I don't really like Windows but it's for my gaming PC. My laptop does run linux. I don't know much of anything about 11 and whether it's better or not.
On a super recent Intel CPU with BIG.little architecture, I believe 11 has better scheduling. One day when games start to make use for it, 11 has DirectStorage and I believe 10 doesn't?
If you have an ultrawide display, you might appreciate the start button in the middle.
And that's about all the pros of Windows 11. Now for the cons: They've greatly dumbed down the context menu, so now you have to click the "more options" or whatever button nearly every time. Also it's possible that they fixed it a already but when I tried 11 near launch, the context menu took about 2 seconds to appear. Zen 2 CPU, 32 GB of decent DDR4 and an NVMe boot drive so it should be snappy And it's Windows. I right click on EVERYTHING because I'm not used to the weird-ass non-unix console. Gimme right click -> 7-zip -> extract to (subfolder), not right click -> wait 2 seconds -> show more options -> 7-zip -> extract to (subfolder)
But overall, Windows 11 isn't all that different. There are some UI changes, but it's surviveable.
Sure, but nearly every Linux desktop environment I've tried has been great out of the box and configuration is presented to you in a settings application rather than in registry, where you have to google how to do anything.
I too am in the "Only stuck on Windows for gaming" crowd. My previous jaunt going full Linux was by far the most successful, but Nvidia's poor Linux support and performance once again led me back to the Microsoft world on Desktop.
re: context menu
Don't trust me here, or any post giving commands like this. You can search for steps to revert the context menu to pre-simplified versions. You can do the same as this command manually using regedit and finding the correct keys/etc... After this, reboot and you have your menu back to a usable state.
I know it's possible, but honestly, I just went back to 10 because I wanted to reinstall anyway (among other reasons, to greatly reduce my Windows partition size, which could technically be done in place, but it's nicer when you don't need to concern yourself with the physical data layout on the drive - I don't wanna defrag my SSD lol).
It's entirely possible I'll quit using Windows for good before the 2025 deadline even hits. Linux gaming is just getting pretty good these days.
Gaming on Linux has gotten much better in the recent years. Honestly with the exception of games that use anit-cheat software, most games play just fine on Linux systems. I've abandoned windows, but my PC at work has windows 11 on it. I feels snappier and definitely looks better than windows 10. I'd say upgrade, but that's going to be your preference (I'd go Linux unless you play mostly fps or competitive games)
It's honestly just ten but better. Easier on your system, less superfluous animations, and it's organized a bit better. Most windows 10 apps are compatible out of the box as well.
Eventually, Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 10. Sure, it will be around for a while, but I just assume upgrade and keep up with the latest version.
That being said, I do mainly use Linux. I just use Windows for gaming. I know Linux has improved a lot lately for running games, I just haven't tried it out for that purpose yet.
You know what, I am going to let you figure that one out for yourself. A lot of us already pointed out Linux, but if you're asking that question, then you're probably reaching the point that you are considering the switch already. Everyone has their own breaking point with Windows, Microsoft will NEVER reduce their ads/telemetries on Windows going forward, it only going to get worse.
Good luck! And we'll see you on Linux in a few years.
I like windows 11 better than 10. The UI is better (besides the basic start menu all apps thing) but, I'm just about done with microsoft I think... For the same reason I left reddit, I don't want to be a commodity. With all the telemetry that is undoubtedly being sent from my windows OS (even when disabling everything I can) it makes me uncomfortable (even with my pihole on my network).. Getting more and more comfortable with linux as a daily driver. For years, linux was always just those work computers I've dealt with but the more I want to get away from being a product. The more I realize linux is what I need.
Personally, once I installed a new task bar (StartAllBack for me but there are other free options) the transition was seemless for me. I also use my machine for gaming and work so keeping it all up to date is important to me. As for all the M$ Tracking bullshit, there are PS Scripts out there to disable them and I also PiHole them as well. If you look at it that way, its really a lot more like a feature upgrade to 10.
Gaming under Linux is really good nowadays. You'll only have compatibility issues on a few of the most popular multiplayer games due to poor anticheat. It's a small price to pay in order to be able to run Linux, which gets better every year (increasingly so in recent years).
Windows tears itself apart every year or so anyway - back up your stuff, throw Linux Mint/Fedora/Garuda Linux on it, and try gaming with it for a bit. If you're just not feeling it, install Windows 11 after that. No reason to give up early.
It still features two separate system control panels where some features are only accessible in one or the other, and you have to guess which setting is where. However, the new system controls panels is indeed much more usable in Windows 11 than in 10, agreed.
Yeah, that is pretty dumb but, in practice, I never go to a setting by drilling down through the control panel anyway. I just Win-key and search for it which is way faster even if I know where it is.
Every Windows iteration has been worse than the last with the possible exceptions of 7 & 10, but that's only because Vista & 8 epically bad.
I switched to Linux back when Vista came out. Haven't looked back since. For gaming, things are very different these days. As others have said, Linux is now excellent for gaming, partly thanks to efforts by Valve.
The every other Windows version is bad goes back to at least Windows Me. Microsoft tries implementing a lot of UI and other changes badly, then rolls back some of the changes and fixes the rest in the "good" version.
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