Microsoft Windows 11 Trial: In our opinion

That’s it, Windows 11 is available as a free upgrade to most Windows 10 users. If you are still using Windows 7 or 8, you will need to first do a free update to Windows 10 and then download. Windows 11. Available to you to make sure your machine is compatible. Either way, before you decide whether or not to install the new OS, we got it here and did not like it.

Windows 11 looks more like Windows 10.5 than a generational leap

Switching from Windows 10 to Windows 11 may seem technical because the jump from Windows 8 to Windows 10 was huge. Microsoft is too big to skip a version number. The purpose of this update is to straighten a vessel that deviates somewhat from its course at the interface level by going beyond the boundaries of the tablets.

Windows 10 has been well-received and has a good reputation, precisely because it brought the operating system to its basics. But above all, it is free for anyone with a sufficiently recent PC. Prior to 2015, Windows updates were offered as rechargeable or by purchasing a desktop or laptop PC. Apple’s OS X switched to a similar free upgrade model at the same time. With the exception of the computer manufacturers, the policy of paying separately for the computer operating system has all but disappeared.

Who can install Windows 11?

The list of compatible PCs is slightly smaller than you might expect. Minimum requirements are 64-bit processor, 4GB memory, 64GB storage, UEFI Secure boot and DPM (Reliable Platform Module) 2.0. For some users, this last point can cause problems, especially on cheap laptops. If your processor is older than the seventh generation Intel Core series (we are in the 11th generation), you may not be able to upgrade to Windows 11. Microsoft PC HealthCheck.

New display notes

The first thing that really comes out in Windows 11 is that the Start menu and taskbar are now centered at the bottom of the screen, rather than being aligned to the left by default (this default setting is customizable). This is the biggest visual change in this update. Sure, a lot more has developed under Hood, but this interface evolution feels primarily about letting people know that something new and different exists. For normal or key users, these changes are unlikely to be an improvement, although there are some improvements to note.

A little Android on Windows, but not immediately

One of the main selling points of Chromebooks, most of them can run any Android app.

A similar functionality in Microsoft Windows 11 works with Apple Macs and iPhones to compete with Chromebooks and create stronger bonds between Windows PC users and Android smartphone users.

However, this feature is not available in the release version of Windows 11.

Snap groups and multiple desktops

The set of open windows can be easily trimmed so you can access them whenever you want and hide them if needed, which will be useful once you get used to it. The ability to place windows in pre-defined areas on the Windows desktop has been around for some time, but newer snap groups and layouts (window trimming) offer more succulent options. Thus, by popping up the “Max” button located in the upper right corner of most windows, a pop-up window with multiple layout options will appear to the left of the closing cross icon. If you minimize these applications, you can make them reappear in the same place by hovering the mouse over one of the window icons displayed on the taskbar.

The only drawback is that some applications do not support this functionality. Web browsers, computer tools and many other software do this, but not Photoshop and Steam, for example.

If you have a large screen, multiple monitors or need to keep multiple web browser tabs open, this is handy. On the other hand, on the screen of a laptop computer, we usually consult even one or two windows at a time.

Multiple desks at Magos are a common feature and a great way to organize your workspace. For example, you can keep all your work applications (messaging, browsers, video conferencing applications, etc.) on one desktop and your gaming applications on another desktop. Like the Mac, we fly from one office to another. This possibility already exists in Windows 10, but it is less practical. In Windows 11, desktops have their own icon in the taskbar, and creating and organizing multiple desktops is easier than the Mac. Highlighting is rare.

Retrieving widgets

Widgets are small iconic applications that are usually grouped somewhere in the user interface of the device. They provide quick access to weather forecasts, stock prices, recent emails, calendar events or a small news feed. There are widgets on Android, iOS and macOS. There were some in Windows too, but they disappeared in Windows 7. They are back in Windows 11, with their own button on the taskbar, making them easy to find.

When the widget button is pressed, a semi-transparent panel appears on the left edge of the screen. By default, it contains weather widgets, Outlook calendar, photos stored in OnDrive, to-do list and more. There is also a news feed that appears to have been created by the same people who care about the Microsoft Edge browser home screen. You can hide specific media articles by clicking the menu icon or pressing the “Manage your interests” button to customize the feed, but by default, this is more basic.

Integration of Microsoft Groups

Do you use Microsoft Teams instead of Zoom, FaceTime or Google Hangouts? It is now fully integrated with Windows 11, making it easier and faster to access. Thanks to the latest iOS feature Windows users can now join FaceTime meetings.

Other improvements

With Windows 11, you can now take a screen shot by pressing Windows + Shift + S, then the image is copied to the clipboard, but the recording must be done manually.

The Edge browser introduces Safe Kids Mode, which can be easily accessed by clicking on their profile in the upper right corner. These kids mode can be customized for different ages.

Auto HDR functionality derived from the Xbox Series X allows HDR compatible games to achieve a rendering similar to this display technology to improve lighting, brightness and contrast.

Do we need to upgrade to Windows 11?

There is really no compelling reason to skip Windows 11 Pass (except for compatibility issues). We used different versions of Windows 11 on different PCs for a few months, as well as the final version, and everything went well, almost without any problems. At no time did we think of going back to Windows 10.

There are still some long-standing annoying features of Windows. When setting up the operating system for the first time, many more unverified boxes regarding data sharing, ad customization and the Edge browser still hide the default search engine settings in many sub-menus (for example, switching from Pink to Google).

If you buy a new laptop or desktop computer from today, it will have Windows 11 already installed. If you have a current generation Windows laptop, tablet or desktop, you can download and install Windows 11 now or sooner.

As a general rule, our advice is not to rush for a new update to an operating system, whether it is a laptop, phone or tablet. Problems inevitably arise only if different types of hardware configurations and components need to work properly.

Windows 11 has been fully tested, so far the main issues are icons, some anomalies in the menu and occasional issues with File Explorer. Windows 11 does not prevent the most impatient from trying the adventure.

In the end, if you want to download and install Windows 11 now, you can go without fear. If you want to wait a few weeks (or months), that’s fine.

Article by CNET.com adapted by CNETFrance / Image: Dan Ackerman / CNET