Microsoft May Have Created the Slowest Windows in 25 Years with Windows 11

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Why Windows 11 Is Being Debated Now

  • Windows 10 has hit (or is close to) end-of-life; many users and companies are only now being forced onto Windows 11.
  • Older but still capable hardware (pre–8th gen Intel, no TPM 2.0) is officially blocked, driving some users to Linux as a “lifeline.”
  • People who ignored Win11 until now are confronting its UX, performance, and policy changes all at once.

Performance, Bloat, and Technical Debt

  • Many report sluggish UI elements: Start menu, right-click menu, Snipping Tool, Photos, Calculator, Explorer, and even Win+R lagging on powerful machines.
  • Commenters blame:
    • Heavy use of WinUI/UWP/React(-Native) and WebView2 for core shell features.
    • Preloading tricks (e.g. Explorer) instead of real optimization.
    • Accumulated technical debt and fragmented frameworks.
  • Some note Win11 can feel fine or even faster than 10 on good hardware, suggesting mixed experiences.

Ads, Telemetry, and “Anti‑Consumer” Changes

  • Strong resentment toward:
    • Start menu and lock‑screen “tips,” promos, and Xbox/OneDrive/MS365 upsell.
    • Enforced or strongly nudged Microsoft accounts, OneDrive integration, Copilot, Bing web search.
    • Start/taskbar regressions (centered bar, missing classic behaviors, simplified context menus).
  • Several see these as deliberate enshittification: user attention monetization outweighing product quality.

Security vs. Speed and Hardware Requirements

  • Win11 adds TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, virtualization‑based security, various runtime checks, and mitigations (Spectre, etc.).
  • Some argue these make it “the most secure Windows” but inevitably slower; others counter that modern hardware should more than cover the overhead.
  • Debate over whether disabling virtualization/memory integrity is necessary for “fair” benchmarks, and whether that’s realistic for normal users.

Workarounds and Alternative OSes

  • Power users mention:
    • LTSC/IoT editions to avoid bloat and ads, though not easily bought retail.
    • Debloat scripts (e.g. Win11Debloat, Chris Titus tool) to strip apps, ads, telemetry.
  • Large subthread on moving to Linux (Bazzite, CachyOS, Fedora, Pop!_OS, Omarchy, etc.), especially as gaming via Proton/Wine improves.
  • macOS is viewed by many as degrading too (bugs, notifications, UI changes), but still often preferred to Win11 for polish.

Nostalgia and Regressions

  • Multiple anecdotes of ancient XP/2000/Vista-era systems feeling “instant” compared to modern Windows on vastly faster hardware.
  • Frustration that once‑minimal utilities (Notepad, Calc, image viewers) are now slower, heavier, or less reliable, seen as emblematic of Windows 11’s direction.