Update to Windows 11

A new one Windows…or not!

Let’s be honest: the arrival of a new OS always raises expectations even higher when it comes to innovation and design. We recently saw Apple releaseMacOS Monterey, a relatively modest update in terms of new features. There’s no visual revolution that would necessarily make you want to upgrade right away. On that last point, Microsoft has made a change—somewhat reminiscent of Apple’s Dock Bar—by moving the Start button… right to the center! And as for aesthetics, there’s now a theme manager, with downloadable themes to customize the overall look of Windows, along with support for Dark Mode. Windows 11 launch video:

In addition to this (minor) change, it’s worth noting that the icons and sounds Windows have been redesigned to create a consistent and pleasing visual experience. Another notable point is how quickly windows and applications launch. It’s clear that the system has been reworked to take better advantage of the latest PC hardware. This is more of an improvement in Windows 10 rather than a radical overhaul of the operating system. As for the system requirements, here’s what’s needed to run Windows 11:

• You must have 12 GB of available memory on your hard disk.
• Have a RAM memory of at least 1.10 GB or more.
• Have an additional 60 MB of video RAM

In short, not much different from Windows 10 for standard use. When installing Windows, you’ll experience a pretty pleasant and very stylish out-of-the-box experience (OOBE):

The startup screen is quite similar, with the logo Windows is flatter and features a slightly different shade of blue. Another change we’ve noticed is a significant improvement in the device’s performance, including faster startup times, improved multimedia access, and optimized graphics processing. Here is a graph showing the results of tests conducted on a device running a configuration between the latest version of Windows 10 and the developer version of Windows 11:

Will this make a difference—enough to justify switching operating systems? Perhaps not right away, since Windows 10 has become more stable in recent years, with an ever-greater focus on security as well as centralized management. As for security, there aren’t any major visible changes for now; we’re still seeing a similar approach to what Windows 10 has accustomed us to. The Windows Hello are still there, offering the same capabilities as on Windows Windows 10. One of the major new features will most certainly be this integration with the Android ecosystem and the ability to install apps from the Microsoft Store.

Here is a video made by one of our trainers with the developer version, from a virtual machine:

And an interview by Joanna Stern of the Wall Street Journal:

In short, a revolution?

It’s still too early to call it a revolution, but at the very least, it’s an evolution—both in terms of performance (which is quite striking, especially considering this is a developer version) and the interface’s visual design. Admittedly, we haven’t yet been able to test the much-talked-about feature allowing access to Android apps via the Microsoft Store. But let’s bet it will be a success. The fact that Microsoft is offering access to its Store platform without charging commissions (unlike Apple, which takes 30%) should attract a new community of users to this latest version of the Redmond-based system. Article written by Michel Aguilera