Windows 10 Free Upgrade Soon to End: Push Through or Pull Back?

We're only a week away until Microsoft finally pulls the plug on the free Windows 10 upgrade program. And with that said, you're probably thinking now – should I pull the trigger and update? Or should I stay with a “familiar” ground and not risk it? The questions are really endless, especially for those interested to upgrade, yet don't want to stray too far from the standard set.

We're only a week away until Microsoft finally pulls the plug on the free Windows 10 upgrade program. And with that said, you're probably thinking now – should I pull the trigger and update? Or should I stay with a “familiar” ground and not risk it? The questions are really endless, especially for those interested to upgrade, yet don't want to stray too far from the standard set.

Microsoft already ended mainstream support for Windows 7. Now, don't fret yet. Mainstream support actually means the end of hotfixes, warranty claims, and the addition of new features. Extended support is still up for security and reliability patches until 2020, so at least it has that going for it. Respectively, Windows 8 has 2018 and 2023 going for it. You're not going to feel its effects for now, but if you're one for security patches and whatnot, you'd most likely want a lengthy product support. And Windows 10 has the longest since it's the latest, of course.

That's not actually a problem, that is, if we're considering the community support that still backs Windows XP. That already ended in 2014, mind you. And it still has a healthy amount of userbase, 9.8% of the total desktop OS market share to be exact. However, for those that don't know much about computers and how to explore community-made fixes, it's going to be a problem. First-party solutions are still best if you want something official, since you'll have a company still backing it up.

We're still at the tip of the iceberg, but we'll just be discussing the key parts to keep it short and simple yet informative enough to get you loaded on what you need on the road.

When it comes to the user experience. Think of Windows 10 as an amalgamation of both Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 to an extent. The Start menu, not the ill-received Metro, is natively in there to give you a quick and familiar access to your programs. You'll also get a simplified central space for your computer's settings in, well, Settings. There's still the Control Panel to give you more, of course. Cortana is also there, but it's best if you just “turn it off.” It's still of little use, especially if you're outside since who would talk with a laptop in public? I guess that's pretty much the same case with Cortana and Google Now.

DirectX 12 is another important key feature that you have to factor in for Windows 10. When Microsoft's latest desktop OS surfaced, news about it spread like wildfire. DirectX 12 is set to bring loads of performance improvements. However, it's also important to note that only a few titles support it, so at this time it's still a matter of future-proofing rather than getting performance gains.

The upgrade path is also somewhat tricky. Microsoft isn't fully disclosing how it works, and the idea of pirates freely upgrading to Windows 10 seem farfetched at best. Do take note, though. What you'll be getting is a digital entitlement to the operating system, it's not exactly a retail copy that you can transfer to a different system. With that said, replacing a major part of your computer such as the motherboard will most likely void your entitlement to it. Whereas, if you keep your Windows 7/Windows 8.1, you can keep the keys and transfer them to another system.

If there's a problem that comes with each iteration of desktop operating systems, you can expect it to be a driver issue more than likely. Most devices only work with the desktop OS that came in during its release date, and more often than not, their developers won't provide support for newer OS.

From a personal standpoint, I jumped the gun the moment I got my hands on an Insider Preview for Windows 10. That's for my work laptop and gaming desktop. There's just too much in store for me that it's too hard to pass up. Staying with Windows 7/Windows 8.1 is counterproductive, but I can see why people are still reluctant to push through. First off, the lifespan of a current-gen device would likely end on or before the support for the older desktop operating system ends. And that's going to take some time. By then, it's likely a new system is already in tow, and it's complete with Windows 10 to match. At this time, however, you'll be reaping its benefits faster than late adopters of the standard.