Microsoft has announced the release date of Windows 11. Once again Windows is upgrading its version number from 10 to 11 and as a new version will come with new features and improvements. See what the new Windows 11 will be like.
Release date of Windows 11
Microsoft announced today as the start date release of Windows 11 on October 5, 2021. The update will be released in a measured and incremental approach, first to new users and then to those already running Windows 10, provided they are eligible for the minimum requirements of the Windows 11 system .
You can see if your computer meets the new minimum requirements for Windows 11. The company requires specific CPUs for Windows 11 to be fully compatible, giving a list of processor codes Intel and AMD, which is renewed every now and then.
Microsoft has allowed Windows Insiders to begin testing the new operating system in the week of June 28th. Since then, he has released several constructions for Insider.
Windows 11 system requirements
Windows 11 needs a set of new hardware requirements set by Microsoft to ensure that all computers running Windows 11 run as smoothly as possible, both in terms of security and stability.
The minimum system requirements are:
- A modern 1GHz 64-bit dual-core processor
- 4 GB RAM
- 64 GB drive
- 9 inch screen
- Analysis 1366 × 768
- UEFI Compatible, Secure Boot & TPM 2.0
- Graphics compatible with DirectX 12 / WWDM 2.x
One of the biggest changes to Windows system requirements is that the operating system is now only available on 64-bit processors. Microsoft is not releasing the 32-bit version of the operating system, although 32-bit applications will continue to work just fine.
Microsoft also limits officially supported Windows 11 PCs to those with Intel 8th generation (or equivalent) or higher. This means that if you have a CPU older than Intel 8th generation, you will probably not be able to officially run Windows 11 when it is released this year.
After further consideration by Microsoft, the list of officially supported CPUs has been updated to include some 7th generation Intel chips. Most notably, Microsoft's Surface Studio 2 will officially support Windows 11.
Windows 11 also requires a screen size of at least 9 inches, which means we will not see 8-inch phones or mini tablets with Windows 11. Microsoft has also increased the required disk space to 64 GB, from 16 GB with Windows 10. The same goes for RAM, from 2 GB to 4 GB.
Windows 11 new features
Windows 11 includes a whole host of new features and changes that make it quite different from Windows 10. First, Windows 11 has a brand new user interface (UI) design, made from scratch based on simplicity and ease of use. Microsoft has tried to simplify the user interface in as many areas as possible, creating a clean, fluid space for work and play.
Microsoft says the new user interface will help you stay productive, adding new features, such as the new "Snap Navigator" menu that appears from the maximize button of an application window. This allows you to customize an application to a predefined set of grid layouts without having to drag your window to the edge of your screen.
There's also a new Chat app built into the taskbar that lets you share files, text, and videos with friends, family, or colleagues through Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft is integrating Teams into Windows 11 in new ways modes, such as the ability to share a Teams window directly from the taskbar, as well as mute your microphone from the taskbar.
The company has created a new "Start" menu on the taskbar, which is now centered by default. The live tiles are finished and in place there is a grid of application icons that can be rearranged.
Pinned and running applications on the taskbar are also at the center, and there are many new subtle animations when you click and move things. The taskbar and Task Center have been modified to suit this, with Notifications and Quick Actions now split into two separate menus.
Quick Settings are now known as Quick Settings and appear when you click the system icons at the bottom right of the taskbar. From here, you can connect to Wi-Fi or a Bluetooth device, turn on the night light, adjust the focus mode, and more.
Clicking on the date and time will open your calendar view and alerts.
There is also a new lock screen and a modern File Explorer interface. Microsoft is also introducing a new "Widgets" panel that hosts features such as To Do, Calendar, Photos, Microsoft 365, and MSN News. He is expected to add more.
Overall, Windows 11 is a more open system (open source), compared to Windows 10 and its predecessors.
Finally, Microsoft talked about how to create Windows 11 for gamers with new features such as Auto HDR, Direct Storage and DirectX 12 Ultimate.
Windows 11 has new touch enhancements
Windows 10 did not pay much attention to touch, but that is changing with Windows 11. Microsoft is adding a number of new gestures and features designed to make Windows 11 much more functional on tablets.
Microsoft has increased the size of hitboxes around application windows so that it is easier to resize them when using touch. There's also a bunch of new subtle animations when handling windows to make the touch experience look more fluid and inherent in the operating system.
Users can now use three- or four-finger gestures to scan applications and open Task View. Microsoft has also added a brand new touch keyboard with SwiftKey themed support and a new emoji board integration with support for things like gifs. For users who use a pen, the Pen Workspace has been updated with a new user interface and the ability to pin any application to the Pen Quick Start Bar.
You can also configure what a single tap does, a double tap and a tap and hold on the Surface Pen. You can open any application or function of your choice.
Windows 11 has a new Microsoft Store
One of the big announcements of Windows 11 is that Microsoft is building a brand new App Store. This new Microsoft Store app has a new user interface that matches the rest of Windows 11. The company is also changing some of the policies that govern the type of apps that are allowed.
With the new Microsoft Store, application developers can now submit unpacked Win32 applications in .exe or .msi format. Developers can also use their own content delivery networks and their own trading platforms, without Microsoft reducing its revenue. This will open the door to almost any application on the Windows platform that will be registered and found in the Microsoft Store by end users.
Microsoft says it's adding its own apps, including Teams, Office and Visual Studio, in the new Microsoft Store to show the world that it really cares about this new Store effort and that it hopes other app developers like Mozilla and Adobe will follow suit.
Microsoft also announced that Android applications, such as TikTok, will be supported on Windows 11 and the new Microsoft Store. Android app support will not ship with Windows 11 on initial boot. It should be put to a preview test in the fall of 2021 and is expected to reach Windows 11 by 2022 at the earliest.
Windows 11 will have an important update every year
Microsoft has announced that with Windows 11, the company will only release one major feature update a year. With Windows 10, Microsoft tried to send two major updates to the operating system, but often struggled to do so without major bugs causing end users.
A return to a single feature update a year will align Windows 11 with the rest of the competition and give Microsoft more time to develop new features for each new release, making each new release more substantial than before. Windows 11 is expected to ship this fall, which probably means we'll get a new feature update at the end of each year.
Windows 11 will be a free upgrade. What price will they have?
As mentioned above, Windows 11 will be offered as a free upgrade for Windows 10 users. Microsoft says there is no time limit on this, which means you will not need to upgrade to Windows 11 immediately if you do not want to.
We will not see them again extortionate messages of years past, who urged us to upgrade from Windows 7 and 8.1 to Windows 10, otherwise we will lose the possibility permanently, and other such side effects of the company.
However, new users will have to pay for it license Windows 11. The license itself isn't free, but if you upgrade from Windows 10, you can keep your license and thus have Windows 11 activated. That's exactly how it worked with the transition from Windows 7 and Windows 8 to Windows 10.
We also expect that Windows 11 will be available for consumer markets, such as Windows 10. Their price on store shelves has not yet been announced, but logically it will be exactly what Windows 10 costs now. OEM versions will be much cheaper and will have to do with Microsoft's agreement with every computer manufacturer.
Will there be a Windows 11 Insider program?
Just like Windows 10, users will be able to sign in to Windows Insider and install preview versions of Windows 11. Microsoft has already released several official Windows 11 previews for Insiders, which means you can start testing Windows 11 even today!
