But those who are in the beta got it in advance
Microsoft will be releasing Windows 11 stable as a FREE update on October 5, for PCs which are compatible of course.
On October 5, newer computers and devices will be given priority in contrast to older ones. This doesn’t mean Microsoft isn’t giving older or unsupported systems a choice though, they can opt to update to Windows 11 but at the cost of no software or security updates (which honestly can be beneficial seeing how annoying the updates are).
The most noticeable change between Windows 10 and 11 is the new UI changes. First of all, the taskbar is now, by default, at the middle of the desktop as opposed to the left, taking a seemingly “MacOS” approach. There are also noticeable design changes to the Windows menu
Microsoft will also integrate its own conferencing app called “Microsoft Teams” into Windows 11. The new OS will also bring about enhanced colour and lighting of gaming displays through the new “Auto HDR” feature; and speaking of graphical changes, in Windows 11, windows are now curvier in look along with the notification menu and accessibility menu, it feels similar to Google’s Material You design for Android.
One thing we don’t like about Windows 11 is the heavier system requirements, it now requires computers to have at least 4GB RAM instead of 1GB RAM from previous versions, including Windows 10. Computers and laptops with weaker memory will suffer from this change so right now it’s best to stay on Windows 10 or older.
Another difference is the multi-window layout menu when you hover over the minimize, maximize or close buttons. When you click any of the four, it will organize your Windows in the panel shown above
Also, speaking of Android, remember when Microsoft announced Android app integration for Windows through the Amazon app store? Well… it appears that’s not happening right now and will get delayed up until next year. Sounds expected enough.
There are also users who found out that, despite fitting for the system requirements, they are ineligible for the upgrade. With Microsoft’s TPM 2.0 requirement, the eligibility of the upgrade became stricter. Users have reported that AMD Zen 1 CPUs are ineligible while those using 7th generation Intel CPUs are. So some users have to tinker the TPM settings into the BIOS first before they have to upgrade.
Ready to upgrade? Here are the requirements of Windows 11:
| Processor: | 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC) |
| RAM: | 4 gigabyte (GB) |
| Storage: | 64 GB or larger storage deviceNote: See below under “More information on storage space to keep Windows 11 up-to-date” for more details. |
| System firmware: | UEFI, Secure Boot capable |
| TPM: | Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 |
| Graphics card: | Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver |
| Display: | High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9” diagonally, 8 bits per color channel |
| Internet connection and Microsoft accounts: | Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account to complete device setup on first use. Switching a device out of Windows 11 Home in S mode also requires internet connectivity. Learn more about S mode here. For all Windows 11 editions, internet access is required to perform updates and to download and take advantage of some features. A Microsoft account is required for some features. |
There are other specific requirements mentioned, so if you want to see the whole thing, please visit Microsoft’s website
To determine if your system is ready for the update, users can download the PC Health Check tool from Microsoft. Optionally, you can also stay with Windows 10 if your PC is not ready for it yet. After all, you have five years before Windows 10 officially dies.
Source: Windows Experience Blog, CNN