Not sure if this will interest anyone but thought I'd throw it out there.

You may be aware that MS are ending W10 support next month and if your device doesn't support W11 then their rather high handed response is buy a new one. I was aware that they were offering extended support for a fee but details were thin on the ground. And I don't have a couple of grand lying about to replace my W10 devices. Then I noticed something new while I was updating my clunky old laptop.

I clicked Enrol Now to see if cost was mentioned and it turns out it's free for another 12 months. I'll take that. Certain criteria apply such as a MS account and I'm not sure if I'll only get one go but it's better than nothing.

So, to recap...

WINDOWS 10 SUPPORT ENDS NEXT MONTH!! YOUR PC WILL EXPLODE!! SPEND MONEY NOW!!

Or click this button.

There are numerous work-arounds to update 'non-complying' PCs to WN11. 

A quick google will show how, it would have to be a very old system that can't accept WN11

I literally have 3 pc's. One new super compact and powerful with windows 11. The oldest tower (which if I ever cash it in for metal will buy a pizza or two) still runs XP. I like to play strategic games and frankly compatability issues sometimes defeat the ability of windows to apply the correct OS. Hence, I keep my older Pc's to play specific games from an era to work around that issue.

By the way Richard unless you are playing very power hungry games you really don't need to spend  "a couple of grand" on a replacement. My last one was circa £500 plus another £150 ish to pair it with a 28" monitor.

For everyday use, eg internet, email, web browssing and office requirements, PCs are cheap. The last PC I bought was a Win 11 machine which cost around £150. Its length and width is about the same as a cd case, as is under 2 inches high. I've had it a couple of years and have found it to be fast and reliable.

I'll add this if I may - my current desktop PC is a late 2013 iMac, the current (and final) OS is Catalina (version 10.15.7 for those who may be interested) for which Apple support ended 3 years ago.  The whole thing still works fine, but have noticed the odd warning message whereby websites will inform me they don't support my current browser or I'll see the white on blue question mark where I can't see pictures etc.  It has also slowed up a little of course, but - as I say - still works for what I want. My conundrum is do I stick with Apple and get another one, or do I go Windows based PC? I'm seriously considering a desktop mini Apple Mac - shelling out perhaps for a new monitor but keeping the Apple keyboard and magic mouse I already have.  Windows-based PCs have progressed much over the past few years, but what is perhaps swaying me to stay with Apple is the fact my current iMac has lasted for so long....and, for the most part, it's doesn't 'clutter' up the place like perhaps a desktop Windows PC would with wires/towers etc.  I must say, the iMac is ruggedly built, but the main issue is you can't upgrade them, as they are sealed units (whereby I believe you can - up to a point - upgrade the innards on an Apple mini-Mac...decisions, decisions.....

1 hour ago, Pauly C said:

I'll add this if I may - my current desktop PC is a late 2013 iMac, the current (and final) OS is Catalina (version 10.15.7 for those who may be interested) for which Apple support ended 3 years ago.  The whole thing still works fine, but have noticed the odd warning message whereby websites will inform me they don't support my current browser or I'll see the white on blue question mark where I can't see pictures etc.  It has also slowed up a little of course, but - as I say - still works for what I want. My conundrum is do I stick with Apple and get another one, or do I go Windows based PC? I'm seriously considering a desktop mini Apple Mac - shelling out perhaps for a new monitor but keeping the Apple keyboard and magic mouse I already have.  Windows-based PCs have progressed much over the past few years, but what is perhaps swaying me to stay with Apple is the fact my current iMac has lasted for so long....and, for the most part, it's doesn't 'clutter' up the place like perhaps a desktop Windows PC would with wires/towers etc.  I must say, the iMac is ruggedly built, but the main issue is you can't upgrade them, as they are sealed units (whereby I believe you can - up to a point - upgrade the innards on an Apple mini-Mac...decisions, decisions.....

The MacMini, now with M4 and 16GB RAM as standard, is quite a bargain. I think your plan of getting one plus a monitor is a good plan.

In the meantime, Firefox seems to be the only mainstream browser still supporting Catalina - so you may have some luck switching to Firefox in the interim to resolve any website compatibility issues. 

4 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

There are numerous work-arounds to update 'non-complying' PCs to WN11. 

A quick google will show how, it would have to be a very old system that can't accept WN11

There are, but, these are essentially subject to being broken by Microsoft on a whim with a future update (or stranding the machine with no further Windows 11 updates).

I run 3 iPads of which only the newest one is still supported by Apple updates and unfortunately a Microsh*t Windows 11 PC which I have to use for my Flight Simulator. I can almost guarantee I have issues after every update!

11 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

I run 3 iPads of which only the newest one is still supported by Apple updates and unfortunately a Microsh*t Windows 11 PC which I have to use for my Flight Simulator. I can almost guarantee I have issues after every update!

I assume, therefore Steve, you're not a Windows advocate?

56 minutes ago, Tickedon said:

The MacMini, now with M4 and 16GB RAM as standard, is quite a bargain. I think your plan of getting one plus a monitor is a good plan.

I'm also thinking of upgrading my camera to a 46mp full frame Nikon....so the file sizes will be double to that of my current 25mp full-frame Nikon...and the iPad mini 4 (I think it is) looks to be slowing up too....if I do all these upgrades at the same time, it's going to cost me an absolute fortune🤔😟

For years privately i have been using Chromebooks. Get the cheapest Acer for 250 Euro and does all i want which is mails, surfing the net and endless youtubing. It starts within seconds and beats windows on all fronts ( for me ). 

2 hours ago, Pauly C said:

I'll add this if I may - my current desktop PC is a late 2013 iMac, the current (and final) OS is Catalina (version 10.15.7 for those who may be interested) for which Apple support ended 3 years ago.  The whole thing still works fine, but have noticed the odd warning message whereby websites will inform me they don't support my current browser or I'll see the white on blue question mark where I can't see pictures etc.  It has also slowed up a little of course, but - as I say - still works for what I want. My conundrum is do I stick with Apple and get another one, or do I go Windows based PC? I'm seriously considering a desktop mini Apple Mac - shelling out perhaps for a new monitor but keeping the Apple keyboard and magic mouse I already have.  Windows-based PCs have progressed much over the past few years, but what is perhaps swaying me to stay with Apple is the fact my current iMac has lasted for so long....and, for the most part, it's doesn't 'clutter' up the place like perhaps a desktop Windows PC would with wires/towers etc.  I must say, the iMac is ruggedly built, but the main issue is you can't upgrade them, as they are sealed units (whereby I believe you can - up to a point - upgrade the innards on an Apple mini-Mac...decisions, decisions.....

Depends on how much you want to spend. If cost isn't an issue then stick with Mac if you're used to it, like it, and have the accessories.

That said I run two Windows 11 mini PCs, each the size of a cd case, so no big tower. They can be easily upgraded with regards to RAM and hard drives, and work perfectly, without any crashes or problems. One is used as a basic office PC, and the other as a media server, handling every type of media content thrown at it. They're at least 2 years old, and I'm not overly concerned about longevity as they cost under £200 each, so are fairly cheap to replace if necessary.

I used to buy more expensive stuff but have found things become obselete a lot quicker, so now I just buy the cheapest I can find, that runs the latest software, and then upgrade cheaply as and when required.

6 hours ago, NemesisUK said:

There are numerous work-arounds to update 'non-complying' PCs to WN11. 

A quick google will show how, it would have to be a very old system that can't accept WN11

Oh yes, I'm aware. Rufus for one. But as @Tickedon points out, subject to the whim of MS.

5 hours ago, Boomer54 said:

By the way Richard unless you are playing very power hungry games you really don't need to spend  "a couple of grand" on a replacement. My last one was circa £500 plus another £150 ish to pair it with a 28" monitor.

Certainly wasn't meaning one machine. I have a desktop, laptop and two office PCs all running W10.

45 minutes ago, steve2006 said:

I can almost guarantee I have issues after every update!

I can honestly say I've never had a problem with Windows devices other than the space the OS takes up. See below.

2 minutes ago, dutchie01 said:

For years privately i have been using Chromebooks. Get the cheapest Acer for 250 Euro and does all i want which is mails, surfing the net and endless youtubing. It starts within seconds and beats windows on all fronts ( for me ). 

Over the last few years I've bought a couple of cheap Lenovo laptops/netbooks. No more than about £150 each. First one on W10, second on W11. First had a 32gb HDD, second 64gb. First one became unusable due to the sheer size of W10 so I put ChromeOS Flex on it and unfortunately the second one is heading that way. But ChromeOS is such a great alternative to Windows I'm not too fussed.

Enrolled my 17yo desktop just now with no issues.

Another alternative is to replace Windows with Linux Mint.  Not half as tricky as it sounds either to install or use, I've been using it exclusively for about 12 years now and wouldn't use anything else.

Nooooooo........

Probably the best option at the moment (for normal non gaming use )

2 hours ago, GMB said:

Probably the best option at the moment (for normal non gaming use )

Please tell me if I wrong, and I am sure that it wasn't your intention, but am I correct in assuming that the picture you posted is slightly misleading?

As in, for that price, the actual spec is:

If it really is an Ultra 7 for that price, I would be buying a bunch immediately 😄

Also, it is worth noting that even with Windows 10 being retired shortly, only the updates will stop and the system itself will happily continue to work.  Whilst it isn't ideal to not have the latest security updates, with a little common sense, it shouldn't be that much of an issue in the short term.  Yes, longer term the change to Win 11 is inevitable, but you aren't being forced into it immediately.

Lastly, you would be surprised what is compatible with 11 these days.  At work, we discovered a 7th gen i5 Dell laptop that was at least 5 years old was fully compliant with TPM2.0. 8GB upgrade of RAM for £20 and it is a perfectly useable laptop for everyday tasks for the foreseeable future and is probably worth no more than £150.

 

43 minutes ago, Shahpor said:

If it really is an Ultra 7 for that price,

The image shows 'up to '?

48 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

The image shows 'up to '?

A common ploy in ads, which should be followed by "no good"

.......and the price 'from' £379

22 hours ago, Pauly C said:

I assume, therefore Steve, you're not a Windows advocate?

You assume correctly 😀

I have also enrolled my 11 year old W10 desk top for an extra year's security updates, until 13th Octber 2026, without any apparent issues and at no charge. Gives me a year to figure out the best route to W11.

Tom

1 hour ago, steve2006 said:

You assume correctly 😀

Yep, after some deliberation and a little research, I think it will be a new mini-Mac with 2tb of storage and something like a BenQ 27" monitor..for somewhat less than an all in one iMac to the same kind of spec.  Think I will continue to steer clear of a Windows-based PC..

On 9/19/2025 at 3:18 PM, Pauly C said:

I'll add this if I may - my current desktop PC is a late 2013 iMac, the current (and final) OS is Catalina (version 10.15.7 for those who may be interested) for which Apple support ended 3 years ago.  The whole thing still works fine, but have noticed the odd warning message whereby websites will inform me they don't support my current browser or I'll see the white on blue question mark where I can't see pictures etc.  It has also slowed up a little of course, but - as I say - still works for what I want. My conundrum is do I stick with Apple and get another one, or do I go Windows based PC? I'm seriously considering a desktop mini Apple Mac - shelling out perhaps for a new monitor but keeping the Apple keyboard and magic mouse I already have.  Windows-based PCs have progressed much over the past few years, but what is perhaps swaying me to stay with Apple is the fact my current iMac has lasted for so long....and, for the most part, it's doesn't 'clutter' up the place like perhaps a desktop Windows PC would with wires/towers etc.  I must say, the iMac is ruggedly built, but the main issue is you can't upgrade them, as they are sealed units (whereby I believe you can - up to a point - upgrade the innards on an Apple mini-Mac...decisions, decisions.....

I empathise Paul as my everyday desktop is an iMac running High Sierra (10.13.6), an OS that not only can I not update but I don’t want to.  It holds the Adobe Creative Suite (CS versions) that I can still use & do so regularly, installed many moons ago when one could buy the applications but now one can only rent them. Not a route that I wish to go down.

I became increasingly aware that both new & updated websites & other features no longer recognised my ageing Mac so I recently invested in a MacBook Air (2024 refurb) that is happy to acknowledge the existence of my desktop and runs on Sonoma, so now I have the best of both worlds.

And BTW, without getting too embroiled in controversy, many believe that it was not Microsoft who invented ‘windows’ (in 1985) but it was in fact Apple Macintosh (in 1984).  The legal battle that ensued was won by the then much larger entity but the windows concept continues to run effectively on both systems - although far better on a Mac IMHO 🍏😉.