Windows 11, everything we know

Windows 11

Since July 2015, when Microsoft released the latest version of its operating system, Windows 10 to the public (please note: one of the most successful), we have seen a myriad of updates that have helped to constantly improve the user experience. , as well as the operating system itself. But it is well known that the public is never satisfied: after 6 years, Microsoft may have reached the turning point with Windows 10 (which was initially declared as the latest operating system developed by the company), blowing a wind of good. news that becomes more and more intense as June 24 approaches, the presumed date on which a new Windows should be presented, the long-awaited Windows 11 or Windows Sun Valley, as reported by the latest rumors.

in The last few days there has been much talk about Windows Sun Valley: will it be an important update for Windows 10, or is it the code name of the new Windows? We do not yet know if Microsoft wants to launch on a more macOS-style nomenclature or remain faithful to the numbering used so far in most of its operating systems, so let's wait together for the event on June 24 to find out all the highly anticipated details.

Price and release date

As already mentioned, it is not yet official that Windows 11 will actually be announced on June 24th: if this happens, however, it is likely that we will see the update on our PCs by November 2021, after the usual beta test phase. The price of the new Windows is another big unknown, on which we can only make analyzes and forecasts based on previous operating systems: if Microsoft continues to follow the line of the "Home" and "Pro" versions, we expect a Windows 11 Home on $ 119 and Windows 11 Pro on $ 200, unless the update is released for free in the style of transitioning from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 or from Windows 7 to Windows 10. According to the latest news these days, it is however very likely that Windows 11 will be free, even for users who come from Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

The goal that Microsoft sets itself with the release of its new operating system is certainly to unify the its platform, therefore a free update for its users seems to be the best way. The only difference compared to previous updates will concern the installation method: Windows 11 will not be downloadable from Windows Update, but you will need to use the Media Creation Tool to create an external installation media or run the update directly on your PC. If you have installed Windows 8, you will need to upgrade to Windows 8.1 before you can upgrade to the latest version for free. Once the process is complete, the license key will automatically be converted to a valid version for Windows 11.

Microsoft is still likely to remain on the same wavelength as ever and release various versions of the operating system. The confirmation would come from some screenshots leaked online, in which you can see the writing "Windows 11 Pro" next to "Edition", and which also return information on the new build, which should be 21996.1. In addition to some screenshots of the operating system and the official wallpapers, an ISO of the preliminary version of the operating system that you can download from here was also leaked on the net. Not having tested it, we strongly advise you not to do it, or to use it on a secondary device in case you already want to test Windows 11.

However, it is not said that Windows 11 will be announced on June 24th. Microsoft could also decide to remain consistent with what was said in 2015 and continue to release only updates for Windows 10, whether simple or important. Windows Sun Valley could therefore be "only" one of the "major updates" of Windows 10, and not the new Windows or the code name of Windows 11.

New feature

One of the main novelties of the new Windows will be the renewal of the design with the new Fluent Design, which will modify the graphic interface, icons and animations. In the past months there has been a lot of talk about this aspect and the news that we would have seen in Windows Sun Valley: in addition to a new UI, the new Windows should integrate a new clipboard accessible with the Win + V key combination, which in addition to having a chronology will also allow the insertion of Emoji and GIFs, it will also offer the possibility to pin the most used elements at the top and to paste the text without formatting.

Among the novelties there is also a new management system of the disk, characterized by a Modern interface and which will allow you to manage partitions and volumes directly from the settings screen, an improved system for battery monitoring and news for the task manager. In addition to this, the new Windows (Sun Valley or Windows 11) will also offer better GPU management: on computers with more than one GPU, Microsoft will allow you to select which one to use for running the various apps and programs. Users will then be able to manage whether to use the energy-saving or the high-performance GPU directly from the Settings app.

The rumor that Windows Sun Valley will not be an update of Windows 10, but the new Windows, is powered by a post in which Microsoft talks about the May 2021 update, which explains that some functions of Windows 10X (operating system whose development has now been abandoned) will take place in other parts of Windows. The fact that the version of Windows has not been specified in the last sentence suggests that we are facing an increasingly probable announcement of Windows 11, which could indeed be Windows Sun Valley.

These "transported" functions from the Windows 10X project would involve a design update for the Taskbar, Start Menu, Control Center, and other graphical changes for dual-screen devices. Some of the new features would then concern a new technology for app containers (which basically serve to package applications in a logical way), an improved Voice Typing experience and some optimizations in the on-screen keyboard.

The new operating system will also introduce functions for Microsoft Surface: the "Wake On Touch" function will be available, which will allow devices to exit standby mode simply by touching the display. This feature is probably still being tested, since in the latest build leaked online it is not immediately accessible from the settings, but you have to search for it specifically in the Windows search bar. It is also very plausible that it will go hand in hand with new hardware, given that a similar functionality, already present on smartphones (double tap to activate the screen), is based on capacitive displays. It is therefore unlikely that it will be made available on existing touch devices, while it could be one of the innovations introduced in the new Surface Pro 8.

Someone also talks about a "floating" Start Menu and Jump List on specific customization of the user, therefore no longer anchored to any vertex of the screen. The customizations would also include the ability to display more rounded and rounded corners, instead of the classic squared corners. The Microsoft Store will be redesigned, through which the company aims to favor developers by increasing the flow of money into their hands.

Specifically, as regards the Start Menu, Microsoft would have introduced the possibility of being able to reset Windows 10 classic view with Live Tiles. We have explained the procedure to follow, very simple and intuitive, in this article. In case it still seems too cumbersome to you, it is very likely that Microsoft will insert an explicit option in the settings, considering the fact that many users will miss the old interface and not everyone is ready to switch to the new cleaner and more minimal design of Windows 11.

Speaking of graphical interface renewals, one of the most appreciated novelties will most likely be the Windows Snap function, which allows you to optimally simplify the organization of the windows open on the screen, allowing the user to choose from four predefined layouts. In reality this function was already present on Windows 10, but with the new update the procedure has been further simplified: to reorder the active windows it will be sufficient to place the cursor on the maximize button of one of the open windows and choose between the four models available layouts. We do not yet know if in the complete build it will also be possible to create custom layouts or if it will remain "limited" to the standard ones, but this will probably be one of the many doubts that will be clarified in the conference on June 24th.

Exactly to meet the most skeptical and fearful, Microsoft has re-released the KB4023057 update, used to prepare machines for the arrival of the largest and most important updates, such as, for example, the next generation of Windows, before release. As stated by the same company, this update "includes improvements to the reliability of the components of the Windows Update service in Windows 10, version 1507, 1511, 1607, 1703, 1709, 1803, 1909, 2004, 20H2 and 21H1" to "ensure that updates are installed without problems "and" help improve the reliability and security "of Windows 10 devices, as well as checking if the available storage space is sufficient to install the new operating system, and starting the" cleaning "operations in if not.

The increase in available space aims to be as less invasive as possible: Microsoft will in fact simply make Windows 10 display a warning when the system is running out of space and help users to free memory on the storage device using the "Disk Cleanup" utility or through the "Free up space now" option in Settings / Storage.

Microso ft is definitely not going to blow your mind. We are confident that the news that will be announced in the conference on June 24th, whether it is a completely new operating system or an important update for Windows 10, will amaze us and give us a user experience that always aims to improve, as it is. It has (almost) always been.

A book could be opened on the innovations, both graphic and technical, that could be introduced and that users would appreciate (perhaps devote a little more attention to dark mode, or an update of the classic icons that we carry with us from Windows 98), but until June 24 all we will have in hand are only speculations and rumors. In the meantime, we at sportsgaming.win will take care to report in this article any updates that will arrive before the date of the official announcement.

While waiting for Windows 11 to arrive, take advantage of Amazon's offer on this great 5.1 Bluetooth Mouse!