Windows Central Podcast

Your source for the best stories and insights from the world of Windows, Surface, Copilot, AI, Xbox, and general PC technology. Hosted by Zac Bowden and the Windows Central team.

Windows 11 is getting good for gamers? 09/08/2025

Windows 11 is getting good for gamers? We're back after a summer break! On this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss the latest ongoings with Windows 11, our first impressions with Microsoft's upcoming handheld gaming mode, and the news around Google being ordered to let phone makers preload apps that compete with Google services, such as Bing and Copilot! /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/38125850

Will Windows become Agentic? 08/08/2025

Will Windows become Agentic? On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Dan & Zac discuss Microsoft's new "Windows 2030 Vision" series, the first of which hints at a potential future "Agentic OS" from Microsoft. What might that look like? We also discuss Microsoft's new Windows XP crocs, WinUI going open source, Dan's thoughts on the Surface Laptop 7 now that he's used one, Lenovo's rollable laptop, and OpenAI's new GPT-5 announcement! /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/37726230

10 years of 10 08/04/2025

10 years of 10 On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Dan and Zac take a look back at Windows 10 as it celebrates its 10th anniversary and discussing how it's evolved over the years. We'll also get into Microsoft's strong financial performance and the recent company layoffs. We've got a lot to say about the new Copilot features in Microsoft Edge and what we've seen with Copilot Vision on smartphones. Plus, we'll talk about the state of the Surface line, a couple of very special limited-edition laptops, and the upcoming GPT-5 integration into Copilot. We'll also be covering the latest on Windows 10 security updates, Adobe's new ARM-native beta apps, and a great deal on the Asus ZenBook A14. And of course, we'll be discussing the future of AI and its potential impact on our lives /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/37661695

Windows delays NVIDIA's Arm chip? + Surface Laptop 5G! 07/26/2025

Windows delays NVIDIA's Arm chip? + Surface Laptop 5G! On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Zac and Ben discuss Satya Nadella's memo on layoffs, Nvidia's ARM chip delays, the business-focused Surface Laptop 7 with 5G, new Windows features, Microsoft closing its Movies & TV storefront, Lenovo Legion Go 2 leaks, and share impressions of the new Samsung Galaxy Fold 7 and Flip 7 phones. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/37561080

What was the plan for Surface Duo 3 and beyond? 07/18/2025

What was the plan for Surface Duo 3 and beyond? The Windows Central Podcast is back after a short hiatus, and this week Dan and Zac discuss the latest ongoings with Windows 11, how it's finally overtaking Windows 10 in marketshare, and some of the new features that are now in testing. The gang also discusses the new Samsung Galaxy Fold 7, and how it makes them yearn for what could have been with the Surface Duo. On that subject, Zac reveals some interesting details about the Surface Duo roadmap, had it not been scrapped. They also discuss what Google merging ChromeOS and Android together could mean for Windows. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/37455755

Could a cheap MacBook be a threat to Windows? 07/04/2025

Could a cheap MacBook be a threat to Windows? On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Zac hosts a solo episode where he discusses his thoughts around Microsoft's recent layoffs, the closure of Xbox studios and game projects, and the general vibe being a Microsoft "fan" in 2025. He also discusses the Microsoft's rounding error that had some of us thinking Windows had lost up to 400 million devices in three years, the Surface Earbuds, and thoughts on what damage a cheap MacBook could do to the Windows ecosystem. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/37285380

Windows 10 EOL extended for free?! 06/27/2025

Windows 10 EOL extended for free?! On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss Microsoft's announcement around free security updates for Windows 10, as long as you sync your PC settings to the cloud. The crew also discuss the latest on Windows 11, the new BSOD screen, and Dell's new 14 and 16 Premium laptops, the replacements for the XPS! /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/37199495

Next-gen Xbox with AMD, and Windows Hello is worse now 06/22/2025

Next-gen Xbox with AMD, and Windows Hello is worse now On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss the latest news with Windows 11, Microsoft's announcement that the next Xbox will be powered by an AMD chip, Windows Hello no longer working in the dark, and the latest with AI. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/37103420

Xbox Ally is official, and Aero Glass is back? 06/13/2025

Xbox Ally is official, and Aero Glass is back? On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss the big Windows and Xbox news that broke over the weekend: The Xbox Ally is official, and with it comes major changes to Windows for gaming handhelds. The crew also talks about WWDC and Apple's new Liquid Glass, and how we think it's just a worse version of Aero Glass from Windows Vista. We also talk about the new iPadOS updates, and how they could pose a threat to low- and mid-range Windows PCs. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/36980200

Is Windows in trouble? 06/05/2025

Is Windows in trouble? On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss the current state of Windows 11 on gaming handhelds, and how failures like Windows Core OS and Windows CorePC have put Microsoft on the back foot in this new mobile category. Also on the agenda: Windows 11 Start menu designs, Bing Video Creator, and AI leading us down a lonely path. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/36881260

Build 2025 recap and Surface reviews! 05/23/2025

Build 2025 recap and Surface reviews! On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac are back to discuss what's top of mind from Build 2025 and how it compared to Google I/O. Also on the agenda: Surface Pro 12-inch review and Surface Laptop 13-inch first impressions, the latest from Windows 11, OpenAI buys Jony Ive design company, and Google's XR platform gets closer. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/36683785

Surface Laptop Studio is dead?! 05/18/2025

Surface Laptop Studio is dead?! On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Zac is on his own as he discusses the potential death of Surface Laptop Studio, the rumored AMD powered Arm-based Surface coming in 2026, Qualcomm's job listing suggesting the next Xbox will be Arm based, and layoffs. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/36615330

New (Smaller) Surfaces are Official! 05/10/2025

New (Smaller) Surfaces are Official! On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss Microsoft's latest wave of Surface PCs, our initial impressions of the new Surface Pro 12-inch, and how they fit into the lineup. They also discuss a whole bunch of new Windows 11 features that are coming later this year, including a new AI agent in Settings, the updated Start menu, and more. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/36518365

The dream Surface Pro 12 04/24/2025

The dream Surface Pro 12 On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss the latest on Windows 11, our thoughts on Recall, Click To Do, and AI in Search as Copilot+ PCs gear up to finally receive them, and Phone Link in Start. They also discuss Edge's new Copilot New Tab Page, the latest on PC shipments, and Intel job cuts. The duo also chat about what they want to see in the Surface Pro 12, and what Microsoft could possibly name its upcoming smaller Pro and Laptop devices. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/36300640

Are we heading for Copilot OS? 04/12/2025

Are we heading for Copilot OS? On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel is back to give us the low-down at Microsoft's 50th anniversary event, the stuff we didn't see on stream, including protests from Microsoft employees. Zac and Dan also reflect on Copilot's announcements, and what might be next for the AI assistant. Surely, it's a Copilot-powered OS? We also discuss the latest on Windows 11, including Recall finally getting close to GA, and the latest on tariffs and how they're affecting the PC market. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/36108785

Microsoft's 50th Birthday Copilot Special 04/05/2025

Microsoft's 50th Birthday Copilot Special On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Zac sits down with Ben to chat Microsoft's big 50th anniversary event, which was more a Copilot event with the 50th stuff being kept for the people in-attendance in Redmond. Microsoft announced new memory, personalization, vision, research, and shopping features for Copilot. All designed to make Copilot more human. Additionally, we discuss Microsoft's new Start menu for Windows 11 that was spotted hidden in recent preview builds, as well as our favorite versions of Windows and Windows apps to celebrate 50 years. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/36019070

Nobody wants the Surface Laptop 7? 03/28/2025

Nobody wants the Surface Laptop 7? On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss the current state of Windows on Arm, the Surface Laptop 7's high return rate, more details on the upcoming smaller Surface Pro and Surface Laptop, and the latest on Windows 11 and our first signs of 25H2. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/35906350

RIP Surface Connect? 03/22/2025

RIP Surface Connect? On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Dan and Zac discuss the removal of the charging brick on Surface Pro 11 and what it could mean for the future of Surface Connect, the latest on Windows 11, new devices from HP, Qualcomm GPU drivers, and more. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/35819810

Could we see the future of Windows and Copilot next month? 03/14/2025

Could we see the future of Windows and Copilot next month? On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, we discuss Microsoft's upcoming April 4 event and speculate about what it could possibly announce, the latest from Windows 11 and Copilot, Apple Intelligence Siri being delayed, Xbox Project Kennan, and more! /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/35698220

Skype is DEAD and we're taking it personally 03/07/2025

Skype is DEAD and we're taking it personally In this week's exciting episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss the official death of Skype, our struggles as a podcast that has exclusively used Skype for almost a decade, and the latest from Copilot on Windows and future AI experiences in the OS. Also this week, we talk about Lenovo's latest weird PCs, the new MacBook Air and how we think it's a bad deal now that devices like the Surface Laptop 7 exist. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/35573600

Panos left Microsoft for THIS? 03/01/2025

Panos left Microsoft for THIS? On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss Panos Panay's big Alexa+ announcement, Microsoft trialling a free version of Office for Windows, Windows 365 Link fast approaching, thoughts on Chrome OS Flex, Framework's new 12-inch Laptop, and more! /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/35490400

The Surface you know and love is dead 02/22/2025

The Surface you know and love is dead On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss the latest on Windows 11, new features in the Dev and Beta Channels, and have its system requirements secretly changed? Also on the agenda: A new era for Surface, and why the Surface you know and love is dead. Plus, we try to decipher what Microsoft's Quantum chip announcement is all about, and HP's decision to acquire Humane AI. If you liked this episode, be sure to give us a rating on your podcast platform of choice. It really helps! /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/35388465

The Life & Death of HoloLens 02/14/2025

The Life & Death of HoloLens On this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss the official end of HoloLens and IVAS, Copilot being bad at summarizing content, Arm reportedly making its own chip, and the Galaxy Watch and Ring! If you enjoy this episode, please give us a rating on your podcast platform of choice. It really helps! /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/35286785

What's next for Windows 11? 02/07/2025

What's next for Windows 11? Daniel and Zac are back for another Windows Central Podcast, and on the agenda this week: What's next for Windows 11? New features and Selenium, as well as Build 2025 expectations, the current Copilot+ PC situation, Qualcomm vs Arm, and more! /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/35189300

New Surface Hardware and DeepSeek Drama 01/31/2025

New Surface Hardware and DeepSeek Drama On this week's episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Dan and Zac discuss Microsoft's major Surface for Business announcement and the new Surface devices that came from it, the recent DeepSeek drama, Microsoft buying TikTok, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/35096810

Smaller Surface PCs are on the way 01/24/2025

Smaller Surface PCs are on the way On this week's episode, Zac Bowden discusses the existence of an 11/12-inch Surface Pro and Surface Laptop that Microsoft is planning to ship this year, the latest from Windows 11, the recent Microsoft 365 rebrand, and the Galaxy Unpacked event. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/34999390

A new Surface event and CES 2025 recap! 01/17/2025

A new Surface event and CES 2025 recap! Zac Bowden and Daniel Rubino are back to kick off the year with a look at the best of CES 2025, as well as thoughts on Microsoft's upcoming major announcement for Surface for Business. Also on the agenda: Windows and Xbox coming together to compete with SteamOS and the competition. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/34891030

What to expect from Surface in 2025 12/09/2024

What to expect from Surface in 2025 Daniel Rubino and Zac Bowden are back for the last Windows Central Podcast of the year. This episode, we talk about the death of Surface Studio 2+, what's next for Surface in the year 2025, Windows Recall and Click To Do impressions, and Intel's CEO stepping down. The podcast will return to a weekly schedule in January 2025. Episodes will release every Friday starting January 17! /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/34348610

There's a new Copilot in town 10/03/2024

There's a new Copilot in town On this episode of the Windows Central Podcast, Daniel and Zac discuss the new Microsoft Copilot that's designed to be more human, what might be next for operating systems with AI, 24H2 availability, new Copilot+ PC features for Windows 11, the death of HoloLens and why Windows Phone mattered. /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/33310967

Microsoft is building a consumer VR headset? 08/09/2024

Microsoft is building a consumer VR headset? On this week's Windows Central Podcast, Zac is joined by Windows Central tech editor Ben Wilson to discuss the week's biggest news. We talk Intel's 13th/14th Gen issues, Intel's layoffs, and Intel being sued. We also discuss AMDs new Ryzen chips and how they compare to Intel/Qualcomm, plus the rumor that Microsoft is working on a new VR headset! /episode/index/show/windowscentral/id/32511052

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