Quick comparison of the first and latest Windows 10

Jul 31, 2020 04:41 GMT  ·  By

Windows 10 has just turned 5, and a screenshot that was posted online to compare the very first version of the operating system with the most recent preview build shows just how far the operating system has come during all this time.

And the first sign that the experience with Windows 10 has evolved big time is none other than the Start menu, which as you can see in this comparison shot now looks a lot more modern than the original version.

The Settings app itself has received additional improvements, some of which were based on user feedback, although it goes with saying that Windows 10 is still missing some functionality that users have been asking for.

And the first thing that comes to mind is the tab support in File Explorer, something that would allow users to work with multiple folders in the same UI of the file manager. Microsoft actually wanted to bring tabs to Windows 10 with the release of Sets, but the feature was eventually dropped with the company promising to bring it back at a later time.

New Start menu with theme-aware tiles

Getting back to the difference between the first and the latest Windows 10 build, it’s pretty clear that Microsoft improved several key areas. The Start menu, for example, now uses theme-aware tiles, which means that the operating system essentially gives up on the solid colors that many believed were absolutely awful.

And one thing that’s worth mentioning here is that live tiles aren’t going anywhere, despite all the rumors in this regard. Microsoft will keep live tiles around for a little longer, and the Start menu redesign shows that this is the direction the company is embracing.

The next Windows 10 feature update is due in the fall of this year as version 20H2.