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3 reasons you shouldn't pay extra for Windows 10 updates
- These Windows 10 updates are costly, doubling in price yearly, ultimately totaling over $400 to keep an outdated system.
- Windows 10 will be left behind after 2025, receiving only security updates and zero new features or support from Microsoft.
- Windows 11 offers significant improvements over Windows 10, including a visually appealing UI, functional upgrades, and better gaming features.
We've known for a while that Microsoft was going to offer an extended security update (ESU) program for Windows 10 after the end of the support period on October 14th, 2025. More recently, the company shed light on pricing for the Windows 10 ESU program, which can get you up to three extra years of security updates, but the price doubles every month. Right now, we only know the pricing structure for businesses, but I wouldn't expect a huge difference if you're a general user. Regardless, you shouldn't be spending money on these updates for Windows 10, and here are a few reasons why.
These updates aren't cheap
You'll be paying hundreds of dollars anyway
First off, I want to highlight that this ESU program is not cheap, and it's not really a wise investment for most people, either. Outside of discounts, the first year of upgrades will cost business customers $61 for the first year for a single PC. That's manageable enough, and for a one-time thing, I would say it's fine.
But then the price doubles for the second year to $122, and you're almost $200 down just to keep an old version of Windows. And then it doubles again in the third year, and suddenly you've spent over $400 just to keep an old PC with an old operating system that isn't getting new features. All of that when you could update to Windows 11 for free, or, if you have a PC old enough to not support the update, you don't have to spend that much more to get a solid budget laptop that does run Windows 11 and is much faster than whatever you're currently using.
: Is it time to upgrade your computer? Here's how to tell (KFDX Wichita Falls)
Windows 10 is still dead
It's only security updates after 2025
It's also worth noting that this security update program isn't magically making Windows 10 stay relevant or anything like that. After October 14th, 2025, Windows 10 will be left in the dust, and that applies even if you pay for updates. All you'll be getting are strictly security updates. No new features, non-security fixes, or design changes will be made after this point, and the experience will be completely stagnant.
Microsoft won't even provide technical support outside of issues related with the ESU program itself. You can get help with activating ESU licenses, installing the ESU updates, or fixes for issues caused by an ESU update. That's it. If you want any further support, you have to move on to Windows 11.
Windows 11 is actually good
There's no real reason not to upgrade
Finally, it's important to mention that Windows 11 is actually a great operating system. Far from perfect, sure, but Microsoft made a ton of changes that make Windows 11, in many ways, better than Windows 10, and the parts that were once lacking have been addressed over the past couple of years.
Superficial as it may be, the Windows 11 UI is much more visually appealing than Windows 10's, with rounded corners and colorful icons and imagery that make it much more lively than Windows 10. The UI has also been simplified to make things easier to use and understand for most people.
Importantly, though, Windows 11 includes a ton of functional improvements. Window snapping and management is easier than ever, File Explorer finally supports tabs, Snipping Tool has a screen recorder now (and a lot more features), Paint is almost a completely new app with a ton of features, including support for layers and transparent images. For gamers, DirectStorage works better on Windows 11 than 10, and you also have the Auto HDR feature, automatically upscaling your games to support HDR even if they weren't originally made for it. Microsoft has also greatly improved accessibility, and modernized many experiences like uninstalling apps. And while installing updates is still far from perfect, Windows 11 has, for the most part, made updates more seamless than they've ever been on Windows.
And if you're worried about compatibility, Microsoft did a great job of ensuring Windows 11 works just as well with apps and devices as Windows 10 does. If something works on Windows 10, it's almost guaranteed to work on Windows 11, too. There's no reason to worry.
It's time to let Windows 10 go
There will always be those who have a hard time letting go of something they're used to, but when it comes to Windows 10, I don't think there's a good reason to do this. Windows 10 did a lot of things right, but Microsoft mostly learned from it and improved upon it with Windows 11. Outside of keeping things looking the same or some strange obsession with refusing to do what Microsoft recommends, most customers shouldn't have a reason to stay behind, especially when that requires spending money.
If upgrading to Windows 11 requires a new PC for you, that might be more of a challenge, but even a used PC that's a couple of years old can run Windows 11, and many of them will be much faster than anything that's stuck on Windows 10. You still have a year and a half to go, so you have time to save up and prepare for the transition.
