Microsoft's stock price has seen a huge spike upwards as a result of its FY26 earnings report, which outstripped expectations by a considerable margin.

While Xbox and Windows were down 4% overall, with Xbox specifically down 11%. But these consumer-facing businesses are not what moves Microsoft's stock price in 2026. The core of Microsoft's operation, essentially Azure and AI, is vastly beating expectations.

Microsoft's stock has seen declines over the past year as investors worried the company was over-extending on its AI build out. Google has seen some volatility as its cash flows flipped negative — a historic first for the firm, as it continues to race to build out its AI stack.

Microsoft has also seen similar fears, but the FY26 report showed its Azure AI delivery is actually accelerating growth — and not just capital expenditure.

CEO Satya Nadella is positioning Microsoft's AI as a more "efficient" option over competitors, as cost increasingly drives conversations around the tech. OpenAI and Anthropic's assistants win out in benchmarks, but are orders of magnitude more expensive than Microsoft's home-grown models, as well as Chinese incumbents. Nadella stated to investors that Microsoft's home-grown chips and models are driving up to "40%" efficiency gains, beating out its previous reliance on OpenAI's ChatGPT.

Microsoft's overall revenue increased 18% YoY, to an insane $90 billion, its operating income hit $40.6 billion, up 18%, and Azure saw growth hit 45%, beating expectations by 5%. Microsoft 365 Copilot hit 30 million paid seats, up 20 million since the Spring. Microsoft also reported a pretty staggering 84% YoY increase in contracted AI revenue, which now represents an eye-watering $678 billion demand backlog.

Despite committing almost $116 billion in capital expenditure the past year, Microsoft still managed to keep operating cash flows positive to the tune of $55 billion, a 30% jump. Its free cash flow was down YoY to $19.64 billion, but still beat out expectations.

It's the type of fiscal discipline Wall Street really likes, and they rewarded Microsoft with a record-breaking stock rip. Microsoft's market capitalization increased by $450 billion in a single day, beating out a previous world record set by NVIDIA.

Increasingly it seems like the AI business is coalescing around a small handful of companies, namely Microsoft and Google. Meta has seen its stock price take a beating this past year, as investors fear it has fallen too far behind to keep up.

Great stock gains in the short term ... but questions remain

Perhaps philosophically, there's still a pretty large question mark hanging over the AI build out. Socially, data centers have become increasingly unpopular, owing to their vast negative impact on local communities, in terms of both noise and electricity prices. Indeed, AI data centers are also massive carbon emitters, and the benefit to society in general remains fairly unclear. Many of the lofty promises from the likes of OpenAI's Sam Altman have failed to materialize in real terms, and there's still a big discrepancy over how it could impact the global economy, and the social contract in general.

If AI puts millions, or billions even out of work, that'll simply create a consumption and productivity bottle neck that no amount of AI data centers could feasibly close. Microsoft itself has laid off thousands of workers this year, and will likely lay off many thousands more next year too. Microsoft and other big tech companies seemingly have no answer for this.

In the short term, investors stand to make a lot of money. But ... umm, will the AI build out actually be good for humanity in the long term? Does anyone actually care? I guess that's not something that tech billionaires worry themselves thinking about too much, eh?

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

Magnetic keyboards used to feel like a side quest in the keyboard world. You either bought one from a tiny boutique brand and hoped the firmware wasn’t held together with duct tape, or you ignored the whole category because it felt too experimental.

Now Razer has stepped in with its first Hall Effect Magnetic Huntsman keyboards, and that changes everything. When a company with global retail presence decides magnetic switches matter, it suddenly becomes a lot easier for regular players to try the tech without worrying about sketchy support or limited availability.

After spending time with both the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Tenkeyless ($139) and the smaller Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic Mini 65% ($119), I came away impressed. These keyboards feel like Razer embracing magnetic switches in a serious way while keeping the familiar Huntsman feel I already know well.

Razer had no input, nor did it see the contents of this review, prior to publication.

Design and build

Both keyboards share the same DNA: aluminum top plate, doubleshot PBT keycaps, and dense internal foam that gives each keystroke a quieter, more muted sound. Razer told me they added extra lubrication and a “very dense layer of foam to absorb high‑pitch pinging noises,” and I can hear the difference. These boards sound cleaner than the Huntsman AK and even the V3 Pro.

The TKL gives you the arrow keys and navigation cluster, which I prefer for writing and general use. The Mini 65% keeps the arrows but trims the rest, which frees up desk space and feels great for shooters.

Razer confirmed both models have full feature parity, so you’re choosing layout, not capability.

Magnetic switches explained

Hall Effect switches use magnets and sensors to track key travel. There’s no physical contact point, which means the keyboard can detect exactly how far a key has moved. That unlocks features that optical or mechanical switches can’t do as well.

Razer calibrates every switch at the factory. They told me:

"Hall Effect boards are prone to interference from environmental factors… metal desks, magnets, metal objects."

Instead of pretending this isn’t an issue, Razer built a calibration tool directly into Synapse. If your desk or environment causes drift, you can reset the keyboard back to factory accuracy in three guided steps. I didn’t run into interference myself, but I like knowing the fix is built in.

Actuation is fully adjustable from 0.1 mm to 4.0 mm, and you can tune each key individually. I set WASD to 1.2 mm for shooters and left the rest at 2.0 mm for typing. The onboard adjustment tools make this easy.

Razer also claimed:

“We are the most accurate Hall Effect board available to players.”

They admitted true 0.1 mm accuracy is impossible because “pushing two magnets together is damn near impossible,” but their margin of error is small enough that I never noticed inconsistency.

Latency and performance

Razer pairs the switches with true 8000 Hz HyperPolling. They measured the HE Magnetic at 0.6 ms latency, which is only 0.12 ms behind their analog optical switches. That’s impressive for a first‑generation magnetic design and still faster than other Hall Effect keyboards by about eight percent.

I can’t measure latency myself, but the keyboards feel snappy. Movements in Counter‑Strike 2 and Valorant felt crisp, and Rapid Trigger made counter‑strafing easier.

Movement‑focused features

This is where the HE Magnetic line stands out. Razer didn’t just add magnetic sensing. It built a suite of features that take advantage of it.

Rapid Trigger — Keys reset as soon as they start moving upward. This helps you stop moving faster in shooters, which tightens your hitbox and improves accuracy.

Snap Tap — This prevents two directional keys from actuating at the same time. If you press D while holding A, the keyboard prioritizes the latest input. It makes counter‑strafing more reliable.

Snap Flex — You can bind two actions to a single press. For example, pulling a grenade pin and jumping at the same time. It simplifies multi‑key combos.

Dynamic Keystroke — Up to four actions can be assigned to a single key based on press depth and release. This is powerful and a little scary. I’m curious to see what players come up with.

Dual‑Keypress Priority — This keeps diagonal movement stable. If you’re holding W and A, pressing D won’t override the movement until you release A.

Good Molly, that's a lot of software tech, but while it may not make a difference if you play Brotato (like me; don't judge, it's great), for first-person competitive shooters, it all can absolutely improve your performance and enjoyment of the game. There is a bit of a learning curve here, and all of that is optional to use, but while Razer sometimes catches flak for Synapse, I can't help but feel these are some real value-plays.

Now, some of these are "launch-exclusive" to the HE Magnetic line, for now, but Razer hinted that these features will eventually trickle out to other Huntsman keyboards, likely in the coming months.

TKL vs Mini 65%

I think most people buying keyboards today know Tenkeyless (TKL) versus Mini 65%, but just in case you don't, here's the recap, as I’ve used both layouts for years, and the choice is simple.

Choose the TKL if:

• You type a lot
• You want dedicated navigation keys
• You prefer a familiar layout

Choose the Mini 65% if:

• You want more mouse space
• You travel or attend LANs
• You want a compact gaming setup

Both keyboards have identical features. You’re choosing workflow, not capability.

Personally, I go TKL or even Compact / 96% Full‑Size like the 2026 Razer Huntsman Signature Edition ($499), as I like having media keys and arrow keys but detest numberpads.

Mini-65% is adorable and shockingly portable (great!), but you may end up missing some functions if you use it for more than competitive-ish gaming. No arrow keys is a move; let's just say that.

You can see my recent review of the other Huntsman TKL, aka the Razer Huntsman V3 TKL 8khz ($169), for an optical-switch option.

Either way, it's great that Razer gives you the choice.

Pricing and competition

The new Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic TKL is $139.99, and the Mini is $119.99. That’s cheaper than Razer’s Pro models and competitive with other magnetic keyboards. Some boutique Hall Effect boards cost more and don’t have Razer’s distribution or warranty support. That alone makes these easier to recommend.

Launch date is today, July 30, so they should be available globally and shipping out to third-party sellers, including Amazon (HE Magnetic TKL; HE Magnetic Mini 65%) and Best Buy.

Typing and sound

Typing feels smooth and consistent. The foam and lubrication help, and the magnetic sensing gives each key a clean, predictable feel. I prefer deeper actuation for writing, and the keyboards handled that well.

Gaming felt great with shallow actuation and Rapid Trigger.

Should you buy the Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You play competitive shooters

✅ You want adjustable actuation

✅ You want movement‑priority features

✅ You like what Razer is cookin'

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You only need a simple keyboard

❌ You don’t care about magnetic sensing

❌ You prefer optical switches

❌You want wireless options

I give the Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic line a 4.5 out of 5. Razer took magnetic switches and made them accessible, polished, and backed by a major brand. The keyboards feel great, the features matter, and the layouts cover both mainstream and compact preferences.

The Huntsman family may be getting crowded, but these new models earn their place, and we'll be updating our best gaming keyboards guide shortly.

And as someone who has gone through something like 5 of these Huntsman variations in the past months, all I can say is I don't think I'll be jumping to anything else anytime soon. Even as someone who does more gaming on their MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ and Xbox Series X, these Huntsman just feel good to use, whether for typing or gaming.

This is my first foray into the world of 8BitDo accessories, happened upon only as the entire range of classic Xbox retro green accessories caught my eye last year. The full range, which consists of a keyboard, mouse, and controller, makes for quite a collection for fans of the original Xbox, especially as we wait for Xbox to make its own 'X25' gear, which I'm sure will be considerably more expensive.

First up on my testing docket was this 8BitDo Ultimate 3-mode Xbox Controller in Jade, and while I'm a bit bummed that not one of those 3 modes includes true wireless for Xbox, this is still a fine piece of kit for PC players (especially if you are also looking at that sexy keyboard and want to match).

8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller: Price, availability and specs

The 8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode (Jade Edition) comes in at an MSRP of $69.99 (frequently on sale around $54.99–$59.99 at major retailers like Best Buy).

Here's what you get under the hood:

• Tri-mode connectivity: 2.4GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and USB-C wired connection
• Compatibility: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows 10/11, Android, and iOS
• Hall Effect anti-drift sticks & Hall Effect analog triggers
• Membrane ABXY buttons and traditional D-pad
• Two remappable pro back paddle buttons
• 4 integrated rumble motors (impulse trigger rumble + grip vibration)
• Custom Profile Switcher: Holds up to 3 custom configurations via 8BitDo Ultimate Software
• Included charging dock: Houses the 2.4GHz USB receiver

8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller: What's good

First off, we have to talk about the obvious aesthetic pull of this controller. As a bonafide millennial, obviously the translucent green hue speaks to me. I gravitate toward translucent tech, as it reminds me of when tech was less boring and more prone to black-and-white combos. Combined with the matching green Xbox guide button, it’s one of the cleanest-looking controllers I’ve put on my desk in a long time. Overall, this controller would make a fantastic pairing with the 8BitDo retro green keyboard and mouse if you want to build out a complete, cohesive PC desktop setup with those lovely Xbox retro colors.

Ergonomically, despite being smaller than what I usually reach for, it feels wonderfully crafted in the hand. I tend to grimace when I see anything outside the standard Xbox controller shape and layout, but this is a little more compact and surprisingly comfortable; your experience may vary if you have huge hands. The general weight and size are a bonus for me, though, as I've packed the controller on a couple of hotel trips now for use with my laptop, and even with the charging dock, it takes up so little room.

The build quality feels tight, sturdy, and light, featuring a very subtle textured grip on the back (though a little too subtle for my preference).

The sticks use Hall Effect technology, meaning stick drift shouldn't be an issue down the line, a massive upgrade over Microsoft's stock controllers that still refuse to incorporate this.

Connecting it to the official 8BitDo Ultimate Software app directly on your Xbox or PC is also seamless. The app gives you full control to remap the face and rear paddle buttons, fine-tune trigger sensitivity, and adjust stick dead zones with ease, saving up to 3 custom profiles on the fly.

Then there is the charging setup. 8BitDo was ahead of the game when it came to including bundled charging docks with budget controllers, and has been doing it long before other brands. Dropping the pad onto the cradle at the end of a session so it’s fully charged and ready to go for the next day, without messing with external play-and-charge kits or AA batteries, is a convenience feature I never get tired of. I'm always impressed to see it in a sub-$100 controller.

You do also get a code for 1 month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate in the box, though it's only for new customers (I couldn't stack it on my existing subscription booo!)

8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller: What's bad

I feel like I've repeated this same point now on many a third-party controller, but it really grinds my gears when they are advertised as for Xbox, complete with the logo, to be wired only for the console. It often catches me out, and I imagine it would the average consumer too who doesn't understand the stranglehold that Microsoft keeps on their wireless technology.

This only works via a wired USB-C connection when playing on an Xbox console. The 2.4GHz wireless dongle and Bluetooth modes are strictly reserved for PC, Android, and iOS devices. Having just experienced the true wireless couch freedom of the GameSir T7 Pro on my Xbox, being tethered to my console with a long cable here just means this is a non-starter for me when I'm playing on my console. There are other better options now.

Speaking of that cable... 8BitDo decided to bundle a standard black cable and black charging dock with this edition. When you buy a special translucent Jade controller, having it sit on a plain black dock with a plain black cord hanging out of it does look a little jarring, especially when 8BitDo has made beautifully color-matched accessories for their other special editions; look at the Rare 40th Edition and Lavender Dusk, for example.

On the gameplay front, the controller lacks features that are fast becoming standard at this price point. There are no physical trigger stops, meaning shooter fans can't shorten their trigger pulls for rapid firing, and like I've previously mentioned, the texture on the grips is far too subtle, and I'd prefer a rougher texture, if not rubber.

8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller: The competition

At $69.99, the Jade 3-mode controller is being squeezed from both sides of the controller price wars, and I'd say for just $20 more you'd get more connectivity (wireless for Xbox) with the following two options...

The GameSir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl costs a little more at $79.99, but you're also getting the benefit of it working wirelessly with Xbox, the more up-to-date TMR stick tech, and those trigger stops that are missing from the 8BitDo option. It's an acquired taste when it comes to the design, but its value for money can't be beat.

For those who bleed green and just have their heart set on the OG Xbox colors, it could well be worth waiting until November for the official Xbox Series X25 controller to be released. However, the price is still unknown, and it will not have the bells and whistles of an included charging dock and Hall Effect sticks.

8BitDo Ultimate 3-Mode Controller: Should you buy it?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want that full retro green PC setup

This will pair stunningly well with the green keyboard and mouse 8BitDo provides, so it will be a no-brainer for collectors

✅ You like more compact hardware

It may be a little smaller than your standard pad, but this makes it great for travel and those with smaller hands.

✅ You want a controller primarily for PC and mobile

If you jump between PC, Steam Deck, or mobile devices, the wireless 2.4GHz dongle and Bluetooth toggles work like a charm.

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You want a wireless controller for your Xbox console

IHaving to plug a wire across your living room floor to play on Xbox completely defeats the point of buying a "wireless" pad.

❌ You play competitive shooters or racing games

The lack of physical trigger stops and tactile micro-switch buttons means it's not built for ultra-fast response times.

As my very first experience with an 8BitDo controller, the Ultimate 3-Mode (Jade Edition) is a bit of a heartbreaker. On one hand, it’s a compact, perfectly formed pad that easily stands out as one of the prettiest third-party controllers on the market. If you are building out a dedicated PC setup alongside 8BitDo's retro green keyboard and mouse, it’s a match made in heaven.

However, arriving right after I tested the GameSir T7 Pro Sugar Whirl — which proved that budget-friendly controllers can give us true wireless Xbox gaming — being tied down by a cable on console is a real bummer. If you pick it up on sale for around $55 for PC or casual desktop play, you’ll undoubtedly love it. But for pure Xbox console players who want couch freedom, there are simply more feature-packed wireless options sitting on shelves right now.

During Warhammer Skulls 2026, one of the biggest surprises of the event was that the popular co-op horde shooter, Helldivers 2, announced a Legendary Warbond collaboration with Warhammer 40,000, as a follow-up to its Halo: ODST crossover.

Nobody knew what this historic crossover was going to look like, but we do now, as Helldivers 2 has just released a trailer for the Warhammer 40,000 Legendary Warbond.

The trailer reveals that this Warbond will feature "TG-8 Sharpshooter" and "T-122 Demo-Trooper" character skins inspired by the soldiers of Warhammer 40,000's Astra Militarum faction (a.k.a. the Imperial Guard).

Additionally, this Warbond will feature weapons ripped straight out of Warhammer 40,000, including Meltaguns, Bolt Pistols, Meltamines, and Hot-Shot Marksman Rifles, along with new vehicle patterns to have Helldivers 2's mechs and war machines have color schemes similar to vehicles used by the Imperial Guard.

The trailer confirms that Helldivers 2's Warhammer 40,000 Legendary Warbond will be released on August 12, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

Windows Central's take

Now, for the longest time, I didn't play Helldivers 2 because it was locked behind PlayStation 5 and PC at first, before releasing on Xbox later, being interested in other games at the time, and because of controversial updates that caused players to review bomb it on Steam (although recently reviews have jumped back to "mainly positive").

Yet, as a Warhammer 40,000 fan, I can't help but admit to myself, "Okay, Helldivers 2, you got me, this crossover looks pretty sweet".

For those unaware, the Imperial Guard is one of the most hardcore yet relatable factions in Warhammer 40,000 and has slowly become one of my personal favorites.

They're not genetically enhanced like the iconic Space Marines; they're just ordinary men and women like you or me. Yet, they're not afraid to charge headfirst into unwinnable battles and fight to purge the universe of the untold horrors of Chaos daemons, never-ending hordes of Orks, and other foul alien menaces, all in the name of the God Emperor.

Some of the greatest heroes of the Warhammer 40,000 setting also happened to be ordinary humans, like Commissar Yarrick who defended the world of Armageddon time and again from millions of Ork barbarians, or Ciaphas Cain who defended the Imperium of Man from Orks, Necrons and the forces of Chaos (even if he, at least in my view, deludes himself into thinking he's a massive coward undeserving of credit), just to name a few.

In short, the Imperial Guard are awesome and, I believe, a perfect fit for Helldivers 2's chaotic, wartorn universe. So I can't wait to at last give Helldivers 2 a shot (along with giving the Terminds a shot of Meltagun fire) when it's Warhammer 40,000 Legendary Warbond drops on August 12, 2026.

🗨️ Over to you

What do you think of Helldivers 2's Warhammer 40,000 Legendary Bond? Do you think it's awesome enough to convince Warhammer 40,000 fans to play the game? Are you still playing Helldivers 2?

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

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I've covered over 100 apps during my time at Windows Central. From powerful video editors to tiny utilities that change a hyper-specific part of Windows 11, there are a massive number of apps to install on a PC.

One of my favorite categories of apps is those that enhance, improve, or replace the everyday computing experience. For example, on my smartphone I have several extensions to clean up the mobile browsing experience.

When it comes to Windows 11, I'm quick to install a third-party replacement of a default app, a tweaker that improves a default experience, or to use an app to replicate core functionality of a built-in app.

On top of providing unique functionality that enhances your computing experience, each of these apps can also be used to replace a built-in part of Windows 11 or a dedicated Microsoft app.

As I rebuild my clean Windows 11 installation this week, these will be the first six apps I download to replace Microsoft's defaults.

My top Windows 11 apps

I always liked me some Gears of War Horde mode, but nothing prepared me for how ambitious the new Siege mode turned out to be.

Gears of War: E-Day is slated for launch on October 6, exclusively on Xbox Series X|S and PC, marking Xbox's official return to exclusive console games for the first time in a couple of years. There's potentially a lot riding on Gears in that context, but we're not here to talk about that aspect of the launch today.

Last week, I had the opportunity to go hands-on with Gears of War: E-Day's new Horde Siege mode, which extends the old-school PvE offering with bigger, sharper teeth.

Gears of War: E-Day is set in the early days of humanity's fight against the subterranean Locust swarm. The humans of Sera just ended their own bloody civil war, and all hope for peace is shattered under the reptilian fist of this horrific new threat.

Horde mode has long been a staple of the Gears franchise, pitting small groups of players against endless waves of Locust monsters in a shooter-meets-tower-defence hybrid game mode. But Siege mode is a bold reimagining of the formula, now pitting 12 players in huge maps with dynamic objectives and defensible locations, complete with raid boss style events and biting extraction climaxes.

Gears of War: E-Day's Horde Siege is the most fun I've ever had with Gears multiplayer, and I think it could be a big deal.

The sheer chaos of 12-player Horde is sublime

Gears of War's Horde mode was a key innovation from the franchise's early days, and spawned a variety of copycats over the years. The key premise is pretty simple: teams of friends bunker in, collect energy from fallen monsters, build turrets and other traps, and defend points from an increasingly difficult assault of Gears of War monsters.

Siege mode evolves the formula, taking inspiration from some of the biggest PvE games of the current era. It'll now rock up to 12 players, split into squads of 4 soldiers, complete with soft class roles to enhance tactical play and reward cohesion.

12 players means a bigger play space. The area for the demo was absolutely huge, and was once again represented a new bar for visual fidelity for Unreal Engine — a tradition that The Coalition and the Gears of War franchise seems to have on some form of uncanny lockdown.

I didn't get a ton of breathing space to admire the apocalyptic locales, though. Gears of War: E-Day is utterly chaotic and frantic in the best possible ways. The game drives your squad from objective to objective in a near-constant fight for survival as you move through the rubble of Jacinto's cities.

Siege Mode brings in classes from previous Horde versions, promoting unit cohesion and tactical play. I picked up a basic Assault class for my sessions, giving me access to a stimpack healing ability on a beefy cooldown. Great in a pinch, but not particularly helpful for other squad mates. Other classes got boosts to energy collection, used for building defensive facilities, while others got improvements to healing and squad support. It's easy to imagine how The Coalition could extend Horde Siege mode with post-launch class additions, similar to what we've seen in games like Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 and the like.

The classes aren't as deep as some other games, though. The emphasis is entirely on combat in keeping with the typical Gears tradition. And the combat is as brutal, cinematic, and spectacular as you'd hope.

Evolving objectives, insane weapons, and raid bosses?!

Emergence Day is a particularly brutal and violent time in Gears' long, bloody canon. Humanity was caught completely unawares and unprepared for the Locust, and that disarray is reflected well in the barrage of objectives Horde Siege mode throws at you.

As you move around the map, event recommendations pop-up spawning a variety of objectives, including defending a point, taking down a bigger enemy, a certain amount of smaller enemies, and so on. You can pick from a variety of difficulty settings (higher was way more fun and brutal), and also match lengths. You can jump in for a quick 15-minute session, up to 45-minute gauntlets of increasingly difficult and increasingly epic challenges.

The bigger play areas designed to accommodate more players are also perfectly suited for creating set piece events that feel a bit more sensical than Horde has occasionally felt in previous games. For example, the central area of the map is a huge circular courtyard, with a raised monument in the middle for taking cover. The outer area is perfectly sized to accommodate some of Gears of War's largest and most iconic threats, such as the spider-like Corpsers or T-Rex-like Brumaks.

The Brumaks now have a truly obscene amount of health in Siege mode's higher difficulty settings, really forcing all three squads to come together to take it down effectively. The battle feels far more spectacular and cinematic as a result, seeing 12 COG soldiers desperately unload their clips while getting swarmed by smaller minions on the flank. The threat level felt far more in-line with battles depicted in Gears' books and cinematics — reflecting Gears' true scale and horrors for the first time.

One thing I was hoping to see more of in the game revolves around progression layers and Siege mode gadgets. We didn't get a ton of toys to play with in the beta, which is fine — more surprises for later. But I didn't get a good sense of what to expect from the energy collection gameplay.

In typical Horde fashion, players can pick up energy from downed enemies, and then spend that energy at specific vendors for ammo and other gadgets. The only ones available in the beta were explosive decoys, spike traps which slow enemies down, and smoke grenades. I suspect the full game will offer a lot more in this area, but it would've been nice to catch a glimpse at what those might look like.

The game did give access to some of the new weapons. The early Locust Horde have incredibly primitive and inelegantly brutal weapons. The heavy boomshot was particularly effective, firing out a cluster of explosions that can gib large contingents of enemies in chokepoints.

The biggest question mark I'm left with pertains to server performance, though. Playing from Europe at present, the game was very laggy, although I doubt I was in there with many other content creators from the EU. I imagine I was connecting to U.S. servers here, it's hard to know for sure.

Hopefully, when populated properly, the latency won't impede the fun for you as it did me. You'll get the chance to try for yourself on August 6 when the Early Access beta goes live for those who have pre-ordered Gears of War: E-Day.

A potentially powerful canvas for post-launch support

It's a strange time for the game industry. PlayStation has killed Destiny, which at one point seemed like it would be an utterly invincible industry staple. Fortnite was just dethroned on PS5 by a bare bones Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 port of all things. More games are launching than ever, but there are also more layoffs than ever.

I'm curious what kind of unique pressure that puts on Gears of War: E-Day and The Coalition, who are launching Xbox CEO Asha Sharma's well-publicized return to Xbox console exclusive games. Can E-Day sustain itself without PlayStation's mega audience? Does it even need to? Is it enough for Gears of War: E-Day to be an amazing, albeit transitory experience? Or does Microsoft hope for it to have a lengthy post-launch content regime?

I'm not sure what the future will hold for Gears of War: E-Day overall, but one thing I can say for sure is that Gears of War: E-Day Horde Siege mode is a metric fuckton of frantic, frenzied fun, wrapped in some of the best visuals the franchise has ever produced. I can see myself playing this for a really long time across Xbox Series X|S and particularly the Xbox Ally X.

If both Versus mode and Campaign mode land anywhere near as hard as Siege Horde, it could end up being remembered as the best Gears of War ever.

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Microsoft is working on a major overhaul to the context menu system on Windows 11 that is designed to fix performance and reliability issues by allowing users to customize what appears within the right-click menu across the system. The company is also working on a new compact menu design that will be faster to open and interact with.

One of Windows 11's more frustrating problems currently is how cluttered the modern context menus have become. Since Windows 11's debut, context menus have become bloated and overburdened by apps and actions from both Microsoft and third-party developers, which can add themselves into the context menu without user input.

This has resulted in the context menu being very slow to initiate, often taking a second or two to appear when the user right-clicks in File Explorer on a system with many apps installed and actions available. According to sources familiar with Microsoft's plans, the company is working on a new compact context menu design to fix this, that prioritizes the most common actions above everything else.

This new compact menu will be much faster and more reliable, as it foregoes needing to load in all the third-party actions that slow it down currently. Additionally, at the Windows Insider Meetup in London, Microsoft showed me a new context menu customization feature coming soon that will let users configure what apps and actions appear in the right-click menu.

Users will be able to show and hide actions and apps, as well as change the order in which these actions and apps show within the right-click menu. The menu will include a new "customize" option at the very bottom which can be accessed at any point to begin changing the menu options.

These changes are part of Microsoft's larger effort to fix Windows 11's biggest problems and issues under the Windows K2 initiative, which has been ongoing since last year. The company has confirmed plans to move more areas of the Windows system over to WinUI for consistency and performance reasons, with areas like File Explorer file properties and the Start menu getting the WinUI treatment soon.

Context menus are already powered by WinUI, and these new improvements that are currently in the works are designed to speed up the menus so that they are instantly responsive whenever you right-click within File Explorer, the desktop, or other native Windows UI interfaces.

It's unclear when these context menu updates are set to be announced, but the demo I saw a few weeks back was real working code and relatively polished, so I suspect we'll see an official announcement about these changes in the near future. I expect Microsoft is hoping to get these improvements out the door before the end of the year.

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

In recent years, due to climate change, gaming has become increasingly difficult to enjoy during the summer because of rising heat waves. Why, according to the BBC, June 2026 has seen a record-breaking heat dome across the United Kingdom and Europe, with temperatures reaching between 36°C and 41°C (95°F to 105.8°F).

And that goes without mentioning that most homes in the UK and Europe were built to retain heat in winter, making them even more unbearable to sit through in summer (most of them aren't built with air conditioning).

I know this because I live in a brick-built house in the UK, which gets so hot during summer heat waves that it feels like my bedroom turns into an oven, especially when I have to turn on my PC for work.

pcmasterrace from r/pcmasterrace/comments/1v6vo1r/pc_chimney

My colleagues and I, living across the world, turn to playing games on handhelds like the Xbox Ally or anything that supports Xbox Cloud Gaming during heat waves to play without making the temperature in our homes even worse via the combined excess heat from our consoles or PCs.

However, Reddit user "scvready0808" got sick and tired of these heat waves turning his office into a sauna whenever he wanted to play PC games, so he decided to craft a homemade "PC chimney".

Using a combination of Etsy-sourced duct adapters, insulated flexible piping, connector kits, and a window fan, they're venting excess heat from their PC and making the room's temperature more tolerable for gaming.

It's a primitive-looking but effective method that worked in scvready0808's favor, and it's one I'd love to try myself, since my room is incompatible with traditional air conditioners — though I'd need to learn how to craft the thing without breaking my windows in the process.

Either way, I hate summer, and I can't wait for winter to come again so I can game in peace without worrying about overheating my precious RTX GPU or my ever-expensive Xbox Series X.

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

If you asked me what the most exciting ThinkPad on the market is, I might say the latest T14 because it's highly upgradeable, or the latest X1 Carbon because it's so thin and light.

If you ask someone from the r/ThinkPad subreddit, you'd probably get an entirely different answer. Let me introduce you to the ThinkPad X210Ai.

X210Ai with custom keyboard-controller from r/thinkpad

If it looks odd, it's because it is indeed quite an oddity. For the ThinkPad savvy, yes, that's an X200 chassis dating from 2008 or so.

Notice the lack of a touchpad below the TrackPoint system's physical mouse buttons. The scissor-switch keyboard with high-topped keys and deep 2mm key travel. The chunky display surround with clasps to hold the screen closed while traveling.

Reddit user hektopuss posted this laptop a few months ago, and it's far from the only example of these modded ThinkPads on the subreddit.

Something like this shouldn't work. A ThinkPad chassis old enough to have shipped with Windows Vista, gutted and rebuilt with modern performance hardware. And yet, a small but increasingly visible corner of the ThinkPad community has been modding laptops that should cost less than a nice dinner into genuinely modern machines.

What's actually going on with the ThinkPad X210Ai?

The ThinkPad X210Ai is ultimately the result of the ThinkPad community's ingenuity and refusal to let old hardware die.

The X210Ai is a replacement mainboard from TP Art, which appears to be largely run by one person who goes by Franck Deng.

The mainboard is designed to drop into the X200 and X201 chassis; the best part is that it brings a modern Intel Core Ultra 7 165H or Core Ultra 9 185H to the table, as well as support for DDR5 RAM, dual M.2 SSD slots, Thunderbolt 4, and HDMI 2.1.

You can keep the X200/X201's original display, or you can upgrade it, while the keyboard and TrackPoint stay put.

Because of the modded mainboard's changes, the bottom chassis needs to be reworked with new holes punched for the ports and fans. Luckily, TP Art sells the full kit with mainboard, daughterboard, chassis, mylar, and 3D-printed accessories for as little as $1,299.

New displays with high resolutions start at $299, and extra custom fans cost $119.

TP Art also sells barebones builds with everything (including keyboard and display) except RAM, storage, CMOS battery, and main battery for $1,699.

This tradition isn't entirely new, and TP Art is a direct descendant of the efforts on forums like 51nb where modders have been retrofitting ThinkPad mainboards for years. TP Art simply recognized an opportunity to do what they love (and make a bit of money from it).

The used ThinkPad scene is thriving as RAM prices skyrocket

I imagine this sort of extreme ThinkPad modding would be happening no matter what component prices looked like, but the ongoing RAM and storage crisis driving up the cost of new laptops is surely having an exaggerated effect.

Memory and storage markets are genuinely breaking down for consumers as AI firms gobble up hardware, and there's no relief expected until maybe 2030. Combine these effects with the ThinkPad community's love of classic hardware, and it becomes clear why the X210Ai is becoming such a hit.

Franck notes on the TP Art site that the "volume of pending orders and our team's limited modification capacity" is forcing order processing up to six months out. I'd say that's quite popular.

The math on a rebuild doesn't look too bad once you start digging into current laptop prices. Say you buy a full barebones kit at $1,699 and have to add RAM and storage (the two highest costs).

Add, say, $500 to the cost for everything else, and you're sitting at about $2,200 total for a retrofitted ThinkPad.

Sure, you can get a more modern used ThinkPad for less, but that's not the point. Many enthusiasts yearn for the ThinkPad reliability of years gone by, one of the best keyboards ever made, and a wide selection of ports. That's exactly what the X210Ai offers.

Reddit user hektopuss says they plan to use the modded ThinkPad X210Ai for 10 years, which makes the purchase price a lot more reasonable.

Old chassis, new OS dilemma

Trying to run Windows on an unmodified ThinkPad X200 wouldn't go over well. It has no TPM 2.0 chip, no approved Windows 11 CPU, and shaky Secure Boot.

Windows 11 only works with a bypass tool, which would land with no driver support, and Windows 10 isn't going to be around forever (even though Microsoft recently extended its afterlife support).

The X210Ai's modified board with Intel Core Ultra Series 1 chips solves that problem. Windows 11 is fully supported, meaning you shouldn't have to worry about any deadlines on the horizon.

Does that mean X201Ai adopters are all using Windows 11? Far from it. It seems that most use some form of Linux, effectively sidestepping most of Microsoft's barriers. Reddit user hektopuss, for example, is using Windows, but there are plenty of examples of Linux to be found.

How you, too, can get started with a modified ThinkPad

Buying a customized classic ThinkPad with new hardware under the hood surely isn't for everyone. If you do want a ThinkPad but want to spend less, I recommend checking out used markets that are currently thriving. It's hard to kill a ThinkPad, and that's a boon for buyers.

I recommend checking out the ThinkPad Blue Book buying guide on Reddit to get an idea of pricing. It needs to be updated for 2026, as most listed prices have gone up, but it's still relatively accurate.

If you do want to check out the X210Ai, you're free to do so as long as you don't mind waiting. As I mentioned, wait times are up to six months, and orders can't be canceled once placed.

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

In just a month from now, Gamescom 2026 will commence, offering the public early hands-on previews of highly anticipated Xbox games, along with reveals of brand-new gameplay footage or even entirely new games.

This year's Gamescom is already stacked with some heavy hitters, with the likes of Gears of War: E-Day's first playable demo and the premiere of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's 'Songs of the Past' DLC expansion already confirmed to show up.

I've already curated my own list of upcoming Xbox games that I'm most looking forward to seeing at Gamescom, along with other Xbox games that haven't been confirmed for Gamescom — but I still hope they'll show up with surprise trailers.

Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance

Capcom has confirmed it will be at Gamescom this year (via its European X account), bringing playable demos for Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen, Mega Man: Dual Override, and Street Fighter 6.

While we won't be getting a playable showroom demo this year, I'm still hoping for more gameplay trailers or info on Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance.

This DLC expansion to the latest mainline entry in the Monster Hunter series, just from its initial reveal trailer, has me stoked with its new beautiful floating island locale, new and classic monsters, and new Boost Bracer mechanic that aims to add completely new moves and ways to play every weapon type in the game.

I'm hoping for at least a new gameplay trailer and, at most, a gameplay deep dive describing not only its new content but how it will change or improve the base game content of Monster Hunter Wilds.

Granted, the base game is in a much better state than it was at launch, but I feel there's still plenty that could be done to fix the fundamental gameplay issues I have with it, which I hope the DLC expansion will address.

Gears of War: E-Day

One game that shot up my wishlist recently was Gears of War: E-Day, which is confirmed to have a playable demo at Gamescom, so we'll definitely be getting more info on it for sure.

Seeing the initial reveal trailer and its E-Day Direct filled me with waves of nostalgia for the original Gears of War trilogy with Marcus and Dom, not to mention how hyped it made me for the new modernized mechanics that make its classic cover-based gunplay more fast-paced than ever.

So I can't wait to see more footage of its gameplay (hopefully co-op) in action at Gamescom. Though thankfully we have its multiplayer gameplay showcase to look forward to first to whet our appetites.

Gears of War: E-Day is set to launch on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Game Pass, and PC via Windows and Steam on October 6, 2026.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt - Songs of the Past DLC

In what is possibly one of the biggest pleasant surprises of 2026, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is getting another DLC expansion over a decade later after the release of its Blood & Wine expansion.

Little is known about this 'Songs of the Past' expansion other than CD Projekt Red confirming its content will be on the same level of scale as the Blood & Wine expansion, which was so gigantic and well-done that it won the award for "Best RPG" at the 2016 Game Awards, so I can't imagine how 'Songs of the Past' plans to top it or how it lead into Witcher 4.

Many years ago, I went through a marathon of The Witcher series, and I concur with Jez Corden's review that The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt was the best of the bunch. Just the base game alone was packed to the brim with dozens of hours of epic branching stories, engrossing character writing, varied character builds, and enticing combat.

So I can't wait to see what CD Projekt Red's swansong to this legendary game will look like when it debuts at Gamescom 2026.

Spyro: A Realm Beyond

My inner child leaped with joy upon seeing that Spyro the Dragon will be coming back with a new game called Spyro: A Realm Beyond, made in the same gameplay style as the original PlayStation 1 trilogy.

Not to mention that it will be made by Toys for Bob, which has proven it can make solid platformers with its fantastic Spyro Reignited Trilogy, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, and Crash Bandicoot 4.

We've only gotten a brief look at its gameplay within its reveal trailer, and it's already got me intrigued with the addition of being able to fly whenever we want now, because in previous Spyro games, flight was only limited to certain boss fights and the Speedway levels.

So I'm hoping that Spyro: A Realm Beyond shows up at Gamescom 2026 so we can see more of this free-flight mechanic, other gameplay elements, and its mysterious new bad guy for Spyro to torch.

Spyro: A Realm Beyond is set to launch on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Game Pass with Xbox Play Anywhere support, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam sometime in the future.

Persona 6

After over a decade of Persona 5 content, we're finally getting a new mainline entry in the Persona series with Persona 6, and it's already having me intrigued with the dark, gothic vibes it's giving off compared to previous games, at least from its teaser trailer.

While Atlus is focusing all its attention on Persona 4: Revival, which looks amazing in its own right, I'm more interested in seeing what Persona 6 is going to look like as it's new, and I already played the original Persona 4 back on the PlayStation 2.

Now, chances of a new trailer showing up for Persona 6 are very unlikely since we're so early in development. But it would be nice to at least have an interview with Atlus on Persona 6 (as they're confirmed to be at Gamescom via X) on how it will evolve the series' trademark gameplay loop of living a double life as a high school student and an otherworld dungeon crawler fighting Shadows in turn-based battles.

Persona 6 is launching on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox Game Pass with Xbox Play Anywhere support, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam sometime in the future.

Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember

One game I was not expecting to exist but glad it is is Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember, a sequel to the underrated soulslike action-RPG, Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty. I played the original Wo Long years ago to help my colleague Brendan Lowry with guide coverage (particularly with killing Lu Bu), and I loved every minute of it.

I loved its dark, deranged take on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms setting, its endless array of weapons and spells to create insane character builds with, and its fast-paced and brutal combat system comparable to that of Team Ninja's Nioh series.

So I'm hoping to see more of Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember at Gamescom 2026 and how it plans on topping its predecessor because, judging from its Xbox Showcase reveal trailer, it's looking nuts with the addition of aerial combat mechanics.

Wo Long 2: Wings of Ember is launching sometime in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Xbox Game Pass with Xbox Play Anywhere support. It's also releasing on PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Steam.

Final Fantasy Resonance

One of the biggest surprises this year that I did not see coming was Final Fantasy Resonance, the first game in the Final Fantasy series to adopt Octopath Traveler's HD-2D graphical art aesthetic and the first game in decades to have turn-based combat.

As a fan of the turn-based era of Final Fantasy games (Final Fantasy 1-10), Final Fantasy Resonance has been impressing me every time I see it. Its blending of 2D pixel art sprites with HD backgrounds looks gorgeous, and its insane, fast-paced turn-based combat system looks like a glorious return to form for the franchise that I hope the mainline follows suit someday.

While plenty of information and gameplay for Final Fantasy Resonance has been shown off already, I'm still hungry for more because I haven't been this excited for a Final Fantasy game in decades, and I hope we'll get it at Gamescom 2026.

Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy

Last month, I played the beta of Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy, an upcoming sequel to one of the best Warhammer 40,000 games and best CRPGs I've ever played, Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader.

In the short time I played the beta, I was taken in by its dark storyline, in-depth investigation system where you can sentence important NPCs for crimes they committed or frame them, streamlined character progression system, and its engrossing turn-based combat system where you will need to plan things out carefully; otherwise, you'll get stomped, even on lower difficulty levels.

I'm hoping to see more of Warhammer 40,000: Dark Heresy if it shows up at Gamescom, so we can see more of its potential companions and enemies, and find out when its release date is, as it's currently unknown.

Honorable mentions

To close out, there's a small list of honorable mentions of Xbox games that aren't too high on my wishlist priority, but I would be happy to see more gameplay of at Gamescom 2026:

• Castlevania: Belmont's Curse
• Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Deathwatch
• Total War: Warhammer 40,000
• Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun 2
• Minecraft Dungeons II
• Persona 4: Revival
• Fable
• Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Deathmaster

And there you have it: my top Xbox games that I'm hoping to see more gameplay of at Gamescom 2026. Do you have any games you're looking forward to seeing, or are you hoping to find something completely new?

If you have any thoughts, please let me know through the poll, the comments section, or our Reddit page.

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

There's a ton of games on the horizon, in what looks to be another outstanding year for new content.

The big Xbox headliner is without a doubt Grand Theft Auto 6, but it comes against a backdrop of industry turmoil. The memory crisis has vastly constrained console supplies across Nintendo, Xbox, and PlayStation alike, and competition from non-gaming "hobbies" like YouTube Shorts and TikTok continues to compete for attention.

That's not stopping the monstrously talented games industry from putting out endless bangers, though. Inspired by a conversation I was having IRL, I thought I'd put the question to you guys too: what are your top 5 most anticipated games for the rest of the year, and maybe some that are also flying under the radar?

Here are some of my picks.

Star Wars: Zero Company (August 27, 2026)

I absolutely adore XCOM, and I've been endlessly irritated that Take-Two has put the franchise on ice. Thankfully, various members of the OG Firaxis XCOM team formed a new studio, Bit Reactor, and they've teamed up with EA for a next-gen XCOM-like set in the Star Wars universe. Do not sleep on this one, tactics fans.

Beast of Reincarnation (August 4, 2026)

Beast of Reincarnation is from the publisher of Pokemon of all things, proving that they can deliver modernized visuals and combat in a wholly original IP.

Beast of Reincarnation draws upon the likes of Sekiro, Nier Automata, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake's hybrid tactics-action combat, and it looks fantastic.

Gears of War: E-Day (October 6, 2026)

Gears of War: E-Day is the first fully forever Xbox console exclusive in years, and it looks to be something special. E-Day is a prequel showcasing the initial attack on humanity, as the Locust horde springs forth from the ground and begins carving humanity into dust. More horrific and brutal than ever, Gears: E-Day might end up being the best entry in the franchise's history.

Onimusha: Way of the Sword (September 4, 2026)

Capcom is arguably having one of its best years in history, with Resident Evil 9 and Pragmata selling millions of copies at the start of the year. It looks set to make it a hat trick with Onimusha: Way of the Sword, which modernizes the classic horror-hack-n-slash for a new era.

Guns of Eschaton (TBC)

Guns of Eschaton is the final game from legendary artist Viktor Antonov, known for shaping the worlds of Dishonored and Half-Life. Antonov sadly passed away in 2025, but not before leaving his mark on Guns of Eschaton, a mind-warping horror Western FPS with soulslike traditions baked in.

Over to you! What games are you most excited for?

There are tons of games I could also mention on top of this list. I'm excited for Final Fantasy Resonance, Mortal Shell 2, Minecraft Dungeons 2, Fable, Clockwork Revolution, Blood of the Dawnwalker, Castlevania Belmont's Curse, and of course, GTA 6. There's also tons of DLCs I'm interested in playing too, such as STALKER 2's Cost of Hope expansion, and Dragon's Dogma 2's on top.

There are probably dozens I'm forgetting as well, which is why I'm handing it over to you.

Hit the comments and let us know what your most anticipated upcoming games are, and there are bonus points for highlighting games flying under the radar right now.

The industry is in turmoil in some ways, but the creativity on display despite all the pressures is inspiring in its own right.

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

The Windows vs. Linux debate usually starts with the same arguments. Linux users point to freedom, customization, and control. Windows users point to compatibility, software support, and the fact that things generally work without much effort.

However, a recent discussion on Reddit about Windows 11 caught my attention because it challenged one of the biggest assumptions in that debate, which is that anyone with deep Linux experience would automatically reject Windows.

The original poster was not someone casually experimenting with another operating system. He grew up using Linux, started with a Raspberry Pi, spent years using Linux as his primary desktop platform, and understood the Unix ecosystem well. After switching his main device to Windows 11, however, his conclusion was far more balanced than the usual online arguments.

He found that Windows 11 wasn't perfect, but it worked better for his needs. That's probably the biggest takeaway from the discussion. People often choose an operating system based less on personal preference and more on whether it helps them get things done.

A Linux user switched to Windows 11 for practical reasons

On Reddit, the user explained that compatibility with apps like Microsoft Office and Autodesk software played a major role in the switch. While Linux has excellent alternatives and compatibility layers, native support remains one of the biggest advantages.

The user also explained that tools like MSYS2 helped bridge the gap by bringing a more familiar Unix-like environment to Windows 11.

"I like to consider myself a practical person - I'm making this decision based on the os which works for my workflow and the tools I need to use, not based on idealism / dislike for Microsoft's practices," said @Puzzleheaded-Sky2284.

The comment highlights something that often gets lost in operating system debates. A lot of people aren't choosing an operating system to defend a company or community. They choose the platform that best supports their work, and for developers, creators, gamers, and professionals, compatibility often matters more than personal preference.

Windows 11 has improved, but Microsoft remains the controversial part

One of the interesting themes in the discussion was that many users separated Windows 11 itself from Microsoft's decisions around the operating system.

One commenter with professional experience managing Windows environments argued that Microsoft has solved many long-standing problems around fragmentation, updates, and compatibility.

"On good hardware - Windows simply works," @ChampionshipComplex noted.

Unlike operating systems designed for a limited range of hardware, Windows has to support thousands of hardware configurations, countless drivers, and decades of applications. That complexity is messy, but it's also one of the biggest strengths.

Another commenter (@TheTerraKotKun) shared a similar view: "Windows 11 is good OS but Microsoft as a company... I don't think that it's really good."

This may actually represent where many experienced users are today. The complaint is often not that Windows 11 cannot do the job. The complaint is about Microsoft's direction, including advertisements, online account requirements, and increased integration of cloud services and AI.

Critics still have valid complaints about Windows 11

The discussion wasn't entirely positive. Some users argued that Windows 11 still has problems, particularly around resource usage, user control, and Microsoft's approach to the desktop experience.

A common criticism is that Windows has become more focused on promoting Microsoft services instead of remaining a neutral operating system.

One commenter (@Pale-Muscle-7118) explained: "My main problem is not really with the software or OS itself but with Microsoft behind it."

That's an important distinction because Windows 11 can be a capable operating system while Microsoft continues making decisions that many users dislike.

It's also worth noting that Microsoft has acknowledged many of these pain points. Through its Windows K2 initiative, the company has been focusing on improving performance, reliability, and the overall user experience while scaling back some of the interface decisions that have drawn criticism.

Linux still offers something Windows cannot replace

The discussion also highlighted why many people continue using Linux, which is because it provides a level of control that Windows simply does not.

Users can choose different distributions, desktop environments, window managers, package systems, and customization options. For people who enjoy controlling every part of their computing environment, Linux remains extremely attractive.

However, that flexibility can also create challenges. The original poster pointed out that fragmentation can make Linux harder for some users: "Linux is great (as is Windows), but many members of the community are... not so great."

He wasn't criticizing Linux itself. Instead, he argued that the Linux desktop ecosystem often requires more research, troubleshooting, and decision-making than, in this case, Windows 11. For some users, that's part of the appeal. For others, it's a barrier.

The real debate is not about winners and losers

The biggest takeaway from this Reddit discussion is that the Windows vs. Linux argument is often framed incorrectly, because there is no universal winner.

The discussion shows why the Windows versus Linux debate rarely has a clear winner. Every operating system involves tradeoffs. Linux gives users more control and flexibility, while Windows prioritizes compatibility and broad software support. The right choice depends less on which platform is objectively better and more on which one fits the way you work.

Even users who criticize Microsoft often continue using Windows because it solves practical problems.

As one commenter (@animalcrossing4_4) summarized: "The OS is a means to an end so stop shoving the holiness of some OS on me."

That may be the most accurate description of the entire debate.

An operating system is a tool. The best one is not necessarily the one with the most features, the most customization, or the strongest community.

It's the one that lets people spend less time fighting their computer and more time using it.

Windows Central's Take

This particular Reddit discussion isn't about Windows 11 suddenly winning over Linux users. However, it does reinforce something I've believed for a long time, which is that most people eventually end up with the operating system that helps them get their work done with the fewest compromises. That's why Windows continues to dominate the desktop despite Microsoft's occasional missteps.

Over the years, Microsoft has improved Windows where it matters most, including stability, hardware compatibility, and the developer experience with WSL and Winget. At the same time, the company has also made decisions that frustrate users, such as adding promotional content and pushing more Microsoft services (and AI) throughout the operating system.

Those criticisms are fair, but they don't necessarily outweigh the biggest advantage of an operating system that runs virtually on any modest hardware.

I always think it's interesting to find someone who sees Windows without treating the Windows versus Linux debate like a competition. Every operating system has strengths and weaknesses, and the right choice depends on your workflow, not on loyalty to a particular platform.

If Windows 11 helps you spend less time troubleshooting and more time being productive, then it's doing exactly what an operating system is supposed to do.

What do you think? Have you switched between Windows and Linux, or are you sticking with 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.

On July 27, 2026, Xbox suffered quite possibly the worst outage to its live services in recent memory. The outage lasted nearly a whole day and prevented people from signing into their profiles and launching their downloaded games and apps.

After the debacle was over, Xbox's CTO (Chief Technology Officer), Scott Van Vilet, came online to apologize to Xbox fans and explain how this technical catastrophe happened.

However, on July 29, 2026, Scott revealed in an interview with The Verge that the damage caused by this outage was worse than most people thought, as he had reports of physical discs of Xbox games not working during this time either.

Scott says, “We’re looking into reports that some players were unable to access games using discs as expected during the service interruption. Disc-based entitlement checks should not prevent players from accessing their games, and this is by design.”

He mentions that Xbox's tech engineers discovered that there was an issue that prevented certain Xbox consoles from, and I quote, "correctly using saved entitlements during the outage" and that “Offline mode is also designed to rely on those saved entitlements.”

Windows Central's take

Scott says the Xbox's tech support is working on an update to Xbox consoles to prevent this issue from happening again, but it goes to show that investing entirely in a digital-only future for games is not viable in the long run.

Having game discs just be "entitlement" tokens to grant a player digital rights access to a game you download from stores instead of actually having the game on the discs just proves you don't actually own them, and they become glorified paperweights if Xbox Live's servers pull another outage like this again.

Even Microsoft's upcoming disc-to-digital "Positron" program that creates digital copies of physical discs won't matter if online servers fall apart or companies delisting games prevent people from truly owning and playing them.

So how do we get around this? Well, investing in GOG to get access to DRM-free games with dedicated launchers that you can safely download onto your internal or external data storage units without being beholden to online servers to play them sounds like a good idea.

But that's for preserving and owning games on PC; console players don't have the luxury of GOG. All they get right now is either Sony discontinuing game discs for future PlayStation systems or Microsoft blocking people from their Microsoft accounts if they get hacked, cutting off access to thousands of dollars' worth of games.

Honestly, I feel like if Microsoft, Sony, or any other game company wants to keep our good graces without forcing all of us to resort to piracy for true game preservation, they need to go back to basics and have games just be on the discs with no DRM or "entitlement" strings attached.

But what do you think? Do you think we should eliminate "Entitlement" checks and DRM encryption on video games?

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

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

I've installed various versions of Windows more times than is probably necessary, across hundreds of laptops and desktop PCs that I've built, tested, and reviewed. Even if I narrow it down to Windows 11 alone, I reset devices back to a clean install practically every week, so I've built up a collection of useful commands and shortcuts.

For the most part, they aren't particularly innovative, and some won't even be surprising to enthusiasts, but they're definitely useful in my day-to-day experiences with Microsoft's operating system. Whether you consider yourself anything from a casual PC user to a service-hardened admin, you'll find at least some of these as useful as I do.

And, as with absolutely anything regarding commands copied and pasted into Command Prompt, PowerShell, or any other kind of terminal, you should always practice sensible backups and data protection habits. Keep your most important files in multiple places where possible, and only run high-level commands if you're a confident PC user — though I promise to explain what they all do.

Open Command Prompt during Setup

While you're progressing through Windows Setup on either a new PC or a device that was reset to factory settings, you might want to bypass a few of Microsoft's suggested Windows 11 settings, like the mandatory "Let's add your Microsoft account" sign-in section.

• Press Shift + F10 during Setup to open Command Prompt

There is a little quirk to this one, though. When the Command Prompt window first opens, you'll probably see a flashing caret that suggests you can type, but you'll often (if not always) find that your keyboard inputs are ignored. By default, the Command Prompt window isn't focused, so you'll need to either use a connected mouse to click it or press Alt + Tab if you only have a keyboard.

Create a local account

Because I test so many PCs, I certainly don't want to sign into absolutely all of them with my personal Microsoft account. Unfortunately, the options to use a local account are becoming more limited as workarounds are removed, but my preferred Windows 11 ISO (disc image) still works with this method.

1. Shift + F10 opens Command Prompt
2. Enter this command: start ms-cxh:localonly
3. Create a user (passwords are optional)

Bingo. Some apps will still ask you to sign in, and when they do, you'll need to make sure Windows doesn't try to "automatically sign in to all desktop apps." If you're ever prompted with that request, respond with the closest equivalent of "no, sign in to this app only".

Checking battery health

This one is slightly more niche because it's primarily about how I test battery life on sample laptops. Still, checking your battery health also has a convenient crossover for anyone who might pick up a refurbished or pre-owned model, and seeing your battery cycle count alongside its design capacity is just plain useful.

1. Open the Start menu
2. Find CMD (Command Prompt) and Run as administrator
3. Enter this command: powercfg /batteryreport /output "C:\battery_report.html"

Find the generated file on your C: drive to see helpful details, such as battery life estimates near the bottom of the page, all based on how long your laptop lasted on each charge. I always like to generate one of these reports when I'm using a brand new laptop over a full week during a review. It's good stuff.

Faster Task Manager

Now, if anything on this list is liable to pull ire in the comments, it'll be this one. Yes, I know that Task Manager is probably the most widely known feature of Windows, but plenty of people still think you need to press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to access it. However, there are two faster methods that I always use, depending on whether I'm using a keyboard or a mouse at the time.

• Right-click the Taskbar and click Task Manager
• (or) Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager

The more interesting part of accessing the Task Manager is the reason for opening it on a brand new PC: disabling startup apps. On the left side, you'll find the dedicated category, which exposes any unwanted 'bloatware' that might have come pre-installed on your machine. If not, I usually disable msedge.exe (Microsoft Edge) anyway, because it doesn't seem to be necessary.

Clipboard history

If you head to the Settings app and find System > Clipboard, you'll see the Clipboard history toggle, and I strongly recommend keeping it on. I'm constantly copying and pasting serial keys for licensed software, hex codes for colors, and all kinds of other jargon that happily sits in this pop-up list.

• Press Windows + V to open Clipboard history

Alternatively, pressing Windows + . (the period key) takes you straight to the emoji picker, which is part of the same floating window as Clipboard history. You can start typing keywords and descriptors as soon as it appears, so finding a tiny laptop for your social posts (or anything else) is easy. 💻

Access your Desktop

This is a surprising entry, as I assume everyone knows about both methods. Getting back to your desktop feels like an obvious one to learn, as minimizing individual apps is painfully inefficient. However, even my PC-building colleague Cale Hunt wasn't aware of the second one, and frankly, I don't remember when or how I figured it out.

• Press Windows + D to access your Desktop
• (or) Click the blank Taskbar space to the right of the clock

A third, lesser-known shortcut of Windows + , (the comma key) will briefly show your Desktop, but it disappears when you let go of the Windows key. I can't say I ever use that one, but I've been habitually clicking the blank space to the right of the "system tray" (now the clock and notifications area) for years. If I don't have a mouse, the first one works, and pressing it again restores my windows.

Moving off-screen apps on multiple monitors

Finally, I don't need this one as often as the others, but it's still a critical one to remember when I do. Sometimes, when I connect a second (or third) monitor to a desktop or laptop setup, the app I'm using will disappear from view. It's still technically active, but I just can't see it anymore. Thankfully, it's quite an easy fix if you remember this shortcut.

• Press Windows + an arrow key to move the active app

The arrow key you press depends on how you've organized your screens, both physically and in alignment with what Windows 11 expects. For example, if you want an app to move to a display on your right side, press the right arrow key. If nothing moves around, try pressing Alt + Tab first to ensure your target app is in focus!

There's no doubt that each enthusiast will have their own favorites and likely views these entry-level commands as basic knowledge, but we all start somewhere. Sometimes it feels like muscle memory, but with Windows 11, there's so much going on that it's easy to forget some of the most useful shortcuts aren't as obvious to everyone!

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Windows power users, PC builders, and admins have a new tool at their disposal that makes it easy to restore a PC after reinstalling Windows or setting up a new PC. The app, called Endstate, streamlines the process of reinstalling applications and can also restore your settings and preferences within supported apps.

Endstate is a free app designed for Windows, though Linux and macOS support are on the way. You can grab Endstate through GitHub.

I spoke with the developer of Endstate to better understand where the app is now and where it could evolve in the future.

Endstate uses WinGet and Chocolatey, which allow it to install a massive library of applications available across those package managers. But the real standout feature is that Endstate can capture the settings of your app into a zip file to make restoration simple.

When you reinstall Windows or set up a new PC, you have to install your required apps as well. A package manager like Chocolatey or WinGet can streamline that process, but the restored applications will be set to their factory defaults. All the toggles and settings you spent time customizing are reset to their base state.

Endstate supports settings restoration on 357 apps right now. Among those supported are some big-name apps such as MSI Afterburner, Adobe Lightroom Classic, VS Code, Windows Terminal, PowerToys, Git, Obsidian, OBS Studio, Notepad++ and ShareX.

Settings restoration is separate from app restoration. If an app is available through Chocolatey or WinGet but does not support settings restore, Endstate can still install the app.

Restoring settings is also done on a per-app basis.

You can use Endstate without an account and the app works offline.

Windows vs iOS and Android

Despite any Apple marketing campaigns about how many apps there are on iOS, Windows trounces all other operating systems when it comes to app selection. That is in part because everything from ancient programs to modern web apps works on Windows 11.

Because of the legacy support on Windows 11, we don't get all the benefits of modern applications on PCs. For example, any iOS or Android user may have read this article and been confused because saving and restoring app settings is commonplace on smartphones.

But on Windows 11, Endstate fills a notable gap. With only 357 apps that support settings restoration, Endstate has a ways to go before matching the native experience on iOS and Android, but it's still nice to see. I hope more app developers embrace Endstate and make it possible to save and restore settings.

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Ever since Microsoft threw in the towel with Surface Duo, I've been what I call "smartphone homeless." Well, technically that era of my life began with the death of Windows Phone in 2017, flip flopping between different iPhone's and Android's until I found my new forever home with the Surface Duo in 2020.

That new forever home was very short lived. Between 2020 and 2023, I daily drove both the Surface Duo and Surface Duo 2 for the lifetime of those devices. I was happy, content, and excited for where this form factor could lead should Microsoft continue developing it.

Of course, Microsoft didn't feel the same way, and the Surface Duo was put to rest not long after the Surface Duo 2 shipped. I loved the Surface Duo for a myriad of reasons, but the main one was its shape and size. I loved how squat and wide the device was, when being used in single-screen and dual-screen mode.

It was unique and different that it turned heads in public. To this day, I have never had more strangers come up to me in public to ask what phone model I was using. The Surface Duo was a conversation starter, but it wasn't just the novelty that I loved. It was genuinely useful, being easier to type on in single-screen mode compared to slab phone, and better for multitasking when in dual-screen.

So, when Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Z Fold 8 last week, I was instantly intrigued based on its shape and size alone. It's the first westerly available short but wide smartphone since the Surface Duo, and although it's not dual-screen device with a 360-degree hinge, this is the closest thing to a Surface Duo 3 we're ever going to get.

Taking a look at their specs, it's immediately evident that both share similarities in their sizing. While the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is technically smaller, it's only smaller because the Surface Duo's bezels are so large. If you just compare screen sizes, they are very similar. The Surface Duo's display is 5.6-inches, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is 5.5 inches.

Both are similar in width when in folded position, which means typing on both feels identical when in use as a smartphone. It also means apps have more room to spread out, with text and images displaying more content across a single line. When opened up, the Surface Duo's dual-displays are overall bigger, but the Galaxy Z Fold 8's aspect ratio is preferred.

Although I could see the similarities on paper, I had to get my hands on a Galaxy Z Fold 8 just to make sure. Luckily for me, I have a Samsung store nearby, so I popped in and checked it out. To say I didn't immediately fall in love would be lying. It felt like home. The short but wide aspect ratio, the almost creaseless folding screen on the inside, and thin bezels all around, it just all comes together so perfectly.

Side by side, it makes the Surface Duo look like a prototype with its thick bezels and gap between the screens. I've always said the Surface Duo is beautiful in its own special way, but I think the Galaxy Z Fold 8 finally dethrones it from a pure aesthetics perspective.

But I could immediately tell that the aspect ratio and size of the Galaxy Z Fold 8 was right. It feels just like a Surface Duo in both folded and unfolded postures, and typing on both doesn't give my thumbs the cramps after a few minutes. Apps feel like they have more room to breath across both, and the entire OS experience is just nicer when the screens are this wide.

The one area that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 still fails to beat the Surface Duo on however is multitasking. Yes, the Galaxy Z Fold 8 can multitask and when set up by the user, it's very powerful. However, the Surface Duo was special because it made multitasking automatic.

You never think about multitasking on Surface Duo. It just happens. The device dynamically adjusts and places apps and popups on either screen where it makes the most sense. I never multitask on normal foldables, but I was running two apps side by side all the time on Surface Duo, because it was automatic.

The Galaxy Z Fold 8 still requires you to manually initiate multitasking, which means I rarely if ever do it. On the Surface Duo, if you tap a link in a group chat in one app, it'll open your browser on the other half so that you can still see the group chat in the app you were just using. Galaxy Z Fold 8 doesn't do that.

It would be awesome if Samsung could add an option in OneUI that forces the OS to act more like Surface Duo, where multitasking is automated by the device. Unfortunately, that's not a thing at current, and so multitasking is still something I'm probably not going to do much of on the Galaxy Z Fold 8.

Outside of that minor disappointment, I think the Galaxy Z Fold 8 is a near perfect replacement for my Surface Duo needs. It has better cameras, and it's SO much lighter than the Duo. And although it doesn't support pen, I wasn't much a pen user on the Surface Duo either and so that's not a problem for me.

I will miss the novelty of a 360-degree hinge, and being able to close the Duo so that neither screen is visible was a really nice unique capability that the Galaxy Z Fold 8 obviously doesn't have. But we know at this point that Surface Duo 3 was going to pivot to a single-screen folding design like the one on the Galaxy Z Fold 8 anyway, which is why I think Microsoft was wrong to give up so soon.

With that said, I'm still very excited for the Fold 8, and I hope its the start of a long running trend of short but wide phones. Thank you Microsoft for showing the world that the short but wide aspect ratio works for smartphones. It may have taken a little longer for everyone else to catch on, but the good news is people are finally waking up.

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It's been three weeks since Xbox's massive "reset" that saw over 3,200 employees lose their jobs, and the damage reports of its aftermath continue to pour in. The latest casualty report of this "reset" comes from Double Fine Productions, one of the studios that actually managed to escape the worst of it by going independent.

However, Double Fine Productions didn't survive unscathed. On July 28, 2026, its studio head, Tim Schafer, announced on Bluesky that to survive Xbox's "reset," Double Fine Productions had no choice but to lay off 23 employees.

Tim Schafer says in his announcement, “As a small, tightly-knit team, these actions are not taken lightly. Only the survival of our studio would ever make us consider such a painful action. Our transition to becoming an independent company also means becoming a size that we can sustain."

However, that doesn't mean Double Fine Productions will simply kick its employees out the door, as Tim Schafer says his company is committed to supporting everyone affected by the decision as thanks for all their hard work and commitment they've brought to Double Fine and the gaming industry.

Windows Central's take

Losing Double Fine Productions is a sad setback for the Xbox brand, as Double Fine Productions has created some of the wild and unique games artistically I've seen on the platform, including the Psychonauts series, Brütal Legend, The Keeper, and Kiln, to name a few

While I'm angry and tired of seeing more people lose their jobs because of Microsoft ( even Bethesda, Id Software, or Zenimax couldn't escape layoffs), I'm happy to see Double Fine Productions has managed to regain its freedom so it can continue to make wild and creative games without corporate meddling getting in its way.

Plus, I think Double Fine Productions may have dodged a bullet in the long run because Microsoft has seemingly been fumbling more and more as of late.

Notable examples include its Xbox Live service suffering major outages that stopped people accessing digital games more than usual (the latest lasting for nearly a day), blocking people's entire Microsoft accounts through no fault of their own, and making self-harmful pushes towards AI.

If Microsoft hopes to keep its fans on its side for its Project Helix console, it needs to seriously improve the stability of its digital services and not casually treat its game developers like disposable assets; otherwise, the Xbox brand might not last much longer.

But what do you think? Do you think Double Fine Productions becoming independent of Microsoft was the smart decision despite having to lay off its staff to do it? Will Microsoft be able to redeem itself in the eyes of its customers after this latest string of controversial decisions and technical oversights?

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

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

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

Why buy a Surface Pro

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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JLab, a brand we usually recognize for its headphones, still dips out of its wheelhouse from time to time to make broader PC accessories for productivity and gameplay performance on the side.

Now, its ergonomic "Epic Wireless Mouse", featuring a 2,400 DPI sensor, 4-month battery life, and remappable buttons, is available at Best Buy (currently discounted by a third-party seller to $51.77).

If you're looking for something different, there are more affordable ergonomic JLab mice and keyboards at Best Buy, flaunted as "Better for your wrist. Better for your budget" — with options available directly from Best Buy alongside third parties.

Why buy the JLab Epic Wireless Mouse?

JLab's Epic Wireless Mouse offers features for any worker navigating life's daily grind while taking breaks for some light gaming. These include an ergonomic design that fits snugly in your hand, the ability to connect to 3 devices via Bluetooth or its USB dongle, rechargeable batteries that last for around 4 months, and 9 buttons that can be customized with key bindings or shortcuts via JLab's Work app.

Elsewhere, it features silent buttons so they don't make distracting noise, a tiny OLED screen to show its status, and a 2,400 DPI sensor, making it responsive when moving the cursor while browsing or gaming.

So, if you're looking for a new mouse to help you with your assignments or games, then JLab is worth a shot. At least 114 shoppers on Best Buy have given it 5-star reviews, with some saying its performance is comparable to Logitech's MX Vertical Mouse but at a much cheaper cost (JLab's Epic Wireless Mouse has a listing price of $59.99, compared to the MX Vertical's listing price of $119.99).

FAQ

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