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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 3.9% 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 261 Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) reviews
  • 41,524 Views
  • 15,075 Comparison Views
97% willing to recommend
Windows 11
Read 43 Windows 11 reviews
  • 1,943 Views
  • 1,836 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: December 2024).
Buyer's Guide
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) vs. Windows 11
December 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:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
8.0
RHEL delivers high ROI through cost savings, efficiency, scalability, and strong support, enhancing integration with technologies like Oracle and Ansible.
Sentiment score
8.6
Windows 11 users report a positive ROI, appreciating free upgrades, user-friendliness, stability, and benefits in academic settings.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux has saved us time and increased productivity.
Using Red Hat Enterprise Linux can yield resource savings of 200 percent to 300 percent compared to Windows Server instances.
For more quotes and insights, download the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) report
Windows 11 is more stable compared to its earlier versions.
For more quotes and insights, download the Windows 11 report
Syed Azhar - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2592627 - PeerSpot reviewer
PK
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
8.1
Red Hat Enterprise Linux's support is responsive and knowledgeable, with efficient resolution and comprehensive self-help resources, despite occasional delays.
Sentiment score
8.8
Windows 11 customer service varies, with some users satisfied, but many experience slow responses and turn to self-help solutions.
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
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.8
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is praised for its high scalability and seamless adaptation to increasing workloads across diverse environments.
Sentiment score
6.4
Windows 11 is praised for scalability, ease of installation, virtual machine support, but faces hardware requirement challenges.
There are no issues with scalability when it comes to Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
I would rate the scalability of Red Hat Enterprise Linux as nine out of ten, indicating it scales well with our needs.
Scalability is easy because Red Hat Enterprise Linux supports virtual machines.
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
reviewer2592627 - PeerSpot reviewerSyed Azhar - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2599974 - PeerSpot reviewer
MK
Narender Reddy - PeerSpot reviewerAyaz Ahmed - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.2
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is praised for its stability, reliability, and capability to handle critical operations effectively over time.
Sentiment score
7.1
Windows 11 is generally stable with good performance, though some users experience occasional crashes and prefer Windows 10.
It works consistently with minimal downtime and very few bugs or glitches.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers great stability and performance compared to other operating systems.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is very stable.
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
reviewer2592627 - PeerSpot reviewer
SC
reviewer2599974 - PeerSpot reviewerAnish Bheekoo - PeerSpot reviewerFrancis Adesalu - PeerSpot reviewerYantao Zhao - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Room For Improvement

Red Hat Enterprise Linux needs better documentation, support, usability, pricing, training, third-party compatibility, and performance monitoring tools.
Windows 11 must improve security, stability, and user interface while addressing compatibility, pricing, and integration concerns to satisfy users.
Addressing these limitations would significantly enhance the operating system's flexibility and efficiency.
The built-in security features of Red Hat Enterprise Linux were insufficient for our needs, necessitating the implementation of supplementary security measures.
The solution operates on a subscription-based model, which may not provide immediate return on investment for small to medium-sized organizations.
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
reviewer2592627 - PeerSpot reviewerreviewer2591346 - PeerSpot reviewer
SC
Anish Bheekoo - PeerSpot reviewerEnrique Hernandez - PeerSpot reviewer
SA
 

Setup Cost

RHEL pricing varies by enterprise size, offering value through support, flexibility, and unique security features, but can be costly.
Enterprise feedback shows mixed perceptions on Windows 11 pricing, with value depending on purchase method and license bundling.
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.
Windows Servers base their cost on the number of users and have high licensing fees, while Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers free versions alongside its paid, supported versions.
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 reviewerreviewer2592627 - PeerSpot reviewerAditi Patil - PeerSpot reviewerRajkumarSanthanam - PeerSpot reviewer
PK
 

Valuable Features

Red Hat Enterprise Linux provides stability, robust support, security, and integration, making it essential for enterprise reliability and efficiency.
Windows 11 is favored for its user-friendly interface, strong performance, multitasking features, and robust security, enhancing productivity.
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
261
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
7.4
Number of Reviews
43
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of December 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 3.9%, up from 0.2% 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.
Read full review
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%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
University
7%
 

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...
See all answers
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 has a yearly subscription cost for the licensing that includes maintenance and support.
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 6% 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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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
November 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
December 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: December 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.