A big milestone is approaching: on October 14, 2025, Microsoft will officially stop supporting Windows 10, the operating system that has been with millions of users around the world for more than a decade. For many individuals and organizations, moving away from a familiar platform is not easy. From small businesses to individual users, the most important question right now is: does upgrading to Windows 11 really bring clear performance benefits, or is it just an unnecessary “technical migration”?

In a world where technology is changing rapidly, performance is one of the key factors that directly affects the user experience. From web browsing, gaming, graphics processing to AI implementation, a good operating system must help the hardware reach its full potential. A series of recent in-depth tests conducted on hardware from 2025, the standard configuration of modern computers, has brought many surprising results and can completely change users' perception of the battle between the two Microsoft operating systems.

What is special about this test is that the experts did not simply measure the overall system performance like previous comparisons, but changed the method, focusing on in-depth analysis of CPU performance. Thanks to this new approach, the big differences that seemed hidden in previous synthetic tests are now revealed more clearly than ever.

1. Surprise of the previous generation of Windows 10

In the minds of many users, Windows 10 has gradually become a symbol of old, stable but no longer a strong "player" in the new era. However, recent benchmarks tell a different story, even a story that is deeply counterproductive to the current popular view.

In a synthetic test that focuses on CPU processing capabilities, specifically with 3DMark Time Spy Extreme software, a tool widely used by hardware enthusiasts to test the real performance of modern computer systems, Windows 10 surprisingly won convincingly. On the same 2025 hardware configuration, the performance that Windows 10 achieved was 29% higher than Windows 11. This is not a small number and it immediately raises questions: why can an operating system that is considered old perform better than the latest version of Microsoft?

Explaining this phenomenon, many experts say that Windows 10 has had a long time to perfect. Updates over the years have not only fixed bugs but also optimized many aspects, helping the operating system run smoother, lighter and consume less system resources. In addition, Windows 10 comes with fewer AI platform services, cloud services and new privacy management systems, factors that, although bringing many utilities, also make Windows 11 "heavier" on hardware.

The results are even more shocking when applied to real life. In a newly released game that is well optimized for modern hardware, Monster Hunter Wilds , Windows 10 continues to assert itself with a performance advantage of up to 33% compared to Windows 11. For gamers, this is not just a dry parameter but a difference that can be clearly felt with the naked eye. From higher frame rates, faster response times to reduced lag, Windows 10 shows that it is still powerful enough to fight evenly, even winning in the most demanding scenarios.

This also opens up another possibility: perhaps Microsoft hasn’t fully optimized Windows 11 for all of its current apps, or perhaps it’s holding back much of the performance for future major updates. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that Windows 10 isn’t as “old” as many people think.

2. Windows 11 promises to shine even brighter in the future

If Windows 10 surprised everyone with its current test wins, Windows 11 is a clear demonstration of Microsoft's future vision. Not only developed as an upgrade in interface or user experience, Windows 11 is also positioned as the main platform serving the most advanced technology fields today: from AAA games to next-generation AI.

In the field of digital entertainment, especially games that require high hardware resources, Windows 11 shows significant acceleration compared to its predecessor. Through actual tests, Windows 11 achieves gaming performance 19% to 55% higher than Windows 10 in many blockbuster games such as Assassin's Creed Odyssey , Far Cry 6 and especially Cyberpunk 2077 , which is famous for being a "hardware-intensive" game.

This performance boost is not just a numerical benefit, but also creates a clear change in the experience. The image is smoother, there is less lag, significantly reduced latency when processing commands, and the game scene appears sharp and vivid. These factors are not only attractive to gamers, but also bring great benefits to game developers or content creators who need a powerful operating system environment to work and test their products.

Most importantly, Windows 11 is proving itself to be an operating system “made for AI”. In tests involving interactions with artificial intelligence models, such as text generation via Llama 3.1 and Phi 3.5 , Windows 11 (version 24H2) achieved 43% – 46% higher performance than Windows 10. These numbers are impressive considering the same hardware, because they show that Windows 11 really knows how to make the most of hardware resources, especially when handling AI-intensive tasks.

Microsoft’s vision for Windows 11 is more than just an operating system. It’s a gateway to a world of ubiquitous AI, where users can interact with powerful virtual assistants, process natural language in real time, and deploy machine learning models on their own machines, without relying on the cloud. Windows 11 is clearly positioning itself as the ideal platform for the future.

3. Advice for users

In the past, the choice between staying on Windows 10 and upgrading to Windows 11 didn’t make a noticeable difference in performance in many situations. Individual users could still work, play games, or do light entertainment with Windows 10 without worrying about “falling behind.” However, the latest results paint a completely different picture: Windows 11 not only wins, but wins in the most important categories of the digital age.

If you’re a gamer, where framerate performance is vital, Windows 11 is almost an irreplaceable choice. But if you’re doing research, working with AI, or need to handle large computational tasks, continuing to use Windows 10 may be wasting your hardware’s potential.

Additionally, security is not to be overlooked. Microsoft’s upcoming end of support for Windows 10 means that the operating system will no longer receive security patches, increasing the risk of cyberattacks, especially if users are constantly accessing the internet. In a world where data is becoming increasingly valuable, using a weak security platform can have serious consequences, both financially and personally.

Combining the advantages of performance, security and compatibility with the future of technology, there is little reason for users to continue to stick with a 10-year-old operating system. Windows 11, as it is showing, is no longer just a superficial upgrade. It is a real step forward, strong enough to convince users to switch, not only for technical reasons but also for experience and future readiness.

4. Conclusion

In less than three months, Windows 10 will officially enter the “dark ages” when Microsoft stops supporting it. Meanwhile, Windows 11 is emerging as the operating system of the future with groundbreaking improvements. Whether you are a regular user, a gamer, or a content creator, choosing an operating system is no longer a simple “to upgrade or not” decision, but a strategic decision that will affect your performance, security, and adaptability for years to come.