Now playing: Watch this: Why Microsoft needs Windows 10 to be a hit. The question is, what are these additional features in the Pro version, and do you need these features? Of course, using an old version’s key essentially amounts to a free upgrade, which once upon a time was often provided by software vendors, so if you can use that method, great. During installation, Microsoft asks you to enter a Windows 10 or 11 product key. Which works but shouldn’t be sold. BitLocker is Microsoft’s built-in encryption software for Windows. This has likely led you to wonder what the differences are between Windows 10 Home and Pro.
 
 

Latest News | Latest Business News | BSE | IPO News.Windows 10 Pro vs. Home: which you should buy? – Pureinfotech

Chromebooks are continuing to mature into a force to be reckoned with. However, Microsoft isn’t taking this threat lightly, continuing to update Windows 10 with new tricks, revolving around an ever-improving Start menu and the helpful Cortana assistant. So, which computing platform is truly the best? To answer that question, we put both Windows and Chrome OS to the test and compared them in 12 rounds of head-to-head competition.

But first, let’s take a brief look at how Chromebooks compare to other laptops by exploring the software and hardware. We’ll start with the software. That’s because the OS centers around the Chrome app and web-based processes.

Unlike Windows 10 and macOS, you can’t install third-party software on a Chromebook — all the apps you get come from the Google Play Store.

This is both a pro and a con. With Chrome OS, you don’t have to worry about a bunch of Windows junk programs clogging up your storage space. Chrome OS is also speedier than Windows and macOS for this exact reason — Chrome OS isn’t weighed down by dozens of processes running in the background.

On the flip side, you simply can’t run all your legacy Windows or macOS programs on a Chromebook. Now, let’s talk about the hardware. Chromebooks have come a long way in the past few years, and there is finally a compelling selection of laptops to choose from. On the low end of the price spectrum is the Samsung Chromebook 3 , a dirt-cheap The Chromebook 3 is probably the type of laptop you imagine when you think about Chromebooks.

However, mid-range and premium Chromebooks are now flooding the market. Windows 10 still offers the best selection of hardware, but Chromebooks are quickly catching up. That said, if you’re looking for truly premium notebooks that can go up against Apple’s Macbooks, it’s still slim pickings.

Windows 10 is a well-polished and finished operating system that feels more integrated and seamless than its predecessors. Pressing the Start button reveals the new Start menu, filled with your most used programs and recently installed apps on the left. To the right is a wider panel, where you can pin tiles that are animated with updates. The taskbar has been updated to include a Cortana search bar next to the Start button and small icons that show which programs are open. On the bottom right of the desktop, Windows 10 adds a notification icon that, when clicked, brings you to the new Action Center, where you can see alerts from apps that are both active and dormant.

There are also quick settings in this notifications menu in the form of tiles. In the newest version of Chrome OS, the Start-like button sits in the bottom-left corner. When pressed, the launcher pop-up features a Google search bar and a list of your most recently opened apps.

Depending on if your Chromebook supports Touch or not, scrolling down may Google Now info cards, which give you information like local weather, suggested articles based on your search activity, and calendar updates. Chromebooks with support for the Play Store and Android apps have dropped the Google Now card interface. Basic settings, such as Wi-Fi and Time, are accessed on the bottom right. Chrome OS was built as a Web-first operating system, so apps usually run in a Chrome browser window.

The same is true for apps that can run offline. Both Windows 10 and Chrome are great for working in side-by-side windows. For each OS, all you need to do is drag a window to one side, where it snaps to half-screen mode. However, Windows lets you snap up to four windows, compared to two for Chrome OS. Another thing to consider is touch-friendly devices. There are Windows 10 and Chrome OS laptops with touch screens, and both benefit greatly from them, in differing ways.

Windows 10 has tablet mode, which removes your taskbar icons and puts all apps in full-screen mode, leaving you with a minimalist workspace that removes a lot of desktop distractions. And with the new universal apps in the Windows app store, you’ll be able to run most of your favorite programs in both desktop and tablet modes. Chromebook shoppers should definitely look for models with touch screens, though, as the tappable display helps them take advantage of the platform’s latest major feature: Android apps.

Downloaded via the Google Play store on specific Chromebooks that support them, Android apps can run in Chrome OS, but they’re not optimized for a keyboard and mouse, so you’ll need to use a touchscreen to make the most of them. Winner: Chrome OS. Though it’s not as great for multitasking, Chrome OS offers a simpler and more straightforward interface than Windows Clicking on the Cortana search bar brings up a window with useful information, including the weather, your next calendar appointment and local restaurants to check out.

If you have “Hey, Cortana” enabled, you can say that phrase to bring up a window and ask any question you want. On the flip side, Chrome OS has a similar feature you can enable in Settings, called “OK, Google,” that will let you ask Google Now questions when the Launcher is open or when a blank Chrome tab is open.

In addition, the voice assistant spoke to me, saying it takes 4 hours and 9 minutes to get to Washington, D. Google Now tends to speak more than Cortana does, audibly giving you related information about what you initially searched for. However, Cortana does a lot more than Google Now. For instance, you can perform natural-language searches for files on your laptop, dictate emails, book appointments and, yes, tell jokes.

If you’re lucky enough to own a Chromebook that supports Google Assistant — the Pixelbook is the only one we’ve seen so far — though, you’ve got a virtual helper that can keep pace with Cortana. For a laptop to be fully functional, you’ll need a few basic programs, including ones for productivity, photo editing, video editing, video playback, music playback and a browser.

For Windows laptops and Chromebooks, all of that’s possible, but Google’s OS is still a work in progress, despite recent additions. If there’s a program you want to run, chances are that Windows supports it. And that goes for most games as well. Looking for a more tablet-like experience, or have a system with a touch screen? Microsoft claims that there are , apps opens in new tab in the Windows Store. Some of our favorite Windows 10 apps include Facebook, Kindle and Flipboard. All three of those options offer interactive Live Tiles to keep you updated on what’s happening in the world.

And while Chrome OS started as a big browser — where if you wanted to run a program or play a game, you had to do it in Chrome — that’s changing. Those machines — which include the Asus Chromebook Flip CCA , the Samsung Chromebook Plus and Pro and the Google Pixelbook, download these apps from the Google Play store, which reportedly houses 2,, apps, in addition to those from the Chrome Web Store, which has thousands of its own titles.

And while those apps can work offline, if your Chromebook isn’t on the list of those with Android apps , you’re hampered for what you can do without a signal. A few dozen of those apps offer at least some offline functionality, such as Kindle Cloud Reader and Google Drive for reading and editing on the go.

Also, you can change the settings in some programs, such as Google Docs, to access them offline. For more, check out our guide to the best Chromebook games. Windows 10 offers a plethora of photo-editing programs, including support for Photoshop Elements and the rest of Adobe’s Creative Suite. What you will find on the web-based Chrome OS platform are some basic editing options, such as Photoshop Express for Android supporting machines and Pixlr Editor for others.

Using the latter, we took a high-resolution photo of a tiger and quickly added effects, an overlay and text, and adjusted the color for brightness, contrast, focal blur and much more. It’s an easy-to-navigate program with straightforward tools. If you’re a casual photo editor, these will probably suffice.

With Windows 10 came the introduction of Microsoft’s new Photos app, which has basic photo-editing tools. When you open a photo in the app, you can choose the option to edit it from the top-right navigation bar, which opens up tools on the right and left sides of the photo.

In basic fixes, you’ll find options like auto-enhance, which bumps up the contrast and saturation and, in some cases, straightens out an image; rotate; crop; and retouch.

For more controlled editing, you can manipulate light brightness, contrast, highlights and shadows and colors temperature, tint and saturation , and there are filters and effects to give your photos more personality. Anyone who has used mobile photo editors like Instagram and Afterlight will easily get the hang of the new Windows Photos app.

More serious photographers will want to download programs like Adobe Photoshop to have full control over their images, which is not an option on Chrome OS. Filmmakers — who get a ton of options on PCs, such as Adobe Premiere Pro — will likely find that even the best Chromebooks aren’t ready for the big screen nor prime time.

Adobe Premiere Clip is available for those machines with Android app support, but as its name suggests, it’s not for feature-length works. The story gets sadder over at the Chrome Web Store, which is stocked with simple, no-frills options, such as Magisto and WeVideo, that offer autocorrection and editing with a few clicks. Winner: Windows Beginners and pros alike get the most options in a Windows 10 laptop. Chrome is a great browser that offers strong performance, a clean and easy-to-use interface, and a ton of extensions.

But if you own a machine running Chrome OS, you better really like it, because there aren’t any alternatives. The Chrome browser on Chrome OS cannot run Flash or other important plugins, such as Java, meaning that sometimes, you will run into compatibility problems when trying to view certain websites or select extensions. On the other hand, Windows 10 can also run Chrome, along with pretty much every other web browser ever made, giving you the flexibility to surf the internet exactly how you want to.

Microsoft’s new browser, Edge, also has some handy features not found in Chrome, such as the ability to write directly on websites and send those notes and scribbles to friends; Cortana search embedded on the same page; and a reading mode that removes distracting elements like ads and saves articles so they can be viewed offline.

Chrome is good, but Windows 10 lets you use Chrome along with a bunch of other web browsers. Choice is king. Windows still provides a traditional and familiar folder of files, which appears in the simple File Explorer program.

You can also save to your desktop, pin documents to the bar and create new folders in a jiffy. You can even access your Microsoft OneDrive files to see what you’ve stored in the cloud. There’s also a Files folder in the main menu for Chromebooks.

But it’s not in the Start menu by default, as it is on Windows From here, you can access your Google Drive files or any files that have been downloaded and saved to the machine’s storage drive. The main drawback for Chromebook users is the smaller amount of space you’re likely to have on your machine’s hard drive. Also, with Cortana integration, you can type in commands, such as “Show me photos from last week,” and it will bring up files that fit those criteria. People who keep tons of photos, videos and other files will want the local storage space that Windows offers.

Being the go-to business-friendly operating system, Windows 10 is the standard when it comes to getting stuff done. As such, many businesses use software that is compatible only with Windows.

Compare Windows 10 Home vs Pro | Microsoft Windows – – Which is the best version of Windows for you?

That includes the centered Start menu, the new Microsoft Store , Snap Layouts, Microsoft Teams chat integration which you can disable , Widgets, and more. As for some other similarities, you also get support for Windows Hello, Windows Security, Parental Controls, Kids mode in Microsoft Edge , multiple virtual desktops, touch, pen and voice input , et al. Even the minimum hardware requirements to run Windows 11 are the same for both editions.

As we can see, all the standout features of Windows 11 are available on both editions. And for an average user, any of the editions will suffice the need. However, if you are a Pro user, you would want more. If you are a Windows 11 Home user, you must need an internet connection to set up Windows 11, which is frankly absurd.

There is simply no option to set up Windows 11 Home edition through a local account. However, if you are a Pro user, you can set up Windows 11 with a local account.

However, Microsoft is being its annoying self, with the local account option hidden under Sign-in options. Windows 11 Pro Nevertheless, there are some workarounds to bypass the need for an online account on Windows 11 Home edition. Apart from that, you can also move to a local account after you have signed in with your Microsoft account from the Settings page.

You can follow our guide on how to remove a Microsoft account from Windows Windows 11 Home does not come with Bitlocker encryption , whereas Windows 11 Pro has support for it. Bitlocker encryption allows you to encrypt your entire hard disk and disk volumes using the AES encryption algorithm. If you have sensitive data on your computer, Windows 11 Pro ensures no one can access your data in case of theft.

It uses the TPM Trusted Platform Module , an essential requirement to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 to store the encryption keys, so that is pretty good. To conclude, if you want better security for your data on Windows 11, you should go for the Windows 11 Pro edition. For example, if you want to defer Windows update for a longer time , you can change it from Group Policy, an option that is not available on the Settings page. Then, there is the option to lock specific apps on Windows , disable Cortana permanently , and a host of other things that you can tweak via the Group Policy Editor.

So if you are someone who wants to have complete control over your PC, opting for Windows 11 Pro would make better sense. You can follow our linked article for detailed instructions. If you are an advanced user and need support for native virtualization, opt for Windows 11 Pro over the Home edition.

Windows 11 Pro comes with Hyper-V, which is a native hypervisor built by Microsoft. You can run virtual machines of any operating system inside Windows 11, including older versions of Windows, Linux distros, and more. Having said that, if you are a Home user, there is nothing to worry about. We have an in-depth tutorial on how to install Hyper-V on Windows 11 Home edition. Again, this linked guide is for the Windows 10 counterpart but should work flawlessly on Windows 11 as well.

Whatever you do in this environment stays there and does not affect the OS. Note that, with Windows Sandbox, you can only use the current build of Windows 11, whereas Hyper-V allows you to install any other operating systems as well. If you want to test a sketchy app before installing it on your Windows 11 computer, Windows Sandbox is the best way to do it. In contrast, with Windows 11 Pro, your PC can act as the host as well as the client for remote desktop connection.

That means Windows 11 Pro enables you to have unattended access to your computer from anywhere in the world. You can access all your files, modify programs, and do much more with this feature. Having said that, there are many third-party remote desktop software such as TeamViewer that offers similar features on Windows 11 Home.

Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Initial payment breakdown. Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total including tax shown at checkout.

Add to Cart. Enhancements you chose aren’t available for this seller. Details To add the following enhancements to your purchase, choose a different seller. Secure transaction. Your transaction is secure. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Learn more. Ships from. Sold by. Return policy: Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.

Read full return policy. Add a gift receipt for easy returns. Other Sellers on Amazon. Not added. Details Sold by: Ideabuy. Only 7 left in stock – order soon. Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon. Image Unavailable Image not available for Color:. Brand: Microsoft. Platform : Windows Amazon’s Choice highlights highly rated, well-priced products available to ship immediately. Edition: Home. Enhance your purchase. Buy it with. Total price:. To see our price, add these items to your cart.

Choose items to buy together. Get it as soon as Monday, Aug Related Climate Pledge Friendly items. Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1. Previous page. Amazon’s Choice. Logitech Multimedia 2.

Next page. From the manufacturer. Do things confidently. A web that works the way you do. Take your gaming further. Do things across your devices. Do things magically. Customer reviews. How customer reviews and ratings work Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. Images in this review. Reviews with images. See all customer images. Top reviews Most recent Top reviews. Top reviews from the United States. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Verified Purchase. As cheap as this was, I was worried this was too good to be true. It was. Totally invalid and useless. At least JW Geek responded promptly to my refund request and granted it without any hassle.

Edition: Home Verified Purchase. I was building my first computer and bought this along with all the component parts. It took five days to arrive and I was very excited. I spent most of the day building the pc and then tried to install windows. Everything was fine until I had to activate windows. The key printed on the envelope was not being accepted.

I called customer service and was passed back and forth until I spoke to senior Microsoft tech support. I asked him how Microsoft could permit pirated products to be sold on such a well known website. He had no explanation but said he constantly gets calls from amazon customers who received pirated micrisoft products.

I offered to email him proof I purchased the software but he said they did not have the ability to access email. How ridiculous is it that a major software company doesn’t even give it’s employees email accounts. I also told him I was a long term Microsoft customer with an xbox live subscription going back 7 years. He said it didn’t matter and there was nothing he was willing to do.

The product was pirated and that is the bottom line. I told him I was going to write a review to inform people amazon sells pirated windows software. He indicated that was a good idea. So there you go, I guess this poor review has Microsoft’s seal of approval. Whatever you do don’t buy this from amazon.

Kudos to Amazon for making it right. Just installed this today on a pc I built for my son. After typing in the COA to activate Windows, it said my copy was not valid. Went to Microsoft tech support page and discovered my copy is possibly counterfeit. I will be filing a complaint with Amazon.

Buyer beware. I used this for a new system build. This comes in a sealed envelope with the install DVD and the activation code that you scratch off. The code worked as promised. The easy way to install Windows 10 on a new PC build: 1. Go to the Windows download website and download the installer tool.

This will install Windows on your USB stick. Plug in the USB stick to your new motherboard and it will be recognized as a bootable drive. Select the USB drive and boot. It will ask for an activation code that is on the inside of the envelope you received. Enter it and Windows 10 will install. Took about 15 min to install on.

Samsung EVO Nvme drive. The Free windows update that I paid over I had a super machine that was totally upgrade-able. I tried twice to install a ‘Clean Install” but it stopped twice during the process. I must admit I got Microsoft on the phone pretty quick , so we tried for another hour or two but to no Prevail.

I was told to take my desk top pc to my local store located in Mid-Town Manhattan and they told me I had a hardware failure? I said the machine was fine until I put your rotten Win 10 disk in my PC.

Price difference windows 10 home and pro free

Windows 10 was developed using feedback from millions of people, so you can feel confident that Windows 10 works the way you want it to. Additionally, Windows 10 helps you stay current for a worry-free experience with the greatest features and our latest protection against viruses, phishing and malware. The all-new browser is great for getting things done online. Write or type directly on webpages and easily share the mark-ups; you’ll also like reading online articles free of distractions.

The address bar gives you personalized recommendations to get you quickly to your online destination. Great Xbox titles, the best of Xbox Live, and your Xbox community, achievements, and game collection via the Xbox app. Take your movies, music, and photos with you across all your devices with OneDrive.

Plus, with OneDrive, you get 15GB of free storage space. Cortana 2 is your truly personal digital assistant who learns more about you over time. Cortana works across all your devices, from phone to tablet to PC, to help you do more and forget less.

See xbox. Limited number of games available in support cross-device play; additional games to follow. Stream to one device at a time; streaming with multiplayer from Xbox One requires network connection and Xbox Live Gold membership sold separately ; Gold also required for multiplayer play on Xbox One. DirectX 12 only available with supported games and graphics chips. Cortana experience may vary by region and device.

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon.

It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. Skip to main content. You can return the item for any reason in new and unused condition: no shipping charges Learn more about free returns. How to return the item? Go to your orders and start the return Select the return method Ship it! Or fastest delivery Friday, August Order within 7 hrs 47 mins. In Stock. Qty: 1 2 3 Qty: 1. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Initial payment breakdown. Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total including tax shown at checkout.

Add to Cart. Enhancements you chose aren’t available for this seller. Details To add the following enhancements to your purchase, choose a different seller. Secure transaction.

Your transaction is secure. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Learn more. Ships from. Sold by. Return policy: Eligible for Return, Refund or Replacement within 30 days of receipt This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt. Read full return policy. Add a gift receipt for easy returns. Other Sellers on Amazon. Not added. Details Sold by: Ideabuy.

Only 7 left in stock – order soon. Have one to sell? Sell on Amazon. Image Unavailable Image not available for Color:. Brand: Microsoft. Platform : Windows Amazon’s Choice highlights highly rated, well-priced products available to ship immediately. Edition: Home. Enhance your purchase. Buy it with. Total price:. To see our price, add these items to your cart. Choose items to buy together. Get it as soon as Monday, Aug Related Climate Pledge Friendly items.

Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1. Previous page. Amazon’s Choice. Logitech Multimedia 2. Next page. From the manufacturer. Do things confidently. A web that works the way you do. Take your gaming further. Do things across your devices. Do things magically. Customer reviews. How customer reviews and ratings work Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. Images in this review. Reviews with images. See all customer images. Top reviews Most recent Top reviews. Top reviews from the United States. There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Verified Purchase. As cheap as this was, I was worried this was too good to be true. It was. Totally invalid and useless. At least JW Geek responded promptly to my refund request and granted it without any hassle. Edition: Home Verified Purchase.

I was building my first computer and bought this along with all the component parts. It took five days to arrive and I was very excited.

I spent most of the day building the pc and then tried to install windows. Everything was fine until I had to activate windows. The key printed on the envelope was not being accepted.

I called customer service and was passed back and forth until I spoke to senior Microsoft tech support. I asked him how Microsoft could permit pirated products to be sold on such a well known website. He had no explanation but said he constantly gets calls from amazon customers who received pirated micrisoft products. I offered to email him proof I purchased the software but he said they did not have the ability to access email. How ridiculous is it that a major software company doesn’t even give it’s employees email accounts.

I also told him I was a long term Microsoft customer with an xbox live subscription going back 7 years.

He said it didn’t matter and there was nothing he was willing to do.