Users with older floating licenses can often run V13 without the recurring costs or upgrade fees associated with newer versions. Migration Path and Compatibility
Is it actually "better" in 2021? The answer depends on your environment. In a modern greenfield project, the answer is no—you should use the latest version to leverage features like View-of-Things or advanced Motion Control. However, V13 SP1 Update 4 is "better" for: siemens tia portal v13 sp1 update 4 better 2021
Siemens TIA Portal V13 SP1 Update 4 remains a surprisingly relevant topic in 2021, even with the availability of much newer versions like V17. For many automation engineers, "newer" doesn't always mean "better," especially when dealing with legacy hardware and established production lines. Why Stick with TIA Portal V13 SP1 in 2021? Users with older floating licenses can often run
Better API support for those using automated workflow scripts. In a modern greenfield project, the answer is
Update 4 wasn't just a minor patch; it addressed specific performance bottlenecks that plagued the original SP1 release.
V13 runs significantly faster on older laptop hardware compared to the resource-heavy V16 or V17.
The primary reason engineers still search for V13 SP1 Update 4 is hardware compatibility. Many older S7-1200 and S7-1500 CPU firmware versions are natively supported in V13 without the need for complex migrations. If you are maintaining a plant commissioned between 2013 and 2015, V13 SP1 is often the "native language" of those machines.