8 ways Windows 11 is better than Windows 10 – PCWorld

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Windows 11 isn’t bad.

Yes, we’ve called Windows 11 “unnecessary,” and still feel that the average person has no need to make the transition to an unfamiliar, restrictive operating system. But it would be unfair to say that Windows 11 hasn’t taken any steps ahead, either — yes, beyond Windows 10. So we’re calling them out.

I myself use Windows 11 on a daily basis, as part and parcel of my coverage here at PCWorld. As part of our “Windows 11 at six months” re-examination of Windows, about the only aspect of Windows 11 that I refuse to use is the Start menu. It’s simply poorly organized and offers little value.

I do think that eventually, you’ll upgrade your PC to Windows 11 if you haven’t already, so this piece puts a spotlight on some of its best bits. Rest assured that this story isn’t trying to list all of the features of Windows 11. Instead, these are the meaningful features that we think justify an upgrade. Our coverage of 6 new Windows 11 features to try first and how to make Windows 11 look like Windows 10 may also be of interest if you decide to take the leap.

A productivity-first approach

There is absolutely no way that anyone would try to work on an Xbox. That means that Microsoft can design its game console for games, with an interface, Game Pass subscription service, and Auto Resume features all designed to buy, play, and resume games as quickly as possible. Let’s face it: On the Xbox, the Edge browser is an afterthought (and a real pain to use, incidentally).

Windows itself suffers from a fundamental dichotomy: It’s an operating system for work and play. Windows 10 leans more toward fun, and Windows 11 feels optimized for a work environment. Why? Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella said it best: Windows is the “socket” for Microsoft subscriptions, and Microsoft’s most lucrative subscription is Microsoft 365, née Office. Windows 11 was therefore designed around Microsoft 365, Q.E.D.

The Windows 11 Taskbar.

Mark Hachman / IDG

That’s more than a little cynical, but okay. If the Start menu wasn’t so useless, suggesting documents to work on wouldn’t feel obtrusive. Creating a rather staid row of icons along the Taskbar and Start isn’t fun, but it helps you focus. I support that — after all, I argued that no one really wants distracting animated emoji in Teams.

Microsoft’s chief product officer, Panos Panay, tends to introduce new Surface devices in the context of “flow” and “focus”, and the redesigned Clock app’s “focus time” reflect that Microsoft is thinking hard about such things. As a consumer, I think it’s worth pushing back against this idea of “business first, fun second,” but you can’t deny Microsoft’s efforts to help you become more efficient.

It’s probably fair to say that most people don’t buy an operating system to tinker with it under the hood. But if you do need to dive into the Settings menu for a tweak, the design of new Windows 11 Settings menu certainly makes it easy to find what you need, make the change, and get out.

Settings not only uses the standard Windows 11 sidebar navigation to jump back and forth, but a new navigation system on the top of the screen allows you to move up and down a “level” quite easily. Each subsection also includes its …….

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/694934/8-ways-windows-11-is-better-than-windows-10.html

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