Windows 11 All New Features, Specifications, And Release Date

It has been almost 3 days since Microsoft officially unveiled the sneak peeks of Windows 11.

On June 24th, Microsoft has officially revealed Windows 11, which features a big revamp and loads of new features. Windows 11 has a completely fresh look with a rejuvenated Start Menu in the Center and rounded corners. Most importantly it includes lots of productivity updates, most attractive of them is Snap layouts for running multiple apps at once and Amazon AppStore containing android apps.

Windows 11 also features new widgets for keeping you up to date with the latest news, information, and entertainment that matters most to you. Microsoft Teams integration so that you can connect instantly to the people you care about right from your desktop.

PC Gamers should be excited about the inclusion of Auto HDR which will bring improved visuals, as well as faster performance for Direct Storage-supported PCs. Business users will appreciate the ability to dock and undock again without losing their place.

So, here’s everything that you need to know about the latest Windows 11.

Microsoft will start rolling out Windows 11 in late 2021, around the holiday season, according to a Microsoft blog post published after a virtual event on Thursday. The good news is it will be an absolutely free upgrade for existing Windows 10 users, keeping in mind that their PC is meeting the minimum requirements to run Windows 11. Also, PCs that come with pre-installed Windows 11 will be available from retailers during Holiday Season.

Now if you are interested in whether your PC is meeting the minimum requirements or not, you can check the same by opening Windows.com and downloading the PC Health Check app. Although as it only gives you a binary answer, for a detailed check you can refer to the following Github link.

Microsoft reportedly plans to roll out an early build of a new operating system to its Windows Insider Program next week. Like every beta version, this won’t be a complete build with all the latest features.

Windows 11 Revamped design and Centered Start menu

Windows 11’s new look is designed to be more attractive as well as more user-friendly. Start Menu will be present at the center and you will be able to quickly find out things as per your need. This new Start Menu utilizes the essence of the cloud and MS 365 to show you your recent files, docs, and apps. no matter where you were using them, be it Android or iOS device.

The new Start menu now has a grid of selected applications and the second grid of recommended documents in comparison to the traditional Start menu having all the applications. Instead, a separate “All Apps” button will be present to show the traditional list of apps.

The new Windows 11 have more rounded corners on apps to make it look modern, fresh, clean, and beautiful. From the new Start button and taskbar to each sound, font, and icon, everything is designed in such a way that gives you superior control and brings a sense of calm and ease. From adding new colors and transitions to a new dark mode everything is designed to make content stand out.

Windows 11: Redesigned Windows Store and Android Apps

In Windows 11, Microsoft is rebuilding an all-new Microsoft Store, your single trusted location for more apps and content to watch, create, play, work, and learn. It’s been redesigned for speed and with an all-new beautiful and simple to use design. That sounds awesome, but the announcement that will be in the spotlight is the inclusion of Android apps in the Windows 11 Microsoft Store.

Starting Later this year, Microsoft says that you’ll be able to discover Android apps in Microsoft’s Store and download them through the Amazon Appstore. This new partnership of Microsoft with Amazon and Intel using their Intel Bridge technology sounds delusional at first, but Microsoft promised to reveal more information on this in the upcoming months.

Windows 11: Snap Layouts, Snap Groups, and Desktop

Windows 11 now features a total of six Snap Layouts. You can choose one of these six Snap Layouts to run multiple apps at the same time. For example, you could have simultaneously run two apps side by side. Or you can run three in columns or four in a grid, You can also choose the size of the screen each app takes, for example, one app can take 60% and another one can take 40%.

Snap Groups is an extension of Snap Layouts where Windows remembers the apps you’ve been using and allows you to make a group for them. If you’re working on something that requires multiple programs in a multi-window layout you can easily create a group out of it, and access it easily.

This grouping logic not only remembers the apps you were using, but also the snap layout you had previously. So when you click to activate that grouping, all the apps will reappear in the same layout.

The same logic applies to the new docking experience. If you unplug a laptop into an external monitor, Windows 11 will also remember the layout you had previously.

Windows 11 now lets you personalize different desktops with different wallpapers. So you can different desktops for work, school, home, or gaming, each with its own apps, settings and look and feel.

Windows 11 offers a whole new selection of Widgets- a new personalized feed powered by AI and improved browser performance of Microsoft Edge. These widgets can help you to check the weather, top news, your to-do list, stock market updates, and more.

As a user, you will be able to rearrange and resize those widgets, make them slide out to cover a portion or all of your desktop. These personalized feeds will adapt accordingly to what’s important to you so that they match your interests.

Windows 11 Gaming experience: Auto HDR and DirectStorage

Gaming has always been a big part of Windows, remember the first time when we played Road Rash or Dx-Ball? The tradition is also continuing with Windows 11. Microsoft is introducing some new features that are aimed to fully unlock the potential of your system’s hardware.

With the inclusion of Auto, HDR users will experience a far wider, more vivid range of colors for a truly captivating visual experience, without requiring app makers to reconfigure their games.

Windows 11 also adds a DirectStorage API which will enable faster game loading time by loading assets directly off the GPU and SSD without involving the CPU in the process

Finally, with Xbox Game Pass for PC or Ultimate, Microsoft’s gaming subscription service, will be built right into Windows 11 via the Xbox app.

Windows 11: Teams integration in the taskbar

Microsoft will try to make MS Teams much more mainstream by integrating it directly into Windows 11 taskbar. Now you can instantly connect through text, chat, voice, or video with all of your personal contacts no matter the platform they’re on be it Windows, Android, or iOS. You can also mute, unmute or start presenting directly from the taskbar. Even if the user that you are trying to text doesn’t have the Teams app installed, you can still connect with them via two-way SMS.

Windows 11: System requirements and how to check it

According to Microsoft, these are the minimum system requirements for running Windows 11:

• Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC)
• Memory: 4 GB
• Storage: 64 GB or larger storage device
• System firmware: UEFI, Secure Boot capable
• TPM: Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0
• Graphics card: Compatible with DirectX 12 / WDDM 2.x driver
• Display: High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9" diagonally
• Internet: Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account to complete device setup on first use.

Now if you are interested in whether your PC is meeting the minimum requirements or not, you can check the same by opening Windows.com and downloading the PC Health Check app. Although as it only gives you a yes/no answer, for a detailed check you can refer to the following Github link.

Windows 11 Stance

As a whole, Windows 11 certainly looks like a bigger emphasis on productivity and entertainment (especially gaming). The inclusion of android apps and especially the new multitasking features and the new Start menu makes it a real stand-out amongst other windows versions. To be honest I can’t wait to get my hands on it. What about you, what are the features that you liked the most, please let us know in the comments section!

Originally published at https://awkwardgen.com on June 27, 2021.