Profit Over Product: Microsoft’s shift to a cloud-first, B2B-heavy revenue model has led to the neglect of the consumer Windows experience in favor of "cash extraction".
Forced Obsolescence: The TPM 2.0 requirement and Oct 2025 end-of-life for Windows 10 are leaving hundreds of millions of users with "junk" hardware, forcing a choice between a $1,000+ upgrade or switching systems.
Privacy for Security Trade-off: Security features like the TPM chip and BitLocker are being used as unique identifiers to tie users to Microsoft IDs and cloud services.
Experimental Integration: The push to make Windows an "agentic" OS by forcing AI "Recall" and Copilot integration into every app has caused performance issues and massive privacy concerns.
Competitive Viability: The "dumpster fire" state of Windows 11 is actively driving market share toward Mac OS and Linux, as users seek systems that respect their autonomy.