Wrapped inside Aero, a Windows 11 concept photo has popped up

It has been nearly three years since the initial public announcement of Windows 11. According to reports, the latest version of the operating system, 24H2, is expected to reach RTM soon. The design of Windows 11 is characterized by a combination of Acrylic, Mica, Mica Alt, and Smoke elements.

One noticeable absence from this list is Aero, a feature that has been beloved by many Windows fans and enthusiasts. However, it is important to note that Microsoft did not remove Aero with the release of Windows 11, but rather with the release of Windows 8, which came after Windows 7. While some of the transparency effects reminiscent of Aero remained in Windows 10, they were not as prevalent as before.

If you are curious, Microsoft first introduced Aero Glass material in Windows Vista. However, it proved to be a challenge for graphics cards at that time to handle, despite Microsoft’s assurances. The resource-heavy nature of Aero sometimes led to Windows disabling it due to certain GPU-intensive applications, as the effect was consuming excessive GPU cycles for hardware acceleration.

With this in mind, Microsoft worked on enhancing the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) GPU scheduler in order to improve GUI processing and meet the performance demands of Aero. Additionally, there were indications that Windows 8 would support software acceleration for Aero.

After addressing a bit of the hardware history, it’s natural to ponder the possibility of Microsoft resurrecting Aero for Windows 11. With the majority of current GPUs, both dedicated and integrated, being significantly more advanced, one can’t help but wonder.

A concept of Windows 11 with enabled Aero effects has been designed by Reddit user sakuhanaX3 and shared on the FrutigerAero subreddit. The user envisions a scenario where Microsoft continued improving Aero and did not discontinue it. In the image above, the Aero glass effect is visually pleasing, although some may not prefer the outdated icons it encompasses.

Do you believe that Aero will make a comeback in Microsoft’s future operating systems, whether it be in the upcoming Windows 11 or the next-generation Windows (12)? Share your thoughts and desired features in the comments section below.