Latest news with #WindowsCentral
Engadget
3 days ago
- Engadget
We might not be getting that handheld Xbox for some time
A lot of people (not least Engadget 's own Sam Rutherford ) have been asking Microsoft to make an Xbox-branded handheld for a long time. And it looked for a while like we might be getting exactly that in the not-so distant future. But Microsoft's priorities have reportedly shifted to improving the widely criticised performance of Windows 11 on existing third-party PC gaming handhelds. In an exclusive report, Windows Central claims that a dedicated Xbox handheld system, which could have launched in 2027 alongside the successor to the Xbox Series X, isn't the company's main area of focus right now, even if it remains keen on the idea. An internally developed handheld, for which Windows Central 's Jez Corden says he has seen a number of different codenames, is not currently being worked on, and he adds that no layoffs have taken place as a result of the strategic shift. While a native Xbox device might be some way off, the report makes clear that Microsoft is still very much active in the handheld market. A third-party console that it has been working on with ASUS, codenamed "Project Kennan", is still targeting a 2025 launch. It's likely this device, which could be equipped with AMD's Z2 Extreme chip, will ship with an improved Windows 11 experience better suited to a controller interface. The software's awkward integration in early iterations of PC handhelds like the Lenovo Legion Go and ASUS ROG Ally has been a big problem, and it's partly why people are so excited about the SteamOS experience no longer being exclusive to the Steam Deck. The Lenovo Legion Go S started shipping with SteamOS running out of the box this week, the first handheld not made by Valve to do so.
Tom's Guide
3 days ago
- Tom's Guide
Xbox's Switch 2 competitor may have hit the wall as Microsoft presses pause on handheld console
We've heard numerous rumors about Microsoft working on an Xbox handheld gaming console to compete with the Steam Deck and the Nintendo Switch 2. The console is said to be a native Xbox handheld, but a new report suggests that Microsoft is shelving it to focus on other priorities. According to a report by Windows Central, Microsoft has decided to halt development on the handheld, which was rumored to launch in 2027. This isn't the handheld codenamed "Kennan," as that's still on track. The one being put on the shelf is a native Xbox device, more akin to the Nintendo Switch 2 than a Steam Deck or Windows handheld. It was designed to run full Xbox games like a traditional console. According to the report, Microsoft has three console prototypes in development for its next-generation gaming platforms. The handheld would have been the fourth potential device. It's important to note that this is just temporary. Microsoft still has handheld gaming on its radar. Part of that focus is shifted to improving Windows 11's handheld gaming performance, but it's also about releasing its handheld console at some point. "Microsoft is still deeply investing in developing its own Xbox gaming handheld technology in the future," reads the Windows Central report. The company is also focused on cloud gaming. The report states that the company is now testing next-generation Xbox cloud systems at its headquarters, which is exciting for those with fast enough internet to take advantage of the cloud's processing power. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Perhaps Microsoft plans to see how the Asus Kennan device does before it dips its toe more aggressively into the space. Rather than risking its resources, Microsoft can utilize its partnership with Asus to gauge whether gamers are ready for a handheld with Xbox branding attached.
Tom's Guide
15-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
Microsoft Surface PCs with AMD Arm-based chip just tipped to arrive in 2026
A new rumor claims that Microsoft is working on shipping new Surface PCs powered by an AMD Arm-based chip in 2026. The leak comes from regular tipster Kepler2 in a NeoGaf post (via our colleagues at Windows Central) saying that the upcoming AMD chip, codenamed Sound Wave, is "made for the 2026 [Microsoft] Surface lineup." The main thread is about PlayStation 6 getting an AMD 3D stacked chip, and Kepler2 doesn't provide more information about Sound Wave or next year's Surface PCs. Thanks to previous rumors there is some information about AMD's Sound Wave chip, which should hint at what 2026 Surface could look like. According to Windows Central, the AMD chip is rumored to be an Accelerated Processing Unit (APU), which joins a CPU and an integrated GPU on the same die. It should have 6 CPU cores (2 performance and 4 efficiency) with the integrated GPU with four compute units built on RDNA 3.5. Reportedly, this new chip is designed for low-powered devices that have a 5-10W thermal envelope. All of this hints at a chip that is less powerful than the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite, which could mean that Microsoft is looking at refresh of the Surface Go, which was last released in 2023. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Next year is going to be ARM heavy as Qualcomm will likely reveal a next generation X chip later this year and Nvidia is reportedly teaming up with MediaTek for its own Arm-based laptop chip. Microsoft just released a cheaper Surface Pro and Surface laptop as alternatives to the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7. Both of the Surface PCs run on Snapdragon X Plus, which is also allegedly more powerful than the rumored AMD Sound Wave. Assuming Kepler2 is correct, the low-powered Surface PCs featuring AMD's new chip will likely launch around this time next year as Microsoft tends to release its new PCs in the spring after its annual Build conference.
The Verge
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Microsoft has dropped the $999 variants of the Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7,
Surface changes. Windows Central reports, meaning those devices start at $1,199 at the Microsoft Store. The slightly higher price creates more space between the $799 12-inch Surface Pro and $899 13-inch Surface Laptop. Microsoft quietly bumps Surface Pro 11 and Surface Laptop 7 price by $200 in wake of new cheaper models [
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Xbox Next could introduce a secret weapon to bring it back to the fight
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Quick Summary Microsoft is reportedly working on its next console, although recent rumours of a 2026 release have been dismissed by a couple of industry experts. It is tipped to be a PC in a "TV-friendly shell" too, which would give it a significant advantage when it comes to games development. There have been countless rumours on Microsoft's plans for future consoles of late, with some suggesting it'll ditch the home machine and concentrate on a Nintendo Switch 2 / Steam Deck rivalling handheld instead. Some even believe that we'll never see another console from the software giant, with the Xbox brand solely focusing on game releases and the cloud instead. However, industry expert Jez Corden, of Windows Central, has put forward another theory – that the next-gen Xbox (lovingly called Xbox Next, for now) could actually be a PC in a living room friendly shape. Speaking on The XB2 podcast, he and host Rand al Thor 19 discussed Xbox's possible future plans and explained that while next year is a target too soon, there's every likelihood that the next Xbox could arrive the following year as part of a strategy rethink. "I think the next Xbox is coming out in 2027 and devkits will go out next year," speculated Rand. This was in response to a "leak" posted last week that claimed next year's Call of Duty will launch on a new Xbox console, and that it was being developed using full devkits. However, that's "There is no Xbox devkit right now," countered Corden. "That developers have already got the next-gen Xbox devkit is just not accurate. "[But] assuming that the next Xbox is Windows-based, you could spec out a kind-of devkit that targets those specs. The whole idea of the next Xbox is that it's going to be a PC in essence, but with a TV-friendly shell that also has a specific set of specs in mind. "So developers will be building for a PC in a way, so will know what the specs will be and optimise for it." Whoever is right, it seems insiders and experts believe there will definitely be a follow-up to the Xbox Series X, even though Microsoft has been trounced in the console wars for the last two generations. And that, if there is an Xbox handheld on the way, it'll be joined by a "TV-friendly" machine. By making it more of a PC in essence could also ensure third-parties develop for it in significant numbers – after all, they'll likely already be building games for the platform by default anyway. We might just have to wait a bit longer for it.
