Honorable mention goes to Windows NT, which forms the stable foundation of many of Windows' best offerings.


Image: Google

What was Microsoft’s best Windows operating system of all time?

If you’re like us, you have…opinions. Even if you’re not the type to parse through all of the little details that separated Windows 98 from Windows 95, say, you certainly had a favorite Windows OS that you grew up with, cherished, and then fumed when Microsoft replaced it with something different.

Likewise, you had versions of Windows that you probably detested. Maybe you even (gulp) tried Linux? (Nah.)

But ranking each version of Windows? As in, picking a winner? That’s where the fun lies. I’ve ranked every major consumer version of Windows, from worst to best. As Microsoft celebrates its 50th anniversary, see if you agree with what I’ve picked.

Windows 2.0 (1987)

Although I grew up with Windows, I have no memory of Windows 2.0, and I’m not sure you do, either. (A YouTube video provides a tour of Windows 2.0, if you’re interested.)

History tells us that Windows 2.0 took Windows 1.0’s tiled applications and allows them to overlap one another, which would be a relatively big deal for the tiny, low-resolution monitors of the 1980s. Add to that early versions of Word and Excel, and Windows PCs were in their infancy as productivity PCs. Another key upgrade: the Control Panel, which provided Windows settings before Windows Settings was Settings, if you know what I mean.


Windows 2.0 and some applications. Image: Microsoft

Windows 2.0 set up Windows 3.0 by allowing a protected mode kernel that allowed multitasking of MS-DOS applications, but Windows applications all shared a virtual MS-DOS machine. Microsoft engineers were also ensnared in the OS/2 project with IBM, which may have also lessened Windows 2.0’s impact.

Windows ME (2000)

Windows Millenium Edition (Windows ME) paralleled Windows 2000 as a consumer-first operating system still tied to the legacy of MS-DOS, but didn’t exactly overwhelm users with its new consumer features like Windows Movie Maker and updated versions of Windows Media Player and the Windows DVD Player. Windows ME wasn’t really stable and didn’t perform especially well, either, which made the included System Restore a more necessary feature than you might otherwise think. (ME also automatically downloaded and installed updates.)


Image: Wikipedia

Windows ME left support in June 2002, a quick exit after launching in Sept. 2000. Windows XP launched on Oct. 25, 2001 on the stable Windows NT kernel, which meant that ME’s lifespan was about one year. in 2006, PCWorld characterized Windows ME as “Windows Mistake Edition” and included it in the 25 worst tech products of all time.

Windows 1.0 (1985)

Iconic! Windows 1.0 marked the transition from the text-based world of MS-DOS into the visual world of the GUI, which had taken off with 1983’s release of the Apple Lisa. Naturally, Windows 1.0 necessitated a mouse, bringing that pointing device even more into the mainstream. While MS-DOS was just a single-tasked OS, Windows also used preemptive or cooperative multitasking for programs to release their resources so that other programs to use them.


Windows 1.0 featured tiled windows. Image: Microsoft

Windows 1.0 was the necessary first step, the one which launched generations of iteratively improving visual computing and identified Microsoft-centric PCs as “Windows” PCs. But it was still rudimentary — the “windows” were just tiled, for example. Overlapping windows debuted in Windows 2.0.

Windows 8 (2012-2013)

We could have separated Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 into separate items, too, but that would have forced me to write about Windows 8, twice. That’s intolerable, so I’m jamming all my distaste for Windows 8/8.1 into a single entry.

What we all hated about Windows 8/8.1 was the godawful “Modern” tablet interface that Microsoft forced upon us, and the awkward tablet-esque app experience that accompanied it. Windows 8 also included Charms, the quasi-taskbar that appeared when moving to the right-hand side of the interface. (Live Tiles worked wonderfully, eventually, on Windows Phones, and I loved the implementation into Windows 10’s Start menu, too.)


Image: manaemedia/Shutterstock.com

Windows 8.1 allowed you to boot directly to the desktop, though it wasn’t really the true desktop that we’re all used to — even though the Start button was there, it still brought you back to the Modern tiles unless you configured it to show you a list of apps. Start did allow you to shut down your PC directly from the Start button, however.

All I recall about Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 was trying to keep it together until the first previews of Windows 10 debuted in 2015. Thank goodness Windows 8.1 finally ended support in 2023 and was banished forever. But why didn’t Windows 8 give way to Windows 9?

Windows 2000 (2000)

Windows 2000 was essentially an experiment: give business or power users their own operating system, and let consumers (with Windows ME) have their own, as well. It ran on the Windows NT kernel — which, if it wasn’t originally designed for workstations and servers, we’d probably call out as an honorary mention.


As Wikipedia notes, Windows 2000 was designed to be stable and secure. On that last point, however, it wasn’t; portions of the source code leaked to the Internet, and Windows 2000 was attacked via Code Red and Nimda.

Windows 2000 basically took Windows 98 features such as Internet Explorer and brought them on to the Windows NT kernel, along with FAT32 support, Windows Media Player, Internet Connection Sharing, and more. Windows File Protection was a new feature, along with USB 2.0 device support and the ability to drop into hibernation.

Windows 3.0 (1990)

Windows 3.0 began life as a skunkworks project to run Windows applications in separate protected memory segments while maintaining backwards compatibility with MS-DOS, using what former Windows president Steven Sinofsky called “hacks” to Intel’s hardware like the “PrestoChangeoSelector.” It was so impressive that Microsoft backed it with a $3 million launch.


Windows 3.0’s desktop. Image: Microsoft

Windows 3.0 looked significantly cooler, adding to its appeal, with support up to 256 colors. Under-the-hood improvements such as the ability to share data between applications complemented the introduction of the File Manager and Program Manager, as well as the ability to run in different “modes” to support older Intel 286 processors as well as the more modern 386 via an “enhanced” mode.

As you may recall, Windows 3.0 didn’t attract games, as the vast majority of games at the time ran under DOS. That’s a bit ironic, given that Windows 3.0 with Multimedia Extensions (1991) added a Media Control Interface for sound and graphics cards, as well as the Media Player program. But the real irony is that Windows 3.0 launched Windows Solitaire, which is still the grand daddy of all time-wasters.

Windows 3.1 (1992)

The question that we asked while putting together this list: should Windows 3.1 be considered separate and distinct from Windows 3.0? For the purposes of this list, yes — there’s enough to draw distinctions between the two. (We’ll disagree about Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, though.)

Much of our list focuses on standalone iterations of the Windows operating system. A key exception is Windows 3.1, which really transformed Windows and Windows PCs into multimedia machines. As a enthusiast, Windows 3.1 is the version of Windows 3.0/3.1 that I consider to be the more important. It’s still a Microsoft milestone.


Windows 3.1 allowed for windows to be superimposed over one another.
Image: IDG

Windows 3.1 introduced the era of screensavers, MIDI files (played back via Media Player), SVGA graphics, Sound Recorder, and a distribution method on CD-ROM. This release even saw Microsoft ship Video for Windows. Underneath the hood, Windows 3.1 also introduced the Windows registry, with drag-and-drop file management and even quick formatting. TrueType scalable fonts were included, as well.

It’s easy to focus on Windows 3.0 and Windows 3.1 as two versions of the same OS, but they weren’t; Microsoft even charged more. Microsoft sold Windows 3.0 for $149, but offered Windows 3.0 for $50 for those who owned a previous license, Wikipedia noted. Microsoft charged the same $149 for a retail copy of Windows 3.1.

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In 2004, email services offered limited space and few features. Google launched its free ad-supported offering, Gmail, which became one of the biggest email services on the modern web with over 2.5 billion active users; its Google Play listing reveals that Gmail's mobile version has been downloaded over 10 billion times, just for Android alone.

It's hard to believe, but many assumed Gmail was an April Fools' Day hoax, as Google picked April 1 as the official date to unveil the service. The tone of the announcement didn't make it believable enough, and the company downplayed its significance by describing Gmail as a search-based email application that offers a natural extension to the company's primary focus on organizing information.

However, it wasn't long before people realized Gmail wasn't a joke but an actual product that Google offered in beta to a select number of users. The email service stayed in beta for over five years from its launch and is now celebrating its 21st birthday.

Back in the day, the email territory was ruled by Yahoo!, AOL, and Hotmail. Google tried to win over users by baking its core offering, a capable search engine, into the service. Also, its 1GB storage limit for emails was over 100 times what free webmail services typically provided at the time.

Gmail tried to be more efficient by organizing emails into conversations that show messages in the context of all replies sent in response to them. The email service addressed issues like lack of storage that forced users to delete emails or file emails in folders to make them easier to find.

"If a Google user has a problem with email, well, so do we. And while developing Gmail was a bit more complicated than we anticipated, we’re pleased to be able to offer it to the user who asked for it," Google co-founder Sergey Brin said in the press release.

Brin recalled how Gmail was inspired after a Google user complained about the poor quality of existing email services. It was also presented as an example of Google's 'engineers must spend 20 percent time on personal projects' culture.

Paul Buchheit, Google's 23rd employee and creator of Gmail, later clarified that he had been working on Gmail for years before its launch. He started working on Gmail in 2001, and the project was an official thing from the start. However, it was initially a part-time project as Paul was wrapping up the original Google Groups project.

Paul recalled during a podcast that someone inside Google leaked the story to the New York Times that the company was preparing to launch an email product on April 1st. Gmail was half-baked then, but Google published a press release at midnight UTC when it wasn't even April 1st in the US to try to beat the NY Times story.

Gmail may not have made it to the market, though. Many people inside Google didn't buy the idea of Gmail and thought the project should be scrapped. "One notable executive predicted that we would never even get to a million users. We can't let those voices drag us down," Paul wrote on his blog.

There was skepticism around using JavaScript to build the email product. It was feared that Microsoft would break it by tweaking its web browser (Internet Explorer) or the stuff would push web browsers too far and take the whole thing down. However, the opposite happened as Microsoft made changes to its browser to make Gmail work better. The engineer added in his blog:

When I decided to write the Gmail interface in Javascript, pretty much everyone who knew anything about Javascript or web browsers told me that it was a bad idea. It had been tried in the past, and always ended in disaster.

But times change fast, and fortunately I was in an environment where doing impossible things was not just permitted, but encouraged. After we launched, the impossible quickly became the new normal, completely changing how we think about web apps. That's fun

When it launched, Gmail had an invite-based onboarding system and a capacity of about 10,000 users, which Paul said was enough for Google employees and their friends. The invite system allowed Google to control the number of users and prevent the entire system from collapsing.

It's interesting to note that no Gmail accounts existed when the service launched in 2004. All of them were created after it. Paul said that the very first account he made was "Hello World at Gmail," followed by his personal account as the second, and then he invited the rest of the team and the company.

The email storage limit was doubled a year after Gmail was unveiled and has been increased multiple times over the years. Fast-forward to 2025, and Google offers 15GB of free space, which is shared across different apps such as Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive.

Gmail's higher storage limit at launch was subsidized by ads based on keywords scanned from messages and delivered over the service. This quickly raised eyebrows around privacy and caught the attention of lawmakers.

It will take another article to discuss the numerous features Google has added to Gmail in the last two decades. Gmail is the living ancestor to the current suite of web apps the search giant ships under the Google Workspace umbrella.

Google has integrated Gmail with other apps and services like Keep, Calendar, and Contacts by adding quick access controls in its user interface. More recently, a platter of Gemini AI features has been stuffed in a side panel in Gmail.

The AI-powered assistant does many tasks, such as summarizing emails, drafting responses, and finding information quickly. Let's see what Google has in store for Gmail in the future.

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If you're using Windows 10, you'll likely already know that Microsoft is planning to end support for the operating system fairly soon. We're coming up to six months until the faithful operating system falls out of support, and those still on it will need to choose between sticking with an unsupported operating system or making the jump to Windows 11.

Microsoft has some bright ideas as to how you could mitigate the financial cost of purchasing a new Windows 11 PC. One of its 'best' ones is to trade in your Windows 10 PC and use the cash to buy a Windows 11 one. And yeah, that's a bit of misguided advice, but it got me thinking; if you did trade in a Windows 10 PC, how much would you actually get for it? Was Microsoft perhaps onto something here? There was only one way to find out.

How much can you get for a Windows 10 PC?

This question is very much a "how long is a piece of string?" question. There are a ton of elements that influence the trade-in value for a PC. What generation and make is the CPU, and which variant of that generation is it? Are we talking a 5th-generation i3 or a 7th-generation i7 CPU? What does the RAM and storage look like? And does the PC come with a GPU? If so, are we talking a "can render Microsoft Word" GPU or an old gaming powerhouse?

In my research, I looked for a semi-realistic quote for what someone could get for their Windows 10 PC. As a baseline, I calculated what people would get for selling a PC with a 7th-generation Intel CPU. The 8th generation introduced TPM 2.0, so people with those chips or later wouldn't need to buy a new PC. And while that was that weird moment where it seemed like Microsoft had dropped 8th to 10th generation chips for Windows 11 24H2, it turns out it was actually Microsoft suggesting which chips manufacturers should use for OEMs. This makes sense, given that those chips are getting a bit long in the tooth.

So, let's see how much people are selling their PCs with Intel 7th-gen CPUs for. Again, this doesn't consider which variant of 7th-gen CPU it is, so i3s and i7s are being bundled together here. It also mixes workstations and gaming PCs into the same pot, so that's worth considering. Finally, I wanted to see which PCs were getting bought, as it's very easy to see someone selling a 7th-gen PC for $500 online, but that doesn't mean people would actually pay that amount.

To do this, I set up an eBay filter that only showed me all the recent sales for 7th-gen PCs. The range was pretty wide; you'd usually score about $20-40 for a piddly workstation. The gaming PCs sometimes hit the $150 mark, and a mid-range PC was around $100.

When I punched the first 30 entries into a calculator and averaged them, I got $105. So, let's round that down to $100 and say that that's around the amount of money you'd get for a Windows 10 PC. This assumes that it's using hardware sitting right at the edge of Windows 11's system requirements; people selling PCs with older CPU generations will probably see that figure drop pretty sharply.

So, what can you get for $100?

Let's assume you sell a Windows 10 PC and snag $100 from the sale. What can you get with that sum of money? Is Microsoft right, and can you use that cash to buy a Windows 11 PC? Let's find out.

1. One quarter of a new Windows 11 workstation

Right off the bat, things look pretty dire for your trade-in. When I performed a search on Newegg for an i3 Windows 11 PC and sorted by the cheapest, the first proper PC I found was the MSI PRO DP21 Tiny Business Desktop selling for $399. Granted, it had a nice 1TB SSD and 32GB of RAM, but it's still on the lower rung of what you can purchase new.

2. About one-half of a refurbished or second-hand Windows 11 workstation

Things get a little more optimistic if you go for a refurbished or second-hand Windows 11 workstation. These average around $200, so you'll still need to find the other half of the price tag after selling your own PC. However, this still feels like the most probable path to take, even if it isn't a great one.

3. Almost the full price of a Windows 11 Home license

Perhaps the most agonising realisation is that the sale of your Windows 10 machine won't even cover buying the Windows 11 software at full price. Microsoft charges $139.99 for it, and while you can definitely find it cheaper elsewhere, it's amazing that selling an entire system wouldn't cut it at that price.

Find a new life for your Windows 10 machine

Honestly, it seems pretty dire if you want to get some money back from your Windows 10 machine sale. You're likely better off installing a different operating system on the computer and continuing to use it than selling it for money off a new Windows 11 machine.

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It might not be officially announced, but that hasn’t stopped the rumours and early concepts from building serious momentum. As we move deeper into 2025, many in the tech world are starting to look ahead to what could be Microsoft’s next big step in operating systems: Windows 12, codenamed “Next Valley.”

Although much of the available information is speculative or based on leaks and concept designs, there’s already a lot to be excited about — especially if you’re thinking long-term about your IT setup or hardware investments.

So, what do we know so far? Let’s break it down.



🗓️ When Is Windows 12 Coming?



Originally, Windows 12 was rumoured to launch sometime in 2024, following Microsoft’s shift back to three-year OS release cycles. However, more recent insights suggest that Microsoft is focusing on delivering major updates to Windows 11 throughout 2025, especially with 24H2 just landing.

That puts a possible release window somewhere in late 2025 or beyond — although, as always, nothing is confirmed until Microsoft says so officially.



🧠 AI at the Core: The Future of Everyday Computing



One of the most talked-about shifts with Windows 12 is how deeply Artificial Intelligence (AI) is expected to be woven into the operating system — not as a bolt-on, but as a core experience.

We’ve already seen the first steps with Copilot in Windows 11, offering help with summarising content, writing emails, and performing quick system tasks. But that’s just the beginning.

With Windows 12, AI is likely to step out from the side panel and into the heart of the system — influencing how we search, work, and interact with our PCs.

🤖 What kind of AI are we talking about?

We’re not just talking about smarter voice commands or a more helpful search box. AI in Windows 12 is expected to be:

   • Context-aware — understanding what you’re doing and offering relevant tools or shortcuts

   • Proactive — surfacing content or suggestions before you ask

   • Integrated system-wide — not just in Microsoft 365 apps, but across File Explorer, settings, notifications, and more

   • Locally processed (on some devices) — with dedicated NPUs (Neural Processing Units)
      built into newer hardware for faster, more private AI features without sending data to the cloud

Imagine a PC that understands your workflow, learns how you use apps, and starts to adjust performance, battery use, and notifications around that. That’s the direction things are heading.

🧩 Examples of AI in Windows 12 (expected or rumoured)

   • A more intelligent and fully integrated Copilot that helps across apps and settings

   • AI-enhanced search that understands intent and context, not just keywords

   • Smart window management that groups apps based on usage or recent tasks

   • Security and threat detection that adapts in real-time to user behaviour or device context

   • AI-powered accessibility tools, such as real-time captioning or auto-summarisation for content

📈 What does it mean for users?

For most people, it won’t feel like “using AI” — it’ll just feel like Windows is being more helpful. Things will take fewer clicks, suggestions will appear at the right time, and routine tasks will get a little easier.

For business users, it means:

   • More productivity with less manual searching or app-hopping

   • Time saved on repetitive tasks like document editing, data entry, or system configuration

   • Better support for employees of all skill levels, with in-built guidance and automation

And for those in IT roles? Expect more AI-assisted setup, troubleshooting, and user support tools too — potentially baked into Windows settings and Microsoft 365 admin tools.

🛠️ AI will rely on the hardware

One important note: a lot of this AI integration depends on hardware support. Devices without a capable CPU, GPU, or NPU may not get the full experience — or may rely on cloud processing instead.

That’s another reason we expect Microsoft to emphasise newer hardware with Windows 12 — to fully support this next generation of local AI performance. Windows 12 may well be the platform where that vision comes to life in full.



🖥️ A Fresh Look: The Next Valley Desktop



While not final, we’ve seen some intriguing conceptual designs and UI prototypes for Windows 12 — including one quietly shared during Microsoft Ignite 2022.

The biggest visual changes include:

   • A floating taskbar — separated from the bottom edge of the screen

   • Redesigned system tray and widgets area

   • A UI that looks more flexible across touch, desktop, and hybrid devices

The idea is clear: cleaner, modular, and more responsive — a design that adapts to your workflow instead of the other way around.

Designers and enthusiasts have also shared their own mockups, including dock-style taskbars, collapsible app trays, and reworked multitasking views. While we can’t say for sure what will make it into the final product, Microsoft is clearly taking UI evolution seriously.



🔧 Modular Windows?



One of the more intriguing ideas floating around about Windows 12 is that it could be modular — meaning the operating system would be broken into components that can be updated, replaced, or customised more independently.

While Windows has always had modular elements behind the scenes, Windows 12 may take that concept further, offering a system that’s more flexible, lighter, and better suited for the wide range of devices we use today.

So, what does “modular” really mean?

Rather than having one giant, monolithic operating system, a modular version of Windows would allow Microsoft to:

   • Update individual parts of the OS (like the Start menu, File Explorer, or Settings) without needing a full system update

   • Deploy lighter versions of Windows for specific hardware — like IoT devices, thin clients, or low-spec laptops

   • Reduce bloat for users who don’t need every built-in feature

   • Improve stability and speed, since fewer changes affect the whole system at once

This concept isn’t entirely new — Microsoft’s already been testing it through Windows Core OS, Windows 10X, and now, with Windows 11’s “Moment” updates, we’re seeing more pieces being delivered separately from the base OS. Windows 12 may simply push that even further, possibly building on a CorePC architecture.



💻 Hardware Requirements: Will Your PC Be Left Behind?

One of the biggest concerns users have about any new Windows release is, naturally, whether their current device will support it — and with Windows 12, that question is already surfacing.

When Windows 11 launched, Microsoft made headlines for introducing strict hardware requirements, like mandatory TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, and newer generation CPUs. Many users with capable machines running Windows 10 were surprised to find themselves locked out of the upgrade path, even if their systems ran just fine.

If that’s anything to go by, Windows 12 may follow a similar path — or potentially raise the bar even higher.

Here’s what might be expected:

   • TPM 2.0 will almost certainly remain a requirement, possibly with additional emphasis on
      hardware-backed security features.

   • 8th Gen Intel Core and Ryzen 3000 series CPUs were the minimum for Windows 11 —
      Windows 12 may shift that baseline further (perhaps to 10th/11th Gen and Ryzen 5000+).

   • More focus on AI-ready hardware — Microsoft is pushing Copilot and AI processing hard, so
      expect better performance on machines with dedicated NPUs (Neural Processing Units) or
      newer chipsets optimised for AI workloads.

So… will your PC be left behind?

If your machine was borderline for Windows 11, there’s a good chance it may struggle to meet the minimum spec for Windows 12 — especially if you’re running older hardware or haven’t enabled certain security settings in the BIOS (like Secure Boot or TPM).

That doesn’t mean you’ll be forced to upgrade on day one, but it could limit your access to new features, updates, or security patches over time.

For businesses and individuals with aging hardware, this may be the time to start planning your upgrade path, especially if you want to be ready for Windows 12 when it arrives.



🔎 Windows 12 in Action! Beta Leak



This potential video of Windows 12 Beta in action. While it can’t be officially confirmed as anything close to the final product, the interface and functionality shown in the clip do look complete, and align with some of the rumours we’ve seen floating around.

Well worth a watch if you’re curious about what might be coming next. We’ll be keeping a close eye on this one…



🔎 So, What’s the Verdict?

Right now, Windows 12 is still unconfirmed — but not unrealistic. All signs point to a future OS that blends AI-powered productivity, a sleeker, modular interface, and deeper support for modern hardware.

Here at System Plus, we’ll be keeping a close eye on every announcement, preview build, and hardware requirement as it develops. Whether you’re managing 50 workstations or a single home PC, planning ahead can save you time, money, and disruption.

This post is being updated as more info becomes available on Windows 12. Bookmark it or follow us on LinkedIn for the latest.



💬 Want to Talk Windows?

If you’re unsure about whether your current setup will be compatible with future Windows versions — or you’re thinking of upgrading soon — we’re always happy to offer advice. Whether it’s helping you prepare for the next big release or reviewing your existing infrastructure, System Plus is here to guide you.



Get in touch



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From revolutionary phones to dual-screen PCs

As Microsoft turns 50, we take a look at some of the canceled devices that we almost got from the Redmond giant.


A Surface Neo, Surface Duo, Surface Mini, and Lumia McLaren all
walk into a bar... (Image credit: Windows Central)

Microsoft has never been a hardware company, but it has certainly dabbled with the idea. With dabbling comes ideas that never make it off the ground. T

To celebrate Microsoft’s 50th anniversary, we wanted to take a look back at its most famously scrapped devices in the last couple of decades.

Microsoft Courier (2010)


The Microsoft Courier's design. (Image credit: Microsoft)

Microsoft has spent the better part of a decade exploring concepts around dual-screen computing, and the Microsoft Courier was the first true internal effort to get something off the ground as more than just a research project.

Courier explored the idea of a digital notebook, which focused entirely on digital inking and pen experiences, along with touch. It featured two identical 7-inch screens joined via a hinge mechanism that allowed the device to open and close like a book.

The device was purported to run a specialized version of Windows, separate from the mainline Windows effort that was at the time focused on early Windows 8 development. This means the device wouldn't run Windows apps.

Instead, Courier would have had its own app platform, which developers would need to build dedicated apps for if they wanted to support the device. The entire experience was built around a digital journal, with virtual pages you could swipe between to take down notes and drawings.

Unfortunately, Courier was canceled in 2010 for reasons that are unknown. Rumors suggest the project was canceled for many reasons, including the fact that it wasn't going to run Windows 8 and support traditional or metro Windows apps.

Although it never shipped, Courier certainly laid the groundwork for the company's future dual-screen efforts in Surface Duo and Surface Neo.

Lumia McLaren (2014)


Windows Phone on the Lumia McLaren.
(Image credit: Windows Central)

In 2013, rumor’s emerged that Nokia and Microsoft were working on a unique flagship Lumia handset, designed as a successor to the Lumia 1020 and featuring special “3D Touch” functionality that would let users manipulate the device without touching the screen.

The device was code-named McLaren featured a 5.5-inch FHD LCD display and an aluminum unibody chassis, which was a big departure from the all-polycarbonate designs of prior Lumia handsets at the time. The device’s big selling point was 3D Touch, which was being co-developed with Microsoft.

Microsoft was building a new UX paradigm for McLaren called MixView, which was designed to let app tiles on the Windows Phone Start Screen explode into smaller tiles when a user hovered their finger over an app. This UX was super fluid and satisfying to use, and it’s a shame it never shipped.



Other features unique to McLaren were sensors built into the edges of the device that could identify how the device was being held, and automatically apply things like screen orientation lock. Apps would have also been able to tap into these sensors, adding virtual buttons along the edge of the phone for actions.

McLaren was supposed to launch towards the end of 2014 as the latest flagship Windows Phone, but the product was canceled in the summer of that same year. The reason for its cancellation isn’t truly known, but it’s believed that Microsoft pulled the plug as the 3D Touch technology was too expensive and difficult for average consumers to grasp.

Surface Mini (2014)


Surface Mini running Windows RT.

Surface Mini is a famous one, primarily because it was canceled at the very last minute. Codenamed Iris, the Surface Mini was supposed to be an 8-inch Windows RT tablet that prioritized touch and pen input.

Surface Mini began development in 2013 and was planned to be announced alongside the Surface Pro 3 in 2014. The device would have competed head-to-head with the iPad mini, designed as a digital notebook for on-the-go note-taking and integration with OneNote.

The display was a high-resolution 1080p LCD panel, and the chassis was made of a felt-like material. That chassis included a kickstand attached to a pen loop designed to store the Surface Pen, which this device was built around.



The kickstand was also unique, the first to support three different angles instead of two. A little fun fact, this kickstand design would later be recycled for use on the Surface 3 a year later.

Microsoft ultimately canceled the Surface Mini just weeks before it was supposed to be announced. The company had already ordered an initial round of production units that it intended to sell, and marketing materials were also complete and ready to go.

Why was it canceled? It’s believed that Windows RT was the primary culprit. At the time that the Surface Mini was supposed to be announced, Microsoft had already decided to move away from Windows RT.

The company was in the early development phase of Windows 10, an operating system that would never come to Windows RT devices such as the Surface Mini. At the time, Windows 10 on Arm wasn’t ready, and so the company had no choice but to kill the device.

Xbox Joule (2014)


Xbox Joule's firmware. (Image credit: Windows Central)

Before the Microsoft Band, there was the Xbox Joule. This was a prototype fitness watch incubated by the Xbox team that was supposed to sync with the Microsoft Kinect and track fitness and health statistics in games that utilized them.

Joule featured a low-resolution 1.5-inch touchscreen display and basic firmware that tracked heart rate, steps, and calories burned. It featured replaceable bands and a charging dock.

The interface was very square, similar to the design language of Windows 8 and the Xbox dashboard at the time. It was manipulated with gestures, exiting apps by swiping to the side or down from the top of the screen.

The Xbox Joule was canceled sometime in early 2014, and much of the early work put into it later laid the foundations for the Microsoft Band that launched later in 2014. It's unknown why the Xbox Joule was canceled.

Microsoft Band 3 (2016)


The Microsoft Band 3 looked almost like a Band 2.
(Image credit: Windows Central)

In keeping with wearables, the Microsoft Band 3 was canceled in 2016 when the company decided that it was no longer interested in being in the fitness wearables game. Band 3 had been spotted on the wrists of a number of employees, and the product was quite far along in the development pipeline before it was scrapped.

Band 3 featured a slightly thinner chassis, a new charging mechanism with an easier-to-attach and adjust clasp, and new waterproofing capabilities that allowed the watch to track water-based activities such as swimming.

Externally, the device looked similar to the Band 2, though it wasn't identical. The thinner chassis meant it fit better on your wrist, and the device was also supposed to be more durable to help address tearing issues that were common on the Band 2.

Surface Andromeda (2018)


The Andromeda hardware. (Image credit: MKBHD)

Andromeda might be Microsoft's most famously canceled device. Although it was revived in the form of Surface Duo, the Surface Duo wasn't exactly like Andromeda. Surface Andromeda was Microsoft's first attempt at a dual-screen phone, but this was running Windows and featured an entirely different user experience.

The Andromeda device was built around a version of Windows that prioritized pen and digital ink. The idea was that the device would be a digital pocket notebook that could travel with you and keep all your thoughts written down with the pen, which attached to the front of the device with magnets and charged.

The OS was built around a digital journaling experience. The home screen was an inking canvas that you could write notes on, paste images into, and customize to your heart's desire. It still featured UWP apps and a Start screen, which could be accessed by swiping in from the left.

Unlike Surface Duo, the device featured a rear camera. Metal rails around the sides of the device gave it a more premium feel in the hand too. Andromeda was canceled in 2018, but the hardware was later recycled for Surface Duo in 2019, albeit with some notable tweaks and changes.

Surface Neo (2021)


The Surface Neo was another dual-screen computer running Windows.
(Image credit: Windows Central)

Surface Neo is Microsoft's most recent effort at a dual-screen computer, attempting to achieve the same goals as Courier but with a modern Windows OS twist. It began development in 2018 under the codename Centaurus.

Surface Neo features two identical 9-inch screens that support both pen and touch input, joined together by a 360-degree hinge mechanism that enabled the device to open and close like a book and flip all the way around into single-screen mode.

Neo would have run a special version of Windows called Windows 10X that would have been able to run Windows apps. This version of Windows was the first to pioneer the centered Start menu and Taskbar interface we see today on Windows 11.


Surface Neo featured a keyboard accessory. (Image credit: Microsoft)

On the inside, Surface Neo was powered by an Intel Lakefield processor, paired with 8GB RAM. The device also supported wirelessly charging both the Surface Pen and a new Surface Neo keyboard accessory, which could lay flat on the left screen and turn the Neo into a mini laptop.

Surface Neo was canceled in 2021, after Microsoft scrapped Windows 10X and Intel abandoned the Lakefield processor.

Surface Cronos (2022)


The canceled mid-range Surface Duo. (Image credit: eBay)

Shortly after the launch of Surface Duo 2, Microsoft scrapped plans to ship a mid-range variant of the dual-screen smartphone. The device was codenamed Cronos, and was supposed to ship as a stopgap between the Duo 2 in 2021 and the Duo 3 in 2023.

Cronos featured an all-plastic exterior and a dual-camera array on the back of the device. The displays were also cheaper, missing the curved glance bar that the Duo 2 had. The device was all about cutting corners to bring the price down.

Unfortunately, the device was scrapped when the company decided that dual-screen devices weren't working. Both Cronos and Duo 3 were scrapped, and the company began working on a true folding screen phone.

In 2023, Microsoft would cancel all plans to release more phone hardware.

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