I've never seen PC component prices hit such a high in all my life as they have in 2026, and it's making it really hard to upgrade or build new. As a fellow PC gamer and build enthusiast, I know how the struggle feels.
While I can't predict when the RAM and SSD crisis will end, I can offer some deals on PC components I found at Amazon Prime Day and Newegg's competing FantasTech sale.
Whether it's a new SSD, more RAM, a speedy GPU, a gaming CPU, or a bundle with extra savings, these are the best PC component deals I was able to find so far.
You can get twice as much storage as the discounted 1TB model for only about $143 more, which really isn't much in this current SSD climate. The price hasn't been this low in nearly five months, and this is a stellar M.2 PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD.
AMD's Ryzen 7 7800X3D is STILL one of the absolute best gaming CPUs you can buy in 2026, and it's now $100 off at Newegg for a limited time. Just be sure to use code FTTF72 at checkout. Get a free Cooler Master Elite Liquid 240 AiO cooler with the deal.
This is one of the few bundles offering RAM; in this case, it's 16GB of DDR5 from T-Force Delta RGB. It's paired with an ASUS ROG Strix B650E-I Gaming motherboard and a 1TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD. Add a CPU, and you're off to the races.
Don't want to piece your own PC together? No problem. This pre-built with an Intel Core i5-14400F CPU, Intel Arc B570 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD is more powerful than the Steam Machine and costs quite a bit less.
Don't need to overspend on the Ryzen 7 9800X3D? No problem. AMD's Ryzen 5 9600X is a great chip, and this bundle pairs it with a Gigabyte B850 AORUS Elite motherboard and a Samsung 990 PRO 1TB SSD. You get a free Cooler Master Elite Liquid 240 AiO cooler with the bundle.
This bundle has exactly what you need to kickstart a killer gaming PC, including the best possible CPU in the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Newegg is also throwing in a free Cooler Master Elite Liquid 240 AiO with an $80 value.
This is easily some of the best DDR5-6000 RAM on the market, and even without inflated prices, it's generally more expensive than alternatives. Newegg is dropping the price by $115 when you use code FTTF374 at checkout.
Corsair's Vengeance DDR5-6000 RAM is what I have in my PC, and it's serving me very well. Newegg has a regular sale price of $435.99 active, but you can save an additional $46 by using code FTTF378 at checkout.
The 1TB model is the most affordable 9100 PRO version out there, falling by 39% to hit $206.99. This is the lowest price I've seen in 2026; just make sure you don't need the 2TB or 4TB versions, also on sale.
This is arguably the best M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD you can buy in 2026, both for speed and reliability. It costs more than some of the competition, but this massive deal helps ease the pain.
Storage is nearly as pricey as RAM, but this speedy M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe drive lands you 4TB of space for $0.10 per GB. Not bad at all; just be sure to use code FTTF462 at checkout for the complete discount.
AMD's Ryzen 7 7700X remains a stellar Zen 4 chip for gaming that uses the common AM5 socket. It has 8 cores and 16 threads, with DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 support.
This monster CPU is great for gaming and for work, boasting 12 cores and a 4.4GHz clock. Get the full $70 discount by using code FTTF74 at checkout, and Newegg is tossing in a free Cooler Master Elite Liquid 240 AiO cooler, an $80 value.
Plenty of VRAM, a triple-fan cooling setup, and NVIDIA's DLSS 4.5 techniques make this one hell of a gaming GPU. It's normally $67 off, but Newegg will knock off another $30 if you have a Newegg account.
Amazon Prime Day is typically the best time to buy new tech during the summer, and it's especially meaningful this year as PC component prices have skyrocketed.
Which countries are taking part in Prime Day 2026?
While Windows Central primarily covers Amazon Prime Day sales in the United States and the United Kingdom, the event takes place in 26 countries, including Canada and Ireland.
Do I need an Amazon Prime membership for Prime Day?
Yes, Amazon's rivals are running competing events, including Best Buy's "Tech Fest", Newegg's "FantasTech Sale", and Walmart's "Deals & More", which all end on June 28, 2026. Each retailer can offer its own membership perks, such as My Best Buy Plus / Total and Walmart Plus, and it's important to remember that Amazon does not always offer the best deal during Prime Day. Windows Central will compare prices across retailers, so you can choose the best fit for you.
I'm a huge fan of many "Soulslike" action RPGs that draw heavy inspiration from FromSoftware hits like Elden Ring and the Dark Souls series, though ultimately, I feel many of them lack the refinement and polish of the studio's work.
Lords of the Fallen 2 was originally scheduled to launch in 2026, but developer CI Games has just announced that it's delaying the dark fantasy ARPG into Q1 2027. Given how excited I am for the game, I was quite disappointed to see this at first, but after reading the studio's reasoning, I actually don't mind the extra wait at all.
"Lords of the Fallen II is now set for a Q1 2027 release window. As development progresses, we have worked closely with the Gameplay Feedback Team, a dedicated group of seasoned Souls-like veterans within our Launch Creative Team," writes CI Games CEO Marek Tyminski. "Their valuable ongoing input, combined with the team’s vision, has identified meaningful opportunities to further refine and strengthen the overall experience."
"These enhancements will benefit from additional integration, iteration, and polishing time, enabling the team to deliver the highest possible quality at launch," he added.
Tyminski then went on to note that moving the release date back also gives Lords of the Fallen some breathing room, as plenty of big games are set to come out on the tail end of 2026. One that will no doubt come to mind for pretty much everyone is GTA 6, which is expected to have a launch so massive that the entire industry is shifting release schedules around it.
"This updated release window also strategically positions Lords of the Fallen II outside of a highly competitive holiday period, ensuring the game receives the dedicated attention it deserves," he said.
He then promised fans that "The team remains fully energized by the strong response to our recent reveals and is deeply focused on delivering a standout dark fantasy action RPG and a worthy successor to the Lords of the Fallen franchise."
"We are grateful for the continued passion, feedback, and support from our community, and we look forward to sharing more updates in the coming months," Tyminski added.
So, ultimately, Lords of the Fallen 2 is being pushed back for continued gameplay refinements and to give it a better chance to perform well — both of which will hopefully result in a more enjoyable and successful experience. For that, I hardly mind waiting a few more months, though after seeing how good the game looks in trailers like the one I embedded above, I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish I could get my hands on it sooner.
What are your thoughts on how Lords of the Fallen 2 is looking? Let me know in the comments, and in our poll.
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Excited for Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders to go live? Us too! But hold on to your wallets, before you hit that pre-order button, there’s a savvy way to shave a few dollars off the final cost.
While the game itself isn't officially discounted from its $80 price tag ($100 for the Ultimate Edition) just yet, you can effectively create your own discount by topping up your Xbox or PlayStation account using discounted gift cards from Loaded. By purchasing these cards at a lower price than their face value, you lower your total cost of GTA 6.
Thanks to Loaded, we can stack and save. Don't just buy one gift card; mix and match denominations to get you as close to $80 (or $100 if you are going for the Ultimate Edition) as possible.
For the Standard Edition ($80): You could grab a $50 gift card and three $10 gift cards. Because of the current discounts on Loaded, you’ll pay less than $80 in total, leaving you with a little extra cash in your pocket.
For the Ultimate Edition ($100): (My favorite strategy) is to grab four $25 gift cards for $23.49 each. This nets you the full $100 balance for only $93.96, saving you over $6 on day one.
The $25 Xbox Gift Card is currently the best value as it has 6% shaved off the price, so as previously mentioned, the best strategy here is to grab 4 of these to stack for the $100 Ultimate Edition. View Deal
Are you seriously telling me to go through this just to save $6?
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
If you aren't the type of person who is willing to jump through a few hoops to save some cash, then you’ve definitely come to the wrong place. I am more than happy to inconvenience myself for the sake of a discount, especially with how expensive gaming has become.
While the $80 price tag for Grand Theft Auto 6 wasn't as painful as we all feared, the reality is that much of the content is gated behind the $100 Ultimate Edition, effectively making it the "essential" purchase if you’re as hyped for this game as I am. In that respect, the more I can justify the price, the better. An extra $6 is an extra $6. I could buy Vampire Survivors again for that price and have a dollar to spare!
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Generative AI has made a significant impact across education, computing, medicine, entertainment, and more. However, all that progress comes with a hefty price tag. The amount of electricity these systems burn through, plus the insane amounts of water needed to keep them cool, is honestly outrageous.
Earlier this month, Microsoft shared an interesting concept that may potentially address the water concerns riddling the progression and advancement of AI. CEO Satya Nadella revealed that the tech giant uses a liquid loop in its data centers, which is filled once. As a result, the company's data centers' water consumption has reduced significantly, down to"what a single restaurant would use."
And now it looks like NVIDIA is taking a page from Microsoft’s playbook. Speaking at London Climate Week on Monday, a top executive suggested that water concerns tied to data center development could be addressed through the company's next-generation AI infrastructure.
The executive further disclosed that the company's new next-gen AI infrastructure can be fully cooled with a liquid warm enough to alleviate the need for additional chilling equipment (Axios).
According to NVIDIA's Chief Sustainability Officer, Josh Parker:
"The water consumption challenge for data centers is largely solved."
How does this liquid work? It’s basically a recirculated mix of water and propylene — think automotive antifreeze. It’s worth noting that the system can operate at temperatures up to 113 degrees Fahrenheit.
As such, this allows it to function reliably in hotter environments compared to older systems. In practical terms, data centers equipped with NVIDIA’s next-generation AI infrastructure will require significantly less water and energy for cooling, reducing both operational costs and environmental impact.
This announcement comes at a time when concerns over water and energy use are mounting, as data centers continue to expand into community corridors. Microsoft has seemingly embraced the "Community-First" AI infrastructure, which addresses some of the issues raised by communities themselves, including reducing its water consumption and promising not to increase electricity bills.
Elsewhere, Microsoft’s plan to build a $1 billion data center in Kenya came to an abrupt halt in early May after the government declined to commit to covering the annual capacity costs Microsoft had requested to run Azure in the region. President William Ruto remarked that the facility’s power demands would be so immense that it would effectively require “switching off half the country” to keep it operational.
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Sim games are getting more mainstream, and I'm happy to see it. Euro Truck Simulator 2 is one of the most (surprisingly) addictive games I've played in recent memory, and Amazon Prime Day sales are making it easier for me to recommend, alongside its American Truck Simulator sibling. It's a PC-only title for now, but Xbox and PlayStation releases have been teased for a while.
So, if you wanted to drive a virtual truck around a representation of your home state or your favorite European country, what exactly do you need to get started? Well, you can play either game with a mouse and keyboard, but any kind of controller makes it a better experience. Here's what I recommend for a basic steering wheel setup, with optional extras and higher-end alternatives.
The absolute basics: A wheel and pedals
Thrustmaster already made an entry-level wheel (T128), but its TMX regularly undercuts it with deals like this. This comes with an accelerator and brake pedal, and enough buttons to handle common truck controls.
You'll rarely see coverage of racing wheels without the G29 mentioned, and it's for a good reason. Logitech makes great wheels, and while this one is built for PlayStation, it's totally compatible with trucking on Windows.
Now we're talking. If you don't need to hear my pitch on truck simulators because you're already in the know, then MOZA's bundle of its TSW truck wheel, direct drive base, desk clamp, and pedals is the ultimate option.
Most trucks in the game offer an automatic gearbox, but there's a real sense of satisfaction when you shift through gears yourself, even if this doesn't really cover the size of a real-world truck's gearbox. It's still fun.
"Travel across Europe as king of the road, a trucker who delivers important cargo across impressive distances! With dozens of cities to explore, your endurance, skill and speed will all be pushed to their limits."
Yes, any peripheral made for the Xbox with a USB connection generally offers even more features on a Windows PC. Steering wheels are simply a set of analog and digital inputs translated to game functions with a driver from the manufacturer's website. Most games on Xbox consoles allow you to customize button functions on racing wheels, but a PC will offer even more personalization.
Yes, Amazon's rivals are running competing events, including Best Buy's "Tech Fest", Newegg's "FantasTech Sale", and Walmart's "Deals & More", which all end on June 28, 2026. Each retailer can offer its own membership perks, such as My Best Buy Plus / Total and Walmart Plus, and it's important to remember that Amazon does not always offer the best deal during Prime Day. Windows Central will compare prices across retailers, so you can choose the best fit for you.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
PowerToys just received a small but important update that brings the app to version 0.100.1. The update focuses on fixes to version 0.100.0 of the app, which included a bunch of new features.
Normally I wouldn't cover a small update to an app, but in this case the bugs prevented core features of PowerToys from working. Luckily, the bugs have been squashed.
One issue caused keys that had been remapped to non-modifier keys to be delivered as system-key events. An example of that is mapping Alt to Backspace could result in deleting whole words instead of individual characters.
Another bug prevented monitors from waking from standby after selecting On through Power Display.
The developers of PowerToys log all the changes to the app on GitHub.
This collection of utilities includes a large library of features to enhance the Windows experience. PowerToys is designed with power users in mind, but it has handy features for people who just use their PC for everyday computing too.
This patch release fixes several important stability and behavior issues identified in v0.100.0 based on incoming reports. Check out the v0.100.0 notes for the full list of changes.
Color Picker
Fixed a bug where the main Color Picker window could appear inside the zoomed-in picker view in #48762 by @daverayment
Command Palette
Fixed Run history initialization in AOT builds in #48463
Fixed a bug where the Performance Monitor dock item could show ??? after restart in #48682 by @giruuuuj
Fixed the Hibernate command using the Sleep icon in #48689 by @MrBisquit
Limited the "pin to dock" dialog to displays where the dock is enabled in #48723
Keyboard Manager
Fixed modifier keys remapped to non-modifier keys being delivered as system-key events, which caused unexpected behavior in apps such as Alt-to-Backspace deleting whole words in #47192 by @oMatheusmol
Power Display
Fixed a bug where selecting On in the monitor power-state control did not wake a monitor from standby in #48628
Fixed built-in display detection and brightness control on dual-GPU laptops where the internal panel is driven by the discrete GPU in #48637
PowerToys Run
Fixed VS Code Workspaces discovery after VS Code moved recently opened workspace data to shared storage in #47505
Quick Access
Fixed Quick Access flyout crashes caused by unhandled XAML exceptions during launch or page navigation in #48457
Shortcut Guide
Fixed a crash when navigating between Shortcut Guide sidebar sections in #48481
Fixed number-key rendering in shortcut manifests and added a Postman shortcut manifest in #48461 by @brycewc
Updated bundled shortcut manifests to use the literal number-key token so number keys render correctly across apps in #48757 by @brycewc
ZoomIt
Fixed a race condition in audio initialization for ZoomIt video recording in #48685 by @MarioHewardt
Power Display is one of my favorite utilities in PowerToys. It allows you to manage the brightness and other settings of your external monitor through a series of flyouts. It saves me the hassle of reaching around the bottom or back of my display to adjust settings with awkward buttons.
The recently fixed bug took away core functionality of Power Display, so I'm happy to see it addressed.
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The price of entry to Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) has finally been revealed, and it's not as much as everyone was expecting, but there are a few caveats.
Rockstar has confirmed the standard release of GTA 6 will be $79.99, and the Ultimate Edition will be $99.99. Not as outrageous as any of us were expecting, but if you dig a little deeper, the Standard Edition is locking some content behind that price. Bluntly, if you want to play the full game, it's going to cost $100.
The Ultimate price tag gates some in-game content
(Image credit: Rockstar)
For that extra $20, Rockstar is locking more than just cosmetic items behind the paywall. Details so far confirm that the Ultimate Edition includes exclusive access to five specific in-game stores for the single-player experience. These locations, ranging from specialized mod shops like "Rideout Customs" and "One-Eyed Willie’s" to unique clothing stores, hair salons, and tattoo parlors, are restricted solely to Ultimate Edition owners.
Whether locking single-player customization options behind a higher-tier edition will sit well with the fanbase remains to be seen, especially as there is currently no mention of these stores being available in GTA Online.
The industry has been abuzz for quite some time on what the price of GTA 6 was going to be, with some predicting it was going to be a base price of $100 and while the reality is $20 cheaper, I'd argue that in locking areas behind the Ultimate price tag, they might as well have stuck to predictions. Will anyone really excited for the game want to pay for less access?
The physical edition is just a code in a box
(Image credit: Rockstar Games)
Perhaps even more contentious than the outrageous gatekeeping pricing, is the reality for physical media collectors. Despite the title having a boxed release, Rockstar confirmed that the physical version will contain only a download code in the box.
There is no disc included, continuing the industry's trend of moving away from physical media, even for a release as huge as GTA 6.
"Grand Theft Auto VI plays best on PS5"
Sony is already throwing hands over GTA6 (Image credit: Getty Images)
Sony is using the opportunity to go hard on its marketing, claiming in a blog post that PS5 will be the best place to play GTA 6.
They report that they've worked with Rockstar to take advantage of PS5's more immersive features, such as the DualSense controller, which responds to your gameplay and adds another dimension to key in-game moments. I wonder if Xbox will have anything to say about that?
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With GTA 6 pre-orders going live at midnight tonight, the pressure is on to ensure your hardware is up to the task, especially since the title is exclusive to current-gen consoles. If you haven't upgraded yet, Amazon Prime week Day is the perfect time to secure an Xbox Series X.
I'm not going to pretend that the current deal sets the gaming world alight, but it does bring us closer to an actually reasonable price for Xbox's flagship console. This is currently the only active deal for the Series X. You can pick it up for $573 at Amazon, saving you $76.99 just in time for the GTA 6 launch.
A rare price drop since the initial increases on September 19, 2025, the standard Series X is edging closer to being a bargain again. This edition includes a disc drive, too.
The Xbox Series X 1TB will be the best place to play GTA 6
(Image credit: Windows Central | Jez Corden)
The Xbox Series X remains the gold standard for Xbox gaming, and will be the best place to experience GTA 6 (if you don't want to fork out PS5 Pro prices, that is). With a custom 8-core Zen 2 CPU and 12 teraflops of RDNA 2 GPU power, it is built to handle the heavy lifting that Rockstar’s latest beast of a game will demand.
This deal is mostly for those who have been waiting for the right moment to retire an aging Xbox One X or Series S. This console generation has been a rocky one, with prices being hiked upward rather than dropping as the hardware ages, so we always knew steep discounts were off the table. However, if you are looking to upgrade without heading to the second-hand market, this is the most sensible way to do it.
Is Xbox Series X better than Xbox Series S?
With the Xbox Series X|S consoles, Microsoft offers options to suit different budgets. Both the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S play the same games, but the Xbox Series X delivers superior graphics processing power. This means it can handle higher resolutions, enhanced visual effects, and occasionally higher framerates — up to 120 FPS in some games.
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Whether it's summer classes or early prep for a fresh college start in the fall, Amazon Prime Day (and all the other competing sales) is a perfect time to set your student up for success on the cheap.
I've combed through the best deals from Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, and more to come up with this varied list of laptops, monitors, and accessories.
I found quite a list of thin and light PCs starting at just $479 that are perfect for students, and be sure to scroll through to the accessories that complement them!
"The Acer Aspire 14 AI shines as a budget laptop, hitting an affordable price point for solid Lunar Lake processing speeds, excellent battery life, a satisfying keyboard, and a sturdy chassis." — Claire Tabari
With a capable Snapdragon X SoC, 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, 512GB SSD, and a 14-inch 2K touch display, this is a great PC for students who need long battery life in a slim and light package.
This deep sale lands you a 15.6-inch display with 2K resolution, 16GB of RAM, 512GB SSD, and a capable Intel Core i7-1355U CPU. A full keyboard with number pad is definitely a perk.
"Let's cut to the chase: the HP OmniBook X Flip 16 is a brilliant laptop. This 16-inch 2-in-1 daintily pirouettes between laptop and tablet modes, the 16-inch OLED touchscreen is stupendous, and the performance from the mid-pack Intel Lunar Lake processor – both in games and productivity – is spot on." — Sasha Muller
"Powered by Qualcomm's new Snapdragon X processor and now with a stunning 120Hz OLED display and flexible Flex Keyboard, Microsoft's new Surface Pro 11 is the most exciting version since the original Surface Pro. Excellent performance and battery life make this Copilot+ PC a must-recommend."
"This laptop is honestly a great option for around $1,000, even though I'm genuinely not a fan of HP's new "lattice-less" keyboard design. Good hardware and plenty of configuration options seal the deal, and frequent sales make the OmniBook X Flip 14 even more enticing."
"Overall, the Dell XPS 13 with Snapdragon is a fantastic laptop. It's an ultraportable machine that's now more capable than ever thanks to that Snapdragon X Elite. It lasts all day and can handle most tasks with ease. It runs quiet for the most part, and looks super stylish and unlike any other laptop on the market."
"The Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro makes for a fantastic AI laptop with its Series 2 Intel Core Ultra processor, Intel Arc 140V GPU, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD, and AMOLED touchscreen. You'll be able to stream shows, run basic programs, and surf the web for a very long time due to its long-lasting battery. It can even handle creative programs and gaming."
This is about as affordable as quality wireless mice get, and if you don't want to splurge for the MX Master 3S, this is a stellar alternative that works with all devices.
A quality webcam is a priceless addition to any student's arsenal, allowing for easy collaboration (and calls home). Logitech makes some of the best cams around, and this is a great deal on a great accessory.
What student doesn't need some extra storage? This 256GB microSD card is one of the most popular in the world, with a 4.7-star rating on Amazon with more than 265,000 reviews.
"Logitech has been refining this design for years to great effect, and its latest iteration is comfortable, packed with features, and works across multiple devices and platforms. It's not perfect, but it's awfully close."
Perfect for the dorm room or a home office setup, Acer's KB272 is an affordable 27" IPS monitor with a 120Hz refresh rate, 2K resolution, 99% sRGB color, and plenty of ports.
Amazon's Prime Day is an annual event that sees a ton of sales on great tech, but it's certainly not the only event on the go. Competing retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, Newegg, and many more often have better deals on similar products, and I'm always checking the big names for the best prices.
Which countries are taking part in Prime Day 2026?
While Windows Central primarily covers Amazon Prime Day sales in the United States and the United Kingdom, the event takes place in 26 countries, including Canada and Ireland.
Do I need an Amazon Prime membership for Prime Day?
Yes, Amazon's rivals are running competing events, including Best Buy's "Tech Fest", Newegg's "FantasTech Sale", and Walmart's "Deals & More", which all end on June 28, 2026. Each retailer can offer its own membership perks, such as My Best Buy Plus / Total and Walmart Plus, and it's important to remember that Amazon does not always offer the best deal during Prime Day. Windows Central will compare prices across retailers, so you can choose the best fit for you.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Amazon Prime Day week is happening right now, which is helping make good Windows 11 PCs more affordable in this current component pricing crisis climate across the entire retail space. With new laptops skyrocketing in price, deals on last-gen products like this Dell XPS 13 with a Snapdragon X Elite for $999 shouldn't be ignored, especially as it comes with 32GB RAM.
With RAM costing so much these days, devices with more than 16GB RAM usually come at a high premium. That makes this deal even more lucrative, as 32GB RAM laptops now often cost north of $1,000, and even more so on flagship devices with premium components and build qualities like the XPS 13.
As portable as it gets, this iconic 13-inch XPS laptop features Qualcomm's high-end, first-generation Snapdragon X processor for all-day battery life and a gorgeous (non-touch) OLED screen.
Powered by the Snapdragon X Elite, with 32GB RAM and 1TB storage, the Dell XPS 13 is an excellent flagship Windows 11 laptop. It has a 13.4-inch OLED display which looks absolutely amazing, and it's paired with Dell's best-in-class haptic trackpad and zero lattice keyboard design which makes the device look very futuristic.
It's a device made out of premium materials that feel great in the hand, including a CNC-machined aluminum chassis. It's one of Dell's thinnest and lightest laptops, coming in at just 2.2lbs and 0.60 inches. It features all day battery life too thanks to efficient Arm SoC that powers things under the hood.
The chip itself is Qualcomm's flagship SoC from 2024, meaning it's perfectly capable for most tasks you'll want to throw at it. It can do light gaming, video and photo editing, and breeze through productivity workflows, heavy multitasking, and more thanks to that added 32GB RAM headroom,
It has two USB4 Type‑C ports supporting DisplayPort and power delivery. Wireless performance is handled by Qualcomm FastConnect 7800, bringing Wi‑Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for future‑proof networking.
Overall, it's an incredible laptop with lots of power and performance under the hood. And 32GB RAM on a flagship laptop in 2026 for under $1,000 is tough to come by, so I'd snap this deal up while it's still available.
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The Razer Seiren V3 Pro arrives as a pro‑level streaming microphone that finally feels like the centerpiece of Razer’s recent run of impressive peripherals. It pairs studio‑grade hardware — a large 30 mm dynamic capsule, USB‑C and XLR outputs, and tactile controls — with deep Synapse software and Chroma RGB flair, aiming to satisfy both serious creators and RGB enthusiasts.
This review cuts through the marketing: I’ll show what the mic actually sounds like, how its software and features stack up against rivals, and whether it’s worth swapping in for your current setup.
Razerhad no input, nor did it see the contents of this review, prior to publication.
What it is
The Razer Seiren V3 Pro ($249.99 / €289.99) is a hybrid dynamic microphone tailored specifically for streamers, podcasters, and music producers.
At its heart sits a custom 30 mm dynamic capsule purpose-built to capture broadcast-style depth and natural warmth.
Structurally, it features a robust, resonance-resistant zinc unibody frame paired with an integrated, vibration-dampened adjustable arm mount.
To round out its premium aesthetic, it includes a gorgeous Razer Chroma RGB lighting ring that doubles as a real-time status and live mute indicator, which can be enabled by the mic button.
Quick set up
(Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Unboxing the Razer Seiren V3 Pro is refreshingly simple. Unlike many high-end microphones that leave you scrambling to buy external accessories, this mic is entirely ready to rock right out of the box.
It features an included desktop stand, a built-in shock absorber, and a removable pop filter. Just plug it in via the included USB Type-C cable, complete a quick configuration, and you are up and running.
If you want to jump into the pro tier immediately, you can just as easily route an XLR cable (not included) straight from the base into an audio interface or mixer.
It’s a frictionless setup that gives you studio-grade enhancements with zero technical expertise required.
How it's different
USB, XLR, microphone port, and gain control are on the bottom of the Seiren V3 Pro. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The Seiren V3 Pro separates itself from the pack by flawlessly bridging mainstream USB convenience and professional XLR performance.
Its primary direct competitor in this hybrid category is the HyperX Flipcast, which we've also reviewed. However, the Seiren V3 Pro secures a massive hardware victory right away: it includes a high-quality desktop stand and integrated shock mount in the box, whereas the Flipcast notoriously ships without a stand or boom arm, forcing an immediate extra purchase.
Furthermore, the software support here is on an entirely different level. While HyperX’s NGENUITY app offers rudimentary controls, Razer Synapse unlocks deep, granular audio customization:
32-Bit Float Support: Available via Synapse, this format captures a dramatically wider dynamic range to effectively eliminate digital clipping and distortion.
Advanced Audio DSP: Houses an advanced parametric EQ, noise gate, compressor, limiter, and AI noise remover directly powered by an onboard hardware engine.
Synapse Advanced Mixing: Allows for multi-channel stream routing right within the application interface.
What it's great at
A big mute button on the side is enabled/disabled with a light tap, so you don't disturb the mic while on a mount. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The biggest hardware triumph here is the dual-connectivity workflow. Having both USB-C and XLR connections on one microphone offers massive advantages, though it comes with standard hybrid trade-offs:
The Pros: It provides immense versatility. Newcomers can start with a simple, plug-and-play desktop configuration and seamlessly transition into an advanced analog signal chain down the road without buying a new microphone. Interestingly, you can keep both the USB and XLR cables plugged in simultaneously and dynamically switch between them on your Windows PC.
The Cons: You are paying a premium for dual internal electronics, and advanced Synapse software functions (like 32-bit float, the parametric EQ, and advanced mixing) are strictly limited to the digital USB connection.
During testing, there wasn't a noticeable difference in tonal warmth when swapping between the two connections, but the USB interface emerged as the clear favorite for me purely because it unlocks Synapse's superior sound features and DSP suite.
My experience otherwise with the mic has been great. You can hear it in action in the short review video accompanying this article, as well as on our recent Windows Central Podcast, Episode #396.
For now, I plan to keep using this mic over my HyperX ProCast. While the ProCast is an excellent, gold-sputtered large-diaphragm XLR condenser, it is strictly analog, requires 48V phantom power, and entirely lacks the modern digital conveniences, RGB integration, and software agility that make the Seiren V3 Pro so effortless to use daily.
Plus, while the ProCast had an original MSRP of $199.99 and dropped as low as $99.99 on sale, it now appears to be discontinued and increasingly hard to find, completely out of stock at both Best Buy and HyperX.
Daniel RubinoDaniel RubinoDaniel Rubino
The Razer Synapse software features offer brilliant audio tuning, particularly the automatic environment noise test and AI noise remover. They do a spectacular job of silencing background hums and room reflections.
The Razer Synapse setup here was awesome: Hit a button and record yourself talking for 10 seconds. Hit another button and say nothing for 10 seconds. Then answer a few questions, e.g., what is your goal here (streamer, podcast, general, etc.) and what do you have fans running, environmental noise, etc. From that data, the system suggests your tuning, which you can then accept, and you're done. You can re-run the process anytime in Synapse should anything change.
The only minor catch is that the aggressive noise cancellation can occasionally cut your voice out a bit during quieter moments. Because of this, some manual tweaking of the noise gate threshold may still be needed to get it dialed in perfectly.
Finally, if you are already invested in Razer’s ecosystem—sporting a Razer keyboard, mouse, or monitor—adding this mic beautifully completes the package. The Chroma RGB ring integrates flawlessly into your existing lighting profiles, satisfying RGB enthusiasts while giving clear visual feedback on your live mute status via the tap-to-mute sensor.
Who's it for
The mic is "naked" without its pop-filter, which slides off. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
This microphone is built for the forward-thinking content creator. It is perfect for game streamers, podcasters, and hybrid musicians who want beautiful aesthetic flair and USB simplicity today, but demand the studio-grade security of an XLR output as their production setup grows.
Should you buy the Razer Seiren V3 Pro?
I ended up liking the Seiren V3 Pro more than I expected, largely due to the software and DSP controls. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
You should buy it if ...
✅ You want USB‑C now, XLR later.
✅ You use Razer Synapse/Chroma and want full integration.
✅ You need onboard DSP (32‑bit float, AI noise removal) to cut post‑work.
You should not buy this if ...
❌ You prefer a pure XLR, software‑free workflow.
❌ You’re on a tight budget and don’t need RGB or Synapse.
❌You need full feature parity on macOS without Windows Synapse.
Admittedly, my "you should not buy ifs" here are nitpicky. You can just use this as an XLR mic with a software-free workflow if you want and not worry about USB or software. But there are also more affordable XLR-only mics, hence the con.
At $249.99, Razer positions the Seiren V3 Pro firmly in the higher-end premium tier compared to the HyperX Flipcast (which currently sits at $179.99 against a $229.99 MSRP) and the now-evaporated ProCast.
However, for me, the incredible Razer Synapse DSP more than makes up for that higher cost. The sheer quality of the out-of-the-box hardware processing saves massive time in post-production. I didn't expect that to be the big selling point, but it's clever software and the kind of "don't think about it" setups I prefer.
While you could look at other heavy hitters at this price point like the Shure MV7+ or SteelSeries Alias Pro, Razer brings an unmatched physical build quality, out-of-the-box completeness, and ecosystem synergy to your desk. It delivers studio sound, simply and effortlessly.
Razer
Razer Seiren V3 Pro Microphone
Razer's new studio‑grade mic with 32‑bit float clarity, USB/XLR flexibility, built‑in DSP and pop filter, RGB status ring, and durable zinc design for clean, professional sound in streaming or recording setups.
Recovering your Windows 11 PC just got easier. This week, Microsoft rolled out point-in-time restore for Windows 11 to general users. The feature creates restore points automatically that you can revert to if there's an issue with your computer.
Point-in-time restore is available to Enterprise, Pro, and Home users of Windows 11. According to Microsoft, the feature can recover a PC in minutes rather than hours.
When you have Point-in-time restore enabled, the feature automatically captures the system state of your PC, including Windows, installed apps, system and app configurations, settings, and your local files.
By default, restore points are captured every 24 hours, but you can configure that to a different cadence if you're an Enterprise user.
The feature is on by default on Windows Home and Windows Pro devices as long as they are not under enterprise management. Point-in-time restore is off by default for some enterprise-managed systems until Windows 11 version 26H2is installed.
If a PC has an OS volume size under 200GB, point-in-time restore will be disabled by default.
Microsoft already had other features that are somewhat similar, such as System Restore and point-in-time restore for Windows 365 Enterprise. But both of those have key differences when compared to point-in-time restore for Windows 11.
System Restore requires manual capture of an image and does not include user files as part of the restore point. It's also accessible through the Control Panel rather than system settings and takes up more space on your PC.
Point-in-time restore for Windows 11 also provides benefits to IT admins, since the feature can be remotely managed with a wide set of controls.
Point-in-time for Windows 365 Enterprise is for Cloud PCs. It's also limited to Enterprise users.
Over two million devices had point-in-time restore enabled while the feature was in public preview. Microsoft said it used the time in preview to improve the feature based on feedback.
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Getting into Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 opens up a very deep rabbit hole of potential accessories to make your experience better and more realistic. I'm starting to fall down it myself, moving away from using a controller to something with better control over my virtual planes.
There's a lot to choose from, with options for tighter budgets, those looking for more advanced hardware, and everywhere in between. Amazon Prime Day is a great chance to get yourself a flight stick, yoke, or rudder pedals, and I've rounded up the best deals you need to see.
Each of the items below has been hand-tested by Windows Central experts, so you know they're worth your time and money.
For those with an Xbox Series X or Series S console — the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flight is the gateway to the best Flight Simulator experience. Turtle Beach has singlehandedly delivered a monumental leap in the quality of console gear. ~ Matt Brown, Former Senior Editor
"Compatible with Xbox consoles and Windows PC, the VelocityOne Flightstick is perfect for immersive simulations or action-packed space flights with eight high-precision axes. " ~ Ben Wilson, Senior Editor
Thrustmaster doesn't pretend that the T.Flight HOTAS One is a premium flight stick, as it carefully cuts back on any excessive features like built-in displays or unnecessary RGB, sticking instead to a no-frills shell and focusing on the responsive joystick and throttle combination. ~ Ben Wilson, Senior Editor
Honeycomb Aeronautical's award-winning Alpha Flight Controls is updated and compatible with Xbox (with the external Xbox hub accessory) and is one of the absolute best options for flight sim players when combined with the equally great Bravo Throttle Quadrant. ~ Zachary Boddy, Former Staff Writer
Part of a wider effort to simplify a yoke and throttle setup and, in turn, offer a more affordable price tag to help new players ease their way into an ultra-realistic simulation rig — you'll notice I never used the word "cheap" here, and that's for a good reason. ~ Ben Wilson, Senior Editor
This mostly depends on your knowledge of aircraft, as each control type varies in real life. Some small planes use a yoke, while some large airliners, notably the Airbus ones, will use a stick. It depends what you think you'll be more comfortable with, or how close to realism you're trying to get.
Do I need to buy rudder pedals?
Not necessarily. While it does offer a realistic experience and appeals to intermediate players and above, you can usually emulate these controls with flight sticks that allow twisting. Pedals are generally more useful for anyone buying a yoke, but they match up with traditional flight sticks, too. If you're a new player, don't worry about pedals.
Do all flight sticks work on Xbox and PS5?
No. While flight sticks and yokes made for consoles will generally work on PCs that meet MSFS' spec requirements, the same is not true for the opposite. Always check for explicit compatibility confirmation before buying any peripheral if that's your intended platform. Windows PC players don't have to worry as much.
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If you have an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, you probably need more storage. Having to uninstall a game to install a new game or an update to one of your favorite titles is a hassle.
The Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S is a plug-and-play solution that lets you expand the storage of your console.
"Seagate's Storage Expansion Card is the best way to add more space to the latest Xbox consoles, while avoiding the annoying limitations of USB drives. While it's an expensive investment that might be hard to justify, those who drop the cash won't be disappointed with the returns." — Matt Brown, former Senior Editor
This 2TB model has double the storage of the base expansion card and is a great way to get more space for games on your Xbox Series X|S.View Deal
This massive 4TB expansion card is the largest available for your Xbox Series X|S.View Deal
Why buy the Seagate Expansion Card?
You can skip game file management and space issues with the Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox. (Image credit: Windows Central)
The Seagate Expansion Card is the simplest way to expand the storage of your console. There's no setup or configuration required to use the card.
Xbox Series X|S games can be massive. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 alone is 161GB, and that's without DLC. The Seagate Expansion Card delivers similar speeds to the native storage of the Xbox Series X|S, so you can store games on the card and play them without having to transfer files around.
The Seagate Expansion Card also supports Quick Resume, which is a feature that lets you pause your game and power down your console and then pick up exactly where you left off when you load the game again.
Considering how big games are and how many great games are available on the Xbox Series X|S and on the way to the consoles, an expansion card of some kind is a must have. The Seagate Expansion Card is the easiest to use, quick enough to play games off, and is a great deal during Prime Day.
Alternative discounts
Prime Day discounts and a deal at Best Buy provide the best prices on the Seagate Expansion Card, but if those deals expire, you can check out these alternatives:
The Seagate Expansion Card is meant to be used with an Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, but it can work with a PC if you pair it with the right adapter.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Out of all the gaming accessory manufacturers, Razer has got to be my absolute favorite. From providing comfortable gaming chairs to esports-ready controllers and headsets, Razer's products have enriched mine and many others' lives, and it's about to enrich a lot more of them.
Razer is hosting an Amazon Prime Day sale on several of its top-grade PC gaming peripherals, lifestyle furniture, controllers, and more for a limited time, and we've rounded up some of its best for you to check out.
"The Razer Viper V3 Pro is the new champion of Razer's high-end esports gaming lineup, and it packs a ton of impressive tech into a lightweight package." ~ Zachary Boddy, former Staff Writer
"The Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K takes an already great mouse and elevates it further. Its bulk and weight won’t be for everyone, but there’s no doubt it brings an awful lot to the table." ~ Alex Blake, Freelance Contributor at TechRadar
"The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is undeniable as the world's most advanced gaming keyboard. Adjustable actuation and endless customization make it a boon for any professional esports gamer." ~ Zachary Boddy, former Staff Writer
"The Razer Huntsman V3 Pro is undeniable as the world's most advanced gaming keyboard. Adjustable actuation and endless customization make it a boon for any professional esports gamer." ~ Christopher Coke, Contributing Writer at Tom's Hardware
"The Razer Kraken V4 refines the comfortable design to be slimmer and more attractive, adds more RGB lighting, and improves the audio quality across the board." ~ Zachary Boddy, former Staff Writer
"Razer has finally made a wireless controller for the Xbox and overall it's absolutely brilliant. Combining the best aspects of previous Wolverine controllers, Razer has updated it for the present day with its excellent mouse switch technology, hall effect sticks and an ergonomic design that I would argue is better even than Microsoft's own." — Richard Devine, Managing Editor
"The Razer Kishi V3 Pro takes everything great about Razer's excellent Kishi Ultra and adds more buttons and features and plenty of other enhancements. It's truly the ultimate mobile gaming controller, as long as you don't mind the size." ~ Zachary Boddy, former Staff Writer
This is the extra-large version of the Kishi V3 Pro controller built to accommodate Android and iPad tablets up to 13-inches big.View Deal
"The Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K takes an already great mouse and elevates it further. Its bulk and weight won’t be for everyone, but there’s no doubt it brings an awful lot to the table." ~ Rhys Wood, Hardware Editor at TechRadar
"Despite its stiff backrest and lumbar support, the Razer Iskur V2 X is a great gaming chair with high-quality seat cushioning and padded armrests that will keep you relaxed during long periods of gaming." ~ Alex Corden, Staff Writer
This is the upgraded version of the Iskur V2 X chair built with Razer Gen-2 EPU leather and Cool tech, so it's 13 times more durable, breathable, and comfortable to sit in. View Deal
FAQ
When does Amazon's June Prime Day event start?
Amazon's Prime Day June event starts on June 23, 2026 and will last until June 26, 2026.
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Microsoft has confirmed that the next Windows 11 version coming this year will be Windows 11 version 26H2, keeping with the usual annual format of releasing a new OS version in the second half of the year.
Just like Windows 11 version 25H2 and version 24H2 before it, version 26H2 will be based on the same 2024 platform release. That means the version 25H2 update won't be a big one, sharing the same featureset as version 25H2 and the same platform improvements as 24H2.
"Windows 11, version 26H2 continues the move toward a more predictable and efficient servicing model. This model helps reduce disruption while helping your organization stay secure and up to date. By building on a shared platform and delivering innovation continuously, Windows enables you to focus less on large upgrade projects and more on delivering value to your users."
As 26H2 is based on the same platform release as 25H2 and 24H2, the 26H2 release will share:
The same source code base
The same security and quality updates
The same compatibility validation
That means it will be easy for individuals as enterprises to upgrade to the new version this fall, as there won't be any validation or compatibility concerns to be worried about. If it works on 25H2 or 24H2, it'll work on 26H2.
Microsoft has confirmed that 26H2 won't be made available to all Windows 11 users, however. If you're running Windows 11 version 26H1, you won't be able to upgrade to version 26H2 this fall. This is because version 26H1 is a special offshoot version of Windows 11 built specifically for Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 and NVIDIA RTX Spark devices.
Version 26H1 is based on a newer platform release than the one that powers 24H2, 25H2, and 26H2, which means 26H1 is technically on a newer codebase than the upcoming 26H2. That's why users on 26H1 won't be offered an upgrade to 26H2 this fall.
Microsoft does say that those on 26H1 will be offered an upgrade to a newer OS version in the future, but it's yet to confirm when that will be. I suspect those on 26H1 will be offered an upgrade to 27H2 towards the end of next year instead.
The company has confirmed that version 26H2 is coming soon, but is yet to provide an actual date for release. I expect we'll see rollout begin towards the end of September or into the month of October, as has historically been the case.
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There’s no shortage of hype surrounding Summer Game Fest, and its orbit of smaller indie game showcases, as well as the wildly successful Xbox Games Showcase. This year’s events were chock full of exciting game reveals, especially for AAA lovers.
Titles like State of Decay 3, Fable, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 dominated the post-showcase conversation, and it can be difficult for indie game reveals to get enough time in the limelight.
So we here at Windows Central want to take this opportunity to highlight ten indie game reveals for Xbox from this month’s showcases that have stolen our hearts. Maybe you’ll find a few that you want to bump up to the top of your wishlist, too.
Grave Seasons
Grow crops, fish, mine, and meet the locals for a little romance all while solving a murder mystery in Grave Seasons. (Image credit: Blumhouse Games, Perfect Garbage)
Life sims are having a moment. The genre has been on the rise for a few years now, though, which means that it is at risk of feeling stale. This has led to a new wave of genre mashups where newly released life sims have unique plot twists that keep players intrigued.
One of the best mashups of this genre is the cozy horror life sim. Grave Seasons, developed by Perfect Garbage and published by Blumhouse Games, is a shining example — we find ourselves playing as an escaped convict who has made themselves at home in an idyllic town called Ashenridge.
As one does in a cozy life sim, we set ourselves up with a darling little farm, rubbing elbows with the locals and maybe even falling in love. Hit the mines, grow your crops, and drown a few worms at the local fishing hotspots. It's all you would expect from a pixel art cozy life sim. Until the murders start, anyway, then you find yourself tossed into the chaos of investigating a murder and protecting the next victim whenever possible.
Grave Seasons is a narrative feast, with each playthrough having a different potential killer in the town — it could even be your current love interest. Different playthroughs of the game result in new details and conversations based on your relationships with the locals, keeping gameplay fresher than your garden harvest.
Start your new creepy life in Grave Seasons when it comes to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and Xbox Cloud with support for Xbox Play Anywhere on August 14. Grave Seasons will also launch day one on Xbox Game Pass and PC Game Pass.
After escaping from jail, set up your homestead in the cozy town of Ashenridge. Grow crops, woo the locals, solve some murders. Grave Seasons blends cozy life and dating sim gameplay into an exciting whodunnit mystery.View Deal
Moss: The Forgotten Relic
Moss finally escapes the bondage of VR so that players on all platforms can experience the heartwarming fable of Quill's adventure. (Image credit: Polyarc)
In 2018, Polyarc released a 3-D action-adventure puzzle game about a little mouse named Quill, called Moss, and it stole our hearts. There was just one problem — Moss was only available in VR.
Those of us on Xbox or who were unable (or unwilling) to play in VR had to just look on at trailers and screenshots of Moss longingly and hope that someday it would eventually find its way to consoles in a non-VR variant. Though at the time, it didn’t seem likely at all for that to ever happen.
Imagine the surprise when the first trailer for Moss: The Forgotten Relic dropped. This stunning adventure that takes place in a living fable has players exploring a fallen kingdom that is slowly being reclaimed by nature.
Quill, the courageous but small mouse protagonist, will need your guidance and protection as you uncover hidden secrets and navigate puzzles in a story that feels plucked from the pages of a classic fairy tale.
Both Moss: Book I and Moss: Book II have been combined for a complete fairy tale epic that is enhanced and reimagined for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC, and compatible handhelds.
Moss: The Forgotten Relic is developed and published by Polyarc and is expected to release this Summer.
Formerlly a VR-only game, Polyarc has completely revamped both the original Moss and its sequel, Moss Book II, into a console-friendly game without the VR requirement. Follow the story of Quill, a small mouse on a big adventure through a story inspired by classic fables.View Deal
Bad Magpie
The cure to loneliness? Shiny trinkets, of course. (Image credit: Milktooth)
Sometimes in life, you just want to be a magpie — burning meadows, finding shiny objects, and creating generalized chaos using cartoon logic. There’s just one problem. In Bad Magpie, your magpie self only has one wing. Surely that couldn’t have anything to do with the chaos and arson, right?
Anywho, Bad Magpie sets you loose in a small but densely packed world with plenty of chaotic things to do as a grounded magpie who wants nothing more than to win the heart of a fallen star and cure its own loneliness in the process.
It’s a delightfully chaotic romp through a colorful world packed with puzzles that give you the freedom to solve them however you see fit, as long as you’re curious enough to try.
Despite there being no text, no dialogue, and no cutscenes, Bad Magpie does have a rich story with a cast of critters and tactile interactions that encourage mischief and exploration in order to experience an emotional narrative told through environment and interactivity.
Bad Magpie, developed and published by Milktooth, is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC with Xbox Play Anywhere support and Xbox Game Pass in 2027.
A lonely little one-winged magpie has found itself in love with a falling star, and the only way to win its heart is with shiny trinkets. Burn a meadow, drain a swimming pool, you can't fly, but there are still plenty of ways to create some chaos and make that star fall in love with you.View Deal
Momento
Choose objects that matter to you to create your own life story in Momento. (Image credit: Silver Lining Interactive, Fat Alien Cat & Nomo Studio)
The “put stuff in a room to learn a story” genre is an interesting niche that explores environmental storytelling through beautiful art and puzzles. In the five years since Unpacking popularized the concept, there have been several new entries, but few have captured the same gut reaction we all experienced when we finally started to understand the game’s narrative.
Developers Fat Alien Cat & Nomo Studio and publishers Silver Lining Interactive may have managed to expand that experience with the upcoming release of Momento.
Similar to Unpacking, Momento is a cozy room decorator where players place objects around a beautifully illustrated room, but there is a slight twist. It’s up to you to choose the objects that matter most to decorate with, and the objects you select have a lasting impact on the path the story takes.
Starting with your childhood scene, Memento asks us to choose the toys that represent our dreams and future, which then lead into different scenes in adulthood that explore unique themes.
Wonder, love, heartbreak, and the significance of sentimentality are at the heart of Momento, as you experience a lovingly crafted tactile world that reacts to you.
Unlike similar narrative room decorators, Memento does not have a puzzle element to its gameplay. Instead, small decisions made by the player have lasting impacts that ripple throughout the story. Memento is coming to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and compatible handhelds with support for Xbox Play Anywhere.
Nothing heals a broken heart better than French pastries, which leads us to The Witch’s Bakery. Playing as Lunne, you can experience a colorful adventure in Paris as you serve the locals tasty treats from your newly opened bakery. Lunne’s not your ordinary chef, however. She’s also a witch with the power to see into people’s hearts.
Developed by Sunny Lab and published by Silver Lining Interactive, The Witch’s Bakery lets players experience Paris in three parts each day. During business hours, Lunne manages her bakery and serves up pastries.
As the sun goes down, Lunne closes up shop, and players can explore Paris and uncover the secrets of the city while building up relationships with her friends and neighbors. Sometimes characters’ emotions are locked away, and it requires a little more than just a chat to help them overcome their troubles.
During the evening hours, Lunne can use her witchy abilities to go inside of her friends’ troubled heart palaces and discover that person’s key ingredient — the secret touch to the recipe for a magic pastry that can heal them.
After guiding emotions through heart palaces and exploring Paris, Lunne can return to her atelier for the night to rest, improve her magic, and decorate her bakery before the next day begins anew.
The Witch’s Bakery is coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S in August.
Serve up fresh pastries and heal the hearts of the locals in this beautifully illustrated indie about a powerful Witch and her bakery set in Paris. Coming to Xbox this August.View Deal
Magicians: The Devil’s Deal
From the developers of Submerged comes a new, action-packed adventure straight from the pits of Hell itself. (Image credit: Focus Entertainment, Uppercut Games)
If you prefer a more action-heavy take on magic, developer Uppercut Games and publisher Focus Entertainment’s upcoming narrative-driven first-person shooter, Magician’s The Devil’s Deal, just might scratch the itch for you. Uppercut Games is previously known for the narrative, no-dialogue, no-combat adventure Submerged and its sequel, making Magicians: The Devil’s Deal a new challenge for the experienced studio.
Magicians: The Devil’s Deal follows the story of Jacob Menteuro, an illusionist bound to a deal with the Devil, who unfortunately finds himself cast into Hell. Combat, exploration, and stage magic come together as Jacob and the player experience a narrative where he must overcome the Masters of Theatreland on an infernal stage that turns everyday magical props into lethal weapons.
Compelled by the Devil himself, Jacob must topple the Masters to take their powers for himself in this visually stunning world inspired by Victorian London.
Magicians: The Devil’s Deal takes the stage in 2027 on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC. And for the final trick, you can play it day one on Xbox Game Pass.
Jacob's made a deal with the Devil, but now he must fight through the hell of Theatreland to overcome the masters who betrayed him in this upcoming first-person shooter adventure from the developers of Submerged.View Deal
Cassette Beasts 2002
Cassette Beasts 2002 embraces the same retro vibe that made the first so special. (Image credit: Raw Fury, Bytten Studio)
In 2023, Cassette Beasts crashed onto consoles and introduced fans to a world where they could collect and transform creative monsters with the power of retro cassette tapes. During the recent rash of showcases, developer Bytten Studio and publisher Raw Fury showed off the upcoming sequel, Cassette Beasts 2002.
Cassette Beasts 2002 starts in a quiet neighborhood of London, but players will find themselves and their custom-created characters pulled down to the land of Nodnol. Players can explore Nodnol alone or with friends via online multiplayer, and can even opt to import their original character from the first game.
In Nodnol, players can form bonds with the colorful cast of twelve different companions who can be bonded with, recruited, and even romanced. Similar to its predecessor, Cassette Beasts 2002 lets players record audio from beasts using cassette tapes that can then be played back to take on their form in battle. Fusions are also making a return, but Cassette Beasts 2002 ups the ante with over 57,000 fully-animated fusion forms.
Cassette Beasts is coming to Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC with Xbox Play Anywhere entitlements and support for Xbox cross-platform multiplayer.
One of the most creative takes on monster-taming and creature collecting is back with an all-new time period, but it still embraces the nostalgic tech that made its predecessor popular. Record beasts, tame them, and then take them into battle.View Deal
Deer and Boy
Upcoming platformer Deer and Boy has long had a spot on our wishlists, and we will finally be able to get our hands on a heartwarming and poetic journey about a young runaway boy who befriends a delicate fawn very soon.
Deer and Boy is an original adventure with a unique twist: a single-player game where you are never alone as your companion grows into a majestic deer during your story, changing the way you interact with the game’s world and puzzles.
Developed by Lifeline Games and published by Dear Villagers that offers a deep narrative adventure with complex story layers that change how you see the game’s tale, with young players experiencing a wholesome story about the friendship between a boy and his deer companion. More mature players may see deeper meaning in the story, even though it has no dialogue or text.
Deer and Boy promises to be an easy, relatively short game that can be completed in a few sessions and is suitable for all members of the family — even the little guys. You can enjoy this interactive cinematic story when it releases on June 23 on Xbox Series X|S.
Experience a heartwarming story of a young runaway who forms a bond with a delicate fawn. This short, sweet, family-friendly game has a layered narrative that all ages can enjoy.View Deal
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit
Flamey returns for a new adventure on a new island. (Image credit: The Quantum Astrophysicists Guild, Spry Fox)
A beautiful island awash in a watercolor aesthetic, a wholesome character creator, and an ominous bus crash that leaves you stranded at a spooky campsite — welcome to Cozy Grove.
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit is the much-anticipated sequel to the 2021 life sim, where players became Spirit Scouts stranded on an island inhabited by the ghosts of adorable bears. To return home, your Spirit Scout had to help those bears become at peace with elements of their past lives.
Some stories were tragic, others heartwarming, but all of them were meaningful and left us just a little sad when the bear’s ghost would move on and become golden.
Netflix snapped up Cozy Grove developer Spry Fox in its earliest days of reaching into the gaming industry, and initially hoarded the ghost-bear-helping life sim on its mobile platform before deciding to sell the studio back to its founders at the end of 2025.
That return to independence is great news for console and PC players who were desperate to return to this incredible world and experience more haunting bear stories, because now Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit is coming to Xbox on July 15.
Grab your badge sash, we’re going decorating and helping ghosts remember their pasts and come to peace with their deaths. New bears, new island, new NPCs to meet. Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit comes to Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, and compatible handhelds with support for Xbox Play Anywhere. A free demo is available now.
After developer Spry Fox regained their independent, the previously Netflix-exclusive sequel to the cozy island life-sim, Cozy Grove, is now making its way to consoles. Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit launches July 15 with new bears, new collectibles, and a new story.View Deal
Grim Trials
(Image credit: Soft Source Pte Ltd., Rolling Glory Jam)
There’s more to look forward to than just cozy games, so we’re closing out the list with a coming-of-age tale set in the afterlife, complete with heavy metal riffs and action roguelike gameplay. You can still craft, but like, in a hardcore way.
Grim Trials lets you customize your weapons and equipment as Avelin, a young woman who has been recruited to serve as one of Death’s reapers. It’s up to Avelin to track down impure souls, but in doing so, she will be forced to come to terms with her own untimely demise and face her own demons.
Grim Trials features endless hex-grid arenas where Avelin will need to overcome monsters and traps before tackling the 7 sacrilegious bosses. Players are armed with customizable scythes, crossbows, and Blessings from the Gods of Death.
A victory on the battlefield affords Avelin the spoils of war, and she can use the materials collected to craft better weapons, armor, and consumables to aid in the journey through the afterlife.
Developed by Rolling Glory Jam and published by Soft Source Pte Ltd, Grim Tales is sure to pique the interest of those who fell in love with Hades 2 and similar roguelikes with deep customization options, relationship-building side quests, and a full cast of characters to learn more about.
A demo for Grim Tales is available now, and you can look forward to it launching on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and compatible handhelds, though no release date has been confirmed just yet.
Face the trials of hell as Avelin, a young woman whose untimely demise has left her longing for her still-living love. Should she endure the trials of a fledgling reaper, she just may get to see them again. Can you defeat the 7 sacrilegious bosses in Avelin's way?View Deal
One of this year's biggest new games for Microsoft and Xbox is Halo: Campaign Evolved — a full-fledged remake of the first game, 2001's Halo: Combat Evolved, that features new gameplay additions, expanded replayability, and an Unreal Engine 5-powered graphical makeover.
It's headed to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 late next month, with Xbox confirming its long-rumored release date of July 28 during the Xbox Games Showcase. Notably, you can jump in on July 23, five days early, if you purchase the Premium Edition; I imagine that's incentivized many players to preorder, leading to the game climbing the Steam sales chart.
Now that the Halo remake is just over a month away from its full launch, something PC players in particular have been wanting to know is what the game's system requirements and recommended specs are.
Thankfully, they've now been announced by Xbox and developer Halo Studios, and I've included them in the below image and table for your convenience:
The official PC requirements for Halo: Campaign Evolved as listed by Xbox and Halo Studios. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
All in all, for an Unreal Engine 5 title that's aiming to deliver peak visual fidelity, Halo: Campaign Evolved's CPU, GPU, and VRAM requirements aren't too bad at all. Targeting a 1440p / 4K resolution with 60 FPS and Medium or High settings can be done with hardware that's five to six years old, which is likely what many gaming rigs are equipped with.
The memory and storage requirements, though, are a bit harsher. Demanding 16GB of memory for the lower quality levels at 1080p and 1440p is fine — most players have that much — but the requirement for 32GB if you want to push higher is a little debilitating, especially during the ongoing RAM crisis.
Campaign Evolved requires a steep 100GB of SSD space, too, which is quite a lot for a campaign-only FPS game. You'll need to uninstall a game or two if your gaming hard drive doesn't have triple-digit room available.
Something worth noting is that it's unclear if these requirements were determined with or without performance-enhancing technologies like Super Resolution and Frame Generation factored in. What we do know, though, is that Campaign Evolved supports their use, alongside things like NVIDIA Reflex and other anti-latency tools. These will make taking advantage of the game's uncapped framerate easier.
Ultimately, the 100GB requirement aside? I'd say it sounds like the Halo remake has been optimized fairly well, and should run well on most PCs with optimal settings chosen. I can't say that for sure until the game is out, though.
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Microsoft and Xbox have experienced some high highs and low lows with its video game adaptations over the years, with Bethesda and Amazon's Fallout TV show and 2025's Minecraft movie proving to be huge hits while the live-action Halo TV series and Halo: Nightfall before it left most viewers extremely disappointed.
Overall, though, multimedia projects that draw from Xbox's gaming IPs have enjoyed more of a positive reception in recent years — and according to comments from Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and other executives in a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, there's "more appetite to work with us on titles than ever before."
"You won't see us try to become the biggest linear provider in the world or anything like that, but I think great games are culture, and culture is entertainment," Sharma explained. "If you think about it, we've got the number two show of all time on Amazon [Fallout], Minecraft was top 5 in 2025, Call of Duty is bigger than the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So it all measures. [There's] more appetite to work with us on titles than ever before."
The claim that the Call of Duty series is larger than Disney and Marvel's massive cinematic universe is a bold one, but from what I can tell, the math does actually check out; reported box office numbers put the MCU's lifetime revenue at about $32 billion, while all signs point to Call of Duty making over $35 billion across 500 million lifetime sales.
I never would have expected a Sea of Thieves movie, but that's exactly what we're getting, with Marvel's Destin Daniel Cretton set to produce through Hisako Films. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
Now, you can certainly make the argument that the MCU is bigger in terms of cultural impact, but at least from a fiscal perspective, it does seem like Call of Duty has inched itself ahead of the film franchise that kicked off a renaissance of superheroes on the big screen.
We know a Wolfenstein show is coming to Amazon, that a Minecraft one is in the works with Netflix, and that a Fallout Shelter-inspired reality competition series is filming as well.
Microsoft's plans for multimedia Xbox projects beyond these are a mystery right now, but one thing is quite clear: the company is very interested in continuing to adapt its big-name gaming franchises to other entertainment mediums, and I have no doubts that we'll see additional shows and movies get announced and made in the coming years.
What are some of the Xbox properties you'd like to see Microsoft try and adapt to TV and film? Let me know in the comments below.
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Yesterday — 23 June 2026Latest from Windows Central
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
Since Copilot+ PCs require at least 16GB of RAM, the new Surface models do not come with Copilot+ features. (Image credit: Zac Bowden / Windows Central)
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
(Image credit: Future | Edited with Gemini)
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
The ASUS Zenbook A16 is a great laptop, but reviewers did not mention it being a Copilot+ PC. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino | Windows Central)
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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With how high the gaming handheld market's prices are headed lately, I figure that any major deal on any device is worth calling out for my mobile PC gamers.
Standing in stark contrast to the $1,799 MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ that's launching this week is the Lenovo Legion Go S. Regularly priced at $711.13, it's now down to$549.99 (sold out, now $698 at Newegg, or $699 at Walmart) for a limited time during Amazon Prime Day.
This is the lowest price it's ever been, according to CamelCamelCamel, and it's a great opportunity to grab what is likely one of the last affordable gaming handhelds for a while.
Lenovo Legion Go S:was $711.13now $549.99 at Amazon$698 at Newegg
"There are a lot of things going for the Lenovo Legion Go S gaming handheld, including its extremely comfortable ergonomic design, 8-inch VRR touchscreen, smooth performance, and responsive controls."
The Legion Go S features Hall Effect thumbsticks, eliminating drift forever. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)
The Legion Go S is available with both Windows 11 and SteamOS operating systems, and we've reviewed both. More on that in a moment.
This model that's on sale for $549.99 (sold out, now $698 at Newegg, or $699 at Walmart) comes with Windows, allowing easy access to features like Xbox Game Pass and third-party launchers, something I sorely miss on my Steam Deck.
It has 16GB of LPDDR5x RAM, 512GB of M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD storage, an 8-inch IPS display with 120Hz variable refresh rate and 1920x1200 resolution, and an AMD Ryzen Z2 Go chip with 4 CPU cores and 12 GPU cores. It is, by all means, a lot of hardware for the asking price.
In both of our reviews, we called out the device's comfortable and polished design, including Hall Effect thumbsticks and overall snappy controls.
We also called out how great the display looks, thanks to its speedy 120Hz refresh rate, 1200p resolution, brightness, and full color.
The Windows version of the Legion Go S is the one that's down to its lowest price ever during Prime Day. (Image credit: Windows Central | Zachary Boddy)
When we reviewed the Windows 11 version of the Legion Go S in early 2025, we found it hard to justify its relatively high price. That's largely been taken care of with this sale, which drops it to the lowest price I've ever seen.
Battery life also wasn't that spectacular, though Windows has received a lot of attention since our review in terms of improving the handheld experience for performance and efficiency.
If you were waiting for Amazon Prime Day to jump on some Xbox deals, well, I don't know what to tell you. It's been a bit of a damp squib so far, I think the age of actual console deals in today's climate is behind us. However, Newegg has stepped in with a genuine way to save: You can currently grab a $100 Xbox Gift Card for just $83 (expired) when you use the promo code FTTF6926 at checkout.
That’s an instant $17 saving on credit you were probably going to spend anyway on games, and it's basically free money in your (Xbox) bank.
You can use Xbox credit to 'treat yo'self' to a new controller or any number of the amazing games on Xbox right now. To get this deal, add the gift card to checkout and use code FTTF6926, to deduct $17 off. (EXPIRED)View Deal
How to redeem your Xbox gift card
The code is delivered digitally via email, so there’s no waiting around for a physical card.
Sign in to your Microsoft account (the same one you use on Xbox)
Enter the code from Newegg
Your balance updates instantly and is ready to use across the Xbox and Microsoft Store.
When you check out, just select your Microsoft Account balance as the payment method to make sure you’re using that discounted credit.
What can you spend the credit on?
This could be a good way to get some cheap Play Anywhere titles for your gaming handheld (Image credit: Windows Central | Jez Corden)
Don't let the name fool you; this isn't locked to digital games on your console. It adds balance to your whole Microsoft account, which you can use for games & DLC, Game Pass Ultimate, accessories and anything on the Microsoft store including Surface devices and Office 365 subscriptions.
If you don't have anything in mind right now, but know you are likely to spend money in the store soon, perhaps for a bigger purchase, you can stack multiple gift cards to lower the cost later. It’s a simple way to make any upcoming Microsoft purchase a little cheaper without locking you into a single product.
Newegg usually only runs these promotions for a very limited time, and it's likely that they're just trying to compete against Amazon Prime Day for traffic. With that in mind, this deal will be short-lived. If you have any big purchases with Xbox in mind (GTA 6 perhaps?), then jump on this deal now and secure yourself some free credit on top of your spend.
FAQ
Do Xbox gift cards expire?
No. Xbox (Microsoft) gift card balances do not expire, so you can redeem and hold onto the credit until you’re ready to spend it.
Can Xbox gift cards be used for Game Pass?
Yes. Your balance can be used to pay for Game Pass Ultimate or other Microsoft subscriptions, provided you have sufficient funds available.
FREE CASH (KIND OF)
You can use Xbox credit to 'treat yo'self' to a new controller or any number of the amazing games on sale right now through the dashboard. To get this deal, add the gift card to checkout and use code FTTF6926, to deduct $6 off.View Deal
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Anyone who's looked at storage prices recently knows that they're completely out of hand. I've been waiting to add some storage to my gaming PC for about six months now, and it's getting to the point where I'll have to bite at a deal like this one on the Samsung 9100 PRO.
This high-performance M.2 PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD comes in 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB configurations, with blazing fast transfer speeds and the regular durability you expect from Samsung.
"Regular" (inflated) prices have been cut by up to 49%, and you can now land a 1TB drive for as low as $206.99. Best part? You don't have to be a Prime subscriber to nab the deal.
You can get twice as much storage as the 1TB model for only about $143 more, which really isn't much in this current SSD climate. The price hasn't been this low in nearly five months. This is also the biggest savings at 49%.
Samsung's 9100 PRO is an outstanding SSD for pros, but casual PC users can also reap the benefits of insane transfer speeds. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)
The 9100 PRO was Samsung's first shot at a full-fledged PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD, and to say the company nailed the execution is an understatement.
It's theoretically capable of hitting unreal 14,800MB/s read speeds and 13,400MB/s write speeds, and although those numbers may drop a bit in real-world practice, it's still an incredibly fast drive.
Our friends at TechRadar reviewed the 9100 PRO when it launched last year, and it was awarded 4.5 stars and a Recommended Award.
The TL;DR? It's an exceptional drive for professionals who frequently deal with oversized files and who don't want any hiccups in their workflow.
If you're looking for a drive that you can use in more of a professional capacity with frequent saves of very large files like video projects or video game packages in Unreal Engine, the Samsung 9100 Pro is the best SSD you're going to get for that purpose and it will absolutely speed up your everyday workflow considerably.
John Loeffler, TechRadar
You do, of course, want to pair this drive with a PC that's capable of running a PCIe 5.0 drive to get the most out of it, but it will function at lower speeds in a PCIe 4.0 system. That's not necessarily a bad thing, especially if you're putting together a new PC piece by piece as sales come and go.
If I do buy one of these drives, I'll most likely go with the 2TB version at $349.99. It's the best value at 49% off, costing less per GB than the 1TB and 4TB versions.
I should also mention that these drives come with a 5-year Samsung warranty to protect your purchase.
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Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred was a resounding success for Blizzard, even with a lack of season-specific activities for Season 13, so with that in mind, Season 14 has a lot to live up to. Will Diablo 4 be able to keep its hooks in us for its first real season after the release of the expansion? Will the drastic changes to Mythic Uniques make or break the gameplay loop?
Well Season 14, dubbed the Season of Death Awakening arrives on June 30 so we'll find out for ourselves soon. Here's what we know about Season 14 so far, including some changes that have been made from the PTR.
Mythic Uniques 3.0: The revamp that everyone is is skeptical about
You can start crafting Mythic Uniques starting at level 70 in Torment+ (the recipe does not show up if you don’t meet those criteria).Blizzard EntertainmentUse the Upgrade to Mythic function in the Horadric Cube or Rune Crafting with the Jeweler.Blizzard EntertainmentA Unique item for a specific slot will produce a Mythic Unique item for the same slot, but not necessarily with the same Unique affix that you put in. Blizzard Entertainment
The most significant change coming to the game is the overhaul of Mythic Uniques. Instead of being a strict rarity, "Mythic" is now a modifiable quality that can be applied to any Unique item.
You can convert any Unique into a Mythic Unique using the Horadric Cube or the Jeweler.
Based on player feedback from the PTR, crafting is now deterministic; for instance, if you put in a pair of Unique boots, you are guaranteed to receive a pair of Mythic Unique boots back. These items will have their Unique powers increased by 30%, and any affixes added through Enchanting, Transfiguration, or Tempering will now always roll as maximum values.
While you can only equip one crafted Mythic Unique at a time, there is no limit on those acquired through natural drops. Additionally, Blizzard has decided that all Uniques will retain two guaranteed affixes to preserve item identity.
There's been much ado about this change and how it will impact the meta, but I for one am keeping schtum until I've actually tried it out, and I'm cautiously optimistic that it will actually create some wild build diversity.
New Seasonal Content: Pandemonium & The Risen
Blizzard EntertainmentBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard Entertainment
Sanctuary is being ripped apart by Pandemonium Ruptures, which spawn across the overworld and Helltides. By killing guardians, you keep these rifts open longer to earn greater rewards. Yes, this is Realmwalker 2.0, the season that didn't go down so well when Vessel of Hatred launched, but it's been tweaked enough that I'm willing to give it another chance.
The Pandemonium Threshold, the Corrupted Reaper’s lair, can be found in Zarbinzet. (Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
Defeating a Realmwalker grants access to a Deathtoll Chamber, a specialized mini-dungeon that serves as the best source for Superior Lair Keys, which are required to open the new seasonal Lair Boss’s hoard.
We're also getting a new monster family (aww) called The Risen; you must destroy Orbs dropped by these enemies to prevent the Exarch from executing a powerful attack.
Tower, Leaderboards, and Solo Self Found
Blizzard EntertainmentBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard Entertainment
It's happening, it's finally happening! The Tower and Leaderboards are graduating from Beta status this season, and a new Solo Self Found (SSF) mode is being introduced.
SSF is a permanent character state for the season where you cannot trade or join parties, but you gain access to exclusive SSF-only leaderboard categories to prove your skill.
Players will earn weekly rewards based on their performance in the Tower, and those who rank high will receive cosmetic Halos and prestige titles. At the start of the next season, players will be granted an Emblem based on their highest rank achieved during this season. Time to show off.
Quality of Life and rewards
Blizzard EntertainmentBlizzard EntertainmentBlizzard Entertainment
Party play is being streamlined with synced War Plan boards, allowing a party to coordinate their activities more effectively. Additionally, the Obol cap has been increased to 25,000 (no more running back and forth to town), and the Gold cap is now 999,999,999,999. Gold, gold, glorious gooold!
Fans can also look forward to another Diablo 4 x Overwatch collaboration starting June 30. This time, it's Diablo players that can earn the cool skins. We can earn the Kiriko Fox Pet and other themed cosmetics by collecting currency from Elite and Champion monsters.
The new season also offers a refreshed rewards track, including up to 12 Skill Points, 42 Paragon points, and 7 Resplendent Sparks.
When you can pre-download Season 14
(Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
If you want to be ready the moment the season starts, the 3.1.0 patch will be available for pre-download on June 25 at 10:00 a.m. PDT for Battle.net, Xbox, and PlayStation.
For more details on class balance and specific affix changes, you can check out the full 3.1.0 patch notes. Which class are you planning to take into the Tower first, and how do you feel about the new, Mythic crafting system?
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
It's come to light that Obsidian Entertainment — the storied, legendary developer known for creating Fallout: New Vegas, The Outer Worlds, and Grounded, Pentiment, Avowed, and The Outer Worlds 2 under Xbox Game Studios — is currently facing a class action lawsuit after allegedly "violating state wage and hour laws."
The case — first opened in October last year, and followed by an amended complaint that was filed in January by plaintiff Victoria Turner, who has a name matching that of a QA lead that worked on Obsidian's 2025 RPG The Outer Worlds 2 — accuses the Xbox studio of engaging in "a systematic pattern of wage and hour violations under the California Labor Code and Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) Wage Orders."
Specifically, it's alleged that the developer failed "to pay all wages (including minimum wages and overtime wages)," didn't "provide lawful meal periods or compensation in lieu thereof," and didn't "authorize or permit lawful rest breaks or provide compensation in lieu thereof."
It's also been claimed that Obsidian failed to "reimburse necessary business-related costs," "provide accurate itemized wage statements," "pay wages timely during employment," and "pay all wages due upon separation of employment."
The lawsuit "seeks monetary relief" for Turner and "all others similarly situated in California" where Obsidian is headquartered, with the ultimate goal being "to recover, among other things, unpaid wages, unreimbursed business expenses, benefits, interest, attorneys' fees, costs and expenses, and penalties."
Obsidian Entertainment is well known in the industry for its expansive RPG titles, the latest of which is The Outer Worlds 2. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
Notably, the case covers "all persons currently or formerly employed by any or all Defendants as nonexempt employees in the State of California at any time between October 9, 2021 and the date of class certification." The plaintiff also seeks to include "All members of the Class who separated their employment with any or all Defendants at any time between October 9, 2022 and the date of class certification."
Obsidian's first response to the lawsuit came in early March, with the studio stating that it "denies, generally and specifically, each and every allegation in the FAC [First Amended Complaint]." It also denied "that Plaintiff and/or any putative class members she purports to represent have suffered any injury or been damaged in any sum whatsoever by reason of any act or omission" from the developer or its staff.
Obsidian then argued Turner's case "fails to state facts sufficient to constitute valid claims," and added that "Plaintiff and any putative class member and/or other allegedly aggrieved employees consented to and/or acquiesced in the alleged conduct by Defendant of which Plaintiff now complains."
Essentially, what the studio is saying here is that Turner hasn't provided adequate proof to support the lawsuit's claims, and that the workers it represents voluntarily gave up lunch and rest breaks. The case hasn't progressed since that response, but I and the rest of Team Windows Central will keep an eye on it and report on new developments.
All of this comes amid Obsidian's efforts to restructure itself within Xbox, with the developer enacting plans to shorten development cycles, more frequently work with partner studios, and reuse technology and solutions from previous projects as it builds new ones.
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As part of the Experimental experience for Windows 11 version 26H2, Microsoft recently released build 26300.8697. While the official announcement focused on fixes and improvements, a more interesting discovery was hiding beneath the surface. A new Search setting that can turn off Bing-powered web results in the Windows Search experience.
Search may finally get a Bing off switch
Windows Search has long mixed local files, apps, and settings with web suggestions, often surfacing Bing results even when users are simply looking for something on their computer. The appearance of a dedicated toggle to remove those web results suggests that the company is exploring a more streamlined Search experience with fewer distractions.
(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
However, this isn't entirely new. Users in the European Economic Area (EEA) have had similar controls for some time as part of Microsoft's compliance with the Digital Markets Act. What's notable here is that the company now appears to be building the same functionality for all markets.
The story I see is much more than user choice. This appears to be Microsoft acknowledging that not every Windows Search query needs a web result attached to it. Instead of forcing online content into the experience, Windows 11 could soon let users decide what belongs in Search. For many people, that could make finding apps, files, and settings faster and more predictable.
New Search controls reduce clutter
The setting is currently tucked in under Settings > Privacy & security > Search in build 26300.8697. The option is labeled "Web Searches" in the "Show suggested search results" section.
(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
Microsoft is also testing a separate "Microsoft Store" toggle to prevent Store apps from appearing in Search results. Together, these options would give users more control over what surfaces when searching from the Start menu and Search box in the Taskbar.
Privacy & Security settings are getting reorganized
The same preview build also includes an updated version of the "Privacy & security" page. Microsoft has reorganized the settings into clearer categories and added a new header that provides quick access to Windows Security, along with glanceable information for location, camera, and microphone permissions.
(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
The company is also adding new entry points for features such as Passkeys and the Custom Dictionary.
Availability of the Search experience
At this stage, the feature is not officially available, and it's not an option you can turn on from the "Feature flags" page either. It was spotted by @PhantomOfEarth inside the Insider build and can only be enabled using ViveTool feature IDs, indicating that Microsoft is still actively developing and testing the experience.
If testing goes as planned, the company could refine the feature through future 26H2 preview releases before deciding on a wider rollout.
Windows Central's Take
I think Microsoft should have offered this option to everyone a long time ago. When I'm using Windows Search, I'm usually looking for a file, app, or setting, not a Bing result. While web integration has its place, it often makes Search feel more cluttered than helpful.
What's interesting is that similar controls have already existed in Europe, so this isn't really a new feature. The bigger story is that Microsoft appears to be testing the same level of control for users across all regions, including the addition of an option to suppress apps from the Microsoft Store in the experience.
I wouldn't consider this a major feature for Windows 11, but it's the type of improvement that can make the operating system feel less intrusive and more focused on what users actually want to find.
What are your thoughts about having the option to remove Bing results from Windows Search on Windows 11? Let me know in the comments.
More resources
Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:
Valve's Steam Machine has finally made its way into the hands of testers, and the resulting reviews have been less than inspiring. Whether it's the high $1,049 starting price caused by a global RAM and storage crisis or the underwhelming performance, I know that a lot of PC gamers are now looking for a quality alternative.
These are the 5 best pre-built gaming PCs I could find during Prime Day that will leave you with some cash left over for new games. Only one is priced high enough to match the Steam Machine's introductory price, but in this case, you get 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD.
This is a fairly compact pre-built gaming PC featuring a solid Core i5 CPU and an RTX 5060 GPU that easily beats the integrated graphics in the Steam Machine.
The NVIDIA RTX 5060 Ti GPU in this model will absolutely blow away the integrated Radeon graphics in the Steam Machine, and you get full access to all of the DLSS 4.5 goodies.
What's in the Steam Machine, and how does performance compare to these discounted gaming PCs?
The Steam Machine's $1,049.99 price is rather disappointing. (Image credit: Valve)
Valve's Steam Machine runs on a custom AMD Zen 4 CPU with 6 cores, 12 threads, and a 30W TDP. Attached are integrated custom AMD RDNA 3 graphics, with 8GB of VRAM and 28 compute units.
All Steam Machine models come with 16GB of DDR5 system memory, and the introductory models start with a 512GB SSD (upgradeable to 2TB for those with deeper pockets).
Circling back to the custom graphics, testing by our friends at Tom's Hardware revealed that it fails to pull ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 7600 discrete GPU while coming out just ahead of the AMD Radeon RX 6600.
How does that performance compare to the GPUs in the pre-built gaming PCs I've rounded up here? Well, the RTX 5060 easily beats the AMD GPU in raw performance and ray tracing abilities.
If you're interested in a pre-built gaming PC with an Intel Arc GPU, the B570 is a closer match to the RX 7600 and the Steam Machine's custom graphics. However, it should better handle ray tracing, and it should also deliver a better experience if you're gaming at 1440p.
As for the CPU, it seems like the Intel Core i5-14400F is the chip of choice for the pre-builts I've selected here. Good news! Despite its relative age, it should absolutely crush the Steam Machine's custom AMD chip.
My advice? Skip the Steam Machine and go for a real gaming PC instead.
Get a PC with a discrete GPU for less than the Steam Machine. (Image credit: Windows Central)
At its starting $1,049.99 price, it's simply outclassed by affordable pre-built gaming PCs with true discrete graphics. It's a shame, because the Steam Machine is a great-looking device.
Unless you're absolutely beholden to the compact form factor and close ties to Steam's storefront, one of these gaming PCs I selected should be a much better value.
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In a rather lengthy interview with Entertainment Weekly, we received a lot of juicy details. From OD getting new information revealed to Netflix's Gears of War movie finally receiving some concrete updates, there's been plenty to unpack. While I've covered most of that elsewhere, it was Xbox's CEO, Asha Sharma's comments about her plans for XBOX's ecosystem that really caught my attention.
What's particularly interesting is that those plans extend far beyond the traditional console experience, so let's take a look at exactly what she had to say.
Within the interview, Sharma outlines her plans for XBOX, stating she wants:
a more open ecosystem to invite more developers, to have more types of games, to invite more players.
"The thing that we've been trying to do the most here is to treat everybody, whether they describe themselves as a gamer or not, [as important]. We try to have a very mainstream product."
Candy Crush is, of course, a huge IP for XBOX, even if many people don't associate it with the brand. Personally, I think that's one of XBOX's biggest issues. Franchises like Call of Duty and Minecraft are among the biggest entertainment properties on the planet, yet neither is strongly associated with XBOX in the minds of many consumers. If you ask me, that's a huge missed opportunity.
Halo x Candy Crush (Image credit: Entertainment Weekly | King | Xbox)
Back to Sharma, however. Following XBOX's Games Showcase, she sat down with Entertainment Weekly and discussed the state of gaming. In particular, she argued that gaming has become increasingly unaffordable.
Gaming is unaffordable in many cases, in terms of how we've traditionally thought about it... because of the attention economy and competing subscriptions.
Asha Sharma - XBOX CEO
She does expand, touching on how difficult the business is, saying:
"It's a really hard formula. It's a really challenging business, but I think it's a really special business."
It does suck to hear the words "gaming is unaffordable," but there's certainly some truth to it. We recently got the price reveal for the new Steam Machine, and to say the reception has been positive would be a stretch. At over $1,000, it's simply too expensive to seriously consider, at least for me.
That said, I do understand the broader point Sharma is making. Between increasingly expensive hardware, competing subscription services, and the constant battle for our attention, gaming isn't as accessible as it once was. Whether mobile experiences like Candy Crush are the answer, however, is another debate entirely.
But let me know your thoughts on Sharma and Green's comments in the comments below, and be sure to take part in our poll!
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I'm not too familiar with the Skitarii myself, so I was curious to see how they would stand out from the rest of the classes, especially when the developers, Fatshark, mentioned they would have more customizable freedom in their skill trees compared to the other classes.
My curiosity would be quickly satiated as Fatshark invited me to attend a sneak preview presentation of the Skitarii class, as well as provided me with a Steam code to try it out myself.
After getting hands-on with the Skitarii, it may just be my favorite class in the whole game and one that may convince me to play it more often and finally strive for its endgame content.
This preview was made possible thanks to a Steam code, Preview presentation, and B-Roll footage screenshots provided by Fatshark. The company had no input nor saw the contents of this preview before publication.
What are the Skitarii?
A Skitarii facing off against heretics. (Image credit: Fatshark)
The Skitarii are a unique military force that fights for the tech-worshipping Adeptus Mechanicus faction. They are heavily augmented cyborg hunters that specialize in plasma and lightning-based weaponry, multi-purpose gadgets, and other technologically advanced ways to purge heretics, aliens, and mutants.
They usually act in groups, but in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, you play as an upgraded Alpha Skitarii, who can act as a solo operative.
B-Roll footage screenshot of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide's disturbing character creator for the Skitarii class. (Image credit: Fatshark)
My preview of this class began with their character customization, which is probably one of the most disturbing yet cool character creators I've ever seen in a game.
You get to customize how royally horrifying your Skitarii look underneath their robes with all their cybernetics, what kind of robotic limbs they have, and even adjust the distortion and pitch of their modulated voices.
Once I finished creating my Skitarii (which took a long while because I wanted to recreate the iconic voice of Soundwave from Transformers), I was off to the training room to learn about their abilities.
How do the Skitarii play?
What sets Skitarii apart from all the classes in Warhammer 40,000: Darktide is that their skill tree, which looks like the Sphere Grid from Final Fantasy 10, rather than a linear line like the others.
This means you can spend points to adjust the Skitarii's playstyle however you want, rather than being restricted to a certain playstyle like the other classes due to their more open-ended skill tree, and the Skitarii have A LOT of playstyles to experiment with.
The open-ended skill tree fits the customizable nature of the cybernetic Skitarii. (Image credit: Windows Central (Alex Cope) | Fatshark)
You can create a support-focused Skitarii that focuses on using Servo-Skull drones to crowd-control enemies while reviving downed teammates or operating terminals to save players from having to do it themselves.
You can make a long-range sniper Skitarii that's all about destroying elite enemies using a special ability that augments the ammo of their weapons, like the iconic Galvanic Rifle or Arc Rifle, to auto-track targets without aiming.
Heck, you can even make a melee-focused Skitarii that uses a special forcefield that blocks incoming ranged attacks that explodes once depleted, and rushes enemies down with melee attacks using electrified maces or dual blades before ripping out their heart with a giant, gnarly robotic claw.
Plus, thanks to the Skitarii's open-ended skill tree, you can mix up the various abilities of these playstyles together and create your own custom build that sort of functions as a jack of all trades.
B-Roll footage screenshot of a Skitarii zapping an enemy with an exploding shield after it's finished negating ranged projectiles. (Image credit: Fatshark)
Now, all this sounds cool on paper, but it won't mean much if it doesn't come together during real combat scenarios. So, after deciding to adapt a melee-focused build with the anti-ranged shield, I decided to take my new Skitarii class into live combat to see how it would fare.
Now I'm not the best Darktide player in the world, as I've casually played here and there, getting my shiny metal butt kicked plenty of times. But that didn't stop me from enjoying the Skitarii class because it was so fun to play as.
B-roll footage of the Skitarii class using the Chordclaw ability to rip an enemy apart. (Image credit: Fatshark)
There's just something so empowering about being able to strut up to an enemy screaming in terror that his bullets aren't penetrating your shield and then snuffing out his Nurgle-worshipping, heretical existence by ripping off his head with a giant claw.
Also, I enjoyed the utility of the Skitarii's Servo-Skulls for how surprisingly useful they were. Commanding it to hack terminals instead of having to deal with the annoying image-match mini-game yourself and using it to revive teams so you don't leave yourself wide open to enemy attacks is so convenient and gives your team a better, and less frustrating, chance at survival when things go south.
I can't wait to zap heretics to ash in the name of the Omnissiah
Flesh is weak, yet iron knows no pain. (Image credit: Fatshark)
Overall, I was impressed with the Skitarii class by what I saw and played. Its tech-based weapons and abilities are fun to play with, and the personalities you can assign to your Skitarii are a joy to listen to during moments when player characters talk to each other,
Also, I LOVE the idea of having a voice modulator when designing your character's voice to give it a robotic feel, which I hope to see more often in games in general and not just Warhammer 40,000 games featuring the Adeptus Mechanicus.
If the Arbites were the class that convinced me to play Darktide, then the Skitarii may be the class that will motivate me to play at a higher level beyond the occasional casual weekend romp with friends and check out its endgame content.
Bottom line, the Skitarii are awesome, and I can't wait to play more of them alongside everyone else as the Warhammer 40,000: Darktide's Skitarii DLC expansion launches on June 23, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam, which happens to be today.
Band together with Rejects of the Imperium and save the crumbling Hive City of Tertium from the toxic wrath of Nurgle cultists and daemons in the 4-player, co-op horde shooter, Warhammer 40,000: Darktide.
What do you think of Warhammer 40,000: Darktide's new Skitarii class? Do you think it will be your main class, or are you waiting for a different kind of servant of the Imperium to become playable, like one of the Sisters of Battle, for example?
If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know through the poll below, the comments section, or our Reddit page.
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Prime Day has arrived with possibly the quietest fanfare I've ever known since writing for Windows Central, and that's due in no small part to the current state of the tech market. Prices are being hiked left, right, and center, and gaming handhelds have been hit particularly badly by the RAM price hikes. With this in mind, I'm surprised that ASUS is still steaming ahead with this cracking deal on the Xbox ROG Ally, which is down to £379.99 on Amazon. When you compare that to the price of the Steam Deck nowadays, it's a steal for something comparable in performance and with a lot more flexibility.
For playing lower-powered indie games or clearing out your backlog, the two handhelds stand on pretty even footing. The Xbox Ally, however, lets you switch between Steam and Xbox PC natively without requiring hours of tinkering or workarounds. Crucially, it's CHEAPER by a mile.
The ROG Xbox Ally is a modest handheld that offers performance that's more on the level of the Steam Deck, making it one of the most direct competitors to Valve's device." — Rebecca Spear, Former Gaming and News Editor
The Xbox Ally on display. (Image credit: Rebecca Spear / Windows Central)
We’re living through unprecedented times for gaming costs, where component shortages and rising demand for AI hardware have driven gaming tech prices to unreachable levels for the average budget gamer. Many of ASUS's competitors have handhelds priced at the same level as a high-end gaming PC (just look at the Lenovo Legion Go 2 prices). Yet with all the price hikes, the standard ASUS ROG Ally has become the single most sensible choice for anyone who just want to play some less demanding games.
To be completely open, I own the ROG Ally X, which is the "beefed-up" premium model, and as someone who mostly plays indie titles and keeps a massive backlog of AA games, I regret spending the extra cash. The standard Ally would have handled everything I threw at it perfectly. Don't make my mistake; save your money for the actual games.
Windows Central | Jez CordenRebecca Spear / Windows CentralRebecca Spear / Windows Central
Sure, this has an entry-level price tag, but for sub-£380, you are getting an AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor,and a really nice 7-inch 1080p screen with 120Hz VRR. Not only that, but while on equal terms with the Steam Deck, the Xbox Ally isn't locked down to the Steam OS, and you can jump between your game libraries. You get a dedicated Xbox button that launches a full-screen, controller-friendly gaming environment, and you can download games natively from Xbox Game Pass, the Epic Games Store, GOG, and EA Play without jumping through hoops.
That being said, there is nothing stopping you from doing a clean install of Steam OS and turning this into a much more ergonomic (and cheaper) Steam Deck. It’s arguably the most comfortable handheld I've ever used.
The Xbox Ally is an outlier right now in the gaming handheld market, and I don't expect the price to stay this low for much longer. With price increases being announced from Lenovo, Valve, and other manufacturers, it does feel like the writing is on the wall with Xbox devices, too. If you want to play your backlog on the settee or on the go without taking out a small loan, the Xbox Ally at £379.99 is the deal to beat this Prime Day.
What is the battery life like?
As with any handheld, your mileage will vary based on the game. For demanding titles, you can expect roughly 60–90 minutes of playtime. However, for indie games or lighter AA titles, you can easily squeeze out 2–3 hours by using the "Performance" or "Silent" power modes and capping your frame rate.
How does this compare to the Steam Deck?
The biggest difference is the operating system. The Steam Deck uses SteamOS (Linux-based), which is "plug-and-play" but limited to the Steam ecosystem. The ROG Ally runs full Windows 11, meaning you aren't restricted to one store. The Ally also boasts a 1080p 120Hz VRR display, which makes games look crisper and feel smoother than the standard Steam Deck’s screen.
Can I play my Xbox console games on this?
Yes and no. If you own a game on an Xbox console that is also a "Play Anywhere" title, then yes, you can also play it on the Xbox Ally. Not all games are Play Anywhere, though, so, for example, I could not play Resident Evil 9: Requiem on this, but I could play it on my console. However, Resident Evil 7 is Play Anywhere, and I didn't need a second purchase! The majority of the Xbox Game Pass library is Play Anywhere.
When does Amazon's June Prime Day event start?
Amazon's Prime Day June event starts on June 23, 2026 and will last until June 26, 2026.
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The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC has been my go-to controller since I first opened its box. Prior to this, I'd been using the regular Wolverine V3 Pro, which also has Xbox compatibility, but the 8K version is something else. The best performance you can get.
But its price was always a sticking point. After all, $200 is a lot of money for a controller. But in swoops Prime Day to knock that down by $50, so you can now (and should) buy one from Amazon for just $149.99.
The fastest possible tech inside Razer's already superb Wolverine V3 design makes this the controller to beat for competitive gamers on PC. The price is normally a big ask, but with this Prime Day discount it's a no-brainer.
I've played about 600 hours of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 with this controller (feel free to tell me how much of my life I've wasted in the comments), and I wouldn't use anything else.
For one, it's laid out like an Xbox controller, which I still find the most comfortable. I've tried using the Razer Raiju V3 Pro with the PS5 layout, which is also an excellent controller, but I come back to the Wolverine V3 Pro 8K every time.
It ticks all the boxes. It has TMR thumbsticks; it has delightfully clicky mouse switch buttons and rear paddles, and crucially, it doesn't lose performance when you use it wirelessly versus wired.
8,000Hz is the fastest you can buy on any controller right now out of the box without having to use third-party tools to overclock. For competitive games such as Call of Duty, Apex Legends, and Battlefield 6, the faster the better. It's hard to quantify, but I can feel a difference if I go back to the regular Wolverine V3 Pro at only 1,000Hz.
To get the maximum speed, you do need a beefy CPU, and you need fast enough USB ports. It's not a big drag on the CPU, but the higher the polling rate, the more work it needs to do, so you do need to ensure you have the headroom not to affect your games.
But this is still my favorite controller, and sure, it's PC only. But now it's down to $150 I can't see any good reason not to recommend you pick one up. It's that good. Prime Day only lasts the rest of this week, so take advantage of this new lowest ever price while you can.
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Geekom is one of the brands that we trust most when it comes to mini PCs, and I'm not just saying that; it's a trust built on in-house reviews and testing over the course of a few years.
While mini PCs are always a great option for anyone looking to score a desktop at an affordable price, events like Amazon's Prime Day always tend to bring some of the lowest prices of the year to the forefront.
Such is the case this year, with Geekom mini PCs starting as low as $371 after a hefty discount. I rounded up 7 top Geekom deals with PCs that suit a wide range of users.
"Unless you run CAD or other demanding software, the A5 has sufficient power and memory to handle typical office needs. It can be easily upgraded to accommodate more storage if that’s an issue, and you can attach multiple external drives using USB." — Mark Pickavance
"The A5 Pro's all-aluminium build, dual-channel RAM, 2.5GbE networking, and SD card reader make it one of the most practical machines at this size. The 20W Ryzen 5 handles office work and light creative tasks quietly and capably, just don't expect it to tackle 4K video or any real gaming." — Alastair Jennings
UPDATE: Amazon drops the A6 from $524.07 to $499.56
RAM: 16GB DDR5 SSD: 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe
"The Geekom A6 is on the more affordable side of the PC world, providing a computer that can handle basic tasks for less than $600. While not a powerhouse, it offers solid performance, plenty of ports, and even some limited upgradeability for memory and storage. Plus, it comes with a VESA mount, so you can tuck it out of sight for a minimalist look if you prefer." — Rebecca Spear
"Its most recent accomplishment was to notice a gap between the A9 Max and the A8 AI, which could easily be filled by a model with the connectivity of the former but the performance and price of the latter. The result is the new A7 Max, a £600, give or take, box with more AI ports than you can shake a stick at, room for more RAM, and running on an AMD Ryzen 9 chipset." — Alun Taylor
"Having used the A7 and A8 extensively, the only limitation I can think of is that they have a solitary M.2 slot. There isn't much else that is missing on either model, and they both deliver standout performance in day-to-day productivity tasks as well as demanding image and video editing workflows." — Harish Jonnalagadda
"The stylish matte aluminium aesthetics make it the perfect accessory for any design studio, but this Mini PC is far more than just looks. A powerful processor, GPU, and NPU provide enough to make it a viable option for editing video, images, music, and more." — Alistair Jennings
"The Geekom A9 Max is, by all accounts, a premium mini PC. With top-tier hardware inside, be it for regular work or more intensive scenarios such as AI and gaming, it just eats it up. Toss in expandable RAM and storage, and I'm left asking why we would even bother with a full-size desktop anymore." — Richard Devine
Geekom's IT13 MAX is an evolution of the IT13 we tested and reviewed, designed to offer superior performance, a wider selection of ports, faster RAM, and faster Wi-Fi. If you prefer an Intel PC with an included NPU for AI work, this is a great way to go.
Which discounted Geekom mini PC should I choose on Prime Day?
The answer to which discounted Geekom mini is right for you depends, of course, on your specific needs.
Those who simply need a capable mini PC to handle general tasks like email, web browsing, streaming, Word, Excel, and the like will be able to get away with spending the least money.
In this case, the Geekom A5 — discounted from $437 to $371 — makes a lot of sense thanks to its AMD Ryzen 5 7430U CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB M.2 SSD. The Geekom A6, discounted from $649 to $524, also makes sense if you want a metal chassis, a faster CPU, improved cooling, and USB4 ports.
On the other end of the spectrum is the Geekom A9 Max, featuring a cutting-edge AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, and 2TB of M.2 SSD storage. It's comparatively pricey even with a 15% discount, but it's the right choice for gaming and AI workloads.
Geekom's A8 mini PC is my personal top pick out of the 7 discounted models I rounded up. (Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Windows Central)
My personal pick for those shopping during Prime Day is the Geekom A8, sitting near the middle of the pack to balance performance, features, and cost.
Right now, a model with an AMD Ryzen 7 8745HS CPU, 16GB of DDR5 RAM, and a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD costs $585 rather than the usual $689. Its memory and storage are both upgradeable after purchase, and the Ryzen chip is rather capable thanks to its 8 cores and 4.9GHz boost clock.
Windows Central's Harish Jonnalagadda reviewed both the Geekom A7 and A8 at the same time, handing them a Best Award and 4.5 stars. He noted,
"Having used the A7 and A8 extensively, the only limitation I can think of is that they have a solitary M.2 slot. There isn't much else that is missing on either model, and they both deliver standout performance in day-to-day productivity tasks as well as demanding image and video editing workflows."
These Geekom deals are expected to run from June 23 until June 26, so don't wait too long if one catches your eye. It's also worth mentioning that deal prices seem to fluctuate depending on stock availability, so early birds might get a better price.
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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If you told me a year ago that an Intel‑powered gaming handheld would be sitting on my desk in 2026, absolutely clowning AMD’s best silicon, I’d have told you to lay off the spice. Yet here we are. Computex 2026 teased it, Cale Hunt went hands‑on, and now the retail MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is in front of me.
Let’s be honest: MSI’s first handheld felt like a prototype that slipped out the side door. Instead of giving up, MSI regrouped, teamed up with Intel, and came back with a device that blows past every expectation.
But before we go any deeper, we need to talk about the price. Global supply chain chaos has sent high‑density RAM and NAND costs into orbit, and premium hardware is paying the bill. In a sane market, this machine would likely land around $1,299. Instead, it’s $1,799 at Best Buy—firmly in ultra‑premium territory.
Is it worth the jump? Let’s break it down.
MSI and Intel had no input, nor did they see the contents of this review prior to publication.
Specs and Configuration Options
The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ brings next-gen Intel performance, but also this-gen extreme pricing. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Under the hood, MSI has radically re-architected its core layout, abandoning general-purpose laptop chips to pivot entirely to handheld-optimized architecture.
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ specs
Processor
Intel Arc G3 Extreme
Display
8-inch IPS touchscreen 500 nits, 100% sRGB
Resolution
1920 x 1200 16:10
Refresh rate
Up to 120Hz VRR
Memory
Up to 32GB dual-channel LPDDR5x
Storage
Single NVME M.2 SSD slot
Ports
2x Thunderbolt 4 MicroSD Express 3.5mm Combo
Controls
Hall effect sticks and triggers
Haptics
New high-end linear motor
Design
Redesigned chassis with updated grips
Battery
80Wh battery
Connectivity
Bluetooth Core 6.0 with LE Audio Intel Wi-Fi 7 R2
Price
$1,799
Release date
June 23, 2026
Design, Ergonomics, and Upgradeability
The side grips are based on Xbox controller designs and are therefore extremely ergonomic. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The physical layout of the Claw 8 EX AI+ is a massive love letter to Xbox fans. MSI completely reshaped the side chassis into a beautifully sloped, flared grip design that heavily mimics the curvature of an official Xbox controller. It contours perfectly to the natural resting shape of your hands, making extended, multi-hour gaming sessions an absolute breeze.
On top, you have exhaust and intake vents, a headphone jack, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a micro SD, volume rockers, and a recessed combo fingerprint reader and power button. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Even better, the actual weight distribution is the sweet spot. Coming in at 785 grams, the Claw 8 EX AI+ feels surprisingly nimble in the hands. When compared directly to the behemoth scale of something like the Lenovo Legion Go 2 at 854g/1.88lbs (it has a kickstand for a reason, folks)—which goes out of its way to adopt a massive, thick, and substantially heavy tablet aesthetic to accommodate its 8.8-inch display.
The MSI variant is vastly easier to slip into a travel bag without feeling like you packed a concrete brick. (Trust me, I've ditched Legion Go 2 for travel multiple times, but it's awesome on the couch).
MSI's layout isn't just a minor iteration; it's a structural masterclass in how an 8-inch handheld should actually fit inside a pair of human hands.
On the upgrade front, MSI has finally listened to reviewers. The storage slot has graduated to a full-sized M.2 2280 slot, meaning you aren’t locked into paying premium prices for tiny, obscure storage drives. Pop out six standard Phillips head screws on the back shell cover, and you can swap out the internal SSD in less than five minutes.
RAM, however, is integrated, but 32GB should be enough.
Display
(Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The Claw 8 EX AI+’s 8‑inch screen is one of the system’s strongest components. MSI uses a roomy 16:10 panel at a crisp FHD+ (1920x1200), giving you about 38% more usable space than comparable 7‑inch handhelds—huge for readability and UI-heavy games.
The IPS-level touchscreen hits 500 nits and covers 100% of sRGB for vivid, accurate color. Its standout feature, though, is native VRR from 48Hz to 120Hz, letting the display track fluctuating frame rates in real time to eliminate tearing and micro‑stutters for consistently smooth gameplay.
The MSI Center M, which brings all your games together, is simple but gets the job done (mostly). (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
At this price tier, the lack of an OLED panel is the one obvious drawback. If you bounce between this and a Steam Deck OLED, you’ll notice the missing infinite contrast and true blacks in a dark room. But once you’re actually in a game and pushing high, stable refresh rates, the brightness and responsiveness take over. The gray floors fade from your mind, and the experience becomes all about the smooth, fast motion on screen.
Buttons, Joysticks, and Elite Audio
Dual front speakers are way better than I had expected. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Controls are a premium highlight here. MSI went all-in on specialized Hall-Effect analog sticks and triggers. Because they utilize magnetic positioning instead of physical carbon contacts, the threat of stick drift is permanently eradicated. The action on the triggers feels smooth and progressively weighted, while the face buttons feature beautifully rounded edge boundaries to keep your thumbs from feeling sore after hammering out combos.
Hall-Effect analog sticks and triggers felt A+ to me in testing. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The standard directional pad also received a massive overhaul, implementing a tactile metal dome component underneath the casing. It delivers an incredibly clicky, distinct feedback loop that completely wipes away the mushy, missed-input sensations from past generations.
There's no capacitive touchpad for mouse cursor control in Windows or precision aiming. Do I care? No, I turned it off on Legion Go 2, but I get how some people want it, so I'm mentioning it here.
Daniel RubinoDaniel RubinoDaniel RubinoDaniel Rubino
Perhaps the biggest surprise, though, is the acoustic and haptic transformation. Historically, speakers and vibrating feedback have been clear weak points across MSI’s portable portfolio. Not anymore. The dual 2W speaker array outputs genuine, punchy high-res audio that maintains depth even at high volume levels.
Paired with an upgraded Voice Coil Motor (VCM) driving refined HD haptics, the physical immersion matches anything currently on the market.
With Bluetooth Core 6.0 and LE Audio onboard, pairing wireless earbuds like the Galaxy Buds4 delivers low‑latency, battery‑friendly audio with no noticeable delay. The Claw 8 EX AI+ also supports Windows 11 Super Wideband Stereo, so your sound won’t collapse into muddy mono when you’re using a mic for in‑game chat. And with Shared Audio broadcasting, you can stream to multiple compatible earbuds at once with zero hassle.
Performance: Intel Arc G3 Extreme Crowned King
That Intel B390 is doing some heavy lifting. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
As a nerdy refresher, the Intel Arc G3 Extreme is Intel's very first purpose-built SoC engineered from the ground up specifically for handheld gaming form factors. Rather than simply shoving a generic, power-hungry laptop processor into a portable shell, Intel completely re-architected this silicon to optimize the power-to-performance ratio at typical handheld wattages. It cleverly shifts the hardware balance directly toward graphics throughput by scaling up to 12 Xe-cores on its Xe3-based B390 GPU while dropping the heavy CPU core count down to just two performance cores. This intentional asymmetry leaves massive thermal and electrical headroom for its 96 integrated XMX AI Engines to work their upscaling magic.
Better yet, the chip introduces Intelligent Bias Control (IBC) v3.5. This proprietary firmware engine perfectly optimizes power sharing between the CPU and GPU, and it even utilizes a clever trick called "P-core parking" to turn off the power-hungry performance cores entirely at 14W and under, ensuring your battery juice goes where it matters most: pumping out maximum frame rates.
For the past few years, AMD has comfortably monopolized premium mobile gaming graphics, but Intel’s new XeSS architecture drops an absolute tactical nuke on that narrative.
3DMark Time Spy & Synthesis Testing
(Image credit: Future)
Look at our lab-tested benchmarks below:
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ (Intel Arc G3 Extreme):6,726
ASUS Xbox Ally X (Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme): 4,029
MSI Claw 8 AI+ (Intel Core Ultra 7 258V): 3,882
Lenovo Legion Go 2 (Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme): 3,795
A score of 6,726 on a handheld profile is a jaw-dropping result, representing an aggregate jump that flies completely past AMD's flagship Z2 Extreme silicon.
3DMark Fire Strike & Torture Run Results
(Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
To push this chip further, I threw the classic Fire Strike benchmark at the Arc B390 GPU. The results speak for themselves:
Fire Strike Overall Score:13,340
Graphics Score:16,735
Physics Score:24,513
The monitoring loop stayed remarkably consistent, and 3DMark’s integrated engine estimates real-world game performance for titles like Battlefield V at a smooth 120+ FPS at 1080p Ultra settings.
Geekbench 6 Compute & General Performance
Geekbench 6 chart showing the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ leading with a multi-core score of 13,210 and single-core score of 2,574, beating competitors like the Xbox Ally X. (Image credit: Future)
The AI Engine acts as the device's intelligent, set-and-forget autopilot, leveraging real-time behavioral analysis to dynamically adjust power settings and hardware configurations (defaulting to a flexible 25W ceiling during gaming) to maximize performance on the fly.
In stark contrast, Endurance mode is a highly restricted efficiency preset designed strictly to squeeze out every drop of battery life. While the AI Engine dynamically scales performance upwards to match the game's demands, shifting to Endurance mode clamps the platform down to a rigid 15W target and automatically triggers Intel’s Endurance Gaming profile, enforcing a stable 30 FPS cap on battery to extend your playtime up to 11 hours on lighter titles.
Here's what that looks like in Geekbench:
Intel's AI Engine (auto) versus Endurance Mode for performance on the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. (Image credit: Future)
MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ (Intel G3 Extreme - AI Engine): Multi-Core: 13,210 / Single-Core: 2,574
Even under a highly restricted energy curve, the restricted multi-core target hits 10,129, keeping processing capability completely clear of bottleneck thresholds.
Turning to the SSD, storage performance is similarly blinding, with CrystalDiskMark validating peak sequential read limits hitting a clean 6,997 MB/s.
Intel XeSS Feature Test & In-Game Frame Rates
Keep it simple: Intel/MSI's AI Engine, Endurance, and Manual settings make the Claw mostly set-it-and-forget-it. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The true magic happens when you leverage Intel's hardware-level AI upscaling. Running the native 3DMark Intel XeSS Feature Test (using XeSS 1.3.1 Balanced at a 2.0x scaling factor) shows exactly what the architecture is capable of:
XeSS Off: 26.82 FPS
XeSS On: 51.80 FPS
Performance Explosion:+93.2%
Real-world gaming translates perfectly to these synthetic gains. Launching the graphically punishing 007 First Light with the console dialed directly into its integrated AI Engine mode, I ran natively at full 1920x1200 resolution at High settings and consistently locked down a blisteringly fast 130+ FPS when plugged in.
Getting "157 FPS" and even going into the 200s in LEGO Batman is possible thanks to Intel's XeSS Multi-Frame Generation (XeSS-MFG) engine (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
How is 150 FPS beneficial on a physical 120Hz panel profile? It comes down to Intel's XeSS 3 Multi-Frame Generation (XeSS-MFG) engine. The chip utilizes internal AI matrices to interpolate synthetic smoothing frames directly between every traditionally rendered frame. Because the platform features a hardware-level Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) window extending up to 120Hz, pushing frames above the panel refresh ceiling completely eliminates frame delivery micro-stuttering, ensuring ultra-responsive inputs and perfect pacing.
Of course, results for XeSS will vary based on the game (if it's supported), whether you're plugged in, and what modes (including custom) you have set. I did have some mixed results with DOOM: The Dark Ages, which was running above 60 FPS one night, but fell below 30 on the next level despite XeSS being enabled.
Benchmarks from the game Cyberpunk 2077 running on the Claw 8 EX AI+ with Intel XeSS. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
To understand how big a leap Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme really is, look at this custom Cyberpunk 2077 benchmark. On AMD handhelds like the ROG Ally X or Legion Go 2, turning on ray tracing usually drops you into a sub‑30 FPS slideshow even at a soft 720p. Here, the Claw 8 EX AI+ is running at its full 1920×1200 resolution on the Ray Tracing: Low preset with XeSS Super Resolution 2.0 set to Auto, and it still averages 46.6 FPS with a minimum of 38.1 FPS.
See a clip from Cyberpunk 2077 with the above settings on the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ below:
This is where the Arc B390 GPU and its 12 dedicated Ray Tracing Units show their advantage. Instead of choking on ray‑traced shadows and lighting, the G3 Extreme architecture handles the workload with an efficiency AMD’s current mobile silicon cannot match.
Holding a stable, genuinely playable 40+ FPS at 1200p with ray tracing enabled is unheard of for any other handheld today, and it proves Intel did not just build a faster chip. They built a smarter one.
(Image credit: Future)
When you stack the Claw up against Valve’s Steam Machine, the hardware contrast becomes even more fascinating. Looking at the benchmark breakdown above, both devices run neck-and-neck in single-core metrics (a 2,574 for the Claw versus a 2,579 for the Steam Machine's Custom APU), but the Intel Arc G3 Extreme leaves Valve in the absolute dust on multi-threaded workloads, flexing an eye-watering multi-core score of 13,210 over the Steam Machine’s 8,680. This doesn't even account for the GPU difference, which will also favor Intel.
Unfortunately, much like the Claw, the Steam Machine (starting at $1,049) is a premium engineering marvel suffering from historically terrible macroeconomic timing—both launched directly into a brutal global supply crunch that bloated retail pricing, making a direct cost comparison a bit of an exercise in wallet masochism. It's a cosmic shame that, through no fault of their own, bad timing and bloated component markets might prevent casual players from seeing just how hard this new Intel portable silicon kicks.
Manual Mode: For the Tinkers (But You Really Don't Need It)
(Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
For the hardware purists who insist on micromanaging their silicon, MSI Center M includes a robust Manual mode that unlocks granular sliders for the chip's PL1 and PL2 power levels.
For the uninitiated, PL1 (Power Limit 1) dictates the maximum sustained wattage the processor can draw during long-term gameplay, while PL2 (Power Limit 2) establishes the absolute ceiling for short-term burst power. In Manual mode, you can crank PL1 up to 35W and push PL2 to a blistering 45W to squeeze every single drop of performance out of a heavy title—just make sure PL2 stays at least 2W higher than PL1 so Intel’s power management algorithms don't choke. Alternatively, you can drop them into the single digits to slam the brakes on power consumption for lighter indie titles.
However, a quick note for the average reader: I rarely ever touched Manual mode. I use a gaming handheld to actually play games, not to spend 30 minutes acting like an IT admin configuring power registries before launching a level. Thankfully, you don't have to. The default AI Engine setting is brilliantly "set it and forget it," handling the heavy lifting and power shifting so smoothly on the fly that it renders manual tweaking strictly optional for anyone who values their free time.
But hey, cool on Intel and MSI for making it easy to go all out and tweak the chip!
Thermals and Fan Noise
Daniel RubinoDaniel RubinoDaniel RubinoDaniel Rubino
High performance doesn't mean a melted chassis. Thanks to MSI's custom Cooler Boost HyperFlow architecture (love these names, btw)—which seals internal pathways to draw cold air directly over hotspots while isolating grip boundaries—this device stays remarkably chilly.
Front grip surface area:96.3°F or 35.7°C (Perfect comfort territory)
Rear grip chassis boundary:92°F or 33.3°C (Literally cooler than your own body temperature)
Display base intersection hotspot:106.5°F or 41.4°C (Warm to the touch, but completely out of micro-stuttering finger range)
Recessed exhaust vent interior:130°F or 54.4°C (Where the actual dragon spirit lives, safely away from your hands)
The physical thermal reading confirms your hands remain entirely cool, completely isolated from internal hotspots. While the localized zone at the very base of the display glass reads at 106.5°F, it remains warm rather than hot, safely out of reach during normal use.
Even measuring directly inside the deep-set cooling channels yields 130°F, yet the felt air volume dissipates cleanly away from you. The internal acoustic profile is equally stellar: the dual fans emit a gentle, low-frequency airflow "whoosh" instead of a whiny, high-pitched jet engine shriek.
Software, Connectivity, and the Mini-PC Hybrid Trick
MSI Center M launcher makes accessing your entire gaming library easy. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
MSI Center M has matured beautifully, but can still be a bit awkward, and I hope to see some improvements (I may end up adding Winhanced at some point). The software utility integrates seamlessly across massive digital clients including Steam, Xbox, Epic, and Battle.net. It's simple and basic, but the whole Windows 11/launcher/various gaming libraries thing/switching is still a bit underbaked, but making improvements.
Triggering the native full-screen Xbox mode layout overlay brings up a clean, translucent quick-access console dashboard that only handles half the panel layout, avoiding disruptive gameplay pauses. They did a great job here.
From this single overlay window, a user can instantly adjust hardware properties:
(Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Swap operational profiles on the fly between AI Engine, Endurance, or full user-defined Manual tuning controls.
Purge non-essential active memory via Free Up Memory sweeps.
Fire up high-bitrate screen recording capture or toggle ambient Mystic Light RGB analog stick arrays.
The long‑standing Windows Modern Standby curse is finally gone. As far as I can tell, putting the Claw 8 EX AI+ to sleep with the fingerprint/power button triggers a proper hibernate state, or rather, the buttons/triggers/joystick don't wake it. But when I hit that button, it stays off and standby battery drain was minimal, which is a nice change.
The fingerprint reader can be a little picky about angle, but once you get the feel for it, it’s fast and consistent.
Intel's Wi-Fi 7 R2 on here is a beast. I have a Wi-Fi 7 router (TP-Link Tri-Band BE19000), and this thing just sucked down so much data when downloading big games like Cyberpunk 2077 that it even affected my TV streaming. Good stuff.
Dual fans keep the back of the MSI Claw exceptionally cool even during the most strenuous games. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
My only gripe is that, for some reason, my Xbox games are not showing up in MSI Center M, though I can, of course, access them via the Xbox app. I chalk this up to some early bugs, and hopefully some updates will iron those out.
The Ultimate Dual-Use Mini-PC Killer
(Image credit: Future)
Because this is an Intel architecture design instead of AMD, you get dual full-bandwidth Thunderbolt 4 ports. This unlocks a highly lucrative dual-use scenario. Dropping the Claw 8 EX AI+ onto a single-cable desk setup completely transforms the handheld experience into a premium desktop workstation environment.
When stacked up against custom high-end discrete desktop boxes like the Geekom A9 Max AI Mini PC (which utilizes mobile AMD Ryzen AI architecture), the Claw 8 EX AI+ matches or exceeds its functional productivity output while preserving complete, uncompromised on-the-go portability. It's a phenomenally versatile desktop replacement machine.
While the A9 Max AI outpaces the Arc G3 Extreme in CPU (see above), I'm confident the reverse will be true for GPU performance and the Intel B390 (we'll try to get some actual comparisons in an update to this).
Battery Life
When set to Endurance and 45% display brightness, the Claw gets around 3.5 hours on PCMark 10's Gaming Workload battery test. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The massive 80Whr ultra-capacity battery module integrated inside the shell handles power delivery exceptionally well.
Testing the console under heavy loads while running on the custom Endurance Mode setting—which dynamically caps rendering properties and shifts core priority to energy-efficient architecture—and maintaining screen brightness at a very vivid 45% setting (roughly 225 nits of total display output), the platform delivered a solid 3.5 hours of continuous triple-A gameplay. Switching over to casual indie titles or retro emulation easily pushes the operational lifespan past the 5-hour mark.
Final Verdict: Should You Buy It?
Expensive? Yes. Also, the best gaming handheld today? Also yes. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Look, if your bank account can handle the entry point and you are looking for absolute top-tier, uncompromised technical performance in a highly ergonomic package, yes, absolutely buy it. Intel and MSI have created a generational performance jump that sets a brand-new benchmark for portable PC gaming. The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is friggin' awesome.
If you're a normal working Joe, then of course not; that'd be financially irresponsible.
And that's my only real regret with the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+: a vast majority of gamers won't be able to experience it. This device is THE watershed milestone our portable community has spent years waiting for—a true, uncompromised hardware revelation where you can load a visually dense, modern triple-A blockbuster and play it at 100+ FPS in the palm of your hand without a single structural sacrifice.
MSI and Intel have finally delivered the holy grail payload we've been begging for from day one. It is an absolute masterpiece of engineering brilliance, hitting the market at a time when raw component pricing is absolutely screwing it up. If you have the enthusiast means to jump on it, don't hesitate. This is the future, right now.
MSI
Claw 8 EX AI+
The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is a high‑end Windows gaming handheld built for serious performance on the move. It runs on Intel’s Arc G3 Extreme processor for smooth gameplay, fast responsiveness, and reliable power delivery. The device features a refined Void Purple finish and ergonomic, controller‑inspired grips designed for long, comfortable sessions. With upgraded hardware, improved thermals, and polished software, the Claw 8 EX AI+ delivers MSI’s most advanced handheld experience.
AI and gaming are becoming an inseparable match. Whether it's AI used in modern graphics rendering or AI used in actual game development, I've stated several times that I don't think they'll be separated anytime soon.
The rise of AI has been causing hiccups for global PC game markets like Steam from the very start. In January 2024, Steam owner Valve announced that its storefront would now contain AI disclosures from developers. If AI were used in development, you'd be able to clearly see it on the game's page.
Since then, you've probably noticed a whole lot of Steam pages sporting that little AI blurb describing how exactly AI was used during development. The phenomenon, of course, begs the question: Is the use of AI in game development hurting sales?
An example of Steam's AI disclosure for game developers. (Image credit: Valve)
Burton discovered that approximately 21% of games released on Steam in 2025 (pre-November) contained a disclosure for some sort of AI use. I can't help but assume that number has only gone up since then.
Steam's recent Next Fest event, showcasing countless new games set to arrive in the near future, was rife with games clearly created using AI, some less innocuous than others.
Deciphering Steam's numbers tell an important story
Steam doesn't share sales numbers with the public, but there are other ways to approximate figures. (Image credit: Valve)
Steam doesn't disclose how many copies specific games sell; that's up to the developer to know, and to share only if they like. However, Steam sales can be approximated by the number of reviews a title receives, and as Game Oracle points out, it's a proxy method that's used across the industry.
Game Oracle's initial research, even at a surface level, is eye-opening. It studied almost 10,000 Steam releases between January and October 2025, discovering that games disclosing AI use averaged just 4 reviews in the first post-launch month compared to 7 reviews for games without AI.
Almost 20% of games with AI disclosure received no reviews, compared to 15% for non-AI games. Scores were also biased in titles with at least 100 reviews, with AI games hitting an average score of 84.6% compared to 88.3% for non-AI games.
AI games don't receive as much attention as non-AI games
The Steam Deck displaying several games in our library. (Image credit: Jennifer Young - Windows Central)
Game Oracle built a causal statistical model to control for elements like a specific developer's prior experience, publisher backing (if any), genre, and release date. Games that fell into similar groupings were then compared to each other to prevent outside factors from interfering.
In this scenario, games that disclosed the use of AI received about 53% fewer reviews than non-AI games. So, if two games were released around the same time, from developers with similar levels of experience, with similar backing, and of a similar genre, non-AI games would theoretically receive 100 reviews while an AI game would receive 47.
That's a huge gap, and one that isn't easy to discredit.
Established studios are being punished harder for using AI in game development
The Call of Duty: Black Ops series has seen backlash caused by the use of AI-generated content. (Image credit: Activision)
There is, of course, some nuance to the study's findings. Game Oracle performed a sensitivity analysis to account for unmeasured factors like marketing costs, raw talent, and pure luck.
It was discovered that inexperienced developers with no marketing budget, who likely turned to AI simply because of a lack of other resources, saw hardly any negative impact on sales despite the AI disclosure. These games were almost certainly going to struggle even without the use of AI.
They have talent, budget, and know-how (factors that usually boost sales by 20% - 65%). They decide to experiment with AI to optimise their workflow. If this narrative is true — if "good" studios are using AI — then AI use is catastrophic (-40% to -60% drop in sales). This is evidenced by the dark blue cells at the top of our heatmap.
Ross Burton, PhD, Head of Product and Data at Game Oracle
It's a different story for the more established studios with an existing following and previous titles. Game Oracle found that the use of AI by these studios resulted in a significant 40% to 60% drop in sales.
That's a huge difference. AI stigma seems to hit competent developers with a lot to lose the hardest, and I'm not sure that game studios are ready to accept it.
What the AI stigma means for gamers
Are gamers actively boycotting games that used AI in development? Probably not. (Image credit: Ben Wilson | Windows Central)
I don't think that gamers are actively boycotting AI games. If I had to guess, I'd say that the majority of Steam users don't ever check for AI disclosures and instead direct their disposable income towards positive reviews.
Games like The Finals and Suck Up! are mentioned in the study as examples of successes that used AI. Those successes are counterbalanced by Black Ops 7 and Jurassic World Evolution 3 as examples of brands that were harmed by the use of AI.
The research comes to a point with Burton stating that he doesn't know exactly what is causing the negative impact on AI games.
Some might be inclined to quickly jump to conclusions and claim it's consumer backlash, with players actively rejecting games that disclose using AI. But there are plenty of other factors at play.
Ross Burton, PhD, Head of Product and Data at Game Oracle
One interesting line that stands out to me is that AI is often "correlated with other decisions that lead to a poorly crafted game." Burton suggests that the penalty for using AI might be as much about how it's used as how much it's used.
Burton wraps up the research with a reminder that AI isn't something to be avoided: "Approach AI with caution. Use it gracefully. It is not a replacement for hard work, it's just there to lighten the load."
Do you agree? Let me know in the comments section below!
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"Microsoft's new Surface Pro 11 is the most exciting version since the original Surface Pro. Excellent performance and battery life make this Copilot+ PC a must-recommend." — Daniel Rubino, Editor-in-Chief (2024)
This keyboard is "fantastic" and "outstanding," as highlighted by our Editor-in-Chief. The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard can be used wirelessly or when attached. It also features a large haptic trackpad that lets you feel Windows 11 and supported apps.
The OLED display of the Surface Pro 11 is excellent, offering dark blacks and high contrast. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
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?
(Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
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
When is Amazon's June Prime Day?
Amazon's Prime Day started on June 23, 2026, and will last until June 26, 2026.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
SteelSeries is widely regarded by many to be one of the top manufacturers of gaming accessories. Whether it's wireless gaming headsets or responsive keyboards and mice built for esports competitions, there's little that SteelSeries can't provide for PC and console gamers.
However, most of their highest-quality products can be pretty expensive to buy at their listing prices. Fortunately, Amazon Prime Day's June 2026 sale has nerfed the prices of many SteelSeries gaming accessories to more affordable levels for a limited time, and we've rounded up some of the best deals it's offering for your perusal.
SteelSeries Headset deals
"The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro incorporates practically every feature you could ever want in a headset, but most importantly, it does it well. Sublime sound, next-level quality and construction, a feature-packed DAC, and connectivity with basically every device on Earth makes this headset simultaneously the jack of all trades, and the master of all trades." — Jez Corden, Exec Editor
The Pro X edition of the Arctis Nova Pro wireless headset drops the multi-platform compatibility for a lower price. Otherwise, it features the same stellar build and audio quality as its Nova Pro counterpart.View Deal
"The Arctis Nova 7X Wireless Gen 2 impresses with its ability to work with virtually anything over wireless or wired means, plus has nice-to-haves such as better battery life and stronger software support." ~ Reece Bithrey, Contributor at PC Gamer
"The SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P has become a mainstay in my gaming and work setup, thanks to a comfortable design that has very few pain points. The on-headset buttons and controls pair perfectly with the PS5 and feel great to use." ~ Jake Green, Contributor at TechRadar Gaming
"Overall, this is a really great and discrete headset, complete with active noise cancelling, 2.4 GHz USB-C connectivity, and Bluetooth on mobile devices. The sound quality is decent, the price is right, and the feature set is impressive. If you're an earbuds fan, this might be your best option for multi-platform use with an Xbox and PC focus." ~ Jez Corden, Executive Editor
"A beautiful design built from high-quality parts, this tiny mechanical keyboard makes fast-paced gaming a breeze with adjustable actuation and dual per-key bindings." ~ Ben Wilson, Senior Editor
"The smallest version of SteelSeries' best gaming keyboard boasts top-notch performance and countless software features thanks to its unique magnetic switches." ~ Zachary Boddy, former Staff Writer
"SteelSeries’ new budget-minded keyboard boasts some impressive features, even if they come with a few concessions." ~ Sam Desatoff, former writer of TechRadar
"The SteelSeries Aerox 5 Wireless is another fine entry in the SteelSeries line of gaming mice. Though some might be deterred by the high price, you're getting your money's worth with high performance, tons of customizable features, and a lightweight design that fits your grip type." ~ Allisa James, Computing Staff Writer (TechRadar)
UPDATE: Amazon drops the Aerox 5 from $66.48 to $64.11
This is the wired edition of the Aerox 5 Gaming mouse, which features the same high-quality build, responsiveness and battery life while sacrificing wireless connectivity for a cheaper price.
Amazon's Prime Day June event started on June 23, 2026 and will last until June 26, 2026.
What do I do if my SteelSeries accessory isn't being detected?
If a SteelSeries headset, keyboard, or mice accessory isn't being detected by your computer or console, you will need to switch which USB ports they're connected or check if the device drivers are up to date.
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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!
The SER9 Pro is another all-round excellent mini PC from Beelink, now powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 H 255. The CPU is good, and the GPU is a very good for an integrated one, capable of handling most games on medium to high settings at 1080p, though some really demanding games will struggle.
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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The interview covers Xbox's foray into the entertainment industry, and there’s a lot to unpack, which I’ve done in various other explainers. Interestingly, though, we also got a new look at OD, including small details about its cast, revealing the main characters, which are Sophia Lillis, Hunter Schafer, and Udo Kier, who has sadly since passed away.
The article reveals that Kier underwent a full scan prior to his passing in November last year. However, his involvement in the game has not been detailed. Kojima did, however, discuss the game itself a little, stating: “I wanted to do something new. I wanted to do something different… I had this OD concept since I was working on DS1 [Death Stranding] and I was working on it just by myself. I can't reveal much detail, but it's something that no one has ever seen before. A new game system.”
Kojima also detailed the process of pitching the project, and it seems Xbox wasn't the first company he approached. He said:
“I pitched to many people, to the big companies, and also to the up-and-coming companies. All of them said the same thing…They said that I'm crazy, and that they really don't understand the concept - that they will not be able to do it.”
OD (Image credit: Kojima Productions | Xbox Game Studios)
According to the article, however, Phil Spencer, the former head of Microsoft Gaming, understood what Kojima was attempting to achieve. So does Xbox CEO Asha Sharma, who commented on the game, calling it a “deeply moving game.”
She went on to add, “I've got great artists and creatives that can pick a great game better than I can, and so I want to give it space, but most importantly, I think it just represents another kind of game.”
We also got a small teaser from Kojima. He told Entertainment Weekly:
“I wanted to go beyond the limit of the 'scariness' that other games had reached. It's a single-player game, and I wanted to make it as scary as possible. But for those that might stop playing when it gets too scary, I have thought of a system that will allow them to keep going. I can't say much more, because it'll give too much of a hint on the system, and I could get in trouble for saying too much!”
But wait, there’s more. Sharma chimed in one final time, lamenting that games like OD have shown her that Xbox has “not reached the boundary of games, and, therefore, we need to make sure our platform is sufficiently open so more creators and developers can come on board and be successful, because the next Kojima is yet to be known.”
It's important to include the full context of what was discussed, and to be honest, whatever Kojima is cooking up sounds wildly ambitious, and I’m here for it. Hopefully, we don’t have to wait much longer to learn more, but let me know your thoughts on what was said, and don’t forget to take part in our poll below:
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Amazon Prime Day has arrived to treat PC gamers with discounts on various high-quality gaming accessories that will make you never settle for regular keyboards again.
One such keyboard is the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless Keyboard. It features near-flawless responsiveness, wireless connectivity that suffers no lag, customizable magnetic and keycap bindings, and more that can now be yours for less with this 40% discount that has reduced its listing price from $239.99 to $132.94 at Amazon.
"A beautiful design built from high-quality parts, this tiny mechanical keyboard makes fast-paced gaming a breeze with adjustable actuation and dual per-key bindings." — Ben Wilson, Senior Editor
SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini wireless rear. (Image credit: Windows Central (Ben Wilson) | SteelSeries)
SteelSeries has produced some fine PC gaming accessories over the years, and one of its more recent standout products, the Apex Pro Mini Wireless Keyboard, is one shining example of the company's standard for high-quality peripherals.
It has a vast array of customization, as it will allow you to adjust its per-key actuation (0.1 – 4.0mm), create shortcut keybinds for triggering complex in-game actions more easily, and program two different actions to one key so you can activate more fluidly based on how hard you press it (like walking with a light touch or running with a hard push).
With these features combined with OmniPoint 2.0 Adjustable HyperMagnetic switches and Rapid Trigger features that activate keys based on a player's finger travel distance, what you get is an incredibly fast keyboard whose controls can be heavily customized to play whatever genre of PC gaming you throw at it, whether it's first-person shooters like Call of Duty or MMORPGs like World of Warcraft.
Other notable selling points of this keyboard include a 60% compact form that saves up space on your work desk, ultra-fast 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity that does not suffer from lag, and some vibrant RGB lighting to brighten your room late at night while gaming.
So, if you're looking for a high-level keyboard whose responsiveness can help you keep up with the fastest-paced games out there, we highly recommend the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless Keyboard.
FAQ
When does Amazon's June Prime Day event start?
Amazon's Prime Day June event started on June 23, 2026, and will last until June 26, 2026.
Can it be connected to a PC wired?
Yes. In addition to wireless connections, the SteelSeries Apex Pro Mini Wireless Keyboard features a USB-C cable so it can connect to PC's with a USB-C port to play games that way and update its firmware.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Despite all of that uncertainty, we've actually received a fairly positive update on the game. During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Blade came up in conversation with Todd Howard, who offered a surprisingly encouraging update. Here's what he had to say:
“I'm not at liberty to say when [we'll see more], but I saw some stuff just yesterday [on May 21] and the folks at Arkane [Studios, the developers] are doing a really, really great job.”
Of course, Todd Howard may not necessarily be privy to the full scope of any potential changes happening across Xbox, but a positive update is still a positive update. More importantly, it lines up with comments we've heard elsewhere recently.
“It’s a big show, I can’t fit everything in. It’s a big show, and there’s other beats coming up in the year… there’s always potential to hear more about things that didn’t show up today.”
That certainly gives fans reason to believe we could see the game again sooner rather than later, perhaps even before the end of the year.
As I've said before, it's difficult to discuss projects like Blade without acknowledging the uncertainty surrounding Xbox right now. Hopefully Arkane and its teams are safe, and we'll get to see the fruits of their labor sooner rather than later.
For now, though, Blade appears to be very much alive and well, and that's worth celebrating. Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!
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When you want to listen to your favorite games while traveling, sometimes using traditional headsets can be a drag. Due to their bulky designs, they can be troublesome to store; they tend to make you stand out when you don't want to, and they're uncomfortable to wear while doing intense exercises.
In this case, earbuds are a better option due to their smaller size, which makes them more discreet and portable. One such headset is the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds, which is now on sale for $159.99 at Amazon, courtesy of Amazon's Prime Day sale.
"Overall, this is a really great and discrete headset, complete with active noise cancelling, 2.4 GHz USB-C connectivity, and Bluetooth on mobile devices. The sound quality is decent, the price is right, and the feature set is impressive. If you're an earbuds fan, this might be your best option for multi-platform use with an Xbox and PC focus." — Jez Corden, Executive Editor
The SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds in hand. (Image credit: Windows Central | Jez Corden)
The SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds rank among the best Xbox headsets we've covered on this website. I know my colleague, Jez Corden, certainly believes so, as he said, "the SteelSeries Arctis Gamebuds are the first Xbox and PC "gaming" earbuds that I feel truly check all the right boxes, across performance, features, and price."
They're equipped with custom Neodymium Magnetic Drivers that deliver some of the best sound quality you'd never expect from an earbud, complete with a punchy bass and 360° Spatial Audio for extra immersion for the listener.
They also feature a long battery of 10 hours, a Qi charging case, 2.4GHz wireless connectivity for Xbox and other home consoles, Bluetooth 5.3 for mobile devices, 4-mic hybrid Active Noise Cancellation, over 100 game audio presets to adjust a game's sound to your tastes, and a smooth, ergonomic design that makes it comfortable to wear in your ear.
So, if you're looking for a viable gaming earbud to take with you while on holiday or riding a plane, then nothing tops the SteelSeries Arctis GameBuds.
FAQ
When does Amazon's June Prime Day event start?
Amazon's Prime Day June event started on June 23, 2026 and will last until June 26, 2026.
What platforms are they compatible with?
The SteelSeries Arctis GameBud's system compatibility depends on its model.
The PlayStation model supports PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices, while the Xbox model is compatible with Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
Join us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.
Believe it or not, the Gears of War project in development at Netflix might be one of the Xbox adaptations I'm most excited about. I am a Gears of War fan, and after what happened with the Halo TV series, I'm really hoping Netflix takes a completely different approach here.
I don't want another adaptation that treats the source material as optional. I want something that respects what made Gears special in the first place. A gritty, brutal story that actually feels authentic to the games.
Now, in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty, along with details revealed by EW itself, has given us our clearest indication yet of what Netflix is planning. And honestly, it's left me feeling more optimistic than I expected.
Instead of beating around the bush, let's look at the direct quotes:
"Netflix announced a live-action Gears of War movie from director David Leitch (The Fall Guy, Bullet Train) and writer Jon Spaihts (Dune: Part III). EW can exclusively reveal that the film will tell 'the origin story of Delta Squad, a ragtag crew of soldiers who wage a desperate war for survival against the Locust, a race of subterranean creatures set on destroying humanity,' according to an official description."
Matt Booty expanded on that by saying:
"The game really is about the bonds between teams. It's about brotherhood at its core. When you go visit the studio, their tagline is 'Never Fight Alone.'"
Now, I don't know about you, but that certainly gets me excited. Gears has always been at its best when it's focused on the relationships between its characters, and not just about the locust and such. If Netflix genuinely understands that the heart of Gears is brotherhood, survival, and fighting impossible odds together, then this adaptation might actually have a shot.
It's even one of those adaptations I think I'll end up forcing my parents to watch as part of my ongoing, and so far largely unsuccessful, mission to get them interested in the things I like.
It’s a great time to be a Gears of War fan, though, especially with E-Day releasing this year, exclusively on Xbox. We also got plenty of other details about Xbox's entertainment ambitions, including a small update on Halo and the surprise announcement of a Sea of Thieves movie. So, at least when it comes to film and television, Xbox seems to be thinking pretty big right now.
But let me know your thoughts. Are these details enough to get you excited about the Gears of War adaptation? Be sure to leave a comment and take part in our poll!
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SteelSeries is, without a doubt, one of the best go-to providers of high-quality gaming headsets, as their offerings are built to last for years with their immaculate sound quality, sturdy builds, and useful features such as active noise cancellation.
One of SteelSeries' best works, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro, is one such headset, and it's now on sale on Amazon Prime Day at a 34% discount, priced at $249.99.
"The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro incorporates practically every feature you could ever want in a headset, but most importantly, it does it well. Sublime sound, next-level quality and construction, a feature-packed DAC, and connectivity with basically every device on Earth makes this headset simultaneously the jack of all trades, and the master of all trades." — Jez Corden, Exec Editor
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is not only a jack of all trades, it's a master of them. (Image credit: Windows Central (Jez Corden) | SteelSeries)
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro earned a spot among our favorite Xbox headsets for very good reasons, and that starts with its sound quality.
With its Premium Hi-Fi Drivers, 360° Spatial Audio, and adjustable EQ, this headset can deliver extremely immersive, balanced, and broad soundscapes while isolating specific sound details that make a game's sound design heavenly to listen to.
The soundscape also provides a competitive edge with multiplayer games like Call of Duty, as it can help isolate specific sounds like enemy player movements so they don't get the drop on you.
Other welcome features of the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro include active noise cancellation to shut out distracting background noise, 44 hours of battery life (22 hours with Bluetooth), connectivity with every console and device, comfortable ear cushions, and a decent-quality microphone with active noise cancellation.
It's even got a bundled digital-to-analog (DAC) converter base that can recharge the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro's hot-swappable batteries, connect it to multiple devices, and adjust its audio settings.
While the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Omni may be the new hotness, the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro proves it's still got it in 2026, and we highly recommend it now for audiophiles looking to upgrade the auditory experience of their games.
FAQ
What devices are compatible with the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro?
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is compatible with Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC, mobile phones, and laptops.
What connectivity does it use?
The SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro connects to devices wirelessly via Bluetooth 5.0 and 2.4GHz wireless or wired via USB-C cables.
When does Amazon's June Prime Day event start?
Amazon's Prime Day June event starts on June 23, 2026 and will last until June 26, 2026.
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It's no secret that Halo has struggled to find success outside of video games, and I'll be the first to admit that, as a massive Halo fan, the Halo TV series from Paramount+ was one of the worst shows I've ever had the displeasure of watching.
Credit where it's due, though. The show occasionally delivered some genuinely impressive action sequences, even if they were often followed moments later by Master Chief removing his helmet for no apparent reason. But I digress.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty was asked whether Halo could return to television following the cancellation of the Paramount+ series.
"The previous Halo adaptation at Paramount+ didn't make it past season 2, but the series shot to the top of the charts when Netflix picked up its streaming distribution. Could it come back?"
Booty's response was brief, but interesting:
Halo, first and foremost, is one of our biggest franchises. It's iconic to Xbox and we're certainly going to invest going forward.
Matt Booty
I'll be the first to admit that it isn't much to go on, and it's certainly not confirmation of a new TV series or movie. Still, it's notable that Xbox continues to speak about Halo as one of its most important franchises, especially when directly asked about its future in television.
If Microsoft does decide to take another shot at adapting Halo, though, I know exactly what I want it to look like.
Years ago, a leaked Halo script written by Alex Garland painted a version of the universe that felt darker, grittier, and far more in line with the tone many fans associate with the games. One scene sees a terrified Corporal Jenkins desperately demanding his sidearm back from Master Chief. After repeatedly refusing to explain what he's running from, Chief hands over the pistol, only for Jenkins to immediately put it in his mouth and pull the trigger.
It's a brutal scene, but it's also incredibly effective. It instantly communicates fear, mystery, and the horror of encountering the Flood without needing lengthy exposition. That's the kind of Halo adaptation I'd love to see. One that embraces the darker corners of the universe rather than trying to reinvent them.
Maybe Halo's future on TV or the big screen isn't over after all. If Xbox does decide to revisit the franchise, hopefully it takes a closer look at what made Halo resonate with fans in the first place.
Anyway, let me know your thoughts on the possibility of Halo returning to television or film in the comments below, and be sure to take part in our poll!
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Sea of Thieves, the popular pirate game developed by none other than Rare, is weirdly getting a movie.
Now, I'll be honest, I actually think pirates are pretty cool, and I'm going to go out on a limb and say this could be pretty fun. Imagine if they somehow managed to get Johnny Depp involved, though that's highly unlikely, of course.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Xbox Chief Content Officer Matt Booty discussed a number of things, including the newly revealed Sea of Thieves movie. So, rather than droning on, here's what was said:
"EW can also report that Sea of Thieves will be developed into a live-action movie. Marvel filmmaker Destin Daniel Cretton (Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) will produce through his company, Hisako Films. A director is not yet attached.
'The main character of a Sea of Thieves game is actually the player and the community,' Booty explains. 'So if you sit down to think about Sea of Thieves, it's not, Who are the main characters? What's the plot? It's a super social game, but there's a tone to Sea of Thieves. It's built on a very cooperative community, so you can start to sense what that's going to be like.'"
I actually really like Destin Daniel Cretton, who is set to develop it, so this might be pretty interesting at the very least. I've also actually enjoyed the time I've spent playing Sea of Thieves, and as a fan of pirates, I'm interested to see how they pull this off.
It also shows just how serious Xbox, or Microsoft rather, is about breaking into the entertainment industry. In the same interview, Matt Booty teased that there are at least a dozen projects currently in the works.
I'm also glad we got a little bit of Halo news, which I've covered separately, but the full interview is well worth a read if you're interested in where Xbox sees its future beyond gaming. If nothing else, it paints a picture of a company that's being surprisingly ambitious with its franchises outside of video games.
But let me know your thoughts. Does a Sea of Thieves movie excite you, or are you feeling a little seasick at the idea? Let me know in the comments, and don't forget to take part in our poll!
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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.
Zac Bowden called the Surface Laptop 7 "the clamshell form factor perfected", and he's right on the money. Its 120Hz touchscreen looks amazing, and it all runs on Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon X Elite chip.
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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It's been nearly a year since Xbox and developer Obsidian Entertainment released Grounded 2 — a sequel to the studio's original co-op survival game that shrinks you down to the size of a bug and transforms everyday suburban environments into vast open worlds — in Early Access on Xbox, PC, and Xbox Game Pass.
Since then, Obsidian (with co-development support from Eidos-Montréal) has delivered three major updates for the game, with a fourth — Into the Abyss, a water-themed patch adding the Pond area — scheduled to release on August 11. At the same time, Grounded 2 will also come to PS5, inviting a brand new network of players to join the game's community.
It's worth noting that the first Grounded, by contrast, didn't get a PS5 release until 2024, which came two years after the title left Early Access and launched in full with its 1.0 update in 2022.
Indeed, it's no exaggeration to say that Obsidian has been quite busy building on Grounded 2's foundations to refine it into a bigger, deeper experience, and I found a recent interview with game director Chris Parker in which he discusses its development, journey to PS5, and Into the Abyss to be quite interesting.
"Every time that we think we're done we can take a breath — just one breath, that's all you get, and then we keep going. At the same time, we're constantly processing all the community feedback, and trying with love to figure out how we do as much of it as we can, while recognizing that we can't possibly do all of it," Parker told GamesRadar+. "And now we're on the cusp of releasing the largest content update that we've done. It's bigger than Garden [The Toxic Tangle update], and to be launching on PlayStation 5 effectively makes this our second launch, right? We had the early access launch before, but this is like doing it all over again this summer."
Parker noted that Obsidian and Eidos originally "had some struggles" when first working together on Grounded 2, but would "ultimately figure out what the best solution for the game would be and move on."
"Those things occur less and less often now. What's far more likely to happen is that Eidos comes and pitches something to us, like the story for the pond, and I will just plus-one that with them. Then I'll suggest something and they get excited and plus-one that," he added.
In regards to the game coming to PS5, Parker commented that "there are other people above my pay grade that might have other opinions about what needs to happen with all that," referencing Xbox's new push for and return to exclusives that's begun with Clockwork Revolution and Gears of War: E-Day. "As a game developer, what I want is for the most amount of players to love my game on their platform, whatever that might be."
He added that "we have ideas for the future" of Grounded 2's roadmap, but made it clear that the Into the Abyss update shipping alongside PS5 availability is Obsidian's priority right now. "It's a huge content update with multiple biomes in it, there's a new buggy joining the group, we're bringing back swimming as a gameplay experience, and we're offering some other things that you can do while you're underwater too. We'll be talking about all that later."
Debates about exclusivity aside, I think it's great to see that Grounded 2's game director is excited to welcome a new community of players to the open-world survival game, and that Obsidian and Eidos have coalesced as co-developers to collaborate on the title both passionately and efficiently. That has me all the more interested in checking out Into the Abyss later this summer.
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Microsoft Outlook for Mac has a peculiar bug that removes the content from a previous conversation when replying to or forwarding an email. Microsoft has confirmed the issue but a fix has not shipped yet.
Normally, replying to or forwarding an email through Outlook includes the entire original message. That inclusion makes it easier for the sender to draft their message and the recipient to have context of the conversation. But the buggy behavior in Outlook removes the previous conversation, leaving just the new message.
The problem only occurs in the legacy version of Outlook for Mac. That older Outlook, which is a native application that's been around in some form for decades, is set to be retired in October. After the cutoff, legacy Outlook for Mac will receive security updates but will no longer work with Exchange Online mailboxes.
The web-based Outlook has proven controversial on Windows 11. In contrast, the new Outlook on macOS is a native app. (Image credit: Future)
Over 95% of Microsoft 365 users have transitioned to the new Outlook app for Mac, according to Microsoft. The new Outlook is focused on cloud accounts and is the main version going forward.
Over on the Windows side of things, Microsoft's shift to what is essentially a web app as the primary Outlook has been controversial. But the new Outlook for macOS is a native application, making an odd situation where Outlook is arguably better on macOS than on Windows.
Issues with Microsoft Outlook are nothing new. Problems even extended beyond planet earth when Commander Wiseman of the Artemis II couldn't check his email in space. But unwanted behavior is still frustrating.
"This is an extremely frustrating bug in this last update, and I hope a fix is on the way," said user Stephan in response to the original thread. They added, "This is frankly quite disappointing that something major like this completely evaded the software testing process before it was being rolled out."
While Microsoft is investigating the issue with legacy Outlook for Mac, you have two options. You can either migrate to the new Outlook (official recommendation from Microsoft) or roll back to version 16.109 of legacy Outlook for Mac.
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After facing intense scrutiny for quirky crossovers in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Treyarch committed to keeping its operator bundles more lore-accurate for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. Then they added Dave Chappelle as part of a Half Baked crossover in April. Now with Season 4 Reloaded, we're getting a crossover with Nick Cage.
Call of Duty: Season 4 Reloaded kicks off on June 25 at 9AM PT/12PM ET, and here is everything you can expect for multiplayer, Zombies, Endgame, and Warzone.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Endgame
Act IV of Endgame features Operation King Killer. (Image credit: Activision)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7's Endgame mode was originally locked behind campaign progression, but Treyarch ultimately decided to move the underappreciated mode to Call of Duty: Warzone and make it temporarily free-to-play. However, at the time, no end date for the free-to-play era was announced. It is now confirmed that Endgame will remain F2P until the end of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 Season 5.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is expected to launch on October 23, with campaign early access going live on October 16. While it has not been confirmed that Black Ops 7's post-launch support will end at Season 5 instead of the standard 6 seasons we've seen with previous launches, the early launch date for MW4 does make that possibility more likely.
For Season 4 Reloaded, Endgame fans can expect Operation King Killer to be the next chapter of the story, which will push players to locate the Central Command Node and eventually face off against the Glitch Boss. Ten escalating challenges in Zone III and higher will challenge players as they unlock new rewards and weapon camos.
Endgame gets new operator abilities and equipment in Season 4 Reloaded. (Image credit: Activision)
Endgame players can work their way through the new Guardian skill track with the Payback perk that ricochets enemy damage and increased ammo spawns on enemy eliminations. The Guardian skill track is for the tanky team player, allowing for friendly revives just by being in proximity to downed teammates, reduced flinch, and reduced damage for equipped armor plates.
The newest minor ability for Season 4 Reloaded is the psych grenade with a brain rot affect common in other Black Ops 7 modes. A new Exotic Skill, Fission, will result in players triggering an explosion that deals damage to nearby enemies when killing elite foes. The latest nightmare skill to make its way to Endgame is Sleeper Agent, which provides a chance for base enemies to become allies that rush nearby hostiles and detonate on impact.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Multiplayer
(Image credit: Activision)
Season 4 Reloaded will bring two new maps to the multiplayer roster, one brand-new and one remastered.
New map: Zenith (6v6, 2v2, Medium-sized)
Season 4 Reloaded gets 1 brand-new map set in a jungle facility. (Image credit: Activision)
Zenith is a brand-new map coming to Black Ops 7's multiplayer during Season 4 Reloaded, bringing back to the Jungle vibes we've seen in previous Black Ops titles, but this time featuring a massive compound with state-of-the-art tech and security. The three-lane map features flanking paths on either side and a running waterway that leads into the compound's lower bunker.
Remastered map: Launch (6v6, Medium-sized)
Classic Black Ops map "Launch" has been remastered for Season 4 Reloaded. (Image credit: Activision)
This classic map from the original Call of Duty: Black Ops has officially been remastered for Black Ops 7, featuring a Russian rocket facility where the launch initiation protocol begins at the halfway point of each match. Launch has a soft spot in many COD players' hearts for its design, which caters to a variety of play styles thanks to the complex layout that lends itself to long sniper sightlines from elevated positions and tight corridors with plenty of potential flanking paths.
Returning mode: Team Blueprint Sharpshooter
Multiplayer modes coming to Black Ops 7 with Season 4 Reloaded include Team Blueprint Sharpshooter and Knife Fight. (Image credit: Activision)
Blueprint Sharpshooter challenges players to eliminate enemies with a rotating cycle of loadouts. The higher your kill streak, the more power ups you unlock to help you keep going. Operator bonuses are as follows:
1-Streak: Faster movement speed.
2 -Streak: Faster reload speed.
3-Streak: Faster sprint recovery.
4-Streak: Faster aim down sights speed.
5-Streak: Double score.
Knife Fight offers a melee-only take on the popular 2v2 Gunfight mode. (Image credit: Activision)
Returning mode: Knife Fight
This melee-only mode is a close-quarters variant of Gunfight for the 2v2 crowd who are looking to make some progress on weapons like the H311-SAW and MK.II. No scorestreaks or field upgrades, though players can receive ranged equipment a few seconds after the round starts. The first duo squad to win six rounds wins the match.
New updates: Black Ops Classic
Treyarch has been priming fans of Black Ops for the Black Ops 1 and 2 ports coming to PlayStation later this summer with the Black Ops classic playlist that will now become a permanent fixture in the playlist rotation. This mode features the roster of classic Black Ops maps and weapons with limited mobility, perks, and scorestreak options for that throwback vibe.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Zombies
Kowakujō is the latest map to come to Black Ops 7 Zombies. (Image credit: Activision)
Welcome to Kowakujō, the newest round-based map for Black Ops 7 Zombies coming in Season 4 Reloaded. Treyarch has been teasing Kowakujō for a couple of weeks, as well as the supernatural Oni enemy, scorched Zombies, and a fiery new take on Hellhounds.
The story will have players battling the undead on the slopes of a volcano with a dragon flying overhead as they attempt to free the final Shadowsmith and recover the World Seed — failure means catastrophe for the material world. That's easier said than done, however, when the foreboding Oni is ready to attack with its electrified melee weapon. A new wonder weapon could help make things easier, but Treyarch is keeping the details of the new tool close to its chest until Season 4 Reloaded goes live.
The Main Quest for Kowakujō goes live on June 25 at 9AM PT/12PM ET.
Takeo and Carver will be the central focus for the Main Quest storyline on Kowakujō. (Image credit: Activision)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Warzone
No more snow. Rebirth Island returns to a lusher, more green color palette for summer. (Image credit: Activision)
Season 4 Reloaded will bring some new changes to Call of Duty: Warzone, though not as significant as we've seen in some other updates. Players who have been enjoying the snow-covered Rebirth Island will have to say goodbye to the frost caps as the island returns to a more seasonally appropriate color palette. However, the Season 2 changes to points of interest will remain intact.
New modes are coming to the playlist rotation for Warzone, including Squad Gun Game on Resurgence maps and Buy Back Quads for Battle Royale Maps. Those of us pining for duos or trios playlists on Black Ops Royale are still out of luck, unfortunately. But hey, the Champions Quest is back for those teams who want to challenge themselves to consecutive victories that meet specific criteria.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Events
I'm not sure who asked for this but we're getting Nick Cage in Call of Duty. (Image credit: Activision)
It's not a new season without some new events, and the first one planned for Season 4 Reloaded gives us Nick Cage — for, reasons? Treyarch is touting the addition of Nick Cage to Call of Duty as part of its "action-packed summer" themed event, offering a free and premium track to unlock a variety of rewards by earning XP during a limited time. The free track includes:
“Opportunist” Samuels Operator Skin
“Wide Eyed” Spray
1-Hour Double Weapon XP Token
“On Set” Loading Screen
Battle Pass Tier Skip “Art of Respect” Animated Emblem
“Hired Muscle” Grimm Operator Skin
“Personal Tyrant” Weapon Charm
New “Executioner’s Duet” Melee Weapon
New “AN-94” Assault Rifle
While the premium reward track will cost players some out-of-pocket cash and include the following:
Zombies players can also look forward to their own Kowakujō Event with rewards including weapon camos and GobbleGums.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 S4R Free Trial
Kowakujō will introduce a new enemy to BO7 Zombies, the Oni. (Image credit: Activision)
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 has been a contentious entry to the franchise, with the game's psychologically-thriller style campaign deterring players who were expecting a more traditional single-player experience. However, the multiplayer has been applauded as one of the best in the franchise's modern history, mainly due to Treyarch's willingness to listen to player feedback on features like out-of-place operator skins and Skill-Based Match Making.
If you haven't yet tried out Black Ops 7's multiplayer and Zombies mode, a free trial period is coming later during the Season 4 Reloaded window to give players a chance to check out what they've been missing.
Treyarch has excelled at listening to player feedback, but still drops the ball on operator bundles
This crossover singlehandedly ruined the future of creative operator bundles in Call of Duty. (Image credit: Activision)
Call of Duty's development teams have taken quite a hit in the 'goodwill' department from fans of the franchise since the explosion of weed-themed and cel-shaded operator bundles hit the in-game store in full force during Modern Warfare 3 (2023)'s post-launch seasons. The ridiculous operator bundles and cross-overs became even more egregious with Black Ops 6, when we were stuck with the likes of cel-shaded Beavis and Butthead and American Dad operators running around.
A lot of players have hot takes about other operator bundles like Nicki Minaj or the more colorfully adorned operators, and I can almost see their point. What I, personally, find more frustrating is the out-of-universe nature of some of the crossovers. I don't expect Call of Duty to be a milsim, and I am not ashamed to say that I am first in line to scoop up a unicorn bundle or a female operator with some witchy vibes. I'm still gleefully jaunting around Black Ops Royale in the witchy raven operator bundle I purchased a few years ago, actually.
I prefer unicorns over random celebrities in Call of Duty. (Image credit: Windows Central)
Treyarch has had a spectacular year in multiplayer, where they've really made an effort to give players the Black Ops experience they've been begging for, and it has been — hands down — one of the best Black Ops multiplayers in recent memory. And yet, they just refuse to turn loose of these senseless crossovers with celebrities. It's a commitment to going against the audience that I just don't understand. Give me rainbow tracers any day of the week. It's Dave Chapelle, Nick Cage, and other out-of-universe celebrities that have me feeling like the ball is being dropped.
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Eight months after first revealing the compact console-like Steam Machine gaming PC to the world last year, its architect Valve has finally announced the device's price and details about its release. If you were holding out hope that it would be fairly affordable and widely available, well...I have bad news.
The cheapest model of the living room-friendly gaming PC — one that doesn't come with Valve's new Steam Controller and only has 512GB of storage instead of 2TB — is a whopping $1,049, with more expensive options climbing to $1,128, $1,349, and $1,428 price points.
Cost isn't the only debilitating complication to contend with if you're interested in a Steam Machine, however. Supply is also a huge issue, as Valve has been forced to implement signups for a reservation queue due to very limited stock. And with Steam Controller reservations extending into 2027, it's hard to imagine fresh batches of Steam Machines will come much faster, if at all.
What's going on here — why is the Steam Machine so prohibitively expensive, and why does Valve have such a limited stock of the systems? If you've followed tech even loosely in recent months, I'm sure your assumption is that ongoing AI-driven RAM shortages are to blame. And you're right.
Valve addressed the situation in the blog post it revealed the Steam Machine's pricing and availability in, explaining that "The price at which we sell our hardware is a direct result of the cost of" the components it needs to make it, and that "our original goal for the price of Steam Machine is no longer viable" due to the scarcity and skyrocketing cost of memory and storage.
The Steam Machine uses Valve's SteamOS and a compact form factor to bring the power and versatility of PC gaming to spaces that are traditionally ideal for console gaming, though its extremely high price and low availability will make it very difficult for consumers to obtain. (Image credit: Valve)
"We felt like we had a good understanding of how those costs might change over time when we first started sourcing them for Steam Machine back in 2023. That understanding was born from the many years of data we all have about the evolution of PC hardware prices — primarily, that it tends to get cheaper over time as new technology arrives," the manufacturer wrote.
"Over the past year or so, that has changed quickly and significantly, most visibly for RAM and storage components," it continued. "The overall effect is that our original goal for the price of Steam Machine is no longer viable. So the prices we're sharing today reflect the state of the world for manufacturing; or, more accurately, it reflects the price of the components as we've secured them over the past 6 months."
Valve added that "Price wasn't the only thing impacted by all of this: availability was as well. There were periods where we found we couldn't source some of our components at all, at any price." This, it says, "has impacted the number of units we've been able to produce for launch."
In the end, I feel that both Valve and customers are in a total no-win situation here, as the former can't afford to lower prices without making selling the Steam Machine untenable, and many of the latter are unable to afford the device due to its heightened cost. I hate to say it, but the Steam Machine just seems like an awesome device that came out at the worst time possible.
Are you considering getting a Steam Machine despite how expensive it is and how hard it will be to secure an order for one? I'm curious to hear from you, so let me know in the comments and vote in our poll.
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Since Valve first announced its console-like, living room-friendly gaming PC the Steam Machine last November, the wait to find out how much it will cost and when exactly it will come out has been a long one. Before now, the manufacturer only confirmed that its launch for Summer 2026 was still planned, with the ongoing RAM crisis caused by heavy AI investment significantly complicating Valve's supply and pricing process.
At long last, however, the firm has finally announced how much the device will cost and when it will manage to start shipping it out to customers. In a new blog post, Valve revealed that there are two different Steam Machine SKUs — a 512GB unit and one with 2TB of storage — you'll be able to purchase, with each also offered in a bundle that includes the new $99 Steam Controller gamepad.
That means you have four options total, all of which I've listed below with their prices:
Note that in addition to the standard black faceplate, you also have the option of getting a red fabric or a solid walnut front cover for the 2TB version of the Steam Machine.
Valve's upcoming new Steam Machine gaming PC utilizes the company's Linux-based SteamOS operating system, and is designed with the living room and traditional console-style gaming in mind. (Image credit: Valve)
Due to memory and storage shortages severely impacting component supply, Valve won't have as many Steam Machines available for gamers to purchase as it would like to. Therefore, it's implementing a reservation system similar to the one it's using for the Steam Controller, though it's going to work a bit differently.
From now until Thursday, June 25th at 10 a.m. PT, you can sign up for the reservation list of the model you want on the Steam Machine's official store page. Then, Valve will close the list and randomize it to determine the reservation queue order.
Once the order has been finalized, you'll receive an email that either confirms you're in the reservation queue and will be emailed when there's a Steam Machine available for you to order, or that you're on the waitlist and will be notified when you're added to the queue and more units become available.
Valve says the first Steam Machine orders will begin to ship out on Monday, June 29, which is precisely one week away from the time of writing.
Some final things to note: trying to reserve a Steam Machine requires having a Steam account in good standing as well as a Steam purchase in your account history before April 27. Also, you can't change the model you reserved after signing up, though you can sign up for multiple different versions and bundles of the Steam Machine.
If you're aiming to try and get your hands on the device, good luck — I have no doubt that you're going to need it!
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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 has a bit of a scandal on its hands, and sadly, it's one that seems to have been around for some time and is rearing its head once again.
It centers on the in-game marketplace, a shopfront for players on all platforms to purchase add-on content. Mods are a fundamental part of Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and you would be right to assume that the curated marketplace should be the safest place to get content from.
But one creator in particular, MScenery, keeps grabbing attention for the wrong reasons. In a marketplace Microsoft is supposed to monitor, this name is causing outrage over content it's taking money from players for.
So what is MScenery supposed to be doing in Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024
The video above by YouTuber AvAngel explains the situation in full, but the short version is that there are serious reasons for concern over the quality of MScenery's products and the way in which the marketplace is being manipulated.
At the top, MScenery appears to be using AI-enhanced imagery for its thumbnails rather than direct in-game screenshots that actually reflect the quality of the product.
Then there's the actual quality of the work, which, as the video above describes, is average at best. The detail and textures are poor, there's a distinct lack of functionality, and the ratings for MScenery add-ons are suspiciously and consistently a perfect 5 stars.
The quality of these paid add-ons is far below even the free content that comes with Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. MScenery's name as well, you could say, is deliberately misleading. Microsoft has nothing to do with it, but a newcomer could easily fall for believing otherwise.
This recent Reddit thread covers the same topic, too, and MScenery's suspect behavior seems to go back to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020, too. Technically, they're not doing anything wrong, but that still doesn't make it right, especially when they're trying to take money for it.
The buck ultimately stops with Microsoft
Suspicious-looking artwork and an even more suspicious-looking perfect rating. (Image credit: Windows Central)
Nobody is saying Microsoft is responsible for this type of low-grade content, but equally, it's the company's name at the top of the marketplace. Therefore, it inevitably falls at their feet to fix.
Microsoft has a duty to its players to get a handle on this. If it's happening once, it's almost certainly not an isolated incident. While it might not be Microsoft's doing, it's still Microsoft's game and its reputation.
Be that a closer scrutiny of add-ons submitted to the marketplace, a ban on the use of AI imagery, and better attention paid to the review scores and potential bot influence. It's not an easy task, but the marketplace is also not on the scale of something like the Microsoft Store.
While the core community is aware and on the lookout for this type of behavior, there are plenty out there who never go on Reddit, who never visit forums or specialist websites.
For now the best advice is to do that if you have concerns. The official Microsoft Flight Simulator forums are full of knowledgeable and helpful people; likewise, drop by Reddit and ask questions. Even if it's a perfectly legitimate piece of quality content, the community will always be happy to help.
I've reached out to Microsoft for comment, but as it was a federal holiday leading into the weekend, I'll update as and when I get a response. It's clear something needs to be done; what that looks like, we'll have to wait and see.
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On Windows 11, I often see users concerned about high memory usage when they open Task Manager. It's not uncommon to see RAM utilization sitting at 70, 80, or even 90 percent. When that happens, many people assume their computer is slowing down, the operating system is using too many resources, or it's finally time to upgrade to more memory.
Microsoft PC Manager is one of the tools designed to address this concern. The app includes a one-click "Boost" feature that promises to free memory and improve performance instantly. However, before you start clearing memory every time you see a high percentage, it's important to understand what the system is actually doing behind the scenes.
Why Windows 11 uses so much memory
Nowadays, modern operating systems are designed to use available resources efficiently. Instead of letting memory sit idle, Windows 11 uses available RAM to cache data and keep frequently used apps ready to launch faster. The goal is to make the system feel more responsive.
As a result, high memory usage isn't necessarily a warning sign. In many cases, it's evidence that the operating system is taking advantage of the hardware you already paid for. This is also why two computers with the same amount of memory can show very different usage in Task Manager, even when performance feels nearly identical.
It's important, though, to separate "good" memory usage from "bad" bloat. When the system uses RAM to cache files, it'll immediately give that memory back when another app needs it. On the other hand, if a single app or browser tab is consuming several gigabytes of memory because of poor optimization or a memory leak, that's a legitimate resource problem and a valid reason to close the app or use a tool like PC Manager.
Where Microsoft PC Manager fits in
Microsoft PC Manager can help when memory consumption becomes excessive. The Boost feature quickly closes unnecessary background processes and releases memory back to the system. If you've left dozens of browser tabs open, forgotten apps running in the background, or are working on a computer with limited memory, the feature can provide an immediate improvement.
(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
For users who don't want to dig through Task Manager looking for resource-hungry processes, PC Manager offers a much simpler approach.
However, the tool works best when it's solving an actual memory problem rather than chasing a lower number.
The mistake many users make
The biggest mistake I see is treating memory usage as a score that should always be kept as low as possible.
If Task Manager reports 85 percent memory usage, many users immediately assume they need to free RAM. After using the Boost feature, they feel reassured because the percentage drops to a lower number.
The problem is that lower memory usage doesn't automatically translate into better performance.
Windows 11 often stores useful information in memory to speed up common tasks. Clearing that data may reduce the percentage shown in Task Manager, but it doesn't always make the computer faster. In some situations, the operating system simply reloads the same information back into memory moments later.
When should you actually worry?
The percentage itself isn't what matters most. What matters is whether you're experiencing symptoms that indicate the system is running out of available memory. Apps taking longer to open, sluggish multitasking, and random slowdowns are usually better indicators than the number shown in Task Manager.
Another sign is when the system begins to rely heavily on virtual memory, forcing it to move data between RAM and storage. That's when performance can start to suffer noticeably. Also, keep in mind that many other factors can affect system performance, including the type and speed of your local drive, available disk space, thermal throttling, processor limitations, and excessive startup apps and background processes, just to name a few.
If your computer remains responsive throughout your normal workload, high memory usage alone usually isn't a reason to worry.
So how much RAM usage is too much?
There isn't a magic number that applies to every computer. For some users, 90 percent memory usage may be perfectly normal because they're running dozens of browser tabs, editing photos, or working with virtual machines.
Actually, I fall into this category. When I built my system, I installed 96GB of RAM, and I haven't noticed any slowdown in the applications I use when the usage is around 90 percent or even more.
(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
However, context is also important. On an 8GB system sitting at around 85 percent memory usage, there's very little room left to work with. At that point, Windows 11 has to rely more on memory compression and move data to the storage drive, which can lead to noticeable slowdowns or stuttering. High memory usage on a high-end computer is usually just normal caching. However, on a lower-end system, it often means the hardware is starting to struggle.
My rule of thumb is simple. If memory usage consistently stays at 85-90 percent and you're noticing performance issues, it's probably time to investigate and consider a RAM upgrade. If performance remains smooth, Windows 11 is likely managing memory exactly as intended.
Windows Central's Take
Every time I see someone post a screenshot showing 85 or 90 percent memory usage on Windows 11, the first reaction is usually, "You need more RAM." In reality, that's often not the case.
I've tested Windows 11 on systems with 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB of memory, and one thing I've learned is that the system will happily use available RAM if it can improve performance. That's exactly what modern operating systems are supposed to do. Unused memory doesn't make your computer faster.
This is why I think Microsoft PC Manager's Boost feature is both useful and potentially misleading. It's useful because it can quickly free resources on low-memory systems or when an app is misbehaving. However, it can also reinforce the idea that high memory usage is always bad, which simply isn't true.
The one major exception here is right before you launch a heavy workload. If you are about to open a demanding game or start rendering a 4K video, it could make sense to hit the "Boost" feature beforehand. It forces background tasks to clear out early, ensuring your heavy application has immediate access to raw blocks of memory without waiting for the system to reallocate resources on the fly.
If you open Task Manager and see memory usage sitting at 80 or even 90 percent, I wouldn't rush to upgrade your memory. Instead, I'd ask a different question. Is the device actually slow? If apps open quickly and multitasking feels smooth, Windows 11 is probably managing memory exactly as intended.
For me, the real sign that it's time for more RAM isn't a percentage in Task Manager. It's when I start noticing slowdowns, app reloads, stuttering, or other performance issues during my normal workflow. That's when additional memory makes a difference.
What's the highest memory usage you've seen on Windows 11 without noticing any performance issues? Let me know in the comments.
More resources
Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:
Controlling audio settings on your PC is about to get easier. An upcoming update to Windows 11 will provide more options on a single page, reducing the number of clicks needed to change the volume of your devices.
Windows 11 Build 29613.1000 shipped to Windows Insiders in the Experimental (Future Platforms) Preview Channel recently. The update improves the "All sound devices" page within the settings app.
At the moment, that page merely shows a list of your output devices and input devices. To make any changes, you have to click on a device and jump to another page. After the latest Insider update, that same page lets you change your default device, monitor the volume of each device, and choose to hide or show disabled or unplugged devices.
Following up on our previous improvements, we’re making some more adjustments to Settings > System > Sounds based on your feedback. Namely, we’ve updated the “All sound devices” page so:
You now have the ability to change default devices from this page.
Each of the devices displayed on this page now has a little volume meter next to it to show if there is audio actively playing.
We’ve adjusted the page design slightly so now you can filter whether you’re viewing input or output devices.
We’ve added toggles so you can choose if you want to hide or show disabled, disconnected, and unplugged devices on this page.
We’ve also updated the input and output audio properties page for devices in Settings to now include jack information for those that need it.
Microsoft shipped three other Insider builds alongside Build 29613.1000, though they're minor updates. They mostly focus on bug fixes and minor changes.
Microsoft overhauled the Windows Insider Program recently. The channel structure now feels more linear and builds progress through in a way that feels natural.
The newly formed Experimental Channel allows Insiders to test "Future Platform" builds of the OS, which focus more on platform change than new features. The regular Experimental and Beta Channels have more front-facing features.
Users will also be able to bypass A/B testing and access the newest features available through their respective channel.
Microsoft is still transitioning to the new structure, so some options are not available at this time.
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The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is the new gaming handheld that I'd use as an example of how far these devices have come since the Steam Deck launched in 2022. It's a shame, then, that MSI's new device is far too expensive to reasonably recommend to most of my PC gaming pals.
Coming in at $1,799, MSI's new handheld is indeed priced out of the hands of many gamers. It's not MSI's fault, or at least not entirely. Whether it's the AI boom making components drastically more expensive, premium build quality and features, or the new Intel Arc G3 chips, $1,799 is a far cry from the Steam Deck's original $399 baseline price.
The article kicked off a lively debate in the comments section and in our subreddit, with hundreds of replies aimed directly at me and at other commenters. Here's what the Windows Central community is saying about the rising cost of gaming handhelds.
Was Nintendo already leaving PC handhelds behind?
The Nintendo Switch 2 has already sold nearly 20 million units. (Image credit: Future)
Nintendo fans are everywhere, and by far the broadest discussion about PC gaming handhelds revolves around a Switch-related comment from u/locked-in-place in our subreddit.
Nintendo was already leading in the handheld territory leaving everyone behind. Now that all competitors, especially the Steam Deck, are so much more expensive, Nintendo will not be challenged at all.
u/locked-in-place
It's true that the Switch and Switch 2 have sold incredibly well. According to official Nintendo numbers, nearly 156 million Switch units have been shipped, with another 19.86 million Switch 2 units adding to the momentum.
Although Steam hasn't offered public Steam Deck sales numbers, it's believed that somewhere around 4 million units have been sold. That's a massive difference, and even if I add in other popular handhelds like the Xbox ROG Ally/Ally X, Lenovo Legion Go family, MSI Claw 8 AI+, and practically any others with a PC flavor, Nintendo is still far in the lead.
Many of the replies to the OP suggest that the Steam Deck and the overall PC handheld market were never meant to disrupt Nintendo's sales, which are themselves being disrupted by their own price hikes.
Just before the Switch 2 went up in price in Japan on May 25, sales skyrocketed. Right after? They plummeted. A comparable price hike is notably coming to the US, Canada, and Europe on September 1.
A good point is made here by u/First-Junket124, who suggests that the Steam Deck was never meant to compete with Nintendo and was instead an alternative route for PC gamers.
Another comment by u/UberShrew says what I've always thought: that the Steam Deck is an "enthusiast device to play your PC games on the go," whereas the Switch is first-party hardware that's the only way to play the latest Nintendo games.
Switch and Switch 2 are indeed intended for a different market than something like MSI's Claw 8 EX AI+. MSI sees its device as made for on-the-go PC enthusiasts who want top-tier performance and a device that can also act as a mini PC via Thunderbolt 4 connectivity. It's like comparing a four-cylinder sedan to a heavy-duty truck.
Lord_pizzabird's comment above seems oddly prescient. The Steam Deck and the PC gaming handhelds that followed it disrupted the market, but that disruption is now struggling (albeit due to circumstances out of its control).
I can see the PC gaming handheld market retreating at least until memory and storage prices return to normal. Unfortunately, no one can say for sure when that will happen.
The PC gaming handheld market isn't over ... it's just hibernating
The Acer Predator Atlas 8 (left) and MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ (right) each feature Intel's new Arc G3 chips. (Image credit: Future)
Pulling myself out of the Nintendo weeds, there are some other comments well worth highlighting. Many of them are suggesting that the PC gaming handheld market is "over" and won't return, just as I mentioned in the original article's title.
There's an important distinction to make that doesn't fit in a title. While I do think the handheld market is frozen by the ever-increasing cost of components and the general PC sentiment that new models have to be faster and better (leading to higher costs no matter component prices), I don't think it's frozen for good.
Comparing Intel Arc G3 Extreme and AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme performance at 35W.IntelComparing Intel Arc G3 Extreme and AMD Ryzen Z2 Extreme performance per watt.IntelA look at Intel Arc G3's platform tuning.IntelIntel Arc G3 has strong frame generation abilities.Intel
For those who have had a chance to test the new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ with Intel Arc G3 chips, you know what I'm talking about. I thought AMD's Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme hardware was good, and it is, but Intel worked some magic here.
If these Arc chips were going out in handhelds not hampered by inflated component prices, we'd be having an entirely different conversation.
A market thaw will undoubtedly happen at some point, and when it does happen, I think there will be a resurgence of interest. There are still plenty of people out there waiting for the right price and the right specs.
In the meantime, I won't be surprised if MSI's new Claw 8 EX AI+ does sell out at launch. There are still plenty of PC gamers with deep pockets who don't care about prices and just want the latest and greatest device.
The real shame is that handheld PC gaming really has no chance of going mainstream under the current market conditions, a blow that's double as hardware and design hit new heights.
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For those unfamiliar, FSR is AMD's answer to Nvidia's DLSS. It's an upscaling technology that allows games to be rendered at a lower resolution, such as 720p, before being upscaled to a higher resolution like 1080p. The goal is to deliver a sharper image while reducing the workload on the GPU.
It's not just about image quality, either. Because the game is being rendered at a lower internal resolution, FSR can also improve frame rates, making demanding games run more smoothly without requiring more powerful hardware.
What's particularly exciting about the prospect of FSR4 coming to Steam Machine and, hopefully, Steam Deck is that it could address some of the most common complaints surrounding FSR3, including ghosting, shimmering, and visual artifacts, while still delivering the performance benefits that make upscaling technologies so appealing in the first place.
I have to admit, I've always been a little wary of the industry's growing reliance on upscaling technologies. Ideally, I'd prefer games to be optimized well enough to run smoothly on weaker hardware straight out of the box. That said, the reality is that modern games are becoming increasingly demanding, and tools like FSR can provide a meaningful boost to both image quality and performance.
Of all the ways AI is being integrated into gaming, upscaling is probably one of the easiest for me to get behind. If this implementation really can bring FSR4 improvements to a wider range of hardware, that's a win for players. Hopefully, it also finds its way to Steam Deck and isn't reserved solely for Valve's upcoming Steam Machine.
As always, let me know what you think in the comments below, and don't forget to take part in our poll!
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Microsoft Edge is about to lose yet another one of my favorite features. Edge Drop is being — ahem — dropped in favor of AI.
The latest version of Edge Canary shows a message about the change if you open the Drop feature:
"Drop is being retired. Files you share are saved in your OneDrive. Text notes need to be downloaded separately."
Microsoft does not specifically state why Drop is being retired. I believe the reason is a combination of low usage and Microsoft wanting the same space in Edge to house Copilot. We saw a similar development with the retirement of the Edge Sidebar.
Another feature that will soon be deprecated in Edge is "Drop" 😬🤷:https://t.co/zWAhjvH41T pic.twitter.com/WtKvUTZoInJune 19, 2026
Leo Varela discovered the upcoming retirement and shared screenshots on X.
I once called Microsoft Edge Drop "the best browser feature you're not using." That may have proven to be a little too accurate, because the feature is now being retired. Presumably, usage of Edge Drop was low, making other parts of the browser a higher priority.
What is Microsoft Edge Drop?
Edge Drop is a feature within the browser that lets you send messages, files and photos to yourself. All your content stays within a single thread, making it easy to find. The experience is powered by OneDrive, which is why you can still access your content after Drop is retired.
When you send something through Drop, it appears on any instance of Edge on supported devices, which currently includes desktop and mobile versions of the browser.
Drop lives within the Sidebar of Edge on your desktop, which is likely why the feature is going away. Microsoft has prioritized placing Copilot in the same spot as the Sidebar and Drop.
I think there's a way for all the Sidebar features and Copilot to coexist. Low usage figures are likely another factor in the retirement of Drop. While I love Drop, it's similar to sending messages to yourself through WhatsApp, Telegram, or any other messaging service.
The reality may be that people who want to send messages to themselves want to do so without having to use a specific browser on multiple devices.
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Before we begin, I think it's only fair to say that I'm heavily invested in the Xbox ecosystem. It's my platform of choice, but I've almost always owned a PlayStation and Nintendo console alongside it. At least, that was the case until this generation, where I still haven't picked up a PS5 or Nintendo Switch 2.
Being an Xbox fan, though, often feels like living through a constant cycle of highs and lows. One week it's good news, the next it's bad news. Rumors, questionable decisions, smart decisions, panic, excitement, and endless debate. Quite frankly, it can be exhausting.
When Asha Sharma arrived to help revive Xbox, the reaction online felt pretty clear. The usual suspects, and even some Xbox fans themselves, were concerned about her background in AI. Many immediately jumped to conclusions, claiming it was the beginning of the end for Xbox, that the platform was being sunset, or that Microsoft was about to replace game development with AI.
In reality, Sharma has been fairly consistent in how she talks about AI. Her position has largely been that AI is a tool. Not something that replaces games or the people making them, but something that can assist in the development process. In fact, she even ended Copilot for console within her first 100 days as CEO, showing where she stands on AI quite firmly.
Asha Sharma, CEO at Xbox (Image credit: Bloomberg Technology)
That's why Sony's recent strategy update caught my attention.
That's not to say Sony hasn't received criticism, because it has, but the conversation feels far more measured than the reactions Xbox often receives whenever AI enters the discussion.
Within its strategy update, Sony states:
"As AI lowers barriers to creation and increases the volume and diversity of content... Within the studio business, AI powered tools are automating repetitive workflows and improving productivity... Across the platform business, AI is driving efficiency, personalization, and customer value at scale... Overall, AI is expected to unleash the creativity of Sony Interactive Entertainment's studios."
Sony outlines how AI will shape the future of PlayStation through game development, personalization, and platform-wide enhancements. (Image credit: @ZhugeEX on X)
Now, I will admit I'm being a little facetious here, but I do think there's at least some truth to it. If this had been an Xbox-led announcement, I suspect the discourse would have been far louder.
To be clear, I'm fully aware that Microsoft is one of the biggest proponents of AI and the broader push that's currently sweeping through the industry. But that doesn't mean other companies should get a free pass when they're making many of the same decisions that consumers are against. If we're going to scrutinize one company for embracing AI, then surely it's only fair we apply the same standard across the board.
Now, I will admit I'm being a little facetious here, but I do think there's at least some truth to it. If this had been an Xbox-led announcement, I suspect the discourse would have been far louder.
To be clear, I'm fully aware that Microsoft is one of the biggest proponents of AI and the broader push that's currently sweeping through the industry. But that doesn't mean other companies should get a free pass when they're making many of the same decisions that consumers are against. If we're going to scrutinize one company for embracing AI, then surely it's only fair we apply the same standard across the board.
Of course, maybe I'm completely wrong. That's entirely possible, and that's okay too. I'd genuinely love to hear what you think. Do you agree that the reaction would have been different if these statements had come from Xbox, or do you think I'm off the mark?
Let me know in the comments, and be sure to explain why you do or don't agree. And, of course, don't forget to take part in our poll!
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Before we begin, there's an important asterisk attached to all of this. Yes, according to Alinea Analytics, PlayStation has generated nearly double the revenue from PC ports than Xbox has from bringing its games to PS5. However, it's worth noting that Sony's PC strategy began in 2020, while Microsoft's push onto PlayStation only really started in 2024.
There's also a difference in scale. Sony has published roughly 20 PlayStation games on PC, compared to around 13 Xbox games currently available on PS5. So, while I fully acknowledge this isn't an apples-to-apples comparison, it's still interesting to dig into the numbers, look at the differences between the two approaches, and perhaps explore why Sony's PC strategy may not have taken off quite as strongly as it initially hoped.
First off, let's look at the numbers. According to Alinea Analytics, Sony had generated around $1.2 billion in revenue from its PC ports as of November 2025. A significant portion of that success came from Helldivers 2, which alone accounted for more than 12 million copies sold on Steam and roughly $400 million in gross revenue.
It's also fair to point out that Sony actually generated $1.5 billion in revenue, but due to Valve's 30% cut, Sony's takeaway was $1.2 billion.
Alinea Analytics data shows Helldivers 2 leading PlayStation's Steam success, helping drive an estimated $1.5 billion in revenue from PS Studios PC releases. (Image credit: Alinea Analytics)
Over in the Xbox camp, the picture isn't entirely dissimilar. Microsoft's PS5 ports have reportedly generated around $667 million in revenue, but much of that has been driven by Forza Horizon 5.
Despite arriving on PlayStation more than three years after its original launch, the racing game has sold 5.8 million copies on PS5 and generated roughly $323 million in revenue on its own, accounting for nearly half of Xbox's total PlayStation earnings. Again, fair to point out, but this data also includes Sony's cut from sales, which is 30%.
Forza Horizon 5 leads Xbox's PS5 sales, helping drive an estimated $667 million in revenue from Microsoft's PlayStation releases. (Image credit: Alinea Analytics)
When you put it into perspective like that, it's hard not to question whether the potential brand dilution is worth the extra sales for Xbox. Then again, a similar argument could be made about PlayStation's now-defunct PC strategy, albeit to a much lesser extent given that PC isn't a competing console platform.
Perhaps most surprising is just how quickly Xbox has reached half of Sony's. Sony's PC strategy had been running for roughly five years by the time these numbers were recorded, whereas Microsoft's PlayStation strategy was still relatively new.
Regardless of where either company ultimately ends up, one thing is clear: there are still plenty of great games heading to both platforms. Despite all the turbulence in the industry lately, and yes, AI certainly hasn't helped as rising costs continue to plague the industry. Still, I'm sure we can all agree there's still a lot for games to be excited about.
As always, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Do you think Sony's PC strategy has been more successful than Xbox's PlayStation strategy, or is the comparison more complicated than the headline numbers suggest? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!
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It's the second entry of Amazon Prime Day as the annual event officially went live yesterday, and the entire thing will run from June 23 to June 26, 2026. We all knew that most brands wouldn't strictly follow those dates anyway, and competing retailers were eager to start discounts a little earlier, and likely stretching them even later, depending on stock availability (and price wars will continue throughout).
I've seen deals on Windows laptops, Microsoft Surface PCs, desktop pre-builds, and everything related to gaming across Xbox and cross-compatible devices for years now. My colleagues and I have always separated the real bargains from the price-inflated chaff, and we'll always highlight the genuine best savings on Windows Central.
To keep it simple for those in a rush (and frankly, who isn't), I'll hand-pick the absolute best of the best here, in an easy-to-browse list that keeps you up to date. If you've had your eyes on components to build your own computer, or you're ready to replace a long-serving Surface, keep this page bookmarked and check in before committing to any purchase.
One of the absolute best Surface PCs ever made, the Pro 11 is a brilliant 2-in-1 tablet with a stunning OLED touchscreen and exceptional performance with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processor. A stunner.
Zac Bowden called the Surface Laptop 7 "the clamshell form factor perfected", and he's right on the money. Its 120Hz touchscreen looks amazing, and it all runs on Qualcomm's high-end Snapdragon X Elite chip.
Another all-round excellent mini PC from Beelink, this time with a Ryzen processor that features the Radeon 780M integrated GPU, a capable chip that'll handle gaming with some graphical tweaks.
Built for desktop PC gaming, this PCIe 4.0 solid-state drive gives you 2TB of space in one of the easiest upgrade jobs you could ever hope for. Installing an M.2 SSD is straightforward, and you'll have a huge amount of extra storage.
Built for desktop PC gaming, this PCIe 4.0 solid-state drive gives you 2TB of space in one of the easiest upgrade jobs you could ever hope for. Installing an M.2 SSD is straightforward, and you'll have a huge amount of extra storage.
As portable as it gets, this iconic 13-inch XPS laptop features Qualcomm's high-end, first-generation Snapdragon X processor for all-day battery life and a gorgeous (non-touch) OLED screen.
UPDATE: Amazon drops the A6 from $524.07 to $499.56
If you just need a straightforward desktop PC but don't want a traditional tower — or a docked laptop — then mini PCs like the Geekom A6 are the best answer. It's tiny, but totally capable.
UPDATE: The original MX Master 3S deal ended, but the Bluetooth edition is $10 cheaper. You don't get a USB dongle, but it's still wireless with Bluetooth-compatible PCs.
About as close as it gets to the perfect productivity mouse, the MX Master is the king of comfortable mice. Horizontal scrolling is a killer feature for anyone who spends all day in browsers, coding environments, and spreadsheets.
UPDATE: Walmart ended its $84.99 deal, but Amazon still has the MX Master 3S for $89.99
About as close as it gets to the perfect productivity mouse, the MX Master is the king of comfortable mice. Horizontal scrolling is a killer feature for anyone who spends all day in browsers, coding environments, and spreadsheets.
If you're planning slightly more intensive workloads in Windows, then the Geekom A8 is a step up from the A6 with a more powerful processor. Get this if you do more than casual web browsing and productivity.
It looks strange at a glance, but the MX Vertical is supremely comfortable once you get used to it. If you're working with PCs for extended hours, do your wrist a favor and pick up this ergonomic winner.
For Xbox gaming headsets, there's nothing much better than the Arctis Nova Pro. Fully wireless, it's cross-compatible with practically anything, and its dedicated DAC promises premium sound quality.
WD_BLACK's C50 is officially licensed for the Xbox Series X|S consoles and regularly competes with Seagate for the lower price on exactly the same feature: more storage space. 2TB for this price in 2026 is pretty reasonable.
UPDATE: Walmart caught up with the rest and dropped its price to $259.99 for 2TB.
Running out of space for games on your Xbox Series X|S console? Seagate's long-running winner is on sale again, and it's the simplest, fastest solution to extended storage on Microsoft's hardware.
UPDATE: Amazon drops the Nova 3X from $89.99 to $79.99
It earned praise for its price point at launch, and the Nova 3X is now an even smarter buy as it drops below MSRP. A lightweight wireless headset designed for Xbox but compatible with more platforms, it's a bargain pick.
Built for desktop PC gaming, this PCIe 4.0 solid-state drive gives you 2TB of space in one of the easiest upgrade jobs you could ever hope for. Installing an M.2 SSD is straightforward, and you'll have a huge amount of extra storage.
Perfect for traveling, these in-ear buds are genuinely built for gaming with reduced latency and pretty fantastic noise cancellation. Ideal for gaming on a handheld or laptop on a noisy flight.
If your desktop gaming PC has a PCIe Gen 5 M.2 socket, you should take full advantage with Samsung's ultra-fast 9100 PRO SSD. This is a great price, considering the current state of memory.
UPDATE: Amazon drops the Azoth X even further to $161.49
Definitely one of the most striking designs we've ever seen on a mechanical gaming keyboard, this 75% wireless option fits perfectly with a PC gaming setup, now at a much more reasonable price.
UPDATE: Amazon drops the 4K S to $113.95, Best Buy is still $119.99, and Walmart is back to $159.99
No external power needed, the Elgato 4K S relies entirely on its USB-C connection and supplies a variety of resolution and refresh rate combinations, up to 4K at 60Hz. Perfect for console streamers.
I've personally confirmed that iBUYPOWER knows how to build a ready-made gaming rig without making any weird mistakes or cutting any corners. This mid-range rig is upgradeable, but it'll last for years as is.
If you're a long-serving MMO gamer or you're dipping your toes into World of Warcraft, you'll soon find you need extra buttons. The Scimitar has its own number pad for macros and RGB lighting to boot.
Amazon Prime Day is a sales event that isn't tied to any federal holiday, and it isn't even restricted to any particular dates. Amazon decides the dates, and brands generally follow suit with discounts that coincide with the multi-day occasion. Naturally, there's no implication of exclusivity, so Amazon isn't always the cheapest place to buy. Its fiercest rivals are practically guaranteed to run suspiciously similar events at the same time, and 2026 is no exception, with Best Buy, Newegg, Walmart, and more joining in.
Which countries are taking part in Prime Day 2026?
While Windows Central primarily covers Amazon Prime Day sales in the United States and the United Kingdom, the event takes place in 26 countries, including Canada and Ireland.
Do I need an Amazon Prime membership for Prime Day?
Yes, Amazon's rivals are running competing events, including Best Buy's "Tech Fest", Newegg's "FantasTech Sale", and Walmart's "Deals & More", which all end on June 28, 2026. Each retailer can offer its own membership perks, such as My Best Buy Plus / Total and Walmart Plus, and it's important to remember that Amazon does not always offer the best deal during Prime Day. Windows Central will compare prices across retailers, so you can choose the best fit for you.
In a surprise update, Xbox has begun displaying an "Xbox Handheld" logo on some game pages, including Gears of War: E-Day, Halo: Campaign Evolved, and more. To be fair, this isn't all that surprising. Xbox already indicates whether a game is handheld-optimised within the Xbox app, but it's still a neat graphic that makes it immediately clear where a game can be played.
Now, forgive me while I go off on a slightly speculative tangent, one that I also saw VideoCardz explore. Rumors have been swirling for a while about Xbox developing its own in-house handheld, and personally, that's the device I really want to see. While I appreciate features like Xbox Play Anywhere, not being able to access my entire Xbox library on my Xbox Ally X pains my soul every time I turn the thing on.
Honestly, I'll be pretty gutted if that device ends up stuck on the back burner and never sees the light of day, which is entirely possible given the current state of the industry. Memory prices remain stubbornly high, and hardware costs in general are becoming increasingly difficult to ignore, something even Xbox CEO, Asha Sharma bluntly admits herself.
Back on topic, though, Xbox being upfront about exactly where its games can be played is a nice touch. Realistically, the Xbox Handheld tag is probably just a reference to devices like the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, one of which is even showcased beneath the badge itself.
Still, seeing that label gives me some confidence that a game has been optimized well for portable hardware and beyond. It also gives me hope for those out there still rocking a Steam Deck. While Valve's handheld isn't officially listed, the Z2 Go powering the Xbox Ally isn't in a completely different league, and if a game can run well on one handheld, that's usually a good sign for optimization in general.
Anyway, let me know what you think of the new Xbox Handheld badge in the comments below, and be sure to take part in our poll below:
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The Royal Festival Hall in London was recently transformed into a musical gateway to the burning pits of Hell, and no I'm not talking about a recreation of the London Underground.
As I sat in the audience for the Diablo 30th Anniversary Symphony on 06/06/(202)6, surrounded by hundreds of fellow fans, it felt like a somewhat full-circle moment for me. After all, it was my rambling spam texts I would send to friends about the current state of Diablo 3 that got me into writing about games in the first place. This franchise has changed my life in many ways, and the concert was something of a pilgrimage through three decades of iconic, haunting, and deeply atmospheric music that has defined the Diablo franchise from its humble 1996 beginnings right up to Diablo 4.
Watching a full live orchestra play the Diablo music that permeates every game session was like an out-of-body experience. I found myself in awe of how the choir's human voices, booming over the strings, functioned as instruments in their own right, really carrying the weight of the game’s gothic horror.
Watching a full live orchestra play the Diablo music that permeates every game session was like an out-of-body experience.
The instantly recognizable 12-string guitar melody from the Tristram theme was the highlight of the night. As those familiar, melancholy notes rang out, I could hear a collective intake of breath from the other fans sitting around me. It was a shared connection to a piece of music that has been the background of many a session over the years. It was heard a few times throughout the performance, as it's woven deep into the soul of Diablo 4’s soundtrack, linking all of the franchises, yet distinctly recognizable as a Diablo 2 sound.
Ahead of the performance, I had the privilege of sitting down with two of the architects behind these sounds: Charlotte Pyle, Principal Audio Producer, and Derek Duke, Music Director at Blizzard Entertainment.
Getting the right people for the job
Seeing the Diablo soundtrack brought to life by a full orchestra at the Royal Festival Hall was an experience I won’t forget anytime soon. (Image credit: Jennifer Young - Windows Central)
For those who live and breathe these games, it is easy to assume that the people making the music have been lifelong gamers in the traditional sense, but the paths to Blizzard are as diverse as the scores themselves.
Charlotte Pyle joined the studio nine years ago, coming from the film industry. "I was contacted when I was working in the film industry about a production role for cinematic sound," Pyle explained. "I did a whole gauntlet of interviews, and they called me to say they were interested in me joining, but wanted me to actually be the music producer lead".
Derek Duke, on the other hand, is a cornerstone of the Blizzard legacy. "I started at Blizzard as a contractor, writing music, and then I got an opportunity to come on board full time," Duke shared. Having been with the studio for roughly 25 years, his tenure spans the evolution of Blizzard's entire musical identity
Blizzard's "darkest" franchise
A huge highlight of the Infernal Symphony was seeing the vocalists, Uyanga Bold and Asja Kadric, perform live (Image credit: Jennifer Young - Windows Central)
We touched upon the distinction between Blizzard's franchises, and the creative process behind Diablo's unique and ominous sound.
"Diablo is our 'M for Mature' game. It’s our darker, gothic franchise," Duke explained. "It’s heavier, it’s even more immersive; it has that sense of dread. World of Warcraft is definitely a bit brighter, a bit more neoclassical."
I’ve always felt that Mephisto's theme in Diablo 4 gives a sense of creeping death comparable to having Jaws nipping at your heels. When I asked if they looked to horror/thriller cinema for inspiration, Duke noted that their influences come from all over, explaining that they listen to a wide array of music and film rather than limiting themselves to one genre.
How collaboration has evolved
(Image credit: Blizzard)
As technology has advanced, so too has the way Blizzard creates its soundtracks. The team works with musicians and singers from all over the globe. In fact, it was explained that this evening would be the first time many performers had performed in the same room, despite their sounds being woven together for years as we step around Sanctuary.
"Technology has evolved a lot, but it’s only just allowed us to move a little bit faster and work more efficiently," Duke noted. "Especially with things like Diablo 4, it’s made collaboration amazingly better. We’re working with vocalists and instrumentalists all over the world — from electric violinists in Canada to percussionists in LA. It’s amazing".
This collaborative spirit extends into the game’s development cycle itself. I asked how early the guys got involved with the writers when it came to making a piece of music for a specific cutscene or side quest.
"We’re constantly in contact with the game team — that’s one of the benefits of the central music team being so embedded with every single game," Pyle said. "The minute we start hearing about something, we’re getting on a call, getting concept art, and looking at narrative storylines as early as possible".
Duke gave an example. "Neyrelle's theme would have been created when we started on that cinematic with Neyrelle in it, so we would have decided that Neyrelle needed a theme for her, because she was being used in the storyline, so we started working on a theme for her that could be used in multiple cinematics as well throughout the story,"
Translating the digital to the live stage
The music of Sanctuary translates to a live stage beautifully (Image credit: Jennifer Young - Windows Central)
The challenge of taking music meant for a PC headset and moving it to a grand concert hall was one of the most exciting topics we touched on. For the symphony, the team didn't just play back digital files; they leaned into the human element of the soundtrack.
"The arrangements were created specifically for the symphony," Duke explained. "We have four of the soloists that we used on Diablo 4 flying in to perform live. There won't be any stopping or starting or second takes; it’ll be captured in one go"
A legacy of sound
Still pinching myself that I got to be part of the Diablo 30th Anniversary celebrations in London. What a journey it’s been. (Image credit: Jennifer Young - Windows Central)
One of the most impressive things about Diablo 4 is how its soundtrack manages to feel entirely new while sneaking in those "twangs" of nostalgia, those specific notes we talked about that instantly transport you back to Diablo 2.
"We’re always conscious of the past and keeping that legacy," Duke said of their approach to the latest entry. "We always want to evolve the sounds of the franchises, but keep that past present in the future. It’s great that you picked up on that".
I left that evening with a sense that the team behind Diablo 4's sound has a deeper focus on history than you might think, aided in no small part by a group of Blizzard veterans. It can't be easy to keep the franchise's legacy alive while still fostering a unique identity for Diablo 4, but they've pulled it off. This was felt more than ever when experiencing the Infernal Symphony itself. The shift in pace from the classic Diablo 2 tracks to the melancholic despair of Kyovashad’s theme made it clear they have been able to go bigger and bolder with Diablo 4. Yet, even amidst that grand orchestral scale, I am incredibly glad that there is still room for that classic 12-string guitar.
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I’m going to come out and say the obvious: this is a backpack. In the grand scheme of technology journalism, dedicating a full review to a textile housing system for my laptop feels kind of daft. Or at least it should.
But if you are getting ready to drop over $100 on a laptop bag, it couldn't hurt to do some actual research. When I first saw Razer’s updated Rogue lineup, my immediate reaction was: "Why on earth would I spend $100-plus on a backpack when the $30 no-brand bag I bought on Amazon two years ago still works completely fine?"
Yet, in a way that only Razer can consistently pull off with their ecosystem accessories, I suddenly get it. Just like what happened with their unassuming USB-C dock, another product category I previously cared absolutely nothing about, I now care a hell of a lot about a simple backpack.
Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: Price, availability and specs
The Razer Rogue V4 comes in two size options (Image credit: Razer)
The Razer Rogue Backpack V4 line officially dropped on June 4, 2026, making its way to Razer's official store, and is also available on Amazon. The Rogue V4 comes in two sizes, priced differently depending on what you need.
Razer Rogue 16” Backpack V4: Retails for $109.99 / £109.99.
Razer Rogue 18” Backpack V4: Retails for $139.99 / £139.99.
Choosing between them comes down to a quick assessment of your daily haul. The 16” variant is beautifully compact and tailored perfectly for mid-sized setups like the Razer Blade 16.
However, if you are rocking an absolute behemoth of a desktop replacement, like the Razer Blade 18, or you just happen to travel heavy with massive mechanical keyboards and full-sized audio gear, you'll definitely want to step up to the 18” version for that maximum volume capacity.
Specs
Razer Rogue 16” Backpack V4
Razer Rogue 18” Backpack V4
External material
Recycled 600D PU fabric (A1)
Recycled 600D PU fabric (A1)
Internal material
Reinforced polyester lining with PU coating
Reinforced polyester lining with PU coating
Dimensions
444.5 x 323.8 x 152.4 mm (17.50 x 12.75 x 6.00 in)
533.4 x 330.2 x 190.5 mm (21.60 x 13.00 x 7.50 in)
Approximate Weight
0.72 kg / 1.59 lbs
0.96 kg / 2.12 lbs
Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: What's good
Despite my items spilling out, rest assured this was a stylistic choice and the backpack has more than enough room for all of my tech. (Image credit: Jennifer Young - Windows Central)
Despite my heavy skepticism about whether a premium backpack could actually impress me after years of relying on a bargain-basement Amazon special, I have found myself completely smitten with this Razer number.
And no, it’s not just because it looks great, though I need to mention that the clean matte-black finish, subtle leather-effect accents, and iconic Razer green stitching look incredibly sharp.
When you first unzip this bag, it immediately feels a hell of a lot more intensely engineered than a cheap import. The shoulder straps are seriously reinforced and heavily padded. During particularly chaotic weeks, my everyday carry scales up aggressively. I can be hauling anything from my standard daily laptop to both my personal and work laptops simultaneously, alongside an ROG Ally, a Kindle, a full-sized gaming headset, and all the mandatory cable paraphernalia required to keep them alive.
The sneaky back pocket for secret items (or... your passport)Jennifer Young - Windows CentralThe straps can be secured further across your chest for more supportJennifer Young - Windows CentralPen pockets, pockets for pens!Jennifer Young - Windows CentralThe front pocket wasn't quite big enough for my Kindle but thankfully there are around 700 other pockets it can go in (hyperbole)Jennifer Young - Windows CentralThis is the Razer Blade 18 housed perfectly in the padded pocket, and this thing is huge. Jennifer Young - Windows CentralManaged to squeeze two laptops and these Razer Blacksharks in. Still got room for a packed lunch. Jennifer Young - Windows Central
My normal bargain bag regularly leaves me with aching, sore shoulders under that kind of load because the straps lack substance. The Rogue V4, by contrast, features wide, ergonomically designed padded straps paired with a highly ventilated mesh back panel that distributes dense weight beautifully.
The velcro on the front is begging to be accessorized (Image credit: Jennifer Young - Windows Central)
There's also a really neat velcro strip on the front of the bag for attaching badges. My partner has an entirely too large for him Xbox jacket with a stash of gaming related velcro badges that I'm about to raid.
Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: What's bad
The green lining is super bright which I enjoy, but won't be for everyone. (Image credit: Jennifer Young - Windows Central)
When taking a hard look at what I missed from my old, cheap but trusty backpack, my initial critique was that the Rogue V4 seemed to lack an external charging cutout to comfortably feed a power bank cable out to my phone. Alas, as it turns out, when studying the specs, I saw that Razer actually did think of this. The backpack features a fully integrated, stealthy cable passthrough that routes charging cables from the interior to the exterior without leaving your main compartments open. It was simply buried so deeply within the bag's complex ecosystem of pockets that it managed to evade my first few looks (I found it eventually). Just goes to show exactly how many damn pockets, nooks, and crannies this thing has.
Beyond that, the only real negative here is the price tag. At $110 to $140, it's a substantial investment for an accessory that doesn't actually have a processor inside it. However, that premium cost is undeniably reflected in the build quality, heavy-duty zipper tape, and material longevity you will get. If you are a die-hard Razer enthusiast, the Razer tax is a familiar trade-off.
Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: The competition
(Image credit: Cases & Bags)
Almost every major PC manufacturer manufactures a proprietary laptop backpack line to accompany their gaming laptops, though few manage to carry the same streetwear aesthetic appeal as Razer. If you want to keep your accessories strictly brand-loyal, here are a couple of other options in the same ballpark budget.
Hovering right around the $95–$120 mark, depending on active sales, the Legion 16" Armoredis Lenovo’s ultimate protective shield. It features an aggressive, weatherproof EVA-molded front armor shell and an ultra-rugged base. It offers excellent structural protection against accidental drops, though its rigid, hard-shell design looks vastly more utilitarian and bulky than the Rogue V4.
Finally, we haveAlienware's 18 gaming backpack sitting right in the premium sweet spot at $129.99; this is Dell’s heavyweight champion built explicitly for massive 18-inch desktop replacements. On the inside, it features heavy-duty 360-degree EVA foam cushioning and a soft, anti-scratch Nylex lining to keep your chassis completely pristine.
Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: Should you buy?
You should buy the Razer Rogue V4 if ...
✅ You live and breathe the Razer ecosystem
Slipping a Blade laptop into a perfectly molded, green-accented Razer protective sleeve is undeniably cool.
✅ Your daily commute is a heavy haul
The premium, thick padded shoulder straps and cooling mesh back panel turn an otherwise back-breaking load into a breeze.
You should not buy the Razer Rogue V4 if ...
❌ You are on a strict budget
If you just need a simple fabric container to get a laptop from Point A to Point B, a generic $30 option will still technically do the job.
Razer Rogue V4 Backpack: Final verdict
I heard you liked Razer so here's a Razer bag for your Razer laptop and Razer headphones. Long live Razer. (Image credit: Jennifer Young - Windows Central)
Razer has effectively treated a basic textile backpack with the exact same premium material selection and aesthetic precision that they apply to their flagship laptops. They have done the impossible: they made me genuinely care about a piece of luggage. It’s tough, and a dream bag for the meticulously organized. After all, if you've spent hundreds on your tech, what's another $100 on something to house them in? Consider me converted from the bargain basement!
Razer
Rogue V4 Backpack
It's not just a backpack, it's a Razer backpack, don't you know. While it definitely commands a premium price tag, the bag's ultra-rugged, water-resistant exterior fabric, immaculate compartments within compartments, and heavy-duty laptop shock absorption make it an incredibly stylish carry-on.
While I think those additions are great, it also feels as though some key staple features of the Halo franchise have been left behind along the way. I have to admit, I'm a bit gutted not to see them returning.
The game is built on a modified Halo: Reach engine with Unreal Engine 5 layered on top, so it's difficult not to wonder why the work wasn't put in to support features that helped define Halo's community for years. Theater Mode, machinima, screenshots, file sharing, and community creations all played a huge role in making Halo what it is today.
Another disappointment is that personalized customization options won't appear during cutscenes. Considering the game includes custom skins, that feels like a missed opportunity to let players see their own Spartan reflected throughout the campaign experience.
What disappoints me most, however, is that Halo: Campaign Evolved appears to be built around replayability, yet as far as we can tell, it seems to be missing one of the most iconic replay-driven features from Halo: The Master Chief Collection. At least based on what we've seen so far, there doesn't appear to be any campaign scoring, campaign timing, or associated leaderboards.
For a game encouraging players to replay missions with different skull combinations and modifiers, that feels like a significant omission. Having global leaderboards where players could compare scores, race for the fastest completion times, and compete with one another would have added another layer of long-term engagement.
One and done: no post-launch support?
(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
Unfortunately, in the aforementioned Halo Waypoint Q&A, Halo Studios have also confirmed that Halo: Campaign Evolved is a one-and-done game, and players shouldn’t expect content additions post-launch; honestly, that just sucks. As it stands, it feels like Halo: Campaign Evolved is missing a few of the franchise's most beloved community and replayability features, and I’m gutted.
What do you think? Is this a massively missed opportunity for Campaign Evolved, or do you not think it matters? Let me know in the comments and be sure to take part in our poll!
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As a lifelong PC gamer, I know well the woes that Denuvo and other Digital Rights Management (DRM) platforms can cause for even the most law-abiding consumers.
Cale Hunt
(Image credit: Windows Central)
What I'm working on this week: Between testing laptops and writing articles, I've been taking advantage of nice-but-not-too-hot weather to spruce up the ol' homestead.
Whether it's a noticeable performance impact, a roadblock to modding, or annoying online check-ins, DRM has become something despised by those in the games industry. And I'm talking about those who design games and those who buy them.
Unfortunately, what is likely the leading alternative to DRM tools like Denuvo doesn't make me very happy, either. Nor should it make you excited for the future of gaming.
DRM has been getting less effective over time as popular game crackers become more effective. I can easily imagine a time when no DRM is effective anymore. The leading alternative that I think will replace it?
Subscription-based game "ownership", where you own nothing and are happy just to be able to play at all. Let me explain.
Video game popularity goes nuclear and piracy begins
The legendary NES was the first console I remember playing. (Image credit: Colton Stradling / Windows Central)
The mainstream video game industry got its start in the '70s, with home consoles like the Magnavox Odyssey, running (in retrospect) rudimentary games like Pong.
Countless consoles were launched at consumers over the next couple of decades, with the vast majority featuring embedded games (like the Magnavox Odyssey) or physical media (like the original Nintendo Entertainment System).
It wasn't until the '90s that a perfect mixture of hardware advancements for personal computers and groundbreaking games like DOOM fueled a huge PC gaming boom.
DOOM was/is such a great PC game. (Image credit: Bethesda Softworks)
Let me be clear: video game piracy has been happening basically since the start of video games.
Savvy users were duplicating games sold on magnetic tapes in the '70s and '80s, and once the internet came about, the rise of the Warez subculture saw countless cracked games being shared in online forums.
I'm old enough to fondly recall visiting computer stores to buy physical PC games, but the CDs used to ship games were rather easy to rip and reburn to a new disc. That is, if the games weren't just being sent to share online.
The PC gaming industry soon realized it had a real problem.
Steam, the wildly popular digital games distribution hub, began to gain popularity in the '00s. It provided gamers with an extremely convenient way to buy games, but again, the digital copies were easy to share after being "cracked."
The PC gaming industry soon realized it had a real problem. Gamers were downloading titles via torrent hubs like Napster and LimeWire at a frantic pace, robbing developers and publishers of revenue.
The response to game piracy was two-fold. On one side, Steam (and its parent company, Valve) realized it could make buying games more convenient than stealing them. And to make that strategy work, games had to be harder to steal via DRM efforts.
DRM was effective at stopping game piracy ... until it wasn't
Steam surely cut down on privacy by making games accessible and often affordable. (Image credit: Future)
A peer-reviewed 2024 study published in the Entertainment Computing journal is one of the best resources that proves the effectiveness of DRM. The study tracked 86 games launched on Steam between 2014 and 2022.
The highlights? Games that had cracked versions hit the internet in the first week after their initial launch saw roughly 20% decreased revenue. When those cracks were delayed by DRM by at least six weeks, revenue only dropped by 5%.
If a game's DRM managed to hold out against cracks for at least three months, there was no noticeable loss of revenue.
Games that had cracked versions hit the internet in the first week after their initial launch saw roughly 20% decreased revenue.
This study shows that DRM indeed did exactly what it was supposed to do. If it could slow down free versions of a game from being uploaded to the web, studios and publishers stood to make a lot more money.
As DRM improved, however, so did the individuals and groups dedicated to cracking it. Whereas something like Denuvo was frequently able to hold out for long periods of time, Denuvo today is often being cracked mere hours after launch.
You won't own your games, and you'll be happy to play them
Everything's an Xbox when you can just stream your games from the cloud. (Image credit: Jez Corden | Windows Central)
It's becoming clear that there's really no foolproof way to stop someone from cracking a game that they have full access to, and I fear that the answer to Denuvo's demise is contractual rather than technological.
I'm talking about subscription-based gaming that lets you "rent" a game that's then streamed to your device from a cloud server instance. With live authentication handshakes at every step and no real access to a game's files and no actual downloads, piracy potential is basically nonexistent.
Piracy is far from dead, especially as game (and hardware) prices continue to rise.
This logic is, of course, already being applied in some ways. Xbox's PC Game Pass, a service to which I've been a longtime subscriber, grants access to countless games for one price. Of course, I'm still downloading those games to my PC to play. Xbox Cloud Gaming takes the downloading part out of the equation, delivering games straight to your devices from the cloud.
The convenience these types of services afford, as well as Steam's frequent and deep sales, helped curb piracy. But piracy is far from dead, especially as game (and hardware) prices continue to rise.
A bargain that no gamer asked for
No game ownership? No need for a powerful PC like this Maingear MG-1 MK.II. (Image credit: Future)
The leading solution that doesn't involve payment plans and interest-free financing? Again, it's cloud gaming, where you don't actually own any hardware and instead pay a modest monthly subscription fee to rent a GPU and CPU sitting in a data center somewhere nearby.
What I find particularly troubling about this trajectory is that gamers are the ones being shafted. As usual. Sure, a subscription-based model would remove piracy almost entirely, but the idea of not actually owning any games is frightening.
Imagine if, like Netflix, the gaming service to which you subscribed decided to remove a selection of games from its library. Where would you turn then? A new subscription? You'd better hope the rights to those games are purchased by someone else.
Will the final boss of piracy indeed be a complete lack of game ownership? I can't say for sure, but it certainly feels like we're headed in that direction.
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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
MicrosoftMicrosoftMicrosoftFutureValve | Edited with Gemini
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:
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.
"The Dell XPS 13 with Snapdragon is a fantastic laptop. It's an ultraportable machine that's now more capable than ever thanks to that Snapdragon X Elite. It lasts all day and can handle most tasks with ease. It runs quiet for the most part, and looks super stylish and unlike any other laptop on the market." ~ Zac Bowden, Senior Editor
This keyboard is "fantastic" and "outstanding," as highlighted by our Editor-in-Chief. The Surface Pro Flex Keyboard can be used wirelessly or when attached. It also features a large haptic trackpad that lets you feel Windows 11 and supported apps.
Now, Xbox is making another move to streamline development on PC, this time for Unreal Engine developers. Just so you’re aware, this is for Unreal Engine 5.8, and with that cleared up, let's dive into the details and take a look at exactly what's changing.
Removing the friction from PC development
(Image credit: Xbox Wire)
Before we dive in fully, Xbox also explained what the process looked like before. Building for Xbox on PC in Unreal Engine previously required developers to use WinGDK, a separate platform that introduced compatibility issues and added what Xbox describes as "friction" between your game and other PC storefronts.
According to Xbox, these new plug-ins remove much of that friction. Developers can stay on Win64, continue using their existing third-party plug-ins, and benefit from a more streamlined development process that better aligns with other PC storefront workflows.
The new Unreal Engine 5.8 plugin toolkit
Xbox is releasing several plug-ins as part of this update, so rather than beating around the bush, let's take a quick look at what each one does:
Microsoft GDK Store allows developers to configure their game directly within the editor and generate the packages needed for Xbox on PC from the Project Settings menu.
Microsoft GDK Runtime provides access to GDK APIs at runtime, enabling features such as Xbox-compatible cloud saves, user selection, and System UI integration.
Online Subsystem GDK lets developers take advantage of Unreal Engine's platform abstraction layer, making it easier to manage Achievements, Friends, Presence, and other Xbox services.
Online Subsystem Selector (introduced with Unreal Engine 5.8), allows developers to ship a single executable across multiple PC storefronts while automatically switching OSS behavior at runtime.
Now, I won't drone on with every detail, but Xbox has provided documentation explaining exactly how to get started, which I'll link here for anyone interested in taking a closer look.
This is all great stuff though, and should help make Xbox's PC efforts even more approachable by developers so kudos to Microsoft for putting in the legwork here.
Paving the way for Project Helix
(Image credit: Microsoft)
Personally, I'm a big fan of updates like this. With Project Helix also being PC-based, it's hard not to see these efforts as part of a broader push to prepare developers for the future of Xbox hardware.
I've always liked seeing Xbox streamline development wherever possible. The easier it is for developers to bring games and features to players, the better. And I doubt I’m alone in that thinking. Let me know what you think in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:
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Halo: Campaign Evolved isn't too far away now, and it marks Halo's debut on a PlayStation console, launching on PlayStation 5 alongside every other platform.
That detail is Halo: Campaign Evolved's split-screen requirements on PlayStation 5, and no, Halo fans aren't just upset because they're Halo fans.
On Xbox, split-screen works as you’d expect, though both players do need a Microsoft account. You can enjoy couch co-op without the need for Xbox Game Pass; however, on the PlayStation side of things, it’s a bit more complicated. According to Halo Studios, to do couch co-op, where two players play on one console in split-screen, both players will need to have a PSN account, both of which need to be linked to a Microsoft account, and both also need to have an active PlayStation+ subscription.
So, to play offline with a friend on the same console, both players need to be actively subscribed to PlayStation Plus. That's absolutely beyond stupid, no?
Surely most people can agree that's not an unreasonable thing to criticize, and I don't think Halo fans are expecting too much here. This is Halo's first-ever debut on PlayStation, and requiring two active subscriptions just to enjoy local split-screen feels completely at odds with what couch co-op is supposed to be.
I'm fully aware that split-screen likely represents a minority of players these days, but that's kind of beside the point. The issue isn't how many people use the feature; it's the principle of locking local multiplayer behind two paid subscriptions.
To me, this just reeks of poor decision-making somewhere along the line, or perhaps even a rushed one. Could this somehow be related to Sony's infrastructure or account requirements? Maybe. It's possible, especially if the game needs to be always online, but I find that highly unlikely.
Look, I'm excited for Halo: Campaign Evolved, and I'll be picking it up on both PC and Xbox. That doesn't change the fact that this situation sucks for PlayStation players, and I genuinely hope Halo Studios or whoever is responsible for this can address it before launch.
With that said, let me know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll above!
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The paper, authored by Adrian de Wynter, is not a joke. Well, it's sort of a joke, but not in the way I first thought. The premise is simple (heh heh). De Wynter built and trained a working neural network inside Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition, the remaster of 1999's legendary real-time strategy masterpiece.
Using the game's rather powerful custom map editor, de Wynter constructed operational NAND gates using palisade walls, grass, and bridge terrain, with goats as signal carriers.
While admittedly rudimentary, de Wynter essentially built the basics of a modern AI system. And by doing so, he flipped one of the biggest assumptions in AI research on its head.
Do AI systems have human qualities? AI research wants you to believe so.
I can only assume that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman love research papers suggesting that AI possesses human traits.
There are countless AI studies out there that you can read suggesting that Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and Claude possess human-like qualities. I'm talking about empathy. Anxiety. Morality. Self-awareness. The stuff that makes humans human.
Researchers design experiments around these assumptions, test LLMs with them, and report on their findings. There's a problem with this approach. De Wynter looked at more than 300 AI research papers published in the last two years and discovered that more than half of them were created under the assumption that, yes, LLMs do have human attributes.
If an AI paper's author specifically set out to prove that LLMs possess human properties, a whopping 77% concluded that those properties existed. You can see how there's a rather serious confirmation bias at play.
Playing Age of Empires 2 at a truly high level
A functional NAND gate created in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition by Adrian de Wynter. (Image credit: Adrian de Wynter)
Age of Empires II is one of my favorite games of all time, and its thriving competitive scene nearly three decades after its original launch is something to behold. But I've never seen something like this.
In his essay, de Wynter proves that Age of Empires II is "Turing-complete," which means it can theoretically run any computation.
As mentioned, he used the game's map editor to build NAND logic gates using custom scenario triggers, with a functioning 1-bit perceptron (a "fundamental build block of neural networks").
Taken to a grand scale with a lot of effort, de Wynter effectively proves that, yes, Age of Empires II could create something functionally similar to an LLM.
Applying the same rules to Age of Empires II as we apply to AI
A 1-bit perceptron built in Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition by Adrian de Wynter. (Image credit: Adrian de Wynter)
What de Wynter proves with this experiment is that anyone claiming LLMs have anxiety or morals also has to admit that Age of Empires II, given enough time and complexity, is in the same boat.
De Wynter doesn't stop at Age of Empires II, either.
Any entity in a sufficiently-powerful substrate, such as LEGO or the Greater Boston Area, could also present such attributes.
Adrian de Wynter
You might look at this experiment and assume that AI is actually not as smart as everyone thinks it is. In my eyes, that's the wrong take. Instead, the experiment essentially proves that human-like behavior is actually a part of any complex system designed to produce certain results.
You probably shouldn't be treating your favorite AI like a human being. (Image credit: Getty Images | Microsoft)
AI firms design their products to feel as human as possible. That's probably why so many users form emotional attachments to soulless server racks, using them for therapy and to help with serious life decisions.
Researchers writing papers suggesting that AI possesses human-like qualities feed back into a loop of product and policy decisions from the big AI firms, creating a false illusion of what AI actually is on the inside.
This also means that research, claims, and policies should be careful on examining the bases for their experiments and the scope of the results. When not sticking to the null assumption–or any similar procedure–anthropomorphic attributes and their existence should be treated as assumption-sensitive, rather than empirically-supported.
Adrian de Wynter
De Wynter's paper posits not that AI lacks truly interesting properties, but that researchers need to be more honest in their approach. He believes that tests should be performed using a "null assumption" that doesn't start with "AI is human," with tests designed to prove the claim.
It's a pretty obvious scientific change that even I, a rural imbecile, understand is necessary to reveal the true nature of AI.
The call is coming from inside the house
I'd like to point out that de Wynter isn't an outsider hoping to discredit AI. He's an established AI researcher based at Microsoft, the company that has poured untold billions into OpenAI and that has jammed Copilot into products as much as possible.
I absolutely love that it's Age of Empires II that was used for the experiment, and I hope that de Wynter's paper has a positive effect on the AI research community. I'll be keeping a closer eye on the goats gathered around my Town Center the next time I play some Age.
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Earnest Yuen is one of Microsoft's longest-serving gaming veterans and has been a key figure at the company, with work dating back to Windows 95. During his 31-year career, he contributed to more than 50 games and products. Today, however, Yuen announced his departure from Microsoft on LinkedIn, sharing some heartfelt thoughts about his time at Microsoft.
“After 31 years at Microsoft, I’ve decided it’s time to begin a new adventure: retirement.
When I joined in 1994, the internet was still finding its feet, game development looked very different, and I certainly didn’t expect that more than three decades later I’d still be having this much fun working with incredibly talented people…
To everyone I’ve worked with at Microsoft, XBOX, World’s Edge, and across the gaming industry, thank you. Your trust, partnership, support, and above all, your friendship, have meant more than you know.”
Guiding the Age of Empires resurgence
(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
Yuen is perhaps best known for his work on the Age of Empires franchise, helping guide the series through the resurgence it has enjoyed in recent years. He became one of the public faces of the franchise, working on projects ranging from Age of Empires: Definitive Edition to the most recent release, Age of Mythology: Retold.
In his retirement announcement, Yuen also shared what comes next, outlining plans that many gamers can probably appreciate.
“As for what’s next? More time with family, new adventures, some long-neglected hobbies, and maybe, for the first time in decades, playing games with absolutely no production meetings attached. I’ll of course still enjoy catching up with friends about games, the business, and long careers, just with a lighter touch on the calendar and fewer things that require slides.
I leave feeling grateful, proud, and excited for what comes next, for myself and for the teams carrying things forward.
Thank you for being part of this fantastic journey.”
After 31 years at Microsoft, I’m starting a new adventure: retirement.From Age of Empires to Age of Mythology, Killer Instinct, and more, it’s been an incredible journey. Grateful for the players, teams, and memories. 🎮More here:https://t.co/zMjrFOyFeZJune 19, 2026
It'll be sad to see Yuen go. I actually have rather fond memories of the Age of Empires franchise from when I was a little kid. Games like Age of Empires and Civilization are ones I remember playing with my dad on our old PC in the front room, so seeing the franchise enjoy such a massive resurgence thanks in part to Yuen's work has always put a smile on my face.
With that, I wish him all the best in whatever comes next. If Yuen or Age of Empires have meant anything to you over the years, I'd love to hear about it in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below!
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Microsoft is often referred to as the software giant — and for a good reason. Windows and Office are among the most profitable products in its ecosystem, thanks to their widespread global adoption. However, the tech giant has seemingly shifted its focus from its bread and butter to chase the elusive generative AI.
It dates back to Microsoft's first investment in OpenAI in 2019. CEO Satya Nadella revealed that his company's original co-founder, Bill Gates, wasn't party to the idea, citing the AI firm's non-profit structure. "Yeah, you're going to burn this billion dollars," Gates warned.
Conversely, a separate report claimed that Bill Gates is still intimately involved in Microsoft's affairs, despite stepping away to focus on his philanthropic efforts. His advice is reportedly regarded as gospel, with Nadella frequently relying on his guidance for the company’s transformative AI initiatives.
Instead, Microsoft is pivoting to security, quality, and AI transformation as its core business priorities. While it sounds good on paper, reality paints a very different picture (at least in the short term). Microsoft has faced a wide array of challenges in this age of AI, which could potentially undermine the backbone that has propelled it to a market capitalization of 2.82 trillion.
Too little, too late for Windows?
I've used Windows all my life, with a few side quests with Linux (Ubuntu) and macOS. Over that period, there's been a paradigm shift in Microsoft's OS, and not necessarily for the better. Windows 11's slow adoption rate before Windows 10's death is a clear depiction.
As a result, many users may not switch to Windows 11 immediately, instead delaying the upgrade until later this year, likely when ESU support officially ends.
Consequently, groups like The Restart Project group, which helped co-develop the "End of 10" toolkit to support Windows 10 users who can't upgrade to Windows 11,claim Microsoft's move to continue pushing security updates to Windows 10 beyond its end-of-support feels like a last-minute snooze button, which only acts as a band-aid on a bleeding system.
Critics have even branded Windows 10's end of support as programmed obsolescence on Microsoft's end, because the move forced millions of working PCs into early retirement, as they didn't meet the requirements to upgrade to Windows 11.
The company even brought back Windows Insider meetups to bridge the gap between users and the Windows development team, potentially making it easier to voice concerns and even provide feedback that will help steer the platform in the right direction.
However, Microsoft plans to evolve Windows into an agentic AI operating system — a move that has been received with mixed feelings. It indicated that Windows will ship with a new agentic workspace feature right out of the box, containing AI agents in their own secure sessions.
It'll be interesting to see how this will impact Microsoft's massive market share on desktops with Windows, and whether users will jump ship to "less intrusive" alternatives.
Office lost Teams, and Microsoft thought Copilot would sweeten the deal
(Image credit: Getty Images | SOPA Images)
In case you missed it, Microsoft unbundled Teams from Office 365 to dodge EU antitrust fines in 2025. The new arrangement offers Office 365 and Microsoft 365 without Teams at a lower cost, at around $2.20 (€2) less per user each month. This means you'll have to get Teams as a standalone service for about $5.50 (€5) per user per month.
In April, Salesforce filed a lawsuit against Microsoft, citing anticompetitive practices related to its Microsoft Teams app: "Microsoft's practices harmed competition, using tying and bundling of Teams to limit customer choice," the Slack maker claimed.
However, Microsoft dismissed the claims, citing that the antitrust case lacked merit. At the same time, it used the opportunity to throw jabs at Slack's lackluster growth and inferior capabilitiescompared to Teams and Zoom.
In the interim, Microsoft Office could potentially be looking at a competitive threat from the likes of The Document Foundation's LibreOffice and even newcomers like Euro-Office.
(Image credit: Nextcloud)
Euro-Office is Europe’s bold alternative to Microsoft 365, promising sovereignty and control. Perhaps more interestingly, the service ships a familiar user interface as Microsoft's service, which should technically make the jump less drastic for users.
However, the threat doesn't seem that serious, at least in the short term, unless the rival platforms address major concerns affecting their services and commit to improving compatibility. According to Windows Central member, GraniteStateColin:
"Microsoft Office is cheap and excellent. It's a bargain for anyone who benefits from its feature set. If all you need is a simple text entry window, then it is overkill, but at $20/year/user ($120/year for 6 users), it's still one of the cheapest options. That's $2/mo! If that's what's bankrupting Europe, they have bigger problems."
"LibreOffice's compatibility with MS Office docs is terrible. If there's anything more than the occasional bold or italic word, formatting is almost always a mess when trying to open a LibreOffice document in Word. That's on them, not Microsoft. They have had access to the file standards for more than a decade and CHOSE not to implement them properly."
However, the company is resuming automatic Microsoft 365 Copilot installations, starting July 1, for all Microsoft 365 users. It's worth noting that admins can opt out of the experience.
Despite Microsoft's fixation on AI, shareholders recently filed a class action lawsuit against the company, alleging it deliberately overstated Copilot’s success and its partnership with OpenAI. They also claimed that Microsoft failed to disclose Azure’s revenue slump while pouring billions into expanding AI data center infrastructure.
This resulted in a talent exodus and lackluster software, which seemingly left Microsoft's cloud fragile and unable to compete on an even playing field with competitors. Either way, the next few years will reveal whether Microsoft's AI gamble strengthens its legacy products or leaves them further behind.
What are your thoughts about the current state of Windows and Office as Microsoft pivots to AI? Share your thoughts with me in the comments.
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Laura Fryer has been around Xbox since the very beginning. After joining Microsoft Game Studios in 1995, she became one of the founding members of the original Xbox team, serving as Director of the Xbox Advanced Technology Group before later working as an executive producer on Gears of War and Gears of War 2.
Fryer begins the video by reflecting on Microsoft's decision to enter the gaming hardware business, a move she wasn't convinced was right at the time. As she puts it: “I was one of the biggest skeptics on the team… I was worried that a software company like Microsoft would always struggle with the insane costs and risks of hardware. 25 years later, those early fears are coming back stronger than ever.”
She expands on that point by explaining why she felt Microsoft was walking away from a position of strength.
I felt like we were abandoning the most successful gaming platform in the world for a risky bet that we weren't ready for.
Laura Fryer
“My thinking at the time was that Windows was already the dominant gaming platform with over 90% of PCs running it… Remember, this was when Steam didn't exist. I felt like we were abandoning the most successful gaming platform in the world for a risky bet that we weren't ready for.”
Of course, Fryer ultimately came around on Xbox and joined the effort. However, she now believes many of the concerns she had in those early days are becoming relevant again.
“I eventually came around and joined the team, but those early fears that a software company would struggle to master the hardware cycle, those are more relevant now than ever. And with AI-driven component shortages, the hardware gamble is becoming unsustainable.”
The original gamble: Software vs Hardware
(Image credit: Microsoft, Edit by Windows Central)
While Fryer is clearly concerned about the economics of hardware, she doesn't believe Xbox is heading for a spin-off or an exit from gaming. Instead, she argues that Microsoft is trying to return to its strengths, focusing on Windows, software, and its wider gaming ecosystem rather than relying solely on traditional console hardware.
Fryer also acknowledges that more cuts could be on the horizon. She expects significant restructuring across Xbox, which could make the coming months difficult for both employees and fans watching from the outside.
Despite those concerns, she ends the video on a more optimistic note, arguing that Xbox's future success depends on empowering its studios and creating games that can succeed both critically and commercially.
“The studios need to focus on nurturing the talent that they have. They need to make games that are both award-winning and financially successful. That's the opportunity. That's the bet that Asha is making, and I hope it works out because I like competition. It means more choice for gamers.”
It's a sentiment I largely agree with. Xbox may be facing a difficult period, but if Microsoft can successfully navigate the challenges ahead while continuing to invest in great games, that can only be a good thing for us, the players. In the meantime, let me know your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:
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Digital Foundry (who I'm sure need no introduction, but I'll give them one anyway) are content creators focused on game performance and all things technical. Whether it's deep dives into frame rates, graphics settings, console comparisons, or breaking down the latest gaming hardware, they've built a reputation as one of the most respected technical voices in the industry.
Interestingly, during a recent podcast, the team decided to tackle a question that I'm sure many have debated: Did the Xbox Series S actually help pave the way for Nintendo's Switch 2? According to Digital Foundry, the answer appears to be yes, at least to some extent.
So, let's take a look at what they had to say and just how beneficial Xbox's lower-powered console may have been for developers bringing modern games to Switch 2.
Within the podcast, the Digital Foundry team argued that yes, the Xbox Series S has helped prepare developers for Nintendo's Switch 2. Oliver Mackenzie explained that many of the compromises developers had to make for the Series S have translated surprisingly well to Nintendo's latest hardware.
He pointed to Final Fantasy VII as an example, noting that the Series S and Switch 2 versions use very similar settings and visual trade-offs. In fact, Digital Foundry admitted that it often looks at Series S versions of games when estimating how a Switch 2 port might perform.
However, it's not quite a one-to-one comparison. Thanks to NVIDIA's DLSS upscaling technology, there are instances where the Switch 2 can actually deliver better image quality than its Xbox counterpart despite its more limited hardware.
People often like to poke fun at the plucky Series S, but without it, we may have seen a very different outcome for Nintendo's Switch 2. If Digital Foundry is right, Xbox’s lower-powered console may have done more to prepare developers for Nintendo's hardware than many people realize.
As for me, I've always had a soft spot for the Series S. In fact, I like it enough that I currently have two of them scattered around the house.
But enough about me. Are you thankful for the Xbox Series S, or do you think the industry would be better off without it? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:
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Halo: Campaign Evolved is still well over a month away, and sometimes that's just too long to wait. Fortunately, one fan has taken things into their hands. WreckedElk, as they're known online, is recreating the "Silent Cartographer" mission from Halo within — checks notes — Fortnite.
Yep, that's right. Using Unreal Editor for Fortnite, a tool that allows creators to build custom experiences within the game, WreckedElk is recreating the same parts as the anticipated Halo: Combat Evolved remake, complete with cinematics, co-op support, custom HUD elements, voice acting, and more.
The project itself is incredibly ambitious, and in all the right ways. While the full experience isn't available just yet, the developer says it will be released this Summer.
For now, if you want to give it a try, there are currently three missions available:
Level 1 (Boarding Action): 4188-5631-1827
Level 2 (Landfall): 0553-6413-5190
Level 3 (Cover of Night): 2777-9577-3967
Honestly, I'm a huge fan of anything community-made for Halo. As starved as we've been as a fanbase over the years, it's often been the community that has kept the spirit of Halo alive, whether that's through projects like this or the countless mods available for Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
There's certainly no shortage of community-made content to keep Halo fans like me busy while we wait to see what Halo Studios releases next, in this case, Halo: Campaign Evolved. While it's a shame that fans are often left relying on community projects to help fill the gaps, especially for a franchise that has been so underutilized, it's still great to see people putting this much passion and effort into keeping Halo alive.
Even former Bungie developers have spoken about Halo's untapped potential, which makes projects like this all the more impressive. Whether you're interested in custom campaigns, mods, or entirely new experiences, the Halo community continues to prove it's one of the franchise's greatest strengths.
With that said and my thoughts/rant out of the way, let me know your thoughts on this ambitious community project in the comments and by taking part in our poll below:
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It feels like PC prices are climbing by the day, so it's refreshing to see a premium laptop like the XPS 13 on sale for $999.99. For that price, you get a Snapdragon X Elite and a whopping 32GB of RAM. At a time when laptop makers are resurrecting options with just 8GB of RAM for only a little bit less, the XPS 13 is quite the bargain.
"The Dell XPS 13 with Snapdragon is a fantastic laptop. It's an ultraportable machine that's now more capable than ever thanks to that Snapdragon X Elite. It lasts all day and can handle most tasks with ease. It runs quiet for the most part, and looks super stylish and unlike any other laptop on the market." ~ Zac Bowden, Senior Editor
Dell made the most out of every millimeter when designing the XPS 13. (Image credit: Windows Central)
Our Alexander Cope highlighted the best XPS discounts available through Dell right now, but the savings on the XPS 13 stood out. Getting any PC with 32GB of RAM for under $1,000 is rare these days, let alone an excellent laptop.
The XPS 13 easily delivers all-day battery life. It managed over 19.5 hours in a battery test done for our XPS 13 review. Of course, your results will vary depending on your workload. That test ran Microsoft Office on a loop. But even in real-world usage, our Zac Bowden took about 10 hours of constant heavy use to drain the XPS 13 from 100% to 15%.
This XPS 13 has the futuristic design many have come to know and love. That means a zero-lattice keyboard, a haptic trackpad, and extremely thin bezels. It's the pinnacle of this era of XPS computing, packing power and performance into a compact form factor unlike anything else on the market.
I don't want to bore you with a history lesson of the XPS lineup. Instead, I'll just say the new XPS 13 that came out this year is very different and aimed at a different type of customer.
The XPS 13 that's on sale for $999.99 has a Snapdragon X Elite processor, 32GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. It pairs those internals with a lovely 2K, 120Hz display that can reach 500 nits of brightness.
If you want to upgrade, models with other display options are also $400 off. The 3K OLED screen is worth a hard look.
I love this version of the XPS 13. It took Dell years of refinement to get here, and the laptop maker should be proud. For my money, this XPS 13 is worth more than the new XPS 13 or any other laptop at this price.
FAQ
Will my everyday apps run on the Snapdragon X Elite?
Yes, the vast majority of them will. Mainstream apps like Microsoft Office, Google Chrome, Spotify, Zoom, and Adobe Photoshop run natively on this Dell XPS 13. Many legacy apps can run through emulation if needed.
The only major exceptions are apps requiring kernel-level drivers, such as certain third-party antivirus programs or games utilizing anti-cheat software.
Can you upgrade the RAM or SSD later?
No, the 32GB of RAM is completely soldered to the motherboard and cannot be upgraded.
What ports does this model have?
This XPS 13 has two USB4 Type-C ports (one on each side) that support data transfer, Power Delivery for charging, and DisplayPort for external monitors.
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On June 18, 2026, Blizzard Entertainment unveiled the next major content update for World of Warcraft: Midnight, titled "Curse of Ula’tek", which will be dropping on July 7, 2026.
This update will take players to the Coiled Isles to help the Troll Zul’jarra retrieve her kin (including her Zul'jan) while battling hordes of giant snake-like monsters in a collection of new Raids, Dungeons, and Delves, and other forms of battle content.
Here's what you can expect from the Curse of Ula'Tek update.
Bring some anti-poison spells and potions to survive The Venomous Abyss Raid (Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
First off, the update will feature a new zone called The Coiled Isle, where players will explore ancient ruins and partake in several outdoor activities.
These include exploring the Vaults of Atal'Ulek, mastering a new custom talent tree to help you survive this land's venomous traps, and killing Elite Enemies spawned at Curse Surges to unlock Cursed fishing locations to earn with a tortollan sea captain, named Tokka.
The main course of this update will be its new Eight-Boss Raid called "The Venomous Abyss", where you fight eight poison-themed snake bosses culminating in a final battle with the five-headed snake monster, Ula'tek.
In addition, this update will feature a new three-boss dungeon called the Altar of Fangs, a new Lairs system where 15-25-players can challenge World Bosses that scale up to Mythic difficulty, and several new Delve Dungeons with a new Venomfalls Deep Nemesis Delve boss to fight.
Face off against deadly reptilian bosses in the Altar of Fangs dungeon. (Image credit: Blizzard Entertainment)
The Curse of Ula'tek update will also bring a new rotation of Mythic+ dungeons, Prey targets to slay, new Arcantina Quests, and a new Players Vs. Bots feature in its Arena PvP mode.
This content patch doesn't just include new battle and outdoor content. It's also bringing user interface improvements for the Cooldown Manager and Ping System, updates for Player Housing that will allow players to save, export, and import their house Blueprints, new Neighbourhood Endeavours, and finally giving players the ability to welcome pets into their homes.
Of course, the update will introduce a slew of balance changes for all the game's classes, and a metric ton of new gear, mounts, and cosmetic rewards up for grabs.
The enigmatic Xal'atath and her army of Voidborn monsters have come to desecrate the Sunwell. Lead your band of heroes, master the new Devourer Demon Hunter spec, and become the new Haranir race to stop Xal'atath in the new expansion, World of Warcraft: Midnight.View Deal
🗨️ Over to you
What do you think of this content update for World of Warcraft: Midnight? Does it sound cool enough to make you want to come back for another season of raids, or are you holding off on playing World of Warcraft for a while?
If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know through the poll below, the comments section, or our Reddit page.
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One of Microsoft's best free apps has been locked behind region restrictions for ages. It took Microsoft two years to progress PC Manager from beta to general release, and after two more years the app is still only available to certain people.
PC Manager shipped in 2024. Despite the app being available for years, it is still not officially available in my region. After our Editor-in-Chief Daniel Rubino highlighted the app in a couple of our recent meetings, I decided to install PC Manager regardless of the limited rollout.
The app appears to be available in China, India, the United States, and a few other regions. But the official website for the app simply lists PC Manager as "Coming Soon."
You can work around Microsoft's restrictions by changing your region settings or downloading the app through other sources, but you shouldn't have to. Microsoft has had years to determine if there are any issues with PC Manager. It's time to ship it to more regions.
This free optimization utility can clean up deleted files, boost your PC by freeing up RAM, and place several tools at your fingertips.View Deal
What is Microsoft PC Manager?
PC Manager is a free app for Windows 11 that allows you to optimize your system. It brings together several tools and options from throughout the operating system into a unified interface.
The app has a shortcut called "Boost" that frees up system resources and clears temporary files. It can also scan your PC in several ways to find ways to clear out junk files.
I cleared out over 100GB from my PC in just a few minutes by using PC Manager. Admittedly, many of those files were unused items in my Downloads folder, such as media packs from press releases. But PC Manager also found applications to delete, caches to clear, and temporary files to get rid of.
PC Manager also has tools to manage duplicate files and large files. A button just below those options opens Storage sense. A Toolbox within PC Manager includes shortcuts to take a screenshot, check the weather, and perform other common tasks.
That's a bit of a theme in PC Manager. Very few of the options it manages or steps it can take are exclusive to the app. What makes PC Manager valuable is that it gathers together options by category. With just a few clicks you can boost your PC, clear out old files, and delete unused apps.
Hidden ads and cheeky defaults
Microsoft PC Manager includes a shortcut to install the Bing Wallpaper app. (Image credit: Future)
PC Manager is a useful app that I recommend. It also has some options that I consider borderline advertising. The "Taskbar repair" option under system protection has the box to "Enable search box on taskbar" on by default. That search box uses Bing when searching the web.
Taskbar repair's main function is to remove any toolbars that have been added to your Taskbar. If you've ever been asked to fix the PC of a friend or family member, there's a good chance you've seen an unwanted toolbar on Windows.
Defaulting to showing a search bar powered by Bing is a cheeky move, especially when PC Manager lacks a way to remove the Search bar (you have to do that through the Windows 11 Settings app).
The Extras section of app management within PC Manager shows a shortcut to get the Bing Wallpaper app. Honestly, it comes off as a bit desperate.
Overall, PC Manager is a solid application that makes it easy to optimize your PC. I just wish it were available in more regions.
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Judging by recent reports of the ongoing at Xbox, however, it seems they may agree with that assessment. However, one former Halo veteran, Jaime Griesemer, had a more combative take on Halo: Campaign Evolved. In response to a fan on X (formerly Twitter), he discussed some of the changes made to the remake, specifically a section involving the tank.
I do somewhat agree with the fan's observation regarding the tank section. That said, I still think Halo: Campaign Evolved looks fantastic. I have my gripes, as I'm sure many others do, but the game is shaping up nicely, and I'm excited for its release.
In fact, I was excited enough to secure the Collector's Edition before scalpers managed to snap up most of the available stock. Of course, I'm a huge Halo fan, so I found these comments particularly striking. Griesemer even went a step further, adding, “I mean, it’s a mod for a GREAT game.”
Halo: Campaign Evolved's redesigned tank corridor compared to the original Halo: Combat Evolved level layout. (Image credit: Halo Studios | KingEmmoden214 on YouTube)
Personally, I can’t understand his perspective and don’t agree with his take at all. Halo: Campaign Evolved certainly has some changes that won't please everyone, but from what I've seen so far, it's shaping up to be something great.
Still, I'd love to know what you think. Do you agree with Griesemer's assessment, or do you think Halo: Campaign Evolved is much more than just a well-made mod? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:
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The launcher is still in active development and hasn't quite reached version 1.0 yet. Despite that, the team has continued working hard behind the scenes, delivering a steady stream of impressive features in version 0.9.8.9. Before I get into the latest changes, let me praise what Winhanced actually brings to your Windows handheld.
At its core, Winhanced compiles your entire gaming library into a single interface. It supports Steam, Xbox, Epic Games Store, GOG, and even retro emulators, making it far easier to keep track of everything you own without constantly jumping between different applications.
As impressive as that is, one of the platform's standout features is something called Smart Profiles. These are community-created game configurations designed to help you get the best possible performance from your hardware. At the time of writing, support has already expanded to more than 50 games, including 007 First Light, ARC Raiders, Baldur's Gate 3, and more.
Another feature I particularly like is the ability to view your friend lists across multiple platforms in one place. Winhanced currently supports Steam, Xbox, and Discord, with additional services planned for the future, making it much easier to keep track of who's online regardless of where they play.
Now, I've mentioned features the launcher already does well, but the team hasn't stopped there. More recently, they've updated game cards, adding support for achievements across Steam, Xbox, PlayStation, and GOG, all presented through a controller-friendly interface that's easy to navigate.
While game streaming isn't really my thing, the developers have continued to expand support there as well, with the latest update adding 16:10 and 21:9 aspect ratio options for streaming. Outside of that, the team has also added button remapping, improvements to the launcher's visuals, smoother performance, cleaner animations, and a more consistent design language throughout the entire experience.
Winhanced Game detail card (Image credit: Windows Central)
I could easily spend another few hundred words singing Winhanced's praises, but instead, I'd recommend joining the Winhanced Discord, asking questions, and giving it a try for yourself. If you like what the team is building, you can also support development through Winhanced's Patreon and help fund future updates.
With that said, what do you think of the latest additions? Are these updates enough to convince you to give Winhanced a shot, or are there still features you'd like to see added before making the switch?
Let me know in the comments below, and be sure to take part in our poll below:
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The gameplay broadcast goes over the general premise and basic gameplay structure of Persona 4 Revival. You play as a young teenage high-school student who’s recently moved to the rural town of Inaba, which has suddenly been gripped by fear as a series of unexplained murders have started occurring shortly after you arrive.
The clues to solving this murder mystery lie within decoding the cryptic broadcasts of the mysterious ‘Midnight Channel’ and exploring an alternate world filled with monstrous creatures called Shadows. Together with your fellow classmates (all imbued with a mysterious power called ‘Persona’), you resolve to stop these murders and uncover the secrets of this alternate world.
Send enemies crashing into each other and spread status ailments with the new "Send Flying" mechanic. (Image credit: Atlus)
For the most part, the story will follow the original game's plot while incorporating elements of Persona 4: Golden, like bringing back the enigmatic character Marie. As for gameplay, it’s a mixture of a high-school student simulator and a turn-based dungeon crawler.
Half the time, you will be attending school and forming bonds with the locals to upgrade your Persona’s abilities and unlock passive benefits. The other half will be spent exploring the alternate TV World and fighting Shadows in turn-based command battles.
For the most part, the gameplay structure is very faithful to the original Persona 4. However, aside from the graphical upgrades, the biggest changes Persona 4 Revival brings lie in its combat system, which includes a few new features, some of which are carryovers from Persona 5 Royal and Persona 3 Reload.
These include the now iconic "Baton Pass" mechanic, where you can pass turns to other party members after hitting a monster’s elemental weakness, blocking enemy attacks while exploring dungeons to stop them getting the initiative, and the new “Send Flying” mechanic, where you knock enemies inflicted with status effects into other enemies to spread their ailments.
Do well in battle and you'll be ready for "Prime Time". (Image credit: Atlus)
The biggest gameplay addition is the "Prime Time" mechanic. As you deal damage to enemies, a Prime Time Meter on the right side of the screen will fill. Once it’s filled up, you can activate Prime Time, which gives your party a few free turns to beat up enemies while having their skills cost ZERO SP.
These free turns culminate in a cinematic finisher called “Prime Time Finish” (reminiscent of Persona 5 Royal’s Showtime mechanic and Persona 3 Reload’s Theurgy mechanic) that will deal massive damage to enemies.
After conquering Shadows in battle, you will gain experience points that will level up your Persona’s powers and potentially gain new ones for the main character to wield in battle. Additionally, you can visit the mysterious Velvet Room to combine these Personas to form new ones with stronger abilities and elemental resistance.
Windows Central's take
I was already dead set on playing Persona 4 Revival after seeing its amazing Xbox Games Showcase trailer, but this gameplay deep dive sealed the deal. The new turn-based combat mechanics look like so much fun to play with, while the core premise of living a double life as a high-school student, forming bonds and fighting monsters in an alternate dimension, looks to remain fully intact.
Granted, I’m kind of worried that these mechanics will probably make the game much easier than the original game. But then, if I wanted a challenge out of an Atlus JRPG, I could always turn to Shin Megami Tensei games for that because Persona games always focused more on the complex character development and story anyway.
Either way, I can’t wait to mess around with this new “Prime Time” mechanic and see what new insane supermoves all the characters I loved from the original Persona 4 will pull off when Persona 4 Revival drops on February 18, 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass (Day One), Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.
Travel to the rural town of Inaba and embark on a journey of self-discovery while catching a ruthless serial killer in the classic JRPG, Persona 4, now reborn as Persona 4: Revival with next-gen graphics, refined turn-based combat, and many more surprises.
Update KB5094126 is causing issues across all supported versions of Windows. What's the issue? When you try to delete a file from the Recycle Bin, the confirmation dialog may display the "internal" filename instead of the standard, readable filename. Microsoft has clarified that this glitch is limited to the dialog box itself and does not affect the file or its deletion (via Neowin).
What's more, when checking the list view in the Recycle Bin, you'll notice that the file name is correct. And if you decide to restore the file to your device, its original name remains unaltered.
The issue affects all supported versions of Windows client and server, including:
Client: Windows 11, version 26H1; Windows 11, version 25H2; Windows 11, version 24H2; Windows 11, version 23H2; Windows 10, version 22H2; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2021; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019; Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016
Server: Windows Server 2025; Windows Server 2022; Windows Server 2019; Windows Server 2016; Windows Server 2012 R2; Windows Server 2012
In the interim, Microsoft is actively working on a permanent fix for the issue, which will likely be delivered to affected users via a future Windows update. However, it is unclear whether Microsoft will ship the fix through the next Patch Tuesday release or an out-of-band update.
Commercial customers can get a workaround for the issue, but they need to reach out to Microsoft Support for Business for more details on how to go about it.
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It seems as though Xbox is getting a much-needed, consumer-friendly update that brings the Xbox Store in the U.S. more in line with other digital storefronts. @redphx on X (formerly Twitter) recently spotted a backend update that adds lowest-price indicators, which appear to show whether a game is currently at its lowest price within a set number of days.
This is already a requirement in parts of the EU thanks to the EU Omnibus Directive, which requires retailers to display discounts relative to the lowest price offered during the previous 30 days, and is something Xbox already does in some EU regions. The goal is to discourage stores from inflating prices before putting items on sale and claiming larger discounts than consumers are actually receiving.
Other storefronts already offer similar functionality. Steam has displayed lowest-price information in certain regions for some time, with Valve expanding support to additional markets, while PlayStation also shows lowest-price indicators in select regions. From what I can tell, that includes the U.S. as well.
Honestly, I think this is great, and I can't imagine many people disagreeing. It's a genuinely consumer-friendly feature that helps players make more informed purchasing decisions, especially when Xbox seems to have a sale running almost every other week.
Whether it's the recent Locked and Loaded Sale, which offered up to 75% off selected games, the ID@Xbox Publisher Spotlight Publisher Sale, and yes, they really do say "publisher" twice, with discounts of up to 60% off, or the latest Capcom Publisher Sale with discounts reaching 80% off, Xbox users are rarely short on opportunities to save money. Some deals are pretty fantastic too, with Resident Evil Requiem discounted by 30% and Resident Evil 4 Gold Edition dropping by 70%.
With sales happening this frequently, having additional context around whether you're actually getting the best deal possible is only a good thing. It adds transparency to the storefront and gives players more confidence before hitting the buy button. Hopefully, Xbox rolls the feature out sooner rather than later, as @redphx mentioned, it doesn't appear to be available publicly just yet.
As I've said, I'm all for this, but let me know your thoughts. Do you think this is a positive consumer-friendly move or a waste of development time? Let me know in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!
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Thanks to the rise of AI and its insatiable hunger for every piece of spare silicon that the tech industry can throw at it, the price of just about every electronic device and accessory on the market has skyrocketed — both to make and to buy, in the era of the RAM and storage crisis.
Many companies are struggling to secure the components needed for their products as a result, and one that's had a particularly difficult time doing so is Valve. The Steam maker is in the midst of preparing to attempt to launch the console-like Steam Machine gaming PC this summer while also doing its best to keep the Steam Deck and its new $99 Steam Controller in stock.
It's a task that's stretched Valve's supply quite thin, leading to a controversial Steam Deck price hike and the implementation of a reservation queue for Steam Controller orders. And now, in a new update, the manufacturer has announced some Steam Controller reservations may not be fulfilled until 2027.
Specifically, Valve is now organizing Steam Controller reservations into three estimated order windows "to keep it simple" — all of which have been listed below:
By September 2026
By December 2026
In 2027 (with additional information on specific timing to come)
Valve notes that you'll see which order window your reservation is in when visiting the Steam Controller page. If you had a reservation placed before today, your order may come in September or December later this year. Those who make reservations after this update will have their order fulfilled in 2027, according to current estimates.
Despite only just releasing, Valve's Steam Controller is already out of stock, with hopeful buyers now entering a reservation queue to get one. (Image credit: Valve | Edited with Gemini)
It also says once your place in the queue comes up, you'll be emailed the option to purchase a Steam Controller and will have 72 hours to do so. If you don't finish your order before three days pass, you'll lose your chance.
"We have no plans to stop making Steam Controller," the company wrote. "But as we look at the current demand compared to how many we know we can make by the end of the year, we want to manage expectations as much as we can with regards to when folks can expect to receive their order."
It's unfortunate that the Steam Controller is proving so difficult to get your hands on, but the good news is that it's reviewing well, which means it will be worth the time, effort, and money for many.
We gave it a 4.5/5 score in our review, writing that "It's a feature-rich joypad that justifies its price point, with the charging puck being both a genuine convenience and a unique quirk." Its other highlights include gyro aiming, haptic touchpads, and TMR sticks, with the only major downside being incompatibility with Xbox on PC without third-party workarounds.
How are you feeling about Valve's new Steam Controller? Do you plan on engaging with the reservation system to try and get one despite the long wait into 2027? I'm curious, so please let me know in the comments and in the poll below.
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When you think of the legendary flagship Xbox franchise Halo, I'm willing to bet very good money that the first things that come to mind for you are its blockbuster video games that helped propel Microsoft's gaming brand and consoles into mainstream competition against the likes of Sony PlayStation and Nintendo.
Something many don't realize, though, is that the very first piece of Halo media wasn't a game, but a novel — a book from author Eric Nylund titled Halo: The Fall of Reach that released on October 30, 2001, just over two weeks before the original Xbox and Halo: Combat Evolved dropped on November 15.
The Fall of Reach serves as a prelude to the first game, exploring the origins of Master Chief John-117, the SPARTAN-II program that led to the creation of humanity's Spartan super soldiers, and the fall of its stronghold planet Reach to the alien Covenant alliance that leads to the discovery of the Halo ring in Combat Evolved.
In many ways, I'd argue it's as much of a foundation for the Halo series as Bungie's original title was — and in celebration of the franchise's 25th anniversary, Xbox and Halo Studios are adapting the legendary novel into an audio drama.
Steve Downes (Master Chief), Jen Taylor (Cortana, Dr. Halsey), and Tim Dadabo (343 Guilty Spark) will all feature in the audio drama adaptation of Halo: The Fall of Reach. (Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)
The latter announced the news in a new blog post on Thursday afternoon, revealing that the project is being put together in collaboration with the publishing group Simon & Schuster Audio. It will be a "full cast audio drama version" of The Fall of Reach, complete with several of the voice actors for Halo's most prominent characters.
At the moment, these officially include Steve Downes as Master Chief John-117 and Jen Taylor as both Cortana and Dr. Catherine Halsey, with 343 Guilty Spark voice actor Tim Dadabo narrating the drama. Halo Studios says we can expect more casting news "over the coming months."
The script of the audio drama will be based on an updated version of The Fall of Reach being included in Halo: The Master Chief Omnibus, a collection of three classic Halo novels — The Fall of Reach, The Flood, and First Strike — coming out later in 2026.
Notably, this new adaptation of The Fall of Reach can be preordered now for $29.99. According to Simon & Schuster's website, it seems to be scheduled for a November 10, 2026 release, though this hasn't been officially confirmed. It's also listed with a runtime of 11 hours, so I wouldn't expect it to be a quick listen.
As someone who loves the Halo novels and has read them passionately ever since childhood, it's awesome to see that The Fall of Reach is getting a full-blown audio drama adaptation like this. I'm looking forward to listening to it when it comes out, and expect it will be an excellent companion to the Halo: Campaign Evolved remake of the first Halo game coming out on July 28.
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Now, Xbox is making that strategy even clearer. In fact, it's putting it directly in players' faces, right on the dashboard, making it almost impossible to miss.
For those unaware of what I'm talking about, Xbox recently appears to have pushed a new tile to the Xbox Series X|S dashboard. The tile shows the word "EXCLUSIVE" alongside an image of an Xbox Series X console.
However, when I booted up my own Xbox to check for myself, the Xbox Series X image was nowhere to be seen. The "EXCLUSIVE" label was still there, though, suggesting Xbox might not have settled on how best to display things yet.
It is interesting to see Xbox take this approach, and in fairness, it does line up with comments made by the company. Recently, Matthew Ball stated that "players can continue to expect signature exclusives from us every year."
Even if difficult decisions are ultimately what Xbox believes it needs to get back on track, that doesn't make them any easier to accept. With that said, let me know your thoughts on Xbox's new "EXCLUSIVE" label for eligible games in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll!
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On Windows 11, keyboard shortcuts remain one of the fastest ways to navigate the desktop, but most users know only a handful. While commands like "Windows key + E" to open File Explorer or "Ctrl + C" and "Ctrl + V" to copy and paste content can save time every day, many useful shortcuts remain hidden unless users actively search for them.
Microsoft team behind PowerToys is now making shortcut discovery easier with a redesigned Shortcut Guide in version 0.100.
A smarter shortcut reference for Windows 11
The Shortcut Guide has been part of PowerToys for a long time, but the latest version feels much more practical.
Instead of opening a static reference page filled with generic commands, the guide now appears as a flyout that adapts to the application you're currently using. The result is a more focused experience that highlights shortcuts relevant to the task at hand.
Whether you're working in File Explorer, browsing the web, or editing text, the guide can surface keyboard commands without forcing you to stop what you're doing and search online.
Why keyboard shortcuts still matter
Despite improvements to the Windows 11 interface, keyboard shortcuts remain the quickest way to perform many actions.
Whether switching apps, managing windows, opening system features, or navigating File Explorer, keyboard commands can often complete a task faster than using a mouse.
The challenge has always been discovering and remembering those shortcuts.
The majority of users know only a small subset of available commands, while many of those shortcuts for productivity remain underused simply because they're difficult to remember.
The new Shortcut Guide addresses that problem by putting relevant shortcuts directly in front of users when they need them.
Learning shortcuts without leaving your workflow
One of the biggest advantages of the redesign is that it teaches you as you work.
Instead of requiring someone to memorize a long list of commands, the guide can provide shortcuts that apply to the current application or feature. Over time, you'll naturally learn the keyboard commands they use most often.
If you want to access the Shortcuts Guide, you have to install PowerToys. You can do this by running the"winget install --id Microsoft.PowerToys" command on Command Prompt or PowerShell (admin). You can also download the tool from the official GitHub page or Microsoft Store.
Once the app is installed, launch it, and from PowerToys > System Tools > Shortcut Guide, turn on the "Shortcut Guide" toggle switch.
(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
From the same page, you can also choose the color theme and the flyout position.
Optionally, you can also exclude apps from the experience.
After configuring the tool, you can access it using the "Windows key + Shift + /" keyboard shortcut. However, you can change this process page by customizing the "Activation shortcut" setting.
(Image credit: Mauro Huculak)
You can also access the guide through the PowerToys flyout in the Taskbar's System Tray.
By default, when you open the Shortcut Guide, it'll show shortcuts in different tabs. If you don't have any apps in focus, you'll access the list of keyboard shortcuts for Windows 11, and the second tab will include the shortcuts for PowerToys.
While I was writing this guide, I noticed shortcuts would appear at least for Notepad, Microsoft Edge, and File Explorer.
This tool doesn't include shortcuts for every app, but the development team also provides instructions for developers to integrate their apps into the list.
Windows Central's Take
I've always thought the operating system has plenty of useful keyboard shortcuts, but most users never discover them. The redesigned Shortcut Guide from PowerToys addresses that problem by putting relevant shortcuts in front of users when they actually need them.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this guide is the context-aware experience. Instead of overwhelming users with a long list of commands, the guide focuses on shortcuts related to the app they're currently using. That's a much more practical way to learn and adopt keyboard shortcuts.
Do you regularly use keyboard shortcuts on Windows 11, or do you still rely mostly on the mouse for everyday tasks? Let me know in the comments.
More resources
Explore more in-depth how-to guides, troubleshooting advice, and essential tips to get the most out of Windows 11 and 10. Start browsing here:
Ahead of the scheduled The Kortz Center Heist update for Grand Theft Auto Online in July as well as the upcoming long-awaited release of Grand Theft Auto 6 (GTA 6) on November 19 (preorders go live next week), developer Rockstar Games has made players a sweet new offer for its predecessor GTA 5.
In a recent blog post, the studio announced that from today onwards, those who own the Xbox One, PS4, or "Legacy" (PC) version of GTA 5 will be able to upgrade to the next-gen Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and "Enhanced" (PC) editions for free by downloading them from their platform's storefront. The upgrade includes the full package, meaning access to both GTA 5 Story Mode as well as GTA Online.
The native Xbox Series X|S and PS5 versions — and GTA 5 Enhanced on PC — sport "vast technical improvements, easy migration of your Story Mode and Online progress, and new features including Hao’s Special Works high-performance vehicles and upgrades, Career Progress rewards, and much more."
Essentially, existing GTA 5 owners will get a new version of both Story Mode and Online with better visuals and performance along with some nifty gameplay upgrades, with full support for profile and progress migration on consoles and PC. However, for Xbox players specifically, I have bad news: there's a big catch.
The next-gen versions of GTA 5 feature significantly improved visuals, performance, and more, though on Xbox, only people who purchased the game on Xbox One digitally will get a free upgrade on Xbox Series X|S. (Image credit: Rockstar Games)
While folks who own a physical PS4 copy of GTA 5 can download the next-gen PS5 version free-of-charge as long as they have the disc in their console, the same option isn't available to disc owners that play on Xbox. If you have a physical Xbox version of the game, it won't allow you to download the Xbox Series X|S edition of GTA 5 for free.
Rockstar has addressed this in a FAQ for the offered upgrade, stating that "Physical disc owners cannot upgrade to a digital version due to limitations of the platform." No details were provided beyond that, though, so I'm not sure what those limitations are, and ultimately, it's unclear right now.
I've reached out to Microsoft and Xbox for comment, and will update this article if I glean more information about whatever's preventing owners of physical GTA 5 Xbox copies from accessing the digital next-gen version of the title.
Ultimately, it's a frustrating situation for many Xbox gamers, as there's undoubtedly a significant portion of the community that owns a physical copy of GTA 5 and would like to be able to get the next-gen version digitally without having to spend money on it. It also displays the value of Microsoft's Smart Delivery system for automatic cross-gen Xbox game upgrades — and highlights how irksome it is when developers and games don't support it.
In the end, I hope Microsoft and Rockstar are able to work something out here so that those who own physical Xbox copies of GTA 5 aren't left behind with these free upgrades. I'm not exactly holding my breath, though.
Would you be willing to pay for GTA 5 on Xbox again in order to access the next-gen Xbox Series X|S version? Let me know in the comments, and in our poll.
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The first Echo Generation was announced back at an ID@Xbox showcase back in 2020, and I remember reading how Vanessa Chia, Writer & Producer and Co-founder of Cococumber, wanted the game be a reflection of the childhood many players grew up in, with the nostalgia of the era being a theme with that small town vibe that was prevalent in media of the time, such as Stranger Things, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, or The Goonies. Gameplay-wise, with RPG mechanics feeling familiar with a lack of mechanical bloating, you would be amiss to not feel nostalgic for games like Paper Mario or Super Mario RPG.
It was no surprise that Echo Generation continues this nostalgia-ridden trip with Echo Generation 2, giving the player a feeling of chill familiarity, like they are watching a Saturday morning cartoon with a bowl of cereal. What I did find a surprise, however, was how invested I would get into the characters and world the team at Cococumber would create.
Gorgeous views like this are a standard. (Image credit: Shaun Carr)
You follow the game through the perspectives of two characters to begin with: Sister M & Jack, two completely different characters, sharing the same story without knowing. From the beginning, you can choose where you want to start, which is a nice addition if you think you will favor one over the other, though I find it hard to decide. As with some games with multiple playable characters that feel like a re-hash of each other, the stories are distinct and somehow, tonally different while keeping the same vibe, if that makes sense.
Sister M begins her story escaping the research facility she and the other children have been raised in and experimented on. Where are all your friends, and who is ‘The Commander?’
Jack’s story begins with him and his family having a weekend away in a cabin when there’s an explosion at Jack’s workplace, a local science facility. Jack then has to get his family home to safety before being called back into work to help save the day.
Is it the same facility? You’ll have to play the game yourself, but I played the first 3 chapters for this preview and also had the option to play two others, each chapter with a brand new character: Annata Z, a zombie who awakens with no memories other than that she’s missing her daughter, and Nolivia, a bounty hunter from the future.
The art style of the game follows on from the first being retro pixel art 3d extravaganza for your eyes, with each screen you enter being just as beautiful as the last. Within Jacks chapter, the game opens with a shot of a sunset across a lake but the one I keep coming back to is the guest bedroom.
With how the light shines through the window on either side of the bed, the cleanliness of the room which allows the greens and reds around the room to be highlighted, adding a greater level of 3d space to the already 3d pixel art. I don’t think I can think of a screen I entered that I thought was a let-down.
This looks like a modern day Final Fantasy, and I'm all for it. (Image credit: Shaun Carr)
The game’s gameplay is a simple nostalgic take on a turn-based RPG battle system, where the good guys and the bad guys politely take turns in trying to beat the other to a pulp, one move at a time.
The difference this time around, though, is the reworked battle system, which works on a card-collecting system, where throughout the world, glowing trading cards will be hidden for the player to find, each giving you a new attack, defense, or support card to add to your arsenal. Each belongs to a certain type of card, either diamond, spade, or heart. Each enemy will have a stance bar above their health; using cards with matching symbols will eradicate their stance bar, making your subsequent attacks do more damage.
A choice that Cococumber made to distinguish the two stories is to put Sister M as a solo character who battles to escape the oppression of her overlords, and Jack as the typical dad who teams up with his babies to fight with knives and axes. It’s a great way to keep the player engaged with your gameplay as you change your tactics from being allowed one or two attacks per turn to 3-6.
In Echo Generation 2, you step into the past as Jack, the father. What begins as a family vacation spirals into a mystery of hidden experiments, impossible realities, and the truth behind it all.View Deal
Echo Generations 2 is short and sweet, with a completion time of around 9 hours if you want to see all the game has to offer, giving you a great bite sized game to pick up and play before you tackle your next mammoth of an RPG, or if you do want a trip down memory lane and play a game that feels like it could have been a console from your childhood.
Echo Generations 2 is available right now on Xbox Series X| S, Xbox on PC, Xbox One, Steam, and compatible handhelds. The game is also a part of your Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass subscription and features support for Xbox Cloud Gaming and the Xbox Play Anywhere program, making it the perfect game to play when you get 5 minutes, wherever you are.
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There is something entertaining about a company deciding to build a product simply because it can. Most keyboards exist to hit a price point or fill a slot in a lineup. The new Huntsman Signature Edition ($499) exists because someone at Razer clearly said, “What if we made the most overbuilt Huntsman possible?” and nobody in the room stopped them.
The result is a limited-edition showpiece that feels more like a celebration of the Huntsman platform than a normal retail product. It is expensive, shiny, and completely unnecessary for most people, which also makes it a lot of fun to test.
Razerhad no input, nor did it see the contents of this review, prior to publication.
What it is (and why)
Razer has a habit of letting its engineers run wild on small, high‑end projects that exist mostly to prove what the company is capable of. The $279 Viper Mini Signature Edition was the most recent example. It was a magnesium alloy mouse that felt like a science experiment that somehow escaped the lab. The Huntsman Signature Edition follows the same spirit. It is not meant to replace the Huntsman V3 Pro TKL 8K. It is meant to celebrate how far the Huntsman platform has come and what it can be when the usual limits are removed.
Besides the keyboard, you get a solid metal wire keycap puller, extra keycaps, a metal/polished Razer ESC keycap, optional magnetic metal feet, and the vegan‑leather sound‑dampening mat. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
At its core, this is still a Huntsman. You get the same Gen 2 Analog Optical Switches, Rapid Trigger, Snap Tap, adjustable actuation from 0.1 to 4.0 mm, and full 8,000 Hz polling. The Signature Edition takes that foundation and builds a luxury object around it. It is a showcase piece that highlights the engineering behind the Huntsman line and the attention to detail that usually never makes it into a mainstream product.
This is Razer asking a simple question: what happens if we build the ultimate Huntsman with no shortcuts.
What is different about it
The whole kit and welcome letter from Min-Liang Tan, co-founder, chairman, chief executive officer (CEO), and creative director of Razer. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The Signature Edition looks and feels like a completely different class of keyboard. The chassis is CNC milled from 6063 aluminum alloy, which gives it a heavier and more substantial feel than the Huntsman Pro TKL 8K.
How heavy? I'm glad you asked, as I weighed it myself. Just the keyboard by itself weighs 3.05 lbs (1.38 kg)! Most premium boards fall between 2.0 and 2.8 lbs. Something like the GMMK Pro is heavier at 3.3 lbs, but that's with a brass plate, for goodness ' sake. And Razer's own Huntsman V3 Pro TKL 8K, which this is based on, is ~1.8 lbs (0.8 kg).
The giant, leather-style box with front metal clasps acts as an excellent presentation box for the Razer Huntsman Signature Edition. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The bottom case and accent pieces go through a physical vapor deposition process and are then polished by hand. Razer says the polishing takes around 50 hours. The result is a mirror finish that looks closer to high‑end watchmaking than gaming hardware. It immediately reminded me of Seiko’s Zaratsu polishing, where artisans spend days creating distortion‑free reflective surfaces. The Signature Edition has that same sense of precision and craft.
The packaging reinforces the idea that this is a special project. The keyboard arrives in a large presentation case with a vegan leather sound dampening mat, a PVD polished triple-headed snake keycap, a cleaning cloth, a keycap puller, magnetic rubber feet, and a Speedflex USB-C cable. It feels more like unboxing a collector’s item than a gaming keyboard.
What you see when you first open the $499 presentation box with the Huntsman Signature Edition. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
Inside the chassis, Razer uses a full stack of acoustic materials. There is EPDM foam, EVA foam, an FR4 plate, and a silicone rubber sheet. The switches are individually lubricated and factory calibrated for true 0.1 mm precision. The reviewer’s guide highlights this directly:
“Calibrated right out of the factory, the switches are precisely engineered for best-in-class top deadzone management, achieving true 0.1 mm precision.”
The result is a deeper and more controlled sound profile. The Signature Edition has a full, rounded tone that feels closer to a premium custom board than a mass produced gaming keyboard.
How it compares to the Huntsman Pro TKL 8K
Top: Huntsman Pro TKL 8K. Bottom: Huntsman Signature Edition. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The Huntsman Pro TKL 8K is already one of the fastest gaming keyboards available. It uses the same switches and the same 8K polling. It has Rapid Trigger and Snap Tap. It is a performance monster. The Signature Edition does not change the fundamentals. What it changes is the experience around those fundamentals.
The Pro TKL 8K has an aluminum top plate, but the Signature Edition is a full aluminum chassis with hand-polished PVD metal. It is heavier, larger, stiffer, and more refined. The Pro TKL 8K has a sharper, higher-pitched sound. The Signature Edition is deeper and more consistent thanks to the internal foam layers and lubrication. The Pro TKL 8K feels fast and responsive. The Signature Edition feels smooth and controlled.
That bottom is not "shiny black," but polished metal that looks black because it's so even and distortion-free. It's literally like a mirror. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
The Pro TKL 8K arrives in a standard retail box. The Signature Edition arrives in a display case with accessories that feel curated rather than bundled.
Both keyboards deliver the same competitive performance. The Signature Edition simply wraps that performance in craftsmanship and materials that belong in a different category.
Sure, you'll rarely see the bottom, but 50 hours of polishing went into it, which is astounding. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
tl:dr This isn't the same Huntsman Pro TKL 8K, but in metal. It's completely rebuilt from the ground up, but uses the same design principles and components.
Who should buy it
Razer's classic "for gamers, by gamers" mantra is printed on the metal rear edge with a centered (!) USB-C plug is 🤌. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
This is a 499 dollar keyboard. That alone tells you who it is for. It is for enthusiasts who appreciate materials and finishing work. It is for collectors who enjoy limited production hardware. It is for people who want the best version of the Huntsman platform and are willing to pay for it.
Daniel RubinoDaniel RubinoDaniel Rubino
It is also worth noting that this is still 100 dollars cheaperthan the new ASUS ROG Azoth Extreme 20th Anniversary Edition, which puts the price into perspective. Razer is selling the Signature Edition in limited drops on Razer.com, and only 1,337 units will be made. If you want one, you will need to move quickly.
This is not a keyboard for everyone. It is a keyboard for people who enjoy the idea of owning something rare and overbuilt.
Should you buy it?
Huntsman Signature Edition on its bespoke vegan‑leather sound‑dampening mat. (Image credit: Daniel Rubino)
You should buy it if ...
✅ You always wanted Razer's best keyboard, but at 3lbs, $499, limited edition, and with polished metal.
✅ You're a hardcore gamer, or someone who only wants the best.
You should not buy this if ...
❌ You don't clean your keyboard.
❌ You have to think about that $499.
If you want the best performance for the money, the Huntsman Pro TKL 8K is still the smarter choice. It gives you nearly everything the Signature Edition offers at a much lower price (or see my recent Razer Huntsman V3 TKL 8K review for even more affordability).
The Signature Edition is not about value. It is about craftsmanship, exclusivity, and the satisfaction of using something that feels special.
If that appeals to you, the Signature Edition delivers. If not, the Pro TKL 8K remains the practical pick.
But hey, there's something special here, and I'm glad Razer does stuff like this. For one, it's fun, and two, it often learns from these projects, and from them, that tech could trickle down into its normal projects.
And yeah, it's awesome to just use it for work for typing on, too! It's so solid, stable, and consistent it's like the world's most precise keys built into a rock.
Finally, I should also mention that, for $499, you are getting a 5-year warranty on the Razer Huntsman Signature Edition, compared to the 2-year warranty of its standard keyboards. This is the longest warranty Razer offers on any keyboard and is meant to reflect the premium materials and the limited‑edition nature of the product.
In summary, you can practically hear the moment Razer’s engineers snapped and decided to build a keyboard for the gods, and I think they nailed it.
Ultimate
Razer
Huntsman Signature Edition
The Razer Huntsman Signature Edition is a celebration of craftsmanship. It takes the proven performance of the Huntsman line and wraps it in premium materials, hand finishing, and tuned acoustics that feel closer to a custom board than a gaming product. It is expensive and unnecessary for most people, but it is also one of the most impressive keyboards Razer has ever produced.
I'm not a naysayer of VR; I've used it plenty over the years and had a lot of enjoyment. But one of the issues I've always had is fatigue, purely from hanging these things off my head for extended periods.
Be it the Meta Quest lineup or the last PC VR headset I owned, the now-defunct Lenovo Explorer (RIP Windows Mixed Reality), the form factor and the weight ultimately turned me off.
At the recent Sim Racing Expo in Charlotte, I had my first chance to try out the Pimax Dream Air, a high-end, PC VR headset that's smaller and lighter than anything I've ever worn before. All while preserving the quality of the image inside the headset, which is easily up there with the best I've ever seen.
It's not cheap. Not at all. If you're looking for budget-friendly VR, you'll still want to look at a Meta Quest 3S.
But for more serious VR players, specifically here looking towards Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 or sim racers in titles such as iRacing, aka experiences where you'll be inside VR for much longer, I think this could be a winner.
Lightness makes a huge difference (to me) for VR
It's obviously bulkier than glasses but doesn't feel any clumsier. (Image credit: Windows Central)
The Pimax Dream Air isn't the lightest headset out there; there's still one from Bigscreen that has it beaten there. But compared to the likes of the well-known kings of the space, like the Meta Quest 3, it's night and day.
The Pimax Dream Air is around 170g for the headset, compared to the 515g of the Meta Quest 3 (and a hair lighter than this for the Meta Quest 3S). You could wear three of the Pimax headsets and still be under the weight of a single Meta Quest 3. That's significant.
Of course, as it's a PC VR headset, it doesn't have all the computer bits inside that a Meta Quest 3 does, which certainly helps. But the form factor combined with this lack of weight means it's extremely comfortable.
The bulk of my previous iRacing career was done using VR, partly for immersion, but more so because I don't have space for massive screens. But with the Lenovo Explorer, which at the time was one of the lightest headsets around, I couldn't race for more than an hour because I just started to feel uncomfortable. This meant I couldn't really take on longer races.
I'm not saying the same wouldn't eventually happen with this VR headset, but given how little it weighs, it'd certainly be longer before it did. That's where I think this could be a killer piece of hardware.
Sim racers and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 pilots will really feel the benefit during those longer sessions.
High-end hardware if you have the budget
It's not cheap, but for the right buyer, it'll be worth every penny. (Image credit: Windows Central)
There's no getting away from the fact that both the Pimax Dream Air and Dream Air SE are expensive VR headsets. The Dream Air SE drops a huge chunk off the price by 'only' featuring 5K resolution, and it's also the lightest of the two.
The full-fat Dream Air has an 8K resolution, and it's this one I tried out. Simply put, the visuals are mindblowing. It's by far the best VR display I've ever tried, with deep blacks, glorious colors, and razor-sharp images.
Eye tracking and Dynamic Foveated Rendering also helps preserve system performance, rendering only the sharpest images where your eyes are focusing.
With titles such as Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 in mind, the resolution available to replicate the detail both in and out of the cockpit would be insane. All from a tiny headset.
The full specs of each version are broken down in the table below.
Feature
Pimax Dream Air
Pimax Dream Air SE
Display Type
Dual Sony Micro-OLED
Dual Sony Micro-OLED
Resolution (Per Eye)
3840 x 3552
2560 x 2560
Total Combined Resolution
7680 x 3552 (8K class)
5120 x 2560 (5K class)
Pixels Per Degree (PPD)
53 PPD
~35-40 PPD
Refresh Rate
90 Hz
90 Hz
Optics
Pimax ConcaveView Pancake
Pimax ConcaveView Pancake
Horizontal Field of View (FOV)
110°
105°
Eye Tracking / DFR
Yes (120Hz, Dynamic Foveated Rendering)
Yes (120Hz, Dynamic Foveated Rendering)
IPD Adjustment
Automatic
Automatic
Headset Weight
Less than 170g
Less than 140g
Tracking Options
Inside-out SLAM or External Lighthouse
Inside-out SLAM or External Lighthouse
Connection Type
Tethered DisplayPort 1.4
Tethered DisplayPort 1.4
Audio
Integrated Spatial Audio & Mic
Integrated Spatial Audio & Mic
Cooling
Internal Dual-Fan System
Internal Dual-Fan System
Starting Price (Lighthouse)
$1,999
$899
Starting Price (SLAM + Controllers)
$2,299
$1,199
The Dream Air and Dream Air SE both have the option of SLAM (inside-out tracking) or saving $300 and going with a Lighthouse system.
It's also worth highlighting you don't need a monster rig to run either of them. Pimax says the minimum requirement is an RTX 2070, while the recommendation is an RTX 3080. You can run it off a laptop, too, so long as you have a good enough GPU and its outputs to either a miniDP port or USB-C.
But if you're in the market for a high-end VR headset, you probably already have a PC that's capable of running it.
There is a companion app to manage the hardware, but otherwise you can just use Steam VR. (Image credit: Windows Central)
It's been a while since I've really been impressed with VR, but the Pimax Dream Air certainly ticks that box. The experience is astonishing, and with its small form factor and lack of weight, I could happily lose hours flying or racing in one of these.
The only real issue seems to be when you can actually get one. Both headsets are available to preorder on the Pimax website, but there's no indication of when shipping is expected. Hopefully they start landing soon.
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We’ve been running our new Quote of the Day segment for a few weeks, but I recently came across an intriguing line from former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer, taken from a 2009 TechCrunch interview (via Fortune).
"The most successful by far is Firefox," Ballmer indicated. "Chrome is a rounding error to date. Safari is a rounding error to date. But Firefox is not. The fact that there’s a lot of competitors probably is to our advantage."
For context, Microsoft dominated the browser market at the time with Internet Explorer, which controlled about 74% of the global share. Google had only just launched Chrome in 2008, but competing was tough since Internet Explorer came pre‑installed as the default on Windows PCs, giving Microsoft an enormous advantage.
“It could have been demoralizing,” Google CEO Sundar Pichai admitted at a commencement address at Stanford University. “But with that California optimism, I told the team that the fact he went out of his way to dismiss us meant we were doing something right.”
The executive didn't discount that Chrome showed early success and momentum, but that triumph was short‑lived as user growth plateaued under various constraints. However, Pichai and his team didn't let up.
We kept going, setting highly aggressive stretch goals to keep the team pushing. We rapidly iterated, shipping the browser every six weeks, while others shipped one maybe every six months to a year. Success began to follow.
Google CEO, Sundar Pichai
Fast forward to 2026, Google now runs the browser show with a massive 70.25% hold of the market share. Microsoft Edge comes in at a distant third with 5.14% of the market share.
The Firefox maker recently accusedMicrosoft of using 'dark patterns' to force its Copilot AI on Windows 11 users. It outrightly suggested that Microsoft's "intentional" re-direction with Copilot was only prompted by overwhelming feedback from users."They’re really admitting that they made repeated choices to serve their business over their customers," Mozilla added.
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MSI revealed its new Claw 8 EX AI+ gaming handheld at Computex, and unfortunately, the price has been all that most gamers can focus on.
For good reason. A gamer can buy an Xbox Series X, a PlayStation 5, and a Nintendo Switch 2 for less money than the new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+.
Cale Hunt
(Image credit: Windows Central)
What I'm working on this week: I'm busy testing a new HP laptop to review while I'm not actively writing, and in the evenings I'm refinishing the front door on my house. Nice change of pace!
MSI introduced its new handheld with a $1,500 price tag, but that quickly climbed to $1,799 when it was listed on the official MSI website. It's now the same $1,799 price at Best Buy after appearing first at $1,699, and only Newegg is still showing $1,699. I expect Newegg's pricing to catch up any time now.
Here's what I'm really struggling to wrap my head around. For the same $1,799, you can buy an Xbox Series X with 1TB storage and a controller ($649.99), a PlayStation 5 Slim with 1TB storage and a controller ($649.99), and a Nintendo Switch 2 ($449.99).
The trio of modern consoles comes out to $1,750, leaving you $50 to buy a few games for whatever console you set up first. That covers three different rooms in your house (or one mega setup in your gaming room), three different gaming ecosystems, and three exclusive libraries of games.
Giving the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ the kudos it deserves
A quick pic I shot while playing the new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ at Computex. (Image credit: Future)
I want to be as fair as possible towards the new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. I got to test it out first-hand at Computex, so I have a bit of extra insight.
What I was most impressed with was the performance. Intel's new Arc G-series chips are making their debut in the new Claw 8 EX AI+, and from what I saw, they're going to change gaming handhelds in a major way.
Intel likens these chips to a GPU with an integrated CPU. A GPU with super resolution, ray tracing, multi-frame generation, and newfound efficiency. A GPU that was keeping Hogwarts Legacy and LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight at a smooth 120 FPS while I played.
The top edge of the new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+. (Image credit: Future)
The Claw 8 EX AI+ made the current offering of gaming handhelds seem outdated, which is exactly what you want from a new device.
From a hardware standpoint, I didn't really have any qualms, either. Its 8-inch touch display with 1920x1200 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate looked great with plenty of brightness, the device was comfortable to hold, and inputs were snappy and responsive. The only odd omission on a device at this price is a lack of an OLED display.
With up to 42% better performance at 1080p compared to the ROG Xbox Ally X with AMD Z2 Extreme, MSI's CLaw 8 EX AI+ is the real deal, at least on paper.
Why is MSI's new Claw 8 EX AI+ so expensive?
Rising RAM and storage costs are playing a big role in the cost of new gaming handhelds. (Image credit: Windows Central)
I highly doubt that MSI set a $1,799 price for its new gaming handheld just so it could make a few quick bucks off of those who still have a big PC gaming budget. The original MSI Claw 8 AI+ that launched in 2025 had an $899 price tag attached, nearly half that of the new EX AI+ version arriving officially on June 23.
The massive jump in price has a small part to do with upgraded hardware and new performance chips, but it has a massive part to do with RAM and storage costs. AI data centers are eating through the world's supply of these components, and practically all tech costs more than it did just a year ago.
The trio of consoles I mentioned earlier receives generous subsidies from their parent companies in order to keep prices down, but even they have become more expensive in the fallout of the RAM shortage.
MSI doesn't have a closed loop of games it can sell to make back the money it would theoretically spend on subsidies, so consumers are getting the full force of the price increases.
Who is buying the new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+?
The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ on the right, next to the Acer Predator Atlas 8 that's expected to launch later this year. (Image credit: Future)
A $1,799 gaming handheld is a hard sell anytime, never mind in our current economy. At this price point, it's competing with full gaming laptops with discrete GPUs and, as mentioned, a bundle of consoles.
Yes, the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ is far more portable than anything else with the same level of performance, but I don't doubt that a lot of gamers will be happy to sit at a desk and play after saving hundreds of dollars.
The average gamer is going to have a hard time coming to terms with such a high cost for one device when you can get an Xbox Series X for the living room, a PS5 for the gaming den, and a Switch 2 for portable gaming, all for the same price.
I agree that it's great to be a PC gamer, but whether or not the new flagship mobile device from MSI is worth more than three modern consoles is something you'll have to answer for yourself.
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The long, arduous wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 is nearing its end, as Rockstar Games has confirmed when fans can finally pre-order the much-anticipated game.
Starting on June 25, 2026, players can pre-order GTA 6 from the digital storefronts of Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5, as well as at select retailers. There's no doubt that fans will be eager to put their money down on a copy of Grand Theft Auto VI, aiming to be the most ambitious entry so far.
It'll feature a gigantic open-world map where players can explore the Floridian-inspired state of Leonida, the return of the fan-favorite locale Vice City, some of the most detailed graphics in gaming, and thrilling crime drama filled with tragedy, intrigue, and the usual hilarious satire of American culture, internet trends, and more.
Pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI will officially begin on June 25 on digital storefronts and at other select retailers.Check out the official cover art, also available as downloadable artwork at https://t.co/XPwC8URCQ4 pic.twitter.com/pRVXk4eyDQJune 18, 2026
Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently slated for release on November 19, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. Stay tuned for more info as we keep an eye out for updates on this highly anticipated follow-up to Grand Theft Auto 5, and hopefully a third trailer with gameplay, as we've mostly seen cinematics so far.
Follow the twisted crime drama of Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos as they strive to survive Leonida's criminal underworld and uncover a grand conspiracy in Grand Theft Auto 6.View Deal
🗨️ Over to you
Now that the pre-order dates for Grand Theft Auto 6 have been revealed, will you be pre-ordering the game or will you wait to buy it at launch or later?
If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know in the comments, on Reddit, or in the poll below.
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Could Microsoft be sitting on an unwitting, nostalgic Xbox goldmine?
If you're my age without kids or younger siblings, there's a good chance you won't even know the game I'm about to talk about. The franchise could be poised for a huge comeback, though, if Microsoft has the vision.
Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S consoles can run a variety of Xbox 360 and OG Xbox games from yesteryear. Some titles like Final Fantasy 13 and Fallout 3 also received resolution and frame rate bumps from Microsoft's emulation tech. But the firm said it had exhausted all legal possibilities for franchise revivals. That was before it acquired Activision-Blizzard, though.
XboxGamePreservation.com's per-franchise analysis shows that Activision franchise Skylanders is by far now the most-requested for revival, ahead of big licensed properties like Transformers and Spider-Man.
Skylanders is absolutely dominating the tally on XboxGamePreservation.com. (Image credit: XboxGamePreservation.com)
Skylanders was originally conceived as a spin-off of Spyro, which is also receiving a new game published by Xbox for 2027. Former Activision studio returned indie Toys for Bob has taken up the reins of Spyro, and had previously worked extensively on both Crash Bandicoot and Skylanders itself.
Skylanders pioneered the toys-to-life genre, which let users buy collectible toys that could "teleport" into the game via an NFC USB accessory. Activision sold mountains upon mountains of the toys and games, but much like Guitar Hero, milked it a bit too hard to the point it fell quite rapidly out of fashion.
Skylanders was really popular in the early 2010s and represents happy childhood memories for millions of Gen-Z gamers who are now emerging into adulthood.
Could Microsoft be sitting on a potential nostalgic goldmine here, akin to how millennials show up for Mario, Zelda, and Pokémon?
Xbox Back Compat and Spyro could test the viability of reviving Skylanders under Toys for Bob
Toys for Bob's Spyro trailer is currently sitting on 16 million views as of writing, and while some of that is likely from paid ad-boosting traffic, the comments and celebrations are genuine. Hundreds of YouTube videos celebrating the franchise's revival after two decades offer a hint at the quiet nostalgia that exists for franchises like Spyro, Crash, and Banjo ... and given how dark things are IRL, perhaps some colorful respite might be just what the doctor ordered.
Physical toys are a tricky business without a doubt. Collectible figurine brand Funko POP has been facing a bankruptcy crisis as users opt for similar, albeit much more premium collectibles from the likes of Figma and Nendoroid. But it's pretty clear there's a market here.
Here's Charlie, rocking his epic Skylanders collection circa. 2012. Charlie would undoubtedly love to see Skylanders revived. (Image credit: Charlie the Skylanders King )
Millennials in the so-called "kidult" cohort have driven brands like Lego to record profits. Lego responded by delivering licensed sets based on more adult-facing franchises, alongside nostalgic sets like Ghostbusters and the like.
There's a clear opportunity here for Microsoft and Skylanders, potentially. Microsoft has a truly VAST wealth of nostalgic IP they could tap into for this specific collectible genre, targeting parents with kids, nostalgic Gen-Z'ers, or even older.
It's perhaps the wrong time to be pitching Xbox on new ideas as it looks set to close studios rather than invest in new products ... alas. Microsoft's IP library is clearly its biggest, most untapped goldmine right now. But it would take some real vision and real investment to extract that. Microsoft is typically anti-culture, though, so I'm not sure it is part of their DNA. Maybe new CEO Asha Sharma will change things.
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The next time you open Microsoft Authenticator to log in to a device, you could be met with a new interface. Microsoft is rolling out a change that requires you to enter a number manually rather than tapping one of three options.
The update first appeared for enterprise and education users, but it has since started rolling out to personal Microsoft accounts. We've seen the new prompt appear on a personal device, suggesting the rollout is in progress.
At first glance, you may think that the change makes Microsoft Authenticator 33 times more secure. That would be true if malicious actors were hacking into accounts by guessing the number that appeared.
Before the change, there were only three options available, giving a theoretical blind hacker around a 33 percent chance of guessing. By requiring a two-digit number to be entered manually, there is only a 1 percent chance of guessing it right.
But attacks centered on multi-factor authentication usually aren't guessing games. Bad actors often spam users with a bunch of prompts to authenticate in the hopes that the user will approve the prompt or guess the correct number.
Accidental approvals are also an issue. With only three numbers appearing on a screen, you could tap the correct number by accident when opening the app or moving the phone around in your pocket.
Requiring a number to be entered manually reduces those risks greatly.
Microsoft has made several changes to its authenticator app to improve security. SMS codes are being phased out as an option for personal Microsoft accounts because they are insecure. SMS-based authentication is the leading source of fraud, explains Microsoft.
The change to requiring manual number entry is more pinpointed than shifting away from SMS-based authentication, but it adds another layer of security.
The update is rolling out gradually, so you may not see it yet.
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For the longest time, signing into Microsoft Edge has been tied exclusively to a Microsoft account. In practice, that meant logging into the Chromium-based browser with a Google account was virtually impossible. Well, until now.
To that end, the feature is still in development, but it should ship to broad availability by July 2026. This is a welcome change and could make Microsoft Edge more appealing to users who don't necessarily care about the mandatory Microsoft Account requirement when signing in to the browser.
It's a refreshing change of pace and direction for Microsoft, especially given that it had categorically stated in 2020 that it had no plans to integrate Google services into Microsoft Edge by default, even though it was one of the most requested features at the time.
Users can now sign in to Microsoft Edge using a Google account in addition to the Microsoft account from the profile menu and Edge sign-in screen. Available for Windows and macOS devices. Admins can control availability to this feature using the NonMicrosoftAccountSignInEnabled policy.
Microsoft
At least, that's one less place you have to worry about Microsoft Account being a mandatory requirement. Of course, it goes without saying that signing into Microsoft Edge with a Microsoft Account comes with many perks, including seamless syncing across devices, tighter integration with Microsoft services like OneDrive and Outlook, and enhanced security.
Login
