Your membership journey starts here. Keep exploring and earning more as a member. Latest about Microsoft Updates, launches and rumors. Latest about AI. AI updates, how-tos and comparisons in one place. Explore your membership benefits. Stay Ahead with Windows Central Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox. Windows 11 A new Windows 11 wallpaper appeared on RTX Spark laptops, but Microsoft hasn't shared it, leaving fans to recreate it with AI. Halo Project Reclaimer brings 128-player battles, 16-player campaign co-op, expanded Forge tools, dedicated servers, and more to Halo 3 on PC. PC gaming Promises do come true as AMD reveals a new lightweight version of FSR 4 for more devices. Gaming Capcom has announced that the latest entry in Monster Hunter's JRPG spin-off series will be receiving Xbox Play Anywhere support and Xbox on PC compatibility on November 18, 2026. Surface The reaction is largely positive, but, of course, there are some detractors. Deals Walmart's 'Deals & More' is still live until October 11, and it includes discounts on gaming laptops, PC storage, and much more. These are the deals I'd grab. All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards. GAMING We may have been 100,000,000 steps away, but now it's 99,999,999 QOTD Panos Panay's quote about Surface still makes a lot of sense today, but has Microsoft lost the plot since he left? The October 7 Surface event should answer some important questions. Windows Microsoft is finally prioritizing stability with Windows 11 version 26H2, but next week's event still needs to give users something to get excited about. PC Gaming Heart racing, slammed against the wall, watching infinite respawn timers, is March of Giants still fun when you're getting dominated? Interview I visited Ubisoft Montreal for a first look at one of the most promising new MOBAs in a decade. March of Giants is something special. Study says New tests show Qualcomm’s 18‑core Snapdragon X2 outperforming Intel’s mainstream laptop chips across CPU, AI, battery life, and price, proving the non‑Extreme model is already a major threat. From The Windows Central Archives As we look ahead to Windows Central’s 20th anniversary in 2027, we’re taking time to revisit the stories that shaped our community. From Microsoft and Xbox to Windows and PC, these throwbacks remind us how far we’ve come together. As we look ahead to Windows Central’s 20th anniversary in 2027, we’re taking time to revisit the stories that shaped our community. From Microsoft and Xbox to Windows and PC, these throwbacks remind us how far we’ve come together. On this Day A look back at Xbox’s 2015 “games everywhere” vision — the moment Phil Spencer sketched out a future that Asha Sharma is now fully realizing 11 years later. Flashback A decade later, Microsoft’s unreleased Moonraker smartwatch still feels like a glimpse into an alternate timeline. Flashback Looking back at the 2016 editorial that captured Xbox’s growing pains and predicted the decade ahead. Flashback A look back at the LG Lancet and the era when Windows Phone 8.1 defined Microsoft’s mobile peak. Flashback A 2016 warning about Android apps on Chrome feels newly relevant as Googlebooks pushes Android PCs into the agentic era and challenges Microsoft again. Flashback From our archives: A decade ago Microsoft was already testing a Bing “concierge bot,” an early take on the AI agents Google is only now announcing. Windows 11 Microsoft is rolling out its redesigned Windows Search experience to Insiders, complete with faster performance and early support for inline actions. Apps Outlook is gaining an automatic pre-send spell check that could catch embarrassing mistakes before an email leaves your inbox. Windows Windows App can now connect directly to remote PCs, filling one of the biggest gaps left by Microsoft's move away from Remote Desktop. Windows 11 Microsoft's October 7 Windows and Surface event is almost here. Here's where to watch and what to expect. Apps PowerToys is getting a beautiful new welcome screen that highlights the kind of polish Microsoft should bring to more apps. Zac Bowden Senior Editor — Windows Jez Corden Executive Editor Daniel Rubino Editor-in-Chief Richard Devine Managing Editor — Tech, Reviews Sean Endicott Staff Writer — News Ben Wilson Senior Editor — Tech

Mauro Hucalak Windows How-To Expert Cale Hunt Staff Writer — Tech Jennifer Young Contributor — Commerce, Gaming Kevin Okemwa Contributor — News Brendan Lowry Contributor — Tech, Gaming QOTD Panos Panay's quote about Surface still makes a lot of sense today, but has Microsoft lost the plot since he left? The October 7 Surface event should answer some important questions. Study says New tests show Qualcomm’s 18‑core Snapdragon X2 outperforming Intel’s mainstream laptop chips across CPU, AI, battery life, and price, proving the non‑Extreme model is already a major threat. Rugged PCs These TOUGHBOOKs are built to run AI in police cruisers, military drones, and emergency vehicles. Gaming Google wants you to think PC builder Henry Cavill loves Googlebooks. The actor will even make a video game using a Googlebook as part of a partnership. Xbox Gears of War: E-Day has a monstrous 115GB install requirement on Xbox, so I've rounded the best options to improve your Xbox’s storage size to accommodate it. Surface In case you've ever wondered why you can't find a Surface PC with an AMD chip in it these days, Microsoft says it's simply because its portfolio isn't big enough to accommodate it. Deal Prime Day hasn't started yet, but Dell's XPS 13 is already down to $799 with a $200 discount. There's even a model for just $599 if you can live with 8GB of RAM. Deal Amazon Big Deal Days slashed Samsung's fastest 9100 PRO PCIe 5.0 SSD to under $199 for 1TB, with more discounts across 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB models. Deal Buying these Bose headphones convinced me that sometimes paying more is worth it in the long run. News Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 won't be on Xbox Game Pass this year, so you'll need to buy it. But if you pre-order, you can get yourself some free stuff, because who doesn't like that? Deals GUNNAR is having an Amazon Prime Big Deal Days sale for Fallout-themed gaming glasses that will protect your eyes from being damaged by blue light from your monitors while gaming. Deals Your PC needs an upgrade. Why not save some money with the great, limited-time discounts on Prime Big Deal Days? HANDHELDS Winhanced 0.9.9.9 adds friend cards, PC streaming, Windows updates, better integrations, and much more for handhelds. PC Gaming Steam Deck prices climb while the ROG Xbox Ally holds steady, potentially becoming 2026's best‑value handheld gaming PC if it continues the trend. Handhelds Valve says its Steam Deck 2 plans remain unchanged despite the RAM crisis, aiming for clear performance gains even as rising component costs bite. GAMING We may have been 100,000,000 steps away, but now it's 99,999,999 GAMING Undead Labs boss Philip Holt explains why Game Pass remains important to State of Decay 3 despite the studio’s split from Xbox. Gaming Microsoft has announced the latest batch of new games coming in the second half of October 2026, which includes new IP like Valor Mortis and AAA games like Battlefield 6. News One of Microsoft's biggest gaming franchises will finally support ARM64 next year, which means its anticheat will, too. Halo A 30-person team remains to ship a final update featuring Firefight and Theater mode for the game. AI Microsoft's latest Copilot update for Word adds source citations, making it easier to check whether AI-generated responses are actually correct. AI Contractors reviewing Microsoft Copilot prompts report being flooded with sexually explicit images and potentially illegal user requests. Laptops Microsoft is stepping back from the Copilot+ PC name, leaving many with an unused key that you can easily remap. Apps Microsoft Teams will remove the Copilot shortcut from its chat list next month to steer users toward the full-featured app bar. AI Satya Nadella wants AI to focus on practical human utility, but Microsoft’s consumer AI strategy still feels completely out of touch. AI The new Copilot marks a strategic reset as Microsoft shifts toward a unified, more capable Windows AI experience. Microsoft A Clippy-themed cryptocurrency briefly gained visibility through Microsoft's own X account after it was compromised. Apps Microsoft has rolled out a Teams feature that automatically blocks identified external bots before they can enter meetings. Apps Microsoft's Calendar, People, and Files companion apps for Windows 11 are being retired roughly a year after they first shipped. Apps Microsoft Teams will soon support simultaneous screen sharing, making side-by-side comparison and multi-presenter meetings better. Apps Microsoft will host a OneDrive and Copilot digital event on October 20 to showcase cloud and productivity features. Windows 11 Microsoft says the UK needs more data centers as Slough residents question the impact of the proposed site. Review Razer's new Basilisk V4 Pro maintains the lines position at the top of the gaming mouse tree, but why did they have to squeeze an AI feature in there nobody asked for? Review This keyboard is a chunky and proud green tribute to the original console that manages to still be a great daily keyboard Gaming Razer has revealed the Wolverine V4 Pro controller that builds upon its previous efforts with new tech, and with 8,000 Hz polling it becomes an all-in-one package for both console and PC. Please login or signup to comment