edit: I realised I overplayed how much faster and smoother it is. compared to standard win 10 or 11. Example being my login screen sometimes struggles to come up when the computer is locked (work around double mash CTRL-ALT-DEL)
The various UI inconsistencies, theres weird XP goop mixed with the modern UI.
I tried to make a new user account one time and it told me I couldnt because I needed to use another feature within Windows to do so, when I went to do so it told me I needed to either use the same feature that led me there (if I remember correctly). It was ridiculous.
Hot, garbage since 2022.
Not to mention all the absurd telemetry. Everything you type into the start menu goes into a Microsoft backend. Everything, every time. Idk how people can have so much of their data constantly going to a Microsoft backend without being upset. Goes back all the way to Windows 8 or 10 btw.
Yes, it's dumb, but you can disable it in Settings.
> On one computer the File Manager is slowed to a crawl, the image viewer slows to a crawl if I hit left or right arrow keys.
While I'm not going to say you're not experiencing this, this isn't something I've seen personally. So it isn't a universal issue.
> The built-in antivirus has a feature to send “suspicious” files to Microsoft, with zero audit trail of what it sends over, and its on by default.
Audit trail is in Event Viewer.
> The various UI inconsistencies, theres weird XP goop mixed with the modern UI.
There is even Windows 3.x UI mixed in. This hasn't changed and is nothing new, nor interesting.
> I tried to make a new user account one time and it told me I couldnt because I needed to use another feature within Windows to do so,
Creating a new account doesn't require a Windows Feature to be added. Compmgr.msc.
> Everything you type into the start menu goes into a Microsoft backend.
No. Just wrong.
It sounds like you should educate yourself on Windows. And I did specifically mention Pro.