Intel has finally unveiled its brand new SoCs for gaming handhelds called the Arc G3 Extreme & Arc G3, based on the Panther Lake design. Intel Plans To Disrupt AMD's Gaming Handheld Dominance With Its New Arc G3 Chips, Featuring Strong Capabilities The gaming handheld space has seen a major surge over the past few years. For the longest time, AMD has been very competitive in the market, and while Intel did have a few products that showed the kind of performance, efficiency, and features to compete well, there weren't that many options to select from, as the market was […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/intel-arc-g3-extreme-g3-chips-gaming-handhelds-14-cpu-cores-12-gpu-cores/

Early testing of Microsoft’s new Xbox Mode for Windows has revealed that the interface does not support multi-monitor configurations. User reports suggest that activating the controller-friendly full-screen interface causes secondary displays to black out, restricting the user to a single-monitor experience.

As shown by KidSmoove (via Windows Central) int he video posted on X, enabling the game-optimised mode removes the video output to the second monitor. While this won't be a big issue for those with a single monitor, there are plenty of PC users with two or more monitors.

While Microsoft has not officially addressed multi-monitor functionality, the mode includes startup performance optimisations that prevent specific background programs from launching. These aggressive resource-saving measures suggest the single-display limitation is an intentional design choice aimed at maximising system performance for the active game, rather than a technical oversight.

Xbox Mode is designed to provide a “no compromises” handheld and console-like experience on PC, similar to Steam's Big Picture mode. However, the current implementation prevents the simultaneous use of secondary screens for applications such as Discord, YouTube, or web browsers, which are standard components of multi-monitor PC gaming setups.

User feedback following the discovery seems mixed, with some noting the lack of flexibility, and others supporting the focus on system resource optimisation. Microsoft has not indicated whether multi-monitor support will be introduced in future updates to the Xbox Mode interface.

KitGuru says: Do you have a multi-monitor setup? Have you already tried the new Xbox mode? Do you think Xbox mode should keep multi-monitor functionality?

Microsoft has begun the rollout of Xbox mode to Windows 11, a feature designed to blur the lines between PC flexibility and console simplicity. Originally introduced and refined on Windows handheld devices under the title “Full Screen Experience”, this update is now expanding to the broader ecosystem of laptops, desktops, and tablets.

Xbox mode acts as a streamlined layer over Windows 11, offering a layout that will feel immediately familiar to anyone who has used an Xbox Series X|S. It serves as an aggregated library, pulling in titles not only from Xbox Game Pass but also from other PC storefronts, ensuring your entire collection is accessible from a single dashboard. Because it is built directly into Windows, players can switch between Xbox mode and the standard desktop whenever they need to handle non-gaming tasks.

The experience is focused on controller navigation, making it a perfect fit for couch gaming where a mouse and keyboard might be out of reach. By leveraging years of telemetry from Windows handhelds, Microsoft has tuned the interface to be responsive and clean, emphasising recently played titles and easy discovery within the Game Pass catalogue.

The rollout has already started in select markets and will gradually expand to more users over the coming weeks. To ensure you receive the feature as soon as it becomes available for your specific hardware, you should navigate to your Windows Update settings and toggle on the option to “Get the latest updates as soon as they are available”.

KitGuru says: With this new mode making the PC feel so much like a console, do you think this effectively eliminates the need for a standalone Xbox under the TV, or does the “plug-and-play” simplicity of dedicated hardware still have a place?

Microsoft has just commenced the rollout of its Gaming-Focused "Xbox Mode" across all Windows 11 PCs and devices. Windows 11 PCs Will Now Get A Snappier Gaming Interface With Xbox Mode, Now Rolling Out Across All Devices Today, Microsoft has started rolling out its Xbox Game Mode across all Windows 11 PCs, including laptops, desktops, tablets, and more. With Xbox Mode, Windows 11 users can enjoy a console-like gaming interface that is snappier and more intuitive. Xbox mode is designed for the moments when you want your games to take center stage on Windows 11 PCs and handhelds. Inspired by […]

Read full article at https://wccftech.com/microsoft-rolls-out-xbox-mode-to-all-windows-11-pcs/

Microsoft has officially announced the expansion of its “Xbox mode” interface to a broader range of Windows 11 devices, including laptops, desktops, and tablets. Previously limited to handheld devices, the updated console-style UI is now available in the Windows Insider Canary channel via build 29570.1000, bringing a streamlined gaming environment to traditional hardware.

The feature, formerly branded as the Xbox Full-Screen Experience, allows users to toggle between the standard desktop and a controller-optimised interface. Microsoft confirms that users can access Xbox mode through the Xbox app, the Game Bar settings menu, or by using the Win+F11 keyboard shortcut.

The decision to bring the UI to more form factors follows its widespread use on gaming handhelds. Microsoft notes that many laptops and tablets utilise similar APU and iGPU hardware to modern handheld systems, making the deployment of the console-like UI a logical progression. This update builds upon gaming UI improvements and display options recently introduced for mobile gaming devices.

Microsoft previously began testing the Full-Screen Experience on various form factors as early as November 2025. While the current rollout is restricted to the Canary channel (build 29570.1000), the expansion signals broader integration into Windows 11. No specific release window for the mainline Windows 11 version has been confirmed.

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KitGuru says: Will you be using the Xbox mode on your PC once it's available?

With Microsoft’s next Xbox said to be pretty much a PC in most aspects, the company has been working on its ‘Xbox Mode’ front-end to make for a more user-friendly and seamless experience. Already available in an early form via the ROG Xbox Ally, Microsoft have now revealed that their new Xbox mode will start rolling out to PCs beginning next month.

As part of the company’s GDC developer Summit, Jason Ronald – the Vice President of Next Generation Xbox – revealed that their in-development ‘Xbox Mode’ is expanding from next month, writing:

“After debuting an early version with the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, today I’m excited to share that we are bringing the same innovation to Windows 11 with Xbox mode that begins rolling out in April, starting with select markets.”

Ronald continued, “Xbox mode lets players seamlessly switch between productivity and play, with a familiar full screen and controller optimized Xbox experience while embracing the openness of Windows.”

As mentioned, we saw this launch first on the ROG Xbox Ally…to somewhat mixed results.

That said, in Microsoft’s own words, it represented “an early version” and so it will be interesting to see what the finalised form of the mode looks like. We won’t have to wait long to find out.

In other GDC news, Ronald also spoke on the return of their games preservation program – the details of which can be found HERE.

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KitGuru says: What do you think of Microsoft’s GDC announcements? Has Xbox Mode on the ROG Ally been good enough? Will the experience be as seamless as Microsoft claims? Let us know your thoughts down below.