Gaming Only PC: Going back to Windows 10 safe without doing anything or stick with Windows 11?

[Dave3000]

I have a gaming-only PC (Ryzen 7 9800X3D with an RTX 4090) with Windows 11 Pro installed and a general purpose PC (Ryzen 7 9700X using integrated GPU) with Linux Mint 22.2 installed. Even with Windows 10 EOL now, I was considering going back to Windows 10 Pro for my gaming-only PC as still I prefer Windows 10 over Windows 11 despite the EOL of Windows 10 now but at this stage I don't know if it's safe if I don't apply for the ESU program for my gaming-only PC. I will still have to be connected to the internet permanently because Flight Simulator 2020 and 2024 requires a permanent internet connection (for streaming photogammetry and photo ground textures of the whole world FS2020 requires to be online and FS2024 online no matter what) and I use Steam, so being disconnected from the internet on my gaming PC if I decide to go back to Windows 10 on it is not an option for me. By saying "without doing anything", I mean I won't apply for the ESU program for Windows 10 or the optional $30 annual subscription fee for continues Windows 10 security updates. I prefer using Windows with a local account only and not syncing it to the MS servers even if it's every 60 days from what I read that is required for the ESU program, not to mention I don't know if I would even need to stay logged in with my MS account while using Windows 10 under the ESU program, especially when reinstalling Windows 10. Until a game I want to play does not work or a hardware I upgrade to does is not compatible with Windows 10 on my gaming PC will I consider going back to Windows 11, or 12 if I reach that point. So will I be fine, just going back to Windows 10 on my gaming-only PC and doing nothing, as long as I don't browse the web using it or should I just stay with Windows 11 on my gaming PC? I did trying CachyOS on my gaming PC and it worked with the steam versions of FS2020 and FS2024 but I had issues with the PMDG OC3 program and I'm not sure if FSUIPC will work in Linux and even if it does work, would it be too much of a hassle to get FS2020 and FS2024 to work with FSUIPC in Linux to not even bother?

 

[manly]

Just stick with Windows 11. You'll be using your PC for many more years, so sticking with an unpatched OS isn't a sensible option.

 

[Dave3000]

I think I will stick to Windows 11 for my gaming PC.

 

[Indus]

Which games really need Windows?

The only ones I could find for myself were PUBG and EA games like Battlefront 2.

Rest all work in debian for me so should work fine in linux mint too. BTW I actually get more frame rate in linux than I do windows 10 (and I still keep a dual boot).

But not going to get windows 11.. infact I'm changing over 3 pc's to linux soonish.

 

[WelshBloke]

Just stick with Windows 11. You'll be using your PC for many more years, so sticking with an unpatched OS isn't a sensible option.

Yeah, while I'm perfectly happy moving onto Linux a choice between an unsupported version of Windows ans a supported one is a no brainer

The only ones I could find for myself were PUBG and EA games like Battlefront 2.

Dude! Both of those work in Linux!

 

[Shmee]

I would say it's up to you, though you may want to give Windows 11 more of a chance, you can use tools to tweak it and clean up some of the bloat. Also it has some performance improvements over Windows 10 for recent Ryzen CPUs.

You could go back to Windows 10, I personally think the security concerns are a bit overblown at the moment as long as you have good backups, but if you already have Windows 11 on, this sounds like more of an extra hassle. I am staying on Windows 10 for now myself, but may upgrade soon TM. Not sure. I also have good backups offline/on NAS.

 

[KMFJD]

Which games really need Windows?

I believe games that feature kernel level anti-cheat? so it's only a few higher end multiplayer fps's

 

[lxskllr]

games that feature kernel level anti-cheat?

AKA, a rootkit. The first thing I install on any computer!

 

[manly]

I believe games that feature kernel level anti-cheat? so it's only a few higher end multiplayer fps's

(I'm not a gamer.) Is it only a few? Even before kernel anti-cheats, weren't some popular games shutting Linux/Proton users out of online play?

 

[KMFJD]

(I'm not a gamer.) Is it only a few? Even before kernel anti-cheats, weren't some popular games shutting Linux/Proton users out of online play?

Games with denuvo protection scheme i think