Windows 11: Is it Worth the Upgrade?

posted 12/1/2021 by Maxim Grin

You’ve likely used a laptop or a desktop multiple times in the past few months, whether it be an Apple or Windows operating system, and noticed that updates come out to improve your experience. Well, with Windows OS users, a new update has stepped up to the plate, allowing them to upgrade from the well-known Windows 10 to Windows 11.

Windows 10 has been available since mid-2015 and has been one of the most used operating systems to this date. But after October 5, 2021, Microsoft started giving out free Windows 11 upgrades to those who met the minimum spec requirements via the check for updates feature (I’ll provide a link to the requirements here). The new OS is said to bring a lot to the table, with faster boot times, a modernized user interface, and many apps to be added to the Microsoft Store, but is it really worth the upgrade?

Let’s first look at some of the noticeable differences. Windows 11 brings a modernized look that has a somewhat Apple-like appearance. Windows now have rounded corners, the apps in the taskbar have been forced to the center, and the interface is more pleasant to look at because of those subtle changes. Second is the new management of applications. Applications such as OneNote, 3D Viewer, Paint 3D, and Skype have all been removed from the initial installation, but can be installed via the improved Microsoft Store. The Microsoft Store has added compatibility with Android apps, meaning a ton of new applications can now be installed directly from the Microsoft store instead of from Google. This includes very popular applications such as Zoom, OBS Studio, TeamViewer, VLC Media Player, Spotify, Discord, Reddit, and even the Epic Games Store.

Windows 11 also provides better support for external monitors and has improved the tablet mode. Windows 10 has a problem where if you unplug a laptop from an external monitor or two, it would be hard to locate all of your windows. This issue is now fixed, as all the windows on the external monitor get minimized instead of being dumped onto the laptop screen. And if you reconnect the external monitor, the windows will go to where they originally were.

Microsoft also added a new “Snap Layouts”. In Windows 10, you could drag a window to the side or corner of the screen and Windows would shrink the window into that side/corner, allowing you to neatly have four separate windows displaying at the same time. With the new Snap Layouts, you have even more customizable options such as three thin columns, three thick columns, and more.

Also, if you are a touchscreen or tablet user, then Windows 11 is going to give you the best upgrade you could ask for: a better tablet experience. Windows 11 provides you with a more iPad-like experience, with new touch gestures for navigation, new themes for the virtual keyboard, and a better touchscreen experience overall.

Windows 11 is also an amazing update for avid gamers. Microsoft has worked closely with Intel, one of the biggest CPU manufacturers alongside AMD, and has shown its efforts through benchmarks on various games. The benchmarks have proven to not only keep the performance of Windows 10, but even boost it a little by offering more frames without sacrificing the temperature of the parts. Through the use of DirectStorage, Microsoft uses SSDs (Solid State Drives) in your laptop/desktop to do more of the heavy lifting like reducing load times and texture loading. This allows your CPU to handle other tasks like boosting game performance and increasing fps (frames per second). And with the new and improved Microsoft Store, gaming is only getting better.

But with a lot of strengths, there are still weaknesses with Windows 11. Being a new OS, Windows 11 comes with its fair share of bugs that need to be fixed. Microsoft is well on its way to resolving a lot of the known bugs and issues, such as the performance losses with AMD’s CPUs on certain programs. Microsoft is rolling out updates frequently, so it’ll be worth waiting a bit before upgrading. As with any OS, Windows 10 isn’t perfect either, but it is a little more reliable at the moment. Microsoft has acknowledged the issues with the new OS and even has a list of known issues and their status (You can see them here).

So is Windows 11 worth it? Well, it depends. Windows 11 is a very promising OS, but is mostly a modernized version of Windows 10. Eventually, the switch to Windows 11 is going to happen, as Windows 10 will stop getting updates by 2025, but there shouldn’t be any fear in switching to the new OS. It may still be a little early to make the shift, but considering that it’s a free upgrade (and always will be a free upgrade) that can be done anytime for Windows 10 users, a short wait for the switch will be worthwhile.

Sources:

https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/windows-11-vs-window-10-every-difference-you-should-know-about/

https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/these-new-windows-11-features-can-help-you-multitask-heres-how-they-work/

https://www.makeuseof.com/is-windows-11-good-for-gaming/

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/windows-11-vs-windows-10/

https://www.theverge.com/22708762/microsoft-windows-11-review

https://www.makeuseof.com/is-windows-11-good-for-gaming/

https://www.makeuseof.com/what-directstorage-means-windows-11-gamers/