October 4, 2021. That was the date Microsoft kicked off the deployment of Windows 11, its brand-new, modern operating system. Since then, tens of thousands of users around the world have taken to installing it and shared their impressions (as varied as ever).
Me I’ve been using Windows 11 on my main computer since the first public version came out in June test. Now, a month after its launch, I am able to share with you my impressions and answer the great question that many of you ask us: Is it worth installing now or should we wait?
Windows 11: a breath of fresh air
From a strictly aesthetic point of view, Windows 11 has surprised me and has done it for the better. Taking into account the speed with which it has been developed, Windows 11 is a major facelift compared to Windows 10. Its new taskbar, animations, Start Menu, sounds, application interface … Everything looks much more beautiful, modern and coherent.
Obviously, Windows 11 is not perfect in this regard. Many parts of the operating system still have an old design and others have only been partially renovated. Despite this, I personally feel much more comfortable using Windows 11 compared to its predecessor.
Where Windows 10 evoked a feeling of apathy and detachment, Windows 11 does the opposite., attracting me and inviting me to use it for a longer time. I have waited a reasonable time to write this and make sure that this feeling was not the fruit of a love at first sight that, like many whims, fades with the passage of days. It is not like this. Mine with Windows 11 is stable and durable … at least in terms of design.
Nice on the outside but… How is it on the inside?
Continuing with the romantic simile, we have to go to that old saying that “beauty is inside.” Yes, Windows 11 is beautiful, modern and striking, improving a lot in that regard compared to Windows 10. However … What does it have to offer besides a “pretty face”? Can Windows 11 make us fall in love or will it only convince the most “superficial”?
Here the debate is much more intense. I’m not going to lie to you: Windows 11, today, is not much different than Windows 10. It is true that Microsoft has slightly improved the performance of the system and has corrected some errors that had been around for a long time, but nothing remarkable if we talk about a “new operating system”.
Know your past so as not to repeat it
Let’s go back in time. Windows 8 was a revolution compared to Windows 7. He came to change everything and his ambition was inversely proportional to his success. His great aspirations and his innovative vision were not well received by an audience that wanted “the Windows of always” back.
The direct consequence of that defeat was Windows 10, which began in an exciting way and faded over the years, as Microsoft detracted resources from Windows to focus on applications and services, especially in the professional field. And of those muds, these muds: failed updates, bugs that were never corrected, performance problems and a design that smelled more and more old and neglected.
Windows 11 has been presented to the general public as “The beginning of the next generation of Windows”. Microsoft wants to mark a before and after with this version and make it clear that, from now on, Windows will once again have a capital importance in its plans. They had to prepare this update in record time due to agreements with the manufacturers and the result has been much better than what I and many other colleagues expected.
Microsoft has made design a top priority in Windows 11. Its main objective with this update has been to create a more beautiful, polished and friendly version of the one we have been using so far with Windows 10. It has fulfilled its objective but this is only the first step. The next goal will be to improve the performance, stability, and security of Windows. They will focus on this from 2022.
News that give us one of lime and another of sand
Despite its focus on design, Windows 11 has something else to offer. With this release, Microsoft has introduced nnew features such as widgets, a new Start Menu, the Chat application (Microsoft Teams) and new system applications.
A Start Menu that focuses on the basics
The new Start Menu has worked for me downright helpful but not great. Its charm lies in its simplicity, which is, paradoxically, its biggest flaw. The new Start Menu it’s too simple. We miss possibilities such as creating application folders or allowing us to use the “recommendations” section in a different way (for example, to expand the space available for applications). It should evolve but it is not a problem.
Widgets are more useful than you thought
When it comes to widgets, my assessment is positive. When they presented the feature, I thought it would be a feature that, like many others, would go unnoticed. However, at least in my case, it has not. I use the weather, To-Do, sports and esports widgets on a daily basis. All of them offer me useful information that interests me in a single click.
The main criticism what can be done to widgets today is that third-party developers are not allowed to create and incorporate their own own. Hopefully Microsoft will allow it in the near future.
Microsoft Teams “Chat”: the big disappointment
The Microsoft Teams chat built into the Windows 11 taskbar has been, at least for me, one of the operating system’s biggest disappointments. This consumer-focused version of Teams it’s still very, very green.
The idea is fantastic: connect with your loved ones quickly and easily, in one click. What fails is execution. Many features are missing from other competing applications such as WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or Telegram. And that is not admissible when you are “the new one” and the one who has to convince users to abandon the service they already use and bet on yours.
In my opinion, currently the consumer version of Microsoft Teams find your main attraction in video calls, which work perfectly. The question is, how many users will give this app a shot? Will they stop using WhatsApp or Telegram and download Teams on their mobile phones? Wouldn’t it have been better to achieve an integration with Skype as it is a brand more focused on the consumer market? Many questions remain in the air regarding this feature.
New system apps are the icing on the cake
Here I am going to stop to applaud the great work done by the folks at Microsoft. It could be better? Certainly, but given the circumstances in which the operating system has been developed (in record time during a pandemic) I believe that the result is VERY remarkable.
The new one Microsoft Store it is a real delight. It has been made from scratch and dozens of professionals have been involved in its development. It stands out for its excellent design, its speed and its intuitiveness compared to its predecessor. In addition, its new policies are allowing applications such as Firefox, Zoom, OBS Studio or the Epic Games Store to access it for the first time. And do you know the best of everything? It will also be available on Windows 10.
The application of Setting It has been another of the great surprises. It represents an immense leap in quality with respect to the Windows 10 app both for aesthetics and for performance and functionality. Everything is organized in a much more visual, attractive and coherent way.
Among the other successfully redesigned apps we find Clock (with Concentration Sessions), File Browser and Photos. We would have liked the redesign of Paint to be more complete (it lacks a dark theme at the moment) and that others such as Notepad, Groove Music or Movies and TV had arrived. They are already on their way so it is only a matter of time. Even Edge has received a new design adapted to the lines of Windows 11!
The great forgotten ones of Windows 11
Windows 11 is not perfect and you should know it before venturing to download it. The taskbar It is one of the great victims of the update since, despite being more beautiful and having new animations, it has lost a multitude of features. Among these, the possibility of dragging files to applications fixed on the taskbar or placing the bar on the side or at the top of our screen stands out.
The calendar displayed on the taskbar, unfortunately for many users, no longer shows the events associated with each day. It is a feature that thousands of users are clamoring for back and that Microsoft will most likely bring back sooner or later.
It is a pity that he did not arrive on time either “One Outlook” or “Project Monarch”, the new multiplatform email client that Microsoft has been working on for many months. This is the reason why the Windows 11 Mail app has hardly received any changes compared to Windows 10 beyond a few small tweaks. Its arrival is expected in early 2022.
Do I recommend installing Windows 11 now?
As a general rule, it is never recommended to install a new operating system during the first weeks. This time has not been the exception. Users of AMD Ryzen processors have had to wait for a patch that arrived recently to fix issues that affected performance and numerous Windows 11 bugs have been fixed in the two patches that we have known so far (the last of which arrived yesterday in Beta and Release Preview channels).
However, if you want to install Windows 11 today, I don’t think you’re making any mistakes either. The system works very well in general terms and most of its bugs have already been solved or will be so very soon. I use it in my day-to-day life on my main device and no problem has hindered my workflow.
What’s more, We can’t ignore the deplorable state that Windows 10 has been in for years. Windows 11 offers a better experience in every way, and despite its small bugs (which it does) don’t feel as glaring as its predecessor.
I have worked, I have played games, I have watched videos and I have done a thousand things without any problem. Although the manufacturer of my equipment (Huawei) has not yet published the Windows 11 drivers, it works perfectly with those of the latest version of Windows 10 (mainly due to the few changes suffered by the system at the internal).
I suspect that the 2022 update (scheduled for the month of May) will come to perfect what Microsoft has already worked on for this first version of Windows 11 and it will not be until 2023 when we see great news again in regards to the operating system . This is a first version and unsurprisingly it is still lacking. Nevertheless, from my point of view, the advantages have far outweighed the disadvantages. Great job from Microsoft.