Which LTSC version would you recommend for old i3/i5 2nd/3rd gen ?

Discussion in 'Windows 11' started by ccrqc357, Nov 20, 2025.

  1. ccrqc357

    ccrqc357 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 28, 2017
    269
    31
    10
    I feel that even Windows 11 LTSC runs slower on those chips or it's an issue with Windows 11 in general?

    Response times are horrendous (using SSD &8+GB of RAM) .

    Like right clicking the desktop and waiting for it to load type of horrendous .

    On my newest machines it runs great

    Is there any debloat script for 11 LTSC or I should stick to 10 LTSC on those old machines ?

    My issue is how long the apps would support Win 10 in general for office/general use
     
  2. carth_onasi

    carth_onasi MDL Novice

    Apr 15, 2014
    2
    0
    0
    MBR (BIOS) or GPT (UEFI) installation? IDE / AHCI / RAID mode?
     
  3. ccrqc357

    ccrqc357 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 28, 2017
    269
    31
    10
    Both tbh
    UEFI and IDE mode I think
     
  4. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

    Oct 30, 2009
    54,774
    125,052
    450
    #4 Enthousiast, Nov 20, 2025
    Last edited: Nov 20, 2025
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  5. NewEraCracker

    NewEraCracker MDL Senior Member

    Apr 19, 2011
    331
    544
    10
    Hi,

    I will leave here my two cents' wisdom on the subject:
    Perhaps read: https://forums.mydigitallife.net/threads/reasons-to-stick-with-ltsc-2019-or-2021.87621/

    People seem to like Windows 10 LTSC 2021 as well:
    One thing for sure, in my opinion, that i3/i5 2nd/3rd generation hardware is too old for any version of Windows 11.

    Thank you.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  6. ccrqc357

    ccrqc357 MDL Senior Member

    Feb 28, 2017
    269
    31
    10
    Yeah I know that the IOT version doesn't have the TPM and UEFI requirements.
    What I'm asking is about the performance or needing debloating/performance tweaks.
     
  7. rayman95

    rayman95 MDL Senior Member

    Oct 3, 2018
    402
    267
    10
    2021 eat less ressources than 2024, and don't need to debloat it..
     
  8. Enthousiast

    Enthousiast MDL Tester

    Oct 30, 2009
    54,774
    125,052
    450
    For the other crap i am out.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  9. neofita

    neofita MDL Senior Member

    Nov 27, 2013
    268
    226
    10
    Sir, I have been using IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 since the beginning, on an i5-3570k with 8GB of RAM (SSD in AHCI mode), and I am very satisfied.

    It starts up in less than 15 seconds and I have no delays.

    No modifications with external programs are required.

    I believe your problem is the IDE mode.
     
  10. toto221

    toto221 MDL Member

    Dec 8, 2009
    180
    287
    10
    I use too IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 with i5-3330, H77MA-G43, 2 x 4GB RAM, SSD 120GB, UEFI, AHCI, and run more than good...
     
  11. nice_kid

    nice_kid MDL Novice

    Dec 9, 2009
    4
    2
    0
    The latest Windows 11 25H2 Pro runs more than fine on our (dozen or so) old HP Compaq Elite 8300 Small Form Factor PC's, with base config of Core i7-3770, with 6/8/16GB RAM configs, on assorted sized SATA SSD's to NVMe* Drives.

    PS: No scripted debloats nothing, except some apps uninstalled the old fashioned way.

    * with modded BIOS to enable boot from NVMe and is using the new MS Native NVMe Driver.
     
  12. Espionage724

    Espionage724 MDL Expert

    Nov 7, 2009
    1,153
    439
    60
    Probably Defender real-time scanning; there's a thing under gpedit to disable just real-time scanning (the one-level above entire-Defender-disable policy doesn't work Win11 but it's what I do on 10; I easily notice delay with that on when clicking files or Explorer browsing)

    Ideally that should be AHCI or even RAID on Windows (unless you're doing controller driver/BIOS tweaks, Intel RST likely does MSI-X and other stuff vs generic AHCI in BIOS, and IDE is pure-Legacy likely not tailoring for SSDs)
     
  13. erpsterm35

    erpsterm35 MDL Guru

    May 27, 2013
    2,310
    2,610
    90
    but 25H2 is "not" an LTSC version though
     
  14. nice_kid

    nice_kid MDL Novice

    Dec 9, 2009
    4
    2
    0
    Totally agree with you there, the point wasn't about that but just to mention; when the mainstream feature rich version does more than okay, a lean version such as LTSC builds shouldn't be running "slower" on similar hardware. At least on gen 3 processors.