Windows 11 is released on October 5
Windows 11 launches next week, much to the surprise of many people. A survey of more than 1,000 U.S. Windows users published earlier this week found that 62% weren’t even aware of the new operating system.
Would you be any worse off if Windows 11 passed you by altogether? Is there anything in this latest version of Windows that makes the leap from Windows 10 essential? The answer is no – but that’s not to say Windows 11 should be avoided either. Here’s what you need to know about Windows 11 and whether you should make the jump.
Windows with a difference
Windows 11 is definitely an eye-catching upgrade. It’s the best-looking version of Windows yet, by some distance.
Microsoft’s decision to center the icons on the Taskbar at the foot of the screen has prompted howls of anguish from a hardcore that still believe PCs should come in dull beige cases, but they should get over themselves. The new interface becomes second nature within a day or two of switching to Windows 11 and if it really is ruining your software feng shui you can shunt the icons back to the left-hand side anyway.
The most impressive new interface feature is Snap Layouts. Hover your mouse pointer over the maximize window icon and you get a choice to snap the window to the left or right of the screen, or a variety of different configurations. These screen configurations are available in Windows 10, but they are now much easier to find and makes working with multiple windows much easier. Alas, even as we approach release, it seems this feature is largely confined to Microsoft’s own apps – it presumably needs third-party developers to tweak their software – but let’s hope there’s a late rush to have this ready for Tuesday’s big launch.
Snap Layouts help you position multiple windows
Other Windows 11 interface tweaks are less alluring. Microsoft is taking another swing at desktop widgets, a concept it first experimented with as far back as Windows Vista. This time the widgets emerge from the left-hand side of the screen, presenting a wall of Microsoft news feeds, sports results and weather. Unless Microsoft opens these widgets up to third parties, this will go down as another feature that’s largely ignored into obsolescence.
Microsoft has done a decent job of tidying up the operating system. There are fewer jarring flashbacks to Windows menus of yore. The old-school Control Panel, while still there, is barely ever needed, with the smartly revamped Settings menu handling all of the dull admin tasks. As stated earlier, it’s a good-looking operating system, but what about the substance?
New features
Features wise, there’s little to raise eyebrows. At least not yet.
Microsoft promised to bring Android apps to Windows 11 when it made its big summer announcement, but that feature has been deftly kicked into 2022. If Microsoft can eventually get that right, it might make Windows 11 a much more compelling choice for owners of Windows tablets/convertibles, with a library of software that’s actually been designed for touch instead of mouse and keyboard. Until that happens, however, Windows remains an awkward operating system for tablet owners.
Perhaps more significant is what’s happening with the built-in app store, with Microsoft practically throwing itself at the mercy of developers and allowing them to sell their software for free. This is on the proviso that the software developer uses their own payment mechanism, which could add another layer of awkwardness. One of the attractions of app stores is that they let you buy easily with saved payment details. If you have to keep re-entering payment details and setting up new accounts every time you buy something from the Microsoft Store, it makes it even less attractive than it already was.
Gamers get some love in Windows 11. It’s now possible for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers to stream games directly from the pre-installed Xbox app, meaning you don’t have to go through the rigmarole of installing and updating games. The new DirectStorage technology – which sends game assets stored on high-speed SSDs directly to the graphics chip, bypassing the CPU – could well boost games performance. And Auto HDR will crank up the visual punch of selected games for those with HDR monitors. But get this: all these gaming features are coming to Windows 10 too.
There are other nice touches. Mutli-monitor support is much improved, haptic feedback on styluses could be interesting, and the inevitable integration of Microsoft Teams may make life easier for homeworkers. Still, in terms of new features, there’s nothing that’s going to leave Windows 10 users with a nasty bout of FOMO (fear of missing out).
Beefing up security
Arguably the strongest case for upgrading to Windows 11 is added security.
Microsoft is controversially restricting Windows 11 upgrades to those with reasonably recent processors (think 2018 onwards) and a Trusted Platform Module 2. This means that Windows 11 ducks past some big security holes that were inherent and unfixable in older processors and allows Microsoft to tighten the grip on rogue software that installs without your knowledge. Without digging too deep into the technicalities, there’s also a new Virtualization-Based Security system which prevents software accessing parts of the operating system that it shouldn’t, again limiting the damage malware can inflict.
While we’re talking security, Microsoft is also making tweaks to Windows Update to reduce the size of security patches. Microsoft claims these will be 40% smaller and should update seamlessly in the background. Microsoft is also moving to Apple’s system of one big feature update a year, instead of the six-monthly cycle it’s been on in recent years.
Windows 10: stick or twist?
The decision to upgrade from Windows 10 is not a given
If you’re buying a new PC, Windows 11 is a no-brainer. It’s a fine operating system, it’s got plenty of nice little touches, and it looks every bit as attractive as macOS. There’s no good reason to downgrade to Windows 10 if you’re buying a new laptop this Christmas.
The decision is much less clear cut for current Windows 10 users who may – and I do stress, may – be offered the free upgrade. Microsoft’s stringent new system requirements will push Windows 11 out of reach for a good proportion of Windows 10 users anyway, removing the upgrade dilemma.
Even if your system does qualify for the free upgrade – which Microsoft will offer to eligible users over the course of the next few months via Windows Update – there is a strong case for ignoring it. Windows 11 offers nothing in the way of must-have new features, just lots of nice-to-haves. Several of those features are coming to Windows 10 anyway.
Any major operating system upgrade comes with an element of risk, and while I’ve not seen reports of any serious Windows 11 upgrade flaws yet, there’s always the chance it will snag on your particular system. If you’ve got a stable Windows 10 installation and none of the new features are desperately appealing, why take the risk? Windows 10 will be supported with security updates until late 2025, so there’s no rush to move. By the time 2025 rolls round, you’ll likely be eyeing up a new PC anyway.
Windows 11 is inarguably the best version of Windows yet, but it’s only marginally better than Windows 10. There’s no reason to avoid Windows 11, but would I rush to install it on a smooth-running Windows 10 PC? No, I really wouldn’t.
