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Windows 8 editions

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Windows 8 has four editions, each with varying feature sets.[1]

Editions

Unlike Windows 7 and Windows Vista, there are no Starter, Ultimate, Home Premium, or Home Basic editions.[2] All editions have the ability to use language packs, enabling multiple user interface languages.[3] This functionality was previously only available in Windows 7 Ultimate or Enterprise. However, in China and a small number of other emerging markets, an edition of Windows 8 without this capability will be offered.[4] In China, a region-specific edition, Windows 8 for China, will be released, as confirmed by Steve Guggenheimer, Corporate Vice President. [5] It will be offered at relatively low price in an attempt to curb rampant software piracy in China.

Windows 8
Windows 8 is the basic edition of Windows for the x86 and x86-64 architectures. This edition contains features aimed at the home market segment and provides all of the basic new, Windows 8 features including the Start screen with semantic zoom, live tiles, Windows Store, Internet Explorer 10, connected standby, Microsoft account integration, the Windows desktop, and more.
Windows 8 Pro
Windows 8 Pro succeeds Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate[4][3] and is targeted towards enthusiasts and business users; it includes all the features of Windows 8. Additional features include operating as a Remote Desktop server, the ability to participate in a Windows Server domain, Encrypting File System, Hyper-V, and Virtual Hard Disk Booting, Group Policy as well as BitLocker and BitLocker To Go. Windows Media Center functionality will be available only for Windows 8 Pro, as a free "add-on."[3]
Windows 8 Enterprise
Windows 8 Enterprise provides all the features in Windows 8 Pro, with additional features to assist with IT organization (see table below).[4] This edition is only available to Software Assurance customers and was released on August 16, 2012.[6]
Windows RT
Windows RT will only be available pre-installed on ARM-based devices such as tablet PCs[7], and was named for the Windows Runtime (WinRT) development platform that Microsoft is introducing in Windows 8.[7] It will include touch-optimized desktop versions of the basic set of Office 2013 applications to users—Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote, and support device encryption capabilities. Several business-focused features such as Group Policy and domain support are not included.
Windows 8 "N" Versions
A Windows 8 "N" version is a edition which does not include a bundled copy of Windows Media Player. Microsoft was forced to create the special "N" editions of Windows after the European Commission ruled in 2004 that it needed to provide a copy of Windows without Windows Media Player tied in.

Upgrade compatibility

The following in-place upgrade paths are supported from Windows 7.[4] Note that it is only possible to upgrade from a IA-32 version of Windows 7 to an IA-32 version of Windows 8; an x64 version of Windows 7 can only be upgraded to an x64 version of Windows 8. Windows RT cannot be installed on the same hardware that accepts Windows 7, for Windows RT is designed exclusively for ARM architecture which Windows 7 does not support. In addition, it is possible to upgrade Windows XP and Windows Vista to Windows 8 Pro.[8]

Windows 7 edition Can upgrade to
Windows RT?		 Can upgrade to
Windows 8?		 Can upgrade to
Windows 8 Pro?
Ultimate No No Yes
Professional
Home Premium Yes
Home Basic
Starter

Comparison chart

Microsoft has not yet released maximum-supported system specifications, such as the maximum amount of RAM or logical processors.

Comparison of Windows 8 editions[4][9]
Features Windows RT Windows 8 Windows 8 Pro Windows 8 Enterprise
Compatible with current Windows Applications No[10] Yes Yes Yes
Availability[11] Pre-installed on devices[7] Most channels Most channels Volume License customers
Architecture ARM (32-bit) IA-32 (32-bit) or x86-64 (64-bit) IA-32 (32-bit) or x86-64 (64-bit) IA-32 (32-bit) or x86-64 (64-bit)
Trusted boot Yes Yes Yes Yes
Picture password Yes Yes Yes Yes
Start screen, Semantic Zoom, Live Tiles Yes Yes Yes Yes
Touch and Thumb keyboard Yes Yes Yes Yes
Language packs Yes Yes Yes Yes
Updated Windows Explorer Yes Yes Yes Yes
Standard apps[a] Yes Yes Yes Yes
File History Yes Yes Yes Yes
Refresh and reset of OS Yes Yes Yes Yes
Play To Yes Yes Yes Yes
Connected standby Yes Yes Yes Yes
Windows Update Yes Yes Yes Yes
Windows Defender Yes Yes Yes Yes
Better multi-monitor support Yes Yes Yes Yes
New Windows Task Manager Yes Yes Yes Yes
ISO image and VHD mounting Yes Yes Yes Yes
Mobile broadband features Yes Yes Yes Yes
Microsoft account Yes Yes Yes Yes
Internet Explorer 10 Yes Yes Yes Yes
SmartScreen Yes Yes Yes Yes
Windows Store Yes Yes Yes Yes
Xbox Live app (including Xbox Live Arcade)[12][13] Yes Yes Yes Yes
Exchange ActiveSync Yes Yes Yes Yes
Snap Yes Yes Yes Yes
Can connect to a VPN? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Device encryption[b] Yes No No No
Microsoft Office apps bundled with OS[c] Yes No No No
Desktop Partial Yes Yes Yes
Storage Spaces No Yes Yes Yes
Windows Media Player No Yes Yes Yes
Windows Media Center No No Via an add-in[15] No
Remote Desktop Client only Client only Client and host Client and host
Boot from VHD No No Yes Yes
BitLocker and BitLocker To Go No No Yes Yes
Encrypting File System No No Yes Yes
Can join a Windows domain? No No Yes Yes
Group Policy No No Yes Yes
AppLocker No No Yes Yes
Hyper-V[16] No No On 64-bit versions only with SLAT capable CPU
Windows To Go No No No Yes
DirectAccess No No No Yes
BranchCache[d] No No No Yes
Can be virtualized by RemoteFX? No No No Yes
Modern UI Style App deployment (of internal applications) No No No Yes

Notes

  1. ^ Includes Mail, Calendar, People, Messaging, Photos, Reader, Music, Video, and SkyDrive app
  2. ^ Device encryption, a feature introduced in Windows Mobile 6.5, encrypts the contents of a mobile device to enhance their security.[14]
  3. ^ Includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote
  4. ^ BranchCache, a feature of Windows 7 and later, locally caches contents received from a file server or web server to enable faster subsequent uses.[17]

References

  1. ^ Bradley, Tom (17 April 2012). "Windows 8: Which Version Should You Choose?". PCWorld. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  2. ^ Taylor, Bill (17 April 2012). "Microsoft Announces Revamped Windows 8 Editions". Tom's Hardware. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Foley, Mary Jo (2012). ""Microsoft: Here are the four editions of Windows 8". Retrieved 17 April 2012. {{cite web}}: Text "ZDNet"" ignored (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e LeBlanc, Brandon (2012). "Announcing the Windows 8 Editions". Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  5. ^ Zac (10 April 2012) Windows 8 China edition confirmed by Microsoft employee? Winbeta.org. Retrieved 22 June 2012.
  6. ^ Rose, Stephen (16 August 2012). "Windows 8 Is Ready For Your Enterprise". Microsoft. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  7. ^ a b c Mackie, Kurt (17 April 2012). "Microsoft Names Windows 8 Editions, Unveils ARM-Based 'Windows RT'". Redmonad Channel Partner. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  8. ^ Leblanc, Brandon. "Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $39.99". Blogging Windows. Microsoft. Retrieved 2012-07-03. You can add Windows Media Center for free through the "add features" option within Windows 8 Pro after your upgrade.
  9. ^ Thurott, Paul (18 April 2012). "Microsoft Details Windows 8 Enterprise". Penton Media. Retrieved 18 April 2012.
  10. ^ What’s The Difference Between Windows 8 & Windows RT?
  11. ^ Thurott, Paul (16 April 2012). "News Flash! Microsoft Stops SKUing Customers with Windows 8". Penton Media. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
  12. ^ "Windows 8 To Integrate Xbox Live Support". Maximum PC. Retrieved 2011-08-29.
  13. ^ "Windows 8 Feature Focus: Xbox LIVE Games". Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows. Retrieved 2012-04-21.
  14. ^ "Device Encryption". MSDN Library. Microsoft. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
  15. ^ Leblanc, Brandon. "Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for $39.99". Blogging Windows. Microsoft. Retrieved 2012-07-03. If you install the Windows 8 Pro System Builder product, you will be able to add Windows Media Center via the "add features" option within the product for free during the promotion.
  16. ^ Sinofsky, Steven (9 July 2011). "Bringing Hyper-V to "Windows 8"". Building Windows 8. Microsoft. Retrieved 15 May 2012.
  17. ^ "BranchCache". Windows Server 2008 R2 homepage. Microsoft. Retrieved 9 July 2012.
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