Announcing Windows 11!

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MicroCenterOfficial
edited August 2021 in Software

Yesterday Microsoft announced the successor to Windows 10, the aptly named Windows 11. You can check out the full presentation here, or read some of our highlights under the video

The first big news is that Windows 11 will be a free upgrade for Windows 10 users, provided they meet the criteria:

·        64-bit CU

·        4GB of RAM

·        64GB of storage

If you meet all those specifications, Windows 11 will be a free upgrade, performed through a Windows update, a la the free upgrade from Windows 7/8 to Windows 10. If you’re not sure if you meet the criteria, Windows has launched a validator that will quickly check you machine and let you know if you’re eligible here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11


With that, let’s dive into the biggest changes Windows 11 brings!

More Robust Gaming Integration

Windows 11 is taking a lot from the new Xbox Series X when it comes to gaming. Adding in automatic HDR to create more vibrant color in your games and boosting load times with DirectStorage to get you in the game even quicker.

Updated and New Windows Apps

Expanding on Windows 10’s Start menu sidebar, Windows 11 introduces fully customizable Widgets, personalized with news, weather, and updates specifically for you. Available on the side of your desktop, Widgets can be expanded to cover your entire desktop – without disrupting any of the apps underneath.

The Microsoft Store has been revamped, emphasizing speed and ease of use, and brings with it a slew of new and returning first and third-party apps, all designed for the Windows experience.

Windows will soon be bringing Android apps to the desktop as well, utilizing Amazon’s Appstore to bring Android to the Windows store

Finally, Windows will be integrating Microsoft Teams into the desktop experience, designed to make connecting with people as simple as a few clicks. This also brings with it a unified microphone mute button, disabling your attached microphone for all applications with a single click.

A familiar, but not too familiar, desktop

The core desktop, on the surface (pun not intended), looks mostly familiar. The task bar and Start Menu still exist, but they’ve been moved to the middle for easier access and a more streamlined experience.

But under it all, there have been some major additions. Enhanced snap features make customizing your desktop even easier. And if you’re working on multiple projects: multiple desktops that save what you were doing. This means you can instantly switch from work mode to game mode with the press of a button, then get right back to work without missing a beat.

Added support for 2-In-1s

With the continuous rise in 2-in-1 PCs, or laptops that either split apart or fold over to become touch-enabled tablets, Windows 11 has put a bigger emphasis on usability. Once transformed (or disconnected from the keyboard dock), Windows will automatically adjust for touch usage. This means further spreading out icon in your task bar for easier tapping and increasing touch points on windows, making resizing and adjustments easier for fingers.

 Following the event, Microsoft launched a shorter summary of everything coming to Windows 11 with a stylish preview video:


So, what do you think? Will you be making use of that free Windows 11 upgrade?

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