Recently, Microsoft announced that Windows 10, the world’s most popular computer operating system, is going to reach end of life in 2025. It’s not new news by any means, as Microsoft had announced that with the release of Windows 11, the previous iteration of the operating system would eventually come to an end.
While that hasn’t been much of a problem in the past, users might find that their devices won’t be able to work any longer with Windows 10 after it reaches end of life, and many older devices simply don’t support the many requirements that are necessary for Windows 11 for work. With it being the most-used operating system in the world, it might seem like users are not given a lot of choice – so we’re going to look at other options available for users by the time 2025 comes around.
Purchase New Hardware
Windows 11 only runs on specific devices, such as those that have integrated TPM support, or those that have processors that are from around 2017 and onward. Of course, this does mean that hundreds of millions of computers around the world simply won’t be able to use Windows 11, and it also means that users that want to continue running Windows on their machines will have no choice but to buy new hardware if their current machines don’t support 11’s requirements.
Fortunately, laptops and computers are fairly cheap at the moment, but with upcoming electronic shortages, prices may continue to increase over time, so it’s worth looking at other options.
Alternative Computer Operating Systems
Instead of buying new hardware for Windows 11, many might consider switching over to different operating systems. GNU/Linux, while having a relatively small market share, is free to download and install, and comes in a variety of different flavours, depending on the needs of the user. Fedora, OpenSUSE, Linux Mint, and Ubuntu are some of the most popular Linux distributions on the market right now, and they will be able to run on a large selection of hardware with relatively minimal requirements.
The transition over to the Linux operating system is one that does require a bit of learning, but Linux distributions have matured to the point where much of the functionality one expects from Windows can be found in Linux, including coding, writing, graphic design, and much more. Thanks to the widespread availability and choice of Linux distributions, it’s expected that once Windows 10 comes to an end, there will be a large uptick in Linux users across the world.
Mobile Operating Systems
Another option that might appeal to some is ditching their computer altogether and simply using their mobile device instead. Thanks to the iPad as well as modern smartphones, those that only use their devices for browsing, communication, playing at Pakistan online casinos and media consumption will be able to use most modern mobile devices with ease. Both Android and iOS are developing at a tremendous pace and might one day overshadow computer operating systems.