Windows 11: Fresh New Look, but Is It Enough of an Upgrade ?

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 Windows 11: Fresh New Look, but Is It Enough of an Upgrade? 

When Windows 10 was launched back in 2015, Microsoft stated that this would be the last major release with a distinct version number, as Windows would become more of a service receiving constant minor updates. Fast forward to 2021, and Microsoft has other plans for Windows and its ecosystem. Windows 11 was announced in June 2021, and now it's time for the official release. Let's see what Windows 11 brings to the table.

Getting Windows 11:

After the announcement of the launch of Windows 11, there was a lot of fuss about the devices that could support it. Windows 11 officially requires a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0, UEFI, and Secure Boot in order to run on a machine, and if yours doesn't meet those requirements, you will not be able to install it. The easiest way to check whether your hardware is eligible is by installing Microsoft's own PC Health Check application.

Windows 11 will be a free upgrade for people coming from Windows 10. Retail pricing for people with custom-built PCs has not been revealed yet. The installation process has been given a simple and minimalist redesign, which I personally found quite pleasant. Microsoft's official website showcases the system requirements for Windows 11: a 1GHz CPU or faster, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of free storage, a high definition (720p) display that is greater than 9 inches diagonally and supports 8 bits per colour channel, a GPU that is compatible with DirectX 12 or later with a WDDM 2.0 driver, and of course, the above-mentioned TPM 2.0 security chip, UEFI, and Secure Boot capability.

Windows 11: Design and interface

The Windows taskbar with a Start button in the bottom left corner is now familiar to millions of PC users. However, this time around, Microsoft has changed that. The company says “With Start, we've put you and your content at the centre.”

Yes, the Start button is now located roughly in the centre of the taskbar. It took me some time to get used to the fact that it is not in the lower-left corner of my screen anymore. My muscle memory almost always signalled me to move my cursor to the corner. Luckily, we have an option to move the Start button back to its traditional place.

You will also see Microsoft Teams integrated into the taskbar. I'm not entirely sure how pinning Teams here is beneficial to everyone, but it is something Microsoft wants you to try. During the pandemic, many people have turned to video calling on platforms such as Zoom, Google Meet and Teams, and that could be the reason that Windows now has Teams placed front and centre. If you prefer not to use Microsoft Teams, you can disable this from the taskbar settings.


Windows 11 brings some new themes and wallpapers that are attractive. The Personalisation settings panel is not much different compared to Windows 10 – every setting option is neatly organised here, and you can change the wallpaper and tweak the theme colours, lock screen, taskbar, font, and background to your liking.

Windows 11: Widgets

The taskbar now also gives you access to widgets, which I personally am not a big fan of. These basically show quick updates from apps and services, somewhat replacing Live Tiles. The News widget shows current events from across the world of politics, finance, sports, technology, etc. This was made available in recent versions of Windows 10 as well. However, it has a different appearance here and it also shows up from the left side of your screen instead of the bottom right.



You can add various widgets, and there are 11 options from Microsoft to choose from at launch time. These include Outlook Calendar, Tips, Sports News and Scores, Photos, Entertainment, Traffic Updates, Family Safety, and interestingly enough, Esports as well.

Unfortunately, we cannot yet integrate third-party widgets into this panel, which makes it less useful. If you click or tap on any of these widgets, the linked content will open in Microsoft Edge, no matter what your default browser is.

Windows 11: Notifications Panel and Settings

Another major design change you'll see everywhere is rounded corners. These have been implemented across the UI, and I have to say, I quite like it. Microsoft is clearly taking some inspiration from Android and macOS with respect to design. This can also be seen in the Notification Centre which no longer has its own icon. It is now integrated into Time and Calendar. This looks really well done and fits perfectly into the vision of Windows 11.

The status icons next to the clock in the lower right corner of the desktop have now been grouped, and a single click will pull up a new Quick Settings panel. Many of the Quick Toggles that used to sit in the Notification Centre have also been incorporated here. This panel allows you to tweak audio settings, screen brightness on a laptop, and Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth connections. Windows 11 lets you add additional controls such as Casting, Mobile Hotspot, Keyboard Layouts, etc.


Windows11: File Explorer

File Explorer has been completely redesigned. The icons look smart, and the frosted glass look has been spread over the entire UI. It feels as though Windows is trying to look like macOS but also not look like macOS at the same time. One thing that bugs me is the fact that folder icons no longer show thumbnails of their contents, such as photos. The default Documents, Downloads, Videos, and Pictures folders are now vibrantly colour-coded, and these look cartoonish, but they are now more differentiated and quickly recognisable .The Settings app has gone through a design overhaul too. Windows 10 made us switch between the Settings app and the age-old Control Panel for many advanced settings. You might still have to visit the Control Panel for some tasks, but we can see that with Windows 11, Microsoft is still trying to get rid of it. The Settings app now looks and feels more pleasant and user-friendly. It shows you all the categories with icons, somewhat similar to a smartphone experience, which might make things easier to find for many people,.
The Windows Explorer toolbar, which contained all the necessary tools and shortcut buttons, has also been redesigned completely and will show contextual options depending on what is selected. Right-clicking on any file or folder will open up a compact context menu with the traditional Cut, Copy, Paste and Rename options moved to the top.

Windows 11 Verdict: Does it make sense to upgrade?

Microsoft has limited the number of devices that can officially run the latest version of Windows, with its restrictive hardware requirements. Most of the latest laptops will support Windows 11, but you're probably out of luck if you built your own desktop PC or use anything more than around four years old. With that said, if your device supports Windows 11, there is no reason you should not upgrade.

Pros:

  • Fresh and attractive UI
  • Snap Layouts and Snap Groups are very handy

Cons:

  • No support for native Android apps yet
  • Some familiar shortcuts and customisation options don't work anymore
  • Requires modern hardware.







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