More than 300 million computers around the world are running Windows 10, the latest and most advanced version of the celebrated Microsoft operating system. If you live in Apple Valley or Victorville, chances are that you have seen an offer to upgrade for free to Windows 10.

If you have still not made a decision about upgrading to Windows 10, you should take the time to read the following points before taking the leap.

Is Windows 10 Any Good?

Windows 10 is as groundbreaking as Windows 95 and Windows XP were in their respective heydays. This is a powerful, polished and intuitive operating system that will fit the needs of all users these days. If you have grown accustomed to previous Windows versions, you will certainly benefit from the upgrade, particularly if you have other Microsoft products such as the Surface hybrids, Nokia Lumia smartphones, Xbox, Office 365, etc.

Can My System Handle Windows 10?

If you have seen the upgrade offer from Microsoft, which may cease to be free after July 29, 2016, your system probably has the minimum requirements for Windows 10; however, this does not mean that your computer will be able to handle it well.

[su_note note_color=”#F4f4f4″]One of the most common complaints expressed by users who have upgraded to Windows 10 is that their systems have become extremely slow or unresponsive. Some users have even rolled back to their previous Windows versions. These are mostly users whose hardware configurations probably scraped the bottom of the minimum system requirements.[/su_note]

Upgrading Your Hardware Before Upgrading Windows

It is important to remember that Windows 10 is an advanced, next-generation operating system. If your computer has not been upgraded in years, your system will probably not be a good fit for Windows 10.

Most desktops and some laptops can be upgraded in terms of hardware so that they can be powered by Windows 10. The most drastic upgrade may require a motherboard replacement; otherwise, simply improving RAM and the hard drive can get your system ready for Windows 10.

[su_note note_color=”#F4f4f4″]If you have not seen the offer to upgrade at all, you may be running Windows Vista in an old machine. If this is the case, you can still bring your system to A Plus Computers so that our technicians can upgrade both the hardware and the operating system, preferably before July 29.[/su_note]