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SUSE Linux Enterprise vs Windows 11 comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 7, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

SUSE Linux Enterprise
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
5th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
31
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
44
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of SUSE Linux Enterprise is 7.5%, down from 9.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 11 is 4.7%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

Dominique Locksley - PeerSpot reviewer
Has good kernel modules and upgrades
I like how the tool handles kernel modules and upgrades - we rarely have issues after upgrades, unlike with other Linux distributions like Oracle Linux or Ubuntu. The kernel module management is excellent. Changes made in one version typically work the same in other versions too, which isn't always the case with other distributions. There's also lots of information and community support available if you run into any problems, both on the official website and in forums and user groups. I know many people who use it specifically, so it's easy to get independent support if needed. I've been working with the tool for a long time, since 2003, before they became SUSE Linux Enterprise. It's always been one of the most admin-friendly Linux versions.
Anish Bheekoo - PeerSpot reviewer
Stable performance, straightforward setup process, and it is easy to join a domain
In terms of improvement, I have noticed some latency issues when loading large Excel or Word files. I'm not sure if it's a network or software issue, but it would be great if they could address that. Additionally, in terms of security, implementing easier remote access to laptops and providing more mature patching options would be beneficial. Overall, there is room for improvement in these areas. It should also give complete support for already tested versions.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The technical support services are good."
"The initial setup for most modern Linux distributions is normally straightforward. Most of the common distributions use an ncurses or GUI install."
"The most valuable feature is that there is an inbuilt HANA firewall."
"The initial setup is very straightforward."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is the installation part...We don't face any issues related to the operating system or application."
"The return on investment has been significant, especially considering its cost-effectiveness compared to other solutions."
"Out-of-the-box SLES supported all of our HBAs and hardware specific components."
"The operating system is efficient in terms of security."
"I like the product's taskbar and icon grouping. You can also get a Windows subscription for Android. The solution's performance is also better compared to the previous versions."
"The solution's most valuable features are overall desktop and fast booting."
"Quick Assist is a valuable feature."
"I use Windows 11 for development environments and find it user-friendly."
"Windows 11 is mainly used for support and provides improved performance compared to Windows 10."
"It is a stable solution."
"The tool is very stable and I don't recall a time the screen went blue which was common for Windows 7. The product's installation is fast. If I have any issue that prevents me from booting Windows 11, it will automatically run into auto-repair mode and fix those issues. Windows 10 had this functionality but it wasn't good."
"Windows 11 is a stable and easy-to-use solution."
 

Cons

"Compared with the competition, of late actually, the solution has increased its pricing tremendously."
"The solution has to be fine-tuned with better documentation."
"They should improve their educational portal."
"The interface could improve."
"I don't like the frequency of updates, especially if they're only from the vendor."
"I would appreciate the product's future releases being lighter and operating more efficiently on smaller systems."
"SUSE Linux could provide more information about cost and the details of how clustering works."
"The solution is expensive."
"The tool's pricing is expensive."
"Windows 11 needs to improve its pricing."
"When I was using Winsel, a tool for the existing purpose, and completing the purpose of that is to complete the file, it would show an error and ask me to purchase the product. But now, instead of giving the product, we have a patch to loop the tool. This happened via dot key dot shared and dot bat solutions. So, that kind of convenience has not been provided in Windows 11."
"The solution's price can be improved."
"I am not happy with the new menus in Windows 11 since it is not very comfortable."
"Drives are a significant issue, and finding the correct drives for everything to function properly is challenging."
"Major updates cause problems in small business environments because the end customers have to upgrade their workstations."
"The solution’s pricing could be cheaper."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"SUSE Linux Enterprise is reasonably priced compared to other operating systems. I find it's a much better option for us than Oracle, for example, because of the pricing structure. The pricing is easier to explain to clients and makes it easier to get clients' commitment. The licensing is also simpler to manage and keep track of. Their responsiveness is great - they give feedback very quickly when we ask questions about licensing or other aspects. This helps ensure we're always at the gold standard regarding licensing and everything related to SUSE Linux Enterprise."
"There is a free tier and a paid support tier. If you do not need support, then the solution is free to use. If you need support then there is an option for that as well."
"The license we pay is for Oracle. We make use of the community edition."
"I would advise others to download the free or strictly open source versions, then test them in their environment before committing to a purchase. This will allow for testing suitability for applications that they want to run."
"Anyone can use Linux because it is open-source."
"The product is expensive. We purchase its yearly license."
"The price is reasonable."
"As far as licensing goes, there is nothing unusual here. The price and model have worked fine for my organization."
"Windows 11's pricing is fair."
"The tool is expensive."
"It is expensive."
"The solution is affordable."
"My machine came with a Windows 10 license and I upgraded to Windows 11 without paying anything. If you buy a new computer, Windows 11 is included with it."
"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."
"The product is not cheap."
"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."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Government
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
16%
Comms Service Provider
11%
University
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about SUSE Linux Enterprise?
The initial setup is simple and takes five minutes for deployment and if you have automation in place, it will take four minutes.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SUSE Linux Enterprise?
The pricing is slightly higher than expected, but it is manageable for our current project. For the upcoming projects, we are looking for cost-effective solutions.
What needs improvement with SUSE Linux Enterprise?
Sometimes it is a bit of work for developers to change the configurations. Some kernels will not fit with some packages, and this aspect could be improved. Furthermore, the system's rigidity when u...
What do you like most about Windows 11?
We use Windows 11 for our workstation’s daily operations.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Windows 11?
I have a university license, so I do not pay anything for Windows 11.
What needs improvement with Windows 11?
Drives are a significant issue, and finding the correct drives for everything to function properly is challenging. I also faced issues with Teams, although it's unclear whether this is related to W...
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Air India, Akademicki Szpital Kliniczny (ASK), Allone, Altran, Apollo, ARCHIVA, Asia Innovatory Management School, ATLAS ELEKTRONIK GmbH, AutoData Norge AS, Baldor Electric, Business Connexion, CASIO, Ciclum Farma, Delta Lloyd, Edumate , HPE,  SAP SE,  Lenovo, BMW, T-Systems, UCX, Turners & Growers, Shenzhen Development Bank, Bosch Group, JK Tyres & Industries, IOCL, European Space Agency, Daimler AG, China Minsheng Banking Corp, Café Coffee Day, Unisys,  Petrochina Company Ltd, Fitch Ratings, ABeam Consulting Co Ltd, Tyro Payments, Rackspace, Pacific Textiles, ...
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Find out what your peers are saying about SUSE Linux Enterprise vs. Windows 11 and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
838,713 professionals have used our research since 2012.