Microsoft has unveiled Windows 11 to the world. The news has got the tech community around the world riled up with speculations and expectations as to what this new iteration is going to offer. To put your concerns at ease, we are going to do a detailed, roundup article talking about all that we know of the new Windows OS. In this article, we will talk about Windows 11’s release date, its offering price, the requirements for your system, and a few more things here and there.
Windows 11 Release Date and Availability
A preview build of Windows 11 to be released to Insiders
The new Operating System from Microsoft was unveiled yesterday, on the 24th of June, and offers several new features. Much like any new Windows OS version, Windows Insiders will get a pre-emptive taste of Windows 11 too.
The official Twitter account of Windows Insider confirmed that the first Windows 11 Insider Preview Build will ship next week. Although no date has yet been specified, the test build is rumored to roll out on the 28th of this month. Microsoft has detailed the steps people need to take to make their PCs ready for the Insider preview.
Microsoft will be shipping Windows 11 and Windows 10 21H2 this fall
OEM PCs with Windows 11 pre-installed will be available before the year-end probably during the Holiday season. Windows 11 devices with Windows 11 pre-installed will be available this Holiday season.
Microsoft tweeted:
Windows 11 is due out later in 2021 and will be delivered over several months. The rollout of the upgrade to Windows 10 devices already in use today will begin in 2022 through the first half of that year.
Microsoft stated that they will be shipping Windows 10 21H2 this fall along with the Windows 11 version. Though not official, Windows 10 21H2 is probably going to be the last major build of Windows 10.
UPDATE: Windows 11 will be released on October 5, 2021.
Windows 11 Price
This is something I know a lot of you had been waiting to read about, and it’s been worth your wait. Microsoft is going to be rolling out Windows 11 for free! For all existing Windows 10 users, Windows 11 is going to show up as a free upgrade once officially moved to a global release. The installation process for the same is not going to be any different. Once it has been released around the time of the holidays, simply visit the Update and Security section in your Windows Settings and install the newest update on your PC.
Microsoft has also ensured that there won’t be any licensing fuss that is usually followed by a new Windows OS. Licensed Windows 10 users would not have to comply with any further licensing requirements.
Read: Which Edition of Windows 11 will you be upgraded to?
Windows 11 Hardware Requirements
Before you jump on the bandwagon, it is important to ensure that your PC is compatible with Windows 11 OS. You can make sure that your computer boasts the minimum requirements to run Windows 11 using the PC Health Check tool, but it is only going to run a scan for the most basic requirements. Windows 11 packs in itself some pretty hardware-demanding features, so it’s best to check if your PC will be able to offer them or not.
Below are some of the hardware requirements:
- 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC). Those running 32-bit systems would have to stick with Windows 10.
- 64 GB or larger storage device
- High definition (720p) display that is greater than 9 inches.
- A 2-GHz core CPU and 1-GHz speed CPU.
- The Graphics Card of the system needs to be compatible with DirectX 12 or later with a WDDM 2.0 driver.
This post talks in detail about all the Windows 11 System Requirements along with the feature-wise Minimum and Recommended hardware requirements. This is sure to fill you up on any queries you may have about Windows 11’s pre-requisites.
I am personally the most excited about is that users will be able to use Android apps on Windows 11, and this is going to be made possible by Amazon’s App Store. During their special event, they unveiled the surprise that Android apps will now be downloadable via the Microsoft Store that will come with Windows 11.
Another interesting thing that happened was Microsoft’s announcement to enroll only one Feature Update per year with Windows 11. Back when Windows 10 was unveiled in 2015, Microsoft announced that they will be rolling out 2 feature updates every year with the OS. Microsoft said that they won’t tinker with the regular cumulative updates for patches and fixes that we often report with various Windows utilities. These cumulative updates will run throughout the year and feature updates will, too, be delivered the way there were used to. It is just that we will see updates of a much smaller size this time around.
You should know that Windows 11 has dropped 32-bit x86 support. That marks the end of NTVDM and WoW technologies that are used to natively run MS-DOS and 16-bit Windows apps in 32-bit Windows (NT).
For your information, Windows 11 will receive cumulative monthly security updates that are up to 40% smaller in size than Windows 10 cumulative updates.
Will Windows 11 take up more space on my PC than Windows 10?
No. Windows 10 and Windows 11 require approximately the same amount of disk space. During the upgrade process, however, extra space is required. Windows will clean up this extra disk space about ten days after the upgrade is complete.
Microsoft will be rolling out Windows 11 in the holiday season i.e., by the end of the year. It looks like a very exciting prospect and we will keep you posted on all that goes on and around Microsoft’s big season release.
