Seattle, Washington - Microsoft's Windows 11 is up and running as of today and the operating system features fancy new looks and layout changes!

The start menu is now in the middle of the screen by default, where it will stay until Microsoft updates Win 11 to let you snap the taskbar to a different side of the screen again.

Widgets are new to the operating system, and Microsoft claims they are powered by AI and the internet. The feature apparently "slides across your screen like a sheet of glass" when selected.

Another new program is Chat from Microsoft Teams, which the company says will be a trimmed-down messenger that syncs with Microsoft Teams.

Other features also give you more productivity and multitasking power, with a focus on more control over the way you use your screen space.

From the ability to hover over the maximize button on a window and select a custom sizing, to multiple desktops and Snap Layouts and Groups, you can smoothly tweak how to organize your windows and programs.

Smooth seems to be the focus for the updated operating system: seamless transitions between windows, cleaner aesthetics, and an all-round improved user experience, including for people who want to use the Accessibility options.

But despite claims that Win 11 is built for gaming, the new OS also kneecaps users whose PC has Intel's Killer networking software. The effect of the issue slows internet connection speeds for the devices, which will make gaming worse.

The other known issues, including an inability to start Virtual Machines or the Cốc Cốc browser, are being tracked on Microsoft's Win 11 known issues page, and are expected to be fixed with future updates.

Like any software update, Windows 11 is fresh, but not flawless.

There are bugs, driver issues, and some programs and features won't be added until later security updates.

A massive problem with the free update is that Win 11 is not available to a huge amount of perfectly functional devices, due to a strict set of hardware requirements.

Microsoft does advertise for compatible devices, but starts the list with the tone-deaf statement that "There’s never been a better time to buy a PC," which is simply untrue, thanks to the massive shortage in silica and production delays caused by the pandemic.

In fact, tight now is arguably the worst time to buy a PC. But you don't need to if you are still using a device with Windows 10. Users still have time until 2025, when Microsoft will stop supplying security updates.

For now, an upgrade to Win 11 is optional. That is good news for anyone who is wary of grabbing the new operating system before seeing what issues other users run into. Reports of any serious bugs or stability issues will come with time.

Waiting to upgrade would give the development team time to sort those problems out and roll out the rest of the promised features and programs.

Windows 11 in its current state is basically just a new layout for Windows 10, but once more updates come down the pipe, it could be worth upgrading for the low price of free.