Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC: The best official Windows version for Gaming [Download/Install/Activation Guide]
If you're tired seeing Windows, which is still the main/most complete OS for gaming, getting more and more bloated with ads, telemetry, useless consumer/gimmick focused, AI-riddled, features or borderline spyware, version after version...but at the same time you don't trust Windows "custom-ISOs" made by semi-unknown third parties (like Tiny11, Optimum, Atlas and others), there is a solution for you, and it's called: Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC.
Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel) is a special edition of Windows which is officially stripped down to basic functions and features in order to be installable to specific devices (even older ones or kiosks) and guarantee a much longer support for 10 years with stability and performance as the main focus of it.
More specifically:
It doesn't require TPM / Secure boot / UEFI / or 4GB of RAM (so you can install it even on 10+ years old PCs)
No Microsoft Store (which you can add later if you want) and no preinstalled Store apps
No preinstalled Cortana/Copilot/Recall or AI stuff
No OneDrive preinstalled
No ads or consumer features
Very limited telemetry
Barebone preinstalled applications (as Notepad, Paint "non-Store" classic versions)
No reserved storage
No Automatic device encryption
No Microsoft Account required during first install
No Internet Connection required during first install
Less footprint on disk and less memory usage after install
"Feature Upgrades" will never be offered via Windows Update. If you want to do one you have to do it manually using a new version of Windows IoT Enterprise LTSC ISO, otherwise you can stick with that edition for 10 years while still receiving all security and quality updates for it
It's basically an already debloated and future proof "custom-ISO" directly made by Microsoft.
And anything you may need from this clean version, you can still install it manually on top (like MS Store, Xbox app, Game Bar and so on)
It's more like a Windows ISO used to be in Windows 7 days, which is GREAT, especially for a gaming device, but there are some caveats:
Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC, like you can imagine from its name, is not generally available. Only enterprises can have access to it...in theory
And only enterprises can buy a license and activate it...also in theory
It's only available in English...but you can still install any language pack you want after the first install
Why in theory?
Well, because:
You can download latest Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 ISO (Final/GA Build 26100.1742) directly from Microsoft servers -> HERE :)
You CANNOT upgrade from any other edition. You need to clean install it via USB (using tools as Rufus to prepare the USB stick). BACKUP ALL YOUR DATA BEFORE A CLEAN INSTALL.
After install, you can then activate it permanently via HWID (Digital License) following the instructions: HERE
I personally clean installed it and activated on my main gaming PC and then I was able to:
Install Microsoft Store opening cmd as an admin and writing "wsreset -i" (without quotes)
Install Xbox app from the Store + Game Bar and its dependencies (from Xbox app)
Install Steam, EA Play, Ubisoft Connect and all my games exactly like I had them before
Install MSI Afterburner, RTSS, OBS and all the programs I had before
Still applied all my PC Optimizations
And this was my task manager after all of this while just staying on desktop on idle:
Literally ZERO CPU usage on idle! :O
Only 80 processes running (compared to around 130-140 processes on a Windows 11 Pro clean install without installing anything)
Only 9% of RAM used
All of this directly translated in noticeably less stutters and more consistent frame times and fluidity in games.
You can also see a direct comparison between Win11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024 vs Win11 Pro vs Win10 IoT Enterprise LTSC here
So if you are not new to the clean install process and have time and interest into squeezing out the most from your hardware, especially for gaming, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND trying Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC 2024.
It should be this fast and stable for years until some new game may require new technologies exclusive to some newer, future version of Windows (like Windows "26H2" or directly Windows 12) but if and when this happens, everything you may need to do would just be directly upgrading to a more recent Windows IoT Enterprise LTSC via ISO (so another clean install will NOT be needed).
Let me know how it performs for you, if you're willing to try it!
Enjoy ;)
-P