the catch is you'd still be using windows

Orrrr they could use one of the grown up versions that will get supported with free security fixes until 2032. Knowing MS you'd probably be able to pirate their "paid" security updates anyway. The downside is using windows ofc.

The backup utilizes OneDrive, which provides each user 5GB of cloud storage for free.

Stingy.

With more than half of the Windows user base still running Windows 10, Microsoft is clearly starting to worry that, come October, over half a billion PCs will be left unsupported and vulnerable to newly discovered security threats.

Oh yeah, they're so worried for the common man. Makes you wanna trust them, doesn't it?

so long as they sync their PC settings data with the cloud

AKA feed Microsoft AI with user-provided data?

Man, they really want to violate people's privacy.

Too late. I already dropped your crap for linux months ago. I'm still finding solutions for some of the programs I both can't get on linux and struggle to install with wine or proton, but at least I'm free of microsoft.

Ok, fine, so I setup a VM, make a bogus account, sync the updates, copy the update files and apply them wherever.