Deutsch
English
I recently had a pleasant chat with an acquaintance of mine about our jobs and related news. He's a chemist and talked about plastics that remain malleable at specific temperatures and are based on renewable raw materials (it sounded more fascinating in person). My topic was somewhat predictable: Windows 11! He had only seen a few screenshots and asked me whether the OS was worth picking up. I was getting ready to refer him to a previous blog post but decided against it since a year of using the new OS had changed my perspective a little. Time for an update!
You've probably heard of the somewhat Microsoft-atypical design in Windows 11–with some applauding the smooth animations, rounded program windows and "floating" taskbar, and others bemoaning exactly that. I believe the case can be made that Windows is visually becoming more macOS-like and is setting new accents compared to Windows 10. Initially, the new design appealed to me. Now, I'd prefer the more "boxy" Windows 10 menu style. The predecessor feels more clinical and businesslike. Windows 11 features a less congested look with more minimalist menus–which is a pet peeve for many (me included), since it prioritizes nifty visuals over feature access! Right-click context menus now feature a "show more" button to access features that were instantly accessible before–ironically presented in the "original" Windows 10 style. That's not a deal-breaker per se, but it's one extra click! Same with the taskbar: Application windows are now always grouped into single (unlabeled) entries. Third-party software, or additional user interaction, is required to bring back separate entries with descriptive labels. And right-clicking the taskbar no longer allows access to additional features, e.g. Task Manager, but taskbar settings only. Once again, more clicks are needed to achieve what was instantly achievable in Windows 10. It's the flipside of an overly clean design–and it shouldn't be!
I can accept that the "start" button is no longer on the left by default, but I will not accept the reduced feature set. By the way, the start menu now seems to feature random content (including stuff I've never knowingly used). Only "All apps" feels somewhat useful. On top of that, it no longer uses a traditional folder-like structure but focuses on program shortcuts exclusively. That's fine if you only use a handful of applications, appreciate the cellphone app-like minimalism, or consider Windows a mere haven of design and well-being that also happens to let you browse the internet. I personally consider operating systems a means to an end whose primary purpose is to get me to my goal quickly and easily. Perhaps Microsoft will tweak the experience to this effect eventually. Right now, many users resort to Stardock Start11 to bring back the old start menu and to restore the original taskbar features.
Windows widgets have been a controversial topic since Windows Vista. Being presented with a load of tiles that feature tiny bits of information is a blessing for some and a bane for others. Weather forecasts, sports scores, stock market results, celebrity gossip, there's a colorful widget for everything. Naturally, a mouse click will take you to the Edge browse r, now an integral system component in Windows 11. I gave widgets a spin and quickly realized that I can also get my news straight from the browser (and that I don't know 90% of today's celebrities). Unlike Windows 10, Windows 11 is once again pushing Edge and Bing hard–there's almost a tragic element to this strategy after all these years. By the way, if you're dying to get the colorful news treatment on your Windows 10 machine, install the Microsoft News app and you'll almost have an identical experience.
"Snap layouts", on the other hand, are a definite plus when you're working with multiple displays and lots of windows (as I usually do). Not only does Windows 11 suggest useful window arrangements, but it also remembers the position of each window–and even the display it was on. This means I can disconnect my three displays from my notebook and, when I reconnect them, my windows will instantly appear at their original locations. I'd honestly miss this feature as it provides genuine value. Alas, the same doesn't apply to the "new" file manager that feels borderline transcendental: It now displays a tiny toolbar with a few icons for common operations that requires relearning. And while I have gotten used to it, I fail to see why the change was necessary–not to mention the three dots that hide a menu with important features. Who ever thought that was a brilliant idea? The new file type filter is a neat addition but ultimately feels like an attempt to justify the new design by offering at least one genuinely new feature.
As far as settings go, Windows 10 was a constant source of grief. Microsoft tried to move away from the "old" control panel (which I liked) to a more modern presentation that mimics mobile OSes. They couldn't finish it on time for release, so they kept the old menus and added a few new ones, creating lots of redundancy and confusion. Windows 11 is a step in the right direction but not all the way there yet. And while the most frequent settings are accessible through the new more spacious design, the old control panel is still the way to go for some more in-depth settings. I occasionally find myself using the old approach (which looks and feels like an anachronism in Windows 11) simply because it has everything I need.
Reportedly, Windows 11 is snappier than Windows 10, but don't expect a speed thrill in real-world use. Updates, however, are supposed to be 40% smaller and should therefore install quicker. Then there's the much touted support for Android apps. What was an empty promise a couple of months back has become a reality– with some limitations: You can install "Amazon Store", but you'll need an Amazon account and the selection of apps. Overall, everything feels like half-baked. I wonder if Google's Playstore would have been a better option...
If you cherish stunning gaming visuals (and have the beefy hardware to boot), you'll be happy to hear that, with the right software, Windows 11 offers full HDR (high dynamic range) support for brilliant colors and better customizability, not just for games but also videos. Dramatic sunsets will look more, um, dramatic, and starry skies will have better-looking stars with higher contrasts. It's a fun enhancement, that even extends to non-HDR-enabled games once you enable "Auto HDR". Oh the excitement! Unlike Windows 10, which will receive bug fixes and security updates until 2025, Windows 11 is still under active development feature-wise, and it certainly looks and feels that way–for better or worse.
You see, not all that glitters is gold, and many downsides surface only once you try to be productive. That's why, of my four PCs, only two run Windows 11, and those two came pre-installed with it. They're perfect for gaming, web browsing, and entertainment. But, whenever I need to work productively and switch between loads of applications and files, I'm using my Windows 10 PCs. They simply require fewer clicks to get the work done. In the office, where I usually have several browsers and applications open across three displays, I'm enjoying the terrific multi-display support in Windows 11.
As for my friend, I recommended that he stick with Windows 10. The elegant user interface alone is no revelation, as was the case with Windows 95, XP, or 7. And Windows 10 will continue to receive maintenance and support until 2025, so, unless Microsoft comes up with a revolutionary new must-have feature, there's no need to switch just yet–even though the ads may suggest otherwise. To sum it up: Windows 11 has made solid progress since last year but is still held back by number of minor flaws.
What I would like to know: If you're already running Windows 11, how happy are you with Microsoft's latest OS? And, if you haven't made the switch yet, would you be willing to give Windows 11 a go?
"If you want to stay up to date on Windows, you can find interesting updates on the topic on Windows Report, which is a highly trusted web resource for all tech-related news and tips."
I installed Win11 a week ago in a dual boot with Win10 on a Laptop with unsupported hardware and TPM 1.2. I've had no problems at all running Win 11. I like the modernistic visual appearance but some of the illogical changes to the menus and settings are just basically stupid. I'm a Special Forces-trained Survival Instructor as well as an Electronics and Communications Engineer and the basic rule of staying alive in the wild is that when your life is on the line you don't complicate things by taking 2 steps to do something when that costs you extra time and can get you killed whereas just doing things in 1 step will keep you alive. In order to survive in the wild you need to forget about the soft comfortable world you've been brought up in where you can relax and take your time to do stuff and you need to just do the basics and get it done as quickly as possible in order to be clinically productive enough to keep going and stay alive. Having said that I believe Microsoft are struggling to stay alive with Win11 because they are caught between the 2 worlds of the home user and the business/technological user and are attempting to satisfy both with a single OS. It's time for a change where they create a targeted OS that is specifically designed only for the use of the average person in their home after a good day's work maybe truck driving, repairing the roads, serving fast food or whatever your average worker does at work so they can relax and kick back doing whatever they want to comfortably do for their evening. And then they need another targeted OS that is for all the business, academic, scientific and technical people who need to get things done productively at speed and without having to use 2 clicks to do something that should only take 1, and without having to waste time looking for settings or applications through a long convoluted, muddled up set of lists and pages that should obviously be designed to speed up productivity instead of needlessly wasting time searching for the required item or solution. Windows 11 is trying to live in both worlds and in order for Microsoft to stay alive they've got to decide which world they're aiming it at and then create another OS that will satisfy the needs of the other one.
I agree with practically everything expressed here. I have two PCs running windows 10, and a laptop with Windows 11 preinstalled. I've been working with Windows 11 for about a year now, and there is virtually nothing about it that would compel me to convert my 2 PCs to it. (The only exception would be to have the closed captions available everywhere, but Chrome does make it available for the web. )
The one thing I absolutely despise about Windows 11 is that they changed the file copy and move functions, having made it very complicated. I just, for the life of me, cannot figure out why Microsoft would have done this. How is it an improvement? It's really a big mistake in my opinion.
Overall, and not to belittle the writer's importance of this at all, it doesn't really matter to me about the taskbar, or whether the buttons are rounded or square, or even the start menu. Extra clicks aside, I just want to accomplish what I have to, and a large part of it, with video editing, has to do with file handling. Microsoft took away, in my opinion, one of the most useful components of Windows 10.
I've run every version of desktop Windows since Windows 1.0 (except for Vista) and this is the first release that I'm resisting to install. I haven't heard one compelling reason to upgrade to Windows 11, only subjective comments like "It seems faster". There are too many steps backwards in functionality. My PC is Windows 11-ready but I won't upgrade until Windows 10 is no longer supported and I'm forced into it. Microsoft moves in mysterious ways...
I tried Windows 8 on my old Windows 7 computer when Eight first became available. It was a mess. Things went slower and my "intuition" seems to fail me at every turn. It was back to Seven after a few days. When it was time for a new computer Windows 10 was my only choice. It took some mumbling and grumbling but I'm finally competent with it even though there's more i don't know about it then I do know. I keep getting the free update offers from MS but have resisted so far. This article has convinced me that there is no need to do anything until I need a new computer or 2025 when support for Ten expires. If it ain't broke don't fix it.
I had to get Windows 11 on a new laptop. If I would have had a choice I would have gone with 10. I am like the one guy says. My 2 other PCs will stay on 10 until it is no longer supported.
Thanks for the good PRESENTATION of Windows 11. Unfortunately, I can't test Windows 11 because my computer only supports 32-bit.
Even if I had a 64 bit system, I'm not thrilled because I can't run Turbo pascal 7 there. Maybe there are ways to work with pascal, but it's too complicated for me. ...
At first I thought it was a bad move but I've grown used to it. There are a few issues that need sorting out and I haven't had the 22H2 update yet which may solve some of the problems.
It's an "empty-desktop" system and I like everything to hand rather than multiple clicks and hidden menus.
One thing I don't like is the way they have made old hardware obsolete - there should be some user acceptance of the risk and still be able to install Win11.
I'd go as far as saying Windows 11 is a boat anchor. With the minimalist ribbon in file explorer I might as well be back in the year 1995 as far my productivity goes.
Progress explained away by the blurb saying 'we care about the environment'. Well, we all do, but I know it taking me twice as long to do the same repetitive jobs I was doing with Windows 10 and I'm literally burning the midnight oil. Getting files off my 256Gb C: Drive and onto one of 5 external hard drives is no longer, put the stuff in a folder so you can find it again and hit the move button. Now you have to ungroup each and every download because there doesn't seem to be a setting that say don't group ever. Then I need to change to large icon view to be sure i have all the pieces in one place or maybe to change file names. next comes the moving the folder. i have to admit to being impressed with the copy paste in Windows 11. I moved some really large folders with hundreds of file in them in just minutes and not once has even a period been out of place. It's the have to go back to the place I've just moved that folder from so I can erase the original and freeing up space on my lowly 256.
I have also told friends and family to stick to Windows 10 it maybe around for longer than Microsoft thinks.
Thanks for the space to vent, Doug
Switching to Windows 11 was one of the biggest mistakes I've made with computers. While TVs have become smart and phones smart MS seems to think we want a new Multimedia and Gaming system.
Forget File Management. The windows 10 file manager is still in the code. For a while you could even switch with a slight registry change. But, of course,, MS had to take that away. It's back to right clicks or more easy, Ctrl X, to move a file. Copy is there, delete is but Move?? Other file managers are out there but MS won't allow them to be the default..
You caught me on a bad day I deleted close to 2T of pictures and files. Thankfully file recovery programs restored many but very, very few pictures. And yes I blame Windows 11 which let me do that.
Switching to Windows 11 was one of the biggest mistakes I've made with computers. While TVs have become smart and phones smart MS seems to think we want a new Multimedia and Gaming system.
Forget File Management. The windows 10 file manager is still in the code. For a while you could even switch with a slight registry change. But, of course,, MS had to take that away. It's back to right clicks or more easy, Ctrl X, to move a file. Copy is there, delete is but Move?? Other file managers are out there but MS won't allow them to be the default..
You caught me on a bad day I deleted close to 2T of pictures and files. Thankfully file recovery programs restored many but very, very few pictures. And yes I blame Windows 11 which let me do that.
At first, I was horrified! To my chagrin, I waited longer than 30 days to give it a fair run. But now, everything is running very well. Eleven should get even better with time.
I actually like Windows 11 BETA over Windows 10. I did find the same problems as you with File Explorer and the Show More Options, to get to Paste and other features. Like file or folder scanning with Bitdefender or MalwareBytes.
I have not tested / been using Windows 11 yet. Microsoft says that my PC is not good enough. Personally I think that my 4.2 GHz AMD Bulldozer with 16 MByte RAM, SSD & HDD and Nvidia GTX1650 is not a bad machine but whatever. I know that I can install Windows 11 nevertheless but I don't care right now. I have been a software and electronics developer for all my life, my first "PC" was a PET 2001!
Anyway, I have to admit that I skipped Windows 8. I went from 7 to 10. The Windows 10 start menu is a catastrophe, imagine an alphabetically sorted list of all apps on a developer machine. Well, OpenShell works perfect for me. And I concur, Windows 10 is an unfinished product (the settings / control panel chaos).
I have to admit that I don't need a taskbar to get me a menu to the task manager. That's what hotkeys are for. The Windows 8/10/11 start menus are a non-starter though.
The only reason I keep reading about Windows 11 is that I am waiting for the day when Windows 11 will run Linux X11/Wayland apps without a VMware in between. Because I've also given up on ever seeing a Linux desktop with a multimedia / audio system that would actually be usable for a non tech user. I am a software engineer and can handle just about anything ... my wife is not.
So yeah, the current state of desktops is not good. Linux will never get consumer friendly, Windows usable (fi you can tweak it the right way) and MacOS - I'm not going there.
The most annoying thing that is happening today - and you confirmed that - is when developers who already grew up with smart phones are put to the task of "simplifying" desktop apps.
No thank you, I will not upgrade till windows 10 is no longer working. I will not submit to MS making me learn where and what everything is with a os totally different than it's predecessor, not to mention buy a new PC. I will go to Linux before I submit to MS crap.
Great article. Seems to tell me what i've been 'feeling' about 11, without saying it. I have tried to become accustomed to 11, mainly out of curiousity, and to feel like i'm ' staying in the New'. The curiousity probably stems from all my Windows 10 PCs constantly prompting through Windows Update - 'Oh come on It's Ready for 11', 'You have a Good Computer, Get 11 and all the new features', did i mention, 'It's Ready'?! Out of about 5 systems, i Neglected to Accept the 'Challange' of the OS swap, mainly from fear that some Programs (notice i didn't call'um apps) would either cease to work, or worse, work and wind up needing upgrades. So, what i did, as other might, is, build a new sytem around a complete clean install of Windows 11 Professional, and give it a go. Well i'm Going, and it's been about that year you talk about. Took some time/reading to get my taskbar to the Left, not Center, and to hack the Right Click to Add 'Move To & Copy To'. Perhaps a couple other tweaks i've forgotten. Basically i'm surpised programs have installed and ran as they did with 10, with exception of some COM drivers that i finally tricked into working (that 'install unsigned driver anyway' requires a workaround). Let me say, I am a Menu man - And any OS, or Program that tries to stuff Ribbons, or dumb Icon interface at me, as 11 does in Explorer, is no friend. Sure, you Get Used To It, (You're Forced To!), and some could argue it's better for beginners.. Sure it is, but we're past that, and if i want that i'll go get a McDonalds job pushing the french fry button. I must confess, i'm getting used to the Right Click, Icon Bar (Copy Cut,etc.) but not sure if it's any more than something had to get used to. I Can Read, and i can Find the 'Word' Delete, so why hunt for a trash Barrel? Better yet 'Cntrl + X' works pretty good too. So, here we are 11, all new and compatable, and i feel it's change for the sake of change (and as Always, what keeps everyone on Payroll - Changes!). I hadn't thought much about if 11 was an improvement, until i read this blog. What i can say now is, The Whole Start Menu is a Joke at best, (Acually it's no longer a Menu, but a Cluster youknowwhat) I don't use the Start Button At All, over it, Beyong Right Click on it. I now, Simply put most used Programs on Taskbar for Launch. And while i'm at it, the Right Click Context Menu ' Show More' was Dumb as it comes. The Whole Point of Right click is - Show Me More!!!!!! My opinion on the Setting Control panel is - It's just a hodge podge of confusion, something more to 'get used to'. If you want to change a setting, they want you to Search for a Setting. My lord, thats what a control panel is - A Setting Controller - Not a Setting Egg Hunt! Do yourself a favor and make a shortcut to Windows 7 Control panel, placed on desktop. I like the Right Click Start button options, but i don't know when they came about, maybe a little in 10, more in 11? Maybe over time, as we've used 11 for Three years instead of One, and they're harping on Win 10 support is going going gone - It may seem like the right choice. Will i take the Free 11 update on my other 5 PCs ? No. That ought to tell Me, and you, Something. Wheter it says something about Me, or the OS - you'll have to decide that...
I use Windows 10 for my Intel 6th generation i7 desktop and Windows 11 for my Intel 10th generation i9 laptop. They're both ok and have some advantages and disadvantages. For example I like the daily holidays and posts in the Windows 10 search bar, and I like the start button in the middle in Windows 11.
Hello Sven,
What can I say: you just mirrored my thoughts ...
There are several PCs I use \ take care of among my family and friends.
The few that came pre-installed with Win11 are pretty enough, but each time I try to do something it's an uphill walk & struggle.
One of the family PCs is happy enough to not be able to upgrade to Win11 (you know: CPU, TPM and other compatibility stuff), but despite being a roughly 9 years old AiO Dell machine, it keeps its act together quite nicely.
My own self-built station feels right at home and stable while running Win10, despite some 50+ apps being constantly open in the background (besides whatever I am actively doing when using the machine), so I surely am not in a rush to switch to the next OS (in spite of the fact that the PC is fully compatible with it).
Another Lenovo AiO, purchased only about a year ago without a bundled OS, is happy to run Win10 and have my young (97.5 ...) Mom enjoy the friendly & familiar environment she's been more-or-less acquainted with for the past 27 years or so (since Win95).
So, to sum it up: while I am quite an early technology adopter, I guess Win11 will not become my OS of choice for some time (unless something drastic will come along, which would "force" my hand ...)
Keep on the great columns - we really enjoy them :)
Eric
I'm using Windows 10, and will continue to do so until it becomes necessary to switch to 11. To get my pc ready for the upgrade, I'll have to upgrade the processor and probably the motherboard. Currently I'm running a 4th generation I7 processor, and the tests show that this is too old for Win 11. I see no need to do so at the moment.
Hi
It is easy to shange the menu to the left , like I did. Windows 11 Pro is more stable than Windows 10 Pro, I like it a lot! No problems with Windows 11 Pro!
One of my 4 home computers was updated from Win 10 to Win 11 automatically without my knowledge or permission! I have tried to get used to it, but I HATE IT! I like simple. Win 10 was probably the best yet, held off upgrading from 7 to 10 for a long time, but found that upgrade very good. This Win 11 upgrade is from from good, too much stupid "fluff" that I have zero use for or interest in. I am so afraid one of y other systems will suffer this unwanted upgrade without my permission! This upgrade is bad as there is no way to go back to Win 10 easily if you go past the short time reversion is allowed.
I use Acronis backup on three of my systems, but it WILL NOT INSTALL on the Win 11 computer. Over decades I have disliked Microsft at times (User since DOS), but never as much as now! Why do they insisted on "fixing" what is not broken?
I've been using Windows since it started. My experience has been that you wait until your support ends or even longer. Windows 7 was a work horse, and still have it on an older computer. Windows 10 had some problems when it first came out but seems work will with me. I did install "Shut up 10" which eliminated most of the bloat ware and messages that MS pushes on us.It took care of many problems with the crazy messages from MS. No WIN 11 for me, I'll just stick to WIN 10.
I have win10 on one of my computers, which I will keep only until 2025 when they no longer support it.
I will not be upgrading to Win11, I am moving to Linux, which is installed on my main Machine
Thanks again for your detailed review of win11.
Sven, I agree with you 100%. (I'd agree 110%, but I'm a Math teacher and Systems Analyst.) I have seen nothing in Windows 11 that I am really impressed with. (Excuse my dangling preposition, I'm not a grammar Nazi.) Windows 22H2 promises SOME useful features, but simply won't install. It goes through the motions, but then I get what I think of as the 'Blue Screen of Oops' that says 'something went wrong.' Fortunately, it can restore the system back to what it was. I wasted about 30 minutes today watching my screen count up to 100% a couple of times, and then have to restore the system back to pre-update state.
We are running, Windows (4) 10, 11 and Linux Mint. First the requirements for Windows 11 are way to strict. Windows 11 works well, but as we have all seen 95, 98, NT and so on needed adjustments. Same for Windows 11. They are making it easier for cell phones to take over. Cell phones are very limited. I like my Desk Top.
I believe in the old adage "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" As with every "Update" since XP-Pro they're more interested in making the OS more portable for tablets and cell phones. I agree with you that i prefer the cleaner straight one click approach.