterprises that Surface Go became a device exclusively for commercial customers with its final generation. Surface Go 1-3 were available for both consumers and commercial customers, but Surface Go 4 only ever saw a release for commercial customers.

Fascinatingly, I'm told Microsoft had planned to ship a Surface Go 5 at some point in the last couple of years, and it was going to be powered by a low-end Snapdragon chip. Unfortunately, when the company asked its enterprise customers for feedback, it found that most of them weren't interested in an Arm version of the device, and so that plan was scrapped.

Surface Laptop Go was pretty much replaced with the 13-inch Surface Laptop, which addressed the Laptop Go's biggest flaws such as the lack of a backlit keyboard and low-resolution display. Surface Go on the other hand hasn't really seen a replacement, as the 12-inch Surface Pro is significantly more expensive (and much larger) than the Surface Go 4 was at $579.

Of course, Surface Go originally launched at an astonishingly affordable $399 in 2018, albeit with very low-end specs that made the device hard to recommend. The Surface Go 3 and Surface Go 4 were the first versions with enough power to handle daily tasks without any noticeable performance loss, but their prices were much higher as a result.

I'm told that the decision to kill off these devices wasn't influenced by the ongoing RAMpocalypse, as the decision was made many months before memory prices became a problem for the company.

Now, the Surface portfolio is left with just two devices, Surface Pro and Surface Laptop. Many would argue these devices are no longer interesting or innovative from a form factor perspective, serving only to compete with whatever Apple is doing on their side of the fence. With Surface Laptop Ultra coming in the fall as a clear MacBook Pro competitor, this has never been more true.

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Two more Surface devices were announced this week, at least technically. The ongoing RAM crisis forced Microsoft to follow in the footsteps of Apple and Acer by making laptops with 8GB of RAM in 2026.

During a week full of deals through Amazon and other retailers, Microsoft took a different approach to make its Surface devices more affordable, at least for certain models. The Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch can now be bought with just 8GB of RAM.

Those versions with less memory start at $849 for the Surface Pro and $949 for the Surface Laptop. I'm happy to see more affordable options, but Microsoft's timing was poor. Raising Surface prices during Prime Day meant better hardware was at or near the same pricing as the cheaper Surface Pro and Surface Laptop. And with other retailers dropping prices to compete with Amazon, the new Surfaces are a bad value.

Dell’s XPS 13 with a Snapdragon X Elite, 32GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD is still $999.99, which means better hardware is sitting only $50 above Microsoft’s new “affordable” Surface models.

Deals, discounts, and rising prices were the focus of this week, but we also saw Windows 10 support extended and Bill Gates weigh in on AI. Here are the biggest stories from the week.

Biggest News of the Week

Microsoft is in a no-win situation with pricing. RAM and other components continue to go up in price, so manufacturers have to adjust to match. Even Apple, which was more insulated than most due to stockpiles of components, had to increase the cost of MacBooks, iPads, and other devices.

As a result of shortages, Microsoft has had to raise the price of hardware. Since people still need laptops at somewhat reasonable prices, models with 8GB of RAM can fill that gap.

8GB of RAM is better than many assume on a Windows 11 PC. Our Cale Hunt said using a device with that amount of memory is "Not only viable but quite enjoyable." Since that's the case, more affordable Surface devices are good news.

But announcing a Surface Pro and a Surface Laptop with lower price tags in the same week as one of the biggest shopping events of the year is a strange strategy.

A Surface Laptop with a Snapdragon X Plus, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage costs $949.99 through Microsoft's website. The Dell XPS 13 (9345) with a Snapdragon X Elite, 32GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage is on sale for $999.99 through Dell.

Maybe Microsoft should have rolled out its cheaper Surface devices a bit earlier or held off until other sales ended.

Shopping with Sean

The best deal of the week is still up for grabs despite Prime Day ending, and it's the laptop I just highlighted. Dell's discount on the XPS 13 with a Snapdragon X Elite drops that premium laptop to $999.99. That discounted price looks even better after Apple raised the prices of its MacBooks.

If you want something newer, the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 is $650 off. That gorgeous laptop is powered by the Snapdragon X2 Elite. I'm jealous of our Senior Editor Zac Bowden because he got to review it (the OmniBook 14 Ultra earned a perfect score in that review).

Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.

Microsoft just announced new versions of its Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch. But rather than a spec bump or a design refresh, the new PCs feature 8GB of RAM.

The ongoing component crisis has led several PC makers to offer laptops with only 8GB of RAM, and that group now includes Microsoft.

While the main focus around the new Surface configurations is pricing, there is a strange side effect to the systems only having 8GB of RAM: neither of them are Copilot+ PCs.

A lighter Windows 11

By having only 8GB of RAM, the new Surface PCs fall short of the Copilot+ PC minimum requirements. As a result, neither PC will ship with or support features like Recall or Click To Do.

I suspect some would view that as a blessing in disguise. Copilot+ PC features take up space on your system that's wasted unless you use the tools.

Here are the exclusive features that ship with Copilot+ PCs, as listed by Microsoft:

• Copilot on Windows
• Recall
• Live Captions with Translations
• Cocreator
• Windows Studio Effects
• Photos

Some of those features are genuinely useful. I recommend trying Windows Studio Effects if your PC supports them.

But some consider Recall and Copilot bloat and would prefer a PC free of those features.

The Copilot+ PC features don't take up that much room. In total, they'll occupy a few hundred MB.

Many Copilot+ PC features are resource intensive, which is why the PCs need more memory. By not including those features, Microsoft almost accidentally made a leaner, more efficient Surface experience.

8GB of RAM on Windows 11

Due to the ongoing memory crisis, PC makers have reintroduced laptops with 8GB of RAM. When Acer announced the Swift Air 14, many were quick to criticize its 8GB of RAM.

It's common to see people claim that a PC with 8GB of RAM is unusable or poor in 2026. Our Cale Hunt tested that claim by stripping down a PC.

Hunt's whole article is worth a read. I'll spoil it for you though: 8GB of RAM was fine.

"That's just not the case. Within reason, running Windows 11 on 8GB of RAM is not only viable but quite enjoyable. Assuming you're not attempting to run some specialized design software or a demanding game, there's quite a bit of memory runway to work with," said Hunt.

The new Surface PCs with 8GB of RAM are not going to handle heavy-duty game or workstation loads, but that's hardly a surprise. Many people could buy and use a Surface Pro or Surface Laptop with 8GB of RAM and never run into any issues.

Shifting away from Copilot+ PC branding

I probably spend more time thinking about Copilot+ PCs than most. The reality is that the brand is net neutral for many. When the ASUS Zenbook A16 earned rave reviews, none of them mentioned that the laptop is a Copilot+ PC.

Microsoft appears to be phasing out the Copilot+ PC brand. When the Surface Laptop Ultra was announced, Microsoft did not mention if it was a Copilot+ PC. The webpage for the Surface Laptop Ultra fails to mention "Copilot+ PC" at all.

The new Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 that were announced earlier this month are Copilot+ PCs, but the branding is not featured heavily by Microsoft.

You could take things one step further and say consumers don't care about AI PCs. That's what Dell's head of product suggested earlier this year.

I think most people are neutral toward AI features on their PC, whether those features are connected to the Copilot+ PC brand or not. If tools are out of the way or easy to uninstall, most folks won't mind. Complaints will pop up any time AI is forced onto users.

That being said, it still made me chuckle to see new Surface PCs lack the Copilot+ PC branding. Maybe Microsoft should market them as Copilot - PCs.

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Microsoft is now selling new configurations of the Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch with 8GB RAM in an attempt to quell the ongoing component pricing crisis that has seen the cost of Surface PCs skyrocket in recent months. These new affordable models will now start at $849 for the Surface Pro and $949 for the Surface Laptop.

Outside of the new RAM configuration, nothing else is new with these devices. These are still the 1st Edition models of the Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch, powered by Qualcomm's now last-gen Snapdragon X Plus, along with 256GB of storage. These devices originally launched with 16GB RAM at $799 and $899, but saw price hikes to over $1,000 earlier this year.

Now that Microsoft has introduced models with less RAM, the company has been able to bring pricing back below $1,000. The company has been working to ensure Windows 11 is better optimized to run on devices with less than 16GB RAM, including disabling things like Widgets and other under the hood optimizations.

Of course, these new configurations also don't have any Copilot+ PC AI capabilities, as one of the requirements for that is a minimum of 16GB RAM. That means Windows 11 will be lighter right out of the gate, as it doesn't have to deal with all the advanced AI features that ship as part of PCs with higher RAM configurations.

Microsoft will continue to sell models with 16GB RAM for those who want to splash out on something a little more capable, but for many who just need a computer for basic tasks and workflows, the 8GB configurations should be fine enough. The good news is if you're not sure if 8GB is enough, the Microsoft Store offers a 60 day return policy, giving you plenty of time to buy the device and try it out before committing.

The new 8GB RAM options only appear to apply to the midrange Surface Laptop 13-inch and Surface Pro 12-inch. The flagship Surface Laptop 8th Generation and Surface Pro 12th Generation are not currently available with 8GB RAM configurations, meaning they still start with 16GB RAM for $1,499.

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Amazon Prime Day hit the ground running with a great deal on the Surface Pro 11. A 13% discount on the 2-in-1 slashes $134.55 off the PC.

For $869.99, you get a Surface Pro 11 with a Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and an OLED display.

Why buy the Surface Pro 11?

The Surface Pro 11 is an incredible 2-in-1 PC that defines the category. It features the traditional design with a kickstand and detachable keyboard that Microsoft pioneered and perfected.

This model runs on a Snapdragon X Elite, which provides all-day battery life and great performance when plugged in or running on battery power.

Usually, you'd have to pay for premium specs across the board to get an OLED display, but this Amazon Exclusive version of the Surface Pro 11 gets you a better screen at a discount.

"Overall, it’s an incredible 13-inch display," said our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino. He added, "OLED delivers those super dark blacks with excellent contrast, and HDR600 makes movies and video games much better."

This Surface Pro 11 runs on a Snapdragon X Elite processor. While Qualcomm has released newer Snapdragon X2 chips, the Snapdragon X Elite is still great in 2026.

Is this a good time to buy the Surface Pro 11?

It's been a tough year for PC shoppers. The base prices of Surface PCs went up significantly back in April, and prices back then were already higher than at launch.

It's not all Microsoft's fault. The ongoing RAM crisis and component shortage has caused price hikes by several PC makers. But the widespread nature of high pricing doesn't make it any easier to afford a PC.

The Prime Day discount stands out for two reasons. First, this is an Amazon Exclusive model due to its combination of 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Second, Amazon slashed the price of the Surface Pro 11 by over $140.

This particular configuration hits the key specs you need without making you overpay. While you can get by with 8GB of RAM on a Windows 11 PC, 16GB will provide a better experience. 256GB of storage is a bit small, but with OneDrive and other cloud storage options, it's okay.

I'd rather have 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage than 8GB of RAM and more storage.

The price of this Surface Pro 11 stands out even more when you look at other "offers." Browsing around online retailers and even checking other configurations at Amazon shows how high PC prices have crept over the years.

FAQ

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It's Amazon Prime Day week, which means computers that have recently become overpriced because of the on-going component pricing crisis are back down to reasonable levels of cost, but only for a limited time. This deal on Beelink's excellent SER9 Pro for $626 caught my attention, after reviewing it last year and calling it an all-round excellent device.

If you're in the market for a new mini PC, now is the perfect time to get one. Mini PCs are great these days, with great performance and good thermals. And you can't go wrong with Beelink!

Should you buy the Beelink SER9 Pro?

The Beelink SER9 Pro is powered by the AMD Ryzen 7 H 255, and this deal specifically is configured with 24GB RAM and 500GB storage.

Beelink also sells a seperate dock accessory called the Mate Mini that adds an additional set of ports and two more M.2 SSD slots for $99, and it's designed in a way that lets you sit the dock underneath the device, making it seem more integrated.

The PC itself is compact, premium, and very well built. It has a metal chassis which feels great to touch, and it's roughly the size of a Mac mini M4, though a touch larger at 135 x 135 x 44.7mm.

The device has plenty of ports, including a USB-C port and USB-A port on the front, along with a 3.5mm audio jack. Around the back, there are three additional USB-A ports, another USB-C port, a second 3.5mm audio jack, a 2.5Gb ethernet port, HDMI 2.1, and DisplayPort 1.4. Needless to say, there is plenty of I/O on this mini PC.

It's a great performant mini PC that's good for productivity workflows and some creative professional workflows such as video and photo editing. It can even do some light gaming, but it's not a dedicated gaming machine.

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Amazon Prime Day week is here, which means now is the perfect time to buy a new Windows computer for a reasonable price given the ongoing component pricing crisis which has forced PCs to skyrocket in price over the last few months. Right now, you can grab Microsoft's incredible Surface Laptop 7 for just $834 at Amazon, a saving of $514 over its current not-on-sale price.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 is technically a last-gen product now, originally launching in 2024, but that doesn't make it any less good. I called it the laptop form factor perfected when I reviewed mine in 2024, and I stand by that claim even to this day.

Why buy the Surface Laptop 7 in 2026?

Powered by the Snapdragon X Plus, with 16GB RAM and 256GB upgradable storage, the Surface Laptop 7 is perfectly equipped to handle your day to day tasks with ease. It's the perfect productivity laptop, complete with a bright and crisp touchscreen display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a best-in-class keyboard and haptic trackpad, and enough ports to satisfy.

What's most impressive about the Surface Laptop 7 however is its battery life. The Snapdragon X Plus is a very energy efficient chip, which means the laptop sips on power in most workflows. You can get through a workday on a single charge with no problems, and can probably make it into the second day before needing to juice up.

It also features reliable sleep and wake, something not all Windows laptops are good at. Plus, it's a Copilot+ PC, which means it features advanced AI features like Click To Do, on-device live translations, semantic search which makes finding apps, files, and documents easier, and much more.

Although the Surface Laptop 8 is now out with the latest silicon from Qualcomm, it is significantly more expensive, starting at $1,599. I think for that price, the Laptop 8 simply isn't worth it, especially when the Laptop 7 is $834. For significantly less, you're getting pretty much the same device, without burning a hole in your wallet!

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Microsoft announced the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12 this week, but thanks to a confusing naming scheme and the lack of an event or stream, the new PCs have not drawn the attention they deserves.

Those who paid attention and saw the announcements may have experienced sticker shock, since the new Surface devices are at least $500 more expensive than their predecessors. Microsoft will include a free keyboard to ease the pain, but still.

This week marked the third time this year that Microsoft announced new Surface PCs, and I feel cheated. This isn't how Surface week is supposed to feel.

Biggest News of the Week

Microsoft has announced a whopping six Surface devices this year. But information trickled out in a series of press releases. No on-stage event. No live stream. No buzz.

I can understand Microsoft skipping a Surface event when there's little to announce. In a couple of previous years, there's been little to talk about. But in just the first half of 2026, Microsoft unveiled:

• Surface Laptop Ultra powered by NVIDIA RTX Spark
• Surface Pro 12 for Business and Surface Pro 12 for consumers
• Surface Laptop 8 for Business and Surface Laptop 8 for consumers
• Surface RTX Spark Dev Box

Those PCs aren't just spec bumps. They include two new form types of PCs for the Surface family (a true clamshell workstation and a mini PC), and the latest components from Intel, NVIDIA, and Qualcomm.

The Surface Laptop 8 for Business has an innovative privacy screen that should make non-business users jealous. The new consumer Surface hardware runs on the Snapdragon X2 Elite. The Surface Laptop Ultra runs NVIDIA's RTX Spark superchip and Windows on Arm.

Microsoft had the partners, internals, form factors, and unique features to fill a keynote. Instead, inboxes were filled with emails of spec sheets and basic information.

Shopping with Sean

The new Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 are beautiful machines, but I think it's hard to justify their price. Instead, I suggest a Dell XPS 13 with a Snapdragon X Elite and 32GB of RAM.

If you do get a Surface Pro, the discounted Surface Pro Flex Keyboard is worth grabbing. It can be used wirelessly or when physically attached and features a large haptic trackpad.

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Through a series of staggered press releases, Microsoft has unveiled six new Surface devices this year. The Surface Laptop Ultra and Surface RTX Spark Dev Box have distinct names and designs that make them easy to identify. But the situation is less clear for the other Surface hardware.

The business and consumer versions of the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12 were announced separately by Microsoft and have key differences. But the average shopper will struggle to find the right PC because of Microsoft's Surface naming scheme.

Let's say you found out about the new Surface hardware because you're an enthusiast. Despite the lack of an event, business devices launching without consumer counterparts at first, and the overall blasé attitude of Microsoft toward Surface, you learned that consumer versions of the Surface Pro and a Surface Laptop are on the way. What are you met with? A confusing naming scheme that basically requires you to already know which device you want.

Microsoft's website doesn't even have a device officially called "Surface Laptop 8." Instead, the company has a "Surface Laptop, 13-inch" and a "Surface Laptop 13.8-inch" available. Considering many companies round screen size within names, I'd forgive you for assuming these are the same device.

Head over to a third-party retailer, and things get worse. Search for "Surface Laptop" on Best Buy's website, and you'll see a mixture of Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (7th Edition), Surface Laptop 13.8-inch (8th Edition but not specified on the search results page), and the Surface Laptop 13.

Normally, I wouldn't criticize a company for keeping the same name across generations. Car shoppers never seem confused about the difference between 2025 and 2026 model of the same car. But things get a bit muddier when there are devices with similar names from different generations of the same line and a PC from a separate line.

The Surface Pro family adds another layer of complexity because it's been around so long that its generation numbers overlap with screen size configurations.

The Surface Pro 12-inch came out after the Surface Pro 11 (officially called the Surface Pro 13-inch (11th Edition)), confusing people and causing some reviews and references to call the smaller device the "Surface Pro 12."

My head hurts writing about this. Just look at this chart covering the last handful of devices:

Maybe Microsoft would argue that its official names are clear, but the company swapped its naming scheme a couple years ago, and that added to the confusion. The first handful of Surface Pros were just Surface Pro followed by a number. Microsoft tested a new naming scheme with what many call the Surface Pro 5, but then reverted for a while to traditional numbering.

But Microsoft doubled back and now uses the "Edition" naming structure except for the confusingly named Surface Pro 12-inch.

Let's be real

I predict people will claim they understand all the Surface names and that I'm an old man yelling at a cloud. But please take a moment to consider folks who aren't tech experts. Shouldn't a Google search for "Surface Pro 12" show one device? Shouldn't searching Microsoft's own website for the same thing provide clarity?

The average shopper doesn't eat, live, and breathe Surface announcements. Microsoft's Surface naming scheme is about as consistent as that of Xbox and Windows.

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Microsoft just announced even more Surface devices for us to gawk at. The Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 have been refreshed with Snapdragon X2 chips, placing the latest processors in Surface's flagship devices.

While the new Surface Pro 12 ($1,499) and Surface Laptop 8 ($1,599) appear to be lovely PCs, they start at $500 and $600 more than their predecessors did at launch, respectively.

I hate seeing people priced out of buying a PC they want, but that's the market we live in right now.

It's a terrible time to buy any premium PC (or most MacBooks)

Due to the ongoing component shortage, which is best known for the RAM crisis, computer prices have gone up significantly in the last year. Microsoft increased prices for all Surface PCs back in April, making flagships $500 more expensive than at launch. But Microsoft is far from the only laptop maker to raise prices.

Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others have raised prices since the summer of 2025. The size of those increases depends on how many components the respective companies stockpiled, but every laptop maker has felt the squeeze.

Even Apple, with its tight grip on its own hardware and supply chain, has raised prices over the last year.

Laptops with 8GB of RAM are back on the menu to provide some sort of budget option. Windows 11 is better with 8GB of RAM than many give it credit for, but many people want at least 16GB of RAM in a PC.

It's difficult to recommend any premium laptop right now unless there's a good deal.

Budget laptops are carving a new niche

Affordable laptops are nothing new. But the latest wave of budget laptops stand out due to their build quality and design. The new Dell XPS 13 looks sleek, has a 120Hz display, supports Dolby Atmos, and has modern specs like dual Thunderbolt 4 and Wi-Fi 7. It's a great choice for students or people who want an affordable PC for everyday computing.

Apple disrupted the budget laptop market with the MacBook Neo. With a starting price of $599, the MacBook Neo made some OEMs scramble. Even manufacturers that had budget laptops in the works before the MacBook Neo have to face head-to-head comparisons because of Apple's surprise announcement.

👉 MacBook Neo is no longer the best deal in computing

Premium devices like the Surface Pro 12 and the Surface Laptop 8 provide better experiences than budget offerings. But the difference in price is difficult to justify for everyday users.

The component shortage and the fact that high‑end laptops now overshoot everyday needs have made machines like the new XPS 13, the MacBook Neo, and other sub‑$700 options the smarter buy for most people.

Surface sales are still lacking

Surface shopping is even worse since quality sales are few and far between. Even if you buy last-gen tech, you'll pay current-gen prices.

The Surface Laptop 7 came out in 2024. While it's a nice laptop, it shows its age when compared to something like the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11). That means that even a discounted Surface Laptop 7 is a poor choice compared to newer options in the same price range.

The Surface Pro 11 is a bit different because of its form factor, but it's still difficult to find one at a good price.

You can find small discounts on the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 if you look around. Best Buy has discounts of up to $400 on the Surface Pro 11 right now. But they're a far cry from the sales we saw last year around the holidays or before the RAM crisis really took off.

If you absolutely need a Surface right now, you should look at models on clearance or certified refurbished models.

With the base price of PCs going up, sale prices aren't as good as they used to be. In some cases, a $400 discount just drops a laptop to what it cost one year ago.

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Microsoft just announced the Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8. No, you're not having Déjà vu; Microsoft also announced a Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 earlier this year, but those were specifically designed for business users (and technically they're called Surface Pro for Business 12th Edition and Surface Laptop for Business 8th Edition).

The "for Business" Surface PCs have several differences that make them more attractive to enterprise customers. They're also more expensive, but for good reasons.

When Microsoft shifted its consumer-focused Surface PCs to Snapdragon X chips, the Surface for Business lineup received extra attention. Those business PCs were the only way to get a brand-new Surface with an Intel chip inside.

Snapdragon X2-powered Surface for Business PCs will start shipping by July 14, 2026, meaning you'll be able to order a Surface Pro 12 for Business or a Surface Laptop 8 for Business with either Intel chips or Snapdragon X2 chips.

Because anyone could purchase a "for Business" Surface through Microsoft's website, some viewed the split as a shortcut to get a new Intel-powered Surface. Of course, you can purchase a new Surface with an Intel chip inside, but you'll be paying for a lot of extras you probably will never need.

Surface for Business PCs have special options for hardware, software, and security. The feature consumers will likely envy is the special privacy screen. That integrated privacy screen makes it difficult to see what's shown on a display when viewed at an angle.

Our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino called the privacy screen "revolutionary" in our Surface Laptop 8 for Business review. I'd suspect it's the top business-specific feature general consumers would want.

Here are the main features that are exclusive to business Surface PCs when compared to their consumer-focused siblings:

• Pre-installed Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise
• Integrated Privacy Screen option
• Advanced Exchange Warranty service
• Device Firmware Configuration Interface (DFCI) cloud management
• Windows Autopilot tenant pre-registration
• Access to the cloud-based Surface Management Portal
• Native corporate domain onboarding pathways during initial setup
• Intel models available (Snapdragon X2 is available on Business or Consumer)

Windows 11 Pro probably comes in second place when it comes to consumer envy, though you could always pay to upgrade your consumer Surface.

There's a chance that 5G connectivity will be a key differentiator as well, but we're waiting on confirmation about some details. At the moment, we know there are Intel-powered Surface for Business PCs with 5G connectivity (but last gen). We'll have to see if similar configurations are made available with Snapdragon X2 chips.

Companies shopping for business laptops value the added security and management features available on Surface for Business PCs. The privacy screen is also more catered to professional users, though I'd argue anyone should have the option.

Ultimately, consumer vs. business comes down to a lot more than Snapdragon X vs. Intel, especially now that the Snapdragon X2 is available in both.

Many believe that the Surface Pro should come with a keyboard. In fact, it's something that reviewers and customers alike have complained about ever since the first Surface launched all the way back in 2012, as the keyboard is an integral aspect of the overall Surface Pro experience.

Well, it appears Microsoft is finally addressing those complaints, at least temporarily. With the launch of the new Surface Pro 12th Gen, Microsoft is including a Surface Pro keyboard with every new order for customers in the United States.

"For a limited time, customers in the U.S. can take advantage of our exclusive hero offer from June 16 through June 30, including a free Surface Pro 13-inch Keyboard when purchasing a Surface Pro 13-inch," Microsoft confirmed.

That means the $170 keyboard accessory is now free, as long as you order a Surface Pro before June 30. After that date, the Surface Pro Keyboard will once again become an optional extra that costs money. The keyboard that's included in the deal is the basic one with no Surface Pen charging functionality.

Of course, Microsoft still sells its more expensive Surface Pro Flex Keyboard, which is not part of this deal unsurprisingly. That keyboard costs an eyewatering $400, and that's without the Surface Slim Pen 2. If you want the pen too, that bumps the price up to $500.

The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard is the best Surface Pro keyboard however, complete with a haptic trackpad that feels amazing, built-in wireless charging for the Slim Pen 2, and it even supports Bluetooth so that it can be used while disconnected from the tablet.

The basic Surface Pro keyboard that's part of this deal includes no such features. It has a traditional diveboard trackpad, no pen storage or charging, and is made out of slightly cheaper materials. It still feels great to use and type on, but it's definitely no Surface Pro Flex Keyboard.

For most people who just want a new Surface Pro but don't need the full Surface Pro Flex Keyboard experience, this limited time deal will be great as it means you get the full 2-in-1 experience without having to pay extra for the entry-level keyboard accessory. As a bonus, it also protects your screen when the tablet isn't in use!

This deal is available for all Surface Pro 12th-Gen orders made on the Microsoft Store in the United States between now and June 30. So get your order in before it's too late!

Last month, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12, powered by Intel Core Ultra series 3 chips and made available exclusively for business customers for a very high price. Today, the company is announcing the Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12 again, but this time with Snapdragon X2 chips and more consumer-friendly pricing.

While the Snapdragon models are cheaper than the Intel ones, they're still significantly more expensive than the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 11 were when they first launched in 2024.

The new Surface Laptop 8 with Snapdragon X2 starts at $1,599, and the Surface Pro 12 starts at $1,499. The entry-level SKUs include a Snapdragon X2 Plus with 16GB RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. To compare, the Surface Laptop 7 launched in 2024 with a Snapdragon X Plus with 16GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage for just $999.

So the new devices are $600 and $500 more expensive respectively, owing to the ongoing component pricing crisis caused by AI. The good news is Microsoft is offering incentives to upgrade to these new models. Between now and June 30, if you buy the new Surface Pro 13, it comes with a Surface Pro keyboard for free! If you order the Surface Laptop, you'll get a free Surface Arc Mouse, and a 50% off offer for Microsoft Complete.

Microsoft is also offering more money for trade-ins currently, so if you have an existing device that you don't need or want to swap for a new model, you can now save up to $900. It's clear the company is hoping that these deals will encourage users to upgrade to the newer models.

So what's actually new outside of the silicon? Well, Microsoft is touting 53% faster graphics performance compared to the last gen models, along with longer battery life on the Surface Pro, now coming in at 15.5 hours, and up to 20 hours on Surface Laptop.

The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard is now available in Dune, and the Surface Laptop 8 itself now comes in a beautiful new Jade green colorway. The Surface Laptop also has a new display on the 15-inch variant with a much higher resolution, coming in at 262PPI. The Laptop also has a new haptic trackpad, which provides subtle feedback when interacting with Windows.

The devices are now also available with more RAM configurations. The last-gen models could only be configured with either 16GB, 32GB, or 64GB RAM. The new devices now have a 24GB RAM option for those who find 16GB too little but 32GB too much, similar to what Apple does with the Mac.

Overall, these are nice quality of life upgrades for the Surface Laptop and Surface Pro. Whether they are worth the higher starting prices will be up to buyers to device. The devices are available to order today for consumers, with business variants of the Snapdragon X2 devices coming on July 14 which will include the same privacy screen features as found on the Intel variants.

Surface Pro 12 and Surface Laptop 8 specifications

If you're interested in the full specification breakdown on these new Surface PCs, we've compiled all the information into handy spec tables that you can view below.

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It’s been a whirlwind couple of weeks in the tech world! Following a busy stretch of trade shows, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden sit down to break down one of the most consequential weeks for the Windows and PC ecosystems in years.

From the show floor of Computex in Taipei to the developer tracks at Microsoft Build, the guys dissect the massive shift toward ARM computing, the hardware taking aim at Apple’s high-end territory, and the future of "agentic" AI operating systems. Plus, the show caps off with breaking news regarding Xbox's business health and a massive report on the future of Microsoft’s gaming division.

• Nvidia’s "Super Chip" Shift: A deep dive into the shocking announcement of the Nvidia RTX Spark (built in partnership with MediaTek on TSMC's 3nm process). Zac explains why Nvidia completely took control of the messaging from Microsoft, ditching the "Copilot Plus" branding to pitch an ultra-premium workstation ecosystem aimed squarely at Apple’s M5 Pro and Max MacBook Pros.
• The Surface Laptop Ultra: Zac shares his hands-on impressions of Microsoft’s brand-new, thick-and-dense 15-inch powerhouse. We look at the gorgeous mini-LED display, a massive haptic trackpad, and a mystery magnetic breakaway USB-C port that could spell the end of the proprietary Surface Connect port.
• The $599 Laptop Wars: Dell stuns the industry by pushing the XPS 13 downward to a student-friendly $599 starting price, pitting it right against the MacBook Neo. We compare the premium build, its 120Hz display, and the new Intel Wildcat Lake chips against the Acer Swift Air 14 and Qualcomm’s budget-oriented Snapdragon C processor.
• Project Solara & Build 2026: What is an "agentic OS"? We break down Microsoft's Android-based platform shift away from traditional app stores and toward just-in-time user interfaces, including a look at their hardware "badge" and "desk" concept prototypes.
• Breaking Xbox News: Daniel and Zac react in real-time to a staggering report from The Information. Is Microsoft preparing to spin off Xbox into a wholly owned subsidiary like LinkedIn or GitHub? We discuss the fallout from the Xbox Games Showcase, Sarah Bond and Phil Spencer's leadership legacy, and the aggressive new mandate under Asha Sharma to pump out massive franchises like Halo, Fallout, and Elder Scrolls.

Timestamps

• [00:30] Welcome & Computex vs. Build Retrospective
• [04:12] Nvidia RTX Spark: The ARM Workstation Disruption
• [30:09] Surface Laptop Ultra: Hands-on Specs & The Mystery USB-C Port
• [42:05] Dell's Sub-$700 Flagship Strategy & Intel Wildcat Lake
• [56:26] Acer Swift Air 14 & The Internet's Linux vs. Windows Debates
• [01:01:14] Project Solara: Microsoft’s Future "App-Less" Agent Ecosystem
• [01:10:10] Xbox Showcase Fallout & First-Party Exclusivity Backpedaling
• [01:29:25] Breaking News: Is Microsoft Spinning Off the Xbox Business?

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at podcast@windowscentral.com

Hosts:

• Daniel Rubino
• Zac Bowden

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The Surface Laptop Ultra pushes the boundaries of the Surface family. It's the biggest or best in several categories when compared to previous Surface PCs. But the Surface Laptop Ultra is not a device aimed at everyday users. You won't see it fill the lecture halls of universities or the tables of coffee shops (unless you're studying for a very specific degree).

The "normal" Surface Laptop is a premium PC, not an "ultra" PC, so it can't have all the bells and whistles of the Surface Laptop Ultra. But Microsoft can take some elements of the Surface Laptop Ultra to make a better Surface Laptop.

Microsoft can't just shrink the Surface Laptop Ultra and call the new device a Surface Laptop. In fact, smaller laptops often cost more than their larger counterparts. It also would not make sense to just swap the chip to something more affordable to target consumers.

Some features of the Surface Laptop Ultra would be unnecessary in a regular Surface Laptop, such as dual-fan cooling. Others, such as unified memory are up to chipmakers more than Microsoft. Components like RTX Spark and mini-LED would likely make a Surface Laptop too expensive.

Wider port selection

The Surface Laptop Ultra has a plethora of ports. HDMI, USB-C (3x), USB-A, an SD card reader, and a headphone jack are all built in.

In contrast, the Surface Laptop 8 for Business has two USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4), a USB-A port, a headphone jack, and a Surface Connect port.

A consumer-focused Surface Laptop would fall between the Surface Laptop Ultra and Surface Laptop 8 for Business when it comes to ports.

The wildcard here is the unique USB-C port on the Surface Laptop Ultra. That laptop lacks the Surface Connect Port, at least in the traditional sense.

Microsoft did not confirm details when speaking with our Senior Editor Zac Bowden, but it appears that the USB-C port on the right side of the Surface Laptop Ultra is different than a standard connection.

Here's what Bowden said on that special port:

"Of course, [Microsoft] didn't confirm this to me, but it's clear that the right USB-C port is different for some reason. The company said it would have more to share about specific features of the Surface Laptop Ultra later this year, so we'll have to see. For now, I'm of the belief that this USB-C port features a breakaway design, perhaps even magnetic for easier alignment? Time will tell."

If Microsoft has a new type of Surface Connect Port that's also compatible with traditional USB-C cables, I'd love to see that on a consumer-focused Surface Laptop.

Brighter display

The Surface Laptop Ultra has a 15-inch mini-LED display that can reach 2,000 nits of peak HDR brightness. Our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino was right to use the word "staggering" when referring to the display's brightness.

That level of brightness is not realistic for a consumer device, even a premium one.

The Surface Laptop 8 for Business has a good display that's sharp and has integrated privacy features. It is, however, not as bright as competing laptops. In Rubino's testing, the Surface Laptop 8 for Business hit 500 nits of brightness at 100%.

I'd like to see a Surface Laptop hit between 600-700 nits of brightness. There's a chance that the maximum brightness is connected to the tech needed for the built-in privacy features. Maybe people could pick between higher brightness and privacy.

Larger haptic touchpad

This would only be a small improvement over the already excellent touchpad seen in the Surface Laptop 8 for Business. Rubino shared that "the new advanced haptic touchpad is a joy to use."

Haptic touchpads provide many benefits over diving board style touchpads that can have deadzones and require different pressure at different points.

Microsoft is all-in on haptics. Windows 11 now has new features that let you feel the operating system through subtle tactile cues. For example, dragging a file between folders will result in a small haptic "bump."

Only certain hardware supports the new haptic features. Since Surface PCs are supposed to showcase Windows 11, they should all take advantage of the operating system's haptic capabilities.

The Surface Laptop Ultra has the largest haptic touchpad ever featured on a Surface device. Haptic trackpads are customizable and consistent, so scaling them up is more useful than making a massive traditional trackpad.

Balancing price and features

Microsoft needs to find the middle ground between an Ultra PC and a premium PC. Going overboard with ultra-high-end specs would price out normal consumers and cannibalize the market for the Surface Laptop Ultra. Swinging too far the other way makes the Surface Laptop a poor alternative to premium laptops in the same price range.

To compete with the likes of the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7X and give users the best experience, Microsoft needs to find a middle ground, and it can do that by bringing the more affordable features of the Surface Laptop Ultra to everyday computing.

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One of only 50 special Surface Laptops went missing earlier this year as part of a repair process. That 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop (celebrating Microsoft's 50th birthday) belonged to Rhener Furtado, who took to Reddit to share his situation.

Furtado was assured by Microsoft that fixing his PC was a "same unit repair," but he was sent back a normal Surface Laptop 7.

The saga evolved on Reddit, spilled across social media, and kept churning in the background for weeks. I'm happy to report that Furtado has had his original 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop returned and that the PC has been repaired.

What went wrong

One of the most pressing questions surrounding this saga is "how did this happen?" Furtado was clear about the unique status of the 50th Anniversary Surface and received confirmation that the fix was a "same unit repair." If that were actually the case, the device would not have gone missing.

Furtado's device flagged a process gap in Microsoft's handling of Surface devices. The 50th Anniversary Surface Laptops were created for the US market, since that is where the sweepstakes took place. The special PCs were not flagged in the service workflow outside the US.

Furtado actually traveled from the UK to the US to pick up the device, adding to the sentimental value of the PC.

How the 50th Anniversary Surface got fixed

After Furtado's story received enough attention, Microsoft got in touch and fixed the discovered process gaps.

I'll share part of a message from Furtado directly:

"It wasn't through the support ticket. It wasn't through the escalation team. It happened because this community spoke up, because Sean Endicott covered it at Windows Central, and because several Microsoft employees reached out to me privately."

Furtado expressed gratitude to those who reached out from Microsoft and outlets that spoke with him about the situation. I'll add to Furtado's sentiment by thanking Windows Central readers who shared and commented on the story, raising it to Microsoft's attention.

Microsoft has since flagged the units internally, ensuring that support centers around the world are aware of the devices.

What we learned about Surface

While the device getting lost caused stress, there is a silver lining to the situation. The saga highlighted how some of the higher ups at Microsoft genuinely care about Surface products. Furtado had a call with Sandra Andrews to discuss his lost device.

Andrews is Chief Marketing & Operations leader over Surface. In that call, Andrews respected the stress caused by the situation and the importance of the 50th Anniversary Surface Laptops.

Those laptops were not mass-produced in a factory. Andrews explained to Furtado that she was personally involved throughout the process and viewed the device almost like a piece of art.

Furtado has decided to keep the 50th Anniversary Surface Laptop as a collector's piece rather than using it daily. Microsoft gave him £150 of store credit to go toward purchasing a daily PC.

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Just days after announcing the RTX Spark-powered Surface Laptop Ultra (coming later this year), Microsoft has today announced a second RTX Spark device for the Surface portfolio, this time aimed solely at developers looking for a mini PC that can run sustained AI workloads with a 100W thermal envelope.

Officially dubbed the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box, this Microsoft-made mini PC will be available to purchase later this year, and features one petaflip of AI compute power and 128GB of unified memory, which is capable of running up to 120B parameter models locally without needing to reach out to the cloud.

It also features WSL2 with native GPU passthrough, full CUDA support, Visual Studio Code, GitHub Copilot, and many other Microsoft-made developer tools pre-installed.

No other details about the device have been revealed, and pricing is still a mystery. But since we know RTX Spark devices won't be cheap, expect this device to cost somewhere in the thousands when it ships later this year.

The Surface RTX Dev Box will be Microsoft's first Surface-branded mini PC. This isn't the first dev box that the company has shipped, however. In 2023, Microsoft shipped the Windows Developer Kit, powered by a Snapdragon 8cx Gen3 with 32GB RAM, aimed at developers looking to build Windows apps for Arm.

The Surface RTX Spark Dev Box is a much more polished product, with a much wider target audience. It's for developers, but not just developers who want to build for Windows on Arm. It's for all developers, looking to build software and AI experiences. The company wants Windows to be the platform for developers, not just Windows developers.

We'll have more to share about the Surface RTX Spark Dev Box as information becomes available. In the meantime, is this a product you might be interested in buying? Let us know in the comments.

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Just days ago, Microsoft unveiled Surface Laptop Ultra, its most powerful and capable Surface PC yet, powered by NVIDIA's new RTX Spark superchip and Windows on Arm. It's a feat of engineering, featuring the most ports, the best display, and the largest trackpad ever fitted to a Surface.

I was able to get my hands on an early sample unit at Computex 2026, and to say I was impressed would be an understatement. Of course, the star of the show is the RTX Spark, which I was shown plenty of demos of showcasing its raw power. But we'll get to that later.

First up, let's talk about the design. Surface Laptop Ultra is basically a beefed-up Surface Laptop 8 15-inch. It's both thicker and heavier to accommodate the more powerful RTX Spark SoC, but this results in a device that feels incredible. It's chunky and hefty, but in a good way, just like the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

And "just like the 16-inch MacBook Pro" is the theme of this device. It's very clear to me that Microsoft is going after the high-end MacBook Pro crowd with Surface Laptop Ultra. While the device is very Surface, there's no denying that it also heavily resembles a MacBook Pro, right down to the port selection.

Surface Laptop Ultra features a full-sized HDMI port and two USB-C ports on the left, and one USB-C port, a USB-A port, and a full-sized SD card reader on the right. The USB-C port on the right is special, however. It's larger than a normal USB-C port and takes normal USB-C cables, but Microsoft wasn't willing to tell me why the port is larger.

Many Surface fans immediately noticed that Microsoft's Surface Connect port appears to be missing on Surface Laptop Ultra, but it seems that may not be entirely true. While the proprietary magnetic Surface Connect port is gone, I believe that Microsoft may have engineered the world's first breakaway USB-C port that maintains what made Surface Connect so special.

Of course, the company didn't confirm this to me, but it's clear that the right USB-C port is different for some reason. The company said it would have more to share about specific features of the Surface Laptop Ultra later this year, so we'll have to see. For now, I'm of the belief that this USB-C port features a breakaway design, perhaps even magnetic for easier alignment? Time will tell.

Moving onto the trackpad, which is the largest ever fitted to a Surface. It feels fantastic, and supports Windows 11's new haptic signals system that provides subtle feedback when you interact with certain parts of the Windows UI and apps. I've already done a full hands-on with this experience, but it elevates the Windows UX in a way similar to what haptics can do to phones. Everyone loves iPhone haptics, and Surface Laptop Ultra has a very similar feature.

The keyboard is also incredible, just like on the Surface Laptop 8. I'd argue that Surface has the best keyboard and trackpad in the business, matching or perhaps even surpassing that of the MacBook Pro. I had no complaints typing or mousing around on Surface Laptop Ultra. Windows felt very smooth and easy to use.

That's also helped by the 15-inch mini-LED screen, which is 120Hz and looks fantastic. I do wish it were an OLED display panel, but it's still incredibly crisp with great color contrast. Of course, Microsoft didn't share specific details on the display panel or color optimizations, but it looks great.

I wasn't able to test audio performance, but I'm assured that the speakers built into the device will rival the MacBook Pro 16-inch, which many consider to be the best speakers in a laptop you can buy.

Of course, it's what's under the hood that's making waves in the tech industry right now. This is Microsoft's first RTX Spark device, and its design was influenced by the raw power of RTX Spark. Surface Laptop Ultra is thicker to accommodate RTX Spark's thermal output, featuring the largest fans ever put in a Surface PC to keep the chip cool.

That means the device can get loud under max load. In a number of the demos I was shown, the Surface Laptop Ultra's fans were running at full blast, and I could hear them from a few feet away. With that said, under normal use, the device was essentially completely silent. I understand that the fans only spin up to max when under sustained load for long periods, which many of the demo units had been.

On RTX Spark performance, yeah, this is the real deal. It's an Arm SoC, meaning it relies on Microsoft's Prism emulation layer to run x86 apps that haven't been built natively for Windows on Arm yet. That's basically most video games and a number of obscure or less popular Windows apps, and in my hands-on time, I simply couldn't tell the difference.

Many of the games I was shown were running under emulation, but they were all running incredibly well with smooth framerates. NVIDIA and Microsoft weren't willing to show me FPS stats or any nitty-gritty details, but in my demo time, the games ran as if they were native, and that's no small feat for Windows on Arm. NVIDIA is essentially brute-forcing a native-feeling experience through its powerful chip.

Neither Microsoft nor NVIDIA, nor any other Windows OEMs for that matter, are marketing this first wave of RTX Spark devices as gaming machines, but it's very clear that they can game, should the user want to. That's not something you've really been able to say about Windows on Arm PCs up until now.

I was not allowed to run any benchmarks, likely for obvious reasons. All of the devices I was shown are running pre-release software, drivers, and firmware, in pre-production chassis and thermal envelopes. There's likely a lot of fine-tuning that still needs to take place before Microsoft or NVIDIA are ready to let us benchmark these properly.

App developers will also be able to make specific changes to their software to make them run better on RTX Spark. Adobe is one such company that is working to rearchitect its Premiere Pro and Photoshop apps for RTX Spark, and I was shown a demo that compared standard Premiere Pro and Premiere Pro enhanced for RTX Spark, which was able to render a scene much faster as a result.

Microsoft had already confirmed that Surface Laptop Ultra ships with 128GB of unified memory, but I was able to confirm that there will be more configurations available at various prices. That means you'll likely be able to get it with less RAM and storage, for those that do or do not need it.

Of course, Microsoft was not able to comment on pricing for those different configurations or battery life. No Windows OEMs are sharing that information currently, but all of them are targeting a fall 2026 release window, including Microsoft and Surface Laptop Ultra. That means we should hear more about specs, pricing, and availability in the next few months.

Surface Laptop Ultra is the best Surface PC that Microsoft has ever made, but that doesn't mean it's the best Surface PC for everyone. This is clearly a device designed for developers, creators, and professionals, utilizing on-device AI models, video or photo creation and editing, and data crunching. For the majority of us who only need a PC for light computing or productivity tasks, you'd be better served with a Surface Laptop 8 or equivalent PC.

Obviously, we haven't yet had a chance to live with Surface Laptop Ultra, so this isn't an endorsement just yet. But first impressions are incredibly strong. Hopefully, Microsoft can deliver with the final product later this year.

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Microsoft has nearly recovered all of its year-to-date stock market losses as of writing, as shares rally on Azure growth, homegrown AI, and the latest news coming out of Computex.

In case you've been sleeping under a rock (or a pile of silicon), NVIDIA and Microsoft announced a renewed push into an Arm-based Windows future over the past weekend.

Qualcomm's exclusivity deal for Snapdragon Arm chips has finally expired, and NVIDIA has immediately stepped in with its much-hyped N1X chipset, boasting RTX graphics and full-blown compatibility with "all" Windows apps, says NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang. They also showcased Forza Horizon 6 and 007 First Light running incredibly well on this chip, and we even have a new Surface Laptop Ultra coming later in the year to showcase it in full.

The news led to another solid uptick for Microsoft's stock price, which has taken a battering over the past year over its AI infrastructure spending. Investors had been worried that Microsoft is over-extending itself on capital expenditure, given that AI has yet to show a path towards real profitability.

Over the past few months, Microsoft has been focusing its AI efforts around the enterprise more and more — where the real money is — while taking a more measured posture with consumers. Microsoft has also been working to untangle itself from OpenAI and work more closely with Anthropic and other AI vendors, as well as building out its home-grown efficiency-focused Phi models.

So far, investors seem generally upbeat about the way Microsoft has been handling things more recently. A few weeks of rallies have seen Microsoft claw back much of the losses it endured over the past year, buttressed by a pretty loud pitch to improve quality for consumers across Xbox and Windows both. Microsoft's Windows K2 effort and its work to bridge its Xbox console and PC gaming ecosystems should also serve to breathe new life into the Windows ecosystem in the coming years.

The news out of Computex with NVIDIA N1X also led to an additional 3% upswing, while competing chip makers AMD and Intel shares sank slightly on the news. Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, and other analysts have been more upbeat on Microsoft lately, citing Copilot adoption and its boosted position on AI-oriented PC hardware. It's not all good news, though.

The AI infrastructure build-out has led to a monstrous explosion in memory prices, which has harmed consumer confidence and priced many more out of various markets for new tech spend. There's not a huge amount of information about how much N1X-based laptops could end up costing, but you probably shouldn't be surprised if the Surface Laptop Ultra ends up costing $2,999.99 or more.

There's still a big question mark hanging over the AI build-out in general. The vast amount of hype, claims of mass job losses, and circular investments have seen Microsoft and many of its Big AI cohorts be accused of operating in a gigantic fiscal bubble primed to implode. Perhaps this $MSFT rally will be short-lived if that's all true.

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