Over the past week, while Microsoft largely flew under the radar with any major announcements, the buzz around the Windows and Xbox ecosystems certainly picked up pace as the summer temperatures soared.
In the span of just a few days, Amazon has attached a cautionary note on the Surface Laptop 7’s product page, Mojang teased a significant visual jump for Minecraft, and HP released news of 25 upcoming devices in their lineup.
### Surface Laptop 7 Returns
Amazon has now added a heads-up for prospective buyers of the Surface Laptop 7 on its product listing page. The giant retailer points out that this particular model has a high return rate.
This little alert serves as a nudge for potential customers to dig into some thorough research and comb through reviews before clicking that ‘buy’ button. Amazon hasn’t shed light on why so many decide to return this laptop—it might be anything from personal grievances to technical glitches.
Either way, it doesn’t bode well for Microsoft or the reputation of the Surface brand. The Surface Laptop 7, being one of their flagship devices, ideally shouldn’t be seeing so many returns. It has garnered strong reviews and positive ratings on Amazon, but that caution warning is a bit of a damper, hinting at underlying issues.
### Minecraft’s “Vibrant Visual” Update
Minecraft fans have something to look forward to as Mojang has previewed a substantial update aimed at sprucing up the game’s visuals. The “Vibrant Visuals” update was among the highlights at this past week’s Minecraft Live event.
For those who cherish Minecraft’s traditional look, rest assured—the core gameplay mechanics and systems aren’t being tweaked. It’s more like giving the game a shiny new coat of paint rather than a complete redesign. The beloved blocky aesthetic isn’t going anywhere.
The update focuses on upgrading textures, directional lighting, and volumetric fog among other things, with the lighting, shadows, and reflections seeing the most noticeable differences. The plan is to roll this update out for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition soon, while the Java Edition will get it eventually.
Given past delays and cancellations of visual updates, some fans remain cautiously optimistic about this new announcement.
### Leaked Xbox/Steam Integration
Microsoft is busy enhancing the Xbox app on Windows 11, particularly for users with smaller screens. We’ve seen features like the Xbox Game Bar’s Compact Mode and an on-screen gamepad-friendly keyboard in action before.
Now, whispers about a potential integration with Steam have us all intrigued. Briefly spotted on a Microsoft blog before being taken down, the new feature might point towards a Steam filter in the Xbox app game library.
Since the information was quickly removed, the details on this Steam filter are scarce—it could hint at a major revamp of the library section in the Xbox app on PC or perhaps it’s just a fleeting hint of something in the works.
### HP Announces 25 PCs
HP made a splash with the announcement of 25 new PCs during their Amplify conference this week. This impressive roster includes a mix of laptops, All-in-One desktops, mini PCs, and even gaming laptops.
You don’t need to worry about sifting through all these new gadgets yourself; Rebecca Spear has done the legwork and rounded up the top highlights from HP’s event, including standouts like the EliteStudio 8 AiO G1i and OmniBook 7 Aero 13.
The EliteStudio 8 AiO G1i seems to have caught a lot of attention, but your enthusiasm might vary depending on your needs and preferences. Daniel Rubino, our Editor-in-Chief, even shared it would’ve been his go-to PC back in college after getting a sneak peek.
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