Windows 11 is coming this fall. Here’s what you should know about the release date, cost and features.
Windows 11 Release Date
On August 31, Microsoft announced in a blog post that Windows 11 “will start to become available” on October 5. If you’ve been around computers for a while like I have, you might be shuddering as you remember ghosts of releases past – Windows Vista anyone? Fortunately for all of us, Microsoft seems to have learned a few things from past missteps. “Following the tremendous learnings from Windows 10, we want to make sure we’re providing you with the best possible experience. That means new eligible devices will be offered the upgrade first.”
You might see laptops and PCs running Windows 11 being sold starting October 5th. But don’t expect to see a pop-up that day prompting you to upgrade from Windows 10. The rollout of the upgrade to Windows 10 devices already in use won’t start until 2022 and will run through the first half of next year.
Here’s a quick summary of the timeline:
- June 2021: Windows 11 preview released to Insiders.
- October 5, 2021: Windows 11 official release. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) can begin to release Windows 11 hardware.
- Early to Mid-2022: “All eligible devices” offered the free upgrade from Windows 10.
- Oct 14, 2025: Windows 10 retirement date.
Windows 11 Cost and Specifications
Windows 11 is free for eligible PCs running Windows 10. However, the new hardware specifications mean not everyone meets the requirements for the upgrade. Your Invario team is already testing the new operating system and can help you with any questions.
If you intend to purchase a new PC or laptop to run Windows 11, remember to give yourself significant lead time. Due to chip shortages and production delays, prices and availability continue to fluctuate on laptops from Dell and others. Contact help@invario.net if you want to learn more.
Features
I won’t go into all of the features in the new Windows 11, as I’m sure they are being written about extensively elsewhere. Some of the most noticeable updates are the new centered taskbar and the Widgets panel on the left-hand side. I also like the integration of Chat into the taskbar.
The official trailer gives a good overview of what you can expect.
Feedback
If you have questions about this article, or if there is an IT topic you would like to know more about please email me your suggestions.
Referral$
If you know of a company that would be interested in the services of Invario, please email me the company name along with the phone number and email for the person we should contact.
That is all you have to do! Upon completion of the onboarding of a new customer, Invario will pay the equivalent of one month of Invario service to that customer. Recipients that cannot or do not wish to receive a referral payment may elect to have the referral fee donated to a charity of their choice or put into a company entertainment fund.
Referral$
If you know of a company that would be interested in the services of Invario, please email me the company name along with the phone number and email for the person we should contact.
That is all you have to do! Upon completion of the onboarding of a new customer, Invario will pay the equivalent of one month of Invario service to that customer. Recipients that cannot or do not wish to receive a referral payment may elect to have the referral fee donated to a charity of their choice or put into a company entertainment fund.