Quick Overview of Windows 11
Here’s a quick update for you about Windows 11 which is started rolling out on October 5, 2021.
Short Takes:
Status (at publishing of this article) of Windows 11 at Solve Business Services – Windows 11 is in test on multiple devices and we are putting it through it’s paces.
The Windows 11 upgrade from Windows 10 is free and offered to qualifying devices. We expect the first devices to see Windows 11 will be the higher end, newer machines (with the best chance at being successful and not making bad press for Microsoft) and then older machines that meet the minimum spec.
If you have a high-end computer you may see Windows 11 anytime from October 5th but expect the majority of users will begin seeing Windows 11 later in 2021 or maybe into 2022 unless the user goes looking for the update.
So far our Windows 11 experience has been extremely positive and we have upgraded a HP Z1 (i7-10700 CPU, 64GB, 512GB), a Microsoft Surface Laptop 3 (i5-1035G7 CPU, 8GB, 256GB) and several Acer Travelmate P214 laptops (i5-1035G7 CPU, 8GB, 256GB). All went smoothly and have all been really stable and on these relatively new computers the upgrade too about an hour to complete, if your computer is a bit older then expect a little longer.
All existing applications continue to work on Windows 11 just as well as when they were running on Windows 10 before the upgrade.
Our Windows 11 Position
Right now is there’s no immediate need to rush to Windows 11 but if you are offered the upgrade by Windows Update and want to proceed with it then do so but we recommend you give us a call first to discuss especially if this is your first one.
If you are offered Windows 11 via Windows Update then your computer meets the required specs and you can expect to have a good experience with the upgrade and Windows 11 has proven itself to be stable in our testing.
You should allow about an hour for the upgrade and expect some user interface differences. We’re compiling a list of things to know and will publish a new post soon explaining the Windows 11 things to know and how to find some of the Windows 10 things that moved.
At the time of writing (October 2021) there are many IT providers holding their customers back, preventing them from using the latest technology and limiting their ability to adopt the latest tools and techniques, that is not Solve Business Services!
Yes we’re a business but we’re a technology focussed business, and we got into technology because technology and people is what we like!
We like new tech things and we’re keen to help customers adopt new tools and technology.
We don’t want to be the department of “NO” so if you want to upgrade to Windows 11 we won’t try to stop you but please give us the heads up.
Ideally we recommend you try Windows 11 on a spare PC or a PC and have a look over it before you upgrade your main PC.
Note: This is a summary article, designed to provide quick answers. Please check the full requirements and do your own research before you do any upgrades or make purchasing decisions based on this article.
Will there be issues with Win11 ?
It’s a common question and many want to wait for the first service pack or major revision after the initial release of any new Operating System. In this case I’d say that’s being a little over cautious but everyone has their own tolerance towards risk or percieved risk. We point to the extensive testing performed by Microsoft and their Insider Community and it’s looking like the issues will be few and far between and that for most users they are unlikely to have any major hassles.
Part of the stability in Windows 11 is that it’s born out of Windows 10 which has been refined over many years and Windows 11 isn’t having to deal with old hardware because Microsoft are only offering Windows 11 to eligible devices but we’ve all been in IT or using tech long enough to know never say never but our experience thus far has been very positive.
What does Win11 look like ?
Windows 11 looks a little different to Windows 10 and you can see more about the look and feel of Windows 11 here: New Windows 11 OS
Do I have to Upgrade ?
Windows 11 will be optional.
You can stay on Windows 10 until October 2025 however we view Windows 11 as a worthwhile upgrade bringing more security capabilities and increased reliability as outlined in Microsoft’s Update on Windows 11 minimum system requirements and the PC Health Check app from the Windows Insider Blog.
Can my PC run Windows 11 ?
Not all devices can run Windows 11 due to elevated hardware requirements.
Roughly speaking if your PC is newer than Q3 2019 then there’s a decent chance it will run Windows 11.
If you want to if check your computer can run Windows 11 you need to install the PC Health Check app from https://aka.ms/GetPCHealthCheckApp
Then you can check your device:
The hardware details are outlined here: Windows 11 Specs and System Requirements | Microsoft
Here’s a Hardware Requirements Summary…
CPU Requirements
See this list: Windows Processor Requirements | Microsoft Docs
Intel CPU minimums (summary):
- Intel i3 from i3-8100 (Q4’17) onwards
- Intel i5 from i5-8200Y (Q3’18) onwards
- Intel i7 from i7-8086K (Q2’18) onwards and a handful of earlier i7 7th Generation
TPM 2.0 is Required
The Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a chip that is either integrated into your PC’s motherboard or added separately into the CPU. Its purpose is to help protect encryption keys, user credentials, and other sensitive data behind a hardware barrier so that malware and attackers can’t access or tamper with that data.
PCs of the future need this modern hardware root-of-trust to help protect from both common and sophisticated attacks like ransomware and more sophisticated attacks from nation-states. Requiring the TPM 2.0 elevates the standard for hardware security by requiring that built-in root-of-trust.
TPM 2.0 is a critical building block for providing security with Windows Hello and BitLocker to help customers better protect their identities and data. In addition, for many enterprise customers, TPMs help facilitate Zero Trust security by providing a secure element for attesting to the health of devices.
Other Requirements
BIOS must be UEFI and Secure Boot capable
Graphics Card – Compatible with DirectX 12 or later with WDDM 2.0 driver
Storage – 64GB or larger storage device
Keen to seek out the Windows 11 Upgrade ?
Ok, if you are feeling brave and have a spare, non critical computer to test with…
- A non critical computer is one which you don’t need to have working to do your job and you won’t be calling us for support on it should the upgrade not go smoothly.
- It must meet the minimum specifications for Windows 11 too.
If that sounds like you then you can use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant to do an inplace upgrade of your computer to Windows 11.
Upgrading Computers ?
If you are considering upgrading computers then let’s have a chat and make sure you get the right equipment and there are chip shortages to factor in.
Our general recommendation these days is to make laptops your go to for the flexibility they bring to the table but lets discuss if you are looking at this.
If you want to discuss Windows 11 or anything else then please contact us for a chat.