Comparing Windows Embedded Standard 7 & Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSB

Aug 02, 2017


Should you select Windows Embedded Standard 7 – the tried, trusted and stable embedded OS – or step into the comparative unknown of Windows 10 IoT? In this article, we are discussing all the key elements you should be aware of, whether you are starting a new project or evaluating a migration to Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSB.

Should I go for WES 7 or Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSB?

In general, it does make sense to specify the latest operating system. In addition, Windows 10 IoT has been designed specifically for the connected IoT environment and benefits from the latest thinking in security and performance. If you’re starting a new project, we would recommend the new OS.

Whether it makes sense to move an existing project over (with all of the work that entails testing stability) depends on a few key questions. To help you making your choice, Microsoft is offering two carrots and one stick to customers using WES7 (and WE8S) to encourage them in the direction of the latest operating system. Read below!


How does Windows 10 IoT Enterprise compare with WES 7 on performance?

The incentives (or carrots) are performance and pricing. We have evaluated Windows 10 IoT Enterprise on our most popular platforms and we confirm that the new operating system makes runs faster on high, medium and low-end platforms. Boot time is quicker, file management has been improved and interaction with storage is smoother.

Windows Embedded Standard 7


What is the price’s difference between Windows 10 IoT Enterprise and WES 7?

The pricing benefit comes about because there are different levels of licensing depending on the processor you’re using: Entry for Atom / Celeron level devices, Value for i3 / i5 and High End for i7 / Xeon. The Entry version (in particular) is aggressively priced and a great deal cheaper than the original WES7.


How long will Windows Embedded Standard 7 continue to be supported by Microsoft?

The stick of course is that Microsoft doesn’t continue to support its products indefinitely (see table below). Mainstream support on WES7 (feature enhancements) has already ended and extended support (security fixes) will cease in three years. For WE8 S, Mainstream support is to continue another year and extended support till 2023.

For Windows 10 IoT Enterprise 2016, Mainstream Support will be available at least till 2021 and security patches will continue till 2026. Also, please note that if you go for the latest computers, Intel and AMD don’t necessarily offer drivers for WES 7 on their newest processors, and newer interfaces (NVMe, Optane drives, USB C.1) are also not supported in Windows 7 – so you might end up with a fleet of computers using two different OS.

Microsoft support WES7 WES8 LTSB 2016


So should I migrate from WES 7 to Windows 10 IoT?

For existing applications, the question of migration really boils down to an issue of product life. If you’re planning to continue to actively market and develop your system beyond certainly 2020, you really should seek to migrate to Microsoft’s latest and greatest embedded operating system.

At Tiny Green PC, we have done due diligence and established that this OS is stable, secure and will offer with our Fanless PCs a range of energy-efficient, connected gateways and process control units which will enable businesses to enhance real-time management and monitoring of their industrial, surveillance and mobile systems.

The investment from your side is to evaluate the OS with your application (using real-time conditions). We can help you get started with this, just ask the Tiny Green PC support team.

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