Don’t you love it when your computer updates? You get the *ding* of a notification, you race to settings, begin the update, and eagerly await the newest features. On Oct. 5, 2021, Windows 11 launched and replaced the six year old, largely outdated, Windows 10. As a Windows user, the combination of updated visuals and new features makes Windows 11 a far superior operating system.
Let’s start with the pros: an essential revamp of visuals, the updated multitasking function, and the new widgets feature.
Examples of updated visuals from Windows 11
The six-year-old design of Windows 10 featured an array of unappealing sharp corners and harsh visuals, which contrasted with many applications designs, like Google’s venture into rounded corners. As shown in the image above, many app icons now feature rounded corners and a smoother look. Windows 11 brings softer visuals throughout the system, which is overall easier on the eyes and much more appealing and comfortable to look at.
Windows 11 showcases a new feature: widgets
As shown in Apple’s iOS 14 update, widgets have become an integral part of phones, and Windows 11 brings this handy functionality into play for computers. When you click on the new widget shortcut on the taskbar (or simply swipe from the left edge of the screen) you are greeted with a customizable layout of widgets (with rounded edges!) and a news feed curated for your tastes. Although live tiles (small snapshots of app – i.e. the temperature for the day) are used to provide a similar functionality, widgets are an amazing replacement, allowing for more information at a mere glance.
Multitasking options available in Windows 11
Multitasking is an essential part of today’s computing, and Windows 11 provides easier access to multiple windows or applications filling the screen. In Windows 10, multitasking was cumbersome; only those well-versed users had ready access to this essential feature. The actual execution of the task was simple (dragging a window to the edge of the screen and holding for a few seconds); however, it was not a widely broadcasted feature, so many users had no knowledge of this feature. Now, users simply hover over the “maximize” button and choose the layout they wish to use; multitasking is also more visible, as it is now a visual feature (as shown in picture above).
Oftentimes, I will be doing homework and need to access multiple windows or applications at once, and multitasking has allowed me to achieve that. Imagine you are making a presentation for history class, but you need to see your notes, the presentation, and the project outline all at the same time. Instead of flipping back and forth between tabs or windows, you can view this information with simply a glance instead of having to toggle between apps.
Left: Start menu Right: Search function
Now the single con (*cue the dramatic music*): the change of the search feature. In Windows 10, there was an easily accessible search bar embedded in the task bar. You could simply start typing and search within the system. Now, the search function is an icon placed on the taskbar, meaning you have to click on the icon, make your way to the search bar, then search, which, in my opinion, is way too much clicking. Also, the search and start menus have become largely similar, as shown in the images above. They both feature shortcuts to apps and a search bar; I find this to be unnecessarily redundant.
Overall, Windows 11 is a great success. The layout and visuals are better, widgets have been added for information at a glance, and multitasking is much easier. All-in-all, Windows 11 is Microsoft’s best operating system to date. If you have a Windows-based computer, I highly recommend you update to Windows 11, as it is far superior to Windows 10 in many ways.
