Is Windows 10 Pro Worth It

CNN —

Windows 11 is finally here, bringing the biggest update we've seen to Microsoft'south PC software in more than half a decade. It'll give your reckoner a fresh new wait, some new ways to multitask and chat with friends and a few functioning enhancements for gaming. But is that all worth upgrading for?

We've spent roughly a week with the final version of Windows 11 and have institute a lot to like most Microsoft's new operating arrangement, every bit well as a few things we'd like to see improved. If you're wondering if y'all should hitting that download push button — or buy a new Windows 11 computer — here are the biggest pros and cons to know nigh.

If y'all're ready to take the plunge right now, there are a few ways to get your hands on Windows xi in one case it starts rolling out on October. 5. Near Windows ten users are eligible to upgrade to Windows xi for free — you can run a wellness check to make sure your computer is compatible and meets the system requirements hither.

We especially recommend that those with custom-built desktops run the health bank check, every bit Windows eleven requires TPM 2.0 — a specific security module that folks who congenital their own PC might be missing. There are some workarounds for this, however. Other than that, those with a Windows laptop or desktop from the last few years should exist good to upgrade.

To see if Windows 11 is available for you, get to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click "Check for Updates." You can besides simply search "Cheque for Updates" from the Taskbar. One time you're there, follow the prompts to download the new software.

If your current estimator isn't uniform with Windows eleven — or yous're merely due for an upgrade — there are tons of Windows 11-ready PCs available right now. These include the Dell XPS thirteen, our pick for the best Windows laptop, every bit well every bit all of Microsoft's ain computers that ship with Windows 11 out of the box, such as the new Surface Laptop Studio, Surface Pro 8 and Surface Go 3. Nosotros'll take full reviews on the latest Surface range soon, just in the meantime, here are some Windows 11-compatible PCs we've tested and recommend.

The best Windows laptop: Dell XPS xiii (starting at $969; dell.com)
Our favorite Surface laptop: Surface Laptop iv (starting at $999; microsoft.com)
The best Windows gaming laptop: Asus ROG Strix G15 Reward Edition ($i,649; bestbuy.com)
The best Windows gaming desktop: MSI Aegis RS ($two,499; officedepot.com)

A much-needed new coat of paint

Microsoft

Looks aren't everything, only they're a big function of what makes Windows eleven experience like a substantial update. Microsoft's new operating system gives Windows a fresh new design that's more colorful, cleaner and easier to use, all while remaining familiar enough for Windows 10 vets to jump right into without having to relearn much.

The virtually noticeable change is the much-talked-well-nigh new Taskbar, which now sits at the center and sports a much more than minimal and attractive look that brings Macs and Chromebooks to mind. But while the Taskbar's been cleaned up visually, information technology functions largely the same.

Tapping the Windows key will bring upward the revamped Start bill of fare, which puts large app icons front and center and volition even make app recommendations based on what yous've downloaded recently. We're not entirely certain why there are both Beginning and Search icons on the Taskbar, as both function pretty similarly when information technology comes to finding recent apps and files. Simply that pocket-sized back-up aside, the cadre look and feel of Windows 11 is just cleaner and more than enjoyable to utilize.

Related: Microsoft Surface Go 3 review

But what really makes Windows xi a delight to look at are the gorgeous new themes. The software comes with six preset themes out of the box, which give yous a few choices of bold colors, beautiful background imagery and calorie-free and dark modes to aid personalize your PC.

Microsoft

We're especially partial to the Glow theme that drowns our desktop in a deep purple hue with dark mode enabled, but the blossoming blues of the default Windows xi theme are besides very prissy. If the default themes aren't your thing, yous can still customize everything from your desktop background to your accent colors — and even mix together calorie-free and dark modes for different apps.

In that location are some smaller visual upgrades that we besides appreciate, such every bit the fact that the default folders for things similar Music, Videos and Pictures come in different colors and aren't just a sea of wearisome-looking manilla icons. Combine that with pocket-sized touches like an Apple-esque control panel for quickly adjusting things like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and you've got an aesthetic that doesn't quite reinvent Windows but makes it much easier on the eyes.

Multitasking is ameliorate — and borrows one of the Mac'south all-time features

Microsoft

We've long been fans of the multitasking capabilities in Windows 10, and Windows 11 takes them a step further past borrowing liberally from macOS.

Just like on Apple's computers, y'all tin now create multiple virtual desktops, each with their own sets of open up apps. This is useful if, say, y'all desire to have a defended desktop for work stuff during the twenty-four hours earlier switching over to a gaming profile that already has Steam and Discord ready to become at nighttime. Creating and jumping between multiple desktops felt zippy in our testing, and we peculiarly similar that you can requite each virtual desktop a unlike background and name to clearly distinguish them from one another.

Typical Windows multitasking tools — such as snapping windows to dissimilar corners of the screen — feel as intuitive as ever, though there are a few new tricks you can take advantage of this time around. The software introduces new Snap Layouts, which let you to hover over a window and choose between a number of layouts that include splitting the screen between ii apps or creating a four-manner grid.

Creating Snap Layouts felt pretty smooth in our testing, though nosotros establish that certain third-party apps such as Spotify and Discord didn't quite snap perfectly into place and overlapped other windows a bit on smaller screens. It seems like developers will be able to optimize their apps for Snap Layouts, so hopefully we'll see less of these issues over time.

It'south easier to Focus

Microsoft

Focus assistance has been part of Windows for years at present, but Windows 11 does a skillful job putting it front and heart by letting y'all access it right from the Taskbar. This handy characteristic lets yous choose betwixt iii different notifications settings: Off (allow all notifications), Priority only (allow simply notifications from your apps of choice) or Alarms only (mute everything but alarms).

We found ourselves using this feature a lot, peculiarly when it came time to put our heads down and do some writing (who knew that muting Discord makes you more than productive?). It'south non something we took reward of oft on Windows 10 since it was relatively cached in menus, merely we're happy to see information technology so easily accessible this time around. Information technology's not quite as robust as the customizable Focus modes that Apple just rolled out in its latest macOS and iOS updates, merely information technology certainly seems improved for Windows xi.

The little things make a big difference

Microsoft

While Windows 11 has an all-new wait and some pregnant new features, it'southward some of the smaller touches that take really impressed the states. For example, y'all'll now come across a little icon at the bottom of the screen when your microphone is beingness used, which is a handy privacy touch on that helps bring Windows upward to parity with Apple'south software.

We also appreciate that Windows 11 now gives you a quick ETA on how long a software update will take when you choose the "Update and Shut Down" or "Update and Restart" options on your figurer. Because permit'southward face up information technology: No one likes sitting through Windows updates.

Widgets could use piece of work

Microsoft

Windows xi has a new Widgets app, which is essentially an upgraded version of Windows x's news feed and lets you see things like the atmospheric condition, sports scores, news stories and stocks at a quick glance. Notwithstanding, it feels a flake cumbersome and inflexible in its electric current state, and isn't something we've institute ourselves using a whole lot.

When you lot click the Widgets icon on your Taskbar, you'll come across a tray pop out from the left side of your screen with widgets for things like weather, photos, entertainment and sports. Yous can move these widgets around and suit their size and content, but with only 11 widgets to choose from and express sizing options, this feature doesn't feel quite as robust every bit what's out there on Apple tree and Android devices. It's probable that more widgets volition roll out over time — we'd actually like to meet ones from third-political party apps like Spotify — but the feature seems pretty lightweight in its current state.

You'll likewise become a feed of news stories below your widgets that you can personalize a chip, but nosotros wish in that location were an easier manner to customize what types of stories yous get that didn't involve having to visit a divide website. We'd likewise love the option to place Widgets direct on our desktop background. Beingness able to check the weather or take hold of upwardly on the news at a quick glance would be a lot easier to do if it didn't require an actress click.

Teams conversation isn't that great

Microsoft

Windows 11 integrates Microsoft Teams chat directly into the Taskbar, which is designed to permit you text and video call friends just equally seamlessly as you lot would using iMessage and FaceTime on a Mac. There are just two problems: The integration isn't quite as neat equally Apple tree'southward version, and, well…it's Microsoft Teams.

The new Chat from Microsoft Teams tool shows a quick listing of your friends (information technology can pull in your existing Skype and Outlook contacts, and y'all can invite anyone else by sharing a link), any of whom you tin click on to start a text chat or video phone call. It feels a bit disjointed, every bit clicking on a contact will open up a dissever Teams window. Only the bigger upshot is that, for the well-nigh part, yous'll take to get friends and family on Teams in guild to chat with them.

We tested this characteristic by sending an invite link to a few friends, one of whom mentioned having to go through a multi-pace process of logging in with their Microsoft account in social club to talk to united states. I friend wasn't fifty-fifty able to join using their Microsoft account. Nosotros likewise had to open the full Teams app to invite new contacts — this characteristic would exist a lot more useful for starting quick chats and video calls if there were a way to practise that right from the Taskbar.

Equally it stands now, Android users are better off using the Your Phone app to make calls from their Windows PC. And at present that Windows users tin join FaceTime calls with their iPhone and Mac friends (albeit in a limited, web-based chapters), Windows 11's Teams Conversation feature feels a bit niche and unintuitive in its current country.

Android app support…eventually

While the characteristic isn't bachelor at launch, Windows xi will eventually let you download proper Android apps to your computer. This will let you lot do things such as record and mail service a video to TikTok correct from your PC, co-ordinate to Microsoft, and could prove particularly useful for accessing mobile-friendly games and apps on Windows tablets such as the Surface Go 3. It'll also bring Windows machines up to parity with Chromebooks, which take had access to Android apps via the Google Play Store for a while at present.

Downloading Android apps volition work a little scrap differently on Windows 11 than information technology does on Chrome Os, as you lot'll use the Microsoft Shop to browse a selection of Android apps that are pulled from the Amazon Appstore. We'll have to get our hands on this characteristic to see how well Android apps actually piece of work on Windows eleven PCs, just Microsoft says information technology'll commencement rolling out "afterwards this year."

Some not bad updates for PC gaming

Windows 11 has a few new gaming features that are designed to make your PC games both look and run better. Merely like on the new Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S consoles, Windows 11 now supports Auto HDR, which will automatically enable High Dynamic Range in compatible games to brand them pop with more brightness and color.

Microsoft is as well promising that your games will load faster with DirectStorage, which is a technology designed to allow your system's graphics menu and processor to work more efficiently so you're spending less time staring at loading screens. Laptops and desktops that back up this feature will exist labeled as "DirectStorage Optimized," so keep an eye out for that when buying your next gaming automobile. We're looking forward to testing these features on our favorite gaming PCs and gaming laptops, but they both audio promising on paper.

Mike Andronico/CNN

We've really enjoyed our fourth dimension with Windows 11 so far, only we wouldn't call it an absolutely essential upgrade just withal — at least not for everybody. The visual refresh is really nice, and basic tasks like silencing notifications and quickly adjusting settings are all easier, thanks to some smart interface tweaks. But every fourth dimension we go back to our trusty old Windows x computer, we don't actually feel similar we're missing out on much.

Right at present you should upgrade for one of ii reasons: You're a heavy multitasker, or you simply want a better-looking Windows. Those who juggle lots of projects and apps at once will likely capeesh the ability to create multiple virtual desktops, as well as the useful tweaks Microsoft has made to snapping windows together. When you combine that with easier access to things like Focus assist, Windows 11 can actually smooth for folks looking to go serious work done.

Windows xi is ultimately more of a refresh than a full reinvention, and in some means that's a practiced thing. Well-nigh of our muscle retention from years of using Windows still holds up here — everything is but packaged more than neatly. We would as well recommend making this upgrade for any younger or less tech-savvy users in your life, equally there's merely less clutter here for them to deal with. And if you've got an older system that can't run Windows 11, you may want to consider ownership a compatible PC in the near hereafter, as Microsoft will terminate back up for Windows 10 a few years from now.

It's worth noting that like any new software update, Windows 11 will likely have its share of launch problems and bugs and will hopefully get better over time with new features, including Android app back up. So upgrade correct now if you want more robust multitasking tools and some very pretty new backgrounds — otherwise, experience free to wait for an even ameliorate Windows xi.