Windows 10 Users Face Upgrade Dilemma: Buy a New PC or Embrace the Risk?
Microsoft is delivering a stark message to the estimated 240 million Windows 10 users who haven't upgraded: time is running out. With the end-of-life date for Windows 10 set for October 14, 2025, users are now faced with a critical decision: upgrade to a new PC, particularly a Copilot+ PC, or continue using their current machines at their own risk.
The core issue? Windows 10 will no longer receive security updates after the deadline. Microsoft is pushing users towards purchasing new machines that support Windows 11, preferably the Copilot+ PC, touting their enhanced performance, security features, and AI capabilities.
Microsoft is clearly laying out the choices. The company has published a blog post entitled "Copilot+ PCs are the most performant Windows PCs ever built, now with more AI features that empower you every day", and is even deploying full-screen pop-ups to Windows 10 users urging them to upgrade to a Copilot+ PC for better performance. 
However, this push is not without controversy. Many users are frustrated that perfectly capable Windows 10 PCs are being rendered obsolete due to Windows 11's system requirements, particularly TPM 2.0 support. This leaves users with the dilemma of either investing in a new PC or facing the vulnerability of running an unsupported operating system. Some may also be concerned about the Recall feature if they upgrade to a Copilot+ PC.
But there's a final option for discarding PCs, says one author: use Linux. The article writes that once businesses dump their PCs in online auctions (and dumpsters) creates an opportunity to acquire affordable, powerful machines for running Linux. The author also writes that turning the crisis into an opportunity is key. He says when a business upgrades its PC fleet, one of two things usually happens to all the old hardware after the IT department has picked through it: It goes in the bin, or it gets dumped on online auction sites at rock-bottom prices. 
For those unwilling to upgrade or unable to, an alternative path exists: Linux. As Windows 10 machines are phased out by businesses, a flood of affordable, powerful hardware becomes available, perfect for running Linux. This open-source operating system offers continued security updates and revitalizes older devices, effectively turning e-waste into free, functional PCs.
Windows 10 users now stand at a crossroads. Will they embrace the new era of Copilot+ PCs, take their chances with an unsupported OS, or explore the world of Linux? The choice is theirs, and the clock is ticking.
What will you do with your Windows 10 machine? Share your plans and thoughts in the comments below!