Windows Central Insider
Buy the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance RPG on Steam, save its most iconic castle IRL
News During the Steam Medieval Fest, buying Kingdom Come: Deliverance will contribute $1 towards the preservation of its iconic Pirkštejn Castle in real life.
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Features
World of Warcraft finally kills 'pirate' server Turtle WoW ... but there are real lessons here
PC Gaming It wasn't just about money. Turtle WoW and other "Classic+" servers were trying to deliver an MMORPG fantasy that is lost in modern World of Warcraft.
Reddit users recommend 10 open‑source apps that run great on Windows 11
Windows 11 Reddit users consistently recommend a core group of open-source apps, and they also work on Windows 11. Check them out.
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5 ways you can reuse an old Windows laptop instead of throwing it away
Hardware Just because your old laptop can't use Windows 11 doesn't mean it should become e-waste. In fact, you can recycle it and actually use it to reduce your spending on cloud subscription services.
People of Note brings musical turn-based RPG gameplay to Xbox Play Anywhere
ID@Xbox People of Note cranks up the volume on music puns while you jam out to its heartfelt narrative.
Windows & Software
Windows 11’s April 2026 update (KB5083769) is triggering BitLocker chaos
Windows 11 Some Windows 11 PCs hit BitLocker recovery after the April 2026 update. Here's what's causing it and how to fix this problem before or after installing the system update.
Renewed scrutiny of Windows Recall highlights risky handoffs
WINDOWS 11 TotalRecall can extract sensitive data from Windows Recall even without Windows Hello authentication.
Edge adoption stalls, so Microsoft is offering $1M and a Mercedes to lure users
APPS Microsoft launched a new promo to get more users to adopt its Edge browser, but barely anyone noticed for a month.
PC Hardware
Intel reveals new Core Series 3 mobile CPUs for "value buyers"
Hardware Intel has unveiled its new Core Series 3 "Wildcat Lake" mobile CPUs designed to be more affordable, and I'm optimistic that they'll be a decent antidote to rising PC prices.
Panasonic Toughbook 56: Rugged modular laptop for field service, public safety, and utilities
Laptops Built for the edge: modular, fast, and secure so your laptop works as hard as you do.
EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft plans OLED display upgrades and a two-stage launch for new Surface PCs in 2026
Surface New PCs from Microsoft will consist of new chips, display upgrades, and higher starting prices this spring and summer.
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Is the lightweight Zenbook A16 a better buy than the Zenbook S 16?
Laptops Two similar PCs with Snapdragon and AMD hardware make for an interesting comparison.
Deals
OmniBook X Flip delivers steady performance and all‑day battery life
Deals The HP OmniBook X 14" forgos style for pure substances with dependable performance rates for workflows, 20 hours of battery life, and a durable 2-in-1 design that's now on sale
A budget Xbox headset with surprisingly accurate audio
Deals The HyperX CloudX remains one of the best budget-level Xbox gaming headsets with superb audio, comfort, and build quality for its price range, and it's having a discount that's made it cheaper $50
480Hz at 1080p or 240Hz at 4K: There's no game this monitor can't handle
Deals The ASUS ROG Swift 32” 4K OLED (PG32UCDP) is one of the best, and it can now be yours for less with this 31% discount.
Beelink's discounted mini PC is fantastic for work and even some gaming
Deals The Beelink SER9 Pro is a capable mini-PC with smooth performance and a compact form factor, now 18% off.
Seagate's Xbox storage expansion cards are on sale and can be used on PC
Deals The Seagate Storage Expansion Cards are costly but reliable ways to expand your Xbox storage, but thanks to these discounts and a recent discovery that an accessory can make them usable on PC, their value has doubled
Handheld Gaming PCs
How the Steam Deck became an unlikely Windows handheld
PC Gaming Valve's Steam Deck is a great piece of hardware that runs SteamOS out of the box. What about Windows? Well, it's possible, but not without some help from a community of enthusiasts.
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Gaming
World of Warcraft finally kills 'pirate' server Turtle WoW ... but there are real lessons here
PC Gaming It wasn't just about money. Turtle WoW and other "Classic+" servers were trying to deliver an MMORPG fantasy that is lost in modern World of Warcraft.
Sword of the Sea may land on Xbox soon
XBOX Giant Squid has confirmed it is beginning to explore port options for Sword of the Sea, raising the possibility of a future Xbox release for the critically acclaimed indie title.
South of Midnight scores big as BAFTA crowns a surprise winner
XBOX South of Midnight wins the BAFTA for New Intellectual Property, beating titles like Split Fiction and ARC Raiders, marking Xbox’s only award at this year’s ceremony.
Artificial Intelligence
Microsoft says its faster MAI-Image-2-Efficient AI model slashes costs
AI Microsoft unveils MAI-Image-2-Efficient, a faster and cheaper AI image model designed to deliver photorealistic results at scale.
Former Microsoft Xbox VP says AI is "the big question mark" for the future of gaming
AI Microsoft's former gaming and Xbox VP Ed Fries believes AI is "the big question mark" for gaming moving forward, and says it's not going away.
Did ChatGPT just call Sam Altman a liar?
AI OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently admitted that ChatGPT doesn't have the capability to keep track of time, but the chatbot insists it does.
Lenovo Qira and HP IQ are both heading your way soon. Which one suits you best?
AI Lenovo and HP have both devised on-device AI assistants designed to make your digital life easier. I dug into the features to discover similarities and differences.
Microsoft
Microsoft Rewards is changing in May and earning points may get harder
Microsoft Rewards Microsoft Rewards is rolling out a new tiered system with Member, Silver, and Gold levels, alongside increased earning potential and monthly bonuses, though early user reactions remain mixed.
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Join us for the LIVE Windows Central Podcast today at 2PM ET!
LIVE Daniel and Zac will be LIVE at 2PM ET on April 17 for the latest episode of the Windows Central Podcast, which will be all about what's next for Surface!
Is Microsoft's Security Response Center broken in light of BlueHammer?
Windows A zero-day BlueHammer exploit was recently published on GitHub in response to alleged MSRC failures, and although Microsoft has released a patch, it was live for two weeks.
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Excel incorrectly thinks 1900 is a leap year (and it won't be fixed)
Microsoft Sure, it could be fixed. But it's a lot easier to let the false 1900 leap year live on in Excel.
Peripherals & Accessories
ASUS ROG Raikiri II: build quality, input tech, and who benefits most
Review Our review of the Asus ROG Raikiri II: precise TMR sticks, crisp micro switches, and premium extras—who benefits and when it’s worth the cost.
