Microsoft ended free security updates for Windows 10 in October 2025. Every week we get asked the same question at the Twomey PC Repair bench: “Should I upgrade, or is my old machine still fine?” Here’s the honest answer.
If your PC meets the Windows 11 specs
Upgrade. The official minimum is:
- 1 GHz dual-core 64-bit CPU (8th-gen Intel or Ryzen 2000+ series)
- 4 GB RAM (realistically 8 GB)
- 64 GB storage (realistically a 256 GB SSD)
- TPM 2.0 + Secure Boot
If you hit all five, Windows 11 is faster, safer, and will keep getting security patches for years.
If you don’t meet specs
You have three real options:
- Stay on Windows 10 with “Extended Security Updates” (Microsoft charges $30/year for home users through 2026 only). Works, but the clock is ticking.
- Upgrade the machine. A new SSD + 16 GB RAM revival is often cheaper than a new PC. We do these upgrades for ~$150 at the shop.
- Replace it. If your CPU is pre-2018 and the RAM is soldered, buy refurb. We sell checked-over refurb laptops and desktops in Highland Square starting around $300.
Don’t DIY the TPM workaround
There are YouTube tutorials showing you how to force Windows 11 onto unsupported hardware. Microsoft can and does yank these machines off the update channel on any given Patch Tuesday. If you want Windows 11, meet the real specs, or bring the PC in and we’ll tell you honestly whether it’s worth the upgrade cost.