Windows 11 or Windows 10

Cannibal Corpse

Cannibal Corpse

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Sep 22, 2002
Messages
1,277
Hi all,
I am building a new Ryzen 7 system, and would like to know if I should stick with the good'ol Windows 10, or install Windows 11. Do recent PC games benefit from any new DX enhancements in Windows 11 (if there are any at all that is).

The system spec would be the following (will replace the system in my signature)
CPU: Ryzen 7800X3D
RAM: 32GB DDR5-6000
GPU: RTX 4060Ti
PSU: SEASONIC 850W Prime Titanium PSU (remains the same)
SOUND: CREATIVE Sound Blaster ZxR Sound Card (remains the same)
HDD: Gen 4 1TB SAMSUNG Evo 970

Thanks!
 
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You're likely to get a lot of mixed opinions on this. Neither operating system is "bad", and Windows 10 will still be supported until October 2025. Just know that Windows 10 is already on it's final version (22H2) and is just coasting toward End of Life at this point. It will continue to receive security updates but will see few if any new feature updates.

Probably the biggest graphics-related improvement in Windows 11 is Auto-HDR. Assuming that your monitor does HDR well, this can be a very nice feature that makes a lot of non-HDR games look better.

Another significant Windows 11 feature is it's improved CPU scheduler. This won't do anything for you on your 7800X3D because it only has one CCD but it does make a difference on many other new CPUs. For example, on the top-end Intel chips (that combine fast P cores and slow E cores), the Windows 11 scheduler is critical in making sure that the correct tasks get assigned to the P cores instead of the much slower E cores. On the dual-CCD X3D AMD CPUs (where only one of the two CCDs has 3D cache) the improved scheduler is critical in making sure that programs that benefit from 3D cache get assigned to the 3D cache CCD, and programs that benefit most from raw CPU frequency get assigned to the other. Since the AM5 socket will likely last another 1 or 2 CPU generations, this would be something to consider if you end up upgrading to a dual-CCD chip in the future.

Other non-gaming related improvements include RGB integration which should reduce the need to rely on a chaotic mess of separate apps to control RGB for various devices. Improved multi-path SMB that makes it easier to get faster network transfers via using multiple network interfaces simultaneously. The ability to restore program windows to their previous locations after a reboot. Improved search functionality that is lightning-fast compared to Windows 10 (searching local and network drives).

Windows 11 also now has the ability to run Android apps (even if they were designed to run on ARM CPUs). I strongly prefer regular desktop programs over mobile apps, however, there is a small but growing number of apps that don't have a "Desktop version" or even a web-based version, and this will help fill that gap.

Finally, I think it's important to understand that Windows 11 is not fundimentally different than Windows 10. It's more of an evolution of Windows 10. Probably the #1 grievance is that Windows 11 has strict hardware requirments. This understandably offended a lot of people who are running hardware that really isn't that old, and still meets their needs just fine, but doesn't meet the Windows 11 requirments. Those requirments can be bypassed easily, and Windows 11 will actually run just fine on old hardware going all the way back to single-core Pentium 4 chips... but many people just don't like, or aren't comfortable with, having to take that step of bypassing the requirments. In your case, your hardware DOES meet the requirments, so none of that criticism should apply to your decision. Beyond that, most of the criticism is related to minor UI differences, some of which can come off as annoying at first but you get used to it after about a week. In many cases you also have the option of changing certain UI settings to make them look more like Windows 10 if you want (such as moving the start menu and taskbar icons back over to the left if you don't want it in the center). Also, a huge percentage of the people criticizing Windows 11 are actually just Linux fanatics who hate Windows 10 also, but will gladly jump on any oportunity to criticize Windows and exaggerate it's "flaws" so that they can derail a thread and promote Linux instead. It will be important to filter out that noise when making your decision.
 
Amazing response! Much appreciated! I guess I am going to give Windows 11 a try, as I withheld using it til now!
 
Also important for gaming in the future will be DirectStorage, which is available in Win10 but is better integrated with an updated storage driver in Win11.


GotNoRice said:
On the dual-CCD X3D AMD CPUs (where only one of the two CCDs has 3D cache) the improved scheduler is critical in making sure that programs that benefit from 3D cache get assigned to the 3D cache CCD, and programs that benefit most from raw CPU frequency get assigned to the other. Since the AM5 socket will likely last another 1 or 2 CPU generations, this would be something to consider if you end up upgrading to a dual-CCD chip in the future.
Click to expand...

This is actually incorrect. The Windows scheduler is not utilized in the same manner for AMD X3D CPUs as it is for Intel's 12th-gen+ units, and Win11 isn't required for full functionality. Instead, a combination of AMD's drivers and Windows Game Mode is used to essentially shut down half the CPU to force the game to the V-Cache-equipped CCD:

Anandtech said:
Under the hood, AMD is essentially hooking into Windows' Game Mode (and Mixed Reality Mode) to let the OS determine when a game is active, and then use that hint to change how Windows thread scheduling works. The resulting layers of BIOS features, Xbox Game Bar software (which controls Game Mode), and AMD's drivers add up to a complete control mechanism for allocating work on the 7950X3D and 7900X3D.

Diving into AMD's software stack, the first of AMD's drivers is the AMD PPM Provisioning Driver. This comes included within the 5.01.03.005 version (or newer) of AMD's chipset driver. This driver steers threads by parking what AMD determines is the least performant CCD, leaving only the more performant CCD initially active. This keeps all of the threads for a game on the same CCD, reducing (if not eliminating) the need to reach across the IOD to access the L3 cache on the other CCD, and thus improving the cache hit rate and resulting performance.
Click to expand...
https://www.anandtech.com/show/18747/the-amd-ryzen-9-7950x3d-review-amd-s-fastest-gaming-processor
 
Windows 10 > update to windows 11.
Try it and you have 10 day to restore back to 10 if you dont like it. I did this and initially rolled back but then later upgraded again
 
You know when she's bugging you this much there is something wrong.

1698590502509.png

1698590564329.png
 
Start with a clean Windows 11 now and avoid the hassle of a potentially messy upgrade down the line. DO NOT FORGET TO INSTALL THE AMD CHIPSET DRIVERS AND REBOOT IMMEDIATELY AFTER INSTALL (Note that the AMD chipset driver package is the same across all varieties of AM4 and AM5 chipsets... for now). This single step alone with save you a lot of potential grief and also holds true for a fresh Win 10 install on an AMD system.

Also, Windows 11 has a stupid "must connect to the internet during install" requirement because it forces you to sign in with a Microsoft Account, and this is problematic for people whose NIC hardware does not have built-in Windows drivers. There are 2 easy workarounds for this:

1) During the Windows installation set up (where you pick your install drive/partition) there is a link to add more drivers. You can click there and have it read your NIC drivers off of a USB drive that you prepare in advance. Then it will have the NIC drivers installed already when it reaches the point it needs them... OR...

2) entire a Microsoft account of "[email protected]" with a password of "MAIL" - it will say there was an error authenticating that account and then let you just create a local account instead.
 
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GotNoRice said:
You're likely to get a lot of mixed opinions on this. Neither operating system is "bad", and Windows 10 will still be supported until October 2025. Just know that Windows 10 is already on it's final version (22H2) and is just coasting toward End of Life at this point. It will continue to receive security updates but will see few if any new feature updates.
Click to expand...

Sounds perfect to me. Security updates only. Don't mess with my computer otherwise.
 
mvmiller12 said:
Windows 11 has a stupid "must connect to the internet during install" requirement because it forces you to sign in with a Microsoft Account, and this is problematic for people whose NIC hardware does not have built-in Windows drivers.
Click to expand...
home might, pro and edu still allow you to do the "domain join/local account" option.
 
mvmiller12 said:
Start with a clean Windows 11 now and avoid the hassle of a potentially messy upgrade down the line. DO NOT FORGET TO INSTALL THE AMD CHIPSET DRIVERS AND REBOOT IMMEDIATELY AFTER INSTALL (Note that the AMD chipset driver package is the same across all varieties of AM4 and AM5 chipsets... for now). This single step alone with save you a lot of potential grief and also holds true for a fresh Win 10 install on an AMD system.

Also, Windows 11 has a stupid "must connect to the internet during install" requirement because it forces you to sign in with a Microsoft Account, and this is problematic for people whose NIC hardware does not have built-in Windows drivers. There are 2 easy workarounds for this:

1) During the Windows installation set up (where you pick your install drive/partition) there is a link to add more drivers. You can click there and have it read your NIC drivers off of a USB drive that you prepare in advance. Then it will have the NIC drivers installed already when it reaches the point it needs them... OR...
Click to expand...
That's how Windows has worked for decades, BTW ;)


Also, you can bring up a command prompt and enter a command to skip the Out Of Box Experience. Then you reboot and restart the Windows 11 install, and you can install with a local account. They haven't yet gotten rid of that workaround and they likely won't. I just used it about 10 days ago, with a freshly created Windows 11 USB.
 
chameleoneel said:
That's how Windows has worked for decades, BTW ;)


Also, you can bring up a command prompt and enter a command to skip the Out Of Box Experience. Then you reboot and restart the Windows 11 install, and you can install with a local account. They haven't yet gotten rid of that workaround and they likely won't. I just used it about 10 days ago, with a freshly created Windows 11 USB.
Click to expand...
At the Wi-Fi connection screen hold SHIFT+F10 and a command box will open.
Type OOBE\BYPASSNRO and press ENTER and system will restart and you will be able to choose to use a limited setup at the connection screen and be able to create a local account.
 
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