Windows 10 support ending in 2025: Try out alternative operating systems without installing them

[Redaktion]

The impending end of Windows 10 support (October 2025) means that many users may have to switch to a different OS. Alternative operating systems such as Linux and ChromeOS Flex can be tested on your own PC without affecting the existing Windows installation.

https://www.notebookcheck.net/Windows-10-support-ending-in-2025-Try-out-alternative-operating-systems-without-installing-them.955857.0.html

[Dont_Look_Up]

Great article!

I did the transition to Linux more than 15 years ago and never looked back. I use it now on all my PC/laptops at home and work. Every so often I am forced to "experience" Windows on a colleague's PC to help him and I can't believe how clunky and heavy it feels, full of distractions and unwanted bloatware.

I have found my peace of mind and productivity on Linux, and it even works great on my home entertainment (arm CPU - Kompanio 1380) Acer Spin 13 (originally Chromebook) where all apps run natively on arm without any heavy " x86-to-arm translations" needed.

[Jab]

Nah. You went into a rabbit hole. Linux is a buggy disaster.

[toto1234]

Linux is a buggy disaster.

No it's not, when was the last time you tried Linux ?
Many distro are very user-friendly.

The real problem is software availability or compatibility.
Wine if definitely not a serious solution for many software unfortunately.

[Mr Majestyk]

LOL recommending Chrome OS. Is this April 1st.

[linux user]

To try Linux distributions you dont need to do any of author suggestions, you just have to have browser and a internet connection:
--> distrosea.com

[Swizzy]

Nah. You went into a rabbit hole. Linux is a buggy disaster.

Windows is worse in every metric

[Dont_Look_Up]

Windows is worse in every metric

I totally agree, it is not a coincidence that all servers, supercomputers, scientific clusters, and every serious large project is using Linux and not Windows...

Windows is just for games, but then it is not actually a computer, it is more like a (buggy) console.

[Hunter2020]

I only trust Chinese software like Deepin Linux.  I'm curious about Harmony OS for PCs from Huawei (just release the damn product already), and it also seems 2025 laptops from Xiaomi will run HyperOS instead of Windows!

[GeorgeS]

Windows is worse in every metric

I totally agree, it is not a coincidence that all servers, supercomputers, scientific clusters, and every serious large project is using Linux and not Windows...

Windows is just for games, but then it is not actually a computer, it is more like a (buggy) console.

Pretty much THIS. :)

The Author (and much of the media) still FAIL to realize that simply practicing SAFE COMPUTING negates any and all needs for replacing your Windows install.

These days the remaining boxes I have that run Windows are mostly ONLY for playing Games, Steam or GoG will need to transfer & install infected files for those boxes to get compromised.

Granted my Winboxes are 'gimped' without any personal data/applications or even network connections beyond the time required to DL+Install a game or ping Steams license server (every so often).

Maybe someday Nvidia's Linux drivers will perform as well as the ones for Windows.

Until then, I keep 'gimped' WinBoxes to play games on.

[Jab]

Linux is a buggy disaster.

No it's not, when was the last time you tried Linux ?
Many distro are very user-friendly.

The real problem is software availability or compatibility.
Wine if definitely not a serious solution for many software unfortunately.

Several months ago I tried Nobara. I wasn't even able to install it bug free. Every distro I have ever tried got buggy or bricked after an update or two. So my experience is, that linux is a mess.

[Drawn conclusions]

Can all be summarized by saying:

Single player gamers -> Move to Linux.

Multiplayer gamers -> Must remain on windows still.

[A]

Several months ago I tried Nobara. I wasn't even able to install it bug free. Every distro I have ever tried got buggy or bricked after an update or two. So my experience is, that linux is a mess.

That doesn't mean linux is buggy. Do understand this, unless your laptop came with linux as an option. Your experience will depend a lot on what hardware you have. These days Linux works pretty flawlessly on 95%+ of hardware, but you can get bad luck and be in that last 5%.

Then you have to understand the difference with distros. Ones like Nobura are a new technology called immutable distros and it is also a cutting edge rolling release. If you want stuff not to break, try an LTS distro like Linux Mint

[Breaking News]

That doesn't mean linux is buggy.

Yes it does.

If you want stuff not to break, try an LTS distro like Linux Mint

Which has the reputation of breaking if you don't update it "correctly". Check frustrated youtube users...

[A]

That doesn't mean linux is buggy.

Yes it does.

If you want stuff not to break, try an LTS distro like Linux Mint

Which has the reputation of breaking if you don't update it "correctly". Check frustrated youtube users...

What do you mean by "update it correctly"?

There is only 1 way most people should upgrade Mint, through the GUI when it tells you it is time to update.

If instead of letting it handle it for you, you are doing manual upgrades and you mess up, that is a user error.

A lot of people jump on manual upgrades because they want the most newest shinnies that they will never use anyways. And that not only creates risk of messing up, it also creates risk of using bleeding edge stuff that are more likely to break. Because all LTS means is that it is long term support. At the point an LTS snapshot is made for a major release, it is no different than bleeding edge. Only with testing over time do you get reliability and stability, same applies to windows (remember the don't upgrade until SP1).

This is why my computer is still on Mint 21 instead of latest 22. I use it for work and care about stability. For my play computers, I don't mind getting latest shinnies. I only upgraded this computer to 21 not that long ago when 20 was close to end of life. "If it ain't broken don't fix it". I've been upgrading this computer since Mint 16 all the way to 21 over the last decade with no issues.