In the evolving landscape of productivity tools, Microsoft has introduced two distinct versions of Outlook within Windows 11: the traditional Outlook Classic, a Win32 desktop application, and the newly designed ‘New Outlook.’ However, early reports indicate that the New Outlook may be falling short in terms of performance, particularly in its responsiveness.
Performance Discrepancies
Users have noted a significant lag when using the New Outlook, with one individual highlighting that it takes approximately 10 seconds to perform tasks that Outlook Classic executes instantaneously. For instance, opening emails directly from Windows notifications has proven to be a sluggish experience in the New Outlook.
In contrast, when utilizing Outlook Classic, the process of accessing an email from a notification is seamless. Users can expect the email body to display almost immediately, whereas the New Outlook requires a lengthy initialization period. This user further observed that launching Outlook directly from the Start menu is often quicker than waiting for the notification to process.
Technical Underpinnings
The New Outlook operates on WebView2, which essentially renders it as a browser window loading Outlook.com. This architecture necessitates several steps: initializing the web layer, authenticating the user, loading relevant email threads, and rendering content through the web engine. These processes contribute to a higher memory consumption compared to Outlook Classic, which functions as a single, streamlined process.
- The New Outlook runs as 10 separate processes in Task Manager, including:
- WebView2 Manager
- Multiple WebView2 Utility processes
- WebView2 GPU Process
- WebView2 Service Worker
- Outlook Classic, by comparison, operates as a compact, singular process.
Microsoft has acknowledged the performance challenges associated with the New Outlook, particularly regarding its offline functionality. The company has been testing a new API named ‘Delayed Message Timing’ to address these performance issues within WebView2 applications. However, it remains unclear whether this API was active during the user’s experience with the notification.
Ultimately, the user concluded that while the New Outlook offers a modern interface, the reliability and speed of Outlook Classic—especially for businesses that prioritize efficient notification processing—make it the more dependable option at this time. As organizations continue to adapt to new technologies, the choice between these two versions may hinge on the critical need for speed and efficiency in daily operations.
