One of Microsoft's biggest hardware partners joins its "bold strategy, Cotton" moment over upgrading to Windows 11, suggesting everyone just buys a Copilot+ PC

"That's a bold strategy, Cotton, let's see if it pays off for 'em."

The never-ending meme from the movie, Dodgeball, is the first thing that comes to mind seeing ASUS has joined the "just buy a Copilot+ PC" movement.

I'm not knocking Copilot+ PCs, I do like them. Especially the Qualcomm Snapdragon X powered machines. If you're in the market to buy a new Windows 11 laptop right now, a Snapdragon one is what I'd recommend.

But this whole thing is in relation to the impending end of life of Windows 10, and I'm really not sure it's a good strategy.

ASUS quietly published a post (spotted by Windows Latest) titled "Why Now’s the Time to Switch to Windows 11 (and to Consider Upgrading Your Laptop, If You Do.)" Make no mistake, it's pure marketing.

Here's the thing. Yes, Windows 10 is reaching end of life (EoL) soon, and running software that will no longer recieve even security patches isn't the thing to recommend.

But there's a huge issue in that millions and millions of PCs simply cannot officially upgrade to Windows 11 because they don't meet the hardware requirements. This is a problem.

It's a problem, for one, because simply dumping these millions of machines will create a huge pile of e-waste.

But it's also a problem, because in a world where everything costs more, and disposable income is less than ever, millions simply cannot afford to drop money on a new laptop.

Even with a discount, to get a Copilot+ PC, you're looking at a minimum of $500-$600 to get one.

Am I mad that ASUS, a maker of laptops, wants people to buy a new Copilot+ PC? Not really. It's a business that needs to make money.

The issue as I see it, though, is that this glosses over the issue. It doesn't address the root problems of why people on Windows 10 haven't already upgraded, or bought a new machine that can use it.

But people shouldn't be priced out of using Windows 11. And honestly, I'd buy a Snapdragon-powered laptop because they're very good laptops. Copilot+ is still far from a 'must have.'

Unfortunately, I see this only growing. Microsoft and, by proxy, its partners, will use the Windows 10 EoL as a tactic to push people to buy into Copilot+ PCs.

If you fall into this category, you do have options. I'm really, really, not a fan of the idea of tossing millions of perfectly usable PCs onto a trash pile.

If you can't upgrade to Windows 11, you do have options. This is the part where someone who, admittedly, enjoys Linux, tells you that you can keep your existing PC alive for a potentially long time using Linux.

Linux has long been capable on some seriously old hardware, and in recent years, the likes of Linux Mint, Ubuntu, and Fedora, to name a few, have become extremely friendly to newcomers and Windows converts.

There's also Chrome OS Flex. Google's OS normally comes pre-installed on a Chromebook, but there's now a version that can be used on other hardware. Chrome OS is a pretty lightweight, stripped back experience, with web apps still front and center.

But in 2025, even Photoshop has a web client. You can edit videos in a web app such as Microsoft's own Clipchamp. The need for native Windows apps has diminished almost entirely for the more casual PC user.

There is no one size fits all solution to Windows 10 going away. The issue has been created by Microsoft, for better or for worse.

I don't know what the right answer is if you're about to be affected by this, sadly. I know you have options, and yes, buying a new PC is one of them.

I'm just not on board, at all, with pushing a Copilot+ PC as the solution. The solution should never be "just spend hundreds of dollars." Microsoft isn't going to promote using another operating system, ever, I just know that this approach isn't it.

I'm interested to hear where you stand, too. Are you about to be affected by this, and what solution are you leaning towards? Is there something you think Microsoft should be doing? A trade in program, perhaps? Jump in the comments and share!