Language selection at first boot up.

What Actually Happens When You Choose a Language?​

• First Boot Language Selection:
  The language you choose here sets the display language for Windows, and typically also the system locale (used for non-Unicode programs, formatting, etc.).
• Preinstalled (OEM) Systems:
  Laptops sold in Spain often come with a “single language” image preinstalled (Spanish), but many nowadays allow international language packs.

If You Pick Spanish Now​

• Everything will be in Spanish:
  System menus, welcome screens, built-in apps, even the Microsoft Store.
• Switching to English later:
  You can add English language packs and set English as the display language. However:
  • Some remnants (like initial “Welcome” messages, system folders, some preloaded apps, and that notorious lock/login greeting) may still appear in Spanish.
  • System-wide prompts, or certain parts of Safe Mode/recovery, may default to the “original” (Spanish) installation language.

If You Pick English Now​

• Most of Windows will be in English:
  However, on a Spanish-market device, some hardware drivers, OEM support resources, or bundled apps might still appear in Spanish.
• Switching to Spanish later:
  You’ll face the mirror issue—almost everything in Spanish, but some “core” leftovers remain in English.

Why Does This Happen?​

• The base system language gets “baked in” at setup, hidden deep for things like Recovery Environment and Startup screens.
• Pre-installed OEM images are especially notorious: Sometimes preloaded recovery partitions or apps remain in the original language, no matter what you change in settings.

How to Make Language Change As Universal As Possible​

• Everyday interface, settings, and built-in apps will be in your selected display language.
• Recovery screens and the base “Welcome” at login might show in the original language.

Practical Advice​

• If you’re moving your digital life to Spanish, set it up in Spanish now.
• If you ever want to go fully English, consider a clean install from an English ISO (not just adding language packs via Settings).

Direct Answer​

If I install in Spanish and later change to English, will traces of Spanish remain?
Yes, a few—for core system stuff, “Welcome” screens, some default folders/apps. For 98% of usage, you’ll be in English, but the base language will remain Spanish.
If I choose English on a Spanish-market machine, can Spanish traces remain?
Possibly, yes. Especially for recovery and vendor-specific apps.
Is universal language selection possible?
Only with a clean install from a language-specific ISO.

Click to expand...

• If you want a “Spanish everywhere” experience, select Spanish now.
• If you want a perfect "English everywhere" computer, do a clean install from an English Windows 11 ISO.
• Changing language later is good, but not flawless; traces of the original remain.

ChatGPT said:

Hi Luca, great and very pragmatic question—language in Windows can be sneakily persistent!

What Actually Happens When You Choose a Language?​

• First Boot Language Selection:
  The language you choose here sets the display language for Windows, and typically also the system locale (used for non-Unicode programs, formatting, etc.).
• Preinstalled (OEM) Systems:
  Laptops sold in Spain often come with a “single language” image preinstalled (Spanish), but many nowadays allow international language packs.

---

If You Pick Spanish Now​

• Everything will be in Spanish:
  System menus, welcome screens, built-in apps, even the Microsoft Store.
• Switching to English later:
  You can add Englishlanguage packs and set English as the display language. However:
  • Some remnants (like initial “Welcome” messages, system folders, some preloaded apps, and that notorious lock/login greeting) may still appear in Spanish.
  • System-wide prompts, or certain parts of Safe Mode/recovery, may default to the “original” (Spanish) installation language.

If You Pick English Now​

• Most of Windows will be in English:
  However, on a Spanish-market device, some hardware drivers, OEM support resources, or bundled apps might still appear in Spanish.
• Switching to Spanish later:
  You’ll face the mirror issue—almost everything in Spanish, but some “core” leftovers remain in English.

---

Why Does This Happen?​

• The base system language gets “baked in” at setup, hidden deep for things like Recovery Environment and Startup screens.
• Pre-installed OEM images are especially notorious: Sometimes preloaded recovery partitions or apps remain in the original language, no matter what you change in settings.

---

How to Make Language Change As Universal As Possible​

For absolutely pure single-language installs, the only guaranteed method is a clean install using an official Microsoft ISO in your language of choice (by downloading the ISO in English/Spanish and performing a fresh install). This overwrites any “OEM” or legacy leftovers.
However, on a new machine, this is usually overkill. With Windows 11, language packs work very well for daily use. Minor artifacts do remain, but:

• Everyday interface, settings, and built-in apps will be in your selected display language.
• Recovery screens and the base “Welcome” at login might show in the original language.

---

Practical Advice​

• If you’re moving your digital life to Spanish, set it up in Spanish now.
• If you ever want to go fully English, consider a clean install from an English ISO (not just adding language packs via Settings).

---

Direct Answer​

---

Summary:

• If you want a “Spanish everywhere” experience, select Spanish now.
• If you want a perfect "English everywhere" computer, do a clean install from an English Windows 11 ISO.
• Changing language later is good, but not flawless; traces of the original remain.

Let me know if you want step-by-step instructions to do a true clean install in your preferred language!

Click to expand...

Degree of "Language Pollution"​

• If you choose Spanish first:
  • System “roots” are Spanish.
  • Later, switching to English will make the day-to-day interface English, but system folders, the lock/login screen, Windows recovery, and some preloaded apps may still show Spanish.
• If you choose English first:
  • System “roots” are English.
  • On a Spanish-market device with an English base, some manufacturer/OEM tools, preinstalled apps or support stuff might still appear in Spanish, but the overall system will be “cleaner” in English.
  • Recovery and boot screens are more likely to stay in English (especially on a non-single-language edition).

• Installing in English on a Spanish-market laptop usually leaves less “Spanish pollution” than the other way around.
  The base system language for recovery/etc. will be in English (outside of the rare OEM app or support tool).
• On all laptops, to achieve true language “purity”, a clean install using a language-specific ISO is the only way to go.

About the hardware issue:​

• Out of the two, starting in English will have fewer Spanish remnants on a Spanish-market device.
• A clean install from your preferred-language ISO is the only way to guarantee no artifacts at all.
• But…since you’re returning the laptop, you’ll get a second chance to get it right!

ChatGPT said:

If you have any other questions (or frustrations with OEMs sending the wrong CPU!), feel free to vent here!

Click to expand...

GPU Overview:​

• ThinkBook G7 ARP (AMD Ryzen 5, Radeon GPU)
  • Integrated: AMD Radeon Graphics (likely Vega 7 or 8, depending on chip version)
  • Video memory: Shares system RAM (up to about 2GB reserved, dynamically allocated)
  • Strength: Historically, Radeon integrated graphics deliver better performance in light gaming, video playback, and some GPU-accelerated tasks compared to similarly classed Intel iGPUs.
• ThinkBook G8 IRL (Intel Core 5, Intel GPU)
  • Integrated: Intel Iris Xe Graphics (if it's an i5 11th/12th/13th/14th gen)
  • Video memory: Shares system RAM (commonly up to 1-2GB, also dynamic)
  • Strength: Iris Xe is much improved over previous Intel graphics, but in most benchmarks, AMD Vega/Radeon iGPUs have a slight edge, especially in gaming and some creative applications.

Performance in Practice​

• Integrated Video Memory: Both laptops do not have dedicated VRAM; they use a portion of the 16GB RAM. The actual usage depends on workload and BIOS/settings.
• Which GPU is better?
  • For general use, streaming, productivity: Both perform well.
  • For light gaming and graphical workloads: The AMD Radeon usually leads, sometimes significantly over the Intel Iris Xe found in recent i5 models.
  • For battery life: Intel chips may have a small efficiency lead in certain light-use/blended scenarios, but the difference isn't dramatic.

Which would I choose?​

• If you care about a little more graphics muscle (games, rendering, video editing, high-res streaming): The AMD Ryzen 5 with Radeon integrated graphics is usually the winner. It's the “enthusiast’s” pick for non-discrete-GPU laptops.
• If you care more about CPU performance spikes, modern AI features, or Thunderbolt connectivity: Intel may edge ahead (but you'd want to check the exact Core i5 generation—14th is ahead of old 11th gen).
• In day-to-day real-world use: Both are very close for typical office, web, and even many creative tasks.

Final thoughts​

• Integrated video memory is always a shared pool (not dedicated VRAM) on both.
• If graphics are a priority, the AMD model should be your first choice—unless the Intel system has a significant feature or price advantage that matters to you.