Microsoft will end support for Windows 10, which has been in service for more than 10 years, on October 14, 2025. At that time, the operating system will no longer receive official support from Microsoft and will no longer receive security updates. Enterprises have two options, one is to upgrade to Windows 11, and the other is to enter the paid Extended Security Update (ESU) of Windows 10. If you want to upgrade to Windows 11, it will take an average of 14 months to migrate, which means that enterprises are best to plan or start the migration process early.
At first glance, continuing to use Windows 10 and using paid Extended Security Updates may seem like a more convenient and cost-effective option.
However, Windows 10’s ESU only supports security updates for a maximum of 3 years. The price doubles every year and is cumulative. Even if the user joins the paid ESU in the second year, he must pay the first year’s fee.Judging from Microsoft’s pricingfor business version customers, the standard ESU license fee per device is US$61 in the first year, US$122 in the second year, and US$244 in the third year. In other words, 3 years of a Windows 10 computer ESU costs up to $427.
In addition, Techaisle, a global IT market analysis organization for small and medium-sized enterprises, pointed out that older computers will reduce work efficiency, increase operating costs, and reduce security. Research shows that old computers that are more than 4 years old will reduce IT efficiency and productivity, causing each computer to lose 70 hours of production time per year; the total cost of owning and maintaining a computer that is more than 4 years old is 3.3 times that of owning and maintaining a new computer. ; In addition, old computers are more than three times more likely to be attacked by malicious programs and phishing attacks than new computers.
Forrester’s survey of large enterprises found that after enterprises adopted Windows 11 Pro devices, the risk of security attacks was reduced by 20%, IT management efficiency increased by 20%, and deployment efficiency also increased by 25%. The increased productivity and the savings in software expenses due to new system features can result in a return on investment of 250% after 3 years.
After careful study, perhaps upgrading is a better choice.
The interviewed companies usually gradually deploy Windows 11 Pro devices next to existing Windows 10 devices to reduce migration risks and ensure business continuity; they also conduct small-scale trials and tests before full upgrades to ensure that the new Windows 11 Pro The device operates normally.
According to Microsoft’s estimates, the average upgrade and migration time for mid-sized enterprises to migrate to Windows 11 is 440 days, from decision-making, evaluating application compatibility with Windows 11, formulating deployment plans, purchasing devices, all the way to widespread deployment, and Even the fastest one takes 224 days. Therefore, to avoid the risks of a large-scale migration, enterprises should start planning now and gradually upgrade to new Windows 11 Pro devices.
Microsoft worked with Forrester Consulting to design a Windows 11 Devices Calculator To estimate the potential economic benefits of owning Windows 11 Pro devices within the organization, it is suitable for organizations with more than 50 employees. Interested companies may wish to give it a try.
