Windows 10 End Of Support: Don’t Make The $427 Mistake

Posted by: Aubrey Felix on September 25, 2025 at 4:26 pm

On October 14, 2025, Microsoft will officially end support for Windows 10. That may sound like plenty of time, but let’s be honest, the deadline will be here before you know it. Once that deadline hits, Windows 10 won’t get any more bug fixes, new features, and most importantly, security updates. For many small and medium-sized businesses, that means you’ll be running systems that are frozen in time, while new threats and compatibility issues keep moving forward.

When talking with business owners here in Southeast Michigan, we often hear the same thing: “We’ll figure it out later.” And yes, Microsoft does offer a “later” option — the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program. On the surface, it sounds like a simple bridge that buys you extra time. In reality, though, it’s more like paying rent on a building you know is being condemned. You’re spending money, but you’re not building equity in your IT.

What Extended Security Updates Really Mean

Here’s the catch with ESUs: they only give you critical security patches. That’s it. No new features, no performance improvements, no compatibility fixes when you buy new software or hardware. It’s really just a band-aid for your IT; it’s not a healthy way to operate in the long term. Microsoft is very clear on this in its official documentation:

“ESUs doesn’t include the following items: New features; Customer-requested non-security updates; Design change requests; General support won’t be provided for Windows versions past the end of support date.” (Microsoft Learn)

In other words, even Microsoft is telling you flat-out: you’re not getting improvements, just the minimum security lifeline. That means every day you stay on Windows 10, you’re falling further behind in terms of performance, compatibility, and functionality.

And then there’s the price tag. For businesses, ESUs start at about $61 per device in year one, then double to $122 in year two, and jump again to $244 in year three. Add it all up, and you’re looking at $427 per device just to keep the lights on. That’s money going out the door without moving your business forward.

Why Are So Many Businesses Holding Back?

So why do companies delay the upgrade? The answer isn’t hard to figure out: it’s the hardware. Windows 11 requires newer processors and security chips, and many businesses are still running perfectly “functional” machines that don’t meet the specs. It feels painful to replace computers that “still work,” even if they’re slower than they used to be. We get it. On the surface, ESUs look like an attractive way to squeeze a couple more years out of your existing fleet. But this is where the numbers, and the real-world impact, start to sting.

Industry experts have pointed out how limited ESUs actually are. As Michael Cherry told IT Brew:

“You’re not getting a lot for your money… You’re getting the security updates that Microsoft chooses to fix at their discretion, and only the security things.” (IT Brew)

That means you’re not only paying extra, but you’re also putting your business at Microsoft’s discretion. If a vulnerability doesn’t meet their threshold, your system stays exposed. That’s not the kind of gamble most business owners want to take with their data, compliance, or customer trust. And here’s the kicker: at the end of those three ESU years, you’ll still have to buy new computers. So not only do you face the hardware expense you were trying to avoid, but you’ve also spent thousands of extra dollars just to get there.

Let’s put this into perspective

. If you’re running 10 PCs in your office:

• Year 1 ESU cost: $610
• Year 2 ESU cost: $1,220
• Year 3 ESU cost: $2,440
  That’s $4,270 over three years — and then you’re still shopping for new machines.

Scale that up to a 50-PC business, and the cost skyrockets to $21,350 spent on nothing but temporary patches. For many companies, that’s the equivalent of an entire year’s IT budget burned with no lasting return.

Why Upgrading Is A Good Investment

For most businesses, the cost of upgrading to Windows 11 isn’t about software licensing. You already have that through Microsoft. The real costs are:

• IT labor to upgrade compatible devices, which can often be done remotely and scheduled to minimize downtime. And most Managed Services those upgrades are down under your plan, not costing you any extra money.
• Replacing incompatible hardware is the real expense. But think about it as money well spent. Since new systems deliver faster performance, stronger security, and years of useful life.

So when you compare ESUs to upgrading, the difference is stark. With ESUs, you’re just paying to delay the inevitable. With upgrading, every dollar you spend goes toward improving your systems, strengthening your security, and setting your business up for the future. And don’t forget the hidden costs of waiting. Running outdated hardware means more employee frustration. We all know how it feels to try and work on a computer that has slow performance or compatibility issues with business applications. ESU also increases your risk exposure. If a vulnerability slips through, you could be dealing with downtime or even data loss, which is far more costly than new PCs.

Making the Smarter Move

ESUs may feel like the “safe” choice, but really, that decision is more expense and risky. They don’t extend the usefulness of your computers; they just extend the bill you’re paying for them. Upgrading to Windows 11 now puts you in control: you decide the timeline, you phase out older hardware on your schedule, and you give your employees the benefit of modern, secure systems right away. And with a new computer you can stay ahead of the curve with AI integration. That’s a better ROI, and who doesn’t like that?

So ask yourself: do you want to pay twice, once for ESUs and again for new computers? Or do you want to put your dollars straight into technology that supports your business?

For businesses here in Southeast Michigan, the clock is ticking. At TAZ Networks, we’ve helped plenty of companies through transitions like this, and the ones who plan early always come out ahead. Don’t wait until the deadline forces your hand. Contact us today for a Windows 11 readiness assessment — and avoid paying more for less.