Windows 11 is now available: here's what you need to know

It is possible to install Microsoft's new operating system right now, but there are a few things you need to know...

Windows 11 review: A good OS, but not for today
Oct. 5, 2021
Price: Free upgrade for users of Windows 10
How to install Windows 11
Interface changes: New, rounded design
and Android apps compatibility
Integration of Xbox apps
with AutoHDR to make old games more vibrant
DirectStorage will boost Windows 10 SSD performance

A new lick of paint has been applied to Microsoft's OS with Windows 11. The desktop has a fresh relaunch, the UI has been completely overhauled, and there are major updates to Microsoft OS apps and services we rely upon. Microsoft says Windows 11 was built for gamers, though.

All of that is scheduled to arrive on October 5, 2021. The launch day build does not include many of the promised features and refurbished apps. As far as we can tell, the new Windows Store is present and correct, but we still have to wait for Android apps. AutoHDR is also present, but DirectStorage is not, and the prettified Paint is missing as well.

It wasn't clear what the future of Windows would be prior to the announcement. Changes to Windows UI, codenamed Sun Valley, were expected to be rolled out with another Windows 10 update. That's what Windows 11 is in many respects, an update to Windows 10, albeit one that Microsoft's marketing department can embrace.

What is the Windows 11 release date?

Microsoft made Windows 11 available for new machines beginning on October 5, 2021, and Windows 11 ISOs were also made available at the same time. Users can update their existing machines without waiting for a prompt, or they can install Windows 11 themselves. Microsoft expects to offer Windows 11 to every compatible machine by mid-2022, when it will start rolling out updates to existing Windows 10 users.

Windows 11 is scheduled to begin rolling out on October 5, 2021. As noted in a blog post by Panos Panay, the Chief Product Officer of Windows, "Windows 11 will be available as a free upgrade for Windows 10 PCs and on new PCs beginning this holiday season.".

Around the same time, Microsoft could also release a significant update for Windows 10, although it is likely to focus its efforts on its new OS. Until 2025, Windows 10 will still be getting updates, so there's still plenty of life left in the old dog.

Windows 11 will be available for new machines at this release date, and existing Windows 10 users will receive an update later. So don't be surprised if you haven't been offered the switch, it's probably a good thing since it means any bugs and problems will be (mostly) sorted by the time you are able to upgrade.

The assumption is that you have a TPM 2.0 compatible machine if you can upgrade.

If you want to see for yourself what all the fuss is about, you can install the Windows 11 ISO right now. We don't recommend installing it on your main machine because it is still early in the release schedule and there is a good chance that it won't work perfectly.

Windows 8 comes with a new user interface.

User interface (UI) changes are the most obvious feature of Windows 11. Microsoft has always had a tendency to mess with its interface, and Windows 11 is no exception. The existing windows have a new look, and some of the panels that overlap have been given a frosted-glass effect. In addition, the start button has moved, widgets have returned, and

In general, a softer, more rounded theme is emphasized. Instead of right-angle corners, windows now have rounded corners. It's a subtle change, but it feels different-at least when the windows aren't full screen.

Secondly, the taskbar has moved to the middle of the screen, rather than being squeezed into the bottom left corner. With a flick of a switch in the Taskbar Settings screen, you can move it back to how it worked in Windows 10.

Organizing your windows on the screen has also been given a long-overdue makeover. A drop-down palette appears when your mouse hovers over the maximize icon. This lets you select how the various windows should be arranged. Windows 10 offers some control over such things, but the capability to have windows take up a third of the screen, or a quarter, can make for a much neater layout. It's especially useful if you have a large 4K screen and you want to run multiple applications simultaneously.

Windows 11 is rumored to get rid of the Blue Screen of Death, or BSOD if you prefer. Don't worry, the BSOD acronym will remain (in English at least), but it will be changed to the Black Screen of Death.

Windows 11 redesigned Microsoft Store

Windows 11 introduces a new version of the Microsoft Store with a new interface and more apps. The new store features an easier-to-use and better-curated digital storefront. During Windows 11 announcement, Panos Panay stated, "We rebuilt for speed.". From what we've experienced so far, so far, so good. In addition, it's mostly full of apps you'd download directly from your browser, or wouldn't want to touch at all. Future updates may change that.

Windows 10 will also get a new-look Microsoft Store.

The most surprising announcement about the Microsoft Store, other than the fact that it isn't giving up just yet, is that you will be able to run Android apps on your Windows PC. Microsoft partnered with Amazon to bring its own brand of apps to the Store, but you can sideload apk files from elsewhere. It's the result of the work Intel has been doing with its Bridge Technology, but don't worry, it will also run on AMD processors.

Apps have also been added for other storefronts, such as Epic and Amazon.

As we've all been using Windows for gaming on PCs for... well forever, it's a sign that Microsoft is taking gaming seriously, something it has tended to take for granted. Microsoft claims that Windows 11 will be the fastest option for gamers, as it includes two exclusive features: Auto HDR and DirectStorage.

Also included in Windows 11 is a better integration of the Xbox app.

Games benefit from AutoHDR

Microsoft has shown off Auto HDR in the Insider Preview builds of Windows 10 for a few months now, and prior to that it was a technology used on the Xbox Series X/S. It doesn't work with every game, but any DirectX 11 game should benefit from it.

In order to take full advantage of HDR, you need a screen that supports it, but the results can be significant. There won't be as many games that are re-coded for HDR as there were originally, but it could give some games a fresh start.

Skyrim was used to demonstrate the technology at the Windows 11 announcement event, which certainly seemed more vibrant, though it did lose some of its charm. It seems to me that purists are going to shun this option, while anyone who wants to show off their HDR screen will love it.

DirectStorage lightens the CPU load

DirectStorage was originally planned to be a Windows 11 exclusive, as this is a technology that most of us have in our machines as NVMe SSDs. It now appears that the suggestion was incorrect, as a recent DirectX developer preview will also include the new feature in modern Windows 10 builds.

The DirectStorage feature will work with PCIe 3.0 SSDs, so you won't need the fastest PCIe 4.0 SSDs to take advantage of it, but we'll have to wait and see.

Game developers will be able to build games completely differently with DirectStorage because it enables faster loading of levels and textures. In addition to reducing CPU load, it could also improve performance. While that could have a negligible effect on today's gaming PCs.

This sounds like a great idea, but how will game developers accommodate the different types of drives gamers have in their computers? PC gamers, for example, still run on hard drives.

It could work in its favor that this is coming to the Xbox Series X/S, and give developers an opportunity to say you'll need a NVMe SSD to play this game. It will be a while before we start seeing games that use DirectStorage, and with PCs not getting support until Windows 11 is released at the end of the year, a lot could change before the first games supporting the technology are revealed.

How much RAM does Windows 11 require?

In terms of the processor, RAM, and graphics card, the system requirements for Windows 11 aren't too different from those for Windows 10. Currently, a Trusted Platform Module 2.0 is included, which would scupper some upgrades.

The full specifications are:

Processor: 1 GHz or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC)
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device
System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
Graphics card: DirectX 12 compatible graphics / WDDM 2.x
Display: >9-inch with HD Resolution (720p)

Internet connection: Microsoft account and internet connectivity required for setup for Windows 11 Home

Those requirements indicate that Windows 11 isn't limited to x86 CPUs, and we've already seen the Insider Preview installed on some interesting hardware. Windows 11 runs on the no-longer-humiliated Raspberry Pi 4.0, which isn't bad for an affordable system that costs only $55. Smartphones are also managing to run Windows 11.

But the issue for some lies in what Microsoft considers a 'compatible' CPU. It is not always enough to have a modern CPU to pass this test. Intel 7th Gen chips and AMD Zen do not make the cut, nor do many CPUs from the red team.

How much does Windows 11 cost?

Those who own a licensed copy of Windows 10 will be able to download the new OS upgrade for free. Due to the launch of Windows 11, anyone buying a new PC today will be eligible for a free upgrade.

The author has written about PC tech since before 3D graphics cards existed, and still vividly remembers struggling to get games to load under MS-DOS. The first time he saw Lara Croft in 3D, he had a Matrox Millenium and a 3dfx Voodoo. However, he is very pleased with how much hardware has advanced, and is particularly pleased with the latest M.2 NVMe SSDs, AMD processors, and laptops. MTG Arena is his current obsession, but he has been a long-time fan of Magic: The Gathering.