Download it now —

January update to the Windows 10 preview now out

ISOs for new installs and updates for existing installs are available right now.

The January update to the Windows 10 Insider Program is now out. If you haven't signed up for it, you can do so here. Existing installs, both on the fast and slow track, will update automatically.

Where first Windows 10 Technical Preview releases were barebones with a new Start menu and not a whole lot else, the new builds are much more complete, including the Continuum feature to adapt the user interface on 2-in-1 devices and Cortana on the desktop. Microsoft's new Web browser codenamed Project Spartan isn't in this build; it will be coming in a future update.

System requirements remain modest, as Microsoft continues to work to make an operating system that's a good match even for $100 tablets. Any Windows 8.1-spec system should work, and that means 1GB RAM (for 32-bit) or 2GB RAM (for 64-bit), 16GB permanent storage, and DirectX 9 graphics.

As before, it's important to remember that this is a beta operating system, so it's probably not the best thing to install on your daily driver. This release will continue the new two-speed update process, with a fast track for early adopters and a slow track for those who want a little more stability.

Channel Ars Technica