Windows 10 vs. Windows 11: Should You Upgrade Before Support Ends?

When Microsoft announced the end of support for Windows 10 in October 2025, a wave of uncertainty swept over millions of PC users. The question suddenly became urgent: stick with what’s familiar and stable or make the leap to Windows 11, an operating system that promises new interfaces, productivity advantages, and advanced AI capabilities? The choice is not as simple as flashy marketing or nostalgic comfort. With each new update, Windows 11 moves further away from its predecessor—sometimes delighting, other times frustrating, but always inviting scrutiny. This in-depth look at Windows 10 vs. Windows 11 considers price, interface, app compatibility, hardware support, AI features, security, gaming, peripheral integration, and more, so you can decide whether you should upgrade now or wait out the clock.

Pricing Realities: The End of Windows 10 Licenses​

Let’s start with the simplest factor: cost. For years, the most common way to get Windows 10 was as an included OS on new PCs, or as a boxed download from Microsoft and third-party retailers. By 2025, this has changed. Microsoft has officially stopped selling new Windows 10 licenses, and reputable retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Micro Center have cleared out most official stock. If you need a Windows license for a new build, you must now purchase Windows 11. The retail cost: $139.99 for Home, $199.99 for Pro, roughly mirroring previous pricing.
Crucially, if you already have Windows 10 installed on your PC, updating to Windows 11 remains free. Microsoft’s free upgrade policy here outlasted its earlier Windows 8-to-10 offer, which expired just a year post-launch. In practice, this means that for most upgraders, funds are not the main obstacle—the question is whether the new OS justifies the transition.
Caveat emptor: Some online gray-market sellers continue to offer suspiciously cheap Windows 10 keys. Be wary—these can be problematic, unsupported by Microsoft, and occasionally deactivated after purchase. For most users, Windows 11 is now the default for new hardware and builds.
Winner: Tie (for upgraders); Windows 11 (for new builds)

Familiarity vs. Newness: Comparing Interfaces​

Microsoft has crafted Windows 11’s interface to look sleeker and feel more consistent, with rounded window corners, pastel colors, and a distinctive, floating taskbar by default. The Settings app is now unified, minimizing the legacy detritus that once sent users on scavenger hunts between Control Panel and modern menus. Still, veteran users will occasionally spot throwbacks—with some legacy dialogs reminiscent of Windows 7/XP persisting for deep system settings.
The Start menu’s evolution is contentious. Gone are Windows 10’s Live Tiles and its long, scrollable list of all apps. Windows 11 replaces these with a more static, app-icon-centric approach, focusing on pinned and recommended apps. Critics argue this reduces at-a-glance information and makes navigation longer for heavily customized Start menus, but supporters welcome the minimalist, less cluttered design. Those who prefer legacy layouts can now align the taskbar to the left, partially restoring the old look.
Windows 11 shines in multitasking. The introduction of Snap Layouts is a game-changer for power users: hover over the “maximize” button and choose from preset window arrangements (halves, quarters, thirds), making optimal use of screen real estate on large monitors. Windows 10’s basic snapping is functional but less versatile.
Virtual desktops are supported in both OSes, but Windows 11 adds the ability to set different wallpapers per desktop and remembers layouts on multi-monitor setups—a boon for professionals who compartmentalize tasks or share one PC among multiple profiles.
New widgets and improved File Explorer: Windows 11’s Widgets offer glanceable information for news, weather, stocks, and sports, integrating with apps like Calendar and Spotify—features built on the News & Interests panel in Windows 10, but more customizable and context-aware. File Explorer, a longtime pain point, gets a modern refresh: simplified toolbars, a redesigned context menu, tabbed browsing, and native support for RAR and 7-Zip archives. On Copilot+ PCs, semantic search (natural language file search) and AI-powered recommendations take productivity a step further.
Winner: Tie—Windows 11 is more intuitive and attractive, but some longtime users find the loss of Live Tiles and other features a step backward.

App Compatibility: No Worries for Most, With One Caveat​

In app support, Windows 11 is nearly seamless: virtually every Windows 10 app works just as well—and often better—on Windows 11. Microsoft maintains strong backward compatibility, and the included Compatibility Troubleshooter resolves most issues that do pop up. So far, there have been almost no significant reports of major applications (including Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, popular games, and browsers) failing under Windows 11.
A key caveat: If you’re considering an Arm-based Copilot+ PC, check software support carefully. Many antivirus suites, older games, and specific hardware drivers do not yet run natively on Arm. While x64/x86-32 emulation has improved, performance can suffer and some device-dependent apps still fail. Developers need to port their apps and drivers specifically to Arm, a process still underway. For most people on Intel or AMD PCs, however, there are no significant compatibility risks.
Winner: Tie (unless you’re buying an Arm-based PC—then exercise caution)

Included Apps: A Clear Upgrade​

Both Windows versions offer a generous suite of default utilities and productivity tools: Calculator, Calendar, Camera, Edge, Mail, Maps, Movies & TV, Notepad, Paint, Photos, Snipping Tool, Teams, To Do, and the Xbox app for gaming—all present and well maintained.
Windows 11, however, makes meaningful improvements to these first-party offerings. Notepad now boasts autosave and tabbed files. Media Player is a sleek, modern replacement for Groove Music, while the new Sound Recorder brings long-overdue upgrades over the basic Voice Recorder. For office workers, the revamped Clock app includes Focus Sessions, and the Quick Assist app provides streamlined remote troubleshooting.
One significant addition: Windows 11 finally ships with Clipchamp for video editing, responding to years of complaints about the Windows Photos app’s limited capabilities.
Family safety and well-being also receive a boost. The Family app introduces parental controls and shared digital boundaries, while Sticky Notes (now better integrated with OneNote) refines the classic desktop notes experience.
Winner: Windows 11

Hardware and Peripheral Support: Progress, with Growing Pains​

Windows 11’s hardware requirements have generated significant debate. Most notably, Microsoft enforces strict checklists for processor generation, TPM (Trusted Platform Module) security, UEFI Secure Boot, and RAM. These requirements, controversial at first, are ultimately about future-proofing: features like virtualization-based security and memory integrity demand more modern chipsets.
Yet, new isn’t always better for everyone. Windows 11 drops support for legacy drivers and the aging Windows Driver Model (WDM), meaning some older printers, webcams, and other peripherals may stop working. Windows 10, by contrast, is more forgiving—still running many legacy drivers. Printers, too, now require Universal Print support for enterprise deployments or at least updated drivers. On the plus side, Bluetooth LE Audio support is now standard in Windows 11, improving audio fidelity and battery life for supported headphones and speakers.
Before upgrading, power users with niche hardware should verify driver availability—but for recent machines, Windows 11 generally delivers smoother, more stable plug-and-play experiences.
Winner: Tie (if you rely on older devices, Windows 10 still holds the edge; for the latest peripherals, Windows 11 is better)

Mobile Integration: Incremental, But Welcome, Improvements​

Microsoft’s “Your Phone”/Phone Link app continues to blur the boundaries between PC and smartphone. On both Windows 10 and 11, users can make calls, mirror notifications, and send SMS from their PC—compatible with Android and iOS. Android users get the richest integration, including photo access and, on select devices, the ability to run Android apps on the desktop.
With Windows 11, integration takes another step: drag-and-drop file transfers between PC and phone, more responsive notification panels, and true cross-device clipboard syncing. Support for new device types is broader, positioning Windows 11 as a true productivity hub for busy, multi-device users.
Winner: Windows 11

The AI Edge: Windows 11 Blazes a Trail​

The biggest generational leap in Windows 11 is its integration of artificial intelligence. Both Windows 10 and 11 users now have access to the Microsoft Copilot app—a vastly smarter, more conversational evolution of Cortana. Copilot can generate images or text from a prompt, summarize web content, and even “see” what’s on your screen using Copilot Vision—letting you ask the AI about visual elements and get contextual answers.
But only on Windows 11—and specifically on Copilot+ PCs with neural processing units (NPUs)—does the AI really come alive at the OS level. Here, users get:

• Cocreator image generation: Sketch with your mouse or stylus and let AI refine or reimagine your drawing in real time.
• Click to Do: Highlight any text or object, and have Copilot perform context-sensitive actions instantly.
• Live Captions: Get real-time AI-generated subtitles for any audio on your PC, a boon for accessibility.
• Recall: Search your activity history in natural language—no more hunting for files or URLs lost to time.
• Studio Effects: Improve your video calls with AI-driven background blur, auto-framing, noise suppression, and more.

These features are only possible on the latest NPU-equipped devices, but they hint at a future in which the OS is fundamentally “co-piloted” by AI at every level. Windows 10 users remain largely locked out of this revolution.
Winner: Windows 11

Performance: Marginal Gains, Major Update Improvements​

Objectively measured, Windows 11 weathered early skepticism about bloat and speed. In comparative reviews by outlets such as PCMag, performance between Windows 10 and 11 on the same hardware is nearly identical, with Windows 11 sometimes taking a marginal lead. Following the 24H2 feature update, Microsoft further recoded core OS components for efficiency, potentially widening that advantage.
One less publicized but significant area of progress: Windows Update. Updates in Windows 11 are typically 40% smaller than those for Windows 10, and Microsoft’s internal testing shows a roughly 40% speedup in the update process itself with 24H2. For anyone who’s ever suffered through a lengthy “Working on Updates” screen, this alone is a strong argument for upgrading.
Microsoft is also focusing on making app updates more seamless and less intrusive on Windows 11, moving toward silent, background installations where possible.
Winner: Windows 11

Gaming: Windows 11 Pulls Ahead (But Not by Much)​

If gaming is your passion, both Windows 10 and 11 support key features: the ever-improving Game Bar, Xbox app integration, support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, and high compatibility with even the latest game releases. Where Windows 11 distinguishes itself is in its exclusive features:

• Auto HDR: Automatically upgrades supported games to high dynamic range, offering sharper colors and contrast.
• DirectStorage: Dramatically shortens game loading times by letting games access NVMe SSDs directly, bypassing traditional bottlenecks.
• Improved 3D Spatial Sound: Bolsters immersion with more precise audio placement.
• Seamless integration with Xbox Cloud Gaming: While available on both OSes, Windows 11’s tighter integration gives it a lead.

However, real-world game performance—frames per second and visual fidelity—is still largely on par between both versions. For competitive players worried about any possible impact, there’s little evidence that Windows 11 gives or takes away performance headroom. Where it does win is in the next-gen gaming features that are increasingly being adopted by game developers.
Winner: Windows 11

Security: Raising the Bar—For Better and Worse​

Microsoft’s most aggressive argument for Windows 11 is its redesigned security architecture. Every Windows 11 PC must have secure boot, TPM 2.0, and memory integrity enabled. These requirements make possible a suite of new protections:

• Virtualization-based security: Hardware-isolated processes and containers protect against advanced malware and ransomware.
• Vulnerable-driver blocklist: Prevents known-insecure drivers from ever loading.
• Enhanced Sign-in Security via Windows Hello: Supports biometric logins (face, fingerprint, PIN) with multiple fallback and reset options.
• Smart App Control: This new tool blocks untrusted or potentially malicious apps, greatly reducing malware exposure. Note: it’s only available on clean installs (not upgrades).

Microsoft is vigorously pushing hardware partners to implement the Pluton security processor, which is deeply embedded in the CPU silicon (for AMD Ryzen 6000/7000/8000 and Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3/X chips). Pluton, part of the Secure Future Initiative, offers firmware-level protection for identity, data, and application secrets.
Currently, Intel favors its own vPro platform over Pluton, but this could change as security expectations evolve.
Finally, Windows 11 supports passkeys via Windows Hello for a passwordless future, whereas Windows 10’s SmartScreen remains less advanced.
These security upgrades are a double-edged sword—driving up baseline security for all, but also closing the door to legacy hardware and some user customization.
Winner: Windows 11

Support Endgame: The Clock Is Ticking for Windows 10​

The specter looming over Windows 10 is Microsoft’s October 2025 end-of-support date. After this milestone, only businesses or education users willing to pay for Extended Security Updates (ESUs) will get new security patches. While “other methods” (like third-party patching, isolating offline systems, or self-managed security) exist, they grow riskier the further you get from support. For mainstream users, running out-of-date Windows versions exposes you to ransomware, zero-day vulnerabilities, and ever more sophisticated attacks.
Recent history is instructive: the wave of critical exploits targeting Windows 7 and XP after their official end of life ultimately forced even reluctant users to migrate. In 2025, Windows 10 will enter this same risky territory unless you invest in ongoing security updates.

Strengths and Weaknesses at a Glance​

Critical Analysis: The Upgrade Dilemma​

Notable strengths of Windows 11:

• Security: The push to require advanced security hardware is a pain now, but will soon be a baseline expectation. As threats grow more sophisticated, most users will be safer in the long run.
• Performance and Updates: Smaller, faster updates make maintenance far less painful.
• Modern UI and Productivity: Multitasking is easier, File Explorer is finally untangled, and users get better default apps out of the box.
• AI and Future Features: Windows 11 is clearly the testbed for AI-driven OS capabilities, from Copilot to real-time Recall, and this innovation gap is only widening.
• Better gaming support: Incremental now, but the foundation has been laid for more dramatic improvements as new standards become common.

Risks and weaknesses:

• Hardware compatibility: Older PCs—even those still performing well—may not support Windows 11. Peripherals with legacy drivers are at risk of obsolescence.
• Interface changes: Power users dependent on Live Tiles, Timeline, or ultra-customized Start Menus will need to adapt or rely on third-party mods, with no guarantee of future support.
• Forced features and uncertainty: Widgets, pervasive AI, and more aggressive update policies may not suit everyone. Some users bemoan loss of transparency and control.
• Arm software compatibility (Copilot+): If you’re an early adopter of Arm hardware, tread carefully; developer support is improving fast, but not universal yet.

Should You Upgrade Now, or Wait?​

For those with fully compatible PCs and no mission-critical reliance on old hardware, the case for Windows 11 is strong—especially as the OS matures and the security gulf between versions widens each patch cycle. The performance parity, enhanced update process, and growing number of AI and gaming-centric features all suggest a transition that, while perhaps jarring in interface terms, will prove wise in the long term.
If you’re running essential software or hardware that lacks modern drivers, or if the Start Menu and workflow changes create genuine friction, a staged approach may be best: stay put for now, but prepare to transition well before October 2025. Use this grace period to audit peripheral compatibility, test apps in a Windows 11 VM, and perhaps invest in new hardware that will support the OS for several more years.
One critical warning: Once mainstream security updates stop, Windows 10 will quickly become dangerous for internet-connected devices. Continuing beyond October 2025 without ESUs is not recommended for most users.

The Bottom Line: Evolving with Windows​

Windows 10 has been a trustworthy, productive workspace for years, but its tenure at the heart of the digital world is ending. Windows 11, despite growing pains and legitimate criticisms, is the future of Microsoft’s consumer and productivity platform. With premium security, robust multitasking, new AI capabilities, and a streamlined update system, it is designed for a decade when AI, connectivity, and data privacy will define both threats and opportunities.
Upgrading has never been easier from a technical standpoint—if your hardware passes muster, your data and apps will come along for the ride with minimal fuss. With support for Windows 10 winding down, there’s little incentive to delay if you can make the switch painlessly. For holdouts, the next 16 months should be spent preparing for a future that, one way or another, arrives for us all.
When October 2025 comes, the safest, most productive, and most innovative Windows experience will almost certainly belong to those who decided that the time to upgrade was now.

---

Source: PCMag UK Windows 10 vs. Windows 11: Should You Upgrade Now?