What makes Windows 11 different from Windows 10 and what changes have been made? Here is a list of the top 10 changes in Windows 11:
#1 Security Requirement
Windows 11 requires that it is installed on a device that has a TPM chip. A TPM chip is a special chip used for encryption and enables it to protect data, passwords, and its new facial recognition software, Windows Hello.
#2 Sign Up Requirement
Windows 11 also requires new installs to have a Microsoft Account. This is used for Microsoft Apps that you download or purchase from the Microsoft Store so you can access it across devices. It also allows you to manage your devices from a cloud portal. There is a workaround to install Windows 11 without an account, which will be detailed on a future blog post.
#3 DirectStorage API
Gamers will love this one. The DirectStorage API enables the graphics card to load game data directly from SSD storage, bypassing the CPU. In this new architecture, the graphics card does all the processing of game data while being supported by the CPU. This new method will significantly increase performance and experience for gamers and people who use graphics cards for intensive workloads.
#4 Auto HDR
Auto HDR is another feature of Windows 11 that gamers will love. Auto HDR is an operating system level feature that enhances the brightness and contrast of pixels resulting in better luminescence. This results in a better-quality image that makes colors more vibrant while maintaining granular details.
#5 Android Apps for Windows
Windows 11 now provides emulation for Android Apps through Android Apps for Windows. Currently, you can only download apps from the Amazon App store natively. However, there are workarounds to let you install and use apps from the Google Play store, which will be detailed in a future post.
#6 Multiple Desktops
Windows 11 provides an icon in the task bar that provides you the ability to create more desktops and then switch between them. You can customize each desktop for specific use cases, like work and home. They can have their own wallpaper, theme, icons and have separate windows opened in each.
#7 Microsoft Teams Home Edition
Microsoft Teams has been added to Windows 11 as a Home Edition. This allows for a person to make audio and video calls as well as chat (similar to Facebook Messenger). It does not however include the professional features found in the commercial grade Teams, which include calendaring, file collaboration, and Teams Sites.
#8 Dictation with Grammar
Dictation has reached a new level of sophistication in Windows 11. With Dictation, Microsoft will auto-correct and self-heal sentences created with voice. Typing may never go away, but Microsoft is making voice-to-text much easier and more efficient.
#9 Windows Snap
With Windows 10, we had the ability to snap windows to the right-side or left-side of the screen. Snap in Windows 11 provides for six different configurations with up to four snapped windows depending on the configuration selected. This is great for larger monitors that have a lot of real estate for extra windows.
#10 Windows Updates
Microsoft has achieved a new way of packaging updates and therefore are able to reduce the size of update packages by 40%. This means much less bandwidth and time is consumed downloading the latest patches. This is very relevant as ISPs are capping download bandwidth per month and charging for overages.