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Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs Windows 11 comparison

Red Hat and Microsoft are both solutions in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category. Red Hat is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.8, while Microsoft is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.6. Red Hat holds a 11.9% mindshare in OSB, compared to Microsoft’s 3.0% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Red Hat users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of Microsoft users who would recommend it.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...
Read 259 Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reviews
  • 43,717 Views
  • 15,646 Comparison Views
97% willing to recommend
Windows 11
Read 42 Windows 11 reviews
  • 1,608 Views
  • 1,513 Comparison Views
93% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Windows 11 cater to different user needs with distinct advantages. RHEL excels in support and long-term cost benefits, while Windows 11 leads in features and ease of use.

Features: RHEL is known for its robust security features, stability, and versatility in enterprise environments. Its deployment tools, automated patch management, and comprehensive support structure make it appealing for enterprises. Windows 11 offers extensive software compatibility, an intuitive user experience, and rich multimedia capabilities, making it ideal for desktop use and user satisfaction.

Room for Improvement: RHEL users indicate a need for better GUI enhancements, more straightforward updates, and a more user-friendly interface. Windows 11 users want improved customization options, reduced bloatware, and more consistent updates. Addressing these areas can enhance user experience for both systems.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: RHEL stands out due to its comprehensive deployment tools and excellent customer support services, facilitating smoother enterprise integration. Windows 11 benefits from easy installation processes and a familiar interface, though troubleshooting might require moderate to high support levels. RHEL’s professional support is highly detailed, whereas Windows 11’s user-friendly service can sometimes be less comprehensive.

Pricing and ROI: RHEL offers competitive pricing with significant ROI from reduced maintenance and robust security. Subscription-based models can start as low as $349 per server annually. Windows 11, though perceived as pricier initially, delivers strong ROI through productivity and regular updates, with a one-time cost starting from $139. RHEL’s cost advantage lies in lower operational expenses over time, and Windows 11 provides immediate returns in performance and compatibility.

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To learn more, read our detailed Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 11 Report (Updated: October 2024).
Buyer's Guide
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 11
October 2024
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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
8.2
Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers responsive customer service, valued for its knowledgeable team, quick escalation, and extensive support resources.
No sentiment score available
Windows 11's customer service varies; some find it effective, while others experience slow support, prompting self-reliance or third-party help.
They respond immediately based on the SLA level.
The technical support is excellent.
They promptly addressed my concerns regarding permission issues when I contacted them.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
They are very quick and knowledgeable about their product.
Sometimes they won't even respond.
Everything should work perfectly if you have new hardware that matches the Windows 11 requirements.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
SC
Syed Azhar - PeerSpot reviewerZunaira Afzal - PeerSpot reviewerAnish Bheekoo - PeerSpot reviewerAjenthan Aiyathurai - PeerSpot reviewer
AI
 

Room For Improvement

Sentiment score
5.3
Red Hat Enterprise Linux requires improvements in documentation, support, pricing, UI, compatibility, updates, and integration for better user experience.
Sentiment score
6.8
Windows 11 needs enhancements in security, user interface, AI integration, and update processes, with concerns about pricing and compatibility.
The solution operates on a subscription-based model, which may not provide immediate return on investment for small to medium-sized organizations.
Risks, for example, specific to Linux, need improvements.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux could make the interface more colorful and improve the user experience.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
In terms of security, implementing easier remote access to laptops and providing more mature patching options would be beneficial.
It should also improve security which includes patching the vulnerabilities.
Windows 11's pricing needs improvement.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
SC
reviewer2588328 - PeerSpot reviewerSyed Azhar - PeerSpot reviewerAnish Bheekoo - PeerSpot reviewerEnrique Hernandez - PeerSpot reviewer
SA
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is scalable and adaptable, supporting efficient workload scaling across various environments, ensuring seamless IT operations.
Sentiment score
10.0
Windows 11 is praised for scalability and ease of deployment, despite challenges in upgrades and specific hardware requirements.
I would rate the scalability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux as nine out of ten, indicating it scales well with our needs.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
With various products available, such as those integrated with Active Directory, you can streamline and automate the process for a thousand users or more.
I would rate the scalability of Windows 11 a ten out of ten.
I would rate the product's scalability a nine out of ten and my company has about 2000 users for Windows 9 and Windows 10.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
Syed Azhar - PeerSpot reviewer
MK
Narender Reddy - PeerSpot reviewerAyaz Ahmed - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Setup Cost

Sentiment score
6.3
Red Hat Enterprise Linux's pricing is justified by its support, stability, flexible subscriptions, and appeal for reliability-focused businesses.
No sentiment score available
Enterprise users have mixed opinions on Windows 11 licensing costs, appreciating flexibility but considering it a major investment.
It may be considered expensive compared to other solutions like CentOS or Ubuntu, which offer some of the same features without additional costs.
Its pricing has room for improvement because it's more expensive in the local market due to purchasing power parity in India.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
Windows 11 is not an expensive solution.
I rate its pricing a nine out of ten.
On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a nine out of ten.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
SC
Syed Azhar - PeerSpot reviewerAditi Patil - PeerSpot reviewerRajkumarSanthanam - PeerSpot reviewer
PK
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.2
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is highly stable and reliable, performing well for business-critical applications with minimal downtime.
Sentiment score
8.0
Windows 11 is stable and suitable for basic tasks, though occasional crashes occur; improvements enhance productivity.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers great stability and performance compared to other operating systems.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
I would rate the stability a nine out of ten.
I rate the stability a nine and a half out of ten.
With the tool, we are able to control airplane traffic.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
SC
Anish Bheekoo - PeerSpot reviewerFrancis Adesalu - PeerSpot reviewerYantao Zhao - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Valuable Features

Sentiment score
8.3
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is praised for robust performance, security, scalability, seamless integration, and comprehensive enterprise-level support.
No sentiment score available
Windows 11 users appreciate its interface, performance, multitasking, security features, integration with Office, and user-friendly design.
It also has strong security features, is OIS and FIPS certified, and has built-in Linux security configurations.
The security features are the most valuable.
The most valuable feature of Red Hat Enterprise Linux is its command-line capabilities, which allow you to execute large operations quickly.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
One of the most valuable features of Windows 11 is its ability to provide detailed statistics about the laptop's performance, including battery usage, CPU performance, and network performance.
The standout feature, known as the Linux App System Forwarded, enables the use of Linux commands within the Windows environment.
The tool's most valuable feature is its stability.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
SC
reviewer2588328 - PeerSpot reviewerSyed Azhar - PeerSpot reviewerAnish Bheekoo - PeerSpot reviewerAkram Zaki Hussein - PeerSpot reviewer
MA
 

Categories and Ranking

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (R...
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
1st
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
259
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Windows 11
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
10th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
8.3
Number of Reviews
42
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2024, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) is 11.9%, down from 12.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 11 is 3.0%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Saravvana Kumar. - PeerSpot reviewer
Highly stable, good knowledge base, and reasonable price
Its installation on a RAID or cluster system is something difficult. There are specific teams working on that. The GRUB configuration is also a little different from the other Linux distributions. In terms of additional features, as technology keeps evolving, the product will also have to evolve. For example, Microsoft Windows has come a long way. In Windows 11, there are so many features that are fundamentally the same as the oldest version, but there are other aspects or processes that have improved. macOS has also evolved over time. Similarly, in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux that I used in 2003 and the one that I am using now, some things are the same and some things have changed. Red Hat can continue to engage clients, understand the use cases, and update them.
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Pmurki@Micron.Com Praveen - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy to use, stable product and improve productivity
We use our laptops with Windows only. We use it for everything. For the last 20 years, my entire career, I've been using Windows only. Office 365 will be extensively used, along with other tools from Office 365 Everything is good. It's easy to use. It supports AI initiatives. Like we use…
Read full review
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Comparison Review

it_user281973 - PeerSpot reviewer
Aug 24, 2017
It's improved our company's system environments that run Oracle databases.
Red Hat is mission critical to our environment Red Hat has improved the mission critical environments running Oracle databases, while CentOS has improved our web environment and MySQL. Oracle and SAP Environment and all HPC environments. 10 years No issues Very stable i don´t find any problem…
Read full review
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Government
9%
Computer Software Company
17%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

Which would you choose - RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise Linux) or CentOS?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is fantastic. It is an inexpensive solution that has excellent security, performance, and stability, and also lots of features. I specifically like that the solution has fe...
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What do you like most about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)?
It is open source. We can customize it as per our requirements.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)?
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is expensive, but I'm not paying anything because it's the company's money. However, it's priced comparably to other enterprise Linux solutions. It costs a lot because you ...
See all answers
What do you like most about Windows 11?
We use Windows 11 for our workstation’s daily operations.
See all answers
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Windows 11?
The licensing is expensive, but it's value for money. Many people need it for deployment in Windows environments. It's very much required at this time.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Windows 11?
The tool's pricing is expensive.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Compared 1% of the time
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Compared 75% of the time
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Compared 7% of the time
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Compared 5% of the time
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Compared 3% of the time
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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
November 2024
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reportDownload Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) product report
Buyer's Guide
Windows 11
October 2024
Windows 11 reportDownload Windows 11 product report
 

Also Known As

Red Hat Enterprise Linux, RHEL
No data available
 

Learn More

Red Hat
Microsoft
 

Overview

Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a stable and reliable open-source operating system for running application servers, databases, web servers, and production systems. It is also used for cloud infrastructure services, BI, and disaster assistance. Its valuable features include support and subscription, ease of management and troubleshooting, integration with existing infrastructure, security updates and hardening tools, scalability, and flexibility. 

Red Hat has helped organizations accelerate deployment, provide stability, control, and reliable updates, and enable the deployment of current applications and emerging workloads across different environments.

Windows 11 provides a streamlined, user-friendly experience combining enhanced graphics and superior performance. It supports a wide array of tasks from professional work activities to gaming and supports Microsoft Office applications seamlessly.

Windows 11 stands out with its intuitive setup, comprehensive network analytics, and robust security features. It is adopted in production, educational, and development environments for tasks like front-end automation and business processes. Users benefit from improved multitasking capabilities with screen snapping and seamless application integration. The operating system also supports AI initiatives, offering automatic screen recording and advanced animation features.

What key features does Windows 11 offer?
  • User-friendly interface with updated design and stability
  • Seamless Microsoft Office integration
  • Enhanced multitasking support with screen snapping
  • Comprehensive security with Windows Defender
  • AI and animation support including automatic screen recording
  • Improved taskbar and icon grouping for better efficiency
What benefits can users expect from Windows 11?
  • Enhanced productivity through efficient booting
  • Robust security measures to protect sensitive data
  • Valuable performance insights and statistics
  • Intuitive setup process minimizing downtime
  • Strong compatibility with Microsoft Office boosting versatility

Organizations implement Windows 11 in production environments to optimize workflows while educational institutions leverage its features for collaborative learning. Developers use it to streamline coding and testing, benefiting from its automation and multitasking capabilities.

 

Sample Customers

Travel Channel, Mohawk Industries, Hilti, Molecular Health, Exolgan, Hotelplan Group, Emory University, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina, HCA Healthcare, Paychex, UPS, Intermountain Healthcare, Brinker International, TransUnion, Union Bank, CA Technologies
Information Not Available
Buyer's Guide
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 11
October 2024
Free Report: Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 11
Find out what your peers are saying about Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 11 and other solutions. Updated: October 2024.
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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.