Windows 10
OUR VERDICT
The
Anniversary Update is an impressive piece of work that ensures Windows 10 is
on track to replace Windows 7. It's reliable, easy to use and keeps getting
better – although there's still room for more significant improvements.
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Pros
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Start menu improvements
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Action Center, Cortana are useful
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Huge Edge browser upgrades
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Windows Hello is simple and secure
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Cons
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OneDrive still patchy
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Ink: a nice idea that needs work
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The free upgrade is over
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Changes improve but also cause issues
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After more than 365 days, this make-or-break version of
Microsoft's veteran Windows operating system is off to a strong start. And, the
way in which new features and improvements keep arriving means that the
Anniversary Update is a notable improvement over what shipped in July 2015.
We're a long way from Windows 8 now, and Microsoft seems to have got the hang
of mixing the traditional keyboard-and-mouse driven desktop environment with
touch features for the growing number of tablets and 2-in-1 PCs.
This release is a milestone for the 'Windows as a
Service' process that Microsoft is using to develop Windows 10. Last year's
November Update polished the release version of Windows 10, while this release
continues that process, concentrating on the daily features you likely use the
most, including some useful refinements to the Start screen and Action Center
interface. But it also introduces some brand new features like the Ink
Workspace.
The Edge browser has matured quickly and gets support for
extensions, and the key UWP apps like Mail, Groove and Skype have also improved
significantly. Cortana is gaining more features and Windows Hello is more
reliable, as well as ready for apps and websites that support the new FIDO 2
specification that is bidding to replace passwords with biometrics. Improved
browser security is a major plus. Performance is improved from the already
impressive speed of the release version of Windows 10 – booting your PC is a
second or so faster on SSD-based systems, and battery life has improved on
laptops (especially if you're using the Edge browser, but the new Battery Saver
option that appears when you click or tap the battery icon also maximizes
battery life).
On the other hand, those uncertain about Windows 10 won't
find solace in the fact that Anniversary Update only lets you roll back within
10 days to save on disk space, or the fact that, like any new release, there
are problems (including some systems with SSDs freezing, and the
well-documented problems with webcams that won't be fixed until another update
arrives in September).
Latest news
It's been a long,
winding road for Windows 10. Despite a recent dry spell, let’s not undermine
the fact that Microsoft still managed to make it to 400 million installs. With
the Anniversary Update long behind us, more developments are assuredly just
around the corner.
On October 26, Microsoft hosted a press event in NYC
where the company confirmed a Windows 10 Creators Update scheduled to arrive in
spring 2017. The company also showed off a handful of Windows 10-compatible VR
headsets from its partners, which we’ll hear more about in December.
More recently, though, the Unified Update Platform (UUP)
surfaced in build 14959, which cuts down on update download sizes by around
35%. With data caps and power limitations widely considered, this is hopefully
one of many welcome changes slated to come.
Windows is more than just an OS
Microsoft believes
the future of Windows is as a platform for all. Like Android, the strength of
Windows is in the thousands of companies that develop for it and use it in
their products – on multiple devices. That's why Windows 10 is no longer just
an operating system for 32 and 64-bit PCs. It also runs on ARM chips as Windows
10 Mobile for smartphones (and, eventually, Microsoft promises, smaller
tablets). That's thanks to the OneCore foundation of Windows. Like Windows XP,
Vista, 7 and 8 before it, Windows 10 is built on the Windows NT kernel, but
much more of Windows is now shared between the different devices, and apps built
for the Universal Windows Platform (UWP) will run not only on PCs, but on
Windows 10 phones, Windows 10 for IoT devices, HoloLens headsets and Xbox One
as well. Note that we've published a distinct Windows 10 Mobile review here,
for those of you who want the full lowdown on the OS from a smartphone
standpoint.
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