Editing Openai/69111101-3dcc-8001-a1ed-55cf6bd1733d (section)

=== Assistant: Short answer: yes, an in-place upgrade is usually faster and feels smoother than letting Windows Update take you to 25H… ===
Short answer: yes, an in-place upgrade is usually faster and feels smoother than letting Windows Update take you to 25H2, especially on older SSDs or systems that get throttled during updates.

Here’s why:

===== ✅ Why in-place upgrade is faster =====
* The installer writes most files in one big operation, instead of hundreds of smaller incremental updates.
* Less background activity — Windows Update checks, downloads, stages, applies servicing stacks, reboots multiple times.
* Fewer pauses where Windows Update waits for components to finish.
* The .ISO setup uses compressed images, so installation is more predictable.

===== ✅ Windows Update feels slower because =====
* It applies cumulative updates, enablement packages, drivers, and servicing steps separately.
* It often pauses at 20–30% or 70–90% while migrating user data and system files.
* It can throttle I/O on weaker SSDs (especially SATA or older Intel models).

===== ⏱ Typical times =====
* In-place upgrade via ISO: ~15–35 minutes
* Windows Update → 25H2: ~30–90 minutes depending on the system and background updates

===== Bottom line =====

If you want the quickest and cleanest jump to 25H2, in-place upgrade is generally the better choice.

If you want, I can tell you what to expect performance-wise on your i3-9100 + Intel SSD or your 1135G7 laptop.