Windows 11 first impressions

Other Chit-Chat
#1

As I am typing this, Windows Update is downloading the Windows 11 update for my computer. I’ve already backed up my data, documents, games, CAD files, etc. Before I actually click the install button, I wanted to see if I could get any first impressions from others who have been able to get it.

I know release versions are usually a little bit of a dumpster fire with quick patches coming out within weeks of release (at least at that seems to be Microsoft’s schedule.) So I am not too terribly worried about bugs that seem to be popping up. I just want to know peoples initial thoughts on what Windows 11 is doing differently from prior versions.

2 Likes
#2

I haven’t installed it, partially because I’m not a fan, but partially because my laptop is apparently incapable of supporting Windows 11 - it’s got a first gen Ryzen CPU.
My impressions so far though, based on what I’ve heard, are mostly that it doesn’t really offer too much more than win10 does, and adds a lot of visual changes I’m not a fan of either.
I’m sticking with 7 on offline machines and probably switching to Ubuntu from 10 on online machines.
I’m curious to know if Windows 11 is actually going to deliver performance improvements, especially compared to some optimized forms of Linux, though, so if anyone knows I’d love to hear thoughts on performance compared to 10, 7/XP, and Linux.

3 Likes
#3

If it wasn’t for a certain set of applications that have only been developed for Windows based environments that I need for my major (Autodesk, ePlan, Solid Edge, a few more to come down the line), I would have probably switched to some flavor of Debian Linux to daily drive a while ago. (I did carry two laptops in my senior year of high school just so I could use my own Linux top instead of the school Windows top they gave me, I ran Mint back then)

I have 11 installed now, its… interesting. My first thought was that it had the look of a Chromebook. So far, everything seems to run fine, which I am not surprised by. (My taste in UI changes with the cycle of the moon, but I can see this growing on me)

Because my laptop is a thin and light 2-in-1 (I have an eGPU desktop setup for more graphics heavier processing tasks.) I am enjoying some of the new touch interface options, for the few times I am in tablet mode.

If there is one thing I can tell right off the bat is better is battery life. I need to watch it closely, but I already can tell I’ve decreased battery usage in daily tasks, and I could probably tune it further if I played around in settings for a bit.

I haven’t played with it much yet, because classes got in the way this morning, but Android app support could make it or break it for this Windows version. I’ve got the Amazon app store up and running, and apparently someone has already gotten the Google app store to run and has posted instructions on how to, but it isn’t official.

#4

Not gonna “upgrade” to 11 mostly because i have a lot of QOL applications that break with every window 10 update and probably wont be supported. I hate windows update so much even after disabling the update application it still prompts them

#5

If not for Solidworks I think someone on my team would have switched team computers to linux already lol…

I know solidworks is the main reason I haven’t switched to linux yet, although I am getting a new computer so I guess I’ll dual boot that.

1 Like