The sad thing is, Windows (even 11) can be great.

I bought a new PC 18m ago, and due to the particular software I need to run, I needed a primary Windows installation. The PC came with a Windows 11 license, but I downloaded a stripped out ‘gamer’ focused ISO and installed that instead.

It’s brilliant. Thanks to the nature of the ISO, it is totally debloated – far beyond just the obvious removal of things like ads and spyware. As a result, it boots faster than any operating system I’ve ever had – once you get past the bios shenanigans, it takes about 5 to 7 seconds and it’s fully ready to go. (That’s a clean boot, not from sleep). It’s similarly fast in regular use, and it has been perfectly stable.

(The only downside of this approach is you have to be careful what’s been stripped out before you make your choice. In my case, I’ve not been able to install a printer, and WSL has also been removed. These are minor irritations, which so far I haven’t led me to abandon this installation – because otherwise it’s just great.)