However, much of that narrative does not show Microsoft’s current direction.

So far, Microsoft has made no official announcement pointing to a Windows 12 launch anytime soon. Instead of preparing for a full replacement, the company appears to be concentrating on improving what it already has, Windows 11.

The belief that Windows 12 could arrive in 2026 is largely based on assumption rather than confirmed plans.

It draws partly from Microsoft’s past release cycles and its recent push toward AI-powered software experiences.

Looking at previous timelines, the speculation may seem reasonable. Major Windows releases have historically come every few years:

• Windows 7: 2009
• Windows 8: 2012
• Windows 10: 2015
• Windows 11: 2021

But that pattern has changed. Since Windows 10, Microsoft has treated Windows as an evolving service, rolling out continuous updates instead of launching entirely new versions at short intervals.

That same approach is still in place with Windows 11, which continues to receive regular improvements. Against this backdrop, a 2026 replacement appears both premature and unnecessary.

Microsoft’s Real Focus: Fixing Windows 11

Rather than pushing out a new operating system, Microsoft is focusing inward, working to refine Windows 11 by improving performance, reducing system limitations and addressing long-standing usability concerns.

Recent updates also show a stronger response to user feedback. One of the most criticised changes in Windows 11 was the reduced flexibility of the taskbar.

Earlier versions allowed users to move it freely, but that option was removed. Microsoft is now restoring some of that control in response to user demand.

Another point of discussion has been the company’s aggressive rollout of AI features, particularly Microsoft Copilot. For many users, these tools have felt unnecessary or intrusive, adding complexity instead of value.

Microsoft appears to be taking that feedback seriously. Upcoming updates are expected to make AI features less disruptive, with some adjustments or removals where they do not improve the user experience.

The absence of Windows 12 in 2026 is not a delay but appears like a deliberate choice. Microsoft’s focus on refining Windows 11 instead of replacing it highlights a shift toward stability and long-term improvement.

When Windows 12 eventually arrives, it is likely to be built on a more solid foundation, and that may prove more important than launching it sooner.

The feature, currently live for Windows Insiders testing build 26220 and newer in both the Dev and Beta channels, lets users set looping videos as desktop backgrounds without relying on third-party apps.

For the first time since the short-lived DreamScene experiment on Windows Vista Ultimate, users can once again use video files such as .mp4, .m4v, .mov, .wmv, .avi, .mkv, and .webm as animated wallpapers. 

The videos automatically play whenever the desktop is visible, with Microsoft integrating the capability into Settings > Personalisation > Background. Although the settings menu has yet to be fully updated to reflect video support, the underlying functionality is active.

This represents a comeback of a feature that many Windows fans have long wanted restored. DreamScene, introduced in 2007, never survived the transition to Windows 7 and was quietly abandoned. 

In the absence of native support, users turned to third-party software like Wallpaper Engine or Lively Wallpaper. Wallpaper Engine, in particular, has become so popular that it regularly appears among the top 10 most-used applications on Steam, underlining the strong demand for desktop customisation.

Unlike Wallpaper Engine, however, Microsoft’s version strips away interactivity. Early testers report that this choice may be deliberate. Videos render through the Media Foundation framework and the Desktop Window Manager (DWM), both optimised to minimise the impact on power consumption and system resources. For users worried about performance drain, this is a notable difference.

The feature is not entirely new to Microsoft’s roadmap. Dynamic animated wallpapers had been under internal testing for Windows 11 for years, with prototypes surfacing earlier in 2024. They were originally expected to ship in 2023, but never reached the release version.

By moving forward now, Microsoft seems to be taking aim at a feature gap that has driven millions towards third-party solutions. With its own implementation, the company offers a simpler option for users who want moving backgrounds without the overhead or complexity of external apps.

We’d see if this will be enough to compete with the customisation depth of Wallpaper Engine. Meanwhile, Microsoft appears focused on delivering a lightweight, resource-friendly version that feels native to Windows 11, even if it sacrifices some advanced features.

When most laptops make their grand entrance, it’s like meeting a new puppy who looks cute but leaves a trail of crumbs. But the ASUS Zenbook 14 UX3407, seems to have gotten its act together from the moment it’s unboxed. 

Not only does it come with a stylish pouch, but its smooth opening mechanism ensures you’ll feel like royalty every single time you lift the lid. 

Let’s unbox ASUS Zenbook 14 UX3407—a laptop so sleek and light that it practically floats out of its pouch (and, dare we say, might even outshine your smartphone’s charm). 

Once upon a time, bulky laptops ruled the land, but ASUS has clearly taken a cue from haute couture. In this review, we’re peeling back the layers of this ultra-portable laptop that asserts a buttery-smooth opening, an OLED display that makes reality shine so bright, and performance so fast it could give your morning espresso a run for its money. 

Let’s see if this innovation is all style and no substance—or the complete package that blends Asus’ vision of blending elegance, performance, and efficiency.

Design and Portability

One of the most interesting features of the Zenbook 14 is its sleek and lightweight design. Weighing under 1kg, it’s so compact that it can be tucked into a bag unnoticed. This ultra-portable form factor makes it comfortable for professionals and students to travel with.

Display and User Experience

The OLED display comes with beautiful colours, deep blacks, and commendable brightness levels. ASUS’ Lumina OLED technology ensures that the screen is stunning as well as adaptive and reliable, with 70% less blue light emission for eye comfort.

Performance: Flash-Fast Speed with Snapdragon X Elite

Built with the Snapdragon X Elite processor and 32GB of LPDDR5X RAM, the Zenbook 14 offers great performance. It boots up almost instantly, with a loading time that is extremely fast giving the feeling of smoothness akin to fresh milk. Whether multitasking, browsing, or running demanding applications, the 12-core Qualcomm Oryon CPU ensures seamless operation.

Software, Security and AI Features

The FHD IR camera supports facial recognition, allowing users to unlock the laptop securely and effortlessly without typing passwords.

As a Copilot+ PC, the Zenbook 14 integrates AI-powered enhancements that improve productivity and efficiency. Running on Windows 11 Home Single Language (24H2 version), it features:

• Live Captions for real-time audio transcriptions
• Generative Fill and Erase in Paint for seamless image editing
• Improved Windows Search for faster and smarter results

These AI-driven tools ensure daily tasks are so easy, making the Zenbook 14 a solid laptop for work, creativity, and communication.

Battery Life: A True Powerhouse

Battery performance is one of the Zenbook 14’s biggest strengths. During testing:

• Charging began at 11:12 AM (WAT) and reached 100% by 1:00 PM—a total charge time of 1 hour and 48 minutes.
• Even after 5 hours of use (from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM), the battery was still at 80%, accentuating its energy efficiency.
• With a 70Wh battery, ASUS claims up to 32 hours of battery life, making it one of the longest-lasting laptops in its category.

Added to these, USB-C fast charging ensures quick power replenishment.

Connectivity and Ports

The laptop features a USB-C charger, making it convenient to charge with various adapters. It also supports multiple connectivity options, including:

• USB4 Type-C ports (with Power Delivery and DisplayPort support)
• USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A
• HDMI 2.1 (TMDS)
• 3.5mm audio combo jack

With these options, users can connect up to three external monitors, making it highly flexible for professionals working with multiple displays.

Graphics and Visual Performance

The Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU brings smooth graphics properties, suitable for video editing, creative tasks, and casual gaming. While it’s not meant for high-end gaming, it handles multimedia tasks effortlessly.

Gaming and Entertainment

Beyond work and productivity, the ASUS Zenbook 14 UX3407 brings a solid gaming experience with its Qualcomm Adreno X1-85 GPU. It also supports casual gaming and cloud-based titles efficiently.

Free PC Game Pass Included

The device comes with a free PC Game Pass, allowing users to access hundreds of high-quality games, including Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Forza Motorsport, Diablo IV, Minecraft, Halo, and more.

Again, you get exclusive discounts of up to 20% on games and add-ons, as well as Riot Games benefits.

Includes EA Play

Enjoy top franchises like F1, Battlefield, and Star Wars with EA Play, which comes bundled with your PC Game Pass subscription.

Design and Build Quality: Style Meets Function

The ASUS Zenbook 14 UX3407 is designed to provide both style and durability, making it the perfect companion for commuters and professionals on the go.

Sleek and Ultra-Lightweight with Ceraluminum

Created with Ceraluminum, an innovative high-tech ceramic material, the laptop is:

• 30% lighter and 3x stronger than regular aluminium
• Smudge-free and resistant to scratches
• Shock-resistant, providing peace of mind in case of accidental drops

The smooth rounded edges and soft touch finish further enhance the premium feel, making it comfortable to carry and use.

Durability: Military-Grade Strength

The Zenbook 14 UX3407 meets the MIL-STD 810H military standard, proving its resilience in various extreme conditions, including:

High and low-temperature resistance

Shock and vibration resistance

Altitude test approval

Whether you’re commuting daily or travelling frequently, this laptop is built to withstand the challenges of an active lifestyle.

Refined Aesthetics: Be Unique. Be Zen.

• Tone-on-tone keyboard and smudge-free keycaps maintain an elegant look
• Enlarged touchpad ensures seamless navigation
• Available in sophisticated color options like Iceland Gray and Zabriskie Beige

This combination of premium materials, durability, and aesthetics make the Zenbook 14 UX3407 unique as a stylish yet highly functional device.

Cooling and Noise Management

The dual lightweight fans and heat pipe cooling system keep the laptop cool and quiet. In Whisper Mode, the noise level stays under 25 dB, making it barely noticeable during light tasks.

Finally: A Laptop with Amazing Power and Portability

The ASUS Zenbook 14 UX3407 is a great laptop that delivers amazing performance, incredible battery life, and sleek portability. It is perfect for professionals, students, and content creators who need a reliable, high-performance machine.

Perfect Warranty Included

Enjoy peace of mind with ASUS Perfect Warranty on ASUS Zenbook 14. Register your device to receive a 1-year ASUS perfect warranty valued at $249.99.

Pros:

Ultra-lightweight and portable

ASUS Perfect Warranty

Stunning Lumina OLED display

Snapdragon X Elite processor ensures flash-fast performance

Long-lasting battery with fast charging

AI-powered features and facial recognition for convenience

Extensive connectivity options

Cons:

No pen or touchscreen support

Overall, the Zenbook 14 UX3407 is an AI-powered laptop that’s got great speed, battery efficiency, and portability, making it one of the best ultra-lightweight Windows laptops in 2025 and is now available in Nigeria. 

At the recently concluded Microsoft Ignite 2024 conference, the tech giant announced that it will roll out the “full capabilities” of Windows 11 on the Meta Quest 3 and Quest 3S headsets. 

The integration is slated to launch in December as part of a public preview.

This will enable users to connect their Quest headsets to either a local Windows PC or a cloud-based Windows instance via Windows 365. 

Microsoft claims the connection process is quick, taking only a matter of seconds, and likens the experience to having a “private, multi-monitor workstation.” 

Users will reportedly have access to applications and functionalities extended into immersive 3D environments, opening up new ways to interact with Windows.

One great feature of this integration is the introduction of Volumetric Apps, which allow supported Windows applications to operate within a 3D space. 

During a demonstration earlier this year, Microsoft showcased an exploded 3D view of an Xbox controller, which could be manipulated using hand gestures while wearing a Quest 3 headset. 

This functionality reveals Microsoft’s vision to change how users engage with digital tools in a virtual reality setting.

Developers have been invited to participate in this initiative by gaining access to an API designed to create plug-ins for both new and existing 3D Windows desktop applications. The move aims to encourage innovative applications of Windows 11 in the metaverse.

This isn’t Microsoft’s first move to extend Windows to Meta’s headsets. In 2022, the company announced plans to bring Microsoft Teams and other Windows apps to the Quest platform. 

By late 2023, productivity tools from the Microsoft 365 suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, became accessible on Meta headsets. 

Microsoft also introduced Xbox Cloud Gaming to the platform, enhancing both professional and recreational experiences in virtual reality.

The erroneous inclusion was first identified by Deskmodder, a Dutch blog, which reported that the 24H2 version of Windows 11, featuring update KB5041865, presented the option to remove Recall through the Windows Features menu.

In response to this discovery, Microsoft has stated that the appearance of Recall in the ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ section of the Control Panel is not intentional. 

Brandon LeBlanc, a senior product manager at Windows, confirmed that the listing was a bug and assured users that it would be rectified in a forthcoming update.

The Recall feature, designed to capture screenshots of almost everything displayed on a user’s computer, has been controversial since its inception. Initially slated for release with Copilot Plus PCs in June, its launch was delayed following concerns from security researchers. 

These experts pointed to noteworthy vulnerabilities, including the fact that the Recall database, which stores these snapshots, was unencrypted, leaving it open to exploitation by malicious software.

In light of these security issues, Microsoft has overhauled the feature, making it opt-in rather than default, encrypting the database, and introducing authentication through Windows Hello. 

Despite these changes, there are still questions on whether users will eventually be able to uninstall Recall completely. Microsoft has indicated that, for now, the appearance of this option in the latest update is incorrect.

However, the company may face regulatory issues, particularly from the European Union, which could force it to provide an uninstall option in compliance with the Digital Markets Act. 

Similar to the way Microsoft has been required to offer an option to uninstall the Edge browser and remove Bing-powered web search in the Start menu for users in the European Economic Area, the future of Recall’s uninstallability could hinge on these legal requirements. 

Microsoft is currently preparing to preview the revamped Recall feature to Windows Insiders in October.

The event is expected to showcase new Surface devices, Windows 11 advancements with a focus on AI, and updates on the Copilot collaboration tool.

Reports reveal that Microsoft will unveil the Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6, specifically designed for commercial customers, during the event. 

These business-oriented models are expected to receive minor specification upgrades compared to previous products. 

While the commercial Surface Pro 10 gets a spec bump, Microsoft is planning a more unique redesign for consumers later this spring. This consumer version is rumoured to have an OLED display, with richer visuals and potentially improved battery life.

The Surface Laptop 6 is shaping up to be the star of the show, with whispers of a comprehensive design overhaul. This includes thinner bezels, rounded corners, a haptic touchpad, and a port selection featuring two USB-C ports and a single USB-A port.

The event’s tagline, “scaling AI in your environment with Copilot, Windows, and Surface,” hints at Microsoft’s strategic focus on integrating artificial intelligence into its products and services. This aligns with the company’s previously announced “AI PC” initiative.

Microsoft is reportedly developing a new AI Explorer feature for Windows 11, projected as a more advanced version of the current AI assistant. This feature aims to comprehensively catalog user activity, enabling searches for specific moments within a timeline using natural language queries.

While the Windows 10 Timeline feature attempted a similar concept, its lack of app support hindered its adoption and ultimately led to its removal. 

Whether Microsoft can successfully revive this idea with AI Explorer in Windows 11 leaves our fingers crossed.