Is Windows 11 Worth It?

Updated8 October 2026 — refreshed for 2027. Windows 11 26H2 is now rolling out, Microsoft showed no Windows 12 at its 7 October event, and consumer Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 now run to 12 October 2027.

Yes — with one important caveat about hardware. Heading into 2027, the case for Windows 11 is the strongest it has been. Windows 10’s last consumer security updates end in October 2027, there is still no Windows 12 on the horizon, and Windows 11 keeps getting free annual releases with no end date announced. The question isn’t really whether it’s worth it. It’s whether your PC can run it.

Where things stand going into 2027

Windows 10 reached end of support on 14 October 2025. Since then, the only security updates it gets come through Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates programme. In June 2026 Microsoft extended the consumer version of that programme to 12 October 2027. That date is now the real deadline for anyone still on Windows 10 at home, and nothing has been confirmed beyond it.

Windows 11, meanwhile, started rolling out version 26H2 on 29 September 2026, and Home and Pro support for it runs to 10 October 2028. It’s a mature platform. The rough edges of the 2021 launch are long gone, and each annual update now installs with a single restart. The question of whether Windows 11 is “worth it” has a cleaner answer now than at any point since launch.

What 2027 looks like for Windows 11

If you’re weighing up a Windows 11 licence now, the thing to know is that nothing on Microsoft’s roadmap makes it a short-term purchase.

There is no Windows 12 coming. Microsoft’s head of Windows said in May 2026 that no new OS version was on the way, and the company’s first major Windows event in two years, on 7 October 2026, launched new hardware and AI features on Windows 11. We’ve set out the evidence in what we know about Windows 12. The short version: the release expected in autumn 2027 is Windows 11 version 27H2, not a new Windows.

Windows 11 has no end date. Microsoft hasn’t announced one. Each annual version is supported for 24 months on Home and Pro, and staying supported is simply a matter of taking the free annual update through Windows Update.

12 October 2027 is a double deadline. Two things end that day: Windows 10 consumer ESU, and support for Windows 11 version 25H2 on Home and Pro. If you’re on Windows 10, that’s your hard stop. If you’re on Windows 11, it just means taking the update.

Version dates are from Microsoft’s Windows 11 release information. The 27H2 timing is based on Microsoft’s annual release pattern, not an announced date.

First: can your PC run it?

This is the only real reason not to upgrade. Windows 11 has a firm hardware floor, and the TPM 2.0 requirement is the one that catches people out.

The processor and TPM rows go together. Microsoft’s supported CPU lists start at Intel 8th generation (Coffee Lake, 2017) and AMD Ryzen 2000 series (2018), and PCs from that point on almost always have TPM 2.0. Older than that, check before assuming. The quickest way: press Windows + R, type tpm.msc, and the console tells you what’s installed and whether it’s version 2.0.

If TPM 2.0 is missing and can’t be enabled in BIOS, the honest answer is that the PC is reaching end of life. Windows 11 workarounds exist but aren’t something to recommend for a production machine: Microsoft doesn’t support them, and every annual update becomes a gamble. The full system requirements guide covers how to check each requirement in detail.

What’s genuinely better

Security is the real argument

Windows 11’s security stack is meaningfully stronger than Windows 10’s. Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) and HVCI (Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity) run the kernel in an isolated environment, making kernel-level malware significantly harder to execute. These features exist in Windows 10 but are optional and often disabled. In Windows 11, on compliant hardware, they’re on by default.

That’s not marketing — it reflects Microsoft’s own security research showing that hardware-backed security features substantially reduce successful malware infections. TPM 2.0 isn’t an arbitrary requirement. It underpins Credential Guard, Device Encryption and BitLocker, and Windows Hello’s hardware-secured sign-in.

Gaming improvements are real

DirectStorage speeds up GPU asset loading, reducing load times noticeably in titles that support it. Auto HDR applies HDR tone mapping to non-HDR games on supported displays. Xbox mode gives a full-screen, console-style interface for controller gaming. None of these are in Windows 10.

The real friction — what nobody tells you upfront

Windows 11 has genuine annoyances. Worth knowing before upgrading rather than discovering after.

The taskbar is still less flexible than Windows 10’s. For most of Windows 11’s life you couldn’t move it off the bottom of the screen. Version 26H2 adds more taskbar and Start menu personalisation, but if a left-side or top taskbar is non-negotiable for you, check that your setup supports it before you commit. Third-party tools like StartAllBack remain an option.

Memory integrity (HVCI) breaks old drivers. On first boot after upgrading, Windows 11 often flags incompatible drivers — typically older hardware with unsigned or legacy drivers. Most users never see this. Anyone running older peripherals, specialist hardware, or niche software (particularly audio production setups) should check driver compatibility before upgrading. The memory integrity toggle is in Windows Security → Device Security → Core isolation. Turning it off weakens the security model; the right answer is to update the offending driver.

Smart App Control can add a first-launch pause. When it’s on, new applications are checked against Microsoft’s cloud reputation service the first time they run. On a well-specced machine you won’t notice it. On a slower machine, or with many new installs at once, there’s a perceptible pause. You can see whether it’s on in Windows Security → App & browser control.

Annual updates occasionally misbehave. The 24H2 update in October 2024 caused problems for some systems — USB audio dropouts, crashes with certain Intel Smart Sound Technology drivers, and issues on specific Asus and Lenovo models. Most were patched within months, and recent updates have arrived as small enablement packages rather than full reinstalls. Still, always run Windows Update fully before declaring a new installation stable.

The headline AI features need specific hardware. Recall, Click to Do and the enhanced on-device search require a Copilot+ PC with a neural processing unit (NPU) capable of 40+ TOPS. You’ll get Copilot on any Windows 11 PC, but don’t upgrade expecting the on-device features if your hardware isn’t a recent Copilot+ machine.

Cases where waiting makes sense

The hardware requirement is the only legitimate reason not to upgrade, not a preference. If your PC runs Windows 11, you should be on it. Waiting for Windows 12 isn’t a reason either: there’s no announcement, no date and no hardware requirements, and Windows 11 PCs will be best placed for whatever comes next.

One partial exception: specialist or industrial software that hasn’t been validated on Windows 11. Some CAD packages, point-of-sale systems and bespoke business applications have slow qualification cycles. If your software vendor hasn’t confirmed Windows 11 compatibility and you’re running a critical production system, verify before upgrading. ESU gives you until October 2027 to have that conversation. Check, then upgrade — don’t use it as an indefinite excuse.

If your hardware genuinely can’t run Windows 11 — no TPM 2.0, no path to enable it — the options for Windows 10 users article covers your choices honestly, including ESU and what a hardware refresh actually costs.

Home or Pro?

For most home users and small businesses, Windows 11 Home is the right purchase. It includes everything needed for daily use, gaming and standard business productivity, plus Device Encryption on supported hardware.

Windows 11 Pro costs only a little more and adds BitLocker Drive Encryption with full control over keys and removable drives, Remote Desktop host, Group Policy management, Hyper-V virtualisation, Windows Sandbox, and Microsoft Entra ID and domain join. If any of those are relevant to your setup, Pro is worth the difference. It’s not worth overthinking.

The Windows 11 Home vs Pro comparison and the which Windows 11 do I need guide cover this in detail if you’re unsure.

Common questions