Recently Microsoft announced that Windows 11 LTSC is coming in the second half of 2024 and why it might be a better option than Windows 11 Home and Pro offering.
What is Windows LTSC?
Basically Windows LTSC is an enterprise version of Windows 11. Its a light weight version of Windows 11 which differs in some key area’s
While it might not be officially available yet and we are still waiting on details from Microsoft, Let’s take a look at Windows 11 LTSC and why it may or might not be an option for you…
What does LTSC mean ?
LTSC stands for Long Term Service Channel, which is Microsoft’s way of saying that its a long term supported release. Focused on businesses and enterprise users however a LTSC version of Windows means that you will not get all the shipped features of a normal Windows 11 install.
While this can be beneficial some users might prefer that their windows installation is gutted and stripped of bloatware, while the majority of users might wanna stick to standard Windows 11.
OEM Manufacturers will still ship Windows 11 Home and Professional to retailers therefore if you want to get Windows 11 LTSC then you would need to manually install and configure it on your supported device.
Similarly to what Linux Ubuntu does with their LTS release cycles, we can expect that Windows 11 LTSC will have a longer support cycle as well.
Some of the Key Differences between Windows 11 and Windows 11 LTSC
Different offers and use cases:
- Windows 11 Pro and Home:
Targets a broader audience, including home users and businesses including power users.
Windows 11 offers a balance between new features, performance, and manageability including lots of applications out of the box. - Windows 11 LTSC:
Designed for specific business needs, prioritizing stability and long-term support over flashy features.
Therefore it is important to note that you might not get new features as they get released for standard Windows 11 Home and Pro editions if at all.
Updates are handled differently:
- Windows 11 Home and Pro Updates:
Receives feature updates twice a year and security updates monthly. This can introduce potential compatibility issues with software or hardware. - Windows 11 LTSC Updates:
Will most likely get security updates only, typically every six months. This minimizes disruption and ensures a stable environment for critical systems.
Different Features for Windows LTSC
- Windows 11 Home and Pro Features:
Includes all the latest features of Windows 11, like the new Start Menu, multitasking improvements, and better touch support. CoPilot AI integration and more. - Windows 11 LTSC Features:
Lacks most of the new features found in Windows 11. It focuses on core functionality for better performance and compatibility with software. Furthermore Windows LTSC will not feature all the extra software found in Windows 11 by default.
Licensing is Different
- Windows 11 Home and Pro Licensing:
Available through retail purchase or volume licensing for businesses. - Windows 11 LTSC Licensing:
Will most likely Not be available for retail purchase. Windows 11 LTSC will most likely require a special volume licensing agreement for businesses.
Can I use Windows 11 LTSC
Firstly, while it is technically possible to use Windows LTSC for personal use, the licensing might be a gray area. Since Windows LTSC is aimed towards enterprises and institutions getting a single legitimate copy of Windows LTSC might not be possible.
Secondly, Windows 11 LTSC is most likely to make use of Volume licensing, which is a very different way of activating Windows overall.
Thirdly, if you heavily depend on features and apps shipped by default with a standard version of Windows 11 then you will feel a little lost adopting the LTSC version.
Remember that because Windows 11 LTSC basically strips out a lot of apps and features you will either need to manually install them or find alternatives and at that rate you might as well give Linux with KDE Plasma a go instead…
Lastly, The benefits of using the LTSC version boils down to this.
Do you really want or need an Operating system that is light on resources and that is officially released by Microsoft ?
If you answered yes then you might wanna take a look at Windows 11 LTSC.
Final Thoughts
While Windows 11 LTSC looks like a very enticing option to use instead of the all seeing bloated version that is Windows 11 Home and Pro, there are some downsides as well.
As mentioned, Licensing and getting hold of Windows LTSC can be challenging, will the juice be worth the squeese?
Remember that you wont be able to retail purchase Windows 11 LTSC, nor will you be able to buy a laptop or desktop with it pre installed so you will need to get your hands dirty and manually install it.
Furthermore, while Windows 11 LTSC can seem like a good idea you will lack a lot of expected features shipped with standard versions of Windows 11.
Therefore at this point you might as well just jump ship and go with a Linux distribution, such as Linux Mint or KDE Neon.
In fact if you have an older computer this might be the only option left for you when Windows 10 supports gets dropped. Time is running out…
