Skip to main content

Survey results predict a surprisingly positive reception to Windows 11

It’s been a few months since Windows 11 first rolled out in beta, and a new survey now finds that 53% of people might upgrade to the new operating system.

Conducted by Windows Report, the survey shows that 53% of people think Windows 11 “looks amazing, and can’t wait to install it.” On the other end, only 13% of respondents chose the response, “I don’t like it, I’m not going to upgrade.”

Recommended Videos

Despite big visual changes to the Start Menu and Taskbar, another 21% indicated that Windows 11 is pretty similar to Windows 10. Meanwhile, 7% appeared to be let down, responding that “I expected a bigger overhaul,” while 6% said “the design is inspired from MacOS.”

A Windows 11 Pc on a table
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Another part of the survey covered people who are willing to switch devices to run the new operating system. Thirty-five percent of respondents indicated they might switch to a touch-based device to enjoy Windows 11, while 14% indicated they’re skeptical about how Windows 11 will behave. That first group is good news for the Surface lineup, which, as we have argued, could finally become true iPad competitors thanks to Windows 11.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Even Windows 7 users might be upgrading to Windows 11. When polled, 57% responded and indicated that they will upgrade to Windows 11 when released. Windows Reports indicated that almost half of Windows 7 users have a Windows 11-compatible device, too.

Other responses were related to the minimum requirements. Forty-three percent of people indicated their device can run Windows 11, with everything validated. Only 20% of people don’t have the requirements of the operating system.

Windows 11 requires a TPM 2.0 chip, or an Intel 8th-generation, or AMD Ryzen 2000, or newer processor. In the survey, 42% of people said they plan to upgrade their TPM chip to run Windows 11, and 18% already have one.

The Windows Report survey was conducted using Crowdsignal, and received answers from 11,097 people in 177 countries. Based on the operating systems, 89% of people were running Windows 10, 6% Windows 7, 1%  MacOS, 1%  ChromeOS, 1%  Linux, and 2% other operating systems.

Microsoft is still in the process of beta testing Windows 11, and it is set for a release later this holiday season. You can sign up to be a Windows Insider if you want to download the operating system today. Seventeen percent of people participating in this survey signed up for the program to get the operating system early.

Arif Bacchus
Arif Bacchus is a native New Yorker and a fan of all things technology. Arif works as a freelance writer at Digital Trends…
Microsoft won’t back down on Windows 11’s biggest hurdle
The Surface Pro 11 on a white table in front of a window.

Microsoft has reaffirmed that it will not lower the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11, solidifying the need for a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 2.0 and a compatible CPU. This decision leaves many older PCs ineligible for the upgrade. Microsoft emphasizes that these standards are vital for improved security and performance.

As per a recent blog post titled “TPM 2.0 – a necessity for a secure and future-proof Windows 11,” Microsoft reaffirmed its decision not to relax Windows 11’s strict hardware requirements. TPM 2.0 is a hardware-based security feature that protects sensitive data and ensures secure boot processes. Microsoft argues that such measures are nonnegotiable as the company continues to address rising cybersecurity threats. The minimum requirements include a list of approved CPUs, starting from AMD Ryzen 2000 and Intel 8th Gen processors, that offer advanced security features and better performance efficiency.

Read more
Windows 11 Recall finally arrives, but with one new problem
Recall screenshot.

The Windows 11 Recall feature has been troublesome since its announcement. Now that the feature is available in a testing capacity, it is still causing users some issues.

Tech reviewers testing the feature have observed that Recall will now fail to save the snapshots that allow the function to work. CNBC noted that it may take “several minutes” for a snapshot to save, which may leave delays in the AI processing. Tom Warren of The Verge, noted on Bluesky that snapshots were not saving at all in his experience.

Read more
Windows 11 remains the driver of growth in PCs, not AI
The Surface Laptop shown in front of a Copilot+ sign.

There's been a lot of talk about AI PCs this year, but has it actually delivered on its promise? A new analysis from TrendForce says the significant boost in laptop sales in 2024 has more to do with Windows 11 updates than it does with fancy new AI features.

"The impact of AI-integrated notebooks on the overall market remains limited for now," the report states. "However, AI features are expected to naturally integrate into notebook specifications as brands gradually incorporate them, resulting in a steady rise in the penetration rates of AI notebooks."

Read more