Hardware Requirements
For those considering an upgrade, it's essential to know the hardware requirements for the latest Windows operating systems. Windows 10 demands a 64-bit processor with a 1 GHz clock speed, 2GB of RAM, and 20GB of HDD space. In contrast, Windows 11 raises the bar slightly, requiring a 64-bit processor with at least two cores, 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage.
To determine whether your computer meets these requirements, press the Windows logo key + S and type ‘PC health check.’ Select PC Health Check from the list of results and click the ‘check now’ button.
Live Tiles Now Widgets
Microsoft has transitioned from live tiles to widgets, a feature more familiar to smartphone users. This change separates navigation from information display in the Start menu. If you enjoy having quick access to information like current weather or stock tickers, you can enable widgets by navigating to the ‘Personalization > Taskbar’ section in the ‘Settings’ menu.
Enabling this will place a ‘Widgets’ icon on the lower right side of the taskbar. You can personalize this section to your liking. To remove any existing widgets, click on the three horizontal dots in the upper right corner of the widget. To add new widgets, click on the plus sign next to ‘Widgets’ in the top left area of the Widgets screen.
If you prefer not to see all the items Microsoft feeds you, click on the gear icon in the upper right corner of the widgets screen. Navigate to ‘Show or hide feeds,’ and turn off ‘My Feed.’
Touch and Gaming Enhancements
For those with touch screen devices, Windows 11 offers a more intuitive experience, making it feel like using your finger as a mouse. Gamers will appreciate enhancements such as Auto HDR and latency reduction technology, which aim to improve display performance significantly.
Lock on Leave, Wake on Approach
Windows 11 supports presence sensors built into newer computers. This feature will only appear if your device has the necessary technology, offering an added layer of convenience and security.
Security Enhancements
An initiative that started in 2019 to integrate security through both hardware and software is now fully supported in Windows 11. If you have a newer computer running Windows 11, you’ll benefit from enhanced protection against today’s most current threats by default.
Despite these improvements, it’s advisable to add an additional layer of protection through a third-party internet security package, as Windows Defender has its limitations.
