The biggest desktop operating system release of 2015 was Windows 10. The successor to the much-maligned Windows 8 (I know, where’s Windows 9??? They skipped it!), Windows 10 was the most radical overhaul to Windows in a decade.
With it, Microsoft aimed to fix a number of criticisms the OS has suffered since its Vista days. Microsoft has learned from its Vista mistakes and also taken the critical reception of Windows 7 and 8 to heart and brought back old trusted features of Windows–like the Start menu–and added a slew of new features including Cortana, Microsoft’s personal digital assistant that’s come over from Windows Phone.
Windows 10 also introduced a totally new, streamlined web browser called Edge, which the company hopes will help it win back users from Google Chrome.
In order to get users to upgrade to 10, the company offered it as a free upgrade for people until last July. Now, however, it’ll cost you £99 for the Home version of £189 for the Pro version. But given that Windows 10 has been out for almost two years now, it’s probably about time you switched–even if you have to pay for it. Here are 10 reasons you should upgrade to Windows 10.
Windows 10: The Start Menu
At long last Microsoft has backtracked on its, frankly, stupid decision to remove the Start button in the previous version of Windows.
In Windows 10 the Start button is back! Need we say more?
Windows 10: Cortana
Microsoft’s digital assistant Cortana--previously only available on Windows Phone is now built in to Windows 10 on a system-wide level. A new Cortana button sits next to the Start menu and users can ask her voice queries and perform tasks just like on Windows Phone.
However, Cortana on the desktop goes further by being able to find files on your computer using natural language input such as “Find PowerPoint slides about the charity auction” and “Show me photos from December.”
Windows 10: Universal Apps
Windows 10, given it runs on every kind of device, unsurprisingly also features universal apps–ie: one app that runs on desktop, tablet, and smartphone. One such app Microsoft has showcased is Outlook, which has been redesigned to look and work alike on PCs, tablets and smartphones.
Windows 10 also features a dedicated photos app across devices. For other universal apps–that will depend on whether individual developers choose to make their apps universal.
Windows 10: Action Center
Another great feature of Windows 10 that brings parity between PCs and Windows Phone devices is Action Center. This is a pane that appears over the disk (similar to macOS’s Notification Center) that give you notifications and alerts from all your different apps and messages.
Windows 10: Microsoft Edge
Windows 10 includes a modern new web browser called Edge. Edge does not replace Internet Explorer, which still ships with Windows 10, but it will be the default browser. The big thing about Edge is its new rendering engine, EdgeHTML, which makes browsing much faster. Edge also supports reading lists, on-screen annotations, and extensions.
Windows 10: Better Security
Windows 10 features the Secure Boot security feature from Windows 8, but makes it better. Secure Boot requires that any code that runs right when Windows boots be signed by Microsoft or the hardware maker. In Windows 8 any user could bypass this feature, but in Windows 10, you can set it so the feature may not be bypassed.
Windows 10: Virtual Desktops
Windows 10 finally natively supports virtual desktops, so you can have one desktop, for example, for all your open browser windows, another desktop with your Office documents open, and yet another with iTunes open. Virtual desktops are something OS X has featured for a while and are very useful, so we’re glad to see Microsoft finally added them to Windows 10.
Windows 10: Xbox App
Windows 10 is great for gaming whether you’re a PC gamer or a console gamer.
It includes unified Xbox PC app that allows you to chat with your Xbox pals, view your stats, and even offer local streaming between your Xbox and Windows 10 devices. Yep, you can begin playing a game on your Xbox and pick it up on your Windows 10 PC.
Windows 10: DirectX 12
Another bonus for gamers is that Windows 10 supports DirectX 12. Games that take advantage of DirectX 12 will see more fluid graphics and higher frame rates when played on a Windows 10 PC.
Windows 10: A New Windows Store
Windows 10 features a new unified Windows Store so you can shop for apps, games, and media for all your devices from the new Store on any Windows 10 device.
And since Xbox One technically runs a flavor of Windows 10, Microsoft introduced its “Xbox Play Anywhere” feature, which lets you buy a game once and play it on Windows 10 PCs AND Xbox One.
Check out all the latest deals for Windows 10 over at Microsoft's main website.
