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SUSE Linux Enterprise vs Windows 10 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
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
32
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Windows 10
Ranking in Operating Systems (OS) for Business
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
5.2
Number of Reviews
274
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Operating Systems (OS) for Business category, the mindshare of SUSE Linux Enterprise is 7.1%, down from 8.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Windows 10 is 2.9%, down from 4.4% 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.
Akos Szirmai - PeerSpot reviewer
Easy installation and the initial setup time is reasonable
Stability can be an issue. I have to restart it every two days. And the boot time is quite long. My laptop's old, has no SSD, and is just a traditional Winchester. Had desktops with Windows 11 and SSDs, much better performance. But hardware limitations on my current laptop lead to stability and response issues. It's more like the whole reinstall every two years thing. It makes cleaning a pain. Performance improves significantly after a fresh install, then slowly deteriorates as I add more programs. But my biggest concern with Windows 10 is actually bigger than my situation. I'm replacing my laptop anyway, but I read that Windows 10 support ends in a year or so. And with hardware limitations, many other computers won't run Windows 11. So it's not just me. A lot of people with decent, still-working Windows 10 machines will lose support and be unable to switch to 11. This will be a significant problem for individuals and institutions. Large companies with thousands of computers don't replace them every three years, and they might face issues with many computers unable to run Windows 11 and lacking support for 10.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution is easy to use, secure and allows for simple manipulation."
"The technical support services are good."
"SUSE Linux's most valuable feature is the documentation - there is a lot of documentation about how to create custom servers."
"I have not experienced any issues with this operating system."
"The most valuable feature is that there is an inbuilt HANA firewall."
"It is a stable platform."
"The stability of the solution is good. We have not had any issue with performance."
"The initial setup is simple and takes five minutes for deployment and if you have automation in place, it will take four minutes."
"It is really easy to configure and maintain."
"Windows 10 is stable, but you need to install system updates constantly and download new antivirus definitions to avoid getting into any trouble."
"One of the most valuable features is the ease of multitasking. It's easy to switch over different applications and multitasking is very free and flawless. Another useful feature is the ability to recover any data from a crash. Multiple benchmarking applications are supported by Windows, which isn't the case with Linux. So in case you need an application, you can Google it, find it, and easily install it. The user experience is also good. If you have the SSD installed in the laptop or machine, it will start like a boom. Windows is always ahead."
"The solution is very easy to install."
"Every new version is always an improvement on the last."
"Windows is so widely used that almost every problem has been encountered by someone else. There are usually multiple solutions or workarounds available online. So, in that sense, the support is pretty good."
"The Windows Store concept, in my opinion, is valuable."
"The product is user-friendly and runs on multiple PCs."
 

Cons

"Additionally, error handling needs improvement. The system should be more transparent when there's an error, rather than just declaring a generic error. It would be helpful if it could provide more specific information about the problem on that particular system. As it stands, you can waste a lot of time trying to troubleshoot these vague errors."
"The only stability issues that I can recall encountering with SUSE would be with KDE. However, that is limited to just the desktop environment as I have not had stability issues with ​most server functions."
"The initial setup could be simplified."
"They should probably just make clustering a bit simpler and also provide more descriptive log files for cluster services."
"SUSE could make more APIs available."
"The solution is expensive."
"The solution could be more stable."
"The software management side was a bit difficult, especially compared to Ubuntu."
"It would be valuable for Windows to have an MDM feature to deploy applications remotely to it natively, such as the Jamf solution for Apple."
"The security could be improved. I have had colleagues who have gotten their files corrupted somehow."
"PowerShell could be improved."
"I do not like the interface of Windows 10 very much and the performance could be enhanced. Sometimes everything is a little bit cumbersome. When I used the interface of Windows 7 it was much quicker than Windows 10, as far as finding the information. I preferred Windows 7 for this interoperability. It was easier to interact with the Windows 7, to use the control panel. With Windows 10 there are fewer settings in the control panel as well, but there's the different possibility to reach the same information, and sometimes it creates confusion."
"The solution could improve by providing web applications and have Windows 10 on Azure as a virtual machine."
"The solution can improve security."
"Windows explorer does not support two windows systems."
"In an upcoming release, I would like the Windows files themselves to be able to be adjusted in a way they are not as easy to open or access. There are times when you can make a simple mistake in a Windows file and the whole operating system could become corrupted, the files should be more secure."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"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."
"The platform is affordable."
"The product's licensing options align well with the evolving landscape of Linux variants."
"The license we pay is for Oracle. We make use of the community edition."
"The tool is expensive compared to Red Hat. I rate its pricing a nine out of ten."
"Anyone can use Linux because it is open-source."
"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."
"The licensing is yearly. It would be nice if they offered some one-time license options where you could procure it for a lifetime."
"It falls within the average price range; it's not particularly cheap or expensive."
"All Microsoft products are expensive."
"It's a one-time payment when you purchase the system."
"Microsoft charges a lot for every license, but they don't provide by default support with it."
"We need to pay for the licensing through Microsoft partner. We benefit from an education license in the Philippines, which provides us with a better deal compared to Windows licenses for retail stores."
"The basic operating system of any hardware should be free. Therefore, it should be free. They should charge only for the enterprise level or enabling the hypervisor. They should charge for Professional Windows 10, but the basic OS should be free."
"We pay a licensing fee for Windows 10, which is too expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Government
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
8%
 

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?
I used the open-source version, so there were no setup costs.
What needs improvement with SUSE Linux Enterprise?
The software management side was a bit difficult, especially compared to Ubuntu. The software manager was different, making it challenging to install certain applications. Additionally, I encounter...
What needs improvement with Windows 10?
I do not have notes for improvement.
What is your primary use case for Windows 10?
In my case, I would mostly say it's because of security reasons. At least for the typical use cases that I generally rely on Windows for, there didn't seem to be a noticeable performance difference...
 

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 10 and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
849,686 professionals have used our research since 2012.