What do operating systems do?
Operating systems provide users with an interface that manages our applications allowing them to run simultaneously. They are the bridges that connect our software with the physical components of our computer.
Operating Systems
Operating Systems Overview
Top Rated Operating Systems Products
These products won a Top Rated award for having excellent customer satisfaction ratings. The list is based purely on reviews; there is no paid placement, and analyst opinions do not influence the rankings. Read more about the Top Rated criteria.
Operating Systems TrustMap
TrustMaps are two-dimensional charts that compare products based on trScore and research frequency by prospective buyers. Products must have 10 or more ratings to appear on this TrustMap.
Operating Systems Products
(1-25 of 53) Sorted by Most Reviews
The list of products below is based purely on reviews (sorted from most to least). There is no paid placement and analyst opinions do not influence their rankings. Here is our Promise to Buyers to ensure information on our site is reliable, useful, and worthy of your trust.
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Top Rated
Oracle Linux, which is 100% application binary compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux, is free to download, use, and share. There is no license cost, no need for a contract, and no usage audits. Cost-effective, 24/7 enterprise-grade support is available for business critical…
Top Rated
Ubuntu Linux is a Linux-based operating system for personal computers, tablets and smartphones. There is also a Server version which is used on physical or virtual servers in the data center.
CentOS Linux is a Linux distribution is an enterprise OS platform compatible with its source RedHat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). Its end of life was announced for December 2021.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux is a Linux distribution mainly used in commercial data centers.
Cisco NX-OS is a network operating system presented as a solution to help network operations move at the speed of business, with comprehensive automation, extensive visibility, and flexible open architectures for data center networks. NX-OS is the network operating system for all…
The SUSE Linux Enterprise Server is distribution of the Linux operating system originally developed in Germany.
Chromium OS is an open-source project that aims to build an operating system that provides a fast, simple, and more secure computing experience for people who spend most of their time on the web.
Kali Linux is an open source, advanced penetration testing platform supported by Offensive Security headquartered in New York.
NetApp's ONTAP Data Management Software is a storage and data management and protection solution. ONTAP 9 allows users to build an intelligent hybrid cloud that is the foundation of a NetApp Data Fabric that spans flash, disk, and cloud. Flexibly deploy storage on a choice of…
Oracle Solaris is a Linux operating system which was originally developed by Sun Microsystems and became an Oracle product after the acquisition of Sun in 2010.
German company SUSE supports the Linux distribution, openSUSE. Leap is the stable and regular release option for installing openSUSE. New and experienced Linux users get the most usable Linux distribution and stabilized operating system with openSUSE’s regular release. Receive updates…
Fedora Linux is a Linux distribution supported by the Fedora Project. Fedora is available in a number of different editions, including: Fedora CoreOS, an automatically-updating, minimal operating system for running containerized workloads securely and at scale.Fedora Workstation…
Learn More About Operating Systems
What are Operating Systems?
Operating systems are the central nervous systems of a computer. They provide a large platform that allows other software or hardware platforms to run. This is by essentially acting as a bridge between the physical components and applications. Operating systems are capable of performing basic tasks, such as recognizing input from the keyboard, displaying data on the screen, and controlling peripheral devices such as disk drives and printers. They also manage basic security functions ensuring that there is no unauthorized access to the computer.
An operating system essentially gives you access to these smartphones and computers and allows them to perform all the basic functions we are used to. Devices come with an operating system installed that is usually specific to the manufacturer, but users can sometimes switch to the operating system of their choice depending on their device.
Operating systems allow for simultaneous use of applications and connect with the CPU for storage and memory allocation. Operating systems often require updates to keep things running smoothly, to fix bugs and to patch security vulnerabilities. Most device manufacturers will provide upgrades on their end without the need for users to purchase any additional packages or hardware.
Operating Systems Features
Many operating systems offer the following features and capabilities:
- Application management
- Data security
- Memory management
- System updates
- File management
- Resource allocation
- User interface
Pricing Information
Most devices come with a native operating system at no additional costs. There are open source operating systems that are available for free. For paid operating systems, business pricing is usually custom based on number of devices.
Operating Systems Best Of Awards
The following Operating Systems offer award-winning customer relationships, feature sets, and value for price. Learn more about our Best Of Awards methodology here.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of using operating systems?
Operating systems allow us to use our devices and run applications effectively. They provide us with the ability to run several applications at the same time, allow for data storage, and connect our hardware devices (e.g. printers, scanners) to our software. Additionally, they have capabilities that provide us with easy access to the data stored in our devices, as well as security.