Thoughts on the Creator Update

Zachary Boddy

Staff member
Aug 3, 2014
2,372
11
38
www.windowscentral.com
I installed the Creator Update on my Surface Pro 4 the moment it was available (I don't dare put my Pro 4 in the Fast Ring and it wasn't worth testing on my old crappy Toshiba laptop) and I've been using it steadily the next few days. I have a few thoughts.

First, it's clear this isn't as major of an update as the Anniversary Update. But the improvements that are there I like.
Microsoft Edge feels better, much better. It's faster and more stable. The new "set tabs aside" feature is great, even though I haven't used it very much. I lament the slight change in design with the hub being grey instead of black now.
The Paint 3D app is fun. It's not my hobby, but my girlfriend used my tablet for almost two hours straight (she snatched it out of my hands) and just played with a 3D cat when I told her about the app.
The Settings is neater, and I like all the changes they've made here. I've no complaints about anything they've done with Settings.

Overall, it's a solid update. I'd argue that RS3 will be far more important. The Creator Update is more like a minor update, like another Threshold 2, than anything else. I'm not a fan of all the changes. There's a few aesthetic quibbles I have (like the change to the Cortana bar), but it seems, well, faster. Even on Mobile.
Speaking of Mobile, the "minor-ness" of the Creator Update is far more noticeable there. I know there's a lot of behind-the-scenes updates and changes being made. It certainly feels faster and more stable. UUP is definitely an improvement. I know it's paving the way for RS3. But I would've liked to have least seen Night Light come to Mobile.

What do you guys think of the Creator Update in its final form? What would you have liked to see? What do you want to see with RS3?

Also, what other threads are there than I can participate in about the Creator Update?
 

anon(9603734)

New member
Aug 15, 2015
149
0
0
Visit site
I also have it installed now on my SP4. It was a smooth and painless update process from 14393.969; from pressing "Restart Now" (once the update was prepared for install), it took roughly one hour to do the install and for me to be able to use the SP4 again.

It definitely feels a very minor upgrade.

The only things noteworthy for me are:
  1. Night Light;
  2. I'm really impressed with the Windows Hello speed; and
  3. I've got to agree that Edge is definitely faster than in the Anniversary Update.

One thing I can't find is the option in Cortana for "Pick up where I left off". Is this a regional feature? I'm in the UK.

The changes to the Settings screen seem logical. I like the new look of Windows Defender (although I would like the dates shown on the last scan and definition update to not be in US format; I can't find a way to change that).

I can't understand though why they have introduced a new "Share" icon, but it's not updated in all of their apps. I can understand why it might not be updated in 3rd party apps, but if they're going to choose a new icon they really must have it standard throughout all of their own apps - where's the consistency?
 

demon09

New member
Apr 28, 2016
67
0
0
Visit site
I'm really liking it so far (have it on 3 devices now), but I'm a bit disappointed they pushed back some of the bigger elements of the update. Feels more like a cleanup than a real update at this point. Oh well, maybe RS3 will bring more to the table...
 

petvas72

New member
Nov 2, 2016
141
0
0
Visit site
I have it installed on my Surface Book and I like it very much. The new features are not so important to me, but the OS as a whole feels much more mature now and it works better than before. Especially Edge is really good now. I love the way it works and it is my default browser. Also, the way the OS now handles Win32 apps that didn't scale well on HiDPI displays is much better. I have an app which I have to use regularly and it didn't scale well. Now it is much better. Overall I am very happy with the update.
 

Zachary Boddy

Staff member
Aug 3, 2014
2,372
11
38
www.windowscentral.com
Yeah the updates in the background do make a big difference. Better scaling, faster performance, better stability, and the foundation for bigger things to come. I hope RS3 delivers on what RS2 started.
 

eddieDOTexe

New member
Nov 15, 2012
274
0
0
Visit site
You can't even stream on Beam with a lot of games if your game is running in full-screen mode lmao what a joke.
Aside from that Game Mode made little difference because I run the games well enough as it is. I'm curious as to how it will affect the Alienware Alpha running Alpha UI which supresses a lot of Windows resources as it is including Explorer.

Feel a little faster overall though but that was an underwhelming update.
Not a very big one too considering the "Hi.." screen didn't show anything past "Hi" before it finished configuring.

Lots of features I was looking for cut out from this update. Guess we'll see them in RS3.

And Edge is still.. eh. You just can't go through a web session without finding a site that doesn't work well or at all on Edge but works fine on other browsers like Opera.
It also still has no native webm support this hinders my ****posting.
 
Last edited:

Grodelj

New member
Apr 2, 2013
319
0
0
Visit site
I can't see any difference in DPI scalling, if I had a problem before, it is still here. One thing I do like very much is how the changed VPN, so you can connect and disconnect with fewer clicks (as it was on windows 8.1 and it shouldn't have been changed at all).
 

Alin Maior

New member
Jul 23, 2016
15
0
0
Visit site
I installed it last night.
First thoughts:
- Night light!
- Edge seems to perform way better on my PC. Also, the new option to set the tabs aside seems like something I will use.
 

Zachary Boddy

Staff member
Aug 3, 2014
2,372
11
38
www.windowscentral.com
You can't even stream on Beam with a lot of games if your game is running in full-screen mode lmao what a joke.
Aside from that Game Mode made little difference because I run the games well enough as it is. I'm curious as to how it will affect the Alienware Alpha running Alpha UI which supresses a lot of Windows resources as it is including Explorer.

Feel a little faster overall though but that was an underwhelming update.
Not a very big one too considering the "Hi.." screen didn't show anything past "Hi" before it finished configuring.

Lots of features I was looking for cut out from this update. Guess we'll see them in RS3.

And Edge is still.. eh. You just can't go through a web session without finding a site that doesn't work well or at all on Edge but works fine on other browsers like Opera.
It also still has no native webm support this hinders my ****posting.

I get what you mean. It's definitely a more minor update. The only real improvements are in speed, stability, and Edge. And Night Light.
 

Mark F24

New member
Oct 12, 2014
410
0
0
Visit site

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
322,913
Messages
2,242,887
Members
428,004
Latest member
hetb