PC Options

10/05/2026

Windows 11 26H2 Starts Rolling Out

Windows 11 version 26H2 is officially rolling out! It's a light update delivered as an enablement package, with extras like more archive formats in File Explorer, more taskbar positioning options, NPU usage indicators in Task Manager, and a new point-in-time restore recovery option. Microsoft is using a staged rollout with safeguard holds on devices with known compatibility issues, so don't panic if it doesn't show up right away. IT teams can grab it through Windows Autopatch or the Microsoft 365 admin center. Source:

Windows 11 version 26H2, the new annual update for the OS, is starting to roll out to all Windows 11 users today.

09/21/2026

**Windows 11's New "Cloud Rebuild" Ditches the USB Drive**

Got a Windows 11 PC that just won't boot? Microsoft is testing a new recovery tool called Cloud Rebuild that wipes a broken install and downloads a fresh copy of Windows straight from the cloud — no USB stick or recovery media needed. It's currently rolling out in the Windows Insider Beta channel, with a wider release expected later this year. Just know it's all-or-nothing: Cloud Rebuild completely wipes your C: drive, so back up first. Could be a real time-saver for IT teams managing a fleet of business laptops.

Source:

Windows recovery gets easier.

09/18/2026

Used Custom Built Gaming PC
- Intel Core i7-11700K
- 32GB DDR4 RAM
- 1TB Solid State Drive
- Nvidia RTX 3080 10GB Video Card
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
- Windows 11
Price: $1599.99+HST

09/11/2026

**Windows 11's September Update Brings Back a Fan-Favorite Feature**

Big win for Windows 11 users this month: Microsoft's September Patch Tuesday (KB5124008) finally brings back the ability to move your taskbar after almost five years of it being locked to the bottom. You also get a resizable Start menu with Small/Automatic/Large options and independent toggles for Pinned, Recent, and All apps, plus a cleaner, simplified Search experience. On top of the UI upgrades, this update patches two zero-day vulnerabilities already being exploited in the wild, so don't put off installing it. Small tweaks, but ones a lot of longtime Windows users have been asking for.

Source:

Microsoft's September 2026 Patch Tuesday fixes major exploited Windows zero-days and rolls out new taskbar, Start menu, and search options for Windows 11.

09/02/2026

** Nvidia Is Cutting Off Windows 10 Game Driver Support**
Heads up if your business or home PCs are still running Windows 10: Microsoft extended security support through 2027, but Nvidia just announced it won't keep issuing Game Ready Drivers past October 2026. Security patches will keep coming, but new games and performance optimizations won't. It's another nudge that the Windows 11 migration clock is ticking, even if the OS itself isn't going anywhere yet.

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Nvidia won't extend Windows 10 driver support like Microsoft did, ending it in October 2026, and other OEMs may follow soon.

08/27/2026

Your next laptop port might be twice as fast USB4 version 2.0 and Thunderbolt 5 are starting to show up in premium laptops and docks, pushing bandwidth up to 80Gbps (with a 120Gbps boost mode for display-heavy setups). That means faster external drives, smoother multi-monitor docking, and more headroom for whatever you plug in next. It's backward compatible with your existing Thunderbolt gear too, so upgrading won't mean replacing every cable you own. Source:

USB4 v2 and Thunderbolt 5 reshape universal connectivity.

08/13/2026

Heads up if you're shopping for a budget graphics card: Nvidia has reportedly pulled the RTX 5060 from retail entirely, with supply-chain sources saying it could be six months before it's back. The culprit is a memory shortage — Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron have basically sold out their 2026 chip output to AI data centers, leaving less GDDR7 for consumer GPUs. It's part of a broader 15-20% production cut across the whole RTX 50 series, so if you've been eyeing an upgrade, now might be the time to act rather than wait for prices to drop. 📉
Source:

The AI industry's current demand for silicon, and its knock-on effects in the DIY PC market, has been thoroughly documented, with ensuing memory shortages resulting in reports of the RTX 5060 Ti and 5070 Ti being effectively canceled, and even the upcoming gaming console generation being put on...

08/06/2026

**Windows 11's August Update Is All About Polish**
Microsoft's August 2026 Windows 11 update (KB5101684) lands around Patch Tuesday, and it's more substance than flash. File Explorer finally shows file sizes in the right units instead of cramming everything into KB, Windows Search handles typos better, and you can now uninstall specific AI models from Copilot+ PCs you don't need. There's also expanded Windows Hello fingerprint support for desktops. Small changes, but they add up if you're managing a fleet of office machines.

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Microsoft's August 2026 Patch Tuesday delivers a large batch of improvements across Windows 11.

07/29/2026

Microsoft's July 2026 Patch Tuesday wasn't just routine maintenance — it patched a record 570 vulnerabilities, more than 4x what was fixed a year ago. On the feature side, you're getting a new Point-in-Time Restore tool for easier recovery, the ability to pause updates for up to 35 days, and a "Screen Tint" accessibility option for reducing eye strain. If you manage a fleet of business PCs, this is a good week to make sure everything's actually updated. 🖥️🔒
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Microsoft says AI is reshaping Windows security, and the July 2026 Patch Tuesday update is the first major sign of what's coming.

07/14/2026

Memory Prices Are Spiking Fast — Buy Now, Not Later

If you've been putting off a PC or laptop refresh, this is your nudge: DRAM and SSD prices have surged as much as 89-95% quarter-over-quarter, driven by AI data centers gobbling up memory supply. Gartner projects PC prices could climb 17% by year-end as manufacturers pass the costs along. Dell, HP, and Lenovo have all signaled 15-20% price hikes on second-half inventory. Translation: current-gen machines built on older, cheaper memory contracts are about as good a deal as you'll find for a while. 📈
Source:

Long-term supply deals are quietly capping server DRAM prices.