In early August, Insiders didn't get off to a good start with previews, as the company didn't release any Windows 11 builds in the main testing channels, including Experimental and Beta, for more than 15 days. However, on August 17, Microsoft made five preview builds available across different channels and testing versions, with new features and changes.

In this latest wave of previews, the company began public testing of a new fully customizable context menu. It also rolled out improvements for the background image experience, Magnifier, Camera Roll, and Get Started app.

Also, the company announced that starting with this wave of updates, the operating system will no longer ship the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) and the Drag Tray feature.

In the Experimental track, we've seen builds 29648, 28120.2738, and 26340.9212, while in the Beta channel, the company announced 28020.2731 and 26220.9202.

In this recap, I'll highlight the latest and most noteworthy changes available through the Windows Insider Program.

Biggest improvements from the Windows Insider Program in August 2026

In this recap, I'll highlight the latest and most noteworthy changes available through the Windows Insider Program since my last roundup.

Redesigned context menu

So far in August, perhaps the biggest change is the redesigned context menu, which is now fully customizable, simpler, and faster.

The new design reduces the clutter as we have never seen in the menu while keeping common actions easy to access. When you right-click a file or folder to invoke the menu, you'll notice a new "App extensions" submenu that now houses those extra entry points from applications you have installed on your computer.

Also, there's a new "Customize menu" option that opens the new Context menu page in Settings > Personalization.

Under the "File actions" section, you can choose the options that you want to appear in the main context menu, such as "Send to," Print, Create shortcut, Copy as path, and Rotate image.

One thing to point out here is that the "Send to" and Print options are new to the modern menu design.

When you open the "App extensions" section, you can decide whether this submenu appears in the main menu. Also, you can choose which extensions from apps appear in the main menu.

Microsoft notes that it understands that many people have accumulated years of muscle memory from Windows 10. As a result, the new menu adds options to make it easier for those users by letting them arrange primary actions (such as cut and paste) vertically, instead of in the new horizontal view.

Also, you can place the "Properties" option at the bottom of the list, like in older versions of Windows.

Finally, it's also possible to restore the "Show more options" entry, or you can continue accessing the classic menu using the "Shift + Right-click" shortcut.

The new context menu options are available on build 26340.9212 for version 26H2 in the Experimental channel.

Personalization improvements

On Windows 11 build 26340.9212, the company is also polishing the desktop background experience with several fixes and improvements.

For example, on Settings > Personalization > Background, the page should now be more reliable, previews now render at higher resolution and display better on portrait monitors, and desktop slideshow transitions are more dependable, including on newly created accounts.

The system can now also improve the process of changing wallpaper quickly, use Device-Independent Bitmap (DIB) image files as backgrounds, and keep slideshow wallpapers enabled across multiple desktops instead of automatically switching back to Picture.

Camera Roll backup

Also, on build 26340.9212, Microsoft is making it easier to protect your pictures by adding new entry points in Settings > Home and Accounts that let you set up Camera Roll backup, which automatically backs up photos and videos from your mobile device to OneDrive.

Magnifier interface update

Magnifier is getting a cleaner look without changing how the accessibility tool works.

Microsoft has refreshed the toolbar icons to better match the operating system's visual design and refined the spacing and padding for a more polished layout.

This update is currently available only in version 26H2, starting with the release of build 26340.9212.

Windows Recovery Environment changes

Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) is getting a useful networking upgrade that can automatically reuse eligible Wi-Fi profiles saved in the operating system, including supported certificate-based networks.

In the past, this recovery mode could automatically connect to wired unauthenticated Ethernet or separately preconfigured Wi-Fi, while other WPA2/WPA3 networks required manually entering a password.

In this update, recovery workflows such as Quick Machine Recovery or cloud rebuilds can get online without manual interaction, without having to reconfigure Wi-Fi credentials.

The behavior is enabled by default, although technical users can disable it if needed.

Windows 11 features removed

In this wave of updates across all channels, Microsoft is no longer shipping Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) and the Drag Tray feature.

In this release, the legacy Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) tool is no longer included as Microsoft continues its broader effort to phase out WMIC from the operating system, pushing users toward newer management tools.

One thing to point out about WMIC is that Microsoft isn't removing WMI. Only the "wmic.exe" command-line utility will no longer be included in the operating system. WMI remains available through PowerShell and other supported utilities.

Microsoft is also pulling the plug on the Drop Tray experience from this build after hearing feedback from users. The company says it'll continue exploring improvements in this area and plans to share more about a future replacement in a later update.

File Explorer improvements

In Windows 11 build 26220.9202 for version 25H2 (Beta), File Explorer gets a small but noticeable usability boost.

For example, the "Home" page now launches faster and feels more responsive, while the "Recommended" section supports touch scrolling, making it easier to browse files in the carousel.

Microsoft also fixed an issue that caused previews to display an unexpectedly thick band across the middle.

Windows Security app changes

Finally, the company is making small visual adjustments to Windows Security to better align the app with the other Windows 11 experiences.

On Windows 11 build 29648, testers may notice subtle differences as more changes roll out. However, after installing this update on my machine, I failed to notice anything different in the app.

On managed devices with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint enabled, information about the protection will now appear at the top of the "Virus & threat protection" page.

Windows Central's Take

Although Microsoft kept Insiders without preview builds for the first half of August, the latest updates are still worth the wait because the company is finally giving users more control over parts of the experience it previously tried to simplify. The customizable context menu is the most significant change, especially because it acknowledges that users don't necessarily want the company's preferred layout forced on them.

I'm also glad the improvements aren't limited to interface changes. The improvements to desktop backgrounds, File Explorer, and WinRE address small frustrations that can make the experience feel inconsistent over time.

I wouldn't rush to install an Insider build just for these changes, but the direction is encouraging. Microsoft is giving Windows 11 more flexibility while continuing to modernize the parts of the operating system that have fallen behind.

What are your thoughts about these latest Windows 11 changes? 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

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Xbox has been on a bit of a tear recently with platform updates, and Microsoft just announced another raft of improvements big and small.

The biggest features recently include boosts to how Xbox Cloud saves work, the ability to record your own voice in gameplay clips, and improvements on Xbox achievement visibility. Announced today on Xbox Wire, we're now getting some other goodies, set to go live later today to Alpha Skip-Ahead and Alpha members.

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Here's what's new for Xbox Insiders today

• Users can now customize any item in the recent games and apps list.

Using the Menu button (start button) you can remove items from the list of recents apps and games, including the "Play History" segment which some don't find as useful as others. I personally like it, but understand those who don't.

• You can also hide all the home screen tiles by pressing the right stick, leaving your dynamic background to take center stage on your TV.

This is a fun cosmetic change I've seen people ask for. Xbox has a range of dynamic backgrounds which are hidden by the tiles and ads on the home screen. If you want to show off your dynamic background and turn your wall-mounted TV into an interactive work of art, now you can, simply by pressing the right stick. Would be cool if they could add slideshows to this in the future too. A connected OneDrive photos album might be rad.

• Improvements to local game storage management.

Microsoft is now letting you manage local game saves more easily, giving you the ability to sort save files by size. For those using smaller storage solutions, sometimes games can take up deceptively large amounts of space. In the new Settings > System > Storage > Manage Local Game Saves section, you can now see all of your local saves in one place, and delete them at will.

If you eventually want to play the game again, Xbox will download your most recent save file from the cloud instead, saving you local storage. Xbox Cloud saves are free by the way, unlike many other platforms.

• You can now click into profile badges, giving users an explanation of what they represent.

Xbox profile badges are getting a big improvement. You can now click on a user's profile badge to see an explanation of what the badge represents.

Part of me is wondering whether this change is designed to facilitate Xbox's future "Platinum" trophies. I wouldn't be surprised if the reward for 100%'ing an Xbox game's achievements comes not with a "platinum" trophy, but instead a custom badge you can place on your profile instead. It would give developers an extra way to let their biggest fans show off some flair for their games, but we'll have to wait and see on that.

• More wishlist improvements.

Wishlisting games has become a major part of the industry's marketing layer, with Steam wishlists becoming a cornerstone for financial projections on how well a game is likely to perform. Microsoft is also trying to ride this wave, adding a variety of improvements and visibility options for its own wishlisting system.

Now, purchased games will automatically be removed from your wishlist for example, which I think is a good change considering how often I've fallen afoul of this one.

I think Microsoft could/should do more to surface wishlisting features on the web, and I'm sure they're working on doing more in this space.

More goodies

The Xbox Insider Program has been pretty boring the last few years, with Microsoft's engineering teams focusing primarily on features like Xbox Cloud Gaming and things beyond Xbox Series X|S. With Xbox CEO Asha Sharma coming on board, the focus has returned to the core user base (namely us), delivering many long-awaited improvements a lot of us have been asking for for over a decade in some cases.

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Microsoft says this update will hit Xbox Insiders on the Alpha Skip Ahead and Alpha rings today, with other updates arriving for all users as well more quickly.

If you want to leave feedback for the Xbox Series X|S OS, you should check out the Xbox Feedback Portal over here.

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Last month, I shared six apps I install immediately after a clean install of Windows 11 or when setting up a PC. Each of those apps enhances an experience on Windows 11 or replaces a Microsoft tool. In the case of PowerToys, it's a Microsoft tool that replaces other Microsoft tools.

Members of the Windows Central community and the Windows Central subreddit shared their favorite apps in the same category, and I'm gathering them all together here. I've also added AltTabby as a bonus pick and Blip, which Reddit helped me find as an AirDrop alternative for Windows.

I loved reading through all your app suggestions after my last piece, and I’d be thrilled to keep this series going. If you have even more must-have Windows 11 apps, please let me know!

5 more must-have Windows 11 apps

As the dust settles from Microsoft's big summer layoffs, many of those impacted are still enduring. Whether it's visa expiry countdown timers, supporting their families, paying bills, etc., the gaming industry in general has a variety of problems, and it's more often than not workers and developers paying the price.

For whatever reason, Microsoft seems to be disproportionately targeting Bethesda and ZeniMax for this layoff round. Hundreds of staffers from teams like ZeniMax Online Studios were laid off, and it looks like Arkane Lyon might end up being spun off to another publisher or taken independent. A lot of the alarm among the gaming community has focused on id Software, whose penchant for consistent quality and stewardship of the legendary DOOM IP has, in my view, represented a highlight of Microsoft's general gaming output.

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Recently, id Software's Chris Hays spoke on a podcast, stating that Microsoft had left legendary DOOM maker id Software a shell of its former self, noting that it was "impossible" for the studio to deliver AAA games like DOOM 2016 with its current staffing levels. Rumors began swirling that Microsoft had well and truly gutted id Software, relegating its potential to a support studio, potentially ditching its legendary id Tech engine and focusing on building Unreal Engine games with other Microsoft studios.

I wanted to begin to learn more about what the truth is — and ultimately the proof will emerge when id Software's next title does eventually materialize. But it seems clear that id Software has been significantly disrupted by Microsoft's actions, and the path back to the top might be a tough one.

The impact of Xbox's id Software layoffs

One person I spoke to recently was Andrew Willis, who was id Software's VFX/Technical Art and Design Producer and most recently worked on DOOM: The Dark Ages and its (very awesome) Revelations DLC.

He explained Microsoft was very blunt with its announcements, which had been rumored in the press for a hot minute. Microsoft told id Software staff not to come into the office on July 6th, then invited everyone onto Microsoft Teams.

"I received a Microsoft Teams invite, there were about 95 of us, no cameras on with chat disabled, everyone muted except [Executive Producer] Marty Stratton. He took about 50 seconds to say that if you were on this call, your positions were eliminated. He said it wasn't a reflection on our performance," Willis explained.

I asked Willis to touch on something other Xbox studio leads have told me in recent months — that Microsoft poorly communicated its metrics for success. Not a couple of weeks before Microsoft shut down and later sold off Tango Gameworks a few years back, they'd called its most recent game 'Hi-Fi Rush' a big success.

"They never explained anything." Willis said, "They never told us what metric they wanted, which is extremely confusing given Xbox Game Pass. If there was something they wanted (downloads, playtime, Game Pass subscriptions, etc.), they never told us." Willis said that had id Software known what targets they were supposed to be hitting, they would've been able to design around it.

"It was frustrating to get laid off before we even saw how successful the [Revelations] DLC was. How can you lay off a team right before they release what gets called 'their best work yet'?"

Willis has been joined by other id Software and ZeniMax union members in protests at Bethesda's HQ in the United States, with more planned in the future.

I also spoke to Executive Producer Marty Stratton, who has been with id Software for over 25 years. Stratton remarked on the "emotion and pain" surrounding id Software's layoffs, but also spoke about the studio's future capabilities.

"I start a lot of conversations internally on how much I understand the emotion and the pain of the layoffs. It really is that. Any time I'm talking about the future, none of that is meant to diminish what people have gone through and their friends and colleagues who have been around for a very, very long time in some cases. I want to make sure that people understand that."

The future of id Software

A lot of the conjecture around id Software's future revolves around just how much capacity the studio is going to realistically have moving forward. It seems as though the studio has lost more than half of its staffers, wiping out decades of expertise and institutional knowledge, reducing the studio to roughly the same size it was when it shipped DOOM (2016).

Some have worried that id Software might be forced to ditch id Tech in favor of Unreal Engine to leverage contractors and the like. Some have expressed concerns that id Software will be reduced to a "support studio" of other Xbox projects; Stratton tells me that isn't the case. id Software will continue to make its own games, lead its projects, and also develop the id Tech engine, says Stratton.

"We're all in on id Tech; we're not moving to Unreal Engine," Stratton tells me. Stratton emphasized that MachineGames, of Wolfenstein fame, also remains all-in on id Tech, and the two studios will collaborate more closely on the tech stack moving forward.

"We had a meeting yesterday with five or six tech directors; sometimes you wish that the audience could've been in that tech meeting to see some of the excitement around some of this stuff. I don't think people should worry; we're going to continue to be a tech powerhouse moving forward."

Former VFX/Technical Art Producer Andrew Willis was a lot less upbeat about the near term. I asked Willis if he felt id Software's previous comments about the studio being the "same size" as it was for DOOM (2016) were cause for optimism for fans.

"This has been one of the most frustrating mischaracterizations I've seen. It is just damage control," Willis said. "Id is now objectively smaller than it was during 2016. They also fired 2/3rds of the folks that were left from 2016; these would be the people who have the experience needed to make a game like that. There are still amazing people there, no doubt. Some of my best friends still work there. But the amount of institutional knowledge lost was just incredible."

I noted to id Software Executive Producer Marty Stratton that fans are generally concerned about the capacity for id to deliver at the quality bar the team has become known for. He said that the recent QuakeCon event, while tough, had been a boost for the community.

"It was nice to be able to kind of share with attendees that, 'you know, hey, we're doing fine. It's tough, but we're going to move forward.' We've always persevered as a studio. We're going to again, we're going to continue to make great games, with great technology. And, like always, you know, we really appreciate the passion and support that they bring to us and the fuel that that gives us."

The industry is in a tough spot

Regardless of the reasons why this happened, the human cost is always the most apparent thing in my mind. Hundreds of staffers across Microsoft have had their lives upended, in Stratton's own words, with no reflection on their performance or skill.

As for id Software, the beloved DOOM maker seems like it will persevere and fight through, but Stratton also acknowledged that the ultimate proof of id Software's future viability will need to come through in the work.

"The verdict is going to be in how we move forward, what we deliver to fans, and whether or not that meets the bar. That's how we go into every single project we make. That's how we're going into what we're doing next."

"As hard as it's been, you know, over the course of the last month to have friends and long-time colleagues leave. I've been here 26 years now. This was my 26th anniversary. When I started, we were 12 people. We finished Doom 3 with 19 people. And again, I know it's a long time ago. That's an old game. Things change; we go through lots of transitions, but every single dev project is different from, you know, this combination of people, technological capability, and then marrying that to a design ambition. And I really believe in our team's ability to create amazing work moving forward."

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The industry has huge challenges, but the disruption from non-gaming external factors is also a stressor. Microsoft is ironically one of the causes of those stressors, in partially facilitating the memory and component crisis, as it chases an uncertain AI bet that at least today, seems to be causing more problems than it's purported to solve.

"I would say to hang in there to developers," Andrew Willis offered. "To fans, I'd say please support the developers during this tough time. We all care about and love games like you, and we need to stop the people who do not care about game industry from ruining it."

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Microsoft claims that Windows 11's built-in security tool is enough for most PC users, but that's only the case if the tool works. An issue affecting some PCs prevents security scans from being completed, leaving systems potentially vulnerable.

The problem was flagged on Reddit by user Huynh_Jovi. Several users in that thread have had issues running scans with Microsoft Defender. Both Full Scan and Quick Scan appear to be affected.

Pinned at the top of that thread is a comment by a moderator that gathers together key information on the situation.

"It appears Microsoft released a bad update to Windows Defender, causing it to crash a few seconds after attempting to perform a Full Scan or Quick Scan," reads the comment by user goretsky. They continue, stating, "Offline scans reportedly stop at around 90-93% of completion." The latest version of the Microsoft Safety Scanner is reportedly affected as well.

The exact cause of the issue has not been determined, though there are several suggested causes. The issue seems to be related to a Microsoft Security Intelligence update. Performing an upgrade to Security Intelligence Update v1.457.236.0 resolves the issue, according to Reddit users Schoonie84 and Master_Pie1940.

You don't need to hunt down that update manually. If you check for updates in the Windows Security app or through Windows Update, the latest version should appear.

There's a chance the issue appeared after Microsoft attempted to mitigate ShieldBreak, a zero-day vulnerability disclosed shortly after August's Patch Tuesday update.

Versions v1.1.26070.7 and v1.1.26080.2 of Defender are said to be affected by the issue when used with any of the following Microsoft Security Intelligence Update versions:

• 1.457.222.0
• 1.457.225.0
• 1.457.226.0
• 1.457.227.0
• 1.457.230.0

Restoring to an older Microsoft Security Intelligence update also reportedly fixes the issue, adding weight to the theory about the cause of the problem.

Many users have spent hours trying to address the issue. At the time of publication, there has not been official word on the problem from Microsoft, so the work of the Reddit users taking a closer look is appreciated.

Performing regular scans is an important step in securing a PC. Hopefully Microsoft can resolve the issue quickly and get word out to affected users.

In the meantime, affected users can still scan a specific folder or drive by right-clicking and selecting "Scan with Microsoft Defender."

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NVIDIA's self-made cloud gaming platform, GeForce NOW, has added official support for Mozilla's Firefox web browser. Firefox users with a paid subscription to NVIDIA's service can now play supported PC titles from their Steam, PC Game Pass, GOG, Epic Games Store, or Ubisoft Connect libraries at up to 1440p and 120 FPS by navigating to play.geforcenow.com.

GeForce NOW has an ad-supported free 'Basic Rig' tier that's limited to 1-hour sessions at 1080p, while paid 'Performance' and 'Ultimate' tiers offer 6 hours at up to 1440p and 8 hours at up to 5K, respectively. The GeForce NOW update is already playable with the latest version of Firefox, though Mozilla says it will share "what this partnership means for gamers" at Gamescom on August 25.

Is NVIDIA GeForce NOW worth it?

GeForce NOW cloud streaming saw updates and new games unveiled at GDC earlier this year, which piqued my interest as someone who generally sticks with Xbox Cloud Gaming — something I can access with my Game Pass Ultimate subscription. It's a clever option for high-end titles that are too demanding for my beloved Steam Deck, but I have a somewhat unusual setup.

I'm lucky enough to have a Gigabit internet connection with relatively low latency, powered by TP-Link's Deco XE75 Pro mesh setup on Wi-Fi 6E, which keeps my wireless devices running at their fastest. When I tell you that I happily enjoy a wealth of slower-paced games on GeForce NOW with insignificant latency, that's with a privilege delivered by my home network.

Nevertheless, I've always had a generally positive experience with GeForce NOW, because I've already built a gigantic Steam library, and my Epic Games Store isn't too far behind (mostly made up of freely claimed titles). There is absolutely unavoidable input delay with cloud gaming, and pretending it doesn't exist is disingenuous, but I've never been interested in streaming fast-action games.

As for Firefox, I tested it out and sure enough, the experience is great. It'll probably come as good news to anyone who jumped ship after losing their favorite ad blocker in Chromium browsers, but Mozilla still holds only around 2.45% browser share with Firefox, and it hasn't tempted me away from Microsoft Edge to date. Still, it's good news for cloud gaming fans.

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The next evolution of Apple's AirPods is out in the wild after a leaked video was posted online. Known as AirPods Ultra, the new wireless earbuds look basically the same as regular AirPods, albeit with a thicker stem.

Hiding inside the new AirPods Ultra are discrete cameras that enable something called "Visual Intelligence." According to Tom's Guide, these cameras aren't intended to record live video or snap photos, setting AirPods Ultra apart from the likes of Meta's AI Glasses, which are raising some very serious privacy concerns.

What I wasn't expecting next was an announcement from Razer's Min-Liang Tan explaining that the company's Project Motoko, unveiled as a concept at CES 2026, is actually a real product that's "coming soon."

Razer's tackling of this idea involves a full wireless gaming headset with cameras built into the earcups. They're certainly not as hidden as the cameras on Apple's leaked implementation, but I don't think they're aimed at the same end goal.

In the leaked Apple video, a person picks up a book and looks at the cover. Siri (or some other assistant) then says that "your world becomes savable" — all you have to do is whisper into your own ear that you'd like to save what you're looking at.

The new AirPods Ultra are expected to show up at Apple's next special event in September, but already there is a lot of backlash regarding privacy. Glasses (or really any tech) that record everything around you are already being banned due to privacy concerns, and I hope that Apple indeed uses some method that captures info without saving actual photos.

Razer's Project Motoko is not like the rest

Razer is taking a different approach to a video-infused audio device. Rather than hiding the cameras in tiny earbuds, it's slapping them onto what appears to be a rather high-end wireless gaming headset.

Each earcup has an FPV camera designed to sit at eye level, allowing it to better quantify what you're actually looking at. Razer says its cameras offer a wider field of view than is humanly possible, and that they can pick up "symbols, text, and details."

Motoko can use a bunch of different AI models (Grok, OpenAI, and Gemini are mentioned), and Razer says it can be a "powerful data collection tool" to train language models. The headset runs on a Snapdragon chip.

A demo video on the Razer website explains that Motoko "hears, interprets, and answers in the moment." The accompanying video certainly seems to show that the headset's cameras are recording the entire time, much like AI glasses.

Razer pegs it as a "personal full-time AI assistant" that "stays keyed into your schedule, preferences, and habits, while adapting effortlessly to anything else you might ask." I'm reminded immediately of Lenovo's Qira AI assistant.

Privacy concerns aside, who's going to wear a gaming headset all day?

Razer makes a lot of concept devices, and not all of them make it into the hands of consumers. The fact that Razer is going ahead with Motoko hot on the heels of the AirPods Ultra leak means the company must truly believe there's something there worth pursuing.

But my first thought was, "Who wants to wear a gaming headset all day?" Never mind the privacy concerns; gaming headsets are great for a few hours at a time, and usually best if you're not active.

Razer's vision for Motoko seems to go against that. A small FAQ section on the official website explains the potential everyday uses for Motoko:

Is everyone suddenly going to be wearing a bulky gaming headset everywhere they go? Not likely, especially during any tasks that require a bit of sweat. When Motoko actually launches, it had better be the most comfortable headset ever made if Razer wants it to be successful.

Windows Central's take on Razer Motoko

Razer's Motoko headset probably has the best chance of succeeding amongst PC gamers. It is, after all, a gaming headset. But, speaking from a bit of experience, I can say that a lot of PC gamers couldn't care less about letting AI help with video games. Whether or not Motoko's appeal actually goes mainstream remains to be seen.

I want to know if you'd buy something like Razer's Motoko when it launches. Would you use it for gaming? For something else? Are you concerned about eroding privacy due to the prevalence of these video capture devices? Let me know in the comments section below!

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Windows 11 will soon give you greater control over the permissions your apps have. A new feature hidden away in the latest Experimental Insider Build (26340.9212) lets you block access to your camera and microphone on a per-app basis for Win32 apps.

The change was spotted by X user @jakub25050. Well-known Windows sleuth @phantomofearth confirmed that the change appears on their system as well when running build 26340.9212 and after enabling Win32SignatureIdentity (60730253). On X, @jakub25050 noted that they did not have to enable any feature flags.

Microsoft did not discuss the change in the official release notes for the latest Windows Insider build.

This behavior will feel familiar to most people who use a smartphone, since both iOS and Android have fine-tuned privacy controls. Windows 11 has also supported this functionality for other types of apps for a while.

What's changing with Windows 11 privacy settings?

Windows 11 already has an option that allows or blocks desktop apps from accessing things like your microphone or camera. But you can only enable or disable those permissions on a per-app basis for certain types of apps.

The feature in testing right now allows you to toggle camera and microphone permissions on a per-app basis for Win32 apps. That's a massive addition since many popular programs are Win32 apps, such as Discord, Chrome, and game launchers like Steam.

The current way app permissions work means that to use your webcam on a browser like Chrome, you'd also need to have your settings configured to let other desktop apps access your webcam.

I've seen some debate about when the per-app option for Win32 apps rolled out to Windows 11. While Windows 11 has had the option to grant or deny permissions for years, that choice was limited to UWP/MSIX apps and was not available for Win32 apps.

Build 26340.9212 started shipping to Insiders in the Experimental Channel on August 17, 2026. Assuming testing goes well, we could see the expanded app controls roll out to everyone in the near future.

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It's about time for a new semester, and upgrading your PC can make the process much easier. You don't need anything excessive to access most of the Windows software and cloud apps you'll need in school or college, and Dell's official store has already reduced prices on some of its best hardware.

• Back to school deals up to $900 off PCs and more at Dell

Some of Dell's deals go into the weeds (who knew they sold robot vacuums?), so I've handpicked a collection for practically anyone who needs portable tech for studies or even works from home. We've tested hundreds of processors found in its laptops, and traveled the world with devices just like this.

Is the new Dell XPS 13 a good laptop?

We saw the revival of Dell's XPS 13 laptop appear at Computex earlier this year, and went hands-on while we attended Taiwan's popular technology convention. There's no denying it's the Windows-centric alternative to Apple's MacBook Neo, but as Dell explained to us in person, it was in development before the Neo ever launched. In that, it stands as more of an affordable flagship than a compromise.

After spending some time with the XPS 13, Senior Editor Zac Bowden said it "still feels every bit as premium and nice to use as the $1,000 XPS 13 before it", which tracks, because this used to be placed as a much more expensive laptop. If you pick one up, you'll get a 120Hz display for a smooth refresh rate on a bright, 2.5K touchscreen, in the thinnest and lightest XPS yet.

As the name suggests, the XPS 13 offers a 13.4-inch screen in a 2.2-lb chassis, powered by a relatively standard 65W USB-C AC adapter rather than a proprietary cable-and-brick setup. Yes, it's smaller than the EcoLoop backpack was designed for, but the extra inch leaves space for extras like the Pro 7 mouse and keyboard combo.

However, Zac did make it clear that the XPS 13 has "an amazing keyboard and excellent trackpad", so you'll still be able to rely on it in any situations where an external set of peripherals isn't as viable, and they stay in your backpack instead. Plus, the built-in webcam supports Windows Hello face unlock for faster logins, and its powered USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports support external displays.

You'll need to verify your education status with Dell to be eligible for the XPS 13's $599.99 student pricing, but $699.99 is still a great price if you're looking for a work companion instead. Otherwise, for students heading back to school for a new semester, this portable PC combo for under $740 is a steal.

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Back in August 2015, Microsoft was working to link console, PC, and mobile gaming into a single network. Coverage at the time framed this "games everywhere" approach as a major shift, with Windows, ironically, serving as the central hub to keep game libraries synced across devices. Phil Spencer was early in his tenure, working through the fallout of the Xbox One's rocky launch and its controversial DRM policies. Industry observers remained skeptical, and players questioned whether Microsoft could actually pull off cross-platform play and cloud integration.

Eleven years later, that initial push sits at the center of Xbox's modern business model. Under Asha Sharma, Microsoft Gaming has pulled back on its controversial "This is an Xbox campaign," trying to reprioritize the console, while deemphasizing Copilot AI. Indeed, there is a big list of things that need fixing. Oh, and apparently it's now XBOX.

The original questions around brand identity and hardware relevance haven't gone away, but their context has completely changed. Looking back at this 2015 report shows that the foundation for today's strategy was already being built, even if the execution took over a decade to solidify (if you can even call it that). — Daniel Rubino, Editor-in-Chief.

The original article below, "The future of Xbox is bright, and it's everywhere," was published on August 13th, 2015, by Richard Devine.

Gamescom 2015 was a blast for Xbox fans. Just as E3 was before it. Microsoft keeps floating the phrase, "the best games line up in Xbox history," and it's probably true. After a flaky launch for the Xbox One by anyone's standards, under Phil Spencer's stewardship things are going in the right direction.

And that direction is out. Xbox is finally becoming something bigger than the box that sits under your television. Gaming is important to Microsoft, and Xbox is its brand. Everywhere.

There have been smatterings of it outside the console for a while, like Xbox Live Achievement support for Windows 8 and Windows Phone games, and the now revoked Xbox branding for Microsoft's music and video services. With the removal of the latter, Xbox is now exactly what it should be for Microsoft. It's all about the games.

The big push really began in January when Spencer appeared at Microsoft's big Windows 10 event. It was the launch of Xbox on Windows 10 and while it all sounded grand, as the months have passed the vision has become so much clearer. Phones, tablets, PCs, consoles, HoloLens, Xbox is going to be everywhere. Cross-buy, cross-play and game streaming are but the beginning.

Take this quote from Spencer in a recent interview with Polygon as an example:

Our recent trip to Cologne for Gamescom helped further put this into perspective. The vast space that was the Xbox booth was lined with both consoles and Windows 10 side-by-side. Windows wasn't shoved away in a corner; it was right there alongside the biggest new titles Microsoft had to show. Games like Fable Legends and Gigantic played together on both platforms. The only difference, your preference for a controller or keyboard and mouse.

Windows 10 is a big step forward for Microsoft in so many spaces. It's allowing the company to do things that it, nor anyone else has done before. Sure, Sony has dabbled with game streaming, but unless you own a PlayStation and at least one other Sony product, it's useless. How many more people already have what they need to stream Xbox One games? A Windows PC. Sony can't boast what Microsoft is able to do with its games on Windows 10. No-one can.

It's also going to become, I believe, less important to focus on how many consoles Microsoft sells versus Sony. And that's because of the platform. In the same way that a smartphone is a way to deliver Microsoft services to your pocket, the Xbox One will be a way to deliver Xbox to your living room. With Xbox as the games platform available here and on hundreds of millions of Windows 10 PCs around the world, who really gets the bigger marketshare?

And let's not forget that as of Windows 10, official Xbox peripherals, including the forthcoming Elite Controller, are compatible out of the box. Just plug 'em in and away you go.

We're only at the beginning. There's so much to look forward to that we do and don't know about. The new Xbox One experience powered by Windows 10, cross-play games like Gigantic, Fable Legends and Killer Instinct, not to mention Halo Wars 2 in 2016. Engineers have told us that yes, they'd love to reverse the Xbox One game streaming feature, but whether it happens or not is still an open question. The Xbox app on Windows 10 will get better every month and we've got things like Crackdown 3, leveraging the power of the Microsoft cloud, to look forward to.

To sum up, I heard this phrase while at Gamescom that I think says everything. What if you could imagine a future where there weren't Xbox One games and Windows games, there were just Xbox games.

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Fixing Windows may be an impossible task, at least if the goal is to please every user. Because Windows has been around for decades and is used by billions of people, Microsoft has to be careful in how it rolls out changes to its operating system.

One of the strengths of Windows is backward compatibility, but that is a double-edged sword. Because Microsoft values legacy software and compatibility, Windows 11 is basically several operating systems stacked together under a trenchcoat.

I've argued before that unifying the look of Windows should have been a priority for decades. But even if it were, updating Windows would be a challenge. People get used to things and often dislike changes, even if they're considered improvements by many.

With changes like the overhauled Start menu and movable taskbar on the way, I shared a poll recently asking about Microsoft's improvements to Windows 11. That poll was inspired by the recent change to how file sizes are displayed in File Explorer.

40 percent of those who voted said that "Some tweaks are great, but others feel like changes for the sake of change." Another 32 percent of participants said Microsoft should "bring on the modern polish," noting that they adapt quickly and prefer clean interfaces.

Almost 30 percent of voters wanted to ensure some level of consistency, whether that be keeping legacy options (17 percent of voters) or leaving features and layouts alone (12 percent).

The fact that even our readers are split shows how divisive this topic can be. Generally speaking, our readers are tech-savvy and keep up to date with tech and new features, so they should be able to adapt to changes well. But being able to adapt is not the same as favoring the need to adapt.

The comments on that article echoed sentiments about Microsoft not being able to please everyone, such as the quote above by "Q-Less." They also noted that "Microsoft needs to spend significant effort on change management."

Over the years, Microsoft has tried different strategies. Major OS updates such as Windows 7 or Windows 10 bring many changes at once and allow Microsoft to roll out improvements as part of a package.

Incremental updates shipped every few months let Microsoft get improvements to users quickly, but that may not be a good thing. People need time to adapt to changes, even good ones. Having an interface or experience tweaked several times in a year can be jarring.

One route Microsoft could take is adding options.

I like having options, and Microsoft sometimes ships new features with a toggle to go back to the previous interface. But there's a limit on how many choices can be built into Windows 11. If Microsoft kept every option across several OS generations, Windows would be a mess.

Some want Microsoft to take the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach.

Within the Windows Central community, there is debate on how to handle changes and improvements to Windows. Expand the discussion to all PC users and you have an almost deafening amount of noise to sort through.

Even when Microsoft settles on changes to Windows, the company needs to decide how to package those changes. Last week's Windows Wrap asked if the next big update should just be Windows 12.

Windows carries over much of its base when switching between major OS versions these days, so it's more about marketing than a technical definition.

Where do you stand in the debate? Do you want to see Windows modernized even if it means you'll have to adapt to changes? Or do you want Windows to stay largely the same? Let us know in the comments!

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If you're subscribed to Xbox Game Pass, you'll have a wave of new games hitting your app over the next few days — with titles coming to Series X|S consoles, PC, and devices that support the ever-expanding Xbox Cloud Gaming platform — with new picks hitting Ultimate and Premium tiers.

It starts with Egging On launching today, August 18, which you might recognize from last year's ID@Xbox showcase. If you ever played "A Difficult Game About Climbing" on Steam, or any of its many rage-inducing derivatives, you'll know what to expect from this, and how much patience to bring with you.

You can see more after the jump, but the less exciting news is the expiration of The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt Remastered Edition — leaving Game Pass for cloud and consoles on August 31. The successful and nonlinear monster slayer's "Complete Edition" had only joined Game Pass in February this year, so if you abandoned a half-finished save, your time is running out (via Xbox Wire).

Goodbye Geralt, and shoutout to Starsand

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is one of those gigantic role-playing games with a 50+ hour story, and even more on offer for completionists. It's just huge. The game's Remastered Edition was only recently offered up to xCloud and console players, so I hadn't been tempted by it as a primary PC Game Pass player, but it's a shame to see it leave relatively quickly.

When I had played it, I became so distracted by collecting flowers, herbs, and other busybody side quests that I never actually finished the mainline story. Nevertheless, I know I enjoyed the game and loved roaming its world and listening to its quality voice acting (and noting the interesting accent choices for certain comical NPCs), so try it before it's gone.

I'll get around to it one day. For now, I'm intrigued by the Ghibli-esque life sim, Starsand Island, as it fits the kind of cozy co-op time drainers that my wife and I enjoy playing on a quiet evening. It's definitely different from The Witcher's world, but paying for Game Pass gives us a chance to try it out on PC or console with our Ultimate subscription.

Game Pass in August 2026

• Available today
  • Egging On (August 18)
• Coming soon
  • Vapor World: Over the Mind (August 19)
  • BlazBlue Entropy Effect X (August 19)
  • Relooted (August 19)
  • Starsand Island (August 20)
  • Aerial_Knight's DropShot (August 25)
  • Blood Dungeon (August 25)
  • Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy (August 27)
  • Young Suns (August 31)
  • Shelldiver (September 1)
• Leaving August 31
  • Another Crab's Treasure
  • I Am Your Beast
  • Neon Abyss
  • One Lonely Outpost
  • The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt Remastered Edition
• Leaving September 6
  • NBA 2K26

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I was absolutely blown away earlier this year by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 platform after spending a month with Lenovo's Slim 7x (Gen 11). The System-on-Chip (SoC) was fast and efficient on or off the charger, and it came in a sleek 14-inch package.

A new commissioned study from the independent testing group Signal65 has basically confirmed my arguments, this time after testing the flagship X2 Elite Extreme (X2E-96-100) variant in retail systems you or I can buy.

Here's the main blurb from the whitepaper's key findings:

This sentence alone might not be telling you anything new, especially if you've experienced the X2 Elite Extreme firsthand. But let me break down the findings to explain a bit better what Signal65 dug up.

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme goes up against Intel and AMD

Signal65 tested the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme against the Intel Core Ultra X9 388H and AMD Ryzen AI 9 465 laptop CPUs. These are two of the latest chips from each company, found today in thin and light Windows laptops.

Testing the chips in Geekbench 7, Signal65 found the X2 Elite Extreme to be "up to 53% faster" than Intel's chip and "up to 83% faster" than AMD's chip.

In Cinebench 2026, which is used to test multi-thread rendering performance, the X2 Elite Extreme was "up to 87% faster" than the Intel and AMD chips.

What's even more impressive is that Signal65 separately tested the X2 Elite Extreme on battery power with the Balanced Windows power profile. With the Intel and AMD systems plugged in and set to Best Performance, the X2 Elite Extreme still outperformed the competing chips in all AI and CPU benchmarks.

Besides raw CPU power, the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme also outperformed its rivals in the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) arena. Qualcomm's specialized chip that runs AI locally almost hit 2x the AI performance compared to Intel, climbing to about 2.4x the performance of AMD's NPU in the Procyon AI Computer Vision test.

It's well worth noting that the X2 Elite Extreme's Hexagon NPU hits 80 TOPS, compared to 50 TOPS in the Intel and AMD chips. This might explain some performance discrepancy, but not to this extent.

Rumors of the X2 Elite Extreme's power were not exaggerated

In February 2026, I covered early testing from Hardware Canucks that showed how the non-Extreme X2 Elite chip beat Apple's M5 in three major tests. These tests were performed using a sample/reference unit from Qualcomm itself.

In March 2026, we got an early look at what Qualcomm had cooked up with its X2 Elite Extreme. Leaked Geekbench 6 performance results showed that the Snapdragon chip could trounce the Core Ultra X9 388H, boding well for its competition against Intel's Panther Lake generation.

To say I had high hopes for Snapdragon X2 is fair, and I'm glad to see that performance in actual laptops you or I can buy hasn't dropped off compared to early reference systems.

A few things to consider when poring over Signal65's data

This report from Signal65 was commissioned by Qualcomm, but there's no reason for me to think that any of the numbers were fudged. Signal65 is independent and generally credible.

There's also the fact that these chips were tested in three different laptops from three different manufacturers.

For the test, Signal65 used an ASUS Zenbook A16 (X2 Elite Extreme), an MSI Prestige 16 (Intel Core Ultra), and an HP OmniBook X 16 (AMD Ryzen. Three 16-inch laptops ranging between $1,649 and $2,299.

Because of OEM-level decisions for cooling and power, the different laptops could affect the results. However, I don't think it would affect them enough to sway the paper's overall thesis.

It's also worth pointing out that Intel still leads the way with its integrated Arc B390 graphics, at least in Signal65's tests. It also bested Snapdragon in one Office battery rundown test.

As for value, the $1,699 Zenbook A16 with X2 Elite Extreme is only bested by the $1,649 OmniBook X 16 with AMD Ryzen. Intel might beat Qualcomm in graphics and in one battery rundown test, but the MSI Prestige 16 in which it was tested costs $2,299.

Qualcomm is not only delivering superior performance and battery life, but it's also delivering laptops at a better price than its competition.

Windows Central's take

Qualcomm's first-gen Snapdragon X chips are really what changed the Windows on ARM conversation after so many years. They weren't good enough to get everyone to drop Intel and AMD, but they were a solid foundation.

And now, with Snapdragon X2, Qualcomm has evidently stepped things up in a major way. If you've used a laptop with an X2 chip, you probably already know exactly what I'm talking about.

Have you had a different experience with your Snapdragon X2 PC? What's your main gripe? On the other hand, what do you love most about your X2 PC? Let me know in the comments section below!

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Last year, Microsoft announced a major update coming to the Taskbar on Windows 11 that would allow users to swap out the Windows Search box for one powered by Copilot. Dubbed "Ask Copilot," this new experience would let users interact with Copilot straight from the Taskbar, while maintaining support for searching for apps and files.

Since its announcement, the feature has slowly rolled out in preview to a small subset of users. Most of those users are commercial customers utilizing the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, but a version for consumers was also being developed for the standard Microsoft Copilot app.

At least, that was true until a few months back, when an update to the consumer-facing Copilot app removed support for it. Since then, Ask Copilot has only worked with the Microsoft 365 Copilot app, but with the announcement that the consumer Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot are merging under one app experience, Ask Copilot is disappearing once more.

"As we implement these changes, we're temporarily disabling Ask Copilot on the taskbar to update the new experience and incorporate your feedback," a Microsoft changelog has confirmed. The company doesn't explain what user feedback it's taking onboard, or if the Ask Copilot experience will change in any meaningful way. For now, it's no longer in testing.

If you've been using Ask Copilot on the Taskbar, the latest updates to the Copilot app and Microsoft 365 Copilot app will result in the feature disappearing, restoring the standard Windows Search experience automatically.

The UI between Ask Copilot and Windows Search is different. In fact, the two experiences are handled by entirely separate teams at Microsoft. Windows Search is, naturally, developed by the Windows team, whereas Ask Copilot is built by the Copilot and Microsoft 365 AI teams.

Recent upgrades to the Windows Search experience confirm that Ask Copilot is always going to be a separate, optional experience for users who want it. Windows Search is still the primary search experience on Windows, and is being redesigned to remove clutter, ads, and prioritize more accurate and speedy results.

The Ask Copilot search pane is similarly decluttered, but includes a chat box for initiating conversations with Copilot, along with shortcut buttons in the Taskbar for launching into Copilot Vision. If you're someone who has been looking forward to the Ask Copilot experience, it looks like you're going to be waiting a while longer before it begins shipping.

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I've always been a fan of physical media, be it movies, music, or games. I'm also old enough that I grew up in a time when it's all we had; there was no Spotify or Netflix.

Slowly I'm working through it all to create digital copies for both archival purposes and convenience since there are plenty of situations where it's not practical to put a disc in a machine and consume its content.

Right now I'm working through a vast stack of CDs acquired from the days when cars had CD players, not just screens connected to your phone or directly to streaming services. But I quickly found that the app I've used for this process in the past, the stock Windows 11 Media Player, nowadays isn't up to scratch.

It will still rip CDs, but it's no good for the metadata anymore. Microsoft turned off the online tool that you could use to grab it, but even then, I figured I could just enter it manually, right?

Seems that doesn't work all the time, either. Even on the few CDs I have that actually have the metadata on them already. It took ripping a few discs for me to realize that information wasn't being applied to some or all tracks, and the artwork wasn't sticking, either. So I needed a replacement, and frankly, I should have just gone for this out of the gate.

Enter Exact Audio Copy (EAC). A free app that is absurdly powerful and does the job right the first time.

Without online metadata the process takes too long anyway

Admittedly, it's been a while since I last digitized a stack of CDs, and it had completely passed me by that Microsoft had turned off the service to get the information online. It's a pretty poor experience for a stock app, even if it's a feature that's increasingly used by fewer people.

A better solution would have been to update the app, allowing its users to find an alternative source of this information. There are options out there, such as MusicBrainz, a free and open-source database of metadata. Maybe I'm asking too much; after all, Microsoft didn't even update the app to remove the option to check for metadata.

It's still there; it just gives you an error if you try and use it. I actually quite like the stock Media Player app, and still use it to play music. It's simple and mostly nice to use. If it's not going to work properly, though, just remove it altogether.

Exact Audio Copy is the perfect solution

Fortunately there is always an alternative, and in this case, it's called Exact Audio Copy (EAC). There will be folks out there that have known of this app for years and are screaming at my incompetence for not going straight to it.

But I didn't know it existed. I'm glad I do now.

This isn't a full tutorial on how to use the app, mostly because I'm doing one specific thing, but it is really powerful. There are plenty of better tutorials out there, such as this one.

All I want is an accurate rip in FLAC, a standardized filename structure, metadata, and album artwork applied. The good news is that if you just want the same thing every time, EAC will run you through a setup wizard when you first use it. From there, you shouldn't need to touch your settings again.

The only thing I did need to change was the metadata provider. The default option is only free for 10 rips, but you can change it within the app to MusicBrainz, which is completely free.

I now know I should have used this all along. AccurateRip will check your CD against a database of other exact rips to ensure yours is as perfect as it can possibly be. It can deal with scratched discs (of which I sadly own several), and it communicates directly with the hardware.

I may be underselling it, but I'm as far from an expert as there is on this stuff. There are plenty of more knowledgeable folks out there, like this post on Flemming's blog that is an excellent resource for getting set up properly.

EAC isn't the only alternative to using Media Player, but it's the one I tried first, and I'm happy. I may try and get in the weeds at some point, but for now it's doing what I need. Archiving my CDs accurately, with good quality, and all the necessary metadata.

If you've any tips or tricks to share on this process, or even an alternative worth trying, be sure to drop them in the comments below.

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Built as an alternative to the standard File Explorer in Windows 11, Files is an open-source project that always seems to stay one step ahead of Microsoft. Its latest update to Files v4.2.7 is a perfect example, as it focuses on improving the speed and overall responsiveness of the right-click menu before the official context menu upgrade comes to Windows.

The optimization trend extends to multitasking in Files, as v4.2.7 also improves its memory cleanup habits when any tabs are closed. Efficient tabs are a headline feature of the app, even if the experience feels quite similar to File Explorer — including its support for keyboard shortcuts — but Windows PC enthusiasts will undoubtedly appreciate any efforts to lower memory usage.

The context menu is improving in multiple ways

We already knew that plans to fix Windows 11's slow context menus are coming with a major overhaul, and it certainly feels overdue, but it's a step in the right direction for Microsoft. Nevertheless, some of our YouTube audience certainly share this sentiment, and I wouldn't be surprised if Files sees broader adoption among like-minded PC users with updates like this.

I first started using the Files App on my primary laptop shortly after v4.0 launched, when it added more flexibility for the right-click context menu. It isn't installed on all of my PCs, but on my travels I find it quite useful alongside my portable mainstays like PowerToys Run. Anything that lowers my RAM usage is a winner in my eyes, whether it comes from Microsoft or elsewhere.

You can try Files — and even make it your default file manager in Windows 11 without uninstalling File Explorer or damaging your OS in any way — to see if you prefer the experience over Microsoft's default implementation. If you don't, it's no big deal; you can revert to the standard experience by uninstalling it, as you would with any other app. Give it a shot.

Files v4.2.7 changelog

• What’s New in Files v4.2.7
  • Improved context menu performance
    • Opening the right-click context menu is now noticeably faster and more responsive.
  • Open a new tab by middle-clicking the tab strip
    • You can now open a new tab by middle-clicking an empty area of the tab strip, giving you a quick way to add tabs without reaching for the new tab button.
  • Select items opened from other apps
    • When you open a file’s location from another application, Files now selects that item in the folder automatically.
  • Reduced memory usage after closing tabs
    • Files now frees up more memory when tabs are closed, helping keep the app lightweight during long sessions.
• Fixes
  • Fixed issue with the filter text box being cleared.

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I've been keeping watch on Crucial (and by extension, Micron) after the company began refusing to honor lifetime RAM warranties. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the same thing is now happening to customers with dead SSDs.

Reddit user AssignmentGlass5591 recently created a thread explaining that their Crucial X10 Pro 4TB external SSD decided to die at just 1% of its advertised lifespan. "It didn't wear out. It just broke," they explain.

The failure came with critical warnings in Crucial's app that were bad enough to warrant a replacement. AssignmentGlass5591 went through the normal channels required when this sort of thing happens.

They completed the Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) process with Crucial and paid to ship the SSD to the required warehouse, expecting a replacement.

Here's where the AI boom stepped in to ruin another day. Crucial sent a reply email stating that there's no replacement available for the X10 Pro 4TB SSD because "consumer business is closed."

Instead, the company said it would refund the SSD's price at the time it was purchased, which was about €230. That's not good enough. Looking at Amazon.de this morning, that same drive now costs about €500.

AssignmentGlass5591 asked Crucial to replace the faulty external SSD with an internal SSD. Any M.2 SSD would do. But that didn't work either. Here's Crucial's official response (translated from German) from the email that the Reddit user received.

As a reminder, Micron announced the end of its Crucial lineup of consumer products in December 2025.

After building up 30 years of brand loyalty, Micron decided to completely forget about consumer markets in order to focus entirely on AI customers buying massive quantities of memory and storage for data centers.

This move came with a promise to fulfill any warranty obligations, but obviously the company is doing the bare minimum.

Crucial recently pulled the same warranty trick with RAM

As I mentioned at the beginning of this piece, Micron/Crucial was called out a couple of weeks ago for botching a customer's RAM warranty.

Tom's Hardware covered the story, in which another Redditor explained that they were offered just 17% of the market value for a 48GB DDR5 kit that had gone bad and needed to be RMA'd.

Rather than receiving roughly $1,400, the price of the kit today, the customer was offered just $241.86. Good luck buying a replacement DDR5 kit for that price. The worst part? Only one stick in the kit was faulty, but the entire thing had to be sent in for the RMA process.

It's not just Micron that's lowballing warranty paybacks

This isn't an issue isolated to Micron and Crucial. Tom's Hardware also reported just a few days ago that competing memory and storage giant SK hynix is also lowballing warranty claims and won't offer replacement hardware.

These companies aren't doing anything illegal; their warranty policies are rather ironclad. And under normal market conditions, receiving back the price you paid for the hardware wouldn't be an issue.

But that's no longer the reality of the market. These storage and memory companies are making unfathomable amounts of money on the AI buildout, and meanwhile consumer prices have never been higher due to shortages of components. The fact that some of that money earned from inflated AI pricing can't be paid back to customers just so they can buy any memory or storage at all is what I find particularly irksome.

Louis Rossman got into a legal battle with Samsung for a similar issue

Battling it out with a massive corporation isn't fun. But there's proof that high-profile pressure from customers can help the situation.

In June 2026, Right to Repair activist Louis Rossmann threatened to sue Samsung for not replacing a faulty 4TB 990 Pro SSD supposedly covered by warranty.

Samsung tried to send Rossmann a reimbursement for the purchase price of about $330. Meanwhile, the drive was selling for almost $1,000 on Samsung's website.

Rossmann threatened a lawsuit, and perhaps due to Rossmann's celebrity, Samsung folded. It promised to pay out the current market value for the faulty 990 Pro SSD, allowing Rossmann to buy a replacement without losing any money.

Better yet, it said that any customers in Rossmann's situation would also receive full (and current) market value for faulty hardware.

Windows Central's take

It's becoming clear that memory companies making fortunes off of the AI boom will continue to try to milk everything possible out of regular consumers.

It's also becoming clear that, with enough pushback, we might be able to change the way they're handling warranty claims as markets continue to experience chaos.

I expect this type of shenanigan to continue as more drives fail and replacements become more scarce, so keep making your issues public.

If you are buying a drive, I recommend checking out third-party retailers first. They might have a separate type of replacement or return option in place that works around manufacturer warranties. Nothing is guaranteed, but layers of support can't be a bad thing.

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Microsoft has today announced a set of major improvements coming to the context menus that appear in File Explorer and the desktop on Windows 11 that are designed to make the right-click experience faster, less cluttered, and more customizable.

I first revealed Microsoft's plans to overhaul the context-menu system on Windows 11 last month, and now the company has confirmed those plans. In fact, it's already rolling out preview builds with the new context menu system in place, ready for Windows Insiders to begin testing and provide feedback on.

Microsoft says that it knows the context menu system on Windows 11 today is not in a good place. "The menu became cluttered and sluggish, and we recognized the need to dramatically reduce the time between right-clicking and having a menu that’s fully ready to use," says Microsoft engineer Michael Novak in a blog post published today.

"Today, we’re excited to announce an updated context menu that delivers a faster, simpler, and more customizable experience. The new design reduces top-level clutter, keeps commonly used actions easy to access, and introduces a new Settings experience that gives you more control over what appears in the menu."

I went hands-on with the new context menu system over the weekend, and I can confirm that the new right-click experience is a major improvement over what is shipping on Windows 11 currently. The new default layout is much less cluttered, with less actions immediately presented to the user in exchange for a much faster response time.

Microsoft is finally letting users customize the context menus too. You can now enable and disable whichever actions you want, as well as show or hide app extensions from third-party apps. This is great for when an app installs itself into your context menus without permission, as you can now hide them from view.

It's even going so far as to allow users to restore the Windows 10 context menu layout within the modern Windows 11 context menu system. Until now, Windows 11's context menu has placed "primary actions" such as cut, copy, and paste into a horizontal view along the top of the menu. Windows 10's context menu placed those actions vertically alongside everything else, and now Windows 11 is letting users restore that layout for users that want it.

"We know many people have years of muscle memory from the Windows 10 menu, so we’ve added options to bring that feel back. You can list the main commands (Cut, Copy, Paste, Rename, Delete, and Share) inline directly in the menu instead of as a row of icons, and you can move Properties down to the very bottom."

These are genuinely good quality of life improvements coming to Windows 11, and Windows Insiders can download the latest Windows 11 preview builds to begin testing them today. Given that they only just entered preview, I expect we won't see them begin shipping to everyone until later in the fall.

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Microsoft has announced that it's disabling its unique Drag Tray file sharing experience on Windows 11 after feedback from Insiders. After initially rolling out to a small subset of users a number of months ago, it appears the company is now scrapping the concept in favor of something else.

"Based on feedback, we're removing the experience in this build," Microsoft says. "We're continuing to explore improvements in this area and look forward to sharing more about a future replacement experience in a later update."

The Drag Tray experience was a unique way of sharing files from the File Explorer on Windows 11. It has been in testing for well over a year, and appeared at the top of the screen whenever a user grabbed a file with their cursor. Users would be able to drag the file to the top of the screen and drop the file into an app to instantly share it.

The feature works well on paper, but users online complained about the feature when it first began rolling out, with some calling it frustrating and annoying. While some users found it useful, most users did not like its implementation and sought out guides to disable it.

Windows 11 features multiple ways of sharing files. Most users share files by right-clicking on the file in particular, and clicking share, which opens a dedicated share UI window that makes it easy to send the file to contacts or apps that are installed. The drag tray was supposed to be a faster and easier to use alternative.

Microsoft hasn't yet revealed what will replace the Drag Tray, if anything. While the company says that it's exploring improvements in this area, there's no guarantee that the Drag Tray in this implementation will survive. Given the pushback it received from users originally, it's unlikely to return in its current form.

If you're using Windows 11 with the Insider Program, you'll notice the Drag Tray is gone as of the latest preview builds. If you're running production builds of Windows 11, Drag Tray is still available, but it's likely only a matter of time before Microsoft removes it from shipping builds of the OS too.

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When I reviewed the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ a few months back, I noted how it was a generational jump over AMD’s latest Zen 2 chips found in competing handheld gaming PCs, and when combined with Intel XeSS, it really gave gamers the ultimate handheld we’ve been yearning for.

But there were two problems. One was price. Due to RAM and NAND shortages due to demand for AI compute, MSI had to jack the price by at least $500, putting it at an MSRP of $1,799, which is kind of absurd.

The other was, surprisingly, extremely tight supply. Despite being sold at Best Buy, Amazon, Newegg, and B&H, it sold out everywhere within 24 hours (often due to preorders).

Since its release, that resupply still hasn’t happened. All those retailers are still listing it as out of stock as of me writing this today, and this seems to regularly happen with MSI and its Intel-based handhelds (whether it’s MSI's or Intel’s fault, I’m trying to find out).

So, out of curiosity, I checked eBay to see what that scene was like for the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, and sure enough, some online stores are selling the hard-to-find handheld, but at an even more exorbitant $2,599 – which is an $800 surcharge over retail!

You may be thinking, but sure, it’s eBay, and people can list items for any price, but are people buying them? The answer appears to be yes. One retailer, seen in the above screenshot, had seven of them in stock but has already sold six, giving a real FOMO to anyone eyeing that last one.

To be fair, I did find a seller with one in stock for $2,299.99 (after coupon, plus $20 shipping), so you’re “only” paying $500 over MSRP. Another seller had nine available, with one remaining for $2,499.

But you get the point. Not only is the MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ insanely expensive at retail, but its shortage is driving up its price by $500 to $800, with people buying it. It’s why I’ve always noted on our podcast that PC gaming is recession-proof. No matter how bad the economy gets, or how high prices go, there is usually someone willing to pay for it.

Not the first time this has happened

Back in December, I noted a similar trend for Lenovo’s excellent Legion Go 2 with its giant 8.8” VRR OLED display and removable controllers. It’s a killer combo of a device, even if it’s better suited for your couch than travel.

For whatever reason, Lenovo can’t keep it in stock, so much so that it eventually removed it from its own website despite excellent reviews and, yes, demand for it, as people were paying $650 over retail just to have one.

Interestingly, ASUS has been the king of “you want it, just buy it,” as the original ROG Ally and the newer ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X are still widely available online and at your local Best Buy. Moreover, ASUS hasn’t even raised the price, keeping them at $599 and $999, respectively.

I hope ASUS can maintain those stock and price levels, as both devices are really solid choices for those looking into handheld gaming. Sure, the Ally X pales in performance to the new MSI Claw 8 EX AI+, but it’s still a really good experience with an outstanding design (a design that will improve with the forthcoming Xbox Ally X20 anniversary edition that features a larger OLED display and many smaller fixes; I expect to be reviewing that when it releases, so stay tuned).

So where does that leave you in this silicon soap opera? Has the RAM/NAND crunch shoved your handheld plans into “maybe in 2028” territory, or are you already rationalizing a purchase with phrases like “long-term investment” and “I deserve this”?

Let me know in the comments what your breaking point is for handheld pricing — and whether $2,599 is where you draw the line, or merely where your wallet starts quietly begging for mercy.

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Everyone on the internet is angry. I guess that's nothing new, but are things worse than usual?

Over the past week, the X (Twitter) algorithm has been serving me more negativity than usual. When your feeds are algorithmic, you have to stay cognizant of the fact that the platform has basically engineered what you see. Platforms like X, Instagram, etc. have billions of posts covering thousands upon thousands of topics. What you engage with is ultimately what you end up seeing. For me, that's obviously gaming and Microsoft-adjacent topics.

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For whatever reason, X has been boosting visibility for negativity on a variety of upcoming and recently released games. Wolverine for PS5 for example, is currently the subject of memes and mockery. GTA 6 also has a pretty broad hate campaign going on, and Halo Campaign Evolved too has been picked apart and torn to shreds as well.

Are things worse than usual? Is this par for the course? Have you noticed an upswing in negative discourse? Or is it all symptomatic of something else ...?

How much is grift, how much is genuine?

At least with regards to X, since the platform began paying people for their tweets, it seems to have amplified and incentivized some negative behaviors. Humans seem hard wired to engage with negativity in general, and there's likely evolutionary reasons for it if you dig deep enough — avoiding and mitigating negative outcomes is a survival trait oft-exploited by social media platforms to boost engagement. Everyone knows it. Articles with negative headlines simply get more clicks, with Google etc. use as a positive signal. It's why you'll more often see negative headlines even if the outlet or author in question tries to keep things balanced — positive content simply doesn't surface as often.

I do my absolute best to stay out of it and keep things balanced, but the algorithm doesn't really help my visibility therein. I get as many hate comments saying I'm an Xbox shill as I do saying I'm an Xbox hater, because it's ultimately the algorithm that decides which aspects of my content you see.

It could be a simple case of algorithmic perception here on my end, but I also see an uptick in people commenting on said negativity and nitpicking. Whether it's recent games like Wolverine or hate campaigns against recent movies like Nolan's The Odyssey, needless politicization and polarization seems to be social media strategy du jour right now.

There should always be room for genuine, constructive criticism of course. I'd argue that even less-constructive criticism is valid in a free speech context as long as you know you'll get push back for anything that is either outright dumb or at the very least, ill-conceived.

Where it becomes exhausting is when it's either obviously in bad faith or steeped in some kind of agenda. I think in the case of Wolverine for PS5 for example, it's getting a lot of collateral negativity right now owing to PlayStation's decision to kill physical discs — a plan that has large swaths of the internet up in arms. It reminds me of negative blowback some Xbox One games got back in the day unfairly too in my view, like RYSE, Killer Instinct, and even Titanfall, as Xbox's DRM plan was met with similar consternation fairly or not.

People seem to be mocking Wolverine based on a slice of gameplay that showcases some cinematic gameplay, with users suggesting it seems too "on rails" or something. I'm curious if those users have ever played a cinematic action game before ... because these sequences are hardly representative of the full package. Maybe I'm wrong, but it just seems like hate for the sake of hate, rather than genuine feedback.

Grand Theft Auto 6 also has a huge amount of hate flowing towards it right now, partially for Netflix's "exclusive" trailer, partially for its pay-walling of features behind expensive deluxe editions. People seem to be actively hoping for some of these games to fail, and it all seems to share a common thread.

Sometimes it seems to be less about the gameplay really. People seem to be less tolerant and more aware of corporate greed than I've known in previous years covering this industry, and maybe they're using other avenues to express it — regardless of the collateral.

It feels beyond gaming too

The problem is that the anger is feeding grifters who are less concerned with actual corporate shenanigans, and more interested in riding negativity to highlight a political agenda. Many of these people evidently don't even game with any regularity, and have just seen an opportunity to farm engagement.

Furthermore, I'd argue the grift, political or not, buries legitimate feedback at times. I'm not sure humans were designed to be subjected to 24/7 drip feeds of negativity, least of all individual game developers and creators who aren't responsible for the decisions of their higher ups. I have written some pretty scathing critiques of World of Warcraft's writing in recent months, but I'd hope that they're at least constructive and presented in good faith.

Perhaps people are just generally angry right now too. Wealth inequality has become absurd. Global economies revolve around benefitting the few over the many, with opportunities limited and honest work no longer providing a decent quality of life.

Perhaps gaming is a convenient outlet for expressing anger that isn't necessarily stemming from gaming directly. Gaming companies are visible online and individuals who work there often interact with the public, unlike other types of industries.

It perplexes me somewhat, because I feel as though I've got more high-quality games to play than I've ever had access to in my life. Mortal Shell II just came out and it's awesome, Star Wars Zero Company is on the horizon and that seems awesome too. Gears of War: E-Day plays fantastically well too. Onimusha is almost here, that seems excellent as well from what I've played. Blood of the Dawn Walker looks interesting. There are dozens of indie games I haven't gotten around to yet that I want to play as well.

There's plenty of games that have disappointed me ... but I tend to just move on from those, rather than make hating them my entire personality. They're just video games, right? Something else will come along, something better.

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But I could also be wrong, sure. Maybe I'm naïve and overly optimistic, or am more tolerant of the issues. The gaming industry is facing unprecedented disruption, producing more layoffs than I've ever known since doing this. Traditional gaming audiences are being devoured by non-gaming activities and spend, and users are spending more time in free-to-play games without actually spending any money. Ownership rights are under threat by digitization. It's unclear if our hobby will even be affordable in the future thanks to Team Altman hogging all the RAM.

It's an odd thing: there's more games worth playing than ever, but more reasons to be genuinely concerned about the direction of the industry as well.

What's your take? Is it all just a social media bubble? Are games actually worse than ever? Are people aging out and don't want to accept it? I want to hear your thoughts.

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GitHub is down for thousands of users, potentially costing millions of dollars in lost productivity. Outages started around 9:40 AM ET and affect API requests, pull requests, and webhooks.

The issues also affect Copilot. A massive number of developers and companies rely on GitHub and Copilot to get work done, so even a few hours of serious issues can be costly.

The official GitHub status page states:

"We are experiencing high error rates around 20% for web experiences and api traffic. Archive downloads and raw repository content downloads are experiencing an approximate 50% error rate. SAML and OIDC authentication, SCIM, and Team Sync are also impacted. We are still working to identify the root cause and will continue to post updates as we learn more and perform mitigation."

The cause of the outage is unknown at this time.

"We identified the problematic component and have taken corrective actions. There are strong signs of recovery but we are still working to completely restore service, with error rates still remaining slightly elevated. We will post further updates as recovery continues."

This is a developing story. We will update this piece as more information becomes available.

When I saw the first Mortal Shell 2 trailer, I didn’t think this was a sequel in any way, shape, or form, at least, not until the title screen cropped up. One person on my team said, “Dude, I can’t wait,” which had me super confused. You see, I didn’t really like the original Mortal Shell. Cool concept, but I was very “meh” on it.

So why make a sequel? The first game wasn’t exactly setting the world on fire. It felt clunky and awkward and honestly suffered from a case of the mid. I’ve heard plenty of other Soulslike fans say it wasn’t worth their time, and I’m right there with them.

That’s when I saw gameplay and immediately corrected my original impulse. This wasn’t a sequel; rather, it was an entirely revamped adventure, becoming an experience that I imagine the developers, Cold Symmetry, wanted the original game to be. The world was deliciously dark, painted by brutal combat, adhered to by a diverse set of shells, abilities, and areas for players to blindly lose themselves in.

Mortal Shell 2 is every bit of a do-over that Lords of the Fallen took when they jumped from the first 2014 title to 2023. Expanding, refining, and rediscovering the original hook in a way that not only feels right at home as a Soulslike but also as a rarity, feels unique enough that it’s not a simple Dark Souls knock-off like so many try to be.

This review was conducted using a pre-release code of Mortal Shell 2 provided to Windows Central by Cold Symmetry. The company had no input or prior knowledge of its content.

Mortal Shell 2: Gameplay

Normally, I’d kick things off with a nod to the story, since that can be just as important as gameplay. But this is a Soulslike, so let’s get real and talk about what matters most: the gameplay. And honestly? It’s awesome.

Right out of the gate, the camera settings threw me for a loop. The default is this so-called “Cinematic” over-the-shoulder view, just like the first game, and honestly, it’s not great. Trust me, switch to “Action” mode as soon as you can. You can actually see what’s going on around you, instead of catching the action after it’s already happened.

Then you’ve got your standard light and heavy attacks, ranged combat, and abilities, as well as passive and actionable use items. Followed by multi-use healing items that level up over time and your “Beacons,” which are basically bonfire checkpoints, with that added twist that they must be cleansed via a minidungeon completion to grant special items.

But let’s get to the real star of Mortal Shell 2: the Shells!

If you’re unfamiliar, Mortal Shell is based on the concept of the main character being what is called “The Harbinger”, who has the innate ability to use formerly alive warriors known as “Shells”. These Shells grant the Harbinger unique passive and active abilities for the player to make use of.

Right now, my favorite Shell is Proxima. She zaps enemies from a distance with lightning, yanking lighter foes straight to her or launching herself at the big guys. The lightning staggers them, so you can pile on the hits or make a quick getaway if things get too crowded in the area.

Her passive gives you a shot at cutting incoming damage in half, whether it’s ranged or melee. You can level up both her passives and actives, stacking even more damage resistance or getting extra chances to fry enemies with lightning.

Then you’ve got Shells like Tiel, who turns you invisible after a perfect dodge, or Gragu, who ditches the usual healing item for a “Resonant Heart” that only charges up as you rack up kills. More kills mean more health, easy for the good!

And that’s just scratching the surface. There are eight Shells in total and sixteen weapons, both melee and ranged, and you can mix and match however you want. Most players will have different experiences even with the same Shell, since you can upgrade different abilities with Shell Points or Glimpse and really make each Shell your own.

The list of active and passive abilities further expands these combination opportunities, with things like poison resistance or spectral fighters that summon alongside the player based on a percentage chance of every swing. There’s a lot packed into a $50 game!

With that said, there are some minor "oops, that's not right" moments that occur. Like, I often found my perfect parries failing because the enemy would completely miss my character entirely, and not because I was backing away, but because the enemy just didn't connect.

For fights with foes you need to counter, this can become somewhat frustrating. Other similar issues can crop up during your time, where enemies will fly off in weird directions.

Then there are some weird animations that leave the player open to attack. Like a standard finisher, or some other entangled animation with one enemy can leave you open to an attack from another. Making use of the standard finisher/damage mechanic is somewhat problematic at times. Not always.

Mortal Shell 2: World Design and Story

One of my biggest gripes with the original was the map design. For the Dark Souls diehards out there, the leap from Mortal Shell 1 to 2 feels a lot like going from Dark Souls 2 to Dark Souls 3. If you know, you know. If not, just trust me: it’s a massive upgrade.

For the unknowing, the original Mortal Shell’s map design felt overly complex, if only for the sake of being so. It lacked defining characteristics or landmarks and needlessly pushed backtracking, which made it very easy to get lost.

This time, the devs clearly listened. The new map gave me that same rush I felt exploring Dark Souls 3 for the first time. There’s a central hub, but most of the world is split into huge, sprawling areas you can get lost in for hours with no random teleport zones breaking up the flow.

More than once, I’d pick a direction and end up wandering through hidden side areas I had no plan to visit. Maybe a well, a tucked-away passage, or some secret spot with a new weapon or Shell. The world opens up in a way that feels planned, not just random happenstance like before.

I know I said in the beginning that Mortal Shell 2 wasn’t a knock-off of Dark Souls, and I stand by that, but there are some definite nods, or moments where the developers are paying homage to the greats of FromSoftware.

Small spoiler alert, but there’s an entire area dedicated to poison-based creatures. Sure, I didn’t have to wade through endless puddles, ponds, and literal lakes of Scarlet Rot, but we all know there’s one studio that invented these horrible areas.

Then, there’s the main nurturing character or NPC that guides you, and that’s none other than a rather largely endowed woman who looks awkwardly close to Gwynevere from Dark Souls 1. Like, if you’re not making a double-take for the first reason I listed, you’ll do it only because it's a definite Dark Souls mention.

A story that makes sense?

The story is a little more straightforward than your usual Soulslike, but only just. Don’t expect to have everything spelled out for you.

You’re the Harbinger, a being of existence born from one of the uncorrupted Ova or unborn eggs of the Undermother. Your mission is to reclaim the Undermother’s stolen Ova from the creatures, fanatics, and forces that now guard or corrupt them in the world.

After the first game, the Undermother’s corpse crashed down into the world. People started worshipping her remains, and for a while, things were actually peaceful.

That peace didn’t last. Corruption leaked out of her corpse, madness spread, and most of the Ova got tainted or lost. War broke out, temples fell, and the world filled up with mutants, raiders, and cultists.

Most of the Undermother’s unborn kids didn’t make it. You, the Harbinger, are one of the rare survivors, ready to set things right in a world gone sideways.

Most of this story you’ll have to piece together from clues, item descriptions, and cryptic NPC chats. If you’re like me, you’ll probably end up reading someone else’s summary just to make sense of it all, just like I did with Dark Souls and Elden Ring.

I’m someone who can only focus on so many things at once, and for me, I was always more worried about checking every corner for leveling items, shells, weapons, and other trinkets. Even this style of player will be hard-pressed to avoid all story!

After powering up Shells, a total of five memories can be unlocked for each, granting the player a glance into what led to their demise. Whether it be betrayal, self-infliction, or some other circumstance. Each is easily followed along with as the player gains access to more Shell Points and Glimpse.

Mortal Shell 2: Performance and graphics

Our copy of Mortal Shell 2 was reviewed via Steam, using two of my personal computers. A desktop with an RTX 5080, Ryzen 9800X3D, and 64GB of DDR5 RAM at 4K resolution and a gaming laptop with a mobile 4060 at 1080p.

For the most part, I had absolutely amazing performance at either High or Ultra settings, both with and without ray tracing enabled. Very infrequently, I’d notice some frame rate drops, but they were so rare for me that I think I could count them on a single hand.

Given the number of terribly performing games that I’ve reviewed over the last couple of years, it’s so refreshing to get a title that just plays the way it's supposed to while not having to worry about fiddling with one or two overly problematic settings.

I did run into some issues here and there with bugs. Most notably, issues with hit detection or the occasional tutorial message stuck on my screen.

Even more surprising is that Mortal Shell 2 runs on Unreal Engine 5! Something I wasn’t even sure of until I went searching through interviews and game information on the developers' website. Maybe now that Unreal Engine 6 has been announced, developers have finally figured out how to use 5 correctly; yay!

The payoff is that the look and feel of Mortal Shell 2 are awe-inspiring, to the point I legitimately felt irritated there wasn’t a camera mode to take advantage of for screenshots. Instead, many of the shots you’ll see throughout this review are either pulled from in-game cutscenes or cropped from stills I took roaming the area.

Should you buy Mortal Shell 2?

There’s a ton more I could say about this game, but I’d rather not have my editor hunt me down, and honestly, I don’t want to spoil the fun for anyone.

Mortal Shell 2 caught me off guard, not just because it beat my low expectations but because it’s actually a blast to play. Sure, the opening tutorial is the usual slow crawl, but after that, I kept getting that jolt of excitement every time I hit a new area or tackled a fresh Beacon.

I generally don’t feel that way when it comes to Soulslike games from other studios not named Fromsoftware, and it’s not because those titles are bad by any stretch, but they infrequently hold the same level of magic.

Mortal Shell 2 joins the elite group of exceptions to this rule, one that I think I won’t stand alone on. I don’t think I’ll stand alone, and I’m very convinced of putting my stamp of approval on it.

Anyone who enjoys the genre should absolutely look to pick Mortal Shell 2 up. Even with the issues listed, these are far outpaced by the strengths of the game, making an overall sum total that's vast and terrific (many of which I imagine will be largely patched).

I have the strangest feeling that Mortal Shell has a real shot at becoming a grander franchise over time, with a crowd of folks that will be clamoring for yet a third entry. I know I won’t make the same mistake I did before. At this point, I expect more games to come. And yes, I said games.

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I haven't seen a sane GPU price in what feels like almost a year, and the landscape isn't getting any better for gamers.

The NVIDIA RTX 5090, which arrived at a $1,999 MSRP in 2025, is now listed at Newegg starting at $4,799.99. The MSI Ventus 3X OC is indeed the lowest price I could find, and there are other options that push well beyond $5,000.

Bad luck if you're shopping for a new RTX 5090 alone. The high-end of NVIDIA's consumer GPU stack has become inaccessible for the average gamer, and there's no real alternative in sight.

Well, that's sort of true. While perusing various storefronts this morning, it quickly became evident that I can buy an entire pre-built gaming PC with an RTX 5090 inside for less than the card alone.

HP's Omen 45L desktop is my prime example. It has an NVIDIA RTX 5090 GPU, an Intel Core Ultra 7 265K CPU, 16GB of DDR5-6000 RAM, a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, and everything else you need for a full build.

At the time of writing, this Omen 45L model costs $4,389.99. That's $410 less than the cheapest RTX 5090 listed on Newegg. Of course, the Omen 45L is on sale, with a regular price of $5,379.99. That's still less than the ASUS TUF Gaming RTX 5090 model, which sits at $5,429 on Newegg.

Buy a pre-built gaming PC for the card and sell the rest?

The math gets more upside down when you factor in all the extra hardware you get with a pre-built PC.

The Omen 45L's CPU adds about $300, the 16GB of Kingston Fury DDR5-6000 RAM adds about $330, and the 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD adds roughly $200. That's about $800 worth of extra components before even considering the 1200W PSU, motherboard, cooling, and case.

I can imagine a lot of readers will see this and wonder why they don't just buy a pre-built, remove the RTX 5090, and sell the rest of the components. I'm wondering the same thing.

HP isn't the only place that I'm seeing this pricing deficit in effect. Over at iBuyPower, I put together a system with an Intel Core i5-14400F CPU, 32GB of DDR5 RAM, a 1TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, a 1000W PSU, and an NVIDIA RTX 5090 that costs $5,596.

With the right initiative to sell the extra components, you could definitely end up paying less or the same for a standalone card and still end up with some extra hardware for future upgrades.

Why are GPU prices so high in 2026?

The current state of GPU prices is due to the ongoing RAM and storage crisis that's sending NAND, DRAM, and other PC component prices into deep space.

As a result of the VRAM that goes into these cards hitting such high costs, NVIDIA jacked up the prices of GPU kits for its board partners (companies like ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, and Zotac that build full GPUs using NVIDIA's kit) in July. Shortly after, it was reported that the hike could go as high as 30%.

We're now starting to feel those price hikes at retailers, as evidenced above. I suspect that HP's prices will also eventually be on the rise, but there are different market factors at play.

OEM builders can lock in large supplies of parts at a lower cost, so prices often don't catch up until after regular consumers begin to see them. I saw the same thing happen with Windows laptops this year. Components eventually run out, companies have to buy more, and those new costs are then passed down to consumers.

There's one caveat: when I reviewed the Omen Max 45L, I noticed that the RTX 5080 is a custom unit designed by HP. The same applies to the RTX 5090. Does that really matter? Not really. It's still NVIDIA's GPU inside, and my testing showed no difference compared to standalone cards.

Whatever happens to HP's pre-built PC pricing, there's no denying that the entire PC market is in chaos. You might not love the idea of a pre-built PC, but I definitely recommend seeing what's out there before you buy a standalone RTX GPU. You might just end up with a whole lot more than you expected for a lower price.

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A former Microsoft engineer is working on a way to make Live Tiles relevant in 2026. Jeff Fritz, who worked at Microsoft until last month, has been showcasing an app called DayFrame on several of his recent live streams.

DayFrame is what happens when Windows Phone and Outlook have a baby. The app features a persistent hub with shortcuts to your email, calendar, contacts, and other tools. The layout is inspired by Windows Phone and would look natural on a Lumia smartphone.

Fans of retro Windows design will appreciate the Live -Tile-inspired interface, icons, and text. Though the app is built with classic Windows UI elements in mind, the experience won't be exclusive to PC. DayFrame will be available on both Windows and Mac when it ships.

"Instead of juggling separate apps, DayFrame gives every part of your personal world a home behind a single shell," reads the DayFrame website. "A persistent tile rail on the left keeps your modules one tap away — bold, square, unmistakably blue — while the main pane shows whatever you're focused on right now."

Sadly, the app is not available yet and is simply listed as "Coming soon." But Fritz mentioned on X that a private preview for the app should be available in the next week or so.

Fritz notes that the screenshots shown on the DayFrame website are of "real, running code," so they're more than just design mockups.

DayFrame is designed to be expanded over time. Each module is built independently and tested separately, which allows Fritz to add new modules without affecting preexisting ones.

The concept behind DayFrame is intriguing. A lot of apps feel like cookie-cutter tools made with templates. While DayFrame is inspired by Windows Phone, it takes the familiar layout and builds on it.

I'd love to see DayFrame be embraced by a community of developers after it comes out. Maybe we'll see some unique modules added to the app.

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I'm a big fan of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) not least because I like Linux, and it means I can run it from the same PC as Windows 11 without the need for virtual machines or dual-booting.

It's been around for quite a while now and is a pretty powerful tool for developers, especially, and it's come to light that for Canonical, at least, WSL might soon be the biggest source of users of Ubuntu.

It comes to light from comments made by Canonical's VP of Engineering, Jon Seagar, actually back in April to The Pragmatic Engineer‘s Gergely Orosz spotted by the team over at Windows Latest.

Not only is Ubuntu growth on WSL continuing to increase, it's actually starting to outpace the desktop. So much so that it's expected that Ubuntu on WSL will soon be bigger than native Ubuntu use.

Obviously Linux is more than just Ubuntu, and its overall use is still dwarfed by Windows 11. But Ubuntu is one of the biggest distros, and this is pretty interesting to hear.

WSL does have GUI support for apps, but it's not the same as running a full desktop, but in most cases, developers and system admins don't need a full desktop. The terminal is just fine, and WSL has seamless integration into Microsoft's VS Code as well.

I've written in the past that WSL is a great tool to use to learn about Linux as a beginner since you can fire it up within the comfortable surroundings of your existing Windows 11 PC. But that same principle can apply for professionals who need access to both.

It's convenient and gives access to the Linux tools needed, including nowadays for AI, and some tools are built specifically for or work best on Linux. But with WSL you have integration with your existing Windows 11 file system.

I use probably 5% of the potential of WSL on my own PC, but it's still one of the first things I set up whenever I'm moving on to a new machine. You're not limited to Ubuntu, either, with Fedora my own distro of preference. But there's plenty to choose from.

Microsoft keeps improving it, too. The most recent development is WSL Containers, and it even has its own version of Linux now for users to deploy in Azure Linux. There are still plenty of cases for having a bare-metal Linux machine, but with Windows 11 and WSL working together, you've got a hybrid that's good enough for many.

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I was at Computex this year when NVIDIA's RTX Spark System-on-Chip (SoC) was revealed to the world, and from the start, I had a hunch that it would be a big deal.

A powerful chip for Windows on ARM that can run every Windows app ever made? That was one of NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang's first promises.

With Microsoft as its launch partner, the Surface Laptop Ultra was one of the first RTX Spark laptops announced, but ASUS was right up there with its ProArt P16 and ProArt P14, two laptops I got to see firsthand in Taipei.

Incredibly sleek and streamlined, these laptops were a smash hit on the show floor. Apparently, they're also far more popular than ASUS was expecting.

In a recent ASUS Q2 earnings call, it was revealed that the company is completely out of ProArt P14 and P16 units to ship to its partners (aka third-party retailers and distributors) as part of pre-order efforts.

More RTX Spark laptops are on the way, of course, and ASUS has some time to shore up supplies before the planned Q4 2026 release of the new Spark-powered ProArt PCs.

It's too bad that the earnings call doesn't mention anything about exact volumes, because it's hard to say exactly how popular these laptops really are. However, ASUS says that it's "very optimistic about next year's sales" thanks to the "high AI computing power relative to its compact size" in the RTX Spark laptops.

What is NVIDIA's RTX Spark?

NVIDIA's RTX Spark is an ARM-powered SoC that's expected to compete directly with the likes of Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm for space in Windows 11 PCs.

I covered rumors of the "N1X" chip for months in the lead-up to Computex 2026, and indeed it seems just as powerful and efficient as pre-announcement estimates.

Spark takes efficient ARM-based CPU cores similar to those found in Qualcomm Snapdragon chips and pairs them with an NVIDIA Blackwell RTX GPU, all while drawing from a unified memory setup that can hit 128GB.

This combination allows for massive performance that can shred standard and AI-related tasks without requiring a bulky discrete GPU.

Throw these chips into ASUS ProArt laptops with "all-day-long" battery life, wide port variety, super slim bodies, and 4K OLED displays, and it's easy to see why there's so much interest from retail partners.

(via VideoCardz)

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Less than one year after being launched in preview and before leaving testing, the COPILOT function in Excel is going away. The function never shipped to general availability, but it could be used by Frontier and Insider users since August 2025.

The COPILOT function allowed users to use natural language to place prompts into spreadsheets. For example, you could use it to summarize text or categorize feedback. The function could also look up information from the web.

While useful, the function had serious limits. Microsoft stated that people should not use the COPILOT function for numerical calculations, responses that require context from other parts of a workbook, or any tasks with "legal, regulatory or compliance implications."

Considering how many people use Excel for important work and calculations, those limits are quite restrictive.

Microsoft's explanation of why the feature is going away lacks details. Instead, it primarily focuses on the fact that Copilot in Excel is still available in the side pane:

"Beginning September 14, 2026, the =COPILOT function in Microsoft Excel will no longer be available. This function is currently offered as a preview feature through the Insider and Frontier programs.

Customers can continue using Copilot in Excel through the Copilot side pane, which provides many of the same AI-powered capabilities, including summarizing text, classifying data, generating content, and retrieving information from the web. This change helps streamline the Copilot experience within Excel while continuing to provide AI assistance through a supported interface."

Users will not be able to create new formulas using the COPILOT function after September 14, 2026.

Windows Central take

It appears Microsoft may be reining in Copilot a bit. The AI tool is still part of the company's plans, but in a more controlled manner.

Microsoft has a unified Copilot experience that merges Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot. We've also seen some Copilot features go away or be limited over the last few months.

Earlier this summer I argued that the free version of Copilot is starting to feel like a tech demo designed to push paid tiers. I still think that's the case, but if Microsoft is going to push Copilot, it's best to do so with a plan.

Since the launch of Copilot, it's felt like Microsoft threw everything at the wall to see what sticks. The Copilot brand was diluted and there were dozens of different apps with Copilot in the name. Anything even remotely related to AI was attached to Copilot in some way, making the term almost meaningless.

Whether it's because Microsoft decided that strategy was a mistake or it's just had enough time to assess what properly stuck, the next wave of Copilot feels more targeted.

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Monitors generally last so long that I often forget how significant an upgrade can be, but seeing some of the 4K displays and OLED panels in our recent reviews always proves they're among the best investments you can make. After all, you're looking at your PC monitor most of the time, so it's worth it.

• Back to school deals up to $900 off PCs and more at Dell

Sure enough, Dell is offering generous discounts on some of the best monitors we've tested, including a gaming variant in its Alienware subbrand. If you're thinking about a screen upgrade for your new semester, now's the right time to buy. Here's my curated collection of Dell monitors that are easy to recommend.

Does Dell make good monitors?

Dell has consistently impressed my team and me with each monitor that we've sampled — and in some cases permanently adopted — with accurate color representation on sharp panels with good contrast. Their construction is consistently above average, too, often with a toolless setup and included stands offering plenty of tilt and swivel adjustment options.

With its $200 saving, the 32 Plus 4K QD-OLED (S3225QC) stands out as the best deal, and we particularly praised its five-speaker array for delivering "some of the best audio you'll hear in a monitor or TV". Indeed, it includes a two-piece toolless stand for a straightforward setup and affordable access to a Quantum Dot OLED (QD-OLED) panel with "perfect" contrast.

One of the most important considerations is connectivity and whether your existing PCs and devices can connect to the monitor you buy. For example, the S3225QC offers a gorgeous panel, but it's limited to a single HDMI port and two USB-C ports — one of which supports DisplayPort 1.4 output — but there's nothing for a traditional full-sized DisplayPort cable.

The opposite side of that coin is the UltraSharp 27 4K (U2725QE) with its Thunderbolt Hub and two DisplayPort options, HDMI, alongside a positively huge array of USB-A and USB-C ports. For gamers, responsiveness matters more, and the Alienware AW3425DW dominates with a 240Hz refresh rate and a 0.03ms response time built into a 21:9 (3440 x 1440) panel.

Overall, our own testing proved that Dell monitors are great picks for practically anyone. Nevertheless, you should always consider your needs, including which display size best fits your desk setup (or whether you'll use a mounting arm over the included stands). Right now, availability is healthy at Dell's US store, with fast delivery times.

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Microsoft is finally paying more attention to some of the oldest parts of Windows 11, and I hope it doesn't stop with the obvious ones.

For years, the operating system has had a strange split personality. Some parts of the system look and feel as if they were designed specifically for Windows 11, while others still feel like they were carried over from much older versions. But that's slowly starting to change.

Microsoft has been modernizing parts of Windows 11 for years, gradually updating interfaces that have remained largely unchanged. We've seen this work arriving in the Run dialog, Task Manager, shell controls, parts of File Explorer, and many other areas. Recently, however, Microsoft has been talking more openly about the challenges of modernizing deeply embedded components and developing the tools and frameworks needed to make that work easier without breaking the functionality people still depend on.

That's encouraging because I don't think the operating system needs another redesign just for a new coat of paint. There are much more important parts that deserve Microsoft's attention.

In particular, there are three classic tools I would like to see Microsoft modernize next, including Device Manager, Event Viewer, and Services.

And when the company eventually gets to work on these tools, I don't want "cheap" replacements that hide the advanced options. I want modern designs that preserve everything the existing tools can do while making them considerably easier to use.

In this guide, I'll highlight the legacy tools I want the company to update with a design that aligns with the style of Windows 11.

1. Device Manager

Device Manager is probably the most obvious place for Microsoft to continue.

It remains one of the first places I go when troubleshooting hardware or driver problems. Yet the experience has barely evolved compared with the rest of the system.

The basic workflow still revolves around expanding a tree of hardware categories, right-clicking a device, opening properties, and digging through a collection of tabs.

It works, but it doesn't feel like a modern tool a regular user would use. Microsoft could turn Device Manager into a much more useful hardware management experience without removing any of its existing capabilities.

I would like to see a modern hardware manager with a proper search box, better filtering, and a more useful device overview.

For example, selecting a graphics card could immediately show the device name and manufacturer, the current driver version and date, and the device state, in addition to options to roll back, uninstall the device, and enable controls.

The important part is that Microsoft shouldn't simply move the existing tree into a prettier WinUI 3 window.

It should rethink how the information is presented. If the system knows a device isn't working correctly, I shouldn't have to hunt through several tabs to find out. The interface should tell me.

Something as simple as a clear status indicator saying "This device is working normally" or "Windows detected a problem with this device" would make the tool considerably more approachable.

At the same time, the company should retain the advanced information that administrators and enthusiasts rely on.

2. Event Viewer

Event Viewer is one of those tools that has plenty of useful information, but finding the information you actually need can be difficult, especially for someone who doesn't use the tool every day.

The bigger problem is that Microsoft already has a better way to understand system problems. Reliability Monitor. It gives you a timeline of crashes, warnings, and other problems, making it much easier to see when something went wrong. However, when you need more details, you're sent back to Event Viewer.

That's where I think Microsoft could do better. Instead of maintaining separate experiences, the company could combine the best parts of Reliability Monitor and Event Viewer into one modern troubleshooting tool.

For example, I should be able to see a timeline of Windows 11 and app problems, search and filter events, group related events, and quickly identify crashes, driver problems, and service failures.

3. Services

The Services console is another tool I'd like the company to modernize, but not because it lacks information. The existing tool already gives you a lot.

In the Extended view, I can select a service and see its description, while the main list shows its status and startup type. Opening the properties gives me even more options, including dependencies, recovery settings, and the account used to run the service.

The problem is that the overall experience still feels like a management console from another era. For example, search could be one of the new features that should make it possible to search for Windows Update, Bluetooth, networking, or even an executable name and quickly find the related services.

Dependencies could also be easier to understand. The information is already there, but I have to open the properties and look through another tab to see it. A modern interface could show those relationships more clearly.

That would be especially useful when troubleshooting. If one service isn't working because another isn't running, Windows 11 could make that relationship clear instead of leaving me to figure it out myself.

I don't want the company to simplify Services by removing its advanced options. I want it to keep everything that's already there and make the tool easier to search, navigate, and understand.

And then there's Task Scheduler

Task Scheduler is another example in which Microsoft already has many of the pieces I would want in a modern tool.

The Create Basic Task wizard makes creating a simple task relatively straightforward. It walks you through the task's name and description, when it should run, what triggers it, and what action it should perform. The problem comes when you need to go beyond the basics.

The full Task Scheduler interface offers a large number of options across multiple tabs, making it difficult to understand how everything fits together. Triggers, actions, conditions, settings, history, and security options are all there, but the experience hasn't evolved much. And that's where I think Microsoft could make a difference.

In this case, I wouldn't want the company to change those advanced options. Instead, it could build a modern interface around them, making it easier to understand what a task does, why it runs, what it launches, and whether it's working correctly. All, while keeping the existing advanced configuration available when needed.

Again, the functionality isn't necessarily the problem. The experience is.

If Microsoft isn't sure where to start, there's already an open-source project called FluentTaskScheduler, which I recently covered, that offers a modern take on the Task Scheduler experience.

Some legacy tools don't need a replacement

I'm fine with Microsoft moving Disk Management into the Settings app because it's already heading in that direction with Disks & volumes.

The same applies to Computer Management. I don't think the company needs to create a modern version of the entire console. A lot of the tools inside it already exist separately, including Device Manager, Services, Event Viewer, and Task Scheduler.

The parts that remain particularly useful, such as Shared Folders and Local Users and Groups, could eventually receive their own modern experiences. Or these could become part of the "Accounts" settings.

Microsoft doesn't need to reinvent these tools

I don't expect the software giant to rebuild every classic utility from scratch. I also don't think every legacy tool needs to disappear.

Some of these tools exist because the operating system has accumulated decades of functionality, compatibility requirements, and enterprise dependencies. Microsoft has already acknowledged that replacing deeply integrated components isn't as simple as building a new interface and deleting the old one because of functionality and compatibility.

That's why I like the direction Microsoft appears to be taking. The company recently indicated that it is looking to modernize the Registry Editor, one of the oldest and most recognizable administrative tools in the operating system. At the same time, the company has already been experimenting with a new Print Management app inside Windows 11 Insider builds, showing that some of these long-standing management experiences can be replaced with dedicated modern apps rather than simply being given a new coat of paint.

Microsoft doesn't need to modernize the operating system by throwing away everything that came before it. It can take the functionality people already depend on, put it behind a better interface, and gradually roll these experiences into Windows 11.

Device Manager, Event Viewer, and Services would be a very good place to start.

If the company can modernize those tools while preserving the advanced functionality that makes them useful, I'll take that over another visual refresh any day.

Which classic tool do you think Microsoft should modernize next, and what would you change about it? 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

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Keyboard switches used to be a fairly niche topic. Enthusiasts knew what they wanted and sought it out, while more casual gamers and typists just went with what seemed best.

I'm talking about the feel, the sound, and the speed — not to forget pricing, durability, hot-swap support, and layout, especially when getting into gaming keyboards.

But the days of switches being an enthusiast's niche are over. Hall Effect and optical switches are enjoying a mainstream push, especially in gaming hardware, and the less flashy keyboards for office work are also seeing some major upgrades.

These advancements can make buying a new keyboard in 2026 a confusing endeavor. You step away for a few months, and it feels like there's a completely new set of literature to read up on.

I'm here to lay out the main types of different keyboard switches you may encounter, helping you get the perfect hardware for your needs.

What are mechanical keyboard switches?

Mechanical switches are the baseline for keyboards. When the keycap is pressed, a stem compresses a spring, and two separate metal contacts touch to complete a circuit and let your PC know you've performed a keystroke.

Mechanical boards are popular because they allow for quick swapping of keycaps (and in many cases, the switches themselves) without needing any special tools. If you're just starting on your path down the keyboard rabbit hole, a mechanical option is likely your best bet.

You might have heard of Cherry MX before, and that's because it's the company that essentially created the mechanical keyboard in the 1980s. It's still the default switch today, with many competitors attempting to outdo its creations.

There are three basic versions of mechanical switches that you'll most often encounter when shopping: Linear, Tactile, and Clicky.

Linear switches

Linear switches offer a smooth feel from the top through to the bottom. There's no noticeable bump when you hit the actuation point (in this case, the two metal contacts coming together), and there's minimal noise while typing.

Cherry MX Red and Cherry MX Black switches are probably best known, but there are also Speed Silver, Silent Red, and Low Profile Speed options.

Linear switches are great for PC gaming because they're generally faster and more consistent when the action gets going. The fact that they don't make noise is also a boon, especially if you're gaming in a shared space.

Tactile switches

Tactile switches are a common ground between linear and clicky. They offer a small, noticeable bump at the actuation point without adding a loud click.

Cherry MX Brown is the classic example of a tactile switch. They're sought after by gamers and typists alike who prefer having that little bit of pressure to let them know that a keystroke has been made.

Clicky switches

Clicky switches are what I consider the "extreme" version. They offer the same noticeable bump as tactile switches when the actuation point is hit, but a loud click follows.

Some typists and gamers prefer the heavier feel and the loud click (especially if you're going for a retro vibe), but that audible feedback can definitely get annoying over time.

Cherry MX Blue switches are the default example here, but there are also Green and Ultra Low Profile clicky switches to watch out for.

Cherry MX's competition in the mechanical market

Cherry MX remains the brand that's best known, and it has been upgrading its switches to better compete with new competitors. For example, its MX2A lineup with a redesigned stem helps make its switches feel a lot smoother.

This innovation to compete is driven by companies like Gateron, Kailh, and Glorious that have jumped on expiring patents to create their own mechanical switches. They generally fall into the same three basic mechanical switch categories, so it's not too difficult to figure out what's best for you.

What are optical keyboard switches?

Optical keyboard switches are a lot like their mechanical counterparts. They use the same stem-and-spring setup, but there are no metal contacts to form a circuit when pressed.

Instead, optical switches place a beam of infrared light below each key. When you press a keycap, that beam is interrupted, and your PC recognizes a keystroke.

The main benefits of an optical switch are durability and response. There are no metal contacts to wear out, and keypresses are usually registered just a bit faster.

When I think of optical switches, I usually think of Razer. It's the brand spearheading this tech most of the time; its Analog Optical Gen-2 switches in the Razer Huntsman V3 Pro are a perfect example. There are, however, competing brands.

Optical switches offer things like adjustable actuation (making keys easier or harder to register keystrokes) and rapid trigger mode (allowing for faster repeated presses).

Most optical switches are hot-swappable like their mechanical counterparts. However, the main catch is that optical switches can't be added to mechanical keyboards, and vice versa, due to different circuit technology underlying each option.

What are Hall Effect keyboard switches?

I first began hearing about "Hall Effect" to do with controller joysticks some years ago, but the tech actually originated with keyboards way back in the 1960s. Hall Effect seems to have now become the upgrade choice for many gamers in 2026.

Hall Effect works by placing a magnet in the switch's stem. A separate sensor measures how far the switch travels based on magnetic strength, meaning there's no actual physical or optical activation required.

This opens Hall Effect switches up to far more customization options than mechanical or optical hardware. Actuation distances can be fine-tuned, often as low as 0.1 mm, as in the Razer Huntsman V3 HE Magnetic we recently reviewed.

Because Hall Effect switches offer such tight customization and because there are fewer mechanical parts to wear out, they're becoming much more popular in PC gaming circles.

It was Wooting that really kicked this category off in the early 2020s, but since then, companies like SteelSeries, ASUS, Corsair, Keychron, Logitech, and the aforementioned Razer have jumped into the market.

What are Topre switches?

The final switch category I'm covering separately is Topre. These are capacitive switches designed by a Japanese company of the same name, and they're proving to be popular amongst people who type all day every day.

They work by combining a rubber dome on top of a spring. A sensor detects when the dome compresses (aka when you press down on the keycap) and registers a keystroke. It's a lot like Hall Effect, where there's no circuit to complete, but they have a softer feel that doesn't bottom out as hard.

Keyboards using Topre switches, like those from RealForce, are generally more expensive, but for some people, that extra money might save them from serious typing fatigue.

Other types of switches worth mentioning

The switches I mentioned above are the major options you'll find when shopping for a new keyboard. But there are a few others worth mentioning.

Mechanical, optical, and Hall Effect switches sometimes come in a low-profile option, which just means that the keycaps are not nearly as high. You'll sometimes find these keyboards installed in high-end gaming laptops, but there are plenty of standalone options available as well.

For budget keyboards, you're almost always going to find membrane or scissor switches in play. They're generally quiet, cheap, and relatively comfortable. The big problem? They don't usually last nearly as long, and they don't feel nearly as nice to type on.

Which type of keyboard switch should you buy?

So, with all the keyboard switch info in mind, which one should you buy? Our guides to the best keyboards and best gaming keyboards are great places to start, but let me break it down into the different categories of PC users who care most about their hardware.

Competitive PC gamers should seriously consider investing in a Hall Effect keyboard. They're more durable, they offer extreme precision, and they can be customized to your liking. Optical switches can also do a great job here if you'd rather skip the magnetic setup.

Casual PC gamers might want to splurge on Hall Effect or optical switches, and there's nothing wrong with that. But for the majority, classic mechanical switches, whether linear, clicky, or tactile, will do a great job of keeping up with repeated keypresses. You won't have to spend as much, and you can still have a lot of fun customizing your board.

For professional typists or programmers, I recommend a tactile mechanical switch. You still get a comfortable setup and extra durability, without all the extra noise that might annoy you or those around you over time. If you have the budget, this is where Topre switches can also be super appreciated.

And if you're on a budget, you can always check out a cheaper mechanical switch. There are plenty of options available at the low end of the market. And if you really don't care? Just get a cheapo membrane keyboard and forget everything you just read.

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Windows 11 has a major update on the way, and that update promises to address some of the loudest complaints about the operating system. August is traditionally a slow month for Windows news, but thanks to some previews of what’s on the way next month, we have a lot to talk about.

Microsoft’s refreshed taskbar, customizable Start menu, and other improvements are all in the final stages of testing. Microsoft confirmed that a major Windows update is on the way very soon. But my question is, should that major update have been Windows 12?

Biggest News of the Week

It’s worth asking what a new operating system even is in 2026. As opposed to historical upgrades, the kernel and underlying code base of Windows stays largely the same when jumping between major version numbers. We’re well past the days of major architectural changes or code based swaps that make old software incompatible, at least when it comes to computers.

Is a new Start menu or a revamped taskbar set of options enough to justify calling a new OS Windows 12? Perhaps a revamped Settings app or an upgraded core experience for connecting your phone to your PC is enough to do it. There’s a fine line between a UI overhaul and a fresh coat of paint when it comes to making a new operating system.

Is the Damage Already Done?

The core question about keeping the Windows 11 name or upgrading to Windows 12 is if the damage has already been done or, in other words, is it even possible to save Windows 11 in the eyes of the public?

Windows 11 launched in controversy. The minimum requirements of the operating system made millions of PCs ineligible for an upgrade. Other decisions from Microsoft, such as rebuilding the taskbar without all of the options available in previous versions of Windows, also drew criticism.

I’m among the critics of Windows 11. I’ve pointed out several of the flaws in the operating system and mistakes I feel Microsoft has made. But I’m also a newswriter for a niche website that focuses on Windows. The general public may not be so passionate.

If Windows 11 is a lost cause, Microsoft should gather together a bunch of the changes from the Windows K2 initiative and package them into Windows 12.

Learning the Right Lessons

If there ever is a Windows 12, I’m worried that Microsoft would have it focused on the wrong things. One of my favorite podcasts often says Hollywood learns the wrong lessons when a movie makes money. I think that could be the case with Windows 12.

Microsoft is trying to be better with Windows 11 and its K2 initiative shows promising signs, but part of me still worries that the higher-ups of Microsoft will think AI PCs are the future and use the sales of Copilot+ PCs to justify a Windows 12 centered around artificial intelligence.

But it’s not that Copilot+ PCs are must-have devices and that consumers are running into stores to find PCs capable of running AI. If you make the models of the best-selling PCs Copilot+ PCs and then those computers continue to sell, that’s not a sign that people want Copilot+ PCs. If you cram AI into every computer on the market, you can’t then justify making Windows 12 AI-focused by saying every PC is AI capable.

A hypothetical Windows 12 should be about moving past the stains that cover Windows 11. It will have been long enough since people bought new PCs that the TPM 2.0 requirement will not be as big of a deal. Additionally, Microsoft will have fixed the major user interface issues that have drawn so many complaints over the years.

Shopping with Sean

My top pick for shoppers this week is the XPS 14 (2025). That laptop is still on sale and is still one of the best bargains available. I love the XPS 14's design and a $1,150 discount on a PC with 32GB of RAM is rare these days.

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Last month, I revealed that Microsoft was hard at work on a redesigned context menu system for Windows 11 that's designed to make them faster and more customizable. Now, we've got our first look at the new context menu customization features, discovered hidden in the latest Windows 11 preview builds, and I've been trying them out!

Soon, you'll see a new customize menu option appear at the bottom of the context menu. When selected, you'll be taken into the Windows Settings app where you'll see a wide array of new options that allow you to configure the layout and actions that appear within the context menu.

The toggleable actions presented to the user are:

• Send to
• Prin
• Create shortcut
• Copy as path
• Rotate image
• App extensions
• Arrange primary actions inline
• Keep cloud storage actions in their own section

These options allow users to hide certain actions that they might not often use, speeding up the context menu in the process. Additionally, Microsoft is adding an option that lets you change how actions like cut, copy, and paste appear within the menu.

By default, these primary actions appear at the top of the menu in a horizontal layout. This new option will let users restore how they used to appear on Windows 10 and older, where they are listed vertically alongside the other actions within the menu.

It's also worth noting that by default, the context menu has most actions disabled automatically. That means the context menu will be fast for users automatically when these changes roll out, and you'll have to head into the customization options to add back any actions you find useful.

These new customization options are really great to see, and show that Microsoft is finally listening to feedback when it comes to common UI surface such as the context menu.

The legacy Windows context menu is also still present, and while it no longer appears as an option in the context menu by default, you can still go in and enable that action if that's something you find yourself using. Notably, there's still no option to set the legacy context menu to be the default experience.

In the meantime, we know the new customizable context menu options are imminent, with an announcement from Microsoft expected in the next week or two.

Thanks to phantomofearth for discovering and helping me enable the feature to try out!

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When Microsoft made the launch of Windows 11 back in October 2021, the company touted it as the biggest visual redesign of the operating system in years. The centered Start menu, redesigned Taskbar, rounded corners, and refreshed interface gave the system a cleaner, more modern look while introducing new productivity features like Snap Layouts and a redesigned Microsoft Store.

Although the operating system now looked fresh and modern, the first release left plenty of room for improvement. A lot of the features that users were familiar with from Windows 10 were either missing or had been scaled back. File Explorer did not have tabs, the Taskbar lost several customization options, and many advanced settings still sent users to the Control Panel.

Furthermore, even the new right-click menu could make simple tasks take an extra step. Also, adding to the mix were some early performance problems and a mix of new and old interfaces, and Windows 11 often felt like an operating system that was still being put together.

Five years later, the operating system has evolved considerably. Microsoft has delivered annual feature updates, dozens of cumulative updates, thousands of bug fixes, and an expanding set of AI-powered capabilities. Along the way, the company has restored requested features, improved performance, modernized more of the interface, and refined many of the areas that drew criticism at launch.

That doesn't necessarily mean every change has been for the better. While the operating system has become faster, more capable, and more polished, Microsoft has also introduced new requirements and experiences that some users view as steps backward, such as a greater emphasis on Microsoft accounts and online services during setup.

So, how different is Windows 11 today compared to the version that debuted in 2021?

In this guide, I'll compare the two side by side to see how much the operating system has really changed over the past five years.

This comparison includes features and changes that Microsoft is still rolling out or developing at the time of this writing. Some features may not yet be available on all devices and could change before they become generally available in future Windows 11 updates.

Windows 11 first impressions

The desktop is probably the easiest place to see how the operating system has changed. When Microsoft introduced Windows 11, it brought a new visual style with rounded corners, updated icons, a centered Taskbar, and a simpler overall look. It was a noticeable change from its predecessor, but some parts of the experience still felt unfinished behind the new design.

Five years later, the desktop remains instantly recognizable, yet it feels far more polished. The software giant has refined the Taskbar, improved the Start menu, modernized more system components, and added new AI-powered experiences, all while making the operating system faster and more consistent.

The transformation isn't defined by a single feature. Instead, it's the result of hundreds of incremental improvements that have gradually turned Windows 11 into a more complete operating system.

In 2026, at first glance, Windows 11 still retains the familiarity of the version released back in 2021. You can see this in the centered Taskbar, rounded corners, and overall design are still there. However, you can notice the changes once you start using it.

The company has also brought back features that were missing at launch, added new options, and made many everyday tasks feel quicker and easier.

Start menu: From basic to more flexible

On Windows 11, the Start menu was one of the most controversial redesigns. In this new version, Microsoft replaced the Live Tiles with a simpler launcher focused on pinned apps and recommended content.

Although the cleaner look matched the new design language, it also removed many of the customization options users had relied on.

Windows 11 (2021)

The original Start menu prioritized simplicity over customization. It introduced a centered layout with pinned apps and recommendations. However, users couldn't resize the menu, hide recommendations completely, or organize the elements as freely as they could on Windows 10.

For many people, it felt more like an app launcher than the central hub users were accustomed to.

Windows 11 (2026)

Today, the Start menu keeps the same visual identity but offers considerably more control. Microsoft has added Small, Large, and Automatic size options, giving users more control over how much space the menu takes up. The company has also improved the organization of pinned and recent content and added more controls for customizing what appears in the menu.

Although it still doesn't replicate the Start menu from Windows 10, the newer design strikes a better balance between simplicity and flexibility.

Taskbar: It had to be rebuilt

The Taskbar quickly became one of the biggest complaints about Windows 11. Although Microsoft modernized its appearance with centered icons and a simplified design, it also removed several long-standing features that many users considered essential.

Windows 11 (2021)

The first version of the Taskbar focused on a cleaner interface but came with significant compromises. For example, features such as drag and drop, app labels, and the never combine option were removed, the right-click menu was reduced to a single shortcut, and the Taskbar could no longer be moved to other edges of the screen.

While the redesign looked modern, it also disrupted the familiar workflows.

Windows 11 (2026)

Microsoft spent the following years restoring many of the missing capabilities and adding more control. Also, the drag-and-drop support was added back, app labels and never combine became available again, and the system tray gained additional refinements and customization options. Microsoft has also brought back the ability to change the Taskbar's position, allowing it to be placed at the top, left, or right of the screen.

The Taskbar still follows the same basic visual design introduced in 2021, but it is now far more practical and customizable for everyday use.

File Explorer: From missing essentials to modern

File Explorer is one of the examples that shows how the operating system matured over the years. The version of the file manager introduced a modern interface with new icons and a simplified command bar, but many of the productivity features users expected were still missing. It looked modern, yet much of the experience remained familiar.

Since then, Microsoft has expanded File Explorer with features that make everyday file management more useful. The company added tabs, Gallery, better cloud integration, improved thumbnails, and several smaller changes that make browsing and managing files easier.

Windows 11 (2021)

At launch, File Explorer received one of the first major visual updates in years. Microsoft replaced the traditional Ribbon interface with a cleaner command bar, updated icons, and a simplified design that matched the rest of the operating system.

However, the redesign was mostly cosmetic. A lot of the improvements users had been requesting were still missing. File Explorer launched without tabs, navigation between folders could feel slower than expected, and the redesigned context menu often required an extra step to access older commands. The experience looked more modern, but it still felt like a transition between the old and new versions of Windows.

For many users, File Explorer represented the broader Windows 11 launch experience. It had a refreshed appearance, but it still needed more time to mature.

Windows 11 (2026)

Five years later, File Explorer has become one of the strongest examples of Microsoft's gradual modernization effort. The company has added tabs, Gallery, a redesigned Home experience, improved thumbnails, better cloud integration, and clearer file-size information. Users can also middle-click to open folders in new tabs, making navigation more convenient.

Performance has also become a major focus. Everyday tasks such as opening folders, switching between tabs, loading previews, and searching through files feel more responsive compared with the original release.

While some legacy elements remain, File Explorer on Windows 11 (2026) feels much closer to the modern file manager Microsoft has been building toward. It keeps the familiar workflow while adding many of the productivity features users had expected for years.

Settings: The long transition

The Settings app has been one of the longest-running modernization projects for the company. When the new version of the operating system launched, Microsoft continued moving options away from the traditional Control Panel and into a redesigned Settings experience. However, the transition was far from complete.

The experience for configuring the system was inconsistent because some settings felt modern and easy to navigate, while others still redirected users to older interfaces. Five years later, Microsoft has continued expanding Settings, adding more controls, improving navigation, and reducing the number of times users need to open legacy tools.

Windows 11 (2021)

Originally, the Settings app received a refreshed design with a new navigation layout, updated pages, and a cleaner interface that matched the operating system's visual changes.

However, the modernization was far from complete. A lot of advanced options still opened Control Panel or older dialog boxes, creating an inconsistent experience. Finding specific options could also be frustrating because some controls were organized differently compared to Windows 10.

The Settings app represented one of the biggest challenges Microsoft faced with Windows 11. The company wanted to create a modern management experience, but decades of legacy components made a complete transition difficult.

Windows 11 (2026)

Five years later, the Settings app has become a much more capable replacement for many traditional Control Panel experiences. Microsoft has continued moving features into Settings, improved search, reorganized pages, and added more controls for managing devices, personalization, accounts, and system features.

The experience is more consistent than it was at launch, especially for everyday tasks such as managing displays, Bluetooth devices, power settings, personalization, and Windows Update.

However, the transition is still not fully complete. For instance, some advanced tools and legacy configuration pages still exist, and that shows that modernizing the operating system is a gradual process that must also maintain compatibility with older features and apps.

Productivity: Smarter Search, multitasking, and Widgets

One of the goals with the release of Windows 11 was to make everyday tasks easier, whether users were looking for files, managing multiple apps, or getting information without opening additional apps. At launch, the operating system introduced features such as Snap Layouts and Widgets, while Windows Search continued the experience users already knew on Windows 10.

However, many of these features were still in their early stages. Search relied mostly on keywords, Snap Layouts offered useful but limited window management, and Widgets focused heavily on news and Microsoft services.

Today, these experiences have improved considerably. Microsoft has expanded Search, refined multitasking tools, and added more controls to Widgets. Together, these changes show how Windows 11 has developed beyond its original desktop redesign.

Windows 11 (2021)

In the original release, Microsoft introduced several features designed to improve productivity, but many were still in their early stages.

Windows Search provided a familiar way to find apps, settings, and files, but it relied mainly on traditional keyword matching and could sometimes struggle to return useful results quickly.

Snap Layouts was one of the more useful additions, giving users predefined window arrangements that made multitasking easier. However, the feature offered fewer layout options and less flexibility than the experience available today.

Widgets introduced a new way to access information from the desktop, but the original implementation focused heavily on news, weather, and Microsoft services. For many users, it felt more like an information panel than a productivity tool.

Windows 11 (2026)

Today, Microsoft has expanded these features and added more ways to get things done.

Windows Search now includes improvements such as better indexing, typo correction, improved local results, and AI-powered capabilities on supported devices. Recent updates have also improved how Search handles short queries and understands what users are looking for.

Microsoft has also introduced AI-powered capabilities for finding and changing settings on supported devices, allowing some configurations to be located and applied more easily.

The company is also working on a new search experience that replaces Windows Search with Ask Copilot in the Taskbar, using AI and natural language to search for files, settings, apps, and virtually anything else.

Snap Layouts has matured with better layout suggestions and improved support for larger displays and multiple monitors, making it easier to arrange several applications.

Widgets have also gained more personalization options and additional integrations. While news and information remain part of the experience, users have more control over what appears in the panel.

Copilot and AI: The biggest change?

Microsoft's decision to integrate AI into Windows 11 is perhaps the biggest difference between the 2026 and 2021 versions. When the company introduced the operating system, AI was not part of the desktop experience. The focus was on a redesigned interface, productivity improvements, and a more modern foundation.

Over the following years, the software giant shifted the operating system into a platform powered by AI. Copilot became part of the operating system, new AI features arrived on Copilot+ PCs, and Microsoft began integrating AI into areas such as search, accessibility, creativity, and system interactions.

The change has been significant, but it has also created a new debate around Windows 11. While some users see AI as the next major step for personal computing, many others question whether these features improve everyday tasks or add more complexity.

The comparison below shows how Windows 11 evolved from an operating system without built-in AI experiences into one designed around the company's vision of intelligent computing.

Windows 11 (2021)

Originally, AI was not a central part of the operating system. The experience focused on traditional desktop features.

Windows Search remained a conventional tool based mostly on keywords and indexing. Voice features, accessibility tools, and system assistance existed, but they were not powered by the newer AI capabilities Microsoft would introduce later.

The original Windows 11 experience also lacked dedicated AI hardware features. There were no Copilot+ PCs, no built-in AI assistant integrated into the desktop, and no local AI models designed to run directly on compatible devices.

At the time, Windows 11 represented a visual and usability redesign. AI would become the next major chapter in its evolution.

Windows 11 (2026)

Several years later, AI has become one of the defining parts of Windows 11. Microsoft introduced Copilot as an integrated assistant and expanded AI capabilities across the operating system, especially on newer Copilot+ PCs with dedicated neural processing units (NPUs).

Modern Windows 11 includes AI-powered experiences such as improved Search, Recall, Click to Do, enhanced voice features, and creative tools designed to help users complete tasks faster. Accessibility has also benefited from AI through improved voice interaction, captions, and other assistive features.

The biggest change is that the operating system is no longer only reacting to commands. Microsoft is building toward an operating system that can understand context and help users complete tasks more naturally.

However, AI has also become one of the most debated parts of Windows 11. Features like Recall and increased integration with Microsoft services have raised questions about privacy, control, and whether every user wants AI built into their everyday computing experience.

Performance: Why Windows 11 feels different

Performance was one of the biggest concerns surrounding Windows 11 in its early days. The operating system looked modern, but some users encountered sluggish animations, slow File Explorer responses, high memory usage, and inconsistent responsiveness. For an operating system built on the same Windows 10 foundation, those problems made the visual redesign feel less convincing.

Microsoft has spent the years since launch improving responsiveness, resource management, and overall reliability. The company has also made performance a major focus of its broader Windows K2 work, with improvements designed to make everyday interactions feel faster without requiring more powerful hardware.

The difference is not always something that can be captured in a screenshot. Unlike the Start menu or File Explorer, performance is something users experience through hundreds of small interactions throughout the day.

Windows 11 (2021)

The original release could feel less responsive than Windows 10 on some systems, particularly during everyday tasks such as opening File Explorer, switching between windows, or interacting with the Taskbar and Start menu.

Some of these problems were related to animations and transitions that could feel sluggish. File Explorer also experienced performance issues in early releases, while memory management and background processes could cause responsiveness issues on systems with limited resources.

The result was an operating system that sometimes looked faster and more modern than it actually felt.

Windows 11 (2026)

Half a decade of updates have made Windows 11 a more responsive operating system. Microsoft has optimized core components, improved File Explorer performance, refined animations, and continued to reduce the delays users experienced in earlier releases.

Recent work under the Windows K2 initiative has placed an even greater emphasis on responsiveness, resource management, reliability, and reducing unnecessary overhead. Microsoft has also introduced improvements designed to make interactive tasks feel faster without simply relying on more powerful hardware.

Windows 11 is not universally faster on every piece of hardware, but the overall experience is considerably more mature than it was at launch. A lot of the small delays that made the 2021 release feel unfinished have either been reduced or eliminated. However, a lot of work still needs to be done.

Security and accessibility: Stronger protection

Security and accessibility have both evolved significantly since the first release of the operating system. In 2021, the company made hardware-backed security a bigger part of the operating system by requiring features such as TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot.

Also, accessibility tools such as Narrator, Magnifier, and Voice Access provided the foundation for a more inclusive experience. Now, in 2026, Windows 11 offers stronger security protections and more accessibility features.

For example, Microsoft has expanded Windows Hello, introduced Enhanced Sign-in Security, improved voice and captioning experiences, added Administrator Protection, and added AI-powered capabilities that can make the operating system easier to use for people with different needs.

Windows 11 (2021)

Security was one of the defining changes in the original Windows 11 release. Microsoft required TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot on supported systems and continued promoting Windows Hello as a more secure alternative to traditional passwords.

The operating system also included a strong foundation for accessibility, with tools such as Narrator, Magnifier, and high-contrast options. Voice Access was available in a more limited form, while features such as Live Captions were still relatively new.

At launch, the focus was largely on establishing stronger hardware-backed security and improving the accessibility features already available in the system.

Windows 11 (2026)

Security has become more deeply integrated into the experience. Microsoft has expanded protections such as Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-in Security, improved support for passkeys, added Administrator Protection, and strengthened defenses against malicious applications and other threats.

Accessibility has also become more capable. Voice Access provides more natural ways to control the desktop experience, Live Captions have become more useful, and newer AI-powered capabilities can help users interact with the operating system in ways that were not possible in 2021.

The biggest change is that security and accessibility are no longer just collections of separate tools. They are increasingly built into the way Windows 11 works, from how users sign in and protect their devices to how they interact with the desktop.

Setup experience: From easier to more connected

The Windows 11 setup experience has changed in an important way since 2021. The original release already encouraged users to connect their devices to the internet and use a Microsoft account. However, it was still possible to find ways around the requirement and create a local account. The option was not always obvious, but users had more control over how they configured a new installation.

By 2026, Microsoft has pushed the setup process further toward a connected experience. Internet access and a Microsoft account have become more central to the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE). In contrast, local account setup has become increasingly difficult to access through the normal setup process.

This makes the setup experience one of the areas where Windows 11 has not simply evolved, but has also changed how people should use the operating system.

Windows 11 (2021)

The original setup process introduced a stronger push toward Microsoft accounts and online connectivity, particularly on Windows 11 Home. However, users could still create a local account by finding the appropriate setup option or using workarounds when the option was not immediately presented.

That gave users more flexibility when setting up a computer without wanting to connect their installation to Microsoft's cloud services.

The setup experience was also relatively straightforward once the initial account and network requirements were handled. The emphasis was on getting the system ready to use rather than introducing users to a growing collection of online services.

Windows 11 (2026)

The setup experience is now much more tightly connected to Microsoft's online ecosystem. The company has continued to make a Microsoft account and an internet connection central requirements for setting up Windows 11, while eliminating the local account option for home consumers.

This approach makes it easier to connect services such as OneDrive, Windows Backup, Microsoft Store, and other account-based features from the beginning. However, it also gives users less choice during setup, particularly those who want a traditional local offline account.

The change is significant because it reflects a different perspective from Windows 11, which launched in 2021. Microsoft is no longer treating the computer as an isolated device. It increasingly sees the operating system as part of a connected Microsoft account and cloud ecosystem.

What Windows 11 still hasn't fixed

Five years of updates have transformed Windows 11, but the operating system is still not completely consistent. Microsoft has modernized many of the areas that felt outdated at launch, yet some of the same problems that frustrated users in 2021 remain in one form or another.

The difference is that these issues are no longer spread across the entire operating system. They are increasingly concentrated in specific parts of Windows 11, particularly areas where Microsoft has to maintain compatibility with decades-old components and applications.

Windows 11 (2021)

The original release exposed many of these inconsistencies. Windows 11 introduced a modern Settings app, but many advanced options still opened in the older Control Panel experience and legacy dialogs. Different parts of the operating system often followed different design rules, making the experience feel like a mix of new and old.

Microsoft also faced criticism over limited customization, aggressive Microsoft account integration, and the reduction of familiar features.

Windows 11 (2026)

Windows 11 is considerably more polished, but some of those issues remain.

Legacy components are still visible in parts of the operating system, particularly advanced configuration tools and older dialogs.

Control Panel has not completely disappeared. Microsoft has moved many settings into the Settings app, but some functionality still depends on legacy interfaces.

Microsoft account integration is stronger. This makes services such as OneDrive, Windows Backup, and Microsoft Store easier to connect, but users who prefer a local account have fewer obvious choices during setup.

AI remains controversial. Microsoft has added AI to more parts of the operating system, but not everyone wants an assistant, AI search, or AI-powered features built in.

Promotions and recommendations remain part of the experience. Start menu recommendations, account prompts, Microsoft service integrations, and other promotional elements can sometimes make Windows 11 feel more like a platform for Microsoft's services.

Updates can still cause problems. Microsoft has improved the update and recovery experience, but system updates can still introduce bugs or compatibility issues.

The important difference is that these problems no longer define the entire Windows 11 experience. In 2021, inconsistencies and missing features were difficult to ignore. In 2026, they are increasingly the remaining pieces of an operating system that has otherwise matured considerably.

Windows 11 (2021) vs. Windows 11 (2026): The verdict

The question isn't whether Windows 11 changed. It clearly did.

The better question is whether Microsoft fixed enough of the problems that made the original release feel unfinished.

Windows Central's Take

In my opinion, Windows 11 is a much better operating system than the one shipped in 2021, but that improvement also says a lot about how rough the original release was. A lot of the familiar features were removed in the name of a cleaner design, and Microsoft ultimately spent years putting much of that functionality back.

What I appreciate more now is that Windows 11 feels less like a redesign layered over Windows 10 and more like its own operating system. File Explorer, the Taskbar, Start menu, Settings, and overall responsiveness have all moved in the right direction. The changes aren't always dramatic, but after using this experience for years, those small improvements add up.

My bigger concern is the direction Microsoft is taking the operating system rather than how it looks. The stronger push toward Microsoft accounts, cloud services, and AI gives Windows 11 capabilities that didn't exist in 2021, but it also makes the experience feel less user-controlled in some areas. I don't think every computer needs to be treated like a gateway to Microsoft's services. Users should have direct control of what they want.

For someone using Windows 11 today, I wouldn't recommend avoiding the operating system because of the problems it had at launch. Five years of updates have made a real difference. At the same time, I wouldn't pretend Microsoft has finished the job. The remaining legacy components, account push, and inconsistent experiences show that Windows 11 is still being rebuilt while millions of people are using it.

However, important to note that through its new Windows K2 initiative, Microsoft has been working to address many of the pain points in the operating system.

What do you think about how much Windows 11 has changed since 2021? 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

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I've generally leaned towards all-in-one (AIO) liquid cooling for my own custom PC builds for the past decade or so, but air cooling is practically forcing its way back into my habits because it keeps proving its worth via reviews like these. The Cooler Master V8 ACE 3DHP caught my eye mostly because of its "V8 engine" throwback gimmick, but there's a clever secret hiding inside its fins — something that Hyper 212 3DHP cooler owners will recognize.

Cooler Master provided a sample but did not see, nor did it have any input on, the contents of my article before publishing.

How much does the V8 ACE 3DHP cost?

At the time of writing, the best place to buy the Cooler Master V8 ACE 3DHP designed for AMD (AM4/AM5) processors is Newegg at $119.99, or Amazon for the same price via Newegg Business. I also found it sold above MSRP by third parties at Best Buy, which could be a last resort.

Otherwise, the Intel (LGA 1851/1700/1200/115X) variant isn't listed on the official Cooler Master US store, Newegg, or other third-party stores. For now, availability is skewed towards the AMD side, and though you do get an Intel bracket inside the box, it isn't perfectly optimized for those chips.

Is the V8 ACE 3DHP a good CPU cooler?

Before I ever installed this cooler onto a motherboard, I loved the way it looked. It isn't quite as extreme as Cooler Master's V8 GTS from 2013 — which almost resembled an alien motorbike engine — opting for a single-tower setup this time with incredibly dense fins on the heatsink. It's still a chunky air cooler, just like its ancestor, but now it actually looks more like a V8 car engine.

Aesthetics aside, the hype centers on the setup of 4x traditional heatpipes plus 2x "3D heatpipes" (3DHP) that run vertically from the base plate through the heatsink. It's all about pulling as much heat away from your chosen CPU as possible, which is why the V8 ACE 3DHP offers separate fine-tuned versions for AMD and Intel, though you still get mounting brackets for both.

Installation was a breeze. The V8 ACE 3DHP attaches to the standard AM5 backplate with four thumbscrews, two plates, and four more screws to hold it in place. The fans slide off the heatsink, so I can attach the two threads and tighten everything up. Finally, the fans are reattached and daisy-chained together, connecting to the CPU_FAN header.

Clearance is slim, but it fits cleanly over my RAM and the Gigabyte X870E Aorus Master X3D ICE SSD heatsink, with a slight amount of breathing space over G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB modules. Running an AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D on my open-air test bench at around 5.2GHz for 15 minutes kept an average temperature of 81.5°C, peaking at 83.5°C.

Unsurprisingly, it maintains a lower temperature on this powerful chip than my ~$35 Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE — and our sister site goes deeper into V8 ACE 3DHP benchmarks over at Tom's Hardware if you're craving more specific test results — while its fans thankfully showed no signs of rattles or other unwanted motor noise.

Does the V8 ACE 3DHP have any issues?

Being such a chunky cooler with a performance focus, the V8 ACE 3DHP is heavy — around 2.57 lbs (1.17 kg) — and it'll need plenty of cool, strong intake airflow to feed its thick, 30mm PWM fans, which generate at least 55 dBA of noise under load. PC builders tempted by this cooler will surely take its dimensions and clearance considerations into account, but it's still surprisingly big.

Because those fans slide into place on rails, you'll also want to be careful when handling this cooler. Although I'd mostly held it by the center section, I had once shifted my grip to one of its fans, which slipped down before I quickly caught it. I think my heart fell further than the cooler physically did, but it was a lesson learned. Nice feature, but be safe handling those detachable fans.

Should you buy the V8 ACE 3DHP?

You should buy this if ...

✅ You want to cool a powerful, high-performance CPU

✅ You're building in a PC case with plenty of airflow

You should not buy this if ...

❌ You're planning a compact gaming PC

The V8 Ace 3DHP is an impressive feat, but it demands a constant source of cool air moving through its thick heatsink. As long as you're planning ahead with a PC case that supports healthy airflow with a proper setup of intake and exhaust fans, then this'll be a great pairing for a higher-end, high-TDP processor.

Push it close to a demanding GPU, and there's a chance you'll see less-than-optimal CPU performance if the ambient temperature inside grows unchecked. However, if you're certain you know what you're doing, it wouldn't be impossible to keep this cooler happy in a miniature case with the right airflow setup.

Earlier this year, Microsoft announced big updates for the Start menu and Taskbar on Windows 11 that would address users biggest complaints and bring highly requested features and functionality to the OS. Those changes include the ability to move and resize the Taskbar, as well as customize the size and different sections that appear within the Start menu.

Those features have been in public preview ever since, but those outside of the Windows Insider Program are yet to experience these new features. Now however, Microsoft has confirmed that it's now gearing up to ship the updated Taskbar and Start menu to everyone next month, as the features are now in the final Windows Preview Channel before public rollout.

As of yesterday, the movable and resizable Taskbar, along with the customizable Start menu, and other polish and quality of life improvements, made their way to the Windows 11 Release Preview Channel. This is the last stop before features begin shipping in public, non-Insider updates.

Usually, when a feature lands in the Release Preview Channel, it's no more than two or three weeks away from appearing in a public update. Usually, that's with the non-security feature preview update that drops at the end of every month, followed by the security-focused Patch Tuesday which is released on the second Tuesday of every month.

That means if everything goes according to plan, the new Taskbar and Start menu updates will begin rolling out later this month for users with the "Get the latest updates as soon as they're available" toggle in Windows Update switched on, and next month for everyone else.

This is the big user experience update people have been waiting for on Windows 11 this year. The ability to move and resize the Taskbar made headlines when it was announced that it was coming to Windows 11 earlier this year, with a lot of Windows 10 holdouts claiming that the lack of this feature was one reason why they hadn't yet moved to Windows 11.

Microsoft is slowly but surely ensuring that Windows 10 users feel comfortable with the move to Windows 11, and ensuring that functionality that Windows 10 already has is also available on Windows 11 is one way of doing that. Being able to turn off entire sections of Start, as well as resize the menu itself, will be useful for those who enjoyed tweaking the Windows 10 Start menu too.

If you don't want to wait any longer, you can join the Windows Insider Release Preview Channel today to get access to the new features as soon as possible. The quality of code in the Release Preview Channel is usually representative of the final product, meaning the code being previewed in the Release Preview channel now is what will begin shipping in the next handful of weeks.

If you do choose to enroll in the Release Preview channel, be warned that Microsoft is rolling out the new Start menu and Taskbar in waves, so you may not see it right away. This will likely also be the case when the update is released generally, as Microsoft utilized a phased and measured rollout approach to ensure the new features aren't breaking things.

Microsoft has many more quality of life improvements in the works for Windows 11, many of which are expected to begin shipping towards the end of this year and into 2027. Improvements such as better performance and responsiveness in apps and UI surfaces like the Start menu are still to come, as the OS begins adopting WinUI across more areas of the interface.

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

Huion, known for creating high-quality drawing tablets and pen displays, is launching a back-to-school sale on some of its best models. These discounted tablets are built for the aspiring student, whether they need extra help taking notes during class or creating beautiful digital works of art.

There are tons of discounts on offer, so I've picked out some of the best in both the budget and premium price ranges while showcasing a couple of drawing tablets we've reviewed and given high marks in the past. So, if you want to overcome a wave of AI-generated knock-off art by showing off real creativity with top-grade drawing tablets, these are for you.

FAQ

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After years of waiting, you will finally be able to move your taskbar on Windows 11. But you still have to wait just a bit longer.

The latest Windows 11 Insider Preview builds include the option to move the taskbar to the top or either side of the screen. Assuming all goes well with testing, that change should ship with the September Patch Tuesday update. But Windows Insiders in the Release Preview Channel can start moving their taskbar right now.

The same update also brings the option to make the taskbar smaller on Windows 11, which maximizes screen space on smaller devices.

These changes should sound familiar to anyone who follows the development of Windows 11. They're among the several improvements that are on the way to Windows 11 this fall.

Other improvements include a more customizable Start menu, improved Windows Search, and a faster File Explorer.

The full change log for the latest Insider builds breaks down everything that's new.

Build 26100.9267/26200.9267

• [Taskbar] This update gives you more ways to customize the taskbar to match how you work and make better use of screen space.
  • New! You can now choose whether the taskbar appears at the bottom, top, left, or right side of your screen. In these other positions, tooltips, flyouts, and animations still come from the taskbar, and most customization settings, such as never combining taskbar icons, work with all locations. The search box and smaller taskbar are currently supported only for top and bottom positions. To change the position of the taskbar, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar position.
  • New! A smaller taskbar option is now available to help maximize screen space on smaller devices. This experience reduces the size of taskbar icons and the taskbar height while maintaining access to key features such as Start, Search, and the system tray. To change your taskbar size, go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar behaviors > Taskbar size. When set to Small, both the icons and the taskbar height become smaller.
  • New! The Taskbar behaviors section of the Taskbar settings page is now expanded by default for improved discoverability.
  • This update improves reliability when loading the system tray area of the taskbar on non-touch PCs.
• [Start menu] This update makes the Start menu more personal with several customizations.
  • New! You can choose between a small or large Start menu, in addition to the Automatic (default) option that's available today. To customize this setting, go to Settings > Personalization > Start > Start menu size.
  • New! The Recommended section is renamed Recent in the Start menu and on the Start settings page (Settings > Personalization > Start).
  • New! You can now hide your name and profile picture in Start by going to Settings > Personalization > Start > Hide your name and profile picture on Start.
  • New! The Start menu settings page is now redesigned with section-level toggles to independently show or hide Pinned, Recent, and All.
• [Windows Search] This update includes improvements that make Windows Search more dependable, easier to scan, and clearer before you select a result.
  • New! Search home is simplified to reduce visual clutter and make it easier to get back to recent searches quickly.
  • New! Search does a better job of showing where a result comes from, such as an app, setting, file, web result, or Microsoft Store suggestion. It's easier to tell what you're looking at and where you'll go before you select a result.
  • New! A new setting in Settings > Privacy & security > Search lets you choose whether web and Microsoft Store suggestions appear alongside local results.
  • New! Windows now automatically indexes your most used folders so that files in those folders appear in subsequent search results. You can control the setting in Settings > Privacy & security > Search > Automatically find additional relevant locations.
• [File Explorer]
  • New! File Explorer Home now launches faster and is more responsive.
  • New! The Recommended section on Home now supports touch scrolling, making it easier to browse files in the carousel.
• [General design] New! This update introduces updated progress indicators across Windows, providing a more consistent and modern experience during startup, sign-in, restart, shutdown, and update installation.
• [Windows Share] New! This update adds the ability for users signed in with a work or school account to discover and install relevant apps directly from the share window. To manage this experience, go to Settings > System > Share and select Show suggested apps in share surfaces.
• [Administrator protection] New! Administrator protection aims to protect free-floating admin rights for administrators. It enables users to perform administrative tasks using just-in-time privileges. Administrator protection isn't classified as a formal security boundary. It hardens security against elevation-of-privilege attacks by introducing profile separation. This feature is turned off by default and can be enabled using OMA-URI in Microsoft Intune or through Group Policy. This feature was previously disclosed in October 2025 (KB5067036) and is now beginning to roll out.
• [Multiple desktops] Switching between virtual desktops is now smoother and more responsive.
• [Display and graphics]
  • This update improves reliability when navigating to and interacting with Settings > System > Display.
  • This update improves the persistence of your previous brightness setting after energy saver turns off.
• [Task Manager] This update improves reliability when displaying app history information in Task Manager.
• [Windows Setup]
  • This update streamlines the experience for selecting a secondary keyboard during Windows setup, making it easier to skip when it isn't needed.
  • This update improves the Get Started app with new App install, Site pinning, and Theme pages to help you personalize your device and discover new features.
• [Windows Update] This update improves restart behavior so PCs that were manually put to sleep return to sleep after completing an update, even when automatic sleep is set to Never.
• [Network]
  • This update improves resiliency and recovery from potential VPN-related background issues that can cause processes to stop responding.
  • This update improves the output of the netsh wlan show wlanreport command for Japanese users.
• [Input]
  • This update improves the reliability of typing with the Japanese IME by reducing potential hangs.
  • This update improves the persistence of voice typing settings for automatic punctuation and the launcher.
• [Cryptography] The post-quantum cryptography algorithm ML-KEM can now be used as a standalone algorithm for TLS key exchange, in addition to the hybrid groups added previously.
• [Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC)] Starting in August 2026, Windows 11, versions 24H2 and 25H2 no longer include the Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) utility. WMIC is already removed by default in new installations of Windows 11, versions 24H2 and 25H2, and is no longer available as a Feature on Demand (FoD). This change affects only the WMIC utility. Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) remains supported. To learn more, see Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line (WMIC) removal from Windows.

Almost everything new in these builds is rolling out gradually. The normal rollout only includes "Additional quality improvements," according to the change log.

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We're just a week away from the release of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Hope of Despair on August 20, 2026, the first DLC expansion for the diehard, open-world survival-adventure game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, releasing for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via GOG, Epic Games Store, and Steam.

On top of that, STALKER 2 will also be getting a free 2.0 update for the base game on the same day the Hope of Despair DLC expansion launches.

It is appropriately titled "Back to the Zone," as it features a ton of visual and gameplay improvements and additions to entice players back to the game, all showcased through a new gameplay trailer and blog post on the official Stalker 2 website.

As seen in the trailer, the Back to the Zone update will feature a ton of overhauled graphics and lighting effects in the environments to make them visually appealing and immersive while maintaining the post-apocalyptic tone of the Zone's setting.

The game's immersion will be heightened further in this update with improvements to the game's unique A-Life system, which will include more behaviour patterns and places for NPCs and monsters to interact in.

These include, but are not limited to: more NPC resting spots at campfires or bus stops, more contested battlefields between Stalkers and mutants, and Stalkers looting the dead even when you're not seeing it happen.

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On the gameplay side of things, Stalker 2's 2.0 update will introduce a "Custom Rules" difficulty mode where you can tweak the game's various settings to your preferred sense of challenge, three types of binoculars so you can scout enemies' positions, and several new weapons hidden throughout the Zone, such as the Arev (AR), GP3A (DMR), SKP (DMR), and Fora-230 (SMG), each with a unique variant to find.

Additionally, there's a new Fog mechanic to obscure your and the enemy's vision and hearing (which will open more opportunities for stealth), a PDA to keep track of your progress, new monsters to fight, and tons of new narrative scripting, audio, and localization tools for STALKER 2's modding tool called the Zone Kit.

Overall, there are tons of changes coming to STALKER 2 from just the free 2.0 update alone to make the game feel alive (and scary) to play while including several new toys to make it more fun to play.

But will it entice new and returning players to S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl in conjunction with the Hope of Despair DLC?

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

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A dramatic saga is unfolding on X, and VLC and Microsoft Defender are at the center of it. Things kicked off when video game designer Jonathan Blow criticized the open source community due to an issue he had with VLC.

A curious issue causes MP3 files to take a while to open in VLC. In some cases, opening a file can take over 30 seconds.

"Finally switched *away* from VLC *to* Microsoft Media Player, because VLC now takes 33 seconds to start playing an mp3 after clicking on it," said Blow. He added, "A large sector of open source software is in a truly embarrassing place now..."

Blow's post now shows a community note because the bug is due to Microsoft Defender, not VLC. Or at least, that's the claim of several people on X.

VideoLAN, the makers of VLC, responded to Blow:

"This is because of a « bug » from Microsoft Defender in one update of Windows 11, who magically made VLC plugins cache quarantined by Windows. Reinstalling VLC or regeneration of the plugin cache will fix this. Calling open source software embarrassing when it is a Windows update that broke it is quite disrespectful."

In response, Blow claimed that he had to fix an issue that was caused by a faulty graphics driver sent out by AMD. His post suggests that VLC should fix the issue even if the problem is caused by Microsoft Defender.

What's actually happening?

My wife would say that this is all a "storm in a teacup." I don't see the need to be as aggressive about this topic as people have been on X.

Over on Reddit, cooler heads prevailed. A discussion on the topic happened in the r/pcmasterrace subreddit. There, people focused on what's causing the issue and how to fix it.

At least some of the issue is related to Microsoft Defender. That's clear because adding VLC's folder as an exception to Defender fixes the problem, as highlighted by user "nicktheone."

If it were exclusively an issue with VLC, creating the exception within Microsoft Defender would not solve it.

Of course, you could still debate whose responsibility it is to fix the issue. Even a bug related to Microsoft Defender could potentially be fixed by the VideoLAN team. That's certainly what Blow did while spending much of his Wednesday afternoon arguing with people on X.

How to create an exception for VLC in Microsoft Defender

You shouldn't have to create an exception for VLC in Microsoft Defender to open an MP3 in less than 30 seconds, but... here we are. Luckily, the steps to do so are simple:

• Open Windows Security
• Select Virus & threat protection
• Select Manage settings
• Select Add or remove exclusions (it's at the bottom of the page)
• Click Add an exclusion
• Select Folder
• Navigate to C:\Program Files\VideoLAN
• Click Select Folder

Before making an exclusion, VLC took about five seconds to open an MP3 on my computer. After creating an exclusion, opening the same file took under one second.

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Update August 14, 3.45 pm ET: Activision has since put out a further update reminding PC players that they will need to have TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot enabled on their PCs to play the Modern Warfare 4 beta. This is the current requirement for Black Ops 7, so it isn't new, but it's a reminder if you haven't been playing this year that without it you can't take part.

Mark your calendars, Call of Duty fans, because Infinity Ward and Activision have revealed the content of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's upcoming beta tests, set to commence over the following weekends.

These beta tests will feature sneak peeks at the game's multiplayer modes, the Battle Royal-like Warzone mode, and an exclusive single-player campaign mission.

Here are the full details on these beta tests and when you can expect to play them.

The first early access beta test will run from August 21, 2026, to August 25, 2026, for those who pre-ordered the game on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Xbox on PC, Steam, and Battle.net.

Its content will include an exclusive campaign mission called "Entrenched", several multiplayer maps, and several multiplayer game modes like Team Deathmatch, Domination, Hardpoint, Kill Confirmed, Inflation, Search & Destroy, 10v10 & 3v3, and Mobility Course.

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On a side note, the first beta test begins on the same day as Activision's Call of Duty Next event on August 21, 2026, which will showcase various gameplay aspects of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, such as 6v6 PVP, the first look at Zodiac, Kill Block gameplay, and much more while giving away free beta codes to players who tune in to the event.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4's second beta test will run from August 28, 2026, to September 1, 2026, and it will be open to the general public to play on the Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Xbox on PC, Steam, Battle.net, and Nintendo Switch 2 versions of the game.

It will include all the content of the first beta test, with the addition of the Warzone game mode, a new Warzone map, and several new Ground War maps.

So, if you need to get some practice with your aim and are hungry to play Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 before the full version launches on October 23, 2026, for all the aforementioned platforms, these beta tests will be the perfect time to do it.

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