The holidays came early for Xbox gamers when Death Stranding Director's Cut launched on Xbox Series X|S and Windows 11. That game, which supports Xbox Play Anywhere, bolsters a growing library of formerly exclusive games to launch on Xbox.
This week, we also saw Sam Altman discuss the concept of AGI (artificial general intelligence) in a surprising way, the price of Microsoft 365 go up in certain regions, and Apple put Windows-powered mini PCs to shame with a new Mac mini.
Death Stranding arrives on Xbox Series X|S
In news that shocked the gaming world, Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding Director's Cut launched on Xbox Series X|S and Windows 11. Better yet, the post-apocalyptic open world game supports Xbox Play Anywhere.
The good news kept on coming when it was revealed that Kojima Productions fully acquired the rights to the Death Stranding franchise, making a sequel on Xbox more likely.
"We're finally excited to bring Death Stranding to Xbox users," the press release reads (translated via Bing). "Thank you to all the fans who have kept us connected and to all the Xbox users who have been waiting. Please look forward to Kojima Productions (Death Stranding) continuing to connect more game fans around the world."
That news was reported on by Automaton-Media.
Death Stranding is the latest addition to the Xbox library that at one time seemed unlikely. The launch follows the news that the Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters are no longer exclusive to other platforms and Genshin Impact is on the way to Xbox Series X|S.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says AGI will whoosh by us and make "surprisingly little" societal change
One of the hottest topics surrounding AI is AGI (artificial general intelligence). Many tech giants are racing to reach that level of AI, though some are concerned about what could happen if AI reached that level of intelligence. But OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has a different take on AGI. Instead of being curious about when it will happen or concerned about its potential, Altman views AGI as an inevitability in the near future and something that people will almost brush off.
"I think in 5 years, it looks like we have an unbelievably rapid rate of improvement in technology itself," said Altman. "People are like, man, the AGI moment came and went. The pace of progress is like totally crazy, and we're discovering all this new stuff, both about AI and research and also about all the rest of science."
I'm sure Altman would view AGI as a major accomplishment, but he's right that major discoveries are almost looked at in passing. New breakthroughs happen so quickly that AGI could happen, make the news, and move into the background of people's minds quickly.
Microsoft 365 price goes up, and it's Copilot's fault
Microsoft 365 will soon cost more in several regions. Microsoft announced the change this week and explained how Copilot is behind the price increase. The tech giant phrased the higher cost as a positive since it means the value of Microsoft 365 has increased, but I imagine subscribers have a different view.
"To reflect the value we’ve added over the past decade and enable us to deliver new innovations for years to come, we’re increasing the prices of Microsoft 365 Personal and Family," said Microsoft. "The price increase will apply to existing subscribers upon their next renewal. The price increases vary in each market—visit our website for exact local pricing. For Microsoft 365 Family subscribers, Copilot will be available to the subscription owner and cannot be shared with others."
Those in Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand will soon see price increases for Microsoft 365, though the exact cost of the subscription will vary by region.
ZDNet reported that a Microsoft 365 Classic option will be available, though Microsoft has not confirmed how pricing would work for those who want Microsoft 365 but do not want to use Copilot.
Apple unveils M4 Mac mini
This isn't exactly Windows or Microsoft news, but it's big enough news in the tech world that it made us turn our heads. Additionally, it's almost news that this isn't news in the PC space. Apple just dropped arguably the best mini computer on the market and there isn't a mini PC maker ready to stand toe-to-toe with Apple's new creation.
In their Apple Mac mini (M4, 2024) review, our colleagues at TechRadar gave the small form factor PC a perfect score. If you're a Windows loyalist, you may want to look away from the mini PC market for a bit because Apple has the best device in the category and I bout that will change any time soon.
Reviews
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Surface Pro 9
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ Neva
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ Corsair K70 Pro TKL
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
⭐⭐⭐⭐½ Beelink SER9 mini PC
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Xbox Series X|S Seagate Expansion Card
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360
⭐⭐⭐⭐ GameSir T7 Xbox controller
⭐⭐⭐½ Empire of the Ants game
Our experts take a close look at the latest gadgets, games, and accessories. This week, our team also took a second look at some of the most important devices of 2024, such as the Surface Pro 9.
This week's highest marks went to Neva, which our Zachary Boddy described as a "new Xbox game is a genuine work of art" They also noted that the game made them cry.
"Neva cements Nomada Studio as a master of color and art design, with phenomenal visuals and animations that make the powerful, emotional narrative even more impactful," said Boddy. "Neva also dramatically improves gameplay versus GRIS with satisfying combat and platforming. My only major grip is that the journey is simply over too soon."
Corsair also earned high marks for its K70 Pro TK. That mechanical keyboard received praise for its hall effect sensors, customizable actuation, and RGB lighting.
"The K70 Pro TKL comes with Corsair's magnetic switch, and it is terrific for daily use. The switch has good tactility and smooth actuation, and the best part is that you can adjust the actuation point, triggering a key with just 0.1mm of travel," said our Harish Jonnalagadda. "That makes a huge difference in gaming, and you also get 8,000Hz polling, a custom Game Mode, and a high degree of customizability. If you need a tenkeyless gaming keyboard with magnetic switches, the K70 Pro TKL is a great overall choice."
Early Black Friday Deals
With Black Friday around the corner and early Black Friday deals already live, our team scans the web every day to find the best deals. As the number of deals grows, it can be difficult to sift through everything. Below is a list of our roundups that we update regularly plus some select standout deals.
- 💻BEST WINDOWS PC AND XBOX DEALS
- 🕹️BEST BLACK FRIDAY GAMING LAPTOP DEALS
- BEST GAMING MONITOR DEALS
- BEST BLACK FRIDAY PC DEALS AT BEST BUY
- 📺LG Curved OLED Monitor (32-inches) | $879.99 at Amazon (Save $620!)
- 🎮Amazon Fire TV Xbox Game Pass bundle | $74.99 at Amazon (Save $62!)
- 💻Alienware m16 R2 (RTX 4060) | $1,399.99 at Dell (Save $300!)
- 🔊2.1ch Soundbar for TVs & Monitors | $44.99 at Walmart (Save $55!)
- 💻HP OMEN Transcend 14 (RTX 4050) | $1,099.99 at HP (Save $500!)
- 🎧Sennheiser Momentum 4 ANC | $274.95 at Amazon (Save $125!)
- 📺LG C4 OLED 4K TV (42-inches) | $999.99 at Best Buy (Save $400!)
