Setting up a new Windows PC is the same chore every time, and I’ve done it enough times to have an opinion on every single toggle. There are updates to chase, preinstalled junk to rip out, a dozen installers to click through, and a backup plan I always swear I’ll sort out later. I’ve lost count of how many laptops I’ve set up this year while reviewing, and that’s only part of how many times I’ve reinstalled Windows overall.