Last Updated on November 22, 2025 by Tim FitzGerald
Microsoft is to stop support for Windows 10 late in 2025. If you are running Windows 10, you may wish to consider your options.
The big issue is that Win 11 needs newer hardware in order to be installed and cannot be installed on some older PCs running Win 10 satisfactorily. Win 11 compatibility can be tested by running the PC Health Check program supplied by Microsoft.
Options
If you can install Win 11 on your PC, my advice is to upgrade – unless you have a good reason not to upgrade to Win 11.
If the PC Health Check program says you cannot install Win 11, then you have several options:
- Stay on Win 10 – it won’t stop working and won’t be a security liability, just yet
- Change the operating system to Linux or ChromeOS – seek help if needed
- Install Win 11, bypassing the hardware checks – seek help if needed
- Buy a computer with Win 11 installed – it does not need to be a new computer
The last option is the only one to cost anything.
A faster computer
It is worth noting that older computers can be slower and a computer purchase (whether a new computer or a used computer) may well be faster and provide you a better user experience. Take care to ensure the computer you buy is going to give you the performance you expect.
Buying new or refurbished
Buying a used (renewed, refurbished) computer from eBay or similar, with Win 11 installed, is a viable option. It is recommended that your next computer has enough RAM and an SSD (solid-state drive) large enough for your needs – say 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD.
The speed of the CPU can be checked on the PassMark site. The larger the PassMark score, the faster the CPU – a PassMark of 5000 should be sufficient for most home computer users. You may find the CPU in your old computer has a PassMark score well below 2000, and therefore well worth updating to a faster computer. A suitable refurbished laptop can be found on eBay for about £300 – well under half the price of a new laptop.