Windows power and versatilityĪnother compelling quality of Microsoft Windows is its ability to meet a wide range of performance needs and expectations. For gamers and people who like to build systems, the degree of support for hardware and software makes Windows the primary choice by far when considering the pros and cons of the two operating systems. Having dominated the PC market for decades, Windows has developed such a robust feature set that most home users will never learn about all the functionality and configuration options that the OS is loaded with. Although the company suffered some setbacks after the market response to Windows 8, Windows 10 quickly entered the market three years later with much-needed changes. Windows is by far the most popular operating system in the computer market, running on nearly 90% of desktop and laptop computers.

One of the main reasons that home users consider Linux is to avoid the intrusive update protocol of Windows and to avoid privacy issues from any type of data collection by Microsoft.Although Windows is more prevalent in the marketplace, Linux is far more common in data center environments.For Windows users, there are no alternate operating systems built on the basic OS. As an open-source operating system, there are a variety of different variations based on Linux.Windows has far more features, and its market dominance, ease of use and gaming performance makes it much more attractive for most home users.When considering security, Linux has a clear edge, mostly because Windows is targeted by the vast majority of malware attacks and hackers.Users have complete control of when to perform OS updates, and reboots are not required Servers, cloud computing, data centers, supercomputersĪ rich network of forums and open-source community, third-party support optionsĬan occur spontaneously, requiring unplanned reboots Home personal computing, office applications Windows vs Linux: Side by Side Comparison Whether your interest is for home use or commercial applications, the following guide will help you understand more about the pros and cons of Windows vs Linux. Windows is a robust OS that dominates the market, but Linux has some appealing attributes for people who are considering moving toward a more secure, free, and open-source operating system. On the other hand, people who are more tech-savvy or curious often like to explore their options.

For most consumers, operating systems aren’t foremost on their minds because they tend to settle for whatever comes preinstalled on their device.

Linux vs windows vs mac