The Windows Central Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Windows 11 just keeps getting better Aug 24, 2026

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In this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden break down the latest Windows 11 insider features, focusing heavily on major overhauls coming to context menus, File Explorer polish, and options to force apps to open full-screen. They also dive into a surprising new Signal 65 processor study highlighting how Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 chips stack up against Intel and AMD, wrap up recent Windows 11 improvements from March onward, and touch on various tech ecosystem shifts.

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00:00 — Introduction & Welcome
03:45 — Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 vs. Intel & AMD: Analyzing the Signal 65 processor study results, showing how Qualcomm beats out Intel and AMD chips in recent laptop testing.
10:15 — Windows 11 Context Menu Overhaul: Breaking down new customizable, faster context menus in Windows 11 Insider builds, including default cleanups and third-party app management.
24:30 — File Explorer Improvements: Reviewing massive performance updates, elimination of freezing/hang delays, and better UI polish for File Explorer.
42:10 — Forcing Apps to Open Full-Screen: Discussing the new Windows settings toggle that allows users to automatically launch apps in full-screen mode.
52:00 — Recap of Windows 11 K2 Features & General State of the OS: A look back at the overall quality-of-life improvements rolled out to Windows 11 since March.
1:05:15 — Wrap-Up & Outro

The Surface Phone finally leaked? Aug 14, 2026

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On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Zac and Jez sit down to discuss newly leaked images of an old Windows Phone prototype that looks suspiciously like it could have passed for a Surface Phone back in the day. Is this the Surface Phone finally revealed? Also on the agenda: Microsoft begins its push to unify Copilot and Microsoft 365 Copilot, Windows gains support for Xbox backward compatible games, and the latest news from the gaming world.

Microsoft explains how its modernizing and fixing Windows 11 Aug 04, 2026

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In this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden sit down with Marcus Ash, Corporate Vice President of Design and Research for Windows at Microsoft. The discussion centers on the user experience vision for Windows 11, balancing modernization with legacy app compatibility, and optimizing system efficiency across diverse hardware configurations.

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Windows can now play (some) Xbox games Jul 27, 2026

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Welcome back to the Windows Central Podcast! It's Daniel Rubino and Jez Corden in the driver's seat this week, tackling a massive news cycle in the Xbox and tech space. We kick things off with a frustrating trend: LG monitors forcing McAfee pop-ups, and we get a little philosophical about the "enshittification" of our hardware.

On the gaming front, we dive deep into the newly discovered OG Xbox emulation coming to Windows PCs and what it means for the future of game preservation. Jez also gives us the behind-the-scenes breakdown of his exclusive interview with Todd Howard, contextualizing the recent, devastating Bethesda layoffs with the push for Elder Scrolls 6 and Fallout 5. We also unpack the latest reports on Xbox studio heads pushing back against Game Pass, break down that surprise 86% spike in Xbox console sales in June, and get a little bit of sticker shock over the newly announced Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Flip 8.

Copilot OS leaked (and Microsoft laid off thousands) Jul 10, 2026

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The tech world is sweating, and it's not just the summer heatwave. This week on the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel Rubino, Zac Bowden, and Jez Cordon sit down to unpack a massive wave of Microsoft layoffs. We break down Asha Sharma's internal memo revealing a staggering 14 layers of middle management at Xbox, why the gaming division has struggled to capitalize on massive acquisitions like Fallout and Minecraft, and whether turning Xbox into an independent subsidiary is the brand's last chance for survival.

Zac walks us through the shocking Discord leak of "Project Ion," an experimental, web-native Copilot Operating System built entirely inside Microsoft Edge. Finally, we break down the quiet arrival of Snapdragon X2-powered Surface devices, the new 24 GB RAM "sweet spot," and why sources tell us the Surface Go lineup is officially dead.

The path ahead for Xbox Jul 05, 2026

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On this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Zac and senior Xbox editor Jez Corden sit down to discuss the current state of Xbox, and where the business is headed.

It has been a wild month since Asha Sharma took the reins as Xbox CEO. While the team has been working to re-capitalize the brand and bring back some big-name exclusives, the narrative over the last week has taken a sharp negative turn. Between heavy rumors of Microsoft looking to sell off or close down certain first-party studios, console price hikes hitting shelves, and a massive rethink of what the next-gen hardware looks like, we wanted to figure out what's actually going on with Xbox as a business.

In this episode, we break down the brutal economic realities hitting the industry. From the "RAM apocalypse" destroying console profitability to how free-to-play giants like Fortnite and Roblox have completely upended the old hardware subsidy model. We also look ahead at the next-generation "Helix" console, discussing whether Microsoft can actually deliver on its open Windows/Steam ecosystem vision if the hardware costs a grand, and what Sony's shift away from physical media means for the future of discs.

A massive week for Windows and Xbox Jun 16, 2026

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New Surface PCs are here, and WOW are they expensive May 22, 2026

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Welcome back to the Windows Central Podcast! In this special drop episode, Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden dive deep into Microsoft's massive new wave of Surface devices announced this week. While the consumer versions are slated for later this summer, today is all about the brand-new commercial portfolio.

We break down the three newly refreshed business devices:

The Surface Laptop 8 (the 13.8-inch and 15-inch flagship)
The Surface Laptop 13-inch (the mid-range option)
The Surface Pro 12 (the 13-inch flagship 2-in-1)

(And yes, we spend a few minutes laughing about how incredibly confusing Microsoft's naming conventions have gotten!)

💻 Hands-On with the Surface Laptop 8

Daniel gives his first-hand impressions of the new 13.8-inch Laptop 8, which packs some serious under-the-hood upgrades despite keeping last gen's nearly perfect exterior design. We talk about the new Intel Core Ultra Series 3 "Panther Lake" X7 chip, the surprisingly capable B390 GPU, and just how quiet those fans stay under a heavy lifting load.

🔒 Killer New Commercial Features

We also dig into the features that business users are going to love, including:

The Haptic Touchpad & Windows 11 Haptic Signals: How Microsoft's new API makes the digital world feel tactile when you're closing windows, snapping apps, or scrubbing video timelines.
The E-Privacy Screen: Daniel explains the tech behind the new electronic privacy display option that instantly cuts down viewing angles at the press of the F1 key to keep your sensitive data safe from over-the-shoulder lookers.

💰 The Price of Business & What's Next for Consumer Models

We wrap up the episode addressing the elephant in the room: the price hikes. We discuss why these enterprise units are crossing into the $1,950+ territory, the reality of component pricing, and how Microsoft's strategy compares to Apple and other PC OEMs. Plus, we look ahead to what we can expect when the Snapdragon X2-powered consumer variants drop later this summer.

Will Googlebooks KILL Windows? May 15, 2026

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Is the era of Windows dominance finally coming to an end? This week, Zach Bowen and Ben Wilson dive deep into Google's latest project: the Googlebook.

Google is officially moving past the "budget" reputation of the Chromebook and bringing native Android to the premium laptop space. With the "Magic Pointer" AI experience, seamless Gemini integration, and a sleek new interface, Google is striking while the iron is hot.

On this episode, we're breaking down:

Android for PC: Why Google is swapping Linux for an Android-native core and what that means for your favorite apps.
The "Magic Pointer": Is shaking your cursor for AI assistance actually innovative, or just another gimmick?.
Windows 10's End of Life: How Google and Apple (with the MacBook Neo) are perfectly timing their new hardware to poach Windows users this fall.
The "Nickelback" Effect: Why it's become "cool" to hate on Windows and how Microsoft's fragmented AI strategy is driving users away.
Windows 12 & Legacy-Free Computing: Our pitch for a "Modern Windows" that strips out the 90s-era code for instant boot times and better battery life.

Can Microsoft turn the ship around with "K2" and Windows 12, or has the Google ecosystem finally closed the loop?

How does Windows K2 impact the next Xbox? May 12, 2026

Show notes

This week on the Windows Central Podcast, Dan and Zac are back to break down a massive turning point for Microsoft. It feels like the company is finally "looking in the mirror," and we've got the inside scoop on what that means for your favorite devices and services.

In this episode:

The Return of Xbox: We discuss the major internal reorg as Microsoft Gaming officially rebrands back to simply "Xbox." From new @xbox.com emails to a leadership overhaul under Asha Sharma, the "rebel" spirit is back.
A "Quality" Revolution for Windows: We go deep on Project K2, the code-named initiative dedicated to fixing Windows 11. We're talking about the new WinUI 3 Run box, the ability to pause updates indefinitely, and a "Low Latency Profile" that could boost your app launch speeds by 40%.
The Copilot Correction: Microsoft is admitting where they went too far. We talk about why Copilot is being stripped out of the Xbox OS and simplified in apps like Notepad.
Game Pass & Call of Duty: Big changes are here for your wallet. We break down the new $22 Ultimate pricing and the strategic shift that moves Call of Duty from Day 1 to a Year 1 arrival on the service.
Surface's Identity Crisis: Are Surface devices getting too "safe"? We brainstorm what it would take to reinvigorate the brand—from Surface Pro XLs to the return of those high-energy live launch events.

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