Move over iPhone Duo announcement, the real news is here. Windows 11 will soon feature a few more emojis. Microsoft recently shipped Windows 11 Builds 26100.9539 and 26200.9539 to Insiders in the Release Preview Channel. Among other changes, the update adds support for Emoji 17.0.

Since these are Release Preview builds, many of the included changes have already been seen during earlier Insider testing.

Several changes have been made to File Explorer that should make for a smoother experience. Home within File Explorer now preserves the state of sections, so the next time you open the app things will be expanded or collapsed as before. Thumbnail previews for cloud files should appear more consistently as well following this update.

Emoji lovers will be happy to hear that Emoji 17.0 support comes with this build of Windows 11. Emoji 17.0 adds the distorted face, fight cloud, and hairy creature (Bigfoot) emojis.

Microsoft continues on its recent push to create more widgets. These Insider builds add a Tips widget that provides guidance about Windows features. Microsoft recently announced a battery widget that's in the works as well.

Another welcome change is the update to remap the Copilot key to function as the Right Control key or Context Menu key. Copilot already has a keyboard shortcut (Alt + Space) for those who want to use it, so having a dedicated key for a niche tool felt a bit like overkill.

Microsoft detailed the changes that are gradually rolling out.

Build 26100.9539/26200.9539

File Explorer

• New! This update adjusts how the preview pane handles files downloaded from the web. For HTML files, a new Preview anyway button lets you acknowledge the warning and preview the file. Non-HTML files, such as PDFs, are now previewed automatically.
• New! File Explorer Home now preserves the state of sections (expanded or collapsed), so you can pick up where you left off.
• New! This update improves the reliability of thumbnail previews for cloud files in the Details pane. The pane has also been reorganized so file properties are easier to find and review at a glance.
• New! This update addresses an issue that could clear the address bar contents when entering edit mode by clicking near the right side of the address bar.

Emoji

• New! This update adds support for Emoji 17.0, including new emoji such as distorted face, fight cloud, and hairy creature. To insert them, press Windows key + Period (.) to open the emoji panel.
• New! This update also refines the design of several existing emoji for better consistency across platforms, including saluting face, face with peeking eye, goose, lotus, and kissing cat.

Widgets

• New! This update introduces the Tips widget, which provides short, helpful guidance about Windows features. To add it to your Widgets board, open the board, select Add widgets, and then choose Tips. To add it to your lock screen, go to Settings > Personalization > Lock screen and add Tips to your lock screen widgets.

Personalization

• This update includes a variety of improvements to desktop background experiences:
  • This update improves the reliability of the Personalization > Background page in Settings.
  • This update adds support for using DIB image files as desktop backgrounds.
  • This update improves the reliability of desktop slideshow transitions on newly created accounts.
  • This update improves the resolution of previews when selecting a desktop background in Personalization > Background.
  • This update improves the desktop background preview display in Settings for users with portrait mode monitors.
  • This update improves the reliability of processing desktop wallpaper changes when they happen in quick succession.
  • This update adds support for using slideshow wallpapers with multiple desktops, so that it won't automatically switch you back to Picture.

Bluetooth

• This update contains several enhancements to improve reliability and the experience when connecting to and using Bluetooth devices:
  • During voice calls, the Windows shell volume flyout now appears when adjusting the volume of a Bluetooth Classic Audio accessory using the volume controls on the accessory, providing visual feedback of the new volume level.
  • This update improves the accuracy of the connection state displayed by Windows for accessories that have disconnected from the PC.
  • This update improves the stability of the Bluetooth & devices page in Settings when managing Bluetooth and audio devices.
  • This update resolves an issue where the Bluetooth radio could be turned off, but the radio control toggle on the Bluetooth & devices page in Settings appeared on.
  • This update improves Bluetooth audio stability and compatibility.
  • This update improves microphone compatibility with certain Bluetooth Classic Audio accessories.
  • This update resolves an issue that could result in a crash (error code 0x139) while streaming Bluetooth audio.
  • This update improves reliability and performance with LE Audio accessories.
  • This update improves the reliability of shared audio.

Accessibility

• New! This update introduces Open apps maximized, an accessibility setting that automatically maximizes app windows as they open. It removes a bit of everyday friction whether you use a screen reader or magnification, work in tablet mode, or simply prefer a consistent, full-screen workspace. To turn it on, go to Settings > Accessibility > Visual effects and turn on Open apps maximized.
• This update improves navigation of the Bluetooth quick settings page when using keyboard input, gamepad input, or Narrator.

Magnifier

• New! This update brings a modernized visual refresh to Magnifier on the taskbar:
  • Updated icons: Magnifier's toolbar icons align with the Windows 11 visual design, giving the tool a cleaner, more modern feel.
  • Refined spacing and padding: The padding is adjusted with consistent spacing across the toolbar for a more polished layout.
• Views, zoom controls, keyboard shortcuts, and Read Aloud all behave exactly as they did in earlier versions.

Settings

• This update improves the reliability of Settings when interacting with the contents of the Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Printers & scanners page.
• This update updates Settings > Apps > Installed apps to show the version number at the top level for packaged apps, as it already does for other apps.
• This update improves the time picker control in Settings so that it reflects your preferred time format when you switch between 12-hour and 24-hour formats. This applies in places such as setting active hours and scheduling night light.
• This update improves the persistence of the Allow multiple apps to use camera at the same time option in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Camera.

Touchpad

• New! Additional gesture controls for precision touchpads are available in Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad:
  • Single-finger scrolling: Scroll vertically with one finger starting from the left or right side of the touchpad.
  • Automatic scrolling: Keep scrolling without lifting your fingers by moving them near the edge of your touchpad while scrolling.
• Previously, gesture controls for scroll and zoom speed and accelerated scrolling were released in the July 2026 update (KB5101684).

Copilot key

• New! This update introduces a new Windows 11 setting that lets you remap the Copilot key to function as the Right Ctrl or Context Menu key, helping preserve familiar keyboard shortcuts and accessibility workflows. For more information, see Understand updates to the Copilot key on Windows devices.

Camera Roll

• New! This update introduces Camera Roll Backup in Settings, helping eligible users protect their photos with OneDrive. You can turn on the feature from the Settings Home or Accounts page and complete setup on your mobile phone using a QR code.¹

Fonts

• New! This update adds support for the Garay and Beria Erfe scripts to the Ebrima font, the first Microsoft font to support both. Garay was encoded in Unicode 16.0 and Beria Erfe in Unicode 17.0.
• New! This update also refines the Adlam glyph designs in Ebrima to align with the current Unicode standard and improve consistency.

Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE)

• New! This update enables WinRE to automatically reuse eligible Wi-Fi profiles already saved in Windows, including supported certificate-based networks. Devices can now get online automatically during recovery scenarios such as quick machine recovery or cloud rebuild, without preconfiguring Wi-Fi credentials in WinRE. This capability is on by default, and IT admins can disable it. For more information, see Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE).
• New! This update adds a recovery remote management plug-in for extending WinRE management capabilities for mobile device management (MDM) providers. For more information, see Recovery Remote Management Overview.

Kiosk mode

• The Windows key + Tab keyboard shortcut is now disabled when using a restricted user experience kiosk.
• The Windows key + A and Windows key + C keyboard shortcuts are now disabled when using single-app kiosk mode.

Windows Backup

• PC-to-PC Migration is no longer available. This feature, introduced through a phased rollout, previously allowed you to transfer files and settings directly from your previous PC when setting up a new Windows PC. To back up and restore your files, settings, and other supported items when moving to a new PC, use Windows Backup. For more information, see Back up and restore with Windows Backup.

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Ah, social media, the place where misinformation can fly around at breakneck speed, all supported by "experts". The latest case? GameSir controllers.

This one has gathered so much steam that the company has chosen to respond or has used the opportunity to turn it into a brilliant marketing campaign. You be the judge.

Why all the hullabaloo? On a recent stream, Call of Duty pro players were heard discussing GameSir controllers and the idea of "GA-ing them" from the Modern Warfare 4 season of the Call of Duty League. Because of features that amount to "built-in cheats".

It seemed like a fairly obvious troll to me and to many others. These were guys on a stream just shooting the breeze, and it smells like a troll a mile off. Call of Duty pro-players are notorious for using a GA to avoid using most of the weapons in any Call of Duty during pro play in order to provide as level a playing field as possible.

But the idea of GA-ing a controller is ludicrous, but then the internet did its thing. You can see GameSir's statement posted to X below.

Anyone who has ever used a GameSir controller can tell you that it's farcical someone could suggest it comes with built-in cheats. There's no magic button that suddenly gives you no recoil in an FPS game. You still have to do that yourself. Believe me, I know. I'm still just as terrible.

That's not to say GameSir hasn't had some trouble in recent times. It removed a feature, the RC filter, because it was (unintentionally) always allowing rotational aim assist in Apex Legends and was banned from official competitions. But the company responded and took the feature away. It wasn't designed to 'cheat' but it was an unfortunate side effect.

GameSir has been responding on social media to some of these posts in a more casual manner, but it's the internet; people will keep talking. So there's an official response, and with it, I think, a genius marketing move.

I actually think that if some of the pro players put down their current controllers, in many cases a Scuf or a Razer — sometimes linked to sponsorship — and they tried a GameSir, they'd be surprised.

I'm currently trying out the Tarantula 8K, and I can confirm that it doesn't give you cheats. It gives you a lot of features to customize, but so do competing brands. The difference here is this controller is $80, and right now, I'm picking it up every time over my much more expensive Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 8K. A controller I reviewed and called an "unfair advantage".

A full review on that will be coming soon. But this is another example of not believing everything you see on the internet, especially if the source is "pRoGaMeR619" or "trust me bro." But if you get one of GameSir's latest controllers, you're getting an incredible package at the sort of price that should put the industry on notice.

Everyone's always looking for an edge. In gaming, you want the best hardware your budget allows for. Be it a higher frame rate, a fast mouse, keyboard, controller, the best display. It's not cheating. Is it cheating when a race car driver wants to be using the best equipment? Let's not be silly now.

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We're reaching the home stretch of Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance's weapons showcase trailer series as we're now on to the 9th on the list, Insect Glaive.

This complex weapon type, which mixes aerial and ground-based combat with bug companion management, has some new techniques to dispatch monsters in Monster Hunter Wilds' upcoming DLC expansion, and they're somewhat subtle compared to the other weapon changes we've seen so far.

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In contrast to previous weapon showcase trailers, which revealed that weapon types like Hammer and Dual Blades are getting various new aerial attacks granted by the DLC's Boost Bracer gimmick, Insect Glaive's changes keep it fairly grounded.

Some of the Insect Glaive's new Boost Driver attacks consist of spinning the glaive around while sending out the weapon type's unique 'Kinsect' bug pet to attack monsters and steal its Extract to power yourself up without manually commanding the Kinsect to do so.

While the Boost Gauge is active, the Insect Glaive gains extended ground-based combo attacks, your Kinsect can deal extra tick damage, and you perform new Offset counterattacks that can be followed up with aerial jump attacks.

Windows Central's take

Overall, this weapon trailer felt underwhelming compared to the previous ones, as most of the changes seem to focus on improving the Insect Glaive's pre-existing ground attacks without adding any flashy new aerial moves or aerial combo attacks.

I'm guessing that Capcom wants the Insect Glaive's playstyle to function more like it did back when it was introduced in Monster Hunter 4. In that game, Insect Glaive dominated the entire monster roster with its insanely powerful, acrobatic, and literally grounded glaive attacks that made you feel like Darth Maul from the Star Wars franchise.

Unfortunately, many people these days (myself included) prefer Insect Glaive to focus on aerial-based combat, as it helps it stand out from other weapon types; otherwise, it will feel like we're playing Longsword or Dual Blades but with extra steps.

Hopefully, Capcom is hiding some new cool aerial combo attacks we can pull off with Insect Glaive in the final game, when Monster Hunter Wilds: Ascendance launches in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam.

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Yesterday, Apple unveiled iPhone Duo, much to the dismay of the dozens of die-hard Surface Duo fans that opted for Microsoft's now defunct line of foldable phones. Of course, the name of the product was what drew immediate comparisons to Surface Duo, but as the keynote went on, it quickly became evident that it isn't just the name that Apple was interested in.

Ever since Surface Duo launched in 2020, I have heralded it as the best multitasking phone you could buy. No other folding phone, whether that be from Samsung, Huawei, Oppo, Honor, Xiaomi, or Google, have matched the Surface Duo from a pure multitasking perspective.

The dual-screen setup allowed for Microsoft to create a new user experience around the gap between the screens, and that led to a unique experience that made multitasking automatic. Open your app on one screen, and the other screen would remain on the home screen, available whenever you need it to begin another task.

If the second screen was free, opening links would open them on the other screen, allowing you to keep viewing the first app without it being obscured by your browser. You could swipe up from the bottom and drag the app across both screens, swapping them in place or spanning a single app across both screens for a totally immersive experience.

No other folding phone has ever matched this level of fluidity or multitasking prowess. Most single-screen folding phones opt to treat the large folding screen as a tablet screen, opening apps full screen and requiring gestures or modes to enter a special "multitasking view" that allows you to run the apps side by side. The OS isn't able to dynamically do this, unlike the Surface Duo.

Well, it turns out, iPhone Duo can. I've never seen another folding phone match the Surface Duo's multitasking design, but iPhone Duo does almost identically. In multiple demos, Apple shows the iPhone Duo opening an app, and letting users split it side by side with another app by dragging the app up and docking it to the left or right of the screen.

When you do this, the iPhone home screen appears on the other side, just like Surface Duo. From there, you can open another app, and swap sides with it by doing the same drag and drop gesture you do on Surface Duo. It even opens links in a browser next to your app automatically, just like Surface Duo.

Surface Duo had a lot of flaws, but one thing it got absolutely right was the fluidity and automagic-ness of its multitasking experience. Users were in control of where apps appeared, and it was easy to move apps between the two halves, and have them run side by side. In most instances, multitasking on Surface Duo was an automatic experience. I never had to cognitively initiate a multitasking mode, it automatically happened.

It looks like iPhone Duo is opting for the same design philosphy. User shouldn't need to initiate a complex gesture or mode to multitask. It should just happen when it makes the most sense. If you need to open an app next to your currently open one, just drag the app to the side and open the second app from your familiar home screen.

If you tap a link, it should open the browser next to your current app, not on top of it like so many other Android phones do. Both Surface Duo and iPhone Duo appear to do this correctly, and that's the biggest surprise in my book. It's not just the name Duo that Apple borrowed, it's the entire multitasking design ethos as well.

You can see this in action in this video:

I'm not even mad about it, I've always said that I wish another company built the Surface Duo, because it wasn't fair of Microsoft to debut the best multitasking experience I'd ever seen on a phone, only to kill the product two years later. Apple has taken the best of Surface Duo and implemented it onto its own iPhone Duo, which is a win for Surface Duo fans in my book.

And it's not just the software multitasking and windowing that Apple have copied. iPhone Duo also supports pen, another feature that was incredibly popular on Surface Duo. Many people used their Surface Duo's as a personal diary or note taking device, and it did that quite well. iPhone Duo also supports pen input via the Apple Pencil, which is awesome to see.

I think Apple even indirectly referenced the Surface Duo during their keynote. At the start of the iPhone Duo segment, Apple says "others have created foldables that just feel like two phones awkwardly stuck together." The only folding phone that was literally two phone screens stuck together was Surface Duo.

Apple is right in that you can mimic the setup of a dual-screen phone 100% on a single screen folding phone, and that's exactly what they've done with iPhone Duo. All the dual-screen multitasking behaviors have been implemented on the folding screen, and it still works great.

Surface Duo fans, I fear we may finally have our Surface Duo 3 in the form of iPhone Duo. Too bad it costs $2,000.

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Apple didn't shock the world this week by unveiling the iPhone Duo, but it has taken the tech world by storm. With Apple joining the folding phone fray, we now have millions of people considering foldables that never would have considered the category.

With the iPhone Duo sharing so much with the Surface Duo, it's natural to make comparisons. Our Zac Bowden explained what went wrong with Surface Duo and highlighted Apple copying the names of Surface products.

But the iPhone Duo announcement stood out to me for another reason. It shows what happens when a company knows its own identity and leans into it. Apple is far from the first company to make a foldable phone, but the iPhone Duo tackles foldables in a way that's quintessentially Apple.

In normal Apple fashion, the company bided its time and waited for Samsung, Motorola, Xiaomi, and other companies to work out the biggest issues with foldables. Through years of trial and error, other manufacturers have determined the best form factor for a folding phone. They've also figured out use cases for folding screens and the large displays provided by what are essentially tablets that fold into phones at this point.

Apple's patient approach does more than give its engineers real-world feedback about a product category. By waiting until foldables became normal, Apple has left potentially the most difficult task to be completed by other companies: getting people to even consider a folding phone that costs a fortune.

Every time Apple introduces a new product or feature that's been seen elsewhere, people online joke about Apple "inventing" things. I get it. It's an easy joke and some Apple heads are smug and ignore advances made by other companies. But Apple's strategy works. In addition to making Apple money hand over fist, it creates good products.

Apple knows what it is. The leaders at Apple have a clear strategy and know how to make new products. Microsoft is lost when it comes to Surface, and the iPhone Duo shows that.

Before you jump to the comments, I am fully aware that Microsoft had a foldable phone years before Apple. The buggy mess that was the Surface Duo launched in 2020. After silently fixing a few bugs and realizing people want NFC and good cameras in a smartphone, Microsoft unveiled the Surface Duo 2. But Microsoft abandoned the Surface Duo lineup and never even released the Surface Duo 3, so I'm not going to give it the benefit of the doubt.

By not sticking with the Surface Duo lineup, Microsoft gave up its pioneer status. The company could have made a Surface Duo 3 that addressed concerns and then unveiled a model with a folding screen by now. But instead, Surface Duo is dusted.

When it comes to tech, you need to carve out a niche. That's often done by being the first, the best, or the most affordable. You can also succeed by being unique or by being over the top. Surface used to check some of these boxes, but it rarely does anymore.

What is Surface in 2026? It's no longer the innovative hardware maker that drove the 2-in-1 form factor. Experimental projects have been pushed to the wayside, leaving Lenovo to pick up the slack. Surface PCs were never the most affordable, and I'd argue they aren't even the best options in their respective categories anymore.

Microsoft has shown some small signs of moving in the right direction with the Surface Laptop Ultra, but I still have my reservations. Surface still seems lost, and I don't see Microsoft returning to the experimental roots of the product family.

Microsoft no longer pushes the limits of computing with experimental hardware. But it also does not wait long enough to see a category fully mature and then swoop in with a perfected version. Surface is stuck in the middle of a crowded PC space and feels like a leftover appendage of a bloated company.

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If you're still feeling salty about Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV being delayed until December 3, 2026, then don't fret, because the developers will be posting several gameplay deep dives to satiate us Warhammer 40,000 fans until then.

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The first of these deep dives is a new battlefield report that shows a 15-minute match between the Necron and Ork factions in a 1v1 PvP game mode called Annihilation.

It was a fast-paced, chaotic match that showcased the unstoppable, near-immortal tankiness of the Necron army and how it slowly but surely weathered the aggressive, quantity-over-quality playstyle of the Ork army.

This gameplay deep dive also shows that the developers are incorporating player feedback, like making units more readable on the battlefield and adding a configurable match settings menu.

This menu will allow players to change various aspects of a match before fighting. Some examples include, but are not limited to:

• The HP, damage, and defense stats of units.
• The speed at which your army generates resources.
• How fast you capture Control Points.
• How much WAAAGH resources Ork players and Dominion resources Necron players start with.
• Whether or not to include a time limit.

There's more Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV videos to come this month

I'm not too versed in real-time strategy games, but having a multiplayer match-setting menu where players can have a gentleman's agreement to either buff or nerf their own units or their rivals' units to make matches challenging is an interesting concept.

Though I was more entertained seeing Orks getting curbstomped by Necrons because it's always entertaining that the monster factions of Warhammer 40,000 duke it out.

And there will be more entertainment in the coming weeks, as the developers are releasing two more Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War IV gameplay deep dives and battlefields for September 2026.

The next report will feature a 2v2 Team Domination game mode where all four factions (Space Marines, Orks, Necrons, and Adeptus Mechanicus) will duke it out, and it will be released on September 16, 2026.

After that will be a 2v2 Team Skirmish match where the developers team up against computer opponents whose AI will be set to hard difficulty settings.

Tune into those dates to see more exciting gameplay footage of this long-awaited return for the classic RTS franchise, before Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of IV launches on December 3, 2026 for PC via Steam.

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Ever since the MacBook Neo launched earlier this year, Windows OEMs have scrambled to ship devices that match it from a design and price perspective. Until this year, most Windows OEMs weren't all that interested in insuring their sub-$1,000 laptops were pretty, but that has all changed in recent months.

OEMs like Dell and Acer have come out with $799 laptops that match the MacBook Neo in design and premium build quality, and now ASUS is joining the fray with their own $799 Windows laptop that also looks the part. The new ZenBook 14 with Snapdragon X is one of the better $799 Windows laptops we've tested, thanks to its premium design and excellent OLED display.

I've been daily driving the ZenBook 14 over the last few weeks, and this is my full review.

This review was made possible via a sample unit supplied by ASUS. The company had no editorial input and did not see the contents of this review before publication.

What I love

Any laptop that wants a running chance at being competitive with the MacBook Neo needs to focus on design and build quality. Luckily, the ASUS ZenBook 14 is a device that looks and feels the part. It features a premium metal chassis with a coating that does a great job at hiding fingerprints and remaining light.

The design of the laptop is notably rounder than the MacBook Neo and other laptops in this price range, which gives it an edge in ergonomics too. Carrying this laptop around in your hands is very comfortable, and it just looks great when sitting on a desk or on your lap.

The texture of the chassis is nice and smooth, and cold to the touch which helps with that premium feeling. It's also super lightweight, coming in at just 2.87lbs, making it a touch heavier than the MacBook Neo but still plenty light, especially at 14-inches. The chassis does flex a tiny amount, but not enough for it to take away from the overall premium experience.

Opening the laptop up, we're greeted with what I'd arguably describe as the star of the show. This laptop is rocking 14-inch OLED display that looks great for $799. It is a 1080p panel, which is notably lower resolution than what you might find on the MacBook Neo and Dell XPS 13, but the OLED colors make up for that slight drop in sharpness.

You don't often find OLED displays on laptops at this price bracket, especially not with a Snapdragon chip on the inside. This laptop is powered by the Snapdragon X 8-core SoC, which delivers good performance for day to day tasks while being incredibly energy efficient, meaning this device will last you all day on a single charge without breaking a sweat.

The configuration that starts at $799 includes 8GB RAM, which is a little on the low side in 2026, but if you're only planning to use your laptop for lightweight productivity tasks and a bit of multitasking between a web browser, Spotify, Teams/Slack, and an email client, it should be more than enough. If you need more, ASUS does offer the laptop with more RAM and storage at a higher price.

Turning out attention to the chassis once more, we have plenty of ports for a laptop at this price bracket. It features a full size USB-A port on the right, and two USB-C ports, a full-size HDMI port, and a 3.5mm audio jack on the left. The USB-C ports are used for both data and charging the device.

I also want to take a second to shout out the great keyboard on this laptop. The ZenBook 14 has one of the best feeling keyboards I've ever typed on at this price point. For $799, this keyboard is lush. It's tactile yet quiet, and my fingers just glide across the keys. Actuating the keys is also easy and weightless.

Lastly, the audio and webcam on this device are surprisingly good. The webcam is a XX shooter which looks great in well lit rooms, but gets a bit noisy in low light. It's perfect for Teams calls and video calling friends, and the built-in microphone is more than cabable for the same tasks.

What's really nice about the webcam is that it also features IR sensors for Windows Hello face unlock. This level of biometric authentication isn't something you'll find on the $799 MacBook Neo, but it does match the $799 Dell XPS 13.

What I hate

There's not much to dislike about the ASUS ZenBook 14, but there are a few things I noticed during my time with it that I wasn't a fan of.

First of all, I don't like the trackpad. It's nice and smooth, and plenty large, but that's about as much good as I can say about it. I don't know if this was just an issue with my review unit, but the trackpad feels notably tougher to actuate than other trackpads I've tried. The MacBook Neo's trackpad is effortless, but the ZenBook 14 trackpad is a little tougher to press down.

I'll also say that the tracking of the trackpad itself is also not great. When people say Windows trackpads suck, I suspect it's trackpads like this that they're referring to. It just doesn't feel very accurate, often over or under shooting where I intended to move the mouse. The keyboard also doesn't feature a backlight, which kind of sucks. I know the MacBook Neo also doesn't have a backlight, but it also sucks on that laptop too. At $799, the laptop should have a backlight in my opinion.

The only other annoyance I found with the ZenBook 14 is that I found its fan spins up a fair bit, and it can get quite loud under super intensive load. It's not normally an issue in day to day use, but if you're susceptible to fan noise, I'd be weary of the ASUS ZenBook 14.

Conclusion

The ASUS ZenBook 14 is the latest MacBook Neo competitor to hit the scene, and it's one of the better ones. Yeah, the trackpad isn't amazing, but everything else about this laptop is great for a $799 starting price.

I think it's one of the better looking $799 laptops you can find right now, complete with a thin and light profile and plenty of ports to boot. It also has all day battery life, and good performance for the day to day tasks you'd be expected to want to complete on a device in this price bracket.

The OLED display is a great addition, and while I wish it was slightly higher resolution and higher refresh rate, the panel itself is perfectly acceptable at this price point. In fact, I'd say the punchy colors are worth the slight decrease in resolution.

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Ubisoft is starting to test a change to how its PC games work on Steam, removing its own game launcher from games bought in Valve's storefront app, according to a patch note shared on Reddit. Previously, launching a Ubisoft-made game would require gamers to first install the Ubisoft Connect PC launcher to support cross-progression and other stat tracking.

The change will first apply to 2024's 2D platformer Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown and, presuming this test proves to be successful, will "progressively evolve and roll out to more Ubisoft games on Steam in the future". Crucially, there's no definite confirmation that this will retroactively apply to even older Ubisoft games on Steam, but it's a reasonable assumption.

The impossible is less of a barrier

This is fantastic news for PC gamers, if it works as expected. Connecting my Steam and Ubisoft accounts should, in theory, be as much effort as I need to play these games from my library, skipping the frustrating process of navigating (and quickly closing) Ubisoft's launcher. I'm crossing all my fingers that this soon applies to my entire catalog, so I can stop neglecting Watch_Dogs 2.

Sentiments are fairly unanimous across the r/Steam thread on Reddit, with most agreeing that the Ubisoft Connect launcher has never been a positive feature in games they've bought on Steam. Ditto for other companies, as launching Grand Theft Auto IV or Red Dead Redemption 2 on my Steam Deck still tediously forces me through Rockstar Games' own launcher variant.

Curiously, this announcement is currently restricted to the Steam-hosted patch note, which can't be viewed outside a library that already owns the relevant game, so Ubisoft is seemingly keeping this test on the downlow for now. Maybe they're trying to save face after pushing Ubisoft Connect for so long, but frankly, this is a step in the right direction to celebrate — if it passes testing.

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Tokyo Game Show is almost here, and it's ready to bring all kinds of exciting gaming news from the Land of the Rising Sun. Microsoft will be among the many publishers attending this year, and it's planning some big reveals to mark the Xbox brand's 25th anniversary.

Here's where and how you can watch Xbox's Tokyo Game Show 2026 showcase livestream and get a little taste of what to expect at the show.

Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026: Watch times and platforms

The Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 showcase livestream will commence on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 7:00 pm (JST) / 3:00 am (PT) / 6:00 am (ET) / 11:00 am (BST).

It will be available to watch on the following YouTube and Twitch platforms:

• youtube.com/@XBOXJapan
• youtube.com/XBOX
• twitch.tv/XBOX

Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026: What to expect

Microsoft will be showing off many upcoming Xbox games during its Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 livestream.

Two of these games are confirmed to be Minecraft Dungeons 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4, and they'll also be playable on the Tokyo Game Show's show floor for people attending the event in person.

Minecraft Dungeons 2 is an upcoming ARPG where you and your friends hack and slash your way through the Minecraft universe for glory and loot in a similar manner to Blizzard Entertainment's Diablo series.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 is the latest upcoming entry in the Call of Duty Modern Warfare sub-series. Players will engage enemies in thrilling military shooter combat through an epic single-player campaign and chaotic 6v6 online multiplayer modes.

The community-driven Xbox FanFest will also be at the Tokyo Game Show to host a watch party for the Xbox Tokyo Game Show livestream, with special guests Misuzu Araki and Larry Hyrb.

What are you hoping to see at Xbox's Tokyo Game Show 2026 showcase?

As for what else will be at the Xbox Tokyo Game Show, your guess is as good as mine.

While I'm personally hoping to see gameplay footage of long-awaited titles like Spyro: A Realm Beyond and Persona 6, my colleagues are hoping to see footage of Physint.

Physint is an upcoming action-stealth game made by Kojima Productions that's meant to be a successor to the legendary Metal Gear Solid franchise. It was originally a PlayStation exclusive, but when Sony unexpectedly tried to cancel it, Hideo Kojima cut off ties with Sony and permitted Xbox to publish Physint instead.

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Will we see gameplay of Physint, Spyro: A Realm Beyond, and Persona 6 at the Xbox Tokyo Game Show livestream, or will we see some new games that haven't been announced yet?

Tune in next week to find out when the Xbox Tokyo Game Show 2026 livestream launches on Thursday, September 17, 2026.

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I almost entirely skipped 2020's Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War. I'd pretty much done the same with 2019's Modern Warfare because at the time, I wasn't feeling the new look and feel after Black Ops 4.

I didn't actually get any kind of mojo back until the launch of Black Ops 6, helped in large part because of Microsoft's acquisition of Activision, and the arrival of Call of Duty into Xbox Game Pass.

The back catalog has gradually joined, too, and going forward, it'll only be a back catalog since the new games won't join for a year. While I do fear for how that decision (among other things) will affect Modern Warfare 4 and its player count, subscribers still have a smorgasboard of older games to enjoy.

Black Ops Cold War is the latest addition, having joined Xbox Game Pass this week as I write this. So I installed it, because I can, and I spent an evening playing it. What a breath of fresh air. Having just completed, finally, the gruelling Singularity Mastery Camo on Black Ops 7 in the sweatiest lobbies of all time, Black Ops Cold War feels so good.

Importantly, it feels fun. As much as I may have played the last two Call of Duty games, I can't always say it's been fun. Maybe it's the 'no pressure' environment of not actually trying to do anything. Not chasing unlocks, filling battle passes, or completing challenges to get the new items that I apparently need, but never use. It feels low commitment, and it feels absolutely fantastic.

The slower pace of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is perfect for more casual players

I'll admit, I don't hate the movement in Black Ops 6 or Black Ops 7, but it is pretty outrageous. The term "movement demon" is one us less sweaty players fear, and every lobby in the current game seems to have multiple.

While there's a satisfaction to flying, sliding, and wall bouncing around the map, it feels like hard work, and it's hard work to play against. Black Ops Cold War has a slower pace; there's no wall bouncing, no Omnimovement, just a run and fairly basic slide. Being an average player that can kinda sorta aim decently well, I feel like I can actually compete.

Positioning, map knowledge, and tactics feel like they have more of an impact in Black Ops Cold War compared to Black Ops 7. In the current game the movement and the pace make it so, if you're capable, you can just fly around and rely on this to get you out of trouble. Or to make trouble for the opponents.

I played a bunch of objective modes in Black Ops Cold War, and every match felt like where I positioned myself mattered. Breaking into hardpoints took a measured approach and actually aiming, rather than just bouncing around. Even Nuketown doesn't feel like a miserable experience, and that's saying a lot.

The weapons look and feel good, and the camo grind is a different type of challenge

The gunplay in Black Ops Cold War is obviously different from the two most recent Black Ops titles, and I think it's better. It's closer to how Modern Warfare feels, which, traditionally, I wasn't much of a fan of.

Maybe it's old age, but I like it better this way.

To say it's from 2020, the weapons look great and still hold up today. The sound also feels better, like you're firing an actual weapon. It's loud.

Going back to an older Call of Duty also highlights the difference in the camo grind to what we've had the last couple of years. I don't think I'm bothering, but compared to the all headshots, then specials, then multikill challenges we've had to do in order in Black Ops 6 and Black Ops 7, I think this is still a better way.

Once a weapon is leveled high enough, you can progress multiple categories at the same time. You can get those Bloodthirsty medals alongside the long shots, headshots, and general eliminations, for example. I just finished doing the three Bloodthirsty's per weapon 30 times in Black Ops 7, and it's exhausting. Working on it earlier seems like it'd be better.

The overall aesthetic is really nice, too. I love the 80's theme, and while graphically the textures on some maps do definitely look old, some others look really good.

The BIG problem: Black Ops Cold War will eat up your PC or Xbox storage

We're used to Call of Duty being a storage hog, but this is a game from 2020, detached from Warzone, and it's absolutely gigantic.

On Xbox you're looking at 158 GB (according to the store listing), and the "Windows Edition" on PC takes up a whopping 220 GB, including the high-res texture pack. A pack you seemingly on this version cannot play without.

That's more than the current Call of Duty launcher is taking up on my PC, and that at least also has Warzone installed. There's nothing we can do about it, and they're certainly not going to try and shrink down a six-year-old game, but you'll need a lot of space to be able to play it.

I'm at the point now where I think I'm mostly done with Black Ops 7. There's a couple of things I want to finish still, like the Endgame 100% since I've only got two challenges left, but a new game is coming soon.

While I'm feeling better about it after the beta than before, I'm still up in the air over whether it's going to be worth playing longer term.

But I haven't even touched the Campaign or Zombies in Black Ops Cold War yet, and I'm actively looking forward to playing the game again. Maybe this will be the Call of Duty to scratch the itch until Modern Warfare 4 comes out.

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In a major coup for Xbox game publishing, Microsoft has landed the contract to publish Physint, Hideo Kojima's long-awaited follow up to Death Stranding.

Despite being announced by PlayStation, somehow, Xbox has managed to acquire the rights to publish Hideo Kojima's return to the "action-espionage" genre. It was all announced just now via Xbox Wire.

Physint in essence sounds like a spiritual successor to Kojima's classic Metal Gear Solid franchise. Metal Gear owner Konami and Hideo Kojima had a high-profile bust-up a few years ago, following the launch of MGSV: The Phantom Pain — which arguably remains unfinished to this day.

Since then, Kojima went independent, developed the award-winning Death Stranding franchise, and later landed a publishing deal with Xbox for horror title OD. Death Stranding 2 is presently a PlayStation exclusive, but the first Death Stranding since launched on Xbox with Xbox Play Anywhere. Later, Kojima re-acquired the rights to Death Stranding from PlayStation itself. It stands to reason Death Stranding 2 will eventually hit Xbox in the future as well.

During the previous announcement two years ago, PlayStation Studios' lead Herman Hulst said that Physint was "part of the PlayStation and Kojima Productions partnership," although that no longer seems to be the path Kojima chose.

“Creators have choices about where and how they bring their ideas to life," Xbox CEO Asha Sharma said in today's blog post. "We’re honored that Kojima-san has chosen XBOX to work with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on PHYSINT. His ambition to challenge conventions reflects the kind of creativity we want to support at XBOX."

"This expands our relationship with XBOX beyond OD," said Hideo Kojima. "As we move forward with the development of PHYSINT, we remain committed to redefining the action-espionage genre for players around the world."

Microsoft and Hideo Kojima also said that the two are collaborating across film and television as well, beyond horror title OD. It sounds as though Microsoft is investing a ton into Kojima Productions to bring this partnership to life, although it sounds as though there's some drama that has taken place behind the scenes between Kojima Productions and PlayStation. Physint was announced on the PlayStation stage, so for it to swap hands in such a stark way suggests there's a bigger story at play here.

In response, Sony has released a statement confirming that it has "made the difficult decision to step away from collaborating with KOJIMA PRODUCTIONS on its project PHYSINT."

Either way, it's a fantastic win for Xbox, potentially. Working with such high-profile developers like Hideo Kojima boosts Xbox's visibility with audiences that Microsoft has typically struggled to access. It also feeds into Asha Sharma's strategy of targeting more ambitious AAA projects with trans-media opportunities for TV and movie treatments.

Whether it all lands remains to be seen, but man oh man, this is NOT one I saw coming.

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I loved my Surface Duo a lot. It was a unique folding phone with two screens instead of a single foldable display, supported pen input, and was the thinnest of its kind when it launched in 2020 (see our original review). It was a mesmerizing bit of kit, but it failed to gain any real mainstream attention.

And although it never shipped, its bigger brother, the Microsoft Surface Neo PC, was also something a lot of us Windows fans were looking forward to at the time. A dual-screen laptop, to complement my dual-screen phone? Sign me up! In 2020, it really did seem like Microsoft was building out its own unique device ecosystem to compete with Apple, Samsung, and Google.

The Neo and Duo were clever names for these devices. Both names had dual meanings to them, too. Neo, meaning "new," referred to the form factor, as well as being a reference to "The One" from The Matrix. And Duo, obviously signifying the device's unique "duo" screen setup, but it was also a reference to the fact that it was a surprise second device in a pair, alongside Neo.

When Duo was announced, it was a true one more thing moment during the event. There had been rumors that Microsoft was working on a folding phone for years prior, but recent reporting at the time had suggested the project was dead. So when Duo was announced alongside Neo, it was a rare true surprise to those in attendance and watching online.

Cut to 2026, and it's all dead. Microsoft gave up on Duo after just one iteration (Surface Duo 2 review), and it never even gave Neo a chance. The company's boneheaded shortsightedness led to the death of unique Surface hardware, and now today we're left with boring laptops and tablets from the Redmond giant.

It was inevitable that the Neo and Duo would forever be relegated to the history books, a hall of fame of unique devices that tried and failed to capture the market. Now, Apple has stormed in and stolen these names for their own products, which will only serve to further bury Microsoft's efforts.

I'm sure there are some Apple fans out there who think Apple never even thought about Microsoft when it named the MacBook Neo and iPhone Duo, but I think that's a lie. Apple is clearly aware that Neo and Duo were strongly tied to the Surface brand, but decided that didn't matter, which is the correct decision.

The MacBook Neo is an almost polar opposite of the Surface Neo. While Surface Neo was supposed to be a super expensive dual-screen flagship laptop, the MacBook Neo is Apple's cheapest laptop, undercutting much of the market. I don't know why, but that feels like an F.U. to Microsoft's vision for its Neo.

And now, there's iPhone Duo. This one hits much harder, as they're both playing in the same game. Surface Duo was a thin folding phone with pen support, and the iPhone Duo is pretty much exactly that. Of course, Apple's iPhone Duo refers to the fact that it's both an iPhone and an iPad, but seeing the Duo moniker on an Apple product just stings.

If anything, it's just reminded me of what was possible had Microsoft pushed through and continued to innovate on the Surface Duo. The company had started working on a third-gen Surface Duo in 2022, which was going to pivot to a single-screen folding setup not dissimilar to the iPhone Duo.

But Microsoft just can't see a good thing through. Because Surface Duo 1 sold poorly, and Surface Duo 2 sold even less than that, the company decided that it was not worth continued investment in this category, which is just wrong. Folding phones were and still are the future, but Microsoft decided to pack it all in.

Now, Apple has just stolen the crown for the Duo moniker, with a product that seemingly does everything the Duo set out to achieve, but better in every way because Apple isn't going to give up after just one iteration. I get the impression that Duo is here to stay in Apple's lineup, unlike the Duo in Microsoft's lineup.

I'm mad that Apple has stolen the Neo and Duo moniker, but frankly, they deserve it. Microsoft clearly isn't doing anything with them, and they are cool product names for devices that stand out. MacBook Neo and iPhone Duo certainly do that, even if they're not in complete harmony like the Surface Neo and Surface Duo were supposed to be.

Congratulations on the launch of iPhone Duo, Apple.

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Microsoft dropped a surprisingly substantial batch of Xbox Insider features today, ranging from nostalgia-fueled startup animations to higher-quality Remote Play streaming.

While none of these additions are major enough to warrant their own showcase, they're all pulling Xbox in the same direction: making the platform feel more personal.

This latest update suggests Xbox sees that shift coming and wants to be the platform that adapts to the player rather than asking the player to adapt to it, and I like where that is going.

Looking through the feature list, it becomes clear that Microsoft's biggest focus is reducing friction, not just adding new features for the sake of it.

That philosophy appears in the new cloud gaming improvements. Xbox Insiders can now continue downloading games in the background while streaming, reducing one of the small but persistent friction points that come with digital gaming.

These updates may not be groundbreaking, but they represent the kind of quality-of-life improvements that users want, which contribute to making a platform feel more refined and complete.

The new personalization features tell a similar story.

Being able to select startup animations from different eras of Xbox history may sound like a cosmetic addition, but it reflects a growing recognition that players often have a deeper connection to gaming platforms than companies traditionally acknowledge.

Users can now pick from Xbox One, Xbox One X, Xbox Series X|S, or We Are Xbox, which is kinda cool.

Remote Play is also getting some new improvements.

The company is now testing support for up to 1440p streaming and higher video bitrates through Xbox Remote Play for Xbox Series X|S users in select Insider rings. The technical upgrade matters, but the broader implication matters more.

A few years ago, Remote Play felt like an extra feature. Today, it feels increasingly central to Microsoft's vision (though we're not thrilled with those new Cloud gaming caps).

Microsoft has spent years talking about making Xbox available wherever players want to play. At first, that messaging was often interpreted as a cloud gaming pitch. What we're seeing now is something more nuanced.

Microsoft now seems more interested in letting players decide which parts of Xbox's history they want to keep with them.

That trend extends to profile customization, where users can choose which achievements and badges are visible and which remain private. If Nintendo's strength is iconic franchises and PlayStation's strength is prestige gaming, Xbox's emerging niche may be flexibility.

Play your games where you want.

Show off your profile how you want.

Start your console how you want.

Access your library how you want.

That seems to be a definable pattern, at least for this update.

Finally, Microsoft is also testing a new Voice Clarity feature for Xbox Series X|S, designed to reduce background noise and improve voice communication in party chat and supported games. Clear communication remains one of the foundations of online gaming, particularly in co-op and competitive titles, so this is a nice nod.

The update also arrives alongside broader backend improvements aimed at making Xbox parties more reliable and secure.

You can get more details from Xbox Wire about today's update.

Windows Central's Take

Again, there's no single standout feature here (although you may disagree), but the bigger picture is that Microsoft is apparently focusing on letting users make Xbox reflect more of their personality and preferences. That's something PC fans are used to, but it's a bit new for console users, where you're more boxed in (pardon the pun).

Maybe this really is all laying the groundwork for the next-gen Xbox (Helix), which is supposed to be more PC-like.

Of course, you could always say this is what Xbox should have been like for years now, but I'm happy to see these changes and like this direction of giving users more choice.

At a time when hardware is becoming unaffordable, the Xbox user experience is becoming the real battleground to keep fans interested, and Microsoft seems to have gotten the message.

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Windows 11 now includes new family safety features that can reduce how much adult content children are exposed to or able to view. Microsoft has a pair of blog posts on the topic, one that focuses on consumer-facing features and another that covers how APIs and Microsoft accounts are used to make the Windows experience safer.

The first change Microsoft highlighted is not a new feature, but a speed boost to an existing one. Granting parental approval is now faster than before, which allows parents and guardians to quickly approve things like additional screen time, access to specific apps, and purchases.

Speed is important when it comes to family safety. Occasionally children run into blocks when trying to access content that is required for homework or that is otherwise age-appropriate. Delayed approvals leave children sitting around and can cause frustration for kids and parents.

Microsoft has also made it easier for parents to keep track of web activity, app activity, and spending. Managing family groups has been improved as well, including options that make it simpler to add or remove members.

The importance of Microsoft accounts

Some people complain about Microsoft accounts being a requirement to use certain services. Microsoft has budged a bit in this area. For example, it's now possible to sign in to Microsoft Edge with a Google account.

But managing family safety settings relies heavily on a Microsoft account, as explained by the company:

"At Microsoft, we believe safety should be easier for families to understand and easier for developers to build into experiences for children to use. On Windows, that starts with the account. Microsoft account is a trusted foundation through which Windows brings age-appropriate protections and parental choices into more of the digital experiences encountered by children and teens every day."

Setting up accounts for children is a requirement to set parental controls for individuals. Microsoft accounts also allow Windows to know if a user is a child, teen, or adult.

Microsoft has introduced a new API to extend age awareness beyond the OS and across the entire Windows ecosystem. The Windows Age APIs can verify a user's age and then send that verification to an app without sharing personal information. It's a bit like Windows Hello but for age verification.

The new Windows Age APIs are available now to Windows Insiders and should ship to all Windows users soon.

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It still feels like a dream that Spyro the Dragon, one of my childhood favorite platformer games, is finally getting a true successor to the classic PlayStation One trilogy with Spyro: A Realm Beyond.

Fortunately, Toys for Bob is here to remind me that it's indeed real by showing off a sneak preview of Arcadian Vale, one of the first locales you'll explore in the game, as part of a special event celebrating Spyro's 27th anniversary called Spyro Community Day.

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As you can see from the concept art, the Acadian Vale is a lush and colorful locale that perfectly captures the childlike wonder you'd normally associate with Spyro games, complete with cascading waterfalls, ancient buildings, and cutesy critters running around (which I totally won't roast alive to spawn butterflies that will replenish my health like in previous games).

The art also implies that the Arcadian Vale will feature a fair degree of verticality, most likely to help players practice the new free-roaming flight mechanic that will allow us to fly anytime, anywhere instead of specific levels and boss fights like in previous games.

It's going to be a long, painful wait until we get to play Spyro, but in the meantime, you can celebrate Spyro's legacy by showing off fan art, appreciation messages, and other content for Spyro Community Day on social media platforms like X with the hashtag #HappyBirthdaySpyro.

Spyro: A Realm Beyond is set to launch sometime in 2027 for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox on PC with Xbox Play Anywhere support, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch 2, Steam, and the Epic Games Store.

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