Windows 11 Review: What’s New in Windows 11?

In June, Microsoft finally released the news of the highly anticipated Windows 11 update. It comes with an updated user interface, as well as performance and productivity improvements.

However, while Windows 11 brings a new experience, it also places higher requirements on computer hardware.

Windows 11 Hardware Requirements

We can see that UEFI, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0 become necessary requirements for Windows 11. Some have already found the way to bypass TPM 2.0 check during the installing, but we suggest you enable or install TPM 2.0 if your device is qualified. Because the official Windows 11 will release on the 5^th.Oct, it is strongly advised to closely adhere to the applicable requirements. If you choose to ignore the Windows 11 minimum requirements, you may face significant repercussions.

About UEFI, if your system disk is a MBR disk, you’ll need to select GPT disk for Windows 11 upgrade, because UEFI needs GPT disk to boot your computer successfully. You can choose MBE2GPT.exe to complete the conversion, but this operation will ask you to type several complex commands, and these orders must be correct, otherwise, you may damage your disk.

You just need a GPT disk, there’s no need to bother that much. AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional is what you need. It is a powerful and versatile disk and partition manager whose “Convert to GPT Disk” feature is fully compatible with your needs. It can switch MBR table to GPT without any data loss. What’s more, it totally avoids any complex PC commands to allow users finish the conversion in 3 steps.

Step 1. Install and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional. Right-click the system disk and choose “Convert to GPT Disk”.

Step 2. Click “OK” to confirm your operation.

Step 3. Click on “Apply” to commit the pending operation.

After the operation, reboot your computer and enter the BIOS interface to select UEFI mode and enable Secure Boot. Then your PC meets the Windows 11 system requirements.

With AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, users can manage and edit their disks flexibly. They are able to resize/merge/clone/delete/format/check partition, clone disk, migrate OS to another disk (HDD/SSD), and move installed applications to another disk without reinstalling.

To protect your private information, you can wipe your HDD or run secure erase SSD, even it is system disk. If you need, you can create a Windows 11 To Go USB to use your personal Windows 11 OS everywhere you want to, we’ll show detailed step of this function later in this review.

What’s new in Windows 11?

Honestly, the market doesn’t have a strong demand for the update of the OS. The stability, compatibility and openness of the OS itself will be more valued by users, especially corporate users. Therefore, the introduction of more features through version updates can no longer stimulate users. Openness and compatibility will become the theme of the next period, and the convergence of operating systems is an irreversible trend.

Although the main demand for OS is still stability and compatibility, the market still expects revolutionary software and hardware, for improving efficiency is an eternal focus.

Let’s see the changes in Windows 11.

New interface

One of the major changes in the Windows 11 update is the new user interface. Microsoft has completely overhauled the interface to make it look more modern in design.

1. Taskbar and Start menu

The biggest change that users will notice when logging in for the first time is the taskbar. Microsoft has improved the taskbar design to look more in line with the overall user interface. The taskbar icon is moved to the middle, but the user can move the taskbar icon to the left, but it doesn’t allow users to move the taskbar to the left side, right side and top.

Microsoft has completely revised the Start menu on Windows 11. The Start menu now contains some applications and recommendation files and documents based on your usage history.

• Rounded corner, frosted glass effect, and Windows Snap

It’s commendable that the rounded corner design and the frosted glass effect. The visual effect of the window becomes more comfortable and more stylish.

What’s more, Microsoft has done a lot of work on multitasking features. When you want to capture two or more windows on the screen, the user will be provided with a pre-made layout. Microsoft will also group captured applications on the taskbar, so you don’t have to manually minimize and maximize each application. You can minimize or maximize the entire group by simply clicking on the group.

• Widgets

Although it is different from what we are used to seeing in Windows 7, users will see the return of Widgets in Windows 11. Microsoft has added a new Widget button to the taskbar, which will open a pop-up window on the side. It allows users to easily access weather, traffic, stock market updates, sports, news headlines, and more.

• Microsoft Team

Microsoft Teams replaces Skype as the default communication tool for Win11. Compared with the Skype, Microsoft Teams pays more attention to team communication and collaboration, especially its collaboration experience in Microsoft Office.

The conference demonstrates communication with colleagues through Microsoft Teams.

What’s removed?

Something new comes, something old will be gone. Microsoft has added a lot of new features and new designs in Windows 11, and more improvements will be pushed to users in the future. But at the same time, Microsoft is also canceling some features that it considers unimportant.

1. Say bye to Cortana

Due to the lack of adequate localization adaptation, the general response is that Cortana is not usually used. In Win11, Microsoft no longer includes Cortana in the main interface. However, if you need it, you can enter Start menu, click “All Apps”, then open it manually.

• Tablet Mode

Windows 11 can-celled “Tablet Mode” and replaced it with a more intelligent automatic detection. In Windows 11, the system intelligently judges whether to turn on the tablet mode by detecting the connection status of the keyboard and the computer.

In tablet mode, the interval between icons will be enlarged, and the window layout will be automatically adjusted to the most suitable style as the device rotates. So strictly speaking, the tablet mode is not disappearing, but becoming more powerful.

• TimeLine

The Timeline feature debuted in the Windows 10 April 2018 Update. The functionality is located on your taskbar and improves Task View by displaying currently running programs as well as previous actions.

• Win To Go function

Windows 11 removed Win To Go function, but it’s doesn’t mean users cannot enjoy a Windows 11 bootable USB. As we said before that AOMEI Partition Assistant Pro is a versatile tool, the “Windows To Go Creator” of this great tool can create a Windows 11 bootable USB to allow users enjoy their own Win 11 on other devices.

Step 1. Connect your USB to your PC.

Step 2. Run AOMEI Partition Assistant Professional, click “All Tools” and “Windows To Go Creator” on the left side.

Step 2. Choose “Create Windows To Go” for personal computer and click “Next”.

Step 3. Choose the suitable option “Create Windows To Go with system disc/ISO” or “Create Windows To Go with current system”. If Windows 11 ISO file isn’t detected automatically, click the folder icon to select manually. Then, click “Next”.

Step 4. Select a USB drive as target and click “Proceed”

Step 5. You’ll receive the message that all data on this USB drive will be erased. Click “Yes” to continue. After that, you can disconnect the USB, and try to boot it on other PC.

Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system is not just a minor update, because it introduces a new modern user interface. Compared with Windows 10, it looks much better. Microsoft has taken a new route on Windows 11, providing users with a new user interface operating system and native Windows applications. We believe that future improvements to Windows 11 will ensure that users will further get better performance and experience.

And AOMEI Partition Assistant will always be your best partition software to protect the safety of your disk and data in Windows 11.