Thin Client Windows -

| Metric | Fat Client (Local) | Thin Client (RDP 10) | User Perception | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | AutoCAD pan/zoom | 60 fps | 58 fps (GPU decode) | Identical | | Teams video call | 720p @ 30 fps | 720p @ 30 fps (RDP Multimedia Redirection) | Identical | | USB printer redirection | Native | 200 ms latency | Noticeable but functional | | Boot to login | 45 seconds | 12 seconds (PXE boot) | Faster on thin |

| Threat Vector | Fat Client (Windows 11 Pro) | Thin Client (Windows IoT) | Mitigation Mechanism | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | SSD with BitLocker; physical theft yields data. | No local storage; RAM cleared on reboot. | Zero data footprint. | | Malware/Ransomware | User installs .exe; lateral movement. | Locked down via Unified Write Filter (UWF). | Reboot reverts OS to gold image. | | Patch Management | 150+ devices; VPN-based SCCM. | Stateless; image streaming from WDS. | Instant N+1 patching at server. | | Credential Theft | Pass-the-hash attacks from LSASS. | No cached domain credentials. | Authentication proxied to broker. | thin client windows

[Generated for Academic Review] Date: April 14, 2026 Abstract The modern enterprise faces a persistent tension between computational power, data security, and total cost of ownership (TCO). While traditional fat clients (PCs) offer local processing, they introduce vulnerabilities and management overhead. This paper examines the resurgence of the thin client computing model, specifically focusing on implementations running Microsoft Windows operating systems (Windows 10/11 IoT Enterprise LTSC or Windows CE). We analyze the architectural shift from distributed to centralized computing, evaluate the security posture of thin clients in zero-trust environments, and present a quantitative TCO model. The findings indicate that while legacy thin clients suffered from poor multimedia performance, modern Windows-based thin clients leveraging Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) and Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) can achieve near-native performance, reduce annual IT labor costs by up to 65%, and significantly lower the attack surface for ransomware. 1. Introduction For three decades, the personal computer has dominated enterprise infrastructure. However, the proliferation of cloud computing, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), and remote work has exposed the inefficiencies of managing thousands of distributed, stateful endpoints. The thin client—a stateless device that connects to a centralized server for all processing—offers a compelling alternative. | Metric | Fat Client (Local) | Thin

is a critical Windows IoT feature. UWF intercepts all write operations to the protected volume (e.g., C:) and redirects them to a RAM overlay. Upon reboot, the overlay is discarded. Consequently, even if a user downloads ransomware, the malware disappears at logoff. 5. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) Model We constructed a three-year TCO model for a mid-sized enterprise (500 users) comparing a standard Windows 11 Pro PC ($1,200 hardware + $200 Windows license) versus a Windows IoT thin client ($400 hardware + $50 license). The host server infrastructure (Windows Server 2022 Datacenter with RDS CALs) is held constant. | | Malware/Ransomware | User installs

| Cost Category | Fat Client (500 units) | Thin Client (500 units) | Delta | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | $700,000 | $225,000 | -$475,000 | | Annual IT Support (3 techs vs 1.5 techs) | $240,000 | $120,000 | -$120,000 | | Refresh Cycle (3 years) | 100% replacement | 20% replacement (keyboard/PSU) | -$112,000 | | Electricity (30W vs 10W avg) | $32,850 | $10,950 | -$21,900 | | Server/Virtualization | $0 (local compute) | $180,000 | +$180,000 | | 3-Year Total | $972,850 | $635,950 | -$336,900 |