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Windows 11 vs Windows Server 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:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
8.6
Windows 11 provides varied ROI, with benefits including cost savings, improved interface, and strong support, though not universally significant.
Sentiment score
1.4
Windows Server boosts efficiency, stability, and system performance, offering business value despite challenges in quantifying financial benefits and ROI.
Windows 11 is more stable compared to its earlier versions.
We're very competitive commercially and technically because of it.
We've seen value in Windows Server because the systems work smoothly without any problems.
Windows Server offers excellent value for money, particularly when compared to alternatives.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
8.8
Windows 11 support experiences vary; enterprise users report satisfaction, while others face slow responses, preferring self-service options.
Sentiment score
6.3
Customers experience mixed support from Windows Server, with some praising promptness and others noting delays and varying service quality.
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.
Our in-house team can also solve most issues.
If you go through a partner who sells or supports Windows, the support could be around seven out of ten, because Windows relies on these partners for assistance.
Microsoft's technical support for Windows Server has been lacking, with rare responses even with premium support.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.4
Windows 11 is praised for scalability and ease of deployment but suggested to improve hardware integration and sizing.
Sentiment score
8.2
Windows Server is praised for scalability and flexibility, efficiently supporting diverse environments despite some complex environment challenges.
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.
I rate its scalability a ten out of ten.
It's definitely scalable.
The solution is used extensively in our organization, and we have plans to increase the usage.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
Windows 11 is generally rated as stable and reliable, with minimal issues and effective performance for everyday applications.
Sentiment score
7.9
Windows Server is praised for stability and reliability improvements but faces challenges with updates, heavy load, and security concerns.
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.
We have experienced no blue screens or crashes and often achieved an uptime of 2,000 to 3,000 days without any issues whatsoever.
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
The tool is stable.
 

Room For Improvement

Windows 11 requires enhancements in security, stability, cost, interface, updates, compatibility, and AI integration for improved user satisfaction.
Windows Server needs enhanced security, lower pricing, better integration, simplified management, intuitive UI, and improved performance and technical support.
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.
The solution should improve its stability.
From a security perspective, sometimes, malware attacks and hackers take advantage of the tool's vulnerabilities.
Deploying antivirus and firewall software on the server is advisable, but having an external firewall adds an extra layer of security.
 

Setup Cost

Enterprise users see Windows 11 as costly but valuable, highlighting flexible licensing and bundling options for large deployments.
Windows Server licensing is complex and costly, with varying pricing models that often require detailed assessment and clearer structures.
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.
It is quite expensive.
Previously, a Windows Server with two processors cost around two 154 euros annually, but now it is estimated to be around 3,000 to 4,000 euros for the same configuration.
On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the most expensive, I rate it ten out of ten.
 

Valuable Features

Windows 11 offers an advanced interface, seamless integration, enhanced security, and productivity features with easy installation and widespread compatibility.
Windows Server offers robust features, scalability, and security with easy integration, enhancing performance and supporting diverse enterprise needs.
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.
Windows Server is a stable and scalable solution.
The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that every Microsoft product is scalable, flexible, secure, and available on a certain budget.
The IP directory is the most valuable feature.
 

Categories and Ranking

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
Windows Server
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
4th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
184
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of Windows 11 is 4.4%, up from 0.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows Server is 9.6%, up from 8.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Operating Systems (OS) for Business
 

Featured Reviews

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.
Sagar SampadMall - PeerSpot reviewer
User-friendly, resources available online to troubleshoot any issue
It's easy to manage core applications and deploy engineers. Windows engineers are more affordable than Linux or Unix engineers, so that's another advantage. So, the management costs are much lower for the Windows Server. Plus, troubleshooting is straightforward with readily available online resources, so we don't need to raise tickets or wait for help. We can easily search on Google and find the solution on the search engine. Windows Server is pretty mature already. They're doing a good job with it.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Educational Organization
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
10%
Educational Organization
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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...
What needs improvement with Windows Server?
Sometimes the performance goes down, which might be due to the stability zone or network issues. It can also depend on our network.
What is your primary use case for Windows Server?
We are using Windows Server to connect our client software. We use it to access client systems and work on SQL databases.
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Rakuten, Rackspace, Tyco
Find out what your peers are saying about Windows 11 vs. Windows Server and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
831,158 professionals have used our research since 2012.