There is no simple answer as there aren’t two computers that are configured exactly the same.
 
Last year I updated three of my systems from Windows 7 to Windows 10. One of them was a clean install, the others weren’t. On one of the latter I finally had to throw in the towel and downgrade, as I spent way too much time trying to resolve all the problems that occurred after each and every Windows update. I constantly had to go back to the last restore point to temporarily bypass these problems. Despite thorough searches all over the internet, uninstalling non-compliant software, updating almost every driver I had, and repairing every Microsoft C++ library installed, I couldn’t find any solution to these problems on that PC.
 
The other two upgraded PC’s are working so and so. The Lenovo ThinkPad that actually had a clean install lost a few utility functions in the process.
 
But my two critical systems are still running Windows 7. I’ve never had a problem with Windows 7 and most likely I will keep them that way. Security patches will keep rolling in until 2020. Good enough. By then, the hardware will be obsolete anyway.
 
If it works.

My main rig ain't Win 10 and so far I've had no problems.  I keep it that way since I do have a TC FW interface that was problematical on 10 (although they have put out new drivers for their out of production line of interfaces).
 
I downloaded the upgrade but haven't done it so far.  I'm not sure if that protects me from having to buy a copy of Win10.
 
I would plan for having to upgrade at some point to Win 10

I hate to be seen as a contrarian. Whoever said that you are fooling yourself if you think you can get around the tracking may be right. Whatever, here is my approach: I use a two-year old W7 Pro computer for my music. I update it monthly, but keep it offline the rest of the time. I use another computer for my browsing, and that is on Linux Ubuntu, although I have two drives in there with W7, but they are basically storage at this point. (They will not update for some reason). So I use the Linux for browsing. Very safe, very easy maintenance. And of course, free. I will continue to update my music rig through the W7 supported period,  Jan 2020. Then I could just keep using it, but keep it offline. That's what I'm doing now anyway.
 
The problem of course is that time moves on, and if you don't keep your system updated, it's going to become obsolete at some point. Unless you are content to use it as-is forever. So, my long-term plan is to transition eventually to Linux for music creation. There are not many options right now. Bitwig is the most professional, but it doesn't have a staff view. I will probably go with Reaper, as they will be releasing their notation edition soon, and they are working on  making Reaper Linux-capable. I just don't like the direction Microsoft is going in. They practically have a monopoly, and they are being increasingly aggressive about forcing people onto their products. It just doesn't sit well with me. A shame, because I used to love them. My affection has definitely been transferred to Linux. 

Upgrade.  Not only worth the price of free, its worth the price of an OEM copy for Win 10 Pro.  Don't do it when you have something important on the same day..  The install leaves the old windows version intact if you need to roll back.  
 
I ran into a few SMALL problems.  1 - the update left out the windows media toolset in my case.  Sonar complained.  I looked on the Microsoft website, found it, downloaded (its free) and updated.    2 - the option to have Windows auto update wasn't working cleanly so I turned it off.  I have built a new PC and bought a new copy of Win 10 - it doesn't have the same problems. In neither case would I say hold back.   
 
I run Sonar with a MOTU 1248 AVB interface, Waves (my main recording tools of choice) AND Studio One / Capture, RM32, CS18ai, and Waves (way cool) for live work with my band.   Windows 10 works great for USB2-3,  Firewire and Thunderbolt connectivity options. 
 
Hmmm.  Sunny out.  Harley is ready.  Stay and play in small room with a lot of gear in it?  I think not - its riding time.
 
Take care all,
 
LL

After reading some of the post about the security issues with windows 10 I came across this video that goes into detail about how Windows 10 using our keystrokes, data, etc..
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1kGMCfb2xw
Here is a link to a program that helps block windows way into  your system
https://www.safer-networking.org/spybot-anti-beacon/

BMOG
I have platinum working well on Windows 7 Professional, I do have a random audio dropout at times but that is about it. Windows 10 free upgrade is it to my advantage to upgrade?

You might as well because eventually you'll have to (when support for win7 runs out) so you might as well get it for free now... or in the near future.
 
Unless you're planning to switch to either Mac or Linux. :)

LJB
Just know this: Win 10 IS great, but I just had to replace one of my PCs motherboards (still the same HDD), and now I have to pay to re-register Windows. That feels a bit like Bait n Switch IMO.

So what is the status on this? Quite curious since I have a W7 OEM license. Supposedly they are less tolerant in these situations.

Linux = waste of time.  Meanwhile I solved an issue with a W10 in place upgrade.  I had plenty of stability issues and the fix was to create a new user since my previous user folder was corrupt.
 
I had to reauthorize Live, XLN, IK and Reaper.  There were plenty of programs I had to reinstall because of the corrupt user folder.  I had Sonar create an IRQ less than equal error and the solution was to remove ASIO4All. I'm using an old Terratec card with Vista beta drivers and for some odd reason Sonar would call up the ASIO4ALL and crash.  Reason will not accept my Terratec ASIO and now I use that in WDM mode only for Reason.
 
I can't say I notice anything in the W10 upgrade that makes me say WOW! over W7. The quick launch icons are smaller in W10 which means I can add more of them.

BMOG
After reading some of the post about the security issues with windows 10 I came across this video that goes into detail about how Windows 10 using our keystrokes, data, etc..
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1kGMCfb2xw
Here is a link to a program that helps block windows way into  your system
https://www.safer-networking.org/spybot-anti-beacon/

If one thinks MS is reading everything you type or is at all interested in the content one produces I believe you need to rethink this. Also it seems to me that MS would be in deep trouble if the above did occur. They are interested in how often you use Edge but where you go I'm not so sure about that. Google is doing that anyway.
 
Plus if you consider the total number of windows installs world wide the data that would generate seems huge in simply alerting that windows has been loaded. Getting the entire content that all the computers generate in a day seems to me to be so large as to be useless on a personal basis. 
 
I really don't believe there is any cause for alarm. I read recently how MS is going back on its word and going to stop offering Win 10 free in July. The authors attribute this to many motives on MS's part.  It was written as if no one knew that this would happen or that MS made this very clear when it began offering Win 10 to the users. I knew about it and I think many here knew about it. Yet this publication pretends it is new information. I think there is a lesson here and that is be very skeptical of anything that taken at face value would tend to inflame people. When we know the full facts its not so inflammatory. If you wish to read it yourself you can find it here http://www.tenforums.com/windows-10-news/50388-three-reasons-microsoft-stopped-free-windows-10-upgrades.html
 
  

If you ever used a program like Zone Alarm it would warn of which programs kept track of your keystrokes.  Most software and especially multimedia software does this.