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Framework has updated its budget-focused Laptop 12 with Intel's new Core Series 3 processors, offering configurations from a Core 3 304 chip with 8GB RAM and a 512GB SSD at $799 up to a Core 7 350 model with 32GB RAM at $1,549. Buyers can save $100 by choosing Fedora Linux instead of Windows, and pricing on all tiers has reportedly risen beyond the company's original targets.
Microsoft released two cumulative updates covering Windows 11 versions 23H2 through 26H2, bundling this month's Patch Tuesday security fixes with new features. The updates add File Explorer improvements, including better handling of previews for downloaded files and persistent folder states, plus support for Emoji 17.0. Users can install via Windows Update or download manually from the Microsoft Update Catalog.
NTDEV's open-source Tiny11 Builder now includes a GUI, simplifying the process of creating slimmed-down Windows 11 installation images from official Microsoft ISOs. The tool uses PowerShell scripts and DISM to strip preinstalled apps, services, and components, offering both a standard Tiny11 build that retains Windows Update and Defender, and a more extreme Tiny11 Core variant that removes them entirely.
Microsoft says Windows 11 23H2 Enterprise, Education, and IoT Enterprise editions will receive their final security update in November 2026. This follows the Home and Pro editions of 23H2 losing support in November 2025. Microsoft is urging affected users to move to Windows 11 26H2, which rolled out in September 2026 and will be supported for consumers until October 2029.
Tom's Hardware installed Windows 7 on current gaming hardware and tested it against Windows 11 across eight DirectX 11 titles and two DirectX 9 titles. The outlet found Windows 7 posted notable performance advantages over Windows 11 in several of these games despite being 17 years old.
Engadget's 2026 review roundup revisits its testing of Dell's XPS 13, noting that the entry-level 8GB RAM configuration struggled with Windows 11. Reviewer Sam tested a midrange model with more memory and found it performed significantly better, concluding the extra cost was worthwhile despite the base model's shortcomings.
Microsoft has told IT administrators that security certificates used by Windows Update services will expire on preset dates, and devices that don't install specific updates beforehand will lose access to future updates. Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025 certificates expire June 19, 2027, requiring the September 2025 update or later; other supported Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server 2022 versions share that expiration but need the July 2026 update. LTSB/LTSC releases of Windows 10 Enterprise 2019 and Windows Server 2016/2019 face an earlier May 17, 2027 cutoff.
At a Windows and Surface event, Microsoft outlined plans to bring AI agents and 'hybrid intelligence' to Windows 11, letting the OS run free local AI models alongside cloud-based ones. CEO Satya Nadella described a shift in the 'frontier ecosystem,' while Windows chief Pavan Davuluri demoed local AI coding tools, new local model support, and agents including OpenClaw, Hermes and Perplexity integrated with Copilot.
Microsoft has rolled out a new version of Windows 11's Search feature, rebuilt on the WinUI 3 API for better performance. The update merges search results and previews into one unified list, improves typo and synonym recognition, and adds rich inline previews for things like weather and facts pulled from the web. A new "inline actions" capability also lets users toggle settings and perform quick system tasks directly from the search box.
Microsoft announced that Windows Update certificates will expire on May 17 and June 19, 2027, and devices running unsupported Windows versions at that point will lose access to update services entirely. The company has already pushed replacement certificates to supported systems, but it listed specific security updates that must be installed on various Windows 10, 11 and Server versions before the deadlines to maintain update access.</br>Microsoft urged IT administrators to inventory devices on outdated or unsupported Windows versions now and ensure monthly updates are deployed across their fleets ahead of the rotation.
Microsoft is testing a redesigned Windows Search built on WinUI 3, featuring faster animations, a large inline preview pane, and improved natural-language matching that tolerates typos and synonyms. Corporate VP Anshul Rawat says early tests show better performance and memory usage, and the new interface lets users preview files like PowerPoint slides and photos, send texts, and perform launcher-like actions directly from search.
Microsoft announced the Surface Laptop Ultra, featuring Nvidia's new RTX Spark SoC with up to 6144-core GPU and 128GB memory, available from October 16. Alongside, the company revealed the RTX Spark Dev Box, a high-performance AI development machine with 128GB memory and a custom Windows 11 build, capable of delivering one petaflop of AI compute power. These products aim to enhance AI and gaming capabilities for developers and enthusiasts alike.