Windows | The VergeThe Verge is about technology and how it makes us feel. Founded in 2011, we offer our audience everything from breaking news to reviews to award-winning features and investigations, on our site, in video, and in podcasts.2026-07-28T12:11:42+00:00https://www.theverge.com/rss/microsoft-windows/index.xmlhttps://platform.theverge.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/verge-rss-large_80b47e.png?w=150&h=150&crop=1Jess Weatherbed<![CDATA[Perplexity’s Personal Computer turns Windows PCs into AI agents]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9717502026-07-28T08:11:42-04:002026-07-28T08:30:00-04:00
Perplexity has expanded its agentic Personal Computer tool to Windows, allowing computers running the world's most popular OS to be used as a locally run AI system. Like the Mac version that Perplexity launched in April, Personal Computer for Windows operates like a "general-purpose digital worker" that can access local files and apps to perform actions on your behalf, such as creating documents and updating spreadsheets.
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Antonio G. Di Benedetto<![CDATA[This is my new favorite laptop, but thanks to RAMageddon the price already went up by $800]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9711602026-07-27T18:36:47-04:002026-07-27T11:00:00-04:00
Framework’s Laptop 13 Pro looks great in black but costs lots of green. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
Framework laptops always come with compromises in exchange for their unique DIY premise. Even though you pay extra for one compared to sleeker options from competitors, it's easier to excuse minor flaws for modular ports, easy repairs, and an impressive range of upgradeable parts. So what happens when Framework goes "Pro"? We get a one-of-a-kind jewel among notebooks.
The 13 Pro corrects and improves many shortcomings of the regular Laptop 13. It has a bright and sharp touchscreen, the best haptic trackpad not made by Apple, and an impeccable build and feel. Take all that and marry it to a great Intel chip and cutting-edge user-replaceable …
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Jess Weatherbed<![CDATA[Microsoft pressures LG into killing unwanted McAfee ads]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9704892026-07-24T10:35:12-04:002026-07-24T05:20:09-04:00
Microsoft has intervened to stop Windows 11 users with LG monitors from being bombarded with annoying McAfee trial pop-ups. In response to complaints about the LG bloatware, Microsoft's Windows chief, Pavan Davuluri, said that LG has agreed to immediately disable the McAfee pop-up from its LG Monitor App Installer, and pledged that Microsoft will "keep improving here with our ecosystem partners."
This crackdown follows backlash about large pop-up ads for McAfee antivirus and LG's own apps appearing on Windows 11 PCs after being connected to LG monitors. Upon connection, a Windows driver update was silently installing LG driver updates and t …
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Stevie Bonifield<![CDATA[LG’s monitors come with an unwanted addition for Windows: McAfee pop-up ads]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9679832026-07-20T12:22:33-04:002026-07-20T12:14:58-04:00
This LG 34GX900A-B is one of the monitors found auto-installing LG’s app on users’ PCs. | Image: LG
A video from Gamers Nexus explains how, after connecting a new LG UltraGear monitor to a PC running Windows 11 for the first time, Windows Update is silently installing LG driver updates and the LG Monitor App Installer, without so much as a permission pop-up or notification. The app doesn't appear to include special controls of its own, instead simply pointing users to LG's other apps, as well as McAfee antivirus.
There are reports about LG's app auto-installing as far back as 2024, but Gamers Nexus's test follows recent user complaints on Reddit about large pop-up ads for McAfee and LG's own apps suddenly appearing in the bottom right cor …
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Antonio G. Di Benedetto<![CDATA[Even Microsoft couldn’t make Windows 11 work well on 8GB of RAM]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9669372026-07-17T10:40:04-04:002026-07-17T09:30:00-04:00
Memory anxiety. | Photo: Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge
Last year, Microsoft's 13-inch Surface Laptop quickly became one of my favorite thin-and-light Windows notebooks. At $900, it was easy to recommend to anyone wanting MacBook Air-like build quality and battery life on Windows - I even convinced my sister to buy one on sale.
But that was last year. This year, thanks to RAMageddon, that same laptop costs $950, and now that price gets you half as much RAM - just 8GB. It's the same great hardware on the outside, but it's not the same laptop on the inside.
It's been a long time since we tested a Windows laptop with so little RAM. We've been saying for years that 8GB isn't enough. But this is Mi …
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Emma Roth<![CDATA[Microsoft’s biggest ever patch Tuesday lets you hold off updating for longer]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9656432026-07-15T05:31:06-04:002026-07-14T17:32:04-04:00
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Emma Roth<![CDATA[Microsoft tests Windows Search without all the ads and fluff]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9650902026-07-13T17:53:20-04:002026-07-13T17:53:20-04:00
Microsoft is testing a cleaner version of the Windows 11 search menu that strips it of recommended content and ads. In a blog post on Monday, Microsoft announced that it's rolling out the decluttered Search Box to Windows Insiders in the Experimental channel as the company looks to regain trust with users and fix Windows.
One of the biggest changes is a revamped search homescreen that displays only your recent searches. Currently, when you open the search menu, it shows your recent searches alongside several distracting tiles on the right pane, containing things like the image of the day, daily quizzes, trending searches, and game recommend …
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Emma Roth<![CDATA[Microsoft fixes storage-hogging Windows 11 folder]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9620842026-07-07T09:52:58-04:002026-07-07T09:52:58-04:00
Microsoft is addressing a Windows 11 bug that caused a folder to take up several gigabytes of storage space. As spotted earlier by Windows Latest, Microsoft included the patch in its optional June 2026 update (KB5095093), which "improves disk space usage for the CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal file."
The CapabilityAccessManager.db-wal file is installed on Windows 11 PCs by default, and is related to app permissions. Several users have had issues with this file over the past few months, with one person saying the file took up 500GB of storage on their device. Others have reported the file growing to similarly large amounts, ranging from 12GB …
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Antonio G. Di Benedetto<![CDATA[Laptop prices suck these days, but here are 25 Prime Day deals that help a little]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9511052026-06-24T10:32:25-04:002026-06-24T10:32:25-04:00
Well, I’m not here to tell you that Amazon’s Prime Day makes everything better. But the discounts certainly don’t hurt.
As usual, we’re doing our best to surface the best Prime Day tech deals. And here, we’ve pulled together the biggest discounts happening not just on laptops, but also on keyboards, mice, webcams, or other worthwhile PC accessories. And since Prime Day has counter-deals running at other retailers like Best Buy (and its Tech Fest Sale), there are also laptop deals for non-Amazon shoppers alike.
The best deals on MacBooks
The days of multi-hundred-dollar discounts on MacBooks are behind us for now, but the base 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 chip for $1,549 ($150 off) at Amazon and Best Buy is still a solid deal. It’s powerful enough for the average content creator, comes with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, and has lots of ports. Read our review.
Apple MacBook Air (M5)
Apple’s 2026 MacBook Air has an M5 chip and starts with 512GB of storage that’s significantly faster than previous generations. It’s still as excellent as ever despite a higher base price. Read our review.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro chip (15-core CPU / 16-core GPU), 24GB of memory, and 1TB of storage is $2,034 (around $165 off) at Amazon and $2,049 at Best Buy. It’s a pretty nice step-up model from the standard M5 MacBook Pro, with a bit more RAM, a more powerful chip, and faster Thunderbolt 5 ports.
The best deals on Windows laptops
Microsoft Surface Laptop, 13-inch
Microsoft’s slightly smaller, entry-level Surface Laptop trims some of the size and a few features from its bigger 13.8-inch counterpart, but it maintains excellent battery life and solid performance. It’s just a shame it’s price went up. Read our review.
Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro is smaller, with a new design and updated keyboard. It’s powered by Qualcomm’s Arm64 Snapdragon X Plus chip. Read our review.
The Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3x was one of the laptops I tested against the MacBook Neo and… it got smoked. But a 512GB config for $449 ($251 off) at Walmart? Not bad. The speakers are an assault on your ears and the trackpad ain’t great, but if you can live with those shortcomings, you get a decent laptop with a competent Snapdragon X processor and marathon battery life. Just read our review and be aware of its shortcomings.
Like the Lenovo above, the Acer Aspire 14 AI is another MacBook Neo contender I tested that’s on sale. It’s $589.99 (about $288 off) at Amazon, exclusively for Prime members. Best Buy has it for anyone, sold via Acer, for $599.99. Let me set your expectations: The screen on this laptop is pretty washed out, the speakers are tinny, and the build quality feels cheap. But what you’re getting a deal on is a great Intel Core Ultra 7 256V “Lunar Lake” processor that’s a solid performer while also being quite power efficient. It also has plenty of ports (including Thunderbolt 4) and can even do some light gaming.
For a higher-end Acer offering, the Swift X 14 AI is selling for a new low of $1,559.99 ($140 off) at Amazon for Prime members. The 14-inch laptop has a 2880 x 1800 / 120Hz OLED, AMD Ryzen AI 7 350 CPU, RTX 5060 discreet graphics, 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD. It even has a haptic trackpad that should be a nice upgrade over Acer’s mechanical ones that can be a bit basic.
Asus Zenbook A14
Asus’s Zenbook A14 is a bit of a MacBook Air wannabe, but it’s a compelling alternative if you value a superlight Windows laptop with long battery life. The last-gen 2025 model sports an Arm-based Qualcomm Snapdragon X Plus chip, a nice 14-inch OLED display, and a sleek textured beige finish.
Asus’ ROG Zephyrus G14 is the go-to choice for a portable gaming machine that’s great at regular laptop duties. It’s got a lovely OLED display, great keyboard and trackpad, and solid battery life. There’s a new Intel model that’s much pricier, but the 2025 version with AMD chips is still a great choice.
The 2025 Asus ROG Zephyrus G16 is $1,574.99 ($575 off) at Best Buy. The larger version of the Zephyrus twins sports a 240Hz OLED display and a thin profile to make it travel friendly. This configuration includes an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H CPU, RTX 5070 GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD.
HP’s Omen 16 gaming laptop from last year is $1,619.99 ($600 off) at Best Buy through a third-party seller. The 16-inch laptop is configured with an AMD Ryzen 9 8940HX processor, RTX 5060 graphics, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. Not bad for around $1,500, but while its screen’s 144Hz refresh is nice, the resolution is only 1920 x 1200.
For a little more money, you can get a Lenovo Legion 5i at Walmart for $1,589 ($261 off). This 15-inch Legion has an Intel Core i9 14900HX CPU, RTX 5070 GPU (the 8GB VRAM version), 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. You’re getting less RAM than the HP Omen deal, but in exchange it’s got a better GPU and 2560 x 1600 OLED display with 165Hz refresh rate.
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 AI (2025)
An affordable mid-ranger from Acer running RTX 5070 or 5070 Ti graphics, a 16-inch 240Hz display, and lots of ports.
Acer’s Nitro V 16S AI gaming laptop is selling for $1,099.99 ($300 off) at Amazon, exclusively for Prime members. It’s got an AMD Ryzen 7 260 CPU, RTX 5060 GPU, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. The specs are close to the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 deal above, but it’s much chunkier, has more RAM, and its display is larger but a lower-res LCD.
The best deals on keyboards, mice, and other PC peripherals
Moft has a variety of deals on its origami-style cases and stands. You can get its folding 2-in-1 Laptop Carry Sleeve, a sleek laptop case that doubles as a portable stand, for $51.96 ($13 off) at Amazon in four sizes and up to 11 different colors. Or, if you don’t mind some adhesive, the Moft Laptop Stand in select colors is $19.99 ($5 off) at Amazon. The super thin attachment sticks to the bottom of your laptop to give you a fold-out stand anywhere you go.
Logitech MX Master 3S
The MX Master 3S is a favorite among many Verge staff members because of its comfort and customization. It can connect via Bluetooth, via its included 2.4GHz receiver, or wired with its USB-C cable.
The fairly new Keychron V5 Ultra mechanical keyboard with Silk POM red linear switches is $107.99 ($12 off) at Amazon. The near-full-size 96-percent layout board has an incredibly long battery life thanks to its ZMK-based firmware, and it supports a fast 8,000Hz polling rate via its 2.4GHz wireless connection. Its plastic case isn’t as nice as ones with a metal chassis, but it’s a great no-nonsense keyboard for the money. Read our review.
Ugreen’s Dock and Stand for the Mac Mini M4 / M4 Pro is $49.99 ($40 off) at Amazon, exclusively for Prime members. The dock sits below your Mac Mini and plugs in to a rear USB-C port, dramatically expanding the port offerings of your tiny desktop and making your power button more accessible with a tiny lever. It has SD / microSD card slots and two USB-A ports on the front, and three USB-C and three USB-A ports on the rear. Plus, inside is an M.2 SSD slot for extra built-in storage. (You’ll have to BYO SSD.)
LG’s 32-inch UltraGear 32GX850A-B OLED gaming monitor is $684.50 ($600 off MSRP) at Amazon, exclusively for Prime members. LG also has it for anyone for a slightly higher $699.99. The dual mode 4K OLED supports a fairly high 165Hz refresh rate but can dip down to 1920 x 1080 resolution to output a super fast 330Hz for specialized uses like competitive gaming.
For a much more affordable and down to Earth OLED, check out the 27-inch Acer Predator Gaming Monitor X27U, selling for $314.99 ($235 off) at Amazon, exclusively for Prime members. It’s a sweet spot of 2560 x 1440 resolution that isn’t as demanding on games while supporting a high 240Hz refresh.
Elgato Stream Deck MK. 2
The MK.2 version of the standard Stream Deck comes with 15 programmable buttons, a swappable faceplate, and a detachable stand.
This mechanical keyboard is inspired by the original Xbox, with a translucent green color scheme and two large customizable buttons. Along with Bluetooth support, it offers a standard tenkeyless layout with clicky hot-swappable Kailh Jellyfish X switches.
Update, June 24th: Updated current deals and added new ones for the Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch and Moft accessories.
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Antonio G. Di Benedetto<![CDATA[The Microsoft Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12 now come with Snapdragon X2 chips]]>https://www.theverge.com/?p=9501462026-06-15T22:31:34-04:002026-06-16T09:00:00-04:00
The new X2 Surfaces are available today. The Surface Pro 12th Edition convertible tablet comes in a 13-inch size with 10-core X2 Plus and 12-core X2 Elite chips, while the Surface Laptop 8th Edition is available in 13.8-inch and 15-inch sizes, each offering the same X2 Plus / X2 Elite configurations. The Pro starts at $1,499 with 256GB of storage (befo …
