Microsoft making Windows more efficient is a pipe dream and we all know that. Let alone optimizing it for operating off of a hard disk.

To be honest, I'd prefer to see super basic, ultra-cheap PCs with a 256GB SSD rather than a 1TB HDD (that's what OEMs claim is the equivalent models cost-wise) because, for the people these cheap PCs are targeted at, it would make a positive difference in terms of usability and speed no matter what the OS.

But it all comes back to the fact that we're talking about Windows 11 only and new PCs only here. Nobody in their right minds would buy even the cheapest new Windows 11-based PC nowadays with an HDD instead of an SSD as a system drive. It would be like getting something potentially decent and deliberately hamstringing it by letting the HDD drag the whole system down.

In my eyes, it would be a waste of money regardless of cost. It's no coincidence that it's getting harder and harder finding such a system, laptop or otherwise. It just doesn't make sense. I feel that this transition can be done without consumers paying more for it and if OEMs are smart, they will help.