It looks like Microsoft is wrapping up its Windows and Surface efforts for 2026 to be able to focus on the future. Last week the company announced refreshes to the Surface Pro 12-inch and Surface Laptop 13-inch. This week, Microsoft rolled out Windows 11 version 26H2.With a bunch of Surface announcements in the rearview mirror and another update to Windows 11 rolling out, Microsoft can point its followers to the future. The description of the Windows and Surface event next week says, “Join us live… for a look at what’s next from Windows, Surface, and NVIDIA.”I hope Microsoft has some exciting news in store for its event. Windows and Surface have been far from exciting lately. It is possible to market boring products, of course, but they have to be reliable.This week Microsoft announced Windows 11 version 26H2 and called it a “predictable and low-disruption update.” If Microsoft wants to win back consumers, it needs to either be cutting edge or actually deliver predictable and low-disruption updates. It feels like for the last few years we’ve gotten neither.

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QualcommMicrosoft has had to release multiple out-of-band updates in 2026. Some bugs required multiple patches to fix. It’s gotten so bad that most of our articles about Windows 11 updates are met with comments asking what will break this time.Unfortunately, the commenters have been proven right several times. One serious bug made Outlook, OneDrive, Dropbox, and other cloud-backed apps inoperable. Another issue froze Remote Desktop and caused audio failures. At one point users couldn’t even install a Windows 11 update, forcing Microsoft to pull that update.If Microsoft is going to undercut its events and trim down its Surface lineup, it needs to double down on reliability. Next week, we should get some answers about Microsoft’s plans.

Windows and Surface event

(Image credit: Windows Central / Zac Bowden)A boring but bug-free Windows 11 update may be a welcome change of pace, but it makes me curious about what Microsoft will discuss at its Windows and Surface event next week. Considering Windows 11 version 26H2 is already rolling out, the focus is likely the future of Windows.Does Microsoft have something up its sleeve? Has the tech giant learned a lesson about how to build consumer hype? Or are we due for another on-stage announcement about AI and how new PCs can run models locally?I’m sure there are developers interested in the potential of the Surface Laptop Ultra and RTX Spark for AI development, but there are hundreds of millions of Windows users who care very little about AI. Microsoft needs to at least throw some scraps our way to keep us interested.

Shopping with Sean

Amazon’s October Prime Day is next week, but there are already some great deals live. Competing retailers are trying to beat Amazon to the punch, resulting in big savings.A trio of laptops are the best deals of the week. I’m partial toward the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x because of its thin design but the Samsung Galaxy Book6 and Dell 14S are also great choices.14S 14″ 2K Touchscreen Laptop (Intel Core Ultra 7 355 2026, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Copilot+): was $1599.99 now $899.99“The Dell 14S is a compelling choice for a variety of users thanks to its long-lasting battery life (and) relatively affordable price.” ~ Sean Riley, Freelance Writer, Tom’s GuideTom’s Guide review: ⭐⭐⭐⭐View DealYoga Slim 7x: was $1299.99 now $969.99“The Slim 7x (Gen 11) is a laptop I can see fitting in perfectly with students, home business pros, and casual users who simply want a laptop for around $1,199 (even less when it’s on sale) that feels like it should cost a lot more.” — Cale Hunt, Windows CentralView DealSamsung Galaxy Book6: was $1449.99 now $947“I’ve been using the Samsung Book 6 for a while now and honestly it’s been solid. It’s lightweight, looks premium, and the battery easily gets me through most of the day. Performance is smooth for studying, browsing, videos, and everyday work.” ~ VALENTIN, customer review4.8 out of 5 Stars (based on 40 Best Buy customer reviews)View DealJoin us on Reddit at r/WindowsCentral to share your insights and discuss our latest news, reviews, and more.