Windows 10 or Windows 11?

I’d probably stick with Windows 11 for now. The 5 GB RAM usage looks a bit high at first, but with 16 GB installed, it’s not really something I’d worry about. Windows tends to use RAM for caching and background stuff, and it can free it up when an application actually needs it.

If you mainly dislike the extra Windows 11 features and the overall look, I’d try trimming down the things you don’t use before doing a full downgrade. You can disable unnecessary startup apps and some background features and see if that makes the system feel better.

I’d also be a little careful with Windows 10 on a new laptop. Since the machine came with Windows 11, check whether the manufacturer even provides proper Windows 10 drivers for your exact model. That can cause more trouble than the RAM usage is worth.

And personally, I wouldn’t move to Windows 10 now just for the lighter feel. Microsoft ended normal Windows 10 support on October 14, 2025, so Windows 11 makes more sense for a new laptop long-term.

My current computer has Windows 11. Win10 was my prefered choice, but the only reason why I installed 11 instead of 10 was because I couldn't make the mousepad work, very likely lack of working drivers.

Windows 11 UI is worse in many aspects to 10, but with a few tweaks it's possible to have an usable interface again, very much like 10. The increased spyware, AI, meaningless changes and a few removed features don't make up for the good things it brings, but it's workable once updates are completely disabled.

More often than not, driver and hardware support and the software you'll install on is what drives the decision of OS version. My usual recommendation is, unless you know a specific reason to do otherwise, go for the latest, all else being equal.

Probably best to stick with what you have. Sooner or later you will need to make that transition so if you have already made it then you may as well keep it. You will likely be better off familiarizing yourself with Win 11 in the meantime because before you know it the next OS will be making its debut. Someone here mentioned Linux and that is also an option but it is not an option that covers all the bases. I also use Linux. I still use Windows because there are apps and programs that will only run on Windows that I like to use.