Once the regular security patches expired, fatefully timed stepped-up attacks on Windows 10 machines are driving home the urgency of swapping to a steeply discounted Windows 11 Pro license. For a limited time, it’s marked down to less than $10, or about 94% off the usual MSRP of $199—by far one of the cheapest ways to bulletproof an aging PC against today’s threats.
Why Windows 10 Is Getting Blasted by Attacks
When an operating system hits its end of support date, it doesn’t suddenly cease working; instead, those already discovered vulnerabilities stop getting fixes. That creates an ever-widening security gap that attackers can’t help but take advantage of. The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has warned numerous times that unsupported systems are often attackers’ initial entry into ransomware crews and other threat actors.
The size of the danger is exacerbated by Windows 10’s base. Market watchers, like StatCounter, have shown that throughout 2024 Windows 10 still powered a majority of all Windows PCs, providing a large pool of potential targets. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, for its part, recorded over $12 billion in reported cybercrime losses in 2023, a stark warning that the opportunistic hacks facing households and small businesses have actual financial costs.
(Microsoft does sell paid Extended Security Updates for businesses if your organization or life depends on sticking with Windows 10, but for most users, Windows 11 Pro adds stronger baseline protections against modern threats than its predecessor, for not that much more money—particularly while deep discounts are available.)
What Windows 11 Pro Adds for Security and Protection
Windows 11 was built with a security-by-default model to help raise the bar against today’s commodity malware and targeted intrusions. Additional security features are available with supported hardware-based security, including TPM 2.0 and Virtualization-Based Security (VBS), as well as OpenSSH protocol support. These protections enhance your machine against advanced attacks that may compromise the boot process, or runtime attacks that tamper with kernel code. HVCI (also known as Memory Integrity) isolates sensitive processes, which should make many traditional exploits significantly less feasible.
With the Pro edition, data on local drives is protected by BitLocker drive encryption; secrets used for authentication are secured with Credential Guard; and Smart App Control can block apps that are not trusted or have been tampered with.
Windows Hello provides quick biometric sign-ins, reducing exposure to password reuse. Many of these controls are enforced by Microsoft’s security baseline by default on modern hardware, further closing gaps that persist on older systems.
And apart from security, Windows 11 includes the sorts of quality-of-life improvements that become meaningful in your daily grind. Snap Layouts and virtual desktops make multitasking a cinch, DirectX 12 Ultimate supports all the latest gaming bells and whistles, and Hyper-V plus Windows Sandbox let power users test software in a safe environment. The built-in Copilot assistant can help speed you through routine tasks, such as writing emails or changing system settings.
The Upgrade Deals in the Spotlight Right Now
The current deal brings a Windows 11 Pro license below $10 from its list price of $199, closely matching the pressure many users are under as attackers shift their focus to unpatched Windows 10 machines. It’s a one-time purchase with no subscription, and once activated for use on a single PC, it receives updates until Microsoft stops supporting Windows 11. Transferability of the license varies based on the type of license, so make sure you have your product key and confirmation information.
For anyone counting the economics, the math is simple: one budget license can mitigate a wide swath of threats associated with outdated software.
That level of risk reduction at this cost is unusual in personal tech.
How to Upgrade Safely Without Losing Your Data
First, make sure your PC is ready to run it with Microsoft’s PC Health Check app or guidance from your device manufacturer. Make sure TPM 2.0 is enabled and Secure Boot is active in your UEFI options. Back up important files to an external drive or a reliable cloud service if you are going to start from scratch.
If your system is healthy and you have enough space, do an in-place upgrade for a seamless experience, or opt for a clean install if you want the most slimmed-down, stable foundation. Then follow the steps to install BitLocker, turn on Memory Integrity, and set up Windows Hello for faster and more secure sign-ins.
If Your PC Isn’t Compatible With Windows 11
If your device is not up to snuff, you have options. You can buy yourself some time on Windows 10 by purchasing Extended Security Updates, but that’s not a long-term solution. Or get a new PC that meets Windows 11’s standards; devices built for these protections provide the best defense. You can also run Windows 11 in a virtual machine on hardware capable of handling it, to isolate workloads as you plan your full transition.
The Bottom Line on Upgrading From Windows 10 Now
Diehards who waited in unsubstantiated hope that one of the Windows 10 post-1803 feature upgrades would make living without support easier took a long shot. A sub-$10 Windows 11 Pro license is a rare opportunity to refresh your guardrails and the life of your daily computing at very little expense. If you’ve been ambivalent about it, this is the time to get off the fence.
