News usually slows down at the end of the year and as Christmas approaches, but that's not the case in 2025. There's a good chance you've gotten more meaningful pings than expected over the last few days. Obviously, I'm referring to the latest Windows Insider build and some last-minute PC deals!
Over the next week or so, plenty of people will gather around dinner tables and hang out in homes. I suggest having some news to talk about that's easy to digest and not so controversial.
"RAM prices sure have gone up lately, I'm glad I got my nephew a gaming PC for his birthday in July," you'll say. "Really? I can't afford a new PC. Can I make mine use less RAM?" your relative will ask.
But of course! you'll exclaim. Mauro Huculak has an excellent guide on how to reduce RAM usage on Windows 11. Holidays saved. 🎅❄️🎄🎁
Weekly Windows Wrap: The Big News
- How to reduce RAM usage on your PC
- Windows Insider Canary Channel catches up
- Dev and Beta Channel Insiders see improvements
- You can now lock your PC through your Android phone
Snark aside, things actually have slowed down on the Windows 11 news front since it's almost Christmas. But Insiders have some new features to play with, and Microsoft expanded the availability of the option to lock a PC from an Android phone through Link to Windows.
With RAM prices skyrocketing, our guide on how to reduce RAM usage on Windows 11 could be critical. If you can make sure your current PC meets your demands, you can put off buying a new one or upgrading.
Sales on Windows 11 PCs
Several of the best Windows laptops are on sale as we approach Christmas and the end of the year, as are some of the best gaming handhelds. But retailers did not make it easy to find the best bargains.
The Surface Pro 11 is discounted this week, but finding the best price takes way more effort than it should. If you want it in black, head to Newegg, but if you want it in Sapphire (blue) you have to jump over to Walmart. Amazon has the best price for the oft-forgotten "Dune" model (it's not based on the books).
Things got even muddier when an outlet claimed one deal was the best price ever. And while that was technically true for a very specific model at one specific retailer, that piece did not show the real best prices.
Hunting deals takes a lot of work. It's one part of my job I'm surprised still requires a human touch. In my experience, AI and tracking tools have a hard time finding the lowest prices and placing deals in context.
Even if an automated tool finds the lowest price on one model, it often misses things like a nearly identical version being on sale elsewhere. Due to stock availability, you'll occasionally see a model with a better chip, more RAM, or more storage cost less than a different model.
Unfortunately, the excellent deal on the most affordable Surface Laptop 7 (13.8-inch) with a Snapdragon X Elite was a 24-hour flash sale and has already ended. There is still, however, a good deal on a model with more storage.
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