Learn Spanish (Latin America): El programa no es compatible, y eso que instalé la actualización. - The program isn't compatible, even though I installed the update.

Both mean "even though," but y eso que is more emphatic and colloquial. It specifically highlights surprise, frustration, or a strong contrast. Using y eso que emphasizes your annoyance that the program still isn't working despite your effort to install the update.

Why is instalé in the indicative mood instead of the subjunctive? I thought phrases meaning "even though" often trigger the subjunctive.

While concessive connectors like aunque can take the subjunctive when the information is hypothetical or viewed as background information, y eso que is always followed by the indicative. It exclusively introduces declared, undeniable facts—in this case, the fact that you definitively installed the update.

Why does y eso que mean "even though"? Literally, it looks like "and that that".

A good way to make sense of the literal structure is to think of it as "and that [happens despite the fact] that..." The word eso points back to the frustrating situation you just mentioned (El programa no es compatible). It is a fixed colloquial phrase, so it is best memorized as a single chunk.

Can I start a sentence with y eso que?