This week"s news recap is here with the latest stories, including Windows 11 crushing Windows 10 on Steam, Microsoft killing an old Windows activation method, leaked builds of Andromeda, and more.
Quick links:
- Windows 10 and 11
- Windows Insider Program
- Updates are available
- Reviews are in
- Gaming news
- Great deals to check
Windows 11 and Windows 10
Here, we talk about everything happening around Microsoft"s latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And, of course, you may find a word or two about older versions.
Do you remember Andromeda, Microsoft"s cancelled project for dual-screen devices? One of its builds leaked, and enthusiasts put it to great use by porting it to the original Surface Duo. If you have this failed Android smartphone, you can try installing it right now, as all the files and guides have been uploaded to GitHub for everyone to discover.
Speaking of remembering, there was a time when we were able to activate Windows via phone and without an active internet connection. This feature is now unfortunately gone, as Microsoft quietly shut down phone activation.
This week"s stats include the latest report from Valve. On Steam, Windows 11 continues crushing Windows 10, and in December 2025, Windows 11 reached a new all-time high of 70.83%. This time, we also have a detailed breakdown of Steam stats for Linux.
Windows 11 has a lot of ads across its user interface, which are often disguised as "Recommendations." It appears that you will soon be able to turn off some of them. Users discovered that Microsoft is working on updates to the Nearby sharing settings section and adding a toggle to remove app recommendations from the sharing UI.
Although we had little news because of the holiday season, there were still plenty of stories and useful guides. To start, here is a list of my ten favorite features that Windows 11 received in 2025. Not everything was AI slop last year, and some actually useful stuff made it to the operating system. Also, we have a list of things that Microsoft removed from Windows 11 in 2025.
Next, we have a few guides that explain how things in Windows work. For example, here is one about indexing files in Windows 11 and how this feature can make File Explorer and Search significantly better. Also, here is an explanation of what the "Refresh" button does for your desktop. Spoiler alert: it cannot boost performance.
Finally, we published a review of how the initial setup evolved over the last two decades in Windows. It showed how OOBE used to be fun and efficient, only to turn into a slow, ad-ridden nightmare years later.
Windows Insider Program
Nothing in the Insider Program this week due to the holiday season.
Updates are available
This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.
Files, one of our favorite file managers for Windows, received a small but very useful update. The latest release now supports one of the best PowerToys modules. You can click a file and press Spacebar to preview it without opening the corresponding app. Besides that, there are some minor quality-of-life improvements.
Speaking of PowerToys, we continue our Closer Look series where we discover what PowerToys has to offer. This year, we reviewed the following modules: Command Palette, Color Picker, and Light Switch.
Finally, here is an overview of all the new features that Microsoft added to Teams in December 2025.
Reviews are in
Here is the hardware and software we reviewed this week
Christopher White published his review of the Synology DS925+, a solid four-bay NAS with good performance, two 2.5Gb ports, a solid operating system, and more.
On the gaming side
Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts, and more.
GOG, a popular store of DRM-free games, has a new owner. The store parted ways with CD Projekt Red, as it was taken over by Michał Kiciński. Despite the big change, GOG promises that its mission to provide gamers with titles that are "easy to find, buy, download, and play forever" will remain unchanged as an independent company. This means offering DRM-free games will continue to be the main pillar of GOG, along with offline installers and optional launchers.
NVIDIA kicked off 2026 with a new set of games in its GeForce NOW streaming service. It received 14 new titles, including My Winter Car, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, Eternights, and more. Keep in mind that there is now a 100-hour monthly play limit.
As usual, here is our weekly Weekend PC Game Deals article with a lot of various discounts, including the latest freebie from the Epic Games Store. You can grab Total War: Three Kingdoms and Wildgate for free until January 8.
Great deals to check
Every week, we cover many deals on different hardware and software. The following discounts are still available, so check them out. You might find something you want or need.
- Garmin vivoactive 6 Health and Fitness Smartwatch - $249.99 | 17% off
- GameSir Super Nova Wireless Gamepad for PC and Mobile - $36.39 | 39% off
- Samsung Galaxy Tab S11 128 GB Wi-Fi Android Tablet - $629.99 | 21% off
- LG S90TR 7.1.3 Dolby Atmos/Vision Soundbar - $563 | 11% off
- 27-inch ASUS ROG Strix 1440p OLED Gaming monitor - $524.99 | 25% off
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Sparkle Intel Arc B570 Guardian OC Graphics Card 10GB GDDR6 - $199.99 | 13% off
- 34-inch Samsung ViewFinity S50GC Ultra-WQHD 100Hz Monitor - $196.99 | 40% off
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