Xbox's expected cuts are here, as CEO Asha Sharma delivers on previous warnings that "hard decisions" were on the way.

Microsoft's gaming division is joining broader cuts at the firm, which will see thousands of roles eliminated from across the company in the near to medium term. Preliminary sourcing suggests the initial wave will see 1,500 staffers impacted at Xbox alone, with a total of 3,200 through FY27.

In an email to staff, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma described how Xbox is currently losing 64 cents for every dollar invested in the current climate.

"We are beginning the most significant restructure in XBOX history. After careful consideration, I've made the difficult decision to reduce our team by approximately 3,200 throughout FY27."

As part of the cuts, Microsoft has reached deals with four studios to either go independent or join new management, saving them from closure.

Compulsion, known for South of Midnight, will be acquired by management and go independent again. Double Fine Productions will also go independent, led by Tim Schafer. Undead Labs and Ninja Theory will be acquired by new publishers. Sources told us over the weekend that both Ninja Theory's Senua and Labs' State of Decay 3 will remain fully in production as part of the divestiture deals.

There's a question mark over Arkane and Blade, however. Microsoft is engaging the French government to try and figure out a path forward for the legendary Dishonored maker — with the goal of saving Arkane from closure, and keeping Blade in production. Right now, we can only hope Arkane finds a suitor to help keep the Dishonored and Blade maker afloat.

Beyond that, to meet the reductions Sharma has described every department at Xbox will see some form of layoffs and restructuring. Microsoft's executive layers want to reduce middle management across the board, in attempts to help Xbox move more quickly. Minecraft and Candy Crush's King will begin reporting in to Xbox's c-suite directly, for example, with a view of making them more competitive against incumbents like Roblox and things like Monopoly Go respectively.

There's also an effort to bring some of Xbox's remaining studios into closer collaboration, focusing on some of the firm's bigger franchises and potential. Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has been transparent about wanting to focus on things like Halo and Fallout. We could see studios like Obsidian dust off their Fallout mantle, for example.

What about Xbox hardware? It has been suggested to me that Xbox's hardware team will see the least amount of reductions, with Microsoft still intent on shipping Xbox hardware and Xbox Helix.

Microsoft's next-gen Xbox Helix console has been in production for some time, although the structural equations have been hit hard by the memory availability crisis gripping all of consumer tech. Regardless, I'm told Microsoft will soldier on with Helix and Xbox hardware in general. Microsoft is still intent on following Xbox CEO Sharma's plan to "rebuild the core," with a focus on Xbox's most profitable users: those on console.

A sad day for Xbox, and the industry in general

It's painful to me that Microsoft's bean counters wouldn't let Xbox hang on just a bit longer with some of these studios. It's hardly Undead Labs' fault that their integrations were defeated by Covid lockdowns and previous management leaving. State of Decay 3 for example has more wishlists on Steam than some of Xbox's other tentpole projects. It easily, in my view, has potential to be even bigger than similar multiplayer titles like Grounded or Sea of Thieves. It has been a long and expensive road to get here for sure ... but the rewards were literally just around the corner. Couldn't Microsoft have stayed the course just a bit longer on some of this stuff? Microsoft's penchant for giving up at the last hurdle is ceaselessly irritating.

Xbox gave some of its studios freedom to explore new IPs and experimental titles, which while virtuous, potentially hurt their capability to return positive news to those higher-ups working the spreadsheets. It's also difficult to argue against Asha Sharma's notes to staff about not wanting to compete with indie developers. It is a strange universe where Microsoft, the juggernaut, is building games that would otherwise be produced by comparatively far, far smaller teams with non-existent marketing budgets.

It's hard to deny that Xbox has massively dropped the ball on things like Fallout and Halo. Hindsight is 20/20, but imagine if the Fallout TV show had a mainline Fallout game to complement its popularity? Cyberpunk 2077 just hit 40 million copies sold, and is seeing another player count bump from integrations in Wuthering Waves and Cyberpunk Edgerunners Season 2 on Netflix.

RELATED: Xbox, please let your studios cook
RELATED: Inside Xbox's margin crush

Some of these plans revolve around laying the ground work to take advantage of these squandered opportunities. It should lead to a stronger Xbox in the years to come. But at the same time, it's staffers paying the price for previous decisions — whether owing to managerial mistakes, evolving user behavior, or macro-economic factors that nobody could really predict. It's not fair, is it? For all those impacted, it's just another round of needless chaos in our cold, AI-funny-money-powered economy.

"These changes are about a bigger future for XBOX, not a smaller one," Asha Sharma noted to employees. "The next decade of gaming will be larger, more global, and more creative than anything we've seen before. This year, we'll invest as much in XBOX as we ever have, but we'll invest with greater focus, greater discipline, and greater clarity, all in service of making XBOX where the world plays and creates."

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

Microsoft has apparently heard the complaints that make it clear not everyone wants AI in their daily meetings. An upcoming change will make it possible to disable Copilot, Facilitator, and meeting recap within Teams.

Before you get excited about vanquishing the AI features, only licensed meeting organizers will be able to toggle the features on or off.

Here's the planned timeline for the release of the controls:

• Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out early July 2026 (previously early June) and expect to complete by mid-July 2026 (previously mid-June).
• General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out mid-July 2026 (previously mid-June) and expect to complete by end-of-July 2026 (previously late June).

Microsoft sent word of the changes through the Microsoft 365 Message Center. If you're not an admin, you can read them through the Microsoft 365 Message Center Archive.

All versions of Teams will be affected by the change (desktop, web, and mobile).

Meeting AI is a collection of features within Teams. It includes Copilot, Facilitator, and Intelligent recap. Admins can disable all Meeting AI features with a single toggle or enable or disable tools individually.

While it's easy to criticize AI, and there are times for it, these Teams features can be useful. Facilitator can provide information to address knowledge gaps automatically. Intelligent recap uses AI to take notes, create summaries, and gather highlights.

But as is the case with many AI features, people want the option to disable them. The new options coming to Teams make that much easier for admins.

When used as a way to enhance the work of a person, AI can improve productivity. But when people over rely on AI, quality suffers. Earlier this year, analyst Dennis Xu joked about banning AI use on Friday afternoons.

Xu's comments were tongue-in-check, but the general idea was that people would be too lazy on a Friday afternoon to double-check work completed by AI tools.

Considering that even Microsoft researchers suggest AI chatbots get "dumber" the longer you talk to them, it makes sense to give meeting organizers simple toggles to disable AI in Teams.

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

Appreciate how hard it is to write the name Erling Haaland and literally anything nice. The World Cup star plays for Manchester City, whom I am programmed to despise, as well as England's next opponents, Norway.

But, I know a man of undoubted class when I see one, and Haaland fits that bill because, like us, he's an XBOX man. Some of the games he's playing won't be too surprising, but at least one of them might be.

The video below via yoxic on X walks us through Haaland's Xbox, some of his favorite games, and yes, as a man of class, he also has the Xbox Series X mini fridge.

I had a mild panic when I read the caption before seeing the video before calming down when "Modern Warfare 2" does, in fact, refer to the original Call of Duty: Modern Warfare trilogy, not the reboot. I've met plenty of people who would agree on the old game and essentially nobody who would pass such lofty praise on the newer one.

There's no surprise to hear GTA 6 is most anticipated, though, fun fact, Haaland was only 13 when GTA 5 was first released. In the time between games he's grown up and become the most feared striker on the planet. Puts it into perspective how long we've been waiting!

Shoutout for Minecraft, too, another of the titles taking its place on Haaland's XBOX alongside the extremely obvious EA FC games.

Reaction on social media is plentiful, but the replies tagging Xbox CEO Asha Sharma and marketing chief Aaron Greenberg feel valid. One of the best known football players on the planet is basically doing free marketing here. If XBOX has any sense, they'll reach out about a partnership. Lord knows we could use some positivity.

There's a precedent for that, too. Darts sensation Luke Littler is also a proud XBOX player, which was soon followed up by an official partnership. All the youngsters out there that love Erling Haaland need to know he loves XBOX. It's a no-brainer!

That's enough from me, though. Time to lock in on the World Cup Quarter-Finals. England vs. Norway. We've got to get the man back home and on his XBOX as soon as possible!

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

Euro Truck Simulator 2 (and its USA-centric counterpart, American Truck Simulator) is the world's most popular trucking simulation game on PC, and console ports for Xbox and PlayStation are even in the works. As the name suggests, the theme has always been about hauling trailers across realistic recreations of famous cities, but a teased "Project Coaches" add-on is getting closer to mixing that up.

Yes, the big trucking simulator game is getting a Coaches DLC on Steam that'll add drivable coach buses from real-world manufacturers like Scania, Volvo, and MAN. We don't know how much the DLC will cost, and its developers at SCS Software reiterate that anything it shows is "still a work in progress", so the specifics on how its in-world passengers will behave might change before release.

We've known details about in-world bus stations for a while, but a new gameplay video on YouTube shows how everything is coming together with footage of the MAN Lions Coach set to the nostalgic soundtrack of SCS Software's Bus Driver from 2007. The twist on passenger replacements for cargo is garnering mostly positive reactions so far, but it simultaneously highlights a feature that's still strangely missing: rigid trucks.

Rigid-chassis trucks have been missing from both versions of SCS Software's truck simulator since launch, with the only solutions coming from community-made mods. You've probably seen these types of trucks driving around your own town; they're a more compact alternative to the longer, hauled trailers that you'll see in the game's traditional selection. Coaches, if larger, still handle on the road in the same fashion, so this feels like a slightly unusual release order.

Despite frustrations among some Steam players that the Coaches DLC might be receiving priority over new truck types, Euro Truck Simulator 2 nevertheless maintains an "Overwhelmingly Positive" standing with over 140,000 English reviews. It's still the most realistic option for PC gamers on Windows 10/11 and SteamOS — thanks to its "Steam Deck Verified" status — and one of the easiest games to recommend when paired with an appropriate wheel.

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

It's no secret that the modern video game industry is in somewhat of an identity and budget crisis. Massive AAA publishers are sinking hundreds of millions of dollars and up to a decade of development time into hyper-polished blockbusters, many of which fail to recoup the ballooning costs. On the other hand, we have feel-good stories like this one about this year's breakout indie hit, Meccha Chameleon, which just announced it has achieved 15 million sales on Steam in less than a month.

What is Meccha Chameleon?

Two indie developers in Japan reportedly spent two months, yes, only two months, slapping together this janky $5 party game about painting human chameleons, and it's done the impossible by capturing millions of players' attention.

Creator 'lemorion_1224' and programmer Haganeiro originally met in the Fortnite custom map creator community, and together came up with this wacky, extreme hide-and-seek concept.

Players have plain white bodies and must spray-paint themselves to match the textures of the walls and surroundings to hide from the seekers. I've even seen one environment that's modeled after the Backrooms, so it's a Gen Z clip-worthy beast of a game. It seems incredibly simple, but the trajectory of the game's success is every indie developer's dream scenario. It even utilizes free assets, for which the creator has expressed support for the game taking off.

Meccha Chameleon launched on Steam on June 9, 2026, for the modest price of $4.79, and took only 4 days to shatter 1 million copies sold purely by organic word of mouth and viral Twitch clips. It's the latest in a trend of 'friendslop' games, not a derogatory term, but meaning a game where the fun is made organically by playing with a group of pals (and tends to be a low-budget title). Think Schedule 1 as another example.

As of June 26, they hit 10 million copies sold, and today they announced the milestone of 15 million copies just under a month after launch. At the game's peak, it reached 340,000 concurrent players and outperformed Overwatch and Apex Legends.

Now, as inspiring as Meccha Chameleon's success is, it's vital to remember that not everyone can be the next Balatro or Among Us. Tens of thousands of indie games flood Steam each year, and a heartbreakingly small percentage of those ever make enough money to sustain their creators. That said, when a game this cheap does strike lightning, it's something to be celebrated, and I'm going to download immediately and check the game out myself!

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

Sony's announcement that it will cease physical disc production by January 2028 has had a seismic impact on the gaming industry,. As players look forward to a disc-less future with the arrival of the PlayStation 6 (and the likelihood that Xbox Helix will follow suit), everyone has been weighing in on the debate at a volume I've not seen before.

Celebrities like comedian Trevor Noah have weighed in, and even fast food outlets like KFC and Dominos have jumped on the bandwagon, but now one of the industries most legendary creator, Hideo Kojima has weighed in.

Speaking at the Il Cinema in Piazza Film Festival in Italy, Metal Gear and Death Stranding creator Kojima expressed deep anxiety over the erasure of physical media. His translated remarks have been widely ciculated by Genki_JPN on X and we can be pretty certain the translation is correct given it's been reposted by Kojima himself.

"You don't actually possess the data"

Kojima, a notoriously devout cinephile and physical media collector, didn't hold back when asked his thoughts on the industry-wide push toward digital distribution.

"Since production is ending in 2028, this is about video games, but I grew up with physical media, so I find it really sad.

Currently, I’ve been buying up a lot of Blu-rays, such as various movies, and CDs too. The situation is different for games, as they are downloaded to the hard drive, that means the game data remains on your own hardware.

However, if things shift to streaming in the future, that won’t be the case anymore. With streaming subscription services, like Netflix or Amazon, there is a server somewhere, and you essentially just have the right to turn the tap, and when you do, the data flows out. That’s how movies work on these platforms, right? You don't download the data, you access it directly through a subscription.

And the consequence of that is that you don't actually possess the data yourself. There are companies that own these servers and let you 'turn the tap' for a monthly fee. However, with nations, politics and various ways of thinking, one naturally has to consider the possibility that if there is a change, the data inside will stop being distributed.

And if that happens you won’t be able to watch or play the movies and games you like. That is what is frightening. So, what is happening to video games in 2028, might also happen to movies. I’d like everyone to keep that in mind."

"We will not be able to freely access the movies, books, and music that we have loved."

This isn't the first time Kojima has spoken out about the move to online-only access for entertainment. His posts from 2001 have been circulating again, when he had a very similar warning to us all:

"Eventually, even digital data will no longer be owned by individuals on their own initiative. Whenever there is a major change or accident in the world, in a country, in a government, in an idea, in a trend, access to it may suddenly be cut off.

We will not be able to freely access the movies, books, and music that we have loved. I would be a have-not. That's what I'm afraid of. This is not greed."

Kojima's words directly mirror the concerns of today's gamers. When Sony first revealed the timeline within which it plans to kill off physical game discs, the immediate outcry centered around consumer choice and market control. Without a secondhand disc market, publishers gain total authority over pricing, forcing players to rely entirely on the PlayStation storefront sales. Whether you have already made the move to digital or not, this will impact the price of games for everyone.

We have already seen the consequences of the "turned off tap" that Kojima warns us of. Sony recently sparked fury by revoking consumer access to over 500 paid digital movies, proving that digital ownership is merely a temporary license.

While the PC ecosystem has safely transitioned to digital due to its open nature, community modding, and DRM-free options like GOG, consoles remain strictly gated communities.

How long will corporations acquiesce to gamers' wants and needs?

Microsoft's upcoming next-gen "roject Helix console is also highly likely to drop the disc drive, but they are building a bridge. New details regarding Xbox's "Positron" disc-to-digital program suggest a seamless system where physical discs can be permanently converted into digital licenses tied to your Microsoft Account.

Amidst all the corporate doom and gloom, there are still minor victories for collectors. Halo Studios recently confirmed that the highly anticipated Halo: Campaign Evolved remake will actually ship on an actual physical disc for both Xbox and PlayStation boxes.

But as Kojima heavily implies, these anomalies will soon become a relic of the past. When the servers go dark, and the corporate giants decide to twist the valve shut, players will finally realize the true cost of convenience.

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

Microsoft has already confirmed that Windows 11 version 26H2 is the next annual feature update, and it's expected to roll out during the second half of 2026. Unlike those feature drop upgrades we used to get, requiring a full installation, this release will follow the same servicing model as version 25H2, arriving as a small enablement package that simply switches the version number from 25H2 to 26H2.

Whenever the company takes this approach, I see the same reaction: "It's not a real update because it doesn't include anything new," and I don't think that's accurate.

The enablement package is just the way the software giant delivers the update. It doesn't determine what's actually included in the release.

Today, Windows 11 evolves through monthly cumulative updates rather than one massive annual upgrade. Throughout the lifecycle of version 25H2, Microsoft continues to roll out new features, interface improvements, and security enhancements. When version 26H2 arrives, all of those additions officially become part of the next supported release.

If you're already running Windows 11 version 25H2, you'll likely receive most of these features before upgrading to 26H2. The actual installation will simply enable the new version while extending support for another two years. If you're upgrading from an older release, however, all of these improvements will arrive together, making the update feel much more substantial.

That alone is reason enough not to dismiss Windows 11 version 26H2.

In this guide, I'll highlight seven features and improvements I'm personally looking forward to the most.

Windows 11 2026 Update (version 26H2) top features

This list is not organized in any specific order. Also, at the time of this writing, the improvements are part of the Windows Insider Program, more specifically in the Experimental channel.

As a result, Microsoft can choose to discard any of them at any time, and remember that the company uses a gradual rollout approach, meaning it could take time for the new improvements to reach every compatible device, even after version 26H2 has been released.

1. Ask Copilot finally feels useful

Microsoft has been adding AI features across Windows 11 over the past couple of years, but not all of them have improved everyday tasks.

Ask Copilot aims to be something different. It introduces a new search box that brings Copilot directly into the search experience, allowing you to interact with AI while also using it as a traditional search tool.

It's not just for chat-style answers. You can use it to quickly find files, open apps, or locate system settings, similar to Windows Search but with AI-assisted results layered in.

What makes this feature more interesting is that it's optional. You're not forced to replace Windows Search. You can choose when to use Copilot instead.

While I'm not fully convinced of Microsoft's AI integration, I like this feature because it's surprisingly fast for surfacing settings and files, and it's optional.

This feature can be managed from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar.

This feature is expected to be available on Copilot+ PCs as well as on regular PCs.

2. A more customizable Taskbar

The Taskbar is probably the part of the desktop I interact with more than anything else, so even small improvements can make a noticeable difference.

This new version is expected to bring long-requested customization options, including the ability to position the Taskbar anywhere on the desktop, and you'll also be able to make the Taskbar smaller.

These Taskbar improvements have specific settings that can be managed from Settings > Personalization > Taskbar, and then by accessing the "Taskbar behaviors" settings to change the position and size.

Giving users more control has always been one of the platform's strengths, and I'd like to see Microsoft continue moving in that direction.

3. The redesigned Start menu

The redesigned Start menu is probably the feature I'm most excited about.

Microsoft is finally making better use of the available space while giving users more flexibility over how the menu looks and behaves.

First, the company is adding a menu setting to choose between smaller and larger sizes, rather than relying on the system to automatically determine size based on screen scaling and resolution.

Then there's an updated layout that makes it easier to organize pinned apps, browse installed applications, and reduce some of the clutter that has frustrated many Windows 11 users since launch.

For example, you can now independently show or hide Pinned, Recent, and All.

Also, note that "Recommended" has now been renamed to "Recent," and it's much clearer to hide it. Also, you can customize what type of content appears in this section.

Furthermore, disabling recent and suggested files will no longer turn off File Explorer's recent history.

Finally, to improve privacy while doing a presentation, you'll find a new option to hide your name and profile picture from the Start menu.

These settings will appear under Settings > Personalization > Start.

Instead of insisting there's only one correct way to use the Start menu, the company is giving users more choices. That's exactly what I expect from the operating system.

4. Windows Search without web results

This may be one of the smallest additions in version 26H2, but it's also one I've wanted for a long time.

Microsoft is finally adding an option to turn off web results in the Windows Search feature.

When I open the Start menu and type something, I'm usually looking for a file, a setting, or an app on my computer, not Bing search results. So, having a built-in setting to turn off web results should make Windows Search feel faster, cleaner, and far less distracting.

This implementation is expected to appear on Settings > Privacy & security > Search, under the "Show suggested search results" setting, where you'll also find an option to prevent search from showing Microsoft Store apps.

Sometimes the best new features are the ones that remove unnecessary clutter.

Currently, this feature is still a work in progress, but it can already be surfaced in the latest preview build of the operating system in the Experimental channel from version 26H2.

5. Better control over Windows Update

Windows Update has improved significantly over the past few years, but I still think users deserve more control over when updates happen.

As part of the new improvements, the company is expanding the Windows Update controls, making it easier to schedule updates and pause installations when needed without (significantly) compromising security.

For example, you can now use a calendar-based setting to pause updates for up to 35 days, and you can pause as many times as you want.

The new setting is available through Settings > Windows Update.

In addition, the company is reducing monthly reboots to only one by aligning the install schedule for drivers, products, and firmware updates with the quality update.

Also, the settings page for updates now groups downloads under a single "Available updates" section, and drivers include clearer labels.

Furthermore, the power options in the Start menu now show independent commands to restart and shut down without installing updates.

While the calendar-based setting to pause updates is gradually rolling out through the July 2026 Security Update, this improvement will also be considered part of version 26H2.

6. Administrator Protection security feature

Security features rarely generate much excitement, but Administrator Protection is an exception.

The feature changes how the operating system handles administrator privileges by adding another layer of protection around elevated processes, making it more difficult for malicious software to gain unrestricted access to the system.

Administrator Protection works by creating a temporary account to execute the task and then deleting the account when the task is complete. This approach ensures that the administrator privileges are not persistent, making the system more secure.

This feature is expected to become available through the "Account protection" page in the Windows Security app.

One thing to note is that this feature will replace User Account Control and will use Windows Hello for authentication.

7. Run dialog with modern design

Microsoft is finally giving the Run dialog box a visual refresh.

The new interface adopts the design language of Windows 11, bringing rounded corners, improved spacing, and a cleaner overall layout that better matches the rest of the operating system.

It's also noticeably larger than the classic version. The expanded layout provides a wider input field for commands and introduces a "recent commands" section positioned above the text box, making it easier to reuse previously entered entries.

Another practical improvement is the ability to surface matching apps as you type, complete with their icons. It's a small but useful upgrade that helps bridge the gap between a simple command launcher and a more modern search-style experience.

What makes this change particularly interesting is that the company isn't forcing it on everyone, at least initially. The redesigned Run dialog will be optional, with a toggle available in Settings > System > Advanced under the "Run dialog" option, allowing users to switch between the classic and modern versions.

Windows 11 doesn't need another major redesign

I understand why some people look at Windows 11 version 26H2 and think it isn't a major release, especially since it installs as a small enablement package.

However, that view places too much emphasis on how the update is delivered rather than on what it actually includes.

Microsoft no longer waits for one big annual release to add new features. Instead, Windows 11 is updated continuously throughout the year. The annual update simply packages all of those changes into a new, supported version of the operating system.

That's why I'm looking forward to the Windows 11 2026 Update.

It will take only a few minutes to install. However, by the time it arrives, it will already include months of improvements across the system, from a redesigned Start menu and a more customizable Taskbar to better search, stronger security, improved Windows Update controls, and a more practical approach to AI.

Windows Central's Take

I think Windows 11 version 26H2 shows that Microsoft has finally settled into a better update strategy. (At least for the foreseeable future.) Instead of holding features back for one big annual release, the company is delivering improvements when they're ready and using the feature update to reset the support lifecycle. That may not be as exciting as the old days of massive releases, but it's a much better experience for people who actually use the operating system every day.

More importantly, I like the direction that the company is taking with many of these changes. The common theme isn't flashy AI features or another visual overhaul. It's giving users more control over how Windows 11 works, whether that's customizing the Start menu, moving the Taskbar, cleaning up Windows Search, or making Windows Update less intrusive.

Of course, not every feature will matter to everyone, and some may still change before the final release. However, if Microsoft follows through on what it's testing today, I think 26H2 could end up being one of the most practical Windows 11 updates yet, even if it arrives as nothing more than a small enablement package.

What are your thoughts on some of the expected features coming as part of the 2026 Update for 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:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

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

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

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

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

Biggest News of the Week

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

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

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

Shopping with Sean

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

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

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

ASUS' Snapdragon-based Zenbook became immediately iconic when its first A14 iteration was revealed at CES 2025, and it still won us over after an unfortunate $100 price increase when we tested a real-world sample for our Zenbook A14 (2025) review. Well, now it's back again, and it's packing the latest Snapdragon X2 Elite processor in yet another premium (but compact) Windows on ARM laptop. So, is it worth $2,000, or should you stick with the previous generation?

How much does the Zenbook A14 cost?

ASUS lists the Zenbook A14 (UX3407) on its official storefront for $1,999.99, with a Snapdragon X2 Elite (X2E-88-100) processor, 32GB of LPDDR5X-9523 RAM, and a 1TB SSD. The 14-inch non-touch OLED display runs at 1920 x 1200 resolution with a maximum refresh rate of 60Hz, in a 16:10 aspect ratio. Depending on when you buy, it'll come pre-installed with at least Windows 11 26H1, built exclusively for Qualcomm's processors.

Better yet, you can pick up the Zenbook A14 for just $1,349.99 at Best Buy with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD, or for $1,799.99 at Best Buy with the same 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD as the ASUS store configuration. Naturally, if you're looking for the best deal, Best Buy currently offers the best value for money and, at the time of writing, better availability. Also consider the $1,699.99 Zenbook A16.

Is the Zenbook A14 a good laptop?

Above all, the most astonishing reaction I had when first unboxing the Zenbook A14 was its weight. ASUS lists the laptop at 2.18 lbs (0.99 kg), and my own scales showed it flicker between that and a perfect kilogram, so its "light as air" marketing tagline is legit, even if it is marginally heavier than last year's Zenbook A14 (2.16 lbs). For comparison, a 13-inch MacBook Air (M5) is 2.7 lbs.

ASUS still uses a "Ceraluminum" (ceramic-aluminum) coating on its Zenbook chassis, and to great effect. There can be some mild flex in the ultra-skinny screen, but the laptop's body is firm and sturdy, keeping the subtle 'Zabriskie Beige' color with a reflective logo on its lid. Its 1200p display maxes out at 60Hz, but the Lumina OLED panel looks as great as ever.

Testing the display with a colorimeter showed a maximum full-screen brightness of 407 nits, while ASUS maintains it'll reach a "peak" brightness of 600 nits in portions of the screen. Color accuracy is superb, covering 100% of the sRGB and P3 gamuts, while Adobe RGB hits 94%, making the Zenbook A14 a great choice for creators concerned with accurate color representation.

Port selection hasn't changed this year, so I still have access to dual Type-C USB4 ports alongside HDMI 2.1 and a 3.5 combo audio jack on the left side, plus a full-size USB-A 3.2 Gen 2 port on the right. The keyboard feels serviceable with a 1.3 mm travel distance, just as it did on the Zenbook A16 I tested recently, and it pairs with a satisfyingly smooth glass mechanical touchpad.

Does the Zenbook A14 have any issues?

ASUS still preloads some apps into its Windows 11 image on Zenbook laptops, including advertisements for Adobe and Dropbox that are automatically pinned to your Start menu. Both are easy to remove via the right-click context menu and are largely overshadowed by the useful MyASUS companion app. So, while it isn't totally clean, I can give the Zenbook A14 a passing grade here.

Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon X2 Elite processor offers its Hexagon NPU rated at up to 80 TOPS. However, aside from Microsoft's excellent Click To Do and a handful of other Copilot+ PC features, the Zenbook A14 doesn't offer much for stock local AI beyond media management with ASUS StoryCube. If you already use NPU-supported apps, then you'll benefit here. If you don't, then you won't.

However, the webcam is decent, even if it understandably drains the battery faster during video meetings. Windows Studio Effects is one of the few features that uses the NPU, and HPD (Human Presence Detection) can dim the screen when I'm not looking. An IR sensor also lets the camera use Windows Hello for fast, secure face-based logins, and it works quickly when I open the lid.

The speakers in the new Zenbook A14 are decent, but they don't seem to produce as much bass as its larger Zenbook A16 sibling, for obvious reasons. They're still better than many other laptops I've tried, as ASUS keeps winning my general praise for its audio efforts. I wouldn't rely on them for everything, but it's a passable experience for streaming videos.

How fast is the Zenbook A14?

The new Zenbook A14 opts for Qualcomm's impressive Snapdragon X2 Elite (X2E-88-100) processor, and it benefits greatly from it. Burst CPU performance tests in Geekbench 6 show it outperforming Apple's M5 chip in the 14-inch MacBook Pro, and even edging slightly ahead of Lenovo's fantastic Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Gen 11) with the same SoC.

Comparatively, the 2026 model shreds its 2025 Zenbook A14 predecessor and the first-generation Snapdragon X (X1-26-100) it used, and the generational improvement is still evident in the extended Cinebench 2024 CPU stress tests. It even outpaces Intel's Panther Lake chips in the Surface Laptop 8 for Business and holds its own against the gaming-centric ROG Flow Z13.

Battery life

ASUS claims the Zenbook A14 can deliver "over 33 hours of uninterrupted use" (in a 1080p video playback scenario under controlled conditions), but the highest I could reach was 23 hours and 38 minutes in PCMark 10's equivalent test. It still has the same-sized 70Whr battery as last year's model, and after using the 2026 model for a week or so, generating a Windows Battery Report estimates 17 hours of use after a full charge.

Should you buy the Zenbook A14?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You need a lightweight, compact Windows laptop

✅ You rely on CPU-heavy apps and workflows

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You can go bigger — try the Zenbook A16

This 2026 revision builds on everything the Zenbook A14 achieved last year, making the CPU even better and adding Wi-Fi 7 for good measure. Sure, I'd have liked a brighter high-end on its OLED panel, but the cost-saving measures here are meant to keep this 14-inch laptop appealing in a category full of strong competitors — though the sharp generational cost increase still stings.

It's a Windows on ARM laptop with an ARM64 processor, and there is still a (mostly undeserved) stigma around software compatibility. If you're reliant on an old printer or scanner, double-check your drivers before buying; but otherwise, you have nothing to worry about. If you can hold out for a sale, as we recommended for its previous model, the new A14 is a stellar option.

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

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

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

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

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

Have a question you want us to answer on the podcast? Send it to us at [email protected]

Hosts:

• Jez Corden
• Zac Bowden

Subscribe to the Windows Central Podcast

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

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

LIVE Video Podcast

You can watch the live, uncut version of the Windows Central Podcast on our YouTube channel!

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

Xbox is celebrating it's 25th anniversary this year, something that's easy to forget within the deluge of seemingly bad news right now. While they've already announced the snazzy Xbox Series X25 as a homage to the original Xbox, I do wonder if there will be more for fans that doesn't include laying down a wedge of cash. Something not unlike the Xbox Year in Review but for our entire time with Xbox.

Well, we needn't wait to see if Xbox has such a thing in store, because the folks over at True Achievements have done it again with its #Xbox25 Milestones tool. Simply click here to be taken to True Achievements and link your Microsoft account, and you'll see all of your stats in one neat timeline and infographic from the start of your journey with the Xbox 360 (when achievements were first introduced).

A blast from MY past

The True Achievements #Xbox25 Milestone infographic is displayed within an Xbox 360 Blades dashboard skin for maximum nostalgia, and is a really cool reminder of my own journey with the Xbox ecosystem.

I never actually owned an OG Xbox myself, and was staunchly PlayStation up until my 4-year-old (at the time) decided to put around 7 discs into my PlayStation 3 at once, rendering it overfed and useless.

My infographic reflects this: the Xbox 360 launched in 2005, but I didn't unlock an achievement on it until this incident in 2012. At the time, because the PS3 had a Blu-ray player, it was cheaper to get a second-hand Xbox 360 instead, and I never looked back.

I'm also reminded that the first game I 100% completed on Xbox was Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure in August 2013. So, obviously, I'll be among the many excited for this to become a backward-compatible title, if such a thing is possible!
Would love to know your guys most interesting stats from the Xbox 360 era up until now, leave a comment below with your results or jump into our subreddit (link below) and share your own infographics!

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

Acer's Nitro 65 arrives at a time when the PC market is undergoing major stress caused by RAM, storage, and other component shortages.

Nevertheless, the Nitro 65's pricing remains reasonable, its performance is spot on, the case is far better than I expected, and it uses (mostly) regular parts that you can upgrade or replace yourself without much effort.

I've been using the PC for a couple of weeks, and while it's mainly been a positive experience, there are a couple of quirks that you need to know about before buying.

Acer sent Windows Central a review unit on loan for testing. It had no input, nor saw the contents of this review, prior to publication.

How much does the Acer Nitro 65 cost?

The Acer Nitro 65 model I'm reviewing, with Ryzen 9 9900X CPU, RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD, costs $2,304.99 regularly at Best Buy, although it seems to enjoy frequent sales that drop it closer to $2,100 or less.

I'm always curious to see how that compares to building your own system, so I went ahead and put something together using the same (or as similar as possible) components.

I used a $150 HYTE X50 case (because it's awesome), a $120 motherboard, and left about $200 to $300 for a 1TB SSD. That comes out to $350 to $450 on top of the $1,611 cost at PCPartPicker. Add some RGB case fans and other small accessories, and you're looking at a similar cost compared to building your own system.

If you like the look of the PC but don't need quite as much performance, models with an AMD Ryzen 7 8700F CPU and either an NVIDIA RTX 5060 or an AMD Radeon 9060 XT range from $1,100 to $1,600, depending on available discounts.

Here's a closer look at the specs in the unit I'm reviewing.

Is the Acer Nitro 65 built well with good cable management?

Acer is definitely making money on the Nitro 65, but as I laid out above, the margin isn't as big as some might expect. So, where are the corners being cut to make up the difference?

The first thing that stands out to me is the no-name PSU. It's non-modular, making it harder to upgrade, and it's tough to judge what sort of quality it is.

Acer lists it as 850W 80+ Gold, which just means it's fairly energy efficient and has plenty of power for the installed hardware and for future upgrades. Its actual durability remains questionable. If I were buying this PC, I'd definitely replace the PSU with something else before the one-year warranty ran out.

The other off-brand piece is the Nitro-branded CPU air cooler. But as we'll see, it does a decent job of keeping the 9900X cool under load. If you prefer liquid cooling, the 35L case can easily accommodate the extra hardware.

The good news is that the PC is otherwise well put together and uses standard components that you can buy yourself for upgrades and repairs. No wacky motherboard designs. No off-brand GPUs. No sketchy memory.

Acer uses Kingston Fury Beast DDR5-6000 RGB RAM here in a dual-channel config, the RTX 5070 is a standard Gigabyte WindForce option, and the M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD is from Lexar.

Now, there's no guarantee that these exact same components will be used in your model, but I did run some benchmarks to see how the specific parts in my review unit perform. More on that below.

A case for RGB lovers ... with plenty of snazzy glass

Rounded cases seem to be coming into style lately, and the Nitro 65's custom 35L tower is quite attractive. Tempered glass runs from the front to the back along two sides, rounded at the corners. Just below the glass is an embedded RGB strip that diffuses light. It's completely customizable and syncs up with the rest of the lighting.

The other RGB lives in the two main intake fans, the RAM, the CPU cooler fan, and the single exhaust fan. It's more than enough for me, and I appreciate that it can be turned off entirely if not customized to your liking.

Front I/O includes dual USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1) and a single USB-C 3.2 (Gen 1) port, all running at 5Gbps. There's also a 3.5mm audio jack next to the power button. It would be nice to have 10Gbps ports here, but it's not a dealbreaker. The rear I/O is, like a normal PC, dependent on the motherboard and GPU.

Something I love is the inclusion of a magnetic dust cover on the top of the PC. It'd come in most handy with an AiO, but I appreciate it here anyway. The side intake fans have a dual-screen setup — one directly behind the fans and another on the back panel — while the PSU has its own dust cover on the bottom.

These small additions help keep dust out of your PC, and because they're removable, they're much easier to clean than something fixed.

Some pre-built PCs skimp on connectivity, but not here. The Gigabyte motherboard offers Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 for cutting-edge wireless, and there's a 2.5Gb Ethernet port to handle wired connections.

How is the Nitro 65's cable management and assembly?

The Nitro 65 comes packed with expanding foam around the CPU cooler and GPU, with an extra foam insert around the GPU to keep it stable; it otherwise has no additional support.

There are no evident problems with assembly, and because it's packed in so tightly, I made no adjustments before booting the PC for the first time.

Pulling off the back panel reveals rather tidy cable management. Zip ties are used, so you'll likely need to clip and replace those if you decide to make some internal changes, but there are a couple of Velcro strips thrown in around the main channels.

Because the PSU isn't modular, there's some snarl below the internal riser, but it's not visible from the front.

As for the visible cabling, it's all properly installed with no extra slack that could block airflow. The GPU power cable has its own exit in the PSU riser, and plenty of cutouts around the motherboard should make for easy upgrades in the future.

Overall, it's a clean look behind the glass, and the cabling that's hidden is actually a lot better than I was expecting.

The Nitro 65 keeps cool under pressure

The Nitro 65 has some solid performance hardware inside, and I'm happy to report it keeps its cool under load. The two intake fans point toward the side of the case, but the rounded front glass helps curve that air toward the back.

I ran a Speed Way stress test on components first with the side glass panel removed. The CPU was able to remain between about 60.8 and 61.6 degrees Celsius, while the GPU sat at about 68 to 70 degrees. It came out to 99.2% frame stability.

With the glass panel back in place, I reran the same test. CPU temps climbed to roughly 63 to 65 degrees Celsius, while the GPU hit about 70 to 72 degrees. That's an expected rise, and it's not out of the ordinary. Frame stability fell slightly to 98.8%.

One note on the CPU cooler: the single fan gets a bit louder than I'd like when it's under load, but it seems to even off with sustained effort. Still, it'd be better if Acer used an AiO liquid cooler here as the standard.

Does Acer's Nitro 65 perform as expected?

I'm focusing less on performance here since the PC uses standard components. The RTX 5070 and the Ryzen 9 9900X perform just like they should.

Here are some benchmarks so you can see how the hardware compares to other stuff we've recently tested.

Note that I've included two Ryzen 9 9900X scores in one graph. The higher score comes from testing we did on an open test bench using an NZXT Kraken AiO liquid cooler. That could explain some of the multi-core performance difference.

As for the Lexar GPU, it reached 6,052MB/s read and 5,063MB/s write speeds in my testing. These aren't the fastest speeds ever for a PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, but they're perfectly acceptable for gaming.

I found this PC to load everything quite quickly, no doubt aided by 32GB of DDR5 RAM. I'm also happy to see that there's a minimum of bloatware on the PC, arriving with a rather clean version of Windows 11 Home.

Should you buy the Acer Nitro 65?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You're in search of a capable mid-size gaming desktop with decent cooling and strong performance.

✅ You're a fan of RGB lighting.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You'd rather save a bit of money and build your own system.

❌ You'd rather take your games on the go with a laptop or handheld.

Acer's Nitro 65 impressed me in more ways than one. The custom case is gorgeous, especially with that rounded glass front, and it has lots of room inside for future upgrades. The diffused RGB strip around the case adds some flair.

Assembly and cable management are, I'd say, above average for a pre-built, and Acer using standard parts (other than the PSU) is a definite boon for those who like to keep their PC running as long as possible.

👉 Best Desktop PCs of 2026: Our top-rated pre-builts for gaming, work, and home use

Extra touches like removable dust screens, internal RGB lighting, and magnetic panel clasps don't go unnoticed.

Bottom line? If you'd rather not build your own gaming PC, Acer's Nitro 65 is something I recommend. It won't cost much more than buying the parts yourself, and it arrives ready to go as soon as it's unboxed. Acer even tosses in an RGB keyboard and mouse to get you started.

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

On Windows 11, even though the operating system is designed to use all the memory installed on your computer, you can limit how much RAM the operating system uses if you need to test software, troubleshoot issues, or simulate a lower-memory system.

However, the system doesn't include a simple setting to tell it to "only use 4GB of RAM." Instead, you have to use the legacy System Configuration tool (msconfig), which is intended primarily for testing and debugging.

In this how-to guide, I'll outline the steps to restrict the amount of memory that Windows 11 can use.

⚠️Important: This setting limits the amount of memory available to the entire operating system. It's not meant for everyday use because it can significantly reduce performance and cause some apps to run slowly or stop responding. You have been warned.

How to limit the system RAM on Windows 11

To restrict the amount of memory available to Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for System Configuration (or msconfig) and click the top result to open the app.
3. Click the Boot tab.
4. Select the current Windows installation (if applicable).
5. Click the Advanced options button.

6. Check the Maximum memory option.
7. Confirm the amount of memory you want Windows 11 to use (in megabytes).

• Quick tip: Since you have to enter a value in megabytes, use 4096 (4GB), 8192 (8GB), 16384 (16GB), or 32768 (32GB).

8. Click the OK button.
9. Click the Apply button.
10. Click the OK button.
11. Restart the computer.

After you complete the steps, Windows 11 will only use the amount of memory you specified. Any remaining installed RAM will be ignored until you remove the restriction.

While I was testing this configuration, I noticed that Task Manager reported 3GB when I set the memory to 4GB, because the operating system doesn't get the full 4GB, as part of the physical address space is reserved for other components.

If your goal is to test the operating system with exactly 4 GB available, you may want to reserve an extra 1GB. For example, 5120 (5GB) to see 4GB in Task Manager. However, depending on how much memory you want to allocate, you may want to try different sizes.

How to restore full RAM access on Windows 11

To restore the amount of memory available to Windows 11, use these steps:

1. Open Start.
2. Search for System Configuration (or msconfig) and click the top result to open the app.
3. Click the Boot tab.
4. Select the current Windows installation (if applicable).
5. Click the Advanced options button.

6. Clear the Maximum memory option.

7. Click the OK button.
8. Click the Apply button.
9. Click the OK button.
10. Restart the computer.

Once you complete the steps, the operating system will once again detect and use all available RAM.

Why would you limit RAM?

This feature is primarily intended for testing rather than everyday use. Some common scenarios include testing how an app performs with limited memory, troubleshooting memory-related software issues, simulating older or lower-end hardware, and software development.

For instance, we recently tested out how using 8GB of RAM on Windows 11 in 2026 works for performance.

If your goal is to reduce overall memory usage or free up RAM, it's better to turn off unnecessary startup apps, close background applications, or upgrade your system instead of limiting the operating system's available memory.

Why can't you set the maximum memory?

On some modern computers, particularly those using UEFI firmware with Secure Boot enabled, the "Maximum memory" setting may be unavailable or ignored.

If this happens, you may need to temporarily disable Secure Boot before applying the memory limit.

⚠️Warning: Disabling Secure Boot lowers your computer's protection against boot-level malware and may prevent some security features from working as expected. Only disable Secure Boot temporarily if you're testing, and re-enable it afterward.

Disable Secure Boot

To disable Secure Boot, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click the Recovery page.
4. Click the Restart now button under the "Advanced startup" section.

5. Click the Restart now button one more time.
6. Click on Troubleshoot.
7. Click on Advanced options.
8. Click the "UEFI Firmware settings" option.

9. Click the Restart button.
10. Open the advanced settings page for your motherboard.
11. Select the "Secure Boot" option, then choose the "Disabled" option.

After you complete the steps, restart the device, then configure the "Maximum memory" setting in System Configuration (msconfig).

Enable Secure Boot

Before proceeding, make sure to restore the memory settings from the System Configuration settings, and then to enable Secure Boot, use these steps:

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on System.
3. Click the Recovery page.
4. Click the Restart now button under the "Advanced startup" section.

5. Click the Restart now button one more time.
6. Click on Troubleshoot.
7. Click on Advanced options.
8. Click the "UEFI Firmware settings" option.

9. Click the Restart button.
10. Open the advanced settings page for your motherboard.
11. Select the "Secure Boot" option, then choose the "Enabled" option.

Once you complete the steps, Secure Boot will be enabled on your computer.

FAQs for limiting RAM usage on Windows 11

These are common questions about the process for limiting memory usage in Windows 11.

Windows Central's Take

I've used the Maximum memory option in MSConfig before, but it's one of those features that is easy to overlook because it's not intended as a consumer setting. For developers, network administrators, and anyone who writes about this operating system, though, it's a surprisingly useful way to test how a device behaves on lower-end hardware without physically removing memory or creating a separate virtual machine.

That said, I wouldn't recommend using this to "save RAM" or improve performance. Windows 11 is designed to manage memory efficiently, and artificially limiting it can only slow the system.

It's also another reminder that many of the most useful troubleshooting tools are still buried inside decades-old utilities like msconfig. Microsoft continues to modernize the operating system, but some of the diagnostic features remain hidden in legacy tools.

What are your thoughts about using MSConfig to limit RAM 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:

• Windows 11 on Windows Central — All you need to know
• Windows 10 on Windows Central — All you need to know

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

It's been a few days since PlayStation announced the end of physical games, and to say the reception has been bad would be an understatement. While we here at Windows Central also reported that Xbox's Project Helix is expected to drop the disc drive, we also covered fresh details on Xbox's disc-to-digital scheme, which could give players a way to preserve their physical game libraries while still enjoying the benefits of digital ownership.

Following those stories, we asked you one simple question: "How do you feel about PlayStation ending physical game discs?" The response was overwhelmingly in favor of one option. Of the 1,577 votes cast, 71% of you said you'll miss buying physical games, while just 13% said you're happy to embrace a fully digital future.

I also spent some time reading through the comments because, while the poll shows how you voted, the discussion reveals why. Concerns over ownership, game preservation, the rising cost of digital storefronts, and calls for optional disc drives all came up time and time again. There was also plenty of discussion surrounding Xbox's Positron system, so let's take a look at what stood out most from the community.

For many of you, it's about ownership

Moving over to the comments, many of you echoed the results of the poll, saying you'll miss buying physical games, and to be fair, it's hard to blame you.

I've been guilty myself of embracing the convenience of the digital era, relying heavily on services like Game Pass. That said, when a game really means something to me, I still make the effort to buy a physical copy.

Halo: Campaign Evolved, which launches later this month, is a perfect example. I'll be picking it up on disc because, for me, it comes down to ownership. I want a physical copy sitting on my shelf, regardless of whether I also have access to a digital version.

That brings us nicely to our first comment, from Obi74 here on Windows Central:

“I'm not much of a gamer, so my opinions in this aren't strong. However, I have worked closely with product designers for many years and every time changes were made, we used to ask two questions:

What problem does this change solve for our customers?

Do our customers see this problem as important enough to be solved?

I can't come up with answers that make sense when I apply those questions to removing disc drives on consoles.

It's not a Microsoft issue. It just shows how those corporations moved from serving customers to mostly serving themselves.

Not a trend I like.”

Whilst Obi74 looked at it from the perspective of whether removing disc drives actually benefits consumers, Floyd Smertnitch took things a step further by looking at why Sony might be making the move in the first place. They wrote:

“The decision doesn't just make sense from the perspective of preventing reselling. There's also the 30% margin to consider: Sony takes 30% from every transaction made through the PlayStation Store. This is not the case for physical game sales. Sony takes a cut, but it is often smaller, and retailers can negotiate directly with publishers”

Whatever Sony's reasoning may be, a recurring theme throughout the comments was trust, or rather, the lack of it. Many of you worried about what happens when everything is tied to a digital license, with reader Goose UK sharing their own experience:

“They can still pull your rights whenever they feel like it... I prefer my media to be on a disk somewhere, and then digitized if possible, as I've had digital rights pulled in the past (including from a disc based game I currently own).”

That comment really sums up what many of you were saying throughout the discussion. It wasn't necessarily digital gaming that worried you; it was the thought of losing ownership and putting even more trust in platform holders to safeguard your purchases for years to come.

Many of you aren't against digital gaming

One thing that actually surprised me while reading through the comments was just how many of you weren't completely against digital gaming, especially given the outrage over Sony’s decision to end physical media. Like myself, it seemed as though quite a few readers admitted they'd already made the switch years ago, but still didn't want physical games to disappear altogether.

Reader RagingTyga summed it up rather well, saying:

"It's unfortunate but I've been mostly all digital for nearly 3 generations now, starting with the PS3, and now the Xbox Series."

They went on to argue that Microsoft's original Xbox One vision, despite being heavily criticized at the time, could have offered "the same benefits of Play Anywhere and Digital convenience WITH the preservation and collection aspect of Physical."

Looking back, Xbox may well have been ahead of its time in some respects (a common theme for Microsoft), but in typical Xbox fashion, they completely fumbled the messaging. Fast forward to today, and many of us seem to be heading towards that same digital future anyway, only now we run the risk of getting far fewer of the benefits that were originally promised.

Judging by both the comments and the poll, the issue doesn't seem to be digital gaming itself. It's the loss of choice. Many of you have embraced digital purchases for years, but that doesn't mean you want physical ownership to disappear entirely.

The community wants a compromise

Perhaps that's why one of the most common suggestions wasn't for Xbox or PlayStation to abandon digital or whatever, but to meet somewhere in the middle.

Several of you suggested optional external disc drives, multiple console SKUs, or Xbox's reported Positron disc-to-digital system as ways of preserving physical collections without giving up the convenience of digital gaming.

Reader Xirathi put it simply:

"Why not just sell an external drive for dirt cheap?"

Others shared similar ideas, with fatpunkslim suggesting Helix could launch with "an optional external reader," while GraniteStateColin argued Microsoft could offer an external USB disc drive for those who still wanted one, rather than forcing every buyer to pay for hardware they might never use.

Looking back at the poll, I actually think that ties in quite nicely with the 16% of readers who said they were still undecided and simply wanted more options. Rather than choosing between an all-digital future or sticking entirely with physical media, many of you seem to believe the industry can, and perhaps should, support both.

Interestingly, each social platform had a slightly different take on the news. Here on Windows Central, the discussion largely centered around ownership, game preservation, and consumer choice.

Over on X, many of you were more interested in the technical side of Xbox's reported Positron system, asking how it might work with older Xbox discs, backward compatibility, and lending games to friends. Reddit, meanwhile, was far more divided. Some argued physical media is no longer relevant because most people already buy digitally, while others felt the real issue wasn't the disc itself, but losing consumer choice and giving platform holders even more control.

The community's message is clear

No matter where the discussion took place, one thing stood out to me. This debate was never really necessarily about the plastic disc you purchase. It's about ownership, preserving the games we buy, and having the freedom to choose how we play them.

Personally, I think it's a sad direction for the industry. Whether you actively buy physical games or not, having fewer options is rarely a good thing. As the industry continues shifting towards digital ownership, we're placing more trust in platform holders to maintain access to the games we've paid for, and that's something I don't think should be taken for granted.

This is especially true, as Sony have just revoked over 500 purchased movies from PlayStation users.

Thank you to everyone who took part in our poll and joined the discussion here on Windows Central, as well as over on X and Reddit. It genuinely means a lot to us. If you have any more thoughts on the future of physical games, be sure to share them in the comments below:

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

I imagine that Sony knew its recent announcement that it's ending physical disc production in 2028 would cause backlash, but not likely to this extent. Indeed, the amount of pushback from gamers and game historians is astounding, and the debate is spilling out into adjacent communities.

Browsing the r/pcmasterrace subreddit last night, I came across one thread basically asking "what the point of a console is becoming" now that Sony is going digital-only and Xbox might not be far behind.

That's an excellent question, and one that I've also been pondering for some time. If consoles no longer have a physical library of media that can be owned, shared, and resold, what's the main appeal?

A mid-range PC-esque device that's locked down to one store? That requires subscription fees just to play online? Running software you can't control? Sounds fun!

I know, I'm not exactly being fair to consoles. As the top reply to OP's subreddit question about the point of consoles, it's "ease of use and low barrier to entry" that remain the selling points of Xbox and PlayStation.

Those are good points, but the foundation on which they're built is also quickly eroding.

Microsoft's Xbox Mode for Windows 11 effectively turns your PC into a console experience, exactly as the name suggests. SteamOS, Valve's custom Linux effort that runs on the Steam Deck, Steam Machine, and increasingly other devices, is as smooth as any console UI I've used.

Next-gen consoles from Microsoft and Sony won't likely be affordable, at least not in the traditional sense. Nearly all components that make up a "PC" are far more expensive than they used to be, and the crisis isn't likely to see any easing AT ALL until early 2028, never mind a complete return to normal.

Unless something miraculous happens, I can't imagine next-gen consoles launching for less than $1,000. You might be effectively paying PC prices for console problems like license revocations, store closures (in the case of PS3 and PS Vita), and other overarching issues with game preservation.

The Steam Machine is pricey, but the perks are worth it

The running joke in the PC gaming community is that we'll spend anything just to keep playing, and there's definitely some truth in that. This willingness to spend has kept the PC market going through recent rough times, and it's why it feels like Valve gets a bit of a pass when it comes to the Steam Machine's pricing.

Launching at $1,049 for the base model, it's a refined gaming PC that offers a console-like experience for the living room. Valve straight out said the price is caused by component shortages and a lack of subsidies that are found in the console market, and it still sold out immediately.

Free online multiplayer. Access to any storefront you want. Deep sales on games, old and new. Freedom to use the device as a regular PC. Excellent emulation abilities to play old games. I could go on, but I'm sure you see the perks of a PC compared to a console.

It's no wonder that the Steam Machine has already spawned a new market of $1,000-ish compact gaming PCs and custom SFF projects. There's a real audience for this sort of thing, and I expect it will only continue to grow as jaded console gamers make their exit.

Even if you dislike Steam for its own digital ownership rules (or lack thereof), other PC game stores like GOG make it clear that you own whatever you buy, forever. Besides, there are plenty of ways to get your Steam games working without Steam.

And although Xbox is much more geared toward game preservation than PlayStation, it's still not on the same level as PC. The reality is that digital ownership on PC is not the same as digital ownership on console.

Is this the beginning of the end for the console market?

I understand that there's a lot of anger right now regarding game preservation and the overall state of the console market. There are probably going to be a lot of console gamers making a switch to PC in the near future.

However, that doesn't mean I think the console market is going anywhere anytime soon. Sony and Xbox are going to sell a ton of consoles between now and the next generation, and whenever that next gen arrives, it had better be an incredible piece of hardware with some can't-miss exclusives that draw gamers in.

Xbox has already signaled that its next device will be more like a Windows 11 gaming PC than ever before, capable of handling Xbox games, legacy games, and PC software.

I think that's the right move forward, but whether it can actually pull it off remains to be seen. Many will claim that exclusives are still the point of consoles, but if Project Helix is "like a PC," how exclusive will those games really be?

When the physical disc market disappears, and console exclusives increasingly end up on PC anyway, the argument for buying a closed box rather than an open box gets tougher to make.

Why buy a device that will only work while a corporation keeps the servers running? Who wouldn't want to own something you can build, upgrade, and keep going as long as you'd like?

Am I way off the mark here? Am I overlooking other perks of consoles not mentioned here? Let me know in the comments section below!

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

Xbox is having major changes, slated to go live in full this Monday from what we've heard.

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has been signalling for weeks that Xbox's studios need a "reset." As Microsoft's gaming empire has struggled in the new economy, Xbox is pursuing a variety of cuts, sell-offs, and potential team mergers in order to reduce costs. Studios like Undead Labs, Double Fine, Compulsion, and others have reportedly been in negotiations with Xbox about what their futures' look like, and for some, that future might be bleak in the short term.

The Verge reported that one of those studios up for negotiations was Arkane Studios, currently working on Marvel's Blade. Arkane is known for Dishonored and Death Loop, but has struggled to find its footing arguably under Microsoft. Blade was a chance to change that, but The Verge's reporting suggested that Microsoft was actually considering closing the studio.

This latest update suggests that Microsoft may have found an alternative path.

Spotted by Timur222 on X early this morning, it seems that MachineGames co-founder and studio director Jerk Gustafsson has taken over leadership of Arkane Studios. Arkane's president, Leonard Bendel, has resigned. The leadership change over happened a few days ago, on June 30th, according to a legal notice on French enterprise information site Pappers.fr.

Indeed, at least from my end, I've heard there's no plans to actually end development on Blade, although there's clearly some major potential restructuring going on here.

Arkane is based in France, with MachineGames based in Sweden. Microsoft is investing in MachineGames following the success of Indiana Jones, but also on the basis of the popularity of the Wolfenstein franchise. Indeed, Microsoft is actually developing a TV show based on Wolfenstein with the Fallout TV producers for Amazon — which fits heavily into Asha Sharma's trans-media vision for Xbox. Wolfenstein 3 is in production to that end, according to our sources, with the goal of the TV show and game complimenting each other Fallout TV-style.

What this leadership change means for Arkane overall remains to be seen. Xbox is expected to join Microsoft in general with broad cuts from as early as Monday next week. Every studio and team is likely to be impacted in some form, as are teams across Windows, Azure, and so on more broadly.

Could this leadership change signal that Arkane is going to merge with MachineGames to forge a bigger overall studio? Is Jerk Gustafsson being promoted across with the intent of the studios remaining separate? It's hard to say for sure right now. Given the holiday weekend in the United States, I doubt we'll be able to get comment from Microsoft in the near term.

In any case, I'm choosing to take this as a positive sign for Blade and Arkane, despite rumors of its potential closure.

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

Many laptops in the premium category cost thousands of dollars to justify the advanced specs built in, but few feel like they've earned their premium spot like the Dell XPS 13.

With its Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 CPU (Lunar Lake), 16GB RAM, and 1TB SSD, this ultra-thin portable desktop can tackle any productivity task, no matter how small or big it is, and it's currently on sale with a 33% discount for $999.99 at Dell.

Why buy the Dell XPS 13?

Even without this RAM crisis looming over our heads, prices for premium-grade laptops were already extreme, numbering in the thousands.

Yet very few of them have justifiably earned their advanced-tech-per-cost ratio, like the Dell XPS 13 laptop, which has earned near-perfect reviews from our sister sites at TechRadar, Tom's Guide, and LaptopMag for its exceptional performance and quality.

The configuration of the Dell XPS 13 we're spotlighting comes equipped with an Intel Core Ultra 7 Series 2 CPU (Lunar Lake), 16GB RAM, a 1TB SSD, and Copilot+ PC certification. With these specs, this laptop will tear through Microsoft Office assignments, online browsing research, and AI-related tasks like a hot knife through a 4th of July steak dinner.

On top of that, it has a 3K OLED display so you have beautiful visuals to look at while working, a sturdy and lightweight design that makes it easy to store while traveling, and a battery life of nearly 24 hours at minimum power and brightness settings.

So, if you're looking for a dependable laptop that will help keep you on top of your daily workflows for the next several years, provided you're okay with only having two USB-C ports, then the Dell XPS 13 will serve you well.

FAQ

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

I’m sure most Xbox fans, especially those who go as far back as the Xbox 360, remember the absolute tragedy that was the Red Ring of Death. Millions of Xbox 360 consoles made their way into homes, only to later overheat and fail, leading many owners to come up with all sorts of weird and wonderful DIY fixes.

In the end, it cost Microsoft more than $1.15 billion, though despite the disaster, it didn't stop the Xbox 360 from becoming Xbox's most successful console generation to date. So, how does Valve's new Steam Machine fit into all of this? Well, the Steam Machine has a front-facing LED light bar that serves a variety of purposes, including indicating downloads and hardware status.

Over on the Steam Machine subreddit, though, user me_hill reported what appears to be the system's first "Red Line of Death." According to the user, they were playing No Man's Sky, installed a system update, and the machine was subsequently bricked. According to Valve's own Steam Support page, it appears the user has experienced a GPU failure.

Given that the GPU is soldered to the motherboard, it's not something the average user can repair. To add insult to injury, some Reddit users joked that they were "beta testing" the hardware for everyone else.

Fortunately, this appears to be an isolated incident for now, and hopefully it stays that way. It would be a real shame for Valve's $1,000 mid-powered device to suffer anything resembling the Xbox 360's Red Ring of Death fiasco.

Believe it or not, I actually really want a Steam Machine. That said, stories like this make me glad I'm waiting, even if my biggest reservation is still the price. I just can't justify spending $1,000 on the hardware, and while I know it's probably unrealistic, I'd be much more tempted if it were closer to the $500 mark.

Hopefully Valve can get the affected user back up and running with a replacement or repair. With that said, let me know whether stories like this put you off buying a Steam Machine, or if you're still keen to get your hands on one. Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to take part in our poll below:

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

CD Projekt Red has announced on X that Cyberpunk 2077, its open-world dystopian sci-fi RPG, has hit a new sales milestone of selling over 40 million copies worldwide, whether individually or as part of its Ultimate Edition bundle.

This news comes on the heels of the recently revealed teaser trailer for Cyberpunk 2077: Edgerunners 2, the long-awaited sequel to the popular anime series that helped redeem Cyberpunk 2077 in the eyes of the public after its infamous launch in 2020.

Other factors that helped redeem Cyberpunk 2077 were constant post-launch updates that removed all the game's bugs and balance issues and an epic DLC expansion that added tons of new content while rebalancing the base game.

Of course, the biggest factor was fans who never gave up on the game, whom CD Projekt Red thanks in its message for their support in helping Cyberpunk 2077 reach this sales milestone.

CD Projekt Red isn't finished with the Cyberpunk 2077 universe, however, as it gears up to prepare a sequel while developing Witcher 4, both of which will be released sometime in the far distant future.

What do you think of Cyberpunk 2077 selling over 40 million copies? Do you think the game deserves this accolade, and are you still playing Cyberpunk 2077 in 2026 if you played it at launch?

If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know through the poll, the comments section, or our Reddit community.

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