Microsoft's eye-opening list of fixes for Windows 11 deals with most major pain points — and you can thank Apple

As we saw over the weekend, big things are happening with Windows 11, as Microsoft has provided more details on what it's doing with its ongoing campaign to 'fix Windows 11'. And it turns out that these promises encompass fixing, well, pretty much everything that's wrong with the operating system.

Everything? Okay, so yes, that's hyperbole, but honestly, the list of what Microsoft's proposing to smooth over in Windows 11 is extensive, and it deals with most of the major pain points that many have been complaining about over the past couple of years (or in some cases, since the inception of the operating system).

That includes letting people reposition the taskbar away from the bottom of the screen (finally), and improving overall customization choices (for the likes of widgets as well as the taskbar itself). A faster, better File Explorer is also in the works (which was already promised).

The real eye-openers for me, though, were the intention to cut back on AI in a meaningful way — trimming 'unnecessary' (Microsoft's actual word choice) appearances of Copilot from various apps and menus — and changes to Windows Update. Microsoft is, rather out of the blue, talking about giving users more control over installing monthly updates — so they can be paused for longer — and "reducing update noise with fewer automatic restarts".

In other words, Microsoft would appear to be attempting to ensure Windows 11 won't suddenly decide your PC needs to restart and update when you leave your desk for five minutes to get a coffee, and allowing for more of a delay before update installation in case you might be paranoid about a bug that early adopters have found.

However, I think the most interesting move of all is Microsoft's promise to reduce the resources that Windows 11 hoovers up, and to make the OS more streamlined with more consistent performance levels. That specifically includes: "Improved memory efficiency, lowering the baseline memory footprint for Windows, freeing up more capacity for the apps you run."

A new threat (or two)

Now, what else has just happened that is huge in the world of computing? The laptop arena has been changed in a major way with the introduction of the MacBook Neo, which has been very well-received, surprising many critics. It may have a mobile (iPhone) CPU — and only 8GB of system RAM — but the MacBook Neo is a sterling performer for everyday computing tasks. As we've observed elsewhere, the Neo more than holds its own against the MacBook Air M1, which remains a powerful laptop even today.

Apple has boasted about these notebooks flying off the shelves — CEO Tim Cook has said it's the 'best launch week ever' for new Mac buyers — and it's clear why. Even with the caveats involved and the corners cut to get the MacBook Neo's base price down to $599 / £599 / AU$899, this laptop punches above its weight.

8GB of RAM isn't holding back the Neo, that's clear — not for the target audience of everyday users and students. As we make clear in our review, you must obviously manage expectations around more demanding tasks — but that's not what this entry-level MacBook is supposed to be about. Regarding the Neo's speed, we concluded: "Overall, the performance of the MacBook Neo is very impressive for the price. It excels at day-to-day tasks, and is flexible enough for you to run most Mac apps without an issue."

How does a Windows 11 laptop with 8GB run in comparison? While this memory loadout is still sufficient for Microsoft's OS, it's not as slick as the Neo, and therefore, the worries about future-proofing, which do indeed hold for Apple's laptop, too, are more of a concern for me.

As our review points out: "There are some very good Windows 11 alternative [budget laptops], but none at this price feel quite as good as the MacBook Neo."

And in the midst of a RAM crisis, which is seriously pushing up the asking prices of laptops — and making 8GB a more prevalent loadout again — Microsoft already had a problem with Windows 11's performance levels, and that's been intensified by the appearance of the MacBook Neo on the scene, with the Apple newcomer clearly doing very well.

So, while Microsoft had already promised performance improvements for Windows 11, I think we're seeing 'panic stations' here. This may not be just about the MacBook Neo, either, but also the success of SteamOS in recent times. There's a double threat here in terms of macOS and Linux attacking Microsoft's desktop territory.

Does all this really pose a meaningful danger to Windows 11's desktop dominance, though? That's arguable — Linux and macOS don't even represent 10% of market share between them as things stand (as per StatCounter's figures) — but that balance of power could start to shift more. I feel that the moves Microsoft is making here indicate that the software giant is indeed worrying about defending Windows 11's position here.

Heck, Scott Hanselman, a Microsoft exec who's a big part of the effort to make Windows 11 better this year, is even talking about allowing the operating system to be set up without a Microsoft account (just using a local one, with no clunky workaround needed — shock, horror).

Neo may not just be ushering in a new era for Apple, but also for Windows 11 notebooks, which is great news for all the budget laptop buyers out there. Assuming, of course, that Microsoft delivers on all these big promises. Skeptics remain on that front, as you might guess.

The best laptops for all budgets

➡️ Read our full guide to the best laptops
1. Best overall:
Apple MacBook Air 13-inch M4
2. Best budget:
Asus Chromebook CM14
3. Best Windows 11 laptop
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13-inch
4. Best gaming:
Razer Blade 16
5. Best for pros
MacBook Pro 16-inch (M4 Pro)

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