Anyone with one of the newer chips should have no trouble installing Windows 11 via Windows Update. Microsoft made a downloadable ISO disk image file for the beta Insider version available for installing Windows 11, allowing in-place upgrades or clean installations on a PC or in a virtual machine. A similar installation option is now available for the release version of Windows 11 via the Microsoft's Download Windows 11 page. Though stuttering performance may be an embarrassing issue for Microsoft's latest operating system, there are other issues affecting Windows 11 as well.
Memory leaks, compatibility issues, lack of customization options, and a jarring look with old UI elements mixed with Windows 11's latest experience round out some of the top complaints we've heard about the OS. Microsoft also made headlines ahead of Windows 11's rollout with its decision to limit upgrade eligibility to newer hardware. There are a lot of things you can do to help improve gaming performance in Windows 11, so we hope that this guide helps you get to the perfect framerates that you deserve. But, this optimization guide will also help you in day-to-day use of your PC, and isn't limited to gaming scenarios. Now, your Windows 11 installation will be free from the curse of random apps that open on startup, or Windows passively capturing video while you're playing a game.
Minor complaints aside, we like to see Microsoft giving its marquee software some attention. For the last few years, the company has focused more on its Azure cloud computing services—justifiably given that business's profitability. Windows 11 brings slick new looks, useful new tools, updated default apps, extra capabilities, and performance advances.
Perhaps that's enough to lure away some Chrome OS users or Mac users. Regardless, it's still early days for the desktop OS that's used on 1.3 billion PCs, so we look forward to Microsoft fine-tuning and perfecting Windows 11's design in future updates. I'm planning on doing a clean windows install on a new SSD I ordered recently, and I have been debating on just clean installing windows 11, but does it seem "ready enough" yet for a daily driver? Some I have asked say it's okay, others are weirdly vehemently against it but I'm suspecting that it could be just information based on old issues that have been resolved already.
The ability to assign GPU priorities on a per-application basis is a feature that Windows 11 now appears. On a desktop rig, with a single graphics card that's not a big deal, as the High performance and Power saving modes only have one GPU option. However, if you're using a gaming laptop with both, ensuring you're using the correct graphics silicon for the job is essential. Microsoft has released its latest operating system on the planet, and we've been quietly impressed by the new style, sounds, and stability. Keeping this in mind, we're still following our Windows 11 review, you shouldn't be upgrading this time. It's currently missing several of the key features, and any genuine reason to update your main system's OS, so for us it's something to play with, but not a must have.
Microsoft has released the first preview version of its Android apps support in Windows 11. It's available to testers in the Beta Channel version of Windows 11, which means you'll need to opt into the Windows Insider program to get access. I've installed the preview version on two systems — a gaming rig with a Core i K and Microsoft's Surface Pro X — to get a feel for exactly how well Android apps run on Windows 11. If the Microsoft Surface family of products isn't your style though, other brands like Dell, Asus and HP have all released pages online that specify what devices are Windows 11 ready. Note that many won't come with the new operating system installed, but as they all meet the minimum system requirements, you can simply buy the laptop or 2-in-1 as normal and then update it yourself.
Windows 11, unfortunately, ditches a couple of its best tablet- and touch-friendly features. Most importantly, you can no longer swipe in from the left to open the task-switching view, a gesture I use all the time on my Surface Go tablet. You can no longer swipe down from the top to close an app, either. This omission is less of a big deal because you can still hit the X in the window's upper right corner as you'd do in desktop mode. Again, though, for a handheld device, the down-swipe is more direct and requires less dexterity.
There are, however, new three-finger swipe gestures to show the Task View and to minimize and app on the desktop. A sideways three-finger swipe switches you between running apps. And you can, of course, use the Task View button in the Taskbar, but that's not as immediate as a swipe of the thumb.
I'd argue that switching tasks is more important to tablet users than accessing Widgets, the new result of that gesture, too. PC Gamer has noticed that Windows 11's new Virtualization-Based Security can impact gaming performance by as much as a 28 percent drop in frame rates. It's a setting that Microsoft wants PC builders to enable by default on new Windows 11 PCs, so while it won't impact people upgrading or clean installs, new gaming PCs could ship with VBS enabled.
I installed it a however many weeks ago and haven't really had problems. I have a few gripes with minor missing features, no clock on secondary monitor and the new context menu is so far unsupported by most third-party apps, but nothing deal breaking. I like the new design, better organised settings menu, smoother animations, etc. Uncheck 'Enhance pointer precision' Whether or not you've had an acceleration problem in the bundled software of your chosen gaming mouse, it's possible that Windows is still adding a little to the mix. The 'Enhance pointer precision' option is suited for laptops, keeping your trackpad usable, but on a desktop gaming setup it's worth turning off to make sure there is no acceleration in any of your games.
However, every major operating system launch comes with its fair share of issues, as we've mentioned above, so getting the very best experience might require letting other people do the early testing for you. Microsoft will be working hard to identify and fix problems as they occur, which is why it's a good idea to hold fire for a few days or weeks. Let other people encounter those problems first, then in a few weeks, download Windows 11 safe in the knowledge that most problems will be fixed. On the touchscreen, you can slide from the left on the desktop to have widgets appear. Now along with a fresh install of Windows 10 and Windows 11, we've also included a configuration based on a Windows 10 fresh install that was then upgraded to Windows 11.
For example, Windows 11 has new Contrast themes, redesigned closed caption themes, and AI-powered Windows Voice Typing. The new OS also adds APIs for programming assistive apps, and even the Windows Subsystem for Linux now has accessibility options. Web pundits have panned Microsoft's decision to require Edge for some OS-related features like the news widget and the built-in search, but you can still use the browser of your choice as the default link opener.
The company is also testing a Set Default Browser button to make switching easier. File Explorer is a good example of Windows 11's new look, particularly its updated left panel controls and folder icons. Note the simplified ribbon along the top, which is far less busy and distracting than the previous File Explorer's. The New button at the top left works for new folders or documents supported by your apps, and the same viewing options for files are available. The overflow menu offers file compression, selection, and Properties options, as well as the old Folder Options dialog. The right-click context menus, which have grown longer and longer over the years, get shorter, smarter, and clearer in Windows 11.
Moving on to Speedometer 2.0, the AMD- and Intel-based Windows 11 systems pulled off an impressive upset over their Windows 10 counterparts. However, these differences could likely be attributed to different builds of the Chrome browser. Also, we still don't know what performance optimizations Microsoft has in store for its version of Edge that will ship with Windows 11 but we've historically always tested on Chrome in our laptop database of results.
In some quick comparisons, we found Edge to perform similar to Chrome on Windows 11 in this benchmark. While the problems haven't been clearly identified yet, users have started to point out that the drop in SSD performance might be due to the virtualization-based security in Windows 11. Another user suggests that the issue might be due to the drive that contains Windows 11. A user has reported that if you run the SSD benchmark test on a secondary drive, the SSD performs normally.
The following screenshot (via PleasedPen25317 on Microsoft's support forums) shows the SSD performance test running on the 2TB Samsung 980 Pro NVMe SSD. Microsoft has limited the number of devices that can officially run the latest version of Windows, with its restrictive hardware requirements. Most of the latest laptops will support Windows 11, but you're probably out of luck if you built your own desktop PC or use anything more than around four years old.
With that said, if your device supports Windows 11, there is no reason you should not upgrade. What does Auto HDR mean and what will it do to improve your gaming experience? In simple terms, HDR refers to the ability to reproduce a wide spectrum of light between the darkest part of the display and the brightest. This can change the entire look and feel of a game with richer colours and higher contrast.
Auto HDR is a new feature that allows games that weren't designed from HDR to still benefit from it. You'll need a monitor or a laptop display that supports High Dynamic Range, and games that run on DirectX 11 or higher. If you right-click on the taskbar, you now see just one option that lets you enter the taskbar settings, instead of the plethora of options in previous versions of Windows. However, this means you cannot reposition the taskbar to either side or the top of your screen anymore with Windows 11, which is kind of a bummer. The Start button follows all the new design fundamentals of Windows 11 with rounded corners, colourful icons, pinned apps, and a huge search bar.
The search button feels more useful and responsive compared to Windows 10's version. If you hover over the icon, it will show you your most recent searches, which could save you some time. Most importantly, you must ensure that you are running the latest build of Windows 11. Windows Update is how Microsoft pushes out the latest bug-fixes and features.
Keeping your OS up to date is important not only for gaming, but also for security purposes. Each update gives the OS the latest information about viruses and updates the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. Additionally, they're crucial to overall system health so you aren't going to have a good gaming experience on a PC that's compromised by sophisticated viruses.
Exactly the kind of usage you'd see playing games on your over-priced gaming laptop. I bet you'd see the findings of these reviews change big time. Windows 11 is out, and PC players are wondering if it's good for games. A new OS can bring cool new features , but it can also bring performance and compatibility issues. Previous Windows releases have wreaked havoc on gamers, so many are wondering if they should take the plunge and upgrade to Windows 11 or stick with Windows 10. We'll examine on whether or not Windows 11 is good for gaming at launch and what features it brings.
Personally, I haven't experienced any significant performance issues on Windows 11, and my colleagues haven't either, but of course, everyone's experience is different depending on a myriad of factors. However, there is a consensus that Microsoft should be redirecting its focus to other faulty aspects of the OS that have nothing to do with performance. For example, a common grievance is how labrythine it is to change one's default browser. However, it seems like Microsoft is double-downing on this. The Redmond-based tech giant recently blocked EdgeDeflector and other processes that thwart its mission of imposing Microsoft Edge on its users. Windows 11 has a new Widget panel, which shows you tiles for news, weather, stock quotes, sports scores, and more.
It's not entirely new since the News and Interests Taskbar popup that arrived in Windows 10 recently is exceedingly similar. To see the same info in Windows 11, you have to click on the Widgets icon in the Taskbar. In addition to Microsoft-produced first-party tiles, third-party developers can offer content through Windows 11's widgets, too. Touch screen users can easily swipe in from the left to open them and you can full-screen the widget panel if you want a bigger view.
Microsoft has also made a lot of improvements to the built-in apps in Windows 11. Paint, Clock, and Photos see the most changes, with Paint dropping its ribbon interface for a new command bar that can also be found in File Explorer. The Photos app also includes a redesign, with a neat multiview feature that lets you compare a bunch of photos in a single window. The Clock app now includes Focus Sessions, a new feature that uses the Pomodoro Technique, a method of managing time by breaking down work into smaller chunks with short breaks. Focus Sessions includes Spotify integration, and it's useful between meetings if you want to take a brief digital detox session.
Anyone with ryzen hs/rtx 3060 laptops getting worse or better performance? The taskbar now also gives you access to widgets, which I personally am not a big fan of. These basically show quick updates from apps and services, somewhat replacing Live Tiles. The News widget shows current events from across the world of politics, finance, sports, technology, etc. This was made available in recent versions of Windows 10 as well. However, it has a different appearance here and it also shows up from the left side of your screen instead of the bottom right.
After the announcement of the launch of Windows 11, there was a lot of fuss about the devices that could support it. Windows 11 officially requires a Trusted Platform Module 2.0, UEFI, and Secure Boot in order to run on a machine, and if yours doesn't meet those requirements, you will not be able to install it. The easiest way to check whether your hardware is eligible is by installing Microsoft's own PC Health Check application. The new OS marks the 40th major release of Windows to date, and with it comes a whole host of new features and tweaks over the much-loved Windows 10. But, where there are options, there are optimizations to be made. We're going to go over some of the new gaming-focused features that ship with Windows 11, and how to optimize the operating system to help you achieve the best performance in-game.
While many gamers may go to desktops to get the most performance for their money, try lugging a tower, monitor and keyboard around in your backpack. When you need a powerful rig you can take with you, there's no substitute for a gaming laptop. To help you find the best gaming laptop today, we've compiled a list of the best models we've tested and reviewed recently.
For much more on how to narrow down your list of best gaming laptop considerations, check out our best gaming laptop buyer's guide. But here are a few quick tips to get you started down the road to the right portable gaming rig for you. If you're affected, your Windows 11 installation could act slightly slower than before. Windows 11 is once again being causing some issues for users, this time with numerous reports of slower performance of NVMe SSDs using the operating system. The reports can be found on multiple Reddit threads, as well as on Microsoft's support forums , and they're actually not new. Reports on this problem go back a few months, when Windows 11 is still in preview, but the complaints persist two months after launch.
Starting October 5, 2021, Microsoft began to roll out updates for eligible PC owners to start using the new Windows 11 operating system. For many, this is a long-awaited upgrade full of features that appeal to business professionals, gamers, and creators. For the most part there is little to no difference between Windows 11 and Windows 10 using Intel 10th and 11th-gen Core series processors across gaming, application, and storage performance. If you've experienced a notable drop in performance since upgrading, it's well worth checking to see if VBS is enabled and do something about that as we explained in the intro.
Windows 11 is now widely available, and Microsoft is courting gamers with the latest operating system. While they state that "if you're a gamer, Windows 11 was made for you," a recent article over at PC Gamer indicates that Windows 11 can "hobble" gaming performance. We decided to upgrade a Windows 10 gaming laptop to Windows 11 and find out for ourselves. The Cortana AI voice assistant isn't preinstalled on Windows 11 systems by default, but it's still available in the app store. Live tiles are gone, too, with Widgets now replacing their functionality.
