6 Trends I Want to See in Windows Devices for 2025

Over the years of using Windows, I have become accustomed to its quirks and limitations. While Windows 11 has brought some notable improvements, there are still a few areas where I think Microsoft can improve significantly in 2025.

1

More Windows on Arm laptops

Windows laptops powered by Snapdragon-based processors ARM architecture will appear on the markets in 2024, moving away from the usual AMD and Intel chips. These devices are now on par with MacBooks running Apple Silicon, which are considered some of the best laptops in the world.

The main advantage of Snapdragon chips is their energy efficiency. As someone who works primarily on the go, battery life is one of the most important factors I consider when choosing a new device, so I may try one out this year. While many devices already use these processors, most cost between $1,000 and $1,600. Would like to see more mid-range options.

However, application compatibility also remains an issue. Developers need to specifically compile their Windows applications on ARM. While most core apps already run well, you can also use Prism, a translation layer that lets you run unsupported apps. However, sometimes there are apps and games that simply don’t work.

Despite this, I am optimistic. As more laptops with these processors hit the market this year, I’m sure developers will increasingly use ARM processors. This could bring much-needed competition to the thin and light laptop market in 2025.

2

Improved support for portable gaming PCs

Another area I’d like to see Microsoft improve in is better software support for portable gaming PCs. In 2024 I chose ASUS ROG Ally instead of Steam Deck.and while it delivers impressive frame rates for most games, it lacks ease of use.

Navigating between different game launchers on a 7-inch touchscreen is a major challenge, and the unfortunate reality is that even in 2025, Windows is still not well optimized for touch input. With more portable gaming PCs expected to be released this year, I’d like to see Microsoft introduce a dedicated portable mode for Windows – something like Steam Big Picture Modebut with integration with several game launchers.

In the meantime I installed Bazzit on my ROG Ally. It is a Linux distribution similar to SteamOS, offering an almost identical Steam Deck experience. The market was further boosted by new portable gaming models presented at CES 2025including the huge 11-inch Acer Nitro 11, which won one of our coveted Best CES 2025 Award.

3

Let’s finally remember the safe launch

In 2024, Microsoft launched the Recall feature, which received backlash due to concerns about user data. Recall regularly takes screenshots of your screen, allowing you to later ask it to find specific actions, such as retrieving a document you received a week ago.

Despite Microsoft’s assurances that all screenshot data would be encrypted, it was in fact stored in plain text in a local database on users’ computers. Unsurprisingly, this drew heavy criticism, forcing Microsoft to “withdraw” the feature (pun intended).

After some changes, As a reminder, it’s back for Windows Insiders as a completely voluntary function. This time you will have better control over saving screenshots. However, I would like to be able to manually take screenshots and create my own database for specific projects.

Recall is expected to officially launch in 2025, but I won’t be including it right away. I’d recommend waiting a few months to see how secure the final version is before finally trying it out.

4

The co-pilot gets some useful features

I’m not entirely sold on Copilot yet, but I think Microsoft is moving in the right direction with Co-pilot+ PCespecially when it comes to AI functions. I like that they prioritize on-device processing for AI tasks and ensure that these features aren’t locked to one platform – new AMD and Intel devices get the same treatment as Snapdragon devices.

On-device processing seems like the right approach to me. It’s faster and doesn’t require constant Internet access, unlike Google’s recommendation to move most tasks to the cloud. I would also like to see Microsoft finally release a full-fledged small language model that fully utilizes the on-device NPUs.

However, I would like to see Microsoft tone down its aggressiveness. They’re bringing Copilot to every corner of Windows…even dedicating a key on the keyboard to it— which seems a little excessive.

5

Best trackpads

It’s great to see more laptops finally using haptic trackpads like those found on the MacBook, and I really hope the trend continues. The ability to click anywhere on the trackpad and even control how hard you want to click with will be a game changer once you get used to it.

Haptic trackpads are more precise, less susceptible to wear and tear, and have customizable feedback. I’m glad to see more manufacturers adopting this technology at all price points.

6

Windows 10 support will be extended beyond 2025

This may seem like a surprising glimpse into future trends: I’m truly disappointed that Microsoft plans to end support for Windows 10 in October 2025. I switched to Windows 10 on my second laptop for several reasons.and stopping security updates for an OS with a larger market share than Windows 11 seems like a desperate push to force an update.

There are still many full-featured devices that cannot run Windows 11, and the only solution is pay for extended security updates if you want to continue using your device without risk.