It looks like Microsoft has decided to democratize the Mica effect in Windows 11. Not very resource intensive, is this one of the solutions to boost the performance of the OS?
We know that the Windows 11 development team has a 2022 goal of improving performance. This is a focus and calls have already been made to plan the battle. Meanwhile, the operating system is slowly changing.
The adoption and democratization of the mica effect is accelerating. This allows a rendering closer to the “acrylic” effect but requires fewer resources. Microsoft promises that modern PCs will have no trouble handling it. To find out, simply open the Windows 11 Start Menu. The background appears translucent, revealing the tone of the background and the window behind. In fact it is not, it is opaque to give relief in machine and speed up rendering. Office and various operations are faster and more dynamic.
The acrylic effect is one of the advancements in Fluent Design present in Windows 10. This transparent effect has been applied to some elements of the interface, such as Windows for example. This ambiguity, although pleasant, is unfortunately resource-intensive, especially in favor of graphics solutions (dGPU or iGPU). Suddenly the performance of the PC as well as the autonomy of the laptop can be affected.
Windows 11 and performance, Mica is democratizing
This simple overview explains Microsoft’s choice to replace it with a new effect called MICA. Mica does not impart any translucent appearance. It lets you think about it through color gradients based on the desktop background. The idea is to provide a modern looking “color hierarchy” without any impact on system performance.
Mica has not yet been generalized to the entire interface. Microsoft is taking it step by step. Effect has found its way to many native Windows 11 applications. It ranges from photos to calculators to Edge browser and capture tools.
Word and mica effect / Source: reddit
In a recent “Preview”, Microsoft decided to take this a step further by offering effects in the title bar of some UWP applications, such as “Tips” and “Feedback Hub”. Similarly, the Office Office suite is expected to be used exclusively in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook and Notepad. A redesign is underway to align it as much as possible with Windows 11’s interface. The firm does not hide this by indicating that this redesign of the office ” An intuitive, consistent and familiar user interface To match the philosophy of Windows 11.