Windows 11 has finally gotten to up around 30%
in market share among all desktop Windows versions and all time high, but that isn't exactly impressive.
When you consider it came out back in 2021, by contrast, Windows 10 had already become
the most popular version of Windows about two and a half years after it launched
and remained so to this day. So why are people so reluctant to make the jump to 11?
I mean, it isn't known for being unstable like the botched rollouts of operating systems
like Windows 98 or ME. So what's the deal?
One piece of the puzzle seems to be that Windows 11 has rather onerous system requirements.
There's a mandate that Windows 11 compatible PCs be equipped with TPM 2.0 chips.
And while it's understandable that Microsoft wants to make its operating system as secure as practically possible,
the problem is that TPM 2.0 requirements leave a lot of computers behind that aren't even that old.
Although you can get a TPM 2.0 module that plugs into a desktop motherboard,
perhaps a bigger problem is that the list of officially supported CPUs likewise shuts out
many systems that could otherwise handle the vast majority of typical modern computing tasks
fairly easily. Microsoft's rationale is that newer CPUs
support advanced security features, such as one called mode-based execution control
that helps with memory isolation. Without support for MBC,
a PC can still run Windows 11, but performance can be noticeably slower.
And while it's possible to get around these requirements, many folks who aren't particularly tech savvy
aren't going to bother to try, especially as this means Microsoft may withhold certain updates
or some updates won't install properly. A no-go for larger businesses and organizations
where security is a paramount concern, and which rather often just save money
instead of upgrading to a whole fleet of computers just so they can run a slightly newer OS
they likely don't even need. But Windows 11 hasn't been looked at
as a very attractive product, even for people with newer hardware.
It isn't surprising that a new operating system would take more computing horsepower to run,
but what you wouldn't expect are issues with basic functions on modern equipment.
Some users have observed that the Windows 11 UI can be laggy at times,
including an ex-Microsoft software engineer who shared footage of very poor performance
with a start menu, despite the fact that he claimed to be running a system
with a Core i9 CPU and 128 gigabytes of RAM.
Although Windows 11 doesn't have the stability problems of, say, Windows Vista,
this also isn't the first time Microsoft may have bitten off slightly more than it can chew
in terms of overall performance demands or Windows being poorly optimized
for the hardware it's running on. But even if you bought a new PC
that runs Windows 11 flawlessly or your current PC would have no problems running it,
Microsoft has had a hard time getting away from the fact
that there aren't really any compelling features that would push users to upgrade.
And although this is a matter of opinion, the mass market just doesn't seem all that excited
about auto HDR, co-pilot AI,
or the taskbar icons being centered by default.
And no, I wouldn't really consider getting rid of live tiles to be a feature.
There seems to be a feeling that Windows 11 is just a slight revision of Windows 10,
which can be sharply contrasted with user sentiment when Windows 10 came out.
Back in 2015, many users, whether they were power users or PC novices,
seemed to be relieved that Windows 10 went back to a UI
that made more sense for users of actual desktops or laptops rather than tablets.
In other words, the eagerness to migrate away from Windows 8
was partially responsible for Windows 10's relatively quick rise to popularity.
There is no such feeling surrounding Windows 11,
especially as Windows 10 can still run modern applications just fine.
But it does look like most users are going to be shoved over to Windows 11 in the near future anyway,
as 10 is slated to stop getting updates in late 2025,
which is likely part of the reason 11's market share is starting to creep up.
What do you think? Are you a fan of Windows 11 and think the criticism of Microsoft is a bit too harsh?
Or are you holding on to Windows 10 or another OS until you can't anymore?
Comment down below. And if you're interested in learning about the history of every Windows version, go watch this video next.