Windows 10 vs Windows Server comparison

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15,821 views|8,068 comparisons
90% willing to recommend
Microsoft Logo
19,275 views|14,618 comparisons
94% willing to recommend
Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on May 2, 2022

We performed a comparison between Windows 10 and Windows Server based on our users’ reviews in four categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

  • Ease of Deployment: Users of both solutions agree that their initial setup is straightforward..

  • Features: Users of both products are happy with their stability and scalability. Windows 10 users like its firewall and say the solution is flexible and user-friendly. Several Windows 10 users mention that it requires a high amount of resources. Windows Server users like the Active Directory tool and say the solution performs well overall but needs to improve its security.

  • Pricing: Most Windows 10 users feel that the price of the solution is fair. In contrast, most Windows Server reviewers feel that it is an expensive product.

  • Service and Support: Most Windows 10 users report being satisfied with the level of support they receive. Windows Server users have mixed reviews for the product’s support. Some users are satisfied with the support while others say it could improve.

Comparison Results: Windows 10 is the winner in this comparison. It received higher marks for its technical support and is the less expensive solution.

To learn more, read our detailed Windows 10 vs. Windows Server Report (Updated: March 2024).
771,157 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The product is user-friendly.""The features that I have found most valuable are that it is user-friendly.""I like that Windows 10 is very stable. I think Windows 10 is more smooth and performs better than the previous Windows system.""It's very straightforward. There is virtually no learning curve at all.""The solution is easy to use.""I like that it's a very easy solution to use. It's also very easy to integrate it for our customers. It's a very intuitive operating system, and if they take their time to go through it quickly, they can use it without any support.""The interface is easy to use.""The user interface of Windows 10 is good. It is better than the earlier versions. Its performance is also better than the earlier versions. These are the two good points for me."

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"The product can scale.""Operating system with a good interface that can run applications.""Windows Server is most commonly used and practiced.""The solution is stable.""The product offers in-house servers. It helps us update them and check any technical issues easily.""The product is easy to use and adapt. It is known for GUI.""Provides workspaces for the entire organization with fewer resources.""The solution is stable. The performance has been great over the years."

More Windows Server Pros →

Cons
"The performance isn't perfect. It does not provide a good value for the money you spend on it.""If Microsoft could find a way to better manage updates and patches, that could be more useful for end users, which would be good.""I would just recommend that they focus more on security.""When there are updates, the system should automatically identify and remove any unnecessary previous features that are no longer needed, ensuring that they don't take up space on the storage media during this period.""Windows 10 could be improved by making the price cheaper.""The solution's pricing could be a little cheaper.""Windows 10 could improve by being more user-friendly and provide a screen mirroring feature for the ability to share the screen with mobile devices without having to purchase a third-party application. With Mac OS it is able to be done right away.""My problem with the product stems from the fact that it does not ask for your opinion or time when going for an upgrade."

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"We have not had an issue with the stability of this solution. However, there could be some improvements.""It is not easy to use. It can be more user-friendly to make our routine work a bit easy. It could also be cheaper.""It would help if Microsoft made it lighter to run on the servers and made troubleshooting much easier.""Windows Server could improve its integration with cloud and hybrid environments to better adapt to modern computing needs.""I'd like to be able to separate the services offered.""There is room for improvement in terms of pricing.""They can simplify the utilization and control of the system when you have a lot of setups. They provided something called Windows Center or Control Center in version 2019. It's a free tool that comes with the Windows Server. You can install it on your desktop and use it. This tool simplifies the control and monitoring of all servers. If I have 200 servers, I don't need to log in to each one to configure it. I can manage them from this tool. However, this tool needs quite a lot of improvements. It's difficult to use, and they need to improve it.""Microsoft needs to expand to integrate the Windows Server with Azure and Linux distribution to provide a simple container environment for running dockerized applications."

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Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "Windows 10 is licensed. It was included with the purchase of my laptop."
  • "For my home computer it's a lifetime license, only purchased once."
  • "I think it is fair. I haven't bought it on my own because our laptops are from the company, and our company pays for it."
  • "Windows 10 came with the computer when I bought it, so it was already licensed."
  • "The basic operating system of any hardware should be free. Therefore, it should be free. They should charge only for the enterprise level or enabling the hypervisor. They should charge for Professional Windows 10, but the basic OS should be free."
  • "I have never bought this solution myself, I generally get it with my Notebook for free. I think they are competitively priced at this moment."
  • "When we purchase a new machine, it comes with it, and we don't pay separately for the license."
  • "This solution could definitely be a little cheaper."
  • More Windows 10 Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Microsoft is relatively inexpensive compared to other database platforms."
  • "This is not an expensive product."
  • "It is an expensive product."
  • "In our case, we primarily use Microsoft, so the cost is a lot less. But some of our customers have spent approximately $12,000 a year on the operating system license."
  • "The license model needs improvement."
  • "Our current license is an enterprise license agreement which gives you a whole lot of possibility, especially when you go through an R&D process. For example, you can provision everything, spread the service use over six months, and then wrap it up. It gives you a lot of flexibility."
  • "The Windows Server standard edition is affordable."
  • "We pay yearly for a license. If you ask any vendor they will tell you that it could be cheaper."
  • More Windows Server Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Answers from the Community
    Netanya Carmi
    reviewer1650858 - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer1650858 (Works)
    User

    Windows Server integrates well with all Microsoft and many other mainstream solutions.


    Building a Failover Cluster is comparatively much easier in Windows Server than with other solutions. We really like the ease of use, stability, and performance of this solution. You get a good active directory that offers consistently evolving features that scales easily. Windows Server supports more memory and uses CPUs more efficiently.


    Windows Server requires a lot of monthly maintenance with vulnerability management. From a security aspect, this should be improved. We would like to see a command-line version of Windows Server. Overall this solution can be very expensive.


    One popular feature of Windows 10 is its connectivity with mobile devices and ability to make cabless connections with external devices. Windows 10 has improved functionality and better integration between the networks and Windows 10 core system. The new subsystem for Linux is great. Windows 10 also offers a very good gaming option. which many of our team members thoroughly enjoy. It is a very stable solution with flexible scalability.


    Windows 10 gets a lot of updates and the automatic updates have caused some problems with our team, resulting in losing files or work. There are instances where updates have caused system crashes and failures. The process needs to be tweaked a bit. The enterprise version has many options, like games that are really intended for home use. The install process can be a bit complex and takes a lot of time to deploy. Windows 10 is a very expensive solution.


    Conclusion:


    These are both great solutions by an industry leader.


    Windows Server is a very robust and powerful on-premises hardware. We were looking to really step up our connections and Windows 10 can only handle about 10 or 20 connections, whereas Windows Server can handle an excess of 50,000 connections. We also needed more memory and more power. Windows10 Pro offers 2TB of RAM, while Windows Server can go to 24TB. Windows Server hardware can also handle more cores and processors; it has 64 sockets to Windows 10’s 2 sockets. Windows Server is the best solution for our organizational needs.

    Shibu Babuchandran - PeerSpot reviewerShibu Babuchandran
    Real User

    Hi @Netanya Carmi ​,


    Key Differences Between a Windows Server and a Windows Desktop


    Here are the key differences between a Windows server and a Windows desktop.


    1. Windows Server Supports More Memory

    One of the main differences between a Windows server and desktop is the amount of memory each can support. A desktop running Windows 10 Enterprise has a 4 GB memory limit on an X86 and a 2TB limit on an X64. These numbers are greatly increased depending on the Windows server version. You can view the memory limitations for the Windows and Windows server releases on the Microsoft Developer site.


    2. Windows Server Uses CPUs More Efficiently

    In general, a server OS is more efficient at using its hardware than a desktop OS, especially a CPU; therefore, if you install Alike on a server OS, you are taking full advantage of the hardware installed on your server, which also allows Alike to offer optimal performance.


    3. More Network Connections Allowed on a Windows Server

    With a desktop version of Windows, network connections are limited to 10-20. A Windows server is not locked down to just 20 network connections; therefore, a Windows server can support well beyond 20 network connections based on your hardware’s capability.


    4. The Server OS is Configured for Background Tasks

    By default, server editions of the Windows OS are configured to give priority to background tasks and services, whereas the desktop editions focus on foreground. While priority can be changed, the desktop edition’s management does not yield the same performance results.

    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:I get updates continuously. The product must send updates less frequently. The copy speed changes depending on the size of the file.
    Top Answer:It is an operating system. I need it to access applications and services. I use the tool for personal purposes.
    Top Answer:The tool supports many applications.
    Top Answer:The administration interface should be more user-friendly. Some parts of the administration interface have been upgraded, while others are old-fashioned. The vendor must update everything with the… more »
    Top Answer:I used the solution for my file server, music server, and document management system.
    Ranking
    Views
    15,821
    Comparisons
    8,068
    Reviews
    42
    Average Words per Review
    310
    Rating
    8.3
    Views
    19,275
    Comparisons
    14,618
    Reviews
    27
    Average Words per Review
    344
    Rating
    8.1
    Comparisons
    Learn More
    Overview

    Windows 10 is one of Microsoft’s most advanced operating systems for personal computers (PCs), tablets, and other similar devices. To date this operating system is active on more than 1.3 billion personal computers worldwide.

    Windows 10 has many features that make it arguably the most popular operating system for PCs on the planet. Included in these are a wealth of security features designed to stop malware from compromising both devices and networks. It has integrations for various multifactor authentication as well as non-password-reliant login technologies such as iris scanning. These keep networks safe from the moment that a user logs in. It also has security tools which not only identify, isolate, and remove threats, but also limit the damage that they can cause.

    Benefits of Windows 10

    Some of the benefits of using Windows 10 include:

    • A wide array of security features that proactively protect your system from malware of all kinds. The Windows Defender Exploit Guard feature constantly scans your system’s background for threats. It identifies, isolates, and removes the malware from your infected network. It can also quarantine infected devices to stave off an outbreak of infection across your network.
    • Allows you to browse the web in a way that protects your network from cyber-threats, enabling you to browse the internet from the confines of a virtual machine. If your device becomes infected, the malware will be unable to spread beyond the virtual machine that it has already infected.
    • The ability to synchronize multiple devices so that you can work from anywhere at any time. Windows 10’s Timeline feature enables you to save your work in a Microsoft application. You can then access this saved work on another Windows 10 device and continue from wherever you left off.

    Reviews from Real Users

    The Windows 10 operating system stands out from the competition for a number of reasons. Two major ones are its ability to secure users from digital threats and its main app management screen, which gives users the ability to easily manage their applications.

    One PeerSpot user who is the founder, president, and COO at an analyst firm, noted Windows 10’s impressive security suite when they wrote, “My impression is that the security via Windows Defender is good enough that I no longer feel a need for another third-party security solution, which had always been the case in the past. I think that perception still holds true.”

    Mike K., a collaboration specialist at a comms service provider, takes note of the main app management screen when he writes, “I like the main window pane where you can sort your mostly used and different types of apps, such as OneDrive, Google Chrome, and Access. I can just open up the main window, and those apps are right there at my fingertips.”

    Windows Server is a versatile solution for various tasks, including domain control, virtualization, hosting applications, databases, managing user accounts in Active Directory, file sharing, and remote server access. It is also used for endpoint security, running ERP systems, and supporting business applications such as SAP and Microsoft Dynamics. 

    The solution is user-friendly and easy to configure and install, with technical support available. Windows Server is widely used and trusted. It has helped organizations by offering a domain controller and domain service, allowing them to sell products with Microsoft and keep processes running 24/7 without downtime.

    Reviews from Real Users

    There are a number of characteristics that make Windows Server an extremely effective solution. Two major ones are its inherent flexibility and its user-friendly nature.

    PeerSpot user Antonio D., a sales manager at INFOSEC, takes note of Windows Server 2016’s flexibility when he writes, “The product is a good operating system. The features fit our needs very well. For example, with Windows Server, you can use a machine for printing, accessing the internet, or using some applications. You can do it all with one server. You don't need several servers. One is enough.”

    Himanshu T., a system administrator and DevOps engineer at a tech-services company, takes note of the various way in which Windows Server 2016 is easy to use when he writes, “This solution is very user friendly, easy to use for any system administrator, simple to deploy applications, has a wide range of applications available, great UI, and takes less technical skills to operate than some other competitors. Additionally, the active directory has great functionality; if we want to integrate any assets, then we can easily do it.”

    Sample Customers
    Information Not Available
    Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Computer Software Company17%
    Manufacturing Company12%
    Financial Services Firm11%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company12%
    Educational Organization9%
    Manufacturing Company8%
    Government8%
    REVIEWERS
    Financial Services Firm15%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Comms Service Provider12%
    Manufacturing Company10%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company12%
    Government11%
    Educational Organization10%
    Comms Service Provider8%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business40%
    Midsize Enterprise22%
    Large Enterprise39%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business25%
    Midsize Enterprise16%
    Large Enterprise58%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business39%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise42%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business25%
    Midsize Enterprise19%
    Large Enterprise56%
    Buyer's Guide
    Windows 10 vs. Windows Server
    March 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Windows 10 vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: March 2024.
    771,157 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Windows 10 is ranked 7th in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 255 reviews while Windows Server is ranked 4th in Operating Systems (OS) for Business with 180 reviews. Windows 10 is rated 8.2, while Windows Server is rated 8.0. The top reviewer of Windows 10 writes "User-friendly, easy to setup and manage domain ". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Windows Server writes "Easy to setup, stable and caters to my wide range of use cases but lacks user-friendly interface". Windows 10 is most compared with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Ubuntu Linux, Oracle Solaris, openSUSE Leap and Rocky Linux, whereas Windows Server is most compared with Ubuntu Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Oracle Linux, Windows 11 and CentOS. See our Windows 10 vs. Windows Server report.

    See our list of best Operating Systems (OS) for Business vendors.

    We monitor all Operating Systems (OS) for Business reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.