With Windows 10 reaching end of life and Windows 11 requiring hardware that older PCs do not have, more people are weighing up Linux as an alternative. This guide compares Linux and Windows across the areas that matter most for everyday users and small businesses.
Cost
Linux: Free. Most Linux distributions cost nothing to download and use. There are no licence fees, no activation keys and no subscription required.
Windows: Windows 11 Home costs around £119 for a retail licence. It comes pre-installed on new PCs, but if you need to buy a licence separately or replace a lost key, you pay. Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 also carry an annual cost.
Verdict: Linux wins on cost.
Hardware Requirements
Linux: Most Linux distributions run on significantly older and lower-spec hardware than Windows 11. A PC with 2GB RAM and a 10-year-old processor can run lightweight distributions like Lubuntu or Linux Mint XFCE comfortably. This makes Linux an excellent option for ageing hardware that has been made obsolete by Windows 11’s TPM 2.0 requirement.
Windows: Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0, 4GB RAM minimum, a supported 64-bit processor and UEFI with Secure Boot. Many PCs from 2015–2018 do not meet these requirements.
Verdict: Linux wins for older hardware.
Ease of Use
Linux: Modern desktop Linux (Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Zorin OS) is genuinely easy to use for everyday tasks. Browsers, email, document editing and media playback all work out of the box. The main difficulty is the learning curve — things are in different places than Windows, and some tasks that feel instinctive on Windows require looking up on Linux.
Windows: Windows is what most users already know. Every control, menu and setting is familiar. While Windows has its own complexity, the muscle memory is already there.
Verdict: Windows wins for familiarity. Linux is not hard, but it is different.
Software and Compatibility
Linux: Has thousands of free applications available through software repositories. Web browsers (Firefox, Chrome), office software (LibreOffice), email (Thunderbird), image editing (GIMP) and many developer tools are all available. The main gap is Windows-only commercial software:
- Microsoft Office — not available natively (LibreOffice is a solid free substitute, but some formatting differences exist)
- Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere — not available natively (GIMP and DaVinci Resolve are alternatives)
- Specialist business applications — many are Windows-only
- Many Windows games — though Steam’s Proton layer runs a large and growing number of Windows games on Linux
Windows: Has the broadest software compatibility. Microsoft Office, Adobe apps, business software and the vast majority of games all run natively.
Verdict: Windows wins for software compatibility. Linux is fine for everyday tasks but has significant gaps for specialist software.
Security
Linux: Linux has a strong security track record. Malware targeting Linux desktop users is rare — not because Linux is inherently invulnerable, but because it has a smaller desktop user base and the permission model makes it harder for malware to spread. Software is installed from curated repositories rather than random downloads, reducing exposure. Regular security updates are available for free indefinitely.
Windows: Windows is the primary target for malware, ransomware and phishing attacks. Windows 11 has improved security foundations (TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, Windows Hello) and Microsoft Defender is now a competent built-in antivirus. Windows 10 after end of life is significantly less secure as vulnerabilities will no longer be patched.
Verdict: Linux has an advantage on desktop security, though modern Windows 11 with Defender is reasonably well protected.
Performance
Linux: Linux is typically faster than Windows on equivalent hardware, particularly on older or lower-spec machines. It uses less RAM at idle, loads faster on SSDs and does not run as many background processes. Lightweight distributions like Linux Mint XFCE can breathe new life into machines that crawl on Windows 10.
Windows: Windows has become heavier over the versions. While modern Windows 11 is responsive on current hardware, it runs significantly more background services and telemetry processes than Linux.
Verdict: Linux wins on performance, especially on older hardware.
Support and Community
Linux: No paid support, but an enormous free community. Ubuntu has extensive official documentation. Forums like Ask Ubuntu, Linux Mint Community and Reddit’s r/linux communities answer almost any question. The downside is that support quality varies and some answers assume technical knowledge.
Windows: Microsoft provides official documentation, phone/chat support (with a subscription or one-time fee) and enterprise support contracts. IT professionals with Windows experience are widely available.
Verdict: Windows has more formal support options. Linux community support is excellent but less structured.
Gaming
Linux: Gaming on Linux has improved dramatically thanks to Steam’s Proton compatibility layer, which runs a large proportion of Windows games on Linux. Many popular titles including games on Steam work with no additional configuration. Anti-cheat systems remain a limitation — some competitive multiplayer games do not work on Linux.
Windows: The gold standard for PC gaming. All games support Windows natively.
Verdict: Windows wins for gaming, though Linux is no longer the no-go it once was.
Which Should You Use?
Choose Linux if:
- Your PC cannot run Windows 11 and you do not want to buy new hardware
- You mainly browse the web, use email and write documents
- You want a free, privacy-respecting operating system with no licence fees
- You are interested in learning more about computing
Stick with Windows if:
- You rely on Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite or other Windows-only software
- You use specialist business applications that are Windows-only
- You play PC games seriously
- You need IT support that is familiar with Windows environments
