By @damon_garn
Publication Date: 2026-08-17 12:00:00
Hybrid work models have fundamentally changed endpoint management priorities, making flexibility and remote access essential. As enterprise decision-makers evaluate their endpoint strategies to improve efficiency while managing costs, they face the question of whether each employee still requires a traditional managed PC.
The answer is increasingly complex. The costs associated with migrating to Windows 11, along with expenses related to hardware refresh cycles, are straining resources and budgets. Additionally, the need to support remote, hybrid and temporary employees, along with BYOD initiatives, adds to the challenge.
Fortunately, alternatives to traditional hardware exist. Cloud PCs, desktop as a service (DaaS) platforms and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) each offer different trade-offs in cost, security, scalability, management complexity and user experience. The challenge is determining which option best fits which use case.
This article is designed to help CIOs and the administrators who advise them determine when cloud PCs make sense as an alternative to physical devices.
How do cloud PCs, DaaS and VDI platforms differ?
The three terms are closely related but describe different aspects of virtual desktop delivery. Understanding their relationship requires distinguishing between deployment models and service types.
DaaS and VDI are deployment models that differ by the hosting infrastructure, with cloud PCs being a type of DaaS offering.
DaaS
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