Should You Switch To Windows 11?

I am always hesitant to upgrade my work computer with newer Windows versions. I want a PC that runs the OS it was built for. There are numerous features added in the upgrade, but the new OS is still comparable to Windows 10.

When not to upgrade

This is not the Windows 7 vs. Windows 8 debate. There are great features added in the upgrade, but nothing that will revolutionize your workflow or save you from daily crashes.

Using an older system

Maybe you have an older computer designed for Windows 10. Don’t expect all manufacturers to start providing proper Windows 11 drivers.

They will give you something that works and get on with it. They don’t all do it, but enough of them do for me to feel the need to warn you.

In this case, you should continue using Windows 10, and security patches will be issued until the end of 2025. You will most likely upgrade your PC by then.

Design

Centered Taskbar. Just kidding, wanted to point out that you can change the taskbar’s position. It’s just a setting. Right-click on the empty space on your taskbar, click Taskbar Settings, then click Taskbar behaviors and change the Taskbar alignment setting. Your options are Left and Centre, with Centre set as default.

With all that, maybe you’re not a fan of the design. I know it is important for some people to avoid change. Maybe they want to keep the familiarity of their current OS for as long as possible, or maybe they don’t want to learn to use it in a new environment, even though it is as easy as it is to pick up. Or maybe you like the tiles.

You're not alone

Don’t feel left out. There are plenty of Windows 10 users around. At the time I was writing this article, more than half of Windows installations are Windows 10. There will still be plenty of Windows 10 users by 2025 as well. And that’s because it’s a great OS.

Reasons to upgrade

I don’t usually like to upgrade my work computer with major updates, but I cannot give my usual reason for waiting it out until they figure out the main issues, as it has been out for enough time for it to show its stability. And it’s quite stable.

Easy to pick up

Windows 11 might look like a different OS than its predecessor, but they are very similar. You will feel right at home if you used Windows 10 before.

Thinking about it, this could be a reason not to upgrade. This will also convince many users of other platforms to join in the Windows fun, as it is easy to learn to use the newer OS.

It’s needed for newer systems

Just as you can imagine, Windows 11 was designed for newer systems. So, if you have a new system, you might want to upgrade as proper drivers for your system could be buggy or not made available. You could need to upgrade to avoid bugs and various optimization issues.

Using Android apps

The WSA, or Windows Subsystem for Android will allow you to run Android apps in Windows 11.

Microsoft guides you to only install applications from the Amazon Appstore, but you can also use ADB (Android Debugging Bridge) to sideload Android applications to your device.

My opinion

When the time when Microsoft stops issuing updates for Windows 10 comes, you will need to upgrade. Until then, if you are happy with the older version, keep using it. It's not that Windows 11 is not great, it’s just that its predecessor is good enough.

For me, Windows 11 is the way to go. I actually dual-booted Windows 10 and 11 because I was testing an app, and the weird thing is Windows 11 feels faster, but they perform very similarly.

The moment I open the browser or an app, I forget which OS I use. That is until I want to manage multiple windows when Windows 11 comes for the win with its advanced snap layouts.