Xbox price hikes hurt its value against PS5, a Microsoft PM roasts Windows 11, and Bing gets unexpected praise — top tech stories

They say there's no such thing as bad publicity. Microsoft may have some thoughts on that cliche, since the tech giant had a rough week recently. Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Xbox controller prices all spiked and Microsoft confirmed games will increase in price later this year.

Meanwhile, a Microsoft project manager mocked Windows 11 publicly and Bing received a backhanded compliment after people were paid to use the search engine and determined "Bing was not as bad as [they] thought it was."

Xbox price increases

The Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and a wave of Xbox controllers are now much more expensive. Microsoft announced the price increases for hardware and confirmed that some games will go up in price later this year.

In addition to disappointing fans by raising prices, Microsoft also gave up its value proposition. An Xbox Series S is now more expensive than a PlayStation 5 Slim Digital when comparing models with the same amount of storage.

I saw several jokes online about how Xbox Series X consoles purchased a few years ago are now classed as appreciating assets.

With former Xbox exclusives increasingly becoming available on other platforms and the recent price increases on all Xbox consoles, it's difficult to recommend an Xbox to anyone right now.

"Bing was not as bad as I thought it was"

Google uses monopolistic practices to leverage dominance in search in other markets, according to a recent Department of Justice (DOJ) filing. The tech giant was accused of robbing businesses and consumers of "their right to choose among competing services," according to the filing.

As Google sits in court over the claims, researchers shared findings from a study that appear to back up the DOJ's statements.

The study, titled Sources of Market Power in Web Search: Evidence from a Field Experiment, paid people to use Bing for two weeks. The participants were then given the choice to stick with Bing or go back to Google.

Around 22% of participants continued to use Bing. The academics behind the study also noticed that many do not switch away from whichever search engine is set as default, which is a core element of the ongoing DOJ case.

Microsoft employee mocks Windows 11

A Microsoft project manager drew criticism recently after mocking Windows 11. Merill Fernando took to X to share a meme about how returning to macOS after using Windows 11 was similar to going to space and returning to Earth.

While I credit the use of the Katy Perry meme, I was a bit surprised to see a Microsoft employee criticize Windows 11 so publicly. That being said, the internet backlash over the post was overblown in my opinion.

Reviews & Editorials

Each week our experts take a look at the latest gadgets, games, and accessories. Recently, our team reviewed the ASUS ROG Strix OLED 27 gaming monitor, which earned a perfect score. We also spent time with the Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition and updated our reviews of the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S to reflect the recent price increases for the consoles.

• Razer Pro Click V2 Vertical Edition ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
• SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini (Gen 3) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Xbox Series S review (Update) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• Xbox Series X review (Update) ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
• Skin Deep ⭐⭐⭐⭐
• ASUS ROG Strix OLED 27 (XG27UCDMG) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
• ASUS AirVision M1 ⭐⭐½
• HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro Wireless ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Deals of the Week

Amazon Gaming Week may have wrapped up, but there are still some great deals. For example, one of the hottest laptop deals of the week was available at Walmart, not Amazon. A deal on the MSI Thin 15 discounts the laptop to $699.

RTX 4060

MSI Thin 15
Was: $999.99
Now: $699 at Walmart

The best gaming laptop deal is still available from Walmart. This RTX 4060 and Core i5 combination has the power to run every modern game, and its 144Hz IPS display has plenty of space for high frame rates.

Standout feature: NVIDIA RTX 4060 Laptop graphics.

Display: 15.6 inches, 1920x1080 (FHD), IPS, 144Hz. CPU: Intel Core i5-13420H. GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 Laptop. RAM: 16GB DDR4. Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD.

👉See at: Walmart.com

❓Why Walmart? Returning Walmart+ members can currently save 50% off an annual membership. That saves you $49 for the year and grants access to perks like free shipping, exclusive prices, Paramount+ streaming, and much more.

💰Price check: MSI Thin 15 (Ryzen 9, RTX 4060) for $1,229

A Legend Revived 🐦‍🔥

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
Buy now: $41.49 at Fanatical (PC, Steam)

It didn't even take hours for one of the hottest releases of 2025 to enjoy its first discount, with multiple key resellers knocking the price down. Now it's even easier to be among thousands rushing to play the long-awaited Oblivion remaster.

👉See at: Fanatical.com or GreenManGaming.com or CDKeys.com

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Was: $49.99
Now: $34.59 at CDKeys (PC, Steam)

The first game from Sandfall Interactive blends the strategy and tactics of turn-based JRPG combat with real-time action mechanics. Wrapped up in a story-rich package that features a gorgeous French Baroque aesthetic, it could be one of this year's best games — and these preorder deals on it are fantastic.

✅Perfect for: Fans of turn-based JRPG combat, mastering dodge and parry mechanics in action games, and story-rich single player experiences.

❌Don't buy if: You're looking for something with multiplayer, turn-based combat without real-time mechanics, or science fiction.

👀See at: CDKeys

💰Price check: $44.99 at Steam

🔎Deluxe Edition: $41.19 at CDKeys

Microsoft 365 Personal (12 months): was $99.99 now $69.99 at Walmart

This is the best deal we can find on Microsoft 365 Personal. The discounted subscription gets you 12 months of Office, OneDrive storage, and everything else included with Microsoft 365 for $69.99.

✅Perfect for: Anyone who wants the best experience for Microsoft 365 or its Office applications. This subscription grants access to a large library of applications across several devices.

❌Avoid if: You need Microsoft 365 for more than one person.