Like many people I was under the impression that Windows 10 was here to stay, would keep evolving with a new version every 6 months and there would never be a Windows 11. Surprise Surprise on the 24th June 2021 Microsoft announced there would be a Windows 11 after all and it will be available late 2021 or early 2022. I say surprise surprise because there has been a leaked build of a new Operating System doing the rounds and as that aroused suspicions some people checked Microsoft's Support Life Cycle page only to see it confirmed in black and white that support for Windows 10 would end on October 14th 2025. Remarkably Windows 10 will have been around for just over 10 years by that date but the key thing being that the setting of an end of support date meant a new Operating System was on its way.
The good news is that as with Windows 10 a free upgrade to Windows 11 will be available. The bad news is that many machines manufactured before 2016 won't meet the minimum criteria to enable them to get the upgrade. If your machine was designed for Windows 10 the likelihood is that it will be okay but if you have already upgraded from Windows 7 or 8 (or even XP / Vista) to Windows 10 the likelihood is that you won't be able to upgrade again and you will need to stick with Windows 10 until it expires in 2025 or buy new. In my experience almost any machine up to 10 years old would run Windows 10 but the minimum requirements are much stricter for Windows 11.
If you would like to do an early check on your own Computer you can do sohere. Most of the requirements are fairly standard and easily met but unfortunately one or two weren't present in older Computers. In brief you require :-
1 GHz or Faster Processor with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64 bit Processor 4 GB RAM 64 GB or more Storage Space UEFI Secure Boot capable Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 A Graphics Card that is DirectX 12 capable / WDDM 2.x A greater than 9" Display with HD resolution A Microsoft Account and Internet connectivity for Windows 11 Home
The things that are going to catch people out are those that probably go over the head of a standard Home PC user. For instance my own Computer that was designed for Windows 8.1 has a Graphics Card that is DirectX 12 compatible but is only WDDM (Windows Display Driver Module) 1.3. If you want to check this for yourself you can hit the Windows button and R to display the run command box and enter dxdiag. On the first screen (System) you will see your Direct X version towards the bottom of the page. If you move to the next page (Display) you will see your WDDM version on the right hand side. Those with Tower Desktop PC's will have the option to fit a higher specification Graphics card but those with All in One's or Laptops will have a problem. The TPM 2.0 chip is also a fairly recent addition to System Boards and many older PC's won't have it. It will be interesting to see as the launch date nears whether Microsoft alter their minimum requirements to be more inclusive. At this stage they may simply be ensuring that nobody tries a preview build of an Operating System that isn't compatible with their Computer.
I will save most of the new features for a later blog but the Home screen looks fairly familiar although the Start Button has moved to the centre of the taskbar along with the other icons to make it look similar to Apple's dock . This can be changed back if so desired. The Operating System has been optimised to work with multiple monitors and it's claimed will remember exactly where you have positioned windows if you disconnect and reconnect monitors at a later date. Windows updates will be much smaller and there will only be one big update per year. Microsoft will also be integrating Teams into the Taskbar. The popularity of Zoom during the lockdown has seen a big hit on Skype so Microsoft are fighting back by integrating Teams. Finally there are some major gaming improvements as well as a re-work of the Microsoft Store.
Needless to say you won't be needing any help with Windows 11 just yet but if you are considering a new PC in the near future you may require advice on what to buy in order to receive a free Windows 11 upgrade or whether to hold back with your purchase. As always Churchdown Computers are more than happy to help. Just call Mark on 07557 483438, e-mail mark@churchdowncomputers.co.uk or fill out the form at the bottom of theContact page.
