If I remove S mode from my Windows PC will it run slow?

[martin2345uk]

So I have a very low end Windows all-in-one that shipped with Windows 10 in S mode. It’s fine, perfectly fast enough for what I do, but I wanted to understand if I switch to the full version of Win 10 will the computer slow down? I’ve read S mode is optimised for low end models and I don’t want to deal with a dog slow computer!

Anyone had any experience with this?

 

[duanepatrick]

It should not. The 'S' in S mode means security where you can only download apps from the Microsoft Store, and use Microsoft Edge for safe browsing.

The slow performance mainly due to the low specs of the computer or applications installed and running in the background.

IF ever you encounter a performance issue, you can try using applications with memory enhancer like what I use now: Cleaner One Lite. It's downloadable for free on MS Store.

 

[maflynn]

Anyone had any experience with this?

Does Windows 10 S really have better performance than Windows 10 Pro?

The idea is Windows 10 S won't slow down after 6-12 months of use. You could make the argument that a Windows 10 Home or Windows 10 Pro machine does, in fact, slow down over time, due to installing and uninstalling lots of apps and games

Windows S (where the S can stand for Security or Speed) is a version of windows that does not permit you from installing apps outside of the Microsoft app store. For instance you want to install google chrome, well you can't since its not in the MS app store.

From what little I know, there's really no speed increase, but MS seems to imply that it won't slow down over time, which isn't really a major issue in 2021.

 

[iluvmacs99]

So I have a very low end Windows all-in-one that shipped with Windows 10 in S mode. It’s fine, perfectly fast enough for what I do, but I wanted to understand if I switch to the full version of Win 10 will the computer slow down? I’ve read S mode is optimised for low end models and I don’t want to deal with a dog slow computer!

Anyone had any experience with this?

It depends on how much RAM your all-in-one is shipped with. If you have 8Gb of RAM, then you can go ahead and remove S. If you have less than 8Gb of RAM, which most of these low end systems run with, then running in full Windows mode, you can potentially install software that occupy more RAM resources and thus slow down your machine more and depending if your low end machine has a slow hard drive, then the constant memory swapping will make the system feels even more slower once you installed more resource hog software. Basically, 8Gb of RAM is the bare minimum for running Windows 10 comfortably.

 

[sracer]

Any performance benefits of Win 10S are indirect... in that by limiting the installation of apps to the Microsoft App Store, it can control the type of apps that be installed. Those apps need to conform to certain limitations and standards in order to be made available in the store.

If you want to switch out of S Mode, you'll need to exercise discipline in what apps you install... or get comfortable with tinkering "under the hood" to keep Windows lean and mean.

My Asus Vivobook E203MA has 2GB RAM, 32GB eMMC and came preloaded with 10S. After the first wave of updates, and after running Disk Cleanup, it had under 8GB storage free. After switching out of S mode and installing a handful of my usual tools and scripts, I was able to get available free space up to 15.5 GB free *AFTER* installing MS Office 2007. I don't advocate others doing this but offer it as an example of what is possible...

...just keep in mind that if after switching out of S mode you want to go back to S mode, you can't.

 

[martin2345uk]

Yeah, I am wary for just that reason!

I have already installed the full Office suite and the WhatsApp Desktop Client; to be honest the only thing that I don't currently have that I would quite like is Adobe PDF reader; oh, and the ability to remove bloody Bing as the default search engine!!! But if I can live without those I suppose it makes more sense to stay in S mode for now.

For info, the PC has only 4GB RAM, a 128GB SSD, and an Intel Celeron J4025 processor - I did say it was very low end

 

[raqball]

For info, the PC has only 4GB RAM, a 128GB SSD, and an Intel Celeron J4025 processor - I did say it was very low end

If I were you, with those specs, I'd stay on 10S.

I am a bit surprised there is no Adobe PDF reader available for 10S. Yeah, Bing has to be one of, if not the, worse search engine out there...

Good luck whatever you decide..

 

[sracer]

Yeah, I am wary for just that reason!

I have already installed the full Office suite and the WhatsApp Desktop Client; to be honest the only thing that I don't currently have that I would quite like is Adobe PDF reader; oh, and the ability to remove bloody Bing as the default search engine!!! But if I can live without those I suppose it makes more sense to stay in S mode for now.

For info, the PC has only 4GB RAM, a 128GB SSD, and an Intel Celeron J4025 processor - I did say it was very low end

Good decision to wait a while before considering getting out of S mode.

It might be "very low end" by many's standards, but that is a perfectly fine configuration. If you find the need to switch out of S mode, don't feel like it'll be a slug.

I have a Lenovo chromebook with the Celeron N4020 processor (runs ChromeOS and Linux very well) and that Asus Vivobook has an N4000 and only 2GB RAM and 32GB storage and that runs Win10 Home just fine.

 

[martin2345uk]

Yeah I honestly really like the computer! For a good long while I was set on the new 24" iMac... but after a while, I got to thinking, really this is going to be a "secondary" machine for fairly basic admin, office stuff, and I ended up spending £340 rather than £1,300 - this way I figure I will treat myself instead to an upgrade of my 2013 Macbook Air that I am still rocking, once this rumoured new version in the cool iMac style colours comes out, maybe next year.

Thanks for the advice and input guys!

 

[IowaLynn]

I was surprised how well Windows 11 runs on first edition Surface Go with it's low end 4/64 specs. Better than W10 or 10S ever did. The recent set of system & firmware updates helped.

 

[martin2345uk]

I was kinda assuming my PC wouldn't be able to run Windows 11!

 

[bobnugget]

Yeah, I am wary for just that reason!

I have already installed the full Office suite and the WhatsApp Desktop Client; to be honest the only thing that I don't currently have that I would quite like is Adobe PDF reader; oh, and the ability to remove bloody Bing as the default search engine!!! But if I can live without those I suppose it makes more sense to stay in S mode for now.

For info, the PC has only 4GB RAM, a 128GB SSD, and an Intel Celeron J4025 processor - I did say it was very low end

Now, I’ve got windows 10 home on an atom Z3735 based Lenovo tablet - 2 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC. The eMMC makes it really painful. The SSD in your system should mean it is fairly usable.

Nice Railfreight icon, too!

 

[ian87w]

to be honest the only thing that I don't currently have that I would quite like is Adobe PDF reader

Don't bother with Adobe PDF reader. It's sloooow even on a normal modern computer. Search for XODO PDF reader in Microsoft store. I've been using it on my Windows machine and it's my goto choice for PDF. It can also do some editing that you cannot do on Adobe PDF reader.

 

[martin2345uk]

Now, I’ve got windows 10 home on an atom Z3735 based Lenovo tablet - 2 GB RAM, 32 GB eMMC. The eMMC makes it really painful. The SSD in your system should mean it is fairly usable.

Nice Railfreight icon, too!

Haha thanks, I’m a freight train driver and I like the old sector logos

 

[martin2345uk]

Don't bother with Adobe PDF reader. It's sloooow even on a normal modern computer. Search for XODO PDF reader in Microsoft store. I've been using it on my Windows machine and it's my goto choice for PDF. It can also do some editing that you cannot do on Adobe PDF reader.

I’ll check this out matey thank you!

 

[Kbug09]

I realize this is an old post, but I need advice! I recently got an HP Laptop that came with windows 11 in S mode. It has an intel celeron processor, 4GB of memory and 64GB EMMC. I wanted to download discord but it is not in the Microsoft app store so I was considering switching out of S mode. any reason why I shouldn't?

 

[martin2345uk]

I did, and it didn't really have any effect that I noticed...

 

[mi7chy]

I realize this is an old post, but I need advice! I recently got an HP Laptop that came with windows 11 in S mode. It has an intel celeron processor, 4GB of memory and 64GB EMMC. I wanted to download discord but it is not in the Microsoft app store so I was considering switching out of S mode. any reason why I shouldn't?

What's wrong with the web version of Discord?