The time has come. Microsoft has just announced Windows 11 will start rolling out to eligible devices starting on October 5.
As promised, Windows 11 will be a free upgrade for anyone who’s using a legal copy of Windows 10. It’ll feature a new design, with a new layout, slicker windows, new sounds, and both Microsoft Cloud and Teams integration. It’ll also get brand new Widgets, which are something you probably already have on your phone but pretty soon you’ll be able to add them to your desktop.
But best of all, Windows 11 is going to have TONS of stuff for PC gaming. Features that were previously exclusive to the Xbox Series X|S, such as Auto HDR and DirectStorage, will become standard on Windows 11 machines (provided you’ve got the hardware for it). A brand new Xbox App will also be included in Windows 11 with quick and easy access to Xbox Game Pass (provided you’ve got a subscription).
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There’s more too, like Android apps will be functional and installable on Windows 11 and developers will be able to keep more of their money when selling apps on the new Microsoft Store.
However, not everyone will get their free upgrade on October 5. Microsoft has learned from the Windows 10 rollout to take things slow, so only the newest devices and brand new computers will receive Windows 11 to start. Microsoft will then roll out Windows 11 to progressively older devices, with the whole process expected to be complete by mid-2022.
Not all devices will qualify for an upgrade. If you don’t have a video card capable of outputting HDR or DirectX 12 Ultimate, you’re not likely to get much benefit from Windows 11 anyway, so you’ll be more likely to get your upgrade later in the cycle–if at all.
Check out Microsoft’s page here for more info on Windows 11 and whether or not you’ll qualify for an upgrade.
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