Although delivered as a lightweight enablement package, the Windows 11 26H2 update consolidates months of incremental optimizations, delivering noticeable speed improvements and reduced memory consumption across many systems. Because Microsoft relies on gradual rollouts, many devices are experiencing these cumulative refinements simultaneously for the first time. According to WindowsLatest, a primary contributor to improved system…
The MacBook Neo is an easy recommendation. | Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge If you’re a student looking for an affordable laptop, I have bad news and I have good news. The bad news is that computer prices are out of whack due to the ongoing RAM and storage crunch, making some…
Microsoft is preparing to expand its backward compatibility ecosystem by bringing Xbox 360 games to Windows PCs. According to internal developer documentation obtained by The Verge, the strategic initiative will allow classic console titles to run on PCs, handheld gaming devices, and Project Helix, Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox platform. Expected to roll out gradually between 2027…
When Microsoft announced its latest round of Xbox price bumps in June, it only gave US pricing. Now we know the pricing increases for the EU and UK, and they’re dramatic. Depending on the model, Xbox prices are increasing by up to €200 or £170. The 1TB Xbox Series X with a disc drive is…
Microsoft has officially announced a new testing phase for an ad-supported tier of Xbox Cloud Gaming, offering players free access to stream select titles in exchange for viewing advertisements. This move follows other recent platform developments, including expanded backward compatibility for older Xbox titles on PC, and aims to broaden accessibility for gamers who prefer…
Gears of War: E-Day. This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more on the bleak state of the video game industry, follow Andrew Webster. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes on Sunday at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here. How it started…
Microsoft has introduced its latest artificial intelligence model, MAI-Image-2.5, aiming to challenge the current industry benchmark for realistic image generation, Google’s Nano Banana 2. Announced on Tuesday, June 2, during the Build 2026 developer conference, the new technology enters a highly competitive digital media landscape. The technology is deployed in two distinct versions designed to…
Microsoft has officially unveiled the Surface Laptop Ultra, marking one of the first premium computers to integrate NVIDIA’s newly announced RTX Spark platform for Windows on Arm. Positioned by the manufacturer as the most powerful Surface device ever built, this hardware release aims to challenge the Apple MacBook Pro directly by delivering a competitive combination…
This shadowy render is the best glimpse Microsoft is giving us so far. | Image: Microsoft Once upon a time, Microsoft had to write off $900 million betting an Arm-based Nvidia chip could power its first flagship Windows portable, the original Microsoft Surface. But today, it’s trying again. Microsoft and Nvidia have just announced the…
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang with an RTX laptop at CES 2025. | Image: Getty Images It’s the world’s worst kept secret that Nvidia is about to announce its own Arm-powered laptop chips at Computex this weekend, and now Microsoft, Nvidia, and Arm are all openly teasing the announcement. The Windows and Nvidia GeForce accounts on…
