PC hardware is entering a golden age of design and engineering, while Windows — with its newfound AI obsession — has never felt worse. Something must change.

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The biggest takeaway from CES 2026 was that, despite “AI” being the buzzword for nearly every PC company, the future of PC hardware looks incredibly bright. In fact, it feels like things have never been better for the industry.

Today’s laptops are remarkably thin and well-built, with powerful and efficient processors, beautiful screens, and long-lasting batteries. Graphics cards can be hard to find, but the newest technology can significantly improve visual performance if you can get one.

Budget laptops have improved so much that they almost feel like high-end models – they just need faster processors and better internal parts to truly compete.

The ASUS Zenbook A14 is a great example of the new generation of laptops. Often priced around $600 with regular sales, it’s impressively thin, light, and has excellent battery life. 2024 saw the introduction of laptops powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chips, creating a whole new range of options, and this technology is still rapidly developing.

Laptop and PC hardware design is currently experiencing a really exciting period, a true golden age. However, I can’t say the same about Windows 11, the most commonly used operating system for PCs.

Lenovo had the most exciting new hardware to show off at CES 2026

I noticed something interesting during my time at the Las Vegas tech show with Lenovo. It seems they’ve really stepped up to fill the innovation gap left by Microsoft’s Surface line, as my colleague Zac Bowden also observed. Lenovo is now the company pushing boundaries in that space.

Lenovo’s success in the PC market is largely due to its dedication to innovation and willingness to experiment with new concept devices.

Lenovo currently leads the world in PC sales, and experts predict they’ll ship approximately 71 million units globally by 2025. The company is financially strong and willing to invest in its growth.

Lenovo is really innovating with designs like the rollable Legion gaming laptop – which expands into an ultrawide screen – and the Yoga AIO i Aura Edition, a stunning all-in-one that appears to float. They’re definitely challenging what’s possible with computer design.

HP also revealed a new EliteBoard G1a, a mini PC cleverly built into a keyboard—you only need to add a mouse and monitor to start using it. And ASUS, known for creating the leading dual-screen laptop, unveiled a ROG Zephyrus model that can be equipped with up to a powerful NVIDIA RTX 5090 Laptop GPU.

There’s even more exciting tech to discover, and you can find our top picks on our CES 2026 Awards page. Setting aside the current price increases caused by AI’s impact on memory and storage, it’s a fantastic time to be a PC enthusiast.

I don’t want to switch to a different OS. I want Windows to feel good again.

I want to start by saying I’m a big fan of Windows. In fact, that’s why I work at Windows Central! I’ve been using Windows since the mid-1990s when I first started using PCs, and it’s still my operating system of choice today.

Windows hasn’t always been perfect, but I’ve remained a loyal user despite its challenges. I’m not looking to switch operating systems anytime soon, though I do occasionally find myself considering Linux.

While PC hardware is currently thriving, the atmosphere around Windows feels unusually negative. There are several reasons contributing to this downturn in morale from Microsoft headquarters.

As a researcher following the AI landscape, I’m observing a concerning trend for Microsoft. It seems their current AI offerings aren’t gaining the traction they need, and we’re starting to see Google’s AI products grow at a faster rate than Microsoft’s Copilot suite. Essentially, the market doesn’t seem particularly impressed with the quality of Microsoft’s AI right now.

Whether you think it’s because companies are trying to maximize profits, the pressure of competing in the AI world, or leadership prioritizing investors over customers, the fact remains: Windows isn’t what it once was. It just doesn’t feel the same anymore.

Microsoft’s AI helper, Copilot, powered by the same technology as ChatGPT, is becoming increasingly visible in Windows 11. Microsoft aims to make Windows 11 an “agentic OS” – essentially, integrating AI throughout the entire operating system. This announcement, made by Windows leader Pavan Davuluri, has been met with mostly negative feedback.

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I’m open to using AI when it helps, but right now it feels more disruptive than useful, especially with how I usually work on my computer. I’m also increasingly worried about security, particularly with features like Copilot’s Recall. I’m not comfortable letting AI have access to all my personal data, and there’s evidence suggesting Copilot might actually weaken Windows security.

It’s disappointing that the most commonly used operating system for computers is struggling, especially considering how well PC hardware is currently performing.

Windows 11 is getting better, especially with the new consistent dark mode in File Explorer. My colleague, Mauro Huculak, has a detailed overview of all the great updates coming in 2025. However, Microsoft’s push to use AI for coding is unfortunately leading to more bugs for users.

It’s frustrating that Windows, the most widely-used operating system for computers, is currently struggling, especially since computer hardware itself is better than ever. Microsoft seems to have gotten distracted by the excitement around artificial intelligence, and I’m hoping things will improve by 2026.

What are your thoughts on the current state of PC hardware? Do you think it’s better than ever? And how about Windows – do you feel it’s currently struggling? Share your opinions in the comments!

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2026-01-17 20:10