We've had a lot of our clients calling recently to check whether to allow their computer to upgrade to Windows 11 yet. Initially, we encouraged them to wait while all the quirks that come with any new system get ironed out. Here's what we found.
We upgraded one of our office machines quite early. For us it was a good opportunity to test out the new format and watch for any issues that might be likely to impact our clients. While there were a few quirks initially that Microsoft resolved quite quickly with updates, we have found it to now be stable and performing well. In fact on some systems we have found it to improve performance and stability where there were nuisance issues in Windows 10.
A few things to consider:
Some older computers may not be capable of being upgraded due to not having certain components that have become standard in modern computers. The very first phase built into the upgrade checks whether your computer is capable, and will notify you if there are any issues.
You won't be able to upgrade your computer until it actually asks you. In the background it is needing to load the install components before it can attempt an upgrade. This cannot be manually forced.
The operating system requires about 4GB of download, so we don't recommend it be done across a mobile broadband connection if at all possible.
What's the difference between Windows 10 and 11?
In terms of every day function, the main difference is that the toolbar icons are now centred by default. This can be changed if you prefer.
The biggest benefits are in improved security. If you are using aging software that does not meet modern security standards, this upgrade may hinder performance or even function of such systems. Any software that has had regular updates to meet changing security standards should have no issue performing on Windows 11.
Most other differences aren't directly noticeable with typical operation.