Time to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11?

[MotCO]

I currently run a laptop with Windows 10, but it has progressively been getting slower and slower. I have reset Windows 10, and it did seem to run better, but it is now slowing down again.

Two questions:
1. Would Microsoft deliberately update Windows 10 to run slower, encouraging users to swap to Windows 11?
2. Is Windows 11 a better version than Windows 10, and would updating to Windows 11 improve my laptop's speed?

Thank you.

 

[yorkie]

I currently run a laptop with Windows 10, but it has progressively been getting slower and slower. I have reset Windows 10, and it did seem to run better, but it is now slowing down again.

Two questions:
1. Would Microsoft deliberately update Windows 10 to run slower, encouraging users to swap to Windows 11?

No; we know that Apple have been caught deliberately reducing the life of batteries but there is no way Microsoft would do as described.

Besides, if they had done, I would know about it, given one of my jobs involves maintaining several hundred Win 10 PCs.

2. Is Windows 11 a better version than Windows 10, and would updating to Windows 11 improve my laptop's speed?

Thank you.

I am not convinced Windows 11 is 'better' but I am holding off for as long as I can! I'll probably do my own devices when forced to update all our work ones.

 

[Sun Chariot]

I updated my HP Omen laptop's OS to Win11 as soon as it was released.
I find Win11 more slick and quick in general, compared to Win10.
I find security patches and other OS updates, install more quickly in Win11.

 

[Bayum]

The only thing I have disliked about Win.11 is that it wants to automatically show and maintain all the usual folders and subfolders like docs, downloads etc cloud-based and I’m having to navigate my way every day to find the non-cloud versions.

 

[Crossover]

It’s unlikely to speed up on Windows 11, and that’s assuming your device supports Windows 11. You may need to look to the hardware initially, and particularly the type of storage device, whether a mechanical hard drive or a more modern solid state drive

 

[Harpers Tate]

Unusually for me - I have held off the latest update and will continue to do so for as long as I can or until they "fix" it or make user-configurable changes to it. I have several machines and I have installed it on a couple of lighter-used ones so I can see for myself. And for me (accepting that everyone's views and priorities differ) the issues are just two annoyances; annoying enough to keep me away.

1: The taskbar is not resizable and it's much bigger (i.e. wastes too much screen) than the small option on Win10. There is a registry hack for that (why should that be needed?) but it spoils the display of the clock. Let me resize it without doing registry edits, please.

2: The context menu is two layers with what they consider the main things on top and the rest under a click. So - an extra two clicls for each and every use of one of these items. Again - let me choose this behaviour.

If your machine is slowing down then Win11 won't cure it any more than a fresh install of 10 would.

 

[Magdalia]

I am not an expert, so I'm interested in the views of those who are.

This morning, when I fired up my desktop pc, I had one of Microsoft's occasional attempts to get me to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11. Fortunately I found the fairly well hidden decline option while still half asleep.

I also have a laptop, that I don't use much, partly because it has Windows 11.

The taskbar is not resizable and it's much bigger (i.e. wastes too much screen) than the small option on Win10.

The only thing I have disliked about Win.11 is that it wants to automatically show and maintain all the usual folders and subfolders like docs, downloads etc cloud-based and I’m having to navigate my way every day to find the non-cloud versions.

These are both big downsides of Windows 11 for me too.

I currently run a laptop with Windows 10

How old is it? All computers get slower over time because the software updates are designed for the latest models, not old stuff. In my experience the hardware only has a life of about 8-10 years before it reaches its limit of being able to cope with advances in the software.

 

[gg1]

The main feature of Windows 11 which annoys me is it enforces icon grouping in the taskbar, eg if you have 3 Excel files open you'll only see a single Excel icon in the taskbar which you have to hover over to see the individual file icons.

In every earlier versions of Windows you would see 3 separate icons, far more user friendly when you need to switch between files. Windows 10 did default to grouping too but you could easily ungroup them in the settings, 11 removed the ungrouping option.

 

[davews]

The main feature of Windows 11 which annoys me is it enforces icon grouping in the taskbar, eg if you have 3 Excel files open you'll only see a single Excel icon in the taskbar which you have to hover over to see the individual file icons.

In every earlier versions of Windows you would see 3 separate icons, far more user friendly when you need to switch between files. Windows 10 did default to grouping too but you could easily ungroup them in the settings, 11 removed the ungrouping option.

I use Startallback https://www.startallback.com which restores all these features and a more normal start menu. OK third party and MS is negative to it but has worked for me for the past year.
This machine was bought new with W11 on it. My other two, Windows 10, machines are incompatible with W11 and will remain as they are.

 

[bspahh]

With a laptop, I use the standard Windows version from when it was new, and then let it keep updated.

When I got a laptop with Windows 11 I was annoyed with the changes to the task bar, so I installed the StartAllBack utility which was $4.99 from https://www.startallback.com/

With that installed, Windows 11 is fine for me

 

[GS250]

Windows 11 isn't particularly great at utilising memory. If you are running 16Gb though it will be more than fine.

 

[L401CJF]

I personally had Windows 10 on my gaming PC, upgraded to Windows 11 and was incredibly slow, almost made the PC unbearable to use. Constantly running updates and random processes in the background which apparently can't be disabled like they could on Windows 10. Even if you disabled certain processes they would un disabled themselves.

Since switched back to Windows 10 Pro and its like a completely different PC! Would never go to Win 11 again!!

 

[Markdvdman]

My work PC is on Windows 10 as it is not on the upgrade list. All my PCs and laptops are on Windows 11 Pro, but dual beat with either Linux Mint or Zorin OS. Each Linux distro is on either an SSD or M.2 NVmE. I find Windows 11 fine has its quirks but first thing I always do is move the menu system from centre to left!

 

[kristiang85]

I use both - 11 on my work computer, 10 on my personal. Generally I prefer 10's interface, but I have no problems with 11.

 

[nlogax]

11 is fine, actually I rather like it and this is coming from a hardened Mac user. I've been using W11 on my gaming PC since it first saw the light of day and now it's made its way to VDI sessions at work.

 

[GusB]

I currently run a laptop with Windows 10, but it has progressively been getting slower and slower. I have reset Windows 10, and it did seem to run better, but it is now slowing down again.

Two questions:
1. Would Microsoft deliberately update Windows 10 to run slower, encouraging users to swap to Windows 11?
2. Is Windows 11 a better version than Windows 10, and would updating to Windows 11 improve my laptop's speed?

Thank you.

I have what would probably be considered to be a fairly elderly PC (purchased in 2012) that originally came with Windows 7 Professional. I took advantage of the free upgrade to Windows 10 when it was available and it was running fine for a few years before I noticed that performance was starting to degrade. I had always intended to upgrade the memory (it's now 8GB instead of 4 - I can't go any higher, sadly) but biggest boost came from switching to a solid state drive. The cut in the amount of time the computer takes to boot was worth it alone. If you still have a mechanical hard drive, I'd definitely recommend upgrading.

Unfortunately I've gone as far as I can go without having to buy a new machine. Mine isn't compatible with Windows 11 and, while I'm aware that there are some workarounds to get 11 installed in certain cases, it's really not worth the faff when it still works as required. The way I see it, by upgrading the main drive and the RAM, it feels like having a brand new computer for a relatively small outlay.

 

[adc82140]

None of my machines will support Windows 11, so no risk of being quietly "upgraded".

However I have discovered that my laptop runs Linux Mint very nicely. It's a shame I have one piece of software that requires Windows, or my desktop PC would be heading that way as well.

 

[Markdvdman]

Yuo could try Wine and Lutris in Mint? However, as I find in Linux, I need Impero Connect and AnyDvd to work and they just do not sadly as of yet!

 

[adc82140]

Yuo could try Wine and Lutris in Mint? However, as I find in Linux, I need Impero Connect and AnyDvd to work and they just do not sadly as of yet!

I've tried Wine, the bit of software requiring Windows worked, but it requires online activation, and each time I restarted it, it thought it was on a new device and wanted another activation.

 

[Lucan]

Apple have been caught deliberately reducing the life of batteries but there is no way Microsoft would do as described.

That's funny, given Microsoft's long history of dirty tricks.

 

[yorkie]

That's funny, given Microsoft's long history of dirty tricks.

I don't think any trick has come quite close to this? Do you think they would actually do as described? I can't imagine they would get away with it, and the negative publicity would be atrocious!

I really don't think @MotCO has anything to worry about in this respect. Whether or not they should upgrade is a good question but there is surely no way their performance is being deliberately degraded; would you agree?

 

[DaleCooper]

None of my machines will support Windows 11, so no risk of being quietly "upgraded".

However I have discovered that my laptop runs Linux Mint very nicely. It's a shame I have one piece of software that requires Windows, or my desktop PC would be heading that way as well.

I dumped Windows for Ubuntu (Linux) a few years ago and it does everything I want with less hassle. I think Windows specific software is the only reason to use Windows.

 

[yorkie]

I dumped Windows for Ubuntu (Linux) a few years ago and it does everything I want with less hassle. I think Windows specific software is the only reason to use Windows.

Maybe for an individual user, but not for organisations.

 

[adc82140]

Maybe for an individual user, but not for organisations.

Is there the ability to run Linux in an "enterprise" environment? The organisation I work for is weaning itself off Microsoft Office, but I think they are stuck with Windows forever.

 

[Crossover]

Is there the ability to run Linux in an "enterprise" environment? The organisation I work for is weaning itself off Microsoft Office, but I think they are stuck with Windows forever.

Definitely and I know of people that do but I’d say it’s very much a niche

 

[MotCO]

Many thanks for all your input. Bizarrely, my laptop has sped up a bit after the latest update was installed, but was a bit slower earlier today, probably because a scan or something was running in the background.

My RAM is 8 GB, and I often use about 75% of this - maybe I should upgrade to 16 GB.

Based on the comments of users of Windows 11, I will stick with Windows 10 for as long as possible.

 

[nlogax]

Is there the ability to run Linux in an "enterprise" environment? The organisation I work for is weaning itself off Microsoft Office, but I think they are stuck with Windows forever.

Front-end systems are nearly always going to be Windows, but Linux share in the application servers / services space is huge.

 

[david1212]

It’s unlikely to speed up on Windows 11, and that’s assuming your device supports Windows 11. You may need to look to the hardware initially, and particularly the type of storage device, whether a mechanical hard drive or a more modern solid state drive

For an Intel CPU it must be at least 8th generation i.e i3/5/7-8nnn for Windows 11. I do not know about AMD.
eBay sellers etc 'fudge' Windows 11 onto older systems but as I understand it will not update.

For Windows 10 both at least 8GB memory and a solid state drive make a big difference. If you have limited funds but only 4GB memory or a tradition hard drive you will gain by upgrading. Even if you have to dump the existing memory 8GB and a 240/250GB or even 480/500GB Sata SSD I guess at most £50 on eBay.

I dumped Windows for Ubuntu (Linux) a few years ago and it does everything I want with less hassle. I think Windows specific software is the only reason to use Windows.

I'm lumbered with Windows 10 at work. They will have to invest in new hardware for Windows 11.

For home when Windows 10 and the bi-annual upgrades were announced I investigated Linux and have not looked back. Initially Mint but now Debian with the KDE plasma desktop. I would have stayed with Mint expect it will not rescale the screen well. I used to only buy laptops with a 1366 x 768 screen but most now are 1920 x 1080 while the few that are not are low specification. The laptop I am using now is i5th 7th generation but an i5 4th generation with 8GB ram and a SSD isn't that much slower to start up and for website browsing.
I set up dual boot with Windows 10 but have never needed to use it. I have one that is an i5 8th generation so sometime will set that up with Windows 11 and Debian.

I have a laptop that never goes on line running Windows 7 for a few applications. Also a desktop PC that is dual boot Windows 98 & XP that is primarily used for DVD editing after VHS to DVD transfer using a recorder and scanning. While it keeps working no incentive to set up a replacement running Windows 7 / 10 / 11 or buy a new scanner.

 

[D365]

It’s unlikely to speed up on Windows 11, and that’s assuming your device supports Windows 11. You may need to look to the hardware initially, and particularly the type of storage device, whether a mechanical hard drive or a more modern solid state drive

I agree with this. Unless one running a specialist ’lightweight’ operating system, changing the version won’t make a device any faster. Unless there’s something drastically wrong with the installed software, it’s RAM and storage devices (hard drive vs SSD) that are the critical factors.

 

[Crossover]

For an Intel CPU it must be at least 8th generation i.e i3/5/7-8nnn for Windows 11. I do not know about AMD.
eBay sellers etc 'fudge' Windows 11 onto older systems but as I understand it will not update.

TPM v2 as well, I believe